IWIAHC Chapter 12

She wanted to leave the territory immediately, but reality differed from novels.

Unless they were going to flee in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on their backs, they needed to arrange money and apply for travel permits.

The travel permit was especially important. To leave the city, presenting a travel permit to the guards at the gate was mandatory.

Getting caught trying to leave the city illegally meant forced labor at minimum, summary execution at maximum. For the record, illegal escape was completely out of the question for a party consisting of an elderly woman and a young lady.

"Do you know any forgers?"

"Do you?"

Silence filled the space between them.

They'd lived lives far removed from crime. They knew such professions existed from reading novels, but where exactly one might find such people—neither Julia nor Lily had the faintest idea.

Lily asked without confidence:

"Do you think we'll be able to get travel permits safely?"

"We'll have to try."

At least, unlike residency transfer permits that required approval from the lord himself, short-term travel permits could be issued by the government office as long as there were no problems with one's identity. Provided one offered a small bribe, of course.

"Good. Then we'll prepare today and leave first thing tomorrow morning without fail."

In conclusion, they didn't leave the next morning either.

Even though Julia had disposed of several rare books to raise quick cash, informed Mrs. Brown and vacated their room, and even reserved a hired carriage.

Naturally, the problem was the travel permits.

"Has the approval still not come through?"

Lily asked the clerk while holding her travel bag.

They'd been sitting in the waiting area for five hours now. An hour of that had been spent getting thrown out because it was lunch break.

The clerk replied with an indifferent expression:

"This isn't something that happens quickly. Either wait patiently or I'll have you removed for interfering with official business."

If you're going to treat us like this, give back the money you took this morning!

They'd discreetly handed over an amount close to three months' living expenses to facilitate speedy processing, yet the treatment was abysmal.

However, being thoroughly in the weaker position, Lily could only suppress her anger and return to Julia's side.

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't understand. Their application had been perfect.

A visit to Drindle where Lily's parents lived, a clean criminal record, Julia Dienta's unemployed status and Lily's occupation as an odd-job worker.

On top of that, they'd offered a gratuity—there was absolutely no reason for it to take this long.

"Let's wait a bit longer, dear."

Julia tried to soothe her, but Lily couldn't bear the anxiety.

Too much time had passed. According to what she'd told Angela, she should have returned yesterday afternoon. Surely this news had reached Wolfram's ears as well.

Should they forget about the travel permits and think of another method? But nothing came to mind.

She was just an ordinary maid specialized in cleaning, not a genius of concealment or the possessor of iron stamina. She had even less connection to criminal organizations or fixers.

Suddenly the government office became noisy, and the director along with all the clerks bustled toward the entrance in a flurry.

Sensing something ominous in how things were unfolding, Lily perked up her ears.

"...Baron Burnett, are you...?"

"It's nothing serious..."

Wolfram had arrived! Lily held her breath. The sound of footsteps and their voices gradually drew closer.

"Where is Miss Dienta?"

"Over there."

She hunched her body unnaturally while frantically looking around for an escape route.

"Lily, what's wrong?"

"N-no, shh, shh."

The moment she tried to silence Julia, the footsteps stopped. Lily couldn't bring herself to turn her head in that direction.

"Miss Dienta, there you are."

The voice was disturbingly polite. Trembling with fear, she looked up to find Wolfram in an unexpectedly battered state.

She couldn't help but ask:

"Are you all right?"

Wolfram had bandages wrapped around his head. Several new scratches had appeared on his cheek, and more bandages were visible between the fabric of one sleeve.

"It's nothing serious."

Wolfram greeted the director who'd followed him.

"Thank you for letting me know. I'll remember this favor."

"My pleasure."

The director bowed with a bright face, then tapped the shoulder of the clerk standing beside him and whispered quietly.

That man was the one who'd been handling her travel permit. His face was just as bright as the director's.

Lily understood. No matter how long she waited, she'd been fated never to receive that travel permit. She watched with empty eyes as they returned to their posts, having told them to talk in comfort.

"Are you Mrs. Julia Dienta?"

"Yes, I am, but..."

Julia rose from her seat. Lily also stood up hesitantly and introduced him to Julia.

"Grandma, this is Baron Wolfram Burnett. He's His Grace Casimir's confidant and my superior."

"I'm honored to meet you, Baron."

Julia greeted him with gestures both composed and graceful.

"Please raise your head. Let's both of you get in the carriage and talk there."

Lily cried out in shock:

"G-Grandma has nothing to do with this!"

"No, she does."

Lily looked back and forth between Wolfram and Julia.

"What do you mean she does... a, a hostage?"

"Are you going to keep talking here?"

The way he avoided answering confirmed it—he was planning to take her hostage. It made perfect sense. Someone who could conceive of disguising murder as an accident would naturally want to take a hostage as well.

Lily hastily blocked the space between them.

"You don't need a hostage! I'll return quietly, so please don't touch my grandmother!"

The surrounding gazes focused on them. Wolfram frowned. Regardless, Lily burned with determination not to budge under any circumstances.

Wolfram pressed his brow, then whispered low enough for only Lily to hear:

"I'm bringing Mrs. Dienta in for the translator position. She applied herself, so stop with the hostage talk."

"The translator position? You mean the one applicant you mentioned was..."

Lily, who'd been keeping her voice down following his example, jumped.

"Grandma! You didn't say anything to me about this!"

"I was going to surprise you at the castle, you see. After hearing your story, I changed my mind and deliberately didn't mention it. I thought it an unnecessary topic."

Wolfram's frown deepened further.

"You insisted security was so important, and then you went and told her everything?"

Lily spoke shamelessly:

"G-Grandma's family. Anyway, you heard her, didn't you? That matter no longer concerns my grandmother, so please let her go. Otherwise I won't move a single step."

Wolfram began chewing his lip like someone who wanted to taste blood. She could see both his fists clenching tight.

Was he going to hit her for being stubborn? She was defying a nobleman's words, so getting struck once or twice was something she'd have to accept.

'But I won't back down. It's my turn to protect Grandma this time.'

Lily gritted her teeth and braced for impact.

However, anticlimactically, Wolfram let the strength drain from his body and dropped his arms limply. He spoke like someone who'd given up on everything.

"Fine. If you'll just come, please, please return to the castle even one second faster. Even now, His Grace is..."

Lily blinked. There was no trace of his previous arrogance or class discrimination.

Considering the bandages and his uncharacteristically desperate attitude, the duke was clearly causing another rampage. And the cause was naturally her escape.

Thinking of him raging because she hadn't come made her frightened on one hand, and strangely queasy on the other.

Lily collected herself and confirmed once more:

"All right. You've promised. I'll trust that you won't do anything strange to my grandmother after I leave."

Wolfram nodded with gloomy eyes. His body had turned halfway toward the entrance—he seemed to have thoughts only of returning to the castle.

Lily's heart lightened slightly. Having secured Julia's safety, this hadn't been a meaningless escape after all.

She turned to face Julia, who'd been maintaining silence throughout.

"Grandma, I'm sorry things turned out this way. I ended up making a fuss for nothing. I don't know if Mrs. Brown will let us reverse the contract."

Julia's expression was humorless as she seemed to be carefully weighing something.

"If she's already found new tenants, please write to me. I'll figure something out somehow."

Julia shook her head.

"I should go to the castle with you."

"But you said you withdrew your translator application?"

Lily asked in confusion.

"You're going back to the castle, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

Having been caught by Wolfram, there was no helping it. In fact, Wolfram was currently being extremely lenient with her.

As long as the employment contract stood, Lily had no excuse to avoid whatever punishment she might receive immediately.

But that was her situation. Julia had nothing to do with it.

Honestly, Lily felt somewhat hurt by Julia. Hadn't she watched right beside her how hard Lily had worked to save her? If she respected that admirable effort, she couldn't do this.

"Grandma, as I told you..."

Julia was resolute.

"If that place is so dangerous, I absolutely cannot send you there alone. I'm your guardian, and you're my only granddaughter. I've made up my mind, so don't make me say it twice."

When Julia took that attitude, no one could change her mind.