IWIAHC Chapter 13

In the end, all three ended up boarding the carriage. As the carriage wheels began to roll, Lily cautiously asked Wolfram a question.

"But how did you know to come?"

"I find it more puzzling that you thought we wouldn't know. If you were planning to leave the duchy, didn't it occur to you that you'd need to forge your identification or borrow someone else's?"

The lack of sarcasm in his tone made it all the more mortifying. She felt, quite objectively, like an idiot.

She mumbled defensively.

"Of course it occurred to me. But that's not something an ordinary person can manage. And I thought no one would care about someone like me."

"The roster and whereabouts of all castle staff are strictly monitored. Naturally, a report came up."

"Ah..."

Wolfram, who had been watching Lily closely, offered genuinely sincere advice.

"Personally, I suggest you never attempt escape again. It would be better for you—and for those around you—if you didn't strain yourself with talents you don't possess."

She agreed with him entirely. However, all of this wasn't entirely her fault...

"Of course the fundamental fault doesn't lie with you."

Lily's eyes went round as he read her thoughts. They grew even rounder when Wolfram suddenly bowed his head.

"I apologize once more for my remarks that day. It was I who didn't know my place."

"Just how badly did His Grace react?"

Lily hadn't entertained even the slightest notion that Wolfram Burnett would decide to apologize of his own accord. He must have realized his mistake when confronted with a catastrophe beyond his ability to manage.

What she wanted to know was the scale of that catastrophe. She wished to prepare herself mentally before facing the duke.

"Let's just say it's fortunate no one died."

Lily swallowed. She'd assumed, at worst, that the study had been redecorated somewhat more spectacularly.

Wolfram's apology continued.

"I know I've caused irreparable damage to the trust between us. However, please give me one more chance. I want to save him somehow."

It was an apology overflowing with sincerity. Yet the more genuine he became, the more deflated she felt.

"I was on the same side from the beginning. I wanted to help His Grace too. If you hadn't said that, I would have introduced you to my grandmother myself."

"I'm sorry."

Wolfram's face flushed. His expression showed he understood perfectly well that he'd ruined everything.

Lily sighed. She didn't want to be too cruel to someone who recognized their mistake and offered a sincere apology.

Besides, if it was certain her life wasn't in danger, she still wanted to help the duke.

"Enough apologies for now. Let me think about what to say to His Grace."

As the conversation ceased, Julia quietly took Lily's hand.

The warm presence of family was surprisingly comforting. Only then did she realize how tense she'd been.

Honestly, even when Julia had climbed into the carriage, Lily had been deeply displeased with how the situation was unfolding.

Julia had insisted she couldn't send her granddaughter alone to such a dangerous place, but if real danger struck, she would be just as powerless as Lily.

It would have been more reassuring for Lily if she'd stayed in the village. Better one person certainly safe than both in danger.

Lily also disliked how Julia had gotten entangled in the translation work through sheer momentum.

However, at this moment, just having Julia beside her gave her strength.

Lily began thinking about what to say to soothe Aiden with somewhat greater composure.

When the carriage passed through the castle's main gate and stopped before the steps leading up to the main building, Lily—despite her determination—had failed to think of any appropriate words.

She absently looked up at the main building through the window and her jaw dropped.

Wolfram let out a groan.

"It's gotten even worse in the meantime."

"Wh-what is all this? Did His Grace do this? Since yesterday?"

"No. There were signs yesterday, but he calmed down when told you'd taken a leave. This happened a few hours ago. To be precise, from the moment I received the report that you'd obtained a travel permit."

The main building was completely different from yesterday.

For one thing, not a single intact pane of glass remained. Window frames and muntins were bent, protruding, or had fallen away entirely, and half the front door had detached and was rolling on the steps. That alone was enough to imagine the state of the interior.

Wolfram wore an expression unusually full of concern.

"You might be in danger as well. I'd like to accompany you for protection, but His Grace becomes even more aggressive when he sees me... I'm sorry."

Lily surveyed the exterior once more. Not an ant was visible in the courtyard, and curtains had been drawn across all the other buildings.

The haunted-house appearance of the main building combined with the surrounding scene to create an utterly ominous atmosphere. She was terrified beyond reason, but if she didn't step forward, the situation would only worsen.

Lily took a deep breath and reached for the carriage door. Julia grabbed her other hand. Her face had gone white.

"Lily, you didn't tell me about this."

"Um... didn't I mention it?"

"You said he only scattered objects!"

"This is the first time I've seen him this angry too."

Julia shook her head.

"This isn't—this isn't right."

She was even more frightened than her granddaughter.

Even to Lily's eyes, walking into that place on her own two feet didn't seem like something a sane person would do. Julia had no immunity to this sort of thing—she must be even more terrified.

'But I have to meet His Grace to resolve anything.'

Lily was looking between the window and Julia with a troubled expression when—

BANG!

At the sudden thunderous noise from outside, Lily jumped in her seat.

The remaining half of the front door tore completely from its hinges and tumbled down the steps. The horses startled and the carriage lurched violently.

Lily clutched Julia tightly, and Wolfram wrapped both of them in his arms. A groan escaped his lips as his bandaged head struck the carriage roof.

It took the coachman considerable time to calm the horses and return them to their original position.

When she raised her head, the duke stood visible in the gaping entrance.

The face looking down at the carriage was bleak and hollow. At the same time, he looked lost, like a child who didn't know what to do.

The moment she saw that face, Lily—without even realizing she'd pulled free of her grandmother's hand—descended from the carriage and ran up the steps.

Julia couldn't tear her eyes from Lily's retreating back.

Her granddaughter reached the topmost step and began speaking earnestly to empty space. She clasped her hands together, then bowed at the waist, altogether quite busy. Throughout this, no uncanny phenomena occurred whatsoever.

The baron was watching that spot with an expression of recovered hope.

Julia understood far more clearly in this brief moment the role and significance Lily had taken on than when she'd heard the entire story at the boarding house.

She asked for confirmation.

"You have no intention of letting Lily go."

"That's correct."

The baron's answer was succinct.

Julia understood with certainty. Whatever happened, whatever they did, these people would never let Lily go.

Julia still considered herself Lily's guardian. She had a duty to protect her innocent, naive granddaughter from this absurd danger.

Lily seemed to have adapted to the point of losing all wariness entirely, which made Julia's vigilance all the more necessary.

However, given how adamant the duke and his aide were, only one method remained available to her.

"I'd like to discuss the translation work in concrete terms. And Lily's safety as well."

She needed to help the duke escape his current situation as quickly as possible.

Aiden Casimir reflected on the past two days.

The first day Lily Dienta disappeared had been tolerable. Wolfram had informed him of her leave.

It struck him as odd that the maid hadn't mentioned it the day before, but he soon assumed she'd simply forgotten.

However, when the second day arrived and she still showed no signs of appearing at the main building, Aiden sensed something had gone wrong.

He refrained from ominous speculation. Instead, he considered the possibility they'd crossed paths and walked through the main building three or four times thoroughly.

When he still didn't encounter her, he searched every room, and afterward stood vacantly in the corridors of each floor.

He'd spent quite a long time this way confirming that Lily Dienta was not in the main building.

Even up to this point, Aiden tried to believe there must be some minor confusion.

He didn't imagine for a moment that she'd left and would never appear again. He believed firmly in Lily Dienta.

He returned to the side door to wait.

At last, the moment came when the door opened. However, what appeared was not Lily Dienta but the head maid.

Aiden stared at the door with an icy expression for a moment, then followed the head maid.