RAMHM Chapter 125

Bardenaldo's Traces

"Ah, you've arrived, my lady!"

Count Acacia greeted me with such a confident and cheerful expression that I was struck speechless.

The Count looked better than during all those past days when Novian's existence had only brought him stress.

Dressed simply, he seemed slightly intimidated by Rhodness before turning to bow respectfully to me.

"I received the messenger bird about your visit and have been waiting since yesterday."

"It seems I have yet another shock waiting for me."

The moment I realized this wasn't a dream, I exhaled the words like a sigh.

The Count, who had no idea I was actually Adrienne, tilted his head and scratched his face awkwardly.

"I did suffer some damage to my appearance carrying out what my lady ordered... but is it shocking enough to warrant that reaction? In any case, I was quite surprised that you announced such a sudden visit. And to dispatch those monsters for us as well..."

While I could only stare wide-eyed, unsure what to say, Rhodness immediately directed Prince Epero's party to enter the castle gates of Acacia territory first.

The enormous entourage filed through the gates visible in the distance.

Soon only Rhodness, Rotsy, and I remained before the castle entrance.

As if to prove this land bordered Ellaconia, several sharply rising stone mountains were visible behind the castle walls.

Count Acacia led us not inside the castle, but around the walls toward a massive stone mountain.

The mountain entrance overgrown with thorny brambles looked like it would wound you at a mere brush, but when Rhodness struck it several times with his scabbard, the brambles shrank back to reveal a path.

Following that path for some time, we came upon a cave entrance—narrow enough for only three or four people to enter at once, small relative to the mountain's size.

Several knights and guards who had announced the Count's death were stationed there.

"Deep inside this small cave, a very large quantity of mana stones is buried. The paths are quite deep and maze-like, so managing it secretly with a small force takes considerable time."

"Count... were you alive this entire time, then?"

It was a question I asked after much deliberation over whether to reveal to the Count that I wasn't Bliea.

The Count had been acting as though I already knew of his survival.

At my question, the Count looked bewildered.

"Didn't my lady share wisdom with me? That His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince or His Grace the Grand Duke would certainly kill me the moment I became an inconvenience?"

"I did?"

"...Is this some new game, my lady?"

As he picked up a torch at the entrance and led us into the narrow-mouthed cave, I had to exhaust myself explaining so the elderly Count wouldn't be shocked.