ICM Chapter 148

“Mia was originally from the Grand Duchy, wasn’t she?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Ashika had been quite surprised to learn that among Talion’s knights, there were those mixed in from the Grand Duchy. Among them were some who remembered their own families, and cases like Mia where their parents had fled from the Grand Duchy and she had grown up completely unaware of it.

It was only recently that she learned Iben had been involved in this process. Although she couldn’t step forward openly, Iben had been working to continue the lineage of the Grand Duchy. Thanks to this, the lineages of knight families from the Grand Duchy were able to continue unbroken.

All of them had been processed as deceased in the Talion Knights and returned to the Grand Duchy to reclaim their families and receive knighthood from the new Grand Duke.

“The Grand Duchy will recover. It will take some time, though.”

It was thanks to Iben not giving up over the long years.

“So will Mia be going to the Grand Duchy?”

“She hasn’t decided yet. I’d like Mia to stay, but that’s my own selfishness. The responsibility of inheriting a title in place of deceased parents and raising up a family is by no means light.”

“I see.”

The trailing end of his words left a strange lingering feeling. Nile leaned back deeply against his chair. His face looked lost in thought.

During the brief pause in conversation, the butler who had left earlier approached.

“Excuse me, my lady. May I have a word with you?”

“Why? What’s the matter?”

“It seems the cargo wagon delivering from the village has had an accident.”

Only then did Ashika notice the commotion around the villa. Beyond the low garden trees, the escort knights were gathering toward the villa’s entrance.

“You mean that person coming in now?”

Outside the main gate, a person soaked in blood was barely standing upright with the support of a companion. The knights had blocked them because they couldn’t enter without permission.

A servant who had been talking with someone at the gate came running to Ashika.

“What happened? Who is the injured person?”

“My lady, what should we do? The cargo wagon slipped down a mountain slope and a porter was injured. Could we possibly get help from the attending physician?”

Even from a distance, the injury looked serious. Aegonite also seemed troubled and didn’t step forward readily, waiting for Ashika’s decision.

Ashika gestured to the knights and gave instructions.

“Move the patient to the annex and call for the attending physician.”

“Yes, understood.”

Aegonite was the first to step forward.

“There, bring a stretcher.”

The main gate opened and they hurried to bring the patient inside with the servants. They stationed separate security personnel at the annex, and servants rushed about to help the physician and patient.

After the injured person went inside, shortly afterward his companion could be seen talking with the knights. He apparently wanted to speak with Ashika. When Aegonite blocked his way, he looked distressed.

“Butler, tell Baron Delfino to bring that person here.”

The porter’s companion was a face Ashika had seen several times before. When permission was granted, the man came running over immediately.

“My lady, thank you for helping us. But, um…”

“Is there something else you need?”

“The cargo is still left in the wagon as it is. We need to get the wagon out too, but we lack the manpower…”

“You’re asking me to send people?”

“I’m terribly sorry, but I’m asking for your help, my lady. The sun will set soon, so we need to hurry.”

“How many servants are there at the mansion?”

Ashika turned to look at the butler and asked.

“There are eight permanent staff, but only about two who could help.”

They couldn’t send the maids, and among the servants, there weren’t many who could use their strength right away. After thinking for a moment, Ashika looked at Aegonite.

“Are there any knights we could send?”

Knights would certainly be better than servants. Ashika gauged the escort personnel who had come with them. Aegonite looked clearly troubled. Nile, who had been quietly listening beside them, spoke up.

“Ashika.”

The voice calling her was somehow chilly. Nile continued speaking while examining the man with narrowed eyes.

“Wouldn’t it be sufficient to send the servants?”

“Since it’s a wagon loaded with cargo, two people might find it difficult.”

The man hastily added this, worried that his request might be refused.

“Nile, why…”

Ashika was about to say what was the big deal about sending people when she closed her mouth. She had noticed Nile’s sharp, cutting demeanor. It felt like cold water being poured into her mind that had been moving sluggishly with fatigue.

Ashika looked back at the porter who had come from the village.

‘What is it?’

Nile had good instincts. Though he went around with a good-natured face and smile, he instinctively sensed danger.

An inexplicable anxiety washed over her and her heart began beating rapidly. The peaceful daily routine had made her forget. How great the dangers were that she and Drushia had navigated through.

While Ashika was confused, Nile called over a nearby servant.

“Is there a spare wagon at the villa?”

“Yes. There’s one cargo wagon we use when going to and from the village.”

“Then send the wagon with one servant to take the people to the village. We’ll recover the wagon tomorrow when day breaks.”

At Nile’s instruction, the porter looked at Ashika with a troubled expression. From the villa built near the lake to the village was a half-day’s journey by wagon.

“My lady, then the cargo we brought…”

“Do as His Highness says.”

At Ashika’s instruction, the porter couldn’t argue further and withdrew. While people returned to their respective places, Ashika remained lost in thought.

‘I feel like I’m missing something.’

Even though she had been resting all day, her head wasn’t clear as if laden with fatigue. Her nerves, which had been keenly alert, had become much duller, and she couldn’t figure out what she was missing.

Seeing Ashika’s expression harden, Nile misunderstood and looked apologetic.

“Are you angry? I’m sorry for acting on my own.”

“Nile.”

At Ashika’s anxious voice, Nile smiled good-naturedly.

“Where is the guest room? It would be good if it were a nearby room.”

There was something there, but it was a feeling she couldn’t pinpoint exactly. Nile didn’t want to make Ashika anxious with unfounded suspicions.

Ashika caught onto Nile’s intention.

‘Is this just my imagination?’

It was a time when everyone was finding their place. It would take time to stabilize, but wasn’t there no longer anyone or anything that could threaten her?

Ashika calmed her anxiously fluttering heart.

“Butler, prepare a room on the second floor for His Highness.”

The butler’s eyes widened before he quickly composed his expression. That made sense, as the second floor was a space for family members.

Realizing that the two people’s friendship was deeper than expected, the butler thought of Drushia. His master who hadn’t hidden his displeasure whenever the newly appeared prince was mentioned.

‘Indeed, it’s hard to know.’

They’ll surely handle things themselves. Thinking this, he hurried away to prepare the guest bedroom.

****

Crack, tap. Broken twigs and small pebbles flew in, constantly striking the window. The sound of fierce wind sweeping through the empty corners of the building was loud. It was a chilling echo that resembled someone’s wailing.

Due to the strong gusts, it was an unusually noisy night. Ashika repeatedly fell into light sleep and woke up again.

Crack, thud.

Following the roughly colliding noise, there was a crashing sound. Something blown in by the wind had apparently broken some part of the building.

“Sigh…”

She absolutely could no longer fall asleep. Ashika got up and approached the window where pitch-black shadows were violently swaying.

“…What’s that?”

It was a deep night with no moon. Bright light was leaking from outside the window that should have been dark. Ashika put on a robe and opened the window.

“Ah!”

As soon as the window opened, the hand gripping the handle was yanked away. The window had opened suddenly due to the strong gust. Her hair and clothes fluttered mercilessly in the fierce wind.

“My goodness, what is that?”

The room where Ashika was staying had a window facing the forest. Beyond the fence, bright light was rising from the forest, illuminating the dark night sky.

“Bring more water!”

“Call more people! Knights, please help us too!”

Due to the severe wind noise, she hadn’t noticed the commotion happening outside the villa.

The light brightening the distant night sky was fire. Flames burning the forest. Even though it was summer, the forest was dry from years of continued drought. As the fire spread rapidly, fragments flew in all directions.

Flying embers carried by the strong wind were approaching step by step. Even though the distance was considerable, embers had flown all the way to the villa vicinity. People were frantically moving trees and straw piles that the fire could catch onto.

Ashika gathered her clothes and left the room. Jeanne, who had been waiting outside the door, stood up.

“Are you awake?”

“You should have woken me earlier. It’s been noisy outside.”

“To that extent? Until a while ago the wind was blowing in the opposite direction, so I thought it would be fine.”

“It seems sparks are flying over.”

With all the servants gone outside, the villa interior was quiet.

“What about Nile? Is he sleeping?”

The room directly across was Nile’s bedroom. The answer to her question came from right below.

“Ashika!”

“Nile?”

The villa’s front door burst open and Nile bounded up to the second floor in one go. As if he had never been asleep, he was wearing the same clothes from during the day.

“Get ready and come out. We need to leave the villa.”

“Why? The fire looks quite far away.”

“The wind is blowing toward the villa. If it catches the strong wind, the flames spreading here would be instantaneous.”

Ashika had a blank expression as she didn’t understand the situation well. Nile raised his voice again.

“It’s a forest fire. When it catches the wind, it strikes as fast as a typhoon!”

Ashika had never experienced such a threatening forest fire. However, Nile was urgent.

“Ashika! We need to get out right now!”

At his shouting outburst, Ashika’s mind snapped to attention.

“Jeanne, did you hear? Call Baron Delfino and relay this to the butler and servants.”

With a thud, the front door opened again. The people who rushed in were Palmred and Mia.

“Mia, Palmred, how is it outside?”

“The flames are coming this way, so people are also in a panic. It seems we’ll have to evacuate.”

“Palmred, evacuate the people, and Mia and Jeanne come with me. I’ll get ready and come out.”

Her heart beat anxiously. Though she had seen fires large and small from a distance, she had never felt threatened by them. However, seeing the urgent Nile and the panicked people, she too became frightened.

‘I mustn’t be shaken.’

Ashika went into her room, hurriedly changed clothes, and packed simple belongings. The moment she handed the bag to Mia, someone knocked loudly on the door.

“Duchess, it’s urgent. Please come out quickly.”

It was Aegonite’s voice. When Ashika came out of the room, Nile and Aegonite were waiting anxiously.

“Baron Delfino, why are your clothes…”

His short hair had become disheveled as if swept by strong wind, and one arm and around his neck were blackened with soot. She had never seen Aegonite in such a mess.

“…We can no longer go by carriage.”

“What?”

“Some people went down from the mountain, but flames spread from the villa toward the lower area, so the rest scattered in all directions.”