After Ileil spoke those words, the atmosphere in the entire hall froze.
Duke Lokas did not seem to mind Ileil’s rudeness. His fingers paused at the edge of his teacup, and his deep blue eyes narrowed slightly as he appeared to reexamine the silver-haired girl before him.
“You make a fair point, Miss Ileil,” he said slowly, his voice low but not heavy. “I am not questioning your judgment. It’s just that Sister Emilia has dedicated herself to helping the poor for many years, and her good deeds are obvious to all.”
“Mr. Lokas is right.” Prinshitt set down her teacup, the porcelain clinking against the wooden table with a crisp sound. “While I have to admit your intuition is usually spot on, I still want to ask—do you have any more direct evidence, Ileil?”
“…No.” Ileil answered straightforwardly.
“I was only subjectively assuming she has a problem.”
After hearing Ileil’s rather absurd statement, Alyssa stepped in to smooth things over. “My apologies, Your Grace. I apologize on behalf of this little rascal Ileil. The girl really needs better discipline, you know… After all, her guardian is Gro. Like father, like daughter, as they say.”
“……”
Ileil shot Alyssa an unhappy glance. The female mage’s lips curved into a faint smile. Even though Ileil knew she was trying to help her out, she really didn’t like hearing Gro referred to as her “father.”
“These judgments… aren’t entirely based on intuition,” Ileil turned to Lokas. Her golden eyes looked particularly sharp in the firelight. “The clues she provided were too precise, almost like…”
“Like she was deliberately leading us to find Kol, right?” Kaze chimed in. He leaned back in his chair, his complexion much better after his wounds had been bandaged. “I understand what you mean, but couldn’t it just be a coincidence? We shouldn’t go around accusing innocent people.”
Lokas’s gaze shifted between Ileil and Prinshitt. “Miss Ileil’s idea is indeed worth considering.”
He finally spoke, his voice low and cautious. It was clear he was truly reluctant to suspect the nun named Emilia. “I will personally look into Sister Emilia’s background. But we’ll have to make a final decision after Saint Dorias returns with more details.”
Prinshitt nodded. “I think that’s fine. It seems like a prudent approach.”
“Before that—” Lokas stood up, his dark coat catching subtle patterns in the firelight. “Everyone should get some rest. I’ve already sent people to search Kol’s cabin. I’ll notify you immediately if we find any clues.”
“I’m quite tired myself. With Gro away, no one’s keeping an eye on the mercenary group. Those guys need constant supervision.”
Alyssa spoke as she let out a yawn. “Let’s call it a day then, Mr. Lokas, and Your Highness the Princess. I’ll head back to the mercenary camp with this big oaf here.”
With that, she tugged at Kaze’s sleeve. “Let’s go. Don’t stand here embarrassing the duke with your bedraggled appearance.”
Kaze stood up, blood still seeping slightly through the bandages on his shoulder. He muttered quietly, “Tch, take it easy on me.”
Prinshitt also rose with Alyssa and the others, giving Ileil and Lily a meaningful look. “We’ll take our leave then, Mr. Lokas.”
“Meeting adjourned. Thank you all for your hard work. I hope everyone rests well. I’ll strengthen the patrols in Renn Town.”
Lokas said this. Ileil’s golden eyes swept over his face, as if checking the sincerity in his words.
…It sounded quite convincing.
Ileil didn’t say anything more in the end.
……
“With my mentor not around, it looks like I can still do some good deeds.”
As night deepened, only a few scattered lamps remained lit on the streets of Renn Town. Ileil followed behind Prinshitt, her silver hair glowing softly in the moonlight. Lily led the way at the front, holding an oil lamp as she guided them back to their lodgings at the manor.
“Ileil.” Prinshitt stopped walking and blinked her ruby-like eyes. “About Sister Emilia… was your intuition really accurate?”
Ileil tilted her head slightly. “I’m not sure. But my intuition has almost never been wrong.”
After a brief pause, she continued, “Everything we encountered today was guided by her, which led to the ambush. Don’t you think her actions were suspicious?”
“You have a point… A mercenary controlled by the Fire of Black Gold showing up at that exact moment is too much of a stretch to call a coincidence.” Prinshitt nodded thoughtfully. “So you suspect she deliberately led us to discover Kol and arranged for someone to attack me?”
“Mm.” Ileil’s gaze drifted into the distance as she imitated Emilia’s manner of speaking. “And the way she said ‘death is not the end’… it felt off to me.”
Lily shivered. “Ugh… Miss Ileil, please stop. Just thinking about what happened earlier is scary enough…”
Prinshitt chuckled softly and reached out to ruffle Lily’s hair. “Alright, I won’t scare you anymore.” She turned back to Ileil. “But since Duke Lokas has agreed to investigate, let’s wait and see for now.”
The three arrived at the residence where the princess had been placed. It was a two-story building with ivy climbing its outer walls, appearing especially serene under the moonlight.
“We’re here!” Lily trotted forward and pushed the door open. “I’ll go prepare hot water for your bath! Your Highness must be exhausted after today.”
Prinshitt stepped into the entrance hall. She turned to Ileil as if remembering something. “By the way, your injuries… do they need rebandaging?”
Ileil shook her head. “They’re just minor wounds. They’ve already been taken care of.”
“I see.” Prinshitt hesitated for a moment. “Um… thank you for saving me today.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Ileil’s golden eyes. “It was my duty.”
“It’s not about duty, Ileil…” Prinshitt’s voice was soft. She tugged at her golden hair, her face flushing red as she seemed to struggle with what she was about to say.
“I’ll go rest now, Your Highness. Call me if you need anything.”
Before the princess could finish speaking, Ileil turned and headed toward the stairs.
“Good night, Your Highness.”
……..
In the room at the end of the second-floor corridor, Ileil stood by the window, gazing at the outline of the distant church. The night breeze stirred her silver hair, bringing a touch of chill.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Lily entered carrying a tea tray. “Miss Ileil, I brewed some calming tea…”
“Thank you.” Ileil took the teacup. In the steamy mist, her expression softened slightly.
Lily didn’t leave immediately. She hesitated at the doorway. “Um… has the relationship between you and Her Highness… gotten a bit better?”
“Her Highness the Princess and I have always had an employer-employee relationship,” Ileil replied in a detached tone. “There is no ‘getting better’ as you imagine, Miss Lily.”
Lily’s ears drooped. “I understand. Well… get some good rest, Miss Ileil.”
After the door closed gently, Ileil let out a long breath. She set down the teacup and pulled out a small pocket watch from her bosom—it was the item Gro had taken from her father after his death.
On the inside of the cover was engraved a line of small characters: ‘Remember why you fight.’
Her fingertips traced the cool metal surface. Ileil’s thoughts drifted back to that snowy night. Her father’s dying words, Gro’s trembling sword tip, and… the truth that had been deliberately concealed.
Outside the window, a bright moon hung high in the sky. Ileil put away the pocket watch, deciding to set aside these turbulent thoughts for now. She needed rest; there were more mysteries awaiting answers tomorrow.
……
At the same time, inside the church on the other side of Renn Town, Sister Emilia knelt before the altar in prayer. Moonlight filtered through the stained glass, casting colorful patterns on her white habit.
“Merciful Dawn Goddess…” Her voice was gentle and devout. “Please forgive the lost lambs…”
The nun lifted her head. A strange gleam flashed in her clear blue eyes. She reached out and brushed her hand across the candlestick on the altar. The flame suddenly transformed into an eerie black-gold color.