From the corridor, my eyes locked on the doors held ajar by knights. I watched as Yeremiah, still unconscious with a huge dent on his armor, got lifted off the cracked marble floor by several knights. It looked like it took an effort to pull him out of that small crater.

Beside me was Leila, who clasped her hands elegantly in front of her torn long skirt. I tried my best not to pay attention to it, especially after seeing that kick.

Next to Leila was me, Feyt, who arrived a while after the whole thing ended. I had already involved myself as Feyt when I informed Leila about the attack, so turning back now would raise some eyebrows.

As I watched Yeremiah get carried off by the knights like luggage, my eyes shifted to the other parties present.

Father was giving the unconscious knight a death stare as he passed by him. Beside Father was that Royal Knight I spotted at the entrance lobby, her eyes looked puzzled, as if she was questioning what was happening.

Then, there was Mother.

She just arrived, her steps unusually… sluggish. I would’ve thought she would be sprinting here the moment she heard the news.

But then, I saw them. Her eyes.

My bodies froze in place. My eyes strained themselves, as if they were trying to convince me they were mistaken.

But no matter how much I tried to see past it, there was no doubt about it.

All I could see…

All Carine’s eyes could see…

Was blankness…

The same blankness that had plagued both Raymond and Yeremiah’s eyes.

They had crept into Mother’s cold, tired eyes.

This… This was no longer a coincidence.

Mother approached us, her eyes lingered on the unconscious knight passing by. When she stopped beside Father, she remained eerily silent.

“Reyna…” Father said. “This… Had the guards not been here, had the protocol not been enforced… That filth of a knight might’ve achieved his goal.” His hands curled into tight, trembling fists, muscles straining, knuckles going white. “Forgive me… for doubting you.”

After his words, Mother remained silent. Her eyes lingered forwards into the doors of the drawing room.

After a few moments of silence, a voice reached our ears. Tired and detached.

“I’ll be in my office,” Mother said.

Father blinked, seemingly caught off guard.

Normally, Mother would be the one most furious or the most “reactive” to what just happened. But with how tired her voice sounded…

I could only tremble in silence, both pairs of my eyes glaring forward, still hoping that I was wrong.

I watched as Mother walked away, her pace as slow as she arrived.

Yet as she gradually disappeared from my sight, the blankness deep inside her gaze continued to haunt me in my mind.

Raymond.

Yeremiah.

Now Mother.

I couldn’t take the chance.

I needed to find out what it was. What was the source of that sense of unease? What was wrong with Mother?

I couldn’t take this lying down, not anymore.

I knew I regretted it the first time…

But to hell with that. I’m doing it again.

—

Reyna closed the door to her office with a resounding click. Her hands lingered on the handles for a moment before she finally let go.

She trudged her way to her desk, filled with papers she had painstakingly organized. When she stood before it, she slammed both of her palms to the desk, scattering the paper everywhere. As if looking for something to lean on, her arms trembled.

“A knight,” she growled to herself, the words caught between a scoff and a sob. “One of our knights—!!” she said, gritting her teeth.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Reyna, try as she might, couldn’t stand still, her body trembling quietly.

“I can’t,” she said, her voice cracking. Her nails dug into the wood. “I can’t protect her—!”

He was right.

She didn’t believe him at first, but he was fully right.

That day, in that prison…

…

The cell stank of mold the moment she entered. Once Reyna’s eyes adjusted to the dark interior of the cell, her eyes widened in disbelief.

“You?!”

She nearly choked on the word, instincts flaring. Her hand twitched and she turned on her heel, ready to scream for her knights to come storming in.

Behind the bars was a man, sitting still, holding his face to the ground, seemingly asleep. He was the man Reyna came for, but there was another figure beside him, the one the prison guard told her about.

A gentleman wearing an immaculate black suit stood behind the bars like a guest at a party. His clean appearance mocked the rotten essence of the room he was in. But the absurd contrast wasn’t what caught Reyna off guard.

She recognized him.

“Ah, fancy seeing you here!” the gentleman said with a gentle smile, as if this was all a coincidence.

Reyna’s blood ran cold.

“‘Sebastian’…” she muttered.

“Wait, wait, wait!” he called out, both hands raised. “I know seeing me here was unexpected, but this is a good chance for me to tell you something important!”

Reyna’s hands flinched, she turned slowly, her eyes glaring forward like a blade.

“You broke into my manor,” she said through clenched teeth.

“I did, yes,” he admitted. “And I would do it again. Because things have gone worse,” he said, his tone sincere.

“Worse?”

The gentleman nodded, slowly lowering his hands. “Yes. That’s why I believed it was best to find a way to speak with you as soon as possible. I’ve been quite busy these past few days.”

She narrowed her eyes. “So you thought prison was a good place to talk?”

“Oh, no, no, no,” he said quickly, waving his hands with a slight smile. “This is truly a coincidence! But… you may call it fate if you prefer.”

“Tch.” Reyna clicked her tongue in disgust.

“Well then,” he said, straightening his cuffs, “I suppose I should get to the point.” He clasped his hands. “We don’t have much time.”

She stared at him, still uncertain if this was truly a coincidence or not. The chances of meeting him again were minuscule, but again, the capital could only be so large.

He stepped closer to the bars. “You remember what I told you, don’t you? About Carine’s Talent Symbols?”

Reyna’s expression darkened slightly. She still had no idea how he’d come by such a thing—only a handful of people even knew the full scope of her daughter’s talents. But if this was a chance to pry more out of him, she decided to let go of the handle.

“Yes, I remember. What of it?”

“Yes, about her. She’s special in a way that draws attention. The wrong kind.”

She didn’t respond.

“She has something… different. Something that makes her ‘valuable’ to certain groups.”

“…Get to the point,” Reyna said flatly.

“Very well,” he said. “The palace attack. The one just days ago. Have you asked yourself: What if it wasn’t just random? What if it wasn’t aimed at the nobles or even the First Prince?”

Reyna felt her hand flinch. Her brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“What if,” he said, letting the silence stretch out. “What if Carine was the real target that night?”

“You have no proof of that.”

“Indeed, I do not.” He gave a small laugh. “But, whether you see it now or never, your daughter’s safety is being threatened. Not by men with swords, but by forces I couldn’t even begin to describe.”

Reyna felt her jaw tighten.

Her mind was swirling with emotion.

The things he said were absurd and baseless.

But a part of her, a small part of her, feared that it might be true.

She shook her head slightly, pushing away that sense of unease that crept into her.

“If this is some sort of threat against my family. I will not—”

“I’m not threatening you,” he interrupted gently. “I’m offering you a choice.” He placed a hand on his chest, leaning forward in a slight bow. “Like I said before, I am truly here to help your daughter.”

Reyna didn’t respond. Her eyes were glaring into nothing as she pondered.

“Even if that nonsense you said were true…” She clenched her hands. “I will protect her, no matter what.”

“That won’t be enough, I’m afraid.” The gentleman shook his head, almost disappointed. “The danger that lurks… it lurks within. No matter what you do, no matter where you take her, Carine would be in harm’s way.”

Silence filled the cell.

“I know it’s hard to trust me at the moment,” he said, extending a hand. “So all I ask, is your consideration.”

Reyna’s ears perked up.

“…Consideration?”

“If you ever need my help or my advice, I’ll be waiting at the Scented Rose Inn near the upper quarter. I’ll always be there to lend a hand.” He stepped back. “And if not, then I hope I’m wrong, and that your words hold true.”

…

That man’s final words echoed endlessly like a whisper in her mind.

“I’ll always be there to lend a hand. And if not, then I hope I’m wrong.”

She stared blankly at the scattered papers across her desk, the result of her earlier outburst. Her hands trembled, not from anger now—but from fear. Not the fear of an enemy or a weapon drawn in the dark.

Fear that she had no other choice.

She had dismissed him that day, rejected his offer with no words spoken. But what had that brought her?

The security protocol, the guards, the personal training… all for nothing.

In an outskirts village.

In the capital’s palace.

Inside her own home…

No matter where Carine was…

“No matter what you do, no matter where you take her…”

His words echoed deep in her mind again. She leaned on the edge of her desk, eyes closed, teeth clenched.

“Why… Why is this happening?”

She thought she could protect her daughter. That she only needed to be vigilant.

But clearly, it proved to be not enough.

Her eyes opened slowly. A name echoed once again in her mind.

“The Scented Rose Inn…”

Her instinct warned her against it. But something inside her was pulling her.

“I have… no other choice. I have to meet him.”

She straightened slowly. As she turned, her eyes caught her reflection in the tall mirror by the wall, and what stared back was an image she couldn’t show anyone.

Then, without a word, she grabbed a cloak and turned towards the door.

She opened the door quietly.

Something in the air felt off, like a presence just fading. She paused, eyes scanning the corridor.

Someone had been there. Listening, perhaps.

But she had no time to worry about that.

Keeping her presence low, Reyna moved silently. Towards the inn where her answers waited for her.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep