Chapter 18
After spending some warm time with her father,
he told Natalie, “Let’s get started as soon as tomorrow. I promise you—I will strengthen the defense of our territory.”
Those words deeply reassured Natalie.
From that day on, Natalie lived while helping her father and mother.
When her father went out for the sake of protecting the territory, she assisted with the paperwork of the Pettigrew household.
When her mother’s health faltered, she stayed by her side to nurse her—making sure she drank the medicine Franz had given her.
Step by step, she steadily reached for what she could do.
When things calmed down, Mina would pester her to tell the story of the ball. She seemed especially curious about the handkerchief, asking Natalie about it. But Natalie skillfully diverted the topic, keeping the item stored safely. The Pettigrew household had accumulated more and more things belonging to others, but since all of them were items to be returned eventually, Natalie decided not to worry about it for now.
Before she knew it, half a year had flown by. On the day Franz came to check on her mother—
“Mm, mm… Madam! We can say the black spot disease is completely cured now.”
“Oh my…!”
“Lady Natalie, you too… please be at ease.”
“Franz, truly… thank you so very much.”
Her mother’s illness had completely vanished—the eerie black marks gone. It was the moment they had longed for. Her mother’s healthy, lively face was right there again.
News spread quickly throughout the mansion. Her father was overjoyed too—so much so that he tried to down a glass of wine in one gulp as a celebratory drink, only to be stopped by her mother. The cheerful exchange brought smiles to Mina and the other servants.
Natalie and Franz also watched on happily.
That day turned into an unforgettable one, with a grand party held, Franz included.
With her mother recovered, her father put even more effort into the task Natalie had asked of him. According to the plan, in another half year—just before the war was supposed to begin—the troops and defenses would be ready.
(This is different from the memories I know—so this should be fine.)
She had done everything she could. All that remained was to wait for fate. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, so she thought there was nothing left to worry about.
Never did she imagine that the bad feeling she had sensed on the day Franz shared that rumor would come true.
The news came suddenly. While the Pettigrew territory was steadily arranging its soldiers, Mina burst into Natalie’s room, pale-faced, crying out:
“M-miladyyy!”
“What’s wrong, Mina?”
“M-my lady, th-this… here!”
“A newspaper? It can’t be so shocking that—”
But the moment she looked at the paper Mina brought, Natalie was stunned.
The headline read: “Chancellor’s faction escapes! Defects to the enemy nation!?”
(What… what is happening…?)
Reading further, it explained that after fleeing, the Chancellor and his faction likely sold their country’s information to the enemy. Most importantly, this had heightened tensions between the nations—raising the possibility of war.
“W-will we… be all right?” Mina asked, her voice trembling.
Natalie’s heart was filled with the same fear.
(There’s still half a year… it should be fine… it has to be…)
But was it really? At the ball she had already encountered things that weren’t in her memories. Could she really say what would happen half a year later?
“…Mina, my father and mother—?”
“Yes… they were very tense…”
“I see…”
Natalie prayed her premonition would be wrong. But for some reason, such premonitions always came true.
Before half a year had passed, the death of the First Prince was announced—
and with it, war began.
Worse, the Pettigrew territory was targeted.
Events were beginning to mirror the memories she knew.
“I’ll protect the family, no matter what. Stay in the mansion, where it’s safe,” her father said.
“My dear…”
Though her mother’s illness had been cured, her complexion was pale as she watched him off. His words were exactly the same as in her memories.
Cold sweat ran down Natalie’s back. Memories she had sealed away came rushing back—what would happen next. Soon, her father departed with the soldiers.
Yes… he would leave—and then be pierced through by an enemy’s spear lying in ambush.
“Natalie! Where are you going?”
“I’m just stepping out, Mother—please don’t worry!”
“M-my lady…!”
Because the war had come so suddenly, the servants, the horses—everything was in chaos.
There was no one to rely on but herself.
Bearing the worry of her mother and Mina, Natalie ran out of the mansion—heading toward her father, who was still preparing to depart.
(Hurry… come on, my legs…)
Her lack of exercise now came back to haunt her. She bit her lip in frustration, wishing she had trained properly.
Fueled by desperation, she forced her body to run, though unused to such exertion. She even regretted never properly practicing horseback riding.
(He’s not here… Father, where—ah!)
At the waiting area before departure, her father was nowhere to be seen. Her vision nearly went dark with despair—
but then, a short distance away, she spotted him.
She had made it in time. She had to call out—
“F-fath… er…”
Her breath caught from running; she couldn’t even voice a healing spell for herself.
“Stop! Father, stop…!”
The horses carrying her father and the soldiers twitched at the sound, reacting to her cries. Some of the men, noticing, began to pull on the reins, saying, “The horses—” and tried to halt.
(This should be fine now. It’s all right…)
But just as Natalie relaxed in relief—
the bushes near her father rustled.
And the worst-case scenario she had hoped against came true.
A spearhead jutted from the thicket, lunging swiftly toward her father. Taken by surprise, he was too slow to react.
(No… why… this can’t—!)
Just then, something flashed past Natalie’s side at breakneck speed.
It was a black horse—its rider gripping the reins firmly, focused solely on the charge forward.
“Eh—?”
The rider cut in between her father and the spear.
With a sickening shhk! of flesh being pierced—
the spear drove mercilessly through Julius’s chest.
