IDGM 24

Chapter 24

Although her red hair had somehow turned black, she was undoubtedly the thief I had met the day we broke into the royal storage.

I remembered her face clearly.

But instead of trembling in fear at my scolding — which was closer to reprimand than questioning — the thief frowned and responded angrily, as if I were in the wrong.

“Who’s a thief? I didn’t steal anything!”

She sounded genuinely indignant.

‘Well, that’s true.’

I also knew that she hadn’t managed to steal anything.

But still—

“Even if you didn’t steal anything, sneaking into the imperial palace with the intent to steal makes you a thief.”

Her expression twisted. She let out a sharp snort.

“I was kidnapped, you know. You don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

‘Kidnapped?’

What was she saying?

I thought she was just spouting ridiculous lies to get out of trouble.

I hadn’t called her here to chat.

And whether she was a thief or not didn’t really matter to me.

I glared and snapped at her.

“You tried to kill me! Do you have any idea what I went through because of you that day?”

“Well, I couldn’t just die, could I?”

“……!”

Her shameless retort left me speechless for a moment.

‘Well, technically… no—no! That’s not the point!’

I shook my head, determined not to let her words sway me.

“You—how dare you pretend to be my maid and shamelessly tag along, even after trying to kill me!”

But she seemed to have already figured out how soft I was.

While I was flustered, she looked more relaxed and gave a mischievous smile.

“I didn’t know you were the princess. But for a princess, your thieving skills were impressive. Who are you calling a thief again?”

“What…?”

“I saw you raiding that treasure vault and setting it on fire.”

‘How did she see that?’

Then again, the fact that she’d snuck through the palace and blended into our group without being caught said a lot about her stealth.

‘She probably used illusion magic or something.’

I forced a calm expression.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But she pressed me confidently.

“And yet I’m the one taking the blame for it?”

She even tried to blackmail me.

“I mingled with the maids and heard how poorly you’re treated in the palace. Should I spread the word that Her Highness was the one who set fire to the treasure vault? How do you think that’ll go?”

So brazen. So cheeky.

I racked my brain, wondering what to do with this woman.

Before I could come up with a plan, she made a proposal.

“I don’t want to escalate things either. How about this? If you let me stay with you until I safely escape the soldiers outside, I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

She pointed outside the window.

There were soldiers in small groups showing a drawing to passersby. A wanted poster. Her face was likely on it.

She confidently reached her hand out to me.

“Let’s be accomplices. How about it?”

“……”

I stared at her hand in silence.

‘If she gets caught by Kabala, I’ll be in trouble too. They’ll find out someone else raided the treasure vault. And she clearly knows I did it.’

Helping her escape safely was in my best interest too.

I took her hand.

She smiled brightly.

“Nice to meet you, Princess Chloe. I’m Lamia Yevlac. I’ll be in your care for a while.”

‘How can she smile in this situation?’

With her freckled white face, Lamia looked like someone full of mischief.

She had already tricked the soldiers into chasing me instead of her and had just blackmailed me, too.

Yet when I looked into her sparkling green eyes, I couldn’t help but feel… oddly positive.

As if nothing had happened, Lamia chirped,

“Now you should change clothes, right? I’ll help you! I’m better than those rude maids outside.”

“Rude…? What does that mean?”

“Hmm… they have no manners.”

What now? Manners?

Seeing that I didn’t understand, Lamia muttered, “Wow, you’ve lived a sheltered life,” then groaned trying to find the right words. Suddenly, she clapped.

“They’re unpleasant. You get that, right? Totally unpleasant people!”

“Pfft.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter, and Lamia giggled along.

She’s a thief and a liar… but somehow, she didn’t feel like a bad person.

I couldn’t explain it.

After changing clothes, I waited for Calias in the carriage.

He boarded after paying Ronda and paused when he saw me.

“……”

I turned my eyes away to avoid his gaze.

Clenching my fists.

‘He said it didn’t look weird!’

I should never have listened to Ronda or Lamia.

‘But what choice did I have?’

Even if I hadn’t listened to them, I had no other clothes.

Still not meeting his eyes, I mumbled sullenly,

“Don’t laugh.”

“Yes.”

“You’re laughing right now!”

When I glared at him and protested, he didn’t even try to hide it and replied casually,

“I just remembered a joke my subordinate made.”

“Liar.”

He didn’t deny it and kept smiling.

I hadn’t realized he could smile so playfully.

‘He really is like Karl when he laughs like that.’

Karl smiled like that when he teased me too.

Thinking of Karl eased my heart.

Calias’s smile wasn’t bad to look at.

But the fact that he was smiling at my outfit was annoying.

“You look good.”

“I’d rather you said nothing at all.”

I turned my head to the other side of the carriage.

‘So embarrassing.’

Now I understood why Ronda kept asking if children’s clothes were really okay.

According to her, the outfit I wore was made from the hide of a creature called a nyak.

Nyak leather was waterproof and warm — considered top-tier material in the North.

And indeed, once I put it on, I felt incredibly warm. To the point of sweating.

The problem was…

‘It’s a one-piece suit from head to toe.’

I was sure no wind could get through it.

Not a single gap — not even at my fingertips or toes!

Apparently, because nyak leather was so rare, kids were dressed in minimal-cut suits that offered maximum insulation.

Since they outgrew clothes every year, it was a way to save leather.

I looked down at my hands, wrapped like mittens.

They’d even designed the suit so you didn’t need separate gloves or shoes.

‘At least my thumb is free…’

All for maximum efficiency at minimal cost — even if uncomfortable.

My reflection in the window looked like a tree stump with limbs.

‘Humiliating.’

I tried my best to cover myself with the cloak Ronda had draped over my shoulders.

But my round hands made it difficult.

“Allow me.”

Calias chuckled softly as he reached to help me with the cloak.

I snapped at him, snatching it away.

“No, thanks!”

Then I wrapped the cloak tightly around myself like a blanket.

He spoke again, more seriously this time.

“You really do look good.”

“Please, never say things like that again.”

Perhaps sensing how genuinely humiliated I felt, he wiped the smile from his face.

“As soon as we arrive in Ronhaim, I’ll get you proper clothes. For now, this is the best we can do.”

I could only nod.

‘Right. Better this than freezing to death.’

The carriage soon reached the teleportation circle.

Curious, I peeked out the window, but Calias warned me,

“You should close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“You might get dizzy.”

And then, everything brightened.

The spell had activated.

I opened my eyes wide, looking around in wonder.

The floor was glowing with strange patterns.

But I soon regretted not listening to Calias.

All the scenery blurred and swirled together.

“Ugh… Whoa…”

Weird noises came from my mouth.

Then — nothing.

Calias saw Chloe slump toward the window and quietly reached out.

“Ugh… Whoaaa…”

She collapsed right into his arms.

“I told you to close your eyes.”

He gently tapped her nose as she passed out in his arms.

It was a common reaction for first-timers using teleportation magic.

A bit of cold air would wake her up quickly.

Smiling softly, Calias looked down at the sleeping Chloe.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Then he sighed faintly with concern.

‘Why is she so light?’

Nyak leather was heavy, yet even wrapped head to toe in it, she felt like nothing.

‘First, we need to put some weight on her.’

He carefully laid her on the seat, every movement full of care.