Chapter : 35. Iris’s Effort
Because the strength in her grip was extraordinary, when Elise furrowed her brows, Ilaria raised her hand as if in triumph.
“That was just a mistake. How about coming with me?”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Instead of going with Karan and Titriss, come with Magnus and me. No, let’s go.”
Ilaria extended her hand toward Elise.
Ilaria liked Elise.
It was hard to believe she could even start to like Bedroca, but if possible, Ilaria would have wanted to kidnap her just to have her along.
Was it because Elise had shown her how to cultivate land? That wasn’t it.
Elise’s idea was undoubtedly impressive, but it was something scholars could have discovered eventually through years of research.
What made Ilaria interested in Elise was that she had genuinely thought about the kingdom’s food problem—something even the royal Magnus family didn’t bother with.
Her father and brothers-in-law only thought the best way was to curry favor with Bedroca and buy cheap food.
What Elise had given Ilaria was not just farmland.
It was practically a blueprint for complete independence from Bedroca, for laying the foundation of a self-sufficient nation.
Someone with such thoughts was enough to be Ilaria’s partner.
“I’ll treat you as the highest priority. Come with me as my advisor.”
“That’s difficult…”
“Answer me later!”
Ilaria cut Elise off mid-sentence.
“Just think about it first, okay?”
She grabbed Elise’s hand and shook it up and down.
The affection in her gaze and actions made Elise feel awkward.
“This is too much…”
Ilaria’s ease in yielding surprised her. But it was a pleasantly surprising feeling.
“If you like it, that’s fine.”
Ilaria and Magnus were people absolutely necessary for the Ragnaros campaign.
“It seems I succeeded after all.”
Elise also grasped Ilaria’s hand.
While Elise left the banquet hall with Ilaria, Iris had an encounter with a man in the palace corridor.
“It’s an honor to work for Lady Iris.”
Iris extended her hand to the man.
The man gazed at her fair, delicate hand in awe before managing to take it.
Trembling, he kissed her gloved hand.
“I’m the one who’s glad to meet Sir Richter. We’ve only ever brushed past each other at banquets, haven’t we? How unlucky the timing always was…”
“Oh, you saw me at the banquet?”
“Of course, Sir Richter. I’ve been keeping an eye on you.”
Rising to his feet, Richter stared at Iris without blinking.
The woman he had dreamed of his whole life was right in front of him. And she was even telling him she had been watching him.
His heart pounded with excitement, his chest swelling as if it might burst.
“Sir Richter, let’s get along from now on. For that, you know what to do, right?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
“I’m not asking for much. Just… fear. I hate to see people get hurt, no matter how much that child has hurt me.”
Iris slid down the glove to her elbow. Her pale skin bore scratches and pinches from before.
Richter immediately frowned and raised his voice.
“How could anyone do such a thing to Lady Iris!”
“Shh, Sir Richter. Please don’t hate that child. Surely there was a misunderstanding. But if they continue to act so recklessly, it won’t be good for them either. So just a warning… no, don’t. I was wrong, Sir Richter. Just… do nothing.”
Iris turned sharply. Seeing her shoulders tremble slightly, Richter felt a spark ignite in his chest.
If he could comfort the wounded Iris, he would do anything.
“Don’t be too upset. I’ll handle it myself.”
Iris never looked back.
Richter thought perhaps she didn’t want him to see her crying, so he stepped back.
His steps into the darkness were filled with anger.
How could anyone hurt someone so beautiful? He felt it was wasteful even to just look at her!
Though Iris said to do nothing, Richter could not stay still.
What he did was justified. He was only punishing the person who had hurt her, acting as her representative.
Elise slipped out of the banquet hall without telling anyone.
Chase had been glancing her way repeatedly, which had been bothering her.
To avoid him, Elise quickly exited and got into her carriage.
The front of the banquet hall was chaotic with carriages trying to leave the palace.
It was natural for the crowd to be bustling as people who had only come for the banquet began to leave.
From now on, it was time for politics and business.
This was the moment to collect spoils while heading home from the banquet.
Elise had already gained enough and had no lingering attachment.
The time she once devoted her utmost effort to now held no meaning.
“There’s no one to socialize with either.”
Jasmine and Dubois had also said their goodbyes and left.
There was no one to deal with those just starting their businesses.
“And I don’t have a title either.”
Even if she stayed to try something, it would be ignored, so Elise wisely decided to leave.
Meanwhile, Iris stayed behind.
Even when she had no status, she always stayed until the end. People wanted her there.
The world was truly unfair.
Some struggled desperately to achieve things, while others gained them effortlessly through innate talent.
Elise thought Iris was one of the latter.
But her perspective changed completely when the carriage crossed the Revil River bridge.
With a clatter, Elise’s body jolted sideways.
“Miss!”
Regina shouted, trying to steady her, but she too wavered.
“Ugh.”
Elise’s head struck the carriage wall hard, eliciting a groan.
It seemed severe enough to make her temples throb.
“Miss, are you alright?”
Regina held her head and asked. Elise nodded before asking in return,
“Regina, are you okay too?”
“Yes. The coachman must have dozed off. I’ll go see what happened.”
Regina quickly regained her composure and opened the carriage door.
She was ready to scold the coachman, but instead encountered a masked man.
He grabbed Regina’s arm roughly.
“W-Who are you!”
“Quiet! Keep your mouth shut and cooperate, and no one will get hurt!”
The man gagged Regina and dragged her aside.
Another man shoved a large head into the carriage.
“This one’s obedient. Stay that way. Don’t make it difficult for either side.”
The man staggered as he spoke. Elise was startled but tried to remain calm.
Compared to what she had faced before, this was nothing, she convinced herself.
“Who sent you?”
The man was taken aback by Elise’s calm voice and demeanor.
The client had said she was a reckless 20-year-old noble girl, yet Elise gave off the air of someone who had weathered life’s harsh storms.
“I asked who’s behind this.”
The man snapped out of it at Elise’s second question.
“I told you to shut up. Do you think I’ll answer if you ask? Stop talking and follow me.”
His attitude softened considerably compared to before. Elise’s presence was imposing.
“Hey, aren’t you moving quickly?”
The man subduing Regina shouted, and another man reached out. Elise blocked his hand.
Though she looked fragile, her hand was surprisingly strong.
“If you don’t cooperate quickly, people will get hurt. If you want to see blood, try resisting.”
The man nodded toward Regina.
Cowards quickly detect weaknesses.
Elise’s weakness was Regina.
She clenched her teeth and stepped out of the carriage.
Outside, chaos awaited. The coachman lay fallen, the front of the carriage destroyed.
Nearby was a massive wooden pole, clearly used to ram the carriage mercilessly.
“Are you alive?”
Seeing Elise’s gaze on the coachman, the man chuckled.
“Why worry about others? Worry about yourself.”
“I asked if he’s alive.”
Elise’s voice was cold.
“He’s alive. We don’t kill people recklessly.”
Satisfied, Elise nodded and calmed herself.
She obediently wore the blindfold they put on her and followed their lead.
Though she had expected the job to be easy, it was just money earned without much effort.
The man laughed giddily.
A hiss of wind followed. Then the metallic scent of blood spread. Later, the sound of someone collapsing reached her.
“W-Who is it?”
The man holding Elise shouted.
An intruder had interfered. He glanced around, tense.
The foggy night that had once seemed ideal now hindered him.
“Reveal yourself! If you come out now, I’ll spare your life!”
A chuckle seemed to echo.
“Ughhh!”
Then, belatedly, the man realized one of his arms had been severed.
The hand that had been holding Elise.
The man saw the arm fall to the ground, foam forming at his mouth, and collapsed.
The sound of a blade cutting through the air passed Elise like the judgment of a cold executioner.
She wasn’t afraid. Even as the smell of blood filled the street before screams, she remained upright, not cowering.
Elise immediately recognized who had come to save her.
