We continued the trip to the Capital. The silence on the coachman's bench was palpable, pressing in even through the carriage walls. Adel sat rigidly between Cassius and Valerie, her posture perfect and unyielding, while the two mercenaries slouched slightly, looking anywhere but at her.
…
At one point during the journey, the carriage suddenly jerked to a halt, the wheels grinding against the dirt.
I leaned toward the small window, gripping the frame. "What happened?"
"Some animals are disturbing us," Adel answered calmly, not even turning her head.
"Animals?"
I stuck my head out of the carriage window to see what Adel meant.
Blocking the road was a pack of wolves—six of them, snarling and pacing with hungry, yellow eyes fixed on the horses.
Cassius and Valerie immediately jumped down, boots thudding against the earth. They drew their weapons—a greatsword and a short sword—ready to face the threat. Yet, Adel remained seated, checking her fingernails with an air of utter boredom.
"Why are you not coming down?" I asked her, frowning. "And help them?"
Adel finally looked down at me, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Why do I need to do that? My Lady has paid them. Surely it is their job to do that."
She turned her gaze to the mercenaries' backs and raised her voice, pitching it to carry over the growling wolves. "IF I HELP THEM, SURELY THEY DON'T NEED THIS JOB."
"But–" I started.
"IT IS ALRIGHT!" Cassius shouted back without looking, his knuckles white around the hilt of his greatsword. "WE CAN DEAL WITH THEM."
I slumped back into my seat. I felt Adel's refusal to help was intentional—a petty test, or perhaps just to irritate them. But I wouldn't let them be driven away.
Some minutes passed. Sounds of steel striking flesh and yelps of pain echoed outside. Cassius and Valerie dispatched the wolves efficiently without even needing to use their Transmutation.
I watched Cassius walk toward me, wiping wolf blood from his blade with a rag. He stopped in front of the carriage door, breathing slightly harder.
"Do you need their pelts? Or anything from their corpses?" he asked, gesturing with his thumb back to the carcasses.
"Pelts? You can take all of it for yourself. I don't need it."
"We don't have any time to loot animal corpses," Adel interrupted instantly from her perch, her voice cutting like a whip.
Valerie, who had started walking toward a wolf with a skinning knife, stopped in her tracks. She glared at Adel, her jaw tightening. Cassius sighed, sheathed his sword with a heavy clack, and jumped back up to the coachman's seat. I saw the disappointment on their faces at leaving the valuable wolf pelts behind.
We proceeded with the trip.
… .. .
The sky was shrouded in bright orange as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Adel told me we would stop to make camp for the night.
A few moments later, the carriage pulled off the road and stopped near a riverside. I heard Cassius and Valerie's heavy boots hit the ground, followed by Adel's almost silent landing. Adel opened the door, and I stepped out, stretching my stiff legs.
Once outside, I saw Adel immediately pull a massive, heavy trunk from the roof of the carriage. Cassius stepped forward, reaching out to help her with the burden.
"I got it," he grunted.
Adel shifted her shoulder, blocking him. She ignored him completely, hauling the massive weight down herself with surprising strength, setting it on the grass without a sound.
I sat on the carriage steps, smoothing my skirt, having nothing to do. Adel busied herself with the trunk while Cassius and Valerie exchanged a confused look and walked around the perimeter to gather dry wood.
To decrease my boredom, I walked to the riverbank, picking up smooth stones and tossing them into the water.
Splash. Splash.
"My Lady," Adel called out a moment later. "The pavilion is ready."
I walked back to check it and stopped, blinking in amazement.
It wasn't a mere tent. It was a magnificent pavilion.
The structure was spacious, made of thick, waterproof silk dyed in the Aurelius colors. It stood tall enough to walk in without stooping, supported by sturdy, polished poles.
I stepped inside. The floor was covered with plush rugs to mask the uneven ground. In the center stood a proper folding bed, made up with thick, soft quilts and silk pillows. There was even a small folding table with a finely crafted oil lamp, casting a warm, steady glow through its glass casing.
"Where will you sleep?" I asked Adel, noticing there was only one bed.
"Don't worry about me, My Lady," she said, fluffing a pillow. "I will sleep at the entrance to guard you."
"Are you sure? There is plenty of space in here for a second cot."
"Quite sure. It is improper for a servant to share the sleeping quarters of her mistress, even in the wild." She ushered me out gently. "Just enjoy and take a good rest tonight. We need them to come back so we can have dinner."
…
Cassius and Valerie returned with armfuls of dry wood. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the pavilion glowing in the twilight like a lantern.
"By the gods," Cassius muttered, dropping his wood into a pile. "That is bigger than my lodgings in the capital."
"Nobles," Valerie scoffed, shaking her head, though her eyes lingered on the silk with envy.
They arranged the logs and lit a fire outside the pavilion entrance.
Before I sat on the ground by the fire, Adel laid out a clean, velvet cushion for me. Then she walked to the carriage, unloading cooking tools and ingredients. She began to prepare dinner over the fire, chopping vegetables with precise, rhythmic strokes.
However, I noticed she was using a very small amount of ingredients—barely enough for two bowls.
"Is that enough for all of us?" I asked, tilting my head.
Adel paused, knife hovering over a carrot. "Huh?? All of us??"
"Yes, all of us. You, Cassius, Valerie, and me."
Adel immediately looked at the mercenaries across the fire, her eyes narrowing. She turned back to me with a frown. "Why do we need to provide food for them too? They can find it by themselves."
"Come on, Adel!!" I urged. "Make another meal for them too."
"But, My Lady… if we make meals for them too, the supply will not be enough."
"We sure can manage that or replenish in the next town."
"Bu–"
"Just make it for them."
Adel clenched her jaw. "Sigh. Huh… alright."
She stood up, stared fiercely at Cassius and Valerie as if they had personally stolen food from her plate, and marched back to the carriage to retrieve more ingredients.
I looked at them apologetically. "I apologize for her behavior."
"It is alright," Cassius said, waving a hand dismissively, though he eyed the pot hungrily, licking his lips. "Honestly… what she said is true. Usually, the mercenary or escort does not eat the meal from the person who hired them. We just find it by ourselves or bring our own."
"But… you look like you didn't bring any food or supplies."
He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "We can hold the hunger, and hope on the trip to find something to eat..."
"I feel bad if you hold the hunger when I have the supply to share."
"Well…" Cassius looked surprised, his eyebrows shooting up. He glanced at Valerie. "This is different from what the wind said."
I didn't quite catch that. "Hmmm?? Did you say anything??"
"Nothing," he said quickly, forcing a smile.
…
Adel came back and cooked a larger pot of stew for all of us. We had dinner together by the fire. Afterward, I retired to my pavilion.
I slept soundly on the soft bed, protected from the cold ground by the rugs and the sturdy canvas walls. It felt almost like being back in my room.
The next morning, Adel woke me up with a basin of warm water she had heated over the fire.
When I emerged from the pavilion, I saw Cassius and Valerie already tidying up the campsite. They looked stiff, like they had slept on the bare ground near the fire.
Adel asked me to go to the riverside to wash properly. She brought a bucket of water and scented soap. While we washed, Cassius and Valerie patrolled the perimeter, keeping their backs turned respectfully, hands resting on their pommels.
After everything—including the massive pavilion—was packed and loaded onto the carriage, we continued our trip.
… ..
Nothing happened on the second day. We took a break at noon for lunch by the river again before pressing on until dark.
On the third day, the atmosphere between Adel, Cassius, and Valerie seemed lighter. They weren't friends, but the hostility had softened into a professional tolerance. At dinner, Adel stood up and dusted off her apron.
"We need to stop by a town or village to replenish our supplies, as we are running low," she announced.
I agreed. "Is there any town or village around here?" I asked them.
"There is," Cassius answered. He scratched his chin, looking uneasy. "Three or five hours down the road, we will come across a small town, but….."
"Is there something wrong with that town?"
"Sort of... but with your servant staying beside you, maybe it is not a problem."
…
The next morning, we decided to stop at the town Cassius mentioned.
On the way there, Cassius turned on the bench to face me. "How about the carriage does not enter the town, but stops outside?"
"Why?" I asked.
"To prevent something unwanted from happening."
"You can ask Adel about that."
Adel shook her head immediately, not even considering it. She insisted on keeping the carriage inside the town for security. Cassius tried to persuade her, gesturing emphatically, but Adel was immovable. Whether he wanted to or not, he had to accept.
The crossroad came into sight. I read the name of the town on the rotting signpost.
Malitia.
Did I misread that? No, the name was definitely Malitia.
We turned toward the town and entered. Cassius guided Adel to a local store he knew. Through the carriage window, I looked around. Everyone's eyes were glued to us—staring with intense, unsettling focus. They stopped their work, watching the wheels turn with predatory stillness.
The carriage stopped in front of the general store. Adel handed Cassius a list and a pouch of coins.
Cassius jumped down and walked into the store. Again, I felt the weight of being watched. It felt like being supervised by invisible eyes.
I heard something disturbing from Valerie on the bench. She shifted slightly, leaning toward Adel without turning her head.
"We have been marked."
"Which way?" Adel asked calmly, her eyes flicking to the side mirrors.
"On your left."
I turned my gaze to the left. I saw some people gathered near an alley, but they looked like ordinary townsfolk to me. How could Valerie know?
We waited. Cassius came out of the store a moment later. He signaled Valerie with a sharp nod to help him carry the supplies. She jumped down and followed him inside.
Minutes later, they emerged carrying crates and sacks. They loaded everything onto the carriage and climbed back up. We immediately departed the town.
On the way out, Valerie told Cassius about being marked.
"Again… that is why I hate that town!" Cassius muttered, spitting on the ground.
We passed the crossroad again and continued the trip. Yet, even after several minutes of riding away from Malitia, I still felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. I felt followed.
I looked out the rear window.
Dust clouds were rising. Horses were chasing us.
"THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE CHASING US!!" I shouted, gripping the window frame.
"WHAT!"
Adel looked back. She immediately cracked the whip, making the horses surge faster.
"You two know these people who are chasing us?" she shouted to Cassius and Valerie.
"That is why I said we had been marked," Valerie yelled over the wind, drawing her sword. She looked back. "Those crap people surely love to chase." She turned to Cassius. "What do we do about them?"
"Just be ready. I don't want to deal with them, let's just persuade them," Cassius shouted back.
In moments, the group caught up. Ten people riding five horses—two on each mount. They surrounded the carriage, boxing us in from all sides. Two horses galloped in front, cutting off our path.
I thought they would force the carriage to stop. Instead, one of the riders beside the carriage door reached out to open it while moving.
Click.
Adel's ears twitched. She heard the latch.
"YOU! Take control of the horses!" she barked at Cassius, shoving the reins into his hands.
Cassius grabbed them as Adel moved.
I saw the door swing open. I scrambled back against the far seat, pressing myself into the corner.
A man tried to jump from his horse into the moving carriage.
Wham!
Suddenly, Adel swung down from the roof, kicking him squarely in the chest. He flew backward, arms flailing, and crashed into his partner on the horse. Both riders tumbled to the ground in a heap of limbs and dust.
Adel swung herself inside the carriage, landing lightly beside me. She didn't even look winded.
The bandits changed formation. Now there was one horse with two people on each side of us.
I was surprised when Cassius suddenly yelled at them, waving his free hand.
"YOU IMBECILES! WHAT DO YOU WANT? STOP YOUR HORSES, AND WE CAN TALK!"
After his yell, the horses beside and behind us surged forward, passing the carriage. They stopped a distance ahead, blocking the road completely.
We slowed to a halt in front of them.
All the riders dismounted, cracking their knuckles and drawing weapons. I noticed their equipment was similar to Cassius and Valerie's—light leather armor and short swords.
Cassius jumped down from the carriage and walked toward them, hands raised in a placating gesture.
"Wait here, My Lady," Adel said to me, her voice cold as ice.
She stepped out of the carriage, smoothing her maid uniform.
I watched her walk toward the group. Cassius and Adel seemed to have a discussion with the bandits. Cassius walked back toward us after a moment, shaking his head and looking grim.
I didn't know what they were discussing, but suddenly, Adel threw her head back and laughed. It was a loud, chilling sound that echoed in the silence.
She walked toward the bandits. She stopped in front of the leader, tilting her head.
Schwing.
Instantaneously, something flew through the air.
It was the leader's head.
Chaos erupted. The bandits activated their Transmutation to fight her. I saw different colors glow on their hands. The strongest was Red—Level Four, same as Valerie. The weakest was Yellow—Level Two.
They surrounded Adel, blades flashing.
But... their engagement, their fighting... it was nothing in front of her.
In seconds, it was a blur of motion.
Slash. Slash. Slash.
I saw heads fly with clean cuts, bodies collapsing like puppets with cut strings.
Adel stood in the center of the carnage, covered in blood.
Cassius hadn't even made a move. He stood there, his jaw dropped, frozen in shock. Adel had finished all of them before he could lift a finger.
Seeing her drenched in crimson, standing amidst the bodies, brought Mother's words crashing back into my mind. Adel was a former assassin, captured by Father and trained in our home.
I wondered if Martia and Livia, the twins' maids, were the same. Or maybe all the servants in the house were monsters like her.
Suddenly, the two riders Adel had kicked off earlier caught up on foot. They saw the massacre.
Immediately, they turned their horse around and started to gallop away in terror, screaming.
Thwip. Thwip.
Two daggers flew from Adel's hands. They soared through the air and struck the fleeing men in the back of their heads.
They fell from the horse instantly. The horse kept running into the distance.
I heard Valerie murmur beside the carriage window, her face pale, her voice filled with awe and fear.
"Your family is surely a monstrous family…."