Chapter 35
Vivian wore a briefly worried expression, but now was not the time to stop her mistress — it was the time to serve her.
Nadia could not move as cautiously as Vivian could.
Therefore, the two of them could not stay right in front of the room where Count Crimson had entered; instead, they could only circle around and observe from nearby.
“There really isn’t the tiniest crack to peek through, just as you said.”
“If we wait until late at night, won’t we be able to tell who’s inside?”
“If there’s a hidden passage, then it’s all in vain. It’d be better if we knew the building’s structure.”
At those words, a realization suddenly struck Nadia.
The entrance side of the room was sealed up so tightly that no person could slip in.
But mana could move along the walls, and Nadia could sense its position.
If she was lucky, she might be able to discover a hidden passage.
Nadia carefully looked around and then placed her hand on the wall.
If I inject mana into the wall…
From the core — a mage’s very heart — mana was pumped and drawn up.
Nadia gathered all her mana into her fingertips and delicately pushed it into the wall. She did it slowly, so no other mage nearby would notice, letting it flow as though it were natural mana that had always been there.
At last, when a drop of mana reached the ceiling—
“Ugh…”
Nadia staggered, clutching her chest.
It felt as though someone was seizing her core and trying to crush it. At the same time, it felt like it might explode outward from within.
Every strand of mana she sent into the wall sprouted thorns that stabbed through her whole body, and she could not endure it.
“My lady!”
Vivian rushed to support her in alarm. Nadia’s fingertips — the ones that had released the mana — were scorched black, as though they’d touched molten lava.
“Heavens, my lady! Please, stay with me!”
But Nadia continued groaning, hugging herself in unending pain.
She even seemed to be seeing hallucinations, glaring at something invisible.
Then she let go of herself and stretched her arm into empty air.
“I… belong to no one…!”
The words came out sharp and threatening. Shortly after, Nadia collapsed unconscious.
Vivian hastily checked her pulse. Compared to how much she had just suffered, her condition didn’t seem immediately dangerous.
What should she do?
Vivian desperately wanted to summon help, but that was only her wish.
A maid was but her mistress’s hands and feet — she had to act as her mistress desired.
And Nadia never wanted a big commotion.
In that case, it would be best to quietly get her into the carriage and send word to the Marchioness of Allon that something urgent had come up, so they had to leave without a farewell.
After gathering her thoughts, Vivian slung Nadia’s arm over her own shoulder to support her. She could have lifted her up completely, but if anyone saw, she would have no excuse to explain it.
Keeping close to the wall, Vivian pretended as though Nadia was still conscious and spoke to her.
“My lady, really… You stayed up reading until late again. You must have caught a chill.”
Her judgment was correct.
Passersby looked startled at first when they saw Nadia, but on hearing Vivian’s calm, casual words, they turned away.
If the maid was so unconcerned, then surely it was nothing serious.
Vivian managed to get through the corridors and out of the mansion safely. Now all that remained was to cross the long garden to reach the carriage.
At this hour, the only people around were servants, and servants dared not look nobles in the eye, so Vivian felt reassured.
Until she ran into Heinrich.
At first, when she saw him striding quickly from the opposite side, she thought nothing of it.
She assumed he must have urgent business at the salon.
But Heinrich came straight to Nadia.
It was as though he didn’t even see Vivian — he immediately took Nadia from her, checking her breathing and pulse.
Unlike Vivian, who was relieved by Nadia’s condition, Heinrich’s eyes grew only sharper.
Only now did Vivian understand why red eyes were always compared to blood.
She could not tell whether Heinrich was furious or grief-stricken. It felt like standing before a sea of blood, leaving her completely unsettled.
Forcing herself to keep her composure, Vivian dropped to her knees before him.
“My lord, my lady is unwell. I must hurry her back to the townhouse…”
Before she finished, Heinrich had already lifted Nadia into his arms. Her unconscious body sagged limply.
He did not hesitate. Without looking back, he gave Vivian only one order:
“Follow.”
Vivian, though a skilled assassin, was nothing more than a maid on the surface. She could not defy the northern lord in such a public place.
Secretly checking the weapon hidden in her skirt, she followed after him.
Heinrich carried Nadia into a carriage bearing Baldwin’s crest. Though the attendant scowled when Vivian tried to climb in, Heinrich paid no attention.
He carefully laid Nadia down on the wide seat.
Vivian tried to read his face, but the mix of emotions there was hard to decipher.
He seemed worried, yet furious. And at the same time, utterly cold.
Why was Heinrich reacting so impulsively about Nadia?
Was it just because she was assisting with his affairs?
According to intelligence, Duke Baldwin is emotionless and composed. Even more so after his wife’s death. But this behavior now…
It went beyond mere responsibility for a subordinate.
Vivian turned her eyes toward the window, only to realize the carriage wasn’t heading toward the Hess townhouse.
“My lord, thank you for your help. Forgive my boldness, but may I ask why we are not going to the Hess townhouse?”
He didn’t even glance at her.
“It’s far.”
That was all.
Vivian had more questions, but she shut her mouth.
She was certain that if she angered him further, she’d be thrown out of the carriage.
All she could do was close the window to block the cold wind.
Fortunately, the carriage soon stopped.
Once again, Heinrich himself carried Nadia as he stepped down.
Vivian, following behind, stiffened when she recognized the place.
It was Baldwin’s townhouse.
Old places always carried the same scent.
And perhaps Nadia sensed it as well.
Though limp and powerless, her eyelids fluttered as she murmured faintly:
“…Go back.”
At her weak voice, Heinrich stopped in his tracks.
“This is not the place…”
He narrowed his eyes, staring down at the woman in his arms.
“What do you mean by that?”
But Nadia had already used up all her strength just to say those words. She fainted again.
Heinrich gazed at her in silence, then adjusted his hold.
“Fetch a doctor. Now.”
No one there understood what was happening — not even Heinrich himself, perhaps.
But no one could stop him or the woman in his arms.
Nadia dreamed for a very long time. Yet the moment she opened her eyes in reality, she forgot it all — even the fact that she had forgotten.
The ceiling above her felt both strange and familiar. She gave a small cough.
Crash!
“My lady!”
Vivian came running, nearly tumbling in her haste. Because of that, Nadia regained her senses more quickly.
“Vivian, where are we? Don’t tell me this is the Baldwin townhouse.”
“…”
Vivian had nothing to say.
She had made what she thought was the wisest choice and had the ability to carry it out. Had Heinrich not interfered, Nadia would have woken in the Hess townhouse by now.
But in the end, the result was the very thing her mistress would have least wanted. Vivian was consumed by guilt.
“I’m sorry, my lady. I’ll accept any punishment…”
“Punishment can wait. Tell me what happened. I know I fainted, but… surely you didn’t ask Duke Baldwin for help.”
Nadia slowly pushed herself up, leaning against the headboard.
“My lady, I’ll explain everything in detail, but perhaps you should see the doctor first?”
“If you summon a doctor, it’ll be reported to His Grace. I need to know what happened before that.”
Nadia was firm, and Vivian could not dissuade her.
So she quickly recounted the events.
“…And that’s how it was. I thought your condition had stabilized, so I suggested returning to the Hess townhouse. But His Grace used ‘protecting a lady’ as an excuse and wouldn’t let us leave.”
From the perspective of knightly duty, a gentleman indeed had the obligation to protect a weakened lady.
But Nadia could tell from Vivian’s expression that wasn’t the whole story.
“Something’s troubling you?”
“It’s just… since last night until today at noon, His Grace has come by several times. Not sending servants to check — he came himself…”