WITH knowledge of the spy’s identity, the Second Division proceeded with their investigation in secret. Meanwhile, Cesia was on the run and lying low in a mansion. The property was one of several that Chris had picked out for her as potential rewards for rescuing Mavis.
Thank goodness I asked about the location and layout of this place in advance, Cesia thought. I broke the lock on the back door, but I can reimburse the owner after all this, so hopefully, they’ll forgive me.
The house was unoccupied, and as temporary property of the royal family, there was no worry about anyone suddenly moving in without permission. And, the only people connected to the current case who knew the details about her reward were Marcus and Chris. Of course, being vacant, the Security Bureau would eventually search the house, but she had some leeway before then.
Initially, Cesia hadn’t wanted to run anywhere. She had to return to the castle, get one over on Juliette, and expose Anita’s crimes. Even if she had to let down the people close to her to do it, it was better than them not knowing the truth.
Mavis’s despondent expression flashed across Cesia’s mind’s eye. She might not ever forgive Cesia once she discredited Anita. However, Cesia believed in her and knew that the princess had the strength to accept the truth, no matter how painful it was.
Cesia had temporarily sealed the injury on her arm with magic, but it wasn’t fully healed, and she had difficulty moving it. It was warm to the touch and felt stiff. As a stopgap measure, she had taken a cloth draped over a piece of furniture and tore it into long strips, which she wrapped around her arm in place of a bandage. She had sealed the wound, so there was no need to worry whether the cloth was sterile.
Now, how do I get back to the castle?
She could, at most, change her hair and eye color with disguise magic. Under the present state of heavy guard and with foreign visitors all around, it would be nearly impossible to hide her identity and sneak into the castle. That was no reason to go in without a disguise, of course; if she did, it would be a one-way trip to jail. It would be a different story if someone from the Second Division came to meet her, but the situation would take a turn from bad to worse if she carelessly contacted them and made them become suspected as potential accomplices.
“I might be a bit stuck,” Cesia muttered quietly. Then, she forcefully shook her head. I can’t give up. I won’t just sit here and take it.
She remembered Mavis, helpless when the two had been kidnapped, and Lady Amy, the daughter of Marquess Acton, calling for help in an exhausted, barely audible voice. Cesia still didn’t know why Juliette had built up criminal organizations in Emeroade, if the princess herself had wanted to do it, or if another person was manipulating her from behind. However, there was no getting around the fact that Juliette had tried to frame her and had used Anita to do it. That meant that Cesia knew precisely the person she would just love to send flying.
Even if I’m dead, I won’t give up until I’ve gotten one good swing in on that pretty, stuck-up face of hers, Cesia thought, encouraging herself.
“I might as well just force my way in,” she muttered aloud.
“Oh my, that’s a risky idea.”
When someone replied to her monologue, Cesia almost jumped in surprise. Then, recognizing the voice, she let down her guard and turned around. One other person besides Marcus and Chris would have quickly hit upon the possibility that she was hiding in one of the empty mansions entrusted to the royal family.
“Maria!” Cesia called her name.
Maria took off the hood she was wearing, revealing long, fiery red hair. She smiled and flawlessly winked. “Cesia, are you all right?” She knelt in front of Cesia, who was sitting sloppily on the floor. She looked over Cesia, her gaze settling on her arm. “Are you hurt?”
“You have a good eye.”
“You’re covering it. Show me.” Maria undid the improvised bandage, then put a finger on Cesia’s arm. Her nails were unpolished, and she was only wearing light makeup.
“You look plain today,” Cesia remarked.
“Of course I do. I’m here to meet a wanted criminal in hiding. I’m just adapting to the circumstances,” Maria replied irritably, in a tone she rarely used.
Cesia widened her eyes in surprise. Maria normally behaved somewhat mischievously like Marcus did and always seemed aloof somehow. “Are you angry?” Cesia asked.
“Not at you.”
“Then who is it? Juliette?”
Maria lifted her face, and she had an unexpectedly grim expression. “Myself.” She stroked Cesia’s arm, her pale hand barely grazing the injury. Cesia felt something soft and warm, and while nothing had visibly changed, her arm felt better. Maria had cast healing magic.
“The pain is gone,” Cesia said.
“The only time what you did is effective is when it’s a much lighter injury. Sealing your wound with a thin layer of skin stopped the blood from flowing out, but that was it,” Maria said coldly.
“I know…” Cesia said, sulking. “But I couldn’t do anything else.”
“You’re not training enough.”
“I know,” Cesia dejectedly lowered her gaze. Just then, Maria’s appearance changed, beginning at the bottom of her feet. Her form wavered as if shrouded in mist, and Marcus was standing right next to Cesia when the mist cleared. “Your Royal Highness,” Cesia said in a panic. It’d be bad if it got out that he’s here, she thought, then Marcus drew her closer to himself.
“You…” he said, desperation in his voice. “You know your training is still lacking, so why did you run away on your own?! You even got hurt. If I hadn’t healed you when I did, it could’ve turned necrotic.”
Cesia blinked at the strength and warmth of his arms. “Sir…”
“Am I that untrustworthy? Even if you’d been arrested, I would’ve done anything in my power to get you out.”
“I did the only thing I could think of. It’s not that I don’t trust you, sir, but rather than wait for someone…wait for you to help me, I thought I could be more useful to you and less of a hindrance if I ran and waited for an opportunity.”
Marcus frowned. “I don’t care if you’re useful. And I don’t care if you get in my way… I want to protect you.”
Cesia’s cheeks turned bright red. He sounded passionate—romantic, even. He doesn’t mean it like that. He has a strong sense of duty, so he’s disparaging himself for being unable to help out a subordinate in a bind, she thought.
“I’ll be fine, Your Royal Highness. You chose me to be an enforcer, after all. We’ll definitely expose Juliette—”
“That isn’t it,” Marcus interrupted, hugging her tightly, and Cesia’s breath caught in her throat. “I’m so relieved that you’re okay…” he said in a strained voice.
Cesia’s vision suddenly grew blurry. Surprised by her tears, she grew flustered. His tone told her that he was simply, and without any pretense, glad that she was okay, and the strength of his arms, as he hugged her wordlessly, conveyed just how much he had been worried about her.
She had been terrified. During the commotion that had ensued after Juliette had tried to frame her, the castle guards, who she should’ve been used to seeing by then, had all appeared as enemies. Mavis had an expression of disbelief, but equally visible was the princess’s hesitation about whether it was okay to trust Cesia. It may have been a natural reaction in that situation, but it saddened Cesia and made her afraid.
Until then, ever since she had begun working as an enforcer in the royal castle, she had believed in and acted upon her own sense of justice without any deeper introspection. It was only natural to save someone who was in trouble. It was wrong to lie. She hadn’t doubted that the right actions would bring about the right results.
Back then, however, she had been alone. Her first thought after falling into the forest was that she had to quickly return to the castle and report the identity of the spy and Juliette’s plans. Then, a worry had crossed her mind: Maybe no one will believe me. She had become frightened, convinced that, even if she returned, she would be disregarded and thrown in jail.
She had always believed that she would never give in to anyone. After all, she had always been alone, and the only person she could count on to protect her had been herself. Then, what was the point of returning to a place where no one would believe her just to tell them who the spy was? No, she wasn’t alone anymore; she had to return and carry out her duty as an enforcer. But no one had believed her before she ran.