Crimson and Merchant 5
After binding the men, Riley listened to their account and then left the cabin with Liliana. He propped the cabin door shut to prevent it from opening. The area around the cabin was flat, and as expected, a few goats were kept there. The problem, however, was the location of the cabin.
“—We’re in the mountains,” Riley noted.
<That seems to be the case> Liliana replied.
The area around the flat ground was surrounded by dense trees. Judging by the shape of the leaves, it was a coniferous forest, with leaves concentrated high up and sparse closer to the ground. In other words, aside from the area around the cabin, it was a deep part of the mountains where sunlight barely reached.
However, since the men had arrived on horseback, there must be a path wide enough for horses. Riley quickly turned his attention to the horses tied outside the cabin.
“Liliana, can you ride a horse?”
<I’ve had some practice, but I’m not confident about riding through the forest> Liliana admitted.
“Understood.”
Riley chose the largest horse, which could accommodate both him and Liliana. He adjusted the stirrups and mounted the horse without hesitation, extending a hand to Liliana. Understanding his intention, Liliana hesitated for only a moment before taking his hand and mounting the horse. Supported by Riley’s body and arms, Liliana settled in. Her anxiety was compounded by the fact that she could only ride side-saddle due to her dress. Even if she were to ride astride, there was no guarantee that Liliana, untrained in rough terrain, could secure herself. For now, all Liliana could do was cling to Riley and the saddle.
“This horse is a draft horse, so it should be more stable on the mountain path than the horses you’re used to. Still, it will be quite bumpy, so make sure to hold tightly to the saddle and me,” Riley instructed.
<I understand.>
Riley turned the horse’s head and made a complete circuit of the flat area. His sharp eyes scanned the trees for signs of the path leading from the village to this location. Typically, paths through dense forests are marked to prevent travelers from getting lost. After a half-turn, Riley muttered, “There it is,” spotting a red cloth. He verified this by checking the remaining marks and then returned to the location of the red cloth.
“Well then, let’s go. If we get to the village, we’ll figure out where we are,” Riley said.
<Agreed.>
Liliana nodded. Riley lightly spurred the horse, which stepped into the space between the trees. Branches were broken at a height just above Riley’s line of sight, confirming that the men had likely used this path. Liliana also observed the broken branches. The horse seemed accustomed to the trail, moving slowly but steadily. Riley thought that the men had either borrowed horses from the village or were villagers themselves. He internally noted that arriving at the village didn’t guarantee safety. For now, there was little more he could do.
While catching glimpses of Liliana, who appeared calm despite some visible fatigue, Riley reflected on something that had been on his mind.
Riley had always thought of Liliana as a composed young woman. She was also highly intelligent, standing out among the candidates for his fiancée. This impression had been reinforced by the recent kidnapping incident.
However, Liliana seemed almost unnaturally calm.
As Riley thought back, a slight frown appeared on his forehead.
Even when they were served poisoned tea at a tea party, Liliana remained calm. Riley, accustomed to the constant threat of poisoning, had been terrified at the prospect of poisoned food, shaking uncontrollably. It was the poison tester who noticed it, and Riley wouldn’t have realized it if not pointed out.
Therefore, it was strange for six-year-old Liliana to calmly identify the possibility of poisoning. However, as a daughter of one of the Three Great Duchies, she might have been educated on poisoning, which Riley had accepted at the time.
But the situation with the kidnapping was different. When their carriage was attacked, both Riley and Clyde were stunned, but Liliana’s expression remained unchanged. Initially, Riley thought he had missed something. Later, he assumed Liliana felt secure because of the barrier Clyde had erected.
Yet, Liliana had calmly analyzed the situation when she was forcibly teleported, concluding that the attack was aimed solely at her. Moreover, she had immediately criticized Riley’s recklessness for grabbing her arm and getting caught in the teleportation. Her dignified demeanor and intense gaze had captivated Riley.
(—Liliana is—far too mature for her age.)
No matter how perfectly one might master the education for a Crown Princess, a seven-year-old girl would surely feel fear upon realizing she is targeted. The fear experienced when one's life is in danger is instinctive, and controlling this instinct requires appropriate training. However, such training is not included in the Crown Princess education Liliana is receiving. The Clark Duchy, too, likely does not provide such specialized training. If Liliana had undergone such training, Clyde would, like Liliana, remain completely unperturbed. Yet, Clyde had been shocked when the attack first occurred.
Moreover, given Liliana's intelligence, she would understand the intentions of the men who captured them. Even if she were told of a future where her purity is stolen by some unknown ruffian and she is sold to strangers, she displayed no emotion. There was no sign of anger, sadness, hatred, or even fear in Liliana’s eyes. Instead, Riley was infuriated by the vile nature of the men.
Without Liliana’s calmness, Riley might have ended up killing the men after extracting the leader’s identity. In fact, Riley had killed one of the ruffians, knowing that a strike in that location would be fatal. Had Liliana panicked, Riley would not have hesitated to take harsher measures than simply turning the ruffians over to the local lord.
A slight shiver ran through Riley’s body. Noticing this, Liliana looked up at him, tilting her head slightly. Riley forced a reassuring smile and said, “It’s nothing.” Liliana appeared somewhat puzzled but soon faced forward again. Riley tightened his grip around Liliana’s waist.
“Liliana—didn’t you feel scared when you were attacked and kidnapped by the bandits?”
Liliana turned back to Riley with a blank expression, as if the question were entirely unexpected. Riley’s heart raced as he pressed further.
“You understood what they intended to do, right?”
<Yes, of course—> Liliana nodded.
Her expression didn’t seem to suggest she was lying. It seemed that Liliana genuinely felt no fear. Riley’s conviction that his assessment was correct was accompanied by a nasty bitterness rising in his throat.
Riley had always admired his grandfather, who had taught him what it meant to be a king. A king should never be swayed or distracted by any one person.
—Yet, here he was.
Faced with men who intended to harm Liliana, Riley felt a seething emotion for the first time in his life. Despite the danger to himself, he was troubled by Liliana’s calm demeanor, which remained as composed as when she enjoyed tea and cakes.
When Riley had asked if he could call her Liliana, his motives were calculated. Influenced by Austin's advice, he hoped to foster a closer relationship for more candid exchanges of opinions, having noticed Liliana’s intelligence and composure. At that time, even if Liliana had collapsed from poisoning, he would have been concerned but not deeply unsettled.
Now, however, he could not remain calm. The thought of Liliana falling into the hands of vile men stirred a murderous intent in him, and he found himself unable to control or even name the emotions he felt towards her calm demeanor in such a situation. The mixed emotions of frustration, anxiety, and irritation seemed to strip Riley of his reason.
—As if to prove that Riley was unworthy of being a king.
Acknowledging this would be like denying Riley’s very existence and his life’s work.
(—Moreover, Liliana might be capable of using magic.)
Riley shook his head slightly and took a deep breath, forcing himself to turn away from the turbulent emotions within him. He redirected his focus to another suspicion, glancing at Liliana's silver hair swaying below him before returning his gaze forward.
The moment Clyde's barrier was breached by the knife thrown by the enemy, a new barrier was established. Despite no one chanting, the barrier was flawless.
Riley had not cast the barrier himself, nor was it like the ones Clyde conjured. The timing of the new barrier being erected was too precise for it to have been done by a mage from a distance. There should have been more time needed between the destruction of the first barrier and the re-establishment of the second.
—In other words, it was highly likely that Liliana had cast the second barrier. However, Riley had never heard of anyone being able to use magic without chanting.
Magic requires a structured formula through which mana is channeled, with chanting serving to support the process and make the phenomenon manifest. Magic without chanting is like a carriage without wheels. It either cannot be performed or results in the magic going awry, causing significant damage to the caster's body. In some cases, it can even harm the soul, leading to a possibility of never waking again.
If Liliana could indeed use magic without chanting, then the rules were being bent.
(Could this be related to the kidnapping incident?)
The most likely motive for the kidnapping was to remove Liliana from the list of fiancées. However, if there were people who suspected Liliana could use magic and were aware of the impossibility of casting magic without chanting, then Liliana would be exposed to even greater danger.
Able to use magic without any incantation could become the ultimate weapon. If someone invited to the throne room could use magic without chanting and aim for the king's life, the only defense would be to maintain barriers in advance. Yet, it’s not feasible to keep barriers up all the time. The need for chanting in magic allows for the detection and prevention of suspicious activities beforehand.
Even if Liliana herself does not intend to use magic in such a way, if her will were ever compromised, Liliana could become the most formidable weapon.
What would happen to Liliana if she were removed from Riley’s list of fiancée candidates?
Why does the Duke of Clark adamantly try to remove his daughter from the list? And why did the king instruct Riley to become engaged to Liliana?
—Riley. Your engagement with her will help protect her.
The king's past words echoed in Riley's mind, leaving him with a feeling as if his heart had been seized.
<—Riley-sama?>
The small body nestled in Riley's arms. The delicate Liliana, with her high intelligence and what seemed to be a lack of emotion. The unstable imbalance. The vision of a girl, alone and desperately living without any weapons, seemed to overlap with Liliana.
As Riley's grip tightened unknowingly, Liliana looked up at him with a puzzled expression.
*****
Olga and Gild chose young men among the guards who seemed familiar with the mountains and headed to the village indicated by the butler of Viscount Coiraud. The reason for choosing that village was that it had many young people and was known to have mountain lodges.
"It’s not guaranteed that none of the people involved are there," Gild said.
"That’s precisely why we need to keep watch," Olga replied lightly.
Gild grumbled, and Olga countered with a mild rebuttal. Assigning one villager to each of several guards created a situation where mutual surveillance was possible. Moreover, there was significance in Olga and Gild accompanying the guide. They needed to assess at the outset how much the villagers knew about the kidnapping incident.
"This is such a hassle. It would be faster if we went alone to search," Gild complained.
"Don’t be foolish. The young lady is not from your family," Olga said.
Gild, slightly exasperated by Olga’s reaction, pouted.
"It would have been quicker if she were," he muttered.
"Stop talking nonsense. Besides, you know as well as I do—there's no way the young lady would be taken quietly."
"That’s if she was alone."
Gild spat out the words bitterly. Olga, too, seemed to be concerned, furrowing his brows slightly and falling silent.
Indeed, Liliana was mature for her age and excelled in magic. She was undoubtedly one of the top magicians across the continent. Only beings like demon lords or monsters of equivalent rank could match her in power. But that was only true if Liliana was alone.
Liliana kept the fact that she could use magic hidden. Neither Olga nor Gild doubted her judgment in that regard, but it meant that, in the presence of the crown prince, Liliana would refrain from using magic.
Even if her freedom of movement were restricted, Liliana could escape restraints, repel enemies, and return on her own. However, if those around her did not know she could use magic, Liliana would try to handle situations without resorting to magic as much as possible. Consequently, if faced with ruthless bandits, Liliana would be powerless.
Gild’s concerns were valid, given the many tragic outcomes he had witnessed during his mercenary life.
"All we can do is hope that the crown prince’s judgment and abilities are up to the task. If I recall correctly, he’s only nine years old."
"I can’t expect much from a kid that age."
Olga, hearing Gild’s dismissive words, couldn’t help but smile slightly and looked at him sideways.
"How about you when you were nine?"
"Huh?"
Gild raised an eyebrow suspiciously as Olga continued.
"In situations like this, could you handle them?"
"—Hey, don’t compare us with the people of this country."
"Right, my apologies for that."
Olga shrugged and apologized casually. Gild snorted, scratching his head irritably. However, in the next moment, his gaze toward Olga showed a hint of concern. Still, Gild said nothing more and asked, "Are we almost there?" Olga nodded. The village they were aiming for was close.