Please Answer Me - Chapter 114

“You’ve done well. You should return to the campsite first. I have some matters to attend to.”

“Yes, sir.”

Bellario saluted and turned back. He couldn’t fathom what task Iselle had to attend to on such a desolate hill, but it wasn’t his place to question it.

Upon returning to the campsite, Bellario found Allen waiting for him. Allen approached immediately. “Where is Lord Iselle? I heard you went on reconnaissance together.”

“The Duke has other matters to attend to. He sent me back first.”

Allen hesitated for a moment before questioning him. “I heard there’s trouble brewing within the Quat tribe. What does that mean? Were you executing a separate mission for Lord Iselle?”

“That’s not something I can discuss lightly.”

As Bellario tried to pass, Allen blocked him with his arm. “Sir, I am asking you this as the Princess’s escort.”

This meant he expected a direct answer. While Iselle had overall control, Allen had the authority to make decisions in emergencies. His duty to protect the royal family gave him the right to act as necessary, even to the extent of taking Bellario’s life if required. Such was the role of an escort of Lysa’s direct lineage.

Faced with Allen’s firm stance, Bellario sighed. “Even if I wanted to tell you, I know little myself. I merely delivered a letter from the Duke to someone within the Quat tribe.”

“…How does Lord Iselle know anyone within the Quat tribe?”

“That, too, is beyond my knowledge.”

Seeing Allen’s confusion, Bellario spoke slowly, “My speculation about trouble within the Quat tribe is just that—speculation. But considering the Duke’s way of handling matters, it’s an inevitable outcome. Sir Allen, the Duke never leaves loose ends. And one more thing.”

As he passed Allen, he whispered softly, “Do not mention this to the Princess. If you wish for her to return to Lysa and marry as planned, then you must ensure it happens.”

***

The darkened path was illuminated by numerous torches.

They were scouring the woods near the traveler’s road. The search would continue for several days.

“As expected, this isn’t going to be easy. Who knows when this search will end…” Nell sighed. As he said, relying solely on the jeweler’s word for this large-scale operation seemed excessive. Those unaware of the true nature of the Magic Stones were bound to question the necessity of an all-night search.

“The wagon must have carried the stones, so they couldn’t have gone too deep into the forest. Look for wagon tracks leading into the woods, and avoid areas where the trees are too dense for a wagon to pass,” Rashid ordered, riding his horse through the forest, searching for the stones.

The silver lining in this busy task was that it kept his mind off her, allowing him to avoid lying in the bed they had shared every night.

Her scent and traces lingered everywhere in the room. Though he had tried staying elsewhere, he inevitably returned, desperate to hold onto the fleeting moments before everything faded away.

It was better to be preoccupied with something else, even though sleepless nights remained a constant.

Rashid ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept well. Even when he managed to sleep, he woke up within two hours. Sitting alone in the dark, he would often see her image.

There she was, sitting at the table practicing her writing or brushing her hair in front of the mirror, smiling at him. Those visions were bearable since he could simply watch them.

What tormented him the most was when she appeared beside him in bed as he dozed off. Her small, delicate body would snuggle into his embrace, and the warmth of her skin felt so real. The softness of her hair brushing against his fingers was almost tangible.

Rosetta.

When he called her name, she would meet his eyes and smile brightly. Unable to bear it, he would reach out urgently, desperate to hold her and confirm that she was real.

But the moment he allowed himself such thoughts, she vanished. All that remained was the cold bed and the faint moonlight.

He recalled tales of sailors seeing illusions at sea, enchanted by beautiful women with captivating voices, only to drown in the dark waters. He had once thought them foolish, but now he understood. Even knowing the danger, they couldn’t resist.

It had only been two days since she left, and he was already in this state. There were many days ahead, and he couldn’t imagine how he would cope. Was he slowly losing his mind? Maybe he was already insane. The thought of chasing after her and bringing her back was ever-present.

He found himself thinking of her again and shook his head. This wasn’t the time for such thoughts. Finding the Magic Stones was urgent. If there were dozens or even hundreds of them in the forest, the threat was immense. Such a quantity could obliterate an entire village.

“Riga! Look over there!”

Nell’s urgent shout caught Rashid’s attention. He turned to where Nell was pointing and furrowed his brow.

“It’s a beacon fire!”

Three fires were burning in the distance, signaling an emergency.

“Looks like it’s coming from Burga. What could be happening there?”

Burga was a crucial junction connecting Edirne. It was the point where the roads split towards the west and the south.

Beacon fires were typically lit to alert Edirne of enemy invasions. But that possibility seemed unlikely now. They had just sent the Basque chieftain’s children back yesterday. It was improbable that they would attack suddenly. The Katan tribe was far to the north, and there were already sufficient troops stationed there.

Rashid mused aloud, “…Maybe someone is trying to send us a message.”

They had widened their search area beyond Edirne and had reached this far. It would take about 30 minutes to reach Burga on horseback. Even if it turned out to be a false alarm, it wouldn’t be too far out of their way.

“Stop the search and head to Burga immediately!”

The soldiers who had been scouring the forest gathered at his command and swiftly rode towards Burga at full speed.

***

“Princess, it’s Allen.”

While waiting for Iselle, a voice called from outside the tent.

“Come in.”

A long moment passed after her response, but no one entered. Rosetta looked up, puzzled. Allen was hesitating at the entrance.

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

His face had turned grim, quite different from before. Despite her question, he remained silent for a while, then sighed deeply.

“I’m not sure if it’s right to tell you this, Your Highness.”

“What do you mean?”

“I still believe it would be best if you married Lord Iselle as planned. I think that’s the best path for you. With that in mind, I know I shouldn’t tell you this but…”

“Allen, come here and speak so I can understand.”

Finally, Allen approached and knelt on one knee before her. His clear eyes looked up at her earnestly. “You told me to trust you to make all decisions, Your Highness.”

He was referring to the incident at Edirne Castle when Sika had confronted them. Rosetta had been furious that Allen had disobeyed her orders and acted on his own.

“That’s why I’m telling you this. No matter what, I think this is something you need to know and decide for yourself.”

“Something bad must have happened.”

Her expression grew serious. Allen began to speak. “It seems Lord Iselle is scheming behind our backs.”

“Scheming?”

“He’s been exchanging letters secretly with someone within the Quat tribe.”

“He knows someone in the Quat tribe?”

“I’m not sure of the details, but I know it’s true. Sir Bellario personally delivered the letters.”

Rosetta frowned slightly. Unlike the other two tribes, the Quat tribe had no official interactions with Lysa or Hezen. It made no sense that Iselle was in contact with someone from the Quat tribe.

“What is he planning with those letters?”

“I don’t know. But Sir Bellario mentioned that Lord Iselle never leaves loose ends…”

Rosetta stood up abruptly. “Never leaves loose ends? What does that mean?”

Rashid had already agreed to let them go peacefully, and Rosie had agreed to cover up her stay in Edirne. Everything had been settled, so what could Iselle be planning?

“That’s all I heard. You should ask him yourself when he arrives.”

“…Alright. You may leave now.”

Allen bowed and turned to go. Just before he left the tent, Rosetta spoke. “Allen, thank you for telling me.”

Allen smiled, relieved, and left.

After he was gone, Rosetta paced anxiously inside the tent. She couldn’t stop her thoughts from spiraling into dark places. Unable to bear it any longer, she was about to go find Iselle herself when he entered the tent.