Chapter 326
“Let’s not argue—why don’t we all go inside now?”
As always, it was Sebelia who played the peacemaker.
“Alright.”
“I’ll take care of the blankets.”
With those gentle words, the two men acted as if nothing had happened, making peace with surprising ease. Sebelia laughed quietly at their behavior as she stood up from her seat.
Time drifted by gently in this warm, peaceful atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the pile of leaves by the garden wall was cleaned up and reaccumulated several times, and Balak was nearing his return home after completing all his ambassadorial duties.
In preparation for his departure, Sebelia and Dehart worked hard to clear their schedules for the coming months. Oddly, while Sebelia managed to free up her time without much trouble, Dehart nearly had his plans overturned again and again.
For some reason, as their departure date drew closer, all kinds of incidents threatened to delay them from leaving for Lockwood. Still, through sheer determination, he managed to sort everything out.
He looks like he hasn’t slept a wink…
Sebelia thought of Dehart. Not only was he handling work for the North, but he’d also been roped into imperial business, and just that morning, the Emperor had kept him at the palace out of sheer possessiveness.
I really thought I’d end up going alone…
But, despite her worries, Dehart arrived back at the estate right on time for their trip. Granted, he looked gaunt and had dark circles under his eyes. He’d definitely need some proper rest during the journey.
“Tsk.”
Hearing someone click their tongue, Sebelia turned to see Balak. The moment their eyes met, Balak put on a kind smile as if nothing was amiss.
“…?”
Confused by the sudden shift, Sebelia frowned as Balak signaled for a servant to bring the carriage.
“I’ve made sure everything is ready for a comfortable journey to Lockwood.”
Even before he finished speaking, an enormous carriage rolled up, waiting for them. At that moment, Dehart, freshly changed, stepped out to the entrance.
“And as for security—”
“We’ll handle the escort on our end.”
Dehart said, slipping his arm around Sebelia’s shoulders. Despite looking exhausted just moments earlier, now he was all polish and confidence.
“Eli.”
With a snap of his fingers, Eli approached with a beaming smile, leading a line of knights who each held the reins of jet-black horses.
Even with the tight schedule, their preparations were impeccable.
“Hm.”
But Balak, never one to miss a chance for mischief, folded his arms and feigned concern.
“Do you really think a single horse will be enough? The road to Lockwood is a lot rougher than traveling through Belkram. Besides, it’s everyone’s first time making this journey—are you sure they’ll be able to pace themselves?”
“Even if it’s our first time, it’s still just a road traveled by people. And besides, these are the knights of Hillend Hall. The air there is at least as harsh as Lockwood’s, if not more so.”
After a few more rounds of playful banter, the two men broke into smiles, eyeing each other with an unspoken truce.
It was Sebelia who finally cut through the tension.
“The carriage looks amazing! And these horses—are they from Lockwood? I’ve never seen such pure white horses before!”
Fortunately, Balak seemed to have lost any desire to quarrel and eagerly took her cue.
“I knew you’d notice, Bella. You can tell the difference from the rough Belkram breeds, can’t you?”
When Sebelia nodded uncertainly, Balak continued, delighted,
“Look at their noble bearing—only horses descended from the Frostwood line possess such beauty.”
Wasn’t Frostwood only famous for its medicinal herbs? Sebelia eyed the horses anew in surprise.
“Their manes shimmer with the light of dawn—so you won’t even need lanterns at night.”
Now that she looked closely, she could see a faint glow from their manes—it hadn’t been her imagination. Sebelia admired the horses, but then a low voice murmured behind her.
“A perfect target, aren’t they…”
“Dehart?”
“Glowing horses at night… Did you really think you could leave me behind with a plan like that? Ridiculous.”
His words were barely audible, but Sebelia turned to ask what he meant. Before she could, Dehart gently guided her to face forward again.
“Well, it doesn’t matter—your plan failed anyway. You don’t have to worry about anything, Bella.”
“What are you talking about?”
Sebelia asked, genuinely puzzled. Dehart just smiled softly, his tone full of reassurance.
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