If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 244

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

After rambling about the trouble he’d had when his target disappeared, Christian finally said he needed some rest and headed off to his quarters.

“Do you think what he said was true?”

“If we ask Sir Cain, we’ll know for sure. I doubt he’d lie about something like this.”

“I suppose so, but I still have a bad feeling about it…”

To Agatha, Christian was neither a clear enemy nor an ally. He’d certainly never been her ally, but she couldn’t see him as a complete adversary, either. Right now, the one person she and Cain could agree was definitely an enemy was Grand Duke Norfolk, the one holding Esther captive.

Could Christian be working for the Grand Duke? That seemed unlikely. As the Captain of the Second Imperial Guard and loyal to Crown Prince Mernich, Christian’s allegiances were obvious.

For the Grand Duke, who was aiming for the throne, the Crown Prince was effectively an enemy. While the Crown Prince himself was too gentle to treat anyone as an enemy, his retainers certainly regarded the Grand Duke as one.

No one openly declared hostilities in this tangled web of alliances, but beneath the polite smiles, there was no mistaking the underlying animosity.

Christian was fundamentally different from his mother or his younger sibling. He could be cowardly, refusing to get involved if there was nothing in it for him, but he still had a knight’s pride and honor.

“Well, time will tell. What’s tricky now is how we’re going to explain all those dead refugees.”

The Kristin knights who were supposed to be stationed in Arta had disappeared. In a strange twist, if Christian and his men could fill the gap left by the missing knights, it could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

As Agatha had pointed out, the real problem was figuring out how to explain what happened in Arta.

“Let’s leave that to the Marquis. You should get some rest, Your Grace. You look very pale.”

“Yes, Miss, you really don’t look well today. You’re sweating, too… It would be best for you to return to your chambers and rest.”

With Karon’s urging, Charlotte quickly chimed in. Though Agatha had plenty of responsibilities as the head of Kristin, she was not alone anymore.

And besides, her due date was fast approaching. Just in case, Charlotte had already mobilized the attendants to set up a makeshift birthing room, but she wished Agatha would step away from her duties and focus more on her health.

“You’re right. I’m a little tired today.”

Agatha, who usually dismissed any concern and insisted she was fine, surprisingly agreed to rest without protest this time. Her face was so pale, it was clear she really wasn’t feeling well.

As she tried to stand, swaying unsteadily, Charlotte quickly grabbed her arm. And just then—

A sudden cold sensation ran down her legs, and Agatha froze, slowly looking down. There was a puddle forming beneath where she stood.

“Oh…”

“Oh, goodness!”

Agatha gave a short gasp, unable to steady herself even after standing. From Liana, who was supporting her other arm, a near scream burst out.

“Her water broke!”

Charlotte’s worries were not unfounded—Agatha was truly about to give birth.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The bodies of the Kristin knights were nowhere to be found. Had they been imprisoned somewhere, or perhaps buried en masse? Cain scoured every corner of Arta, again and again.

No matter how skilled the Imperial Guards might be, it was impossible to make trained knights disappear without a trace. And these weren’t just any knights—they were members of the Kristin order, known for their honor and legitimacy.

If they weren’t killed, were they taken prisoner? Had the Grand Duke used his authority to force their obedience?

That explanation started to make sense. For knights who valued hierarchy above all else, it was possible they wouldn’t dare defy a direct royal order.

“Do you think the Grand Duke simply used his authority and led the order away?”

“That seems to be the most logical explanation for now.”

“There are tracks from wagons and horses, all going in the same direction. If we follow them…”

“They lead to the capital.”

“Yes.”

The path the Grand Duke and his party likely took led directly from Arta to the capital—accessible only to someone with the authority to seal the capital’s gates, namely, someone granted that power by the Emperor or a member of the royal family.

In other words, it seemed even more likely that the Grand Duke was the one who orchestrated the massacre in Arta and then made a hasty escape.

Cain let out a short sigh and stood up. For days now, he had left camp before dawn to search all of Arta, returning only after dark. For all that effort, he hadn’t uncovered much.

At least he could say that, aside from what might be underground, he had checked every last corner of Arta.

There were no threats left on this land. Even the smallest traces of danger had been rooted out. At the very least, Agatha would be able to give birth and recover in safety.

“Is there any chance they’ll attack here again?”

“Not for the time being.”