There are female knights in the Black Lizard Knight Order, and among the Wilboyer family, there are female leaders of merchant groups.

This means that there have been women around Liam who act confidently while demonstrating their abilities.

Ormia also showed strength despite her delicate appearance, overwhelming many soldiers and boldly passing through the castle gates.

However, when she insisted on keeping the wolf cub because it was cute, the biased thought that this princess was also a woman briefly crossed his mind.

She could barely keep up while walking alone on the mountain path, yet she wanted to take the wolf cub. Seeing her desperate look, he told her to go ahead and try.

She would give up soon anyway.

But Ormia Beltoa was stubborn.

‘Headstrong and willful.’

But she had perseverance.

Though she was sweating, her flushed cheeks made her look even more attractive.

Even though it seemed the cub would follow on its own if put down, Ormia stubbornly refused to let go of it from her arms.

He thought she was keeping up well, but upon seeing the village, she collapsed in relief. He caught her body before she hit the ground.

The body in his hands was hot.

Even a robust person would struggle to stay upright with such a fever, but Ormia endured silently.

“She could have just asked for help…”

He laughed bitterly after saying that.

One can only ask for help if there’s someone to receive it. A child without comforting parents won’t cry when they fall.

Until now, Ormia had endured everything alone. Of course, she wouldn’t easily ask for help.

Knowing this, the words came out like a lament of pity.

As he carried her down to the village, a member of the knight order was waiting for him.

With Ormia’s condition not good, they quickly borrowed the village chief’s house.

The wolf cub barked and guarded by Ormia’s side, while Hal nagged. The barking from both sides was overwhelming.

Moreover, Ormia, who had barely regained consciousness, spoke nonsense with her feverish mind.

“I’m sorry. For causing a delay because of me. I won’t bother you anymore from now on.”

She spoke with difficulty in a thin voice, like a flickering candle about to go out.

Unable to make eye contact, like a scolded child.

“I thought I was fine… I can leave tomorrow. I’ll recover quickly from this.”

She couldn’t even assess her own condition.

It wasn’t a state that would heal in a day or two.

Perhaps Ormia would try to get up somehow to keep her word.

Even if she collapsed, she would struggle to stand on her own.

He sighed.

He thought, she’s someone who deserves to be loved, yet she had to endure to this extent.

“I’m sorry for not understanding. I apologize. It must have been difficult, I’m sorry.”

Then, a single flower bloomed.

No, dozens of flower petals appeared and fell around her.

Ormia, with tears filling her eyes as if about to cry, smiled and lost consciousness again. A tear streamed down from the corner of her eye.

With a short bark, the dog-like wolf cub jumped onto the bed.

It licked Ormia’s face, then sat down demurely next to her neck, looking down at her.

“Get down.”

When he grabbed its nape, it growled quite fiercely.

There were several bite marks from the wolf cub on Liam’s hand.

Hal approached, delighted to see the wolf cub, but after being scratched by its claws and having his hair pulled, his mood changed.

He was horrified, saying they couldn’t take such a dog.

“How dare you climb up there, you filthy thing. Look at your paw prints on the bed.”

There were clear animal footprints on the bed. Valken, with its white fur, opened its mouth wide as if understanding Liam’s words. It looked shocked.

“Sir Liam, I brought some soup… Oh, she’s asleep again.”

Hal entered carrying a tray.

“Gasp, this wolf, when did it get in? I’m sure I locked it up.”

“The princess said she’d raise it, so take responsibility and look after it.”

“Ah, Sir Liam! I said I don’t want to, ack! This bastard bit me again!”

Liam took the tray and handed the wolf cub to Hal, who panicked. As Valken bit Hal’s head, Hal bit its leg in retaliation, refusing to be outdone.

Liam turned his head away from the sight of them rolling around, indistinguishable as to who was the animal.

* * *

Due to the fever not subsiding, Ormia didn’t wake up even the next day. They couldn’t wait for her to wake up.

A villager who had gone to the mountain reported finding suspicious traces.

He carried Ormia on his back and headed for the Wilboyer Grand Duke’s residence. They used horses up to the foot of the mountain, then switched to a carriage when they reached a well-paved road.

“Will it be alright?”

Hal also rode in the carriage, saying that if an unmarried man and woman rode alone, it could spread unsavory rumors later.

Liam rested Ormia’s head on his thigh and looked down at her. Her cheeks were flushed with fever.

“They won’t welcome her at the mansion.”

“She’s the Emperor’s guest. They won’t dare touch her carelessly.”

“Sir Liam, the elders still have lingering emotions. Shouldn’t we say something? That there’s a blessing?”

“No. We can’t tell anyone before rescuing Kyler. If it reaches the Emperor’s ears, we don’t know how the situation might change.”

“But still.”

“…They’ll at least maintain basic courtesy.”

She’s a guest invited by the Emperor. Liam believed the Wilboyer family wouldn’t act ignorantly.

Hal sighed deeply, looking at Ormia with worry.

“Didn’t the princess also want to go to the Empire? I don’t understand why she’s going this far. It would have been better for her to live in Glishia.”

Liam agreed with that.

She came forward, revealing herself that she had a blessing.

Thinking the opportunity was too good to pass up, he pushed forward quickly before she could change her mind.

He saw and acknowledged the unfair treatment Ormia had endured – family neglect, lack of affection, bullying, disregard, and so on. But was it enough to betray her homeland and abandon her family?

The Wilboyers, with their strong family bonds, couldn’t understand it.

While he accepted it as ‘she must have had her reasons’, the surname ‘Beltoa’ that followed her name sprouted unease.

That she must have other motives.

‘If only we can save my brother.’

Ormia’s blessing was real. Liam felt it himself.

It’s fine even if she has other motives.

He could allow whatever Ormia Beltoa might do.

“She must have her own desires.”

As long as she doesn’t threaten the Wilboyers.

Liam looked down at Ormia coldly.

The carriage arrived at the Wilboyer Grand Duke’s residence after a full day’s journey.

They entered the lit mansion just before dusk settled into darkness.

Though their arrival had been announced in advance, only two people were waiting at the entrance to greet them.

The deputy butler Bruno and Liam’s three-year-older cousin Ethan Wilboyer, who was responsible for military affairs in the Grand Duke’s territory while Liam was away.

“Welcome back, Liam.”

As Ethan tilted his head, his long dark blue hair flowed over one shoulder. He patted Liam’s shoulder with a languid touch.

“She was so stubborn, there was no choice.”

Even without specifying who, it was understood.

Despite the bleak and harsh welcome, Liam didn’t reproach them and immediately headed to the guest room carrying Ormia.

“I assume the room is prepared?”

Liam stopped as soon as he entered the designated guest room.

The room was desolate.

Basic preparations are made, not knowing when a guest might arrive.

When notified of a visit, bedding is changed and curtain colors are chosen to suit the guest’s preferences, gender, and age, but nothing had been prepared at all.

A room that clearly showed the host’s wish for the guest not to stay long – plain sheets without patterns or colors, a bleak room without even a single flower.

Liam first laid Ormia on the bed.

His touch was delicate as he pulled the blanket up to her neck, but Bruno, standing behind Liam, swallowed dryly.

Though still young, Liam already rivaled the current Grand Duke in presence alone.

At Ethan’s signal, Bruno left the room.

“I’m sure you said she was ill, but where’s Dr. Dominic?”

“Aunt took Kyler to the capital. She said she’d ask the Emperor for help. If he was going to help, he would have done so already, but she still hasn’t given up hope.”

The mansion’s physician, Dr. Dominic, was practically Kyler Wilboyer’s personal doctor.

That’s why there’s another doctor at the mansion just in case.

Reading Liam’s mood without looking back, Ethan continued.

“She took Dr. Emmett too. I called for the village doctor.”

“Was this Mother’s order?”

“Who could change her mind? She strongly insisted that absolutely no one should go out to greet you. She asked what you were thinking, bringing an incompetent royalty, saying the Beltoas are enemies of the Wilboyers.”

“Only at times like this is she a Wilboyer.”

Liam smiled bitterly.

He had sent a letter before leaving Glishia. Telling them not to take Kyler anywhere else and to wait.

They had been searching for hot springs for Kyler, who was in severe pain, but now he could barely move.

Nevertheless, Grace, Liam’s mother, took Kyler to the capital as if to make a point.

The information about Ormia’s blessing is still top secret.

“When did they leave?”

“A letter arrived saying they reached the capital today.”

It means they left immediately after receiving the letter from Glishia.

Liam looked down at Ormia.

He had expected resistance, but thinking about how she, who had already suffered in Glishia, would have to be wary of people’s eyes in his land as well, made him feel uneasy.

“Liam.”

Ethan leaned against the doorway without entering the room. Liam turned to look at him coldly.

“She’s an important guest. Set aside personal feelings and ensure she’s treated with utmost care.”

“If that’s an order.”

After emphasizing the weight of this matter with a moment of silence, Liam left the room. The barren room without even patterns bothered him, but there were urgent matters to attend to.

He needed to move quickly before the information spread.

“Where’s Father?”

“Either in the study or bedroom. In the study now.”

Ethan followed behind Liam, who walked briskly without a word.

The maids paused their work to watch the two men currently leading the Grand Duke’s territory.