“I think that was her name.”

“Uh… uh.”

This time, Brody was puzzled. It was something she never expected River to know.

‘How does he know?’

Since Caleb was from the North, did she still have a mask when she was in the North? Or did she become famous as a talented musician in the Imperial capital, and River found out about her for information gathering?

The question didn’t last long.

River immediately provided an answer.

“It’s Mrs. Murphy.”
“Mrs. Murphy?”

Brody repeated the familiar name following River’s words.

‘If it’s Mrs. Murphy, could it be the Mrs. Murphy who oversaw the camp’s household?’

This referred to the rugged woman who had served as a witness to Brody’s marriage vow and was currently at the Perdan Fortress.

Why is he mentioning her name now?

At that moment, a flash of memory crossed Brody’s mind. It was a passing comment Mrs. Murphy had made while touching his wedding attire on the day of the ceremony.

“Do you know how to handle a dress, ma’am?”

“My daughter is proficient in this area. I learned it from her, watching over her shoulder.”

“Ah, you have a daughter.”

“Strictly speaking, she’s not my biological daughter, but I raised her like a daughter. I only have two common sons.”

A daughter skilled in handling clothes. Brody nodded in realization and asked, “Could the person Mrs. Murphy raised like a daughter be… Caleb?”

River looked at Brody as if surprised that she knew this fact. However, his response was brief and quick.

“That’s correct.”

River instructed to bring Mrs. Murphy.

Although Brody didn’t express his opinion on how River would ‘deal’ with Caleb, just the fact that he was calling Mrs. Murphy was considered a good sign by Brody.

He didn’t think River would deliberately ask Mrs. Murphy to come if he intended to punish Caleb. There seemed to be more between them than just knowing each other’s faces.

Wondering, but unable to read anything more from River’s expression, Brody continued to observe.

Meanwhile, Caleb woke up.

Coincidentally, Caleb opened her eyes when Brody momentarily left the room due to some urgent matter.

She blinked her black eyes.

There was no energy in her body, but there was no apparent pain either. As far as she could remember, she had never felt so well recently.

‘Where is this?’

Trying to get up from the bed, she moved slowly and creaked a little. Suddenly, a man’s voice was heard.

Instinctively turning her head, she noticed another bed a little distance away where a man sat with his arms on his knees, looking at her with his chin resting on his hands.

“……!!”

Startled, Caleb stood up from the bed, stepping back. For a person who needed effort to move even a fingertip just moments ago, it was an astonishing movement.

Backing away to the end of the bed, Caleb grabbed whatever object was within reach. As she did, the blanket that had covered her until now came up.

“…….,”

River continued to quietly gaze at her.

Her whites were prominently visible, pupils dilated, and her whole body seemed to tremble, indicating she was terrified.

However, hidden behind the blanket in her hand, her lips, pressed tightly, showed blood oozing through the gap. Thus, a silent stare-off continued between the two for a moment.
They were staring at each other, but it wasn’t an equal position. It was like a battle between a predator and prey.

One person seemed to be contemplating when to attack, while the other appeared to be figuring out when to flee.

Thud. The delicate and tense balance was disrupted by the return of Brody, causing a push-and-pull effect.

“Uh… what?”

Brody, holding a basin, made a puzzled sound.

At first, he was surprised by Caleb waking up, and then he saw her trembling in fear at the edge of the bed.

“Staff officer! What are you doing?”

Brody nudged River, who was sitting chin in hand, observing Caleb.

River dryly replied, “Just watching.”

“Lady Caleb, it’s okay. She always has that kind of gaze. Don’t be scared.”

“…….,”

To think she always had that kind of gaze. River chuckled.

Ignoring River’s reaction, Brody put the basin near the bed and reached out her hands towards Caleb, indicating that she had no intention of causing harm.

Caleb, who had been breathing heavily, turned her eyes to Brody.

And her eyes widened even further.

“Lady… Brody?”

“Uh. Huh? Lady Caleb, do you recognize me?”

Calling out her name made it seem like she really recognized Brody. Brody nodded, feeling relieved that Caleb seemed to be recovering well.

“It might be confusing, Lady Caleb. That’s how her gaze usually is. Don’t be afraid.”

“…….,”

Usually has that kind of gaze. River snorted.

Brody, completely indifferent to River’s reaction, placed the basin near the bed, making a gesture that she had no intention of harming Caleb.

Caleb, who had been breathing heavily, turned her eyes to Brody again.

It might be unsettling to be in the same room with a man who looked threatening, considering her experiences during the war… sharing space with a man itself seemed difficult.

But there was no choice now. They hadn’t informed people about the ‘staff officer being attacked (?)’ situation yet. They couldn’t go outside the building, only one room was left, and Brody had two patients to take care of.

“I’ll stay here. Once the situation is settled, I’ll give you another room, okay? Lady Caleb?”

Persuaded by Brody, Caleb finally nodded as if she was regaining composure.

With Brody’s support, Caleb, who seemed to have relaxed, was gently laid down on the bed.

As Caleb settled back, she asked in a shaky voice, “Um… it’s too confusing. I don’t know why I’m here. Moreover, Lady Brody and the staff officer from the North…? I can’t understand the situation.”

‘Hmm, well. From Caleb’s perspective, it must be a really strange combination.’

Understanding her, Brody replied, “What do you remember, ma’am?”

Then Caleb’s pupils began to tremble again.

‘What do I remember?’

Black night. Flickering torches. Laughter of Imperial soldiers echoing coarsely. And… and, my daughter Nike!

“Aaah! Aaah!!”

“Ma…ma’am!”
Caleb suddenly had a seizure.

Screaming, she was trying to scratch her own face and neck with her fingernails, and Brody was barely managing to restrain her.

How could she summon such strength from a body that hadn’t been properly fed for days and was reduced to a skeletal state? In the struggle, Brody’s hair came loose, and scratches appeared on her face from Caleb’s fingernails.

“Help me, River!”

When Brody shouted, River had already risen. However, when Caleb saw River, she twisted her body even more and started struggling.

“Don’t come closer! Don’t touch me!”

“Oh, this won’t work! River! Someone, please come and help. If possible, a woman…!”

However, the commotion was unexpectedly resolved from an unexpected direction.

Suddenly, the window opened, and a large black figure intruded.

“……!”

While Brody, terrified, couldn’t even scream, the black figure swung its hand and struck Caleb’s neck from behind.

Then Caleb collapsed powerlessly onto the bed.

Brody, finally grasping the situation, opened her mouth.

“Yo…Your Excellency?”

In front of her, the Ice Wall Grand Magus had entered through the window, breathing heavily.

Brody asked, puzzled, “Here… this floor, right?”

“What’s wrong with this floor?”

Looking at the Grand Magus, River shook his head in amazement.