As soon as their eyes met, Schuler, Rex, and Duke Heswin rushed to where Sinclair and Elaina were.

“Th-the wound……”

Schuler, who confirmed Sinclair’s injury, looked at him with a pale face, but Sinclair shook his head as if to say it was alright and parted his lips.

“Schuler, Hister…… tie up Hister first. He’s collapsed on that balcony.”

“Yes, I understand. Don’t worry.”

Schuler got up and quickly headed towards the balcony. Just as Sinclair had said, he saw Hister unconscious and bleeding from his head. It seemed that when Sinclair threw him with all his might, Hister had suffered a severe head injury.

Schuler took out a rope and began to firmly tie up Hister along with Rex. Confirming this, Sinclair finally seemed to be at ease and plopped down on the spot.

“Sinclair……”

Elaina, who had also sat down with him, looked at Sinclair with eyes full of worry.

Sinclair hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out his blood-stained hand.

Then, stroking Elaina’s face, which had become unrecognizably gaunt, he moved his lips.

“I’m glad. This time, I didn’t let you go……”

“……”

“I was able to protect you.”

There were so many things Sinclair wanted to say to her.

That he was really sorry.

And that he was really grateful.

That when he said he didn’t love her, it wasn’t sincere at all. That he still loves her so much. To the point where he wouldn’t mind giving his life for her.

But when there are too many things you want to say, there are times when you can’t say anything at all. Just like now.

So instead of answering, Elaina slowly reached out her arms.

And she hugged Sinclair tightly.

“The soldiers who entered through the main gate are also smoothly dealing with the private soldiers,” said Duke Heswin, sighing with relief as he was getting rid of the fleeing private soldiers.

“It seems that the confusion has increased with the news of Hister’s capture. At this rate, everything will be over in half a day.”

“Yes…… I see.”

“Schuler, Rex! Support His Highness the Prince and Her Highness the Princess. The physician is waiting outside. You must go quickly and receive treatment.”

As soon as the order was given, Schuler and Rex nodded and approached Sinclair and Elaina.

“Rather than me…… Elaina.”

“Yes?”

“Elaina needs to be treated first…… She’s too badly hurt.”

Sinclair’s golden eyes, looking down at Elaina who was standing while supporting him, were filled with deep concern.

From Sinclair’s point of view, it was inevitable. The hair that was cut off haphazardly, the face and body full of cuts and bruises, and even the burst lips……

“I’m fine, Sinclair. I can endure this much. But you were stabbed with a sword, Sinclair.”

It wasn’t just Sinclair who was full of worry. In Elaina’s eyes, Sinclair also didn’t look well enough to be concerned about others.

Although it didn’t seem to be a fatal wound, blood was still flowing from his side, and it seemed that there were quite a few injuries he sustained while fighting the private soldiers to get here. And why was he so thin again? It had only been a few days……

“I have returned alive even in worse conditions than this.”

But Sinclair shook his head and said,

“So you must go first…… no matter what.”

At Sinclair’s stubbornness, Elaina had no choice but to nod her head in agreement.

Soon, with the help of Schuler and Rex, they began to leave the chaotic bedroom.

Leaving behind the voice of Heswin loudly commanding the soldiers to capture all the remaining and fleeing private soldiers.

* * *

“Huff, huff……”

Leila’s steps as she ran like a madwoman were as desperate as could be.

‘Damn it…… How did things turn out this way……!’

……Right after seeing Elaina and Chaz in the underground dungeon, Leila searched the entire castle with Hister to find Melvin, who had come with them.

And she thought that things would no longer go against her will.

Although Melvin didn’t respect and trust Hister as much as Hister did, there was one thing Leila was sure of. That Hister would definitely be able to harm both Elaina and Sinclair.

Because the feelings she had for Elaina and the feelings Hister had for Sinclair were no different.

And because Hister had power. The kind of power that had been accumulated little by little for a very long time.

……But her conviction was beautifully shattered.

No matter how much she searched, there was no sign of Melvin, and to make matters worse, when she returned to meet Hister after scouring the entire castle, what she witnessed were none other than the corpses of private soldiers.

From that moment, Leila belatedly realized that something had gone terribly wrong.

As soon as she heard the news that Hister had been captured, causing confusion among the private soldiers, and saw the castle walls open and the soldiers brought by Sinclair swarming in like ants, Leila immediately chose to flee.

“Damn it…… Damn it!”

Where did it go wrong in the first place?

What suddenly came to Leila’s mind as she ran like crazy was the face of Elaina, who was not cowed at all despite being locked in the dungeon.

‘That damned bitch……!’

Yes, if that bitch hadn’t acted out of line in the first place, this situation wouldn’t have happened.

Our family, the Aswald family, wouldn’t have been ruined like this, and Mother wouldn’t have died so miserably!

……Despite all those things happening, Leila still hadn’t changed one bit.

Leila’s mother, Melissa Aswald, had died not long after they were stripped of their noble status, when Hister came looking for them and Melvin joined hands with him.

Melissa, who had to endure hardships she had never experienced in her life, quickly developed an illness and died. If the responsibility were to be assigned, the target should have been Melvin, not Elaina.

If only Melvin hadn’t dared to kidnap Elaina and sell her to a wealthy old duke in the first place.

No, if Melvin, Melissa, and herself hadn’t abused, oppressed, and tormented Elaina so much, Sinclair would have shown mercy to them as well.

But even at this very moment, Leila thought that the main culprit who ruined her life was Elaina Aswald.

Because it was always the easiest way for Leila to blame Elaina.

Or perhaps it was because she had come too far to acknowledge that Elaina was not at fault at all.

“Huff……!”

The place where Leila, who had been running like crazy, flinched greatly and stopped was right in front of the main gate.

‘The soldiers have invaded much faster than I expected……!’

It was literally the case. Near the main gate, all of Hister’s private soldiers had already been captured or turned into corpses, and the soldiers brought by Sinclair had completely taken over.

Being caught wandering alone in this situation would surely stand out. Moreover, Sinclair’s people already knew her face, making it an extremely difficult situation.

‘Wait a minute. That damn prince…… That idiot said he escaped through the underground waterway back then!’

If that bastard also managed to escape without getting caught, I can do it too.

No, there was no other way out now. The west castle was too well-suited for defense. To put it simply, it also meant that there were almost no holes for the enemy to invade except for the main gate.

Going through the main gate was already out of the question. Besides, the underground waterway must be connected to the underground dungeon. With those thoughts in mind and a glimmer of hope, Leila hurriedly took a step.

And it was at that very moment.

Someone’s large hand roughly snatched Leila, who was about to rush out.

“……”

Leila, whose face had turned pale in that short moment, looked back in shock.

“Leila Aswald.”

And she saw Schuler, who was tightly gripping one of her shoulders, his eyes glowing fiercely.

“Prince Sinclair said it. That you would definitely be in this castle too, and that we must catch you.”

……He had already put Elaina in danger once. Right before his eyes.

Because of that, he had no choice but to watch clearly. How Sinclair suffered after losing Elaina. How much he ate away at himself.

So Schuler vowed to himself that he would never fail Sinclair’s orders again.

Just like now.

“You better not think about running away, Leila.”

Schuler said, putting strength into the hand holding Leila’s shoulder.

“It’s dangerous to pass through the main gate, so you were trying to escape through the underground waterway, right? But the situation is the same there. Soldiers have already taken positions around it to capture every single fleeing private soldier without fail.”

At Schuler’s coldly spoken words, Leila made an expression as if the world had collapsed.

“You will be taken back to the Imperial Palace along with Hister, Lundberg, and Rockford to be executed.”

“Wh-what are you talking about! Why me!”

“Your father, Melvin, did something very big before he died.”

……Before he died?

“He risked his own life to help Hister escape. As if to prove to everyone that he was a collaborator.”

“……”

“And you know it too, right? In Edenbell, regardless of the reason, the bloodline of those who plotted treason is all executed regardless of their status.”

“L-let go of this!”

Leila tried her best to break free from Schuler’s grip, but it was absurd for her to overpower him.

After locking the screaming Leila in a waiting carriage, Schuler let out a short sigh of relief and began running to where Sinclair and Elaina were.