(IRAOS) Chapter 44

How fast they ran, the faces of the two people who saw them up close were covered with sweat. Feeling sorry, Yurina just joked about it.

“That’s what I told you, Dave. I said to do some exercise instead of just doing research, didn’t I?”                                      

“Miss, are you kidding me?”

Bessie sat next to Aiden in tears and examined Yurina’s hand. She found a wound that was deeper than she had expected and screamed unconsciously.

“Magician, come on! Hurry up and heal! Hurry!”

Without being able to calm down his heavy breath, Dave took Yurina’s hand. He was gasping for air as if he was about to collapse, but he steadily cast healing magic.

The white light from his fingertips seeped through Yurina’s wound. The wound, which began to heal slowly from the deepest point, healed without a single scar within a short time. If it wasn’t for the blood on her sleeve, no one would have known she was injured in the first place.

Dave, who was still struggling, sat down on the ground as soon as he finished using his magic, grabbed his chest, and caught his breath. Without saying sorry, Bessie took Yurina by the hand and burst into tears. Hot tears fell on her palm, which had been covered in wounds just a moment ago.

“Huh, I thought you were really gone… If you’re gone, I can’t live.”

Bessie, ten years older than Yurina, always seemed like a kind and calm older sister. In terms of mental age, it was probably because of her personality that she thought of her as a younger sister rather than like an older sister.

Then Bessie cried like a child. Without being conscious of other people’s gaze she held Yurina’s hand and made a croaking sound. Yurina had been with Bessie for the past 5 years and this was the first time she had seen her cry like this.

Yurina spoke in a bright voice on purpose because she felt like her conscience was tingling.

“Bessie, don’t cry. I’m fine.”

“How are you supposed to be fine? The wound was very severe.”

“Dave healed me. I’m fine now.”

“Even if you’re fine now, it doesn’t mean you’re not hurt.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. Stop crying, okay?”

Yurina tried to wipe Bessie’s wet cheeks with her sleeve but stopped when she realized there were bloodstains. Dave held out his handkerchief tactfully while catching his breath.

He asked Yurina, who carefully wiped Bessie’s cheek.

“My Lady, what the hell is going on? Miss Bessie said that you suddenly disappeared.”

“If you’ve caught your breath a little more, can you help Sir Aaron, please? Sir Aaron was hurt more than me.”

Dave, who belatedly cast his gaze behind her, found Sir Aaron with one arm covered in blood and stood up in surprise. He conversed with Sir Aaron as he healed him.

Yurina couldn’t hear what he was saying because he was whispering, but he seemed to be discussing the raid and what to do next.

‘It’s all over now.’

Yurina held Bessie, who was still crying, in her arms and patted her on the back. The sound of Bessie’s crying that reached her ears was so vivid, but what had happened just before seemed like a dream.

“Are you okay now?”

Aiden, who had been standing down while Yurina was being treated, looked at Yurina’s hand once again.

“Yes, thanks to you. If you hadn’t come, I would have been in trouble. Thank you for stopping the bleeding. I’ll make sure to return the favor. And a handkerchief.”

Yurina glanced at the blood-soaked handkerchief in Aiden’s hand.

“No. It’s used for sword practice, so it’s not expensive. It’s natural to help in such a situation. Actually, was there anything I did for you? If it wasn’t for Miss’ magic, I wouldn’t have been able to help.”

Aiden shook his head and scratched the back of his head.

“And I don’t know what will happen to Raynald if Miss is seriously upset.”

He looked around and silenced their surroundings

“In fact, I’ve been wondering what Miss was like.”

“Me?”

Yurina was a little taken aback by his sudden words.

‘How do you know me?’

Raynald didn’t tell her about Aiden. So of course she thought he didn’t talk to him about her either. But did he tell Aiden about herself?

The bitter sense of defeat that had been forgotten for a while by Bessie’s crying weighed on her heart again.

Noticing Yurina’s dark expression, Aiden calmly explained.

“Yeah, I didn’t tell you because Raynald doesn’t talk about himself unexpectedly, but it’s obvious to me that he doesn’t know.”

The words from his mouth were unexpected.

“Ray… he didn’t tell you?”

“He? He doesn’t talk much about himself. I don’t know how he lived in the Empire before coming to the Academy. He didn’t tell me anything about his family.”

Aiden briefly recalled the bitter expression that Yurina was making a while ago.

“Anyway, he never said anything, but he was anxiously waiting for a letter every month. The guy who doesn’t eat well and doesn’t have energy all the time gets a letter and suddenly cheers up. You were the one who sent the letter, right?”

Yurina couldn’t answer aloud. So she kept her mouth shut and just nodded.

“I think he’s been able to hold out here thanks to you.”

Everything was full of stories she had heard for the first time. Yurina had never heard of this from Raynald. He never showed any signs of waiting for her letter.

“Thank you, Miss.”

Aiden, whose eyes were red for a moment, politely kissed the back of Yurina’s hand. Yurina still did not fully understand what he was saying.

But one thing.

“Thank you very much.”

Yurina only knew that something heavy that had been holding her heart down had disappeared at Aiden’s words.

* * *

Sir Aaron, who took Yurina to her hostel, said something unexpected.

“The people who attacked you, I think they’re from the kingdom.”

Yurina, who thought they were from the Empire, was a little surprised. They targeted her, so she believed it must have been people who had a grudge against the Carthia family.

The Marquis of Carthia had an honest and upright character, so he was respected by the people of the land and many knights.

But being upright wasn’t always a good thing. As a knight who swore allegiance to the Imperial Family, there were bound to be people opposed to it.

In the past, Riggs Carthia, Yurina’s eldest brother, visited the mansion on vacation and was attacked like Yurina today on his way back to the academy. It was done with a grudge by a knight who was expelled from the Knight Corps for corruption.

But if it wasn’t done by the people of the Empire then who did it?

“Are you sure?”

Sir Aaron nodded without hesitation when Dave, who was listening silently, asked.

“I’m pretty sure. The swordsmanship they used was a perfect kingdom-style. The Empire and the Kingdom differ a lot in their swordsmanship, so it’s not easy for the people of the Empire to completely imitate it.”

“Then why did they target the lady?”

Bessie, who was shaking with a pale face next to Yurina, wrapped her arms around Yurina’s shoulders as if to protect her. Yurina gently clasped her hand that was trembling on her shoulder.

“I don’t know about that either. We need to do a little more research.”

“Maybe it’s because of Sir Raynald.”

Dave’s sudden words turned everyone’s attention to him.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve heard it a few times before. I heard that Sir Raynald’s skills are excellent and he has a symbolic position called Beatus, so many people are aiming for him.”

“So, you’re saying they tried to use me to capture Raynald?”

“Right now, it seems likely.”

“They tried to kill me?”

This time, Sir Aaron answered Yurina’s question.

“Maybe they weren’t after your life.”

In other words, he rushed to Sir Aaron, who followed him, and not to Yurina.

But then, what was the murderous intent that Yurina felt at the end?

However, among the current hypotheses, the most credible one is that they aimed at Raynald with Yurina as a hostage.

However, since an investigation is needed, Sir Aaron said he would ask for cooperation from the Academy and the Crohn royal family. As Raynald was a student at Crohn Royal Academy, if they really aimed at Raynald, the Kingdom of Crohn should know about this as well.

“Yes, do that.”

As soon as Sir Aaron heard Yurina’s answer, he left the room saying he would contact the royal family. Dave didn’t follow him, but came back and ruffled Yurina’s hair. Only after hearing Bessie’s nagging about what he was doing did he withdraw his hand.

“I am glad, though. This is why it is helpful to learn magic during this time.”

“Yeah. I didn’t have any talent, so I was wondering if it would be useful.”

Dave looked at Yurina, who smiled weakly. It looked like he had something to say, but in the end, he greeted her without saying anything and left the room.

Yurina roughly guessed what he was trying to say.

‘You wanted to say sorry.’

Dave had cared about Yurina like a younger sister since she was young. Maybe he was sorry that he wasn’t there for Yurina when it happened.

‘It’s nothing to be sorry about.’

Yurina looked at the tightly closed door and sat down on the sofa, pondering what had happened today. Belatedly, her hands trembled.

‘Is this really aimed at Ray?’

Until then, she thought only her life was in danger. However, on the other hand, she did not know that her existence would become a stumbling block to Raynald.

“Yurina.”

Yurina, who was repeatedly clenching and stretching her painless hand, lifted her head at the sudden sound. Suddenly, Raynald opened the door and approached her.

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