“…Then Master, if your identity is revealed like this, won’t you have to return to the Imperial Palace?”
After hearing Joel’s explanation, Rob, much like his sister, worried about Joel’s safety above all else.
This time, Joel was able to answer even more resolutely.
“It’s alright.”
In truth, Joel really was alright. He felt as though he was finally ready to reunite with the Crown Prince.
He had fled dreaming of happy days spent peacefully with his baby, but the quiet, simple life he had longed for was merely an ideal.
Through the journey of nearly two months, Joel had learned that facing trials was also a part of life.
He had once concluded that a fool like himself didn’t deserve to stand by the Crown Prince’s side.
But thinking back on it now, he wasn’t as incompetent as everyone made him out to be.
He had defeated a cult leader, safely navigated the crisis of almost being sold as a prostitute, and successfully settled in a new land while leading two young children.
Of course, he hadn’t handled every process entirely on his own, nor could he say he had acted with immense wisdom and foresight at every moment… but the important thing was that he had somehow achieved his goals.
If he currently lacked the qualification to stand beside the Crown Prince, he would simply create that qualification.
If he approached it with the same obsession he had when writing ten love letters a day, there was nothing he couldn’t accomplish.
The most important thing was his own heart. And as for Joel himself—
‘I…’
He missed the Crown Prince.
He had sided with those who pointed fingers at him, belittling and harshly rebuking himself for daring to harbor feelings for the Prince, but in truth, Joel didn’t have the confidence to stop loving him.
Facing his true feelings, which he had tried so hard to ignore, Joel felt as though he might burst into tears.
“Master, you don’t need to put yourself in even greater trouble just to save someone like me. If you can just save my sister, I wish for nothing more.”
Seeing the tears welling in Joel’s blue eyes, Rob spoke with a solemn glint in his gaze.
Despite being only fourteen, he was remarkably thoughtful.
Joel wiped away his tears and said bravely, “It’s really not like that. While it’s true I revealed my identity to save you, I was planning on heading back soon anyway.”
“Everything will be fine, Rob. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
Whether Baron Aster would accept his identity, whether Becky could return safely, and whether the Crown Prince he was about to face would believe the baby in his womb was his—there were a dozen things to be anxious about.
Yet, Joel did his best to hide his unease while comforting Rob.
He knew that if he showed fear, the young boy would be many times more terrified.
While Joel and Rob were confined in the Baron’s castle, Becky was racing through the forest on the mule to save her master and brother.
Having been pushed out of the hut by Joel, she only realized after unfolding the map that even the nearest territory was a long distance away.
Unprepared for a long journey, Becky had to return to the hut briefly to pack some simple supplies.
A mule was not naturally a beast suited for running, but Jack the mule seemed to sense his master was in danger and hurried as much as possible.
On the morning of the fourth day of ceaseless travel through the woods, Becky saw a group of soldiers approaching from the distance.
The army was moving rapidly in the opposite direction of Becky.
Although her situation was just as urgent, Becky knew that blocking a military’s path could lead to being beheaded, so she dismounted early and moved to the edge of the side path.
The distant army drew close quickly.
For a moment, Becky found herself staring blankly at the man leading the vanguard.
It was a very irreverent thing to do, but the man’s appearance was so striking that she couldn’t look away.
Due to the horse’s speed, his black hair blew back, revealing a white forehead.
His straight brow and high bridge of his nose gave him an incredibly dignified aura.
His handsome face was so beautiful that Becky felt she could stare at this nameless man forever if she could.
As she watched him dazed, Becky suddenly recognized the elaborate crest embroidered on the flag fluttering behind the man.
It was a coat of arms she had often seen while working at the Lord’s manor in Bertha.
‘They are people of the Imperial Family!’
Realizing who the owner of the seal was, Becky didn’t think twice and jumped into the middle of the road.
“What are you doing! Move!”
“Wait! I have something to tell you!”
Because a girl had suddenly appeared with her arms spread wide, blocking the narrow path, the men were forced to come to a halt.
Beside the beautiful young man at the lead, a soldier drew his sword and shouted sternly.
“How insolent! How dare you block the path of His Highness the Crown Prince! Move at once!”
The tip of the sword pointed at Becky gleamed sharply.
The man looked ready to strike. Her legs shook instinctively.
But if that handsome youth was the Crown Prince, he was undoubtedly looking for her master.
Suppressing her tremors, Becky blurted out, “I—I know the whereabouts of Master Joel!”
At Becky’s words, a sudden tension filled the air.
With a hand gesture, the Crown Prince dismissed his guard and moved his horse toward her.
With his mouth firmly shut, he exuded an incredibly cold atmosphere, and Becky looked up at him with a terrified face.
“You know where Joel is?”
The Crown Prince spoke quietly. His voice was as chilling as his gaze.
In fact, the knights who had served him closely knew he was on the verge of losing his reason, but to Becky’s eyes, he simply appeared calm and cold.
Becky looked up into those beautiful green eyes that had the power to overwhelm people and managed to speak.
“…Yes. I—I am a maid who served Master Joel. Originally, my master told me his name was Robert, so I followed him knowing him as such. But when trouble arose, he told me his real name is Joel Lucas and ordered me to go to a nearby territory to ask for help.”
“What kind of trouble?”
The Crown Prince asked demandingly before Becky could even finish.
He was biting his lip incessantly as if anxious, and Becky sensed she had made the right choice.
“The Lord of the territory where my master is currently staying, Baron Aster… to my master… he tried to…”
As Becky hesitated, unable to continue, the knight who had drawn his sword earlier urged her sternly, “Speak up at once!”
When the frightened Becky flinched, the Crown Prince raised his hand to stop the man.
“It’s alright. Go ahead and tell me.”
Softening his cold gaze, the Crown Prince soothed Becky gently.
Taking courage, Becky spoke in a voice small enough only for the man known as the Crown Prince to hear, “The Baron fell for my master’s beautiful appearance and is trying to violate him.”
At that, the Crown Prince’s firmly set lips twisted.
The next moment, Becky found herself placed behind the knight who had shouted at her.
The Crown Prince had dismounted like lightning and put Becky behind Abe, the Knight Commander.
To Becky, who was still dazed by being moved so suddenly, the Crown Prince urged, “What are you doing? Guide us at once.”
“Ah, yes…!”
Becky pulled out the map she had tucked in her pocket and explained the specific location of Baron Aster’s castle.
Just as the Crown Prince’s party was about to depart with Becky, she patted the back of the knight holding the reins.
“Wait, we have to take the mule too.”
“Now is not the time to worry about such things. Hold on tight to my waist if you don’t want to fall off the horse.”
The knight cut her off bluntly. But when Becky pleaded, “It’s a mule my master cherishes very much,” the Crown Prince immediately ordered a soldier to lead the mule and follow behind.
Finally, the Crown Prince’s party departed toward Baron Aster’s castle.
The speed of the trained warhorses was incomparable to that of a mule.
The biting wind continuously clawed at her face, making it difficult for Becky to even keep her eyes open.
At this speed, it seemed they could retrace the four-day journey in just one.
‘Please, Master Joel, Rob, please hold on just a little longer.’
Becky squeezed the knight’s waist and prayed fervently in her heart.
