Muyoku no Seijo wa Okane ni Tokimeku

Chapter 88: Leo is worried (2/2)

The prince reflexively wrapped himself in magic, his eyes widening in recognition of the figure before him. His tension melted away, replaced by a look of confusion, as he hurried toward the boy standing against the door.

"Kai!?"

It was none other than Kai, the servant of the rumored girl, Leonora.

"What's going on? Shouldn't you be in Eland with Leonora?"

"My apologies for the sudden intrusion, Your Highness. Please forgive me..."

"Never mind that. Tell me what's happened."

With Kai gasping for breath, the prince frowned and half-carried him inside. Oscar, who already knew Kai, and the friendly Rolf both looked at Kai with concern and offered him some cooling tea. Kai, however, pushed the cup away.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I came here in haste to report my master's dire situation..."

"What!?"

The prince's face tightened in an instant. He leaned closer to Kai, shaking him with urgency.

"What do you mean? Has something happened to Leonora? The Snow Songbird hasn't left!"

"The Snow Songbird is kept indoors to avoid the sun, my master said. It only flies in moments of clear danger. My master may not see his current situation as a crisis, but I...I can't bear it any longer!"

Kai shivered, detailing the events that had transpired. Leonora, dressed in rags and forced to endure awful conditions from the moment they arrived at the temple, was subjected to mistreatment at every turn: foul meals, long walks under the harsh sun, verbal abuse, and more. She remained resilient through it all, yet Kai's heart ached for her plight.

"This is outrageous."

"Such trials may be expected, but the treatment my master received is beyond any limit. I feared for the outcome of the impending ritual... I entrusted Leonora's protection in Eland to the knights, but I knew I must reach you without delay."

Kai explained that he had raced on horseback to reach the border and then relied on transportation magic, though he lacked experience, to arrive in Richard. The exhaustion was evident on his face.

"I informed the marquess of the situation, and he considered mobilizing the entire order of knights. However, his anger drew the emperor's attention, and he is currently unable to act."

"I see."

The prince nodded, acknowledging the delicate situation. Since Leonora was an envoy from the empire, any complaints about her treatment should have come from the emperor, not her relatives. The marquess's intention to mobilize forces on his own was a breach of protocol.

"Protests from the empire on behalf of someone who isn't even your official fiancée would be contentious and time-consuming..."

"That's why I came to you, Your Highness."

Kai hoped the prince could provide some intervention to protect Leonora from further harm. The prince pondered the situation briefly, his hand resting on his chin.

The beautiful Leonora was potentially vulnerable to attackers during her travels, which is why precautions had been taken. Once she entered the temple, the risk diminished, but no one anticipated the host country would mistreat her.

"The head of the knights believes Eland is intentionally provoking Weitz, hence the importance of restraining military action. But if something happens to my master, it will be too late!"

Kai's plea echoed in the room. Oscar, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

"Kai, you're asking a lot from him. He doesn't have the authority to lodge an official complaint, nor the means to mobilize military forces. Yet you're expecting him to protect Leonora without these resources?"