Chapter 62 - 61: Unforeseen Event

Chapter 62: Chapter 61: Unforeseen Event

Lilia understood this as well.

After learning of her abduction, Lucian had two choices.

The first was obviously to rescue her. After all, she was the link between the two families; only as long as she lived could the alliance between the Beaumont family and the Williams family remain secure.

The second was exactly as the man had said. He could foresee the kidnappers’ plan and deduce that, whether he came to her rescue or not, Lilia was going to die.

In that scenario, going through the immense trouble of trying to save her would be a thankless endeavor. The only potential benefit might be earning some goodwill with the Beaumont family.

Knowing that his efforts would yield no return, a true family heir shouldn’t waste time on a rescue mission. Instead, he should prepare contingencies and figure out how to maintain the partnership with the Beaumont family after losing Lilia.

If Lucian were truly clever and managed to guess the kidnappers’ identities, he might even intentionally let her die. By doing so, he could plant a thorn in Caius Beaumont’s heart, turning his own enemies into the Beaumont family’s enemies as well.

That way, they wouldn’t just be bound by mutual interest, but by a shared hatred.

Between these two options, what Lucian would ultimately choose entirely depended on how much he valued Lilia.

In other words, she had to hold enough weight in his heart for him to even consider coming to her rescue.

Lilia fell silent for a moment. Lowering her eyes, she spoke as if out of stubborn spite, yet also as if trying to convince herself. "He will definitely come."

"Let’s hope so." The man crossed his legs. "I’m actually quite eager to spar with a top student from Lien Academy. I want to see just how vast the gap is between the so-called orthodox forces and rogues like us."

Lilia blinked. "Why are you targeting Lucian? He’s just a fallen noble. What kind of threat could he possibly pose to you?"

"I’m not targeting him. I’m just doing a job for money," the man said, looking at the girl in front of him. "As for what goes on in the minds of the upper-class nobles... who knows? Maybe it’s about profit, or maybe it’s a grudge."

"The person who hired you—was it Marquis Declan Marlo?" Lilia asked.

The man looked at her and laughed.

"Do you truly believe I’ll answer every question you ask, Miss Sifris?" He turned to glance at the sky. "Save your breath. Stop trying to fish for information. It’s still a while before noon; you’d be better off wondering when we’ll be able to eat."

Fine.

Lilia clamped her mouth shut.

The man was clearly accustomed to waiting. Unlike some kidnappers who would pace restlessly, he remained seated in that flimsy chair. Aside from the occasional creak when he shifted his posture, the entire space was excessively quiet.

That was, until the sound of crushing leaves drifted in from outside the door.

CRUNCH.

Someone was here.

The man instantly went on high alert, his dagger reappearing in his hand.

KNOCK, KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK, KNOCK.

The rhythmic knocking was evidently a prearranged signal. Dropping his guard immediately, the man stood up and opened the door.

Outside stood another young man. He wore utterly featureless casual clothes and had a face so forgettable he would vanish in a crowd the moment you looked away.

He glanced at Lilia inside and frowned slightly. "Why isn’t she tied up?"

"Why should she be?" The man in the black trench coat raised an eyebrow. "It’s not like she can run away.

"Besides, she’s going to die soon anyway. Letting her be slightly comfortable before the end is just my way of showing a little humanitarian care."

The man at the door nodded in resignation. "Fine, manage it however you see fit."

"Didn’t we agree not to make contact unless absolutely necessary? Did something happen outside?"

"It’s a long story."

As they spoke, the door was pulled shut.

From the moment the footsteps had sounded, Lilia had pricked up her ears. Now, she stood up and silently crept toward the entrance.

The thin wooden door of the cabin couldn’t block sound at all. However, the two men had moved quite a distance away and deliberately lowered their voices, reducing their conversation to a muffled murmur.

Lilia strained to make out the words.

"...almost without hesitation, heading this way."

"Damn it, how did this happen?"

"His Highness miscalculated. They’ve been in contact all along... Declan Marlo is an absolute idiot."

"...I don’t care about the deceit and scheming between you nobles. I just want my commission."

"Don’t worry, you’ll get every penny you’re owed..."

The conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Lilia frowned slightly, sensing that something was wrong. She was just debating whether to crack the door open and peek outside when heavy footsteps suddenly approached, closing the distance to the entrance in a few long strides.

She instinctively stepped back, but before she could return to her original spot, the door was violently yanked open.

A heavy, metallic stench of blood washed over her face, completely overpowering the fresh scent of the forest foliage.

The man stood in the doorway, his tall frame almost filling the entire doorframe and blocking out all the light from outside. His face was as cold as ice. In one hand, he held his bloodstained dagger; his other hand was pressed tightly against a wound on his abdomen. Blood had soaked through his black trench coat, seeping between his fingers and falling to the floor beneath his feet.

DRIP, DRIP.

Lilia’s pupils constricted, her retreating steps halting in shock.

"Trying to run?" The man furrowed his brow, though surprisingly, his tone carried no murderous intent.

"No... I just wanted to hear what you were talking about."

The man scoffed. Closing the door behind him, he grabbed a nearby waterskin and began tending to his wound.

Lilia stood off to the side, watching as he tore the hem of his shirt, quickly rinsed the blood away from the gash, and bound it with a strip of cloth. The wound didn’t look deep, but it was bleeding profusely.

Crouching down beside him, Lilia asked, "Did he try to kill you?"

As he wrapped the cloth around his waist, the man looked up. "Why assume I wasn’t the one trying to kill him?"

"Because you haven’t received your commission yet." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

The man fell silent.

Then, he chuckled. "You’re very clever. It seems all your fear in the carriage was just an act.

"A delicate noble lady casually chatting with a murderer right after seeing the aftermath of a killing without batting an eye.

"That shivering little kitten who cowered at a single threat certainly didn’t have this kind of nerve."

But... whatever. None of that mattered now.

Lilia didn’t deny it. "Are you alright?"

"I won’t die anytime soon."

"Why did he suddenly attack you?"

"The plan failed, and he lashed out in anger, that’s all."

The man tied off the cloth bandage and let out a soft exhale before looking up at Lilia.

Meeting his gaze, the girl’s eyelashes fluttered. She tilted her head up to look him in the eye. "Are you still going to kill me now?"