Chapter 29
The room fell silent.
Yohan stared at Cassian as if he had just heard the most absurd thing in the world.
"She... slaughtered an entire village?"
Cassian nodded grimly.
"That's what they claim."
"That's crazy. She doesn't even have any power," Yohan said, clearly disbelieving the accusation.
Cassian's expression remained serious.
"She can use a sword, though. She was still a novice when we went on that monster subjugation mission together. I'm not sure how much she's improved since then, but..."
He shook his head.
"What they're claiming is still impossible."
Theon's expression darkened.
His jaw tightened as his eyes turned cold.
He had heard enough.
"I'll go see her," the Duke said firmly.
He immediately stood and walked toward the door.
Yohan and Cassian exchanged a brief glance before following him.
Theon didn't slow down.
Soon, the three of them left the border facility and headed toward the other side.
The moment they approached the border, several Solaris knights immediately stepped forward and blocked their path.
"Halt!"
Theon stopped.
His cold gaze swept over them.
"I've come to see my daughter."
The Solaris knights exchanged uneasy glances.
"Your daughter?"
"Lady Rishima Grimaldi," Yohan clarified. "We were informed that she is being detained here."
One of the knights tightened his grip on his sword.
"She's currently under the authority of the Solaris Kingdom."
Theon's eyes narrowed.
"And I am her father."
His voice was calm.
But there was a dangerous edge to it.
"Take me to her."
The knights hesitated.
One of them swallowed before speaking.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace, but we've been instructed not to let anyone see her, no matter who they are."
His voice was noticeably nervous.
He avoided Theon's eyes as he continued.
"Her crimes were too great."
Theon's expression hardened.
"Crimes?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Do you have evidence?"
The knights exchanged glances.
None of them answered.
Their silence was answer enough.
Yohan stepped forward.
"You can't detain someone without evidence, especially when that person is the Duke's daughter."
The knights swallowed nervously.
They knew he was right.
But they had their orders.
Theon stepped forward, intending to walk past them.
"Your Grace, you can't-" one of the knights said quickly.
Theon stopped.
He slowly turned his head toward him.
"Try and stop me."
His voice was ice-cold.
The knight froze.
The others stiffened as well.
No one dared move.
Theon stared directly into the knight's eyes, his presence alone enough to make the man swallow hard.
For several tense seconds, neither side moved.
Then Theon stepped forward.
The knights instinctively moved aside.
Without saying another word, Theon crossed the border and entered Solaris.
Yohan followed immediately.
Cassian was the last to move, casting one final look at the nervous knights before following them.
The moment they stepped onto Solaris territory, Theon's expression grew even colder.
He turned toward one of the knights.
"Take me to my daughter."
The knight hesitated.
Theon's eyes narrowed.
"Or else..."
His voice was dangerously calm.
"I'll destroy every facility you have along this border."
The knight's face paled.
He quickly glanced at the other knights, who exchanged nervous looks among themselves.
They clearly didn't want to provoke the Duke of Grimaldi.
"Y-Yes, Your Grace."
The knight immediately turned around.
"Please, follow me."
He hurried toward the facility where Lady Rishima was being detained.
Theon followed without hesitation, with Yohan and Cassian close behind.
None of them spoke.
But the tension in the air was suffocating.
★★★
My head was pounding.
I slowly opened my eyes.
An unfamiliar ceiling greeted me.
I blinked several times, trying to clear my blurry vision.
Where am I?
I slowly turned my head.
The room was completely empty.
There was no bed.
No furniture.
Even my bag and sword were nowhere to be seen.
There was just a thin mattress on the cold stone floor.
I pushed myself up, but a sharp pain shot through my body.
"Ah..."
I winced and held my side.
I tried to stand.
But my legs gave out beneath me.
"Ugh..."
I gritted my teeth.
I couldn't even stand properly.
I slowly crawled toward the door, dragging myself across the cold floor.
When I finally reached it, I grabbed the handle and tried to turn it.
It didn't budge.
I tried again.
Nothing.
I pushed against the door with all the strength I had left.
It wouldn't open.
My heart sank.
I slowly looked at the locked door.
That's when I realized.
They caught me.
"Damn," I cursed under my breath.
Cassian was there when I collapsed.
Did he let them take me?
I looked down at myself.
I was a complete mess.
Dried blood stained my skin, my hair was a tangled mess, and my clothes were torn and covered in dirt.
I probably didn't even look like myself anymore.
Wait...
Could it be that he didn't recognize me?
Maybe that's why he let them take me.
"Argh!"
I grabbed my hair in frustration and tugged at it.
"So annoying..."
I eventually let go of my hair and sat quietly on the cold floor.
My frustration slowly faded.
And then I remembered Uncle Silas.
My chest tightened.
"Did they really kill him...?"
I lowered my head.
I hadn't seen what happened after I ran.
I only remembered the sword striking his back.
What if he was still alive?
What if they hadn't killed him?
I had to know.
I slowly clenched my fists.
"I need to go back."
I couldn't just sit here.
Not knowing what happened to him was driving me crazy.
I had to find out if Uncle Silas was still alive.
"Hahhh!"
I let out a heavy sigh.
I slowly massaged my legs, trying to ease the soreness.
They were still weak, but at least I could move them.
I stretched one leg out, then the other, carefully testing my strength.
"Come on..."
I took a deep breath and pushed myself up.
My legs wobbled.
I quickly grabbed the wall to steady myself.
I waited for the dizziness to pass before taking a small step.
Then another.
It still hurt, but I could walk.
That was enough.
I glanced toward the locked door.
I needed to get out of here.
Then I heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.
My body immediately tensed.
Someone was coming.
I quickly moved closer to the door and prepared myself.
This was my chance.
The moment they opened the door, I would lunge at them.
I would wrestle them to the ground, take whatever weapon they had, and run.
Simple.
At least...
That was the plan.
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
My heart began pounding.
I lowered my stance and waited.
The footsteps stopped right outside my door.
I held my breath.
The lock clicked and the door slowly opened.
NOW!
The moment I saw the opening, I lunged forward.
My fist flew straight toward the person's face.
The person fell backward, and I ended up on top of him.
I raised my fist again, ready to strike-
But I suddenly froze.
My eyes widened.
That familiar face.
Those cold, piercing eyes.
My entire body went stiff.
"Is that how you greet your father?"
Duke Theon's eye twitched as he slowly raised a hand to the spot where I had punched him.
My mouth fell open.
"F-Father?" I stammered, staring at him in disbelief.
How is he here?
I looked past him and saw Yohan standing behind him, completely stunned.
Cassian stood beside him, speechless.
Behind them, several Solaris knights stood frozen in place.
Their eyes were wide.
Damn!
I just punched the Duke in the face.
I immediately scrambled off him.
"I'm sorry!"
I quickly moved aside as Yohan rushed forward and helped the Duke to his feet.
"Your Grace, are you alright?" Yohan asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I'm fine."
Theon straightened himself, still rubbing the spot where I had punched him.
Meanwhile, Cassian stepped toward me.
"Are you alright?"
Before I could answer, he offered me his hand.
I hesitated for a moment before taking it.
Cassian carefully helped me to my feet.
My legs were still weak, and I nearly stumbled.
He immediately steadied me.
"Careful," Cassian said.
I glanced at him.
Then my eyes shifted back to the Duke.
He was staring at me.
His gaze moved over my wounds, my bloodstained clothes, and my messy hair.
His jaw clenched.
I lowered my gaze.
He probably thinks I'm pathetic.
"Let's go," he said as he turned toward the exit.
"We're going home."
My eyes widened slightly.
Home.
I hadn't expected to hear those words from him.
I didn't say anything as I followed him.
Cassian continued supporting me as we walked, keeping a firm grip on my arm whenever my legs weakened.
We had barely gone far when-
"Wait!"
Several men suddenly appeared from the opposite side of the facility.
I immediately recognized them.
My eyes widened.
"That's them!"
I pointed at the men.
"They're the ones who attacked the village-"
Before I could finish, one of the men stepped forward and raised a hand.
A sealed letter was held tightly in his grasp.
"This is a royal decree from Her Majesty," the man announced firmly.
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"You cannot take that criminal. We are ordered to bring her to the capital immediately."
My heart dropped.
A royal decree?
What was going on?
And me?
A criminal?
"What did you say?" Duke Theon asked, his voice dangerously low.
The man looked directly at him.
"You heard me, Duke."
His expression remained firm.
"You cannot take the criminal who slaughtered an entire village."
He didn't even flinch under Duke Theon's intimidating gaze.
"He's lying!" I shouted.
"I didn't do anything!"
My voice shook with anger.
"They attacked us first!"
The men began moving toward me.
My body tensed.
They were coming to take me.
Cassian immediately drew his sword.
SHING!
He stepped in front of me, his blade pointed directly at the approaching men.
At the same time, Duke Theon moved forward.
"Touch my daughter and see what happens."
His voice was cold.
His eyes were terrifying.
The men immediately stopped.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then the man holding the decree tightened his grip on the letter.
"You can't disobey a royal decree!" he snarled.
Duke Theon's gaze didn't waver.
"Watch me."