Ian tidied his clothes and calmly went downstairs.
There, Captain Raymond was still clad in his fully enclosed armor, standing in the somewhat cramped inn lobby, utterly conspicuous.
His expression was unreadable behind the knight’s helmet. When Raymond saw Ian coming down, he quickly approached, skipping any superfluous greetings.
“Ian, I need your help.”
Raymond got straight to the point, his voice tinged with bitterness.
He was the one who had driven Ian away, yet now, shamelessly, he had come back seeking his help.
He felt ashamed for having to go against his previous decision, but for the sake of the Miss, he was willing to set aside his pride and principles, if only temporarily.
Raymond wanted to say more, but Ian interrupted him: “Sir Raymond, there’s no need to apologize. Your decision back then wasn’t wrong. From your standpoint, it was reasonable. You were responsible for Miss Shirleyveil’s safety.”
His tone was calm, with not a trace of mockery or resentment. As a fellow working man, he knew that many things in life were out of one’s control.
“There’s no time to waste. I’ll go with you right now.”
Raymond was taken aback. He had expected Ian might sneer at him, take the opportunity to make unreasonable demands, or even outright refuse.
He had not expected that Ian would so readily understand and accept.
“…Alright.” Raymond took a deep breath and was the first to leave the inn.
He stepped aside to lead the way. Outside, a seemingly ordinary but clearly magically reinforced light carriage was waiting.
The two of them quickly boarded, and the carriage immediately set off at high speed toward Erna Village.
***
Inside, the compartment was small, but well soundproofed.
Raymond took off his helmet and set it aside, beginning to recount what had happened during the days Ian was away:
“After you left, Ian, the Miss indeed slept peacefully for most of a day. When she awoke, at first… there seemed to be a slight change. Her gaze was no longer completely empty—she would stare at the leaves outside the window, or daze at the fire in the hearth. When we gave her water, she’d take small sips. We… we even thought there was a glimmer of hope.”
“But we were wrong. After just one day, the Miss became extremely agitated. She no longer sat quietly, but kept searching for something in the room.”
“She ignored everyone completely. We tried everything we could think of, but nothing worked. She just kept looking for something.”
“It wasn’t until early this morning, when Anna, her old maid of over ten years, came to ask her… that the Miss, after all this time, spoke for the first time. Even though it was only a single word.”
“‘Cat.'”
“That’s when I knew she was looking for you, Ian. But out of duty, I had to consider many things…”
“This morning, the Miss completely… fainted.”
“The Healer said it was due to excessive mental exhaustion and weakness. If this continues… she won’t last much longer…”
He didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.
Ian listened quietly, showing little surprise.
“Sir Raymond, I understand your responsibilities. I will do my best to help Miss Shirleyveil.”
Raymond’s head shot up, nearly thanking him on the spot.
But Ian raised his hand again, stopping him:
“However, I have a few conditions that you and your subordinates must strictly abide by. Whether the treatment succeeds depends on these.”
“Name them! Any conditions, as long as I can fulfill them!”
Raymond didn’t hesitate at all.
“First, I need at least three months of uninterrupted time. During these three months, I will stay in Erna Village and focus solely on Miss Shirleyveil. Aside from the most basic supply of living necessities, I don’t wish to be disturbed in any way.”
“Second, apart from a few necessary maids, all ‘White Maple Wolf Knights,’ including yourself and any other guards or servants, must stay at a distance.
You may be stationed on the village outskirts, keeping watch to prevent outsiders or idlers from approaching. You may observe my treatment at any time, but unless I give permission, no one is to step into my designated ‘Quiet Recuperation Zone.'”
“Especially this second point—it’s crucial. Miss Shirleyveil needs an environment that is absolutely gentle and perceptible. Sir Raymond, can you do that?”
As he spoke, Ian straightened, looking at Raymond with a solemn gaze.
Raymond’s brows furrowed tightly. Ian’s demands were severe—he was asking them to leave the Miss entirely in the hands of someone they’d known for only a few days, someone whose background was still unclear, and stripping them of the right to protect her closely.
This touched his most sensitive nerve as a guardian.
But, considering the information gathered previously and Ian’s behavior up to now—
After a long silence, Raymond slowly exhaled a heavy breath:
“Very well. On behalf of the Connalt family, I accept your conditions, Ian. I will immediately order all personnel withdrawn to the outpost beyond the village entrance. Within the Quiet Recuperation Zone, only you will remain. We’ll ensure absolute security outside—not even a stray bird will be allowed in. But…”
He met Ian’s eyes directly:
“Please, you must also guarantee the Miss’s safety, Ian…”
Ian met his gaze calmly and nodded:
“I understand. I’ll do my utmost.”
***
The carriage rolled into Erna Village as dusk deepened.
A village that was usually lively now lay shrouded in a deliberately maintained silence.
Raymond was extremely efficient; clearly, he had already used magic to send his orders ahead.
When Ian stepped off the carriage, the sight that greeted him made him nod slightly.
That familiar little house stood quietly in the depths of the village. Within a hundred meters, there wasn’t a single armed knight in sight.
Only three maids in plain dresses—one of them the elderly Anna—stood silently beneath the house’s porch, their faces a mixture of worry and hope.
The ‘White Maple Wolf Knights’ had, as their captain promised, fully withdrawn to the outskirts.
Before leaving, Raymond gave Ian a long, deep look.
He didn’t say another word, only patted Ian’s shoulder firmly, then turned and walked heavily toward the village entrance. The sound of armor scraping faded away into the distance.
Once Raymond had gone, Ian nodded slightly to the three maids.
The maids had already been informed, and returned his greeting with a curtsey.
Wasting no time, Ian walked straight into the house, heading unerringly to the bedroom on the second floor.
He gently pushed the door open and closed it behind him.
The light in the room was dimmer than before; only a small wall lamp gave off a faint, warm yellow glow.
The air was tinged with the faint scent of herbs and a calming, pleasant aroma.
Shirleyveil lay on the wide bed, covered with a soft down quilt.
Her face was so pale it was almost transparent, long lashes casting delicate shadows on her eyelids, her chest barely rising and falling with weak breaths.
That look—trapped deep within her own world, yet utterly exhausted by some overwhelming longing—was heartbreaking.
Ian watched her quietly for a moment, then moved to the shadowy corner of the room.
There was no spell’s glow, no violent physical change.
As if water melting into water, the shadows stirred and collapsed. The next moment, a pitch-black, glossy Black Cat with platinum-gold eyes landed silently on the carpet.