Chapter 28 -

 As I retraced the path I had taken to ride in the carriage, I asked Carlyle.

"By the way, have you heard from Lord Spencer? It's almost noon."

"It will take some time."

Carlyle replied lazily.

"Those old men have plenty of time. All they do at the mansion is gather the knights and lecture them. Whatever it is, they won't miss this opportunity."

"Lecture…?"

If that was really the reason for summoning Amon, it would be hard to hold back my irritation. I wanted to quickly tell him everything I had discovered today.

"Is there no way for us to contact the Council of Elders? Ask Lord Spencer to come quickly."

Carlyle looked at me as if I were crazy.

"If you’re going to ask that, it would be better to officially join the knights."

It was a warning that anything beyond this was beyond my authority. I sealed my lips. It seemed that Amon was the only one I could rely on.

‘He needs to return soon.’

"Don’t think that just because I helped you once, I’ll do everything you ask, Lady."

I pouted at Carlyle's cold words. Soon, we reached the alley where the carriage had been parked.

"Please get in first."

With Carlyle's help, I hoisted myself into the carriage. As he was about to follow me, a horse suddenly came charging towards us at an astonishing speed from a distance.

‘What’s going on?’

The speed was so fast that I thought it was running across a vast wilderness, not a residential area. While I continued watching in a daze, the horse stopped right before Carlyle. Then, a woman jumped off the horse in an instant.

"…Evans?"

Carlyle blinked, staring at her.

"What’s going on? Do you know her?"

I asked, leaning out from behind the carriage, but it seemed they didn’t notice me.

"Lord Yuste!"

The woman, called Evans, was out of breath. She looked worn out.

"I have something urgent to deliver."

She pulled out a crumpled envelope from her chest and handed it over.

"It’s from the commander."

"Amon?"

"He said it’s urgent. Please check it quickly."

Carlyle quickly skimmed through the letter. I had already jumped down from the carriage and stood beside him.

"What’s this? Has something happened to Lord Spencer?"

Carlyle turned his head sharply to look at me, his face now devoid of any hint of laziness or playfulness.

"Lady."

"Yes, yes? What is it?"

"You’ll need to come with me."

Then, suddenly, he grabbed my wrist tightly and started pulling me along.

"What is this—wait a minute, Lord Yuste!"

Even though I tried to resist, it was useless. I couldn’t fight against Carlyle's strength. I looked at Evans for help, but she only patted the horse’s mane with a blank expression.

I couldn’t understand what was going on.

"Where are we going? What’s happening?"

Just as I was on the brink of panic, Carlyle finally stopped. We had arrived at a quiet alley.

After checking several times that no one was around, he finally let go of my wrist. I rubbed the red mark left on it and glared at Carlyle. If necessary, I was ready to resist with a dagger.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"It is an order from Amon. We need to move you to a safer place immediately."

"What? Why?"

"I can’t explain the details, but Amon and I have a code we use. According to that code, every second counts."

"What does that mean…?"

I took a step back, uncertain.

Amon had assured me that I could trust only Carlyle, but this was too far. He didn’t explain anything and just ordered me to move.

Seeing my confused expression, Carlyle sighed, as though this was unavoidable, and held up Amon’s letter close to my face.

Although hastily written, the neat handwriting was unmistakably Amon’s. The problem, as Carlyle had said, was that the entire letter was written in code, so I couldn’t understand a word.

Frowning, I stared at it, but one line at the bottom caught my eye.

- P.S. Remember the third condition. -

‘The third condition?’

"This seems to be a message for you, Lady."

Carlyle's words made me recall the contract I had with Amon. The last condition he told me about.

‘Third, in case of danger, prioritize your safety above all else.’

Only Amon and I knew the contents of that contract. So, this letter had indeed come from him.

The reason I had to move was to ensure my safety.

Carlyle stared at me, asking if I would still refuse. After a moment’s hesitation, I nodded.

Though I didn’t know the exact reason, for now, I had no choice but to trust Amon.

The situation progressed quickly. Carlyle moved like someone who had experienced this many times before.

He didn’t trust the coachman, so he borrowed the horse that had been pulling the carriage, and we galloped off. I didn’t even have time to complain about the unfamiliar feeling of riding the horse.

How long did we ride? We eventually stopped in front of a dark, empty shop on a desolate street.

It was a strange place. It wasn’t far from the main road, and the surroundings looked like a typical busy district, yet none of the shops were lit. It felt like a dead city.

"Where are we?"

"Shh."

Carlyle left me behind and moved quickly. He showed no interest in the windows or doors of the shop. Instead, he began fiddling with a carriage leaning against the wall.

It was an old, rusty carriage, its wheels missing, and it seemed abandoned for a long time. He examined it from all angles.

He touched the hinges, knocked on the ceiling, and then twisted the doorknob in an odd direction. To my surprise, with a creak, the carriage opened like a secret passage, just like the one in Russell’s room.

Without giving me a moment to process, Carlyle hurriedly pushed me inside the shop. Then, after following me in, as he pulled a lever, the door shut with a creak, and soft lighting flickered on.

"What is this…?"

I widened my eyes and looked around. The window I had seen from the outside, which seemed to display something, was now blocked by a wall.

Except for the fact that there were no windows, it appeared to be a regular house.

"The entire area around here is an abandoned town. Amon and I stumbled upon it while patrolling, and we’ve been using it as a hideout. Only the two of us know about it, so you can rest easy."

Carlyle adjusted the lighting a bit brighter and added,

"The problem is that this place is a bit… dirty for you to stay in."

As the lights brightened, I could see the room more clearly. It was a surprisingly large space, with a kitchen, a table, and even a bed. Just as Carlyle said, it was unkempt and dirty.

Carlyle awkwardly fidgeted with the bedspread and said,

"I guess we’ll have to clean up a bit."

"It’s fine. But what exactly is going on? Why did we have to come all the way here? Do you really not know anything?"

Carlyle shook his head.

"I was just ordered to bring you to a safe place. But since it was Amon who made the decision, there must be a reason. Perhaps… something happened with the Council of Elders."

"But why would the Council of Elders… you said they were just old men who like to lecture."

As I looked confused, Carlyle set down a paper bag on the table.

"I’ve prepared some food for you to eat. Please manage this until Amon arrives. Don’t go outside under any circumstances."

"What? Does that mean Lord Yuste isn’t staying here with me?"

"If I stay, I’ll be suspected. Amon’s plan to hide you will be exposed. Then this place might get discovered. I need to go back."

He plans to leave me alone here? For how long? Reading my expression, Carlyle patted me reassuringly.

"Amon will come by today. Don’t worry too much. Take care."

"Wait!"

Despite my call, Carlyle swiftly pulled the lever, leaving the room in a hurry. With a loud click, the door closed behind him.

I was left alone in the desolate room.

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