"Take care on the road!" Elisa waved her hand high, reluctant to see Catherine go. Their time together had been short, but in Sedona City, where she often felt lonely, it had meant a lot.
"Mm, I will." Catherine nodded firmly before pushing open the carriage door and stepping inside.
Clip-clop, clip-clop…
Chris flicked the reins, and the two horses galloped forward, pulling the carriage away.
"Make sure you're well…"
Elisa watched the carriage disappear into the distance before yawning and turning back toward the pizza shop. She had woken up earlier than usual today.
Or rather, none of the three girls had slept much last night. They had stayed up talking late into the night. She even received a bottle of perfume from Dahlia as a parting gift.
Elisa shut the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment. The quiet pressed in—so different from the lively chatter of last night. She sighed, rubbing her arms. The perfume lingered, but already, the warmth of her friends' presence felt like a dream slipping away.
She crossed the small living room, kicking off her shoes, and sank onto the bed. The worn-out bed molded around her as she stared at the ceiling. She should sleep. She needed to sleep. But her mind was restless, still caught up in the way Catherine had smiled before stepping into the carriage, in the way Dahlia had carefully wrapped the perfume bottle before handing it over.
Elisa reached for the bottle on the side table, turning it over in her hands. The glass was smooth and cool. A simple gift, yet it meant more than she could put into words.
She closed her eyes. Tomorrow, the city would keep moving, the pizza shop would open, and life would go on as usual.
But for tonight, she let herself hold onto the memory a little longer.
….
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was heavy. Catherine, Nicole, and Mina all looked dejected—after all, they were parting ways with good friends.
"Alright, you're all acting like we'll never see them again." Lucas finally spoke, unable to stand the gloomy mood. It was making him uncomfortable.
"Yeah, we're just going away for a while." Mina forced a smile, though Annie's emotions had clearly rubbed off on her.
"Mm." Nicole nodded, pressing her lips together. Despite the sadness, she was also excited—she was curious about the outside world and how it compared to Sedona City.
"Haa…" Catherine let out a slow breath. Her eyes were slightly red, and if it weren't for Lucas's words, she might have already started crying.
"Cheer up," Lucas said with a reassuring smile. "Leaving now is just so we can have an even better reunion in the future."
Lucas spoke softly. He, too, felt reluctant to leave behind the beast-eared girls and the life at the castle, but at the same time, he was curious about the world beyond.
"This feels so familiar…" Catherine murmured, momentarily stunned. Then, she suddenly remembered—Elisa had said the same thing before. She lifted her head and met Lucas's deep black eyes.
"…"
For a moment, Catherine froze. Then, pretending as if nothing had happened, she quickly turned her head away. She still wasn't used to making direct eye contact like that.
Perhaps it was Lucas's words, or maybe it was just the excitement of traveling far from home, but the carriage's atmosphere gradually grew livelier.
Nicole, for instance, eagerly asked Catherine about the details of traveling—what to watch out for, what not to do, and how to prepare.
Clip-clop, clip-clop…
The journey had just begun.
The rhythmic sound of hooves filled the air as the carriage wheels rolled over the snow, leaving behind winding tracks. Before long, they arrived at the port.
"Lord Lucas, we've reached the port." Chris called out, setting down the wooden ladder from the carriage.
"Mm." Lucas pushed open the carriage door and stepped out, standing atop the carriage frame as he gazed toward the harbor. Several ships were docked, and people were already bustling about, making final preparations for the voyage.
"Young Master!" A familiar voice called out from beside the carriage—it was Ben.
"Did you bring everything?" Lucas raised an eyebrow as he stepped down onto the snow-covered ground. "How many did you bring?"
"All thirty carrier pigeons are here," Ben reported seriously. These pigeons had been fed a special diet he prepared, and now that Lucas was heading to Pentos City, it was the perfect time to test their flight capabilities.
"Good." Lucas nodded. As long as at least half of the pigeons successfully returned to Sedona City during the trial, it would be considered a success.
"Young Master, there's one more matter that needs your decision." Ben said calmly.
"What is it?" Lucas asked indifferently.
"Those noblemen working in the mines—should we release them?" Ben asked seriously. "They aren't suited for labor, and they're getting so weak that they can barely hold on."
"Release them two days after we've left."
Lucas's voice was steady, as if he had already considered the matter beforehand.
Lucas's lips curved slightly as he said casually, "If they cause trouble, just throw them into the dark cell for another two days. But honestly, I doubt they'd dare to make a fuss anymore."
"Understood!" Ben smirked. After being locked up twice, if those nobles still dared to stir up trouble, they really must have rocks in their heads.
"Uncle Ben, I'm leaving Sedona City in your hands. If Annie and the others make any mistakes, help clean up after them." Lucas said softly. When it came to survival experience in this era, even if he and the beast-eared girls combined their knowledge, they still wouldn't match Ben's wisdom.
"Young Master, rest assured, I won't let anything happen to Sedona City." Ben said firmly. He would temporarily take over the city's intelligence network and manage things until Mina returned to take charge again.
"Alright, let's set off!" Lucas waved his hand and strode toward the ship, with Mina and Catherine immediately following behind.
"Take care of yourself and the Young Master," Ben reminded Nicole, then waved her off. "Go on, take a good look at the world out there…"
"Mm!" Nicole nodded firmly, but as she walked, she kept glancing back. It was her first time leaving her parents and traveling far from home, and she couldn't help feeling a little melancholic.
Once everyone was on board, loud calls echoed across the port as the fleet officially set sail.
"Raise the anchor! Raise the anchor!"
"Hoist the sails! Hoist the sails!"
The shouts of the sailors filled the air as the ship slowly began to move, carrying them toward the unknown.
Ben stood at the dock, watching as the fleet slowly left the harbor, carried by the wind. He stomped his prosthetic right foot lightly and chuckled. "Seeing the outside world will do them good… They'll realize just how wonderful Sedona City truly is."
As the ship drifted farther from the shore, Ben stood on the edge of the harbor, watching until it became no more than a speck on the horizon. He exhaled slowly, crossing his arms as the salty breeze tugged at his coat.
"They're really gone." He murmured to himself.
For a long time, Sedona City had been a place of relative stability at least in comparison to other cities. But now, with Lucas and the others venturing into the unknown, responsibility for the city's safety rested squarely on his shoulders.
Ben turned on his heel and walked back toward the city, his mind already racing through plans. The intelligence network was vast but delicate. Without Mina to oversee it, he would need to tread carefully. There were spies, informants, and rival factions, all tangled in a web of secrets.
"First things first," He muttered, heading toward the safe house hidden within the marketplace. "I need to make sure no one tries anything while they're gone."
As he navigated the familiar streets, shopkeepers and passersby greeted him with nods, some respectful, others wary.
Reaching the safe house, he knocked twice, then once more after a pause. The door creaked open just enough for a pair of sharp eyes to peer out.
"Boss," A low voice greeted. "You're back sooner than expected."
Ben stepped inside, his expression grim. "Mina's gone, which means I'm in charge now. We've got work to do."
As the door shut behind him, the weight of responsibility settled fully on his shoulders. He could only hope that, Lucas and the others would return safely.
…
As the fleet departed, the lead ship belonged to Dahlia. However, she wasn't aboard her own vessel—she was on Lucas's ship, expressing her gratitude.
"Thank you, Lord Lucas."
Dahlia and Catherine lifted the edges of their skirts slightly and curtsied, offering him a noble's greeting.
They were thanking him for his decision to release Kevin, Scott, and the other nobles two days later. Delaying their release meant stripping them of the initiative—by the time they returned, much of the rumors and gossip they might have spread would have already lost their power.
"No need to be so formal." Lucas waved his hand dismissively. Part of his reasoning for this decision was self-interest—he didn't want to provoke the powerful nobles of the Siacan Kingdom too soon. Such conflicts would only disrupt the development of his territory.
Once he had accumulated enough wealth and reached the limits of his development, then—even if others left him alone—he would take the initiative to shake things up himself.
"Still, thank you." Dahlia curtsied once more before finally letting it go.
On her return to the royal capital, Dahlia had already decided to act preemptively. She would spread certain rumors—stories of how Viscount Kevin abused men and women alike, how Scott forcefully broke into civilian homes, and how, in the end, Lady Catherine had no choice but to order their confinement so they could reflect on their actions.
Dahlia knew the shamelessness of nobles all too well. If she didn't take action first, Kevin and Scott would undoubtedly try to smear her and Catherine upon their return to the capital.
Catherine, at least, had the protection of the Duke—her father—but Dahlia had no such safeguard. She was certain they would drag her name through the mud without hesitation.
Just yesterday, she had been struggling to figure out how to deal with the situation when she returned. But thanks to Lucas's decision, most of her problems had already been solved.
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