IHDOE Ch 56
Satina will give up soon.
Tyron had been slightly surprised when she identified the cause of the disease and discovered the ingredients for the cure. He had assumed her claims were merely a bluff to mock him. He had only agreed to her proposal assuming she possessed some hidden trick, but that trick had reached its limit.
But this is the end.
The only forces at Satina’s disposal were a single squad of knights brought from House Bersabet. Searching that vast forest while battling magical beasts with such a small force would take at least three months.
Infected patients couldn't endure three months. While she could heal those in critical condition, casualties were inevitable. Once deaths mounted, public resentment would ruin her completely.
Just a little longer, and she’ll come crawling back.
The thought of Satina approaching him with her head bowed brought a smirk to his lips.
Tyron summoned his adjutant and ordered the knights to prepare for departure at a moment's notice.
Meanwhile, the knights of House Bersabet were growing increasingly anxious.
A knight stepped forward with a hesitant look.
[Knight] "My Lady, why not speak to Lord Tyron again? Since we've identified the ingredient for the cure, he can't easily ignore our request."
She folded her arms with a quiet sigh.
[Satina] "If I ask him, he'll lend his support immediately. But then I'd have to share the credit with him."
After enduring all the hardship alone, allowing Tyron to swoop in at the last minute and take credit was out of the question. Just imagining his smug face made her blood boil. She would never permit it.
Another knight offered a suggestion.
[Knight] "Then what if we request reinforcements from the duchy, My Lady? If you inform the Young Duke, he will dispatch additional knights. It will take time for them to travel from the capital, but it is better than searching the forest alone."
She shook her head firmly.
[Satina] "No, that won't be necessary."
The knight pressed further, his expression strained.
[Knight] "But searching the forest with our current numbers is impossible. It will take months..."
[Satina] "I'll handle it. All of you should rest for now."
The knights exchanged bewildered glances.
[Knight] "Pardon? Rest? Instead of searching?"
[Satina] "It's not a task for you."
She firmly ushered the bewildered knights back to their quarters.
While walking down the corridor toward the ramparts, she ran straight into Tyron.
Of all people...
She scowled. He matched her expression with a sharp glare of his own.
She tried to bypass him, but he stepped directly into her path. She shifted to the side, yet he moved again, deliberately blocking her route.
Irritated by his chest blocking her way, she looked up, only to find him staring off into the distance with a sullen expression, pretending she didn't exist.
Refusing to tolerate his childish antics, Satina kicked his shin with all the force her pointed shoe could muster.
He clutched his leg and groaned.
[Tyron] "Argh!"
Even Tyron couldn't withstand the sharp pain. Satina walked right past him without a second glance.
He shouted from behind her.
[Tyron] "Hey!"
Satina kept walking as if deaf to his voice.
[Tyron] "Hey! Satina!"
He grabbed her by the shoulder.
[Tyron] "What is wrong with you? You kick someone's leg out of nowhere and don't even apologize? Are you insane?"
She glanced back with an innocent look.
[Satina] "Oh, did that hurt?"
He glared in disbelief.
[Tyron] "Did it hurt? Did it hurt?! You struck me with a pointed heel! Of course it hurt!"
[Satina] "You acted as if I were invisible, so I had no idea you'd feel pain if I struck you."
[Tyron] "Hey!"
[Satina] "Keep your voice down. You'll wake the entire fortress."
His jaw twitched as he struggled to contain his fury.
[Tyron] "Are you really not afraid of the consequences? What are you going to do later?"
[Satina] "What about me?"
He stepped forward, using his tall posture to corner her against the stone wall.
[Tyron] "Think carefully, Satina. Just because you regained a sliver of that pathetic holy power doesn't mean your life is going to change."
He growled down at her.
[Tyron] "So you found the cause and the cure. Fine, impressive. I'll give you that much."
[Satina] "..."
[Tyron] "But no matter what you do, this fortress is under my command, and His Highness has no interest in you whatsoever. Just because you uncovered a minor—"
[Satina] "You talk too much."
She pressed her index finger firmly against his chin. If he hadn't shut his mouth instantly, he would have bitten his tongue.
He glared at her with furious eyes, but she maintained a serene smile. She leaned in closer and whispered in a gentle tone.
[Satina] "Don't speak like that, Tyron. All these long excuses make it sound like you're terrified of me."
She slid her finger up from his jaw, pressing it directly against his lips.
[Satina] "So just shut up and stay quiet, like you usually do."
Leaving the stunned Tyron behind, Satina climbed up to the ramparts. The guards stationed along the wall immediately acknowledged her presence.
[Guard] "Lady Satina! What brings you out at this hour?"
Another guard stepped closer, looking concerned.
[Guard] "The night air is still chilling, My Lady. You might catch a cold if you stay out here long. Please step inside."
[Satina] "I came to clear my head. Would you mind giving me a moment alone?"
[Guard] "Ah, of course! Absolutely!"
[Guard] "We know how hard you're working to find a cure for the illness."
[Guard] "We'll be over there. Please take all the time you need."
Satina offered a brief nod of gratitude. The guards flushed red and stepped back to give her space. She watched them whisper excitedly to each other as they moved away before turning her attention outward.
A crisp night breeze brushed against her cheek. Through the strands of hair fluttering in the wind, the vast western plains stretched beneath her. Beyond lay a dense forest so expansive it couldn't be taken in at a single glance.
Searching that endless expanse for the curing ingredient would indeed take months for ordinary humans, just as the knights feared.
For humans, at least.
Satina held no such concerns.
She reached her arm out into the dark. A massive shadow stirred within the gloom.
Silent and discreet, it glided through the darkness like a fish through water before alighting gracefully onto her forearm.
[Lekan] "Friend! Hello!"
It was Lekan, the avian beastkin following her every move. As a bird, he possessed extraordinary vision capable of spotting prey from high above, along with the stamina to fly vast distances without fatigue.
Finding a single tree in a forest is difficult for humans, but simple for a bird like Lekan.
[Satina] "Hello, Lekan."
She greeted him, placing a small piece of dried meat into his beak. Lekan swallowed it eagerly.
[Lekan] "Friend! Best!"
Overjoyed by the treat, he flapped his wings in excitement.
[Satina] "Lekan, I have a task for you."
[Lekan] "Friend, favor?"
[Satina] "Yes, a favor. Can you find this tree for me?"
She retrieved an illustration of the Palette Pine obtained through the system and held it up. Lekan leaned in, inspecting the drawing attentively before nodding.
She stroked his head gently. Lekan chirped happily, rubbing his head against her palm.
[Lekan] "Tree! Find!"
Unfurling his black wings, he soared back into the night.
Now, I just wait for him to find it.
Two days later, Lekan tapped his beak against her window, clutching a white branch identical to the drawing.
Fortunately, the location of the Palette Pine was not far from the western fortress.
Satina immediately packed her gear and departed with her knights to gather the ingredient. Though they encountered a few magical beasts along the way, the journey proceeded smoothly.
[Knight] "Haha, dealing with magical beasts is our specialty! This is far better than tending to sick patients!"
Becoming a knight of House Bersabet required years of rigorous training. Even without direct orders from Satina, they efficiently formed squads, scouted ahead, and dispatched any beasts in their path.
Katan doesn't even have a chance to intervene.
Satina observed the knights handling the beasts with ease. She had brought Katan along, assuming his martial prowess would prove useful, but the knights had strongly objected to his involvement.
They had voiced their disdain earlier.
[Knight] "We can handle this ourselves without relying on a slave."
[Knight] "Indeed. Do you not trust us, My Lady?"
[Knight] "Besides, that bastard ambushed one of our comrades before. How can we trust him to watch our backs?"
Ultimately, combat remained entirely the knights' responsibility, yet progress was swift.
Before long, Satina and her squad reached the entrance of the valley where the Palette Pines grew. Just as Lekan had reported, dense clusters of white branches lined the gorge.
[Knight] "We found it! That's the tree, right?"
[Knight] "Once we harvest those, we can save the patients!"
As the excited knights rushed forward, Katan quietly fell back into the shadows. Preoccupied with the target in front of them, no one noticed his disappearance.
Upon entering the gorge, the leading knights suddenly halted, frozen in place.
[Knight] "Stop! It's webs!"
[Knight] "Sreans webs!"
Dozens of massive spider beasts emerged along the cliff walls, hurling heavy boulders down into the gorge. The falling rocks shattered upon impact, raising thick clouds of dust that obscured vision.
Trying to dodge the barrage, several knights stumbled directly into pre-laid webs, becoming hopelessly ensnared.
Amidst the blinding dust and chaos, a violent shove struck Satina from behind. Losing her footing, she tumbled backward, plunging straight into the turbulent river below.
Occupied with the sudden beast attack, no one noticed her fall into the water.
No! I don't want to die like this!
Drowning was an absurd way to perish. Satina thrashed frantically, but her waterlogged dress grew heavier by the second, dragging her into the depths. Her air rapidly vanished.
Just as her consciousness began to fade, Katan plunged into the water after her.
Through the murky current, her eyes met his dark, intense gaze, right before darkness claimed her vision.
Requested by readers—hope you enjoy it! If you do, feel free to leave a rating or review on KakaoPage, Naver Series, Ridi, and Novel Updates.
🫶🏻