When Dana smiled gently, the man refused but giggled as if he were in a good mood.
âAnyway, Tom, I canât take things like this. Itâs not something thatâs going to end in a one-off.â
âWhatâs that?â
Dana squatted down and looked at what they were talking about. When she searched inside the bag, it was full of herbs that only grew in the mountains.
âThis, itâs a herb called Rosaveria. Where did you get this?â
âWell, thereâs a lot around here. No one was digging.â
âDana, how did you know that?â
Dana stood up with her knees straightened and shrugged. It was amazing that not only had she regained her memory, but she had also revived related knowledge.
âI used to go around with my father and pick it up. Rosaveria has excellent medicinal effects, but itâs precious because it canât be cultivated. But what are you going to do with this?â
âI was going to sell some herbs as an excuse to contact the Deniz merchants.â
âLisa, didnât you originally work there?â
Lisa said, picking up the bag.
âYeah, I have to walk around more freely. Rian also went to the Imperial Palace, so I thought it would be better to make an excuse to go to the Deniz merchants.â
âOkayâŠâ
Dana once again fiddled with the herbs in the bag.
âBut I think this is enough to get a decent price. The Deniz merchants are quite generous for medicines. Rosaveria is rare⊠Try taking it. Please take me with you on your way.â
âYouâre leaving too? Are you going to be okay? Are you feeling okay?â
âYes, fortunately, thereâs nothing broken⊠Iâll also help you dig up herbs. Where should I go?â
Lisa rolled up her sleeves and looked worried as she saw Dana, who was motivated. Then Dana smiled tenderly and reassured her.
âI have something to bring. Just bring it and I will quietly return to the castle. Please deliver this letter to the castle later.â
âOkay, since weâre on the same boat⊠Weâll protect you from danger.â
âThank you, Lisa. I feel so reassured.â
Dana disappeared with Tom to dig up herbs, and Lisa looked into the letter Dana left.
âI donât know whatâs going to happenâŠâ
Lisa sighed, adding something more under the phrase Dana wrote. And she left the letter to Geras, who was quick-footed.
* * *
He wandered the whole mountain with a much greater number of soldiers all day, but he couldnât find Dana. There was a pit and he wondered where it fell, so he searched all the way down the valley, but there was no trace.
Ahil ripped his bangs off his face in despair.
âAhhaha!â
âHis Grace is coming!â
Ahil looked up with a face full of fear in the direction of the sound of horseshoes.
He could see horses running so fiercely that they raised dust. Ahil lay flat on the floor even before they reached.
âYour Highness!â
Leon hurriedly stopped the horse and jumped down.
âNot yet?â
Leonâs voice was urgent but calm, while the driver next to him was panting and unable to speak.
âIâm sorry, Your Highness. I accidentally stoppedâŠâ
âStand up. Finding her comes first.â
âYeah!â
Leon heard the approximate search range from Ahil, and as he listened, he frowned the whole time. If she were in distress on the mountain, she would have been discovered by now.
The fact that they hadnât found her yet,
She ran away on purpose, or she was helped by someone.
Leon looked around with sharp eyes. Suddenly, he remembered the first time he saw Dana.
Is there any possibility that Rian was involved in this?
He tried to suppress extreme anxiety. If he got angry now, his judgment would be blurred.
âDid you say she disappeared in this direction?â
âYes, thatâs right. She was in a hurry, so I dropped her off and waited for a long time, but she didnât come outâ
âDidnât you hear anything?â
âYes, thatâs right.â
Did she find her memory and run away?
Dana wanted to take revenge herself, so there was a possibility that she would go for it. For some reason, he felt hot in his stomach.
âGo down to the bottom of the mountain and sweep all the way in the direction that she disappeared. If you see a private house, check it out there, and look at the beast trap.â
âYes, I see.â
Ahil had already searched once, but when Leonâs instructions were given, he accepted them without hesitation.
âIf sheâs not foundâŠâ
Leon stopped talking for a moment because his mouth had gone dry while mentioning the possibility.
âLook around the city and report to me.â
âYes, Your Highness.â
If he could, he wanted to wander around the mountain with them, but Leon tried hard to resist. There was already a possibility that Dana would not be in the mountain, so he was going to go back to the castle and look back on the situation.
Moving with heavy steps, he climbed back on the horse. And he started out again as he received Ahilâs greetings.
* * *
âYou donât have to be so nervous. Didnât we force them to come? To be honest, you just have to tell me and go back.â
Daniel reassured him with a kind tone, but his gaze was still fluttering while looking at the documents.
âI want to do that too⊠As long as my safety is guaranteed.â
Harbert couldnât hide his tension, shaking his legs continuously. In the meantime, he managed to say what he had to say. Daniel glanced at it and smirked inside, but covered it up pretending not to know.
âOf course, if you tell me everything, you wonât be charged separately.â
âItâs not like that.â
âItâs not?â
Only then did Daniel raise his head and look straight at Harbert.
Somehow Harbertâs expression was even scarier than before. He glanced at the door, sighed, and couldnât find peace.
âLetâs talk properly.â
âYou have to protect me. My life⊠And my family.â
âFrom what?â
Daniel put the documents down on the table and looked at him. Somehow, he thought he could guess the next word, but he waited patiently for it.