After escaping the assassins, Relict and Seila continued moving through the crowded streets without a specific destination in mind.
The atmosphere around them was vastly different from the deserted roads they had traversed earlier. Merchants loudly advertised their products from both sides of the street, children ran through the crowd while their parents chased after them, and countless conversations blended together into a constant wave of noise.
For the first time since the ambush began, the tension surrounding them eased slightly.
At least on the surface.
Relict casually glanced around while navigating through the crowd. Unfortunately, the former Aton rarely left the mansion and possessed surprisingly little knowledge regarding the geography of his own city. The memories existed, but they were fragmented and incomplete, forcing him to rely on the person beside him.
"So, where are we right now?"
Seila immediately understood the question.
"We're still inside the Hall Family's territory, Young Master."
She briefly looked around before continuing.
"I think this street is connected to the venue where the Grand Bazaar is currently being held."
Hearing her answer, Relict finally understood why the surrounding area was so lively. Most of the pedestrians seemed to be heading in the same direction, and many of them carried bags, baskets, or various goods purchased elsewhere.
The Grand Bazaar.
A large commercial gathering where merchants from different territories gathered to conduct business.
The event naturally attracted enormous crowds.
"Then how far are we from my family's territory?" Relict asked.
Seila thought for a moment before answering.
"We're still about halfway through the Hall Family's territory. If we continue in the direction of the Lyn territory, it should be somewhere between one to two kilometers away."
Relict nodded.
One to two kilometers.
Under normal circumstances, that distance would not have mattered.
Unfortunately, their situation was far from normal.
As they continued walking with the crowd, his mind quickly analyzed the information.
The assassins were professionals.
They had carefully selected the route.
Prepared poisoned arrows.
Prepared flame arrows.
Eliminated the escorts within minutes.
Most importantly, they had failed.
And professionals rarely accepted failure so easily.
'If the assassins continue pursuing us,' Relict thought, 'there is a high probability they will discover us before we reach help.'
After arriving at that conclusion, he decided to voice it.
"The assassins are skilled and devious. They won't let this opportunity slip away."
Seila immediately understood what he meant.
Truthfully, she had already considered the possibility herself.
That was precisely why she followed Relict's decision to disappear into the crowd rather than immediately returning to the Lyn Family's territory. Blending among thousands of civilians was currently their safest option.
Still, they needed a long-term solution.
After thinking for a moment, she cautiously spoke.
"Should we ask for help from the city guards?"
Her eyes moved toward a distant patrol.
"Or perhaps we could rent a carriage from a nearby shop and—"
Her words abruptly stopped.
Relict had slightly raised his right hand.
The gesture itself was simple.
However, after serving him for years, Seila immediately understood what it meant. It was meant to stop and listen.
So she stopped speaking and waited.
Relict continued walking for several steps before finally explaining.
"We don't know the motives of the assassins."
His gaze remained fixed on the crowd ahead.
"We don't know their faces."
"We don't know who hired them."
"And most importantly, we don't know who may be involved."
Seila's expression gradually became serious.
Relict continued.
"Asking strangers for help blindly may create more problems than solutions."
His reasoning was simple.
If the enemy had enough influence to prepare such an ambush within the city itself, then involving unknown parties carried significant risks.
Unfortunately, Relict was not finished.
"As for a carriage..."
He shook his head slightly.
"It would only hinder our senses."
The memory of the burning carriage immediately resurfaced in Seila's mind.
"A confined space limits visibility."
"It limits mobility."
"And it creates another opportunity for us to become trapped."
Hearing the explanation, Seila finally understood.
The ideas she suggested were not necessarily bad.
They were simply inferior to their current situation.
These explanations made Seila realize that her young master had already thought about the very same things she was about to suggest.
That was also the reason why he had led her into the crowd instead of recklessly searching for help or hiring another carriage. The more she listened to him, the more she felt that he had already planned several steps ahead of her.
She could not help but secretly glance at him while they continued walking.
His face was still somewhat pale from his illness.
His body remained frail and thin.
Even his footsteps were slower than those of ordinary people.
Yet, for some reason, looking at him now gave her an unfamiliar sense of reassurance.
It was as though the sickly young master she had protected ever since they were children had quietly grown up without her noticing.
The thought made the corners of her lips rise ever so slightly.
Perhaps...
Her young master had truly become someone she could rely on.
Meanwhile, Relict remained completely unaware of the conclusion she had reached.
After several moments of silence, Seila finally asked another question.
"Then what should we do, Young Master?"
Relict answered almost immediately.
"Let's split up."
Seila stopped walking.
For a brief moment, she wondered if she had misheard him.
"You will return to our territory."
His tone remained calm.
"And personally inform my father about the ambush."
Then he pointed toward the direction where the Grand Bazaar was likely being held.
"I'll head toward the plaza and hide among the crowd."
The explanation was logical.
If they remained together, the assassins only needed to find one target.
If they separated, the enemy would be forced to choose.
Unfortunately, logic was not what entered Seila's mind first.
"What!?"
Several nearby pedestrians instinctively turned their heads.
"No!"
She immediately stepped closer.
"I'm not leaving you alone, Young Master!"
Her voice rose further.
"What if the assas—!"
A pale hand suddenly covered her mouth.
The rest of her words were instantly cut off.
Seila froze.
Meanwhile, Relict looked at her with a completely deadpan expression.
"Can you at least not shout when you talk?"
Only then did Seila notice the surrounding pedestrians staring at them.
Some looked confused.
Others looked curious.
One elderly merchant even paused in the middle of carrying a crate just to watch.
The realization immediately made her face turn red.
Meanwhile, Relict simply sighed.
For someone who constantly worried about attracting attention, she certainly had a remarkable talent for doing exactly that.
Though embarrassed by what had happened earlier, Seila still refused to accept his proposal.
"I'm not going to leave you behind, Young Master!"
She stepped closer and lowered her voice this time, making sure not to attract unnecessary attention again.
"That plan is too risky."
Relict was not surprised by her reaction.
Truthfully, he would have been more surprised if she had agreed immediately.
After all, Seila had always been like this.
Whenever the matter involved his safety, her emotions often overpowered her judgment.
"Seila."
His voice remained calm.
"This is our first time experiencing a situation like this together, so I understand your concerns."
The two continued walking along the crowded street. Merchants loudly advertised their products while pedestrians continuously flowed around them. To outsiders, they appeared no different from a noble young master casually speaking with his maid.
Unfortunately, the conversation itself was far from casual.
"However," Relict continued, "you're allowing those concerns to cloud your judgment."
Hearing his words, Seila instinctively bit her lip.
Relict suddenly stopped walking.
The abrupt action forced Seila to stop as well.
Then he turned around and stared directly into her eyes.
"Look at me."
The seriousness in his tone made Seila subconsciously straighten her posture.
"My body is too weak."
Relict stated the fact plainly.
"If you insist on staying with me, your only option is to carry me all the way back to our territory."
His eyes remained fixed on hers.
"Then answer me honestly."
"What if they catch us before we get there?"
Seila's lips parted slightly.
However, Relict did not give her time to answer.
"What are you going to do then?"
He took a step closer.
"Will you fight them while protecting me?"
Another step.
"Will you carry me and continue running?"
Then he delivered the final question.
"Or are you going to make me run on my own?"
Seila froze.
Before she could answer, Relict calmly opened his outer garment.
The movement revealed the thin white shirt beneath.
And beneath that shirt—
The reality she already knew.
His body remained frail.
His shoulders were narrow.
His arms lacked strength.
Even through the fabric, the outline of his ribs could still be faintly seen.
Years of illness had left their mark upon him.
The curse may have disappeared, but its damage remained.
Relict lowered his gaze toward his own body before looking back at her.
"Do you really think I can run in this condition?"
"Answer me, Seila."
This time, Seila remained silent.
Her head slowly lowered as she tightly gripped the hem of her skirt.
She knew.
Perhaps better than anyone else.
Ever since they were children, she had always been by his side. She was the one who prepared his medicine every day, the one who helped him move whenever his body became too weak, and the one who stayed awake through countless nights whenever his condition worsened.
Because of that, she understood his body better than anyone.
She wanted to refute him.
Wanted to tell him that she could still protect him somehow.
That they could still return home together.
However, the moment she looked at his frail figure, the words she wanted to say simply would not come out.
Deep inside, she already knew.
Her young master was right.
Seeing her quietly lower her head, Relict continued speaking.
"Listen carefully."
He closed his outer garment and resumed walking.
"Our appearances have already been seen."
"Our clothes have already been seen."
"If the assassins are as competent as I believe, they've likely memorized both."
The crowd naturally moved around them as they continued forward.
"Staying together only makes us easier to identify."
Relict glanced toward the bustling streets ahead.
"If we split up, even temporarily, their assumptions become unreliable."
"They'll be forced to choose."
"That uncertainty alone increases our chances."
Seila continued walking beside him with her head lowered.
"...Mm."
It was the only response she managed to give.
Her fingers tightly clenched the hem of her skirt.
She did not want him to see her face.
Did not want him to see her trembling lips.
Or the tears gradually forming within her eyes.
Unfortunately, Relict noticed everything.
His perception had long surpassed what ordinary people considered normal.
"Seila."
"..."
"As your young master, you should follow my order."
Hearing those words, Seila's shoulders trembled slightly.
"I know..."
Her voice sounded weak.
"I know, Young Master..."
Relict raised an eyebrow.
"If you understand, then why are you crying?"
Before she could react—
Flick!
"Aw!"
Seila immediately covered her forehead with both hands.
The sudden pain forced her head upward.
Only then did Relict finally see her face clearly.
Her eyes had become slightly red.
Her lips were pouting.
And she looked one step away from bursting into tears.
The sight almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Meanwhile, the small flick had finally shattered the emotional dam she had desperately been trying to maintain.
"I just..."
Her voice trembled.
"I just want to stay by your side."
Relict remained silent.
"I don't want to see you die again."
The words came out faster.
"I want to protect you."
Her eyes became even redder.
"I want to stay with you."
Then, before she could stop herself—
"I want to protect you even if it costs my life!"
Several nearby pedestrians turned their heads once more.
Fortunately, Seila no longer cared.
All of the frustration, fear, and anxiety she had suppressed since the ambush finally poured out.
"Is it wrong?"
Her voice became softer.
"Is it wrong for me to feel that way toward you?"
For several moments, neither of them spoke.
The bustling crowd continued moving around them.
Merchants continued shouting.
Children continued laughing.
Yet Seila felt as though the entire world had become silent.
Then Relict smiled.
A genuine smile.
"No."
His answer came immediately.
"It isn't wrong."
The simple response made Seila's eyes widen slightly.
However, Relict continued before she could misunderstand.
"But you need to learn how to control those emotions."
His voice remained calm.
"Being blinded by them won't help either of us."
He gently tapped her forehead once more.
Far lighter than before.
"You cannot protect someone if you've already lost the ability to think clearly."
Seila stared at him.
At his calm expression.
At his genuine smile.
Then realization suddenly struck her.
She had confessed.
Not indirectly.
Not vaguely.
Not through hints.
She had practically confessed everything directly to his face.
The realization instantly turned her entire face red.
Without hesitation, she looked away.
Completely away.
As though staring at him for another second would cause her to explode from embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Relict continued talking and did not pressed too much on her reactions.
"Well."
He looked toward the direction of the Grand Bazaar.
"It seems you're finally calm now."
Seila wished the ground would swallow her whole.
Unfortunately, Relict continued speaking.
"Let's not waste any more time."
His tone immediately returned to business.
"Go back to our territory."
"Inform my father directly."
"If everything goes smoothly, I'll wait for you at the plaza."
Then he added one final instruction.
"Expand your aura once you arrive."
His gaze briefly met hers.
"I'll sense it."
This time, Seila did not argue.
She simply lowered her head and bowed.
Whether it was because she finally accepted his reasoning or because she was still dying from embarrassment, only she knew.
After a few moments, she turned around and took her first step away.
Then another.
And another.
However, after several steps, she suddenly stopped.
The dagger.
It was still in her pocket.
Seila quickly reached toward her waist and pulled the weapon out.
If she was leaving him behind, then at the very least he should have something to protect himself with.
With that thought in mind, she immediately turned around.
Only to freeze.
Her young master was gone.
Completely gone.
The crowd continuously flowed through the street, yet there was no sign of him anywhere.
No familiar green coat.
No pale face.
No weak figure.
Nothing.
For a brief moment, Seila simply stood there in stunned silence.
Then she finally understood.
Relict had never intended to give her another opportunity to argue.
The moment she agreed, he had already disappeared into the crowd.
Seila stared at the bustling street in silence while tightly holding the dagger in her hand.
For a brief moment, she wondered how someone with such a weak body could disappear so quickly.
Then she remembered the expression on his face earlier.
Calm.
Confident.
Certain.
Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on the dagger before finally turning toward the direction of the Lyn Family's territory.
The embarrassment on her face gradually faded.
The hesitation in her heart slowly disappeared.
And when she opened her eyes again, only determination remained.
Without another word, Seila began running.
...