Morticia

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

We're nearing the Adala Archduchy ten days after that incident in Evans. Darren decided it would be best to replenish resources, specifically horses, in Ostalia since we're near the Thompson Marquisate anyway. We stayed there for two days and nights before heading out to Adala. Whatever's going on Centuria doesn't seem to have gotten out the borders. That's partly a relief and partly a worry too. If whatever's in Centuria hasn't gone out to the surrounding kingdoms of West Solaria, then it's bound to spread. 

I've been thinking about that woman since the incident. Everything just seemed so bizarre. First of all, how did that woman obtain those gruesome burns..? They didn't look accidental. Like the ones you get while working or the like. They looked intentional. And the fact that she's almost covered in burns, some even took out some flesh that her bones were nearly seen... It looked like she was put in a huge furnace full of flames long enough that she'd sustain those kinds of injuries. It's a miracle she's still alive and walking by the time we met her, albeit she looked incredibly weak due to the blood loss...

Even so... Why did she specifically go to me and say 'GO BACK'? Shouldn't it be 'HELP'? If I was in her situation, I would've asked for help. Why did she specifically give a warning when her situation warranted help? It's incredibly odd. I feel like I'm missing something... She doesn't seem to care for the other knights. When Nevan didn't understand her, there were knights near Nevan who could understand her but she didn't glance at them at the time. She resolutely moved towards my carriage window, looked at me dead in the eyes, and gave a warning. 

Did she know my identity? But It's the first time I met her that day..? She couldn't have recognized me. Evans is far off Mortem... I don't even go out of the palace back in Mortem. The only difference between me and the knights is that I'm a princess and they're knights.  Maybe the girl suspected I was a high-ranking noble since I was escorted by a lot of knights albeit the carriage being a normal one..? But that's not right. Why chase someone who you deem as a high-ranking noble away? Is there something I'm missing? 

Deep in my thoughts, I hadn't realized the knights decided to camp for the day. I only realized when the carriage I was in stopped moving. I went out and Nevan told me we were camping here for the night. There's a clearing up ahead so I went and sat on a log near the campfire they made. The knights went on preparing for food and scouting the area as well as collecting firewood for the campfire. I don't know what to do. Seeing the knights busy themselves made me feel useless. I don't know how to cook. I'm not strong enough to defend myself in case something happens if I join the scouting team. I think I can collect wood but I'll probably get lost in the woods in the process... Well, I do have my spells. 

I sighed. Maybe I just want to do something to take my mind off things. Thinking about spells made me remember the archduke... I wonder how the kids are faring..? I hope Sir Kalian and Marie took the kids to safety... I was getting all teary when Nevan handed me roasted meat. I looked up at him.

"You should eat, Princess." He said, handing me the stick with the roasted meat while sitting next to me. I stared at the sizzling meat for a bit. I heard him gobble the meat with large bites but still didn't eat mine. They must've been hungry. I twirled the stick and observed the meat. 

"You shouldn't play with your food, Princess," Nevan said and I halted my actions and faced him. 

"... How do you roast meat..?"

Nevan paused at what I said and looked at me incredulously. He frowned slightly and shook his head in resignment. e cleared his throat before explaining.

"Well, you skewer meat into a thin stick like this first." He pointed at the stick in my hand and continued. " It should be long lest you want to burn your hand while cooking." He gestured how long the stick should be.

"Then when the meat is skewered, it should be ready to cook under the fire. You need to slowly turn the skewer around so the meat in it is evenly cooked on all sides. After that, you're done." I nodded slowly at his explanation and fell into deep thought.

"Could something like that happen to humans too?" I asked. Nevan didn't say anything after, seemingly dumbfounded.

"..."

"Princess, you should never--"

"The lady's burns back at Evans looked like she was tied up to a wooden pole and set fire to her surroundings... Otherwise, how could her whole body get burns like that..? Now that I looked at it, It's just like this roasted meat. Although it seemed the fire that caused that lady's wounds wasn't evenly produced..." Nevan was silent and I continued telling him my thoughts.

"You know, I heard my father mention something like that in the past..." I stated as I took a bite of the roasted meat. " I just happened to pass by and heard his conversations with his advisor. It was something about witches and fires... Stakes and executions..? Somehow, witches only seemed to be women..." I took another bite of the meat and fell silent. Nevan didn't seem to want to talk to so I continued once I finished. 

"What if... What if what happened in Evans were my Father's doing?" Nevan seemed to not know what to say and I didn't wait for him to answer.

"From here on out, refer to me as 'Young Master' instead of 'Princess', alright?" I said to the confused-looking Nevan. He muttered "What..?" as I asked him if he as men's clothing in his spatial bag.

"... Yes, there's some hoods too." 

"That'll do. Give them to me." I held my hand out and Nevan gave me the clothes. I looked at them satisfied. " Thank you."

"Can you tell Darren to call me 'Young Master' too? Tell him to inform the knights."

"I... will."

"Oh, by the way, do you have a dagger I can use? some bandages too. A lot."

"Well, yes, but what for..?" Nevan asked as I gave him a small smile finishing off the skewered meat I had. 

"You'll see."

"I'll leave this place with a new identity."