“Ania!”

I shouted, but by the time I did, Ania and the abductors had disappeared from the window.

There was a momentary pause as if the world had abruptly come to a standstill.

Whether it was my emotions or Edward’s body reacting automatically, I wasn’t sure.
But one thing was certain—I had to save Ania.

I dove out the open window and jumped down onto the platform.

The station was crowded with people.
The abductors who had taken Ania had already blended into the crowd.

Still, it didn’t mean I would let them go easily.

Climbing the train, I spot Ania struggling against her captors.

“Stop there!”

For the first time, I felt fortunate that I had merged with Edward.

If I had been a clumsy noble who couldn’t control his body properly, I wouldn’t have been able to follow them.
I could only have helplessly watched Ania being kidnapped.

I skillfully threaded through the crowd, and Ania came into view.

She was being handed to another group of people outside the station.
They wore the same black masks and rode horses.

“Hurry up and hand her over!”
“Fuck… someone’s following us!”

They quickly mounted their horses after taking Ania and headed off.

“Damn it…”

Even though Edward was a skilled knight, keeping up with horses was impossible.

That was when I saw a barn right in front of the station.

I didn’t have time to think. My body moved on its own.

“Hey!”

I ran into the barn and shouted to the stable boy.

“Yes, milord… What’s going on?”
“I’ll borrow a horse! The payment will be claimed from the Radner family!”
“Yes, milord!”

Quickly drawing a knife from my waist, I cut the rope binding the horse, then mounted it.

Though I had never ridden a horse, my body knew what to do.
Striking the horse’s flank with my heel, it swiftly galloped.
Holding the reins with one hand and a sword in the other, I chased after Ania.

“Stop!”

There were two abductors on horseback. Ania was on the one to my left.

“Don’t come closer!”

The one on the right drew an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at me.
The arrow reached me quickly, but I managed to deflect it with a swing of my sword.

“Escape! Don’t let them catch you!”
“Shut up and shoot already!”

Several arrows flew towards the horse, but I skillfully deflected them with the sword.
As adrenaline rushed through my body, I felt a sense of exhilaration.

I deflected the arrows with ease, then spurred the horse forward.

“Release the lady!”
“Would you release her if you were in our position?”

The abductor carrying Ania swung a club.

Lowering my head to avoid the swing, I raised my sword above my head. However, at that moment, another arrow flew towards me, and the abductor with Ania moved further away.

Quickly bending my body, I guided the horse to the right.

Charging towards the annoying archer, I swung my sword, severing the abductor’s head.
The headless body collapsed to the ground, and the horse ran amok.

Killing a person didn’t bring any guilt.

Even if I killed those who had kidnapped Ania multiple times over, a mysterious feeling prevented any sense of remorse.

“If you don’t release her…”

I directed the horse towards the left, approaching the remaining abductor.

“The price for your sins will be paid with your lives!”
“My life means nothing anyway! Boys, get him!”

Around me, I noticed more archers from the bushes and trees.

Several arrows were shot at once.
I moved my body, swiftly swinging the sword and deflecting most of them.

However, one arrow struck the horse’s leg.

The horse neighed in pain, and just when I thought it would fall, an inexplicable force lifted my body.

I… jumped.

Stepping on the falling horse, I leaped towards the abductor’s horse.

“Let go! Let go!”

Grabbing the reins with all my strength, I desperately struggled.
The intense shock transmitted through my fingertips caused excruciating pain and a sensation that my hand might tear apart or my wrist might twist.

But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

I had to save Ania.

I had to save her somehow.

“This is… the cost of a life!”

Using my other hand, I tightly grasped the abductor’s neck and pulled to the side.

“Ugh… Uwaaah!”

The fallen abductor’s neck snapped with a final scream, and I mounted the horse.

“Hi-yah!”

Turning around, I charged towards the archers.

“Oh… he’s coming!”
“Run away!”

Though they tried to escape, it was already too late.

Approaching them with the horse, I grabbed one of them by the neck and slammed them into a nearby tree.
They crumpled to the ground, kicking up the dust around them.

Unfortunately, the other two managed to escape.

However, that was enough.
I would find out by any means necessary who would dare do this.

Jumping off the horse, I grabbed the one I caught by the collar.

“Please spare me!”
“Speak.”
“I’ll talk!”
“Tell me immediately who your employer is!”

***

“I-I only know that! That’s all I know!”
“Lie, and you’ll be held accountable for everything.”
“It’s not a lie! I swear it’s true! I can swear on everything I have!”

After interrogating the abductor, I was able to identify the culprit.

“It’s the ‘Drug King’ of the back alley! He said he’d pay a lot of money if we kidnapped the lady!”

Once again, it was Johann.
No one else who held the title still lived.

But why did Johann start moving in earnest only after December, when the snow began to fall?

“Has the cause… changed?”

Looking back, the wedding was similar.

It was originally scheduled for a later date, but it was moved up by about two weeks.
Perhaps my actions deviated from the original plot.

However, that wasn’t the issue at the moment. I extended my hand and infused magical energy into the abductor’s head.

“It’s a tracking spell. I hope your words weren’t lies.”
“T-Then, can I go now?”
“Get lost.”
“Thank you!”

The abductor hastily fled as soon as he finished speaking.

With everything settled, only now did Ania come into view.

Ania’s shoulders trembled faintly.
Her elaborately styled hair and carefully applied makeup had all gone to waste.

Despite her transparently quivering pupils filled with tears and her tightly closed trembling lips, she looked pitifully beautiful.

I draped my coat over Ania’s shoulders and looked into her eyes.

“My Lady, are you okay?”
“…”

Ania nodded slightly without saying a word.

“…I’m sorry. I should have protected you better.”

We didn’t assign guards to the daughter of Duke Bronte solely because of my presence.

But how careless was that thinking?

Now, I realize.

However, Ania shook her head.

“No.”

Then, she lifted the corners of her mouth with some effort.

“Since my husband saved me… So, I’m okay.”

Seeing Ania trying to smile while saying that, a strange emotion welled up in my heart—something whole, sentimental, and vague.

It wasn’t love but a feeling that couldn’t be easily described.

I forced myself to swallow the emotions emerging within me.

“Shall we go back? We can’t attend the ball in this state.”
“Yeah…”

She briskly combed through her hair with her fingers and pulled out a mirror to fix her appearance.
Suddenly, the trembling figure from a moment ago disappeared, and Ania returned to her usual self as if the previous state was a lie.

“Let’s go to the ball.”
“But… just a moment ago, you were…”
“Let’s go. We made a promise, so we have to go.”

Ania sniffled as if about to cry, and I helped her onto the horse.

“I am Ania Bronte, the honorable lady of the esteemed Bronte family.”
“…”

Ania smiled gracefully.
Seeing her like that, I couldn’t bring myself to suggest returning.

“If the My Lady insists.”

I lifted Ania onto the horse, mounted myself, and took the reins.

If we took the train, we would be late.
However, that wouldn’t foil our determination.

“Hold on tight. We might be a bit late, but I’ll get there as fast as possible.”
“Yes…”

When I took the reins, the horse instantly cut through an open field and headed west.

Only then did the pain start to spread throughout my body, but I couldn’t show any signs of discomfort.

My main concern was not to disturb Ania, who was peacefully asleep in my arms.

That was the only thing that mattered.