Dahlia tried to recall her attack, but she couldn’t help but shake her head, albeit slowly and weakly, in response.
“I couldn’t see their faces, but there was more than one person… They also used both magic and weapons,” Dahlia recalled her blurred memory with a frown.
“Right,” Solana acknowledged with a nod before mentioning, “Your body suffered various burns and countless cuts and stabs. They were definitely caused by fire magic and blade weapons.”
“But despite your mutilated state, your attackers seemed to have avoided all the lethal areas. Your serious condition was mostly due to blood loss,” Solana added.
That’s why even though she used healing magic, Cyrena’s potions played a more significant role in Dahlia’s recovery.
Her level of healing magic could only seal the wounds and restore Dahlia’s appearance. However, she couldn’t replenish the loss of blood.
“Oh, right. Your chest area suffered the most wounds. How strange, considering they missed all your vitals,” Solana recalled.
Dahlia frowned before becoming startled in the next instant. She immediately checked her Magic Domain.
“Fortunately, the mana stones with me haven’t been taken,” Dahlia heaved a sigh of relief.
“Your life is more important than some mana stones, Lady Dahlia. Don’t put so much importance on the mana stones. Mana stones can be recovered if lost, but not your life,” Solana stated as she stood up. “I think I’ve bothered you enough. I better let you rest.”
Since Dahlia didn’t know much about her attackers, there was no point in pressing the topic.
“Wait.”
Dahlia tried to stop Solana from leaving, but her hand was too weak to reach her. Still, Solana stopped when she heard her.
“Is there something else, Lady Dahlia?” Solana asked.
“Since I’ve been out for an entire week, a lot must have happened, right?” Dahlia asked, smelling the pungent fragrance of medicine in the room. “A lot of medicinal ingredients must have been used for my recovery… Did we manage to restore the supply chain from Redpine City?”
Solana glanced at Cyrena and let her answer Dahlia’s question.
“Unfortunately, no.” Cyrena shook her head with a sigh and said, “There hasn’t been any news from Redpine City. Considering you were ambushed outside town, I believe all of our supplies from Redpine City had been intercepted and stolen by others.”
“The last of our ingredients with healing properties were used on you, Lady Dahlia,” Cyrena stated.
“I see…” Dahlia appeared disappointed.
“Enough thinking and just rest, Lady Dahlia,” Solana reminded with a firmer tone before adding, “We’ll continue our discussion another time.”
“In that case, you should also do the same, Lady Solana. You must not have gotten much sleep this past week, have you?” Dahlia guessed.
“Yeah, so don’t worry. I plan to get some shut-eye even if you didn’t tell me. Try not to leave the room while I am asleep,” Solana mentioned.
Shortly after, she leaned against the wall next to the door and hugged her sword close to her chest. Within seconds of closing her eyes, she already started snoozing.
Dahlia could immediately guess how tired Solana had been by how fast she fell asleep.
Silence quickly returned to the room.
Although Dahlia had been unconscious for a whole week, she soon felt drowsy from the lack of attention and fell asleep again.
Cyrena didn’t plan to stay up alone.
Considering the uncertain future, she wanted to be in her best state when the next problem arose. Thus, she took a nap after killing the lights in the room.
Several hours quickly passed as the three ladies slept in the dark, silent room. The only sound came from their breathing and the rustle of wind outside the window.
Creak…
The wooden floor creaked under pressure as footsteps were heard outside the lord’s bedchamber. After the first footstep, the subsequent creaks became softer yet closer.
A slight frown appeared on Solana’s sleeping face, but her eyes remained shut.
Before long, the door to the lord’s bedchamber was slowly opened subtly as possible, revealing a young lady in a white blouse and black skirt.
The young lady did not have the appearance of an assassin, but she carried a small dagger laced with vicious poison in her hand.
After the young lady checked the room, she immediately aimed the poisoned dagger at Solana’s vulnerable neck.
Cling!
The poison dagger was immediately blocked by Solana’s slightly unsheathed sword. At the same time, Solana’s eyes snapped open to glare at her assailant.
Although she immediately recognized Marilla’s familiar appearance, she did not show mercy or hesitation.
Puchi!
Marilla’s body was quickly pinned to the opened door by swords of light before she could make her next move.
Puchi! Puchi!
Solana summoned more swords of light and skewered Marilla’s limbs in place, robbing Marilla of her mobility.
“Ahhh!”
Marilla’s scream resounded to the pain inflicted upon her while simultaneously waking up Dahlia and Cyrena.
Meanwhile, the poison dagger dropped to the ground before the wooden floor sizzled, corroded by the poison.
Solana’s pupils quickly shrank before she turned her solemn gaze to Marilla and coldly asked, “Why did you betray me, Marilla?”
Marilla’s body trembled as tears quickly filled up her eyes and overflowed.
“I’m terribly sorry, Lady Marilla… I didn’t have a choice. They took my mother and forced poison into my body,” Marilla confessed, knowing she couldn’t win.
She failed to save her mother and also betrayed Lady Solana. Thus, she despaired.
“They?” Solana’s eyes flickered with a sharp glint as she interrogated, “Who are they? Do you know who they are? Tell me!”
“I-I don’t know, Milady. Their faces were covered… However, they had a particular accent. I don’t think they are from—”
Marilla suddenly stopped talking as blood gushed out of her mouth, followed by blood pouring out of her eyes and the rest of her orifices.
Solana was immediately shocked before she flashed beside Marilla to inspect her situation. However, she was helpless and couldn’t save her.
Within moments, Marilla drew her last breath and passed away.
“Dammit!” Solana hammered the wooden door with helpless frustration and anger, cracking it into splinters.
“Was that an anti-confession spell?” Dahlia asked with a startled look.
“No!” Solana firmly denied it before saying, “It was poison, designed to erupt after some time. Our enemies planned to get rid of Marilla, regardless of the task’s success.”
“They are just toying with us!” Solana clenched her fist furiously.
