Chapter 51
Lucy suddenly opened her eyes.
She thought she had only dozed off for a moment, but it was already morning.
She looked around and saw no one.
‘Where did Bartholomew go?’
Worried that something might have happened to him, she was about to stand up.
“Awake?”
Bartholomew asked as he entered the cave.
He was holding a water flask that had just been refilled.
Lucy took the flask from him and looked closely at his face.
‘He looks tired.’
Come to think of it, had Bartholomew even slept?
Lucy looked at the campfire, which had not gone out yet.
He must have stayed up all night to keep the fire burning.
Feeling sorry and grateful that he had spent the night alone for her sake, Lucy said,
“I’ll take care of the fire. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
Bartholomew shook his head.
“It’s morning. We should go down the mountain.”
He was right.
They couldn’t stay in the cave forever.
They had been lucky last night and avoided wild animals, but there was no guarantee today would be the same.
They also had no food.
Still, after wandering through the mountains in confusion because of the runaway horse, Lucy wasn’t sure they could find the right path.
Just then, the ground began to shake.
The moment she realized it was the sound of many horses running—
“Princess Lucy!”
“Princess Lucy! Where are you?”
She heard men calling her name.
Lucy’s face brightened as she stood up.
She went outside the cave with Bartholomew and shouted,
“I’m here! Over here!”
The sound of hooves quickly grew closer.
Soon, three men appeared in front of Lucy.
Logan, Patrick, and Cecil.
They had followed the horse tracks until sunset the day before, but once night fell, they had no choice but to stop searching.
They camped on the mountain and began searching again at dawn.
Now that they had finally found Lucy, relief showed on their faces.
The first to dismount was Cecil.
He followed behind Logan and Patrick, his face full of concern.
“Princess Lucy, are you hurt anywhere?”
Cecil asked as he examined her expression.
“I’m fine.”
“Please excuse me for a moment.”
Even though Lucy said she was fine, Cecil gently took her arm.
He carefully sent his energy into her body to check her condition.
She looked a little tired, but there was nothing wrong with her body.
After confirming this, Cecil let out a small sigh and released her arm.
“Cecil, could you check Bartholomew’s condition too? He pushed himself a lot helping me.”
At her words, all three men turned their gaze to Bartholomew.
As if they were only noticing him now.
“Understood.”
Cecil approached Bartholomew.
Without a word, Bartholomew held out his injured right arm.
Cecil took it and sent his energy into Bartholomew’s body.
The energy flowed smoothly and began healing his arm.
Just as Cecil was about to say the treatment was done, he suddenly stopped.
‘That’s strange.’
He realized that the energy he sent in wasn’t spreading past a certain point.
That place was Bartholomew’s heart.
This was the first time Cecil had ever felt his healing energy fail to reach such an important area.
Some unknown force was pushing his energy away.
When Cecil tried to send in more energy, it backfired, dispersing like mist.
“What on earth…?”
Cecil’s face grew serious as he was about to say something.
“Thank you for the treatment.”
Bartholomew calmly pulled his arm back.
Cecil’s expression remained stiff.
‘What is happening inside your body?’
Cecil asked with his eyes.
‘That’s none of your concern.’
Bartholomew replied with his gaze, then turned toward Lucy.
Lucy was explaining everything to Logan and Patrick.
She told them how the horse suddenly went wild and how Bartholomew had saved her.
When Bartholomew approached, Lucy looked at him.
“How do you feel?”
“I’m fine now.”
Lucy then looked at Cecil.
“Thank you, Cecil.”
Though uneasy, Cecil nodded.
Lucy looked between Logan, Patrick, and Cecil.
“Thank you for coming to find me. I don’t know how to repay this favor.”
Logan was about to say it was only natural, but Patrick cut in.
“We’re just glad you recognize our effort, Princess Lucy.”
He looked at Logan and Cecil and continued,
“I had to stop someone reckless from searching even after dark, and calm someone who said this was the worst camping of his life. I suffered the most, really.”
Patrick joked with a smile.
“Princess Lucy owes the three of us quite a bit.”
Lucy listened quietly, then smiled.
It was clear he had something he wanted.
“Then how should I repay this debt?”
“Please invite us to the tea party you mentioned before.”
A tea party?
Lucy’s eyes widened at the unexpected request.
Then she remembered the social party Patrick had hosted before.
She had once suggested having tea with Cecil, and Patrick must have remembered.
It wasn’t a grand event at all, so Lucy felt a little flustered.
But thinking about it, it wasn’t a bad way to repay them.
‘I don’t have treasures or gold to give them.’
If it were Elisha, she would have sent expensive gifts.
‘And I’m not in a position to host a large social party yet.’
In the end, a tea party was the most realistic option.
‘Did Patrick suggest it because he knew that?’
Lucy looked at Patrick quietly.
He was still smiling.
Seeing that calm expression, she realized he had asked for a tea party to be considerate of her.
It was unexpected kindness.
Maybe she had been judging Patrick unfairly until now.
Admitting that, Lucy nodded gladly.
“It would be my honor to host the three of you in the guest house. Is that alright with everyone?”
Logan and Cecil nodded.
Lucy smiled brightly.
Now all that remained was to leave this dreadful mountain.
Meanwhile, the hunting competition, which was supposed to last three days, was completely halted on the second day.
Princess Lucy had gone missing, and Logan, the host of the competition, had gone to search for her.
Everyone gathered and talked about Lucy and the three men who went after her.
Only Elisha seemed indifferent.
On the outside, she perfectly played the role of an older sister hoping for her sibling’s safe return.
But inside, she sneered, knowing there was no way to stop a runaway horse.
That’s why she was shocked when Lucy returned with four men.
‘What happened?’
As Lucy explained what had happened, it became clear that Bartholomew was the one who ruined things.
‘Bartholomew Faraday.’
Elisha looked at him coldly when no one was watching.
Because of that man, her plan had failed.
She had seen him follow Lucy but never thought he would actually save her.
An eyesore.
But Elisha’s gaze didn’t stay on Bartholomew for long.
She knew he wouldn’t be in her way much longer.
Once that man disappeared, she would be able to deal with Lucy.
Elisha made a quiet vow to herself.
