Chapter 126: Margaret’s Whereabouts  

After putting Yuria to sleep, Xavier returned to his office and sat down in his chair, stretching his long legs on top of the desk. A report he had been reading remained in his hand.  

Although fatigue pressed down on him, there was work that absolutely needed to be done. Pressing his temple with his index finger, he carefully observed Albert and Rexton, who stood before him. Xavier first addressed Albert.  

“Are there any infected within the ducal residence?”  

“None so far. Thankfully, we were able to distribute the holy power storage devices to the residents of the Snowy Mountain village in time, Master.”  

“Good, that’s a relief. Is there any possibility of a spy among the servants?”  

“Rather than a spy, we’ve received testimony about a maid who has recently been spending extravagantly.”  

“Keep a discreet watch on her.”  

“Yes, Master.”  

Xavier nodded and turned his gaze to Rexton.  

“Is this true?”  

Rexton adjusted his posture and began his report.  

“Margaret’s trail was lost near the entrance to the capital.”  

“She didn’t enter the capital?”  

“No, it seems she didn’t.”  

They had barely managed to pick up the trail of the maid Margaret, expecting her to enter the capital and meet the count. However, their prediction had proven to be entirely wrong.  

Xavier’s long fingers tapped lightly on the report.  

“Where could you have gone, Margaret?”  

In this bitter cold, where could a young girl possibly go?  

Xavier’s gaze shifted to the window, beyond which heavy snow swirled violently.  

The Brillante Empire had named this plague that turned its victims’ bodies black as coal “Carbo,” meaning charcoal.  

Investigations had traced its origin to merchants trading with an island nation, who had brought it through the ports, but the exact cause remained unidentified. The empire, which had skipped autumn and plunged straight into winter, was still gripped by both the cold and the plague.  

However, one thing had changed—people now had hope to overcome despair.  

“Is it true that the holy power storage devices are being given out for free?”  

“Yes, it is a blessing from the Saintess. Accept it gratefully.”  

“Oh! Thank you!”  

The faces of the citizens, who received patches infused with the Saintess’s holy power from the knights, brightened. Despite the bitter cold, lines of people stretched across the square, waiting to receive the storage devices.  

“Those who have received the patches, proceed to the barracks over there for further instructions!”  

Those who had intended to return home turned and entered the barracks pointed out by the knight. Inside, healers dispatched by the imperial family were explaining how to use the cure.  

“This is a Carbo cure developed by the Saintess and Dr. Daniel. Please follow the instructions and take it as directed.”  

“Isn’t that the Flower of Calamity?”  

One man, trembling, tried to flee. The person next to him grabbed him firmly by the nape.  

“Why are you still believing those baseless rumors? That’s Lonicera! The Saintess herself confirmed it with Goddess Maha!”  

“Is… is that so?”  

The man scratched his head and returned to his place. The healer, observing the situation, cleared his throat and continued the explanation.  

“Boil the roots of Lonicera with this special absorption solution, and drink it three times a day for a week. It will prevent and cure Carbo. You can chew the roots directly, but the efficacy will be reduced.”  

The healers began distributing pouches containing Lonicera roots and the special solution developed by Daniel to all the citizens.  

“How many in your family?”  

“Five.”  

“Five pouches. Next.”  

“Eight.”  

What the people left the tents with wasn’t just the cure and the holy power patches. Their hearts were filled with hope and gratitude.  

“Thanks to Saintess Yuria, we’re saved. To think she’s giving away something so precious for free!”  

“Me too. My child’s hands had turned black, and I was so scared.”  

“Oh, Saintess! Thank you, Saintess Yuria!”  

“And thank you to that Daniel fellow too!”  

Across the entire empire, praises for Saintess Yuria grew louder. Her name echoed in every corner of the empire, even reaching the imperial palace itself. The genuine gratitude and affection for Saintess Yuria took root in the hearts of the people.  

The same was true for the Beast Kingdom, where public admiration for the Saintess reached its peak. The world resounded with praise for Saintess Yuria.  

Even in the Empire’s Central Prison, located at the foot of the western mountain range of the capital and isolated from the rest of the world, it was no different.  

“Ugh, it’s freezing.”  

A tall prison guard stomped his frostbitten feet on the ground.  

“Tell me about it. I’ve never experienced cold like this in my life.”  

The underground prison, known for its harsh conditions even within the Central Prison, was naturally colder than anywhere else. But this year’s severe cold was unprecedented, even for the guards.  

“You’ve recovered now, haven’t you?”  

The tall guard glanced down at his shorter colleague.  

“Oh, this? It’s all thanks to the Saintess. I almost lost my wrist.”  

The shorter guard shivered as he looked at his now-healed hand.  

“You’re lucky it was just that. How many people have died from Carbo? Thanks to the holy power patch, my wife came back from the brink of death. With a newborn baby, I was terrified she wouldn’t make it.”  

“Haha. When I complained about possibly losing my wrist, you were drunk and calling out your wife’s name. It was quite the sight.”  

“What? When did I do that?”  

“You’re such a devoted husband.”  

“Ugh. I can’t deny it.”  

“Anyway, if I ever get the chance to meet Saintess Yuria, I’ll bow down and thank her properly.”  

“Haha. Me too.”  

As the two guards paced the prison corridor to warm their frozen feet, a shadowy figure appeared at the end of the hallway.  

“Who’s there?”  

The guards quickly drew the swords at their waists.  

“It’s me.”  

“Oh, it’s you?”  

The metallic sound of swords being sheathed echoed as a young girl emerged under the dim light of the corridor’s lanterns.  

Brown hair and brown eyes. She was a maid who worked in the prison’s kitchen.  

In her right hand, she held a tray with a bowl of soup, while her left hand, crudely bandaged, supported the tray.  

The shorter guard, noticing her injured hand, asked with concern.  

“Margaret, what’s for lunch today?”  

“Hot soup with beef.”  

“Really? How long has it been since we’ve had meat!”  

The two guards eagerly approached Margaret.  

“Please enjoy.”  

Margaret smiled kindly as she placed the tray on the guards’ table.  

The shabby table, placed in a small space near the entrance, served as both their dining table and desk.  

The two guards sat down and began devouring the soup.  

“Oh, this is heaven. Something warm like this really hits the spot.”  

“Indeed. Thanks, Margaret.”  

“I didn’t do much. It was a bit challenging to get the beef, though.”  

The tall guard, taking another spoonful, praised Margaret.  

“Before you came, we only ever had thin porridge. We know you sneak meat from the warden’s supplies to give to us. Thanks.”  

“Yeah, thanks.”  

The shorter guard agreed as he gulped down the soup straight from the bowl.  

Margaret blushed shyly and replied, 

“I’ve only ever known how to do things like this since I was little. I’m sorry. I’ll probably be punished, won’t I?”  

“Punished? Never. By the way, is there more?”  

“Me too!”  

“I brought the whole pot so you can eat plenty.”  

“You’re the best.”  

The tall guard raised his thumb, and the shorter guard followed suit.  

After finishing their meal, the two guards wiped their mouths with their sleeves and asked Margaret, starting with the shorter one.  

“Is your hand okay? I heard you lost it because of Carbo.”  

“Yes. I didn’t know about the Saintess’s patches, so this happened. If the cook here hadn’t shared her holy power patch with me, I’d have died for sure.”  

“Tsk, tsk. Why didn’t you go to the capital instead of coming all the way to the western mountains? And on foot, no less.”  

“I had someone I desperately wanted to meet.”  

“Someone in this prison?”  

“…Yes.”  

Margaret lowered her gaze sorrowfully. The small girl trembled, her shoulders shaking as she began to sob.  

“Sniff… She’s my only sister, but I can’t see her. Guards, could you please let me see her just once?”  

“Ah, geez.”  

“Hmm.”  

The guards’ faces showed their discomfort.  

From her first day at the Central Prison, Margaret had been asking the two guards for this favor. She claimed her sister was imprisoned in the underground cells.  

But the underground prison was reserved for the worst criminals—those who had attempted to harm high-ranking nobles or members of the imperial family.  

“Please? Just once. I have no one else to ask. Sniff…”  

Finally, Margaret buried her face in her remaining hand and sobbed.  

“Ah, fine. Don’t cry. If we allow a visit without permission, we’ll get in trouble too.”  

“…Let’s do it.”  

The shorter guard, who had been pitying her one remaining hand, spoke up. The taller guard, startled, raised his voice.  

“What? Are you crazy?”  

But his voice soon softened.  

“It’ll only take a moment, right? Isn’t that right?”  

“Yes. Just five minutes, I promise.”  

Margaret clasped her bandaged wrist together in a pleading motion. The taller guard closed his eyes tightly.  

“Fine. Just five minutes.”  

“Thank you so much!”  

Margaret bowed so deeply it seemed her head might fall off. The two guards wiped tears from their eyes, moved by her gratitude.  

“Alright, let’s go.”  

“Y-yeah. Quickly.”  

The two guards got up from their seats and ushered Margaret forward. The jangling of keys echoed irregularly with their footsteps in the dim corridor.  

As Margaret followed behind the guards, her thin lips curled upward into a sinister smile.  

“Hey, the woman with red hair and freckles, right?”  

“Ah, yes. She’s in her twenties and has purple eyes.”  

Margaret quickly masked her expression and answered in a feeble voice.  

“Red hair and purple eyes… Isn’t she the one who tried to poison Duke Auguste?”  

“The one with the nasty temper?”  

The two guards simultaneously turned to look at Margaret, their eyes filled with unease.  

“What’s wrong?”  

“N-nothing.”  

“Just keep it brief.”  

“Yes! Thank you. Tomorrow, I’ll try to bring some chicken drumsticks.”  

At the mention of chicken drumsticks, their stomachs growled again.  

Right. What could a young girl like her possibly do?  

The two guards walked a little further before stopping in front of a solitary cell.  

“Here it is.”  

“Cell 403. You have a visitor.”  

Inside the small, dark cell, a woman sat curled up on a wooden bed. The faint light of the wall-mounted lantern illuminated her face.  

“Is there no visiting room?”  

“A visiting room, Margaret? For criminals like this? Not a chance.”  

“Exactly.”  

Hearing their conversation, the woman reacted to the word ‘Margaret.’ Slowly lifting her face from her knees, she turned toward the source of the voice.  

A scraping sound, like metal being dragged, came from the prisoner’s mouth.

“Ma… ga… ret.”

“It’s been a while, Sister Jude.”