After their conversation, the Duke ordered Mariam's release and allowed Elaine to bring the young maid to her tent. She directed Cecil to place the unconscious girl on the servant's bed. Given the severity of her injuries, a healer would have provided a faster treatment. However, requesting a Temple's healer to cure a servant would be inappropriate and garner unwanted attention. Thus, Elaine instead called Croix's physician to examine her. After a thorough inspection, he concluded none of the wounds were life-threatening and reported the girl's condition to Elaine. He then provided her with an ointment to treat the injuries. She nodded and dismissed him.

Elaine ordered Cecil to apply the ointment on some of Mariam's outer wounds and placed the remaining portion on her bedside for self-application when she woke up. After all, she could not risk appearing too concerned for the girl and having rumors reach the Duke—it would undermine the character's impression she was playing.

Not long afterward, Cecil also received a summon from the Emperor. Elias…and now Cecil. It can't be a coincidence. Elaine deduced their summoning was related to the tomb discovered inside the Insidious Forest. However, the male protagonist never entered the tomb, and Cecil had no relics on him when they reunited. She recalled the blonde-haired young man reporting to Elias that he had lost the items inside the secret chamber during the chaos—the female protagonist also collaborated with his story. Only Cecil, Celeste, and two knights in training escaped from the original exploring team. The rest got buried in the tomb when it collapsed after the monsters attacked.

What were those relics? The mysteries never mentioned in the book piqued Elaine's interest. However, she again quelled her bubbling curiosity. Considering her precarious position, knowing too much would harm more than benefit her.

The darkness curtain gradually swept over the skies, bringing the stars and moons to reign over the lifeless field. Elaine yawned and retired early to prepare for the morning return departure. When she woke the following day, Cecil had already returned and stood guarding outside her tent. Elaine glanced at Mariam and noticed the young maid in a delirious state. Alerted by the redness on her cheeks, she walked over and felt the girl's burning forehead. Not good. She got a fever. Two days of bracing against the elements outside while undergoing torture must have stretched the young maid's body's tolerance. Elaine poured ice energy into the girl to pause her body heating trajectory and again summoned Croix's physician. "Make sure she stays alive. I don't want to sit beside a corpse during the trip," she told him.

"Please rest assured, milady. Your maid's fever is treatable," the physician replied, producing a small capsule from his bag. "This should keep the heat at bay until we return."

"Good." Elaine accepted the pill and ordered the physician to hold the young maid's body forward while she force-fed it to her. All she needed was for Mariam to survive the return journey. Then she would receive better care at the Croix estate. The Duke had permitted Elaine to keep the young girl alive. Therefore, he would not deny her providing the girl with basic medical treatment.

"You may leave."

"As you wish, milady." He bowed and exited the tent.

When it was time to leave, Elaine strolled to her carriage while Cecil carried Mariam behind her. He laid the young maid on the seat opposite Elaine, bowed, and retreated outside. After the blonde-haired young man closed the carriage door, she reached out and opened her window. The autumn breeze, carrying the scent of earth and decay, flew in and tussled her hair. While ignoring the unpleasant smell, Elaine's eyes swept the surrounding. The d'Amboise and royal parties remained stationed at their respective campsite. However, since the incident with Nickolas and the Léonas Empire, she had not again heard from or encountered Elias or Alexander—not that their whereabouts should be any of her concerns. She closed the window.

The carriage started moving, and Elaine's mind wandered back to the portal. Would the terrifying creatures reveal themselves again? Elaine knew these things enjoyed surprising their victims, relishing in the primal human fears. She stared at the unconscious young girl before her. Elaine realized she was alone, with no one to distract her from their harassment. Calm down. I should be used to this by now. She tried reasoning, yet the expecting dread kept her on alert.

After an hour's journey, the magicians welcomed the entourage to their tower at the Kalis Kingdom border. Then, after cycling through the usual procedures, they sent the Croix's troops through the portal.

Again, the misty whiteness clouded Elaine's vision, and the voices surrounding her became muffled. Like in solitary confinement, she could neither hear nor see. Elaine closed her eyes, trying to block the creeping fear from spreading throughout her mind. She remembered Elias' advice and imagined cheerful scenes from her original world. The visual helped divert her attention, yet at the corners of her mind, the trauma she experienced inside the Insidious Forest still slipped through, crawling its way out of the cracks and transforming into ghastly monsters, haunting her consciousness. Within the unbearable silence, the terror in Elaine's recollections amplified tenfold, weighing on her and making her breathing labored.

"Milady, are you alright?" A slight knock outside the carriage window woke Elaine from the unending horror looping in her mind.

She opened her eyes with sweat dripping down her forehead. Elaine reached out her trembling hand and unlatched the window, pushing it outward. Immediately hitting her eyes were the curly blonde locks resembling rays of morning sunshine, momentarily blinding her vision. It was Cecil, though he was no longer riding his horse but walking beside her carriage. His tranquil chestnut and azure eyes observed Elaine, watching her every movement.