As the journey to the Mage District began, Alicia started to think about all the things that had happened to her in the past. How her parents were brutally murdered, how Sir Alfred saved her, and how she swore revenge on the Emperor. The more she thought about these things, the more she felt determined to succeed in the mage district. She hoped again and again that her decision wouldn't fail her.
She entered a dense forest. The night began to fall. The coachman stopped the carriage and halted it under a giant tree.
He asked,
"Miss, can you please come out? It is time for dinner." Alicia, who fell asleep along the way, woke up to this sudden voice.
Startled, she said,
"Huh... Where are we now?"
The Coachman replied,
"We are in Southland Woods, miss..."
Alicia was alarmed and asked,
"Um, why are we in the Southland Woods? I thought we were going through Oston city?"
The Coachman replied,
"We were about to go through the city, but there was some unexpected roadblock, so I took another route. This route is faster anyway. Will you come down and have a meal right now?"
Alicia was very suspicious of this coachman and his attitude. But she decided to come anyway. After all, it was the coachman trusted by her Uncle, who was known for his suspicions about others.
She sat and had a meal she brought with her. The Coachman sat across from her and ate his own meal. She tried to be polite and started a small talk.
She asked,
"So, how long have you been working with my Uncle?" He replied, "For about a decade, Miss."
She asked again,
"You don't look more than 19 years old to me. How did you start working so young? And what do you do at his estate?"
The Coachman, slightly annoyed, replied,
"The baron took me in when I was ten. I am now 20 years old. I now work as his personal aide. Any more questions?"
Alicia got more suspicious. She had never seen a coachman this rude.
She replied,
"Yes, what was your name again?"
Rolling his eyes, he replied,
"Rowan!" After that, they both ate silently. Rowan blew the fire. Alicia went inside the coach to sleep. Rowan slept outside.
Around the middle of the night, Alicia, who was still awake reading a book, heard some rustling outside. She decided to take a look and saw Rowan coming near the carriage. She quickly blew out the candle and pretended to be asleep. Rowan came near, took a peek, and went some other way. With a lot of suspicion, Alicia decided to follow him. He went behind a large tree and started talking to someone. She heard more voices from that side. She snuck inside a cavity and started listening.
She heard Rowan talk,
"Yes, she is asleep. Quickly do the deed. I will send word that a large beast killed her."
The other man talked,
"Good! We will finish her. His majesty will be so delighted. But are you sure that brat is the late Hero's daughter? I mean, we are sure that she was killed in that crossfire. This better not be a scam, Rowan!"
Rowan replied,
" Of course it isn't. You think I don't remember that girl. Her face is quite unforgettable. And I have seen the Baron go to Alfred's quarters multiple times this year, if not for treason, which none of the knights could find evidence of, what else could it be other than this?"
The assassins nodded in agreement. They started to walk towards the carriage where Alicia was supposedly sleeping.