- What…!?
Tilia couldn't fully understand what the man in the bowler hat was saying. The words of the others lined up behind him seemed to blur together like a ringing in their ears.
- I am Viscount Barnes' assistant. Baron Ambrose owes the Barnes family 17,000 gold...
- I'm from Fisher County. Miss Tilia Ambrose, as the eldest daughter of the Ambrose family, you must pay 9200 gold by the due date...
- According to the real estate mortgage agreement, ownership of the Ambrose estate will be transferred within the next month...
This all took place in front of the main building's notice board, where a crowd had gathered to check the grades.
- What's happening?
- I don’t know exactly. Something to do with debt.
- Isn't this Tilia Ambrose? The best graduate of the last exams?
Her mind was filled with voices of people whispering her name and cold professional voices announcing astronomical sums of money.
She didn't even feel the icy wind that had cut her skin moments ago. Her whole body was burning, as if in a fever, and her insides were icy, as if all the blood had rushed to her feet.
- Miss Tilia? Miss Tilia Ambrose?
- Do you see? I told you it was her. Tilia Ambrose, sold by her own father...
Hearing her name repeated like blades at the end of every sentence made her eardrums ache. The ground beneath my feet seemed to rock like a ship in a storm, and my vision was spinning. She felt nauseous. She wanted to run away.
But...
-...Wait.
Clenching her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, Tilia bit the inside of her cheek hard.
Pull yourself together. She wanted to hit herself to regain control, but too many eyes were watching her. She calmed down, her arms and mouth aching, taking a deep breath and raising her head.
- My father, Baron Ambrose, has debts, right?
Her voice cut through the cold air, clear and controlled.
- I would like to familiarize myself with the debt settlement agreement.
Every word she squeezed out felt like a fight for survival. She continued:
- It is inappropriate to discuss this here. Could we move to another location to look at the documents?
Her calm and reasonable request amazed the assistants, who eagerly relayed orders to their masters.
- Hmm...
The man in the bowler hat, stroking his black mustache, squeezed out a good-natured smile.
- Very good. Let's start with the estate of Earl Dawson...
“No, she must come to the Barnes estate first,” a man with brown hair intervened, standing in front of him.
- Viscount Barnes is looking forward to her. The Barnes family was the first to invest in the Ambrose family. Let's follow the order.
- Wait. If we are talking about the order of repayment, then the Fisher family should be first. Count Fischer has the biggest claim!
Watching the assistants begin to argue, Tilia narrowed her eyes.
They couldn't get so angry over such a trifle as the procedure for considering treaties.
And this meant that behind their fervor there was something more hidden...
“The order they are arguing about must have some other meaning.”
Her gaze, barely directed forward, dropped down, as if falling.
Her father's letters, constantly urging the second son of the Davenport family to invest, suddenly stopped at the beginning of winter.
Fearing that he might cause more trouble, she decided to leave Akansis before anything exploded and threw herself into her studies.
At the time, she believed that this was the best way - that she could escape the crumbling world before it was too late.
How stupid. She did not understand that from the moment she was born, a thick web of misfortune was woven under her feet, from which she would never be able to get out.
She didn't need to check to find out the terrible promises her father had made to secure the investment. To Baron Ambrose, she was not a daughter - she was collateral to squeeze out more money. A fish that must be kept alive until the highest price can be paid for it.
In these contracts, its value was probably indicated in parts.
Her eyes, now clouded with unshed tears, looked at the puddles under her feet. She wished she could disappear into them and be carried down the drain.
And then, as her breath caught, something black blocked her view.
For a moment she thought she had lost consciousness. Or closed her eyes. Or maybe she's hyperventilating.
But it was not darkness, nor the veil of the eyelids, nor the blessing of unconsciousness.
- Lenders are not allowed into the Royal Academy of Acansis.
The darkness in front of her eyes was caused by the high-quality black jacket.
It moved up and down, expanding, following the rapid breathing of its owner.
“Your gentlemen must have forgotten the rules, or perhaps they have never been to the academy before.”
As her vision cleared, the sounds became audible again. Among the unfamiliar noises, Tilia recognized a familiar voice and slowly raised her head.
- Go away. You've caused such a commotion that the guards will be here at any moment.
She only saw his back, but it was impossible to make a mistake.
That golden hair, those broad shoulders and that strong neck...
Ilex Davenport.
This was the man she had once waited at the door for the first time in her life.
Hmm. The sound of someone clearing their throat, apparently startled by this unexpected intrusion, echoed around her. Oh my God, it was Ilex Davenport. The muttering behind him grew louder.
In the midst of all this chaos, someone in front of Ilex found the courage to speak.
- You are Lord Davenport, aren't you? But no matter how strict the rules of the academy are, they cannot prevail over the laws of the kingdom. Lady Ambrose is obliged...
- The autonomy of the Royal Academy of Akansis is a right recognized by Her Majesty the Queen. Do you question Her Majesty's authority? Do you dare do this in front of the academy students?
- Oh, no! That's not what I meant...!
- Then leave.
With a sharp command, he grabbed her hand.
The familiar warmth warmed her frozen fingers.
Tilia felt as if her entire being was riveted to the hand holding her as she looked at him.
“I would like him to look me in the eyes. I wish he could explain to me what's going on."
But Ilex Davenport, hastily putting his arm around her shoulders, only whispered insistently:
- Let's run.
***
- Pack your things.
Without allowing her to say a word, he hurriedly dragged her towards the entrance to the girls' dormitory.
- Wait! Male students are not allowed to enter the female dormitory...!
- Move faster.
The dorm manager squealed when she saw Ilex enter the lobby, but he pretended not to hear her.
- Hurry up. There is no time.
Out of breath, Tilia took out the key to her room and opened the door as he ordered, nervously asking:
- What's going on? Why are you doing this?
- First of all, pack your things. The train is leaving soon.
- Train?
Puzzled by his words, Tilia looked up.
Ignoring her gaze, he simply led her to an open room and went inside.
- Take only what you need. I'll send you the rest later.
- What train are you talking about?
- Train to Ontario.
- Ontario? I don't need to go there right now...
- Don't worry about debt. I'll pay it off.
Ilex spoke quickly, as if every second counted, opening the closet to pull out a large suitcase and randomly throwing clothes into it.
“The real problem is that your damn money-obsessed father has taken up smuggling.”
He practically growled as he stuffed his clothes into an old suitcase.
“It involves the illegal import of military supplies, the one thing that Parliament fears most.” The broker may have intended to focus only on the mining scam, but things got messy.
- What are you talking about...?
- I say, Tilia...
Holding her trembling shoulders, Ilex suppressed the growing rage in his voice and said:
-You need to leave for Ontario immediately. Until parliament puts the blame on you. ASAP.
-……
- Because I couldn't protect you.
Looking at him in shock, Tilia finally understood.
The anger boiling inside him was directed not outward, but inward.
He closed his eyes to hide his irritation and exhaled deeply before opening them again. His gaze, like a sea clearing after a storm, met hers.
- So, Tilia. Pack your things quickly. I refuse to see you taken into custody.