Find the One Who Abandoned Me - Chapter 86

Time passed neither quickly nor slowly. As the warm autumn faded into the early days of winter, the temperature dropped sharply. The Marchioness and Carolie began piling up winter dresses for Calliope as if preparing for a siege. The closet was starting to overflow, and all Calliope could do was chuckle.

“That’s enough. Let them do as they like.”

Only Susan, the one stuck organizing everything, looked like she was about to cry.

While they busied themselves gathering her clothes, Calliope prepared winter attire for Isaac instead. She also joined an auction to secure a rare ore mined from one of her own holdings. With priority bidding rights due to her stake in the mine, it was practically hers for the taking.

Isaac’s current sword wasn’t bad—but she wanted to gift him the blade he had once carried in her previous life. The blacksmith already knew the design, so it wouldn’t be hard to recreate.

That had been her top priority—until something else came up.

“I’ve been ordered to leave for the northern territory next week.”

“Already?”

“They said I’d need to go now if I want to return before the birthday celebration.”

“Ah, I see.”

Clearly, all the talk she’d spread about the party and how the Count’s family ought to make an effort had paid off. There was no way she was letting Isaac spend his first birthday as an adult alone in some freezing corner of the country.

I don’t know exactly how the attack will unfold this time, but one thing’s certain—I have to go with him.

She couldn’t let anything happen to Isaac. She had already lived once—she wouldn’t let his body bear a single unnecessary scar in this life.

Calliope began planning how to deploy the March household’s knights. She also packed over thirty scrolls from the magic shop in advance.

It’s fine. I’ve always handled things well. I can do this, too.

She’d never failed—not once. And she didn’t plan to start now.

If Isaac’s memory is correct, the ambush happened on the forest road. Assassins attacked out of nowhere—he said there were about ten.

That number could be handled with the knights she’d prepared. She had twenty at her disposal, not including herself. And if needed, she could use magic scrolls. She even had emergency signal scrolls. Everything was in place.

“Come at me, you bastards…”

She smiled coldly and clenched her jaw—her fury aimed at the faceless cowards who had taken her man’s sight in the past.

This time, I’ll protect him.

She could still see the pale reflection of his tearful eyes—the ones that had once melted from crying as he clung to her.

Isaac’s patrol of the northern estate had gone smoothly. Even the Count’s family had sent supplies in support—likely because they were painfully aware that this “routine patrol” was no longer something they could ignore.

That was only fair. Up until now, they had done almost nothing. She thought it might be time to whip them into shape, but it seemed unnecessary now.

“Isaac, we’re not forgetting anything, are we?”

“No, I think we’re good.”

Still, he looked at her with concern.

“Are you sure you want to come with me?”

“Of course. I’ll need to see that land eventually anyway. Better to do it now. Besides, we’ve got plenty of knights with us. Don’t worry so much.”

“…Technically, that land will belong to my older brother someday.”

“Who knows? Maybe he’ll be proud of his independent little brother and give you a piece of it.”

She laughed playfully. As if. Give it? She’d take it—with force, if needed. Not that she or Isaac would ever go hungry, even if they owned nothing. But letting that family get away with their neglect? That was something she couldn’t stomach.

They owe him. And I’ll collect.

“Strange. I’ve got a bad feeling about today.”

“A bad feeling?”

She said it casually, as if predicting trouble. Isaac didn’t quite understand the implication—he just took it to mean her mood was off and resolved to stay extra alert.

Calliope wasn’t in a dress today. She wore a simple winter one-piece with a shirt and jacket layered on top—ready for anything, but without drawing suspicion.

The future’s already started to change. That first assassination attempt? That never happened in the past.

So, it was entirely possible that nothing would happen now—or that something completely different would.

Calliope had come to view her foresight as borderline useless. If it’s going to show me something, it should at least give some warning. It always came too late to prevent anything.

“If we just come back safe and sound, then it’s all fine.”

Sitting beside her, Isaac gently took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. He seemed to think she was still shaken from the recent attack—and maybe afraid of being separated again.

Startled, Calliope blinked up at him—then smiled.

The carriage they rode in left the capital far behind, heading deep into the northern territories. With enchanted magic stones lightening its weight, the carriage moved swiftly, pulled by strong horses. Now, dense pine trees crowded the view, and the sun was beginning to sink beneath the horizon, casting long shadows.

The Count’s family had never been one of vast holdings. But they also weren’t negligent with the lands they did have. Annual inspections were standard, and they received monthly reports from appointed local lords.

Maybe it’s time Isaac started handling those reports himself.

Calliope thought the Count had finally made a decent decision. His older brother, Erben, had likely been furious—but fear of her kept him in line. It was the right call. If they tried to block her fiancé’s future, she’d return the favor tenfold.

“Have you ever been to this territory before?” she asked.

Isaac shook his head.

“No, never. My father and brother used to alternate visits. I’ve never even seen the paperwork related to it. I did speak to my father about it briefly before leaving, though.”

“What did he say?”

“He mentioned that the local steward is strict and diligent, so there shouldn’t be much to worry about.”

“Hm. That’s something we’ll have to see for ourselves.”

While they chatted, the sun disappeared entirely. Then came a knock at the carriage window.

“It’s about time to set up camp,” a knight said. “There’s a flat clearing marked just beyond this cliff road. If it’s alright, we’d like to unload there.”

Calliope, who had memorized the general layout of the map provided by the Count’s estate, nodded.

“That sounds like the best option. Isaac, are you okay with that?”

“Yes. I was thinking the same. There haven’t been many safe spots so far—better to wait until we’re past the cliffs.”

With Isaac’s agreement, Calliope gave the order, and the window was closed. A sharp chill seeped in through the gap.

The path ahead was narrow—just wide enough for the carriage. It wasn’t a towering cliff, but the drop below was enough to see the treetops if you leaned out. The road cut through the cliffside like a tight corridor.

Knights rode in formation, with the carriage sandwiched between forward and rear teams. Once they cleared this path, they’d set up tents and rest. It was supposed to be an uneventful first night.

Supposed to be.

“No!”

A sudden scream. A woman’s voice—definitely Calliope’s—rang from inside the carriage.

The knights halted at once, voices rising.

“What’s wrong, my lady?!”

“No—not here! Look up! Everyone, fall back!”

At her frantic shout, the knights looked skyward. Something was falling from the sheer cliff above.

“…!”

“A boulder?!”

“Move the carriage! Forward, quickly!”

“Everyone, scatter!”

A massive rock tumbled toward them at terrifying speed. But on this narrow path, moving rashly meant risking everyone’s lives—the cliffside left no room for error.

The driver tried to push forward, but couldn’t keep up with the scrambling knights.

CRASH!

The sound of impact thundered through the cliffs as the rock slammed into the carriage roof. Wood splintered and iron groaned. The top half of the carriage collapsed inward from the blow.

Moments later, with a sickening crunch, the wheels snapped under the pressure—and the carriage rolled off the low cliffside, crashing down into the forest below.

The driver and several knights were swept along with it. The remaining knights looked down in horror.

“Someone gets back to the capital—now! Report what’s happened!”

“The rest of you, with me—we’re heading down!”

“Find a safe path to the bottom!”

As they spread out to search, back at the top of the cliff, a faint shimmer of residual magic flickered—then vanished.

The forest floor was pitch black.

Thankfully, the magically-reinforced carriage had absorbed most of the impact. Even so, it now lay broken among thick, snow-dusted pines. Only faint moonlight filtered through the trees, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead.

“Urgh… ugh…”

“Isaac?! Isaac, are you alright?!”

Calliope had scrambled free and was already leaning over him. Thankfully, the falling boulder had ricocheted to the side rather than striking them directly, allowing them to escape through the collapsed roof.

She inspected Isaac’s body with shaking hands. He had shielded her with his own body just before the fall.

“I-I’m okay… ngh—!”

“Don’t move!”

Calliope carefully ran her fingers over his body in the dark. When she brushed his shoulder, he gasped in pain. His head lolled slightly—he was dazed, and his shoulder was clearly injured.

He got hurt… protecting me.

Her hands trembled.

He was wounded—because of her. She gritted her teeth.

This is strange… It was supposed to happen in the forest trail, not on the cliff road.

And then, it hit her.

Of course, assassins wouldn’t strike on a peaceful forest road. If they really wanted to kill, the cliff road was the smarter place, where one attack could finish the job cleanly.

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