As Winston and I regained our strength, we learned that the beast we killed was a [thresher] of a mountain lion that rarely sought humans.
Additionally, it was an entirely different beast from the one Sir Ruloc and the others were hunting, which was the blue wolf.
The blue wolf had been tracked down up into the depths of the mountain where the hunting party eventually discovered its body. Having confirmed it had succumbed to its own wounds, the hunting party then planned to return but was stalled when they encountered even more rabid creatures attacking them upon sight.
One such creature was a massive but wounded stag, and its unusual behavior concerned the party enough that Sir Ruloc wasted no time leading them back, fearing for the town.
To the worst of his fears, they returned only to discover Winston and I had been missing since the day before...
According to Shire—who joined in the search for us—finding us didn't take long since one of the townsfolk had witnessed us rushing towards the forest and had thus guided the searching party accordingly. And thus, they discovered the horrendous scene where Winston and I lay bloody and gouged, with the carcass of the beast still on top of me…
Everyone in the party presumed we were dead, Shire included.
Yet—Shire described with incredulous awe and relief—although unconscious, Winston and I were still breathing!
From then, we were swiftly carried back into town and tended to by the town's physician.
Examining us, the town's physician determined we would never wake—but—the physician added, attempting to console the devastated Sir Ruloc and others—on the [unlikely] chance that we [did] awake, Winston and I would likely be immobilized and in pain for the rest of our lives.
That is what the physician believed and declared—until Sir Ruloc and the others stumbled upon us bawling our eyes out a few days later…
…
And so, for the next several days after, Winston and I recuperated under the wary and disbelieving eyes of the physician while Sir Ruloc and the others discussed about the beasts they had encountered.
Why had the beasts of the mountain gone mad?
Surely, the town wasn't to blame since the town knew to respect the mountain, only hunting and gathering what they needed from it. And the same applied to our Cassandrian hunting group that visited yearly; we hunted only a fixed number for each animal, and our kills went directly to use in the town as preparation for the upcoming winter. Our Cassandrian group had done this for decades—the town even longer—and hadn't encountered such problems before…
Yet, if both weren't responsible, who or what was?
Looking back, the beasts the hunting group had encountered were all previously wounded and strangely antagonized… Was there something else within the mountains, an unknown disturbance that was evoking such great fury and distress?
Sir Ruloc and the others would have investigated it further for the sake of the town and those injured had something not prevented them from doing so.
And that was…
Rumors.
Rumors had begun spreading throughout the town about the devilry surrounding the two children who must have died yet had returned from the forest alive.
They weren't wrong…
Uri—the demon who claimed to be separate and different from that of Yuri—had saved both Winston and me, healing only the most life-threatening of our wounds.
"What kind of bullshit is that?!" Shire spat in fury when the head of the town visited us and politely but firmly asked our group to leave.
Uri—who had seemingly vanished since our last conversation—had saved us at the price of satisfying her curiosity…if that was to be believed.
But regardless of her motive…thanks to her, we were still alive. That's all that mattered...right…?
"Easy, squire…" Sir Ruloc boomed, holding Shire back by the shoulder. "Dear Mayor," he addressed the head of the town, "I ask you—is it not unwise to chase us away when the mystery of the mountain remains unsolved? You would let mere rumors stop you from receiving our aid in this time of uncertainty and vulnerability?"
The head of the town sighed.
"I'm aware of all that you have done for us, dear Sir, and how you can help us," he said. "However, distrust is growing among the people…and they have spoken and agreed that you and your men—and the children—must leave regardless. As soon as the children can, of course… I'm sorry."
Sir Ruloc was silent for a long moment.
Then he gruffly grunted, "Very well."
And thus—
Sir Ruloc and the knights, Mr. Sparrow and Fin, Shire, and Winston and I packed our things and left, ending our trip early.
Our one-month journey back to Dorono was bleak and silent, broken only by the occasional fever that struck both Winston and me as the last of our wounds healed.
Marchioness Cassandra was justifiably horrified when our haggard group finally rolled into the Cassandra's castle's grounds.
By that time, Winston and I had regained full mobility and strength, but Lady Cassandra ordered for us to be re-examined, instructing us to rest for the time being.
"My sweet granddaughter…" Lady Cassandra muttered at my side after I had been settled and tucked into bed.
She stared at me for a long moment, her jaws clenched and her expression serious as she held my bandaged hand in hers.
"…I'll be sending word to the Duke and Duchess…" was all she imparted before caressing my face and leaving the room.
…
I exhaled and closed my eye.
I wasn't exhausted…
But I would probably sleep if I chased it long enough—
I jolted, comprehending Lady Cassandra's words seconds too late.
…
…
Ah.
Once [Father] and [Mother] learned about my state…
They were going to wring me.
=====
The Duke and Duchess of Bearington, along with Claire, had just exited their carriage on the Cassandra grounds when the Duke spotted someone familiar leaving.
"Duke, Duchess," Baron Clafford greeted them as he paused in his step.
"Clafford," the Duke nodded in return.
Clafford stepped closer, and only then did the Duke notice the boy who was trailing behind Clafford.
"Give your greetings, Winston," Clafford gently reminded the boy.
As the boy meekly gave his greetings, the Duke glowered at him, the bandages on the boy reminding the Duke about Airee's poor state as described in Marchioness Cassandra's letter.
"Hi, Winston!!" Claire's bright voice rang, and the Duke glared even fiercer at the boy.
Clafford cleared his throat.
"This incident involving our children is quite unfortunate," Clafford stated.
"Indeed," the Duke shortly replied.
"And the outcome," Clafford continued, "…the outcome was more than favorable—and peculiar—considering the circumstances and events. Wouldn't you agree, Duke?"
…
"What are you aiming to say, Clafford?" the Duke asked, raising a brow.
There was a pause before Clafford proposed, "Duke, should you give me the opportunity, my team and I would like to examine Airee's wounds along with my son's—"
"That won't be necessary," the Duke curtly refused, his expression thundering in warning, "as those under Lady Cassandra have already done so."
…
Clafford reluctantly nodded. Then he and his boy left.
"Little Claire, you and your sister must remember," the Duke said, picking Claire up.
"Yes, Papa?" she asked in his arms.
"Remember that Clafford and his colleagues have more than contributed to this country with their scientific research and discoveries," the Duke told her. "However—be wary, as such curiosity like theirs knows no bounds."
"Hm… Even if they saved me and Airee, Papa?"
"Yes, even if they saved you," the Duke sternly confirmed. "All the more when one such character is a close friend."
[And stay away from Clafford's brat!] He wanted to add but instead suggested, "And this bunny of yours you still carry around, shall we (bury it) buy you a new one?"
Claire clutched the toy bunny closer to her chest and frowned.
"No, Papa!"