Lia exerted all her strength as she watched the slow progress of the rescue operation due to the rain. Every time frustration threatened to burst out, Luan would grab her arm, and she would swallow the curses she had never uttered before.
“If that’s the case, you should have left me tied up and come alone.”
Luan’s eyes, fixed on the rescue site, hardened at Lia’s sarcastic remark.
“That’s what I wanted to do. Even if you hadn’t tried to jump out of the window, I would have left you behind.”
“I wouldn’t have died. I can handle a fall from a tree or two.”
“I can’t stand to see you get hurt.”
It was a back-and-forth argument like a game of ping-pong. She vented her anger, and Luan shut her mouth.
Lia held back the urge to cry.
The sudden rain did not help with the rescue operation. Every time they shoveled dirt, new soil would wash down, and to make matters worse, the mine was so huge it encompassed the entire mountain.
Calming her anger, Lia murmured to herself as she watched the forest submerged in pouring rain.
“Is it really just a natural disaster?”
“Mine collapses happen often, whether it’s a natural disaster or an explosion accident. It brings immense wealth but comes with great risks.”
“I know. What I meant was… right after they rescued the initial trapped miners, they said another bomb went off. So why was Claude the only one left inside?”
“Maybe he went in to check if anyone was missed. He’s a perfectionist. He probably blamed himself for the first accident.”
“Well, that’s a generous assessment.”
“It might be his last.”
“Luan!”
Voicing what she had only thought silently made her feel slightly better. But the situation didn’t improve. If the burial site expanded due to the rain, his life would truly be in danger.
The situation was already dire enough.
Lia clenched her hands and tightly closed her eyes.
Please, please let his life be safe. If he just stayed alive, she felt like she could pay any price.
“Lady! Duke Sergio.”
Carso, who had put up an umbrella behind them, approached.
“Carso, sir.”
Lia finally freed herself from Luan’s grip and stepped under Carso’s umbrella. Carso took a step back and held the umbrella over her head.
“Are you alright?”
“There’s been no progress because of the rain. Explain to me what happened.”
Lia didn’t even notice the rain soaking her as she clutched Carso’s arm.
Carso looked around as if searching for someone.
“Where is Arnold, sir? Perhaps you couldn’t find him?”
“Who’s that?”
“He’s the explosives maker in the mine. He’s also a doctor. Ah! He must be with the patients right now!”
Carso instructed someone to call for Arnold. The bells that had scattered in all directions in search of Arnold soon returned with embarrassed expressions.
“He’s nowhere to be found.”
“That can’t be. He wears glasses and walks with a limp. Late 40s, thinning brown hair!”
“We know the description, but he’s nowhere to be found. He hasn’t been seen for an hour.”
“Then find the woman. She’s Arnold’s assistant. You should know her if it’s her. Red hair, quite a beauty. She’ll be easy to identify once we exclude the women helping at the site.”
“Yes.”
Carso, who gave the order, led Lia into a nearby barracks. She had tried to stay at the site, but driven by Luan’s desire to protect her, she found herself taking steps on her own.
“Please tell me again about those people.”
The barracks were filled with blueprints. Among them, Lia stood in front of the largest blueprint. Luan’s gaze became intense, but she didn’t pay attention to it.
It was a blueprint of the entire mine. The red markings indicated the locations of the explosives. Then what about the green ones?
“You said he’s a doctor? He walks with a limp and wears glasses.”
“Yes, he’s an immigrant from Geore. A doctor from the slums in the southern Erna region. A good person with exceptional skills in explosives manufacturing. He injured his leg in a previous explosion.”
“And the assistant?”
Lia scrutinized the unsettling blueprint with a serious expression.
“I don’t know. All I know is that she has red hair.”
“What about her name?”
“Yes. Perhaps, any speculation…”
Instead of answering, Lia walked around the barracks, examining the new blueprints.
She knew nothing about explosives. She understood the basic principles of chemical reactions causing explosions, but creating intricate blueprints was beyond her capability.
“Where is Claude buried?”
She didn’t expect the word “buried” to sound so frightening. Carso approached her, his trembling hand clenched by her side.
“I heard it’s in front of Tunnel 4, about 120 meters from the entrance.”
“If it’s Tunnel 4, it’s here.”
A place marked with both red and green symbols. And on the blueprint of the bomb they had just passed, there was clearly a green marking as well.
“It’s not certain, but… there’s a high possibility of intentional sabotage. The green markings here on this blueprint… Unlike the other bombs, there are additional devices. I’m not an expert, so I don’t know what it is exactly, but it seems to be a device that slows down the ignition of gunpowder.”
Upon hearing her words, Carso’s face turned pale, and he clenched his fist in anger.
“Are you saying…”
“It’s intentional sabotage. Definitely…”
Her vision turned white. In the moment she confirmed the truth, Lia blindly felt her way through the interior of the mine. Tunnel 4 was closer to the end than the entrance. Moreover, it was a recently completed section after the construction of a new support pillar.
It might not have collapsed. Perhaps…
“What’s next to this?” she asked.
“It’s a forest.”
Lia tore the blueprint and rolled it up tightly. Then she rushed out. The passing drizzle seemed to have intensified into heavy rain.
“Canillia!”