The next day, Mellon Garnard boarded the Greiman Family carriage and set off from Butuya for Lakeheart Town with Chief Steward Ford.
Mellon remained extremely tense along the way. It was only after they left Bairdin and entered Alarda Territory that he finally began to relax.
Having learned of his vassals' conspiracy, he had grown suspicious of everyone. The previous night, he had done everything he could to maintain a normal appearance without losing control. Chief Steward Ford kept reassuring him throughout the journey, which made him feel somewhat better.
Upon entering Lakeheart Town and arriving before the Lord's Manor, Mellon immediately jumped from the carriage and practically ran into the castle. There, he saw Paul waiting in the hall.
Everything seems to have gone smoothly. Seeing Mellon jump from the carriage, Paul thought this to himself—only to be swept into a huge bear hug.
"My dear brother! I nearly never got to see you again!" Mellon clung tightly to Paul and burst into tears.
Paul did not immediately break free. He would let his friend vent for a while. After being distanced by his father and then losing him, followed by a vassal rebellion, it was simply too cruel for a sixteen-year-old boy.
He patted Mellon on the shoulder and comforted him. "Don't worry. No one can hurt you here."
After Mellon had finished venting, Paul asked Chief Steward Ford about what had happened the previous night. Then he brought Mellon to the study and had him describe in detail how he had discovered the conspiracy.
"That night, after reviewing the documents they had left for me in the study, I returned to my room to sleep. But after lying down, I realized that I had left my amulet in the study. It was something my mother had given