Chapter 7 – Part 2

Eli and Ruby raced toward the capital, which was just around the corner.

But the unexpected moment came out of nowhere.

“Marquis.”

Gardner called out to him in a low voice. Eli nodded toward the window, recognizing the mood with that one word.

Gardner signaled to the other knights to reposition themselves for guard duty.

Eli, too, lifted the carriage’s chair, which had been placed with his back to the coachman’s seat, and picked up his sword.

“Ruby, no matter what happens, you have to stay in the carriage.”

Eli said to Ruby, almost as if pleading.

“Uhh!”

Before Ruby could respond, the carriage lurched with the coachman’s shout.

Eli grabbed Ruby’s swaying shoulders to keep her from being hit.

“Eli, it’s okay……”

Ruby’s words were drowned out by the clashing of swords outside.

“It’s safer to stay in the carriage. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Eli held Ruby’s hand and spoke, resembling a teacher scolding a child.

“If you go out, you’ll get hurt.”

Ruby grabbed his hand, as if she knew he was going to leave.

“I won’t get hurt. Remember last time? I can handle it even with broomsticks.”

“…….”

“I’ll finish quickly and come back.”

Eli kissed Ruby’s hand and then closed the window tightly so Ruby wouldn’t look outside. Soon, Eli’s hand slipped away from Ruby’s.

Eli got out of the carriage and started fighting.

This time, it was different than when he had sent one or two men to push back with numbers.

Still, with the skill of the knights, the ones attacking were pushed back.

Eli also dodged the swords lightly and struck down the bandits. After lightly blocking another attack coming from the side with his sword, he kicked the bandit’s torso before he could properly regain his position and then struck him down.

It had been a while since he fought so frenetically.

Since it had been a while since he held a sword, he focused on getting used to it at first. Then, Eli’s speed, which had become somewhat accustomed, gradually increased.

The outcome of the fight was too obvious. Although there were a few people with minor injuries, not many were seriously injured. Eli and the knights weren’t pleased with the expected outcome. They just did their respective duties.

Eli was the last to remove the arm of the dead man from his sword.

“It looks like this is a new one.”

A disarming laugh escaped him.

How many places did they put contracts, exactly?

“Have you seen them, Marquis?”

Gardner had seen the markings of the new assassins, too, and had come to Eli.

“We need to get into the capital quickly. We don’t know how much longer we’ll be safe.”

“Yes.”

Just as Eli was about to go back to the carriage, something flew through the air and stuck into the ground with a sound of splitting wind.

Eli and the knights all stopped what they were doing and looked up to see that it was an arrow.

“Watch out, everyone!”

Gardner shouted.

At the same time, a half-dozen arrows came flying in.

The knights deflected them with their swords.

With a thud, one of the arrows struck the carriage.

Ruby, who was in the carriage, was startled.

“Ruby, get down!”

Eli yelled, pulling the arrow out and running toward the carriage.

His face, which had been so relaxed during the fight, was suddenly filled with anxiety.

At Eli’s shout, Ruby, who was trembling, lay down.

“Gardner, drive the horses. We’re getting out of here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Since they didn’t know where the arrows were coming from, they needed to get out of range as quickly as possible.

“Jerron. Take cover.”

“Yes”

The knights covered Gardner as he made his way to the coachman’s seat.

Eli climbed into the carriage.

“Eli.”

Ruby, who had been crouching, was relieved to see Eli.

An arrow whistled through the wind, approaching the window behind her.

“Watch out!”

“Ruby!”

Gardner grabbed the reins and took off, just as the arrow pierced the window.

Eli pulled Ruby and swapped places to keep her safe, but his expression twisted.

As Ruby’s gaze lowered to his distorted face, she saw the arrow in his chest.

“Eli……!”

Ruby shouted in surprise.

“I’m okay.”

Eli said, still reaching out with one hand to keep Ruby away. But Ruby leaned in closer, pressing her hand against Eli’s bleeding chest.

However, Ruby came closer and used her hand to cover Eli’s bleeding chest.

“Gardner, don’t stop, just keep driving to the temple.”

Eli ordered through the small window that connected to the coachman.

“Understood, My Lord, are you all right?”

“…I’m okay. So just drive at full speed.”

Eli casually gave the command and closed the window.

“Don’t touch it. It’s covered in blood.”

Eli said to Ruby, hoping his voice didn’t tremble. But Ruby, as if she hadn’t heard, steadfastly covered Eli’s wound with both hands.

“What do we do… The bleeding won’t stop.”

By now, Ruby’s hands were stained red with blood, and tears were streaming from her eyes.

“Ruby.”

Eli called out to Ruby, holding back the pain from the wound once more. Ruby’s teary eyes finally locked with Eli’s.

Eli’s face, smiling at Ruby, looked normal, as if he had never had an expression on his face.

“It’s going to be okay.”

In truth, it wasn’t okay. Even Eli himself felt that the arrow piercing his body was in a critical spot. Just not pulling out the arrow was only delaying death.

Yet he couldn’t help but lie. Even if Ruby’s expression didn’t believe a word he said.

Eli took out the handkerchief Ruby had made and wiped away her tears. But they kept flowing, so he kept wiping, never quite finishing. Eventually, without properly wiping, he wiped Ruby’s bloodied hands with the handkerchief.

“Look at this. It’s covered in blood.”

“Is my hand…… the problem? You’re the one who got hurt……!”

Ruby snatched the handkerchief, wiping her hands, and wrapped it around the arrow tip in his wound.

“It’s nothing.”

In the meantime, Eli, short of breath, paused for a moment. His body, which had been standing straight, seemed to sway slightly from the exertion of strength. Soon he braced himself with the chair, but his hands trembled.

“We’ll be there soon.”

Ruby said, taking Eli’s shoulders in both hands.

“……Yes.”

Eli tried to regulate his breathing with his eyes closed, but it wasn’t easy. His face became pale.

“Eli, don’t lose consciousness. We’ll arrive at the temple soon. You just have to hold on a little longer.”

Eli’s head touched Ruby’s shoulder before she could finish.

“Eli…!”

“I’ll hold on for a second. It’s hard…….”

Eli mumbled, his voice devoid of strength.

“You…… said you’d pay me back for the rest of your life, so you…… have to hang in there, okay?”

Ruby said, wiping away the tears that kept falling. One hand clasped his limp hand, and she stroked his hair with the other.

“I know… “

The answer was more like a sigh.

But what to do? What if he couldn’t keep his promise this time either.

When the assassin came again, Eli felt as if he had seen death’s persistence.

He pledged that if he couldn’t avoid death next time, he would take on that death himself so that he couldn’t even touch a strand of Ruby’s hair. Perhaps his return was not to be happy with Ruby but to save her.

“I’m going to save Ruby, no matter what it takes.”

He remembered the promise he had made to himself before he came back to the time when Ruby was alive.

Then Eli’s mind flashed through a panorama of memories of Ruby laughing, playing, and being happy.

Yeah. Compared to losing Ruby in his first life, he gained much more.

‘Was she happy to be with me? ’

He thought about asking her for the last time, but he was afraid of what the answer would be.

“Ruby.”

“The carriage is in a hurry, so we’ll arrive soon.”

Eli pushed himself to his feet, and Ruby caught him.

True to her word, the carriage was traveling at a fast pace, causing his body to rattle constantly.

“If something happens to me… contact Leton and ask for the documents about you.”

Eli asked the question he wanted to ask and said what he had to say. In the meantime, his breathing became increasingly difficult.

“Don’t say that, you’re going to live, you’re going to live.”

“It’s all…… yours. It’s so…….”

Eli spoke with all his might, but his breath caught in his throat, and he couldn’t continue.

He couldn’t say what he wanted to say to Ruby. This couldn’t go on.

From the moment he left Zenfield, he promised himself each moment to face death, but when he faced Ruby’s face, he forgot that promise again.

And at that moment, Eli closed his eyes and lowered his head to Ruby’s shoulder again.

“Eli, don’t lose it, please…….”

As Ruby, now frightened, held Eli’s hand, a few of Eli’s fingers responded and intertwined with Ruby’s. It was an overly feeble movement.

As Eli’s eyes continued to close, Ruby’s cries grew fainter and fainter in his ears. Soon, Eli’s grip on Ruby’s hand slipped.

“Do not… Please… I beg you…!”

Ruby cried out.

“It’s the temple!”

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories