Chapter 77

The hotelier guarding the lobby door came into sight.

The door itself was already blocked with iron bars. Even a mouse would find it hard to slip through that door.

“Let’s go upstairs.”

Costance and Benny changed course and headed up to the second floor. In the lounge, two hotel staff members were playing music and humming along to the lyrics. Above where they were seated was a locked window.

Costance suddenly shifted his gaze to the restroom nearby.

“……”

Without saying a word, he entered the restroom. 

Was it an urgent matter? 

His sudden action without any hint left her rather flustered. However, within seconds, Costance emerged.

“Is something wrong?”

“Yes.”

He answered nonchalantly and knocked on the lounge door.

“Excuse me. I was using the restroom, and the toilet got clogged.”

He spoke as he opened the door. The relaxed staff members straightened up and looked at Costance.

“It’s the second stall in the restroom over there.”

So that’s why he went into the restroom.

It seemed he had stuffed a large amount of toilet paper into the toilet. Claiming it was clogged, Costance’s brazen words left the staff exchanging uncertain glances, unsure of what to do.

“……Not from Toramde.”

Benny and Costance realized the staff were from another continent. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to be of the Solen ethnicity from the northern continent.

They didn’t seem to understand Toramdean or any of the languages spoken in the neighboring countries, as they responded in Solen.

Costance looked troubled, unable to understand the unfamiliar language.

“I’m sorry, the toilet is clogged.”

Benny interjected between them from beyond the lounge door. The staff’s faces brightened at hearing a familiar tongue from her.

“Do you speak Solen?”

“A little. My husband doesn’t know Solen, though. Anyway, the second stall in the men’s restroom is clogged.”

“Ah, the second stall? Understood.”

The two staff members, holding plungers, stood up.

“And we’re short on towels—could we take just two?”

“Of course, Madame. But your Solen is quite fluent.”

“Thank you.”

The staff smiled at her before heading toward the restroom. This left only her and Costance in the lounge.

“Let’s head outside now.”

“……Alright.”

Costance unlocked the window and peered outside. The drop wasn’t too high, and since it was at the back, it would be an easy escape route.

After scanning for surveillance cameras one last time, Costance extended his hand toward her.

“……You’re quite good at Solen.”

“I know most of the vocabulary. I just haven’t practiced speaking, so my pronunciation is a bit rough.”

“Still, I’ve heard Solen is difficult because its grammar is the opposite of Toramdean……”

Costance skillfully gripped the window frame and leaned against it. His eyes met her’s.

“I’m fluent in ten languages.”

“Really?”

Costance’s eyes widened in surprise at her words.

“Yes, though my pronunciation is rough for all of them.”

“Still, I’d love to hear them all.”

“……For now, get down carefully.”

“You must come down right after me.”

Costance spoke firmly, meeting her gaze. He seemed terrified at the idea of being separated from her, constantly seeking reassurance.

Although she often thought about distancing herself from him, it seemed Costance could sense her intentions. He always doubted her and tried to close the gap.

“Madame, answer me.”

“The staff might return.”

“They won’t. I used up half a roll of toilet paper to clog the toilet.”

She found it more surprising that Costance managed to use up half a roll of toilet paper in such a short time than her fluency in ten languages.

“If you leave me here, I’ll just break any window on the first floor and come back in.”

He wasn’t joking—he was serious.

“Alright, just go quickly.”

At his warning, she decided to concede this time.

After doubting her until the very end, Costance finally leaped out of the window. He landed easily on the ground, scanned the area, and gestured that it was clear.

Before grabbing the window frame, she picked up the kennel containing Irini.

“Sorry, Irini. Just hold on a little longer.”

Extending her arms as far as she could, she lowered the kennel into Costance’s hands. She felt her heart sink as Irini, startled, raised her tail stiffly.

But there was no time to dwell on that. She hastily shoved two towels into her remaining bag. After tossing the bag down, she grabbed the window frame and climbed out.

“It’s alright.”

As she trembled in fear of falling, Costance reassured her. At his words, she let go of the frame.

“Ah!”

He caught her as she fell, holding her tightly. Resting against his chest, she calmed her racing heart. Costance, as if praising her, gently kissed her forehead.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, thanks to you.”

One obstacle was now behind them.

***

Every exit from the village had checkpoints.

To leave the village, one had to present identification and state their current residence. Because of this, even in the early hours of dawn, many cars were queued at the village entrance.

Benny and Costance decided to avoid the checkpoints by crossing the mountain. ……But easier said than done. Crossing the mountain was far more challenging than expected.

The surroundings were pitch black since it was still night, and the police, wary of the extremist group escaping, had stationed people throughout the mountain.

“This way, Madame.”

If she had been alone, escaping the village would have been nearly impossible.

But beside her was Costance Dieter Orsi—what kind of man was he?

He was a top-tier operative, worth twenty police officers. Not only was he always a step ahead of the police but he also knew their manuals and actions inside out. Who could possibly catch Costance?

Even with the burden of her, it would be extremely difficult for the agency or police to apprehend him.

“Careful.”

Holding Costance’s hand, she stepped over a rock. Once they reached flat ground, a vast wasteland stretched out before them. The sun had just risen, and its dazzling rays poured down.

“We’ll have to walk a bit. Are you alright?”

“Of course. Let’s go.”

The village they were heading to was still some distance away. They walked and walked. When tired, they only moistened their dry mouths before moving their legs again.

“The Conclave vote should begin soon.”

Costance, leading the way, checked his watch.

“……Will there be a decision today?”

“It’s hard to predict since we don’t know what’s happening inside the Conclave. But it probably won’t take too long.”

Nothing was certain.

“You know, Costance.”

He turned to look at her.

“When we reach the village, let Irini go.”

She finally voiced what had been on her mind.

“We can’t keep making Irini suffer.”

She had wanted to leave Irini in the previous village but hadn’t found the right moment. She had delayed it out of a desire to let Irini go in a safe and prosperous place.

“Alright, Madame.”

“How much will Irini resent me? I couldn’t even raise her properly, and now I’m sending her back to the streets without finding her a new owner.”

“I’m just as guilty toward Irini.”

Costance spoke quietly. Benny lifted the kennel to look at Irini, whom she would soon part with. First, she’d let Irini go, and then she’d……

‘Irini.’

But Irini was unusually quiet as if she were asleep. Even while crossing the mountain, she hadn’t cried much or moved around wanting to get out.

“……Irini?”

Was she really asleep? 

Benny stopped walking and peered closely into the kennel. For someone who was supposedly sleeping, her curled-up body was eerily still.

“Madame?”

“Costance.”

Costance came over to her side.

“Irini isn’t moving.”

Placing the kennel on the ground, she took Irini out.

“Irini!”

She could feel Irini’s trembling body. Once she had taken Irini out, the cat only wheezed faintly, barely moving.

What was happening?

The stiffness in Irini’s body signaled she was in a critical state. Even when Benny touched her here and there, Irini remained unresponsive, silently enduring.

“Is she hungry? Or was she startled from falling earlier? Or maybe she’s thirsty…….”

Desperate to understand the cause, she voiced her thoughts.

“Benny.”

Costance gently took Irini from her hands. Meanwhile, she brought out some food and held it near Irini’s nose to let her smell it. Still, Irini remained unresponsive.

“Irini’s ears are very cold.”

Costance spoke gravely.

“……Her body temperature is low?”

“It seems so.”

No sooner had he spoken than Irini’s body began to convulse. Benny quickly pulled out the towels she had packed and wrapped them around Irini. She could see Irini’s breathing grow shorter and shorter. An indescribable sense of dread gripped her.

“Damn it.”

Costance frowned.

“Benny, we need to hurry to the village.”

With trembling legs, they started running again.

As they ran toward the village, Benny pondered the overwhelming dread she was feeling.

It was the same feeling she had when Sien committed suicide, and when she last spoke with her father.

She knew what this dread meant. It was a prophecy that someone was about to die.