I Became a Tyrant’s Maid - Chapter 44

Instinctively, I grabbed the luggage I had brought.

The male lead was holding me tightly, seemingly flustered, to prevent me from falling. I calmly looked around.

I hadn’t fully grasped the situation yet.

For now, the male lead and I were flying through the sky.

Something like a large bird’s foot was gripping the carriage as it flew, and Ruel and the knights were gradually becoming as small as ants in the distance.

I could sum up this situation in one word.

‘We’re screwed.’

I had heard there were monsters, but I didn’t expect them to appear like this.

“Your Highness, first, don’t move, and,”

“It’s a griffin.”

I blinked at the male lead’s words.

Griffin?

That thing with a lion’s body and an eagle’s head?

The male lead, seemingly tense, held my waist tightly and took a deep breath.

“For now, all we can do is hope it puts us down on the ground.”

The male lead’s voice trembled. It meant this was serious.

“Why did it target the carriage we were in, of all things?”

I squirmed a little while watching the male lead’s expression.

It was getting a bit hard to breathe because of how tightly he was holding me.

“It’s because they unnecessarily gilded it, thinking it’s for the crown prince to ride in.”

The male lead’s fine brows furrowed deeply.

“Griffins are very fond of shiny things.”

I roughly understood the situation from the male lead’s words.

“Due to the climate change this year, I was reported that the griffin population had decreased, so I excluded them from consideration.”

So, it seemed the male lead was trying to say that he had prepared the party thinking they only needed to be careful of land monsters, but suddenly an aerial monster appeared, catching them completely off guard.

And to make matters worse, the carriage carrying royalty was shiny, catching the griffin’s eye.

Meanwhile, I had been sleeping.

Fortunately, the male lead didn’t seem to have much complaint about me sleeping.

“The griffin’s target is probably this carriage. So when we reach its nest, we’ll look for a chance to escape.”

At the male lead’s words, I gently gripped my luggage tightly.

Thankfully, keeping it close because of the diary had been helpful.

Think about it.

Separated from the group and dropped right into a monster’s lair, the griffin’s nest? And it’s in a desert?

It would be difficult to find food, and most importantly, water.

But who am I?

Aren’t I the master of preparation? I packed water and salt in my bag. Hahaha!

“After that… we’ll think about it later.”

The male lead said with a heavy sigh, seeming troubled.

The situation was indeed desperate.

The reason I could remain relatively calm compared to the male lead was because of the diary.

Although I didn’t want to use it if possible, the diary always provided answers when in danger.

Wasn’t it the same at the birthday celebration?

“Your Highness, don’t worry too much. I’ll do my best to ensure we arrive safely, no matter what.”

I spoke with a determined face, trying to reassure him.

Then the male lead stared at me silently with trembling eyes.

Just silently.

“Your Highness?”

Uncomfortable with his unmoving gaze, I called out to the male lead softly.

“Your words,”

The male lead’s right hand settled on my cheek.

I looked at the male lead with wide eyes.

His thumb very gently brushed under my eye.

“You have a talent for shedding tears so casually.”

***

“Ugh.”

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Although the carriage was thrown to the ground, I was able to land safely thanks to the male lead cushioning the impact by cradling my head. He seemed to be in a bit of pain, though.

My tailbone hurt a little too, but it was bearable.

The griffin’s cry could be heard from outside the badly dented carriage.

I leaned slightly to peek outside through the cracked carriage.

Huge nests were lined up on top of a sand cliff that looked as if it had been carved out.

With a river flowing between them.

I felt dizzy.

As I thought before, why on earth… for a 19+ tragic romance fantasy…

Monsters, griffins, why are they doing this to me?

“Shh, don’t move.”

Suddenly, the male lead’s large hand covered my mouth.

His huge body pressed against me as if he was on top of me, and I desperately rolled my eyes.

I understand this is a crisis, but I wish he’d move away a bit…

“There will be a time when they go out to hunt.”

The male lead whispered very softly in my ear.

His low voice resonated, buzzing past my ear.

Something felt strange.

“We’ll aim for that moment to get out of the carriage. Understand?”

I nodded with my mouth still covered by the male lead.

As he said, the griffin’s nest was full of ornate decorations along with eggs.

I don’t understand why they bring gold trinkets when they’re not even crows.

Anyway, it would be quite profitable if we could sell them.

The male lead was holding my wrist tightly, probably intending to flee together in case of emergency, and was leaning against the carriage window, closely observing outside.

I was thinking hard.

By my logic, the male lead is the protagonist, so he won’t die.

But honestly, I’m not sure these days.

It’s certainly the world from the novel I read, but something was off.

‘Did the male lead experience such absurd situations in the original work too?’

Could it be that everything has gone awry because of me?

To make an excuse, I had no choice.

If I didn’t side with the male lead, I was destined to die by the Duke’s hand, and if I didn’t work hard on the male lead’s side, I was destined to die by his hand.

I had no choice.

‘Then could this situation also be because of me…!’

It was a plausible assumption.

Already with the slave trader, the birthday celebration, and now this moment.

This was the third time the male lead had fallen into danger while being with me.

I leaned close to the male lead and whispered in his ear.

“Your Highness.”

“…!”

Suddenly, the male lead flinched greatly, startled. It was a bit disconcerting.

Did I do something wrong? Why is he like that?

“By any chance, did Your Highness often experience such incidents before I came to serve you?”

At my question, the male lead frowned deeply and then lightly pushed my shoulder with his finger.

“Move away a bit when you speak.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Why is he answering off-topic?

I stepped back one step as the male lead ordered, and he spoke again, seeming displeased, his mouth twitching.

“You immediately… I should just not say anything.”

“Did I make some mistake, Your Highness?”

The male lead glanced at me, then quickly turned his head the other way, and mumbled an answer.

“You’re noisy.”

I frowned. What’s noisy? I whispered at an ASMR-level softness.

“And I experience this kind of shitty situation every year, so it’s better to get used to it. If you decided to come to my side, you should be prepared for at least this much.”

Yet he says this while leaning close to whisper in my ear again.

It’s okay for him but not for me, is that it?

I stared blankly at the male lead for a moment, dumbfounded.

I became curious about how this person’s brain structure was formed.

From what I’ve observed so far, he was quite merciful.

And he was also arbitrary.

If he’s a tyrant, be a tyrant; if he’s a benevolent prince, be a prince.

I wish he’d just be one or the other.

This isn’t good, I keep getting attached.

“Why, why are you staring like that?”

The male lead’s ears turned red under my continued gaze.

“Your Highness, are you feeling hot?”

At my question, the male lead’s face began to burn bright red.

It was certainly hot, probably because we were on a cliff with the sun beating down directly.

I looked around and then used my palm to create a breeze to cool the male lead’s face.

“There’s nothing particular to use to create wind, so…”

The male lead’s ebony-like hair swayed weakly in the slight breeze.

“Stop it.”

Suddenly, the male lead grabbed both of my hands.

Naturally, I could only look up at the male lead in surprise.

It seemed the same for him, as his red eyes darted around, unable to find a focus.

“Stop doing unnecessary things and pack your belongings. Judging by their movements, it seems the creatures will soon leave their nests.”

As the male lead said, outside the window, the griffins were starting to take off into the sky one by one with rumbling sounds.

“Absolutely do not leave my side.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I quickly shouldered the luggage I had brought.

The male lead drew the sword at his waist and very carefully opened the carriage door.

‘Wheeee-!’

The sound of fierce sand wind struck and passed by my ears.

The male lead’s hand moved from my wrist to the back of my hand.

“Move when I signal.”

And he gripped my hand so tightly it hurt.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

How many minutes had passed with the continuous sound of flapping wings?

“Now.”

The male lead pulled me out of the carriage abruptly.

Then, as if my vision cleared, intense sunlight poured down on my head.

It seemed like a different landscape from what I saw through the small window in the carriage.

A scene I’d only seen in movies.

Animal carcasses with only bones remaining, and human goods piled up incongruously around bright blue eggs.

My heart started to pound with a strange sense of fear.