“Carriage movement ban?”

“Yes, I passed the message to the coachman, so you’ll give me cookies, right?”

When I opened the kitchen door on the first floor, the child stood there, hands behind his back, fidgeting with his feet.

Perhaps feeling anxious that he couldn’t call a carriage himself, the child looked at me nervously.

“Give him cookies, Love.”

“Hmm, yes, Miss.”

While Love went to get cookies with a displeased expression, I questioned the child.

“Did you meet the coachman?”

“Yes, I met the man and told him there was a customer, but suddenly soldiers dressed in black came and said carriages couldn’t move. They said a carriage movement ban had been issued in the capital.”

“Soldiers dressed in black?”

“Yes, they were carrying swords like this.”

Although the capital security force soldiers had freedom in their attire when commuting near their duty stations, they wore blue vests to distinguish themselves as security forces.

The child would know this, yet he mentioned soldiers dressed in black.

“Here are the cookies.”

“Thank you! Call me if you need any other errands!”

The child received the cookies with a broad smile and even promoted his services before leaving.

A ban on ordinary carriages just when I was about to escape. With an ominous feeling, I looked outside.

“I didn’t see any soldiers dressed in black around the house on my way back.”

If a state of alert had been issued in the capital, there should be patrolling soldiers visible near our house, which wasn’t far from the main road, but there weren’t any.

The capital’s state of alert shouldn’t concern me, but my heart fluttered with anxiety.

“Love, shall we go to the bakery?”

“……What?”

Love’s eyes widened when I suddenly suggested going to the bakery after hurrying to escape.

“Why are you looking at me like I’m crazy?”

“The bakery?”

“Yes, now.”

Seeing that my expression was unusual, she followed me outside with a dubious look.

We walked side by side as usual, heading toward the bakery.

The bakery was a 10-minute walk away and located on the main road where many people passed by.

Cargo carriages were running, but ordinary passenger carriages weren’t. People with anxious expressions could occasionally be seen gathering in small groups, whispering among themselves.

“Ah, why do they keep blocking me! Why are they stopping people from making a living! I have customers inside!”

A loud shout was heard not far away.

Holding Love’s hand, I hid behind a building and peeked out.

A soldier dressed in black with the Blemer Grand Ducal family’s emblem on his shoulder was holding the reins of an ordinary carriage, arguing with the coachman.

“Orders have been issued to prohibit carriage movement today.”

“There you go again! I told you I have customers inside! Even if it’s the Grand Ducal family, how can you commit such tyranny, preventing commoners from working!”

“You should listen when I speak calmly.”

The coachman, having apparently experienced this elsewhere already, flushed red with intense anger.

“What if I don’t speak calmly! Are you going to kill someone? Oh people! The Grand Ducal family’s soldier is threatening to kill people!”

“The passenger inside should also get out. Carriage movement is prohibited today.”

The coachman raised his voice to attract attention, but the soldier was unyielding.

Instead of waiting outside, he flung the door open, stuck his head in, and examined the interior.

“Eek!”

“Wh-what are you doing? What rudeness is this to my customer?”

The coachman jumped down but was quickly caught by the soldier.

The soldier who had examined the inside shook his head at another soldier and closed the door.

“Wheat-blonde hair, green eyes, not a young woman.”

“Y-you lot, I’ll have you know I’m young! Still in my prime!”

The woman inside the carriage shouted, but the soldiers ignored her.

“What are you looking at? Disperse.”

When the soldiers spoke politely, the onlookers dispersed, pale with fear.

Wheat-blonde hair, green eyes, young woman.

I looked at my hair flowing over my shoulders.

Could they possibly be looking for me?

“Wow, that’s scary. Who are they looking for to go to such lengths? Miss, your hair is more light brown than blonde, but you have green eyes, so you should be careful. You might get into trouble if they find fault with you.”

‘It’s me. They’re definitely looking for me.’

My body trembled.

They’ve already issued orders throughout the capital?

I wondered why Kaien wasn’t following me, but he had already taken action. I felt like prey being driven by hunters.

He could have moved discreetly, but he acted openly and on a large scale.

“The Grand Ducal family is truly frightening. If any other family did this, there would be an uproar.”

“L-let’s go back home quickly, Love.”

“What about the bread?”

In the novel, the villain ensured the female protagonist couldn’t escape by placing surveillance around her house, having people follow her, and receiving reports on her every move.

‘This is a threat not to run away.’

I returned home with Love, but knowing the situation, I couldn’t openly escape.

There must be someone watching somewhere near the house, but I was just an ordinary woman who had only ever held a butter knife as a weapon.

I had no way of finding them.

“What should I do, what can I do?”

“Miss, didn’t you say you needed to leave the capital? The ban will probably be lifted tomorrow, so leave early in the morning.”

Feeling anxious just standing still, I wandered around the not-so-spacious first floor, and through the kitchen window, I noticed a cargo carriage parked in front of the house across the street.

Olga, who lived across from us, made jam once a week and delivered it to various shops.

Today must be that day, as the coachman was unloading empty glass jars from the cargo carriage.

“Love! Didn’t Olga covet our rose tablecloth before? Where is it?”

“Oh, that’s been washed and placed in the linen room.”

“Bring it.”

***

“Miss, here it is.”

I covered my bag and cape with the rose-embroidered tablecloth and hugged it to my chest.

“Oh, are you going?”

“Yes, I need to catch a ride on that cargo carriage.”

Making sure only the tablecloth was visible from the outside, I lowered my shoulders to appear as light as possible and stood at the back door, taking a deep breath.

“Love, I’ll definitely contact you later, so stay hidden well. Make sure to tell Father.”

“Are you really going, Miss?”

“Yes, see you later.”

Alright, time to escape!

After a brief farewell, I kept my eyes on the opposite side.

When the coachman carried a crate of glass jars inside, I opened the back door and went out.

“Olga, is today the day your jam jars arrive?”

Speaking loudly enough for Olga to hear inside the house, I naturally placed the tablecloth I was holding in the cargo compartment of the carriage.

A partition had been set up so that what was inside couldn’t be seen from outside.

“Olga, you asked for this before, didn’t you?”

Leaving my bag and cape where they were, I took only the tablecloth and went inside.

Olga, who was inspecting the jam jars, saw the tablecloth I was holding and her eyes widened.

“The rose pattern tablecloth! Why? Are you giving it to me?”

“Yes, I’ll give it to you.”

“My, what a whim! You said before it was a cherished item you couldn’t part with?”

“Could I catch a ride on your cargo carriage? I heard a ban on ordinary carriages has been issued today, and I urgently need to go somewhere. Since you know the carriage owner well, I’m asking for your help.”

With a few words, Olga had the opportunity to get the tablecloth she wanted, so she didn’t refuse.

“Well, that much is fine. Sam! You know Ivy, right? Can you give her a ride in the carriage?”

“What? Why not call an ordinary carriage?”

The coachman Sam, who had come out after putting down the jam jars in the kitchen, spoke with an undisguised annoyed expression.

“Things are chaotic today. I need to leave the capital urgently, so please take me just to the city gate. I’ll pay you the fare for an ordinary carriage.”

“Ah, well, if you’re paying…”

“Thank you! I’ll get in first then. Olga, here’s the tablecloth.”

Leaving Olga behind as she unfolded the tablecloth to examine it, I went outside.

My heart pounded as if it would burst when I lifted the tent of the cargo compartment right behind the driver’s seat, wondering if someone was watching.

Moving carefully so the carriage wouldn’t shake, I retrieved my bag and cape from the back.

Please don’t let me be discovered.

Soon the coachman came out and sat in the driver’s seat.

“Want to sit here? You can sit beside me.”

“I’m fine here. I have a bag, so it’s inconvenient to move to the front. Oh, here are ten coins. Please just take me to the city gate.”

The fare for an ordinary carriage was eight coins, but I paid more.

“You didn’t have to go this far.”

The pleased owner pocketed the coins and began driving the horse.

I hid my body inside the tent so I wouldn’t be visible from outside.

The sky turned red and quickly darkened, and the street lamps connected by magic stones along the main road lit up.

“What’s going on that you need to go out at this hour?”

The cargo carriage, which carried glass jars and other items, moved slowly as deliveries were finished.

“I received word that my aunt is sick. There’s no one around to nurse her, so I’m going to help.”

“You’re doing a good deed. Where does your relative live?”

“Li-Lindal.”

I mentioned a random place.

“Whew, that’s far. If it’s that distant, you should leave as early as possible.”

“That’s right.”

Occasionally, soldiers of the Blemer family appeared, but they paid no attention to cargo carriages.

Cargo carriages transported various items, with fertilizer being a main delivery product, so the cargo compartment was dirty.

They wouldn’t think a woman would ride in a dirty cargo compartment.

Fortunately, the number of Blemer family soldiers decreased as we approached the city gate.

I got off the carriage before reaching the square in front of the gate.

After watching the cargo carriage move away, I pulled the hood of my cape down to hide my hair.

I just needed to pass through the city gate.

Outside the gate, I planned to meet my father and take a long-distance carriage to the province where my relatives lived.

I thought I could stay for a month or two, by which time Kaien would be infatuated with the female protagonist, Rebecca.

‘Would he really look for me until then?’

My chest ached a little.

Although I was the one who suggested breaking up first, I still had feelings for him as we had parted amicably.

‘Right now, my life is the priority.’

The gate was closed, but people were passing through a small door without much issue.

I pulled my cape’s hood down further and looked only at the ground as I headed toward the gate, which was illuminated by braziers.

“Once I pass through here.”

“Ivy.”

A deep male voice sent chills down my spine.

It was a familiar voice, but I thought there must be others named “Ivy” in the world, and tried to keep walking.

“Ivy Rabbit, where are you going?”

A long shadow stretched across the ground and reached my feet.

‘I’ve been caught!’

I wished I could keep walking as if I hadn’t heard, but as soon as my name was called, my feet froze like someone advertising, “I am Ivy Rabbit!”

Despite wearing the hood, he recognized me.

“Standing like that makes it seem like you’re running away from me, which feels disgusting.”

Looking straight ahead, I saw a man standing with his back to the city gate.

When he casually raised one hand to shoulder height, fires lit simultaneously in the braziers above the gate and around the perimeter, brightening the surroundings.

Even with his back to the fire, his eyes seemed to flash for a moment.

“You haven’t grasped the situation yet.”

I froze, unable to move.

He was clearly smiling, but goosebumps rose on my arms. Kaien’s voice deepened.

“Ivy, even in death, you cannot escape me.”

Why are you saying that to me?

Those were the words the villain said when he captured the female protagonist to imprison her!