30. Escape

“The young master, is he still alive? That’s……”

I couldn’t continue speaking as ash fell in front of my eyes.

Something cold and hard covered my mouth. Pushed against the wall with strong force, I seemed to lose all sensation from the impact.

My startled eyes wouldn’t close, but with my head turned outward from hitting the wall, my vision was limited. I didn’t dare think of moving.

Just then, a small sound came from far away. It was the only thing filling this empty, silent void. I wasn’t sure whether to be glad or disappointed at this other person’s presence.

At that moment, something fluttered down to my feet as I knelt.

It was paper so thin it was almost transparent. Looking closely, something was written on it.

<Don’t make a sound.>

Though I hadn’t heard any sound of this man writing something, clear letters were written there.

I slowly nodded my head.

Judging by the fact that he showed me such a note, fortunately, the person outside didn’t seem to be in league with this man. It would have been right for me to make a sound and lure that person here.

Not only that, even the smallest sound could probably resonate sufficiently in this enclosed space.

But strangely, I couldn’t do that.

There was something undeniable about this man’s instructions. This was true even though he didn’t have a single weapon in his hands. Perhaps it was because my repeated attempts to break free had been subdued by his strength?

A light searching this place briefly illuminated this direction. I looked toward it with a small hope.

Seeing that they had a lamp, that person was very likely from the ducal family. Hope began to sprout that I could safely escape from this man.

The hand covering my mouth loosened, as if testing me. I seized the opportunity and bit his fingers.

Though I bit down hard enough to break skin, his fingers twitched but his hand wasn’t withdrawn.

“I’m, here……”

At that moment, something was lazily pushed against my shoulder.

“……”

The heat burning near my ear was threatening in itself. I reflexively closed my mouth.

And the light illuminating this space passed by instantly without even a moment’s hesitation. Even the very faint light disappeared completely to the opposite side.

The footsteps grew smaller and, from what I could hear, had completely receded and wouldn’t return.

The man, who had been still until then, seemed satisfied and withdrew his hand that had been covering my mouth. But instinctively, I knew he still hadn’t permitted me to open my mouth.

This was because I could see something thin and shiny approaching just below my chin. This must have been the identity of the weapon he had been hiding under his sleeve.

“Regret it?”

He whispered softly. Black fingers brushed past my cheek. That touch stung and ached as if a thorn had been embedded.

I wasn’t naive enough to simply believe those words. If he had truly allowed me to escape, he wouldn’t have stopped me during the opportunity that had just come.

I shook my head.

The man somehow snickered at my obedience.

Hearing that laugh, I had an ominous feeling.

The sensation of the blade against my neck felt momentarily hot. I could see the rough leather glove that had covered my mouth earlier gripping its handle tightly. The slight vibration starting from that hand seemed to transmit all the way to my heart.

Then the fingers of the rough glove began to strongly constrict my neck from various directions.

“Ugh……”

I completely closed my eyes. Running into a crazed murderer here wasn’t part of the plan at all.

Is this how I die?

All the various plans and emotions that had been busily flowing through my mind began to feel futile.

At that moment, breathing sounds that hadn’t been heard before began to come softly. A sound that seemed somewhat excited.

Then I felt the hand holding the gun handle vibrating more and more, as if moving up and down.

I slightly opened my closed eyes.

I could see the smile of the man standing in front of me beginning to distort.

The hand holding the gun deflected diagonally as if bounced by something.

As if all the previous gagging and threatening had been lies, he backed away from blocking me.

As the hand choking my neck loosened and I felt his gaze meeting mine, I began to cough violently.

“Kack, cough……! Cough……”

Amidst the commotion filled with my coughing sounds, a small voice was heard.

“Go.”

At that clear voice, which couldn’t be mistaken for mishearing, I raised my head while holding my painful throat with both hands.

What on earth did this person want from me?

The k*lling intent I had faintly felt earlier wasn’t a lie – it seemed too intense for him to simply have been trying to scare me. What change had occurred in his mindset when he had been trying to kill me for some reason?

“Go, quickly……!”

His rough voice urged me.

I turned my body to run outside as he said.

But the man was faster.

The moment I noticed him swinging his arm, an object narrowly missed me and hit the wall with a sharp sound. Soon after falling, it bounced off the floor several times, making consecutive noises.

My dazed gaze naturally turned in that direction.

There lay a small rifle gleaming in silver.

For a moment, déjà vu passed through me. It was a very similar situation to what I had experienced recently. Fortunately, this time there was no bullet being fired.

“……”

Startled by the flashing gleam in his eyes directed at me, I raised my head again.

I could see the man in front of me reaching for the gun, unable to contain his anger. He put his finger on the trigger as if determined to kill me.

That action seemed to reproach my hesitation. Only then did I belatedly spring from my place and start running with all my might.

Though blurry ash-colored disheveled hair got in the way of my vision, I had no leisure to tidy it and push it back.

I continued running, leaving the man in the room behind. There was no sound of pursuit.

The sudden whim of that man who let me go was certainly incomprehensible.

But I had no time to think about it anymore. I had momentarily experienced the overwhelming difference in strength between us.

If I didn’t keep running, another one of his whims might overtake me.

Reaching that conclusion, I became urgent. I desperately mustered my strength and began to run even faster.

I ran and ran until I escaped from the dense darkness that had taken root in every part of the building.

❀❀❀

The moment I was finally certain I had moved far away from the dangerous building, I let out the breath I had been holding.

“Huff……”

My heart was beating madly.

No matter how much air I inhaled, my chest felt so tight that I couldn’t catch my breath.

Belatedly, blood began to circulate throughout my body, and trembling—whether from pulse or chills—began to be felt from all directions.

I collapsed, placing both knees on the ground.

With both palms firmly pressed against the wet ground soaked by rain, I repeatedly exhaled and inhaled for a long time.

Large raindrops pattered on my back, soaking my clothes. But it wasn’t so bothersome. Without this rainwater falling on my back, I might have lost consciousness and collapsed.

“What kind of condition is that?”

At that moment, a familiar voice came from behind me.

Though I didn’t have the strength to call his name, I knew who he was.

It was Levery, whom I had encountered on my way here earlier. For some reason, he seemed to have stayed nearby instead of hurriedly going on his way.

As he said, even to me, my current state was completely disheveled.

He could laugh if he wanted to. I didn’t have the energy to argue with him now.

“Rosaline.”

I heard him approaching me.

It would have been good to at least maintain a proper posture and pretend to be fine. But even that wasn’t possible.

My condition was so terrible that I couldn’t even push away his hand as he approached with surprise and supported my arm to pull me up.

“You’re crazy…… really.”

Levery continued to mutter.

The arm and leg loosely draped over his shoulder, along with the hem of my clothes flowing beneath, made me look like a crazy person even to myself.

The bandage that had been perfectly wrapped around my leg earlier was also unraveled and dragging below.

Ah, perhaps he’s worried that if something happens to me, the only effective head of the Brienne family, the remaining debt won’t be repaid?

I could see Levery’s back getting wet in the rain as he carried me on his back and hurried somewhere. What should I do about his cherished clothes that he said he wore to important meetings, now ruined like this?

I barely spoke to the back of his head.

“Add this outfit to my debt too, Levery.”

But my words seemed to be buried in the sound of rain. There was no answer from him.

Thanks to Levery walking at a steady pace, my heart, which had been beating roughly, gradually began to calm down.

I closed my eyes and completely leaned into his support.