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Chapter 40
My breath was heavy.
I bit the inside of my cheek hard and wiped away the trembling at the corners of my eyes.
My precious father, my beautiful daughter.
The devoted former duke, a noblewoman who had grown up sheltered like a greenhouse flower.
The insincere words said toward my late beloved father.
“He was a tyrant at home, but everyone knew he was kind to others outside.”
I had heard those words many times in society, but I never imagined they would hit me this hard.
My heart ached.
More precisely, the scar deeply etched across my chest ached.
No, it can’t be.
The scar that should have disappeared kept asserting itself.
Surely, I have two wishes.
And I have already fulfilled the first one.
“Yeah, I wish we would stop talking about it. It just makes me a little sad.”
Gaining strength so that no one dares treat me carelessly.
I had fulfilled the first wish; now I only needed the second.
To fulfill that second wish… it’s not so hard to suppress these feelings a little.
No matter what, never go back to the past!
I wasn’t about to let myself get swept up in fleeting emotions and gasp for breath like a madwoman in front of Esidua.
“If that is what you wish, then so be it.”
“…”
Slowly blinking, I closed my eyes at the hand that brushed across my face.
My wildly beating heart began to settle into place.
Yes, it’s nothing.
He kissed just below my eyes. The warmth wiped away lingering thoughts.
I comforted myself by saying I was just a bit startled to hear about my father after such a long time.
At times like these, it’s best to change the subject.
“But Esid, you look happy today.”
He chuckled softly.
“It can’t be helped.”
Esidua’s voice trembled faintly as he held me close.
It was a slightly excited tone.
“I wonder why.”
“…”
“Because something good is about to happen.”
Feeling the warmth of his kiss on my cheek, I looked up at Esidua.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
His gaze still fixed beyond the castle walls.
A man not looking at me.
“I hope you feel the same.”
He smiled faintly, carrying the chilly air of a snowy winter day.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Esidua.”
“Hmm?”
Lost in all those thoughts, I tilted my head.
Looking at Esidua’s profile, I unconsciously pressed my slightly parted lips shut.
“Why do you call me that? What are you curious about?”
His gentle voice tickled my throat.
“Thank you for staying by my side.”
He widened his eyes in surprise, then let out a lazy laugh mixed with the wind.
“You say such unexpected things, Ina.”
He tapped the snow-covered ground with his foot.
It was embarrassing and unfamiliar.
“Esidua, you’ll stay by my side for life, right?”
Even though I knew he must, bound to me, I wanted to hear his answer in this moment.
Would he understand that this selfish question came from my fear of losing the man beside me?
“Of course.”
“Will there ever be a day you want to leave my side?”
He wiped his face with a serious look, clearly struggling to find a way to respond to something unworthy of answering.
“No way.”
Right, I expected that answer from him.
It was so predictable it deflated me, so I just smiled, and he quietly said one more thing.
“But if that day ever comes…”
“Yes?”
“Just stay pretty.”
I paused, tilting my head at his meaningful words.
“If you act pretty, I’ll treat you pretty.”
“…?”
“That will be enough.”
Huh?
His words were a little strange.
I fiddled with my earlobe, smoothed my crumpled clothes, braced my legs to push off the ground… then covered my face with my hands and sat down, looking up at him again.
Just as I opened my mouth to speak to the kind man looking down at me—
Crack!
I jumped up suddenly and Esidua hugged me almost at the same moment.
The pounding footsteps stormed my ears, with no intention to hide their approach.
The sharp, swift sounds of well-trained killers.
Esidua whispered quietly into my ear.
“Quiet. Someone’s here.”
I swallowed the breath I was about to exhale.
“At least twenty… no, over thirty.”
“…”
“Assassins.”
An unexpected and unwelcome arrival.
✦ ✦ ✦
The moonlit night was beautiful.
I closed my eyes gently against the cold wind.
Have I ever climbed a mountain like this before?
Except when I was a fugitive, I had never walked a rough mountain path on my own two feet.
The only time had been that night.
The first day after I returned, descending the mountain in a mess, I met Esidua.
The day my fate changed.
I turned my head.
Esidua brushed my hair, fluttering in the wind, with his hand.
His long eyelashes were clearly visible as I lowered my eyes.
I couldn’t read the meaning in his slightly raised gaze.
“There are too many of them to run.”
He relaxed the arm holding me and brought his hand to his sword.
“As expected, we have to fight.”
Swish!
His well-sharpened sword slipped from its sheath, revealing its presence under the moonlight.
My eyes landed on the heavy sword tightly gripped in his hand.
Esidua hid me behind his back and smiled fiercely.
“Since they already know where we are, is there any reason to run? Let’s face them all.”
Whether Esidua’s provocation worked or it was part of their plan, several men in black masks appeared.
They pointed their swords at Esidua and me.
But all I saw was the strong back of the man standing firmly before me.
“Esidua.”
“Why call me?”
“Th-there…”
“Ina, can you stay alone while I go for a moment?”
“Yes.”
A moment charged with tension.
If anyone moved, this place full of life from nature would be drowned in the sound of death.
“Good, that’s how it should be.”
All I could do was stay silent and still, not disturbing anyone.
But when a few more assassins pushed through the bushes, my fragile calm broke.
A distant fear engulfed me.
I closed my eyes tight without realizing it.
The nails digging into my skin as I clasped my hands caused pain.
My whole body trembled faintly.
My heart began pounding fast and cold sweat streamed down.
Can Esidua handle them alone?
If he couldn’t—
The consequences that would follow made my heart race even more.
That must not happen. Never.
“…No, no.”
My voice shook uncontrollably.
At that moment, as if thinking more was a luxury, two or three assassins charged at once.
Thud!
“…!”
But Esidua, who seemed to consider the first attacker no match, struck down the opponent swiftly with his sword.
He didn’t stop there; his sword drew an arc in the air.
Gah!
The blades clashed, and he scraped the blade of another assassin’s sword.
Unable to endure further, the assassin’s sword flew from his hand, slicing through the night sky.
“Who sent you?”
Esidua spoke calmly amidst the chaos, but his arm trembled slightly from the burden.
I began to quietly back away, trying not to interfere.
With nowhere left to run, I pressed my back against a tree, clutching my left chest.
I hid behind those risking their lives in battle.
“….”
An overwhelming fear surrounded me.
At that moment, an assassin wounded by Esidua’s sword and lying on the ground giggled and reached toward me.
I hurriedly pulled back to avoid his hand.
“Wh-who sent you?”
My voice trembled without my control.
Embarrassed by my own words, I bit my lip tightly.
My head ached.
Everything in this space weighed heavily on me, tightening my breath.
Unable to control my trembling body, I clutched my clothes tightly.
The man smiled as if he expected my question.
“Don’t think this will be the end of the price.”
Price?
I’d heard that phrase somewhere before.
[Duke, I will make sure you pay the price for this.]
From the Emperor.
A harsh memory bubbled up vividly.
The evil that sought to steal even my faint breath.
The moments of fear that relentlessly followed me.
People who chased me through these mountains hoping my breath would stop here.
“Die… just die!”
The harsh metallic voice of the assassin reaching out to me filled my mind with white noise.
I hated this evil more than anything in the world.
Because it had broken me.
Esidua rushed over and picked me up, hiding me in his arms.
At that sight, I bit my soft cheek with all my strength.
