APML 14

Chapter 14

 The Ambush

Startled by the loud noise, Evelyn clung to Cain.
“Kid. If you come too close out of curiosity, you’ll get hurt.”
Evelyn lifted her head at Cain’s words.
Cain was blocking a fallen stall with his foot, and a little boy was sitting under it.
“S-Sorry… w-wah…”
“It’s fine. Get out quickly.”
Tears glistening in his eyes, the boy crawled out from beneath the stall.
Soon, his mother ran over, hugged him, and repeatedly thanked Cain before disappearing.
“Lord Cain?”
“Some guy was causing a ruckus earlier. I guess I kicked him then.”
Cain replied nonchalantly as he grabbed Evelyn’s tied-up sleeve.
“I’ll untie it for you.”
Unaware of the situation, Evelyn blushed even more at her own mistaken assumptions.
‘Ah… my heart is racing. I must be crazy.’
While Evelyn tried to calm herself, Cain untied the remaining knots on her sleeve.
As her jacket slipped down, the slender curve from Evelyn’s neck to her pale shoulder caught Cain’s attention.
“…”
Annoyed by something, Cain grabbed both sleeves again, prompting Evelyn to quickly slip her arms back in.
“I won’t get caught again.”
“What?”
“You were about to tie me again. I don’t want to go around looking ridiculous like that.”
“I said I’d untie it. How could you hear me wrong?”
“Then what were you trying to do just now?”
“The jacket was too big and slipping off, so I thought I’d fix it… why?”
Evelyn took a step back in disbelief.
“It’s fine. Wearing it oversized is fine. It even looks kind of stylish.”
“Oversized… what?”
Pretending not to hear Cain, Evelyn rolled up her loose sleeves and folded the jacket back.
“This is fine now.”
“…Anyone can see it’s weird.”
And her shoulder is completely exposed.
Cain frowned as he glanced at her shoulder, clearly displeased.
Evelyn quickly turned away to avoid his gaze.
“It’s better than being tied up like earlier, so it’s fine.”
She added quickly and stepped ahead of Cain, grimacing.
Her new shoes pinched and scraped painfully.
“Ugh…”
“You’ll be okay?”
“It’ll be fine if I just endure a little. Let’s go.”
Even while grimacing, she took another step, making Cain look at her feet again.
Her walk seemed awkward, almost like she was limping, and her expression wasn’t good.
‘It must hurt. Can she really walk like that?’
Should I just carry her?
No, that would be weird… maybe just piggyback her…?
‘No, no. She says she’s fine, so there’s no need to worry.’
Suppressing all other thoughts, Cain followed behind Evelyn as she walked ahead.
His eyes remained fixed on her steps.
“Sorry I can’t walk faster.”
“It’s fine. Today’s schedule is over anyway, so there’s no rush.”
Even walking slower than usual, Cain silently matched her pace.
As they turned into an alley—a shortcut back to the carriage—Evelyn paused, standing still.
‘What is it?’
Compared to the first time they passed here, the inside of the alley seemed slightly different.
“Lord Cain. It must be today.”
“What?”
“The structures inside have been moved.”
Cain, surprised by her observation, examined the structures.
But he couldn’t tell what had changed.
“How did you notice that?”
“I memorized it when we passed by earlier. I thought they’d hide there if they wanted to conceal themselves.”
“You memorized it?”
“Yes. What do we do now? Turn back?”
“What nonsense. We can’t do that until we confirm what you said.”
“But…”
“Don’t peek around either. It would be bad if they think we’ve noticed them.”
Evelyn immediately shut her mouth and fixed her gaze on Cain with a serious expression.
“Don’t be afraid. Just do as I say. You want this over quickly too, right?”
Cain pulled her shoulder close to him.
Caught off guard, Evelyn didn’t resist, and Cain smoothly led her deeper into the alley.
“You were right. It must be today.”
Cain pressed a bit harder on her shoulder to prevent her from turning back in surprise.
‘Stay still.’
“Keep walking.”
“Yes.”
As they continued forward, Cain glanced at another alley branching to the right.
“Evelyn.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to push you into that side alley. Run straight to the square.”
“And you, Lord Cain?”
“I’ll deal with these guys. Can you run with those feet?”
“That’s not the problem. Are you going to fight them alone?”
“No. Support will arrive soon.”
Evelyn looked at Cain in surprise, and he smiled slightly.
“I didn’t completely dismiss your observation. I caught one of them a moment ago, so the distance is a bit wider. As long as we buy time, support will arrive.”
“Ah.”
“You said I got hit with a poisoned weapon, right? I know what’s coming, so I can handle it.”
“But…”
“Don’t think about others. You being here would only get in the way.”
Even Evelyn couldn’t argue with Cain’s cold logic.
He was experienced in combat and had learned much firsthand before taking the commander role.
This approach tactic would be familiar to him, so there would be no problem.
“Now, get ready. Don’t worry unnecessarily.”
Cain calmed the still-worried Evelyn while checking the side alley in the distance.
At his signal, Evelyn was pushed into the alley, and assassins with swords charged in.
Cain drew his sword and began engaging them.
Evelyn, who had gotten up, ran toward the square but immediately leaned against a wall to hide.
She scanned the buildings flanking the alley where Cain was fighting.
‘He said it was an ambush, so it must have been a sniper. Then they must have come from above.’
Evelyn carefully looked upward.
There had to be something, just like the altered positions of the structures used for hiding.
While Evelyn observed, Cain efficiently defeated the assassins.
Even against multiple opponents, his calm expression and controlled movements made it look almost enjoyable.
“Who sent them?”
Naturally, the assassins did not answer.
Cain wasn’t expecting an answer anyway and kicked one down.
He dodged another attacker’s dagger, kicked his stomach with his knee, then used him as a shield to block an attack from the front.
“Isn’t this overkill for just one guy?”
Cain muttered with a smirk, discarded the human shield, seized a dagger, and slashed the front attacker.
He immediately turned and struck another, catching sight of Evelyn.
‘That fool. Why isn’t she moving?’
Cain glanced at Evelyn while dispatching another assassin.
Finally, he realized she was looking at something above.
‘What is she looking at?’
As Cain defeated the last assassin, Evelyn suddenly jumped up from her hiding spot.
This was it.
Once all assassins fell, Cain might let his guard down, and the shield she provided would disappear.
Evelyn sprang from her hiding spot and ran toward Cain.
“Evelyn?”
Cain called in surprise, opening his arms as she ran toward him.
A gust of wind cut past, and Evelyn collapsed just before reaching him.
“Evelyn!”
Cain caught her in his arms.
Fortunately, she was breathing, but her face was pale.
“Sir!”
Hearing a subordinate approach, Cain looked up.
“Above. Take out the snipers first! Check thoroughly if anything’s left.”
“The blue roof… third-floor window. There’s a yellow flower pot in front.”
Evelyn barely managed to speak, pointing out the location.
Thin blood trickled from her mouth as she spoke.
“Hurry. Before they escape.”
“Search quickly. Bring them back alive if possible.”
Following Cain’s command, several subordinates immediately moved out.
“C-Could we… catch them?”
Cain wiped the blood from Evelyn’s mouth.
“Just keep your mouth shut.”
His voice seemed to whisper directly in her ear.
Her vision blurred, and a hot, bubbling sensation rose inside her.
Seeing Evelyn’s eyes blinking slowly, Cain lifted her in his arms.
“I’m returning to the castle. Handle this quietly.”
“Yes, sir.”
Cain ordered his subordinates to secure the fallen assassins and started running through the alley with Evelyn in his arms.

Cain quietly entered the castle through a secret passage.
Avoiding the eyes of the staff, he went straight to Evelyn’s room.
Having been hit near her shoulder, Evelyn had already lost consciousness on the way back.
Cain gently laid her on the bed and called the doctor, Dale.
Dale, dragged here without knowing the situation, immediately assessed her condition.
“She needs to lie face down.”
Cain hurriedly turned Evelyn over, and Dale tore the clothing on her right shoulder.
The wound under the violet violet tattoo near her shoulder blade had darkened around the edges, looking severe.
“It’s poisoned.”
“Seeing the discoloration, it seems so. We need to identify the type of poison first.”
Dale carefully extracted a small bullet-like object from Evelyn’s shoulder and placed it in a glass vial.
He then brought out several bottles of reagents in different colors.
“There should be a reaction.”
“Use any means necessary to find out.”
“I will try.”
Following Cain’s firm command, Dale began drawing blood from Evelyn into a clean vial.

The thick, black blood slowly filled the glass vial.