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Chapter 18
“Here.”
It was an unexpected request, but a promise was a promise.
Arthur let go of the man’s arm. At the same time, he did not forget to kick him in the shin and knock him down.
“Ugh!”
The man groaned roughly.
Arthur shrugged.
Sienna was satisfied as well, so she pretended not to notice the kick.
“That’s roughly taken care of. And now it’s about time…”
He looked around.
The coachman was still unconscious on the dirt ground, and the scarred man was clutching his arms and legs, glaring with hatred.
“Oh, there they are.”
In the distance, a group of knights rode toward them, raising a cloud of dust. All of them wore black cloaks, and Deputy Commander Simon led the group.
Behind Simon’s saddle, a bald man with his hands tied behind his back was slung over like luggage.
Sienna finally nodded in understanding.
“So that’s why you let the bald man go.”
“Catching a runaway rat is Simon’s specialty.”
He looked proud, as if the hunt had finally ended.
Of course, the most satisfying catch was the Saint standing before him.
“Did you enjoy your outing?”
“…How did you know I was here?”
“No thank you to the man who saved your life? Such a sharp reply. You really are unique.”
Sienna glared at Arthur silently before speaking.
“Thaaank you very much.”
“…Your tone is strange.”
Looking at his smirking face made Sienna feel something strange.
What was it? Confidence?
Arthur seemed completely certain that no matter how much she ran, she would always be in the palm of his hand.
Sienna looked down.
The bracelet that had almost taken her life earlier.
“The men said it was a magic item…”
She saw the purple charm hanging cutely from the chain. The one who had attached that charm was…
“Did you like my gift?”
You bastard.
Sienna looked up at him sharply.
Arthur smiled and covered his left eye with his left hand, then removed it.
In that moment, Sienna clearly saw it. His eye, which should have been black, flashed a deep violet.
He leaned close and whispered in her ear.
“It’s one of the many secrets of the Grand Duke of Bleidel. Since you and I will share many experiences in the future, I’ll tell you this much.”
In an instant, his eyes returned to their deep, unreadable black.
“As long as you have that charm, I’ll always know where you are.”
Sienna clenched her fists, trembling.
Arthur’s red lips curved in complete satisfaction.
“So don’t try anything foolish and stay quietly at the temple. It would be even better if you decide to come to the Grand Duke’s residence.”
Sienna bit her lip.
She felt terrible.
Just then, Simon, who had arrived with the knights, spoke.
“Your Grace! Shall we execute them immediately?”
“No. Take them to the capital and hand them over to the magistrate.”
“Yes, sir!”
Simon looked surprised but, as always, did not question the order.
Not long after, the three thugs were tied up in a line like dried fish.
They were loaded onto the same hired carriage Sienna had ridden in.
Looking at the cleanly sliced-off carriage roof, Simon mounted his horse and muttered, “Pray it doesn’t rain on the way, you fools.”
Arthur watched them roll around on the carriage floor, muffled and groaning, with satisfaction.
“Then shall the Saint ride with me?”
Before she could refuse, Sienna was lifted up.
A black horse with a white spot on its nose carried them both down the single road leading to the capital.
Sienna was trapped between Arthur’s arms, unable to move, staring straight ahead.
“It will take a while to reach the capital. I suppose I’ll hear the story on the way.”
The story?
Sienna’s hair practically stood on end.
There was no way Arthur didn’t notice. They were close enough to hear each other’s heartbeats.
Being mischievous, he asked anyway.
“Why did you run away?”
Sienna couldn’t answer.
She quietly grabbed the horse’s mane.
“I’m going to fall in love with you soon. If we spend a night together and things go too far, I’ll die—so I ran away. Oh, and your curse will be cured afterward, so don’t worry.”
She couldn’t possibly say that!
Suddenly she felt angry.
Sienna glared at the purple charm on her wrist.
“Because of that thing, I can’t even run away anymore!”
Her small body rose and fell with rough breathing. Arthur, holding the reins while keeping her in his arms, felt every movement.
He was confused.
Why was the Saint suddenly breathing like that?
Usually, when women acted like this in front of him, there was only one answer.
“Did you fall for me?”
“You crazy—!”
The words slipped out before she could stop them. She quickly covered her mouth with both hands.
“Hahaha!”
Arthur burst into laughter.
She really was unique.
“My mistake. You were breathing so heavily. I thought you were having strange thoughts.”
Sienna gritted her teeth.
“That’s not it. Do you think every woman in the world smiles foolishly just because they see Your Grace?”
“Usually they do.”
“Unbelievable!”
Without thinking, Sienna grabbed the horse’s mane tightly. Startled by the sudden force, the horse jumped. Sienna wobbled and screamed.
“Ah!”
“Whoa, whoa. Calm down, Nose-Spot.”
The black horse with the white spot on its nose quickly calmed down as Arthur gently stroked its neck and resumed running.
“…Its name is Nose-Spot?”
“Yes. Nose-Spot.”
“Don’t tell me… because it has a white spot on its nose?”
Arthur nodded.
As it ran swiftly, Nose-Spot snorted as if unhappy with its name.
Even in this situation, Sienna couldn’t help but laugh.
“That’s very straightforward. Do you name your brown dog ‘Brownie’ and your spotted dog ‘Cow,’ too?”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“…”
The smile disappeared from Sienna’s face.
She had tried to change the subject with a joke, but it never worked on this man. Suddenly her stomach churned.
“You said you wanted to serve the Goddess so badly.”
An uncomfortable feeling started in her stomach and rose upward. She had been traveling on an empty stomach since dawn—first in a carriage, then on horseback. That was probably the problem.
“Why did you run from the temple?”
He looked like he already knew everything, but Sienna had a different, urgent concern.
She felt like she was about to vomit.
Under his continued questioning, she blurted out the first thing that matched her feelings.
“Because it disgusted me. The temple was very different from what I imagined.”
Arthur fell silent for a moment, as if struck.
Meanwhile, Sienna’s head spun. It felt like someone was stirring her insides.
Arthur spoke again.
“That’s certainly different from the reason I expected— mmph.”
Without thinking, Sienna lifted the hand that had been gripping the mane and covered his mouth.
She was already on the verge of fainting from motion sickness.
Barely able to speak, she whispered so only he could hear.
“…I think I’m going to throw up.”
Arthur’s black eyes shook violently. From his arrogant lips, which had likely never begged for anything before, came unbelievable words.
“…Please. Just a moment!”
The instant he pulled the reins, Nose-Spot reared in surprise at the sudden stop.
Sienna’s body lurched backward.
