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~Chapter 65~
Gibson patted my shoulder, and only then did I realize what kind of face I was making.
I felt guilty toward these people.
‘Damn it.’
How long would I let the past control me?
I washed my face roughly. Gibson continued talking.
“Yesterday, I spent a day disguised as a stall seller to gather information, and by chance, I ran into you. Sorry for suspecting you. That’s why I’m telling you all this.”
“You’re not just telling me because you don’t want to let me out, right?”
Of course, I planned to leave even if they tried to stop me.
But Gibson surprised me with his answer.
“It’s broad daylight now, so it’s too risky. When it’s quiet at dawn, I’ll let you out of the hideout. But when you leave, forget everything that happened here. Never come back to this cursed place.”
“Gibson…”
“Honestly, the money you gave us really helped. There was a patient who needed medicine. Thanks to you, they survived.”
It was only a few coins.
Not even gold—just ten silver coins and some small change.
Just as I was about to say something, Gareth, who’d been put to work fixing the hideout, came over and whispered.
“Madam, it’s best to escape now.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
Suddenly, a loud shout came from the entrance of the hideout.
“Everyone run! It’s the governor’s soldiers! Hurry, escape…!”
But he couldn’t finish.
A soldier’s sword pierced the young man who shouted.
The commander spat as he kicked the bleeding man.
“Idiots.”
“How did you find this place?!”
“Did you really think the harbor guards were that lazy? We set bait on purpose—made a hole in the grain bags, and you rats led us right to your nest!”
“…!”
Chaos erupted in the hideout.
Soldiers blocked the exit—no way to run outside.
The young men with rusty tools rushed to block the entrance, while the elderly and women hurried deeper inside.
In the middle of the panic, Gareth pulled me close.
“I have the Duke’s seal. If I show it and reveal your identity, you’ll be safely protected by the soldiers.”
“When did you even get that?”
“The Duke gave it to me just in case. Please, hurry.”
“Wait! But if I do that…”
I grabbed Gareth before he could shout to the soldiers.
If I revealed who I was, I’d be taken out of this filthy cave and given luxury and safety in the governor’s mansion.
Part of me wanted that,
but I just couldn’t say yes.
If the governor learns I met with these people…
The soldiers would run to the governor, who would destroy all the evidence.
He’d erase the hideout—and everyone in it—from the map.
‘In a normal city, maybe. But here, the governor’s power is absolute.’
Count Dorva is the former Duke’s only brother and the only living elder of the family.
To take down someone so powerful, you need clear, definite evidence that he broke the Duke’s orders and ruled with violence.
‘To get that, we have to strike before the governor notices. Sneak out, meet Ramon, bring in reinforcements and search before he can react.’
Seize the documents and get testimony from these people—then bring down Count Dorva.
I made up my mind in an instant.
“Gareth, can you fight the soldiers if you pretend to be a regular villager?”
“Forgive me, but the Duke ordered me to protect you above all else. Your safety comes first.”
“Really? Do you want the Duke to take you back and replace you?”
I knew Gareth was both my bodyguard and my watcher.
But I accepted him because even the lowest-ranked aides of the Duke were highly skilled.
The Duke wanted to watch me from afar, and I needed a strong guard—it worked for both of us.
As I expected, when I threatened to have him replaced, Gareth changed his attitude right away.
“While helping fix the hideout, I found another exit deep inside. If you walk for about half a day with the villagers, you’ll get out safely. I’ll hold the soldiers at the main entrance.”
“Now you’re talking.”
The people were using their bodies to block the narrow entrance,
but the soldiers’ force was slowly pushing them back.
“Take this. I hope you don’t need it, but…”
“…Alright.”
Time was running out.
Gareth handed me a light dagger, then ran to the cave entrance to hold off the soldiers.
I rushed to help gather the scared children.
“No! I don’t want to go!”
“Dad… Where’s my dad?!”
The sharp sound of metal and desperate screams echoed off the cave walls.
Scared children slipped away from their parents and tried to hide in tight corners.
Kids so young couldn’t understand why they had to run.
Still, I had to make them understand.
“I know it’s scary. But it’s more dangerous to stay here. Take my hand.”
“No, it’s too scary!!”
“Then hug me tight and close your eyes. It’ll be over soon.”
A little girl hesitated, then started crying and clung to me.
Other kids followed, clutching my clothes with tiny, desperate hands—like lifelines.
“Good job, everyone.”
“Sniff…”
I ruffled the kids’ hair.
The adults, who’d been frozen with fear, relaxed and began to help—taking the older children by the hand, lifting the younger ones.
Then, all at once, we ran—no time to look back,
just desperately running.
Edwin took only three days to cross a distance that should have taken six, using side roads from the western mansion.
All the way to Bellamare, he struggled to hold back his boiling anger.
If Gareth’s hawk hadn’t reached him, nothing—not man nor beast—would have survived his path.
“Your Grace!”
“What’s the situation?”
Ramon was already waiting outside Bellamare with the news.
Edwin didn’t slow down, and Ramon jumped onto his horse and gave a quick report.
“It was smart to keep the Lady at the inn. The governor hasn’t noticed anything because the family villa is under his control, but the inn is not.”
He also explained that a decoy was sent with Baron Comte, touring Bellamare’s tourist spots.
Edwin gritted his teeth.
‘She’s safe. This time… she’s safe.’
Both Ramon and Gareth’s hawk had said the same thing.
Elicia was safe.
She was alive.
Still, his bad feeling wouldn’t go away.
His heart pounded in time with the hooves of his horse.
“Attack the governor’s mansion. Arrest the governor and secure all records.”
“Yes, sir!”
Failure meant death.
Ramon and the elite soldiers turned their horses, their faces grim.
Edwin split from them and pushed his horse even harder.
Even though he would soon see her, the bad feeling just wouldn’t leave.
‘Please… let nothing bad happen…’
