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Chapter : 23
“Then… who will help the young lady…?”
Lucy’s voice became small as Raiden glared at her sharply. Anna couldn’t stand it and spoke up.
“Raiden, Lucy is just—”
“We don’t have time, excuse us.”
Raiden cut Anna off and wrapped her tightly in a big, black robe he had brought with him, as if he had prepared in advance.
“Raiden?”
Anna was surprised and confused, but Raiden suddenly lifted her up in his arms. She almost screamed. Lucy’s face turned bright red and she hurried to block Raiden’s way.
“Marquis, you scared the young lady!”
In normal times, a servant could get in big trouble for blocking a noble. Raiden raised his eyebrow, and Henry quickly stepped forward.
“Lucy, come here.”
“No, Head Butler. I can’t let my lady go like this.”
Lucy didn’t move at all. Raiden looked at her with surprise.
“Step aside, Lucy. If you care about her safety, let her go with him.”
“But…”
Even as Henry pushed her, Lucy stayed firm. Her young face showed she wouldn’t move until Anna said something herself.
“Lucy is just worried about me!”
Anna shouted quickly, worried Raiden might hurt Lucy. Henry also looked at Raiden with some blame.
“I agreed to let you take care of the young lady, but is this force really needed?”
Everyone complained, but Raiden didn’t care. He said calmly,
“We’re going to my house. Right now, it’s the safest place in the city.”
“…You have a house on Royal Street?”
Anna was shocked, but as Raiden urged her to hurry, she just nodded her head. With her permission, Raiden walked out of Anna’s room, with Lucy and Henry following in a rush.
They got in Raiden’s carriage. Raiden set Anna down in a seat. Anna quickly opened the window.
“When can Lucy come?”
“She won’t.”
Raiden sat across from her and shut the door. Outside, Lucy clutched her skirt tightly, her face full of sadness.
“Young lady, please just hold on until things are safe here,”
Henry said. Anna felt upset at Henry for getting her into this, but she nodded quietly.
“…As long as you’re safe, I’m okay.”
Lucy tried to smile. Anna looked at her with pity, and suddenly Raiden hit the carriage wall with his fist.
“Let’s go.”
The coachman snapped the reins, and the horses started moving. Anna waved to Lucy, who ran after the carriage for a few steps, then stopped and watched until it disappeared.
Anna sat up straight.
“Lucy can’t come.”
Raiden pulled a blanket over Anna’s legs. He looked up at her, and Anna saw a cold anger in his blue eyes.
“You may trust them, but I don’t. People can betray for just a bit of money.”
“They’re different.”
“Still, they’re not family. Did you forget what the Count of Evercline did?”
At those words, Anna remembered the dark mountain road, the shining shoes in the moonlight. Without thinking, she dug her nails into her seat. Raiden noticed her pain and changed the topic.
“Maybe it’s not the Count. Maybe it’s Marquis Nomen. We have to consider the worst.”
“…I understand.”
Anna nodded, then looked up suddenly.
“I have something to say.”
She slowly told Raiden about what happened in Baron Vestin’s woods, how she was almost kidnapped. Raiden listened quietly with narrow eyes.
“Oh, and Lucy saw…”
Anna also told him that Lucy had seen Marquis Nomen’s assistant in the city, and he ran away scared. Raiden tapped his chair and then spoke.
“I’ll look into it. But next time, please tell me everything like this, especially if it’s about your safety.”
He looked at Anna seriously.
“Henry did the right thing by contacting me.”
Anna lowered her eyes and nodded, feeling gloomy.
“…Okay.”
“I’m only worried about you,”
Raiden added softly, seeing that Anna felt small. He wanted her to know he wasn’t scolding her. Anna felt all her sad feelings melt away.
“I know. I mean… I know now…”
She realized she had always talked to Raiden without any formality, so she became shy. Raiden smiled a little and tucked her loose hair behind her ear.
“Unless it’s absolutely needed, I want you to talk to me like before.”
“Oh, really?”
Anna was happy—she didn’t want to be distant with him, either. She smiled brightly.
“Still, you’re a marquis, so I’ll be polite in front of others.”
“Yes. I’ll look forward to it.”
Raiden’s eyes became gentle as he looked at her, then suddenly his face turned serious, as if he had been hit.
“Why?”
Anna blinked.
“…I just realized this isn’t a time to be smiling.”
He turned his head, as if trying to hide his feelings. The air in the carriage felt cold again, and Anna agreed in her heart.
‘That’s true.’
She remembered she was in this situation because it was unsafe to stay at Evercline House. Anna felt pitiful about her sad fate. Raiden glanced sideways at her, then stared out the window.
So, in silence, the carriage headed toward Royal Street.
“Wait, is this really the place?”
Anna was carried out of the carriage in Raiden’s arms again—it was still before sunrise, and Raiden said it was because it was cold. Anna wanted to complain, but she was so shocked by what she saw that she forgot.
“This isn’t a mansion.”
Anna stared with wide eyes. In front of her was a giant iron gate with a drawbridge, like a castle. She whispered,
“This is the Grand Duke’s castle, the very first building on Royal Street.”
It was famous—the oldest, most important building, now a museum. As a child, Anna had come here with her father several times.
“You… bought this?”
Anna was excited and wanted to ask, but stopped when she saw many servants lined up inside the gate, staring at them. Raiden held Anna more tightly and walked on, not caring about the servants.
“It was for sale. I was lucky.”
“Lucky…?”
Anna wondered what was lucky about buying a castle. Raiden added,
“When your family grows, a big place is best.”
“!”
Anna buried her face in Raiden’s shoulder, embarrassed that everyone was staring. Her heart beat fast, like a scared animal.
‘Did he just talk about our future together?’
She was glad it was still dark, so her red face was hidden.
Raiden stopped. Anna looked up and saw all the servants in neat lines. Raiden spoke in a commanding voice,
“She’s my guest. Treat her with special care.”
Immediately, an old man who looked like the head butler and a middle-aged woman who seemed like the housekeeper came forward and bowed.
“We will serve you with all our hearts.”
Raiden nodded and walked on. Anna looked around. The large yard had storage buildings, a brick road to the training ground, a big stable, and smoke rising behind a stone building—a blacksmith, maybe.
‘How can there be so much land inside the capital…?’
As a museum, Anna had only seen a small part before. Now she looked everywhere, amazed, almost forgetting she’d been scared. Among the servants, Raiden’s assistant Louis watched Anna with a surprised face.
“Hmm…”
Louis stepped forward and watched Raiden and Anna walk away. He tilted his head, not sure what to think.
“Something’s strange…”
Time flew by, and Anna had now lived at the Marcus castle for nearly a month.
“Hey, can you bring some tea?”
Anna, dressed in pretty clothes, pointed at her empty cup. The maid at the door bowed politely.
“I’ll bring it right away.”
As soon as the maid left and the door shut, Anna slouched in her chair, relaxing her back.
