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Chapter 28
He leaned in as if to whisper something softly—
and then suddenly picked me up.
Startled by the hands under my back and knees, my eyes widened reflexively.
Ignoring the shocked gazes behind us, he strode out of that unpleasant place with me in his arms.
Only after confirming that no one was around and all traces of movement had disappeared did I open my mouth.
“Put me down.”
“I can’t.”
“Pablo Herka, are you defying my orders?”
Only then did he finally set me down on the ground.
His restless gaze drifted over my face, to my hands, and then slowly down to my feet.
He scrubbed his face with both hands and let out a deep breath.
“What in the world are you doing here?!”
[What the hell are you doing here?]
Gah! That startled me!
First, his loud voice shocked me, then my memories from before the regression resurfaced and startled me again.
My heart almost leapt out of my chest.
“You’re not supposed to be here!”
[This place is perfect for someone like you.]
The strangely overlapping words of Pablo—past and present—only deepened the discomfort that had been festering inside me.
“Even if we were to meet… why here of all places…”
[I never imagined we’d meet in a place like this.]
Similar words, yet the tone and attitude couldn’t have been more different.
‘…’
He clearly had a lot to say.
But what should I do?
I had plenty to say too.
Doesn’t he realize now is not the time to be bothered by trivial things?
‘So Pablo turned out to be the one in charge of this place.’
As the marquis’s second son, I had assumed there’d be someone above him, but it makes more sense that he’s the ringleader.
“You may not realize what kind of place this is, Your Grace… but it’s dangerous.”
That tone—like I was some naive noblewoman—rubbed me the wrong way.
Unnecessary concern, excessive care, like I might break at the slightest touch.
‘Doesn’t suit him.’
I know all too well how cruel this man can be, and now he looks ridiculous to me.
Back then, he always treated me like a sinner—like he had the right to.
Like someone who needed to take his frustrations out on someone.
Always.
He always treated me that way.
“Let’s go. I’ll prepare the carriage.”
He pulled out a key from the bundle hanging at his waist and unlocked my chains.
At last, the shackles were removed.
“If something… disgraceful happened to you, please tell m—”
I pulled my hand away and gave him a small shove.
“You, the second son of the marquis, who owns a place where such disgraceful things happen, still don’t seem to grasp the situation.”
His muscles twitched under my hand.
A vein bulged on his forehead as he seemed to hold himself back.
“…I understand that this could be a misunderstanding, but please, just go back for now.”
A misunderstanding? Really?
I scoffed.
“This is not a place you should get involved with. Let me escort you back.”
Something about his words bothered me.
What was it?
I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it left a sour taste.
Feeling that I shouldn’t ignore the sense of déjà vu, I looked up at Pablo, who fidgeted anxiously.
“If I go back now? Do you really think I won’t do anything about this? You must be living in a fantasy.”
And then I decided to take a gamble.
That if he just let me go, things wouldn’t end peacefully.
And his response came quickly.
“Yes. You won’t be able to do anything once you return, Your Grace.”
“You do realize there’s nothing the head of the Mertiel family can’t do, right?”
“Not even the mighty Mertiels can stop this.”
“…”
Even the Mertiel family… can’t stop this?
Though Pablo was a marquis’s son, he wouldn’t dare oppose Mertiel unless—
“The Jefino family?”
No… no, that’s not it.
“It’s the Imperial family, isn’t it?”
His naked expression answered my question before words could.
Whether or not he meant to hide it, he gripped both my arms tightly.
His gaze turned sharp.
“You don’t know anything, Your Grace.”
Hah… The Emperor.
Of course. Who else would the Herka family follow?
I had thought he resembled my father in some ways… but now I see he truly only thinks of himself.
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
“Don’t touch me without permission.”
“Is that really what matters right now?!”
This situation was far bigger than I had anticipated.
If the Emperor was involved, I couldn’t touch this recklessly.
No matter how wrong it was, going against the Emperor was the worst possible outcome.
‘It’s dangerous. But I have justification.’
I had more than enough justification.
‘Because I was here myself.’
I had every right to deal with this as I saw fit.
This was a golden opportunity. I had no intention of letting it go.
The problem was…
‘If Pablo reports to the Emperor that I found out he’s behind this.’
Things would be different if I acted knowing full well the Emperor was involved.
‘I only just pledged my loyalty to him… It’s too soon.’
This was not the time to make an enemy of the Emperor.
Even if no one could say anything openly, helping me escape and then making a mess of everything would surely irritate the Emperor.
“If we wait any longer, it’ll be hard to get out.”
He looked genuinely desperate.
“Please, let’s go.”
This man was the Emperor’s perfect loyalist.
Not someone I could trust.
“I’m not leaving like this.”
“Your Grace!”
“Don’t raise your voice.”
“…”
“If you raise your voice in front of me again, you’ll regret it.”
I issued my warning while my mind raced.
I had to think.
How to handle Pablo—how to shut that viper-like mouth of his in front of the Emperor.
He nervously clasped his hands behind his back.
“Don’t tell me… those wounds on your body… did you get them resisting like this?”
He made a gesture, as if trying to show he meant no harm. My expression hardened before I realized it.
He seemed to regret his words and shut his mouth immediately.
‘The wounds on my body…’
Oh, right. He’d seen them.
I remembered the night we crossed paths by the lakeside, on our way up to the capital.
‘Ah…’
And then the look of concern in his eyes.
‘…?’
He was clearly worried. I had just heard it in his voice, too.
But that gaze…
He genuinely looked concerned.
Could it be…
“Hah, haha… hahaha!”
Does he have feelings for me?
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
He flinched.
“Haha! Hah… ha.”
How dare you?
You, who tormented me to death in my past life?
I laughed until tears pricked at my eyes.
Then, I took a bold step toward Pablo, who looked down at me with a dumbfounded expression.
“To think I’d hear words of concern from you.”
“Why do you hate me so—!”
I raised my foot and pressed it firmly down on his boot.
“Did that scar bother you?”
The stiff leather was clear beneath my bare foot.
A mark from my death.
“You said you didn’t need to take responsibility back then…”
And the proof that I tried to run away from his cruelty.
“Now that you’ve seen such a shameful secret, should I really ask you to take responsibility?”
The scar ached faintly, as if in response.
“That promise you made—to take responsibility.”
I looked at him, completely frozen.
“How about you repay me by not reporting what we just talked about to the Emperor?”
“…”
“Then maybe I’ll like you a little.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Striding forward with the biggest steps I could manage, I stretched out my freed hands as if relaxing my limbs.
“To think I’d run into that man here.”
I unbuttoned the top of my collar and let out a deep sigh.
Pablo Herka.
The model of a perfect knight.
The Emperor’s loyal hound.
The next captain of the 1st Knight Order.
A man currently as popular as the Crown Prince on the marriage market.
“If I didn’t know the truth, I’d have thought the same.”
At a glance, he seemed so dutiful and upright.
And yet he had simply shut his mouth and quietly closed his eyes in response to my absurd threat.
“How dare you even think of liking me…”
I never imagined sensing someone’s affection could feel this disgusting.
“Well, I finally shook off Pablo. Now it’s time to do what I came here to do.”
If he changed his mind and decided to follow me, things would get troublesome.
“I wasted too much time because of Pablo.”
Fiddling with my brown hair, I took a small, steadying breath.
‘My feet are cold.’
The image of the shoes Pablo had offered me earlier—telling me to at least wear them—floated into my mind.
A pity, but they were too big anyway. I would’ve had to drag my feet if I wore them.
‘This much cold is nothing.’
I’ve had frostbite before. I can handle this.
Rolling my eyes, I placed my hand on the doorknob.
And the moment I twisted it with strength—
Whoosh!
“…!”
The door flew open, and my body tipped forward.
