WSRN 30

Chapter 30

“…Found you. My lost chick.”

Blair tilted her head, strands of black hair falling forward.

She looked a mess — unusual for her — having rushed here, but even so, this place was far worse.

Two were lying unconscious, and one was barely clinging to life at death’s door.

Without hesitation, Blair’s steps moved toward one of them.

Her favorite outing dress dragged across the filthy floor, but she didn’t care.

She bent down and lifted the unconscious Elena.

‘Pathetic.’

From within her arms, she could hear a faint heartbeat — small and fragile, almost laughably so.

“…It’s hard to hear.”

Elena was limp, covered head to toe in rough, dirty wounds. Her usually bright yellow hair was tattered and ruined in places.

‘A pity.’

Blair lifted Elena as though she were a doll, then pressed her ear against the girl’s neck.

Thump. Thump. Slow and faint, but unmistakably beating.

Unintentionally relieved, Blair tilted her head, confused at her own reaction.

Watching all this, Havel croaked out hoarsely,

“…For someone who came to help, you sure move slowly.”

Blair held Elena closer to her chest.

“I only came to retrieve something I lost.”

“I’m sure. But that thing you ‘lost’ — it’s not an object, it’s a person, isn’t it?
And people… if you leave them in that state too long, they die.”

“…You’re saying she’s already useless, just from this?”

Havel let out a bitter, shaky laugh.

“This is why I can’t stand people like you.”

“Is that so? Then… do you want to die here?”

“…Damn it. No, I don’t. …Please. Help me.”

Only then did Blair’s expression relax into a satisfied smile. She gestured lightly with her hand.

Shadows behind her began to move.

Marianne and Havel left with them, while Blair’s gaze roamed the interior and stopped at one spot.

“This one… isn’t dead yet.”

It was the two masked men whom Elena had only knocked unconscious.

With every step Blair took, the wooden floorboards creaked like they were screaming.

She arrived in front of them, tore open a small packet, and took something in hand —

the same round pill Elena had called a “candy” earlier.

She shoved one into each of their mouths.

“Keep them… ‘preserved.’ And chase down the ones who ran.”

At her order, the remaining shadows disappeared.

With a cold gleam in her eyes, Blair also left the mansion.

* * *

It felt like wandering endlessly in a void.

No matter how far I walked, there was no end in sight.

Still, I kept walking.

And finally, I reached a place — where someone was waiting.

I might’ve shouted. Or maybe I explained calmly.

Either way, he answered me.

‘But… what did he say again?’

I couldn’t remember.

My foot caught on something, and I fell — endlessly downward, as though something had grabbed me and was pulling me under.

“—Hah!”

I gasped, as though my stolen breath had just been returned.

“Cough, cough!”

Every cough made it feel like my insides were shaking apart.

I wanted to wipe the damp sweat off my forehead, but my arm wouldn’t move — as if something had fixed it in place.

‘…Huh?’

Looking down, I realized my arm looked twice as big — completely wrapped in white bandages.

“What the… what is this?”

Even my own hoarse voice startled me.

Then, from beside me, came a voice sharp enough to cut.

“You.”

Just that one word — and I knew who it was.

I strained to turn my head, and finally met a pair of glowing pink eyes.

Even though I was in terrible shape — aching everywhere — I almost burst into tears from sheer relief.

“Sian…”

That meant I was back at the duke’s estate. Safe.

And from the look of the room — in my own bed.

But Sian didn’t care that I was on the verge of tears; his gaze was still cold, burning with a quiet fury.

‘That look… feels familiar.’

Like a father staring down a daughter who sneaked out overnight without permission.

Why was he looking at me like that?

Trying to lighten the mood, I groaned dramatically.

“Ow… I’m in so much pain…”

Of course, it wasn’t entirely an act — I really was too weak to move.

Only then did Sian’s gaze soften. He spoke quietly, his tone low.

“You must be. You’re covered in bruises, and your arm’s broken.”

“What?! My arm’s broken?”

When Gilbert threw me, I’d felt like my whole body had been smashed — but broken? Seriously?

‘Could it be…?’

Maybe a side effect of that strange power I used.

After all, I’d thrown knives with deadly precision and scaled a wall in that state — it wouldn’t be surprising if my body couldn’t take it.

I turned, grunting, to check the bracelet on my other wrist.

It shimmered silently, still that deep, black hue — as if mocking me for worrying.

Realizing all this made me suddenly aware of the pain again.

I closed my eyes briefly, only to open them when I felt a cool touch brush my forehead.

Sian had gently moved my hair aside.

His hand was cool, and it made me smile faintly.

Seeing that, Sian hesitated, then simply rested his hand on my head.

“Sian… I almost died.”

“I know.”

“But I’m alive. …That’s… such a relief.”

Sian said nothing for a long moment. Then, in a strained, quiet voice, he muttered,

“You’re impossible. …You never let me rest easy.”

I gave him an awkward smile, my face flushed with fever.

He watched me for a while, his gaze softening — then his tone changed, low and icy again.

“If you decided not to run away… then keep that promise.
…Or should I make sure you keep it?”

The chill in his voice made the air in the room freeze.

‘What’s with this atmosphere…?’

The strange tension — familiar, yet foreign — made me shake my head quickly.

That made my head spin.

Sian sighed and steadied it gently, setting me back against the pillow.

The unsettling mood dissipated.

“…Anyway, how did I get back? What about Marianne? And Havel?”

Sian frowned slightly before answering slowly,

“Worry about yourself. You’re the worst off.
You’ve been asleep for two days.”

“Two days?! Oh, goodness…”

I gaped for a moment, then sighed in relief.

Even though my body burned with fever, I was grateful.

“…Still, thank goodness. Everyone’s safe.”

If I was in the worst condition and still alive, the others must be fine too.

Sian’s brow twitched. His voice dropped low.

“Thank goodness? You call this thank goodness? Is your fever frying your brain?”

“Why? No one died — that’s good news, isn’t it?”

Sian’s eyes narrowed. His lips parted slightly.

“I should’ve just locked you in so you couldn’t—”

But before he could finish, a loud thud interrupted him.

“What was that?”

“—Lena!”

A voice cut through Sian’s, loud and clear — and painfully familiar.

“…!”

Before I could even sit up, she was already by my bedside.

Silvery-white hair, shining so cleanly it looked like even dust would slip off.
Eyes as clear as the sky.
And gentle, drooping lashes that made her look almost holy.

I froze.

‘What… what is she doing here?!’

I was so glad to see her — I wanted to cry, to scold her, to say I missed her.

But right now, there was no way I could.

Because…

She was the heroine of this world.

I forced my mouth open.

“…Aria?”

I darted a glance at Sian. His expression didn’t change, but from the moment Aria entered, his gaze hadn’t left her for a second.

‘Ah… I’m doomed.’

My fever-addled brain was slow, but one thing was clear —

Aria being here, at this time, in this place…

wasn’t how it went in my previous life.

And that could only mean one thing — it changed because of me.

“Lena! What happened to you? You didn’t answer any letters, and then when I tried to find out, I heard you were on the verge of death!”

Aria grabbed my hands, teary-eyed.

“I didn’t want to believe it, but you really were dying… What happened?”

Her worried gaze overlapped with the memory of her from my previous life.

My throat tightened. I was so grateful to be alive.

But before I could answer, Sian spoke first.

“…Who are you?”

His voice was low — feral, almost growling — like a beast ready to bite.