Chapter 138

 

“It’s dangerous…!”

As the servants tried to stop him, Carlothian momentarily grimaced like a demon.

“If anyone follows me, I will cut their throat…!”

He threw the letter to the floor and, grabbing Deathrotea, left the room immediately.

The servants followed behind him, but no one dared to speak up.

His demeanor was too fierce.

“Bring a horse from the stables!”

A servant hurried off to fetch a horse. There was urgency in his stride.

Even waiting for the horse felt unbearable. His pace quickened, and he eventually broke into a run.

He snatched the reins from the servant who brought the horse and jumped on.

Without hesitation, he kicked the horse’s side. Feeling the pain, the horse bolted forward.

The servants watched as his figure disappeared in an instant.

“…W-what should we do?”

“…”

The servant pondered deeply. Was it right to send the Duke off alone like this? No matter how many orders there were, there was not to call anyone.

In the end, the servant made a decision.

“I need to inform the knights.”

“Is that… okay?”

“No matter the command, he can’t handle this alone safely.”

With that, the servants went to summon the knights, while Carlothian swiftly passed the mansion and headed toward the western forest.

He was consumed with anxiety. It felt like he couldn’t breathe. The wind hitting his face felt like a blade.

Ariadeline, Ariadeline.

‘Please…!’

His eyes were bloodshot. His horse did not stop.

It was a night with not a single ray of moonlight. The chilling wind had also ceased. It was a darkness where nothing breathed.

The sound of the horse’s hooves pounding against the ground was deafening. Carlothian’s breathing was ragged.

Ah, the forest is visible in the distance.

As Carlothian reached the entrance of the forest, he urgently pulled on the reins.

There stood an ominous black carriage and a man with his face covered.

Carlothian immediately jumped off the horse and grabbed the man by the collar.

“Where is Ariadeline…?!”

The man, despite being grabbed by the collar, calmly pointed to the carriage door.

“Please get in.”

“…”

“I will take you to where she is.”

Carlothian glared at him as if he would kill him. But at the mention of the name Ariadeline, he ultimately released his grip.

The man stood behind Carlothian, who was now in front of the carriage.

“Now.”

He pulled out a long cloth from his cloak and covered Carlothian’s eyes.

“Depending on your actions, she may live or die.”

Then he tied Carlothian’s hands behind his back.

He could have easily shaken it off. But…

Ariadeline, a single name, bound him like chains.

Carlothian bit his lip tightly and climbed into the carriage as the other pushed him in.

Thud.

His foot caught on the threshold of the carriage. He stumbled and fell, hearing the sound of the door closing behind him.

Carlothian barely managed to sit up, balancing with his arms tied behind his back.

With the crack of a whip, the carriage jolted and began to move forward.

‘Where are we going?’

And who exactly?

Someone had beheaded the Marquis Seth Dolorante. No matter how uninterested Seth Dolorante was in politics, the title of marquis he held did not fade away.

Yet, there were those powerful enough to kill him. The first that came to mind were those from the same duke family. And…

‘The imperial family.’

He clenched his tied hands tightly. And he gritted his teeth. He still couldn’t be sure of anything.

The carriage disappeared into the darkness. Meanwhile, someone appeared at the entrance of the forest.

“There are traces here!”

“It’s the tracks of the carriage wheels.”

It was the knights of the Denaves family. They hurriedly armed themselves upon the servant’s report and set out toward the western forest.

“It seems to have gone that way.”

“Let’s follow the traces.”

“Yes!”

At the command of the Denaves knight commander, the knights began to move in unison.

They walked along the faintly remaining tracks of the carriage wheels. Eventually.

“…This direction.”

The knights stared blankly ahead. The carriage wheel tracks had faded as they passed through the bustling area, but in the distance…

“Tracking is impossible.”

The imperial palace was visible.

 

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

 

Drip, drip, drip.

The sound of dripping water was heard. My head hurt. I opened my eyes, feeling dizzy.

“Ugh…”

I groaned at the sharp headache and looked around. It was dark and damp. It felt like the underground prison of the imperial palace where I had been trapped before.

Clatter-.

Huh?

My body wouldn’t move.

“What, what is this?”

After blinking several times, I slowly became accustomed to the darkness.

I could faintly see that my body was tied to a chair. The chair had pale stains on it, and there was a faint, fishy smell.

“Ariadeline…!”

“Carl, Carlothian?”

Suddenly-.

At that moment, someone lit a torch. I squinted at the sudden light and looked ahead.

“What…!”

Carlothian was in the prison. His arms were tied behind him, and it seemed he had been forced to kneel by someone.

“Ariadeline, are you okay…?!”

“I, I’m fine. But what on earth is happening right now…!”

Ah, I recalled the situation just before I collapsed. Seth Dolorante had definitely drugged me and made me faint.

“What about Marquis Seth Dolorante?”

“That man…”

Carlothian’s demeanor was strange. He growled whenever the topic came up, but now he seemed reluctant to speak.

I couldn’t understand the situation and looked around. Then I saw a man standing in front of the torch. He was covering his face.

Creak—

Soon, something was pushed in. It was a common wheeled tray used by servants. However, what was placed on it was different.

“…Ah.”

Sharply sharpened knives and awls were neatly arranged by size. I was in the underground prison, with Carlothian trapped and my hands and feet tied to a chair.

A wave of anxiety washed over me.

The tray soon stopped beside me. A man wearing a black mask picked up a short knife that was longer than his fingers.

“No.”

Carlothian’s anxiety seemed to mirror mine as his eyes widened.

“If you touch her, I will kill you…!”

The tip of the knife drew closer. Right in front of me. The sharpened blade was too vividly clear.

“Ah, ah…”

I struggled on the chair. But the chair only squeaked and wouldn’t budge backward.

“No, no. Don’t do it. Don’t!”

Clatter, squeak. Clack.

“Don’t, please don’t. Please…!”

I said it like a scream.

“Get away from her…! Don’t touch her!”

I could see Carlothian’s eyes reflecting red in the torchlight. He struggled to free his bound wrists.

Clink, clink!

The fingertips of a hand in black gloves.

The tip of the knife seemed to approach my retina.

In an instant, a faint light flickered before my eyes.

“Ah…”

Pain surged up in an instant.

“AAAH-!”

I screamed.

I shook my head wildly, gasping in pain. The hand that wasn’t holding the knife gripped my chin, preventing me from moving.

“AAAAH-!”

Gag, cough. Clatter. Clatter.

I thrashed around madly. The chair kept shaking. But it seemed as if the chair was fixed to the floor, not even tilting backward.

I heard Carlothian’s scream.

“No, no. No…!”

“Ah, Carl, Lo, tian…!”

Please, save me. It hurts. It hurts.

Swoosh-.

“Huff…!”

Soon, the blade was pulled out.

“Ah, aaah…!”

I writhed in pain. Carlothian screamed like a banshee.

“I will kill you…!”

His bloodshot eyes glared at the masked man as the clinking of handcuffs and chains echoed continuously.

“Enjoy this moment.”

Then the man in the black mask spoke.

“This is a gift from my master to you.”

The blade was lifted once more.

“Curse yourself in the most painful way and die there.”

Ah, aaah. No. No. Don’t come near.

“Don’t…!”

Whoosh-.

“AAAH-!”

In an instant, my vision went dark. I heard Carlothian’s wail.

No matter how much I thrashed, I couldn’t escape. I screamed as if my throat would split, gasping for breath.

The pain wouldn’t stop.

Carlothian was cursing, seemingly trying to escape from the prison by any means.

The sound of metal clashing was loud. But.

Ah.

Something was digging into the space to breathe.

Another scream erupted.