Episode 21
And among the dozens of paths, I quickly ran along the most plausible one.
So, having gone all the way down one path, I ended up back at square one.
‘Indeed, it’s not easy to find it in one go.’
Even though just going down one path made my breath short and my legs start to ache, I didn’t allow myself a break.
It was when I was about to enter the beginning of the second path.
‘Huh?’
A phenomenon I had never seen even in my dreams was happening right before my eyes.
The paths were disappearing!
Almost every path, including the one I was about to enter, vanished in an instant, Liaving only about ten paths.
‘What on earth is happening?’
No way.
At that moment, Lloydin’s face filled my mind once again, just like before.
Could this also be due to Lloydin’s power?
In fact, there was no one else who could affect my condition, so it was cLiar that this phenomenon was also caused by him.
A smile crept onto my face at the thought that he understood my request to stay by my side and protect me.
Wanting me to come quickly, I chose another path from the remaining ten and dashed off.
Unfortunately, this path was not an exit either.
Returning to the starting point, I carefully examined the remaining nine paths.
‘I want to get out this time, but where should I go?’
I was contemplating this.
In the midst of it, a phenomenon similar to what I had seen before was unfolding once again.
And this time, only one path remained, and all the other paths disappeared.
‘That path must be the exit.’
There was no leisure to marvel at the phenomenon I was experiencing right now.
I had to hurry and get out of this dream, I thought, and swiftly ran along the last remaining path at full speed.
And that’s how I woke up.
But when I opened my eyes, contrary to my expectation of Lloydin’s presence, a very familiar face appeared before me.
It was Lia.
“Miss?”
“Lia.”
As I woke up, Lia seemed visibly startled.
“Oh, Miss… How…”
While struggling to articulate properly, her voice was trembling.
‘Did I sleep for too long? I thought I found the way quite quickly, though.’
Judging from Lia’s expression, it seemed like I had been in the dream longer than I thought.
But the ceiling above looked too unfamiliar.
“How long did I sleep this time? A week? Two weeks? Perhaps a month?”
This question was a usual one I asked Lia whenever I woke up.
“But where is this? It doesn’t seem like my room.”
“Lady.”
After glancing at Lia with a still dazed expression, I tried to sit up, but Lia quickly supported me.
Despite a long nap, I didn’t feel groggy at all.
Lianing against the bed’s headboard, I scanned the surroundings.
It was a rather spacious room with only a desk and a few pieces of furniture.
After grasping the room’s structure and furniture, I realized this wasn’t my room or even our family mansion.
Yet, somewhere, it felt strangely familiar.
I’m sure I’ve been here before. It feels like I’ve seen it somewhere.
“Lia, where on earth is this?”
“This is Duke Blighton’s bedroom, milady.”
When I asked her again, now seemingly more awake, Lia responded.
“Duke Blighton?”
“Yes, milady.”
“Wait a moment. Why am I here? I mean, why am I still here?”
If time had passed, someone should have taken me back home by now. It didn’t make sense for me to still be here.
“How long was I asleep?”
So, despite asking that question first, which she didn’t hear, I asked it again immediately.
“I find it quite strange too. This has never happened before… Milady, don’t be surprised. It’s been only two hours since you fell asleep.”
“What? Two hours?”
“Yes, really. I have no idea what’s going on… How…”
Lia repeated the same words with a face expressing disbelief.
And I, too, couldn’t believe the current situation.
Even though Lloydin’s power had an impact on me, it had only been a few hours, not even a full day.
It was an incredibly surprising effect.
“Where is the Duke? Where is he?”
“Well, milady… Since you fainted, I immediately informed the mansion, and Master Luke came. So, Duke Blighton was here until a moment ago but went to see Master Luke just now.”
“My brother came?”
“Yes. Um, milady, you should rest a bit more…”
Despite Lia’s objections, upon hearing that my brother and the Duke were together, I quickly got up from the bed.
The fact that the two of them were together made me think that my brother might tell Lloydin about my collapse.
So, I couldn’t just stay still.
I rushed out of the bedroom and, as soon as I tried to open the door to the reception room, I heard my brother’s loud voice scolding Lloydin.
‘I knew this would happen.’
Confirming my brother’s actions, which were entirely within my expectations, I hurriedly entered to stop him.
“Brother, what are you doing here?”
“…Ayla?”
As I entered the reception room, both men, wearing extremely surprised expressions, simultaneously called out my name.
Observing my brother rushing towards me, I immediately turned my head to face Lloydin.
Meeting Lloydin’s gaze, I could read the determined look in his eyes.
On the other hand, there was a sight of him standing still, fists clenched as if rooted to the ground, showing no intention of approaching me.
I nodded at him, indicating that I was okay and that he could relax.
“Ayla, what happened? No, since you’ve awakened, let’s go back home right away.”
Just as my brother approached me, he grabbed my wrist.
Quickly pushing away my brother’s hand, I spoke up.
“Brother.”
Seemingly perplexed by my unexpected actions and sensing an unusual atmosphere, my brother looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“What on earth are you doing here? Why are you getting angry with the Duke?”
“Well! He said he’d take you, but the Duke disagreed!”
My brother, with an indignant and frustrated expression, raised his voice.
Ah, that’s what it was.
Hearing my brother’s response, I instantly grasped the nature of the conversation between the two.
While doing so, the slight disappointment I felt when Lloydin wasn’t by my side when I woke up earlier melted away.
‘He understood what I said before collapsing after all.’
He endured my brother’s anger to prevent me from being sent away.
Still keeping my eyes on Lloydin, I glanced at Luke again.
Luke, concerned about me, was understandable.
After all, it wasn’t our home, but the Blighton Duke’s mansion where I collapsed.
However, Luke’s response to Lloydin was inappropriate.
My brother, as an heir of the Anaïs family, didn’t even have an official title yet.
In contrast, Lloydin held the highest position among the nobility as a duke.
No matter how headstrong my brother might be, raising one’s voice against a duke was a breach of etiquette.
Like others, my brother probably harbored disdain for the Blighton Duke’s family.
I had decided not to turn a blind eye to all the troubles and disdain directed at Lloydin and the Blighton family, even if it meant going against my own blood.
“Is it right to get angry with the Duke? You can’t do that, can you?”
“That, that…”
Unable to say anything in response to my sharp criticism, my brother just pursed his lips.
“And without even properly understanding the situation.”
“What situation?”
“Before I collapsed, I asked the Duke a favor. I begged him to stay by my side. So, this is about that, and you didn’t even know. Quickly apologize.”
Upon the suggestion to apologize to Lloydin, my brother, bewildered, hesitated, and his gaze wavered.
I never expected to tell my brother to apologize.
“Brother.”
Although I waited for my brother to apologize, he remained silent. With a stern gaze, I called out to him.
“Lady.”
However, at that moment, instead of my brother’s apology, Lloydin’s voice echoed in the room.
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