If you’re walking around in pitch black darkness, you’re bound to feel anxious. This was especially true when they were alone, and when Irene or Eugene walked in the dark, they would be caught up in memories that they did not know whose past they belonged to. It wasn’t a very good memory.
She always seemed to be alone and confined in a small space. The person in the memory did not even shout for help, as if desperately aware that no one would come looking for him. She was holding her breath alone, unable to go out even though it was quiet outside. Yes, she knew who she was in that memory. The fact that this narrow, small box will open if you just stretch out your hand. Nevertheless, she did not want to go outside. She was scared, but that fear itself comforted her. It felt like if she went outside, even this fear would collapse and eat up the reason she could barely hold on to.
And while she was thinking that, she heard someone walking.
Plod plod.
The sound was unfamiliar, but she wasn’t afraid. Then, the footsteps stopped in front of her… The door that had locked itself in and could not be opened eventually opens, and a dazzling light comes in. That’s how the memory ended. As Reina’s memories rose from the darkness, she wondered if she was just being consumed by an unknown fear.
‘I can feel the wind.’
As she walked forward, trying her best not to remember that memory, a chilling wind wrapped around her ankles. It meant that the exit was nearby. Her hands that were holding her wall tightened.
‘I don’t know where we’re headed, but…’
Everywhere was better than before. Finally, Reina carefully pushed open her door.
“This is…”
Reina’s eyes widened at the unexpected place. It was a place she had been to before. She hadn’t been here often, but it’s an unforgettable place. This was the office of Damian, Duke of Winternight.
‘Why does it lead here?’
Reina looked around and took a small breath.
‘I thought it was an emergency escape passage, but was it another exit?’
Anyway, it was fortunate that the place she came to was the office.
‘Because no one comes in here…’
It might be better to stay still. The moment Reina made that decision and was about to take a breather, urgent footsteps were heard from behind.
‘Did you notice the passage?’
Reina was startled and looked behind her. She had no time to worry. She quickly closed the door she had left open, pulled out a chair and hung it in front of the door. There wasn’t much space to hide inside the office. Hanging the chairs was only a temporary measure. In the end, since this space was not safe, the only way left was to go directly to Damian, who was currently coming to the mansion. Would she be able to get to the first floor without being detected? Aside from getting caught, was it possible to not get caught? But she couldn’t just sit here. Even if she stayed in the office, it was clear that she would be caught by the person following her through the secret passage.
‘I have to go find Bonnie first.’
There was only one option for Reina to choose from. All she had to do was leave the Oval Office, find Bonnie, and sneak out of the mansion. Feeling anxious, she opened the door and headed into the hallway. Fortunately, she didn’t run into anyone right away. Reina walked down the hallway as fast as she could. It was a step that was close to running. Neither hunger nor the fact that her body was disobedient because of it was a problem now. Gradually, she heard people’s voices. But she couldn’t stop her movements.
“It’s over there!”
“Catch her!”
She was truly amazing. Reina, who had been through many years of ups and downs and even earned Estelle’s trust, was a person with no flaws even before that. There was no one in particular who showed her hostility out loud, and on the contrary, she had many people who sympathized with her. However, since Count Embron, that man, came to this castle, many people suddenly turned their backs on Reina. It was as if he had brainwashed them with magic.
Her messy pink hair fluttered.
‘Strange.’
Count Embron’s shout was heard.
‘It seems like everyone wants to kill me.’
Before she knew it, Reina had stopped running as she faced the knights blocking her path. She didn’t even need to look back.
“…Did you say Reina Borton?”
Reina turned her rigid body to look at her Count. He spoke to Raina with a relaxed smile.
“How about joining hands with me right now?”
Reina looked at him with an expression full of hostility and asked.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“…”
“I am just a maid.”
She honestly made no sense. There was no reason to do this to Reina.
“Just a maid…”
The Count snorted.
“This is why giving scissors to stupid people is useless. What kind of maid gains the trust of a duke and a princess?”
“…”
The Count spoke to Reina without hiding his arrogant gaze.
“There is no one on your side in this mansion anyway.”
Reina’s eyes turned outward. She slowly moved her body towards the window.
“If you join hands with me, I promise you wealth and power that you cannot obtain as a commoner.”
If Reina was truly an ordinary commoner and a maid, there would have been no such proposal or crisis. Reina didn’t particularly want to admit it, but her existence was quite valuable.
“There is someone on my side.”
Reina Borton. She was a woman raising her daughter without any relatives or husband. Even though her daughter was kidnapped, she did not betray the family, so she was protected by that family. Estelle, the only star of the Winternight Dukedom who trusts and follows. She stretched out her hand towards the window.
‘This window is large and can be easily opened by just unlatching it.’
Reina raised her gaze and looked toward the window latch. She seemed lucky to have washed the windows at dawn and not locked them.
“If I really didn’t have someone on my side in this mansion, my daughter would have been caught a long time ago.”
Reina knew now that what she was about to do was crazy.
“The reason you are trying to appease me is because what you did was not perfect.”
The Count’s eyes widened as if he had caught off guard by Reina’s words.
“It wouldn’t have gone as planned, and I wouldn’t have been satisfied.”
Now she finally had time to think.
‘I know who the count’s limbs and eyes are.’
Reina placed her finger on her spear.
“And you thought I had sensed your true nature.”
This was the correct answer. Rather than just noticing it, it was closer to something she knew from the beginning. She left her gaze looking out the window and glanced at the Count.
‘The reason they don’t grab me and press me down is because they think they can kill me right here too.’
For example, by pushing it out of this window, he didn’t care if Reina messed with the window or not. He must have been cheering when he saw me getting closer to the window. Reina opened the window and exclaimed, taking a deep breath.
“Damian!”
There was no one in this mansion who dared call Damian’s name. Everyone was unable to do anything to stop Reina’s sudden antics and just stood at a distance. A carriage stopped in the distance. There was a person standing there. Reina looked at that person without losing sight of him and jumped out the window.
* * *
In an unshakable carriage. As always, Damian was motionless, with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Peter, who was sitting across from him, said.
“I don’t know if the sudden cancellation of the appointment ceremony is a good thing or a bad thing.”
“…”
“It is said that a new prophecy has come down, so perhaps the appointment ceremony will take place along with the announcement of the prophecy.”
Damian had no answer. Peter was used to his master not responding in the carriage.
“We’ll be going in through the back door, so you’ll be able to get to the mansion faster than usual.”
“Okay.”
Mian gave a very short and concise answer, but her eyes were still closed. He acted as if he didn’t even want to talk. The gatekeeper looked perplexed when the owner’s carriage, which would normally have entered through the front door with great pride, entered through the back door.
“Well, it looks like there’s a commotion inside the mansion.”
Only after Peter said that did Damien gently open his eyes and look out the window of the carriage. He was coming in through the back door to get back quickly. There was no reason for the owner of the house to be so embarrassed just because he came in through the back door. Damian twitched his eyebrows with an expression of disapproval.
‘In general, this feeling is correct.’
Whatever happened inside the mansion, it seemed like it happened for sure. And that too in a direction that Damian didn’t want. The carriage went halfway around the huge mansion and stopped a short distance away from the main gate. Damian said, stepping out of the carriage before the driver even opened the door.
“I guess I should call Count Embron right away.”
“Is there something wrong?”
“The reason it suddenly became so messy is largely because of the stones that rolled in.”
As Peter was about to open his mouth, a sharp voice came from far away.
“Damian!”
At that moment, the driver, the coachman, and even Peter, who was trying to say something to Damian, froze as if time had stopped. Only Damian raised his head and looked at the person who called his name.
“…Reina Borton?”
She could see it from far away. Her hair, which she usually tied up as neatly as possible (but still looked matted), was fluttering around in a mess.
“What about that?”
What the hell was going on? He couldn’t have predicted what happened to Reina while Damian was away from the mansion for a few days. At that moment, Reina jumped out of the window.
He heard some workers screaming. Perhaps he had an expression of shock. Damian looked a little surprised, but there was no significant change in his expression. He picked up Reina, who jumped off her body lightly, as if it was natural. Reina didn’t look scared at all.
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Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
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