Edited…

Episode 50

After jostling along for a while, Stella tapped on the carriage.

Thinking the noise was too loud for the coachman to hear, it was surprising when the carriage came to a stop.

“…have we arrived?”

I asked, staggering.

Stella shook her head with an apologetic smile.

“Not yet. It seemed you were having a tough time, so I thought we might take a short break.”

That’s right.

If it’s still a long way, we should take breaks in between.

I staggered out of the carriage.

A guard, noticing me, approached with concern and whispered.

“Are you alright?”

I wasn’t alright, but there was nothing I could do.

I regretted a little that I had agreed to help Stella.

“I’m sorry. It was my idea to come…”

“No, I’m sorrier.”

I felt like a huge burden.

Stella, looking worried, handed me a water bottle.

After drinking, as I was about to go back inside, Stella stopped me.

“It seems too difficult for you to go any further, my lady. It may sound impolite, but perhaps we should bring His Grace here?”

Stella asked my guard, looking back at him.

“My coachman knows where His Grace the Duke is. If it’s alright with you, it might be better to bring His Grace here. He can’t leave the hunting grounds during the tournament, but he can move within them.”

After a moment of thought, the guard spoke.

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous for just the two of you?”

“I’m quite good with a gun.”

Stella displayed her shotgun.

Knowing she could shoot was impressive.

I saw her in a new light.

The guard pondered for a while before nodding.

He seemed to think it best to make a quick trip.

“I’ll go and return quickly.”

The coachman mounted his horse first, followed by my guard.

He bowed to me before leaving.

Now, it was just Stella and me.

I thought about staying inside the carriage, but Stella suggested a walk.

“When will we get another chance to visit such a place?”

“Let’s not wander too far due to the risk, just explore nearby.”

“Alright.”

We walked slowly around the area, a few steps away from where the carriage had stopped.

“Your necklace is quite beautiful. May I take a closer look?”

“Sure.”

I readily took off my necklace and handed it to Stella.

True to her role as a merchant of luxury goods, she examined the necklace carefully.

Then, she fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

It was difficult to initiate conversation in such a tense atmosphere, so we continued walking, looking up at the sky.

The clouds had been thick since yesterday.

The sky was a shade of grey.

‘It looks like it might rain.’

Just as I had that thought,

‘Push.’

Stella shoved me suddenly.

My steps wobbled in my shoes.

Pushed back, I stumbled a few steps.

I was about to laugh it off as a joke, but then the ground beneath my feet crumbled.

‘Splash!’

“Kyaaak!”

I screamed as I fell into a pit.

“What is this, what’s happening?”

Slowly, I turned my head to survey my surroundings.

It took a moment for me to realize that I had fallen into a pit—not just any pit, but a muddy one filled with water.

My feet couldn’t find the bottom, stirring up a wave of panic.

Looking up, I saw the grey sky and the leaves that had begun to take on a reddish hue.

“Evelyn?”

Her voice was calm, too calm.

What on earth was happening?

“You fell quite well. Fortunately.”

Her voice was steady.

“Stella.”

Although I was out of sorts, strangely, my mind felt eerily calm.

“What in the world are you doing?”

A soft laugh came from above.

Stella leaned into the pit.

“To be honest? I dislike you, my lady.”

It sounded utterly nonsensical.

It was not only absurd but also disconcerting.

“I was annoyed that someone of no significance managed to become part of a noble family just by chance.”

It was a cliché line.

Something villains in stories might say, meaningless if ignored.

Yet, strangely, her words pierced me like a dagger.

Remembering I had considered Stella a good friend made my blood boil.

“And it will probably continue to be so.”

“So… you’re doing this because of that? Look, once I get out of this pit, you and I will meet again.”

Stella quietly closed her eyes.

“Do you really think you can get out?”

“Of… of course. I don’t… don’t believe you’re cruel enough to… to kill someone.”

My voice was strange.

It then hit me—the water Stella had given me earlier.

Had she drugged it?

I hadn’t tasted anything but the water.

“You really can’t see people for who they are, can you?”

Stella spoke in the same calm tone.

Though she thought I couldn’t see, I caught a glimpse of her clenched fists.

She was trembling, disturbed.

This wasn’t her intention.

“Your throat will swell, and you won’t be able to speak.”

Then whose orders was it?

Count Durant’s?

Or the Empress’s?

“We likely won’t meet again alive. Take care.”

With that, Stella turned and disappeared without a look back.

Thunk.

The lid of woven grass was pulled over the entrance.

It was incredulous.

To end my life trapped in such a crude pit?

That couldn’t be.

It just couldn’t be.

I struggled to escape the pit.

Pulling myself out of the sticky mud was not easy.

The shoes were of no help as I tried to climb the mud heap.

I cursed inwardly my entire life.

Groaning, I slowly pulled myself up bit by bit.

But the mud I grasped slipped from my grip and fell back into the pit.

Whinnying.

The sound of horse hooves and neighing approached.

It seemed my guard had arrived.

“Where is our lady?”

“She said she had some business over there and went that way. She should be back soon. But His Grace the Duke…”

“It seems he has left. Perhaps the message wasn’t conveyed properly.”

“I see. It was urgent, but it can’t be helped. I’ll have to speak to him after the hunting contest ends. The lady is late. I’m a bit worried and thinking of looking for her. Would you join me?”

“Of course.”

The sound of footsteps started to move away from where I was trapped.

Could this really be happening?

I grabbed some mud and threw it upwards.

Thud.

It didn’t really move far, and the mud just fell back down to me, splashing as it hit the water.

That’s it.

When my guard returns, I can make splashing noises to draw attention.

The makeshift cover on the pit’s entrance was shoddy; there must be a noticeable difference between it and the surrounding brush.

If I make noise, they’ll have to look this way.

But as I waited, there was no sound of my guard returning.

They couldn’t have left without the carriage and horses, right?

Oh, and now that I think about it, I hadn’t heard the horses for a while.

Realization chilled my heart.

Not knowing what was happening above ground was more frustrating and daunting than I had anticipated.

My heart raced.

Was I going to die here like this?

It wasn’t a gruesome death, but it was a miserable one.

No.

I didn’t want to die this way.

I frantically moved my legs.

I tried to climb up using the mud walls, but the dress soaked with mud was far too heavy to allow me to climb.

I couldn’t just take off the dress either; these garments weren’t designed to be removed without help.

I could feel my legs starting to go cold as they were buried in the mud.

How long had I been in this pit?

The light slowly began to fade as less filtered through.

A wave of anxiety washed over me, the fear of not making it out alive.

No.

I will not die here.

My guard will bring Igon this way.

If Igon realizes I am missing, he will surely come looking for me.

If I keep splashing in the mud, the sound will attract attention to this area.

Someone will find me.

My wet body grew colder, and I began to shiver.

Tears nearly came, and I let out a weak moan.

Fortunately, the swelling in my throat had started to subside.

“…Help, help me…”

I began to shout for help as soon as I could make any sound.

I hoped someone would hear as they passed by.

Barking.

A distant sound of a dog barking reached my ears.

Several people had brought hunting dogs to the tournament.

Dogs have much better hearing and smell than humans—if I keep shouting… But what if it’s a wild animal instead?

My continuously stirred legs began to hurt, and my body felt like it was freezing.

I could only think of the worst.

Then, I heard something like voices in the distance.

Could it be they were coming to find me?

Igon?

Other people?

“…Lyn! E…!”

“…Young Lady! …Miss!”

The broken voices were definitely calling my name.

I raised my voice as loud as I could.

“Help me!”

Though my throat was still sore from the swelling, a raspy voice emerged.

“I’m here!”

“Help me!”

Each shout brought a pain so intense it felt like I might bleed.

But I couldn’t stop.

If I missed this chance, I would die.

Really die.

Now that I knew people were looking for me, I had to try everything.

I plunged my hands into the mud, scraped it up, and threw it upwards.

I hoped someone in the dusk would notice the soil moving.

My own face was hit by the mud balls I threw.

The desperation was clear—I would do anything to be seen, to be saved.