RVMPT Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Before I even realized it, my body ran straight toward him.

The heart that had been pounding with fear now beat with joy.

Harold was standing directly in front of me in the dark cave, and I was dumbfounded.

“Diana.”

“…It’s really you, Harold.”

“Did you think there was a fake me?”

“No, it just feels like a dream.”

My voice trembled with happiness. Harold reached out and gently stroked my cheek.

And then…

He pulled my cheek hard.

“Uweegh?”

“Even if you have a magic bracelet for protection, how could you think of jumping off a cliff?”

“Ughh…”

“Did you leave your liver and heart hidden in some rock?”

I mean, that was the only way to escape the assassins…

But if I said that, he’d probably pull my cheek even harder, so I just raised both hands in surrender.

“Sigh…”

Harold let out a sigh and finally let go of my cheek.

As I rubbed it in relief, he suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

“…Looks like your heart is still where it should be.”

His large hand pressed against my back, feeling around as if checking.

“Did you leave your liver on a rock somewhere?”

His arms tightened around me.

I could hear a heartbeat—his heartbeat—thumping all around me, stronger than my own.

…Ah.

Harold must have been really worried about me.

“Are you hurt?”

“You know the answer.”

Even if I was, the bracelet would heal me.

“Still, if you’re hurt, it must have hurt, right?”

“Thankfully, nothing like that has happened yet.”

“…I see.”

I could feel Harold’s chest rise and fall deeply.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Diana.”

He whispered softly, resting his forehead against the back of my neck.

I gently ran my hand through his hair.

I was thankful he came to save me… and sorry for making him worry so much.

After a while, Harold finally let go.

Then, his sharp eyes shifted past me, aiming coldly over my shoulder.

“Your Grace…”

The coachman dropped to his knees and lowered his head like a criminal awaiting for execution. His voice trembled with resolve.

Harold’s jaw tensed, making a cracking sound.

I quickly grabbed his wrist, the one gripping the sword hilt.

“Don’t.”

“Why are you stopping me?”

“Because he’s a victim too.”

“…”

“The real culprit kidnapped the coachman’s family and forced him to help with my kidnapping.”

“That may be, but it doesn’t change the fact that you almost died because of him.”

He clearly didn’t understand, so I carefully explained.

“Harold, I’ve already forgiven him.”

Silence fell. I didn’t avoid his gaze.

A moment later, the sound of rain began to pour outside, breaking the tension.

“…Sigh.”

Harold finally let go of the sword. I smiled softly, thankful he respected my decision.

But then he pulled my cheek again.

“Honestly, you…”

“Owwee…”

He let go quickly after another deep sigh.

Then the coachman, still kneeling, spoke up.

“Your Grace… you’re not going to kill me?”

“Live your life forever grateful to my wife. If not for her, your head would be rolling on the ground right now.”

“…I will.”

Sensing the awkwardness, I gently squeezed Harold’s arm and changed the subject.

“How did you find us? Did you see what I wrote in the forest?”

“Yes.”

I knew it.

I had written the name of a restaurant in the Prolang Kingdom language—“The Fox’s Den.” Harold once mentioned it during a trip conversation.

The place wasn’t famous for its food, but for its stunning red flower field that bloomed all year round.

There was a similar red flower blooming outside the cave, so I left that clue, hoping Harold would figure it out if he came searching.

“Are there others with you?”

I looked toward the cave entrance. There was no sign of anyone.

I was sure he wouldn’t have come alone… so I assumed more people were outside.

“The mountain paths must’ve been hard to get through at night.”

“I came alone.”

“…What?”

“I just happened to see a carriage going in a strange direction while passing by. It looked suspicious, so I followed it.”

“Oh…”

“Then, while riding up the mountain, I witnessed the rare sight of my wife falling off a cliff.”

Harold poked my cheek a few times, like he still felt like pulling it again just thinking about what happened.

“I really don’t want to go through that a second time.”

Then Harold told the man who had sold the horse to go inform the Duke’s residence about the kidnapping, so the search team should be on their way to find us. I told Harold how many assassins there were and what the coachman had told me.

Even after we finished talking, the rain didn’t stop.

I kept dozing off and waking up while leaning against Harold’s body. The cave was hard and uncomfortable, but somehow, with his warmth next to me, sleep kept coming easily.

“Diana, wake up now.”

“Yaaawn…”

When I heard his voice and opened my eyes, I realized I was lying on Harold’s lap.

I gasped and quickly sat up.

“Did I fall asleep?”

“You slept so well, I could’ve carried you away and you wouldn’t have noticed. The rain’s stopped now, let’s get going.”

Harold went out first with the horse.

When we came out of the cave, the sun was just rising over the horizon. Raindrops on the grass sparkled in the sunlight.

“Take my hand.”

Harold reached out to me from the horse.

I grabbed his hand and got up on the horse with him.

“I hope you both make it down safely.”

Since three adults couldn’t ride one horse, the coachman said he would walk down on foot.

“You stay safe too.”

“I will, ma’am.”

“Let’s go.”

Harold tugged on the reins.

The wind sharply brushed against my cheeks, and my clothes flapped, even tearing on tree branches sometimes.

We rode for a while. The sun had fully risen by then.

Suddenly, a sharp arrow struck the horse’s side.

“Neiiigh!”

More arrows flew at us, but I quickly activated a magic shield to block them.

Harold tried to calm the panicked horse by pulling the reins.

But the horse, frightened, reared up high and then collapsed to the ground.

Harold quickly let go of the reins and held me close as we rolled to the ground, avoiding getting crushed.

“…It’s dead. Must’ve been poisoned.”

“Oh…”

I looked at the horse’s lifeless eyes and clenched my gloved hands tightly.

More arrows flew from between the trees, but they were blocked by the shield and fell to the ground.

Then Harold picked up a rock from the ground and threw it.

Thunk!

There was a heavy thud, and someone fell from a tree.

He hit that?!

I stared in disbelief, then quickly gathered more rocks like I was collecting acorns.

“Here!”

“Thanks.”

Harold grabbed the rocks from my arms and threw them one by one toward where the arrows had come from.

Thunk!

Each time he threw, assassins dropped from the trees.

I clenched my fists and watched.

But once more than five assassins had fallen, the rocks stopped working—they had moved too far back.

“…They’ve created distance.”

Harold clicked his tongue and checked my wrist. The gemstone on the bracelet was glowing.

“Diana, the shield is about to disappear. Activate it again as soon as it drops.”

“Okay. I will.”

Harold checked his pocket watch and rested his hand on his sword’s hilt. I stopped him as he stepped outside the shield.

“Why are you going out? It’s dangerous!”

“This shield only works a few times. Just sitting here is even more dangerous.”

“But…”

They were using deadly poison.

My voice trembled with fear, but Harold just smirked confidently.

“Diana, trust me. I dealt with stuff like this all the time as a kid.”

He wasn’t someone you could stop once he made up his mind. And honestly, we couldn’t just keep stalling.

In the end, I let go of his wrist.

“Please don’t get hurt.”

“You worry too much.”

Shiiing—
His sword slid from its sheath with an eerie sound.

“Keep your eyes on the bracelet. I’ll be back in ten minutes after taking care of all of them.”

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• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Freya• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •

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Advance chapters of this novel are available of my kofi channel

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