Chapter 7 (2/2)

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Like the voice heard in the air, there was really no security guard in front of the castle gate.

‘I can’t believe you’re doing this at one fire. What are you going to do if you get into trouble in the capital?’

“The guards aren’t doing the job properly.”

Lennox was astounded and clicked his tongue as if he had the same thought as me. I felt a sense of empathy, so I sluggishly moved my hand once.

“You must return carefully.”

We crossed the castle gate. The forest was so dark, except for the fire of the lamp that lit the front of the gate.

If a distant nursery was eaten by fire, the forest seemed to be eaten by darkness. When I shivered in the darkness for no reason at all, I felt Lennox staring down at me with a worried expression.

“… you know, it’s better to quit here…”

“… No. I don’t want to.” Whether it was a genuine concern or a pretense of concern, I could not give up here. I had no place to give up and back off.

Lennox’s face was frowned upon, but he didn’t stop me anymore.

“If you walk along the path you see… It’ll be alright.”

I nodded at the words that seemed to indicate a path hidden in the darkness. I slowly walked towards the forest, leaving the gaze of Lennox behind me. The darkness that I can’t even see right in front of me seems to be opening my mouth like it’s going to eat me, so my steps slowly started to slow down.

‘It’s dark…’

Maybe it was because of the cold air that I couldn’t hear a single bug cry. Although I could see the moonlight dimly visible.

In the quiet silence of the forest, I could hear only the clatter of my footsteps and the sound of the bushes passing by. The stillness that seemed that I was the only one left alone in the world gave me a creep.

‘A little… It might be scary.’

At times like this, you need to wake up and find the flowers quickly. Fortunately, the roads were well arranged, and the moonlight was softly shining, so there was no difficulty in finding the way.

Hoping for a bright red color to shine in the dark, I let out a white breath and moved my head around.

Far from flowers…

I’m glad the grass is growing.

As I was walking down a clean road, trying to forget the cold by wrapping myself in a robe, I soon heard a strange sound from one side.

“…..”

It was a quiet forest, with only the sound of my movement. That’s why I was able to hear the small sound without missing it, like I was listening directly to the place.

Rrrrrr-

T/n: Growling/ Roaring.

The sound of the crying creatures, and the thumping and sniffing sound. Swallowing my saliva, I slowly turned my head toward it. From where my gaze was directed, the sound began to get closer and closer.

The moment the face of a large animal is revealed through the dry branches of the trees, I will definitely die here.

As soon as I realized the fact, I began to run recklessly without hesitation through the bushes, not the path that was pierced. I could hear the animal weeping behind me, but I had no choice but to shiver without even thinking about looking back.

I don’t know how far I can get with this leg. I ran desperately because I couldn’t stop.

Did I run for a long time?

The rough breath filled my throat, and I suffocated, and my trembling legs were screaming at limits. The moment I thought that, my injured foot from last time couldn’t hold out and I slipped and fell.

When I turned around after falling over to the ground with a bang, fortunately, I didn’t see it chasing me. As I gathered my thoughts and looked around, I realized this was a dark and desolate place that I had no idea of where it was.

I tried to give strength to my throbbing leg to get up, but I couldn’t get any strength. Even the moonlight that illuminated the road disappeared.

When I saw this place, which is the darkness itself, I really understood the situation I was in.

It was only darkness. There was no moonlight leaking into the forest covered with bushes and dense trees. I felt like I was really abandoned in the world. Above all, I hated this darkness without a light.

[I hate this dark color. It’s the color that someone who hates me has.]

I hate it so much.

The darkness that hovered beside me was like it rejoicing the cold energy, and it seemed like it would torn me to shreds right now.

My head was saying, I should move my feet and get away from here quickly. However, my feet seemed to have no intention of following my head since it did not move at all, and were still sluggish.

‘Move, move!’

You ran out because you wanted to live. It’s too late to turn everything back.

Ah, I don’t think I can take it anymore. Tears slowly gathered around my eyes, and the drops of tears that had dripped seemed to fall to the ground soon.

Only then my hopes were hidden, by the cold wind that pierce the flesh, this silence, and this situation where I lost my path.

Even this darkness, which suppressed me, touched my skin straight.

“I’m scared…”

I thought this darkness would eventually swallow me, and somehow it would complete my death and create a happy story. In the end, I was so scared that my presence would be rejected for a happy ending.

In this terrible darkness, if there was no pain in my throbbing foot, I would have thought I was already dead. My head bowed by itself, and hope dropped down.

The feeling of falling down and down, with no place to sit in this darkness.

When the word “give up” to erase hope is about to appear.

Beyond the dim view, I could see something moving.