Chapter 15 (1/2)

Deep-set blue eyes, as if it holds the cloudless autumn sky within it.

Its beautiful sparkle is the same as how I remember.

But somewhere somehow, darkness loomed over it, and his penetrating blue eyes seemed like an empty eye of a doll made out of clay.

Despite this, his eyes instantaneously sparkled upon seeing me.

“······!”

My breath hitched.

The moment his eyes sparkled seemed to make every notion very, very slow.

As if recognizing me immediately, his blue eyes opened wide and were immediately filled with indescribable emotions.

And in the midst of it, a familiar madness could also be seen.

I couldn’t bear to continue looking at his unabated gaze…

“Ah, aah······.”

My whole body trembled. I could feel Letizia looking anxiously at me, but words just can’t come out of my lips.

I could feel the pulse on my neck, pounding. And the blood that flowed through my lips permeated inside, and it tasted fishy. At that moment, I suddenly came to my senses.

We shouldn’t get caught!

On the other hand, I also thought that we shouldn’t just run away.

I was the only person here who could sort out the lies that the Osborne’s made.

But the moment Calix strode towards me, my mind went blank.

I hugged Letizia and ran as hard as I could. It was a short distance to the back door. My heart thumped with fear; I was so scared.

I couldn’t think of anything and could only shed tears. I was afraid to face him again.

Calix, why are you looking for me?

It’s already been seven years······.

Could I have misunderstood you?

‘But······ But······.’

At that time, I’m sure I saw Calix kiss Sia in the Imperial Palace’s garden. And rather than pushing her away, he smiled at her like they were lovers.

As a result, it made me aware of my situation and decided to flee from the plot of the novel’s story to escape my tragic fate. Seven years. I couldn’t bring those years back anymore, nor could I abandon the people who have become my new family.

Clang! The back door opened. Then I rushed into the pitch-black darkness of the night. And the voice calling for me from behind my back resonated heartbreakingly.

“Laure!”

*         *         *

I ran with all my might. And I don’t know how far we’ve come. But despite my mind being in such a mess, it seemed that I have instinctively taken the getaway route that we prepared in advance just in case something like this happened. And we seemed to have safely escaped from Calix.

As I threw my gaze toward the main street, I could see that the lights were still active. It means there will still be a carriage if we want to go now.

As I headed there in a hurry, Letizia hugged my neck tightly.

“Mom, mom, are you okay?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, my baby.”

“The mister earlier, his name was Cal Roch.”

“······.”

“How does Mister Cal know Mom’s real name?”

“······That.”

I couldn’t answer and could only moisten my lips. And at the same moment, we had entered an alley leading to the main street,

I had to run into a very unwelcome person.

“Oh, my. Who is this?”

Baron James Camnell.

I tightened my arms around Letty.

“Where are you going in such a hurry at this late hour? Huh? You even brought your kid····· Oh, by any chance, are you fleeing in the middle of the night? Did you just hit Osborne in the back of his head? Huh?”

“······.”

I frowned. The smell of alcohol grew stronger, as Baron Camnell approached. Seeing that he was not walking correctly, he seemed to have been drinking until he was irrationally drunk.

“Don’t come close. If you don’t want to get hurt.”

I said, showing off the ring Alice gave me. Camnell only glanced at it and chuckled.

“What can you even do with that? Are you going to attack me? This James Camnell? Arrogant bitch. I liked you, but you didn’t even know how to be grateful······.”

“······Haa.”

I looked at Camnell with a fed-up expression on my face. These obnoxious guys always take the stick and wrap it up, saying, “I liked you.” Even though the person concerned was scared to the point of feeling personally threatened.

That’s why I had to accept Will’s helping hand.

“If you touch me, Alice won’t stay still. Then the Lord will surely be furious, are you certain you don’t mind living in a small house?”

I warned in a harsh voice. But Camnell was utterly indifferent, and he just continuously came closer towards me with a grotesque laugh.

“Conceited wench! Even though my father doesn’t like me, did you really think he’s going to punish me for messing with just one boring bitch like you?”

As soon as Camnell was about to reach his hand out to me.

Light flew from somewhere and hit him straight on the forehead. Afterward, Camnell fell to the floor with a thud. I stumbled back. Seeing that he was completely knocked out.

‘Who is it?’

I looked around, and a familiar voice relieved my anxiety.

“Rose! Are you all right?”

“A, Alice!”

It was none other than Alice who fired the light. It was a fainting spell that Camnell was hit by.

Alice said that she felt a commotion while passing by the street and came this way.

“But I didn’t expect Rose to be here. And that you were also caught by this bastard·······. What the hell is going on in the middle of the night? Why did you bring Letty out?”

“That······.”

I briefly explained the situation to Alice. She soon nodded as she understood and asked anxiously.

“Would you be okay like this? Without even trying to talk with his grace? What if····· you could have just misunderstood something.”

“······I’m scared, Alice.”

I said, lowering my head.

“There’s something I’ve been afraid of all my life. But I couldn’t tell anyone. Because I’m sure, no one will believe it.”

“······.”

“Seven years have passed, but that fear still hasn’t disappeared. After leaving the capital and staying here, I gained peace, but there were still times when I had nightmares that I couldn’t even remember once I woke up, and I feel terrified.”

“Laure·····.”

“Furthermore. Now, we have to go all of a sudden. I feel sorry for Will and Sean, who were already like a family to me.”

I sighed. Alice put her hand on my shoulder and patted me gently.

“They won’t be angry even if you suddenly go and come back. They’ll welcome you instead. But first, since it’s so late at night, let’s find a place where we can stay. It’s cold.”