━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
“Bianca.”
“Huh?”
"You're aware of ...…?"
Bianca responded with a nod.
“What ...?”
"You know it?"
Does she know? As I looked at Bianca, who had an absurd look on her face, sighed and said.
“I've told you, you're totally famous.”
“Me? Why?”
"Oh my, do I have to say it again. Don't you remember? That matter with you and the Crown Prince."
‘The matter with you and the Crown Prince.’ Hearing Bianca's hushed words while thumping her chest, I now have understand the situation.
Yeah, I felt somehow odd. What was clear that there were rumors between the Prince and me spreading around.
I don't blame them. An esteemed young noble lady ran away from the Crown Prince on the day of the debut, it's simply the hottest topic.
Rumors spread like this even though it's not less than two weeks since my debut. No, that's enough for most people in the capital to know in a day. I don't know that's how much people's gossip would go far.
Well, I mean if it's actually like that I don't care much. I've been hardened with all the rumors circulating in the social society....
"Is the rumor bad?”
His gaze back then was mysterious. It seemed malicious, or perhaps it was yearning, and there's also fear. It was a complexity which I could hardly guess at all.
"Well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't."
"What do you mean?"
Oh, my voice was too loud. The lively boutique became strangely quiet once again. I was at a loss at their pressured gazes and Bianca, who shook her head lightly with a pathetic look, dragged me out of the boutique. I was just following her from behind.
"I think I had enough shopping for today. Let's go to a quiet cafe and talk."
I didn't really want to buy anything, and no matter how pretty the boutique dresses were, it wasn't very interesting because it couldn't be compared to the fancy things I wore when I became the Empress. I nodded at her in assent.
"You know how he is. It's because his the Crown Prince so he's robust. It's a given since he'll become the next emperor."
The walk to the cafe was not uncommon. It was usually the route we used to tread on when we came out to Saint street. I knew where we were headed, even if she didn't have to tell me.
Entering the familiar alleyway, Bianca continued to talk.
"You might think that almost all the glory in the capital is now angry at the attitude you've shown towards His Highness the Crown Prince. It's strange that they haven't sent you something like an assassin to hurt you so far."
Bianca, who said so, looked as if it were someone else's business. Yeah, she's supposed to be in someone else's business. Although the subject was quite serious. Am I being hated so much already?
Well, it'd be weird if I wasn't hated. Anyone who is loved by his or her admirer cannot help but be jealous.
Far from it, I vehemently rejected his heart not only in the banquet hall but also in the market, and the aristocrats who have heard it must be flabbergasted.
"But I envy you, and afraid for you, even though there's been no harm done to you by far.”
My position in society was originally high because I was the descendant of a hero of the three great dukes of the Empire.
For that reason, it was rare for someone to treat me recklessly, and after I became the fiancee of the crown prince, everyone was eager to get close to me. To my credit, I didn't know there was a lot of talk going around behind my back.
But I felt since one day I was horribly ignored by him in public when we were together.
The eyes of others have become subtly cold that treating the powerless with no mercy have become evident.
That is to say.
The crown prince's favor that makes everyone tremble was given to me.
"It's upsetting, however I'm afraid I won't be good enough for the Crown Prince. Something like that."
I got a rough idea. It's the first time the Crown Prince has shown his affinity for someone. It's also the first time he has been distracted from his usual cold self.
The reason was the Duke of Scherne's daughter.
Now I would be regarded as a potential Crown Princess. That's why no one shows hostility to me.
"Honestly, what kind of crazy—”
Bianca, who was turning the corner, suddenly stopped talking with her eyes wide open. Looking at her, I also followed her gaze and saw the sight in front of us.
"Red hair and red eyes. You're Lady Scherne, right?"
Five or six men stood in our way with unusual glances. It wasn't like an alley gang thing. The men were dressed properly and their poses were like they've trained in martial arts.
"……Why are you looking for me?”
They looked like nobleman's escorts or perhaps mercenaries. They're nothing like ordinary commoners, and the way they recognized me right away seemed to mean this meeting was intentional.
Even during the sunny day, the dark and narrow alleys were filled with only their presence. I'd regret not accompanying the escort because it was annoying.
At least in my memory, I didn't get captured by anyone, so I thought no accidents would happen in the future. I didn't think much had already changed.
Although I felt threatened by enemies' similar gazes, I tried to bite my lips to remain calm. You have to be calm. You shouldn't reveal that you're afraid.
"Oh, it's because our lady adores the Crown Prince a lot."
At the end of my gaze, the man located behind the group moved. I felt like he was going to pull the sword out of his waist right away, so I took a step back. This is not good.
The mere sight of the sword in the man's hand was terrifying and terrible already. I remember the severity of the blade that came toward me before I died. The cold pain that slashed over my body was vivid. I'm afraid of a sword.
"……This crazy wench…….”
"Crazy wench? Watch your language. It's you guys who are in danger right now.”
Even in a fearful situation, Bianca's conduct remained. The man approached her with a frightening spirit as she uttered abuses in a trembling voice. We have to turn around and run away right now.
I am aware of that and I know I would be caught in no time. However, I couldn't stop retreating because it felt like they were going to cut off my body in an instant.
Shing—
And at that moment, the silver blade flashed with a terrifying sound. Dark red blood hovered in the light like an afterimage. Suddenly my legs shook at the fear of the sword's tip pointing at me and I sweated like cold water.
"Ahhh……!”
I grabbed my head. No matter how I closed my eyes and shouted, the fear didn't go away.
Ttuk—
The moment of empty solitude, which I had been out of breath with crazy pain, seemed to continue repeating. It was hard to keep my body in shape.
'……Rei? .. You okay……Rei…'
'……How……Perhaps…?'
The voices around me were sparse as if they were outside the walls of a room I was locked in. I was running out of breath.
On the blade, my body, Daniel, who protected me......the eyes, the disgust...…the corner of my mouth that was smiling……!
"Five men versus two women, aren't you ashamed?"
And at that moment, a deep, calm voice slowly broke through my walls. The short breath slowly died down. The blurry surroundings began to catch my eye again.
Bianca and a man with broad, firm shoulders guard me firmly. Navy blue hair in the sun. Black uniform.
"Ho. You're Deputy Commander Dior, aren't you?”
Dior. Yes, it's Dior. The man who was with Alec the other day. It was the second meeting with me after my return as deputy commander of the Imperial Order.
"Do you know me? What household do you belong?”
My unfocused eyes barely revived on his broad shoulders that emerged in front of me. My reasoning, which had run crazy, barely came back.
Still breathing calmly, not even thinking about wiping off the sweat soaked in my body.
Bianca next to me was shaking with a pale look on her face, and Dior was confronting five men alone. There hasn't been a fight yet, but there was a stabbing tension that would happen right away.
"...Are there any knights that don't know about Deputy Commander Dior? I really wanted to fight with you. This will be great.”
"Five burly men threaten two frail women, and yet you claimed yourselves knights."
Dior's cold sinking voice roared with laughter. It was a blatant mockery of them. And before they knew it, their faces were reddened by Dior's insults.
After a moment of silence, the man in the middle of the group rushed in a frightening pace, shouting out an intense voice. Oh, no.
"……Let's see if you can still say that after seeing my skills!"
Chang!
The sharp, polished metal hit with such velocity. It was a fierce movement accompanied with blinding flashing lights.
Not only me and Bianca but also the four men on the other side watched their confrontation with their mouths wide open.
How can they make such stunning moves in this narrow alley. Before I knew it, I was mesmerized by their striking movements, forgetting the fear of swords. It was as beautiful as a swift and skillful blurred dance.
Come to think of it, Daniel fought like that as well. At that time, I never thought it was beautiful.
The only thing I could do, relying on Daniel, was scream in horror.
Yeah, I shouldn't have been so incompetent and waiting for someone to help me. If I decided to change my future, I had to change myself first.
"Ugh...!"
At that moment, deep blood spattered from the man's arm like a fountain in a moment's interval. At the same time, Dior, who cut his opponent's arm, stopped moving. The man's face was distorted in pain, though it wasn't a deep wound.
"If you want to die, fell free to stay longer."
Dior was alone fighting against five men, but his resolve isn't finished. No, it overwhelmed them with more intensity. His voice, which sank as cold as stagnant ice under the cave of darkness, was firm.
If you don't run away now, you'll really be killed. The pressure Dior made as he quietly encroaches was overwhelming. And it wasn't just me who felt it.
"……Leader, it's gotten this big. This is going to be...….”
"Our mission was just to scare her..….”
You're just trying to scare me?
Those standing behind whispered to those suffering from the cut in the arm. Their whispers were so loud that I could hear them.
I thought about it for a moment, and the man stared at us with an angry face.
And they disappeared in front of us at a ghostly pace. Before I could blink my eyes.
"They're quite a party. I don't know where they belong...….”
Before I knew it, Dior, looking at the empty alley, muttered as he put the sword into the sheath. Oh, they're gone.
Plop—
Perhaps because of the shock earlier, my shaking legs have lost its strength. As soon as they disappeared, I collapsed.
"Regina! Are you okay?"
Surprised, Bianca, who had been shivering next to me, equally collapsed as she looked at me with a worried face. Her mysterious blue eyes were transparent. I'm sure Bianca was surprised too.
Why is this happening?
"……Are you okay?"
Dior, who stood in front of us, also turned to me. The calm black eyes captured me. He was also sweating, perhaps because of the previous encounter. His hair looked like the night sky without glow.
"The floor is cold."
His low voice rang softly in my ear. Does it mean I need to get up? His hands, which outstretched towards me, seemed to indicate his scant words.
His thick hands were full of blisters and calluses, evidence of severe sword training.
Yeah, he must have made a bloody effort for this kind of skill. I held his hand. The hot palms were rough.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment