Late at night.
Dorothea woke up with a pounding headache.
It was difficult to open her eyes because her whole body felt heavy and limp.
She felt her body shaking. It was clear that someone was carrying her in her arms and she was on the move.
A familiar voice murmured.
“Just go a little bit, just a little bit. This uncle wants you quickly...”
The paralyzed senses slowly began to return.
The sound of the wind tickling her ears and the damp scent of dawn awakened her senses that had sunk deep below.
After blinking a few times, she realized that she was being 'kidnapped'.
'The stew I ate earlier.'
She barely felt it thanks to the strong scent of spices, but the ending taste was slightly subtle.
When she thought about it, Aiden carefully fed her the stew but never took a bite of it himself.
'There was something in it.'
Dorothea felt a little jealous, as having her body become numb was not a very pleasant experience.
“Can I hug you like this? You're so small and dry that it looks like you might break, so I don't know where to hold you...”
Aiden mumbled in an embarrassed voice and quickly moved on, hugging her again and again.
She could hear an excited horse neighing in the distance. Seeing the sound of several horses' hooves, it seemed like he had an accomplice.
'There is no sound of chasing footsteps.'
It was clear that the other family members were also drugged and asleep like her.
The problem was that she didn't expect Aiden, who looked so disheveled, to do something like this.
Eventually, as if he had reached his destination, his fast-running body stopped. Even though Dorothea was already awake, she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
A worried voice spoke softly.
“She hurts more than I thought, second brother.”
“Yes, you brought her well.”
“Even the court wizard gave up on her. Is there really a way?”
“Even if there is no way, we shouldn’t leave her there. Isn’t this the child of our family? No matter how much of a relationship she broke up with, she is still our sister's only daughter. She needs to be in a better environment.”
A somewhat rational and cold voice spoke.
Aiden seemed to agree with his words but then spoke hesitantly.
“Brother, but... It seems he cares more about the kid than we thought.”
“Have you forgotten? He killed my sister.”
“...”
Unlike Aiden, who seemed confused, the person he was talking to had a firm voice. Every time he spoke, Dorothea felt a coldness, as if the temperature around her dropped by three or four degrees.
Dorothea entered the pre-warmed carriage with Aiden in his arms.
When she lifted her heavy eyelids, Aiden's face blurred into view.
“I’m sorry. It was a very small amount. I think it will be difficult to leave if you don’t fall asleep.”
“...”
As she listened to the restless Aiden's excuses, she turned her gaze and checked the man across from her.
Unlike Aiden, who was tall and had a strong appearance, the slim, pale-complexioned man had a weak and nervous appearance, as if he had never held a sword in his life.
The man, wearing a ring with a large jewel and dressed in luxurious clothes, showed no affection or interest in Dorothea.
Aiden introduced him.
“This is your second maternal uncle. He is renowned as a great scholar and teaches the royal family of the palace. Since he has a deep connection with the Holy Father, he will definitely help you improve your health.”
Dorothea read the irritation and annoyance in his eyes.
Unlike Aiden, it was clear that he did not feel very fond of Dorothea's existence.
'Why did he have to come all the way here?'
Even bothering to kidnap her.
Dorothea was equally irritated.
Unfortunately, at this time when she was not feeling well, she walked away from the mansion where she had barely built a foundation. She felt sorry for the buried cross necklace.
She had planned to buy time by swallowing that power to nourish her body.
‘My health food...'
Dorothea sighed and looked beyond the carriage. Just from the outside scenery passing by, she could tell that the carriage was speeding up.
The second man opened his mouth.
“Feed her one more time before she runs out of energy and makes a fuss.”
“I don’t think a sick child should keep taking medicine. Our Thea is calm, so you can leave her alone.”
The man's face distorted at Aiden's retort.
The man, who was glaring with anger, kept his mouth shut instead of raising his voice.
The feeling of inferiority in the man's eyes the moment his request was rejected was something Dorothea was very familiar with.
“Yes, you are right. She’s a sick kid.”
He countered with a softened voice, but the murderous look in his eyes did not diminish. Eyes as cunning as snakes were focused on Dorothea.
Dorothea automatically remembered her past life.
Her father was able to sit at the head of the exorcism festival because he contributed to the family by giving birth to her.
The eyes of his half-brothers who looked at her with a sense of inferiority.
Unable to reach out to their influential father, they always turned to her.
The hand that lifted the child struggling in pain onto the altar did not have as much pity as the fingernails.
Just like them, there was no affection for Dorothea in the eyes of the second uncle.
However, his old feelings were hidden so cleverly and skillfully that they would not be discovered unless he was someone who was sensitive to other people's emotions like Dorothea.
“I guess I was sensitive because the child was sick.”
“Yes, you can.”
Contrary to the generous words, the hidden intentions are extremely dark.
The spirits that had been drawn by the man surged through the carriage but soon calmed down under Dorothea's gaze.
***
At dawn, a carriage that ran continuously stopped in front of a shabby inn.
The counter clerk, who was dozing off, came out and lowered his head.
“Please give me two rooms. To a place where we won’t encounter other customers as much as possible.”
The employee swallowed his saliva at the gold coin that was handed to him along with the secret words.
His movements naturally became faster due to the weight of the heavy gold coin.
“The room at the end of the hallway is quiet and nice. Shall we raise the meal?”
“Just for two people. And please bring me some watery soup or something easy to digest.”
The group headed straight to the room they were guided to.
When Dorothea craned her neck to look around, the man who was her second maternal uncle raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
It was a laughable look in his eyes as if saying, ‘What can I do?’
“This way.”
It was quiet inside.
As if to add to the gloomy atmosphere, the sound of crows crowing could be heard in the distance.
The person who was said to be her second maternal uncle squinted his eyes as if he were offended.
Dorothea's eyes moved in the direction of the bird, but no one noticed.
She was so calm and quiet that if she hadn't blinked, you'd have wondered if she was dead.
There was a strong smell of alcohol coming from somewhere. A faint singing sound was also heard.
“There is one guest staying across the street. It’s late at night, so he won’t be leaving his room.”
The man who glanced at the clerk's words nodded. He also knew that he couldn't kick out all the other guests at the inn right now.
The smell of alcohol wafting through Aiden's mouth slightly whetted his appetite, but he turned his head and pretended not to notice as he looked at his young niece.
As they hurriedly crossed the hallway and arrived in front of the door, the man who noticed that the clerk who had gone to pick up the meal had disappeared gave instructions.
“I have four guards, so please sleep in the next room. I will let the child sleep in this room.”
“But, brother.”
“Twelve is old enough to sleep alone. I will put this child to sleep and go over soon. Let’s go out and talk first.”
Aiden was kicked out without saying anything due to the harsh words that left no room for words.
Dorothea, who was looking at those leaving the room, stared at the maid who seemed to have been brought by her uncle. Four sturdy escorts stood next to the young maid, whose hands were shaking slightly as she poured her water.
'To protect, that is.'
But look at the murder in their eyes.
The 'knights' appointed to protect Dorothea seemed more accustomed to taking their own lives than to protecting someone.
“Sleep comfortably, Lady. Please ring the bell if you need to.”
"It's hot."
The words she blurted out to the maid who was about to leave made her stop.
Dorothea made eye contact with the maid.
"It's hot."
As if it were an injection, the life in the eyes of the maid who was listening to the words spoken slowly disappeared for a moment.
As if she was fascinated, she walked to the window and opened the narrow window.
That moment when the cool wind seeped into the room.
Whether by coincidence or necessity, the bell next to her rang.
The moment the maid's gaze fell on Bell, Dorothea's lips began to tingle.
The moment the guards noticed something suspicious and started looking around in the hazy fog that had settled in the room, something strange had already occurred.
The faint sound of the bell quickly filled and captivated their minds.
A crow flew in through the open window and approached them, but they did not resist and just stared blankly ahead with empty pupils.
Dorothea lightly passed them by and threw the object she had snatched from her 'second uncle's' arms onto the table.
His initials were engraved on luxurious cufflinks.
'C. H'
Colin, Highclere.
As the moonlight gathered on the initials on the table, thoughts began to stick together.
Dorothea, who was walking without hesitation among those who were staring blankly into space, suddenly frowned.
The chill that rose through her bare feet on the extremely cool floor was bothering her.
“I will at least bring a god.”
Her disapproval of her maternal uncle grew even more.
The fact that he had to move her himself was unpleasant, but the time she could use 'Dazzle' wasn't very long.
Even though those unclean things don't have eyes, over time they will figure out that those cuffs aren't real people.
It is easy to bring in evil beings, but it is difficult to control them.
The moment they realize that they have been deceived, their anger will hit Dorothea in reverse.
'So it's a gamble. If anything happens, I will have to throw away this body.'
If she didn't win now, she wouldn't be able to survive anyway.
Dorothea's pale pink eyes looked towards the crow sitting on the window sill triumphantly after completing its task.
'Okay, good job.'
After giving the crow a complimentary look, she passed the empty-eyed people standing there, crossed the hallway, and headed toward a room that smelled heavy of alcohol.
To a room where a stranger stays, where faint singing sounds can be heard.
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