“That guy Raphael.”
Alfonso, who felt that he was standing too close to Ariadne, felt a little astonished at himself for even restraining his friend.
'Just keep it well.'
He decided to broaden his mind a bit. The man in the red cloak put the woman in the blue dress in the carriage. The woman got into the carriage and looked down. The carriage stopped like that for a while, then took off with only the woman on board.
'...?'
Alfonso frowned and looked down carefully. Raphael was slowly waving his hand toward the carriage.
'Why did you set off separately?'
The carriage was also a bit strange. Alfonso wanted to give Ariadne his 'Signora Operta', so he had already told the coachman of the carriage that was to pick up Ariadne and Raphael to give it to her. According to his plan, the coachman should have given Ariadne the 'Signora Operta' in front of Raphael. However, the coachman did not take out anything like a gift. Alfonso's suspicious eyes caught the carriage's suspicious movements.
“!”
Instead of heading due south towards the roundabout, the carriage turned west in the middle and started running at a furious pace.
“What the heck!”
Alfonso, who had grasped the situation, ran out of the Twin Towers at full speed. That was not the carriage he had sent.
Ariadne was in trouble.
***
Ariadne felt that the carriage was going faster than the speed of a regular palace carriage.
“Hey, could you slow down a bit?”
Instead of trotting, the carriage swayed violently from side to side as the horse accelerated to a gallop at full speed. Ariadne gripped the inside handle tightly, fearing she might be thrown out of the carriage.
"Hey?"
But the coachman did not answer. At this moment, Ariadne felt something was wrong. The sense of discomfort that had been felt since earlier was starting to settle in. The palace carriage arrived strangely early, all the attendants used for ceremonial purposes in the palace were young and slender, but the coachman was unusually old and overweight, and his head was bowed so as not to reveal his face!
Next, she checked her belongings. It would have been nice if she had brought a sharp jewel comb. The hair combs had pointed ends and could be used like awls. But she had her hair tied back, and instead of a comb, she was wearing a loose hair net. Suddenly, Ariadne remembered something and opened the box of the Signora Operta that Raphael had given her. Inside was a thick, strong ribbon made of blue satin and set with diamonds.
'This is it...!'
The hair tie was quite strong. She rolled the thick ribbon into a suitable width in both hands. Ariadne took a position with her legs spread knee-width apart in the back of the carriage that was shaking violently, and with all her might, she strangled the coachman's neck with the rope from behind.
“Eight!”
“Ugh!”
The coachman pulled the rope that was strangling the horse with his right hand, screaming at the end. He lost one of the reins that he was holding with both hands. Suddenly, the right horse, which had lost its rider, raised its front legs and writhed.
He understood Ariadne's concerns perfectly.
“Hehehe, don’t worry, unfortunately, my body is too old to do that kind of thing, so the outdoors is out of the question.”
“You crazy bastard!”
“A lady should use polite language, but you won’t be able to walk around in high society with your face up high any time soon!”
He struck Ariadne hard on the calf with his knee. She groaned and fell to her knees.
“Why on earth would you touch a man you shouldn’t touch? If you covet something that doesn’t suit you, you’ll get into trouble.”
The man grabbed Ariadne by the hair and shook her, shouting.
“The noble one is very angry because of you. You must be punished for your actions that are out of proportion to your station.”
He dropped a hint that today's incident was because of Princess Lariesa. He had to catch the wind of the other side and make her furious. Then, if he threatened Lariesa with the contract he was holding, the Prince of Odes would have no choice but to give in to the Duke of Mireille. In the short term, Lariesa marriage with the Carlo family would be ruined, and in the long term, his daughter's life would be ruined.
“Okay, where should we start? First, I should repay what I’ve been dealt.”
He placed his pot-lid-sized hand on the same spot where she had strangled the man earlier. He tightened his grip on her.
“Hah!”
I can't breathe. I could really die if I keep doing this...!
“Hey, could you slow down a bit?”
Instead of trotting, the carriage swayed violently from side to side as the horse accelerated to a gallop at full speed. Ariadne gripped the inside handle tightly, fearing she might be thrown out of the carriage.
"Hey?"
But the coachman did not answer. At this moment, Ariadne felt something was wrong. The sense of discomfort that had been felt since earlier was starting to settle in. The palace carriage arrived strangely early, all the attendants used for ceremonial purposes in the palace were young and slender, but the coachman was unusually old and overweight, and his head was bowed so as not to reveal his face!
This was not a real palace carriage. She frantically looked around the carriage. It would be nice if there was something that could be used as a weapon...!
'If I hit that coachman on the back of the head...'
If the coachman could be attacked, the carriage would naturally stop. However, the interior of the royal guest carriage was clean, and there was nothing but blue velvet cushions. Ariadne picked up the blue cushions and threw them out of the carriage without hesitation.
'Someone please find that cushion...!'
'If I hit that coachman on the back of the head...'
If the coachman could be attacked, the carriage would naturally stop. However, the interior of the royal guest carriage was clean, and there was nothing but blue velvet cushions. Ariadne picked up the blue cushions and threw them out of the carriage without hesitation.
'Someone please find that cushion...!'
Next, she checked her belongings. It would have been nice if she had brought a sharp jewel comb. The hair combs had pointed ends and could be used like awls. But she had her hair tied back, and instead of a comb, she was wearing a loose hair net. Suddenly, Ariadne remembered something and opened the box of the Signora Operta that Raphael had given her. Inside was a thick, strong ribbon made of blue satin and set with diamonds.
'This is it...!'
The hair tie was quite strong. She rolled the thick ribbon into a suitable width in both hands. Ariadne took a position with her legs spread knee-width apart in the back of the carriage that was shaking violently, and with all her might, she strangled the coachman's neck with the rope from behind.
“Eight!”
“Ugh!”
The coachman pulled the rope that was strangling the horse with his right hand, screaming at the end. He lost one of the reins that he was holding with both hands. Suddenly, the right horse, which had lost its rider, raised its front legs and writhed.
Crunch!
"Ha...!"
The carriage shook violently and Ariadne hit the wall of the carriage, and she groaned a little, unable to bear it. However, she never let go of the silk rope that was tightening around the old coachman's neck, putting all her weight on it.
“Eww!”
The coachman groaned and writhed. The right horse leaped diagonally to freedom, while the left, still holding the reins tightly, continued to ride straight ahead. The carriage shook violently. The coachman, who had been surprised and given his neck, was twice as big as Ariadne. He was of medium height, but he weighed a lot for an average man. He was slow. After all, he was fat, but strong because he was heavy.
"Ugh!"
He tried to untie the rope with one hand, but Ariadne hung on with all her might.
"Die!"
“You rotten bitch!”
Even in the onomatopoeia, the coachman spat out, a faint Gallico accent was detectable, but when he spoke, it was clear: this man was not Etruscan.
'A foreigner? A Gallican? A Gallican causing such an incident in the palace?'
If he is truly Gallico and not a spy sent by the Holy See to sow discord between the Gallico and Etruscan kingdoms, then this is an attempt at political suicide.
'Why on earth would you do something like this?'
But Ariadne's thoughts were interrupted midway by the coachman's counterattack.
“Eight!”
When he realized that he could not pull Ariadne off with one hand, which was bearing the weight of her entire body, he threw away the reins in his left hand and pulled the saddle straps with both hands. Ariadne could not withstand the force of the large man pulling with all his might.
“Ahh!”
CLACK!
"Ha...!"
The carriage shook violently and Ariadne hit the wall of the carriage, and she groaned a little, unable to bear it. However, she never let go of the silk rope that was tightening around the old coachman's neck, putting all her weight on it.
“Eww!”
The coachman groaned and writhed. The right horse leaped diagonally to freedom, while the left, still holding the reins tightly, continued to ride straight ahead. The carriage shook violently. The coachman, who had been surprised and given his neck, was twice as big as Ariadne. He was of medium height, but he weighed a lot for an average man. He was slow. After all, he was fat, but strong because he was heavy.
"Ugh!"
He tried to untie the rope with one hand, but Ariadne hung on with all her might.
"Die!"
“You rotten bitch!”
Even in the onomatopoeia, the coachman spat out, a faint Gallico accent was detectable, but when he spoke, it was clear: this man was not Etruscan.
'A foreigner? A Gallican? A Gallican causing such an incident in the palace?'
If he is truly Gallico and not a spy sent by the Holy See to sow discord between the Gallico and Etruscan kingdoms, then this is an attempt at political suicide.
'Why on earth would you do something like this?'
But Ariadne's thoughts were interrupted midway by the coachman's counterattack.
“Eight!”
When he realized that he could not pull Ariadne off with one hand, which was bearing the weight of her entire body, he threw away the reins in his left hand and pulled the saddle straps with both hands. Ariadne could not withstand the force of the large man pulling with all his might.
“Ahh!”
CLACK!
The two horses, now completely free, darted in all directions. The carriage with the top open was rocking back and forth, on the verge of tipping over. As the carriage shook violently, the coachman succeeded in snatching the silk rope from Ariadne’s hand.
"Ah!"
The silk ribbon slipped out of her hand, which she had wrapped around twice and held tightly, and the jewel embroidery scratched her skin. Her wrist felt like it was sprained. It hurt as if it would break.
'If it goes on like this... No!'
Ariadne estimated the speed of the chariot. The horses were running in all directions instead of in a straight line, so the chariot's speed itself was considerably reduced. She roughly estimated her surroundings.
'Now is the time!'
She threw herself out of the carriage before the coachman could come to the back seat to catch her.
“That damn bitch!”
A Gallico curse was heard from the chariot that was running by inertia. It seemed that the prey that had been caught had escaped, and the poison had taken effect.
"Ah!"
The silk ribbon slipped out of her hand, which she had wrapped around twice and held tightly, and the jewel embroidery scratched her skin. Her wrist felt like it was sprained. It hurt as if it would break.
'If it goes on like this... No!'
Ariadne estimated the speed of the chariot. The horses were running in all directions instead of in a straight line, so the chariot's speed itself was considerably reduced. She roughly estimated her surroundings.
'Now is the time!'
She threw herself out of the carriage before the coachman could come to the back seat to catch her.
“That damn bitch!”
A Gallico curse was heard from the chariot that was running by inertia. It seemed that the prey that had been caught had escaped, and the poison had taken effect.
Boom!
Ariadne threw herself into the palace garden, which was delicately landscaped. She thought that the shrubs would cushion her impact. The branches did cushion some of the impact. However, the branches were chafing and prickling her entire body.
'I have to run away before that guy comes back...'
Ariadne, who had collapsed in the bushes, barely managed to pull herself up without even having time to come to her senses. She had no time to waste. Instead of running into the grass, she ran straight along the paved path the way she had come. There was no place to hide in the palace gardens anyway. Besides, if no one helped her, she would be finished anyway. It was better to run to a place where she could meet people than to hide. The palace was a place with a lot of traffic. She would meet someone, whether a servant or a maid.
“Ouch!”
Ariadne, who was running frantically, twisted her left foot. The culprit was the high-heeled shoe she had put on for the ball. She gritted her teeth and threw the shoe away. She took off the other shoe and limped along, holding one shoe in her hand.
'No, if I slow down I'll get caught up...!'
Should she have run away into the grass? She regretted it again. But one must do everything one can. Ariadne walked forward silently, limping. This was a race against time, whether to catch up or meet someone! But the heavens did not help her.
“I got this fucking bitch!”
The coachman, or rather, the Gallican, who had run up to her in one stride and closed the distance between them, grabbed Ariadne by the hair.
"Ah!"
She screamed in pain as if her scalp was being ripped off.
“You are the first woman to make my body suffer like this.”
He grabbed Ariadne's hair in his right hand and strangled her from behind.
“In return, I’ll give you a good view.”
“You crazy bastard... The Great Etruscan Kingdom will not tolerate such provocations!”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s what makes it worthwhile.”
'I have to run away before that guy comes back...'
Ariadne, who had collapsed in the bushes, barely managed to pull herself up without even having time to come to her senses. She had no time to waste. Instead of running into the grass, she ran straight along the paved path the way she had come. There was no place to hide in the palace gardens anyway. Besides, if no one helped her, she would be finished anyway. It was better to run to a place where she could meet people than to hide. The palace was a place with a lot of traffic. She would meet someone, whether a servant or a maid.
“Ouch!”
Ariadne, who was running frantically, twisted her left foot. The culprit was the high-heeled shoe she had put on for the ball. She gritted her teeth and threw the shoe away. She took off the other shoe and limped along, holding one shoe in her hand.
'No, if I slow down I'll get caught up...!'
Should she have run away into the grass? She regretted it again. But one must do everything one can. Ariadne walked forward silently, limping. This was a race against time, whether to catch up or meet someone! But the heavens did not help her.
“I got this fucking bitch!”
The coachman, or rather, the Gallican, who had run up to her in one stride and closed the distance between them, grabbed Ariadne by the hair.
"Ah!"
She screamed in pain as if her scalp was being ripped off.
“You are the first woman to make my body suffer like this.”
He grabbed Ariadne's hair in his right hand and strangled her from behind.
“In return, I’ll give you a good view.”
“You crazy bastard... The Great Etruscan Kingdom will not tolerate such provocations!”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s what makes it worthwhile.”
Ariadne was suspicious of the Gallican's words. Far from avoiding diplomatic disputes, he was actually delighted with them.
“What do you wish for?”
“You’ll know after you’ve had some fun today, so why are you in such a hurry? I want to pluck the tears from your pretty eyes, young lady, and see your father go wild.”
The two were speaking in their own native languages, but they could communicate perfectly. The other was also fluent in Etruscan. He grabbed Ariadne by the hair and tore the cloak she was wearing. As the cloak was torn, the partlet* attached to it was also torn, revealing her white nape and white shoulders.
“I’ll throw this in the forest. If someone finds it, won’t they have fun imagining things?”
"What?"
It was becoming more and more ominous.
“You...?”
“What do you wish for?”
“You’ll know after you’ve had some fun today, so why are you in such a hurry? I want to pluck the tears from your pretty eyes, young lady, and see your father go wild.”
The two were speaking in their own native languages, but they could communicate perfectly. The other was also fluent in Etruscan. He grabbed Ariadne by the hair and tore the cloak she was wearing. As the cloak was torn, the partlet* attached to it was also torn, revealing her white nape and white shoulders.
“I’ll throw this in the forest. If someone finds it, won’t they have fun imagining things?”
"What?"
It was becoming more and more ominous.
“You...?”
He understood Ariadne's concerns perfectly.
“Hehehe, don’t worry, unfortunately, my body is too old to do that kind of thing, so the outdoors is out of the question.”
“You crazy bastard!”
“A lady should use polite language, but you won’t be able to walk around in high society with your face up high any time soon!”
He struck Ariadne hard on the calf with his knee. She groaned and fell to her knees.
“Why on earth would you touch a man you shouldn’t touch? If you covet something that doesn’t suit you, you’ll get into trouble.”
The man grabbed Ariadne by the hair and shook her, shouting.
“The noble one is very angry because of you. You must be punished for your actions that are out of proportion to your station.”
He dropped a hint that today's incident was because of Princess Lariesa. He had to catch the wind of the other side and make her furious. Then, if he threatened Lariesa with the contract he was holding, the Prince of Odes would have no choice but to give in to the Duke of Mireille. In the short term, Lariesa marriage with the Carlo family would be ruined, and in the long term, his daughter's life would be ruined.
“Okay, where should we start? First, I should repay what I’ve been dealt.”
He placed his pot-lid-sized hand on the same spot where she had strangled the man earlier. He tightened his grip on her.
“Hah!”
I can't breathe. I could really die if I keep doing this...!
Ariadne's whole body froze in fear. However, he didn't seem to have any intention of killing her, and after a moment, he released his grip.
“What should I do to make your father angrier?”
She wanted to say back. No matter what you do to me, I can't really make my father angry. But her voice was too terrified to come out.
“Stop it!”
The words she wanted to say rang out clearly through the air. It wasn’t her voice.
“What should I do to make your father angrier?”
She wanted to say back. No matter what you do to me, I can't really make my father angry. But her voice was too terrified to come out.
“Stop it!”
The words she wanted to say rang out clearly through the air. It wasn’t her voice.
Whoosh!
There was a metal snapping sound.
Thud!
The silhouette of the man who had been strangling Ariadne’s neck collapsed to the floor like a scarecrow. Suddenly free, she took a deep breath.
Thud!
There was another metal snapping sound.
Thud!
This time there was a skull-cracking sound. The man, who had fallen to the floor, couldn’t move an inch. Only then did the man who had swung the ceremonial sword, Prince Alfonso, leap towards his fallen woman.
“Ariadne!”
“Ariadne!”
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