DTS - Chapter 96

Indeed, Kiel Spencer was experienced and skilled.

“I am so glad to see you. I would like to explain the current situation properly, considering the anxiety of a father with a daughter, but I am sorry that I have to go somewhere urgently.”

Not only did Ben not give him a chance to catch him, but he also passed the responsibility for explaining himself to someone else in that short amount of time.

“All of this explanation will be given by the Lady of Lehr, who advised me that if I wanted to enter Lady Highclere’s room, I should use the door properly.”

Marilyn, who was suddenly forced to explain the situation even though she was not a party to it, shut her eyes tightly, unable to open her mouth.

The face of the father, who had lost his wife at an early age and had raised his daughter with great affection, was very dark.

At least since she had witnessed the scene, Marilyn opened her mouth with a reluctant expression, thinking that she should make an excuse or explanation to him.

Dorothea opened the door, ran out, and was lightly held in her father's arms.

"Father."

“Thea.”

The way he held his daughter as if it were something very natural, was gentle and affectionate.

Dorothea smiled as she saw the concern written across Ben's face.

“Your face... has become extremely gaunt.”

She didn't know what Philip conveyed in the telegram, but judging from the fact that she didn't seem surprised by her pale face, it seemed to be not much different from what he had expected.

But, even though he wasn't surprised, Ben couldn't hide his disappointment.

Dorothea read the worry contained in his deep sigh and faced him with a smiling face.

Late in the evening, the group came out to a rare noisy atmosphere and stopped when they found Ben, who had visited the castle late.

When she saw the affection and sorrow-filled face of the father looking at his emaciated daughter... She didn’t know why, but her heart ached.

'There's no reason for that.'

In reality, it is not Dorothea but her companions who are being torn apart.

Dorothea is eating well and playing well, but why is she...?

'Is it because of that appearance that has become so thin and haggard so quickly?'

It was the moment when everyone was trying to quickly return to their rooms.

Unlike before, when she had been very polite and kept her distance, Dorothea's voice, soft and affectionate, echoed through the hallway.

“Let’s go home, okay?”

Ben's eyes widened as he watched his daughter speak out the words that had been stuck in his throat.

Dorothea added, shrugging her shoulders with a smile.

“Father came all this way to meet me, so now it’s time to go home.”

"That..."

How is the work going, and whether or not she needs to get the consent of her companions.

Before even mentioning the little things, doors were slammed shut everywhere.

“Pack your bags, pack your bags quickly!”

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to organize the documents you’ve already done?”

“I’m going. I’m going now.”

No one could fault Dorothea for her sudden decision to return late at night.

Each of them has a shady, sullen look in their eyes, and while laughing and laughing, they pack their bags and finish up the work they are doing, burning the remaining time even more fiercely.

Thanks to everyone's smooth cooperation, preparations for return were completed in just one night.

It seemed as if no one wanted to remain in this beautiful and luxurious castle.

“It’s fortunate that everyone can communicate with each other. They rushed to come here because they were worried about Thea’s health.”

As Ben muttered, dumbfounded by the events that had happened in the blink of an eye, Dane, who was next to him, shook his head.

“It’s probably not for the reason my uncle thinks.”

They do that to survive.

***

Marilyn, who was suddenly able to return together, packed her bags, feeling bewildered but happy.

“I want to get things ready so that I can leave early in the morning.”

“But just because we prepare doesn’t mean we can leave right away...”

If you think about the nobles who wake up leisurely and start their day only towards the end of the morning, isn't it impossible for them to be fully prepared to go home early in the morning?

Marilyn, who had been skeptical of Dorothea's words, was speechless when she saw her companions waiting for her in a carriage full of luggage early in the morning.

'Did you pack diligently all night?'

It was the most amazing sight she had ever seen in her entire life as a member of an aristocratic society.

It's amazing to see dozens of people working together in such unison.

Isn't this the kind of movement that only trained military officers would show?

'I did get some training...'

Marilyn's gaze turned to Dorothea.

She was blinking like a gentle lamb and smiling affectionately at her father.

In contrast to her pale complexion, her blue eyes sparkled at her father.

Marilyn could tell because they had been together for a few days.

'You really... like your Father.'

And it was clear that Ben also cherished his daughter more than anyone else in the world.

As soon as he received the telegram, he came running without any hesitation, and his face showed a sparse, unkempt beard.

For some reason, Marilyn's mouth turned bitter as she stared blankly at the two people.

It was then that she was checking her horse for the last time and waiting for departure.

An unexpected crowd cautiously approached and said goodbye to Dorothea.

“Young Lady, this is meat that I boiled and shredded in advance so that you don’t feel uncomfortable on your way there.”

“To make sure you don’t have too much trouble on your way, I’ve prepared some cushions filled with cotton.”

“It’s something you put on a window frame to block out the wind. Count Spencer often uses it when he goes out.”

Dorothea's carriage, filled with things presented by the castle servants who had gathered in droves, became as luxurious as Richard's, which had been equipped with every convenience.

“Thank you, everyone.”

A warm atmosphere flowed between Dorothea and the servants as they conversed.

Why waste time just to greet a servant?

The other nobles, who did not feel the need to see off Kiel Spencer, the owner of the estate, did not understand Dorothea.

While they were waiting for departure in a daze, Mrs. Jenix, who had not been seen for a while, appeared holding a small luggage in her hand.

"Nanny?"

As Richard poked his head out the window with a puzzled look on his face, Mrs. Jenix, who had a faint smile on her face, opened her mouth.

“I wonder if it is because Your Highness the Third Prince has stayed here for such a long time, but I am missing our old connections. Come to think of it, it has been a long time since I last saw Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, so I will try to take a light step.”

“Ah, if the nanny wants it.”

Unlike Richard, who nodded his head as if it were nothing, Luke's gaze on the horse from afar was somewhat murderous.

However, the lady seemed not to notice the 7th Prince's murderous gaze and calmly got into the carriage.

Richard casually took off his hat and handed it to her, not even realizing that he had brought a villain who had tried to harm him into his carriage.

'If a nanny takes care of me, my journey will be much easier.'

It just occurred to him that he might be able to move more comfortably if she was there, having been by his side for so long.

Mrs. Jennix, sitting next to Richard, looked intently at Dorothea as she got into the carriage.

“Let's go!”

The carriage on its way back started moving.

***

At the sound of a faint cough, Marilyn naturally and carefully poured the water that was next to her and handed it to Dorothea.

Although she tried to move with the utmost convenience, it was burdensome to embark on a long journey with her extremely weak body.

“You should have rested a bit longer. Your complexion is so pale.”

“I was planning on going back anyway. My father came too...”

At Dorothea's thin voice, Dane, who was standing next to her, crossed his arms and snorted.

“Yes, since my uncle is here, you should hurry up and go back. If he stays in the castle for no reason and hears about the accidents you’ve caused, he’ll cry even more. If you hurry up and go home before he hears about your actions, you’ll be able to avoid nagging from your grandparents.”

Marilyn glanced at Dorothea with a look of incredulity on her face.

Dorothea, who had been blinking and pretending not to know the prickly Dane's words with a calm expression, opened the window and opened her mouth to face her youngest uncle who had been following her the whole time.

“Is it because the carriage is so cramped? I keep coughing. Is there a horse that Dane can ride?”

“Oh, that can’t be. Just wait and see.”

“Yes, wait a minute. Kkuek!”

Aiden's wicked hand, which would stop at nothing for his beloved Dorothea, grabbed Dane by the scruff of the neck and dragged him out of the carriage.

Dorothea quietly closed the window, although she heard Dane shouting something as he went along, wrapped in his uncle's arms, for lack of a better word.

Marilyn realized this as she looked at Dorothea, who had an unconcerned expression on her face as if nothing had happened.

'Everything Lord Dane said was true.'

It is said that it is natural for humans to cringe when something happens that could sting them, but Dorothea, on the other hand, tended to become even more shameless.

“Young Lady's family really cares for you.”

Marilyn tried to hide her bitter feelings as she looked at Dorothea's face, which was showing a faint smile.

How many children from noble families grow up receiving such strong affection?

To receive love and to give love, there must be an object.

Marilyn's face clouded as she recalled the suffocating mansion where her father viewed her as nothing more than a tool to enhance the family's prestige, and where her brothers ignored her.

“Come this way, Marilyn.”

Suddenly Dorothea tapped the seat next to her with her hand.

“Would you like to learn next to me?”

It was the moment when she asked that and moved to another location.

With a dull sound, the tip of an arrow flew in from somewhere and stuck itself right where she was, sticking out its head.

Dorothea denied her question, making Marilyn lower her head, unable to even scream at what had happened so suddenly.

“No, this wall is much stronger. The other side has a stone slab, so it’s easier to penetrate.”

A loud noise was heard, and then the rough sound of swords clashing could be heard here and there.

"Ah..."

When Marilyn flinched, frozen by the sudden situation, Dorothea silently grabbed her shoulder and patted her in her arms.

A scream was heard along with Aiden's maddening shouts.

“Yes, are you okay?”

Marilyn's voice trembled as she recalled her time coming down to the estate.

“It’s okay. The reason Young Lady had a hard time in the previous attack was because there were only Luke and Dane around at the time. It was because there was no one you could trust. It’s different now.”

“I see. At that time, there were only the 7th Prince and Lady Dane...”

Marilyn, who had been repeating Dorothea's words without thinking, felt Dorothea's hand pat her shoulder and lifted her head.

Dorothea narrowed her eyes and looked into space, speaking softly.

“I said it would be okay, but I think I need to correct it a little.”

"Yes?"

“I never thought you’d be this blatant. I guess I stirred things up quite a bit.”

"Yes, yes?"

Marilyn, who had been tilting her head with a puzzled expression at the enigmatic words, suddenly realized that she could no longer hear the loud and tumultuous sounds outside.

"Uh..."

Suddenly, a very cold chill came over her body.

Her knuckles were tingling and the hairs on her neck stood on end.

Dorothea stared at the eerie, dark shadows that had seeped into the carriage.

Even without opening the window to look outside, she could feel that the carriage she was riding in was surrounded by the air of death.

'Someone has opened the gates of death.'

It was not something a mere human could have done. This made it clear that the enemies were receiving assistance from an extra-human being, and that this being was connected to the underworld.

Phiphi in her arms sagged.

“Listen carefully, Myung Jae-shin. If you don’t want to catch the eye of the envoy, you must first learn how to kill your presence. To them, destroying the order of life and death is taboo. They can never strike the living first, so never strike first.”

The teacher's words came back to me vividly as if they happened yesterday.

Dorothea slowly pressed her finger to Marilyn's lips and shook her head.

As Marilyn shut her mouth in fear, Dorothea straightened her back.

She was sure that they would not try to harm her carelessly since they had already made many sacrifices and opened the gates of death.

All that remains is to wait for the one who made such an outrageous invitation.

Kkiei-

A cool breeze blew through the crack in the door that slowly began to open, hitting their faces.

Finally, Mrs. Jenix appeared in front of the wide open door and calmly opened her mouth.

“I think you should leave now. We don’t have much time.”

Marilyn was shocked by the forceful words spoken in a soft voice.

Dorothea took Madam's pale, clean hand, which was held out to her, without showing a trace of agitation on her face.

The lady supported Dorothea as if she had been serving her for a long time.

“It would be best for Young Lady to stay inside. The invitation was given in a hurry, so you were caught up in it unintentionally.”

Dorothea nodded at Madam's suggestion.

“You’d rather be in the carriage, Marilyn.”

Marilyn, who was trying to chase after Dorothea due to an unknown force in her soft words, fell to the ground as her legs gave out.

Dorothea turned around with a faint smile, and when she had taken about five steps from the carriage, a stranger with a black hood covering his entire body appeared.

Mrs. Jenix bowed politely and confirmed it to him.

“She is Dorothea Highclere.”

"Good work."

A uniquely modulated voice echoed through the air.

"Dorothea Highclere."

“...”

"Who the hell are you?_

As the voice asked the question, a smile slowly spread across Dorothea's face, which had been expressionless like a wax doll.

She asked in a soft voice, smiling happily as if her long fishing trip was successful.

“You say with your own mouth, ‘Dorothea Highclere,’ so who am I?”

Isn't that a question only someone who knows that she is not the real Dorothea can ask?

Even Colin, who was a messenger, was curious about her identity, but did not know that she was not the real Dorothea, but a 'possessed being'.

Because her soul will not be found in the register of this world.

So, it was not that he knew her true identity, but that Dorothea's soul had long ago left her body.

“I chose right.”

It was you guys.

Those who stole the soul of this body.

I've been looking for you all along.

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