Trap (14)
Nadia and I headed down the path leading to the hunting grounds.
Since it was a place that had been preserved in its natural state, it was not easy to walk.
With each step I took, the tip of my cane would hit the bumpy, unpaved road. It would be easier to walk without it. I sighed softly and asked.
"Nadia, is anyone following you?"
"No, there's no one, Miss."
"Can you help me with my cane?"
"Yes, give it to me."
"I'll walk alone for a bit."
"Yes."
I handed Nadia the cane and walked away. Nadia took a couple of steps back and followed me.
Even though it went as planned, my mouth felt bitter. I knew that Anton's suffering was just beginning.
Why was I the only one who didn't know? Why was I so foolishly fooled? Why on earth did I love such a person?
The endless repetition of regret, that dirty feeling that ultimately ends in self-loathing.
I endured with a desire for revenge and a determination to change the future, but I don't know what Anton endured.
I can only hope that he overcomes this quickly.
A cool breeze blew around my body as if trying to soothe my stuffy mind.
Baba's scent was mixed in there. It was the smell that followed me since I left the private room.
'There's no way it's possible.'
Baba would be handing Sierra over to the Imperial Knights by now so that bitter and pungent smell must have been Vivi.
I pretended to feel the wind, raised my head slightly, and focused on my sense of smell.
Where is it? It seems to be toward the forest.
"Nadia, can I have your cane?"
As I said that, I turned around and looked behind me. But it was only me and Nadia on the path.
"Over here, Miss."
The moment I grabbed the cane, something flew towards the back of Nadia's head.
I grabbed Nadia without giving her time to figure out what it was.
"Be careful!"
"Ugh!"
Nadia and I, who had lost our balance, fell over and tangled together. Later, an unidentified object fell to the floor with a thud.
It was a women's clutch that boasted a luxurious sheen.
Today, it was the same color as Young Lady's dress, who attended as Oslo's partner.
"No, what is this? Where did this come from?"
Nadia looked around and then helped me up.
"Miss, wake up. Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Yeah, you?"
"I won't budge."
As I stood up with Nadia's support, I felt a presence.
Someone was coming out of the forest. Oslo's partner, she smelled spicy and bitter.
Even though she was wearing high heels, she walked well on the dirt road. Even the sound of her footsteps was barely audible.
'It was Vivi after all.'
I would have been embarrassed if I hadn't listened to Baba.
The Vivi that I know and the current Young Lady are not similar at all. Her disguise skills are comparable to Baba's.
Nadia, who realized Vivi's presence too late, picked up the clutch and blocked me from her sight.
"Is this Young Lady's belongings?"
"That's right. I was swinging my sword to shoo away a bug and I missed it. It must have flown all the way here."
"The Guardian almost got hurt. Please be careful next time."
Vivi asked brightly.
"Are you an accomplice too?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You know that woman's eyes are visible, but you're hiding it."
"...!"
Nadia's face hardened for a moment.
Vivi didn't miss that moment. Joy spread across her face.
"Does it look real?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Please leave now."
Vivi paid no attention to Nadia's hostility. She tilted her head with a quizzical expression.
"But you know, how can you be a guardian when you've regained your sight? And how did you draw the future?"
"..."
"Oh, is this the future you saw before you regained your sight? Then you won't be able to see anything from now on."
Vivi smiled as she came to her own conclusion.
"If this gets discovered, there'll be chaos, right? The woman who was the guardian turned into a con artist and deceived the world."
"Young Lady! That's rude!"
Nadia suddenly got angry and led me towards the private room.
Vivi stood in front of us and blocked our path.
"You were trying to run away? That's right. Why did you do something like that without fear?"
"What the hell are you doing! If you don't get out of the way right now, I'll call someone!"
"If you call them, won't you be the only ones in trouble?"
Vivi only provoked Nadia with meaningless words. It seemed like she was trying to keep us captive.
While Nadia and Vivi were arguing, the attendees appeared on the other side of the path.
The two-hour designated hunting time had already passed.
The expressions of the attendees who discovered us changed to bewilderment.
Oslo was the first to come running, leading the horse. He stood in front of me, driving the wind, and got down from his horse like a painting.
"Did you check?"
"Oh, I saw with my own eyes that she was walking normally without a cane. That woman has normal eyesight."
Oslo wasn't surprised at all. He just raised the corners of his mouth as if he had already guessed.
"What else?"
"I threw my handbag at that maid. How could this woman stop me?"
"Really? Looks like our Millenia has quick reflexes."
Oslo looked at me as he spoke. I lowered my eyes and spoke.
"I don't know who you are, but you seem to have a rich imagination. Or you are so ignorant that you don't even know what the price of 'the First Walker' is."
"I didn't believe it at first either. But..."
Oslo lowered his head and whispered in my ear.
"At that restaurant, how did you know there was a scratch on my palm?"
"..."
"Answer me. How did you know when you couldn't even see it?"
While Oslo was whispering to me, the attendees who sensed something ominous came over to me. Among them were Ian and Kalit, who had bad stern faces.
I opened my mouth, gauging the distance between me and them.
"Is that all you're doing? I just guessed."
Oslo didn't seem to hear me. The strangely gleaming walls were glued to my face.
"You know what? Back in the old days, there were a lot of scammers who pretended to be guardians. Among them, the ones who pretended to be the 'first walker' were the most common. So why can't we see them now?"
"..."
"As soon as they were caught, their throats were cut off."
Over the past 300 years, there have been many who have come forward claiming to be the 'first walker' chosen by God.
The three countries took a hard line against such fraudsters, and as a result, those impersonating the Guardians quickly disappeared.
Oslo stroked my cheek affectionately.
"What do we do now? Our Millenia, it looks like we're about to get your throats cut off."
It felt like a snake was crawling. I was about to shake off his hand in horror when Oslo grabbed me by the back of my neck.
"Ugh!"
My body momentarily flinched at the tremendous evil force. Oslo whispered to me as I groaned in pain.
"That's why I warned you. To be careful with every action."
"Ugh..."
"My offer still stands. Crawl in on all fours and I'll turn a blind eye. What do you want to do?"
I swallowed a groan and opened my mouth.
"Please..."
"Yes, tell me."
"I hope you die."
"This is crazy..."
That was when.
"Excuse me."
Suddenly, a dull voice was heard, and Oslo's hand was taken away from my body.
Ian approached without a sound, grabbed Oslo's arm, and pushed him away.
"You dare stop me?!"
Oslo, who had been staggering, drew his sword.
The attendees hurriedly retreated as if they were about to swing their swords at any moment. However, Ian just stood silently in front of me.
At that moment, Kalit intervened with a lazy smile. He calmly pushed Oslo's sword away with his gloved hand.
"What on earth is making my brother so angry? Do you want to tell me?"
Contrary to his bright expression, his voice was devoid of any emotion.
The sense of disparity was so creepy that everyone hesitated, but Oslo was different. He asked with an excited look.
"You knew it too, brother. It must have been nice when she fooled us so well. You must have thought you could soon take the place of our Father."
"If you say it like that, my brother won't be able to understand."
"Millenia has regained her sight! She is no longer a Guardian!"
A terrible silence fell on Oslo after the bomb exploded.
Oslo declared confidently to the attendees who were looking at him with bewildered expressions.
"Everyone. I make a formal proposal! Exclude the con artist who deceived everyone by pretending to be the Guardian and the First Prince who conspired with her, from the summit! They are just sinners who must pay the price for their crimes!"
Oslo's voice echoed hollowly in the forest. Kalit looked at Oslo quietly and asked slowly.
"So, does that mean that the 'first walker' regained her sight?"
"Yes!"
Kalit shook his head pitifully.
"Was it really that unfair to be picked on?"
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"If you think about what you've done so far, doesn't the answer come out?"
Oslo burst into laughter.
"Ha! Are you saying this because I got dumped?"
"If not, then you're out of your mind. But I don't think you want to think that way, brother."
Oslo roughly ran his hand through his hair. He was frustrated because things weren't going as he had expected.
"Millenia, you really can see? You've regained your sight!"
"Then how do you explain the future? The anti-monster herbs? Montpain?"
"She must have used her power before she found her vision!"
Kalit's eyes shot up fiercely.
"A guardian can only escape her fate by dying. Don't you know that?"
"..."
Oslo was the first to close his mouth. He had been so excited that he hadn't thought about it. His lips, which had been tightly shut, opened strangely.
"Yes, then show me some concrete evidence."
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment