Cornered Rat (4)
Oslo spat out the words with his jaw clenched.
"Have you never heard that even a mouse will bite a cat when cornered?"
Yeah, it has to be like this to be fun. Only then did I start laughing.
"Is it possible? It seems like it would be difficult with a head that doesn't even know who to attack."
If he wanted to prove that I could see, he should have attacked someone important to me, not me.
Of course, I knew Oslo wouldn't do that.
Because he is a person who cannot even think of sacrificing himself on behalf of someone.
As expected, Oslo only raised an eyebrow.
"Speak straight. What exactly are you trying to say?"
I carelessly let go of the cane I was holding.
Oslo's gaze lingered on the cane lying on the floor.
He looked at the cane with a puzzled expression, then raised his head and looked at me.
Then, all of a sudden, he freezes. That's because his eyes met mine.
"You... You..."
I walked slowly, keeping eye contact with Oslo.
I lowered my head to his frozen ear and whispered secretly.
"The scars on your palms. I said that on purpose."
"...!"
"You're trapped."
The moment I looked into his astonished blue eyes and smiled, Oslo grabbed my shoulder fiercely and muttered.
"You see? You see it, right? I was right. I was right!!!"
"Ugh!"
My body fell to the floor, pushed by an overwhelming force. He immediately climbed on top of me and shook my shoulders like crazy.
"You wicked witch! How dare you deceive me?!"
Wicked Witch, it's been a long time since I've heard that...
I screamed loudly while still smiling.
"Please don't do this, Your Highness!"
Immediately, Nadia, the imperial knights, and attendants who had been waiting outside, as well as the attendees, rushed into the barracks.
"Whoa! Miss!"
"Your Highness, this is not right! Please let Young Lady go!"
"Calm down, Your Highness!"
"What are you knights doing! Do something about it! If we continue like this, the Guardian will suffer!"
The knights and servants rushed at me all at once and barely managed to knock Oslo away from me.
"Cough, cough!"
I was barely free, lying face down on the floor, gasping for breath. Nadia hugged me as I was.
"Miss, are you okay?"
"...Haa, haa, oh, it's okay."
In the meantime, Oslo was struggling desperately to rush at me, even though he had a man attached to each limb.
Every time he struggled, those holding his arms shook like fallen leaves.
They say that a madman's strength is his selling point, and it seems that saying is true.
"Do you think I'll just leave you alone? Even if I die, I'll never die alone! No? I can't die!!!"
"Ugh! Your Highness! Please hold on!"
"Are you all in the same boat? Let go of me! Who dares lay a hand on me!"
"Hey! Don't just watch, come and get involved!"
The number of people trying to stop Oslo increased to six. Even in that situation, Oslo continued to curse with blood running down his face.
As I was watching the scene indifferently, the attendees suddenly became quiet.
It was only later that he realized that the Emperor was watching this scene from behind.
The Emperor commanded in a suppressed voice.
"Subdue him."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Chevio approached Oslo from behind and struck him on the back of the neck without hesitation. Oslo, unconscious from the blow, fell down like a wooden doll with its strings cut off.
"Bring the Third Prince."
At Chevio's direction, the knights carried Oslo out.
The attendees looked at me with pity as I was left alone.
That's how messed up I was.
My hair was disheveled, my dress was rumpled like a rag, and even the shoulder part of the dress that Oslo had grabbed was torn.
As I was shivering and trying to cover my shoulders, Kalit stepped forward and caught the attention of the attendees.
"Okay, the rankings will be announced soon, so let's go."
As Kalit and Kjer led the attendees out of the barracks, Ian and Rahon approached me.
"Take your hands off me."
Soon, a brilliant light emanated from Rahon's hand. The bruises that had been scattered all over my shoulder disappeared without a trace.
Ian took off his jacket and put it over me.
"Rahon, can I use your private room?"
"Come out when you calm down. I'll check on the 3rd Prince."
"Why?"
"He might use his injury as an excuse to avoid punishment. I need to make sure he gets better."
"I get it."
Ian, who had finished talking to Rahon, lifted me up from where I was sitting.
"Excuse me."
So I headed to Rahon's private room, holding Ian in my arms.
Every time we met, he kept glancing at us, and my face started to sting. Unable to bear the embarrassment, I patted Ian on the shoulder.
"Please let me down. I'll walk."
"Young Lady is barefoot now."
"Yes?"
It looks like my shoe came off while I was struggling after being run over by Oslo.
As Ian walked, the dress rippled, revealing my stocking-covered toes.
Nadia, who had been following us, opened her eyes wide.
"I'll go find the shoes!"
Ian went into Rahon's private room and sat me down on the sofa. He knelt down on one knee and touched my foot without hesitation.
My body jumped up in surprise.
"What, what are you doing?"
"There's dust on your feet."
"Even if you put your feet... I, I will do it."
"Stay still."
He lightly subdued me as I floundered around, and then he shook the soles of my feet.
As I buried my face in my hands, unable to bear the embarrassment, I heard a laughing voice.
"You walk so well with such small feet."
"... It's not that small. Please let it go."
Ian let go of my feet. Soon I felt a persistent gaze on my face.
I was staring blankly into space, afraid that our eyes would meet when he suddenly lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
"Yes?"
"I should have been by your side... There will be appropriate punishment for the royal knight who failed in his duty."
"Oh, no! I asked to be left alone with the Third Prince."
"...Why did you do that?"
"To provoke the Third Prince."
"So why?"
"30 years of imprisonment is not enough."
"Is that more important than Young Lady's safety?"
"There were a lot of people outside the barracks. And Lord Rahon was there too. I did it under the assumption that no one would die."
"As long as you don't die... Have you ever thought that way?"
lan nodded and wiped his face tiredly.
"I can't even spank this guy."
Huh?
I touched my ear without realizing it. I think I just heard something strange.
"What did you say? Where did you do what?"
"I said I wanted to spank your butt."
I was just opening my mouth in embarrassment when Ian raised his voice.
"What on earth were you thinking when you did something like that! Don't you care about other people?"
"No... Why are you so angry?"
"I'm dying of fear that you'll get hurt! Not only me, but your father, and brothers, and everyone around you are desperately afraid that you'll get hurt!"
Ian stopped talking, shut his eyes tightly, and then opened them again.
"I would turn around if I were to be touched by your fingertips, but you thought that as long as you didn't die, it would be fine..."
"..."
"It's pretty miserable."
I didn't care if I got hurt as long as I could get revenge on Oslo.
But I never thought about how worried or sad they would be if I got sick.
'Since when did I become so obsessed with revenge?'
Looking back, I didn't even have any intention of revenge at first.
I just wanted to change the future I had ruined and make my loved ones happy.
But I was so obsessed with revenge that I was now making those around me feel uneasy.
'I... again...'
In my past life, I was so obsessed with men that I didn't care about my surroundings, and in this life, I was so obsessed with revenge that I forgot what was important to me.
I was making the same mistake again. As soon as I realized it, tears welled up in my eyes.
"I made a mistake."
"..."
"I'm sorry for making you anxious. I'm sorry for making you worry..."
"..."
"I'm so sorry."
Ian sighed softly and gently hugged my shoulder.
"Promise me you won't do anything dangerous again. And you won't get hurt..."
"I will, I'm sorry..."
A large hand stroked my back. The more affectionately he treated me, the more guilty I felt.
"I'm sorry. Stop apologizing."
"I'm so sorry..."
"Yes, then stop it."
"But..."
I couldn't even raise my head and just kept shedding tears.
A heavy sigh spread through me. Ian lifted my chin slightly.
"If you keep crying, I'll kiss you."
"...!"
The tears stopped in an instant.
I opened my eyes wide in surprise, and the tears that had been piling up rolled down.
"Still, you cry."
lan cupped my cheek.
"Can I consider this as permission?"
Suddenly, I remembered the feeling of a thumb rubbing my lips a few days ago.
I raised my hand and covered my mouth without realizing it.
Ian looked up at me blankly, just blinking his eyes.
Then he chuckled and straightened his body slightly. His eyes, which had been slightly lower than mine, were now level with mine.
"..."
Ian's face got closer and closer.
As his golden eyes half disappeared behind his eyelids, his lips touched the back of my hand.
Chew.
Smooth lips covered the back of my hand.
The lips that had been pressed together opened and a hot tongue came out. Something soft slowly swept up the skin on the back of my hand.
My face was so red it felt like it was going to burst. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like my eardrums were going to burst.
Obviously, he's kissing the back of my hand, but why does it feel like he's kissing my mouth?
He opened his eyes with his lips still on the back of my hand. I could feel the scorching heat from his golden eyes, which were completely exposed.
"Next time I'll do it on the lips."
Are you notifying me now?"
"Yes."
He answered shamelessly and wiped his wet lips with his thumb.
"If you don't like it, then allow it."
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