Episode 107. An Unexpected Gift
"It's been a great journey."
Isabelle crossed the bridge and stared at the flowing blue river.
Meanwhile, Adele picked a wildflower that bloomed on the side of the road and threw it into the river.
April.
As the name suggests, it was a brief tribute to her who passed away in April.
Then she turned around and asked Isabelle.
"Thank you for your support."
"Don't worry. I won't let the Vatican's power grow any longer, even for the sake of Kalame."
"I will only believe in Your Majesty, the Empress."
Isabelle nodded and pointed to a small path in the woods.
"Follow the branches of the trees that tie the red ribbons on this path. You'll find a place where the carriage is hidden. Then good luck."
"Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress."
Adele and Jennifer rode to the spot Isabelle had pointed to.
Even after Isabelle and her group disappeared, Morris could not leave his seat easily.
It was because of an unknown steaminess.
I feel like April's death has covered something up.
I felt like I had missed something more important.
"Did any of them do anything unusual?"
The priest of the hawksbill nose replied to his question.
"No, there wasn't. However, two more people were added than originally reported."
"Suddenly, two people?"
"Yes, but there was no Count of Weiss. Leana would have recognized it right away."
"Is it possible that Adele Grylls escaped?"
"The maids were all blue-eyed and blonde."
"We can't rule out the possibility that she was dressed as a man."
The priest who had been checking carefully intervened.
"Do you think so... There was a knight who was exceptionally pretty. But he had blond hair and green eyes..."
"Find him right away!"
"Adele. Adele..."
In the darkness, a dozen shadows moved silently.
Christine and the W.G. First Knights.
They came to the rescue of their comrades who had been raided and captured a few days ago.
He said he would execute him publicly as soon as the day dawned tomorrow, so he had to save him today.
Fortunately, Isabelle agreed to help. He arranged for him to enter the palace just in time for Grand Duke Rustis' welcome banquet.
At that time, everyone would be so focused on the dinner that their vigilance would be weak.
"Will Mrs. Isabelle really keep her promise?"
Zimmer followed and expressed his concern.
"Is it suspicious?"
"Because she's already got what she wants."
Jan is now dead, and her son will soon become Emperor of Kalame. So maybe there's no reason to help Christine, who is being chased by the Vatican.
"Well, it's hard to get, but it's very easy to take it away. I hope she's not stupid."
Even if Isabelle betrayed him, Christine would have been here. He had no intention of abandoning his comrades.
"Beep!"
When he arrived at the meeting place, he heard a faint whistling sound.
The man who emerged from the shade of the tree was the leader of the Rodwell Family's Knights.
"Empress Dowager is now at the banquet hall. I will guide you to the back door, so please follow me."
The Templar Commander took them to the back gate of the Imperial Palace.
The soldiers were guarding the door, but when they saw his face, they opened it obediently.
"The captives are trapped in the basement of the Black Castle."
The knight leader kindly led me to the Black Castle.
"That's all I can do."
Christine followed him silently until he stopped at the entrance of the Black Castle.
Sneung!
At the same time, his rapier emitted a chilling glow.
Sneung! Sneung!
The knights who followed him also drew their swords in unison.
"It's been a great journey."
Isabelle crossed the bridge and stared at the flowing blue river.
Meanwhile, Adele picked a wildflower that bloomed on the side of the road and threw it into the river.
April.
As the name suggests, it was a brief tribute to her who passed away in April.
Then she turned around and asked Isabelle.
"Thank you for your support."
"Don't worry. I won't let the Vatican's power grow any longer, even for the sake of Kalame."
"I will only believe in Your Majesty, the Empress."
Isabelle nodded and pointed to a small path in the woods.
"Follow the branches of the trees that tie the red ribbons on this path. You'll find a place where the carriage is hidden. Then good luck."
"Yes, Your Majesty, the Empress."
Adele and Jennifer rode to the spot Isabelle had pointed to.
Even after Isabelle and her group disappeared, Morris could not leave his seat easily.
It was because of an unknown steaminess.
I feel like April's death has covered something up.
I felt like I had missed something more important.
"Did any of them do anything unusual?"
The priest of the hawksbill nose replied to his question.
"No, there wasn't. However, two more people were added than originally reported."
"Suddenly, two people?"
"Yes, but there was no Count of Weiss. Leana would have recognized it right away."
"Is it possible that Adele Grylls escaped?"
"The maids were all blue-eyed and blonde."
"We can't rule out the possibility that she was dressed as a man."
The priest who had been checking carefully intervened.
"Do you think so... There was a knight who was exceptionally pretty. But he had blond hair and green eyes..."
"Find him right away!"
***
"I found it here!"
Adele and Jennifer found a wagon hidden in the woods.
When she entered the wagon, which was hidden by bushes, she found food, a change of clothes, and a blanket carefully prepared.
It took more than ten days to reach Russwolf, the northernmost point of the Kalame Empire, no matter how fast it went. Isabelle has prepared items for the meantime.
"She keeps her promises like a sword."
Jennifer picked up a canteen and gulped it down. While crossing the bridge, he too had a dry mouth due to tension.
"Jennifer, I want to change my clothes first..."
Adele said with difficulty, and he took the canteen and left the carriage.
"I'll watch you, so please change your clothes slowly."
"Thank you."
Left alone, Adele took off her knights' armor.
No matter how much shr trained, it was physically impossible to wear iron armor. She felt like her whole body was about to be crushed.
She also removed the bandage that pressed tightly on her chest. She felt like she could barely breathe.
"Phew, I'm going to live now."
She wore a green ribbon around her hair and put her engagement ring back on her finger.
She felt like she was connected to Christine, even a little bit like this.
He's going to be safe, right?
"Ahhh!"
Suddenly, Adele felt a squeezing pain in her lower abdomen.
Is it because she suddenly relaxed?
However, the pain did not subside easily, and before she knew it, her whole body was sweating.
At that time, Jennifer's soft voice came from outside the carriage.
"Adele, I want to give you plenty of time, but the priests are coming."
Why now...
Adele opens the door of the carriage with her stomach in her grip, she says,
"Whoa!
The carriage rattled with the sound of something breaking.
"Uggh! Jennifer, are you okay?"
"I don't know... The situation has become a bit."
As Adele stepped out of the carriage, she saw people approaching through the narrow woods.
There seemed to be about three priests dressed in white.
Adele quickly looked at the way out.
She thought she could escape by riding a horse through a wooded road.
Of course, she didn't know how long she could run in her current physical condition.
But Jennifer didn't seem to agree with her.
"Let's go first. Leave this to me."
"What are you talking about? Go alone?"
"In an emergency, you leave injured soldiers behind."
He gestured to his bloodied legs.
"Oh...!"
Adele swallowed the screams and quickly closed her mouth.
His leg was badly injured by the priests' attack spell a moment ago. It seemed impossible to ride a horse in such a state.
In the meantime, the priests were only five steps closer.
"I think it's too late to run away."
Adele stood next to Jennifer and laughed helplessly.
"I should have gone when you let me go."
"We'll refer to it in the future."
Then the priest who stood across from Adele asked.
"Are you Adele Grylls? The woman of the Count of Weiss?"
"If you want to make a statement, it's polite to reveal your name first."
"Reckless woman!"
The priests folded their hands together and began to recite prayer mantras quietly. A blue bead began to take shape in front of them.
Meanwhile, Adele and Jennifer exchanged glances and then,
Taang!
Taang!
A thunderous sound shook the forest, and startled birds flew black.
Two priests fell in front of Adele and Jennifer, bleeding.
The knife was returned when crossing the bridge, but the pistol was hidden.
"What'... you doing!"
The remaining priest panicked and quickly shot the blue orb.
"Hey!"
However, Jennifer was faster when he flew over his body with his towering body.
He hugged the priest and climbed on top of him, and began to beat him mercilessly with his fists like rocks.
"Adele, hurry up, run! Soon, the priests will come to hear the gunshots."
"Jennifer! You too!"
"I will never do a wounded soldier who grabs his teammates' ankles!"
"Stop talking nonsense."
"Shall we do something more stupid?"
He stopped punching and grinned at Adele.
Slap!
He then pointed the pistol at his head.
"Come on, Adele."
"Jennifer..."
"Besides the blonde Jenny, I have another nickname, and that's Jenny with flowers in his hair. So I might pull the trigger."
Jennifer looked insane, as if he was about to pull the trigger.
Adele's eyes moistened as she glared at him.
"I'll come back. Please hide somewhere!"
Adele mounted her horse and began to drive out of the forest.
"Hah... Ha..."
She didn't know how long she ran. She thought she was running, but she didn't know if she was still hovering in her place.
Her vision was cloudy, and the heavens and the earth were all in turmoil. His arms and legs were heavy and motionless, as if he were chained.
Oooh!
Adele's whole body plummeted to the bottom of the horse.
She couldn't move anymore.
After a while, she saw someone approaching her in her blurred vision.
The white priestly robe...
Adele and Jennifer found a wagon hidden in the woods.
When she entered the wagon, which was hidden by bushes, she found food, a change of clothes, and a blanket carefully prepared.
It took more than ten days to reach Russwolf, the northernmost point of the Kalame Empire, no matter how fast it went. Isabelle has prepared items for the meantime.
"She keeps her promises like a sword."
Jennifer picked up a canteen and gulped it down. While crossing the bridge, he too had a dry mouth due to tension.
"Jennifer, I want to change my clothes first..."
Adele said with difficulty, and he took the canteen and left the carriage.
"I'll watch you, so please change your clothes slowly."
"Thank you."
Left alone, Adele took off her knights' armor.
No matter how much shr trained, it was physically impossible to wear iron armor. She felt like her whole body was about to be crushed.
She also removed the bandage that pressed tightly on her chest. She felt like she could barely breathe.
"Phew, I'm going to live now."
She wore a green ribbon around her hair and put her engagement ring back on her finger.
She felt like she was connected to Christine, even a little bit like this.
He's going to be safe, right?
"Ahhh!"
Suddenly, Adele felt a squeezing pain in her lower abdomen.
Is it because she suddenly relaxed?
However, the pain did not subside easily, and before she knew it, her whole body was sweating.
At that time, Jennifer's soft voice came from outside the carriage.
"Adele, I want to give you plenty of time, but the priests are coming."
Why now...
Adele opens the door of the carriage with her stomach in her grip, she says,
"Whoa!
The carriage rattled with the sound of something breaking.
"Uggh! Jennifer, are you okay?"
"I don't know... The situation has become a bit."
As Adele stepped out of the carriage, she saw people approaching through the narrow woods.
There seemed to be about three priests dressed in white.
Adele quickly looked at the way out.
She thought she could escape by riding a horse through a wooded road.
Of course, she didn't know how long she could run in her current physical condition.
But Jennifer didn't seem to agree with her.
"Let's go first. Leave this to me."
"What are you talking about? Go alone?"
"In an emergency, you leave injured soldiers behind."
He gestured to his bloodied legs.
"Oh...!"
Adele swallowed the screams and quickly closed her mouth.
His leg was badly injured by the priests' attack spell a moment ago. It seemed impossible to ride a horse in such a state.
In the meantime, the priests were only five steps closer.
"I think it's too late to run away."
Adele stood next to Jennifer and laughed helplessly.
"I should have gone when you let me go."
"We'll refer to it in the future."
Then the priest who stood across from Adele asked.
"Are you Adele Grylls? The woman of the Count of Weiss?"
"If you want to make a statement, it's polite to reveal your name first."
"Reckless woman!"
The priests folded their hands together and began to recite prayer mantras quietly. A blue bead began to take shape in front of them.
Meanwhile, Adele and Jennifer exchanged glances and then,
Taang!
Taang!
A thunderous sound shook the forest, and startled birds flew black.
Two priests fell in front of Adele and Jennifer, bleeding.
The knife was returned when crossing the bridge, but the pistol was hidden.
"What'... you doing!"
The remaining priest panicked and quickly shot the blue orb.
"Hey!"
However, Jennifer was faster when he flew over his body with his towering body.
He hugged the priest and climbed on top of him, and began to beat him mercilessly with his fists like rocks.
"Adele, hurry up, run! Soon, the priests will come to hear the gunshots."
"Jennifer! You too!"
"I will never do a wounded soldier who grabs his teammates' ankles!"
"Stop talking nonsense."
"Shall we do something more stupid?"
He stopped punching and grinned at Adele.
Slap!
He then pointed the pistol at his head.
"Come on, Adele."
"Jennifer..."
"Besides the blonde Jenny, I have another nickname, and that's Jenny with flowers in his hair. So I might pull the trigger."
Jennifer looked insane, as if he was about to pull the trigger.
Adele's eyes moistened as she glared at him.
"I'll come back. Please hide somewhere!"
Adele mounted her horse and began to drive out of the forest.
"Hah... Ha..."
She didn't know how long she ran. She thought she was running, but she didn't know if she was still hovering in her place.
Her vision was cloudy, and the heavens and the earth were all in turmoil. His arms and legs were heavy and motionless, as if he were chained.
Oooh!
Adele's whole body plummeted to the bottom of the horse.
She couldn't move anymore.
After a while, she saw someone approaching her in her blurred vision.
The white priestly robe...
***
"Adele. Adele..."
It was a familiar voice.
Who was...?
When she managed to lift her eyelids, she saw soft blue eyes looking down.
"Are you mindful?"
"Mark? Oh...!"
As she tried to get up, Adele screamed and collapsed again. The pain made her whole body break, and sweat poured down like rain.
"Don't move. Just lie down."
Mark wiped the sweat from her face.
"What happened to me?"
"The abbot brought you in a wagon while you were lying in the woods. I came to the monastery and just happened to see you."
Knock.
There was a knock, and a white-robed priest came in.
He looked to be in his 60s and had a small and gentle face.
This must have been the priest Adele saw before she lost consciousness.
"How is your body?"
"Thanks to you, we got over the dangerous hurdle."
"That's a good thing. I brought some soup and water to drink."
The abbot put the tray on the side table next to the bed and left.
When they were alone again, Mark pulled a chair and sat down next to Adele.
"Do you want to eat some?"
"There is someone who can save you."
"Jennifer is already here."
Adele finally let go of her breath.
"Thank you. I owe you this again."
"Knowing this, the Count must have paid a lot of money for the treatment. So don't feel pressured."
"Thank you for saying that."
"Rather, Adele, I'm asking you if you know..."
Adele's heart sank as he paused with a serious face.
"What happened to him?"
"No, it's not."
It was then that Adele could breathe properly.
"It doesn't matter."
Mark caught his breath and spoke with difficulty.
"Did you know you were pregnant?"
“...?”
Adele was dazed for a moment.
"Pregnancy... Me?"
"The Count and you are healthy adults, so it shouldn't surprise you."
"But he didn't want to have children to hide his wolf family. After it was revealed, we didn't have time to... alone."
Mark shook his head.
"There's no perfect way to avoid pregnancy if you're in love, Adele."
"Then really his child... I..."
Adele couldn't believe it, so she stroked her belly.
Come to think of it, she hasn't had anything to do lately. She was so busy these days that she couldn't even count the dates.
Is it really his child growing up in her body?
"It's too early to be happy."
"What...?"
"When you were found in the forest, you were in a very dangerous situation. I gave you first aid, but there is a high possibility of miscarriage."
I guess that's why I was so sick. I didn't know that at all, and I moved unreasonably.
Even if I knew, there would have been no other way out in that situation.
"What should I do?"
"If you move for a while, it's dangerous for the fetus. But I can't be relieved."
"That's not good! We have to get to Russwolf!"
Mark sighed and looked cold.
"Then the baby gives up. And when you arrive at Russsewolf, you can't be sure he'll be alive."
"...!"
"It's not a scare, it's true, Adele."
Who was...?
When she managed to lift her eyelids, she saw soft blue eyes looking down.
"Are you mindful?"
"Mark? Oh...!"
As she tried to get up, Adele screamed and collapsed again. The pain made her whole body break, and sweat poured down like rain.
"Don't move. Just lie down."
Mark wiped the sweat from her face.
"What happened to me?"
"The abbot brought you in a wagon while you were lying in the woods. I came to the monastery and just happened to see you."
Knock.
There was a knock, and a white-robed priest came in.
He looked to be in his 60s and had a small and gentle face.
This must have been the priest Adele saw before she lost consciousness.
"How is your body?"
"Thanks to you, we got over the dangerous hurdle."
"That's a good thing. I brought some soup and water to drink."
The abbot put the tray on the side table next to the bed and left.
When they were alone again, Mark pulled a chair and sat down next to Adele.
"Do you want to eat some?"
"There is someone who can save you."
"Jennifer is already here."
Adele finally let go of her breath.
"Thank you. I owe you this again."
"Knowing this, the Count must have paid a lot of money for the treatment. So don't feel pressured."
"Thank you for saying that."
"Rather, Adele, I'm asking you if you know..."
Adele's heart sank as he paused with a serious face.
"What happened to him?"
"No, it's not."
It was then that Adele could breathe properly.
"It doesn't matter."
Mark caught his breath and spoke with difficulty.
"Did you know you were pregnant?"
“...?”
Adele was dazed for a moment.
"Pregnancy... Me?"
"The Count and you are healthy adults, so it shouldn't surprise you."
"But he didn't want to have children to hide his wolf family. After it was revealed, we didn't have time to... alone."
Mark shook his head.
"There's no perfect way to avoid pregnancy if you're in love, Adele."
"Then really his child... I..."
Adele couldn't believe it, so she stroked her belly.
Come to think of it, she hasn't had anything to do lately. She was so busy these days that she couldn't even count the dates.
Is it really his child growing up in her body?
"It's too early to be happy."
"What...?"
"When you were found in the forest, you were in a very dangerous situation. I gave you first aid, but there is a high possibility of miscarriage."
I guess that's why I was so sick. I didn't know that at all, and I moved unreasonably.
Even if I knew, there would have been no other way out in that situation.
"What should I do?"
"If you move for a while, it's dangerous for the fetus. But I can't be relieved."
"That's not good! We have to get to Russwolf!"
Mark sighed and looked cold.
"Then the baby gives up. And when you arrive at Russsewolf, you can't be sure he'll be alive."
"...!"
"It's not a scare, it's true, Adele."
***
In the darkness, a dozen shadows moved silently.
Christine and the W.G. First Knights.
They came to the rescue of their comrades who had been raided and captured a few days ago.
He said he would execute him publicly as soon as the day dawned tomorrow, so he had to save him today.
Fortunately, Isabelle agreed to help. He arranged for him to enter the palace just in time for Grand Duke Rustis' welcome banquet.
At that time, everyone would be so focused on the dinner that their vigilance would be weak.
"Will Mrs. Isabelle really keep her promise?"
Zimmer followed and expressed his concern.
"Is it suspicious?"
"Because she's already got what she wants."
Jan is now dead, and her son will soon become Emperor of Kalame. So maybe there's no reason to help Christine, who is being chased by the Vatican.
"Well, it's hard to get, but it's very easy to take it away. I hope she's not stupid."
Even if Isabelle betrayed him, Christine would have been here. He had no intention of abandoning his comrades.
"Beep!"
When he arrived at the meeting place, he heard a faint whistling sound.
The man who emerged from the shade of the tree was the leader of the Rodwell Family's Knights.
"Empress Dowager is now at the banquet hall. I will guide you to the back door, so please follow me."
The Templar Commander took them to the back gate of the Imperial Palace.
The soldiers were guarding the door, but when they saw his face, they opened it obediently.
"The captives are trapped in the basement of the Black Castle."
The knight leader kindly led me to the Black Castle.
"That's all I can do."
Christine followed him silently until he stopped at the entrance of the Black Castle.
Sneung!
At the same time, his rapier emitted a chilling glow.
Sneung! Sneung!
The knights who followed him also drew their swords in unison.
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