Chapter 66

――[ How could he do this to me? ]

――[ I knew there was something he wanted from me. But, I thought that his love for me was sincere! ]

――[ Still, how dare you betray me in this way? ]

――[ I did everything I could. I tried to become a person who did not have a heart and even arranged marriages for money… only for the future he promised. However, did I really exist in the future he had planned? Did I…? ]

――[ …What the hell was I desperately trying to protect? Even if everyone in the world pointed at me, saying it was not right, I still wanted to protect it… In the end, all he wanted was the benefits from my divorce? ]

――[ If you are listening, say something! Anything…! Is it really because of that?! ]

――[ …I see. I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m tired. If that is the case, just let me go. Don’t make me suffer with hope torture anymore, and let me go! ]

She constantly cried and screamed at someone, venting her resentment. But, was it a lonely cry without an answer…?

Her voice, which had been crying endlessly and resenting her partner, was a tired voice as if she had finally resigned as she said, ‘Please, let me go.’

Her voice, which had been eloquent while heaving betrayal and sadness that had been caused by the betrayal a while ago, sounded like it was laced with poison while having the most pitiful appearance in the world.

…Is it over now?

However, behind her exhausted voice, a man’s voice suddenly came out clearly.

[ I love you, Mina. I cannot give up on you. ]

“….!”

At the end of that possessive voice, no more voices were heard. In addition, the headache that was terribly tormenting Min-ha disappeared as if it had been washed away.

‘What… was that?’

The next moment, what rushed to her instead was a terribly confusing emotion.

…The sadness and betrayal as if a corner of her heart was being torn apart, the helplessness and frustration enough to want to let go of everything, and finally, the feelings of love that still could not be erased. Intense emotions exploded that Min-ha had never experienced before.

It was such a strange feeling that it was difficult to explain in detail.

Even though her head said that this feeling was not hers, her body seemed to claim it. What was this feeling? What was the voice that resounded in her own head a while ago…?

Min-ha was very confused as a series of incomprehensible situations occurred.

Placing her hand on the ground, she tried to calm her trembling body. Rupert grabbed her hand as if trying to support her while her feet could barely support her weak lower body, raising her halfway up. She exclaimed as she shook his hand away.

“Let go of me!”

“Mina! Don’t be like this!”

“Let go!”

Min-ha’s body staggered once more, and Rupert’s hand reached out to her once again.

At that moment, on the other side of her chest, in a corner of her heart, there was a strong sense of rejection and disgust that could not be compared to a while ago. The emotion seemed to be screaming at her to run away and to get out of this situation.

She desperately shook off her hand and hurriedly turned her body and ran away. Now, it did not matter if there was a path or not. All she wanted was just going to run away from this situation.

As she ran faster at the sound of Rupert’s footsteps chasing her, she screamed out loud.

“Please! Is anyone here?! Anyone, anyone… please help me!”

“Mina, please! Don’t run away! You still don’t look well yet! Please, yes?!”

“Help! Please! …Seth!”

Seth came to her mind as she screamed and ran like a madman.

After running for a long time, Min-ha eventually had to stop because she was running out of breath. She circled the garden surrounded by rose bushes and ran to the entrance of the building that was tangled like a labyrinth.

Even though she wanted to get out of here, her heart felt like it was burning and she could not run anymore. The heels of her shoes were all worn out from her attempt to escape, and her soles were hot as if they were on fire.

“…Ah, Mina. You’re here.”

“….”

“Are you calming down? I’ll call a doctor first, so let’s go inside instead of here. Yes, Mina…?”

Rupert’s voice came closer before she knew it.

Startled, Min-ha took a step backwards. Was she going to be caught by him again? Min-ha frowned with disapproval. With that thought, she had vowed that if he ever tried to touch her again, she would get away even with a bite or scratch.

“Oh my Goodness. I must’ve found the wrong place to get the night air.”

“….!”

Suddenly, a strange voice came from the building behind Min-ha.

When she and Rupert looked back at the same time, a fairly large woman was standing there. Unlike other noble women, she was in a light purple dress with neither a corset nor a pannier as she strode to Min-ha’s side, flapping her fan while wearing a large-brimmed hat that completely covered her face.

She raised the corners of her lips and gently lifted her arm before grabbing Min-ha’s shoulder lightly.

Although she was startled by her behavior, the lady gently patted her on the shoulder as if to say it was safe. The next moment, she turned her head and spoke to Rupert.

“But, judging from the atmosphere, it seems like I didn’t just interrupt your ‘secret meeting’.”

“….”

“It’s not polite for you to force a lady to do something she doesn’t want to do, the blonde gentleman over there.”

“I don’t know who you are, but this young lady and I reserved this place. So, please step back.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“…What?”

“Besides, isn’t the lady very frightened? Apparently, it seems like she’s reluctant to have this secret meeting with you.”

“….!”

“Isn’t that right, Madam?”

The woman’s voice, who was holding her shoulder tenderly and speaking to Rupert in a strange, high-pitched voice, suddenly dropped as if it belonged to a man in the first place. At that moment, Min-ha knew at once who the owner of the voice was.

She shouted as she gazed back at the woman who was holding her shoulder in her joy.

“Sir Bediviel…!”

The ‘woman’ — no Bediviel — raised the corners of his lips at Min-ha’s voice and threw the hat that was covering her face with a fan. What was revealed as the long-brimmed hat, which covered his whole face, flew away was the bare face of silver hair and the makeup-free Bediviel.

Then, he tore the hem of the light purple dress before throwing it away. He was wearing a knight’s uniform inside, and had a sword around his waist.

Bediviel drew his sword and pointed it at Rupert who was standing in front of him as he spoke to Min-ha.

“I’m sorry, Madam. I’ve been guarding the Madam according to the Duke’s will, but I was a little late because of an unexpected situation. I was a little late since I came in a ‘disguise.’ Are you hurt?

“Yes, I’m fine!”

She replied, looking at Bediviel.

Seeing that, he smiled kindly. Meanwhile, Rupert sharpened his teeth at the appearance and glared at Bediviel.

“Damn it. I didn’t think that lowly bastard would attach someone to you.”

“I didn’t know either. I didn’t expect an uninvited rat to hide in this party hall where the Grand Duchess was attending.”

“…What?”

“So tonight, I wanted to catch that rat and hold a separate party at the dorm.”

“You lowlife—!”

To Rupert, who uttered harsh words as if enraged, Bediviel continued to be sarcastic in a soft voice.

At that moment, Rupert’s red eyes lit up with a smirk. He stretched out his hand around his waist and pulled out his long sword. At that, Bediviel’s smile became more relaxed as if he had expected it. He then pushed Min-ha with his arm and asked.

“Although may I ask you a question, Madam?”

“Yes. Anything.”

“Do you have the strength to run over there, where you can see the light?”

“But, there is no path here!”

“If there’s no way, just make one.”

“….!”

“Let me ask you one more time, do you still have the strength to run?”

Bediviel, who still pointed his gaze and the tip of his sword at Rupert while asking that, gestured with the tip of his chin pointing behind her right.

When Min-ha turned her gaze to follow the direction in which his head moved. She could see a bed of roses cut short enough for a person to pass through, a thick forest through it, and a faint glimmer of light.

Until a while ago, she had been surrounded by rose bushes and could not see anything, but he must have paved the way for her.

Without hesitation, Min-ha nodded her head and answered.

“Of course.”

“Then, from now on, run without looking back.”

“…Who do you think would do that?”

At Min-ha’s answer, he smiled as if satisfied while Rupert’s face hardened even more harshly. He swung his sword towards Bediviel, who was blocking Min-ha. It was an attack aimed at him as he lost his concentration for a moment while talking to her.

Min-ha was surprised at Rupert’s vertical swing of the sword as he had a bigger physique than the Bediviel.

“Sir Bediviel!”

However, Bediviel was aiming at his neck and simply blocked the blade of Rupert’s flying sword with great force.

“Don’t worry about me, Madam!”

“But…!”

“Follow the lights and run to the end! Your Excellency will probably welcome you there!”

“All right!”

Without hesitation, Min-ha grabbed the hem of her cumbersome skirt in her hands and started running only in the direction he was pointing.

“Damn it! Wait, Mina!”

“Who do you think will let you go?”

“Shut up! Damn it, Mina! Mina…! I’ll never give up on you!”

“…Euk!”

Rupert’s voice was heard trying to follow Min-ha while swinging a sword hurriedly from behind.

​​

Min-ha almost inadvertently turned her head at the sound of the clash of swords and Bediviel’s short groan, but she ran forward. In this situation, if she worried about him and got caught by mistake, his troubles would be in vain.

After running for a long time, she felt the light getting closer and brighter little by little.

‘A little bit, a little bit more…!’

If she ran one more step, at the end would be Seth.

Thinking that, Min-ha, who was breathing heavily, ran through her trees as fast as she could.

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