Chapter 28
Several hours had passed since Ariadne met Kanin and left the palace.
The farther she got from the palace, the harder it was to shake the feeling that someone was following her.
It was an odd, deeply unsettling sensation.
It felt like someone’s gaze was constantly on her.
Even though she had left unnoticed.
Feeling uneasy, she had even deliberately changed carriages halfway. It would take at least two days to reach the harbor, and Ariadne was being extremely cautious, not wanting to be caught along the way.
Even after switching carriages, she couldn’t rid herself of that strange, nagging sensation.
“…….”
She had thought she could finally enjoy some freedom.
But it felt as though she were stuck in a swamp, someone constantly tugging at her ankles, leaving her unable to relax even a little.
“Be careful… at least until I board the ship at the harbor.”
The sticky, unpleasant feeling of being watched hadn’t left her since she left the palace.
“Hmph… as expected.”
She had always lived under surveillance at the Count’s mansion, so in a sense, she had anticipated this. Walking quietly, she recalled past conversations with the Count.
It was the day Ariadne had taken Ashley out to see flowers, and Ashley suddenly fell ill and caused a scene.
The Count’s over-the-top reaction was so vivid that Ariadne still remembered their conversation clearly.
[What on earth did you do to make the Saint fall ill!]
[Do what? Father, I just thought Ashley looked frustrated alone, so I went out with her.]
[Still, shouldn’t you, as her older sister, have paid more attention!]
The Count had scolded her as if everything were her fault.
[It’s a good thing I noticed in time!]
[…….]
Before Ariadne could even ask for help, the family knights had appeared to check on Ashley. Their response was surprisingly fast, too fast to be coincidental.
“I thought something was off from that moment.”
Ariadne realized that her cunning, serpentine father would never let her leave willingly.
Since that day, she had known that her father, the Count, always kept someone to watch her.
“I was hoping for a peaceful trip… but no help.”
Ariadne clicked her tongue and smirked. It wasn’t surprising; she had already expected this. She thought about how to deal with anyone following her, revisiting old memories.
She even recalled a past conversation:
[Did you notice anything strange about Ashley?]
[Strange? What do you mean?]
At that time, Ariadne had thought she must do everything for Ashley, so she had taken her father’s concerns seriously.
[Well… like her Saint power weakening… or sometimes slightly diminishing! That’s what I mean… Why can’t you understand this at once!]
The Count suddenly erupted in anger mid-sentence. Saint power weakening…? Ariadne had thought that was impossible at the time, so she calmly tried to soothe his anger.
[Father, that can’t be true. Ashley is strong. Her Saint power is intact. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.]
Why she even said that to reassure them, she didn’t know. The real Count had paused for a long moment before asking a strange question again.
[And you? Nothing changed with you, right?]
[Me?]
Back then, Ariadne didn’t understand what he meant. Now she realized that question was clearly about Saint power, or rather, her healing power.
“There’s definitely more going on.”
With that thought, Ariadne scanned her surroundings. She steeled herself in the carriage, clenching her fists. She wouldn’t let her hard-won freedom be taken away.
In the moving carriage, she realized that if she stayed idle, she might be caught. She decided that if her pursuers didn’t make the first move, she would.
At that moment…!
“Ugh…!”
Ariadne saw a long blade thrusting down from above inside the moving carriage. She tried to scream but clamped her mouth shut.
The carriage was still moving, yet a blade had protruded through the roof. Had it penetrated further inward, she didn’t want to think what would have happened.
“……!”
Ariadne quickly stopped herself from screaming and began to respond.
She realized immediately that this wasn’t just a threat; it was a real attempt on her life. Only someone intent on killing would act this boldly.
“What a well-executed move.”
Muttering curses under her breath, she lifted her skirt, grabbed the dagger strapped to her thigh, and got ready. There was no time to panic or cry.
She decided to test the limits of her healing power.
“Finally a day to appreciate the self-defense training I learned to protect my sister.”
As she muttered this, the carriage door suddenly swung open.
The carriage was still moving at full speed, and the open door brought in a gust like a storm. The force ripped the door from its hinges, sending it flying. Hair and dress fabric whipped chaotically, blurring her vision.
Through the opening appeared a masked man. Ariadne felt she had seen him before. Before she could place him, he lunged in, thrusting a sword toward her.
“Ugh.”
This was no ordinary attack. Ariadne decided not to evade but leapt straight toward him. The masked assassin was surprised, adjusting his stance defensively, thinking she aimed for his heart.
The tip of her dagger neatly sliced the edge of his mask. The mask fell, fluttering in the wind, revealing his face.
“My goodness… isn’t this someone we know?”
“…….”
She clearly recognized him—the knight who had saved Ashley in the Vichen Forest. Ariadne smirked as she switched her dagger to a different grip.
But the man immediately aimed his sword at her again, leaving no room for mistakes.
“……ugh!”
The carriage was too narrow. Even a single man at the door thrusting repeatedly made evasion difficult.
“Damn it.”
Ariadne barely avoided the first strike, muttering a curse. She wasn’t planning a full-on fight; she looked for openings and gripped her dagger tighter.
“Ugh!”
The assassin swung again. Instinctively, she bent her waist, narrowly avoiding the blade. Luck had kept her alive this far.
There’s no guarantee luck will hold.
This time, the attack was faster.
“Haah!”
The blade grazed her neck, drawing a thin line of blood. The metallic tang hit her nose.
The assassin’s eyes widened, his expression as if he had almost won, making Ariadne shiver.
“Foolish…”
She avoided his attacks with ease, her face calm. The carriage jolted violently but continued moving, the driver already neutralized.
Whoosh!
Another swing of the blade passed by. Ariadne readied herself for the next strike.
“Now!”
As the blade thrust straight toward her, she deliberately raised her arm to intercept.
Pain seared as the metal pierced flesh.
“Ugh.”
The knight was stunned. He hadn’t expected her to take the strike head-on.
“You crazy woman!”
The shocked knight cursed. Ariadne smirked.
“Farewell, fool.”
Flipping her dagger, she pressed the tip lightly into the air.
Clang!
“Arghhhh!”
The assassin screamed in agony, his pupils wide in terror. Blood sprayed like rain in the wind.
A bullet embedded in the neck of the knight pinned to Ariadne’s arm. The man’s life drained from his eyes. From the moving carriage, he bled out and fell, losing balance.
“Ugh…”
Ariadne confirmed that the pursuing knight was dead. She breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the dagger in her hand, which was actually a small firearm.
[Take this.]
[What is this?]
[It looks like a small dagger, but it’s a firearm used for self-defense in the Illiad Empire. Use it in emergencies.]
Recalling Kanin’s words, Ariadne sank into the carriage seat and took a deep breath. She thought it was over… until a voice shouted:
“Ariadne!”
Someone urgently entered the carriage, calling her name.
