Chapter 08
“I’ll just give you this bracelet and go. You dropped it back when you saved me.”
“Ah…! So that’s when I lost it. Tha— Teo, watch out!”
Clang!
The moment Theodore fastened the bracelet around her pale wrist, there was a loud metallic crash in his ears.
His hearing was dulled for a split second. A moment later, he realized what had happened.
Richard’s sword had deflected an arrow aimed straight for the back of his head.
He had almost died.
The thought made the blood in his veins run cold.
“Well, well. You blocked that. Given your background, I suppose you must have retained some of your skills. Then again, maybe that’s why my sister fell under your spell.”
Grid emerged from the forest without a sound, waving his hand lazily towards Nereia.
Figures cloaked in the same pitch-black robes stood behind him.
“It’s been a while, Sister. Seeing you like this… it’s almost nostalgic.”
“D*mn it.”
Cursing under his breath, Richard stepped in front of the door.
“Nereia. Take the children and run. Now.”
“No.”
Still shielding Ayla and Teo, Nereia straightened.
“Grid is after me anyway. You go. I’ll buy you time—somehow.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no way I’d leave you behind.”
With that single, resolute statement, the translucent silver hair vanished beyond the door in an instant.
“Richard!”
Seeing her husband rush outside and slam the door shut, Nereia let out a cry of despair.
The clash of metal echoed chaotically, causing her sapphire-blue eyes to tremble.
After a brief hesitation, she began tearing away the wooden boards holding the kitchen wall together as if she had anticipated this moment all along.
Once the boards were removed, a gap large enough for children to squeeze through appeared.
“Ayla. From now on, don’t look back. Run straight to the village. You can do that, can’t you?”
“N-No… I don’t want to. I want to stay with Mom and Dad.”
With a dreadful sense that if they parted now, she might never see her parents again, Ayla tried to grab Nereia’s sleeve.
But Nereia forced Ayla away and turned to Theodore.
“I’m sorry to ask this of you so soon after we met, but please take care of Ayla.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get her somewhere safe.”
“…Thank you.”
Smiling faintly, Nereia watched until both children slipped through safely, then nailed the boards back into place—
to delay Grid even a little.
“Please… stay safe, Ayla.”
***
Rumble.
As thunder growled overhead, Ayla suddenly turned back mid-run.
“Our house…!”
The small cabin atop the hill was engulfed in red flames. Smoke carried on the wind reached her, choking her breath.
But amid the misfortune, there was a small mercy.
Dark clouds were gathering only around the cabin—suggesting that Nereia was still alive.
Controlling rain was one of the innate abilities Nereia possessed as a mermaid.
“If only I had some kind of power too…”
Then she wouldn’t have to run like this.
Normally, a young mermaid’s ability awakened in the year they turned ten.
But perhaps because she was half-human—half a mermaid—even though her birthday had long passed, nothing had manifested for Ayla.
“…Useless.”
Biting down hard on her lower lip, Ayla tasted blood.
“Get a grip, Ayla. Didn’t you hear what your mother said? You have to run. Don’t look back.”
When he saw her falter, Theodore grabbed Ayla and pulled her along with him.
That’s right.
Now was not the time for self-pity.
If she stood there any longer, she would only get in the way.
‘Do what we can, right now.’
Because Theodore’s judgment was sound, Ayla roughly wiped at her blurring vision.
“I’m sorry… for getting you dragged into this too, Teo.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Theodore gave a careless nod and tightened his interlaced fingers so they wouldn’t come apart.
“Let’s go to the lord’s castle. My brother is there. If it’s him, he can help your parents.”
“Okay.”
She had heard that only the noble guests from the capital stayed at the lord’s castle.
So why was she going there to meet his brother?
She had no time to dwell on this question, however.
Ayla kept her eyes on the road ahead and ran with all her might.
However, the sight that greeted them when they reached the castle was despairing indeed.
“Repair the collapsed walls at once!”
“There’s fire spreading over here!”
What on earth had happened?
The lord’s castle, too, was being devoured by crimson flames.
The peaceful seaside village that had existed just that morning was nowhere to be found.
“What is all this— brother!”
With ash smeared across his face, Theodore ran his hand through his hair as he watched the knights battle the flames.
Then he spotted Hayden among them, applying bandages to a blade wound. He rushed over to him.
“You’re hurt?”
“This? It’s just a scratch. But more importantly, Teo, you’re safe.”
“That much blood and you call it a scratch? What the h*ll happened?”
“Mermaids from the Kingdom of Melshid attacked.”
“What? Why Melshid? What about the peace treaty?”
“That’s… a long story. But who is this child?”
As Hayden tried to hide his injury, a flicker of curiosity crossed his eyes.
While listening to Theodore explain what had happened, Hayden occasionally waved at Ayla.
It was simply his gentle nature, he worried the child might be frightened.
“Why would the mermaids go after that child’s parents…?”
Hayden immediately realized that the group of people in black robes were mermaids.
However, with the flames spreading so quickly, it was clear that they had to evacuate immediately.
After sending Derek and several knights to the cabin, he helped Ayla and Theodore onto their horses.
“You’re Ayla, right? Derek is among the finest knights in the kingdom. He’ll bring your parents back safely. So for now, let’s get out of the castle.”
“Our duke’s knights will escort you.”
Seizing his opportunity, Duke Seymour promptly volunteered to provide protection.
Having been burned and injured while protecting Hayden, the duke appeared to be the epitome of a loyal and dependable retainer.
This is why no one expected him to have such vile intentions.
“This way. We’ve secured an escape route.”
***
“Is that man Greed in his right mind!”
Grit. Duke Seymours, who was escorting Hayden’s horse, gripped the reins tightly.
“He definitely said he would wait until the Thanksgiving Festival!”
It was a complete bolt from the blue. Setting aside how he found out his sister’s location, if he was going to strike earlier than planned, he should have at least informed them beforehand. Even if it was temporary, they were on the same side for now; how could he pull such a major stunt without a single word to him?
Duke Seymours clutched his head.
“What can be done? It’s already happened.”
Since it had come to this, he had to make sure he secured his own interests. To prevent anyone nearby from overhearing, the Duke lowered his voice as much as possible and called for the subordinate beside him.
“You passed the crown prince’s location to Grid properly, didn’t you?”
“Do not worry. He should be on his way here by now.”
Phew.
Calming himself, the Duke gave his subordinate repeated instructions. He must not forget to pretend to do his absolute best to prevent the Crown Prince’s kidnapping during the upcoming commotion. Today’s events must never appear to be linked to them.
“That’s why we even brought those children along.”
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Greedy green eyes turned towards the carriage, which was following from a distance.
Inside the carriage, bearing the ducal house’s snake crest, sat the duke’s young daughter and son.
“At that speed, they’ll catch up with the procession soon.”
It was a deception. After all, no one would ever suspect a parent of being crazy enough to bring their own children to a place where they knew a battle was about to break out.
Meanwhile, Hayden was secretly breaking into a cold sweat.
Perhaps the mermaid’s blade had been poisoned because the bleeding from his thigh would not stop. He had no sensation in the area around the damp, soaked bandage.
“Brother, are you sure you’re okay? You’re still bleeding.”
“Of course I am—ugh.”
Hayden, who had been shrugging his shoulders playfully, grimaced. This was because Theodore had pressed his index finger firmly against the bloodstained bandage wrapped around his thigh.
