Chapter 45
“Berok meat that Calyx gives you doesn’t taste good, right?”
Vodka’s eyes sparkled.
“Will it be okay if you come with me?”
Vodka blinked. His amber eyes still looked at me with pure light.
Still, I couldn’t travel with Vodka, so I waved my hand to send him away. Vodka only avoided my hand and then stuck close to my side again.
In the end, I ignored him and walked quickly. Vodka matched my speed and followed.
When I started running, Vodka ran strongly too. As if the road I was taking was also his road.
Eventually, I gave up and slowed down to walk.
Now that I thought about it, maybe Vodka also had complaints about Calyx. After all, he fed him Berok meat.
Of course, he said he also gave him fresh meat from other animals, but maybe it didn’t suit Vodka’s taste.
Just by looking at how he searched for my protein biscuits, I could guess how tired he was of Berok meat.
I looked down at Vodka.
“Are you really coming with me?”
Vodka looked at me with shining eyes. Those eyes were truly loyal.
In the end, I said nothing more and walked ahead.
I thought I would leave this place alone, but since Vodka was following me, I didn’t feel lonely. Still, just in case, I warned him.
“Vodka, if you want to go back, go now. From here on, I will walk a different path from Calyx. Our destinations will be different.”
Even after that, Vodka faithfully followed me. I thought I had said enough.
‘Calyx won’t accuse me later of stealing Vodka, right?’
No matter how terrible Calyx’s personality was, he probably wouldn’t go that far. Sometimes he even gave help generously.
I was going to thank him for saving my life. But after hearing that he had wanted to kill me from the beginning, my heart still felt bad thinking about it.
I even thought he might have changed a little after taking care of me all night.
‘What would change.’
Calyx was still Calyx. The Duke of Demerut, whose personality was as dirty as the rumors said.
I ignored my uneasy heart and forced strength into my legs as I walked. The wind blew harshly, as if blocking my path.
But without Berok around, it was bearable. Strangely, I had already grown used to this cold.
Calyx could not sleep. He had seen that Lerit had recovered. He had found where the scammer was. And he knew that the royal family still did not know that Lerit was a princess.
He let out a deep breath and got up from the bed. Blue veins stood out clearly on his arm. Was he anxious over something so small?
No. It was a more basic problem. Something inside his heart felt twisted and empty. Strangely, he wanted to see Lerit.
‘Damn it.’
He had watched her all day yesterday, so why suddenly now? Two soldiers were guarding her all day, and no stranger could enter this place.
And yesterday, he had not been in his right mind. He had taken medicine up to a lethal dose. Of course he had been unstable. He had been angry that someone else tried to kill her, and when he saw her dying in front of him, his blood boiled.
Even though he had thought about killing Lerit himself, he could not bear to watch her dying.
He pressured the doctor and stayed up all night to see her survive. If she really died, was it because he wanted to watch her die? No.
He had not been in his right mind. He just wanted to see her live and did not want to see her die in front of him.
Now that he thought about it, maybe there had been worry mixed in.
Calyx suppressed the feeling he did not want to admit. It was just instinct.
Then why was he becoming emotional for no reason?
Maybe his body simply wanted her bodily fluids. That might be why he felt like this even now.
Human emotion.
A soft feeling he had never experienced or thought about before.
Calyx roughly ran his hand through his hair. He got up and swallowed about five pills.
Even so, instead of calming down, his blood started boiling more.
“Ha, damn it.”
In the end, he turned around. Strangely, just looking at Lerit yesterday had calmed him down. So he would just look at her again. Like yesterday.
Calyx pushed the door open. The two soldiers bowed to him.
“Open the door.”
The soldier quickly put the key into the lock. Click. The door opened.
At that moment, Calyx felt something strange. A hollow feeling. The back of his neck felt uncomfortable.
When he opened the door wide, Lerit was gone. The strange feeling from before rose sharply. He frowned and looked at the soldiers.
“Why isn’t she here?”
“Sh-she definitely did not leave when we checked. How could this…?”
Calyx gave orders to the frozen soldier.
“Go check around this area immediately. And you, bring Herkel.”
Soon, the two soldiers ran off in a hurry. Calyx looked at the empty bed and ground his teeth.
She dared to disappear. Without a word. Without any sign. He felt both offended and angry.
She was a woman he wanted to kill, yet he had kept her alive. He had barely suppressed his instinct and even told her she was a princess.
Calyx cursed and roughly pushed his hair back.
Thinking about it now, it was foolish.
He should have told her she was not even close to being a princess.
Calyx looked around with sharp eyes. On the bedside table, there was a letter.
When he picked it up, a crooked smile appeared on his face.
Of course she had to repay the debt.
“I told you to repay it by my side. I never told you to run away.”
Calyx crushed the letter in his hand. He had saved her, kept her alive, even given her a room like this, and yet she ran away.
A dark red light floated around his sword filled with killing energy. Just then, Herkel ran in urgently.
“Your Grace, I heard that Lady Lerit—”
“Send out all the soldiers. Search around here and even up to Rollend.”
“Rollend?”
“She might have gone there. She thought of it like her hometown. And…”
“Are you alright?”
Herkel pointed at the veins on Calyx’s arm. Blue veins stood out clearly all over it.
“If I wasn’t alright, would I be standing here?”
“N-no, of course not.”
“Move without delay. If the royal family finds Lerit first, it will mean death.”
At those words, Herkel quickly bowed.
“I will find Lady Lerit no matter what.”
Soon, the soldiers inside the castle walls gathered. They formed groups of five and scattered everywhere. There were quite many of them.
Anyone watching would think a war had started. The atmosphere was that serious.
After walking strongly for a while, I saw lights in the distance. I smiled brightly and quickened my steps.
‘Just a little more…!’
At that moment, a cold wind blew. The strong smell of blood filled the air. I frowned and quickly grabbed my sword. At the same time, with a loud noise, Vodka jumped forward.
Vodka bit into a Berok’s neck and did not let go. I aimed my sword at the Berok’s heart. Red blood splashed everywhere.
Holding my sword, I looked around. About four of them had gathered without me noticing.
‘Of course. It wouldn’t feel right if there were no Berok here.’
Now I was used to it.
I gripped my sword tightly and thought about the scammer. Strength filled the hand holding my sword.
Yelp, growl, snarl.
The Berok rushed at my blade and fell one by one. When I finally looked up, dead Berok lay scattered around.
I let out a tired sigh and wiped my sword clean. Vodka looked at me closely from my side.
I patted Vodka’s head. With Vodka beside me, I did not feel lonely.
Just then, someone ran toward us from far away. I grabbed my sword and looked.
It did not seem like a dangerous run. He did not look drunk either.
I took my hand off the sword and looked at the person approaching. He wore many fur clothes. From his appearance, he seemed like a hunter.
He bowed to me and looked me over.
“You’re one of the Duke’s people, right?”
Ah, I should have taken off the cloak. Anyway, since he had recognized it, I nodded.
“There have been Berok appearing around here, so I was waiting to see when the Duke’s people would come. Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“That’s good. You must be tired from catching Berok. Please come this way.”
I did not refuse. I needed a place to rest anyway. I still had to catch the scammer, so I needed to prepare well for tomorrow.
I wrapped the cloak tighter and walked quickly. At least I had this cloak.
‘As expected, the Demerut family makes good things.’
Maybe it was even better because it was Calyx’s cloak.
Vodka stayed close beside me.
As I walked fast, Vodka also walked strongly. The distance between us hardly changed.
When we got closer to the faint light, I saw it was a small cabin. It was a little away from the village, but in a good location. At least it was less noticeable.
I felt a bit worried. If Calyx searched for me, I could be discovered quickly. I planned to find the scammer without Calyx noticing and go straight to the investigation office.
Even if the royal family was involved, since Calyx was also involved, the investigation office would not be able to cover it up easily.
Thinking that, I spoke.
“I am one of the Duke’s people, but I’m on a secret mission. Could you keep this from others?”
“Of course! If the Duke gave you such a mission, I must be even more careful. I will keep this to myself.”
That was a relief. I smiled slightly and followed him inside.
“Since it’s late at night, please rest here.”
