Episode 139
Translator: RaidenTL
Episode 139
“Die!!! You witch!!!”
It all happened in an instant.
With a violent shove, Alma’s body plunged into the deep blue water. The sailor who had impulsively pushed her overboard stared down, frozen.
With a splash, her body vanished beneath the waves and did not resurface. It was then that an image of Cain’s bright smile flashed through Elysia’s mind.
No, I need you to catch him.
Without a second thought, Elysia threw herself into the sea. The frigid winter waves flickered their tongues at her.
“Elle!”
Before Evan could stop her, a second splash echoed through the air.
*
Her eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the sting of the salty water. It was difficult to open them. But life was more about guts than know-how, and Elysia somehow managed.
Besides, the anchored ships acted as a breakwater, weakening the waves and making it easier to swim forward. Reaching the spot where Alma had fallen, Elysia took a deep breath and dived.
Seawater flooded her forced-open eyes, making them burn. Down below, she could see Alma’s body sinking several meters beneath the surface. Kicking her feet, Elysia descended and grabbed her arm.
Pull her up, toward the surface, toward the air… Just as she thought they were almost there…
“……!”
Suddenly, a hand clamped around her neck.
Startled, Elysia gasped, losing half the breath she’d been holding. Her eyes flew wide open.
Through Alma’s hair, which rippled with the current like a ghost’s, she saw a pair of gleaming golden eyes. A chill ran down her spine. Her instincts screamed. Get out of here, now.
SYSTEM: 5 minutes and 21 seconds remaining until drowning.
“Gasp! Cough! Sputter—”
She fought her way back to the surface with all her might. With a splash, Elysia gasped for air, looking at Alma, who was coughing beside her. She never let go of her arm.
Just then, Alma’s eyes fixed on something far away, somewhere beyond the harbor. Spotting someone, she let out a wild, tearful laugh and spoke.
“Cough, I can’t… I can’t die like this…”
“It’s over! Stop struggling and—”
“No, cough! I have to get my revenge on that man.”
The woman’s thin arms, which Elysia had thought were limp and weak, wrapped around her.
Elysia was physically stronger, but Alma’s obsession—willing to embrace even death to take Elysia with her—was stronger still. Elysia pushed her away, but she came back. She clawed and hit, but Alma just gripped tighter.
Revenge? What on earth was she talking about? Stunned by her tenacious strength, Elysia struggled. The woman’s face was right in front of hers, filled with nothing but malice.
One corner of her mouth twisted up, contorting her face into a hideous grimace. Alma let out a choked laugh, then said her farewell.
“Goodbye.”
Like a water ghost dragging a person to the bottom of the sea, Alma coiled around Elysia and shoved her beneath the surface.
A sound like thunder roared in her ears. Elysia belatedly realized it was the sound of her own body being forced underwater. She thrashed her arms and legs, trying to break free.
Bang.
A gunshot rang out.
She saw blood spreading through the deep blue water. Alma’s arm, which hadn’t budged even when she’d clawed and kicked at it, slowly went limp. Elysia frantically broke the surface, gulping for air, and turned her head toward the pier.
Smoke was rising from the muzzle of the pistol held by Evan, who maintained a perfect stance. After confirming his bullet had hit Alma’s arm, he lowered his hand, his face expressionless.
Though he was far away, she knew their eyes had met. His face, full of meaning, gave a slight nod.
To signal that she was okay, Elysia made a large circle with her arms, then turned her gaze to Alma, who was groaning and clutching her shoulder.
“It’s over now.”
“Aaargh! Fuck, dammit…!”
“Don’t try anything funny. Just come quietly.”
She could see soldiers rushing up behind Evan. Following his orders, they launched a skiff and began rowing toward Elysia and Alma.
Realizing she was completely cornered, Alma closed her eyes and muttered a curse.
The two were pulled onto the boat. The cold of the early winter air finally hit her. Just as she began to shiver, a thick towel was dropped over her head.
Startled, she looked up to see Evan wrapping her entire body in the large towel and pulling her into an embrace before pressing his lips to hers. Before she could even yelp, Elysia was held fast. He looked down at her with a trembling gaze and sighed.
He thought his heart had dropped when she jumped into the sea, and he thought it had stopped altogether when he saw Alma grab her.
As he slowly reached up to dry her hair, Elysia gave him a bright smile.
“Wow, you’re a sharpshooter.”
“Yeah. I kept my promise.”
What promise? Her eyes, wide with confusion, curved into a crescent as she remembered. Ah.
He had told her there would be moments when she would inevitably get hurt or be cornered. And when that time came, he had told her not to be afraid. That he would support her, no matter what…
Glancing at the pistol strapped to Evan’s right thigh, she now fully understood what he had meant.
He was behind her.
I’m not alone. That was her first thought. She tried to hug Evan but belatedly realized she was wrapped up like a burrito and couldn’t move her arms. Instead, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips firmly against his chin.
Evan’s eyes narrowed at the sudden, cute gesture. Elysia grinned and replied.
“You’re right. My senior supported me just in time.”
With a clunk, the boat arrived at the pier. Evan lifted the towel-wrapped Elysia into his arms and carried her off the boat, ordering in a gruff voice, “Take her to the mansion first. Bring the other one under tight security.”
His cold expression melted the moment he turned back to her. As he wrapped a gentle arm around Elysia’s shoulders, she could have sworn she saw a wagging tail.
Just then, she felt someone’s gaze on her. Elysia flinched and looked up, her eyes narrowing.
Who is it? Where… She looked around but couldn’t find the source of the stare before she was ushered into the carriage.
*
As soon as they arrived at the mansion, she, looking like a drowned rat, was pushed into the bathroom. The maids, horrified that she had returned in such a state when she had been fine that morning, frantically prepared a bath.
They had to pour hot water over her several times to wash away the salt, and use more perfume than usual to get rid of the fishy smell. On shaky legs, Elysia left the bathroom and threw open the door to her room.
“I… I think I’m gonna die…”
She was exhausted from just washing up. As Elysia collapsed onto the sofa in the office, Evan gently stroked her damp hair. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying his languid touch, and mumbled.
“What about that woman?”
“She’s being treated for the gunshot wound. Do you want to see her?”
“I need to talk to her…”
Evan casually took a towel from a maid, pulled a chair in front of the crackling fireplace, and gestured for her to sit. Elysia naturally sat down, warming her hands and feet by the fire.
“When do you think the treatment will be done?”
“It’ll probably take some time. I think it’ll be night.”
“That long?”
She glanced at the bright sunlight outside the window and asked in a puzzled voice. Evan was silent for a moment before answering with an awkward smile.
“The bullet is completely lodged in her shoulder blade, so… it’s become a bigger surgery than expected.”
“…?”
“The surgery itself should be over relatively quickly, but we have to wait for the anesthesia to wear off…”
Completely lodged in her bone? So it wasn't just a lucky graze. Her jaw dropped, and she stammered.
“Wait, Senior. Di-didn’t you use… the gun I gave you?”
“I did.”
“But it wasn’t a short distance, was it?”
“Ah, right. You were right, it has a long range for a pistol.”
That wasn’t what she was getting at. Just because a weapon had a long default range didn’t make everyone a master marksman.
To make such an accurate shot from that distance with a pistol, not a sniper rifle, and with a weapon he wasn’t even familiar with? Elysia turned her head and stared up at the man who was calmly drying her hair.
His broad shoulders, his perfectly straight posture. Though faded with time, the faint traces proving he was once a soldier on the battlefield still remained.
Elysia let out a soft laugh and reached a hand toward him. After a moment of surprise, he seemed to understand her intent and leaned down, placing his cheek against her outstretched palm as he looked down at her.
Elysia smiled and gently patted his cheek.
“I can see why your family was in an uproar when you quit.”
“Hm?”
“You’re just too good.”
Her hair was dry now. Evan silently toyed with her short hair, twisting strands around his finger and letting them go. Elysia smiled and said.
“Thank you for helping me.”
“You would have gotten out of it just fine, even without me.”
“No, I couldn’t have done it without you.”
She paused for a moment, then murmured.
“You really were there for me.”
Getting up from the chair, Elysia wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed intently at Evan. Her heart pounded in her chest. This man is always behind me. For some reason, that simple sentence made her feel wonderful.
Fiddling with the black hair at the nape of his neck, Elysia grinned.
“I guess I’m lucky with my assistants.”
“I’m honored.”
Their lips met in a light touch and parted. After the brief kiss, Elysia tried to pull away, but Evan guided her arms back around his neck and leaned in again.
A large hand rested on the back of her head, pulling her closer. An involuntary moan escaped her throat.
The heat that sucked at the tender skin inside her mouth was suffocating. The hand that had been caressing her earlobe slowly trailed down her neck.
Noticing the desire in his touch, Elysia’s brow twitched. Ah, not now… I have to stop this man.
Her hand urgently tapped his shoulder. The advance, which seemed like it wouldn’t stop even if she slapped him, subsided at that single touch.
His dark eyes were fixed on her collarbone, which rose and fell with her ragged breaths. As if suppressing something, he ran a hand over his face, let out a soft sigh, and asked.
“In broad daylight… I suppose not?”
“The daylight isn’t the problem. We’re working, so no.”
She had almost given in to his handsome face, but she thought her tone was quite firm, all things considered. The man’s brow, which had been furrowed in thought, smoothed out. He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“A kiss should be fine, though.”
Really? Faced with such a persuasive expression, Elysia found herself nodding blankly, only to realize with horror that she had just agreed to his proposal.
But it was already too late. In an instant, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.