Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Raid 3 (5)
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‘No.’
His back was drenched in sweat. His overworked muscles screamed in agony, but he ignored them and kept whipping the horse.
“Haa, ha.”
His breathing, pushed to the limit, shook unsteadily.
If that carriage broke apart, if the enemies burst inside and Rose inside got hurt even a little...
He knew he’d never forgive himself.
“Haa, haa.”
A vicious anxiety crept up his back.
No one was chasing him, yet this unfamiliar emotion he’d never felt before in his life nearly robbed him of his composure.
It was a strange experience.
Ching!
Clang!
Thanks to the knights’ desperate efforts, nearly all the enemies clinging to the carriage had been shaken off.
Only three remained in sight.
They were the ones who had charged from the front to guard the carriage’s vanguard.
Thud!
They finally climbed onto the carriage. The vehicle rocked violently, perilously unsteady for a moment.
“Kyaaak!”
The moment he registered Rose’s frail scream from inside the carriage,
“-!”
Sparks flew from his eyes on their own.
“Madam!”
“Those bastards!”
The knights ground their teeth and closed in around the carriage.
Controlling a horse next to the wildly shaking carriage wasn’t easy. He had to carefully adjust his speed to avoid colliding.
Thud thud thud thud!
Only when he drew close enough to see the grain of the carriage wood,
“Gah!”
Could he finally slash the back of one of the men who’d boarded.
Crash!
The fallen man flashed past on the ground in an instant.
Bump!
In that gap, another ripped open one side of the carriage door. He hadn’t watched ahead,
Crack!
And the door panel smashed into a tree, tearing clean off.
“Keurk!”
The man collided with the door and tumbled to the ground.
“Ugh!”
The knights hurriedly pulled back to avoid getting caught up.
In the meantime,
Crack! Slash!
The last one swung an axe down onto the carriage roof. He kicked away a chunk of torn ceiling,
Snap!
And finally smashed through, leaping inside the carriage.
“Rose!”
The shout that burst from Dane’s mouth shook the forest.
“Haa, haa.”
Rose gripped the wall, struggling to steady herself. Her body lurched in every direction with each jolt of the carriage.
Clang!
Klang!
The clash of swords,
Slice!
The sound of flesh being cut,
Neigh!
The horses’ cries—all mixed in chaotic frenzy.
The sounds coming from just beyond the thin carriage wall felt all too vivid.
She dreaded imagining how urgently the situation outside was unfolding, what a blood-soaked scene it must be.
“Haa, ha.”
She was aware the defensive magic tool had been breached. That meant enemies could burst in at any moment.
Her ominous premonition soon became reality.
Thud!
A heavy thump suggested enemies had climbed atop, then
Crack!
One carriage door was promptly torn away.
Crack!
Soon after, an axe broke through the ceiling. Someone invading was only a matter of time.
‘Please.’
Rose clutched something in her bosom tightly.
When she’d prepared it, she’d hoped she’d never have to use it. But that hope had been too much to ask.
Bang! Bang!
Enemy boots stomped through the shattered ceiling chunks. Sky peeked through the gaps.
The moment of intrusion loomed right before her.
Rustle.
Rose crouched low, feigning terror. She pressed her pounding chest, forcing herself to stay calm.
One chance only. She couldn’t miss it.
Snap!
Finally, someone in dark garb dropped into the carriage.
“Duchess!”
The man leered and lunged straight for Rose. He seemed utterly off-guard, seeing her apparently defenseless.
Step.
The instant his hand reached for her hair,
Splash!
Rose sprayed something at him.
“Kuwk?!”
The sudden strike made him stagger back.
Ssssss—
It sounded like thousands of ants swarming to devour at once.
His clothes melted where the liquid hit, and it didn’t stop there—the flesh of his forearm blackened too.
“Aaaagh!”
He wailed in agony, clutching his face. Droplets that splashed there began melting patches of skin.
‘My god.’
Despite the crisis, Rose froze in shock for a moment.
‘Mr. Andersen, what on earth did you give me?’
It was the magic tool he’d slipped into her sleeve for emergencies.
Press a button to spray liquid—who knew it held such ferocious power?
‘Not the time.’
Rose seized the opening to escape the opposite way. She crawled and barely gripped the now-empty doorframe when,
“You crazy bitch!”
A savage voice rang out, and her ankle was seized.
“Ugh!”
Tremendous grip strength yanked her body back.
“Aaak!”
She clung to the doorframe, but it wasn’t enough. Against a burly adult man’s strength, she was dragged in fully.
“Crazy, crazy...!”
Writhing in pain, the enemy still locked eyes on her precisely.
One hand pinned her in place, the other raised an axe aimed at her.
Death’s shadow engulfed Rose in an instant.
“Heok...”
Crushed by immense terror, Rose couldn’t move for a moment.
Time crawled excruciatingly slow.
The carriage’s shaking, her frantically pounding heart, the axe’s glinting flash, the acrid smell assaulting her nose.
All seeped into her awareness at a snail’s pace when,
Stab!
A sword pierced the enemy’s chest.
Gush—blood erupted from the enemy’s mouth, soaking Rose’s dress.
“Kuh...”
The enemy’s eyes rolled back, then
Yank!
Some hand dragged him out of the carriage.
Immediately after.
“Rose!”
The one who’d slain the foe, Dane, rushed desperately inside.
“Ah.”
Dane’s ashen face filled her vision.
“Rose.”
Dane always wore an expressionless, calm, or bored look. Aside from the rare smirk, his face rarely changed.
Yet now,
“Haa, haa.”
He stood pale as a ghost, breathing raggedly.
An unfamiliar face. She’d never seen him so rattled.
His outstretched hand toward her trembled faintly. Blood smeared his face and body everywhere.
She could tell how frantically he’d raced here, how desperately he’d fought.
“Rose.”
His voice returned, finally convincing her she was safe.
The terror filling her body drained rapidly, slowly replaced by relief.
“...”
She tried to reply, but her lips wouldn’t move. Not just her mouth—her fingertips felt ice-cold and stiff.
Yank.
Dane pulled Rose into an embrace. Desperate, anxious hands, more than ever before.
Thump, thump, thump.
She felt his heartbeat where their bodies met.
Whenever close, Dane’s heart beat steady and slow. But now it throbbed fast and strong.
“God...”
It shocked her to see him invoke a deity. He was the type to handle anything himself rather than pray.
Pressed to his warm body, she felt herself gradually calming.
She’d missed this embrace. So much.
“Rose.”
Dane pulled back and gazed at her again.
His eyes, filled with worry and concern, scanned her face meticulously. Checking for injuries.
Only then did Rose’s lips finally stir.
“...My, name.”
She saw one of Dane’s eyebrows arch. At the same time, her eyelids grew heavy.
“My name,”
Feeling her head droop,
“You called...”
She let go of the thin thread of consciousness.
Your Excellency is here now. Everything’s fine.
With that thought, the world went utterly black.
Scrape, scrape.
Joel carefully wrapped Rose’s ankle with linen bandages.
Each turn hid a bit more of the finger-shaped purple bruise.
“...Fortunately, no fracture. But you should avoid using this ankle for the time being.”
Joel spoke in a low, soft voice. Consideration not to wake the still-unconscious Rose.
“You have minor abrasions here and there. I’ll finish treating them.”
Joel delicately tended the red, scraped patches on her palms, forearms, and such.
Each movement filled the air with alcohol’s sting and the bitter scent of herbal salve.
“...”
He watched silently, arms crossed.
Aside from Joel’s movements, Rose’s room was hushed.
The servants moved with extra caution, pushing carts and changing basin water without a sound.
Because his own face was frozen terrifyingly cold.
Tap, tap.
He drummed fingers on his crossed arm.
He’d wondered why Andersen fidgeted his leg—now he understood. When anxious, people did this unconsciously.
“Your Excellency.”
A knight waiting behind approached and whispered.
“Secured?”
“Yes. We’ve also summoned the torture experts.”
He nodded heavily, then commanded.
“Extract everything.”
Information, body parts—whatever.
He’d killed all who attacked him without mercy before, but today was different. There was something he had to learn.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
He turned from the departing knight and looked back at Rose. He gazed endlessly at her pale face lying in bed.
The wall candles flickered, heavy air blanketing the room.
“Your Excellency, finished.”
In the stifling silence, Joel finally completed treatment.
“Everyone out.”
“...Yes.”
Joel wiped forehead sweat and rose immediately. Since the last incident, he was utterly obedient regarding Rose.
Joel and servants vanished from the room with utmost care.
Only when alone at last,
Swish.
Did he gently sit by her bedside.
Rustle.
He carefully swept back the disheveled hair from her forehead. Her lukewarm forehead touched his fingertips.
Rustle, rustle.
He repeated the silent act of smoothing her hair.
“...”
His face expressionless, but inside, turmoil churned.
He revisited the thought he hadn’t registered amid the chaos.
There’s no way I’d lose you like this.
The words brushing his ear became a fierce roar, shaking his heart.