Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Cornered on the Cliff
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It occurred to me suddenly before I fell asleep.
Who in the world am I?
It was a natural question to have.
Who left me here, why, and for what reason? And how was such a thing even possible?
The Astrofel estate was heavily guarded, and no one could approach it easily.
Especially if another Su-in had approached, they would have been detected immediately.
And yet, someone had managed to leave me inside the mansion, of all places, and disappear without being caught.
The room with the heir's egg would have been under strict supervision.
Seeing as I was being protected between Set and Arban, it seemed neither Kaide nor Baon knew anything.
"Aiwing is cuwious too? I hope Duwias comes soon and tells me."
"Is that so?"
"Uh-huh."
As I nodded calmly, Kaide suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"...Is that why you asked if anyone from the East attended the last banquet?"
Huh?
"Young Lady, you asked about the East?"
Baon also looked at me, his face filled with surprise.
I only asked about the East because it was where I used to live.
Ah. Come to think of it, don't the Bird Clans live there?
The two of them wore very serious expressions.
They looked shocked, as if they had overlooked an important fact all this time.
After a long silence, Kaide spoke.
"The Loisar family sent their regrets. Are you curious about your own kind?"
"...Huh?"
"You must want to meet the clan that looks like you. So that's why you asked about the East."
"...Huh?"
No, that wasn't it. I didn't particularly want to meet them. Though I supposed it would be interesting to see them in person.
"Young Lady, you were born in the South."
"I know dat."
"...I'm not sure if you're aware, but the South is a much better place to live than the East."
"Uh-huh. I know dat too."
At my answer, Kaide's expression hardened even more.
"It seems you've already looked into the situation in the East."
"No. Dat's not it."
"Then who told you?"
"...Dat's not it eider."
The misunderstanding was growing deeper.
They seemed to think I was looking into the East because I wanted to see my own kind.
I shook my head and finished stamping the document with a firm press.
* * *
A predawn morning.
Durias walked at a leisurely pace.
At the edge of a silent cliff, the only sound was the soft crunch of his steps on the dew-kissed grass.
*Rustle.*
At the sound, the body of his cornered target stiffened.
It was clear at a glance that she was terrified.
Durias straightened the tie that had been disheveled during the chase and stared at her blankly.
A hint of annoyance flickered in his dark eyes.
"Are you done running now?"
"...Why are you doing this to me?"
The pursued woman finally spoke.
Her body was covered in scratches from her frantic escape.
She barely managed to catch her breath, which had risen to her throat, and cautiously glanced behind her.
A fierce wind was swirling below the cliff.
A great river flowed below, but she had no confidence she would survive if she fell.
However...
Being caught by the person before her wouldn't lead to a good outcome either.
Unable to do either, she looked at Durias with anxious eyes.
"Why are you chasing me?"
Durias, who had stopped at a certain distance, let out a dry laugh at her question.
"Haha. Were you running blindly without even knowing why you were being chased?"
"That's..."
Ella chewed on her lip, unable to answer.
Seeing this, Durias's tightly pressed lips curved into a deep smile.
It was the moment a suspicion turned into certainty.
She grew anxious at the sudden shift in Durias's atmosphere.
With her path blocked in front and behind, unable to choose any option, she felt her vision go dark.
"...What do you plan to do with me?"
"What do I plan to do?"
...
"Ah. Do you perhaps know of something I might do?"
Durias murmured calmly.
At his clearly audible voice, the color drained from Ella's face.
The northern border of the East.
It was a mystery how he had found his way here.
A big shot like him had no reason to come to such a remote place in person.
Judging by his appearance, it didn't seem he had entered through legitimate means.
Ella sensed that the situation was taking a serious turn.
"Did you speak with the head of our clan before coming here?"
"Hmm?"
"If not, perhaps you should go through the proper procedures first. ...This could sour relations with the South, you know."
The end of Ella's voice, filled with tension, trembled.
She wondered what good saying this would do, but she had to try everything she could.
Durias, who had been listening leisurely to her, widened his eyes as if surprised.
"Are you worried about my position right now?"
...
"Thank you, but there's no need for that. Because..."
Durias glanced around the silent surroundings and gestured pointedly.
Realizing his meaning, Ella gasped.
"There's no one here, and you will disappear without a trace."
"...!"
"So, why don't we stop wasting each other's time?"
Looking at the sky where the sun was about to rise, Durias frowned.
He had no more time to delay here.
As Ella said, Durias had crossed the border without giving prior notice to the East.
If the East found out and made an issue of it, it could escalate into an uncontrollably large problem.
"We're not exactly idle over here, you see."
Hoping things wouldn't get complicated, Durias wanted to wrap up the situation.
He sighed, lamenting his own circumstances.
He had thought that at his rank, he wouldn't have to go on field trips himself...
But it couldn't be helped. If his superiors told him to roll, he had to roll.
"Come along quietly, Miss Ella. I'm also just following orders from above. ...I'll get scolded if I'm late."
"...My. Who would scold you, Sir Durias? What a joke."
Just then, someone wearing a black hood appeared behind Durias.
Ella suppressed a scream that threatened to erupt at the appearance of another Black Mamba.
The two began to converse with a relaxed air.
"I have two superiors as well. Getting scolded by them is something I truly don't want to imagine."
"Then this mission must succeed, no matter what."
Two superiors.
At those words, a chill ran up to Ella's scalp.
Because she knew very well who his superiors were.
It had to be Kaide Astrofel and his aide, Baon.
The fact that those two were looking for her made Ella's mind go blank.
Because of this, she didn't even notice the hooded figure slowly approaching her.
Noticing it belatedly, Ella flinched and froze.
"...Don't come any closer. You're here to take me, aren't you?"
"That's right."
"If you come any closer, I'll jump from here."
"Oh my?"
"That's not something you want either, right? If you want to take me, make a formal request to the head of my clan!"
Ella played her last card, speaking forcefully.
Yet, she bit her lip against the encroaching anxiety.
What if the Astrofel family had come for her because they knew what she had done...?
Would she be able to keep her life?
The answer was no.
From the moment they started looking for her, it was as good as over.
The moment she was caught, she wouldn't be safe.
'I can't even rely on my clan.'
If it became known that her tracks had been found, she would be the first to be dealt with by her own kind.
In that moment, Ella felt an unbearable sense of injustice well up inside her.
'Why do I have to go through this? I'm a victim too!'
This couldn't be happening. Ella's golden eyes filled with venom.
She had to survive, no matter what.
At Ella's threatening shout not to come closer, the black figure stopped in its tracks.
Soon, a soft voice was heard.
"Go ahead."
"...What did you say?"
Ella asked back, doubting her ears.
"I said, go ahead."
At that, even Durias looked at the black figure with a bewildered expression.
"Wait a moment. Are you sure you can take responsibility for that?"
"Didn't you say her condition doesn't have to be perfect?"
"...That's true, but."
"As long as she's alive, wouldn't it be fine if she's a little broken?"
"Certainly, that would make her easier to transport."
Durias nodded, finding the logic somewhat convincing.