The Grand Duchess Escape

The comfortable carriages provided a smooth, steady ride on the road that lasted for several hours.
There was hardly any rattling, shaking, or noise.

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Thanks to that, Mariel slept soundly without waking up.
Asella watched her younger sister sleeping peacefully with loving and affectionate eyes for a while, then turned her gaze outside the window.

It was so dark outside that she could hardly see the change of scenery.
However, having a rough idea of the timing, Asella guessed based on the amount of what looked to be trees.

‘We must be passing through Mount Kelton.’

The light emanating from the back outside the window faintly illuminated the surrounding area, while the carriage maintained a steady speed as it moved along the somewhat steep mountain road.

‘I wonder where he went?’

She recalled the back of a man who had disappeared riding a large black horse that resembled him.

At first, Asella thought they would wait until he returned, but no.
The carriage departed immediately after he left.

And until now, the Grand Duke had not returned.

Asella recalled the man’s eyes, looking through the window as if to pierce her.
His hostile red eyes remained in her mind with their utterly vivid color.

“Ahh…”

That was when Asella let out a small sigh that no one could hear.

Rattle

The carriage suddenly stopped.

* * *

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Calix leaped on his horse as soon as he left the Imperial Palace.
The horse, which had also been his predecessor’s horse, was raised to run immediately as soon as its owner mounted.

“Hurry up!”

“Roger.”

With a firm grip on the reins, Calix commanded, and the knights quickly caught up behind him.

‘Why?’ He questioned himself

For some reason, Calix was irritated by the uneasiness that started devouring him.

The men who escorted the Grand Duchess were all the Benvito family’s most elite knights.
They were no match for a pack of petty bandits or the occasional appearance of beasts that lurked along the mountain paths.

There was no reason to worry.

And yet…

He had a strange feeling that he had to hasten.

“I’ll go first.”

Calix motioned his horse to speed up, and the distance between him and the other knights, who were barely keeping up with him, quickly widened.

It was not long before Calix disappeared entirely from their sight.

* * *

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‘I wonder what’s happening?’

Asella attempted to lean her forehead slightly against the window.
The temperature difference between inside and outside made her breaths turn white next to the windows.

‘Is the road blocked?’

According to people, since it was a mountain road, unexpected things often happen at any given time and in different circumstances, such as a large tree falling or rocks flooding and blocking the road.

“Your Highness, don’t be surprised if the carriage suddenly stopped.”

As she remained silent in her seat, she recalled what Ryzen came up with and said to her before their departure.

“Hmm…”

When the steady tiny vibrations caused by the moving carriage suddenly stopped, Mariel opened her eyes.
Asella spoke with deep affection toward her sister, who now sat up rubbing her eyes, trying to wake herself up.

“Mariel, you can sleep a bit more.”

“…Hmm?”

“It’s still night.
When it’s time to get up, I will wake you up.”

“Okay….”

Mariel, who had been yawning for a long time with sleepy eyes, sensed something had changed and faltered.

“What’s wrong, Mariel?”

“The carriage doesn’t seem to be moving.”

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“Yeah, the road’s a bit congested.
Wait a little longer, and we’ll be on our way.”

But as soon as Asella finished her line, someone knocked hurriedly on the carriage door.

“Your Highness, it’s Ryzen.”

“Sir Kadan?”

When Asella opened the door, there stood Ryzen with a serious expression on his face.
He pulled out the sword at his waist.

“Your Highness, you are not to step outside the carriage from now on.”

“Sir Kadan, why all of a sudden…”

“Whatever happens, and no matter what sounds you hear, you must not leave the carriage.
It is weak, but it is the safest place to be, as it is covered with protection spells.”

Behind Ryzen, she could see a line of knights formed, ready to battle.
She hurriedly looked around, and before she knew it, through the window, she could see armed knights standing tightly at each side of the carriage.

“Please say you’ll do as I say.”

“I will… of course.”

After moments of hesitation, Asella nodded her head.
Finally, Ryzen’s stiffened face brightened a little.

“It’s going to be alright.
Don’t worry too much.
Please wait a moment.”

And with that, the door was closed.

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As he picked up his sword and walked away, clenching his teeth, Asella knew that something unusual was happening.

“Mariel, come closer to me.”

Mariel, too, noticing the strange presence, hurried to her sister’s side.

“Did you hear what Sir Kadan said? We must not get out of the carriage.”

“Yes.”

“And you shouldn’t leave my side either, okay?”

Mariel nodded and jumped into Asella’s embrace.

As she felt the child’s petite body tremble faintly.
Asella patted Mariel lightly on the back and whispered softly in a low voice.

“It’s going to be alright.
Don’t worry about it.”

Although she was the one who said that, in reality, she was just as anxious as Mariel.

Similar to the Grand Duke, his aide, Ryzen Kadan, was also not one to show his feelings and emotions on his face.

But earlier, she could see a hint of tension on Ryzen’s face as he repeatedly asked her not to leave the carriage.

“It’ll be fine.”

Asella instinctively fought back the fear rising in her and patted Mariel on the head.

A muffled silence fell over the place.