Chapter 4
Episode 4
Edel let out a small sigh and continued her meal without responding, at which point Lauren and Daria seemed to lose their will to fight as well.
And after some time had passed.
“Lauren Lancaster! Come out!”
Before noon passed, Lauren was handed over toward Anthes.
Daria, who had been visibly anxious after Lauren left, also departed the prison less than an hour later.
But even after that, Edel's name wasn't called for quite a while. During that idle time, she pondered how to die.
*If I could get my hands on something sharp like metal or glass shards, that would be ideal, but it's probably nearly impossible. Jumping from the carriage seems like the best option.*
Her plan was to jump from the carriage and get hit by another one.
*Spoils of war*
*Duchess*
*They must live in an area crowded with nobles' estates, so there'll be plenty of carriages passing by. If I can secretly unlock the carriage door, I can jump out and get hit right away.*
If she was lucky, it would be a four-horse carriage. Even if it wasn't going fast, startled horses rearing up would easily crush her ribs.
Dying instantly from a cracked skull would be the best outcome, but since God had never been on her side, she didn't even hope for that. If shattered rib bones pierced her heart reliably, she'd consider herself fortunate.
*Written by ruly lemon frog*
Just her lungs getting slightly punctured by rib fragments and surviving rescue would be the worst.
Edel nearly picked at her chapped, scabbed lips with her fingers but caught herself and lowered her hand. It was a bad habit that surfaced whenever she was anxious.
She had been caned for it countless times, yet her hand still unconsciously rose to her lips.
By the time the sky outside the window was gradually turning crimson, the guard finally appeared.
“Edel Lancaster! Come out!”
Her heart seemed to plummet, but Edel deliberately stood up slowly, lightly brushing off the wrinkles from her skirt hem.
Even if she died, she wouldn't lose her dignity until the very end. That was the final task given to her.
- 2 -
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But she had no other choice.
“Thank you.”
Edel gave a slight bow to the guard soldier standing by the carriage to escort her.
Edel bowed slightly to the guard who had held the door for her until she exited, then followed the soldier who had come to fetch her out of the prison.
“I can board alone. Thank you for your consideration.”
The sunset had already settled in the western sky.
“Ah, yes, ma'am.”
As she headed toward the carriage sent from the Crisus Count Estate, Edel steeled her resolve.
She had offered the greeting in case she got scolded for acting like a duchess despite being mere spoils of war, but the guard kept his head bowed until she fully boarded.
*They probably sent a male servant? A maid would have been better...*
Laslo, who had been hounded by questions about Edel all day, was annoyed even by the guard greeting her, furrowing his brow.
*It would be ideal if he made her walk, saying boarding a carriage is beyond her station.*
*These guys, all mesmerized by a woman's face.*
If they rode together, the servant was likely to show interest in her, glancing repeatedly, which would make it hard to find an opening.
Especially since he was being saddled with unwanted spoils of war, which irritated him to no end.
*In that case, maybe lightly chat to divert attention to the window outside.*
But snapping at innocent people was pointless. He boarded the carriage silently and ordered departure.
As the carriage began to roll, Edel sat pressed against the door, trying to calm her pounding heart.
Light conversation to warm up the mood with someone met in society was essential, and Edel was an impeccable conversationalist whom no one could fault.
Still, she prayed that an indifferent, naive servant had come.
*What if he tries to talk?*
Yet the person waiting outside the North Prison gates was surprisingly Count Laslo Crisus himself, wearing the exact same expression as when he had found her hiding in the warehouse.
Her assumption that light conversation would be easy felt foolish; her stomach kept twisting. Perhaps it was because Laslo's impression from smashing through the Lancaster castle doors was so intense.
“Oh! The Guard Captain himself? You didn't send a servant?”
Moreover, after boarding the carriage, he had been glaring at her intimidatingly.
“Why send extra people when I can take you back as I return to the palace?”
*He doesn't like me. Well, he was the suppression commander, so he can't view the former duchess kindly.*
Laslo didn't even glance at her. He seemed to find the whole situation merely bothersome.
Her hands trembled unless she clenched them tightly.
“Get on.”
Suddenly, Laslo unwound the cloak from his shoulders and tossed it onto Edel's lap.
Edel nearly hiccuped from the shock.
Laslo jerked his chin toward the carriage at the guard beside him.
There was one carriage. No other vehicles in sight.
“W-Why this...?”
Edel bit her lip.
“Just don't shiver.”
*What a mess.*
Her eyes widened further.
Riding alone in the carriage with Laslo was something she hadn't even imagined.
*How did he know I was shivering? No, before that, did he give me the cloak because I looked cold? Why...?*
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*I can't miss this chance!*
Edel couldn't fathom his intentions. After tossing the cloak, Laslo had turned his head to the window, so she couldn't gauge his mood.
But the cloak, still warm from his body heat, was quite cozy. If she threw it toward Laslo when jumping, it might buy her time to prevent him from grabbing her.
She clenched her molars and stealthily reached for the door's lock. Her fingertips touched the cold metal.
Regaining her composure, Edel quietly checked the door's latch.
*Good. One, two...*
*The simplest kind of lock. Lucky.*
It was just as she was about to count to 'three.'
The loose latch looked like it would pop open with just a big jolt from the road.
Come to think of it, the carriage Laslo had brought seemed rather small and shabby for one from a count's estate. It was odd, but she dismissed it as irrelevant since she was about to die.
“You shouldn't do that.”
Edel quietly inhaled, staring out the window, waiting for the right moment.
It was fortunate Laslo showed no further interest in her, but the carriage was small, so even a slight lean would get her caught.
At the sudden low, chilling voice, Edel froze rigid. Her mind went blank.
*Please let it succeed in one go.*
*How did he know?*
Edel found it pathetic that she had to pray even to die in this situation. But surviving would be far more horrific, so she had no choice.
Laslo had definitely been looking out the opposite window...?
Yet despite it being rush hour when carriages should be plentiful, none passed by outside.
*Everyone heading home, so there should be lots of carriages...?*
*What do I do? He won't let me be.*
Meanwhile, an oncoming carriage sped past, and silence filled their carriage.
This carriage was going quite slowly, too.
Edel swallowed dryly.
At this speed, even jumping out the door would likely result in just minor scrapes.
Laslo's expression didn't change—a listless, faintly annoyed indifference.
But he had clearly noticed what she was attempting, and his impassivity didn't mean he wasn't angry.
Rumble, rumble.
With no excuse to offer, Edel simply squeezed her eyes shut.
Thanks to the carriage's leisurely pace on the quiet road, it didn't shake much, but her insides burned fiercely.
*My life just heads from bad to worse.*
*At this rate, we'll arrive at the Crisus estate!*
Even as she despaired, the carriage diligently rolled on, arriving at the Crisus Count Estate.
Laslo did nothing special, simply opening the door and stepping out first, curtly saying one thing.
Edel's heart raced desperately.
Then, as if waiting for this moment, a four-horse carriage came charging from the opposite direction.
“Get off.”
It was moving fast enough that if she could just leap out properly, death wouldn't be hard.
*This must be how a cow feels being led to slaughter.*
-6-
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