137 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Gerald rushed in front of the Diamond Carriage, and Elmis, who didn't recognize him, immediately threw a dagger.
"El!"
Elmis didn't stop the carriage even at the sound of someone calling her.
Gerald chased after the carriage, running alongside it.
"El! Where's Marin?"
"Who are you?"
"It's Baines."
He could feel El looking at him as if he were crazy.
"The Shadow Unit leader's real name is Keimichel. Is that enough proof?"
Only the Duke and the Shadow Unit members knew Kay's real name.
Elmis stopped the horse abruptly and jumped down from the driver's seat.
Her surprised gaze quickly swept over the Duke's eyes, and she lowered her head.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
"Where is Marin?"
"She escaped into the desert."
"Why are you here without protecting your master?"
At Gerald's words, Elmis lowered her head even further.
"I was escorting the person my master told me to protect with her life to the Duke's Castle."
"...Is the Viscountess inside?"
"Yes."
"I see. I understand."
As Gerald answered, the carriage door burst open.
Loanna, looking as if she was about to collapse, rushed out. She was barefoot.
"Your Excellency?"
"Viscountess, I'm sorry. I'm disguised right now..."
"You will bring my daughter back, won't you?"
Loanna asked in a hoarse voice, trembling.
"Yes. I will bring her back safely."
"I trust only in Your Excellency."
Loanna grabbed his hand, tears streaming down her face.
Gerald looked down at her hand in his and carefully squeezed it.
"I promise you, Viscountess. So please, rest at the Duke's Castle. Marin would want that."
"Yes, yes."
Loanna nodded, tears flowing.
Elmis, who had approached, took Loanna's arm as if to support her, and Loanna leaned on Elmis and got back into the carriage.
After the carriage door closed, Gerald asked quietly.
"Are there still pursuers?"
"Yes. They seemed to be after this Diamond Carriage and the Viscountess."
"I'll take care of them. Prioritize the Viscountess's health and return."
"Understood."
Elmis bowed deeply and returned to the driver's seat, driving the carriage away.
Gerald wanted to rush to Marin immediately, but the Viscountess's safety was also important.
If the Viscountess were hurt, Marin would never forgive him.
Soon, he heard the sound of several people running towards him.
A group of masked men soon appeared.
"Come at me all at once, you vermin."
The corners of his lips curled up coldly.
Marin looked around with a tired face.
That side was golden yellow sand. This side was slightly darker brown sand.
Sand. Sand. Sand...
Where am I? Where am I going?
She had completely lost her sense of direction.
She couldn't go back to the entrance to avoid the remnants of the kidnappers.
She tried to wait nearby as much as possible, but she lost her way while desperately fleeing from a Monster she suddenly encountered.
A day had passed since she had crossed the desert like that.
Marin lifted the hem of her dress as she walked through the sinking sand desert. The dress, soaked with sand and sweat, felt endlessly heavy.
Her face, exposed to the scorching desert sun, was red and stinging.
Most frightening of all were the Monsters that could appear anywhere, anytime.
Marin walked, constantly scanning her surroundings, her body tense and ready for any attack. In one hand, she held the Bracelet Trifold Staff, and in the other, she held the hem of her dress.
As she walked aimlessly, she felt so hungry that her stomach was sticking to her back, so she ate the last candy she had packed as emergency rations.
Her mouth was so dry that she couldn't roll the candy around properly.
She wanted water so badly.
Was Mom okay? Was the Duke looking for her now?
She believed that the Duke would come to protect her because Baines was protecting him.
Looking up at the sky, she saw the sun slowly setting.
Suddenly, she felt a sense of urgency. The desert nights were colder than she thought. She had to quickly find even a large rock crevice to spend the night.
Fortunately, she saw a large rock in the distance. She would have to spend the night there.
As soon as she set her goal, a little strength returned to her limp legs.
Just as she was getting close to the rock, she heard a heavy sound thumping on the ground. The sound was getting closer and closer to her.
Marin felt a chill run down her spine and quickly ran towards the rock, then turned around with her back against it.
She stared ahead with a nervous expression, and a familiar figure approached.
A rabbit?
A rabbit with fluffy white fur, long ears, and large, silver-shining eyes stood before her.
The rabbit, standing on its large hind legs, was much bigger than her. It was literally a big rabbit.
She had seen it in a book. It was a Monster rabbit that lived in the desert.
Was its name BaniBani?
A rabbit. Many events involving rabbits quickly flashed through her mind.
The fairy tale of the big-breasted rabbit and the tortoise. A rabbit husband. Oh, and her pet rabbit, which she had forgotten for a while.
She had heard from her mother that the rabbit she had raised at home had disappeared not long after the carriage accident.
It was a wise rabbit that could see the future. The family was so ruined that they couldn't afford to take care of the rabbit.
Marin swallowed hard and stared at BaniBani with trembling eyes.
That cute-looking Monster BaniBani was said to be a carnivore, wasn't it?
BaniBani sniffed as if smelling her.
"I don't taste good."
The Monster wouldn't understand anyway, but Marin muttered with a desperate heart.
BaniBani perked up its ears as if listening to her words.
Its appearance was cute, but she shouldn't forget for a moment. That thing was a Monster.
Marin leaned against the rock and pressed the red jewel on the Trifold Staff.
A transparent barrier formed in front of her. It was said to block anything, so she hoped it would block BaniBani's attack.
BaniBani hopped towards her and tilted its head.
"I don't taste good."
BaniBani's ears twitched and trembled as if reacting to her voice.
BaniBani stared at the transparent barrier in front of it for a long time, then suddenly stretched out its front paw.
Even though she hadn't taken her eyes off BaniBani, its speed was so fast that she missed it.
Marin closed her eyes without realizing it.
With a bang, the transparent barrier blocked BaniBani's front paw.
Marin opened her eyes wide and looked at the transparent barrier blocking her.
Well done, my bracelet. Thank you, Jeromian.
The bracelet had withstood BaniBani's front paw.
Her green eyes and BaniBani's silver eyes met in the air through the transparent barrier.
They were clear eyes that she would have thought were pretty if it weren't a Monster.
Marin muttered nervously, as if talking to herself.
"I don't taste good. You'll have bad luck if you eat me. So go away."
Again, BaniBani's ears reacted to her voice, perking up, and then it stepped back a few steps.
Marin didn't take her eyes off BaniBani and sat down on the ground. Her legs had finally given out.
BaniBani continued to stand in the place where it had retreated.
If she lowered the barrier, it would attack, right?
As the tedious confrontation with BaniBani continued, the sun set. The dim moonlight settled on the darkened desert, and only silhouettes were visible.
How long would this barrier last? She should have asked Jeromian in advance.
Marin glared at BaniBani, which was standing still nearby.
It must have recognized her as food.
If she fell asleep, it would attack, right?
Even as she was silently confronting BaniBani, fatigue continued to accumulate, and drowsiness washed over her.
Marin shook her head and took out the notebook she had put in her pocket. There was a fairy tale she had written down in small letters to read to the Duke. She was going to read it to chase away the sleep.
"Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful prince. That prince loved himself very much."
At the sound of her voice reading the fairy tale, BaniBani suddenly twitched and shuddered.
Why was it suddenly doing that?
Marin was startled and looked up at BaniBani.
Silver eyes, shining white in the black night, were staring intently at her.
Marin trembled inwardly and continued to read the fairy tale.
You should grow up a little like people.
"The prince met a beautiful princess from a neighboring country. Princess, you are very beautiful. But not as beautiful as me. Is there really no one more beautiful than me in this world? At the prince's words, the princess..."
Marin continued to read the fairy tale, glancing at the rabbit, desperately hoping that BaniBani would fall asleep.
She could see BaniBani's eyelids slowly closing as if it were sleepy.
Was it sleeping?
BaniBani's head drooped down.
It was really sleeping!
Marin was startled and held her breath, staring at BaniBani.
Was the Monster sleeping after listening to the fairy tale she had just read? Was that even possible?
