Ch#231
As I bit my lip without answering immediately, he lowered his voice menacingly to intimidate me. Then he moved the knife again, pressing it more firmly against my skin; the pain made me feel as if I were about to let out a scream.
However, I held it back, fearing his hand would be faster than my cry. I didn't want to die yet. Yes, not yet.
But no clever solution presented itself. All I could do was try to shake him off and run, but there was no way I could overpower a man with a sturdy build—one so convincing I had mistaken him for Knight Sylphice—with mere strength.
Above all, he was someone skilled enough in disguise and conduct to deceive people who had worked at the Bischwaldz mansion for years. Therefore, even if someone else discovered us, there was no guarantee the matter would be easily resolved. On the contrary, they would likely think I was simply having a conflict with Knight Sylphice, a member of the pro-Roena faction.
Had I not also initially thought it strange but failed to realize he was a fake? I only felt a sense of doubt because the hand that grabbed me was soft, unlike a knight's; otherwise, I would have thought he was the real Knight Sylphice who had returned on the Grand Duke's orders, assuming the one with the Grand Duke was the imposter.
Of course, his current attire was quite suspicious, but insulting a knight as a fake based on that alone would be close to a great discourtesy, so even the servants in the mansion wouldn't easily step forward. Thus, I was at a severe disadvantage. It was as if I were caught in a thick mist.
“Does a slight cut to the neck not frighten you? Hmm, this won't do.”
The man spoke. The way he used his other hand to slowly grope my blood-slicked neck stirred more terror than disgust.
Since no maid would enter this room until at least dawn, it was a situation where he could clearly do anything without being caught. That was why he was acting so boldly. His touch, dripping with leisure, held an air of superiority.
Did testing them with the letter only serve to provoke them? I struggled to calm my trembling body and swallowed hard. I had only used Marie to verify the situation, but I hadn't expected them to react this aggressively.
I hadn't touched them further since then, intending to buy time while observing, but my failure to realize they had already planted a fake was my downfall.
Even if Knight Sylphice had sided with the Grand Duke, I believed he would still exercise a sense of chivalry. Knights are naturally that way. So I thought a dangerous situation like this wouldn't easily occur.
It was a confidence born of the fact that if I were to die or disappear in the current situation, many people would find it suspicious. Even if I were the Empress or the Grand Duke, I wouldn't do anything to draw public attention until the Emperor's body was found.
After all, whether it was framing the Crown Prince as an immoral son to gain a legitimate justification or secretly attacking the Imperial Palace, hadn't it all become futile by now? They had missed the appropriate timing due to the series of incidents.
But who would have known they would take the real one to the Border Region? To think they would prepare a breakthrough in this way.
Although Lady Roshan rushed over as soon as she received the Crown Prince's letter, it was only regrettable that the Grand Duke's side was one step faster.
Now, what should I do? Even if I revealed Roena's location out of fear, I would undoubtedly lose my life in the end. If I were them, I would either put Roena forward or use a substitute like this to control House Bischwaldz. Now, with almost all the knights gone to the battlefield, was the perfect time. Unless they were fools, they wouldn't miss it.
“You’re enduring quite well, but you’ll really die at this rate.”
Struggling not to show my fear, I finally managed to open my mouth.
“I know who sent you. I couldn't possibly not know. So I’m not frightened at all. If I die, it’s your master who will be in trouble.”
It was absurd, but even in this life-threatening, urgent situation, I was trying to converse with him based on a single hypothesis. The fact that he asked for Roena's location instead of killing me immediately meant he hadn't found her yet.
Even though there was no way he wouldn't know the layout of the Bischwaldz mansion if he had Knight Sylphice's cooperation. Considering he was holding onto me despite surely having searched every corner of the mansion in the dead of night when everyone was asleep.
So I acted bold. I continued speaking casually, as if I knew everything.
“It’s strange. Knight Halverd was the one who rescued Roena, so there’s no way he wouldn't have known the culprit. Did you really believe that?”
“You must be lying to escape the situation, but I won't be fooled. So tell me where Lady Roena is. Must I cut off your fingers one by one before you confess?”
Instantly, nausea surged within me. As soon as he finished speaking, an illusion of my fingers being severed flickered through my mind. It was horrific and terrifying. My legs shook uncontrollably. My shoulders and back ached with a chilling cold. The man's voice, whispering gloomily, was speaking the truth.
That made me even more certain. *If I tell him Roena's location, I will truly die,* I thought. The fact that he was willing to damage my body so casually meant he already had a replacement in mind.
Nevertheless, the reason I could endure this was that this man was less frightening than the Crown Prince I had met in my previous life. Compared to the terror I felt then, I could barely manage to withstand a threat like this. So, I continued speaking with a low, mocking laugh.
“It’s not a lie. I anticipated that an uninvited guest like you would break into the mansion. I didn't know you would use a disguise, but I expected they would send a thug to threaten me. The reason the rumor of Roena's rescue hasn't spread is because I’ve been waiting for a day like today.”
At that, the man flinched and his shoulders moved. Was he wavering? Although his reply, accompanied by a snort, was close to a denial, his voice was slightly higher than before.
“Stop talking nonsense and tell the truth.”
“Do you think it was a coincidence that you could so easily eavesdrop on my conversation with Lady Roshan today? Do you not think it was too obvious that I allowed no one in at this hour? But you, ignorant of this...”
I took a deep breath and spat out another assumption. Since it was a gamble with my life, my heart pounded violently. It was a miracle I hadn't fainted.
“You must have thought you didn't need to search for Roena yourself. You figured if you threatened me like this, you could find out easily.”
*Doubt it. Doubt it. Please, doubt it. Believe my words and doubt this situation.*
I prayed desperately in my heart. On the outside, I cleverly mixed truth and lies to fan the flames of his instinctive suspicion. Realizing my life was at stake, my mind raced, and my tongue moved even more smoothly than usual.
“I realized it when I learned you killed the thug who stole my maid's letter. I knew then that the culprit Roena spoke of was correct. So I waited for when you would come for me. Now, do I still sound like I’m lying?”
Having finished speaking, I swallowed my anxiety and calmly waited for his reaction. Now it was a battle of nerves. The situation would change depending on who acted more boldly.
In fact, the man was gradually growing flustered. It was because of me, refusing to yield to his threat. Even though I was injured—albeit slightly—and bleeding, I was acting far too composed. An ordinary person would have been paralyzed with fear or fainted.
Suddenly, as if a thought occurred to him, he began to warily scan the surroundings.
“Could it be...?”
The assailant, seemingly thinking soldiers were lying in ambush nearby, put more strength into the knife pressing against my neck. Then, pulling my body back, he began to retreat slowly. Watching him grow so wary and tense, I felt that if I could hold out just a bit longer, an opening would appear.
It was then. *Knock, knock.* Someone tapped on the door. From the polite knocking, it sounded like a maid. Tense, the assailant aimed the knife-wielding hand toward the door and ground his teeth. I didn't miss this opportunity and spoke quickly.
“The appointed time has come. If I don't answer immediately, the people I have waiting will swarm in.”
As I bluffed with a false sound, the assailant growled and gripped my waist tightly.
“Even if that’s not a lie, there’s no reason I can't handle them if I use you as a shield, My Lady. Go ahead and try.”
“Is your life not precious to you?”
When I asked, groaning from the pain in my gripped waist, he ground his teeth.
“You’re telling me to beg for my life now? Don't make me laugh. You’re the one who should tell me where Lady Roena is. Then I’ll withdraw quietly.”
“If you explain the situation just now, the person who sent you will surely understand.”
“Dammit, as if that would happen! Enough talk and reveal where Lady Roena is. Otherwise, you’ll really die!”
Suddenly, feeling something strange, I tilted my head slightly. Moving slightly away from the point that I was being threatened with my life, things I hadn't seen before began to emerge.
This man might show a brilliant performance in disguise and acting, but in a situation where he had to judge and reach a conclusion for himself, he was remarkably indecisive and even prone to ruining the job. There was something clumsy about him for someone on the Grand Duke's side.
I had only assumed he was the Grand Duke's man because I thought only the Grand Duke would do such a thing.
It was also something they could do to hide the fact that they had disguised the real Knight Sylphice and taken him to the Border Region. But what if the premise was wrong from the start?
Then that left the Empress. I swallowed a surging sigh and spoke to the assailant.
“Your master wouldn't want me to die in front of everyone, would they? So you’d better withdraw quietly.”
He remained silent, not giving any particular answer. Whether he was in deep conflict or not, the strength in the hand gripping my waist had loosened slightly.
“Go and tell your master. I am neutral. I won't care what the conclusion is. Tell them that not only Knight Halverd, but the entirety of House Bischwaldz is already as good as mine, so there’s no point in eliminating me. Tell them the merchant ships were inevitably taken by the Crown Prince, and that Roena has already betrayed them. But tell them clearly that if they promise to spare the lives of House Bischwaldz, I will remain silent until the end. Then Pulkeor will let you live.”
As soon as the name of the Empress fell from my lips, the assailant's body flinched and trembled. He might not have received orders directly from Pulkeor, but the fact that he reacted this way meant he possessed basic information, causing me to involuntarily frown.
Did the anxious Empress personally call the man to give him the task? I didn't know if he was acting this way to avoid the eyes of the Grand Duke, as her faction was being swallowed up by him. Regardless, I just had to hope this assailant would lose his resolve.
So I added one more thing.
“The reason I called you by setting such a trap was to deliver this message.”
At that moment, the sound of knocking on the door was heard again. Since it came at such a perfect time, I almost let out a cry of joy. Heaven was helping me.
The hesitating assailant, with his hand still on my neck, slowly moved his steps. Then, as if to verify the truth, he looked at me once and muttered a curse in a low voice.
“Dammit, consider yourself lucky.”
Then he slowly removed his hand from my neck. But the knife pointing toward the door remained.
My legs were trembling so much I almost collapsed on the floor, but I smiled casually as if nothing were wrong. It was to avoid giving the still-suspicious man any opening.
He hesitated several times, moving his body back and forth as if he couldn't decide whether to leave. He couldn't seem to move easily, troubled by the fact that he had failed his mission.
But after a moment, when the third knock sounded, he moved quickly as if his tail were on fire and hurriedly escaped through the window.
Although he disappeared into the darkness, he might be hanging onto the terrace eavesdropping, so I forced my frozen legs to move and walked to the door. Then, reaching out with a trembling hand, I opened the door. Soon, I saw Mullang standing there with a very stiff expression. Mullang looked at me warily and spoke cautiously.
“I’m sorry for disturbing your rest. But I had no choice, so please forgive me with a generous heart.”
Until now, Mullang had never once disobeyed my orders. Even if there were points of doubt, she always obeyed without question. Thus, today's action could be called the first instance of her going against my command. Ironically, it was what saved my life.
“Lady Roshan called for me after she turned back while heading home earlier. She said she had a request to make without you knowing, My Lady. She told me to visit you once two or three hours after you entered your room, and if there was no answer even after knocking three times, I was to open the door by force. So I inevitably disturbed your rest... My Lady, b-blood on your neck!”
Ah, I see. Lady Roshan did... I let out a sigh of relief and nodded.
She hadn't let the presence she felt earlier pass by in vain.
With the strength drained from my body, I collapsed where I stood. Then, looking at Mullang as she supported me, I spoke in a whisper.
“Don't make a fuss; go quietly to my room's window, close it, and draw the curtains. Then support me. I must go to Roena's room.”
Mullang quickly did as I instructed. With Mullang's help, I entered Roena's room. Then I lay down on the bed. It wasn't because of the blood on my neck, but my head was spinning and I was gasping for breath.
“Mullang, go and call the doctor. Speak quietly so as not to be noticed by others. Do you understand?”
I ground my teeth and kept my fists clenched until Mullang left the room. Then, as soon as she was gone, I let out an explosive breath.
The terror I had suppressed while pretending to be composed came rushing back like a tide, making my whole body shake like an aspen leaf. My teeth chattered and a chill ran through me, bringing on goosebumps.
Suddenly, as if possessed, I clutched my wounded neck with both hands and pushed back the deep sob that was rising in my throat.
I felt like I would faint soon, but I couldn't close my eyes. It was due to the fear that the assailant might return. So, with my whole body tensed, I glared back and forth between the window and the door.
I was startled by even the smallest sound, sitting up immediately as if I were about to bolt. This behavior continued until the doctor arrived.
Shards of the Broken Glass Shoe
