Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 115

An early autumn day when the wind blew coolly.

 

The day had finally come, it was the time she’d promised to spend with the Duke.

 

Shaaa

 

The leaves of the tall trees swayed little by little in the wind. It was a dazzlingly sunny day, when the green sunlight poured through the foliage and scattered along the surface of the wide lake.

 

Rachel was learning horseback riding near a lake in the Oates Territory. The Emperor and Empress were visiting the Oates Territory on a break.

 

She rode her horse skillfully, as if she had gotten used to it after riding just a few times. Rachel had turned around when she reached the large tree. She looked back at Mike, who was chasing after her, hoping for a compliment.

 

“Your Majesty! You must look ahead!”

 

However, what came back was just worrying and fussing. Rachel pouted at receiving a complaint instead of a compliment.

 

“Brother, please call me Rachel. It’s just us right now. If you don’t, I’ll tell Father.”

“I understand, Rachel.”

 

Mike hurriedly corrected from her title to her name since she was about to run to their father. At first, it was awkward to call her Empress, but now it was more awkward to call Rachel by her name even though she was still the same person.

 

Rachel smiled, as if she knew how Mike felt, and opened her mouth.

 

“Aren’t I pretty good now, Brother?”

“Yeah, you must have a talent for it.”

“Then can’t I try to speed up? I want to surprise Father and His Majesty.”

 

Rachel glanced at Ian and the Duke.

 

They were sitting on a mat under a large tree. Looking at it roughly, she thought that they were opening a second bottle of wine.

 

“Can’t you, Brother?”

 

As if she really wanted to surprise them, Rachel once again pestered Mike.

 

Mike was worried that it was still too early, but nodded helplessly to Rachel, who was looking at him pleadingly.

 

“Instead, you should slow down when you get near the end of the lake. Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

 

Rachel nodded energetically.

 

Clip Clop Clip Clop

 

Mike slowly sped up his horse to follow Rachel, who was quickly speeding away. Her brown hair in a high ponytail swayed up and down.

 

She should start to slow down now.

 

“Rachel!”

 

At that moment, Rachel’s horse stopped abruptly and raised its front hooves. Because of that, Rachel hugged the horse as if surprised and held tightly to its body.

 

Mike frowned at the dizzying situation that could have led to a major accident if something had gone wrong.

 

“Rachel! That could’ve been dangerous!”

 

Mike raised his voice as if he didn’t understand. Didn’t she promise to reduce her speed slowly?

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

However, Rachel also let out a trembling breath as if she was quite surprised.

 

Mike sighed at Rachel, got down from his horse, and held out his hand.

 

“Come here, get down first.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know how much to pull on the reins…”

 

Rachel made a lame excuse, and took the hand that Mike offered her.

 

“Rachel!”

 

Ian called Rachel as she grabbed Mike’s hand, and was about to get off the horse.

 

Even though he’d been quite a distance away, when did you run all the way here? Ian ran over vigorously, as if he didn’t mind that his hair became a mess.

 

While Rachel hesitated, Ian arrived and hurriedly checked on her.

 

“Rachel, are you okay?”

“…Yes.”

 

Rachel nodded as she looked at the Duke running after Ian. When she thought about how many people were worried because of her, she felt bad.

 

Ian smiled quietly at Rachel’s gloomy voice, as if he was trying to reassure her.

 

“Come here, Rachel.”

 

Ian pulled Rachel into his arms, and he picked her up. He carefully set her down on the ground.

 

After that, Ian started to examine Rachel for any injuries, starting with her hands and feet.

 

The Duke, who arrived late, also opened his mouth before he was able to catch his breath.

 

“Rachel, are you all right?”

 

Rachel bowed her head as if she felt poorly at the Duke’s disturbed and rough breathing.

 

“I was a little surprised, but I wasn’t hurt.”

“Ha, yes. That’s a relief, but Mike, you should’ve been more careful.”

 

Rachel hurriedly shook her hands as the Duke took a rough breath and started browbeating  Mike.

 

“No, it’s all my fault. I wanted to surprise you and His Majesty. I wanted to show you that I can ride a horse skillfully now, so I asked Brother to let me do it.”

“If you wanted to surprise me, it was a success. Don’t you think so?”

 

Ian was listening quietly to Rachel, chuckled softly and asked the Duke. The Duke looked at Ian and Rachel in bewilderment, then burst into laughter.

 

“Yes, it was a success.”

“It’s all right. You’re not hurt, so that’s all there is to it.”

 

Ian held Rachel carefully in his arms, even though he must’ve been in shock he was still able to joke around. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief as he patted her back lightly to reassure himself.

 

Rachel’s face was buried in Ian’s chest, so she realized that his heart was pounding pretty fast. He seemed to have been very surprised because of her, maybe it wasn’t just empty words.

 

“I’ll be careful from now on.”

“Hahaha.”

 

The Duke burst into hearty laughter.

 

“I don’t even know how many years it’s been since I ran so hard.”

 

The Duke laughed once more, as if the current situation was funny. Only then did Rachel notice that the Duke’s white shirt was stained red with wine.

 

Rachel bit her lips at the Duke who spilled his wine as he rushed over.

 

“Don’t worry too much. When I first rode a horse, I had big and small accidents.”

 

The Duke ruffled Rachel’s hair roughly, and took a deep breath.

 

“So, are you thinking about riding some more?”

“…No, I want to stop for today.”

 

The Duke nodded and patted the horse’s neck several times. The Duke whispered a few quiet words to calm the horse, then he smiled and spoke up again.

 

“Oh, my clothes are wet, so I have to go back now. This horse will be my ride back.”

 

The Duke mounted the horse, and looked at Mike. Mike opened his mouth at the Duke’s gaze that seemed to be asking whether he would stay here longer or go with him.

 

“I’ll come with you. I think I’ll only be lonely if I stay here anyway.”

 

Mike shook his head as if he didn’t want to interrupt Ian and Rachel’s time alone. He knew very well that he wouldn’t be welcome if he stayed here any longer.

 

Rachel carefully grabbed Mike’s shirt sleeve, and he turned his eyes to her.

 

“I’m so sorry, Brother.”

 

Rachel apologized to Mike, who was browbeaten because of her over nothing. However, Mike only shook his head slightly.

 

“It’s all right. I was only angry because I was worried that you might’ve gotten hurt in such a dangerous situation. There’s no reason for you to apologize to me.”

 

Mike smiled softly as if he felt bad for yelling at Rachel.

 

“Then, Your Majesty, I’ll go ahead first.”

 

Ian nodded slightly.

 

Soon after, there were only the two people that were left. Ian, who was walking slowly while holding Rachel’s hand, burst into a big grin once again.

 

From the day she came down to Oates, Rachel made mistakes big and small.

 

The first day she drank the wine the Duke gave her as a welcome home. She drank far more than she should, and the next day she suffered from a pretty bad hangover.

 

Even on the day they went fishing together, Rachel overturned Mike’s bait.

 

Then there was today.

 

She was Rachel, who never made mistakes in the Imperial palace. However, when she came to the dukedom, her mind seemed relieved and her actions were free.

 

Ian enjoyed seeing Rachel like that.

 

Although Rachel tolerated the role of Empress well, considering her original position, she would often ask Ian to hold her since she felt anxious.

 

Since coming to Oates territory, Ian liked the fact that Rachel seemed to spend her time with ease, without a bit of nervousness in sight.

 

Besides, the Duke and Mike were also visibly welcoming to Rachel. It seemed that this would be a fixed place they would come to for every vacation.

 

“Your Majesty, why are you smiling?”

 

Rachel was following Ian for a long time without knowing why he was grinning, but she finally asked.

 

It was a voice that sounded like a butterfly and it was Ian’s favorite sound. Ian liked Rachel’s amused voice more than anything else.

 

Listening to her laughter, Ian felt as if his heart was filling up. He liked it, so he looked down at Rachel. She closed her eyes beautifully, and grabbed his hand as if urging an answer.

 

“What? Why are you smiling?”

“Just because I like it.”

 

He couldn’t have imagined this if he was alone.

 

When he was with Rachel, Ian would often smile for no reason.

 

He laughed at the slightest thing, and felt happy watching Rachel like this.

 

Happiness

 

It was a word that had always felt distant for him. Ian thought he might’ve reached it before he even knew it.

 

“Tch, what’s that? Actually, you’re just laughing at me…”

 

Rachel pouted as if Ian’s answer was strange.

 

It was one of those expressions that Rachel showed only to him. The cool wind was blowing Rachel’s hair. Ian looked at Rachel, and kissed her carefully.

 

“It’s because you’re lovely, that’s why I smiled.”

 

Rachel was by his side, and her big green eyes focused only on him. Ian could read the love for him in Rachel’s eyes, which folded finely in an instant.

 

Happiness

 

Yes, it was the blissful day he’d dreamed of for a long time.

 

Rachel was by his side and she was smiling. It was everything he’d wanted.

 

Ian carefully held Rachel’s hand. He needed her hands, which were infinitely soft and small, more than anything else.

 

Ian held Rachel’s hand tightly, as if worried that he might lose her.

 

It was a blissful day with a dazzling blue sky in high autumn.

 

<The End>

 

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