Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 68

“Rachel, I really don’t want you to go.”

“What?”

“Don’t you hate Lady Avery? Or is it just uncomfortable?”

“…It’s really uncomfortable. I’m afraid all she’ll do is point out my faults.”

 

At Rachel’s words, Mike burst into laughter.

 

Rachel’s eyes widened a little at the sudden laughter.

 

“That’s true, Lady Avery would do that. She never lets anyone else’s faults go, but it’s okay even if she calls out your faults.”

 

Mike shrugged his shoulders as if she had nothing to worry about.

 

“Actually, Lady Avery isn’t perfect in every way. Even today, she wasn’t invited, but she attended the tea party anyway. That was rude.”

“….”

“No one appreciates Lady Avery’s tone or behavior. Nevertheless, no one says anything because she’s a ducal lady. It’s the same for you. You’re the ducal lady of Oates.”

 

Mike said this, and stroked Rachel’s head.

 

“There’s nothing to worry about. You’re a child of Oates, and even if you make a mistake, we’ll stand by you. Also, you don’t have to attend a gathering where you will feel uncomfortable. Choose whatever is convenient for you. Anything is fine.”

“Then, I don’t want to go.”

“Okay.”

 

Finally, Mike nodded to Rachel, who’d finally spoken her mind.

 

In fact, Mike still remembered what Diana had said to Rachel at the ball.

 

Was it difficult back then?

 

Anyway, he didn’t want Rachel to feel intimidated or wary of others.

 

Especially if it was Diana.

 

To be honest, Mike was very happy that Rachel wouldn’t be attending Diana’s tea party.

 

***

 

In a darkened room.

 

Rachel had been embroidering with an expressionless face, then she frowned a little bit.

 

“Why…”

 

Rachel opened her mouth after a while.

 

She murmured softly.

 

“Why aren’t you talking to me?”

 

Rachel put down the handkerchief and needle she was holding, and sighed quietly.

 

The reason she was so troubled was because of Ian.

 

It was because Ian hadn’t said a single word about the Hunting competition.

 

Rachel looked down at the embroidered handkerchief without saying a word.

 

Maybe she was doing something useless all by herself.

 

She was worried.

 

Maybe Ian was already thinking about giving his glory to another woman.

 

Maybe that was why he hadn’t told her?

 

What if she gave him the handkerchief for no reason? Maybe she was getting ahead of herself for no reason.

 

Next week was the day of the Hunting competition. Considering he hadn’t mentioned anything to her yet, Ian seemed to have no thoughts on the matter.

 

‘Your Majesty…’

 

Rachel sighed once again, and picked up the embroidered handkerchief. Then she tried to erase those thoughts and began to embroider.

 

***

 

Time flew by and before she knew it, it was the day of the Hunting competition.

 

In the meantime, Rachel spent her time attending other ladies’ tea parties and embroidering her handkerchiefs.

 

The handkerchiefs were finished, but Rachel hadn’t delivered Ian’s to him.

 

It was because Ian hadn’t said anything about the Hunting competition.

 

Clip Clop, Clip Clop

 

Rachel and Mike’s carriage entered the palace grounds.

 

Why didn’t His Majesty say anything about the competition?

 

She was frustrated because she didn’t know why.

 

Rachel stared blankly out the carriage window.

 

“….”

“Rachel.”

 

Mike quietly called out to Rachel, who was looking out the window, and made her look at him.

 

He held up the handkerchief he’d received from Rachel.

 

“Can you tie this on for me?”

 

Mike seemed a little excited, he presented his wrist as he said that.

 

“Somehow I’m feeling lucky, so I think I can get first place in this Hunting competition.”

“You have to be careful not to get hurt.”

“Yes, I will.”

 

Rachel smiled softly and tied the handkerchief around his wrist.

 

“By the way, Brother.”
“Yes?”

“Will you deliver this to His Majesty?”

 

Rachel took out another embroidered handkerchief, and held it out to Mike.

 

A handkerchief that she hadn’t been able to give to Ian.

 

Rachel asked Mike because it seemed impossible to deliver it directly to Ian in front of others, but Mike only frowned slightly.

 

“His Majesty?”

“Will it be hard?”

“His Majesty isn’t participating in the Hunting contest.”

“…What?”

“Didn’t you hear that from His Majesty?”

 

Mike stared at Rachel’s face. Seeing the puzzlement and disappointment in Rachel’s face, he hurriedly opened his mouth.

 

“Maybe he forgot because he’s been so busy.”

“…Yes.”

 

Rachel blinked slowly and nodded.

 

Then she hurriedly changed the subject so that he wouldn’t notice her disappointment.

 

“But why isn’t His Majesty participating in the Hunting competition? Was he that busy?”

“Well, His Majesty doesn’t seem to enjoy hunting very much.”

“…His Majesty doesn’t?”

“Yeah, he said he doesn’t even look at the hunting grounds most of the time. He must not be very interested in hunting.”

“….”

“However, this time he plans to step back for the sake of the other participants. Well, if His Majesty participates, the winner is already decided, so it won’t be any fun.”

“….”

“…Rachel?”

 

At Mike’s call, Rachel looked at him completely.

 

“…What?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

 

Rachel gave a small shake of her head.

 

“I think that’s different from what I knew of His Majesty.”
“What?”
“….”

“Because he could concentrate completely on the forest without thinking. He loved this forest.”

 

On the day that Diana asked Ian, who only ever went into the forest to hunt every day, he certainly said so.

 

Ian didn’t enjoy hunting.

 

It was strange.

 

“I thought His Majesty enjoyed hunting.”

 

It wasn’t like the Ian she knew.

 

How could someone be so different?

 

Who was the man she knew?

 

Rachel glanced at Mike, who was looking at her anxiously, then she lowered her head.

 

She clasped her hands at the strangeness that rose once again.

 

There was a rush of thoughts, but Rachel shook her head firmly again this time, there was no way.

 

Even if that conjecture was true, there was nothing that Rachel could do about it.

 

She wasn’t sure if she could run away from him again, and she couldn’t get rid of the worry that her actions might hurt Mike or the Duke of Oates.

 

Even if Ian had memories of the erased time, like she did, she didn’t know what to say to him at all.

 

Rachel shook her head.

 

***

 

“…Lady.”

“….”

“Lady Oates!”

 

Only after the person calling out to her tapped her shoulder did Rachel turn her head, and look towards them.

 

“Oh, Lady Harite.”

“What were you thinking so hard that you didn’t even hear me calling out to you?”

 

Lady Harite gave a small smile.

 

For the Hunting competition, all the young men went out to the hunting grounds, while Ian was busy talking to the older nobles.

 

Today, she and Ian had ended up with a little bit of eye-contact for a greeting.

 

After that, Rachel’s gaze continued to follow Ian. It wasn’t because she was disappointed by their greeting, but because she thought if she stared at him long enough, she would come to understand.

 

What was he thinking?

 

Why had he changed?

 

Why was he so different from what she knew?

 

“…I was just hoping that everyone would come back safely.”

“The weather is nice today, so what is there to worry about?”

 

Lady Harite shrugged her shoulders as if it was an unnecessary concern.

 

“Which young lord did you give your handkerchief to?”
“I gave it to my brother.”
“Master Oates?”

 

When Rachel nodded, Lady Harite hurriedly hid her disappointment.

 

She was wondering if she could find out who was on Rachel’s mind, but it was just her brother.

 

“But why didn’t His Majesty participate? If he’d participated, I would’ve given His Majesty my handkerchief. Lady Oates thinks the same, right?”

 

The young lady seemed to have picked up that Rachel was looking at Ian continuously, and asked. When Rachel blushed a little, Lady Harite smiled a little.

 

Rachel seemed to like the Emperor.

 

It wasn’t that strange, he was the Emperor of the Empire and he had a beautiful appearance too.

 

“More than that, I didn’t expect that you wouldn’t attend Lady Avery’s tea party…”

 

Then she blurted out some words, as if she was looking for something to say.

 

Rachel looked at Lady Harite for a moment.

 

Perhaps she was curious about her thoughts on Diana. Well, there was no way that Lady Harite had good feelings towards Diana after she was insulted.

 

Rachel hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth.

 

“I had an appointment with my brother that day.”

 

Rachel didn’t want to create a faction or fight for nothing, so she just made an excuse.

 

Lady Harite, who seemed to be thinking of sticking to Rachel and keeping Diana in check, smiled awkwardly.

 

“I wanted to see Lady Oates that day, but you didn’t come, so I waited a long time.”

“Haha, if I’d known that you were waiting for me, I would’ve attended. More importantly, did you enjoy the tea party?”

 

Lady Harite nodded indifferently at Rachel’s question. As if she didn’t want to say anything nice about Diana’s tea party.

 

Rachel turned the topic towards a subject that Lady Harite might like.

 

“I’m also planning on having a tea party soon, so I hope that Lady Harite will come that day.”
“Oh, Lady Oates will?”

“Will you come?”
“Of course!”

“Then I will send an invitation soon.”

 

Lady Harite nodded lightly. Then she checked something, and erased the smile on her mouth.

 

“Lady Oates.”

“Lady Avery.”
“I guess you had some free time today.”

 

Rachel nodded quietly at Diana’s sarcasm.

 

As if she was too busy to attend her tea party.

 

Diana frowned a little, but soon spoke with a bright smile.

 

“Isn’t it boring?”

“Oh?”

“There’s nothing to see, and it’s the day of the Hunting competition.”

 

Diana glanced at Lady Harite, who was standing beside Rachel, then turned to Rachel again.

 

“I’m so bored here. I’m planning on going to the forest. Do you want to go with me?”

 

At Diana’s word, Rachel looked around the venue once, then nodded.

 

She couldn’t see Ian in the hall. None of the servants, who’d been standing next to him, could be seen either.

 

Perhaps Ian had also moved to the hunting ground.

 

***

 

[ Baset: Girl, No! It’s a trap! D: ]