Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 89

A thick layer of darkness.

 

Diana’s face was covered by a robe as she approached a woman, who was looking around nervously.

 

“My Lady…”

“Shut up.”

 

The woman recognized Diana and tried to call out to her, but she was blocked by Diana’s hand and couldn’t speak.

 

Diana frowned, fed up with this stupid woman.

 

“If you don’t want to die here, you’d better stop doing stupid things.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Here.”

 

Diana took out a small bottle containing liquid from her pocket, and handed it to her.

 

“What is this?”

“What you need to give Ian.”

“What? His Majesty?”

 

For a moment, Diana frowned. The woman bit her lip at her mistake, but Diana forced out a cold smile and grabbed the woman’s neck.

 

“Please, can’t you be clever?”

 

Diana seemed angry, but she couldn’t make a fuss because she was afraid someone would overhear them.

 

“Keugh.”

 

The woman couldn’t breathe, and didn’t dare try to remove Diana’s hand, even in this painful situation. She just twisted her body slightly in pain.

 

“Cough, please, sorry.”

 

Only then did Diana loosen her grip as the woman earnestly begged in a hoarse voice. The woman let out a heavy breath.

 

“You’re going to put the contents in Ian’s teacup no matter what.”

“But… I don’t even know what this is.”

“You don’t have to know that. Just do what you’re told.”

 

Diana looked up and down at the woman as if she was pathetic.

 

“Why? Can’t you?”

 

It was a friendly voice, as if she was giving a last gesture of generosity, but the woman knew better than anyone that this was a threat.

 

“No, I can. I’ll do it.”

 

If she didn’t do it, if she couldn’t do it, all of her younger siblings would die.

 

“Yes, no matter what, you will have to serve this to His Majesty that day.”

“Yes, just leave it to me.”

 

The woman’s eyes trembled in fear, but in the meantime, her body heat seeped into the poison.

 

Diana gave a small nod and hurriedly returned the way she had come, with her robe pulled down deeply over her face.

 

Diana quickly disappeared into a dark alley without a single light.

 

***

 

Knock Knock Knock

 

The butler’s knocks on the Duke of Oates office seemed impatient, unlike usual.

 

“Come in.”

 

The butler, who had been shifting from foot to foot for that brief moment until the Duke’s permission was granted, hurriedly opened the door and entered.

 

“My Lord, His Majesty has arrived.”

“What? His Majesty?”

 

As if surprised by the butler’s words, the Duke frowned and looked out the window.

 

He never expected that the Emperor would arrive by today.

 

“He’s already in the drawing room.”

 

As if he was trying to gauge from where the Emperor might have come, the butler again spoke as the Duke looked out the window.

 

“What? Why did you tell me now?”

 

The Duke sprang up from his seat as if embarrassed.

 

“His Majesty arrived on a horse, not a carriage.”

 

The Emperor, who’d traveled by horse rather than a carriage, arrived before the butler could even announce his visit.

 

“…Did he come alone?”

“He’s here with the second Knight Commander.”

“Yes, I see.”

 

The Duke nodded as if that was fortunate, then hurried along.

 

“You need to prepare a bedroom for His Majesty and the Knight Commander.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Also, you need to hurry up the kitchen staff to prepare their meal so that it won’t be too late.”

 

The Duke couldn’t stop talking even as he was walking towards the drawing room.

 

“Tell Rachel about the Emperor’s visit.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

 

After making various requests, the Duke spoke for the last time before entering the drawing room. A faint smile hung around the Duke’s mouth as he wondered if Rachel would be happy.

 

Despite being a purely arbitrary Emperor, the Duke didn’t hate Ian’s visit.

 

He’d heard that he’d traveled this whole way on horseback just to meet Rachel, so he couldn’t hate that.

 

Ian slowly rose from his seat as the Duke opened the door of the drawing room and entered.

 

“I see His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire.”

“Duke Oates, I’m sorry to come suddenly without sending word in advance.”

“I was surprised, but it’s okay.”

 

The Duke, who happily grasped his outstretched hand, shook his head lightly.

 

“More than that, Your Majesty’s visit seems to be a fact that even Rachel doesn’t know, correct?”

“I couldn’t warn her because I was in a hurry, and I didn’t have much time.”

“Rachel will like it.”

 

The Duke’s gaze caught Ian’s slightly reddened ear. Ian cleared his throat slightly and looked away, perhaps noticing the Duke’s gaze.

 

“I will do my best, but the hospitality may be a bit lacking since it was a sudden visit.”

“I came to see Rachel and the Duke, so you don’t have to worry about anything else.”

 

Then there was a knock on the drawing room door from outside.

 

Ian’s head turned at the sound. He seemed to want to get up and go to the door, but he restrained himself since the Duke was in front of him.

 

Soon after, the door opened then Rachel and Mike entered.

 

Ian got up from his seat as if he was happy to see Rachel, but for some reason, Rachel didn’t make eye contact with him.

 

Whether or not she knew Ian’s bewildered mind, Rachel bowed politely to the Emperor, and sat next to the Duke.

 

“…Rachel?”

 

Ian’s thoughts raced in his head as he tried to think of what mistake he’d made with Rachel. However, no matter how much he thought about it, it didn’t seem like he’d done anything wrong.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Even when Ian called her name, Rachel just nodded politely.

 

She only answered quietly, bowing down.

 

When Ian frowned anxiously at Rachel, the Duke of Oates burst into laughter.

 

“Rachel, what are you so shy about?”

“That’s right, Rachel. Hasn’t it been a while since you’ve seen His Majesty?”

 

Mike held back his laughter, and stroked Rachel’s head.

 

“Aren’t you here to decide things about your marriage, why are you still that shy?”

 

At Mike’s question, Rachel glanced at Ian and smiled clumsily when their eyes met. It was only then when Rachel’s red face came into Ian’s eyes.

 

He didn’t know why she was so shy all of a sudden, but the face he could see through her flowing hair was so lovely.

 

“Oh, I think it will take about three months to prepare for the wedding.”

 

Ian quickly changed the subject when he realized that he was staring at Rachel too much.

 

“That’s tighter than I thought.”

 

At Ian’s words, the Duke blinked slowly, as if to gauge what had to be prepared. Rachel, who was still looking down, also looked up at Ian.

 

Her slightly furrowed brows showed concern for Ian.

 

“Will you be okay?”

 

Rachel moved her mouth silently when her eyes met Ian’s.

 

She seemed worried that something would happen to Ian within three months. Ian held back the smile that threatened to come out when Rachel whispered quietly in consideration of him, and just nodded slightly.

 

“Your Majesty, you can take your time to prepare. Is there a reason why you’re in a hurry?”

“I want to have a ceremony as soon as spring comes. As for the wedding, the royal family will prepare everything, so the Duke’s family will have nothing much to prepare.”

 

Ian opened his mouth again as if he was worried about it.

 

“Does the Duke want to have a more relaxed ceremony?”

“I thought it would take at least half a year, but it seemed to be going faster than expected. Won’t there be guests from other countries?”

“As long as the Duke and Rachel are okay with it, I’ll take care of everything else.”

 

Rachel hurriedly opened her mouth when the Duke seemed to be thinking about something.

 

“Father, I want to hold the ceremony quickly.”

“Ha ha, yes. If that’s what you want to do, then let’s do it. Well, there’s no reason to waste your time.”

 

At Rachel’s earnest words, the Duke smiled and nodded.

 

It was the Emperor’s wedding, so even if the invitation was sent out the day before, all the nobility in the Empire would struggle to participate. Three months. It seemed that three months would be enough to prepare for the ceremony.

 

***

 

A very late hour.

 

Ian was talking to the Duke and Mike. They were sitting down from exhaustion, they nodded and smiled at Rachel, who was dozing off.

 

“Rachel.”

 

Ian patted Rachel on the shoulder. She opened her eyes at his whisper.

 

“If you’re tired, why don’t you go upstairs and sleep?”

“Umm, before that.”

 

Ian asked as he carefully swept Rachel’s hair back. Rachel shook her head, and rubbed her eyes slowly as if she were tired.

 

“…I want to ask Your Majesty something.”

 

Ian nodded slowly at Rachel’s soft whisper.

 

“Duke, it’s late, so I’m going to walk Rachel to her room.”

“Father, I’m going to bed first. Good night.”

 

Ian walked out with Rachel as he looked down at her for a moment.

 

The reason why Rachel was staying even though she was tired was because she wanted to ask him something?

 

“Rachel, what do you want to ask?”

“Um…”

 

Rachel opened her mouth, as she hesitated for a moment.

 

“I heard it roughly from the Prophet, too. The reason I died was because of Lady Diana and the Averys, and you know that now, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

Ian nodded slowly.

 

“That morning, I heard the conversation between the Prophet and His Majesty. I also heard that the Prophet told His Majesty not to think of getting revenge over nothing.”

 

Rachel’s face was filled with concern for Ian.

 

“Then your Majesty…”

“I’m not going to let it slide. As the Prophet said, the current Diana hasn’t harmed you. So, I can’t charge her for a crime, but I just don’t want to forgive her or the Avery people.”

 

Rachel looked up at Ian’s firm answer.

 

Diana Avery, who killed her. A knight with a decapitated ear. All the days when she went through a hard time because of Diana. She was a cruel woman.

 

She would certainly try to harm Ian.

 

“But I…”

 

Of course, Ian was the Emperor of the Empire, but he always had to keep in mind that he could get hurt when he went after others.

 

Rachel hoped Ian wouldn’t get involved with Diana for no reason. Didn’t the Prophet tell him not to dream of revenge over nothing?

 

***