Chapter 24

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 24 – Completely Different From The Original (3)

It seemed that he lost consciousness for a while immediately after seeing the carriage prepared by the knights but… Surprisingly enough, even at the moment when the whole world was dyed black, he still could feel Evelyn’s presence. Thanks to that, he saw her standing precariously, pale and tired. At that time, there was no room for thought. Reflexively, he grabbed Evelyn and felt an indescribable sense of relief as warmth spread through his fingers.

There was a moment when he thought that if he could enjoy that warmth, he would pay whatever the price was.

“Ha…”

Ethan rubbed his face with one hand while his difficult and complex emotions churned.

‘What the hell is this heat? What the hell is it that it feels so strong?’ The sensation he had enjoyed just before he lost consciousness only gave him an unbearable thirst.

[tl/n: it’s called puberty]

‘I want to touch you again.’ That desire, which stood out as if showing off its presence, just kept growing bigger. Ethan swallowed and sighed deeply.

“Did you hear anything from Father? Who are they, and why did they target me…?”

While he spoke, he noticed Philman, soaked in grief. He had only noticed just now because he was distracted by Evelyn. Ethan clenched his fists, feeling anxiety rising. At the same time, Philman bowed his head and answered.

“While the Young Master was unconscious, a rebellion broke out in Hereos.”

“…What?”

“I heard that His Majesty the Emperor and the Duke were executed, and the whereabouts of Madam Sylvia and Lord Orman are unknown. They seem to have avoided some of the assassins.”

[tl/n: Lord Orman is Sylvia’s husband. Since he isn’t from the Duke’s family and won’t inherit Duke Orman’s title (Sylvia’s father and Ethan’s grandpa) he is called just ‘Lord’ Orman]

Ethan remained silent for a long time, a speechless man. His grandfather’s obituary, which he encountered at an unexpected time, was too unreal. The news of the disappearance of Sylvia and her husband also did not seem real. He was numbed as if listening to someone else’s story that had nothing to do with him. Unlike Ethan, who sat still like an idiot, Philman continued to speak, although hesitancy was evident in his face.

“And the princess…”

“Evelyn?”

Ethan was suddenly awakened by that short word and asked, while Philman, who picked up the rumors in the castle, delivered the news.

“…It is said that she is not the daughter of His Highness the Archduke.”

For a moment he was perplexed by the incomprehensible words. Soon, an unidentified heat rose and turned into a thrill. Even though he was unaware of the cause of his grandfather’s death, and whether his parents were dead or alive, his desire to rush to her was honest. Ethan stiffened at his incomprehensible reaction. Faced with his evident mix of strong emotion, Philman hesitated like a man who had something left to say.

“But…” Considering he was the one speaking, his pause was too long.

“Again, what was it?” The voice urging Philman was harsh.

If the attack aimed at him a few days ago was a declaration of war to remove political opponents, Evelyn wouldn’t be safe either.

‘Maybe something happened to her?’ The news of Evelyn news forced Ethan, who had been lost in fantasy, to come to his senses. From the death of his grandfather, the disappearance of his parents, and the downfall of his family. As he shook off the detachment he finally realized what the news meant.

“…She disappeared.”

However, he couldn’t think of anything because of the words that followed. While feeling strangled, Ethan asked.

“What?”

At his hoarse question, Philman bowed his head and said,

“She seems to be… out of the castle. She left immediately the day of the blood test…”

Ethan learned in that moment the experience of blood running cold. With his grandfather dead, his parents missing, and the downfall of his family, Ethan focused on only one thing.

Evelyn was not in the castle.

She traveled for five days by boat and three days by horse. As a result, Evelyn was able to arrive at Vetern on the first day of the second month.

Evelyn was accustomed to the Fedora winters, thus she did not succumb to cold or flu despite galloping in the cold wind all day. Thanks to this, she was able to scan the city view from the window calmly. Pit~ Pat~ The rainwater that started to fall two days ago was still soaking the ground. No, the ground had long been wet.

‘It still smells like blood.’ Because of the blood stained and spilled everywhere. It should be said that the blood was washed away by the rain. To the extent that the invisible blood felt more explicit than the visible rainwater, Vetern had a sharp atmosphere.

“It’s quite hideous.”

The scenes at the beginning of the original story were full of blood and binge drinking, so it was natural it would be.

As Evelyn began to ponder, a shallow crease formed between her brows. The scene in which Cesar, who had a long-planned rebellion, succeeded in killing Emperor Hereos, was quite rough. Trying to avoid missing anything, she went through her memories a bit.

Knock, knock– Evelyn heard a knock and turned her head. The knocking sound, which had to be cut short, continued with irregular beats. After the sound that lasted several seconds ended, Evelyn stood up, but the place she headed was not the door. It was the closet where she had organized her luggage. Evelyn pulled out a winter hood. Then, when she left the room, the hallway was empty. Although the figure of the person knocking on the door was nowhere to be seen, Evelyn didn’t find it strange. She just looked down the hallway with indifferent eyes and then moved on. There was no interaction, but Evelyn received the news she had been waiting for from the previous visitor. The knocking sound she heard was derived from the Morse code she had seen in a movie in her previous life, and the meaning was simple: –The first reason and goal to come all the way to Vetern– It meant that the person involved in the original story had gone out. A character with a considerable weight, assigned to the role of the sub-male lead in the original. His past history was summarized as living in an orphanage with Etrada. Even before Cesar entered the orphanage, he was taken by his father, but after a considerable amount of time, he was reunited with Etrada. In the original story, it was described that after Cesar’s treason succeeded, one day on a rainy day, the sub-male lead and Etrada met again.

‘That time is now.’ It was alright if their reunion wasn’t today. Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, or the day after that one– she just had to keep waiting. While she was organizing her thoughts, Evelyn managed to reach the clock tower in the main square. It was easy to spot the boy with the yellow scarf standing before it. Evelyn approached him first and held out her hand.

“Why are you in the rain? Come on, let’s go.”

The person who suddenly appeared and reached out may seem strange, but the boy silently held Evelyn’s hand. As if he had known her all his life. From then on, Evelyn followed the boy’s lead. The alleyways to the east of the large clock tower in the central square were intertwined. If a guide had not been prepared in advance, Evelyn, ignorant of Vetern’s geography, would have lost her way. Fortunately, she was able to get to her destination with the boy’s guidance. The boy stopped in front of a shabby building. He opened a door leading into a basement, and Evelyn stepped in without hesitation. As she climbed up the creaking wooden plank stairs to the second floor, a room that was more shabby than the exterior was revealed. It was a place that had not been visited by people for a long time. Still, it didn’t seem there would be any problem with her stay, thanks to the quick removal of the spider webs and dust. Evelyn noted a blanket in the corner.

‘Will I be able to last about five days…?’ Next to it, there were also ready-to-eat foods such as dry bread and jerky that could easily fill her stomach. She couldn’t know how many days it would be, so she had ordered it in advance. Evelyn was in the position to wait quietly until the events of the original story happened. The weather was not enough to make her worry about freezing to death, so she had no choice but to persevere.

‘I should hope that things start before then.’ Her people, already in the vicinity, were monitoring the target. All she had to do was to trust them and wait. She had prepared enough supplies, so it would be fine. After looking around, she cautiously approached the window. Rain and wind were pouring in because it was slightly broken, but she could still see a shabby sign through it. The sign in front of the one-story single-story building was drawn in the shape of a scratched horse. Evelyn confirmed that and nodded. At that moment, the boy who had guided her turned and left the way he had come. They didn’t have a proper conversation, but that was sufficient. Evelyn shook off the boy’s presence and stared at the signboard and building in front of her. That place was the sub-male lead’s hideout and the residence of his subordinates. And it was also a place that would soon be attacked by hostile forces.

Evelyn stepped back from the window and turned to where the blanket was prepared. Even if the people using the single-story building across from it felt Evelyn’s presence, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Beggars were scattered and huddled around the area. Those beggars were also waiting for someone like Evelyn, so it was fine.

She crouched down in a corner of the room. After spending time silently for a long time, she suddenly looked north. As she stared endlessly at the windowless blank wall, she felt like she was seeing something she shouldn’t have seen.

‘Was Duke Orman’s residence in the north?’ A place that would have boasted of its grandeur until a few weeks ago. Now that everything was burned down, it must be a ghostly ruin. Evelyn closed her eyes, remembering the characters who might have left in a hurry. The free knight she sent succeeded in getting Sylvia and Lord Orman out of Vetern. Even after guiding them to the hideout, he reported he was returning.

[tl/n: A free knight is a knight who has not sworn allegiance to anyone, because of personal beliefs, because his master died, or because his master left him free of his vow]

‘Let’s assume that the debt owed to Ethan, who once embraced me warmly, has been paid off. There’s nothing more I can do for you anyway.’ For the sake of future work, Evelyn should keep track of their exact whereabouts.

‘I hope you survive.’

So Ethan’s future wounds will be reduced even a little. It was in return for staying next to her and allowing her to forget her despair even for a moment.

So she hoped.

Just as the original did not focus on Evelyn’s death, she could only hope that they could avoid their original fate.

Evelyn inhaled and hugged her knees.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────