Chapter 82

The Sleepless Night of the Maid — Chapter 82

Cecil’s condition looked worse because she had missed dinner due to their complicated and long journey. She was pretending to be okay, but Eva’s eyes could see her struggling. Eva was also on the verge of collapse, but there was no time. It was already so late.

Departing the carriage with shallow breaths, Cecil spoke.

“… Milady, don’t worry… about me… Come on…”

She smiled and clasped Eva’s hands for support.

Eva pulled out the note with the address on it from her sleeve and looked around. The problem was that she couldn’t figure out which way to Wellington was from the main road. She would ask for directions if anyone was passing by, but she didn’t see a single person.

Eva first decided to ask the address of her home to anyone they would come across while walking along the road. She walked ahead, even carrying Cecil’s luggage, looking around. Cecil tried to stop her a couple of times before handing over her luggage. Wouldn’t it be more helpful to catch up with Eva quickly with a lighter body?

Just before she collapsed from her limbs trembling, Eva saw a man walking in their direction in the dark. Overjoyed, she signalled Cecil to come quickly and approached the man.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry, but I think we’re on the wrong road. Perhaps…?”

Eva, who was asking the question, felt a strange aura and stopped talking. The man’s eyes looking at her were strange. His defocused eyes fluttered to and fro as if he had run out of vitality. It was strange to see his limbs dangling as if he had lost his will. As Eva took a step backwards unconsciously, the man smirked and reached out to her.

“Miss! Run away!”

She heard Cecil screaming from behind. Eva escaped without delay and ran to Cecil with her luggage. The two women were frightened and fled into an alley beside the road. The strange man was chasing after them, and then stopped, watching their backs receding.

She didn’t know how much she ran. The two women ran and ran and ran, turned and ran again and again, in a complete frenzy. Eventually, after Cecil sat down on the side of the road, they stopped running.

“… Nanny, are you okay?”

Eva put down her luggage and hurriedly approached Cecil’s side. Cecil was gasping for breath, clutching her chest with one hand. Even in the dark, she could see Cecil’s miserably distorted face.

“Nanny… Oh, nanny… ”

As she watched Cecil exhaling painfully, Eva’s tears finally burst out. She never knew how to deal with this situation. It was the first time she had been to such a large city, and the first time she had entered the danger zone so late at night. She had run away frantically, so she didn’t know where she was, and she didn’t know where to go. Seeing Cecil suffering in such a situation, everything was hopeless.

“It’s okay… It’s okay… ”

Cecil barely sighed and hugged the crying Eva. The two women sat down on the cold road, leaning against each other’s warmth for a moment.

“I’m fine, so don’t worry… Lift me.”

“Ugh… All right, nanny.”

Eva wiped her tears with her sleeve and lifted Cecil. She didn’t know how reassuring it could be just to walk together like this.

The two began to walk again after breathing deeply beside each other.

“What the hell was that person?”

A little while ago, in case the man was chasing after them, Eva looked behind them and asked Cecil.

“Probably someone on drugs.”

“On medicine?”

“I heard that burning dried hemp leaves and inhaling the smoke or consuming mushroom powder will make you crazy.”

Cecil took a breath and answered Eva’s question. The conversation was their way of overcoming the fear of darkness and silence. When there is no light, only sound can replace it.

“Why would anyone use that?”

“It was originally used as a medicine, but when you take it, you feel better.”

“I do not get it.”

Eva couldn’t understand. Why would anyone put such a bad thing in their body to ruin their sane mind? Where the hell do these people wander around? And how would the women get out of this scary place?

The road was dark and gloomy. Even the light did not leak from the dark grey low buildings. Dry leaves were swept away by the cold wind, and only a gloomy sound lingered around them.

Did people live in places like this?

It was when Eva, who was discouraged, bowed her head that Cecil spoke. 

“Miss, look over there.”

At Cecil’s low voice, Eva lifted her head again. A bright light was leaking out from the small empty lot next to the road. It looked like someone was setting fire to the ground.

Eva and Cecil stared at each other for a moment, startled. asking each other if should she go there and ask for directions. What if they were a bad person?

“Let’s go and ask for directions, nanny.”

Eva made up her mind first and then asked Cecil for her opinion. This opportunity was too precious to be overlooked because of anxiety. Anyway, she knew she would have to ask people for directions, but every time she saw them, she wanted to run away.

Cecil nodded and agreed with Eva.

The two women walked slowly toward the vacant lot where the light came out.

Please be a good person.

They earnestly prayed inwardly as they left the road to approach the empty lot.

“Oh.”

Eva, who was walking ahead, stopped walking with a short gasp. In front of the fire, four men were sitting around and groaning. They all looked different, but they looked the same. Oily hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed for a few days, and beards that hadn’t been shaved. Some wore only worn-out shirts, while others wore dirty coats over them. Overall, they had a rough impression and a fierce look in their eyes.

“Howdy. What luck is this?”

Among them, the tallest man with a scar on his face stood up with a grin.