Chapter 63

When I woke up in the morning, I never felt this refreshed. I always tried to escape into sleep, but as I got insomnia, I could only toss and turn. It seemed I had fallen asleep without knowing it. Having a grown-up man next to me and that grown-up man being my lover made my drowsiness pour out.

On the way back from Coral Beach, even in the carriage returning, we talked quite a lot. Then, I felt sleepy, leaned my shoulder, and closed my eyes for a while. At that moment, the carriage stopped with a rattling sound. There was no damage because he hugged me, but I, who almost fell asleep, opened my eyes in surprise.

“What’s going on?”

“Looks like we have a little trouble.”

Looking through the window, I saw that we had already entered the capital and were on the way to Ariandel’s mansion. Someone knocked on the door just as he pulled the string inside the carriage. When the door opened, one of his escorts bowed their head.

“I apologize, Your Highness. There was a crash because a person suddenly jumped in. Please wait a moment.”

“A crash?”

Everyone should know that this is an imperial carriage, right? When I asked curiously, his escort answered.

“It’s not a big deal. That person fell in front of the carriage before it hit. I will immediately take that person to the treatment center and drive the carriage again.”

With that, the door closed again.

I could hear a woman’s voice at first. Relieved that it wasn’t a major accident, I waited for the carriage to start again. As I glanced through the window, I could only see the escort and the coachman talking as if something had happened in front of them.

“…Will it really be okay?”

“There’s a spare carriage behind us, so we will move again soon. Don’t worry too much.”

We only had the escort’s carriage and Ian’s carriage. It seemed that Valery intended to use the escort’s carriage.

With his good nature, I thought Valery would go straight out and check what was happening, but he wasn’t shaken at all. No, rather, he looked not interested.

For a moment, the front became nosier. I waited a little longer, but the carriage didn’t move even after 10 minutes had passed.

“I think I should go out. Something doesn’t seem right.”

“I’ll go out and see it.”

“Let’s get off together. My legs hurt a bit.”

“Do your legs hurt? I’ll massage you.”

Valery looked didn’t want to get off as if his nerves were suddenly pouring into my hurting legs. I smiled and gently pushed him away.

“Let’s get off first and check.”

After opening the door, I followed him out of the carriage and walked a little further forward. The sound of escort scuffles and the woman’s soft voice could be heard. Red hair?

The escort who saw us bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. She said she wouldn’t move without even letting me touch her.”

“She’s not going to move?”

Grabbing Valery’s sleeve, I came forward completely but stopped when I saw the woman sitting down in front of us.

“…”

“I have something… to tell you.”

The woman raised her head while saying her words as if pleading. Then she made eye contact with me and extended her words while staring at me. I swallowed my breath for a moment.

Red eyes, red hair, slim jawline… I’ve seen her. Although I’ve never seen her in person.

“Ah, Sister, you’re awake.”

“I tried to meet Sister a few times, but every time I went, something happened. Don’t you feel tired?”

“…”

“Sister, you were living a pretty dangerous life. I left you alone because it was fun.”

“…”

Blake Ariandel.

“Should I tell Sister a color that suits you?”

“What?”

“Black color. Very black color. That suits Sister. Red doesn’t suit you.”

“…”

“How was Blake’s life Sister lived in? I’m a little curious.”

So it was the real Blake Ariandel.

The dream of her stabbing me with a sharp knife with a smiling face suddenly came to my mind. Right now, I didn’t feel the chill like in my dream, but our eyes kept meeting.

I heard she hasn’t entered the kingdom yet, so why is she here? I even heard that she had already talked to Sir Shubart. And I couldn’t even understand the reason why she was here. There was no carriage around.

Just because we were still on the outskirts didn’t mean nothing was around. Still, it was an unsuitable place for nobles to be alone without riding a carriage. In particular, the road where we were now was definitely the way for carriages to come and go.

She didn’t fall here out of nowhere. I pulled Valery’s sleeve without realizing it. Valery thought I was startled, so he turned away, hiding me from her.

“You’d better go inside the carriage. I’ll figure it out and get in.”

I tilted my head and looked at the woman again. The woman who had been noisy earlier hadn’t said anything since she saw me. She still sat on the road.

“No… she might be surprised because they are looking scary. Let me tell her.”

I stopped Valerie from trying to get me into the carriage.

“It was an accident, but the safety wasn’t confirmed.”

“I have been like this before. I’m sure she must be shocked. Let me do this.”

“Bella.”

Valery tried not to let me touch anyone who might be dangerous. I had no choice but to look up at him and say quietly, “I don’t want you to talk to another woman.”

“…yes?”

“You have to hold her hands to support her. I don’t like it. I’d rather do it myself.”

“…”

Valery made a long-dazed face and began to heat up red from his neck to his ears. I coughed to clear my throat again.

“I’ll do it. I’m sure I’m right.”

I persuaded him with nonsense and walked over to Blake Ariandel. The coachman and escort, who were still in a dispute, saw me and stepped back. Their expression seemed to be troubled.

Originally, it was right to match her with Valery, but that wasn’t the case now. I bent over to the woman staring at me intently. First, I had to make sure she knew me.

“Are you alright? There’s my carriage behind me. I will support you, so would you like to get up?”

I held out my hand to her with a trembling heart. As if her stubbornness was a lie, she held my hand. The moment I gave strength to raise her up, Blake Ariandel grabbed my hand and pulled me. Having been dragged halfway through, I managed to keep my legs strong. The woman’s face slanted against my ear.

“Carbella Rudbihi.”

“…”

She knew. If that was the case, that meant she did it on purpose. I gritted my teeth to keep my composure.

“Right?”

I made eye contact with her as I stepped back a little. Her red eyes, similar to mine but with less saturation, looked at me without a little tremor.

Her cold words were provocative. She might not know yet that she was the real Valery Ahibara Kasinev’s mate, but one thing was for sure, she was mad at me.

“…Shall we talk in the carriage?”

Blake Ariandel had no words but looked up at my question.

Is she trying to tell Valery that she is the real Blake Ariandel? Or does she have some other ulterior motive?

After a little more time, I felt Valery was walking this way. Unknowingly, I got nervous and bit my lips.

Snap.

Blake Ariandel, who didn’t seem to want to respond, took my hand. “Yes, that would be great.” Her cold tone just now was the same as her first voice.

I helped her up and headed for the carriage. Ian was already waiting for me. Seeing his expression harden, he seemed as nervous as I was. Because Ian also saw the portrait of Blake Ariandel.

“…Wait a minute.”

I put Blake Ariandel in my carriage, got off again, and headed for Valery.

“That, Your Highness. I think she’s startled, so I will get into my carriage and check her condition.”

“You don’t have to go that far.”

“It’s because I want to do that. You’re okay with it, right?”

With that said, Valery eventually surrendered. He still looked worried, but he couldn’t stop her.

I turned my back on Valery and headed for the carriage where Blake Ariandel was. Winking at Ian, who was waiting for me, I got into the carriage. Ian also climbed on and pulled the rope, then the carriage soon departed.

“…”

Looking out the window, I could see that Valery’s carriage was following us. About half an hour back to the mansion, I decided to solve it roughly.