CH 72

By the time the foreigner couple were being messed up in the dark…

Ophelia, Catherine, and Iris were taking a break from the center of the square, resting at the outskirts.

Seeing Ophelia’s bloodless cheeks, Catherine and Iris silently glanced at each other.

And without any discussion whatsoever, they said at the same time.

“How about buying some sweets?”

“Let’s get something to drink.”

Before Ophelia could say anything, the two pointed and silently urged the other to leave quickly.

No matter how they got along, at times like this, neither Catherine nor Iris backed down an inch.

“We can’t leave Ophelia alone. So, Iris, come back soon.”

“Of course, she can’t be alone. So, Catherine, I’ll see you soon.”

Ophelia jumped up when the snake and the mongoose faced off after a long time, insisting on themselves being the one to stay with her.

“I’ll be right back.”

“What are you talking about!”

“No!”

Iris and Catherine grabbed Ophelia at the same time this time, matching each other perfectly.

“I’d rather go than watch the two of you fight.”

“I’ll go.”

“No, I’ll go.”

This time, they seemed to be arguing with each other about going.

Ophelia opened her mouth, but Catherine and Iris nodded at each other.

“I’m getting sweets.”

“I’ll buy some drinks.”

The two disappeared like the wind, concluding that it would be better for the two of them to move quickly than to go alone.

Left alone, Ophelia rubbed her cheek.

“Is my complexion that bad? It’s okay, isn’t it?”

Actually, during the infinite regressions, Ophelia was also trained in her own way.

Just by the fact she could beat assassins, anyone could tell that she was no ordinary young lady.

“Iris should know I’m not that weak.”

Ophelia tilted her head, but she couldn’t get an answer from someone who had already left.

Of course, if Iris was there, she would have pressed Ophelia’s cheeks right away, involuntarily causing her to make duck lips, and say, ‘Knowing and worrying are two different things!’

Didn’t she herself constantly worry about Richard, even though she knew that he was strong enough to surpass the human category?

The monk couldn’t cut his own hair, and the shaman couldn’t see his own life.

A person’s eyes would go dark when it came to his own business.

Losing her focus and looking up at the colorful night sky, Ophelia’s head filled with thoughts of Richard again.

“Shall I just ask?”

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t even imagine what he was going to say.

If it had been before, she would have thought so, but this time she was particularly nervous and couldn’t stand it.

And the feeling of such a change made her feel strange again, so she twisted her body.

“No, what’s the point of asking that? I can just move on like before. But I’m curious.”

Ophelia was almost tearing her hair out in anguish.

“The thing that drives people the most crazy, not talking…”

Ophelia stopped muttering and hugged herself.

“Ah, now I’m sick to the core.”

It really was a coincidence.

Ophelia, whose complexion had deteriorated after being hit, was resting for a while at the entrance of an alley, with Iris and Catherine leaving her side saying that they would each find something for her.

Rubbing her belly and scratching her pale cheeks, she raised her head abruptly.

In the midst of the waves of people passing by, entangling with one another, only one person stood as if nailed to the spot.

It was like only that place had a black hole.

“Raisa… Raisa Neir?”

It wasn’t until it came out of her mouth that Ophelia realized who she was.

The corners of Raisa’s mouth twisted as if she knew she had been called, and her ashen eyes gleamed strangely as she looked at Ophelia.

The next moment.

Ophelia’s head bent forward as her eyes turned black.

How long did it take for Ophelia to be dragged into the shadows?

As Raisa observed the darkness, an insidious smile spread, akin to a snake that had bitten its prey.

“I caught at least one.”

No, two.

Her gray eyes sizzled with all sorts of things.

“She didn’t get permission…”

When the liquor license passed from the Bolsheiks to the county that originally managed it, Raisa’s funding scheme was thwarted.

In addition, the original producer of the medicine that Raisa was preparing for her mother disappeared, in turn disrupting her medicine supply. She immediately left the mansion.

‘I have to crave it into the body of the one who dared to touch what’s mine.’

‘You won’t remember anything whuen the regression happened anyway, but at least I’ll feel better.’

‘I lost two, but I gained two.’

She might lose only one because of the regression, but it would probably be difficult because she didn’t know when the original producer of the drug hid.

Still, now she could play with the obnoxious Bolsheik lady, and she also found out what impurities were messing up the village.

Shouldn’t she enjoy today’s festival right now?

“So let’s enjoy it.”

Raisa stepped into the deep darkness where she could not see even an inch ahead.

.

How much time had passed since Ophelia was dragged into the darkness?

“Iris? Where’s Ophelia?”

“That is what I want to ask?”

After exchanging horrified glances, Catherine and Iris soon began frantically searching the entire square.

However, it was difficult to go up against the pouring waves of people,

“Ophelia!”

“Ophelia!”

Even when they called out her name until their throats became sore, their voices were also swallowed up by the loud noise echoing everywhere.

Neither could find Ophelia who they were looking for, and the two who met again by chance were in a mess.

“Uh… how…”

Iris held Catherine’s ringed hand tightly with her ringed hand.

“She could have gone back… because… First, contact the Bolsheik Viscounty.”

Iris’ expression was calm, but her voice shook and her fingertips trembled with nervousness. Catherine squeezed her hands tightly.

“Yes. That sounds like a good idea. I’ll look for some more.”

Normally, they would have sent some people to find her. But today was the festival.

It was also the first day of the festival.

No matter the effort made to find someone, there was no way a proper search could be done.

After Iris stepped away, Catherine gritted her teeth and roamed the square again.

But still unable to find the tip of Ophelia’s hair, Catherine stood in front of a dark alley.

It was never a good idea for her to set foot in this place.

She was the lady of the Marquisate of Sheffield, but she must be alive for it to have value.

From now on, it was dangerous to reveal her identity, yet it was dangerous even if she did not reveal it.

There was no guarantee that she would not be stabbed to death by a blind knife.

If she met a lot more dangerous and dirtier guys than scoundrels…

—How dare you! I am Catherine Sheffield!

—Aha, is that so? Then I’m the emperor.

She would be ridiculed like this, or caught before she could say anything, or dying after being abused.

That’s why Catherine never once ventured into the back alleys, even out of curiosity.

No matter whether she had escorts to protect her or not, she didn’t know what kind of people she would meet.

Even three-year-old children would know that if they couldn’t defend themselves, it was best if they didn’t stick their heads out at all.

Of course, there were people in the world who knowingly gave up their heads out of curiosity, but it wasn’t Catherine.

As Iris and Cooper had said, although she did whatever she wanted and even when it seemed like she was running recklessly, she kept the line clear.

And now.

“I have to go.”

She was about to cross that line for Ophelia.

The moment she took a step forward.

A voice rang from the back, one that was so familiar and annoying, but that she had never felt as happy as at this moment.

“Hey, Catherine. Is there such a coincidence? I didn’t go around looking for you… Catherine?”

Lawrence, who had been grinning, saw the face of the sluggishly turning Catherine and hurried toward her.

“What’s wrong? What’s up!”

Catherine’s eyes became teary and pursed her lips.

“Catherine!”

“Oh…”

Catherine opened her mouth, but closed it almost immediately. She bit her quivering lips as she barely swallowed her welling tears.

“Ophelia… gone…”

“You’re saying you lost Lady Bolsheik.”

Catherine’s neck twitched as she nodded hard, and Lawrence hugged and comforted her.

“Don’t worry. I will definitely find her.”

At the sound of his firm voice, Catherine drew in a deep breath that she had been holding back.

She closed then reopened her eyes, patting Lawrence on the chest and pushing him away.

“Why are you here now!”

“What, you said I shouldn’t run into you.”

“If you were going to come anyway, you should have come earlier!”

As if familiar with her absurd whining, Lawrence patted her on the head before stepping into the alley without hesitation.

He was a person who could protect himself, so he had no uncertainty.

“Didn’t I go in and out of here so much for a time like this?”

Towards the smirking Lawrence, Catherine groaned with a weeping smile.

“Stop talking nonsense and go quickly.”

“If this brother doesn’t come out…”

“If not?”

“Don’t go to our father, go straight to the Imperial Palace.”

Unable to immediately understand his words, Catherine asked.

“What?”

“Go to the Imperial Palace. Go and have an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince. The Sheffield name is meant to be used for such times.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lawrence’s gaze casted over Catherine to the plaza behind her, then to the dark alley behind him.

“The only person who can find a needle in the sandy beach is His Highness the Crown Prince. And after all, I’m the next Marquis of Sheffield.”

“But how can I treat His Highness the Crown Prince like…!”

“Ah, His Highness also visits this place quite often.”

Richard’s stealth was an open secret.

Surely so.

Who would dare to touch him alone?

Even those who kept sending assassins didn’t think he would die.

Of course, Raisa was the only exception, but Lawrence was so convinced as there was no way he could know that fact.

“His Highness will find anyone in one breath.”

“No, but why would His Highness come out to find Brother!”

The smile on Lawrence’s lips widened slightly.

“Well, even if he doesn’t come looking for me, he will come looking for Lady Bolsheik, no, his aide. There’s no doubt about that. What can I say? He cherishes her.”

He tilted his head and remembered that day.

Ame: It’s rated R15 for gore/death due to regressions and mention of su*ide right…? Lawrence, you must survive!  〣( ºΔº )〣 (i also hope you won’t be too badly beaten! since… since you aren’t the ml, there’s no chance you’ll be saving the lady… you’ll most likely be the punching bag before the real hero comes to save the day…)

Dea: In Lawrence we trust, pls be safe, we need to find you a nice lady before you die!! (maybe Iris haha)