CH 98

Trival Conversations

18. Force Majeure

It’s the day to finally leave Pronoia.  On a foggy dawn, several people gathered in front of the Pronoia Grand Library to see Kyrie off.

“Are you really okay? I can give you an attendant.”

Chairman Temer frowned and looked around.  There were only four wagons for Kyrie, Rubinia, the Marquis of Vermont, and the servants.  Even then, all those who rode the chariots for the servants were the attendants of Rubinia.

“Because Lord Legend is there, nothing will happen while you go, but it’s still a bit too modest….”

“It’s okay. I like to go quietly.”

“Is that so…..”

“I will invite you to the next lord’s inauguration ceremony. Until then, I wish you all the best.”

Then Dr. Poe and Dr. Hawksong stepped forward.  Dr. Poe, who had been squinting his eyes with a handkerchief earlier, hugged Kyrie with emotion. Although it was an informal act, Kyrie smiled and patted Dr. Poe on the back.

“I owe you a lot. Thank you.  When you come to the capital later, be sure to stop by Buchanan.”

“Say my regards to Dr. Hartwood..…”

“Yes. Also don’t worry about Dr. Seward’s work.”

“Be careful when traveling.”

“You too.”

When she turned around after leaving Dr. Hawksong’s neat greeting, Rubinia, who had been waiting in advance, stood up crookedly and said,

“It’s kind of virtuous.”

“They are good.”

“Ugh.”

Rubinia raised her eyebrows.

“But what about the Marquis of Vermont? No matter how pressured he is, he doesn’t show his face once?”

Her gaze rested on the second carriage from the end. There was the body of the Marquis of Vermont, which MarryAnne had frozen cold, and the watchman, still unconscious. Kyrie naturally turned the topic around.

“It’s not going to be a good thing.  I didn’t know that you would go with me. You are on your honeymoon.”

“I’m annoyed. Are you kidding me?”

“Is it possible?”

“Huh. After all, there is no other city to see after Pronoia!”

“Then, I think, you should leave with me in a wagon and look around….”

“No! I’m the Crown Princess, so I’ll use the carriage alone!”

Rubinia replied bluntly, and she slipped into her carriage.

Kyrie let out a small sigh and got into the carriage in front of her.  Nathaniel sat first, just as she had feared. Kyrie sat quietly in the seat he had vacated. The carriage set off in the stillness.

Kyrie stared blankly at the scenery flowing out of the window in the carriage. There were only two left, but she wasn’t as uncomfortable as she thought. It felt like her nerves that were sensing Nathaniel had been cut off.

[Kyrie.]

To the extent that such a call can be ignored.

There was no need to try not to blink or even breathe deliberately. Ever since she lied that everything was a lie, it really seemed like all those feelings had become lies.  Or maybe it’s just that she is tired because she put too much force on her shoulders.

[Kyrie.]

Nathaniel called Kyrie again, but Kyrie just kept thinking about it without saying a word.

Looking out of the window meaninglessly, she belatedly realized that the blue eyes reflected on the windowpane were directed at her.  But she indifferently brushed his gaze away.  Nathaniel’s face turned cold.

He was still for a moment but after a while, he whispered in a suppressed voice.

[What the hell should I do……]

Having said that, he covered his face as if he was a little tired and didn’t say anything more.

The carriage quickly escaped from Pronoia and entered the Rubmenian Mountains. Although it is an old road that has not been used since the road was renovated at the national level, it was inevitable to avoid tracking.

‘I put on protection magic and anti-tracking magic, and I set off an empty wagon.  I’ve done everything I can, so if I am caught like this..….Miss Rubinia must be right.’

On the day of the fire, Rubinia’s expression seemed to be really worried about Kyrie.  But there was also the possibility that she was acting. Everything worked out, considering that she had conspired with wizards to lure Kyrie to the market and then left her.

‘I have instructed MarryAnne what to do in such a case, so now….’

It was at that moment. The wagon began to shake as if there had been an earthquake.

“Ugh…!”

Kyrie staggered and was thrown to the floor of the wagon. On the other hand, Nathaniel looked at the outside with an elegant attitude to the point of it was disgusting.

[It’s magic. There are quite a few, so it would be difficult for the forest beast. Tell me to save you, Kyrie Buchanan.]

Kyrie ignored Nathaniel and stuck to the window.  Suddenly, MarryAnne ran out.  Every leaf from her bosom burned with the flames of her magic.

“You can’t touch the lady!”

Nathaniel was right. MarryAnne is doing well, but the situation is unfavorable. The wagon was on an open mountain pass, and the enemy was hiding in the woods and sniping them.

Then the magic flew from the back instead of the front.  The third carriage with the corpse of the Marquis of Vermont was enchanted and tilted. MarryAnne nerves were naturally drawn to it.

“Ah! No! I have to protect it!”

It was clear that he was aiming for that loophole. Aiming at the moment when MarryAnne’s defense had collapsed, his magic started pouring all at once on Kyrie’s carriage.

Bang bang!

“Miss!”

The carriage lost its center and leaned.  It was on the verge of overturning due to the steep slope next to the mountain road.

[If you are lucky, you may bump into a stone, fall off a cliff farther away, or stop and be caught by the wizards. It must be one of the three.]

Even in that urgent situation, Nathaniel did not lose his dignity; he spoke calmly. His gaze was still directed toward Kyrie. It was a gaze that seemed extremely blind to everything else.

Kyrie’s eyes met Nathaniel, and she responded by biting her lips, so as not to weaken her own heart, no matter what he did.

Nathaniel clicked his tongue with a ferocious expression.

[Yes. I guess so.]

At that moment, the wagon that was barely holding on, overturned and started rolling down the slope. Kyrie’s body was mercilessly thrown into the corner of the carriage.

“Ugh!”

Just before her body bounced off one more time, Kyrie felt something big and hard wrapped around her. Finally, Kyrie’s consciousness was cut off.

***

Nathaniel hugged fainted Kyrie and went into the shadows for a moment.

“Stop the carriage!”

“There are no brakes!”

He could hear the wizards shouting from afar.  Their magic wasn’t that strong, so Nathaniel didn’t even have to snap his fingers to stop it.

The speed at which the wagon rolled through the valley accelerated.  Even when it hit a rock, it didn’t split easily.

“Ahead there is a cliff!”

[It’s a cliff.]

Nathaniel replied softly.

“Stop it! Stop that!”

The chief’s call was in vain. The carriage floated for a moment. And quickly started to fall over the cliff.

It would have been nice if Kyrie had her eyes open now. In such a situation, no matter how strong she was, she would cling to him at least once.

[No. She won’t either.]

A woman, who without his help, would overcome any obstacle that was set in front of her and find happiness. Even if he closes his eyes and pretends nothing happens, those eyes would still be closed

Nathaniel clicked his tongue. Just then, the wagon fell to the floor and smashed.

Nathaniel walked out unscathed from the wreckage that was so broken that it was hard to find the shape. Kyrie was dangling in his arms like a doll. The only good thing about her fainting was that she did not run away from him.

Nathaniel briefly turned Kirye’s body around and looked at her back that had been hit. Fortunately, there was no blood. He was a little relieved. Nathaniel, who was worried that she might have bruised but soon gave up the idea of taking off her clothes. It was also for the sake of courtesy, but the main reason was that he needed great care when touching the human body. There were times when he was not good at controlling his power, he often, accidentally, pressed people to death.

The wizards couldn’t pursue them all the way down. There is a limit to the magic that humans have, and since they used magic like that, they wouldn’t be able to follow immediately.  He decided not to think about why the magic corps attacked in such a stupid way.  No one cares if an ant bites one’s foot.

Nathaniel hugged Kyrie. A thick forest and mountain range spread out in front of them.  Perhaps he could find a space to contain Kyrie again.

[…….]

He lowered his eyes mixed with hesitation that he did not know.  Kyrie, with her fragile body hanging like a dead swan, was caught in his eyes.

Nathaniel then walked towards the forest.

***

Kyrie opened her eyes.  As soon as she woke up, she saw the trees that filled her field of vision.Through the swaying leaves, the sunlight swayed like a wave. The surrounding was too quiet to be called normal. Kyrie realized that  Nathanie was by her side.

‘I was attacked, passed out, and Nathaniel saved me, and I think I fainted.’

Fortunately, her head didn’t seem to be a problem.

‘I knew exactly where the carriage was. The route of movement was also detected. As expected it was Miss Rubinia.’

Surprisingly, she didn’t feel betrayed. She just began to ponder how she could avoid the magic corps and reconnect with MarryAnne.

At that moment, an elegant voice awakened Kyrie’s thoughts.

[Are you planning on lying like that the whole time?]

Nathaniel came into sight.  And looked down at Kyrie with terribly cold eyes.

She received his gaze, slowly got up and looked around her Kyrie. The original mountain path was not visible. Kyrie’s eyes saw the gorge water that ran next to where she lay.  Nathaniel opened his mouth as he watched Kyrie rise from her place.

[Because of the injury that remains……]

He spoke coldly, but he had to stop talking immediately because Kyrie started taking off her clothes. Nathaniel immediately turned his head.

As her clothes fell to the floor, the sound of her grass falling, the sound of Kyrie’s feet going into the valley water was clearly heard. The sound of water soon ceased. He neither heard anything for a long time nor could he look back and Kyrie wouldn’t answer her either. Nathaniel sighed softly as he covered his face with his hand.

[I warn you, be respectful, Kyrie Buchanan.]

Again Kyrie walked out of the water.  Only after hearing the sound of her dressing up did Nathaniel realize that she had tried to reflect the wound on her back in the water.

When Nathaniel turned his eyes after enough time, Kyrie was already walking away.

[Ha.]

Nathaniel smirked and followed two steps behind her.

As Kyrie walked, she didn’t even pay attention to him. She was busy carefully examining the forest. All the movements of looking at the moss in the tree and walking along the valley water were clumsy and awkward. Nathaniel silently caught even that trivial gesture in his eyes

Obviously at night she will call for help. The nights in the mountains are cold, and that stubbornness won’t survive without clinging to him.

As she walked without hesitation, Kyrie soon encountered a waterfall. It was too high and steep to crawl down and too far to go back. It was the moment Kyrie hesitated and looked down at the waterfall.

“Hik…….”

She stumbled out of nowhere. Perhaps she has chronic anemia, or a migraine. Or maybe she has a phobia of heights.

Either way, Nathaniel could not know. Come to think of it, he never had such trivial conversations with her. Realizing that there were still too many things about Kyrie he didn’t know, his mood subsided a little.

Nathaniel grabbed Kyrie’s arm as she was about to slide down the cliff.

[I knew so.]

He whispered mockingly. Kyrie slumped over the cliff and stared at him with surprised eyes. Her twinkling eyes that had him alone made him just a little bit satisfied.

***

Fan art!!!

Zhenya Hartwood