CH 69

These were the words Eric spit out towards the gatekeepers. 

I listened blankly, not knowing what that meant. 

“Lucas is annoying, but living in the annex was comfortable.”

“But people around us think it’s strange that the door doesn’t open very well—”

“Is that our fault? It’s the magic.” 

What are these bastards talking about?

No wonder the door didn’t open—.

“So close the door— Rosie.”

They seemed to have belatedly noticed my presence.

Confused, they exchanged glances.

“Rosie, that’s—”

“What were you all talking about? Is the door open more than that?”

“H, huh?”

“I have to go report to the Marquis. Before that, you better get the monster out of the room.” 

I pretended not to listen to them and acted calmly without changing my expression. 

They looked at me with uncertain faces.

“Aren’t you going to take him out?”

“H, huh? Yeah, we have to take him out—” 

The gatekeepers moved immediately. Then he drags the monster and throws it out of the room. 

They seemed relieved to think I really didn’t hear them.

Except for Eric.

Eric looked at me, displeased.

I approached Richard calmly and gently shook his body.

“Hey.” 

“….”

Richard didn’t answer my call, and it seemed like he was only half-conscious. 

What the hell are these bastards doing?

Is this what a person should do?

I had goosebumps all over my body, but I didn’t show it. But, first, I have to wake Richard up—.

“Rosie, didn’t you hear what we talked about down that street before?”

“What?” 

“You heard what we were saying on the street. But why didn’t you hear it today?”

“I’m just thinking about something else—”

“Really?” 

Eric didn’t give up, unlike the gatekeepers.

He didn’t seem to intend to get over this situation easily.

The gatekeepers’ expressions suddenly change at Eric’s question.

…Damn it. 

Their attitude also changed completely.

As if they’re going to hurt me right now.

“Rosie, are you sure you will come to the Marquis? Like a child does to their mother.”

Eric gave a crooked, sarcastic smile.

“…Hey, stop it. Excuse me, Maid Rosie….”

The gatekeepers, who disagreed with Eric, tried to convince me by covering his mouth.

But after hearing Eric’s following words, they too became no different from Eric.

Eric shrugged off the doorkeeper’s arm.

“No one in the world believes what crazy people say.”

“…What?” 

“The door opened, but Rosie, you entered that room with the monster by your mistake.”

What’s that crazy guy talking about now?

“But strangely, the door doesn’t open. So you slowly went crazy… You are claiming that we attacked you.”

“….”

“But no one will listen to you, Rosie. Why? Because you’re crazy in there, Rosie. How can they believe a crazy person’s words?”

The gatekeepers who listened to Eric looked as if they had found a breakthrough.

Oh, they’re trying to get me in with Richard.

My body trembled. Eric looked at me with a pretentious face as if he felt sorry for me.

“So what to do? Lucas is not coming. You can’t get out of the warehouse.”

He sounds like he will put me in a warehouse and lock me up.

As he said, there was no one here to save me.

No, why not?

Calm down, Rosie.

I’ve been protecting myself all this time. It is no different this time.

“I heard you well, Eric. But it was really fun.”

I laughed arrogantly.

“It would be great if that scenario worked, but would the Marquis believe it?”

“Hey, you’re crazy….”

“Even if I’m crazy, the Marquis doesn’t trust you anymore. And Eric, according to you, I’m the one who seduced the Marquis. Who else would he believe?”

Eric and the gatekeepers were on the same page, but they stopped when I brought up something they hadn’t thought of.

I opened my mouth, pretending to be calm.

“Shall we do this?”

Then I opened my mouth to the gatekeepers.

“It’s all done by Eric. Then you’re safe.”

I kept feeling it, but the eyes of the gatekeepers were shaking, probably because they had very thin ears.

They looked at Eric, who had a puzzled look on his face.

“What do you think?”

I asked them like I was giving them a chance.

While they were agonizing, I pulled one hand back and slightly shook Richard’s shoulder.

Please wake up.

I was worried if he was breathing.

I climbed onto his shoulder and stroked his chin as I stuttered. Where’s the nose—.

When I found his tall nose, I put my hand under it.

—He was breathing softly.

That’s a relief.

He’s alive. 

Now that I have confirmed Richard’s life and death, it is time to focus again.

To get out of this situation, I had to buy time first.

“Does everyone believe that? Think about it. If she betrays you, you’re all done! If you lock her up there and spread the word that she’s crazy, we can all live together.”

“Is there any guarantee that I’ll go in there and go crazy?”

I watched Eric pressing down on Richards.

“No, it is. If the monster comes to his senses later, that means he doesn’t go crazy going in there. But, of course, there’s no guarantee that’s the case in the first place.”

“….” 

“Honestly, I think it would be difficult to find a proper excuse in this situation. Will the skeptical Marquis really believe you without a single doubt?”

“Shut up! Do you think the world will go your way?”

“Let me ask. Did everything ever go your way?”

Eric shut his mouth.

“If nothing has ever gone your way, how can you be sure that this will go your way?”

“….”

“Everyone, you know that, right? What is Eric famous for here?”

I smiled at the gatekeepers. They looked at me with puzzled eyes. 

“Eric is lying every time he opens his mouth. He’s good at betraying people. That’s why people here avoid Eric.”

“What lie are you talking about?”

“Eric, it’s bad that you’ve been deceiving them all this time.”

The gatekeepers looked at Eric with anxious eyes.

Actually, I don’t even know what Eric is famous for. 

They’re new here anyway. They don’t know what’s the truth.

So—.

“Who would believe anything Eric says? He’s a liar. When Eric is in danger, he will throw you out first.”

“Don’t lie! Shut up!”

“Everyone would believe Eric if he said it slyly.”

Eric looked at the gatekeepers as if he had decided to stop yelling at me.

“No! Don’t believe that. No way, you don’t believe her, right?

“….”

“What? You don’t believe me? You guys think I’m going to die alone?” 

The gatekeepers were planted with doubts about Eric.

I’ll keep whispering to them, so it’ll be hard for them to cooperate right away.

The time went by quickly.

‘Hurry up and wake up.’

They can’t make a rational decision in a situation that is flowing too quickly.

So, I’ve got to wake Richard up. 

I rubbed Richard’s body. Please wake up.

If he doesn’t wake up now, we’re both doomed.

“Oh, I understand. Rosie, you’re dragging your feet, aren’t you? Until the monster wakes up?

Damn it. 

As time passed, Eric and the gatekeepers began to make rational decisions.

I thought it would take a little longer due to the increasingly violent atmosphere, but it’s faster than expected.

What else should I talk about and drag out the time?

“But do you think a monster will wake up and save you?”

“Who took the time… Ouch.”

Something pecked and bit my finger.

…What did you bite now?

I looked back, and everything but my fingers were shaking.

I could see Richard rising slowly from behind, scanning his surroundings with his unfocused blue eyes.

At that moment, I felt chills.

Everyone’s eyes were focused on Richard, who got up slowly.

“You’re being arrogant right now….”

I don’t know if any of the men were talking about it. I had no idea about it.

Richard jumped at the men in chains.

Then there was violence on one side only.

I turned around and ran like crazy to get out of the terrible sight.

I have to call someone. I need to stop this situation right now—.

I ran hurriedly. I flew down the stairs to exit the annex through the hallway.

Maybe I came down too fast, but my feet got twisted at that moment. The center of my body falls.

“Ahh!”

I tried hard not to fall, but I couldn’t fight gravity. 

I closed my eyes tightly in anticipation of the pain to come.

“You’re really clumsy.” 

…Ah.

I almost cursed at the voice from above.

It’s better to fall down.

Why—.

Dylan, no one else, grabbed my waist.

“If you fall here, you will be seriously injured, so be careful.”

“….”

“But thanks to me, I caught you even though I didn’t know where you were going. Don’t you think so?”