CH 33

The interior was dark, and matched her vision in how chaotic it was. She gave her eyes strength and somehow adapted her vision to the stinging smoke. As she pushed through the stacked wooden boxes and went all the way to the very corner, something covered with a black cloth appeared.

Whoosh. As she walked through the room and removed the cloth, a small cage appeared as expected.

“Sniff, sniff.”

Inside, a child of the Beast tribe was curled up and crying. 

Brown ears were drooping through golden hair that shone brightly enough to light the falling darkness. 

Sniff, sniff. 

The child looked up at her with a sniffle and a tearful look in their eyes. Small lips sticking out, big eyes filled with tears. The traces of abuse left on his small back, seen through the rags, were far more serious than she had seen with her foresight. If she knew this would happen, she would have kept at least one potion.

Sadness and anger arose together. 

She wanted to reach out and hug him, but the gaps between the iron bars were so narrow that she couldn’t. In addition, it had a strong lock on it, so it was difficult to take the child out immediately. 

‘What should I do with this first!’

Likewise, using a scroll was inadvisable because the child may be injured. Serdel, who was looking around, grabbed a piece of lumber nearby. 

Startled. 

The startled child wiggled his arms and legs and backed away. 

“Kyaaaaang!”

It would have seemed like a threat to him, but all he, who was weak and  pathetic, could do was cry. 

“U, ung.”

Serdel slammed the high wooden beam towards the lock. 

Kaang!

Continuously.

Kang! Kaang! 

“Uhh.”

Nonetheless, it did not only not budge, but the rough parts of the neck brutally pierced the soft flesh of her palm and slid in. Her hands were swollen and bleeding. She, on the other hand, clenched her teeth and swung it again.

*Crack* 

The lumber broke, too short and weak to be used.

“….”

She almost laughed in vain because she felt dejected. After going through this, she hurriedly looked around again. Her heart was anxious. As she hurried through the boxes, fortunately, she was able to find an iron club. 

She swung it with all her remaining strength with the feeling that this is really the last time. 

Kaaaang! 

The lock finally fell off with a strong sound that made her ears ring. 

“Ugh.”

She had no time to wipe off the sweat hanging from the tip of her chin. While she was concentrating, flames that had swallowed the hallway also swallowed the entrance and then quickly surrounded the space. Since there were so many boxes that could be used as kindling in the room, the fire spread faster and became even hotter. 

“Ha, haha.”

This situation, trapped in flames, was somewhat absurd. 

“How stupid— Haa.”

She took a deep breath and brushed her messy hair back. First of all, she decided to rescue the child first and decisively grabbed the cage.

‘Kk!’

It was as if the skin attached to the iron bars was burning as soon as it was touched by the hot metal. Opening a single door was not easy. She held back her groans, pulled, and managed to open the door. She carefully put her hand in between the gap.

“Kyaaa!”

The child showed his sharp teeth toward her. 

“Shh— It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll help you.” 

She shuddered to see the terrified child slamming her hand with sharp claws and looking down at her wound. There was no time to spare, but Serdel smiled and gently stroked the child’s face with the back of her hand until the child calmed down.

“—Aren’t you going to hit me?”

“I’m not going to hit you.”

The child, who was hesitant, put his small hand on the back of Serdel’s hand. The trembling from his body transmitted to her.

“Are you sure you won’t hit me?”

“Yeah. I won’t hit you. So come out here. It’s okay.”

When the child came out cautiously, Serdel untied the cummerbund from her waistband to cover his head and face for protection. She was actually dizzy due to lack of oxygen, but she gathered herself and stood with her eyes wide open. All that is left now is to break through the raging flames and join Blenn.

She swallowed her saliva and lowered her head. 

In that state, she was about to run out with the child in her arms, and someone who jumped through the flames suddenly put a jacket soaked in water over her head. 

She wondered if it was Blenn, but—.

“Count, why are you here—”

It was Count Maient. The appearance of an unexpected person that she had never thought she would meet at a place like this made her speechless. 

“Let’s talk about this long story outside.” 

Tsk! At first glance, he seemed annoyed or angry.

“No, wait—”

“Cover your face properly.”

Without hearing her bewildering words, he quickly grabbed her body and ran without hesitation. But not through the hallway. Among the fierce flames, staff members who had been hit by someone’s knife were burning with animal masks. None of the bodies were aristocrats. 

Everyone seemed to have evacuated on time. The inside of the place was empty except for some dead staff.

‘Blenn did a great job.’

She was relieved only then. The moment when a part of her heart that was filled with nervousness was about to calm down, Whoosh! Something sharp flew in.

Count Maient quickly turned around and avoided something thrown at him. He grinded his teeth, staring at the other side, which was hard to see because of the fire. 

“Young Lady. It seems like the situation is a little too dangerous. I’ll drop you off, so follow me closely.”

She wanted to say: “There’s no need to—”, but before she could say anything, he first pulled her and the child in her arms to a safer room. Then Count Maient pulled out the sword from his waist and grabbed her shoulder.

Startled, she just looked at him weirdly

“—Young Lady your hand—”

His gaze turned downward. Thinking she would shake him off, saying it was gross, he grabbed her wrist instead of letting her shake him off. It was almost as if he was being considerate of her hurt hand. 

Did he want a thank you for saving her, but on the other hand, it was pitiful. Since when did he start caring about her? 

“Can you stand it?”

The next words came out in vain following the question. 

“Hold it in a little bit. I’ll treat you as soon as we get out.” 

Without looking into her cold face, he hardened his eyes and carefully moved to the side. Serdel, who was still holding the child, also naturally followed him. 

“You’re a man who should say your last prayers—. Tsk.”

The Count said to his opponent as he added strength to the hand that was holding his sword. The opponent’s shadow also slowly moved in the direction the Count had moved and looked this way, and eventually disappeared like smoke. 

Startled. 

When the shadow reappeared, it was just after Serdel had already been trapped in its arms. 

“Young Lady!”

Surprised, Count Maient threw his sword but failed to connect with his opponent. Rather, the opponent lightly threw his head back as if laughing at the Count and escaped with his hostage.

“Young Lady—!”

*****

Serdel, however, felt no surprise. The sudden embrace was later than expected and not shocking, and as soon as he broke through the fire and came out, the man slammed the wall of the building and jumped. He didn’t even use magic. How can he get so high in the sky with just a leap?

‘That’s amazing.’

The exclamation came out naturally. Is it because of the night air or the atmosphere? The moonlight was exceptionally brilliant, too. A total release of tension.  Knowing that the one holding her was Blenn and no one else, she wasn’t worried. Rather, she was relieved that they were safe with each other. 

Taak. A short while later while standing on the tallest blue roof among the nearby buildings, he lowered his head to her ear.

“Are you okay, Lady?”

“I’m okay.”

After looking at the moonlight for a while, she looked away. He really matched well with this chilly night. Although it was dyed by magic earlier, his cold silver hair does not melt well into the darkness, and even the bare face was somewhat pale—.

“Sorry for being late. It took a little longer because I thought it would be cleaner to take care of the staff for the future.” 

His eyes were distorted as he scanned Serdel with the report. 

“What happened to your hand—!”

“Blenn. How about the half mask I gave you?” 

His bare face somehow bothered her. 

“—I burned it. It was a mask used in a dangerous place and if you bring it to your house— I’m sorry for doing something without a word, Lady. I couldn’t just leave and look at the traces of the place that made my sister like that.” 

“Nothing special happened?” 

“Yes, you don’t have to worry. Your hand comes first rather than that. How did you get hurt so much? I don’t have any potions left—”

The pain in her hand that had been forgotten came back to her at his point. The back of the hand was better, but her palm was so messed up that it was grotesque to look at.

“Does it hurt—”

Just in time, the cool wind blew through the wound. Goosebumps ran down her spine. Unknowingly, her body flinched.

“I-it’s hurt?”

The child, who had been quiet in her arms, clasped his short hands and poked his head out between the commodes. Tears welled up in the large, jewel-like eyes.

“Does it hurt a lot?” 

“This beast child—”

Then his gaze turned to the child.