Chapter 167: Baton Pass
From the rattling around us, it seemed we were in a carriage. I glanced at the restraints. For now, it was best to leave them as they were—it would keep our captors’ guard down. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Lady Fiona, what should we do next?” Eunice asked, her voice anxious.
I leaned against the carriage wall, trying to suppress my motion sickness.
“We should stay calm until we cross the border.”
I didn’t think I could jump out of a moving carriage, especially with Eunice beside me.
“Will it be okay?” she asked, concerned.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll find us. I didn’t leave without some precautions, and if my predictions are right, there’s still more to come.”
More than that, I noticed the carriage was swaying heavily, likely taking a roundabout route.
“Lady Eunice, do you get motion sickness too? This constant swaying is brutal.”
Eunice gently patted my back. “I can tolerate it.”
After what felt like a long time, the carriage finally began to slow down. There was no small window, so I couldn’t tell if it was night or day, but I could hear voices outside through the thin walls.
Soon, the lock clicked, and the door swung open.
“Looks like you’re awake, ladies,” a man said. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Eunice glared at him. “Aren’t you the envoy of Ranulf Kingdom? How could you do this?!”
“I have no intention of harming you. We just need to borrow your strength.”
Two other men with their faces covered grabbed us and dragged us out.
“Someone wants to see you, so come out for a moment,” one of them said.
As soon as I stepped outside, I took a deep breath of fresh air to ease my nausea.
I quietly observed the surroundings—it seemed we were near the border, judging by the landscape.
It was difficult to keep my balance with the restraints on. By the time I managed to stand properly outside the carriage, someone stepped in front of me. When I looked up, I saw the Empress staring at me with a confident expression.
My mind replayed the scene I had anticipated—it was finally happening. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Your Majesty, The Empress,” I greeted.
“You look terrible, Fiona Heilon,” she sneered.
Beside me, Eunice gasped in shock. “Your Majesty, why are you with these people?!”
This moment felt surreal. It was the classic villain scene where they believed everything had gone according to plan and revealed themselves with reckless arrogance.
The Empress gave a bitter smile. “No matter how strong you are as a mage, it seems you still can’t do much in this situation. You look pale.”
Ah, but that was because of the motion sickness….
“Yes, it’s only natural to be scared. Once you cross this border, it will be nearly impossible to return to imperial land.”
These lines were originally meant for Eunice, so hearing them directed at me felt strange.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“Because you’re both an eyesore,” she replied. “Things would have been simpler if you’d bowed down before all this happened.”
She glanced back and forth between me and Eunice. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Ah, this is a very favorable deal. In exchange for handing over the two of you, I’ve been promised substantial aid later.”
She tilted my chin up, a twisted smile on her face. “I can just imagine the insolent Duke Heilon and that prince of yours going mad when you both go missing. That will be a satisfying sight to behold.”
A perfect villain’s line, no doubt.
“Of course, I’ll use that chaos to reestablish my son’s position.”
She let go of my chin roughly, almost as if she wanted to toss my head aside. Then, with a sharp motion, she slapped my cheek.
Eunice flinched in horror. “Lady Fiona!”
“…”
“I can’t believe you’re still looking me in the eyes even in this situation. Perhaps because of the name Heilon attached to you, you’ve become arrogant and spiteful.”
My cheek stung. It was clear that the ring the Empress was wearing had damaged my skin.
“Then may you both have a pleasant journey—of course, one that doesn’t allow for a return.”
The Empress wore a confident winner’s smile, sure of her victory. Originally, she was the villain who interfered in the main couple’s relationship, while I was the final antagonist. Seeing her like this felt strange. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
I wiggled my wrists, bound by the restraints, while looking at her quietly. “Ah, they’ve come off.”
Time to pay her back.
“What—”
Slap!
I immediately struck her on the cheek.
“Shut up! You can only deliver lines for third-rate villains! No more!”
“Uh, how…!”
The Empress, covering her cheek, looked back and forth between the shattered restraints and my face.
I grinned arrogantly. This was Abel’s expression.
“So, who really fell into the trap?”
The Empress screamed in a shrill voice, “WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING?! GET HER NOW!”
The men around us finally came to their senses and rushed at us.
I pulled Eunice close to me. At that moment, the dim surroundings lit up with countless torches, revealing the soldiers surrounding us. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Uh…”
A frightened Eunice snuggled up next to me.
“It’s okay; they’re on our side,” I said calmly.
“Yes?”
Two men walked out among the soldiers.
“I heard those noble words very well, Your Majesty the Empress.”
It was a familiar sarcastic voice.
“Thanks to you, I finally got a very good opportunity.”
Wait, did they come together? What a waste of manpower. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
The Empress was stunned as the faces of the two men gradually emerged in the light.
“Duke Abel Heilon! Prince Sigren! How could you get here?!”
“How do you think?” Sigren replied as he approached me. He gently placed the back of his hand on my swollen cheek.
Ah, that felt cool.
“Fiona, why didn’t you explain this before you started?”
“I wanted to do it properly.”
“But don’t you think it was a bit much to leave only a note saying you might be kidnapped?”
Haha, he looked angry.
I shrugged lightly. “It worked out, so it’s fine.”
“I hope those words will work for Abel as well.”
I slowly glanced at Abel. There was a murderous look in his eyes—a demon-like expression. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Okay, so you kidnapped my daughter and wanted to see me go on a rampage?”
Abel raised his chin and smiled arrogantly.
“You should have just asked me, Your Majesty. I’ll show you how crazy I can be without even trying hard, Your Majesty the Empress.”
The Empress trembled.
“How—how the hell…”
“Well, maybe it’s because we have a goddess of victory on our side.”
Abel took a step closer to her.
“Empress… ah no, criminal.”
I looked away from Abel’s face. While I had the nerve to mess around, I tried to maintain some distance because an angry Abel was genuinely terrifying. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
His stern voice rang out. “I’ll make you pay for touching my daughter.”
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