Chapter 2: I’m Back
“Kyaaaa!”
The maid screamed as Adeline was thrown forward, losing her balance. The hastily purchased carriage, lacking proper safeguards, shook violently from even the smallest jolt. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Adeline barely managed to steady herself, bracing her injured shoulder against the floor of the carriage. The pain was so intense that it took all her willpower not to scream.
“Uhhh—” Her vision dimmed as the agony overwhelmed her.
The maid, snapping out of her panic, quickly helped Adeline back into her seat, her own face pale with cold sweat. She then leaned out the window, shouting in distress,
“HEY! WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?”
Outside, the rain poured relentlessly, sheets of water streaming through the half-open window. Raindrops splashed inside, soaking the maid’s knees as she struggled to close the window. Just as her hand reached for the latch, a sly face appeared in the gap.
Richard Selmore.
A knight of humble origins, Richard had become a trusted confidant of Crown Prince Cesare by the age of twenty-five. His mocking smile and lack of respect were unmistakable. He was the embodiment of the Marma Crown Prince Cesare Dixon’s disdain toward Adeline. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
“Well, are you alright?” he asked, his voice dripping with mockery. He made no attempt to hide his contempt.
Adeline had long since lost count of how many times he had mistreated her over the past month of their journey. He was the type of man who belittled others for sport, finding amusement in their discomfort.
Adeline clenched her lips together, forcing herself to remain silent. She knew that if she spoke, words sharp enough to cut through any sense of propriety would spill out, likely leading to further trouble. Thankfully, her maid, regaining her composure, intervened, shouting again,”Sir Selmore! What on earth is going on?!”
“There’s a suspicious group blocking the road ahead. We can’t move forward,” Richard replied casually, as if the situation was of no concern to him.
“What do you mean, a suspicious group?”
“They’re knights in black armor. I don’t think it’s a raid. Hey, ask the noblewoman what she wants to do—whether she wants to push through them or not. If not, she can either take the long route, or maybe politely ask them to move out of the way.”
Richard continued speaking to the maid rather than addressing Adeline directly, even though they were clearly making eye contact through the open window. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
It was childish.
A faint, twisted smile crossed Adeline’s lips despite her discomfort. She addressed the maid with a deliberately sour tone, “Please tell him to be cautious, since we can’t be sure it’s not an attack. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if Sir Selmore, the bravest knight, approached them, explained the situation, and politely asked them to clear the way for us?”
Richard glared, gritting his teeth.
“Are you really asking me to—”
If the black-armored knights blocking the road were assassins sent to kill Adeline, Richard would be the first to die.
Adeline smiled sweetly. “You better hurry, Sir Selmore.”
Turning away, showing no concern for his fate, Adeline let the carriage window slam shut with a loud thud. She didn’t bother acknowledging Richard’s insolent behavior or the maid’s nervous fidgeting. Nor did she ask the maid to check what was happening outside—it wasn’t her concern.
As Adeline continued flipping through the newspaper, her expression sour, the maid cautiously spoke up.
“Princess, aren’t you scared?”
“Why should I be scared?”
“But…” The maid hesitated, glancing at Adeline’s face. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Rustle—
When Adeline finished reading, she set the newspaper aside and fell into thought. Her escort now numbered no more than ten knights. On the journey to Sol-Marma, the capital of Marma, over fifty had already perished. If the men in black armor blocking their path were indeed assassins, it was unlikely the remaining knights would survive. Still—
“I’m fine,” Adeline said calmly.
The maid solemnly nodded, reassured by the princess’s unshaken composure.
“Of course. Your Highness, the Princess, will surely return safely….”
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
“Yes?”
Adeline closed her mouth, giving up on trying to explain. She realized that no matter how she worded it, her maid wouldn’t understand. Adeline wouldn’t die so easily. If death were coming for her, it would have come eleven years ago. Her life had proven too stubborn to be taken, even by the most skilled assassins.
There was a reason she could be so bold, as if the rules of life didn’t apply to her. She could proudly say she welcomed anyone who wanted to kill her—just let them try. But all those who wished for her death—her parents, her brother, the kings of enemy nations, and even her own country—had failed to end her life. How could mere butchers who hunted people possibly succeed where so many had failed?
With a wicked smile, Adeline opened the window and peered outside through the rain. Read the translation on itsladygrey.com.
Then, through the sound of the downpour, she heard a man’s voice.
“Is this the carriage?”
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