Chapter 67: Self-Inflicted Wound

Chapter 67: Self-Inflicted Wound

“What is that..”

“It means exactly what it says.”

“D-don’t joke. Haha… You’re telling me not to escape now…?”

“First, could you please listen to what I have to say?”

What was she going to say?

Unfortunately, Chris’s words didn’t register in my ears.

Chris’s words, which I had trusted until now, confused my mind.

Why?

Suddenly?

She knew better than anyone how much I wanted to escape.

Was she changing her mind now?

“What… what are you going to say…?”

I couldn’t speak properly.

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth.

The stress and anxiety that had built up made me have bad thoughts that I wouldn’t normally have.

I had believed in her.

Could it be that she was playing with me all this time?

Or.

Was she colluding with Scarlett?

No, that’s impossible.

If not, then what is it?

My mind was blank as a vortex of thoughts swirled wildly.

Although it was a stupid thought from a rational perspective.

My spirit, worn down to the bone, had no room for reason.

The taste of blood seeped from my bitten lips.

“…Calm down.”

“Tell me. What’s the reason…? Why are you telling me not to go out? Why, why-“

Poof-

As my enraged voice began to rise.

Chris suddenly hugged me.

While the warmth made me feel at ease, a sense of confusion washed over me.

She gently stroked my head.

“Do you… remember what I said before?”

She said something incomprehensible.

I gasped for breath, my expression blank for a moment.

Then I shook my head.

“You said… ‘I shouldn’t be here.’ That’s what you said.”

Chris added, “That’s what you said when we first met.”

Ah, only then did I recall the memory of that time.

I had met Chris after suffering greatly from the illusion and being severely injured.

Whether the current Chris and that man were the same person, I couldn’t know now.

But at least, I decided to think so.

“I… remember.”

Perhaps thanks to Chris’s warmth, my agitated heart began to calm down.

“Yes. At that time, you truly shouldn’t have been here.”

‘What does that mean…?’

Could it be that the ‘time’ Chris mentioned referred to the mansion, not just outside Scarlett’s room?

My mind became complicated, so I tried to organize my thoughts.

In conclusion, it must be related to Scarlett’s actions.

She started going out after we became intimate.

Outside of that, there was the kingdom.

Today, while biting my nipples, she leaked information like ‘King’ and ‘audience’.

For now, it’s certain that Scarlett is working for the King.

And then, the dark magic and sacrifice that Carlson mentioned the King had dabbled in.

The puzzle pieces are slowly fitting together.

“That…”

“At that time… the King was obsessed with finding a sacrifice, but he didn’t show any madness.”

At Chris’s words, I swallowed dryly without realizing it.

The King who dabbled in dark magic.

The sacrifice needed for the Queen’s resurrection.

Me, who was thoroughly confined in the mansion.

Mentions of my ‘location’ that came up twice.

Scarlett, who tried to hide my eye and hair color by all means.

All these clues slowly connect to derive one answer.

“..Tell me if what I’m thinking is correct.”

“It seems you’ve figured it out.”

Chris sighed.

I didn’t know why I was imprisoned here until now.

I truly thought I was just being kept as Scarlett’s plaything.

The reason for her extreme obsession with me.

It’s because-

“The sacrifice that the King is looking for is you, Cecil.”

It’s because I am the sacrifice.

And Scarlett must be the one who has to find such a sacrifice.

****

“Cecil, Cecil?”

“Oh, yes. Young Lady.”

I cleared my thoughts at Scarlett’s repeated calls.

Scarlett was holding a fork in her hand.

Stuck on it was a piece of steak.

I forced a smile and took the piece of steak into my mouth.

As I chewed, a sweet and savory flavor spread through my mouth.

A week has passed since I realized the truth.

Not much has happened during that time.

The climax-endurance game with Scarlett ended in my victory.

After all, Scarlett had not shown much interest in killing Aileen since then.

As time passed.

Today, the chef’s food was also delicious.

“..Young Lady.”

“What is it, Cecil?”

“Are you going out again today?”

“I’m going into town to buy something.”

“Can I go with you?”

“..I’ll help you change clothes later.”

Ah, and.

There was one more unexpected change.

It was that the restrictions on going out had recently loosened.

Of course, she refused immediately when I wanted to go to the kingdom.

But when she made deals with Carlson or went into town, she took me with her.

After we finished our meal, we immediately prepared to go out.

With Scarlett’s help, I changed clothes, and the three of us left the mansion.

As usual, Euston was waiting for us in front of the mansion.

He shook his body, emitting a familiar faint smell of blood.

“Has the cleaning been finished?”

Scarlett asked as she got into the carriage.

“Yes. Shall I put the aftermath in a sack like last time?”

“Yes. Please do.”

I didn’t bother to ask what had been cleaned.

We took our seats in the carriage and gazed at the moving scenery.

Normally, Scarlett would have been chattering away, but.

She seemed very tired lately.

Recently, she had fewer intimate moments and conversations.

Scarlett just kissed me with empty eyes.

And whispered that she loved me.

It took about an hour to reach the black market where Carlson’s shop was located.

Creak-

Euston, who went ahead, slowly helped me down.

Then Lucy took my wheelchair.

“..Is it really okay?”

Scarlett asked worriedly, looking at me as I safely landed on the ground.

Today’s outing is a bit special.

Instead of going to Carlson’s with Scarlett, we were planning to look around town together.

“It’s okay. Lucy is here too…”

“If Cecil is okay, then I can’t help it…”

She seemed to be contemplating for a moment.

Then she sighed heavily.

“..I can’t help it. I’ll be back as soon as possible, so be careful and don’t get hurt.”

“Don’t worry. Lucy is a Dragon Person, right?”

“Auu!”

Lucy patted her chest as if to say, ‘Just trust me.’

Seeing that, Scarlett smiled faintly.

“Let’s go, Euston.”

“Yes.”

She headed towards Carlson’s shop with Euston.

Thus, only the two of us were left at the entrance of the town.

“Well then… Lucy. Please do me a favor today.”

“Auuuu!”

I asked Lucy to help me, and we slowly moved towards the town center.

But.

Thump-

“Ouch..”

A hard impact spread from the wheelchair.

But there was nothing in front of me.

‘What is it…?’

Shiiiik-

And before I could even sense anything strange.

Something, like an arrow.

Thwack.

Stuck into my back.

****

“You said your sibling went into town?”

“Yes. The transaction should be over soon… I’m going to pick them up now.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Carlson smiled.

Scarlett tilted her head at his unfathomable smile.

But then she gathered her belongings and reached for the reception room doorknob.

“..I heard that the King’s obsession has worsened recently.”

Scarlett turned her head for a moment and looked at Carlson.

She looked as if she didn’t understand.

She had never told Carlson about her relationship with the King.

“What… do you mean?”

“It’s just that the atmosphere in the kingdom has been unsettling lately.”

Carlson said in his usual friendly smile.

“They say that kidnappings are happening frequently under the guise of the King’s ‘search for a sacrifice’.”

He said softly.