Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 68

Eir couldn’t say anything.

When she later suggested it might be related to a battle or that witches could be hiding nearby, Verina simply smiled and told her not to worry.

“Don’t worry. We’re not so easily fooled. Unless there’s a spy among us, everything is being handled systematically.”

With that, Verina hurried off, leaving Eir to chew on her lip in frustration. Convinced her instincts weren’t wrong, Eir decided to go in the opposite direction of where the others were heading.

If their path was a trap, the real target had to be elsewhere.

But as she walked, the number of people dwindled, and the village gradually became eerily quiet. Just as she began to question whether she was truly searching for Grandma’s body or simply running away, she heard the sound of a carriage approaching from behind.

It was unnerving how it didn’t overtake her but instead followed her at a steady pace.

Eir moved closer to the wall, as if urging the carriage to pass. Maybe the driver was inexperienced and couldn’t handle the narrow road.

But the horse continued to move slowly, matching her walking speed, and Eir couldn’t help but turn to see who was driving.

A young coachman, hatless, came into view.

He had been watching her from the start, and when their eyes met, his glowing red eyes felt strangely ominous. He smiled as if he already knew the unsettling effect his gaze had on others.

“Miss? You’ve got a nice face. Want to sell me that bracelet?”

It was absurd—addressing her casually and asking to buy her bracelet out of nowhere. Eir, momentarily forgetting her fear, snapped irritably and turned away.

“I’m busy, so don’t talk to me.”

The young coachman laughed and moved closer.

“Why? You’d be better off if I talked to you.”

His words were so bizarre that Eir couldn’t even respond. She glanced at him and then hurried away, putting more distance between them.

As Eir stubbornly kept her eyes forward and fled into a narrow alley, the coachman clicked his tongue and suddenly reached out toward her.

Whether she was caught off guard or he was just quick, Eir couldn’t stop his arm from slipping around her waist.

She struggled, but before she knew it, she was lifted into the air and placed on the seat beside him.

Startled by the sudden abduction, Eir opened her mouth to scream, but the man swiftly covered it. Even when she bit his fingers hard, he didn’t make a sound or change his expression.

“Be quiet. Is that any way to treat someone who’s here to help you?”

Eir glared at him, incredulous, but he suddenly held up a leaf in front of her face.

He didn’t seem completely insane. When Eir tried to push it away irritably, he laughed and waved it in front of her again.

“Take a good look. You sent this, so what do you expect?”

Finally, Eir recognized the nail marks she had left on the leaf. It was the one she had hastily sent to Grandma’s friend, asking for help. Why did this man have it?

Eir reluctantly let go of his fingers, which she had been biting. The man wiped his hand on his pants, muttering, “Ugh, saliva.” The bite marks were deep, but he didn’t seem to feel any pain.

“Anyway, do you understand now? If you find a leaf inside an envelope, of course you’d think it’s a mistake and throw it away.”

“I was in a hurry then……. But I sent this letter to Grandma’s friend.”

When Eir gave him a look that asked why he had it, he smiled slyly and dodged the question.

“I’m in the same boat as you. I was raised by Grandma too. She was busy, so I came instead.”

He also called her “Grandma.” Eir felt a sense of camaraderie, and her initial wariness eased. But still, this was strange. Eir had asked the witches for help, and now one of their associates had shown up offering assistance.

What could he even do? Kidnap her? Even if he took her away on this carriage, it would only be a matter of time before Rubel caught up.