Chapter 186
Lynette pressed her lips together tightly.
She knew Julia had not been a good Countess. She probably had not been a good mother to Edwin either. She had forced a young child to write a letter handing the title of Count over to Nosh, so she wasn’t a very good person not only as a mother but even as an adult.
‘Still… that doesn’t mean she deserves to end up like this.’
Though it wasn’t visible, it seemed likely there were wounds on that body as well. What other reason could there be for trembling so much at the thought of leaving? At first she must have tried to run away, struggling to escape somehow, but it was easy to imagine the misery that had forced her to submit.
“If he finds out I left…”
Just before taking Lynette’s hand, she spoke in a trembling voice. At the same time, as if she could not completely shake off her fear, she looked around restlessly.
“I will make sure that man can never do anything to you or Edwin again.”
It was not something Lynette could promise confidently, but if things went according to plan, it was entirely possible.
‘If it doesn’t work… that would be a disaster.’
Nosh would pursue the four of them, and if that happened, the thing she feared might become reality. At the very least, Euphen and Eshar were risking their lives. If one looked at it more broadly, Lynette, the fake Guide, was included as well.
It was frustrating that there was no way to convey this desperate resolve. If she could say everything openly, persuading her would be easy, but she could not do that. All she could do was hope that Julia would trust her.
Julia squeezed her eyes shut and took Lynette’s hand. The hand in hers was terribly thin and rough. As Lynette carefully held it and whispered that everything would be alright, Sillian spoke.
“Please come this way.”
With that, he began walking ahead. The mansion was empty, but just in case, the three of them moved carefully.
“Is there perhaps a passage where we can slip out toward the village?”
“…There was, but after I was caught, they probably blocked it.”
Julia answered softly to the man’s question.
“Since Edwin managed to get out, maybe it was opened again. When we brought him back, we didn’t see Edwin entering through the main gate.”
“This way.”
The woman lightly tugged at Lynette’s hand. If they climbed over the iron fence on the side far from the village, they would have to walk quite a while, but if they could get out through the place she showed them, reaching the village would not take long.
Sillian pushed through the bushes and looked inside, then stepped back slightly.
“It seems they tore open what had been blocked again. There is a gap just large enough for a child to pass through.”
“Then we can’t get out…”
As soon as Lynette spoke worriedly, he kicked the wall with all his strength. The sound of something breaking rang out. As if that was not enough, he kicked it several more times, then tore away the dangling boards with his hands. After that, he checked outside and skillfully crouched his large body to slip through. A moment later, the man stood on the other side and held out his hand.
“Move carefully so you don’t get cut.”
Lynette let Julia go out first and followed after her. Fortunately, there had been no sign of Nosh until now.
‘Well… it’s better than things becoming difficult.’
She roughly pulled the vines that had been covering the hole back into place and stood beside Sillian.
“Do you know where the place Eshar mentioned is?”
“I don’t know exactly where it is, but I can make a guess.”
After nodding absentmindedly, she thought for a moment and wondered if Julia might know. She asked just in case, but Julia looked as though she had no idea where such a place might be.
Sillian kept turning from alley to alley. As they continued walking through narrow, dark alleys where there were no people, the woman’s expression grew uneasy. Her concern that she might have fallen into the trap of strange people again was quite obvious, so Lynette thought for a moment before taking off her robe and wrapping it around Julia.
“It’s in case someone notices us.”
In truth, it was because she was worried Sillian’s presence might be noticed, but she did not add that trivial explanation. The woman gripped the robe tightly with her dry, rough hands and bit down on her lip.
“M-maybe we should go back after all…”
At that moment, the sound of people arguing reached their ears.
“I’m telling you, it was real!”
“Even if it was real, who do you think you are, going there!?”
They were shouting so loudly that the voices echoed deep into the alley.
Julia’s body trembled slightly. Even without that reaction, Lynette could easily tell who those two people were. They were voices she had been listening to just a short while ago.
Sillian paused for a moment. It seemed he was trying to grasp the situation.
“You’re so stupid! Do you think you’ve actually become a real noble?”
“If I’m not a noble, then what am I? I’m a Countess now!”
“If you’re that stupid, then just quietly change into the dresses I buy you and go play.”
At the man’s scornful remark, the woman’s voice grew even sharper.
“No matter what you say, I’m going to that party. I have the right… Kyaa!”
Before she could even finish speaking, a scream rang out. As if she herself had been struck, Julia hunched her shoulders and trembled slightly.
“Bring that maid here!”
At the same time, an irritated command rang out.
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