Chapter 190
Benedict probably hadn’t even made the reservation after realizing the situation. And more importantly…
“I think we should have the meal another time. I’m in a situation where I shouldn’t have stayed out like this. I should probably apologize to the person I’m staying with first.”
“I see. I also had something important to say…”
“What is it?”
Benedict hesitated, his mouth moving without forming words. It didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up in such a chaotic situation.
“Never mind. Take care of your urgent matters first. I’ll arrange for us to meet another time.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please take care on your way back.”
Macy hesitated for a moment about meeting with him alone again, but there was no time to argue on it. She took the painting and left immediately.
“Morgan!”
“Gah!”
When she opened the carriage door and found no one at the driver’s seat, she saw Morgan sprawled out asleep in the seat. At the sound of her voice, he startled awake and jumped up.
“What time is it! Why am I sleeping here?”
“It’s the next morning. I fell asleep too… I’ve never stayed out without saying anything before. This is a big mess. What should we do?”
“Oh no! Let’s hurry back!”
Morgan quickly returned to the driver’s seat and urged the horses into a fast trot. If they’d arrived this early, she couldn’t pretend they’d been to the artist’s studio. Maybe she could say she just had a drink with Anna? What should she say?
As she scrambled to think of an excuse, the carriage suddenly jolted!
Thud!
The carriage shook violently as they neared Hallain Mountain. Macy felt her body lift from the seat. As the carriage settled back down, she heard a crunching, splintering sound.
“No, who left this here in the middle of the road!”
Morgan muttered in frustration. When Macy opened the window and looked down, she saw that a trap, typically used for catching animals, had caught on the carriage wheel. As a result, the wheel was completely broken and it seemed like the carriage could no longer move.
“I’ll get out and find someone…”
Then, a strange scent hit her nose—something smoky, like something burning.
“What is that smell?”
Morgan sniffed the air too. His gaze turned skyward. Macy followed his eyes and looked up at the sky.
“What is that…?”
A faint smoke was rising, a gray cloud that was slowly darkening the sky. But the direction the smoke was coming from didn’t feel right. That place… probably…
“Macy!”
Without another word, Macy jumped out of the carriage. Her face went pale as she started running. It didn’t take long before she saw the soldiers guarding the entrance. They had been dozing, but jumped up when they heard her footsteps.
“Miss Horton. Why were you out overnight? Explain yourself!”
“There’s a fire! It’s on fire!”
“Eh?”
The soldiers’ mouths dropped open as they followed the direction of Macy’s pointing finger.
“Since when… is that the area where the cabin is?”
“Yes! So move aside!”
“Wait, hold on!”
Macy squeezed between the soldiers. They stood there, frozen, unsure of what to do with the sudden fire, not following her in pursuit but simply standing there in confusion.
‘What happened to Dia? Did she manage to escape? And my painting… my painting…’
Her skin stung where it had scraped against the brush of the undergrowth. Her breath was shallow. The acrid smoke that filled the air made her throat burn. As she got closer, the source of the smoke became clear—it was definitely coming from the cabin.
“Why… why… no, it can’t be.”
Despite her prayers repeating “it can’t be,” by the time she arrived, the cabin was perilously engulfed in fierce flames. The trees twisted grotesquely like statues from hell, screaming in agony. But the fire knew no bounds and spread relentlessly.
“Have you just arrived?”
Out of the ruins, a dark silhouette emerged.
The heat blurred her vision, but his voice was unmistakable. Black hair like the night sky and icy aquamarine eyes.
Eren Wood, her Name master, as beautiful as a sculpture. His hair, mingling with the ashes, fluttered in the wind. His clothes, draped over broad shoulders, were surprisingly intact for having emerged from the ashes.
“Why are you… coming out from there?”
There were no burns on him. She was more confused than concerned. He spoke with a hint of a smile in his voice.
“Because I started the fire.”
“What?”
“Sorry about that. I meant to light a cigar but accidentally dropped it.”
A mistake? Was she hearing this right?
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.