Chapter 21
“What are you talking about? This is my slave!”
Shit, since when did he see her?
Paul, who quickly got rid of his surprise, ordered the human hunters.
“Hey! Take care of him. We need to get through the main gate quickly and secure the escape route.”
“Bu-but, the way he talks…he sounds like the crown prince…”
Paul burst into laughter at his comrade’s words.
“Don’t be fooled. He’s just a copycat of the crown prince.”
“A Copycat?”
“Think about it. He said he’s been running around the capital for her. Do you believe a tyrant would do that? All because of a woman? Why would someone who calls women into his chamber day and night willing to do that?”
The other human hunters nodded their heads.
It was not a secret that the Crown Prince loves to change women everyday.
“Th-then, why are the knights running around the capital?”
“This woman is a noble. Her family probably asked for help!”
“Is that so…”
“He may have a similar appearance, but I’m sure he’s just a bluffer. Get rid of him immediately.”
Paul turned around as his comrades ran past him to get rid of the mysterious shadow.
“Keuk!”
A moment later, an eerie scream made Paul and other human hunters, who were about to leave, turn around.
Paul, who watched his two comrades collapse to the floor, looked up.
Clomp, clomp-!
As soon as the shadow approached and the moonlight shone over it, the human hunters hardened.
Because Signus was smiling eerily with a sword in his hand.
“Your Highness…”
The human hunters gasped and their eyes shook violently. Standing in front of Paul, Signus said.
“Give her to me.”
Paul’s forehead was distorted. At first, he was still unsure of his motive, but now the circumstances were as clear as day.
Signus was looking for this woman.
‘That’s more of the reason I can’t let go of this woman.’
All of them will die if they get caught.
“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but this woman is my…”
When Paul began to talk, Signus’ sword sliced through the air.
Thud-! Paul’s eyes shook as he watched the scream of his comrades.
“What about her?”
The sword was swung once again.
Thud-!
“Tell me, what about her?”
“….”
“Did you lose your mouth?”
Thud-! Paul turned pale when his comrades fell down one by one.
“Hey! Just let her go! We’ll die at this rate!”
A comrade screamed at Paul. But Signus’ hand went up again.
“Yo-your Highness, please spare me!”
“We are…ugh!”
The human hunters fell down in an instant. All that was left was Paul and one of his comrades.
“Lady!”
Paul bit his lips as he saw the knights and guards coming.
Paul’s face was clouded with despair instantly. Because even if he could overcome this situation, it was impossible for him to escape now.
“…Yo-Your Highness?”
“How did you get here first…”
Paul, who looked at the knights and guards, opened his eyes wide.
“You…!”
Paul’s scream made the man next to Rosin raise his head.
He was the newbie who was asked to look at the situation outside the human hunter’s hideout.
“You must be a spy! Bastard!”
The mysterious newbie was now dressed in Yeromimo’s guard uniform.
“Shit…”
Paul chewed his lips. The guards might have already figured out about the escape route outside the capital. They were meant to be caught in the first place.
Looking at Paul, who was hit by despair, Signus threw out his sword.
Tang, clang.
A strong arm stole Navian from Paul. When the cumbersome veil was removed, a pale face with a gagged mouth and eyes tightly shut was revealed.
“…Oh my god.”
“How cruel.”
Navian’s physical condition was so bad that it angered the knights. The big bruise on her forehead and her torn lips looked so awful.
“You bastard! What have you done to my lady!”
“You devil…!”
The guards also shouted in an angry voice.
Tying up the hands and gagging the mouth of someone who is as weak as Navian…
Those cruel behaviors caused the knights’ and guards’ faces to turn red.
Of course, Paul and his comrade, who only tapped Navian’s cheek but had never hit her, felt very wronged.
But at this point, making excuses would only do harm to him, so he only put on an anguished look, hoping for Signus to understand his heart.
Suuk-! Signus, who tore the gag lightly, wiped her wounded lips.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay still?”
Red blood was staining his beautiful fingers.
“You didn’t listen to me.”
The golden eyes shone dangerously between his disheveled black hair.
Paul and his companion turned pale at his sharp eyes.
Realizing that his escape plan had failed miserably, Paul and his colleagues vehemently told the truth.
“I-It’s not our fault! You may not believe it, but the wound was there from the beginning!”
“We only take her here. I swear!”
At his words, the knights and guards wielded their swords.
“You bastards! Are you guys proud of kidnapping!”
“Your Highness, give me your orders. We’ll get rid of them.”
Rosin’s eyes were glaring in anger. He grabbed Paul and his colleague by the back of their neck with a disgruntled look.
Paul felt like he’d die out of unfairness.
It had been five years since he made a living from this business, but he had never seen anything so ridiculous before.
The immense stress due to the unfairness would drive anyone crazy no matter how good-natured a person was.
He should never have done this in the first place.
Had he known beforehand that she was a woman associated with the crown prince, he would’ve left her alone immediately.
Had he known that the crazy tyrant was looking for her to the point of turning the capital upside down, he would never have gone near her.
Had he known that he would be responsible for an assault that he didn’t even commit, he would have left the empire and become a farmer.
Signus asked Paul and his comrade, who were immersed in useless regrets.
“Did you touch her?”
“…Yes?”
“I’m asking if you touched even a single strand of her hair.”
Signus’ eyes glistened as if he just caught his prey. The frightened Paul told him the truth.
“Oh, no! I touched her when I kidnapped her, but I swear I never touched her other than that!”
“Are you kidding me? Look at her busted face.”
“That’s….”
The truth was Navian fell out of bed and hurt herself, but none of them knew about that.
“How dare you touch something that I haven’t touched.”
His golden eyes flashed. The alley was filled with Paul and his colleague’s ragged breathing and restless movements.
“Your Highness! Please listen to us just once!”
“Yes, go ahead,” Signus lowered his hand and grabbed Rosin’s sword.
“Let’s see if you can talk with a decapitated head.”
The sword went up. The sword flashed horribly under the moonlight.
Paul and his colleague’s minds went blank as they looked at the face of the crown prince.
It was an irritatingly beautiful smile.
At that time, at Yeronimo mansion.
The butler watched people lie on the floor with a troubled face.
“Sobs..Sobs..my daughter…my daug..!”
Elaine scraped the floor, with tears spilling over his face and a runny nose.
The butler sighed and turned to Ulysse.
“Young master…”
The butler, who was about to tell him to stop wasting time, paused. Because the young man with bright green eyes was sitting helplessly like a feeble old man.
He was having a severe mental breakdown, but the sight of his skin and bones was so chilling that he unwittingly stepped back.
At that time, Ulysse suddenly stood up and said,
“Butler, I’m leaving.”
“To where?”
“To die.”
What kind of nonsense are you spouting this time? The butler thought, and asked.
“Suddenly?”
“What do you mean suddenly, butler!”
Mary and Anna, who were sobbing, rebuked the butler for having reckless words that did not help with the situation at all.
At times like this, Ulysse’s emotions fluctuate sharply and he was easily overwhelmed with crazy ideas.
“I woke up today and I was so angry. No, I was already angry for a long time. Isn’t it natural for anyone in this situation to be angry? My poor sister is about to marry a tyrant after all.”
Ulysse’s eyes were moist with tears.
“I can’t believe that a noble thief fell in love with my sister and forced her to get engaged with him, and now she was put into this horrible situation.”
Ulysse, who wiped his tears, shouted again.
“I didn’t want to accept the engagement! But Navian was the one who accepted it!”.
“But it’s not my sister’s fault. I’m sure that noble thief seduced her with his face. It’s so obvious.”
“So I went to the palace to fight Bernard and beat him up. I had to get rid of this anger somehow. But then!”
Ulysse slammed the table.
“Some bastards kidnapped my sister! Do you think I have a will to live any longer, huh!?”
The butler, with a crumpled face, calmly said.
“Very well. Then please get out and die.”
“Are you crazy? Why would I die?”
The vein popped up on the butler’s forehead.
“Isn’t it young master who is crazy? You just said you were going to die!”
“The captain found Navian! I’m barely able to get a hold of myself! What nonsense are you spouting!”
But then the sobbing Elaine screamed.
“Shut up! Shut up and go to hell! All of you!”
Elaine, who laid face down in despair, cried again. Ulysse also crawled on the floor with him.
“…I’m totally screwed.”
The butler, who watched the ridiculous sight, thumped his stuffy chest.
Not long after, the door of the mansion opened, and Rosin entered.
“Captain!”
Elaine and Ulysse crawled to Rosin with their heads up.
“Is she okay? Is she hurt anywhere? What’s her condition?”
“She’s hurt, but she’s safe now.”
Ulysse hastily shouted.
“Let me take care of her! Bring her in!”
As he saw the guards’ expression turned dark, Ulysse asked again.
“What about Navian? Where is she?”
Rosin bit his lips.
“What’s going on?”
“…..”
“Captain!”
Rosin, who had been silent, opened his heavy mouth.
“She won’t be able to return today.”
“No, but why…”
“It’s His Highness Signus who saved our lady.”
Looking at Elaine and Ulysse’s pale faces, Rosin opened his mouth once more.
“He said he wouldn’t send her back.”