“I will enjoy this food!”
Yuni shouted happily in the shabby inn.
The hungry child, Yuni, started eating before her young lady, and Lena watched her and turned to one side of the room.
“Thank you, Sir Lynn. You take care of us like this.”
Who Lena greeted was the owner of this cramped inn.
It was Lynn, the young man who helped Lena and Yuni. He sat cross-legged on the old sofa and watched the two with an awkward face.
“….I really didn’t expect you to follow.”
“Yes?”
When Lynn said something absurdly, Lena asked with amazement.
“You told me to follow you if I didn’t have anywhere to go.”
“But if you just follow someone you don’t know….”
“I know your name…”
“If you only know the name, it still unknown…”
The two people who talked were embarrassed by each other’s different ideas. It was Lynn who asked Lena to follow him. He couldn’t just leave girls who were about to be kidnapped. He couldn’t leave them to the Security Agency that couldn’t be trusted, and also it will be night soon, so he told them to follow him.
Nevertheless, he was really embarrassed by Lena, who was already here. Even where he’s staying now was an inn, not a single house.
When Lynn made such expression, Lena muttered in a voice like the sky was falling.
“If you’re telling me to go back…”
“No, it’s not like that.”
When Lena started crying, Lynn hurriedly shook his hands.1
“It’s just, I was just surprised. Don’t be uncomfortable.”
“It was us who made you uncomfortable.”
“Yuni, sst!”
Despite her warning, Yuni ignored it and ate her bread again. Then, Lynn calmly changed the topic.
“You said you were the daughter of Count Rubel?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know that Count Rubel has a daughter.”
Lena paused and put down the bread as Lynn said something she knew. Then she smiled with a wounded face.
“Officially, but anyone knows. He’s got a daughter.”
His eyebrows narrowed at Lena’s confession.
‘An illegitimate daughter?’
Why did such a daughter appear in this city? Lynn asked, thinking it was strange.
“But why are you alone? Didn’t the Count send anyone?”
“Father doesn’t know that I’m going now.” Lena’s answer left Lynn in speechless.
She wasn’t an ordinary daughter, but an out-of-wedlock child, who hadn’t even been considered as a daughter by her father. Even in this country.
Lynn was confused about whether he understood it properly.
“Count Rubel wasn’t telling you to come, but you’re going to see him?”
“Yes.”
“Who gave you permission?”
“Permission?”
Lena blinked at the word ‘permission’. She said she didn’t know why she needed permission.
Thanks to her, Lynn was now in a deep freeze. He didn’t know if Count Rubel’s daughter in front of him was real or fake, but one thing was certain. That, this lady was innocent.1
He’d be damned if the Count found out. No, he was glad she’s lucky. The Count may be going to buried or killed his own daughter, which suddenly showed up.
Lynn asked again with a half-believing question.
“Do you know where the Marquis now?”
“He must be in the Imperial Palace. It’s the Foundation Day soon.”
“Then where are you going now?”
“Of course it’s the Imperial Palace.”
Lena’s shy answer made Lynn felt indescribable.
“…How about going home?”
“Yes?”
“It’s you. Even if you do that, that kid is innocent.”
“….what?”
Yuni raised her head with a spoon in her mouth. Lynn pointed to her innocent figure.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, but the capital city is much more open than here. Luckily, even if you go to the Imperial Palace, there is no guarantee that the Marquis will meet you…. It’s not a friendly place. The same thing can happen there again.”
“You don’t have to worry too much. You’ve done a good job just now.”
“Do you believe everyone?”
“It’s not like that, but I think it will be okay. No matter how ugly the world is, there are more friendly people than bad ones.”3
“If you end up asking for help, it’s more dangerous.”
“More dangerous?”
“Stand out, you.”
Lena laughed with a face that knows nothing. So Lynn thought and said straightforwardly.
“You’re pretty.”
“Ah….”
Lena’s cheeks turned red because of that plain comment. But Lynn wasn’t trying to praise her beauty.
“You’re easy to attract attention, easy to be targeted, and easy to sell at high prices.”1
Lynn’s voice was still low and quiet. But, Lena’s eyes were shaken by the harsh words, especially the high price.
However, Lynn didn’t care.
“Some people ask for help.”
He was a great man, who helped her. But she couldn’t tell if he was going to ask for her body when she listened.
But Lena was aware of her reality. Lena thought with a stiff face, then asked Lynn again.
“So, Sir Lynn, are you going to ask me for a price?”
“No.”
Lynn flatly denied it. But it wasn’t enough. Lena was already scared.
‘Oh, no.’
Lynn regretted it belatedly.
He was insensitive. He was a stranger to the lady, but she couldn’t even catch up with him even though she was at an inn. Lynn kept his mouth shut as he tried to deny again.
She was already alert, so it’s useless to say no. However, if he left it like that, they would be uncomfortable all night.
Lynn got up on the sofa while thinking.
Lena seemed very surprised but pretended not to see him. Then, he unrolled a dagger from his waist and put it on to the table near Lena.
“This is….?”
“Safety device.”
Lena’s eyes were rounded by the unexpected word. When Lena stared at him, Lynn added.
“Use it when you need it.”
“….How?”
“Stab me if I approach.”
Lynn answered clearly and sat back on the sofa. Lena looked at Lynn, who kept a distance from the dagger she received. A smile slowly spread over the mouth of the hesitant lady. Lynn was relieved only after confirming that her fear was faded.
Lena, who laughed secretly, said softly.
“Sir Lynn too.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re pretty.”3
Lynn’s expression became strange. But Lena kept a clear face.
“Sir Lynn is also pretty.”
“What the….”
Lynn was speechless. How come she suddenly talked about how pretty he was?
Lynn stared at her, but Lena still looked innocent.
‘Is she a little too naive?’
Lynn thought inadvertently and was shocked. Because his guess was so convincing. Otherwise, a mature lady couldn’t be so naive without knowing the world so much. Lynn’s eyes trembled from the heavy hypothesis.
As if she had no idea what Lynn was thinking, she could only smile happily.
***
It was already night when Lena and Yuni finished eating. When it was dark outside, Lynn took off his cloak and said.
“I’ll sleep on the sofa, and you can sleep on the bed.”
“Won’t it be uncomfortable?”
A worried voice responded back, but Lynn didn’t look back. It was because of Lena was in a white pajama. It was a long-sleeved pajama, but Lynn was uncomfortable to see it. So, he reduced the size of the lamp and stretched his feet on the sofa. As the room grew dark, Lena and Yuni went into the bed.
After a long time, Lena’s whisper was heard in the dark.
“Sir Lynn, are you sleeping?”
Lynn didn’t answer, but Lena still whispered.
“Thank you very much today.”
“….okay.”
“I was a little surprised. I’ve never been helped without being asked for any reward.”
Lynn tried to find the right answer. That’s because he felt a cold weight of Lena’s confession. If she’d never been helped without a reward, would she have received help at all?
“There were many. People who think I’m just naive. But it’s those people who are really naive.”3
The voice was more eloquent. When Lynn was silent, Lena changed her voice and whispered.
“Rather, it’s dangerous to help anyone like this, Sir Lynn.”
“It’s not the time to worry about me.”
“Sir Lynn is a very pretty man.”
Lena whispered with a smile, and Lynn eventually burst into laughter. When Lynn laughed, Lena asked more comfortably.
“What is Sir Lynn doing?”
“Just, this and that.”
“I think you’re staying here for a while. Are you going to the capital?”
Lena’s guess was correct. It was not a difficult analogy since this city was the gateway to the capital. Lynn didn’t answer, but he drew a line.
“I tell you in advance, I can’t take you.”
“It’s right that you’re going to the capital. You don’t have to take us, it’s the same way anyway.”
It seems that she wanted to follow her own footsteps. Lynn swallowed up his bitter smile at the ambition.
“I’m sorry, but I have something to do.”
“What is it?”
“….It’s too late. You must be tired, so stop talking.”
After a series of questions, Lynn was a little embarrassed. Unable to reveal his identity, he hurriedly stopped talking. As a result, the conversation ceased, and the night fell silent again.3
***
And at a deeper night, Lena, who fell asleep shallowly, opened her eyes.
“Shh.”
A man looked down from his nose. It was Lynn.
Lena noticed him in the dark and asked him a small question.
“Can I stab you now?”
“….No.”5
When Lena got hold of the dagger above her head, Lynn quickly denied it.
“Hide under the bed.”
The moment Lynn spoke, there was a crackling sound outside. It was the sound of stepping on the floor of the hallway.
“Hurry.”
Lynn pushed Lena and Yuni, who was still asleep, under the bed. Immediately afterward, the door opened roughly.
“Where are you, this….!”
The voice of the stranger finally broke, and a dull hitting sound rang instead.
Lynn rushed as soon as the door opened, and those who came in were helpless in the dark.
“Stop it, bast*rd! Before I burn this place!”
The room suddenly became bright. Lynn seemed to have turned on the light that he had hidden. As a result, the identity of the guests at night was as expected. Those were the guys that approached Lena.
Lynn sighed and warned them.
“Speak when I let you.”
The already beaten men clenched their teeth.
“Give me the girl.”
“What girl?”
“The girl you took!”
“I have bad sleep.”2
When Lynn clicked his tongue, the man, who seemed to be the leader, gritted his teeth.
“Don’t regret it, you son of a bit*h.”2
The man then pulled out a dagger. Lynn took a step back, but the man didn’t try to stab him. Instead, he stabbed his palms with a knife. Lynn was shocked by the unexpected action.
‘No….’
As Lynn was thinking, the red blood ran dry. Along with him, the terrible smell of sulfur wafted through. Soon it was covered with smoke and a figure quickly grew in it. Lynn was furious when he realized what had happened.
“You idiots!”
But the men only giggled. It was a strange laugh to hide their fears.
A stranger appeared in the flames of the raging fire. It touched the ground with four feet. It seemed like a crouched human at first, but if you look more closely, it seemed like a human head on a dog’s body, and it was indescribably bizarre.
“Hah!”
Lynn clenched his teeth against the smell of lava that pierced his nose. The fools opened the way of the dead. He promised to take a woman and gave his blood to call the abyss dead.
After grasped the situation, Lynn reached out to a sword hanging on the wall. At the same time, the dead man came up.
Kkang!
Since there was no chance of selecting a sword, he blocked it with the sword he got from the wall. When the dead man smashed the sword with his teeth, Lynn smashed it.
While the dead were pushed away, Lynn corrected his posture. As his eyes calmed down, the dead also cried out. The men cheered as spectators.
At that time.
“Stop it!”
With a charming appeal, a hem of white cloth ran out into the middle of the room. It was Lena.1
“Move!”
Lynn shouted to Lena, who was in the way, but she didn’t listen.
“Please don’t fight.” In Lena’s cry, Lynn felt dizzy, and the men burst into laughter.
The man with the blood raised his hands and said joyfully.
“Lady, it’s good to be innocent, but you need to know the atmosphere. Then it hurts us too.”
“You are naive.”
“What?”
“Stop now. This kind of deterrence and violence are not forgiven.”
“Huh!”
Lena’s warning made the man laugh.
“She’s so full of herself.”
The reality was close to revealing it.
“Shut up and step out, before you got killed.”
The man was under a brutal impulse to open the door to hell. He was thirsty. When it’s done, he wanted to make the woman in front of him bloody.
“Lena, stop it!”
Lynn shouted as the man’s breath became rough. He wanted to get her, but he couldn’t move fast because of the dead in front of him.
“I can’t hurt Lynn because of me.”
“It’s not the time to worry about me!”
“All right, all right, you’re both dead!”
The man yelled unbearably. At the same time, the dead creature hit the floor.
“Lena!”
Lynn rushed, but it couldn’t be faster than the four-legged dead. Finally, the dead man came upon Lena. White pajama was swaying, and black drops of blood scattered in the air. In a cold fear, Lynn reached in desperately to get Lena.
However, the girl in pajama who had been shaken didn’t fall, she stood tall. As if the rain-stained grass bounces, she’s flexible and powerful.
Instead, it was the black one that poured out. It was the head of the dead. Lynn got it and then threw it back with amazement. He raised his head.
Lena was shedding the blood on her dagger. In the moonlight, without being distracted. Lynn stopped breathing and looked at her. So did the others.
Lena then said in an embarrassing voice as she felt all eyes were on her.
“Everyone is so surprised.”
Then she smiled and added.
“Really, you are naive.”
