I Thought I Didn’t Have Long To Live! - Chapter 29

Chapter 29 (The Duke of Kandel is Here!)

Ciiing!

A rustling sound echoed in my ears. At the same time, a stinging pain throbbed at his burning red wrist.

“Ugh!”

Lariette clenched her fists and let out a low moan. Suddenly, both wrists were swollen. Her face had long been contorted with pain.

“Ha…”

Lariette sat down on the soft carpet and sighed. Then she looked blankly at the white door in front of her. It was a door that had never been opened since she arrived here and came to her senses.

‘I’m stuck in this room again.’

She hugged her bent knees and muttered in her mind.

Although the room had been used for about 20 years, I didn’t think it was my room. Rather, the Duke of Kandel’s room was more friendly.

Currently, Lariette has been imprisoned in the Duke of Blanche for several hours.

As soon as she got up, she tried to run away, but to make matters worse, her hand was filled with a magic restraint ball made of iron.

She tried various attempts, such as slamming her wrist against the wall to break the restraints, but it was nothing like a prisoner’s handcuffs. And, unable to use magic, she was nothing but a powerless noble woman.

The thick door was knocked hard, and there was no kick or movement, and the window was locked from the outside. In other words, no matter how hard she tried, there was no way out of this room.

It was early in the morning, and sunlight was coming in from the window. Knowing that it was morning, my stomach rumbled without noticing. It’s because I’ve been starving since last night.

It was a familiar situation. Stuck in a room, sleeping, waiting for the door to open. She had behaved well since childhood, so she was not punished often, but her body was clearly remembered.

Could it be more desperate than this? Lariette thought blankly.

It couldn’t be worse than having to end my life in this terrible place. A terrifying feeling of despair enveloped her withered body.

And at that moment, a familiar and welcome voice came through the crack in the door.

“Lady!”

It was a voice that was so small that I had to concentrate to hear it. Still, Lariette immediately figured out who the owner of the voice was. It was natural because she was the only person I missed in Blanche.

“Anne! Are you there?”

“Yes, lady, it is me! Are you okay? You must be very hungry…”

When I heard Anne’s melancholy voice, Lariette smiled broadly, forgetting her wrist pain and hunger. Because joy preceded it.

Lariette got up and walked closer to the door. The gap between the doors was too narrow to see Anne, but the thought of her behind the door made me feel more at ease.

“No, my stomach is fine. Anne, how are you? Is your body healthy?”

“Yes. I’m always healthy. What do you do, Lady? I think the Duke is very angry….”

“He’s angry, I’m used to it, right?”

“It’s not like that. The situation is serious. He said that the road ran wild last night saying he wouldn’t leave you alone in the morning.”

As if not joking, Anne’s voice was more serious than ever. Lariette left because she wanted to leave, and she shook her head, unable to understand the Duke who kidnapped her and made a fuss.

“I’ll ask for help.”

Anne said in a determined voice. Now that the Duke had not yet occurred, this was Lariette’s only chance to escape.

But it was too reckless in Lariette’s view. There was almost no one in this mansion willing to help her, and Anne was highly likely to be severely reprimanded for nothing. I’d rather be punished, but I don’t want Anne to get punished.

“No, Anne, don’t do that.”

“If we ask Wizard Joel for help…”

“You can’t even do that….”

Wizard Joel was one of the few who gave  Lariette to Blanche and he was her teacher, and he’s a person who did not dare to openly disobey the Duke’s orders.

That’s why he must have broken her shield yesterday as well. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t upset at all, but Lariette fully understood his position.

“Then… I will steal the key.”

It was a dangerous word. Lariette continued to discourage her, but Anne’s will was unbroken.

“I am very sorry that I lost my young lady like that. I haven’t done too much. So, this time, I’ll do my best so that there are no regrets left.”

“Anne….”

“Please Lady…”

It wasn’t hidden by the door, but Lariette seemed to know how serious her face was.

She was grateful for that, but also sorry. Now Lariette knew Anne could be in danger, but was actually hoping to help.

Lariette opened her mouth with a sad expression, blaming herself for not being able to do anything on her own.

“… Thank you.”

“No need! I’ll come back as soon as possible, so don’t overdo it.”

“Anne, you have to be careful. Don’t try if you think you’ll get caught. There will be other opportunities.”

“Yes!”

Anne replied cheerfully. Then she immediately turned and headed to the butler’s room.

Lariette, who had stood so close to the door, left the door only after she could not hear her footsteps at all. Then she leaned back on the bed and looked at the white door.

After that, time passed slowly. No matter how many times I opened and closed my eyes, there was no change in the appearance of the room, and there was no sound coming through the door.

Lariette’s neat eyelashes slowly covered her eyes. I closed my eyes, but I couldn’t sleep because my heart was pounding with anxiety.

Depressing thoughts floated through the empty mind. Only a glimmer of hope held her mind.

* * *

After a few dozen minutes passed, footsteps began to be heard. Lariette, who had her face buried in her lap, raised her head and looked forward.

 Click Click—

The doorknob shook violently. Because of that, Lariette’s heart pounded. She stared at the door without blinking an eye.

And a question passed through my heart pounding with anticipation and vague hope.

‘Isn’t the sound of footsteps heavy?’

Recognizing the sound that was the footsteps is too heavy for Anne’s, Lariette’s face turned white in an instant.

Creak-!

The door opened as if waiting for that moment. Lariette reflexively raised her body.

And it was the two people I didn’t want to see the most in front of me.

“Lariette.”

“… You woke up early, father.”

How much did you miss me? Laliett added a cynical smile over his mouth. The Duke of Blanche’s face was suddenly distorted.

She didn’t stop and continued to be sarcastic.

“But who is this ugly guy? The color of your face is also gorgeous.”

The person who came with the Duke of Blanche had red hair and purple eyes, so it was clear that my brother had recently eliminated the possibility of producing a second child.

But the reason she said this was because Raon’s face was full of bruised.

I don’t know if he was injured by accident, but he would definitely have called the priests to treat him, but he seemed to have been seriously injured if the wound remained there.

“I imprisoned you to reflect, but there is no sign of that.”

“Why do I have to reflect? I did nothing wrong.”

Lariette proudly stretched her chest and said even when she was wearing a restraint ball. Because I had no intention of apologizing for not doing anything wrong anymore.

“You not doing anything wrong?”

The Duke of Blanche laughed and approached Lariette one step at a time. As he got closer, her lips trembled at the  intimidation, but she did not give in.

“Yes, no.”

And at the same time, a large, thick hand slammed against her face.

Slap! A sharp sound of expansion filled the room, and a flash of light passed in front of me.

I was blown away as if struck by lightning. My ears were tingling and my head was spinning. Before I could even figure out what had happened, a scolding fell.

“What did I do wrong-!”

The Duke of Blanche looked down at Lariette with eyes that were full with anger. Then he raised his hand again.

Lariette wanted to bite him to avoid his hand, but the Duke’s tight grip held her by the shoulder to prevent him from doing so.

Slap! In the end, she couldn’t escape and faced the pain. The face was torn and blood flowed due to the ring worn by the Duke. It was a ring that symbolized the Blanche family.

“None?”

The Duke finally released his grip on the shoulder. The sound of breathing leaking from his lips was particularly harsh.

Lariette fell to the ground as soon as the Duke released her. I was dizzy and couldn’t stand.

My vision was dark and my body was heavy. My right face sting as if pierced by hundreds of needles. There was a lot of blood in my mouth, as if my lips were bursting.

“After spending a lot of money to raise you, you dared to run away and go into that monster’s house and embarrassed your father?”

The Duke of Blanche gave a threatening and vicious gaze towards the fallen Lariette. Lariette wanted to refute it, but her head was spinning and she didn’t have the energy to do so.

The insults continued over her.

“How dare you whisper to that monster and make your brother’s face to this level! Did I raised a prostitute, not a princess?”

I called such a man father. Lariette muttered in her heart even in the midst of being distracted. A terrible emptiness filled her whole body.

The Duke of Blanche continued to pour out her abusive remarks, but she consciously closed her ears to hear them.

Behind him, Raon wore a satisfied smile on his bruised face. Lariette groaned and moaning, and bit her lips in shame.

“Know that you won’t be able to come out until you reflect!”

Not long after, the Duke of Blanche, who had poured out all the poison words, left. Raon remained in the room even though he had disappeared.

“You don’t look good, little sister.”

Raon giggled and laughed at Lariette’s appearance. He wasn’t left because of that.

“Your shape isn’t good either.”

After that, Lariette, who had grown accustomed to the pain, raised the corners of her lips painstakingly in response. Blood was dripping from the gap between her gaping lips, but she wiped it carelessly.

A deep wrinkle appeared on his forehead, perhaps because my calm attitude stimulated Raon. A squeaking sound was heard.

“i was humiliated because of you…!”

Raon got on top of the fallen Lariette and grabbed her neck. His hands were pulling hard on the hem of her clothes, and her neck was choked.

I couldn’t breathe properly. Lariette let out a groan and looked at Raon. His distorted face was full of vengeance for the terrible memories.

“How dare you make that bastard to hurt me!!”

It was something that Lariette could not understand. She could see him clenching his fists.

I wanted to counterattack, but I couldn’t use magic, and it was difficult to use my hands because I was handcuffed. She was lying on top of him, so she couldn’t even move his legs.

But it couldn’t be done like this.

Shwaa!

“Ahhhh!!”

Lariette bit his hand without hesitation. The taste of blood spread through her still bloody mouth.

Raon screamed and waved his arms violently. Lariette didn’t let go of her mouth like a hound, and it was only after he rolled back completely that she relaxed her strength in her mouth.

“Hey, you crazy bitch…!”

Enraged, Raon grabbed his fingers, which were cut enough to show the insides, and glared at Lariette. But he soon shut up.

It was because the purple eyes he met were fiercer than anyone else’s. He couldn’t even imagine that it was Lariette’s, which he had been ignoring until now.

A shiver of chills ran down his spine. He instinctively thought that if he touched me wrongly, he would die.

Illustration 

Raon took a step back without realizing it. He hate to admit it, but he was now terrified of his sister.

He was afraid of the eyes staring at him with a blood-stained face without a single divergence. Those eyes seemed to resemble someone. The Duke of Kandel who brutally assaulted him.

“Uh, uh…!”

Raon blushed in shame, then jumped up and started running around. In the meantime, he was the one who instructed the servant to lock the door carefully.

Lariette wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to run away, but had no energy to do so. Soon the large door slammed shut.

And all that was left was terrible helplessness. A familiar resignation weighed on Lariette’s body.

Time passed in vain again in the burning pain.

‘Asrazan.’

Lariette finally came up with a precious name. I was trying not to think of him. Because it seemed like it would be even more painful when I thought about it.

It was only a day away, but I already missed everything about him.

His blunt and friendly voice, firm and wide arms, warm hands, and pretty eyes. Each time she thought of him, tears welled up and ran down her blood-stained face.

“Lady!”

Anne’s voice came from outside the door. Lariette listened to her with her eyes closed.

“Sorry, I couldn’t find the key.”

It’s okay if you’re not hurt, Lariette didn’t have the strength to answer, so she said in her mind instead.

“Instead, I found someone to help you and contacted it! He have arrived now!”

It was incomprehensible. Who else could help her if not Joel?

Anne answered as if she had heard the question in her heart.

“The Duke of Kandel is here!”