"Mirai... My Mirai is being sacrificed!?" he asked in disbelief.
I didn’t like this. This was really reckless because if King Theodore found out that Mirai wasn’t , then sothing bad might happen to her.
I held the guard’s hand.
"We have to save Mirai."
"Your Highness..."
"Now."
I didn’t want to be denied. At first, the man gave up, but I convinced him again to take Mirai away out of Birwick as soon as possible, and the man agreed to my request. The maid and I exchanged clothes. I used a bonnet to hide my hair.
The guard asked permission from his other friends by saying he had to send a maid to return to the castle. I, who was dressed as a maid, managed to get away from Mirai’s house.
Together with the guards, we were going after Mirai who would beco my replacent. I knew maybe my father wanted to protect , but I couldn’t let him sacrifice my friend. I would never forgive myself if sothing happened to Mirai.
Riding the horses together, we caught up with the group that had escorted Mirai from Birwick. I had never left Birwick before and being soone who could see also felt foreign to .
However, just as we caught up with Mirai’s carriage, the sight we saw was really shocking. Right before crossing the border of the forest, several escorting horses fell to the ground. I had to close my eyes when I saw deep claw wounds on one of the guards lying on the ground. They were the dead bodies of Northendell’s people. The ones who escorted Mirai.
Mirai... was she okay??
The guard helped get off the horse, then we ran towards Mirai’s carriage, which was now left without guard. When I opened the door, I saw Mirai with her ssy white hair, sobbing pitifully. They even faked Mirai’s blonde hair with white to look like . On her arm was a long wound that was still bleeding. Mirai must get treated right away.
"Your Highness ...." Mirai called with a face brimming with tears.
The woman approached with her body shaking violently.
"I’m here Mirai. It’s alright now..."
Mirai held my hand tightly. She then turned to the guard who ca with , and they hugged each other. I stepped back to give them so space and ti. If I went ho with Mirai right now, then father would send her again.
I knew my father well. He was a person who would not give up easily. I... had to make a decision, and my only choice was to protect my friend. Mirai had helped a lot. Since I was little, she beca a friend who taught many things. A friend who never got tired of playing with regardless of my flaws. A friend who was always patiently waiting for .
I wanted to thank the woman. I didn’t want Mirai to be the one who would go as .
And when they heard my decision, both of them stiffened in their places.
"W-what about you?" she asked worriedly.
"I’m going to go back to your house and pretend it never happened. And you can go with Mirai," I ordered the guard to go with Mirai.
"Your Highness... it’s still very risky."
"Not at all. We can pretend that Mirai is lost in the middle of the forest. My father will probably throw tantrums for the next few days. You can leave Birwick and run away."
Yes, that was my decision, sending Mirai and her lover to leave Birwick. Even though Mirai’s mouth said she was worried about , the glow in her eyes said that she was very relieved and grateful.
Once I could see again, I could at least do basic things. Mirai’s existence was no longer important to . I could choose the color of my own dresses. I could go up and down stairs without being helped by anyone. I could also play in the forest without needing to be escorted like before.
Mirai and I said goodbye to each other. The woman hid in the forest, waiting for the guard to send off to Miria’s house. However, when the guard helped get on the horse, a black-robed figure appeared right in front of us.
"Can you keep your hands off my woman’s body?"
That voice!
"Sir!"
The man lowered his hood, and after a whole month I did not see him, now he appeared in front of . The man looked dirty. Under the bright full moon, I could see his shining red eyes and dark spots on his face, especially around his mouth and chin. From his hand, so dark liquid dropped profusely.
"Who are you!?" the guard asked in a tense voice.
I touched the guard’s shoulder to put his sword back down.
"He’s my friend," I replied calmly.
Even though I didn’t know his na, I still think of him as a friend who helped to see the color of the world. Then, I got off the horse to approach him.
"You look dirtier tonight, Sir."
The man smiled. His hand went up, but he lowered it again when it almost touched my face.
"I don’t regret it. Not even the slightest."
I didn’t know what the man ant. I didn’t even understand what he was talking about.
"I must return now. Nice to see you again, but... I wish I could see you more often. My parents always asked how I could get my vision back. I don’t have the answer. Only you know it, and I know nothing about you."
"You want to know more about ?" he asked.
Did I want to know more about him? Yes, I really, really wanted to know everything about that man. What was his na, where did he live, how could he make my heart beat so fast even though he didn’t do anything, then what did he give to my eyes so I could see again.
However... I wanted to keep it to myself. I felt that if I knew everything, then my father wouldn’t stay still. He was no longer an understanding man I knew before. He was always looking for ways to protect himself, and I didn’t want my father to take advantage of that man’s kindness.
I was sure after knowing everything, my father would exploit the man in front of .
"You’re so kind and understanding," he said, making frown slightly.
The wind was blowing again and the rancid sll of blood around us made feel a little dizzy. I looked back at Mirai that hid in the middle of the forest alone.
"Could I ask for your help to take ho?’
The man smiled. He ca closer and took in his arms. I impulsively wrapped my arms around his neck. I could now see more clearly. The dark stains on his face as well as his hands had a deep dark red color. It was almost the sa color as the ones on the body of King Theodore’s guard who picked up Mirai.
"Our plan changed. You can take Mirai away right now. I can go ho myself," I said to my guard.
The mysterious man, whose na was unknown, smirked, and it made look back at him. Those two red irises that glead in the dark made my heart beat really fast.
"Are you sure I’m going to take you ho? What if I kidnap you and take you sowhere else besides the castle?" he asked.
"Try it then."
I didn’t know where I got the courage to answer so boldly. Being in the arms of that man felt more comfortable than being in the castle where father and mother were always watching my movents.
"Are you serious? I plan to return you to the castle, but if you want to go sowhere else, then I can take you."
I thought for a mont. Mirai was no longer in the castle, and I was bored to be trapped in the castle either. Perhaps after this, mother and father would punish by locking in my room for a whole month. Was this my rebellion ti? My heart beat faster at the thought that I was going through a rebellious phase.
"Please take away from the castle," I begged.
I might regret it in the future, but I wanted to at least once live my life outside the castle freely.
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