NRAL | Chapter 63

~Chapter 63~

The End of the Nightmare

“Aaah! Aaaah—!”

She felt like throwing up. Her body twisted on its own, like she was having a seizure.

Astria, damn Astria! Eleanor cursed Astria and Arlo again and again through her churning stomach.

“Stop squirming! I told you to stay still!”

Seeing his fiancée thrash around in a fit, Arlo finally lost his temper.

Thud!

With a loud smack, Eleanor’s head jerked violently. For a moment, all strength drained from her body.

She felt the thin fabric of her clothes slipping down her arms. Her vision blurred, and her mind was hazy, but her awareness of the situation was painfully clear—it was suffocating.

Desperate hands, the weight pressing down on her, the hot breath stinking of strong red wine—

Every detail was burned into her memory, impossible to forget.

Rustle, scratch… rustle, scratch…

In the pitch-dark basement, she remembered the feeling of long-legged bugs crawling up her limbs in search of food.

If that memory had been the first reason she came to deeply hate Astria, the second was Oliver’s death, and now this was the third. She had no idea how many more such events would come to tear her apart.

Should she bite her tongue and die? For a brief moment, Eleanor seriously considered it.

That’s how exhausted she was back then. Life felt too long and unbearably painful.

Luke, Oliver…

The ones she had leaned on, both physically and emotionally, were already gone. So she didn’t think she had any reason to keep going anymore.

Eleanor tried to bite down on her tongue.

If no one had come through that locked door to save her at that very moment, she definitely would have.

Bang!

“Lady Eleanor!”

If Arlo’s hateful voice was what started the nightmare, then this clear, bright voice was always what ended it.

The man who burst into the room, ignoring everyone who tried to stop him—his soft, light brown hair dripping with sweat—was the last thing Eleanor saw before she woke from the dream.

***

There were days when Eleanor would just quietly stare at Ernst for a long time.

On days when she had terrible nightmares—especially ones with Arlo—she would always look at Ernst like this.

And each time, Ernst’s pale skin would flush red as he stiffened and asked in a firm voice,

“…Is there something you need, my lady?”

“Oh.”

That’s when Eleanor would realize she had been staring at him blankly. She would snap out of her thoughts and shake her head.

“No, it’s not that… I just feel sorry.”

“Sorry? For what, exactly?”

“For keeping someone as skilled as you stuck by my side.”

Ernst Pavel. A young knight as talented as he was handsome. The reason he ended up staying by her side as just a guard was because of what happened that day.

On the day Eleanor came of age, Arlo tried to force himself on her even though she resisted. No one in Astria helped her.

But Ernst, a mere guard who had only been with her for two years, reached out and saved her.

“Step away from the lady, Your Highness! If you don’t, I’ll draw my sword!”

His strong voice, yelling at the crown prince, gave Eleanor great courage. But Arlo took it very differently.

A mere knight, the son of a minor noble, dared to defy him. Arlo, of course, held a grudge and began throwing punches at Ernst.

But Ernst, already known for his skill, easily dodged the drunken twenty-year-old prince without laying a finger on him—and still managed to protect Eleanor.

In the end, Arlo left the duke’s mansion furious and empty-handed.

Afterward, he blocked any path to promotion for the knight who dared insult him. Ernst was banned from working anywhere—not just in the royal court, but in any place outside Astria as well.

He even pressured the Duke of Astria to severely punish Ernst. He demanded the duke find some kind of crime, anything, just to discipline him.

However, the Duke of Astoria refused. Not because he wanted to reward the knight who protected his daughter—of course not.

“I won’t say anything, I’ll stay quiet. So please don’t punish Sir Ernst. Someone like him is necessary… so that Arlo doesn’t think he can do whatever he wants in Astria.”

The day after the incident, Eleanor had gone to the duke and made this request.

If she had brought up the attempted assault and demanded the engagement be broken off, the duke would have exploded with anger and forced her to keep quiet. He would have punished Ernst too, blaming him for making things complicated.

But Eleanor’s calm demeanor satisfied the duke, and so he granted her request—exactly as she had calculated.

Eleanor couldn’t stop Ernst’s career from being blocked. Anything beyond Astria was outside her influence.

Eleanor always felt guilty about that. If it weren’t for her, Ernst would have been in a much better position, receiving the respect and recognition he deserved.

“I’ve told you many times. This is where I belong.”

His kind voice only deepened her guilt. Eleanor gave him a faint smile filled with apology.

And as always, this was how their conversations on the topic ended: Eleanor apologized, and Ernst shook his head. Then neither of them mentioned it again—at least until her next nightmare.

But today, something had changed in Ernst’s attitude. Instead of stopping there, he continued speaking.

“…If I had wanted a different position, I would have taken a better opportunity and left without hesitation. I have the ability to do that. But I didn’t—because I didn’t want to. Not because someone held me back or pressured me.”

Eleanor and Hilda widened their eyes in surprise. It was rare for Ernst to speak at such length.

“I don’t plan to stay here forever. The working conditions in Astria aren’t exactly attractive. But for now, it’s not time to leave yet.”

“…And when will that time be?”

“When you, my lady, are truly happy. That’s when I’ll go.”

Ernst wasn’t the type to flatter. He was rigid, to the point of being too honest to tell even a white lie. Sometimes that got him into trouble.

So when he said this, it was clear he truly meant it. A heavy, heartfelt truth that touched her deeply.

“…Well, in that case, you should start preparing to leave soon. Can’t you tell how happy I’ve been lately?”

Eleanor smiled brightly, teasing him. Ernst just stared at her quietly, as if seeing through her act.

It might have fooled someone like Nora, but not him. Eleanor gave a small, helpless shake of her head.

Karsian, Ernst—they were both too sincere for her to handle.

“All right. For your sake, I’ll make sure I become truly happy, soon.”

“That’s not what I meant—you don’t have to force it.”

“I know. Still, thank you, Sir Ernst. For everything.”

Eleanor smiled sincerely, and Ernst gave a slight cough, awkwardly changing the subject.

“…By the way, I heard you don’t have any outings planned today, my lady. But you look like you’re getting ready to go out. Has something come up?”

“Oh, yes. I was just about to tell you. I have to secretly slip out of the estate today.”

“What? That’s dangerous, my lady! The world is not safe—you can’t go out without an escort!”

Hilda, who had been listening to the conversation with a warm smile, suddenly raised her voice in alarm.

Even though the capital, Cardiff, was relatively safe, it was still risky for a noblewoman to wander around alone. You never knew when or where something might happen.

“You don’t have to worry. He is going with me.”

“Oh…”

Hilda instantly understood with just that explanation.

If the Duke of Royster was with her, there was nothing to worry about. Even maids like Hilda had heard how most knights admired him as a legend for his strength and skill. Even Ernst had said he respected the duke.

Hilda glanced at Ernst without meaning to. Eleanor’s tone didn’t sound like she was going on a date, but you never knew when a relationship might develop in a different direction.

‘Poor Sir Ernst…’

It looked like the outcome was already leaning one way. Even though Ernst kept a straight face, Hilda couldn’t imagine how dark his heart must feel inside.

Eleanor, unaware of all this, continued seriously.

“To make sure no one finds out, I’ll need your help—both of you. Can I count on you?”

“Of course.”

“Absolutely!”

Even though they knew things might go wrong and they might be blamed afterward, Ernst and Hilda nodded without hesitation.

Watching them, Eleanor naturally found herself wondering—

‘How can I repay my people?’

Since they both wished for her happiness, the least she could do was try her best to be happy.

Even if that meant using someone’s feelings along the way.

* * *

In Cardiff’s central Blueturn Square, there was always a crowd. A famous monument, a theater just five minutes away, and the lavish Hotel Mercedes—considered the symbol of indulgence—drew tourists and locals alike.

Street performers playing instruments or singing always caught the attention of passersby.

But today, for some reason, they were overshadowed—by a single man standing silently near the hotel entrance.

His clothes weren’t flashy. In fact, the dull, plain outfit and the low hat that hid his face gave him a gloomy look.

But his tall height, long legs, and proportions unlike those around him made people stare.

That man must have a very handsome face.

Women instinctively felt it, stealing glances his way.

Just by standing still, the man who drew the most attention in the square was Karsian Royster. He calmly checked his watch, seemingly used to all the eyes on him. Fifteen minutes remained before the appointed time.

‘Only ten minutes have passed?’

Time felt painfully slow.

Just then—

“You’re early.”

A soft touch wrapped around his arm. Karsian instinctively moved to shake it off, but froze when he recognized the familiar voice.

“I thought I’d be the first one here.”

He turned to look. Unlike him, the woman was dressed in luxury. Her face was half-covered like his, but the scarf covering her head looked very expensive.

Beneath the scarf, chocolate-colored hair peeked out. She even wore a wig—such thorough preparation was impressive. But what caught his attention more was the small, pale hand wrapped around his arm.

Eleanor noticed where he was looking and smiled shamelessly.

“I thought it’d be better if we looked like a couple, going into the hotel together. Just act like I’m your mistress for the day.”

Karsian’s thick brows twitched hard.

Does she know how I feel and still say things like this on purpose?

Eleanor guessed what he might be thinking, but didn’t regret it. She’d known how it would sound.

But Karsian reacted in a completely unexpected way.

“…As I said, I’m not the type to live a scandalous life. Even for one day, I’d rather not pretend to have a mistress.”

He moved to block the prying eyes of the other men around her.

“So let’s say… we’re lovers instead.”