Chapter 166
“Didn’t you say we’d be staying at the villa for a few months? We had plenty to do in Tortu City, so what’s the meaning of this?”
One of the subordinates raised his voice at Siren.
Though called a subordinate, he was actually one of the men Siren had hired with money.
As such, unlike the others, he didn’t bother to speak to Siren with any respect.
The moment they arrived in Tortu, he had been excited to get the promised money and spend it extravagantly.
But because one of the hostages had escaped, the emperor had discovered them sooner than expected, forcing them to leave the villa in a hurry.
‘Staying with these guys won’t get me anything good.’
At this rate, they’d get caught soon.
So it was best to take the promised money and quickly escape in a different direction from Siren.
“Schedules don’t always go as planned.”
Siren replied indifferently, as if annoyed by his nagging.
“And don’t make a fuss about money. I’ll give it to you, haven’t I always kept my promises?”
The subordinate frowned at Siren’s voice, which made it impossible to tell if Siren was male or female.
Siren’s words were correct.
This time, the schedule had been disrupted, but Siren had always paid the promised wages before the designated date.
‘Everyone else left as soon as they got their money.’
Come to think of it, the others would disappear without a trace by the day they were supposed to receive payment.
It was funny that people in such a line of work would care about loyalty or friendship, but at least a polite farewell would’ve been expected.
“Oh, that guy? He said he’s done and leaving now.”
When asked about someone’s whereabouts, Siren always answered like this.
Anyway, the promised day was still a few days away. If anyone left now, Siren wouldn’t pay them.
The man could only huff and return alone.
“Were you in charge of watching them today? Keep a close eye. They’re cunning, don’t look away.”
Another comrade spoke, and the man snorted.
“Hmph, what can two little girls and a half-dead brat do?”
After one boy escaped, the remaining boy became the target of Siren’s group’s frustrations.
From what he saw, the scene was utterly tragic.
It also didn’t help that the boy’s father was Duke Kailen, who had caused Siren’s subordinates the most trouble in the past.
The man went down the stairs.
This place, too, was a villa once built by nobles deep in the forest.
Abandoned for so long, vines had twisted around it, making it hard to find from the outside.
Whatever the former noble’s hobbies had been, there was a barred prison in the basement, so Siren’s men had thrown the children in there.
The man carried a lamp and went down.
Once inside, he counted the children.
One, two, three.
Satisfied that all three children were there, he placed the lamp aside and leaned back in a worn chair.
There were no windows here, and the bars were sturdy, so escape was impossible.
All he had to do was watch over them until further orders…
But sitting in the chair, the man’s leg jittered nervously.
‘Things are definitely not looking good.’
Siren hadn’t explained in detail, but it was clear that the escape of even one child had disrupted his plan.
‘That’s why he didn’t even say a word about keeping an eye on them, despite their condition.’
The man turned to look at Arcel.
At first, he had seemed like a proper rich young master, but now, slumped against the wall with his body covered in wounds, he looked utterly pitiful.
‘Is he going to die soon?’
The man wondered if he could just leave him behind.
At that moment, Arcel opened his eyes and spoke to the man.
“Seems like our friend’s escape had quite an impact.”
“W-what?!”
The man jolted in surprise.
The boy’s gaze, which he had assumed was about to fade, was still sharp.
Arcel gathered his dizzy mind and looked around.
Right beside him was Ivy, holding his hand and holding her breath.
And Eve was trembling beside her, clutching Ivy’s clothes.
Both had red marks on their faces.
Thanks to Arcel shielding them and the sudden change in their schedule, they had only received a few blows, but the marks of violence were clearly visible.
Since then, both Ivy and Eve had been too scared to make any sound, trembling constantly.
Even so, they had stood firm, refusing to let go.
Arcel felt both gratitude and shame.
If only he had acted faster, handled things more cleverly… it wouldn’t have come to this.
He swallowed his self-reproach.
Now was not the time to blame himself.
Regret could wait. No matter the condition, he had to get Ivy and Eve out of here.
Perhaps because it was a hastily prepared place, even in the basement, he could faintly hear the conversation above between Siren and the man.
‘They moved suddenly because the tracking team pinpointed our location and acted fast.’
It was clear that Lusca had safely met the trackers and informed them of their position.
Arcel trusted Lusca.
His endlessly cheerful, playful friend…
The friend who, as the fourth of the loyal Ragselv family, had risked his life to carry out his duty.
He couldn’t waste the chance Lusca had given him.
If Lusca embodied loyalty, then he embodied the cunning of the Kailen family.
He had to fulfill his role…
Arcel gently pressed his forehead against Ivy’s, who was still holding his hand tightly.
Ivy, still trembling, looked up at him.
Arcel gave a faint smile, signaling her not to worry, then turned back to the man.
“Things don’t seem to be going well for you.”
“…Be quiet.”
“They moved us in a hurry. Do you think Siren can still pay you properly? My friend has already met the tracking team, so escaping will be nearly impossible now…”
“Shut up!”
The man kicked at the bars. Ivy and Eve flinched, but Arcel calmly faced him.
“This is your last chance. Help us, and I’ll make sure you face no punishment.”
“What? Hah!”
The man scoffed at Arcel’s offer.
But Arcel noticed his eyes flicker the moment the proposal was made.
“You know who I am. I can ask His Majesty to pardon someone like you and even request a reward.”
“You mean… the son of Duke Kailen, known for his smooth tongue…”
“Still, I don’t lie. I always keep my promises.”
“…”
“Think carefully. The tracking team is very close. If we get caught now, at best, you’ll be hanged. At worst, you’ll be taken to the imperial palace’s dungeons, limbs severed, eyes and tongue removed, and live like a worm.”
In reality, no one lived like that. Clois had preferred execution over torture.
But during the former emperor’s reign, such stories were common, and rumors spread of people still alive in the dungeons, crying at night.
The man seemed to believe in this tale.
“Help us, and you can live in peace for the rest of your life. Think carefully.”
“…”
The man didn’t answer.
Arcel lowered his head, a small smile tugging at his lips, unseen by the man.
He had shaken the man’s resolve. Now it was only a matter of time.
Night deepened. The wick of the lamp, filled with poor-quality oil, sputtered and flickered.
The man quietly opened the bars and grabbed Arcel by the collar.
“You’ll keep the promise made in your family’s name. If not…”
He pressed a knife against Ivy’s neck.
He had seen that Arcel cared more about this child than the little princess.
“Of course.”
The conversation ended there. The man went ahead, dragging Ivy and Eve with Arcel leading.
Outside, those asleep couldn’t even light a lamp.
Even if exhausted, they would sense any movement, yet no one stirred as the group passed.
“I drugged the car. The effect won’t last long. Hurry.”
Arcel quickened his pace at the man’s words.
His leg seemed injured, causing him to limp, and Ivy and Eve supported him.
The mountain they climbed was steeper than expected, and the valley was deep—one wrong step could be fatal.
As they moved cautiously, voices came from behind.
“There they are!”
The shouts included Siren’s voice.
The scouts had returned sooner than expected.
“Damn!”
The man with the children panicked, unsure what to do.
Arcel seized the moment.
He spun around and used all his strength to push the man toward the valley.
“Ugh!”
The man flailed in midair as he began to fall backward.
Just before he fell, his eyes met Arcel’s.
Arcel said:
“I never promised I wouldn’t attack you, did I?”
If only he hadn’t touched Ivy, he might have spared him.
Arcel swallowed those words.
Moments later, the man’s body tumbled into the valley, screams echoing.
He wouldn’t die, but he’d be too injured to move immediately.
Now, only those following remained.
Arcel looked up at the sky. No starlight pierced the deep darkness.
He knew this sky.
The most difficult time, just before dawn.
Soon, the day would break, and if the tracking team was close, they would discover them soon.
If he could just buy a little more time…
Arcel turned to the two girls.
“Ivy, Eve. I’ll buy us some time. Run.”
