Chapter 24
“Ah…!”
Just as a rough hand tried to drag her into the room, a sweet scent brushed past her nose, and suddenly, someone’s arms wrapped around Sophia from behind.
“Hands off.”
It was unmistakably Joshua’s voice.
He gently, not forcefully, held her in his arms, then swiftly yanked the hand off of Sophia and kicked the door open.
The door slammed shut hard, crushing the hand that had been sticking out, then flew open again.
Through the wider gap than before, someone could be seen rushing toward the window to escape the room. Demis Luther. The light coming in from the hallway allowed his face to be clearly seen.
He was the one who had touched Sophia.
“Benji!”
“I know!”
They couldn’t let him get away.
Still holding Sophia, Joshua called for Benjamin, and just then, he came running and burst into the room.
He jumped out the window right after the escaping man without the slightest hesitation, and his disappearing figure was clearly imprinted in Sophia’s eyes.
“Wait, what the—?”
“It’s fine. He won’t die from falling off the first floor.”
“…No, I mean, what the hell…”
Still too overwhelmed to process what had just happened, Sophia couldn’t form proper words. As Joshua’s eyes scanned her up and down, he asked,
“Are you hurt anywhere? Are you in pain?”
Her snow-white hair was tangled and disheveled. Her breathing was irregular too…
“Did you run here?”
“Huh? Oh… yeah.”
Joshua answered a bit absentmindedly, caught off guard by the unexpected question that had nothing to do with what he’d just asked.
Sophia still wore her usual blank expression, but the sharpness she normally had had softened.
“Why were you at Rosent Castle?”
“…Because I had a feeling something like this would happen.”
His quiet mumble was perfectly audible. A feeling this would happen?
As she stared him down with eyes demanding an explanation, Joshua reluctantly continued.
“The Aros family and Duke Sevice clearly teamed up to send those servants. How could I just sit back and do nothing?”
He looked like he was confessing a sin he didn’t want to admit.
“Ever since the new servants arrived… I kept coming back to the castle with various excuses.”
“Like making flower crowns?”
“That… and other stuff… But I was really careful, okay? You didn’t even notice me or Benji around you.”
That much was true—Sophia had no idea they were close enough to intervene this quickly if she were in danger. She had never imagined either of them would protect her.
Given her life so far, the possibility of such a thing happening had never existed.
“If you’re safe, then that’s all that matters.”
Looking at him breathe a sigh of relief made Sophia recall the time he had once killed her. Without hesitation, he had moved his sword. He had poisoned her tea.
But not now. She didn’t know how things would turn out in the future, but for now…
“Thank you.”
“…What?”
“For saving me. Thank you.”
His moon-like eyes wandered for a long moment, then he suddenly covered his face with both hands, completely hiding it.
What the heck is he doing, covering his face all of a sudden?
“What are you doing?”
“I’m just… a bit moved right now.”
What nonsense is that, seriously?
Sophia was probably standing there with a giant question mark over her head, but then someone called out from behind her.
“My lady!”
“Oh, Sion…”
As she turned to him, Joshua’s broad back suddenly blocked her view.
No, not a wall—it was Joshua’s wide back.
“Where do you think you’re going, trying to cozy up like that?”
His tone was sharp, nothing like the boy who had just said he was moved.
But Lucion only looked confused, unaware of why he was being treated this way.
“Demis Luther laid a hand on Sophia. She was in danger.”
“That’s…”
“And you vanished at the perfect time.”
Joshua’s voice, dripping with sarcasm, was followed by a tense silence—the calm before a storm.
“I said, you vanished at the perfect time.”
“Someone called me away, that’s all.”
“And?”
“When I got there, no one was there. I was tricked too. Someone wanted me away from the lady’s side—!”
Lucion spoke desperately, trying to prove he was innocent, but Joshua’s expression only grew darker, his suspicion deeper.
“Why should I believe you? You’re one of the people sent by the Aros family too.”
“It’s the truth! We have to catch the person who lured me away! That’s the real accomplice!”
Lucion’s face was so filled with grief that it almost made Joshua, the one making a reasonable accusation, look like the bad guy.
While the two argued, Sophia kept thinking back to the voice that had called Lucion and Demis’s actions, and soon enough, she figured out who the accomplice was.
She grabbed the arm trying to stop her from going to Lucion. Surprised, Joshua turned to her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I know who the accomplice is.”
“What?”
Lucy Hesley. No other name came to mind. She had ties to Demis and had once lied to Sophia.
And though it was unclear how exactly, Lucy also knew martial arts—just like Demis.
Demis Luther and Lucy Hesley. Those were the culprits. Concluding as much, Sophia tried to walk toward Lucion, but Joshua blocked her.
Still, Sophia pushed his arm away and boldly spoke up.
“Sion is fine.”
“But Sophia, Lucion is—”
“Right, Sion?”
Despite Joshua’s continued protests, Sophia turned to Lucion and asked.
He hadn’t expected her to take his side, and for a moment he looked dazed. Then, quickly coming to his senses, he nodded vigorously.
“I’m always on your side, my lady!”
His voice was filled with sincerity. Even though Joshua shot him a sharp glare, Lucion didn’t back down. Pleased, Sophia smiled and ran to Lucion.
“Well done.”
“Th-thank you… Wait, where are you going?”
He thought she would stop by his side after the praise, but Sophia passed him and sprinted down the hall.
“To find the accomplice.”
“Ah…! Who is it?”
“Lucy Hesley!”
She shouted back as she ran ahead.
Demis had failed to harm her and was now being chased—probably by Benjamin. There was no way this wouldn’t cause a commotion.
Lucy must be getting nervous. Even if her involvement wasn’t yet revealed, it was likely that everyone sent by the Aros family would be ousted.
If she realized things would end badly no matter what, she’d either try to escape with Demis or run away alone.
Either way, Sophia had to catch her before she left the castle.
As Lucion stood staring blankly at Sophia’s retreating figure, he moved to follow—but Joshua’s hand clamped down firmly on his shoulder.
“Don’t try anything stupid. I still don’t think you’re completely innocent.”
“…Think what you want.”
“You little—”
“I really came here just to protect the lady.”
With a face utterly sincere, Lucion brushed off Joshua’s hand and chased after Sophia.
“This is so annoying. I don’t even want to trust him…!”
Even though he didn’t want to believe Lucion, those completely honest eyes irritated him.
Joshua scratched his head roughly, reminding himself that Sophia came first, and ran after Lucion.
Sophia didn’t have to go far before she spotted Lucy Hesley.
As expected, Lucy was heading for the back door on the first floor, trying to escape alone.
“Lucy.”
“…”
“Where are you rushing off to?”
Lucy froze at the sound of Sophia’s voice. She turned to face her, wariness plain in her eyes. No point pretending.
‘Should I just…’
She thought about strangling Sophia’s frail neck right then. But the sight of Joshua and Lucion approaching from behind changed her mind. She turned quickly and ran.
It would’ve been easier to escape by taking Sophia hostage, but she had kept just enough distance to make that impossible—and Lucy would’ve been caught first if she’d tried.
Seeing her flee, Joshua picked up speed to chase after her. He passed Sophia in a gust of wind, moving so fast it stirred the air around her.
Lucion also dashed past, leaving a breeze in his wake.
“…Looks like they’ll catch her soon.”
That was the expectation—but it was nearly lunchtime, the busiest time of day for the servants.
Word had spread that Benjamin was chasing someone, but the staff knew very well how skilled Benjamin was—and that no one could defeat him with brute force.
So, the servants simply went about their duties quietly, trying not to get in the way.
Naturally, this meant there were people passing through the halls.
Lucy, while running, tried to grab at some of them for help, causing a tangle. But each time, the startled servants shoved her away with confused expressions.
“Wh-what are you doing?!”
