ITRDBDWTDE 11

~Chapter 11~

The next day.

“Hm?”

I tilted my head as soon as I arrived at work.

For some reason, the baron’s residence felt noisy.

Even the employees in the annex all looked troubled.

It didn’t feel like a situation where I could casually talk to anyone.

What’s going on? Why is everyone like this?

Confused, I quietly slipped outside the annex.

Luckily, Amanda was cleaning a window by herself.

“Amanda.”

She turned at my call.

“Milena? What brings you here?”

“Um… did something happen?”

I asked carefully in a low voice.

“It didn’t feel like a good atmosphere to ask the annex staff.”

“Oh.”

Amanda blinked and glanced around.

Then she whispered into my ear.

“The Duke of Lucerte family had dinner at the main building last night… and the young lady…”

I listened to her whisper for only a moment.

Then my face froze.

What is she talking about?

Cecilia disappeared? That made no sense!

“They sent people to search, but they still haven’t found— Milena? Milena!!”

My body moved on its own.

Before I knew it, I was running, gasping for breath.

“Where are you going?!” someone shouted behind me.

But I didn’t even have time to look back.

Cecilia.

I clenched my teeth.

I had to find her as soon as possible.

As far as I remembered, Cecilia always stayed inside the baron’s residence.

She probably didn’t know the area well.

And since she ran out in the middle of the night, she couldn’t have gone far.

“Miss! Miss Cecilia! Where are you?!”

As I searched around the residence, I asked myself—

What will you do when you find her?

Cecilia.

The heroine of the original story.

The one who would eventually ruin me.

Realistically, it would be smarter to distance myself from her now.

If I kept getting involved with Cecilia, my future would only become more uncertain.

And yet…

I just want to find her.

I clenched my teeth.

I didn’t even have a clear reason.

I just didn’t want to leave her alone.

Because—

“If you dare gossip about me anywhere, I won’t let you off.”

Even though her face was cold, her teal eyes had been full of fear.

She had looked desperate, like someone pushed to the edge of a cliff.

“Nanny, she’s the maid I chose.
She’s my person. If anyone punishes her, it will be me.”

I remembered her trembling shoulders as she stood up to her nanny to protect me.

“This one is good.”
“Won’t your mouth get too sweet? Eat a sandwich too.”

And the gentle way she pushed desserts and sandwiches toward me.

Even though she turned her head shyly, her lips still held a bright smile.

I had seen it all—her lonely eyes, her smile, her hidden kindness.

Cecilia was no longer just the heroine of the novel to me.

She was a real person.

How could I ignore her now?

I bit my lip until it hurt.

She had never even gone outside the residence before.

Wouldn’t she be scared in such a strange place?

She had always longed for her family.

How hurt must she have been to run away from the dinner she had waited for so long?

Time passed.

“Ha… ha…”

I panted, anxiously looking around.

What if I really can’t find her?

What if something had already happened to her?

Then—

“Huh?”

My eyes widened.

Across the road, a girl stood weakly.

Her appearance looked familiar.

Messy golden hair.

A dress covered in dust and stains.

Even in that state, she was still dazzlingly beautiful.

Cecilia!

Her face looked empty.

Her bright teal eyes were dull.

She staggered forward without even looking around.

And then—

“What?!”
“Miss, watch out!”
“The carriage—!”

A huge cargo carriage was rushing toward her.

The driver pulled the reins desperately, but it was too late.

The horse neighed loudly.

A huge shadow fell over Cecilia’s fragile body.

At that moment, she lifted her head.

Her eyes regained focus for the first time—

Then froze in shock.

“Miss!!”

I shouted and reached toward her.

No!

At the same time, I felt something warm and soft leave my body.

A powerful wind burst forward.

My golden hair whipped wildly.

The wind rushed toward Cecilia—

And the charging carriage.

Everything changed in an instant.

Chirp, chirp.

Morning birds sang cheerfully.

Cecilia, crouching under a wall, slowly lifted her head.

When she ran out of the residence, it had been dark night.

Now the world was bright.

“Where am I…?”

She murmured quietly.

An unfamiliar street stretched around her.

She only remembered wandering until she collapsed from exhaustion.

She must have fallen asleep.

“Ha…”

Looking down at herself, she sighed deeply.

Her dress was covered in dust.

Her neatly styled hair was now messy.

If my family sees me like this, they’ll scold me…

Then she laughed bitterly.

Even now, she was still worried about their reaction.

She looked up at the bright blue sky.

What should I do now?

She felt lost.

She couldn’t return to the Lucerte family.

After running away from dinner like that, they would surely abandon her.

She couldn’t sit here forever though.

“Ugh…”

She groaned as she stood up.

Her legs hurt from walking all night.

Where should she go now?

No one wanted her.

Then—

“What?!”
“Miss, watch out!”
“The carriage—!”

Suddenly, the street became noisy.

A dark shadow fell over her.

Cecilia lifted her head.

Her blurry vision cleared—

And right in front of her was the massive shadow of a horse.

Ah.

In that moment, the only thing Cecilia felt—

was deep resignation.