MPAWD 26

Chapter 26

Lucy, who had been half-forced into the carriage, bit her lip to keep from crying as they traveled to the Count’s mansion. She knew crying wouldn’t improve anything.

“Lucy, you look gloomy. But you don’t need to worry anymore. Working at my estate will be far better than that so-called fancy restaurant.”

Count Sinon stroked his mustache while staring intently at Lucy’s face, then gave her a lecherous smile.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself. I am Count Baton Sinon.”

He laughed heartily and continued to chatter as if he were in high spirits. But Lucy couldn’t hear a word. All she could think about was the grim future awaiting her.

‘Could I jump out of the carriage?’

She ignored the Count’s rambling and darted her eyes around, desperately searching for a way out.

But escaping wouldn’t be easy—not with the Count seated right by the door. Even if she managed to jump, the carriage was going so fast that she couldn’t be sure she’d survive the fall unscathed.

The Count’s mansion was massive, incomparable even to Baron Diallo’s estate.

But Lucy couldn’t register any of it. From the moment the carriage pulled into the estate, she had been scanning the scenery outside the window, hoping for a chance to escape.

“Ahem, for today, just relax and get some rest.”

Once off the carriage, the Count ordered the butler to escort Lucy and then left, citing urgent matters.

The butler led Lucy to what appeared to be the servants’ quarters and opened the door to an empty room.

“Wait here,” he said before exiting.

The moment he left, Lucy rushed to the window.

‘There might be a way out.’

But the first thing she saw was a towering wall.

‘That’s way too high. I’d never make it over with my height…’

Even getting from the gate to the mansion had taken some time. Even if she ran out now, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t be caught.

‘If the Count warned the staff before he left, they might stop me from leaving.’

Lucy anxiously paced the room before finally collapsing onto the bed in the corner. Everything that had happened was crashing down on her like a wave.

‘How do I escape from here? Even if I ran away alone—what then? What about Anna, who’s still back there? Is she really okay?’

Her mind was tangled in worry. No solutions came to her.

“Am I destined to stay trapped in the original storyline forever…?”

Some details had changed, but Lucy’s situation was unfolding no differently than in the original.

By evening, a young maid brought her dinner and explained that from tomorrow onward, she would begin work as the Count’s personal maid.

The meal was simple and neatly prepared, but Lucy, overwhelmed by fear and despair, had no appetite—not even for a sip of water.

‘What am I supposed to do? If there’s a god, they can’t be this cruel to me!’

Lucy cursed the god who had brought her here. The Count’s lustful gaze resurfaced in her mind, sending a shiver down her spine.

‘To think I’ll have to be near that man!’

Pacing the room restlessly, Lucy suddenly froze when her eyes landed on the fork placed among the dishes on the table.

After a moment’s hesitation, she carefully picked it up and hid it in her clothes.

“Lucy, I heard you didn’t eat. It’s understandable—everything must feel strange and unfamiliar. But you’ll get used to it in time.”

Summoned to the Count’s room, Lucy kept her head bowed and remained silent.

“I won’t give you hard tasks. So don’t worry too much.”

He smiled suggestively and began walking toward her.

“What do you plan to do with me now?”

She backed away, eyes full of caution.

“What do you mean? You’ll live here comfortably and be happy. From now on, call me Lord Baton.”

He drew closer.

Lucy continued to step back—until her back hit the wall.

Was she supposed to serve this man, wait for a chance to flee? Lucy’s mind raced.

“Lucy, if you’re going to stay by my side, there’s one thing you must remember.”

The Count, his gaze filled with possessiveness, suddenly grabbed her chin roughly.

“You’ve been bothering me. That look in your eyes—I don’t want to see such defiant eyes from you again.”

Lucy shook her head violently, trying to break free.

“Let go of me!”

“You’re a servant in my estate now. And servants don’t talk back to their master.”

Why do nobles always treat people like insects? Lucy frowned, remembering Baron Diallo.

“No. I never agreed to work here. You can’t force me to do anything!”

At her words, the Count’s face flushed with anger.

“I tried to be nice, but—!”

He looked ready to strike her.

Lucy took a deep breath.

‘I didn’t survive that hell just to give up now. This is my life—and I won’t let it be stolen again.’

Eyes blazing, she pulled the fork from her clothes and gripped it tightly.

“Hey, go easy. That’s still the boss’s son. If he dies, we’re screwed.”

“The boss doesn’t care about this guy. Now that we’ve dealt with the girls, let’s just dump him somewhere.”

The voices were familiar—some of the gang members. Dino slowly regained consciousness.

‘Where am I…?’

He remembered being summoned by the boss and leaving the inn, only to be ambushed by his own men. As he opened his eyes slightly, he heard voices nearby and quickly shut them again, feigning unconsciousness.

“What if he wakes up and tries to find those girls?”

One of the gang members who had attacked him spoke.

“I heard that Diallo’s daughter’s already been sold to Count Sinon. Even Dino won’t be able to get her back from him.”

“Sinon? That notorious pervert? Poor girl.”

Dino gritted his teeth as he listened.

A moment later, one of them slung Dino’s limp, bound body over his shoulder.

Dino remained motionless and let them carry him. After walking for a while, they arrived somewhere, and he was thrown roughly to the ground.

“Don’t hate us too much, Dino. If you’d just sold those girls and split the money with us, none of this would’ve happened. But I still have a soft spot for you—so I’m letting you live. You should be grateful.”

The man muttered to himself as he drew a knife and cut Dino’s bindings.

The moment he felt the ropes fall away, Dino’s eyes shot open.

“Aagh!”

He sprang up, snatched the dagger from the man’s hand, and drove it into his chest.

“You—! You weren’t unconscious?!”

The gang member recoiled in shock.

“You idiots. You should’ve just killed me.”

With a smirk, Dino yanked the dagger from the fallen man’s chest and turned it toward the other member, striking him down.

After dispatching them both, Dino headed straight for the organization’s branch—specifically, its underground storage.

There, he retrieved a barrel of oil and poured it over the building’s entrance.

“Count Sinon, was it…?”

With a cold expression, Dino struck a match.

He remembered the day he first met Lucy. He had been passing through the plaza, half-listening to the crude jokes of his fellow gang members, when he saw her.

‘A rare beauty.’

That had been his only thought when he saw Lucy walking toward them.

‘Anna, should we just run away somewhere far?’

‘Miss, are you really thinking of running? If we get caught, we could be in serious danger!’

But the conversation between the two girls, who had passed him by just then, made Dino and his men pause.

They exchanged silent glances and knowing smiles.

‘If we just get on a ship, we’ll buy some time, right? I’ve saved up enough money for our passage and for us to live for a while!’

Unaware they were being followed, Anna had begun discussing their escape plan out loud.