Chapter 9
Uninvited Guests in the Tower
A voice filled with mockery echoed in the air.
“What’s this? I thought you were good at least, but you’re a complete mess.”
Before I could react, Deoki suddenly grabbed my cloak and collar, pulling me up roughly. Startled, I shouted,
“W–wait a second!”
“Stay still. That’s why I told you to let me help you earlier, but you never listen.”
Deoki clicked his tongue and glared at me. His eyes looked irritated — not curious or angry, just tired of dealing with me.
His rough hands forced me to stand up from the bed. I tried to push him away, but suddenly, I heard the sound of fabric sliding and buttons popping open.
“What are you doing?! Are you insane?!”
I screamed in panic.
Deoki looked down at me struggling in his grasp and said coldly,
“Be quiet. Of course you’d act like a noble — your pride’s higher than the sky.”
In an instant, my neck and shoulders were exposed. I forgot that I was supposed to be pretending to be blind and glared right at him.
Deoki lowered his gaze slightly and muttered,
“…So unnecessary.”
I froze. Was I too rude? Did he change his mind and decide to kill me after all?
Fear crawled up my spine. He glanced at my chest, where my heart was pounding, and said quietly,
“No need to be afraid. I’m just helping you.”
“Helping me? With what?”
“You’re not a child, yet you put your dress on backwards.”
“…Oh.”
“Turn around.”
Only then did I realize what he meant. I slowly turned around. Deoki gently pulled my arms out of the sleeves and helped me wear the dress properly.
Each time his breath brushed my back, goosebumps rose along my skin. His rough, awkward hands fastened the buttons at my waist one by one.
I held my breath, afraid his hand might touch the small bottle hidden in my pocket.
Then his low, gravelly voice murmured near my ear,
“Don’t worry. I’m not interested in the lady’s unimpressive body.”
That stung. I pouted instinctively.
As soon as he finished fixing my clothes, I quickly stepped back, pressing myself against the wall to keep some distance.
Deoki raised an eyebrow, then, as usual, acted like I didn’t exist.
He picked up my clothes and headed toward the door, but I hurriedly called out,
“Ah, from now on, I can just—!”
Deoki stopped with his hand on the door and turned his head slightly. The sharp lines of his forehead and nose looked even more defined in the dim light.
“You trying to thank me? Don’t bother.”
He sneered, slammed the door shut, and the sound of the lock echoed a moment later. That noise told me he wouldn’t be back anytime soon.
Five days later, a stranger came to the tower’s solitary room for the first time.
***
It was dusk, and I sat beside the bed, half-asleep. Time passed, and darkness completely filled the room.
Then — clang!
The metallic sound of the lock made me snap my eyes open.
Outside the door, men whispered in low voices.
“What’s taking so long? Hurry up!”
“Damn it, I’m trying! Maybe this key doesn’t fit.”
“What? That’s impossible. Give it here. I’ll do it.”
Startled, I jumped up and grabbed a nearby fire stick for defense.
It sounded like uninvited guests were about to break in. The door rattled violently, then creaked open with a harsh noise.
“W–who’s there?” I shouted.
My palms were slick with sweat as I gripped the stick tighter. Through the open doorway, I saw two men holding a lantern.
One had gray hair and a heavy build; the other was tall, pale, and had dark blue hair. The blue-haired man raised his lantern toward me and muttered, almost in disbelief,
“…So it’s true. The Lady of Natania really is in Duren Tower.”
Duren? So that was the name of this place.
I blinked quickly to adjust to the bright light. I’d never seen either of them before.
“Who are you? Did my father send you?”
I asked.
The gray-haired man laughed, as if I’d told a joke.
“Ha! No way. The Duke of Mermandi doesn’t even know you’re here.”
The words hit me like a blow to the head.
Then… these men were likely enemies of our family.
The blue-haired man lifted his hand to stop his companion.
“We came to finish a job. We have no grudge against you personally. But one man’s betrayal has brought shame to our organization, and we can’t ignore that.”
“Does Deoki know about this?”
I demanded.
Silence…
“You’re from the same place as him, aren’t you?”
Before I could say more, the gray-haired man snatched the fire stick from my hands and threw it into the fireplace, where it broke apart with a loud crack.
“Don’t say that name carelessly — especially in front of us,” he warned.
I was right. Deoki was part of an assassination organization — and judging by how they spoke, he held a high position.
The blue-haired man sighed and rubbed his forehead.
“Why don’t you just tell her who he is, Reinhardt?”
“Hey! Don’t say my name here!”
“What’s the point? She’ll be dead soon anyway. The dead don’t talk.”
Reinhardt glared at him but stayed silent.
Their casual talk about my death made my whole body tremble.
Am I really going to die like this?
The blue-haired man made a signal with his hand.
“Where are the documents?”
“Oh. I left them downstairs.”
“Then hurry. Let’s take her and go. We’ve wasted too much time already.”
Reinhardt pulled a coiled rope from his coat and grinned.
“Oh right — you’re blind, aren’t you?”
He looked at me up and down with a mocking smile.
“Pretty enough, sure, but those eyes of yours are creepy — like they’re haunted.”
He glanced around the room and snorted.
“Didn’t think you’d be playing house up here with your little pet. Must’ve been cozy.”
“Shut up, Reinhardt,” the blue-haired man snapped. “Watch your mouth. I’ll carry the lady. You—”
But I didn’t wait to hear the rest. I darted for the open door and ran.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing? Catch her!”
“Relax. She’s blind. She won’t get far.”
I ran out of the room for the first time. A spiral staircase stretched endlessly downward. I couldn’t tell how high I was.
Gathering my skirt, I felt along the wall and started moving.
The tower was pitch black — at least that was an advantage for me.
Voices echoed above me. Their footsteps grew closer and faster. I leapt down the steps two or three at a time, ignoring the pain.
“Stop right there!” one of them shouted.
As if I’d stop!
If they catch me, I’m dead!
By the time I’d made it halfway down, the blue-haired man tossed aside his weapon and started jumping down the stairs in long strides.
I hid behind a pile of wooden crates on a middle landing, trying to quiet my breathing. Their footsteps thundered past.
When things went silent, I moved again — and then I noticed something.
What’s that?
Scattered papers lay across the floor. I picked one up. The cover read:
“Investigation Report.”
I skimmed it — and froze when I saw a familiar name.
[Nicholas von Mermandi]
My brother’s name…?
Was this the document they mentioned earlier?
I flipped through it quickly. It listed everything about Nicholas — his background, habits, weaknesses, and connections. Then at the end, I read something that made my blood run cold.
[Attempted another poisoning, but request was rejected due to lack of payment.]
They tried to poison my brother again…?
Footsteps echoed nearby. They must have realized I hadn’t escaped the tower. The assassins passed my hiding spot again. I slipped out quietly — but a shout followed.
“There she is!”
The chase began again. Just as one of them was about to grab me—
At the bottom of the staircase, I saw a familiar figure.
“…!”
It was Deoki, standing there with a large paper bag full of groceries, staring up at me in shock.
