Encounter - 2
The bear-like man’s name was Rodolgo, and he appeared to be the leader of a small, decrepit settlement that was just outside of the forest .
“Before that damned bastard came here by order of the king…”
Rodolgo’s eyes shined with the luster of someone boasting, as Chizuru looked down at the dark and damp-looking settlement .
“ . . . It was I who ruled this entire region . And yet that stone-faced, former Hero robbed me of it all . Now, we just live humbly in this corner . ”
Even under the dim moonlight, she could tell how poor it was . There were only a few desolate houses in this place that Chizuru had been brought to . There were no paved roads, and the buildings looked more like slightly painted sheds than houses . However, among them all, there was one building that was much larger than the rest and that was made of stone . This building was what Rodolgo called his ‘castle . ’
Chizuru had now stopped resisting beyond what was necessary .
This was partly out of a faint hope that this Rodolgo would be the one who would bring her to Lukrov .
Rodolgo opened the bolt on his door himself . It screeched and ground violently as he did so . It meant that he had no servants to do such things for him . The others around him, who appeared to be his subordinates, said nothing as they entered into his house and disappeared .
As soon as the doors were open, the air was filled with the smell of old, dried grass .
Rodolgo grabbed Chizuru’s arms and pulled her inside .
“Now, enter! Hey, Dorothy . Get up! I have returned!”
It was clear that he would have been heard without raising his voice so much, but Rodolgo announced his return in an exaggerated fashion . It was pitch black inside the mansion, and just as cold as it was outside .
After a moment, footsteps could be heard from above, and a short, middle-aged woman began to descend the stairs from above with a lantern . The sight was so eerie that Chizuru could not help but let out a small cry and jerk back .
“What is it? Have you brought a guest then…”
The middle-aged woman’s voice was so deep that it was difficult to hear . And so very slow .
“You really are a curious one… But there is nothing to eat here . Only potatoes . ”
“I didn’t bring her here just to play . She’ll have value . I might be able to ransom her to that cold-hearted duke . ”
“Ransom?”
The woman called Dorothy raised the lantern higher now as she came closer . It was as if she was dragging herself across the floor . Chizuru could see Dorothy better now . She did not appear to be that old, but her skin was covered with wrinkles and half of her hair was white . She looked like a witch .
“I thought that that man stopped looking for his heavenly maiden long ago?”
Dorothy said with undisguised exasperation . Then she began to touch Chizuru’s arms and waist without restraint .
Seeing her mouth moving up close, Chizuru now realized that Dorothy had lost most of her teeth . That was likely why she was hard to understand when talking .
For now, Chizuru decided to stay silent .
While both Dorothy and Rodolgo were rough and ill-mannered, she did not sense any immediate malice towards her .
Once Dorothy was finished with her inspection, she let out a deep sigh and put down her lantern . Then she began to mutter to herself as she disappeared into a back room .
“Bring me some wine as well!”
Rodolgo shouted in the direction that Dorothy had disappeared in . But there was no reply .
Several minutes later, Dorothy returned with what looked like a bundled blanket under her arm, and she pushed it into Chizuru . Dust flew in the air and the smell of mold drifted around them .
“Food and drinks will come later . Young lady, you will sleep on the floor in my room tonight . ”
Rodolgo muttered some complaint, but it seemed that he would not go against what she had decided . Dorothy picked up the lantern again and pulled Chizuru away with a strong grip . And so Chizuru followed her up the stairs .
The stairs were narrow and made of uneven stone . Chizuru nearly tripped several times and bumped into Dorothy, but the woman was much stronger than she looked . She kept pulling Chizuru up, and before she knew it, they had arrived in what seemed like a small bedroom .
“Here it is . You must be hungry, but you will have to wait for the morning . ”
Chizuru nodded and looked around at the room .
However, there was not much to look at . There was a single window that was no larger than the size of a person’s face, a threadbare carpet on the floor, and a bed that was full of dried grass . Dorothy bolted the door and locked it with a key .
“Do not even think of escaping . Well, it is not really my concern…”
Dorothy said with a sigh, then she blew out the light of the lantern and sunk into her bed . After a few minutes, an unhealthy sounding snore echoed loudly in the room .
Chizuru exhaled as she hugged the molded blanket that Dorothy had given her . Then she sat down on the carpet .
(I really . . . came back . . . )
This medieval-like world .
It was harsh, but the people felt very human, and the world had a natural beauty that was vast .
They should not be speaking in Japanese, but strangely, Chizuru could understand them, and they, in turn, could understand her . Perhaps it was some kind of super-natural automatic translation… Perhaps Chizuru herself had undergone a change, acquired the ability for language when she traveled through time and space . That was how she saw it . It had been the same the last time .
(But… ‘The Black Assassin . ’ ‘The Cold Duke’ . . . )
Chizuru had not yet been able to ask Rodolgo or Dorothy the name of this man who might be Lukrov .
If it wasn’t him… That was a possibility that scared her . But she also wanted to avoid any suspicions that might arise by asking too many questions . Right now, the only thing Chizuru had was the hope that this man might be Lukrov .
She understood the title of duke .
At the time, Lukrov had no title other than that of being the heir of a baron . However, there was a strong likelihood that he had advanced in the last fourteen years . Her memory was hazy, but she believed that there was quite a gap between a baron and a duke… But considering what he had accomplished, it was not impossible .
But, ‘cold . ’
And, ‘assassin . ’
Indeed, Lukrov was not the most cheerful person . A shrewd person might see his coolness as cold and ruthless . But, assassin…
(Surely, it was a misunderstanding?)
Yes, this was a world where not only newspapers were nonexistent, but books were hard to come by… It was rumors and lies that passed from person to person . Any word could be misunderstood, twisted and exaggerated . Ultimately, an entirely different story could end up spreading .
Likely, once Chizuru had left, Lukrov had judged the rebels of the kingdom, and this had been blown out of proportion .
(Surely… Yes . . . )
Chizuru spread out the blanket within the dark and then lay down on the ground while wrapping herself in it .
While it was not currently winter, the midnight floor of stone was cold . Still, she did not feel like complaining . Chizuru’s heart was full and burned hot with memories of Lukrov, along with hopes and worries for the future .
Chapter end
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