Chapter: 09
“Don’t worry. I came to help you because a child named Ivan asked me to.”
“Ivan? But that child can’t even speak the Imperial language…”
“Is that really what’s important right now? And I’m treating your injuries, so let go of my wrist.”
She was right.
That wasn’t what mattered at the moment.
Accepting it without further argument, Kaiden released her wrist and cooperated.
“Where is the child now?”
“…He’s hidden safely for now.”
Emilia answered as she continued tending to him with practiced hands.
Of course, the only problem was that “hidden safely” meant inside her bag.
“The people chasing you are walking around disguised as railway employees.”
She briefly explained the situation to Kaiden.
“But… can you really not move at all?”
“Yes.”
Kaiden glanced at the dagger lying beside him.
The mysterious substance coating its blade had been lethal even to someone like him, who possessed a high resistance to poison.
Aside from managing to move his arm slightly a moment ago, he couldn’t move his body at all.
Even his vision had become blurry.
Because of that, he couldn’t even get a proper look at the woman helping him.
He silently watched her as she carefully worked, her movements making soft rustling sounds.
…What kind of woman is she?
Even if a child had begged for help, most people wouldn’t willingly throw themselves into a situation this dangerous.
And yet she remained astonishingly calm.
Just then, the train lurched violently.
Kaiden frowned at the jolt before speaking.
“Do you know which station we’re at?”
“Ah… We just left Bandia Station, in Baron Tinus’s territory.”
“Then that’s fortunate.”
“Fortunate?”
“Yes. My people should be waiting at the next station.”
“Really?”
Emilia’s face brightened as she tied off the bandage.
That was wonderful news.
There was only one problem.
Even if his people boarded the train to rescue Kaiden and Ivan, it would still take time for them to find the two of them.
“Then I’ll go tell them where you and Ivan are.”
“You would do that?”
Kaiden immediately described the appearance of his aide.
Emilia pictured the man’s face in her head before letting out a small sigh.
“But… won’t they think I’m suspicious?”
Even if she tried to tell them where he was, what if they assumed she was luring them into a trap?
“Do you have something that could serve as proof?”
“Then could you check the inside pocket of my jacket?”
“Oh, okay.”
Emilia quickly nodded and slipped her hand inside his jacket.
Her fingers touched a small pocket watch.
She took hold of it and pulled it out.
Kaiden flinched.
“Did I touch one of your wounds?”
“…No.”
“Is this it?”
“Yes. If you show them that, they’ll immediately recognize it as mine and—”
Suddenly, Kaiden stopped speaking.
What’s wrong?
Emilia looked at him in confusion.
“Wait.”
“Wh-what is it?”
As Kaiden suddenly leaned toward her, Emilia instinctively shrank back.
His voice dropped to a whisper beside her ear.
“Someone is coming this way.”
“What?”
Startled, Emilia whispered back.
“Could it just be a normal railway employee?”
She didn’t think the man she’d seen earlier could have reached them already.
“No. Those footsteps don’t belong to an ordinary person. They’re probably the same people you mentioned.”
Emilia froze.
Wait.
If he said “people,” then there was more than one.
What do I do?
Biting her lip anxiously, she glanced toward the door.
Please… just pass by without noticing us!
At that moment, the scene she’d witnessed in the station waiting room flashed through her mind.
Ah, that’s it!
Maybe they wouldn’t pass by without seeing them…
But she could make them pretend they hadn’t seen anything.
Even so, she hesitated to actually go through with it.
Just then, Kaiden grimaced and pushed her away.
“You need to get out of here.”
“Huh?”
She looked at him, unable to understand.
“The corridor is connected, so if I leave, I’ll immediately—”
As she hurriedly explained, Kaiden shook his head.
“No. I mean you should leave and tell them there’s a suspicious person in here.”
“What?”
In other words, he wanted her to pretend to be an uninvolved passenger and escape by herself.
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
Emilia hissed as she scolded him.
There was no point listening to any more of his nonsense.
Instead, she replayed the scene she’d seen earlier in her mind.
Is this really the only way?
I don’t know! It’s the only thing I can think of right now!
Swallowing hard, Emilia steeled herself.
“Just so we’re clear… I don’t have any ulterior motives, okay?”
No matter what, she felt she had to say that first.
“What are you talking abou—”
Kaiden’s question never reached the end.
Emilia kicked the dagger far across the room.
Then, without hesitation…
She climbed on top of him.
“Wh… what are you… doing…?”
Even Kaiden, who had remained calm while enemies approached, was completely flustered.
At the same time, the small, delicate body pressing against him and her soft fragrance overwhelmed his senses.
“Just stay still!”
Did he think she wanted to be doing this with a man she’d met for the first time today?
After snapping at him, Emilia unfastened a few buttons at the front of her blouse and exposed one shoulder.
“Are you good at… making moaning sounds? No, never mind.”
She hurriedly shook her head.
Even to her own ears, it sounded like an utterly absurd question.
Besides, there wasn’t any time to hear his answer.
The footsteps were now close enough that even she could hear them clearly.
“I’m borrowing your arm for a second.”
She guided Kaiden’s right arm around her waist.
Holding her breath, Emilia waited until the men reached the door.
And the moment one of them grabbed the doorknob—
“Mmm…”
A sweet, breathy moan escaped her lips.
“Wh… what was that?”
Fortunately, the men outside sounded thoroughly flustered.
But Emilia didn’t stop there.
“Ah… honey… wait… a little slower…”
She blurted out whatever lines came into her head.
Instead of opening the door, the men peeked through the window.
They saw a woman straddling a man.
From anyone’s perspective, it looked obvious what the two were doing.
The kind of scandalous act that needed no explanation.
At that instant, Emilia turned around and screamed.
“W-What are you staring at?!”
At the same time, she pulled Kaiden’s head tightly against her chest.
They can’t see his hair color and become suspicious.
Even in the middle of all this, Emilia was so embarrassed she wanted to die on the spot.
Still, there was one universal truth about public places.
When someone witnessed something embarrassingly intimate, it was usually the onlooker who fled in awkwardness—not the people involved.
Please… please.
Praying the same would happen now, Emilia pretended to be on the verge of tears.
“W-What do we do?! I told you I didn’t want to do it here! I said people might come!”
As she said that, she glared at the men outside as though they were the shameless ones.
All the while, carefully memorizing every detail of their appearances.
