TRWTVPS 14

 Chapter 14

When she was young, every time the marchioness finished disciplining her, Erin would fall into her imagination.

If she curled up and waited at the top of the manor’s tower, a prince on a white horse would come to save her.

“Then this pain will end, and I’ll be able to be happy too.”

So she kept waiting. Filled with hope that if she waited, someone would come and save her.

But that was nothing more than a fantasy.

Reality was always far crueler—nothing changed just because she waited.

She wasn’t the kind of protagonist who, like in the novels she had read in the modern world, would eventually receive everyone’s love.

The girl who endured and waited, hoping to become the heroine, had, before she knew it, become a villainess.

At some point, people began calling her a villainess and pointing fingers at her, but Erin said nothing.

And yet, even then, she always hoped someone would truly see her.

That it wasn’t her doing. That someone would properly see the her who existed here.

That she… was not a villainess.

But nothing changed.

Back then, she didn’t realize that instead of waiting for someone’s salvation, she had to seize it herself.

Thinking that, Erin looked into Amon’s clear eyes.

She remembered perfectly how he had died in the past.

After Ferdin died, when the marchioness tried to execute her—

Amon Hedor had tried to protect her until the very end, at Ferdin’s request.

“Damn it… Erin Reeses, you’re just a hindrance anyway, so run!”

He was the kind of person who couldn’t say nice things even at the end.

And yet, the tone he used with her now was incredibly gentle. Erin could tell how hard he was trying.

Which was exactly why she couldn’t allow herself to be swayed by that kindness. She had already learned in her previous life what the result would be.

Staining her hands with blood—this was something she had to do.

“Sir Amon, don’t concern yourself with something so useless.”

Erin stood up. Amon’s hand, which had been reaching out, wandered in the air with nowhere to go.

“Useless…? You…!”

“Please take the young lady and leave first.”

“What?”

“I’ll buy you time to escape.”

He doubted his ears. He couldn’t understand what she was saying.

“What about you?”

“The young lady isn’t in good condition. She’s been strange since earlier, and it’s getting worse.”

“Then you take her and run! I’ll hold them off!”

“I can’t run as fast as you while carrying her.”

As she said that, Erin lightly waved her thin arm.

As if telling him to look at it. Amon found it absurd—those very arms had effortlessly blocked his sword and even overwhelmed him.

Her argument had no persuasion.

“I’ll deal with the monster horde.”

After saying that, Erin approached the young lady and placed a hand on her forehead.

Once, Erin had thought that if she were the villainess in the novel, then the heroine must be the young lady.

Because in her eyes, the Lady Asili was someone who was always loved by everyone.

Even though she lost her name after becoming a saint and was always sick, Erin had arrogantly believed that she must still be happier than herself.

But this time, Erin had no intention of letting her die.

And if the young lady returned alive…

Erin planned to disappear, so that she could be happy with Ferdin.

At that thought, a sharp pain tore through her chest.

‘Why? Everything is going well.’

Ever since she first opened her eyes here, everything had been going exactly as she had planned—to return everything to him.

Everything would fall back into its proper place.

The young lady and Ferdin would both be happy.

‘And I…’

At that moment, the young lady’s closed eyes slowly opened. She looked at Erin with weak, unfocused eyes.

That sight reminded Erin of her past self.

Holding the young lady’s hands, Erin whispered softly:

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

It was what she had most wanted to hear in the past.

Then Erin turned her gaze to Amon.

It was time to return the words he had once said to her.

“You’d only be a hindrance if you stay here, so run.”

* * *

Amon ran.

He could hear the young lady’s breathing from behind him.

Even when he insisted he couldn’t leave Erin behind, she had remained firm.

“I don’t have the strength to carry the young lady. If you won’t leave me behind, then what will happen to her?”

She clearly had no intention of carrying the young lady.

Instead, her tone was almost accusing—asking if he intended to abandon her.

He had to choose.

Would he die there together… or abandon Erin Reeses to save the young lady?

No matter the choice, he would be betraying both a knight’s honor and his duty.

But Erin’s next words forced him to move.

“You need to be alive to uphold your honor. Don’t kill the young lady for the sake of your pride. And above all—I won’t die.”

I can’t die yet, she had added at the end, her words heavy with meaning.

They were close to the subjugation squad now. He could already sense signs of people.

Ferdin must have sent knights to search for them after hearing nothing for so long.

‘Damn it… faster!’

His legs refused to move as he wished.

Amon regretted slacking off in his endurance training.

If only he had trained harder… he could have run faster.

Maybe he could have even fought Erin Reeses on equal footing.

As he ran with all his strength, his eyes trembled.

What if he was too late?

What if Erin, facing the monster horde alone, ran out of strength and died?

Her sword flashed through his mind.

It had relentlessly driven him back, yet was incredibly simple.

Thrust, slash, and block.

Those minimal movements came together to form a perfect sword.

Everything he knew about orthodox swordsmanship didn’t apply to her.

Each of her sword paths lingered in his mind.

Even now, as he ran, her movements replayed over and over.

Was Erin Reeses truly the villainess from the rumors he knew?

The memory of her sword clashing with his—the beauty of that moment—

If he were never to see that sword again…

His thoughts cut off.

Before him stood Caron Reeses, glaring at him with fierce eyes, sword in hand.

“Amon Hedor!”

Beside him were Ferdin, Derek, and Lilia.

Lilia quickly ran forward, spreading her cloak on the ground.

Amon carefully laid the young lady down on it.

Lilia immediately began casting magic to heal her.

At that moment, Caron grabbed Amon by the shoulder, his eyes blazing.

“Why… are only you and the young lady here?”

“……”

“Where is Erin?!”

Amon shook off his hand. There was no time to argue.

Monsters grew stronger under moonlight. They had to hurry before Erin was overwhelmed.

Amon looked at Ferdin.

“We need support.”

“……”

“Erin Reeses is facing the monster horde alone.”

The moment those words fell, Caron’s face turned pale.

So did everyone else’s.

Ferdin’s expression hardened. Lilia looked shocked.

Derek tapped his ears as if he couldn’t believe what he heard, then froze in disbelief.

Erin Reeses… fighting a monster horde alone?

Lilia frowned.

“That’s impossible. To me, that sounds like she went there to die. That woman shouldn’t die so easily—”

“Lilia, don’t speak carelessly.”

At Ferdin’s warning, she fell silent.

Ferdin, who rarely got angry, had a sharp gaze.

Caron grabbed Amon by the collar.

“Don’t tell me… you abandoned my sister just to save yourself? And you call yourself a knight? You bastard with no honor!”

In that moment, Amon remembered the words he had once thrown at Erin.

Someone without honor.

…Was Erin Reeses really someone who deserved to hear that?

Now, Amon couldn’t be certain of anything anymore.