The Knight Who Broke Off Our Engagement and Told Me to Never Show My Face Again Still Clings to Me Today, Even Though I Was Possessed and Turned Into a Villainess for Ten Years - 29 - The Past
“What does this man Norman look like?”
“He’s a well-built, middle-aged man with black hair and a beard…”
“Got it.”
Right after we arrived in the neighboring country using the gate, we traveled by horse using the map Lord Lloyd gave us. Since I couldn’t ride a horse alone, I rode together with Rufus.
We were riding fast, so at first, I was really scared. But as soon as Rufus said, “There’s no way I’d let you fall,” all the fear suddenly disappeared.
“Once we rescue this man, are we escaping right away?”
“I also want to check if a friend named Eliza is there.”
“Eliza…?”
“Yes.”
I didn’t know anything about Eliza. Still, I believed that if we went to that place, I would find out. I wanted to believe she had already returned to her original body and was now living happily—even if we didn’t know it yet.
I wasn’t sure if that facility itself was illegal. Some people there had committed crimes and become slaves. For now, our goal was just to rescue Norman. Later, Rufus and the others would investigate the place further.
When the sky began to turn red with sunset, we finally saw a familiar landscape. It was the place where I had spent most of my life.
—We really made it. Even though I lived here just a few months ago, it felt like something from long ago.
“…”
At the same time, the painful memories came rushing back, and I wanted to cry from sadness and frustration. But now wasn’t the time for tears. Norman was still living here, even now.
We tied the horses a short distance away and continued on foot. Horses would stand out too much in this empty area.
The first thing we saw was a large field. People in tattered clothes were working hard in the fields. It was painful to watch, but we searched among them for Norman.
“…A slave labor facility?”
“I think it’s something like that.”
Both Rufus and Kevin frowned at the sight. It wasn’t something pleasant to see. Even I, who had done this same work for years, felt my heart grow heavy again.
Around this time of day, the men should be finishing work soon. The women were probably already done and getting dinner ready.
“…There he is.”
When I finally spotted him, a tear slid down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away with my sleeve and told the others.
Norman was alive. Just that made me so happy and deeply relieved. But thinking that while I had been reunited with my family and living freely, he had continued this life all along—it made my chest ache with guilt.
“I’m so glad… he’s safe.”
“That man over there?”
“Yes, that’s him.”
Lord Kevin gave a firm nod.
“I’ll go get him. In the meantime, the two of you look for Eliza.”
“Understood. Please be careful with the collar he’s wearing. If a guard sees him or he goes outside the facility, it will send an electric shock.”
“Got it. I’ll be careful.”
Rufus said Kevin would be fine no matter what. I nodded too, and we split into two groups.
Rufus and I first checked the cabin we used to stay in nearby. But inside were only some cold meals. No one was there.
“If she’s not here, then maybe toward the south.”
The sun was going down fast. As we hurried, Rufus muttered, “Was that really supposed to be a meal?”
“Yeah. That tiny bowl of soup was all we got. But the bread was so hard that it made you feel full.”
From his point of view, it must’ve been unbelievable that something like that could be called food. As I explained more things, Rufus looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“You sure know a lot.”
“Well, I lived here for ten years.”
I said it casually—but in the next moment, all expression disappeared from Rufus’s face.
“…What?”
“Remember I told you before? That my body had been taken over? During that time, I was here, working with the other slaves.”
He stopped walking completely. I stopped too.
“…You mean you lived here? You ate that food? You worked like those people we saw?”
“Yes.”
“For ten years… all that time?”
“Y-Yeah. I suddenly returned to my body during that party.”
Rufus covered his mouth with one hand.
“What… have I done…”
“Huh?”
It looked like he was blaming himself. His face was pale, like he might collapse at any second.
“You believe my story?”
“…Yeah.”
“Thank you. But Rufus, you didn’t do anything wrong. Please don’t blame yourself.”
“How could I not blame myself…?!”
He really didn’t do anything wrong. After everything I had gone through in those ten years, his reaction made perfect sense.
In that kind of situation, anyone would have a hard time believing someone who said, “My body was taken over.” If I were in his place, I probably wouldn’t have believed it either.
But Rufus is so kind that he couldn’t help feeling guilty.
“Really, please don’t worry about it. Let’s keep going, okay?”
When I said that, he only replied, “Sorry,” and started walking again with a gloomy face.
We passed by a few guards, but before they could say anything, Rufus took them down instantly. I couldn’t hide how shocked I was by his strength.
“She should be here if she’s anywhere.”
I gently opened the door to the cabin where Eliza was always made to cook around this time. Of course, I hoped she had returned to her original body and wasn’t here anymore. I wished she wouldn’t be inside.
With my heart pounding fast, I stepped into the cabin with Rufus. Suddenly, we heard a voice.
“Um… who are you…?”
Peeking out from behind a shelf—
—was Eliza.