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 - 63 - False Wedding 2
“Hah… hah…”
Because I had been locked up in a room for so long, my strength was completely gone. I was out of breath, my lungs hurt, and my legs felt heavy. Even so, I kept telling myself I couldn’t stop, and I kept running.
The forest, just a bit beyond the open space, was about two hundred meters away. If I could just make it into the thick trees, my chances of escaping would be much higher.
“Hey! Stop right there!”
When I heard unfamiliar men chasing after me from behind, I gasped.
Of course, there was no way Gerald would let me escape so easily. Cold sweat ran down my back.
There was no way I could outrun professional men while wearing a wedding dress and having no stamina.
Even so, I couldn’t let myself give up and stop. If I got caught here, not just me—Eliza and Norman too—might be forced to live the rest of their lives in the wrong bodies.
I had to escape, tell everyone the truth, and take the magic tool away from Mabel no matter what.
“Catch her no matter what! Even if she loses her arms or legs, as long as she’s alive, that’s all that matters!”
“…!”
When I heard Gerald’s voice, stumbling out from the cathedral, a chill ran down my spine.
I could feel that he was completely serious, and I was terrified by the twisted love in his words. For him, as long as my soul was inside, nothing else mattered.
I kept running through the pain and the burning in my chest, determined not to let Eliza’s precious body be harmed.
“Ah…!”
Just when I was almost to the forest, one of the men fired a magic attack. It hit my leg, and the sharp pain made me lose my balance. I fell to the ground.
“Ugh… ah…”
From the knee down, my leg felt like it was burned, and I realized that there was no way I could run anymore like this.
Even though I knew that, I still didn’t want to give up. I placed both hands on the ground, trying to stand through the pain, when—
“—Sadie!”
I heard a voice I could never mistake and looked up.
The moment I raised my tearful eyes, I saw Rufus standing there, and my vision blurred.
“W-Why…”
Why was he here? Why was he calling me—like this—“Sadie”?
I didn’t understand anything, but the moment I saw Rufus’s face, I was so relieved that the tears I had been holding back overflowed and wouldn’t stop.
“Sorry I’m late. Are you okay?”
“Uu… ah…”
There were so many things I wanted to say, but no words came out. The warmth of Rufus’s gentle hand touching me told me this wasn’t a dream or an illusion.
Crying, I clung to Rufus’s arm, and he kept apologizing softly, saying “I’m sorry” over and over while gently stroking my back.
“Hey, hand that woman over.”
But then the men chasing me came closer, and the air around Rufus suddenly changed.
“…Wait here. This will be over soon.”
Rufus stood up, drew his sword, and in an instant, cut down the approaching men.
It happened so fast I couldn’t even understand what was going on. I could only stare in shock at his back.
Soon, Rufus’s gaze turned toward Gerald, who was standing in front of the cathedral. Gerald still seemed affected by the flowers, his face pale, barely managing to stand.
When I told Rufus that Gerald couldn’t see because of the flowers, he quietly replied, “I see.”
“—Don’t mess with me!”
Gerald’s voice echoed around us.
My body jumped in fear, but Rufus softly told me it would be okay.
But the look in Rufus’s eyes as he stared at Gerald was colder than anything I had ever seen.
Even without seeing, Gerald must have realized who had come to rescue me.
“Get away from Sadie…!”
The moment Gerald pointed his palm toward us, a sharp blade-like wind shot in our direction.
“Sadie, stay back.”
Rufus shielded me and fought back with his own wind magic. A loud noise pierced the air, and strong winds clashed around us.
It was clear who would win—Gerald, who couldn’t see, or Rufus, the leader of the knights.
“Guh… ah!”
Soon, Gerald’s body was slammed hard against the cathedral wall, and he collapsed to the ground.
He must have hit his head because he stopped moving, completely unconscious.
“I’m going to restrain him. Wait here for a moment.”
Rufus went over to Gerald, tied him up with some tools, and used a magic device to contact someone.
“Kevin should be here soon. …I’m really sorry I was so late. You must have suffered so much.”
“…!”
When Rufus came back to me and held me in his arms, his gentle voice made my tears overflow again.
He lifted me up in his arms, and I, too heavy and wounded to move on my own, let myself sink into the warmth and scent I loved so much—until I lost consciousness.