Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 76

For a brief moment, Drushia felt dazed. First because he couldn’t understand what was being said, and then because he doubted whether what he was thinking was correct.

“Do you know that’s complete bullsh*t?”

“Whether it’s bullsh*t or not isn’t for me to judge. We’re simply carrying out His Majesty’s orders to retrieve that item.”

“You’re all crazy! You’re mistaken. That’s not what it means!”

A sudden realization struck him like a blow to the head. Now he understood why the Emperor had agreed to strike down the two families.

“Ha. His Majesty himself made such an absurd and ridiculous mistake? You’ve completely missed the mark.”

However, the knight commander didn’t believe what Drushia was saying.

“Can’t hand it over? Even if your wife dies right here and now?”

Ashika was more startled by what she saw in the darkness beyond her gaze than by the sword blade touching her throat. Moving like living shadows, pitch black—they were other assassins.

Being focused on her, Drushia didn’t notice the presence approaching from behind him. In desperation, Ashika grabbed the sword blade at her throat and shouted.

“Drushia, behind you!”

At the same moment as her cry, Drushia’s sword sliced through the air. Instantly, the knight commander’s blade mercilessly cut through Ashika’s hand and slipped free.

“Ugh.”

“You fearless fool!”

The intense pain flowing through her hand and the sticky sensation pouring out. Ashika pushed the sword away and sprang up from her position in one motion. At the same time, a searing pain that cut from her lower back to her thigh stole her reason.

“Ah!”

Her frail body collapsed helplessly to the floor. Her black hair became soaked with spurting blood, tangling wetly.

“Ashika!”

Sharp metallic sounds clashed overhead. But she couldn’t open her eyes or gather the presence of mind to check ahead. She couldn’t even breathe due to the pain that seemed to tear apart her lower body.

A warm, metallic sensation poured over her face. Someone else’s blood—not hers—gushed out, and screams pierced her ears. Through her fading vision, she could see Drushia swinging his sword.

The knight commander who had held Ashika hostage died clutching his half-severed, tattered throat, and Drushia blocked the front so no one else could approach. Those dressed in black fell one by one, rolling on the floor. Even the imperial knights couldn’t avoid his sword.

“…No….”

She could see a cruel blade pierce through Drushia’s right shoulder. He was alone, and the assassins kept appearing endlessly.

Not missing the opportunity, three assassins rushed at him at once. However, Drushia instantly switched his sword to his left hand and parried their attacks.

Even lying still, she was out of breath. Through her dimming vision, she could see Drushia running toward her, covered in blood.

“…Drushia….”

“No! Don’t lose consciousness!”

He couldn’t lose her too. That desperate cry pierced her heart.

Drushia tore her dress to bind the wound area and took off his coat to wrap around Ashika’s body.

Even amid the terrible smell of blood, she could feel his damp body scent mixed with sweat. Drushia’s vivid presence, as intense as his rapid heartbeat. Her terrifyingly fearful heart settled down. Only the thought that she was fortunate lingered in her mind.

‘I’m glad you’re here…. I’m glad we’re together.’

She could taste blood in her barely exhaled breath. Even that was difficult, making it hard to endure any longer.

The pitiful voice gradually grew distant from her ears. As her body grew cold and her breath became thin, she could no longer feel the pain that seemed to tear apart her lower body.

“Ashika, please!”

The earnest voice calling her name. She wanted to hold on, but the plea that ultimately grew distant was left behind as darkness rushed in with relief. The darkness that devoured her consciousness.

****

A strange atmosphere lingered in the garden where dawn mist had settled. Unlike Talion, where knights roamed day and night, Igraine’s mansion was eerily quiet.

Drushia moved quickly while surveying his surroundings.

“The security is lax.”

“Still, compared to ordinary noble estates, they patrol quite frequently. The family’s knight order is stationed at the mansion.”

“The very fact that people can come and go like this is the problem.”

At Drushia’s criticism, Mia quietly averted her gaze. It wasn’t really something for someone who had secretly snuck into someone else’s house to say, her expression seemed to suggest.

“Your Grace is receiving my help.”

“I could easily manage this much on my own.”

“You don’t know the lady’s room.”

That was true. No matter how much he wanted to meet Ashika, there was no way to barge in recklessly. Drushia was relieved at his own foresight in sending Mia ahead.

Mia glanced back at him and pressed her lips firmly together.

‘I never thought he would come running here himself.’

When even his closest associates couldn’t meet Ashika and were growing anxious, Nile made a move. Sensing something unusual in the atmosphere, he reported to Drushia, who then sent word that he needed to meet Ashika directly.

“Isn’t it too quiet, even for dawn?”

“You’re right. It’s never usually this lax.”

When they reached the servants’ entrance, Mia also thought something was strange. Their questions were answered in front of Ashika’s bedroom on the third floor.

The knights who should have been guarding the door were lying unconscious. Drushia hurried into the open room.

“What…”

Nowhere in the empty room could he see the woman he had expected to find. Mia looked around quickly with a bewildered gaze. There was no sign of anyone, but just in case, she searched every corner.

Realizing the room was truly empty, Mia turned to look at Drushia.

“I heard she was under house arrest and couldn’t leave her room….”

“You said that Nile fellow made a move?”

“Yes. There are mercenaries connected to Sir Berth, and it seemed like they were preparing something while exchanging messages with them.”

What could Ashika’s closest associates have been planning with their heads together? Wasn’t it obvious?

“It seems… the lady has run away.”

Even as she spoke, Mia looked dazed as if she couldn’t believe it. It was shocking news even for Drushia to hear.

“Ashika ran away?”

Lady Igraine, who was always noble and never lacking in dignity as an heir, had fled in the night to avoid her grandfather’s house arrest?

“Ha. This woman makes people into fools.”

Drushia loosened his collar and blew out a breath as if amazed. His disheveled front hair fluttered up and then settled down.

He had come here prepared to give any help Ashika wanted, but the person in question had already disappeared.

‘Right, she was never a woman who needed my help in the first place. Still, though.’

He was angry at Ashika for never saying a word about wanting help, completely forgetting that he was the one who had caused all this trouble.

“Does Ashika have anywhere she could go to avoid Duke Igraine’s eyes?”

Mia shook her head. She had been at the Igraine estate for less than a month. She was just getting used to the people, and her information about Ashika was limited.

Deep furrows formed in Drushia’s brow as he fell into thought.

‘Where could she go without even the family’s protection?’

He felt fearful and at the same time relieved.

‘Ashika doesn’t want this marriage either.’

He had actually been anxious about what would happen if she meekly agreed to marry according to Weive’s wishes. If she said she would turn her back on him for the sake of the family, there would be no way for Drushia to stop her.

But Ashika had chosen to abandon everything and run away. Wasn’t that the clearest expression of her will?

Separate from feeling reassured, his heart was endlessly anxious. He had heard that Duke Igraine was urgently pushing forward with the marriage. If Ashika was caught, she might be dragged into a wedding ceremony immediately.

‘I have to find Ashika. Before Igraine does.’

And then find a way. A way to sort out this chaotic situation and be together.

Suddenly, Drushia’s gaze turned toward the door.

“Mia, you go back to your quarters now.”

“What? What….”

“Right now!”

It was a firm command that allowed no argument. Mia ran out immediately after the words fell. Her light footsteps disappeared soundlessly in an instant. Not long after, commotion arose outside the door.

“Everyone wake up! What’s all this about!”

“Ugh….”

The knights who had been knocked unconscious were waking up with groans. The knights who had come to change shifts were horrified to see their fallen comrades.

“Report to the commander immediately!”

At his colleague’s urging, one of them hurried down the stairs while the rest hesitated in front of the open door.

“My lady, are you inside? If you don’t answer, we’re coming in.”

When no answer came, the knights who had just regained consciousness entered Ashika’s room together. At the same time, their eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

The person who should have been there was nowhere to be seen, and what stood in the middle of the room was a tall, well-built man.

“Who are you! Where did the lady go!”

They immediately drew their swords. However, a colleague who had staggered in behind them widened his eyes and raised his hand to block the front.

“Wait….”

“Did you spirit her away? What did you do with the lady!”

As the knight shouted angrily, his colleague kept poking him from the side. The colleague had recognized the person and his face had turned pale.

“Hey, that’s….”

“What are you doing? We need to capture that guy right now!”

When the oblivious knight showed signs of immediately rushing at Drushia, his colleague grabbed his sword-holding hand.

“Wait, lower your sword.”

“What’s wrong with you? I’m not the one who should be caught, it’s that guy.”

“Calm down, will you?”

Drushia raised both hands to show he had no intention of fighting.

“The lady has disappeared and you want us to calm down?”

“Loyalty is good, but being oblivious is troublesome.”

Since it had already happened, he thought he might as well make it bigger rather than run away. Having already sent a public marriage proposal, there was no more reason to hesitate.

“What? How dare you in this place….”

“Duke Talion?”

A thick voice was heard from behind the knights. The knights who had been arguing in front of Drushia turned around.

“Commander, that guy was at the scene… Ta, Talion?”

The face of the knight who had been raging turned pale.

Pelburn’s gaze, who had arrived late, met Drushia’s gaze in mid-air. His wide-open eyes and parted lips revealed Pelburn’s bewildered inner state.

“Commander?”

Only after the knights pressed him did Pelburn barely manage to compose his expression.

“Duke Talion, I’ll confiscate your sword first and hear your explanation later.”

When Pelburn approached, Drushia quickly surveyed his expression and obediently unfastened his scabbard to hand it over.

Pelburn seemed to have something to say, opening and closing his mouth before eventually shutting it. His dumbfounded expression seemed to speak for him, making Drushia’s eyebrow shoot up.

“What’s this about? Duke Talion?”

“Where is the lady?”

Hearing the commotion, other guard knights gathered one after another in front of the room. Even servants awakened from sleep came out, with more than ten people blocking the doorway.

The situation had become inescapable. A sigh escaped from Drushia’s lips.

‘How noisy.’

Pelburn ordered the knights to search the estate, and Julmanan and Jeanne, who had been at their quarters, were summoned. In the early dawn, the entire estate was awakened and turned upside down.

No matter how much they disliked Talion, the opponent was one of only four dukes in the empire. Drushia was confined to the guest annex under Pelburn’s guidance.