Chapter 8: Volume 1 - CH 8

“Lady Shannon, you must depart.”

The soldiers have already arrived at the gate.

He carried Shannon as soon as he took his gaze away from the window.

“Pardon me…… please excuse me.”

“Let go of me! Who do you think you’re touching?”

However, no matter how much she struggled, he did not budge.

In the first place, she couldn’t defeat a man who was strong enough to win consecutive Toono martial arts competitions.

“Where the hell are we going?!?”

Shannon had never been to the western forest, and their horse was taking them there.

“All we have to do is cross the border.”

“What, what? Do you want to cross the border?”

The Kingdom there was in a conflict with the Empire. The cease-fire was only declared a few years ago.

“I’ll die if I go to the Kingdom!”

“You’re not going to die.”

His voice has proved worthy to it.

The potential to believe in the impossible.

“Before becoming a Toono, my lady, I was a man of the Kingdom of Castaques.”

“What?”

“Valhail Castaques.”

A Toono who was bought as an escort from the temple, a man who was simply referred to as a Toono because he had no name.

“That’s my name.”

Shannon looked at his fluttering brown hair blankly.

“Nothing from those belonged to you, my lady, no family name, no property, not even the Grand Duke.”

Shannon returned her gaze to the Countdom of Crawford. Her heart was pounding.

That could be the reason. Her heart is as hard as steel, just like the arm that is holding her.

“Forget about everything. Just like I did.”

That was Shannon’s last moment in the original story.

Shannon, unlike Camilla, was a persistent villain who tormented Selina until the end.

But it’s such a cliffhanger for her!

‘It’s bitter even if I cursed her.’

In addition, Valhail Castaques was a very capable man.

He kidnapped Selina, who had fled, and brought her back to the Grand Duke, after which he infiltrated the Grand Duke’s mansion alone, kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured her.

‘Valhail Castaques……’

An extremely strong man who can do anything at Shannon’s command!

I wanted him.

Shannon’s meeting with Valhail marked the start of the original plot.

Given the passage of time, I believe he is currently sweeping the martial arts competition.

Well, it’s just my calculation.

I need to do well and show up there as scheduled, or else I’ll be kidnapped and tortured, as in the original storyline.

I need to make certain that the plot will not turn out the same way it did before.

I did not, however, leave the Countdom solely to meet Valhail.

Plan number 2. Chasing out Camilla.

I needed a priest to see if the plan was conceivable.

A priest in whom I had trust enough to discuss my plan to kick the stepmother out of the house.

I need a priest who is loyal enough so he could never speak out about it.

‘Whoever it is.’

* * *

The monastery of light is the place where the priests of the Western Great Hall train.

As stated in the letter, the majority of the participants there perform the following tasks:

Of course, the priests would never assign me to any field work or structural repairs to the Great Hall.

The monastery could not, by rule, give special treatment based on one’s status, but the priests couldn’t risk their jobs to do so.

So, as expected, I was assigned to assist with the martial arts competition’s chores.

“Uhm, uh…… What should I address you as, Lady Count Crawford?”

The eldest daughter of an aristocratic family. The Count’s lady, who was said to be rarely seen outside.

Everyone found it difficult to deal with me.

The trainees were distributed, yet no one dared to let me work.

“Selina.”

I had to get used to this place so that I could find Valhail and establish a strong bond with a loyal and dedicated priest.

“Please address me as Selina.”

“Lady Selina.”

When I smiled and reached out my hand, the apprentice priests and trainees immediately became friendly.

And a young high-ranking priest who had been staring at me intently vanished after being slapped in the back by an older priest.

‘Is it because of my face?’

Because this face truly resembles that of an angel!

I use this female lead’s face more than Selina did previously.

“I know how to perform basic first aid, priest.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I’ve learned. So I’d like to assist you in treating the Toonos in prison.”

“Oh, my God…… how considerate of you.”

I put on a big smile and pretended to be an angel.

“At long last, I’ll be able to get up close and personal with Lady Selina.”

Following that, the red-cheeked apprentice priest packed various herbs, bandages, and drugs.

We all went down to the prison to see the injured Toonos.

The Toonos, who were about to die, groaned horribly all over the place, and blood odors vibrated. The stench made it difficult to breathe.

The priest spoke in hushed tones that only I could hear.

“People here have been seriously injured and are on the verge of death.”

Yes, it appears to be the case.

“They’ll probably only have a day or two to live.”

“Then this much medicine……”

“Well, it isn’t really medicine.”

I expected it, but couldn’t believe it.

The priest spoke with a sad expression on his face.

“The temple is not wealthy enough to provide medicine to the destitute.”

I tried the medication, but it tasted oddly sweet.

‘It tastes like strawberries.’

The potion was nothing more than a strawberry-flavored drink.

“However, if we treat them, we can give them the ‘hope’ that they’re still alive.”

So, basically, these people pretend to treat people who are about to die by administering fake medicine to them.

“Please let them go at ease, Selina.”

It was the priest’s and my job to hold the dying Toono’s hand and send him off in peace, in a place less than a square foot away.

“Ugh, can I live if I… ugh… take the medicine?”

“I’m going to pray for your survival.”

It was a terrifying death, but it wasn’t a lonely one.

‘Well, it’s nearly impossible for me to look for Valhail before the winner is announced.’

Because everyone here is called by number, I can’t just call out ‘Valhail! Valhail!’ and expect him to come out.

It’s been about a week since I’ve been assisting the priest in this manner while also secretly searching for the brown-haired Toono.

And in this prison, where everyone wants to live, I met a strange man who only wanted to die.