Published: August 15, 2025
――The next time I woke up, not much time had passed.
“—Cough.”
After spitting out the water that was blocking my throat, I could suddenly take in fresh air into my lungs. I coughed several more times, spitting out water like I was bleeding from my lungs, and began breathing heavily with a terrible wheezing sound. My whole body was soaked, covered in gravel, and felt as heavy as if I were still trapped in the mud. Even so, I could feel oxygen circulating through my body. It was the first time in my life that oxygen tasted sweet.
My thoughts grew clearer. Now, I understood that it was Lord Cyrus who had performed artificial respiration on me and saved me.
He was crying, pressing his forehead against my chest, which rose and fell deeply with breaths, in a posture like a prostration. He was crying out loud.
—Lord Cyrus. Thank you for saving me.
I tried to say that, but my lips were too heavy to move. My body was freezing cold, as if I had become a doll.
In my blurry vision, I heard Lord Cyrus’s words. Through his tears, he kept repeating the same words.
“—Thank you.”
He didn’t say, “It’s alright now, Marie,” nor did he bless me.
He didn’t say, “It’s okay now, Marie, don’t worry.”
He didn’t scold me, saying, “I was worried about you, be careful.”
He just held my hand, clung to my chest, and kept thanking me.
“Marie. Thank you. Thank you for coming back alive. Thank you for protecting Lisa. Thank you—”
His words assured me that Lisa and I were safe.
…Thank goodness. I’m so glad to be alive. I’m truly grateful to remain part of this person’s family from now on.
—As if to drown out his sobbing, a fierce voice rang out. It was more fierce than dignified, the voice of Tunic.
“Once breathing is secured, get away quickly! You’re conscious, right? Then make her spit out water now, even if you have to shove your fingers in her mouth to empty her stomach! Thomas, get clean water and blankets from the ancient city! Wolf and the prince, hurry to the mansion and prepare hot water!”
“Y-yes!”
“Tunic, Lisa’s change of clothes is done. What should we do next?”
“Let the giggling kid play around somewhere! The one in danger is Lady Marie! I said hurry!”
Tunic shouted so loudly at Mio, who was holding Lisa, it sounded like the riverbank stones would shatter.
“Master, once the blankets arrive, we’ll carry Lady Marie to the mansion. We’ll hold her tightly and keep her warm, alright?”
…Apparently, my rescue was not yet complete. I seemed to be closer to death than I felt. Still dazed, I repeatedly sipped warm water and spit it out several times, then was finally wrapped in a blanket.
Carried by Lord Cyrus, I remained dazed until we got out of the forest. He said nothing the entire time. He just ran, holding me.
Through the thinly opened eyelids, I saw Lord Cyrus’s beautiful profile.
That made me incredibly happy. I was relieved my life had been saved, but sad that his expression remained tense…
I smiled and shed tears. Overwhelmed by an abnormal drowsiness, I closed my eyes.
I apparently fell asleep then.
The next time I woke, I was in bed.
I was cleaned, dressed in dry clothes, and in a warmed room.
Staring blankly at the ceiling… sensing someone’s presence nearby, I murmured,
“Lisa…”
“If it’s Lady Lisa, she’s here. She’s just wet, but well.”
Mio came close to me.
Lisa… ah, thank goodness…
Lisa was very lively and cheerful. She probably had no idea that everyone, including herself, had been in mortal danger. Her small hands fluttered, trying to touch my face as I lay down.
I tried to stroke her, lifting my hand slightly. Lisa’s small hand grasped my finger, and she laughed gleefully.
“Mio… I’m really glad. The matter with those women was handled faster than I expected. You came back at the most important time…”
“That’s thanks to Thomas.”
Mio, unusually, smiled softly and said that.
“I continued arranging for those women to be sent back to their original place in the royal capital. Before dispatching a search party for the missing Ella, Thomas came to visit me. He said there was a worst-case chance he’d be turned away. I used Lord Ruifeng’s name and left everything to the knights order, then returned here with Thomas.”