Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

――What should I do?

I was lost in thought.

The assailant wrapped his arm around my neck from behind, tightening it as if hanging on. He seemed shorter than me, and his arm was thin. That only made the grip dig deeper into my neck, leaving me unable to move.

Leaning back, I gasped out my words.

“Wh... what do you intend to do to Lady Marie?”

“Just talk.”

“What are you saying? If it’s talking, I, as her maid, will listen.”

“This doesn’t concern you.”

“Then I’ll go through Count Granado after dawn...”

“I told you it’s none of your business! Just let me see Marie!”

Could it be that he planned to do something to me that he couldn’t say to the people in the castle?

Who could possibly bear a grudge against me? I don’t have any relationships that would invite hatred. Could it be because I got engaged to Lord Cyrus? Maybe nobles or merchants competing with the Granado Trading Company, or perhaps a daughter who had some twisted grudge against Lord Cyrus himself. It’s possible either way. In any case, it’s dangerous to reveal that I’m Marie.

“...Lady Marie’s room... First, return to the main gate, then to the first floor of Stone Castle, near the main floor.”

“Don’t lie. The countess’s bedroom wouldn’t be in such a place.”

“L-Lady Marie Shadelan was bought from the family of a poor baron. She receives no favor from the count and sleeps in the servants’ quarters.”

I thought it was a rather weak excuse, but for some reason, the assailant seemed to believe it easily. Tch, I clicked my tongue.

“I see... That sounds troublesome since it might attract attention. Well, no choice then. At least I’ll take her quickly while it’s still dark.”

Kidnap!? So his intention wasn’t to hurt me, but to threaten Lord Cyrus and use me as a bargaining chip. Rival nobles or merchants of the Granado Trading Company? No, I don’t want to trouble Lord Cyrus.

For a moment, I considered taking my own life on the spot.

But I quickly reconsidered. He definitely wouldn’t want that. Rather—then the action I should take now is—

“Ah... h-help! Someone, please—!! Someone come—!!”

“What!?”

The assailant was startled, hurriedly tightening his grip on my neck. As expected, he didn’t use the knife. He must not want to hurt me.

I crouched once, then stretched my body upwards as if jumping. I hoisted the shorter assailant onto my back.

His legs floated in the air. My neck was squeezed tighter, but my hands weren’t tied. After all, I’ve spent years chopping firewood. I grabbed his arms with both hands and forcefully pried them off.

“Ahh?! Ouch!”

The assailant let out a surprisingly cute scream and fell to the ground. Without looking back, I ran.

I haven’t learned any proper martial arts to face him head-on, but there are many people in Granado Castle much stronger than me.

I ran toward the castle. Some of the servants should be nearby. There are maids stronger than me and even Lord Cyrus himself.

What I need to do is alert them to my danger!

“Help—!”

But before I could reach the castle, my hair was grabbed. Staggering in pain, I dropped to my knees and was pinned down.

“Don’t scream! It’s okay, I won’t hurt Marie!”

With him on my back, I barely managed to turn my face to look at the assailant. The morning sun had almost fully risen, and it was quite bright. At least I had to leave a dying message about his features. So, his face. His face...

...Huh?

“You wouldn’t want scars on such a pretty face, so just stay still... pretty... face... face...”

The assailant’s voice grew faint.

Behind the brim of a deeply pulled hat, a pair of blue eyes opened wide. Long golden lashes fluttered as he blinked in confusion and said, “Huh?”

The next moment, his body was lifted into the air.

“Wha—?! Ah!”

“Lord Cyrus!”

The one who grabbed the assailant by the collar and lifted him was none other than the master of Granado Castle. Count Kyros Granado was tall. He flicked the assailant up like a cat and arched his strong body, throwing him far away.