Dry Drowning

Chapter 12

The man who attempted to pierce the Grand Duke’s stomach suddenly flinched. The long sword trapped in the chain trembled and reflexively tried to swing once more, but he instantly pushed in and wrapped the chain around the man’s neck.

It all happened in less than a second.

It was only at that time when the man wondered who the hell the white skin man was.

He was wearing a veil, but his indistinguishable appearance was foreign. Then, the man noticed that he was the prince of Rox, but at that moment, Ian, who grabbed the chain, moved behind the man’s back.

“Kuhk…”

The purple barefoot leaned back pressing the man’s back.

The weight added to the chain that was wrapped like a circle around his airway, and the man couldn’t breathe. He whimpered and scratched his neck with his hand that didn’t hold the sword.

He tried to grab the chain with his fingernails, but it didn’t work.

He swung his arm, but it only waved in the air.

“Kuh, Ugh.”

Ian, who was holding the chain, put a little more strength into it. He felt like his joints were freezing, but he didn’t care. When he heard a strangled groan, Ian didn’t think much about it in his head.

Why did you come running?

That’s the only thing Logan ever wondered in a hectic moment.

Ian was sitting still on the horse, standing in the middle of the blood splashing. He had no emotion, even though a man was beheaded right in front of him. But he was unable to stand by and watch a man approaching Logan from afar.

Despite being in a high position, no one was willing to protect the man.

He saw that Logan was exposed defenselessly when someone approached him quickly and knowing where the sharp sword was headed, Ian jumped off the horse.

Something dripped down Logan’s ragged palms. Even the chain was slippery as if it had been torn by the friction of the frozen skin with metal. He felt someone’s suffocated breathing. When he turned to see, he felt a small presence.

The skinny man, who was sneaking up from behind slashed a dagger towards Logan, but it was not him who vomited blood, but the body with a neck tightened with a chain. Logan, who quickly turned around and found himself shielded by his companion, gritted his teeth.

“You son of a b*tch!”

Ian already pulled out the long sword from the corpse’s hand. Although he felt it was quite heavy, there was no hesitation in the swinging arm.

“Ah, Ack!”

He was able to draw a dagger, and the man was stabbed threw up a handful of blood. When the blade of the sword was twisted without stopping, a terrible pain came as if the internal organs were stirred.

“Aah!”

The screams of the man who couldn’t stand it drew the attention of the knights behind him.

They thought the Archduke did it, but it was a completely different person standing with a sword.

Although most of the elite personnel were missing, they were all members of the Northern Knights, which were considered the most difficult to join in the empire. Compared to the opposition, such attacks were ridiculous.

They were already quickly sorting out the situation and arresting those who couldn’t commit suicide and still breathing.

But what kind of situation was this?

I just checked that he was riding a horse, but I couldn’t tell when he had moved there.

“Why the hell is he killing the assassins?”

“How did you manage to kill him?”

Ian, who killed two people in an instant, was still shackled.

When I pulled out the sword I put in his stomach, hot blood poured over my eyes.

It was the next moment that the Knights learned the reason.

Because Ian moved at the same time as Salze, who was carefully watching the situation in the forest on the right, appeared behind the Grand Duke.

When he immediately noticed the movement of the man from the other side, he ran away even before the blade reached the Grand Duke. Looking at Ian, who wielded his sword without hesitation, the knights were immersed in the chaos.

“You protected Archduke Hyer….?”

Would that man who would be in good spirits the next day, would have stabbed the crazy man so many times for no reason?

“Huh”

No one escorted Logan because they knew he wasn’t going to die over this. Instead of wandering around, there was a high possibility of being slashed! They didn’t want to die like a dog, so when this happened, the Knights were the first to fall far away from the Grand Duke.

The actions of Ian, which killed all the Salze near the Grand Duke, were obvious.

I can’t believe I tried to protect a man like that. I was definitely out of my mind.

For some moment the knights stared at Ian with a mixture of wonder and astonishment and saw the unknown sword in his hand.

Come to think of it, what is this?

I heard you were only given formal knighthood oaths.

A calloused hand belonged to a man who had never held a knife. But the move earlier said something completely different. It was not an elegant sword art that nobles learned like culture.

No matter how many times they see it…

“When the capture is over, I’m going back. The trial will take place at the mansion. Don’t get yourself killed.”

“Ah.”

They forgot what they were doing and were absorbed in their own thoughts.

As they quickly turned to face the cold voice from behind, they saw Claude’s cold and depressed face.

It was the deputy leader who was scarier than the leader.

They didn’t want to be caught even if they died, so they moved quickly as if it was the last time they were mesmerized.

Claude, who glanced at the knights returning to their posts, stared forward for a moment. Ian, who was covered in blood, tossed the sword to the ground and turned his head.

“……….”

There was silence between everybody. Ian, who took a short breath, turned his body and lowered his eyes straight down.

It was a forest road covered with snow but not maintained. I thought it was hard to move, but it seemed like I had torn the soles of my feet. As I lifted my left foot slightly, I could see red blood on the floor.

But I didn’t feel much pain.

His feet stained with purple like frostbite were now numb.

There was a clatter of chains from my badly broken wrist. Turning around, I made eye contact with the man still on the horse.

Ian took a step closer to the appearance of the man who didn’t take out his sword, perhaps because he was surprised and stiff. There was blood splashing over the neat uniform.

I wanted to ask him if he was okay, but I didn’t even know his name. Only then did I realize that.

Yeah, I didn’t even know the name.

He knew nothing but his position as the Grand Duke. Although Ian was mistaken, he took a step back from saying what he didn’t even know. The man was looking at the red mark on every step, silently. Except for the splashing of blood, it looked the same as before.

When I realized that there was no injury, I felt a faint sense of relief.

Feeling the fatigue that had been delayed was coming back as if it had been waiting for him, Ian thought of this morning.

The man who stood on the porch like the spring waiting at the door. It’s been a long time since I saw that face, and that step that always comes first.

There’s nothing to be pleased about.

I was the one who killed him.

I almost burst out laughing at the inconsistent irony.

What happened to my head when I fell into an unknown world?

I don’t want to see you die.

It was a thought that didn’t go too far with someone like himself who had killed all his life.

A faint smile came out between the lips. I don’t know what kind of expression I had.

“Phew…”

That was the last memory. My body collapsed as if I closed my eyes to the darkening field of vision. The snow piled on top of the fallen back didn’t melt. I heard some knights running to see me fall down without holding up.

Logan was still gazing at Ian.

As if to witness something very curious and very strange.

***

….A fine object was held in my hand. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sound, holding my breath as low as I could. I could’ve just gone out again.

The damn papers are in the other room, and there’s nothing in this room.

However, contrary to the thought of trying to be positive, the sound of the door opening sounded loud.

I’ve been watching for a couple of months, but I’ve never encountered him this close. First of all, I hid in the closet in an urgent manner but he was a very sensitive man. When he heard that he was supposed to meet the King at 9 o’clock, he broke into the waiting car after checking in.

He was a man who was morbidly reluctant to break his original appointment.

I expected him to be away for about an hour, but within five minutes, I heard a voice from below. I tried to go out through the window when I heard a voice saying that he had left the document.

God damn it.

Nothing was working out today.

His cheeks, which had been beaten since dawn, were throbbing, but it was important to get out without being caught.

I wanted to take a deep breath and just go out looking for the papers, but unfortunately, his step turned to me.

Three steps.

I opened my eyes. Outside the door, there will be a lot of people who claim to be performance secretaries.

Two steps.

I pointed the gun I was holding. I could not put the silencer on, so it was obvious that I would be discovered as soon as I shot the man on the head. But I still couldn’t get caught.

One step.

The moment I felt like he was approaching me, my vision brightened up. He reached the door of the closet and touched the tip of the gun. Ian aimed exactly at the man’s neck, and the man hissed quietly.

“ …..It’s my first time saying hello.”

But even with a gun pointed at his neck, the man talked calmly.

“Where did you hear that?”

I was strangely accustomed to the way he spoke. As soon as I thought so, I heard a sharp crackling sound. The beautiful scene distorted like a crack.

Ah.

Only then did Ian’s expression become clouded as if he realized something. As I relaxed my fingertips on the trigger, the field of vision was greatly reduced as if there were no signal.

It’s a dream.

The moment I was awake, our eyes met. His straight arms fell down and his large hand covered my cheek. I felt like I was going to get burned by the hot body temperature.

I wish I hadn’t met you.

It was the beginning of dozens of regrets.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

[T/N: Did you guys guessed something? I feel like it’s kind of a flashback. And I THINK, I am not sure, but I THINK, that Jawed man was Ian’s boyfriend in previous life and basically Ian killed his own lover. And that’s why mainly he did the suicide. Well… I am still not sure. I just think this might be it.]

Stay safe and healthy along with your loved ones. And have a good day!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for more.

~Dazzel.D~