NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 42
Knock, knock—
“Who is it?”
“This is Benny from the inn staff. I brought you some water in case you got thirsty while sleeping.”
“Oh, thank you.”
After washing up in hot water, a cool drink was exactly what I needed.
“Could you leave it by the door?”
“Yes, of course.”
After a short while, confirming there was no one near the door, I brought the tray with the pitcher and glass inside.
“Hmm… no issues.”
Checking that neither the cup nor the pitcher had any foreign substances or stains, I absentmindedly poured myself a glass of water—only to freeze mid-action.
Do not drink any liquids provided by the inn, regardless of the type.
As mentioned in the first guideline, the hygiene standards at this inn are poor.
Drinking unboiled beverages may cause stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, chills, and other symptoms.
Honestly, I was dying for a sip of that crisp, clear water.
Besides, I rarely get stomachaches, so I figured I could handle it.
But even then, I mustered superhuman self-restraint and put the glass down.
“Right… I should follow the guidelines.”
Otherwise, the Grand Duke with those laser-like eyes would definitely have something to say.
After placing the glass on the bedside table, I checked that the door was securely locked before sinking into the cozy bed.
“Hmm.”
I’m already sleepy.
“It feels like…”
Like I forgot to do something… or maybe not. Whatever.
As soon as my body sank into the plush mattress, exhaustion from the past few days caught up to me, and I slipped into sleep.
.
.
.
Cough, cough!
A persistent cough broke the silence.
My throat felt scratchy, my mind hazy.
Even after opening my eyes, I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming or awake.
…This feels like when I had a sedation endoscopy. Wait, what’s an endoscopy again?
Where am I? Who am I?
“Bonita…?”
It felt like something was stuck in my throat, making it hard to breathe.
Instinctively, I called out for Bonita, but she wasn’t here.
The room was too dark to make out anything.
Stumbling around in a daze, I eventually reached the window on one side of the room.
“Oh, right…”
I had been so exhausted that I fell asleep without ventilating the room.
‘But still, would stale air alone make it this hard to breathe?’
No matter how much I blinked, my blurred vision wouldn’t clear.
Should I complain again? Wait, what’s a complaint?
As my mind unraveled, I used my weakening hand to push open the window. Only then did I slump against the wall, breathless.
Now, even my clear memories were fading one by one.
Who told me to sleep with the window open?
Who was Bonita? Why was I here…?
“Dizzy…”
I wanted to open the door and leave, but something told me—no, warned me—not to.
Like someone I feared deeply had insisted I never open that door.
The fresh air slipping through the open window eased my breath a little, but my head still felt clouded with thick fog.
And then, someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
Knock, knock, knock!
I had no strength to move, so I just stared at the door.
A moment later, I heard a faint, trembling voice.
“P-please help…”
A young boy’s voice.
“Hmm…?”
“My grandmother is really sick. Please, help us…!”
Of course, I should help. A child was asking for aid, and I was an adult.
But for some reason, my body wouldn’t move properly.
Step, step.
I managed to stand up, but it felt as if something was gripping my ankle, holding me back.
‘Do not open that door.’
Why?
The knocking grew louder and more desperate, yet I couldn’t take a single step forward.
“I-I’m sorry.”
“Please help! Please!”
“I’m sorry. I can’t open the door…”
The boy’s desperate cries didn’t stop. Just listening to them made me anxious.
But still… but still… shouldn’t I at least check?
Wouldn’t it be okay to just take a quick look?
“My grandmother is going to die soon! Please, help us!”
“N-no…”
“Please!”
As my mind waged war with itself, a fierce gust of wind swept through the room.
Whoooosh!
“Huh?”
BANG!
Startled, I turned around just in time to see the window being torn off its hinges with a deafening crash.
“Ahh!”
Shrinking back in fear, I hesitantly opened my eyes again—and there, silhouetted against the dark blue sky, was a massive shadow.
No, not a shadow… a man?
“You ignored me completely at dinner earlier.”
The man leaped down from the window frame and strode toward me with long, powerful strides.
He was so tall that I had to tilt my head back to see his face.
“But at least now, you’re somewhat following instructions, princess.”
As the moonlight cut through the clouds, his face came into full view, and my mouth fell open.
‘Oh. My. God. He’s gorgeous.’
No, beyond gorgeous.
His features were chiseled, sharp, almost divine.
But he wasn’t delicate or pretty—the strong brows and firm jawline gave him an undeniably masculine presence.
Most striking of all were his deep green eyes, rich in color and piercing in intensity.
He looked like a masterpiece sculpted by the hands of a god.
No, scratch that—he was a divine masterpiece.
“…Princess, what are you doing?”
“Ah!”
His low voice snapped me out of my daze, and I gasped, stumbling back.
Dear lord.
I had reached out and touched his face without even realizing it!
“I-I’m so sorry!”
But the memory of his smooth skin beneath my fingertips made my face—and ears—burn with embarrassment.
Desperately, I scrambled to explain myself.
“You’re just so handsome, I lost my mind for a second….”
“What?”
“I’ve never seen someone this good-looking before. I think… I think you might be my type.”
His lips pressed into a firm line.
A heavy silence stretched between us before I summoned the courage to speak again.
“Um.”
“What now?”
“Could you… stop staring at me like that? My heart’s racing too much.”
Hah.
The man let out a quiet laugh, running a hand through his hair.
I didn’t know what his smile meant, but I did know that it belonged on a magazine cover.
“Wow…”
Clap, clap, clap!
I actually started applauding.
He chuckled, then murmured in an amused tone, “Did you inhale too much hallucinogenic vapor? But the window was open…”
“Oh! I just opened it now!”
“…Hah. I thought you were following orders, but I guess not. I should’ve assigned you a maid.”
“Huh?”
Before I could react, my world suddenly tilted.
By the time I realized what had happened, I was cradled in his arms like a princess.
“Kyaa!”
Too high!
And too handsome!
Way too handsome!
As he stepped onto the window ledge, he whispered, “Hold on tight. I don’t have time to catch you if you fall.”
“…What?!”
Fall?! From where?!
Before I could finish my thought, the sky filled my vision.
Looking back, I saw the boy standing inside my room… with a knife in his hand.
“Huh? Wait, what—KYAA!”
And then—
We fell.
It was only after the fact that I realized my room was on a second floor, slightly higher than average—but by then, it was too late.
With wide eyes, I took in the scene below. A chaotic battle was unfolding, with numerous people clashing against one another.
Among them, I spotted a few familiar faces, but no matter how hard I tried to recall, I couldn’t remember who they were.
‘Why are they fighting?’
Why is everything so chaotic?
“Ah… I feel dizzy….”
At some point, I had landed. When I blinked again, my feet were already planted firmly on solid ground.
Amid the shouts of combatants and the clashing of weapons, the man who had brought me here gave an order to someone nearby.
“Take the princess to the physician first. Her condition is unusual.”
“Understood. Shall I escort her?”
The man, who had been silently gazing down at me, shook his head.
“No, I will take her myself.”
As he took my hand and led me away, I couldn’t stop the laughter that kept slipping out. And then…
‘I don’t know who this princess is, but she must have saved a country in her past life.’
That was my last thought before everything went dark.