TNMN 31

Chapter 31

Though the sky looked no different than usual, strangely, the moonlight was dim and the air felt damp and heavy. Such a deep darkness descended upon the Count of Nighton’s residence as well.

In particular, a strange tension pervaded Alosha’s room. From the closed curtain side, one by one, silhouettes resembling human forms slid out. Without making a single sound, the three shadows moved quietly. Their gazes all rested on one place.

Alosha’s bed, where she lay peacefully asleep, unaware of anything.

As the faint moonlight receded from the moving figures in Alosha’s room, there stood people clad in black clothes and masks. They exchanged glances upon seeing Alosha sleeping deeply, unaware of anything on the bed. Then one of them pulled out a forearm-length dagger from his bosom.

The sharp blade glinted with a menacing light as it aimed for Alosha’s neck—when the floor let out a dull thud.

“Stop.”

A low voice rang out clearly, cutting through the night. Instantly, all the killing intent from the shadows shifted direction toward where the voice came from. There, by the window they had entered through, stood an unexpectedly sturdy man.

It was Kyle.

Afterward, the assailants reflexively sprang up and pointed their blades toward the man who was emanating a hostile aura. Not to be outdone, Kyle quickly drew his sword from its sheath and swung it at the assailants charging toward him.

As Kyle’s blade sliced through the air and one of the three shadows slowly fell to the floor without even a scream, the other two greatly flustered assailants glanced at each other and quickly began assessing the situation. At that moment, Alosha’s brow furrowed as the unfamiliar metallic smell and strange chill at the tip of her nose awakened her deep slumber.

“…What is it?”

As Alosha sat up, right before her eyes, a masked man was approaching with a knife.

“Damn!”

Kyle muttered lowly and quickly moved toward the assailant advancing on Alosha. Seeing the man approaching with murderous intent, Alosha instinctively grabbed the lamp on the bedside table and hurled it with all her might.

With a thud, the broken lamp’s oil soaked the assailant’s body.

“Khaaagh…!”

Whether the oil had gotten into his eyes or not, the assailant let out a pained groan, covering his eyes with both hands and stepping back two paces from Alosha. Not missing the opening, Kyle’s sword sliced through the air. As the blade cut the assailant’s shoulder, the man screamed and collapsed to the floor.

Seeing this, Alosha felt as though she finally understood what it meant to feel like something was happening to someone else when faced with something beyond human capacity.

“What on earth…”

“Looks like one of the rats got away.”

Kyle clicked his tongue, looking at the wide-open window. Alosha, staring blankly at Kyle, tried to piece together the situation while looking at the assailant bleeding on the floor.

Late night. Masked assailants. Kyle.

“Wait, was I targeted by assassins? Why?”

She hadn’t done anything yet, nor was she an important enough figure to be targeted. Even if this were the coercion of the story’s progression, Alosha hadn’t damaged any major plot points. The only difference was that Kyle, the Emperor’s man, had been rescued much earlier and was now by her side due to her persuasion—but if the Emperor’s faction was behind this, she wondered if they already knew Kyle was here.

“Who knows? I don’t know the reason, but it doesn’t seem like this assassination attempt will be the last. You’ll find out the reason soon enough.”

Kyle muttered lowly as he wiped his blade.

“The last assassination attempt?”

Hearing those words, the situation that had felt like someone else’s until just a moment ago finally registered.

*’I could die before chapter 50?’*

Until now, Alosha had been able to act so casually because of her belief that she definitely wouldn’t die before 50 chapters’ worth of story had passed.

*’I was too complacent.’*

A chill ran down Alosha’s spine, and her mouth went dry. As memories of her past actions flashed through her mind like a galloping horse, her legs gave out and she sank to the floor. Seeing this, Kyle forcefully pulled the long cord hanging by the bed a few times to call for someone.

Shortly after, a maid from the Nighton household entered the room and was startled.

“Kyaaah!! Miss! Are you alright?”

“Don’t make a fuss, just call the Count.”

At Kyle’s words, the maid nodded and quickly ran out the door. Before long, the sound of murmuring approached from nearby. Seeing Alosha still sitting dazed on the floor in her nightclothes, Kyle grabbed the robe hanging on the bedpost, bent down, and draped it over Alosha’s shoulders.

“Can you stand?”

Alosha nodded and tried to get up, but then collapsed back onto the floor with a thud.

“Uh… I, my legs won’t hold me.”

Alosha let out a hollow laugh, still seated on the ground. Kyle let out a long sigh and then offered his neck to her.

“I’ll carry you.”

At Kyle’s words, Alosha’s heart reflexively began to pound.

A knight who came to rescue the heroine attacked by assailants in the dead of night. It was a perfect scene—the knight calming and carrying the trembling heroine. Looking up at Kyle, who had lifted her easily, Alosha bit her lower lip at her foolishly pounding heart and squeezed her eyes shut.

*’If only you were Whistler!!!’*

Surely, the romantic elements that follow such danger should be shared with the male lead—that was Alosha’s theory.

As she tried to compose her disappointed feelings, a commotion came from beyond the broken door.

“Alosha! Are you alright?”

What Dane, who burst into Alosha’s room gasping for breath, saw was a room in disarray with the stench of blood, and Kyle standing there holding Alosha in a princess carry.

“……Would you care to explain what happened?”

Dane’s eyes instantly turned icy cold and fixed on Kyle. Kyle glanced indifferently at Dane, who was bristling at him, and said shortly.

“There were three intruders. Two are dead, and one escaped.”

It was Dane, not her real brother, who arrived first at Alosha’s room. Even before he could fully survey the ruined room, he saw Kyle laying Alosha on the bed and glared with wide eyes.

“It’s not what you think!”

Annoyed by the prospect of things becoming more complicated, Alosha gently pushed Kyle aside, who had been carefully laying her down, and let out a short sigh.

“I know this looks like something you might misunderstand, but it’s absolutely not that, so please don’t make a scene.”

At Alosha’s firm words, Dane looked slightly hurt before sending a sharp glare toward Kyle, who was standing by.

“Right now… this doesn’t seem like a situation where you should be telling me not to make a scene, does it? May I ask what happened?”

Dane’s gaze turned to Kyle as if demanding an answer. As tension mounted between the two, Alosha let out a short sigh.

“There was an attack by assailants.”

“What? Assailants?”

Dane surveyed the ruined room, then looked at the two corpses lying on the floor, and finally seemed to grasp the situation, dropping his hostile expression and approaching Alosha.

“Are you alright? Any injuries?”

“No, Kyle here saved my life.”

Alosha tugged at Kyle’s sleeve and sent Dane a firm look, as if to say ‘so don’t make a scene.’ Understanding Alosha’s meaning, Dane looked at Kyle and clenched his fist.

“…Where did those assassins come from?”

“Who knows.”

Kyle shrugged and turned his gaze toward the two bodies lying on the floor.

“I’m sure the Knight Commander will figure that out.”

“…For a bodyguard, you’re quite short with words.”

“Because the only person I serve is Lady Alosha.”

Already displeasing from the start, now his attitude was disrespectful. Not understanding why Alosha liked such a person, Dane expressed his discomfort. Reading the tense atmosphere between the two, Alosha felt a stomach ache coming on.

*’Please just leave me alone.’*

It was hard enough trying to seduce Whistler without all these obstacles.

“Is there anyone who might have a grudge against Lady Alosha? For example, perhaps the Knight Commander has made enemies?”

“Brother has enemies? That’s impossible.”

Dane looked at her for a moment and let out a low sigh.

“But this is the first time something like this has happened. Does it make sense that someone would target you?”

Alosha frowned at Dane’s question. She herself was dying to know why.

*’Getting a romance started is damn hard.’*

As she repeated that to herself, something suddenly clicked in Alosha’s mind.

*’Could it be?’*

Was the world trying to eliminate Alosha because her actions had altered part of the story? She didn’t want to think about it, but it wasn’t impossible.

*’No, I can’t think negatively.’*

Even if the novel’s world was trying to push her out of the story, what could she do about it? If she’d die either way, the only option left for Alosha was to move forward.

“What happened here?”

The late-arriving Alexis surveyed the ruined room, Alosha, Dane, Kyle, and the bodies on the floor, slowly piecing together the situation. His face pale, Alexis rushed to Alosha lying on the bed.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Are you alright?”

Alexis began visually checking Alosha all over.

“I’m fine.”

Alosha firmly grasped his trembling hand to reassure him. Only then did Alexis let out a long breath. But his complexion was still pale, his eyes unstable. He pulled Alosha into a tight embrace.

“Alosha… the fact that someone targeted you is driving me mad. I will thoroughly investigate this. For the time being, you are not to set one foot outside this room. Until I resolve everything.”

At Alexis’s thunderous words, Alosha wanted to scream.

*’What is this brother of mine saying!!’*

Alosha broke free from Alexis’s embrace and firmly shook her head.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“What’s not?”

“Think about it. I’ve already been attacked at home. There’s no guarantee there won’t be a second or third attack.”

“Which is exactly why you should stay home. If I speak to His Majesty and have the imperial knights…”

“Moving the imperial knights privately just for a young lady’s safety! Don’t talk nonsense.”

At Alosha’s cool-headed words, Alexis let out a short sigh.

“Your safety is anything but private.”

Realizing she’d truly be trapped inside the house at this rate, Alosha looked at Dane and Kyle with pleading eyes to stop Alexis.

“That’s a good idea, Alexis. I’ll also beg His Majesty, so let’s enter the palace together at sunrise.”

“…….”

Forget Dane, even Kyle, who had avoided Alosha’s gaze, made her feel betrayed.

“I have a better idea!”

“A better idea?”

“I’ll temporarily stay in the safest place in the world, where I won’t be attacked.”

“Where is that?”

At Alexis’s question, Alosha smiled confidently.

“Have you forgotten? Duke Whistler is completely smitten with me. I’m going to the Duke’s residence.”