Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 157
Having been away for so long, her parents must be worried. She needed to get back home as soon as possible.
[That’s not the way, Ramiel. It’s the other direction.]
Would the one who had deceived her all this time suddenly tell the truth? Ramiel didn’t think so.
So, she continued on her chosen path. However, she soon stumbled upon the corpse of a fallen knight.
Grabbing a handful of her own hair, Ramiel hesitated for a moment before removing the knight’s cloak. It was a bit dirty, but still usable.
Just in case, she also took his wallet. It only contained two gold coins, but having even that was fortunate.
Her long journey began. Even just descending the mountain was no simple task.
With little to eat, every step was painful, but she refused to give up.
Finally, she managed to make it down the mountain. At the foot of it was a small village. When she asked a passing child, she learned that it was located at the very edge of the western lands.
‘Can I really find my way home from here?’
The thought overwhelmed her.
[Shall I help?]
The wicked voice whispered in her ear.
“No, I’ll find my way on my own.”
[You’re such a stubborn one, aren’t you?]
The voice mocked her and suddenly, darkness veiled her vision. When the light returned, she found herself standing in front of the Duke’s mansion.
[Tada! Isn’t this quicker?]
The Maras Duke’s estate. The place where Ramiel was born and raised.
[Go on, step inside.]
The guards at the gate were all fast asleep, clearly having been tampered with in some way.
Is this really reality?
She doubted it, but as she stepped inside, Ramiel knew for certain. This was indeed her home.
Her pace quickened.
She was about to enter through the front door but suddenly became aware of her own condition. It would probably be better to meet her parents in secret.
Ramiel slipped through the back entrance, which happened to be open. It was the door used by the servants, and the atmosphere felt different from the paths she normally took.
“By the way, what really happened to Lady Ramiel? Do you know anything?”
As she tiptoed through, she overheard a familiar maid’s voice and quickly hid behind a nearby column.
“I don’t know. How would I know anything?”
“You were Lady Ramiel’s personal maid.”
“Not anymore. There’s no one for me to serve now. The only thing I know is that Lady Ramiel left with Lord Sage. But even that I only found out long after she vanished during all the chaos.”
“Was it a love elopement?”
“Why would she need to elope if she was with a king?”
“True.”
Yes, that’s right. Half out of her mind, Ramiel had followed the commands of the wicked entity and left the central lands with Sage.
“Anyway, since Lady Ramiel disappeared, the capital fell into ruin. It’s been restored now, though.”
The maid closed her eyes tightly for a moment, as if recalling something dreadful.
“I saw it from a distance, but it was a horrifying monster!”
“They call it a ghoul.”
“What’s a ghoul?”
“A monster that eats people. They say it’s a servant of the demons.”
“Creepy.”
“It really is.”
The maids fell silent for a moment. Some of them even trembled slightly in fear.
“But is there any other news?”
“I-I know something!”
“What is it?”
“You know there was a war against the West recently?”
“Yes, that’s why the Duke has been so anxious every day, sending people out to gather news, but no one has brought anything back.”
“My cousin is a holy knight, and he said Sir Sage became a monster.”
“But he’s a king!”
Someone protested.
“A king is still human, isn’t he?”
“But kings have noble blood! There’s no way he became a monster!”
“No, he’s not lying.”
“Then, if Sir Sage became a monster, what happened to Lady Ramiel, who went with him?”
“Good question.”
The maids put their heads together, pondering seriously, though not for long.
The head maid suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway, scolding them and scattering the group.
“Talking nonsense again? Get back to your rooms immediately!”
“We’re sorry!”
The maids dispersed in all directions. After the head maid left, Ramiel was alone once more.
Now that she knew it was late and most of the maids were going to bed, her next steps were easier.
The layout of the mansion where she had lived since birth was etched firmly in her memory.
Ramiel headed to her mother’s bedroom first.
Knock, knock.
