CHAPTER 49……………………………………………..
I held onto the bridge pillar with superhuman strength, supporting my body. I almost fell.
But from now on, the real problem began.
As I moved inward, the current grew stronger, making it difficult even to lift a single foot.
“Huh, this is kind of dangerous.”
Normally, carrying a child wouldn’t be any trouble for me, but now it felt overwhelmingly difficult.
Water up to my knees blocked my path, and my body temperature was dropping, leaving me in poor condition.
Shivering.
The child in my arms trembled.
I forced my legs to move.
Step by step was a struggle. Twice as hard as coming in.
The hands holding the pillar kept slipping. Just then, a piece of driftwood swept past and scratched my leg.
A sharp pain shot through my calf, and my body wobbled. I barely managed to lean on the pillar.
A chill ran down my neck.
“This is no joke.”
Gritting my teeth, I tried to take another step—and an even stronger wave of water poured down.
Whoooosh!
It crashed over me!
Clinging tightly to the child and the pillar, I closed my eyes—just as a strong force pulled me upward.
I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
Panting.
Rough breaths echoed in my ears. My soaking dress clung to my body, weighing me down.
Did a servant help me? Was the child okay?
Before I could gather my thoughts, a thunderous voice roared.
“Do you even have a brain or not?!”
I blinked. I looked up. Only when my neck was nearly twisted did I fully see the person’s face.
Water dripped from his wet hair. Giovanni glared at me, his face full of anger.
I felt dazed, not knowing what was happening.
“Prince?”
“What were you thinking, going into the water?”
“…….”
“Don’t you know that on a day with rain like this, you shouldn’t go outside?”
Hearing the words I’d said to a girl being turned on me felt strange.
“Why are you here?”
“I heard you went here.”
“You came looking for me?”
“Yes.”
He grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet.
“I’ve never seen such a reckless woman in my life. Do you have two lives or something?”
“…….”
“Do they beat you at home? I thought you were smart, but you’re just a fool!”
I had no idea why he was so angry.
Maybe because it was an unexpected person in an unexpected situation, I wasn’t flustered.
Perhaps it was because I had narrowly survived a life-threatening moment, and reality felt blurred.
So I calmly asked:
“How did you know I had two lives?”
“Huh?”
Giovanni glared at me, as if I’d said something absurd. His stern face made him quite scary when angry.
I quickly lowered my gaze.
‘I should at least greet him.’
I wiped the water from my face, lifted the hem of my dress, and gave a small bow.
“I owe my life to you. I will repay this kindness.”
“I’d rather you not do anything dangerous.”
“That’s one thing, but kindness is kindness.”
“I’m saying this because I think you might die before you can repay me.”
“……That was a curse?”
Giovanni looked at me with disdain. I was just embarrassed, so I shrugged my shoulders.
Suddenly, there was a commotion beside us. I turned my head.
“I told you not to go out!”
“Ouch, don’t hit me. It hurts more because I’m wet.”
“Does this even hurt? You almost died! If it weren’t for them, you would have died!”
“Ouch! Ouch! Stop!”
A girl was hitting a boy hard. Though they played around teasingly, tears glistened in their eyes.
I had been reckless.
But at least, I prevented those tears from being tears of grief.
“Isn’t it fortunate we could save them?”
Giovanni replied coldly:
“If we made one wrong move, everyone would have died.”
“That’s… thank you, Your Highness.”
Since that was a real possibility, I smiled faintly. Even if the same thing happened again, I would act the same way, so I had nothing more to say.
Watching him sigh, I suddenly became curious.
“But why did you come looking for me?”
“What on earth is going on here? Is there some problem in the kingdom?”
“It was the result of the priest running amok. It’s a very rare case. I’d explain more, but…”
I perked my ears. Another scream sounded from afar.
“Your Highness!”
“…….”
“Could you help me?”
Giovanni raised his thick eyebrows.
“Thank you! Thank you for saving me!”
By now, we had handed over the seventh person to the servants. The servants, running back and forth, were clearly exhausted.
When the servant who took the Jeze siblings by carriage returned, other servants came along as well.
The servants were tasked with escorting the rescued people to the carriages.
I wrapped the child we had saved earlier in a blanket from a house abandoned by others and looked at Giovanni.
He, who had saved someone swept into the canal, was soaked from head to toe.
His black wet hair clung to his massive frame, making him look like a god of the sea.
“Take a little rest, Your Highness.”
Glancing at me, he strode forward and lifted the child in the blanket.
“Is this the last one?”
“I think so.”
“Then let’s hurry.”
When we climbed a high hill, the servants helping people onto the carriages ran toward us.
“Did you get everyone on?”
“Yes. One carriage wasn’t enough, so as you said, we borrowed another nearby. We just managed to get everyone on safely.”
“Good.”
“Miss, you should get on quickly as well.”
One seat remained in the carriage.
I handed the child wrapped in a blanket to Giovanni and got in the carriage. The servant’s eyes went wide.
“Depart.”
“Huh? And you, Miss?”
Behind the servant were anxious people, faces worried about being left behind.
Poor people. Even if they survived here, where would they stay?
‘I have no lineage, but am I not healthy?’
“I’m fine. I’ll follow soon, so go first.”
“We can’t leave you behind.”
The big servant shook his head firmly. He had been the busiest helping me, so I had grown fond of him. I spoke while looking into his eyes.
“After all we went through to save everyone, are you going to kill me too?”
“Still, without you—”
“I said I’ll follow soon. I’ll reward you and give your sibling snacks once we’re safely back.”
Only then did the servant give a resigned smile.
“Then be careful on your way.”
“What’s your name?”
“Eden.”
“Alright, Eden. Good work today. Take care until the end.”
The carriage departed.
“Sister, thank you!”
Through the window, a girl waved. Her younger brother waved both hands.
It reminded me of the girls in Amtein, hiding snacks from the brothel owners.
‘It’s been a while since I felt this way.’
Watching the carriage fade, the back of my head tingled.
‘Now what do I do?’
Giovanni.
After all this help, how do I repay him?
I glanced at him. Like me earlier, he was watching the people disappear into the distance.
“This chaos is unprecedented.”
“…….”
“Scarier than a desert sandstorm.”
“I’ve never seen rain like this either.”
His gaze shifted to me. Deep black eyes with no end in sight.
Until now, I thought his eyes were just too strong and frightening.
‘His eyelashes are quite long.’
Raindrops hung from his lashes. Beneath them, his black eyes looked unusually soft.
“It was overwhelming for me too.”
“Let me thank you again…”
“I mean to say that the earlier situation was extremely dangerous.”
Swish. The sound of rain soaked my ears. His calm voice penetrated it.
“The current was overwhelming even for me. For you, it must have been impossible to handle. Why did you act so recklessly? Did you not think you could die?”
“…….”
“Was it that foolish?”
He silently but firmly reproached me.
“I never intended to die. But if I hadn’t acted, that child would have been swept away and drowned.”
“…….”
“At least if I intervene, the chances of people surviving increase, right? Ultimately, we ended up being helped by Your Highness.”
I didn’t think of dying, and I assumed I’d survive somehow, but without his help, who knows what would have happened.
“As I said before, I will repay this kindness. That’s separate from cooperating with Your Highness.”
Giovanni said nothing. Perhaps he does not expect repayment.
Whatever he thinks, I will remember this event.
I looked up at the sky.
The rain had thinned to a drizzle. The sun faintly shone through the clouds.
“The rain’s lightened. Let’s move quickly now.”
With no carriage or transport, we had to walk. Heading toward the village, I asked:
“Where’s the attendant who always goes with you?”
‘The unlucky one’ is omitted.
“Kichev is unwell and lying down.”
“Ah.”
And then silence again.
Only the sound of rain and our splashing footsteps echoed.
“I think I understand what kind of person you are.”
“…….”
“Clever but reckless, seemingly strategic but not considering consequences. A mess.”
“That’s… not necessary to say…”
“Which is why I like you more and more.”
I almost turned my head sharply.
Wait, is this a confession here?
“I’ll give you the same salary as Kichev.”
……What?
“I can even provide a household with a servant.”
So he likes me as a subordinate?
Understanding this late, the tension in my stiff neck melted.
‘Why say things that people could misunderstand?’
“I already said, I refuse unstable jobs, no matter the salary.”
“Then how about being the emperor’s attendant?”
I couldn’t resist turning my head. He wiped the water from his face with his large hand and smirked.
I can’t tell if he’s serious or joking.
“I’ll have to think about that.”
“Only the emperor can give you such an opportunity, huh? Difficult.”
……Is he serious? I stared at him intently.
I only realized that there’s nothing as powerful as a completely expressionless poker face.
