The Male Lead’s Sickly Aide is My Type - Chapter 83.2
Chapter 83.2
“In short, we’ve been incredibly unlucky.”
The assembled people murmured their agreement, some wiping the sweat from their brows as if finally allowing themselves to breathe. Still, Carinne knew it was far too early to relax.
“Wait a minute.”
She interjected, her voice cutting through the murmurs.
All eyes turned to her expectantly.
“So, when does this… rift… close?”
Archen hesitated, his expression mirroring a teacher caught off guard by an unexpected question. “No one knows,” he admitted.
“It will remain open until someone goes and closes it.”
A cold shiver ran down Carinne’s spine.
“There’s no way there’s only one monster in that other world, is there?”
This time, there was no answer.
Everyone’s minds were filled with the same horrifying possibility: what if the creature they had just fought wasn’t the only one? Or worse, what if the mansion was simply too far from the rift to attract many creatures while closer areas were teeming with them?
Suddenly, a man burst through the crowd, his face pale and his voice trembling.
It was the same man who had earlier cried for help as he led the beast into the mansion.
As he drew closer, Carinne recognized him: he was a coachman who belonged to the Iris family, Shunen County.
The coachmen’s breathless explanation confirmed their worst fears. He had encountered a pack of monsters on his way to the mansion. They had attacked, destroying his carriage. In the chaos, he had fled for his life, ending up here.
When asked about Iris, he replied that he had heard her scream as the carriage shattered but hadn’t seen her since. So, had she been left to fend for herself?
Fury surged through Carinne, though before she could react, the others intervened.
“Calm down,”
Archen urged.
“We need to find Iris. Let me go instead.”
“Of course, we need to find her.”
Carinne retorted, struggling against their hold.
“Just let me go! I’ll be quick.”
“It’s too dangerous. No one knows how many more monsters are out there. I’ll go in your place.”
“The monsters only attacked me, not you. It’s just as dangerous for you. Honestly, I’d rather go alone.”
“I said no.”
“Fine, whatever. I’m going anyway.”
Archen sighed, his shoulders slumping.
There were only two possible responses left. He could either say, ‘As you wish, Princess,’ or ‘How about we go together?’ He knew Carinne would choose the latter. It was the only way to ensure her safety, as the others wouldn’t allow him to let her go alone.
Just as he was about to speak, a cold metallic sensation clamped around Carinne’s ankles. She looked down to see a glowing ring encircling her legs, attached to the leg of the sofa.
“What are you doing?!”
She exclaimed, her voice laced with panic. As she moved, the sofa dragged along the floor, effectively trapping her.
“How far is the carriage from here?”
Archen asked the coachmen, completely ignoring her outburst.
“N-not far, sir. About a fifteen-minute walk.”
Archen nodded curtly and, with a quick “I’ll leave the Princess in your care,” exited the room.
“Wait!”
Carinne cried, scrambling after him.
“Take me with you!”
Though the sofa snagged on the furniture, preventing her from following. She tried to lift the sofa and remove the ring, but it was firmly attached. In desperation, she hoisted the sofa, but the chain was too short for her to walk properly.
There was no way she could navigate the monster-infested grounds while carrying the cumbersome piece of furniture.
“Marie, go get a knife! And a saw and a hammer!”
Carinne barked at the hesitant maid.
“Hurry!”
Soon, the maids returned with an armful of tools. Carinne tried sawing the ring, then chopping it with the knife, and finally, when all else failed, hammering it. However, the cursed ring, forged from some unknown material, resisted every attempt.
Only one option remained.
Carinne curled her toes, attempting to slip her foot out of the ring. It was like a playground challenge, trying to remove a bracelet without breaking the chain. The difference being, this wasn’t a paper bracelet on her wrist, but a metal ring around her ankle.
Finally, after much struggle, her efforts paid off.
With a triumphant cry, Carinne freed her foot from the ring. Her ankle throbbed where the metal had chafed, but that was the least of her worries now. She snatched a nearby kitchen knife and, without a moment’s hesitation, dashed out of the mansion.
“My lady!”
Marie cried, scrambling after her, but Carinne was already far gone.
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