C23 Part1

Translated by XyeHeart Edited by XyeHeart

Meriel remembered Emperor Draven.

She ran desperately after she threw her body into the grass.

Meriel’s headache from the unsettling emotions she was experiencing in every corner of the forest. It was as if it was keeping track of how far she could run.

As she and Kiyan made their way to Grant, she became accustomed to running through the woods.

She wasn’t particularly strong, but she was certain she wouldn’t be captured.

It was when her breath reached the tip of her chin as she reclined herself against the tree, that she realized she needed to catch her breath.

“Hey! Why did you try to flee?”

As she walked behind the tree, Meriel was taken aback by a man’s words.

‘I didn’t feel anything!’

She was so close to someone that she felt no emotion.

His dark brown skin, dark hair, and beastly gray eyes gave her goosebumps.

‘Anything…I’m not feeling it.’

She could see him making eye contact with her, but she couldn’t feel it. Despite his smile, she didn’t feel joy from him.

Her fear began to ride on her fingertips and spread throughout her entire body.

She knew right away that the man in front of her was the one who had kidnapped her.

“I haven’t done anything yet, so why are you scared?”

“…Who are you?”

“Well, who am I?” He cocked his head innocently.

The torn eyes were razor-sharp. It was still creepy to see him grinning and smiling.

It was as if an emotionless doll was smiling with only its mouth ripped open.

“I was intrigued by the Grand Duke’s marriage.”

“…..”

“Then you are…”

“…..”

“…Are you Meriel Chrysilla?”

He pretended to know something about her. He extended his hand slowly to Meriel, who was frozen in surprise.

Meriel chewed her lips as his creepy cold hands touched her cheek.

‘Move, please move!’ Meriel scolded herself.

She couldn’t move, as if her body had stiffened in response to his stare.

The man stroked her cheek softly.

Even though the soft touch was obvious, the cheek that was touched hurt as if it had been hit.

“That’s right, Meriel.”

He laughed again as he stroked Meriel’s strewn hair.

“Nice to meet you, Meriel.” He took a step back from Meriel and bowed his head while looking at her after saying those words.

Gray eyes that shone like beasts stared into Meriel’s amber eyes.

It was a dark forest. Everything was dark, but his eyes were bright.

He reached out again. He wiped her tears away with a soft touch, as if it had touched her cheek.

“Do you know who I am?”

Meriel bit her lip until it bled and shook his hand away. She hadn’t even realized she was shedding tears.

Her instincts were yelling at her. She knows she shouldn’t allow him to approach her.

Meriel quickly turned around and ran.

Her limbs were trembling and she appeared to be on the verge of collapsing at any moment, but she felt compelled to flee.

She ran with her back to him, but he appeared unexpectedly in the opposite direction she was running.

“Why are you fleeing? Isn’t it great to see me?”

“ I don’t know! Why are you doing this to me?”

If she was ever captured by those who had a grudge against Klaus, she would pretend to be an idiot. With that in mind, I tore her stockings and messed up her hair.

At the very least, pretending to be an idiot and doing something ridiculous would distract him, and she reasoned that there might be an opportunity to see a chance and flee.

Along the way, she memorized everything. It was possible to guess roughly where her current location was. Her exceptional memory vividly recalled the month she had spent with Kiyan.

She was also confident in her ability to flee the forest. But things were different now.

Meriel’s expectations were shattered when a man appeared in front of her eyes.

“Did you forget about me?”

“Let me go!”

His grip on her was firm. Everything he touched was excruciatingly painful.

The corners of her eyes that cried, the cheeks he touched, and the snagged wrists. It hurt like it was on fire.

“If you marry him.. Isn’t that something you should be aware of?”

“What are you talking about? Who are you?”

“…I’m sad.”

He closed his eyes and stretched them out as if they were dead.

He stretched his eyes out, claiming disappointment, but he didn’t appear to be disappointed at all.

Then, for the first time, Meriel felt a faint sensation from him.

She was shivering in a different way than when she hadn’t felt anything.

It wasn’t just a case of goosebumps. It was the first time in her life that she felt that way.

“I can’t believe you completely forgot about me.”

“…Hmm…”

It was pure joy. He was happy, despite his sullen expression.

“What’s the matter with you?” He gripped her hand tighter and wrapped his hand around Mariel’s waist.

Meriel, who was being dragged and held in his arms, fought back.

The man lowered his head and pressed his nose against Meriel’s neck.

Meriel swallowed her groans with tears in his vivid breath.

It was terrifying. Her entire body was immobilized by a feeling of horror that was worse than any horror movie she had ever seen.

“Then let’s start from scratch.”

“..Ugh…”

He sucked hard as he pressed his lips to her neck. It was similar to the behavior of a beast leaving his own mark.

The man let Meriel go, satisfied with the marks he had left.

Meriel was unable to flee even after the captured hand was released.

She sat down and trembled as she wrapped her arms around her.

“My name is Craig. It’s good to see you again, Meriel.”

Her tears streamed down her cheeks as she trembled in response to her instinctive fear.

It was true. The man in front of her was concealing something more sinister than any murderous intent she had ever witnessed.

When he saw Meriel, she sensed his murderous intent, and he reveled in it.

She felt murderous, and he was a lunatic who reveled in himself.

“Meriel.”

He approached her as she sat on the floor sobbing. She crawled back, shaking her head. Her arms and legs lost strength over and over again, and she fell. Her lips brushed against the ground, but she didn’t stop.

“Meriel.”

Her ears were filled with dread as she heard the name. Despite the fact that it was her name, everything he said made her sick.

Stop calling, stop calling!

“MERIEL!”

The name was mentioned again.

It was, however, a completely different voice than before. In the dark forest, there was a familiar voice.

Translator’s Note:

Such a creep.

The continuation will be posted late tonight.

Read only at Travis Translations