HER passage through the endless hallways went on for some time.
A blank wall stretched along the right side, while a low hedge stretched along the left. This scene continued, unchanging, for several minutes.
Occasionally, a familiar massive column would appear along the left side of the dull corridor. On the other side of the pillar was a stone-covered rest area, but there was no one there.
“…Maybe I was wrong,” Yura muttered, walking along.
She gripped her collar tightly and turned around. No one was behind her, after all.
Luckily, there was no sign of anyone else, but the fact that no one else came this way also made her rather uneasy. Trying to leash her anxiety, Yura walked on.
She’d find a large hallway and try to follow it to its end. When she found a door that seemed like the right one, she’d peek inside.
A place called the mirror chamber should be chock-full of mirrors. Should be, at least.
She knew this was a pointless way of doing things. Very inefficient. But there was no way she could ask Leila and the others. She didn’t want them to see her disappear before their eyes. And that wasn’t all…
If she disappeared, the person she’d asked to tell her the way would surely be in trouble. She couldn’t help worrying about that. That was the one thing she couldn’t allow.
Her heels clicked along the floor with every step she took. Her impatience rising, Yura quickened her pace.
I have to hurry and get back. I’ve got a feeling this is only going to get worse. I don’t have a minute to waste.
The cold hallway stretched on and on. She walked and walked, with no end in sight. It seemed the farther she went, the darker it got.
Maybe I should go back…
Suddenly, Yura heard voices and froze. She thought at first that it was her imagination, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
Ahead, she could see the standard pillar and what looked like a rest area. Three shadows stretched across the corridor, jokingly jostling about.
But before she could rush over to them…
She heard something being struck from the other side. Yura frowned.
A dull metallic sound reverberated throughout the corridor. A cold voice accompanied the sound. Several more ear-piercing sounds echoed in her ears.
Finally, she realized those sounds were intentionally being targeted at someone. It seemed like a horrible prank.
What in the world is going on?
She heard coarse laughter. Like a cry. It was a horrible laugh that gave her goosebumps and made her stomach drop.
A narrow rest area was where the scene played out for her.
There were three soldiers clad in armor, standing around a pillar. Two of them held spears with the tips crossed. Crossed like they were securing the pillar.
Between the spears stood a knight.
What are they doing?
Just as she was about to speak, the spears were pushed aside. Someone grabbed the knight’s shoulder before he could pass. They jerked his body back. The force of it knocked him back into the pillar again.
“…So, what do you want?”
They squared their shoulders at his monotonous, sullen voice as if it were all a joke.
They exchanged glances and snorted with laughter. In lieu of a response, one of the men reached out and grabbed a handful of the knight’s hair.
“What do I want?” the guard spat.
“If you want something, say it.”
“I don’t ever want to see a face as ugly as yours around here ever again.”
The knight looked up, as if in resistance, and gave a small smile.
The men looked embarrassed seeing the expression on his face. But instead of letting him go, one of them stepped forward and punched him in the face. He hit the knight so hard, he slammed into the pillar with a thud.
His twisted smile intensified.
He’s the guy from yesterday.
She froze behind the pillar. Her throat went dry, seeing violence like she never had before.
She thought back to the banquet from the day before.
It was the young man, the one who Ashes said those unbelievable things about. She recognized the sight of the man whose lapels she had grabbed. She recognized his handsome features.
What do I do?
She looked around, hoping to call for help. But there was no sign of anyone else in the long corridor. She knew she had to stop it, but her body wouldn’t move. It was like her legs were rooted to the ground.
Someone threw another punch, this time at his other cheek. But the knight gave no resistance, merely staring back at the others. Like he was trying to read their minds. They went into a frenzy on the hollow-eyed young man who gave no reaction. They just kept going, striking a blow to his stomach, then another to his jaw.
He neither resisted nor reacted. He didn’t raise an eyebrow. He didn’t even attempt to wipe the trickle of blood from where he’d been hit in the mouth. He was like a massive doll, being kicked and punched about emotionlessly.
Why…why isn’t he doing anything?
She held her tongue and made not a sound.
Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any sign of anyone coming.
Someone, please come! Anyone! If you don’t—he’s going to die!
“We’re going to slice the skin off that filthy face of yours!”
One of the men became impatient and pulled out his sword. At that moment, the knight’s expression distorted, his real emotion becoming clear. Slowly looking up, he took in the man’s metal-wrapped hand, the sword at his hip, and his face covered in a helmet.
Then his lips creased into a light smile.
He lifted a hand and made an inviting gesture. What little strength and scorn he had left, he channeled into his voice.
“…Fine. Do it then.”
All of the soldiers stiffened up, speechless. The three men then all began to laugh in unison.
“What’s stopping you?”
What did he just…?
“Didn’t you just say you were gonna cut the skin off my filthy face?”
The knight’s voice echoed heavily and clearly this time.
He stared at the perplexed soldiers without even trying to hide his contempt.
Why would he provoke them? What should I do? Please someone tell me what I should do!
Suddenly, the knight’s voice became a pitch higher. It neither wavered nor gave any hint of apprehension. His words, dripping with hatred, were intended to spur on the bloodthirsty soldiers.
“Do it. Kill me. Or was that just an empty threat?”
At that moment, Yura thought she saw something. In that tense moment, the tension that should have cooled only boiled hotter.
The men who were standing bolt upright lifted their eyes. Even with their face guards on, she could tell. The first man’s face was warped with hatred as he pulled out his sword with neither sound nor hesitation.
“We’ll…”
…kill you. You monster.
He swung his sword without saying the rest aloud. With all his might. At that moment, the knight appeared to be smiling.
The sword gradually traced an arc.
The moment the blade started down, time stopped, and one minute became several as Yura gazed at the knight’s face. He watched the blade’s trajectory. His eyes steadily followed its movements. The smile on his mouth had disappeared.
But the second she saw that twinkle of anticipation in his eyes, Yura’s synapses began firing once more.
Yura leaped forward almost unconsciously. It was like she was a simple electric toy that’d started up the second she was plugged in. Her voice burst through her dry throat, like someone had at last undone the spell binding her. Before she realized it, Yura was screaming as loud as she could.
“Stop, stop it! What are you doing?”
All of them looked toward her, as if their heads were pulled by some illusionary puppet master’s string.
A pink dress fluttered between the knight and the raised sword.
Yura had thrown herself between them. She spread her arms wide and thrust them out.