I Refuse This Life, Your Highness! - Chapter 69

“Thank you so much for back then. I heard my younger sibling has recovered a lot thanks to you. As for me, I’ve fled to the capital and now live under a different name.”

“…How did you end up here?”

“I wandered near the Airdren Count’s estate in the capital, hoping there might be a way to help Your Grace. And so, here I am.”

The female servant who introduced herself as Miria had a face that seemed both familiar and unfamiliar, leaving Yuraine confused. At that moment, the male servant who had been chopping firewood entered the house. Miria, as if nothing had happened, calmly scooped more food into a dish and placed it in front of Yuraine.

Yuraine quietly finished her meal. It was midday, with the sun shining warmly. Miria, her head bowed low, helped Yuraine change clothes again. Though it was the same long indoor robe as before, it felt much more comfortable for some reason.

“You are permitted to go outside for a stroll.”

Without even asking who had given the permission, Yuraine accepted the brown fur blanket Miria handed her. The soft texture brushed against her palm. Something about the sensation… felt as though it should evoke a memory, but it didn’t. Fur. It seemed to remind her of something, but she couldn’t quite place it.

She stepped outside the villa. The winter forest was cold, gloomy, and damp. The air carried a mix of frozen earth, moss, and the scent of rotting leaves beneath the wet ground, amplifying the eerie atmosphere.

Being allowed outside probably just meant stepping out for a brief moment. When she had been punished as a child and confined to her room, her parents or brothers would occasionally let her out for fresh air, believing it unhealthy to remain without sunlight for too long.

So, is she confined here because she did something wrong? Nothing came to mind. No, it wasn’t because she had done anything wrong. She was simply waiting for the emperor to come for her. Soon, she would be taken to the imperial palace, where she would live the rest of her life gazing upon the emperor…

‘…’

Yuraine tilted her head slightly as the cold wind brushed against her.

‘Something feels… off.’

What was strange? Was it because of Miria? Because she suddenly started addressing her with unfamiliar titles? A few small birds that hadn’t escaped the winter fluttered over and perched on Yuraine’s shoulders and head. Gently, she stroked the bird closest to her.

As she quietly spent time outside, a rustling sound suddenly came from the forest. Startled, the birds chirped and flew away. Feeling a bit regretful, Yuraine watched them leave before turning her head toward the source of the noise.

“…”

A cat stood there.

As their eyes met, the cat silently darted toward Yuraine. It seemed the rustling noise earlier had been a deliberate attempt to scare the birds away. The yellow-striped cat was surprisingly clean for a forest dweller, suggesting it had a preference for tidiness.

The cat approached and rubbed its head against Yuraine’s ankle, which peeked out from beneath the fur blanket. After leaving its scent, it lifted its head slightly. Yuraine smiled and petted its head. The cat, seemingly entranced by her touch, suddenly froze and leapt backward.

“Do you dislike being petted?”

“…”

Without making a sound, the cat slowly approached again, this time simply staring without touching her. After a while, it rubbed its body against her foot and ankle again before licking its paw a few times and scurrying away. Before disappearing entirely into the forest, it looked back once.

Their gazes met, and for a moment, Yuraine thought she saw the cat’s mouth move, as if trying to speak to her. She shook her head.

‘What am I thinking? Cats can’t talk…’

It was a silly thought, even to herself. Of course, a cat wouldn’t speak.

“Young Master, it’s getting too cold. Shall we head back inside?”

At Miria’s words, Yuraine nodded. The warmth of the villa enveloped her as soon as she entered. It seemed the cold outside had been harsher than she realized. Though she wanted to take another hot bath, the words to ask for it didn’t come out. Lately, voicing her opinions had been particularly difficult.

The sky outside had grown dim in what felt like an instant. Without any sign of sunset, night had fallen, shrouding the forest in darkness.

“The tree shadows make it seem even darker. I’ve already warmed the bed for you, Young Master. Please, lie down here.”

“Already?” Yuraine thought, but followed the instruction. The bed was so warm it felt almost hot, melting away the chill from her body. For the first time in a while, she felt the sensation of genuine comfort as she blinked her eyes.

“You can rest early tonight.”

It sounded like a suggestion to sleep. Lying in bed, Yuraine blinked a few more times. Exhaustion and a dazed feeling took over, and sleep came quickly. She could still feel the lingering sensation of the cat rubbing against her ankle. Thinking of it, her blinks slowed, and her eyes eventually closed.

“Your Grace… please wake up.”

“…”

The voice was quieter than birdsong but carried an unfamiliar tone. Your Grace…? Who was that? Oh, right. It was her. Yuraine. Yes, that’s who she was, wasn’t she? Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. Miria stood before her, dressed in similar clothing and wearing a long blonde wig.

“You need to get up now. Here, put this on.”

Whispering, Miria handed her a robe. Without thinking, Yuraine took it and sat up in bed.

“These shoes… They may be uncomfortable, but please bear with them for a bit.”

Saying this, Miria reached for Yuraine’s wrists. When Yuraine instinctively pulled away, Miria firmly grasped her wrists with surprising strength and stared directly into her eyes.

“Your Grace.”

“…”

“You are the Grace of Iser. The Duke has been desperately searching for you. Please, you must go to him.”

The words entered her mind like a spell. At the same time, there was a soft click. The clasp of a bracelet unfastened. The ornate bracelet of gold and jewels slipped off her slender wrist. In the dark, Yuraine’s eyes glimmered.

“Hurry, Your Grace. Go to the Duke.”

“You…?”

“I’m fine. Your Grace, focus on the trees and run westward. Follow the branches with unusual curves, and you’ll find my second brother there.”

“Riseon?”

“Yes, now hurry.”

Nodding, Yuraine donned the robe, slipped on her shoes, and stepped out of the house as quietly but urgently as she could. Her footsteps made no sound, as if she were a cat dashing silently through the night. Truthfully, her mind was still in a haze. But she had been told to go, told to hurry, so that’s what she did.

To the Duke…

As the door clicked shut behind Yuraine, Miria fastened the bracelet onto her own wrist and lay down in Yuraine’s bed. She pulled the blanket over herself, leaving only her hair and the bracelet-adorned wrist visible.

“Haah… ha…”

The sensation of dirt and fallen leaves beneath her feet was becoming increasingly vivid. The cold, the darkness of the night, the peculiar smells of the forest, and the dry air all sharpened around her. The sky, obscured by tall, thin trees, was overcast and gloomy.

Leaning against a nearby tree trunk, she steadied her breathing. Her head still felt cloudy. The emperor’s schemes—it had to be his doing. That vile, filthy man. What was he trying to do to her? A shiver of revulsion coursed through her body, and she trembled uncontrollably.

She glanced down at her now-bare wrist. The Count hadn’t found any magic in the bracelet, but something had clearly been there. It had been identical to the bracelet she had received before. She had dismissed it as a persistent warning, but now she wondered if it had been interacting with something else.

The strange, twisted branches Miria mentioned were easier to spot than she had expected. Yet, Yuraine wasn’t sure if she was truly going in the right direction. The forest, with its countless identical trees, was disorienting. She had entered from the west, following a path marked by unusual branches, but she had no sense of how far she had gone or whether she was on the right track.

Riseon was supposed to be waiting, but there was no sign of him.

…Could she even trust Riseon?

Her parents and Riveon had undoubtedly intended to use her. Whatever they hoped to gain by delivering her to the emperor, it was clear that trusting her family now would be foolish.

After what felt like an eternity, the sound of rustling leaves broke the silence. Her spine stiffened with fear, suspecting a wild animal, but then a familiar voice called out.

“Yuraine?”

It was Riseon. Despite her earlier doubts, relief flooded her, and her legs nearly gave way. Under the faint moonlight, Riseon emerged, leading a horse.

“Yuraine, I know you don’t trust me.”

“I don’t.”

“…But you trust Miria, don’t you?”

When Yuraine cut him off, his expression faltered, as if wounded. Shouldn’t she be the one who felt betrayed? But, as he said, she did trust Miria. After all, it was Miria who had removed the bracelet. The emperor had strictly ordered that the bracelet never be removed, so Miria’s actions clearly indicated her intent to help.

“Let’s go. We need to get out of the forest first.”

Though she didn’t fully erase her suspicions, Yuraine climbed onto the horse with Riseon. The animal galloped swiftly through the rugged forest paths. The icy wind stung her cheeks as they rode. After a while, the forest’s edge came into view, though the night remained deep and shadowy.

“Yuraine, can you make it to the edge alone from here?”

She nodded. The forest entrance was only a few steps away now. Riseon helped her dismount.

“Be careful. And… I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I won’t say anything more.”

On horseback, Riseon wore an expression Yuraine had never seen before—deeply somber. She already knew that her family had never truly accepted her as one of their own, so the current situation didn’t shock her or make her feel particularly betrayed.

But still, Riseon…

“Riseon.”

“Yes?”

“Did you think of me as your real sister?”

“I knew you were my real sister.”

“…”

“I was just too stupid to realize it until now… Go.”

Though worried about Riseon and Miria, Yuraine knew she had to keep moving. Exiting the forest, she found herself in the back alleys of an unpopulated street. It was clear she was now in the capital, not far from the imperial palace. She had heard there was a small forest within the capital, but she hadn’t realized it was here.

It wasn’t even as small as people said. It had seemed vast while she was inside. Then again, she had walked and ridden a horse to get through it.

This wasn’t the time to dwell on such thoughts. She began to run. The alley was long and winding. Eventually, she emerged onto an empty street under the pale glow of dawn. The uneven ground was far easier to navigate than the forest paths. She kept running, following the streetlights, until she spotted the sign for the Rubes Merchant Guild.

‘…!’

She was incredibly lucky. In the distance, she saw the guild’s tavern—a large establishment. Such a place would undoubtedly have a basement for storing alcohol.

Following Raiol’s instructions, she circled to the back of the tavern and climbed the staircase attached to the wall. To enter the cellar without going through the main building, she had to climb up, cross over to the adjacent building, and then descend again.

After ascending three stories and crossing over, she found the spiral staircase that led downward. It twisted steeply, and she descended as if someone were chasing her. Her breath came in ragged gasps, but she didn’t stop until she reached the bottom.

‘Almost there…!’

At last, she reached the base of the stairs. Staggering slightly, she began searching for the secret compartment Raiol had described. Her labored breathing echoed thunderously in the otherwise silent cellar.

Turning at the third aisle, she reached the end of the wine racks…

“…”

She nearly screamed but was silenced by a large hand clamping over her mouth. Strong arms reached out from between the racks and pulled her into the shadows. She thrashed wildly in panic until—

“Calm down, Yuraine.”

The deep, familiar voice whispered close to her ear, and she froze.

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