In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 97

“Cut off the author’s head!”

The assassins, wearing black masks, drew their swords from their waists and began cutting down all of Eric’s guards.

They had one goal: to take Eric’s life. It was an order from their master, Edward.

Other hidden assassins, waiting in ambush, saw the signal from inside and began blocking the path.

What happened was instantaneous. The quiet inn turned into a scene of chaos, with screams filling the air and the stench of blood overwhelming the space.

Eric’s guards were helpless, some losing their hands to the assassins’ blades, and others, tragically, having their heads severed.

While some knights continued to fight, others, in panic, ran toward the woods.

But those who fled were struck down by arrows from hidden assassins lying in wait and died instantly.

In the midst of the bloody chaos, the remaining fighters were too busy facing the sharp blades of the assassins.

Eric fought back fiercely, cutting down numerous assassins, but they continued to charge at him. It wasn’t easy to hold his ground alone against so many.

They were relentless in their pursuit of Eric’s life. In a split second, one assassin drew an arrow and aimed it at Eric, who was locked in combat.

An arrow flew toward Eric, its sharp tip ripping through his shirt and embedding itself in his shoulder.

“Ugh…!”

Blood flowed from the arrow’s tip, staining his shoulder, but there was no time to feel the pain.

Breaking the arrow with a sharp snap, Eric grabbed his sword and charged forward without hesitation.

Just then, someone took advantage of the opening and crept up from behind. It was an ambush. Eric barely avoided the assassin’s blade aimed at his neck and faced the enemy.

His arm, still numb from the arrow wound, was useless, but years of battle instincts kicked in, and he defended himself without thinking.

The assassin tilted his head and spoke.

“You’re stronger than I thought. But you don’t have much time left. Behind me are more waiting for you than the ones you’ve already slain.”

“Is this Edward’s doing?”

“What’s the point of asking about the mastermind now? Prepare to meet the dead Count.”

The assassin grinned crookedly and tightened his grip on his sword before charging at Eric. The blade aimed straight for Eric’s heart.

Eric leaned back to avoid the strike and parried with his sword.

Meanwhile, the other assassins seized the opportunity to aim their blades at Eric. His attention was now divided.

The assassin took advantage of this and kicked Eric’s legs out from under him. Eric fell to the ground.

As the assassin swung his sword down toward him, Eric quickly gathered his strength and raised his sword high. In one swift motion, he drove the blade through the assassin’s heart.

“Ugh!”

The assassin screamed in agony, but before the cry had fully left his mouth, Eric was up on his feet.

At that moment, another arrow shot through the air, embedding itself in Eric’s chest.

Before long, blood began to drip from his body and pool beneath him. His white shirt was soon drenched in red.

He staggered, his vision growing dim, and leaned against a nearby tree.

Through his fading sight, Eric barely managed to lift his eyes to see the inn.

“Aria…”

The woman he had sworn to protect. With every ounce of strength left, he made his way toward the inn, leaving a trail of blood with each step.

As he walked, a sense of guilt and despair filled him, knowing that he might not be able to keep his promise to her.

The blurry world around him began to fade. He could not even avoid the assassins’ blades before he collapsed to the ground.

At the moment he barely opened his eyes, a dark shadow loomed over him.

“Ugh…”

A low groan escaped from between clenched teeth. Sweat began to bead on his broad chest and arms, covered with countless scars from past battles.

The sharp, unfamiliar pain tearing through his body made Eric bite down on his lower lip.

He must have bitten it so hard that blood trickled down his throat, burning with the bitter taste.

Once again, the fierce fever took over, and through the hazy consciousness, she was always there.

The woman who was the reason for his life and existence. The one who had given him hope, a smile that had illuminated his dark path. She had forced herself into his life, becoming his sanctuary.

She had forcibly given him life when his heart felt empty. Now, he couldn’t live without her.

He had to survive. He had to make it back to her side. His inner self continuously urged him on, refusing to let him rest.

Then, a faint voice, trying to wake him, reached his ears.

“Commander, are you alright? Please, wake up!”

With a strong hand shaking his shoulder, Eric’s eyes snapped open. Through his blurry vision, he saw a disheveled figure with an unshaved face: Henry.

Eric moved his eyes, trying to assess the situation.

The shabby inn’s ceiling came into view first. As his breathing returned to normal, Eric hastily pushed himself up. The sharp pain in his chest made him frown.

“Are you alright? The doctor treated you, but it’s been only a short time. You need to rest.”

Henry, trying to stop his superior from moving, checked his condition. Eric managed to open his mouth with great effort.

“What happened…?”

“I received a message from you before you arrived at the palace. I was worried it might be a surprise attack from Count Cecil, so I immediately sought permission from His Majesty.”

“Then…?”

“His Majesty, who has a special affection for you, dispatched the Imperial Guard here to find you. If we had been any later, it would have been a disaster.”

Henry quickly handed Eric a glass of water. As Eric propped himself up, he took the glass and absentmindedly scanned his surroundings.

“Aria…?”

“Aria?”

“The woman who came with me.”

“The woman? When we arrived, we only found a few of your guards and you, collapsed. We took you and quickly left for a nearby village.”

“What?!”

Eric threw the glass down and jumped to his feet.

He felt an overwhelming pain and the sensation of the ground slipping beneath him, but there was no time to care.

Henry, startled by Eric’s reaction, rushed to stop him.

“What is it? Are you talking about that maid? We searched the inn thoroughly, but there was no sign of any woman.”

“She’s been taken by them… Damn it!”

Eric slammed his fist onto the table, frustration and guilt overwhelming him. It was the price of failing to protect the woman he loved.

Henry, looking confused, stood there blankly, but Eric scowled and urged him on.

“Get the fastest horse ready.”

“Are you planning to pursue them in your current condition?”

“We don’t have time. Do as I say.”

“I can’t allow it. Even if you’re the commander, you need time to recover. And how do you expect to catch up with them now that they’re so far ahead?”

When Henry stubbornly blocked his way, Eric’s gaze turned as cold as ice.

Eric grabbed Henry by the collar with a vice-like grip, twisting his neck mercilessly.

“Commander…! Ugh!”

Henry gasped for air, reaching for Eric’s hand, but all he could see were the murderous blue eyes staring at him.

As Henry lost strength, Eric finally regained his composure and released him.

Henry clutched his throat and coughed violently. Eric, with a grim expression, indifferently pulled on some clothes from the table.

“They’ll definitely head for Bailey. We need to find Aria before that.”

“Cough! So, are you treating your loyal subordinate this way after saving your life? Cough!”

“There’s no time.”

Eric poured water into a glass and handed it to Henry. Henry gulped it down immediately.

As the air in his lungs cleared, Henry let out a short sigh, seeming to relax.

“I already know how important she is to you. But blindly chasing them won’t solve anything, will it? You won’t be able to catch up with them in your current state.”

“If we block the gates of Cruz Castle, it will be different.”

Eric’s eyes, barely open, met Henry’s, and Henry’s eyes widened as he seemed to realize something.

“That’s right, Cruz Castle is on the direct route to Bailey! If we block the gates, they’ll have to take a detour…”

“They’ll head toward the Brochter Coast.”

“Even if they use a boat, it will take time to find one.”

“That’s why we need to get to the castle first.”

Upon hearing Eric’s words, Henry nodded quickly. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke with a glint in his eyes.

“There is a very agile knight in the Imperial Guard. He’s not as fast as you, Commander, but he’s definitely faster than you in your current condition.”

“If they took her, they most likely used a carriage rather than horses. A regular carriage can’t outrun a horse, so they’ll probably be ahead of them.”

Eric raised an eyebrow at Henry’s suggestion. He didn’t want to entertain the thought of not moving himself, but Henry managed to persuade him firmly.

“If we block the gates, we can lure them to Brochter. We can wait there and ambush them all at once.”

Eric reluctantly nodded. As Henry left to carry out his orders, Eric’s intense gaze turned to the window.

“I’ll find her, no matter what… there’s no need to be anxious…”

Trying to calm himself, his impatience only grew stronger, gnawing at him like a persistent itch.

“Damn it…”

Grinding his teeth, Eric roughly swept his hair back.

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