The Exhausting Reality of Novel Transmigration

ve identified how many of the enemy there were and their location, the other thing I need to know is ‘how the enemy is attacking us in this place’.

Did they sneak up on us from behind?

No, that shouldn’t be true.

I’m sure of it.

No matter how good the opponent was in hiding, it was almost impossible to completely hide their presence while following someone else.

And we walked for quite a long time along a winding maze of empty alleyways.

If someone was following us, I would have felt their presence at least once.

For this enemy to attack so stealthily, I had no choice but to think that this was a planned ambush.

‘But how did you know that we’re coming here that you were already lying in the wait?’

I didn’t even tell Cassion where we’re going today.

And the coachman of the carriage we rode earlier only picked us up from home and dropped us off in front of the Larrington Bookstore.

He must be thinking that we’re still inside the bookstore, as I made a point to show that we entered through the main door of the bookstore, but exited through the back door.

And, there was something else to ask.

Right now, Cassion was wearing a mask while I was wearing a veil.

In other words, it meant that the opponent shouldn’t know who exactly we were.

At any rate, if they were planning to ambush a targeted person who’d come by this place, then shouldn’t they know who they were attacking?

Since we’re hiding our identities with a veil and a mask, the enemy should have held their breath and waited for the moment either of us revealed our faces.

However, they already launched an attack without any intention of confirming our identities.

Ah, maybe—

‘Maybe… That’s the specified target.’

With my face hidden with a pre-arranged veil as I walk into a pre-arranged place, coming here with a pre-arranged ‘man’ with the pre-arranged ‘goods’…

“Ha.”

Laughter leaked out of my lips.
This situation right now was just so funny.

Given the above assumptions, well, assuming that this was a trap in the first place,

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There’s only one person who could have led us here.

‘…Blanca.’

Tak, tak, tak.

A sharp staccato beating seemed to echo in my ears.

It was the sound of gold hitting against a hard table.
Then, the familiar laughter of that woman filled my head.

I could vividly imagine Blanca knocking against that table while laughing riotously in front of me.

‘And I was wondering what made you laugh for three days and three nights.’

That’s why.

Now I understand the meaning of that laughter.

I fell for it.

Blanca tricked me.

 

* * *

 

This very amusing realization made me tighten my grip over the fan I was holding.

The doll I bought from the kid was no longer useful, so I roughly shoved it into the pocket of my dress.

Now that my other hand was empty, I reached back again to grab Cassion’s arm.

After pulling him to dodge a few times, I pulled his wrist fully.

“Maxwell.”

“Yeah.”

With my other hand, I kept blocking the arrows and retreated.
Gradually, the distance between us and the tree where the enemy was hiding widened.

The farther the distance between us, the more difficult it would be to aim accurately, and the interval between each arrow would also increase.

Maybe that person would get down from the tree soon.

“Once I give the signal, crouch down.”

“What?”

“Crouch down, and then…”

I pointed towards that spot near the tree that I saw in advance, the spot with the debris.
Then I gave a nod.

It was a blind spot to anyone up that tree.

“Hide over there.
If you think you’re in danger, just run away by the wall.”

“You want me to…”

“Enough worrying.”

I cut him off.
I already knew what he’s going to say next.

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‘You want me to run away alone?’

Something like that.
However, such concern was enough from earlier.
This is the real deal now.

I’m a bit ticked that someone’s playing a trick on me.

At that moment, I felt his wrist in my hand flinch, but I didn’t care.

I spoke in a calmer tone.

“To be honest, I’m more concerned about you now.
There’s no guarantee that you’ll be safe anywhere you try to hide.
That’s why just think about how we can get through this crisis now.
Worry about me when there’s time to worry later.”

There was no room for emotions right here.
At a time like this, a cool head would be more helpful.

Wouldn’t it be better to act coldly yet survive to see another day rather than act warmly towards each other and die?

Cassion should be thinking on the same lines.

I didn’t wait for his answer.
Instead, I pulled his wrist closer.
I need to get the timing right.

At last, another arrow flew past near our feet.

‘Now that an arrow has come, there’s some interval until the next attack.’

This opportunity shouldn’t be missed.
Soon, the enemy would come down from that tree.

If Cassion would still be behind me then, there would be no chance in winning at close combat.

“One… two…”

As I began the count with a low voice, I relaxed my grip over Cassion’s wrist.

On the count of three, I was going to tell Cassion to go.

And at that moment.

“Three… G…”

However, the final signal couldn’t be said.

Cassion drew up—so close—leaned down towards me and whispered something into my ears.

As he leaned down, I could feel the man’s muscles as they touched my back.

His tension-filled breath soaked my ears.

At first, it seemed like something soft had touched my ears.

By the end of Cassion’s words, I heard a rustling sound from the tree where the arrows were coming from.

Just before the enemy came down from the tree, Cassion crouched and rushed away at just the right time, hiding in that spot.

Everything happened in an instant.

It started with the split-second when the word ‘Go’ couldn’t even be completed.

But even as everything happened so fast, it was all so clear.

Muscles, breath, soft touch.

And.

“Don’t get hurt.”

Even the short whisper uttered.

Right.
It was all so clear.