The Moment Arrives

Hah! Hah! Hah!

I was sprinting, the freezing wind whipping against my face, carrying a soul-piercing scent of blood that smelled like rust.

Escape.

If I want to live, I have to escape!

…But where could I possibly run?

With my strength, who could I even outrun?

Hah! Hah! Hah!

When the pitch-black darkness swallows me, the only thing waiting for me is—

—Renee-chin!

A familiar voice, like a beam of light, broke through the boundless dark.

—This way!

I followed the sound and looked over, my steps moving forward instinctively.

Snap.

A hand suddenly clamped onto my shoulder.

A warmth that seeped into my very core began to soak through my clothes—

It was blood.

Deep red, fresh blood.

What is happening…?

A pair of deep red, nearly manic eyes met mine.

—Found you.

The sockets were sunken, and reddish-black blood continuously oozed out.

Ah… ah…

Before I could back away in terror, a second later—

—You look… truly, delicious!

The low voice transformed into the roar of a monster as a blood-red maw lunged to bite me!

“Ha!”

I snapped my eyes open, my entire body convulsing from a violent chill.

My chest heaved heavily, eyes wide, as cold sweat rolled down from my forehead.

Before me was total darkness… the familiar darkness of the cage.

The stench of filth reached my nose, and the damp air clinging to my surroundings actually brought me a strange sense of relief.

‘Found you.’

Closing my eyes, the moment that vampire grabbed my shoulder during the day flashed through my mind.

That was the look of someone staring at food, a madness so chilling it made me shudder.

Gulp…

I swallowed hard, forcing my fear down.

Escape.

I have to get out, now, immediately, this instant!

“Cough, cough!”

Just as fear threatened to dominate me, a violent cough dragged me back to reality.

Haa… I panted, feeling my heavy body and dizzy head, yet I gradually began to calm down.

I closed my eyes, letting everything I knew flicker through my mind.

The deal between the vampires and the Captain is set for tomorrow.

The ship was delayed and has to stay in port today.

And during the last shore leave, the crew caused a massive scene at the tavern.

“…”

Opening my eyes again, the confusion in my heart had vanished without a trace.

This is the only chance.

“Haa…”

I took a deep breath, trying to relax my body as much as possible.

This would be the last time I could allow my body to rest.

Let’s go.

Gritting my teeth against my dizzy head, I quickly removed the hairclip hidden under my long braid.

Biting the clip, I skillfully used the sharp tip to saw through the already frayed ropes.

My newly freed hands didn’t stay idle; I immediately used the clip to undo the ropes on my feet.

My physical condition was barely manageable, but if I grit my teeth, I could move.

Although my head was swimming, my body responded with a half-second delay after every command.

I cast the ropes aside and stood up unsteadily from the floor.

Intermittent snoring reached my ears.

No crew member had come to deliver food tonight, which meant it wasn’t quite late at night yet.

After all, this batch of cargo is about to go ashore.

Scritch, scritch, scritch…

I blinked, trying my best to catch the faint glimmers in the darkness as I carefully picked the lock.

The nightmare was miserable, but luckily I hadn’t slept too long, or I would have missed the optimal window.

Click.

With a soft sound, the lock gave way.

Good, that’s the first step.

“Renee-chin…”

“…!”

Thump-thump!

The sudden voice made my heart tighten.

I spun around quickly, but everything was as it should be; the owner of the voice… she was curled up in her sleep, her furrowed brows speaking of a terrifying dream.

She’s talking in her sleep.

I let out a quiet sigh of relief, yet I couldn’t easily pull my eyes away from her.

—Renee-chin!

—I’m sorry… I… I…

When she grabbed my hand back then, what was she trying to say?

“…”

I remembered the way her eyes clouded with tears after I scolded her.

Could it be… she was apologizing for not being by my side when I needed someone to rely on most?

Naive girl.

Creak…

I gently pushed open the cage door, my gaze landing on her inside one last time.

The low-quality food, the cramped space, the hostile environment.

—Renee-chin is already stronger than me, do I still need to teach you?

—Hurry up.

Flashes of our time in the cage flickered through my mind.

For the last time, I silently watched her figure without saying a word.

…Let’s go.

I gently pulled the cage door shut and, after hesitating, hung the opened lock in a conspicuous place.

This way, we owe each other nothing.

Life or death is up to fate; I hope we never meet again.

I turned around, furrowed my brows, and began to walk quickly.

Time is tight; I must act now!

Without hesitation, I headed straight for my suitcase.

Fortunately, their attention had been fixed on me earlier, so I knew where they left it.

Clack!

I turned the hidden lock, the crisp sound music to my ears as I impatiently opened the suitcase.

Click, click, click…

Mechanisms turned and gears whirred; a three-tiered rack seemed to rise out of the suitcase from nowhere.

Medicine on the second tier, clothes on the bottom… and other items that could be useful now.

My body was in terrible shape; to survive what was coming, I drank several bottles of medicine without hesitation.

Gulp, gulp…

The coolness of the water masked the bitterness of the medicine, and my furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

Having had no water for sixteen days, this moment felt incredibly refreshing.

But I didn’t linger; I quickly packed the empty bottles, draped my favorite cloak over my shoulders, and tucked useful items into accessible spots—matches, a hammer, a water flask… anything I might need.

Dammit…

Looking at the almost empty weapon compartment in the case, I couldn’t help but click my tongue.

The Hero’s War had left me almost completely out of supplies, and on the way back, I had let my guard down because I became a Hero, failing to restock.

Utterly foolish.

I grabbed the last three small explosives, closed the suitcase, and immediately strapped it to my back, placing the explosives where I could reach them instantly.

Avoid combat and just make do for now…?

My eyes shifted, and I noticed an open wooden crate nearby containing the cylindrical toolboxes.

These things…

Recalling the Marquis’s demonstration earlier today, I immediately grabbed one and slung it over my body.

The weight was right, the straps were tight, and the leather was high quality.

If time allowed, I could even modify it.

With my new equipment, I readjusted my cloak, distributing the gear to the most optimal positions.

“Okay.”

I clenched my fists and took one last look at all the cages.

Time to get to work!