TPOP 38

Chapter 38

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After two more days, the wounds were almost completely healed. Before getting dressed, Diana applied firm pressure to her forehead, shoulders, arms, legs, and hands and feet. The wounds healed well, except where the scab had settled, and no dull pain remained. The daily ointment worked.

With the unsightly scars almost gone, she suddenly became concerned. For the past few days, the master hadn't touched her.

But now there was no reason for him not to touch her. From the moment they were alone here, Diana had been preparing herself for the worst, which she hoped to avoid if possible.

This was a body she had endured countless humiliations to protect, both in Hilde and in the Depierre household. To give it to her master would be to give away everything she had left.

So Diana decided to ignite her rebellious spirit.

"Master, may I go outside for a moment? I want to feel the ground under my feet."

Felix frowned at her sudden request as soon as she entered the living room.

"Do you know the way back?"

"Oh... that..."

Diana couldn't argue. This was her first time here, and it was so easy to get lost, especially out in the open. There was no one to ask to come with her.

Her hopes had deflated like a punctured balloon, and her disappointment was plainly visible on her face.

Felix watched her carefully; she rarely asked for favors, but her desire to see the forest seemed genuine. Her drooping eyebrows and wistful expression made that clear.

His gaze fell to the strings on the table. It was the string used to secure the protective covering over the canvas.

"Come here."

Diana cautiously approached the sofa.

He pulled up the hem of her plain, rough dress to reveal pale, bare legs. Her ankles were so slender that Felix could wrap one hand around them. He pulled the end of the coiled cord and tied it around one of Diana's ankles.

"Master...? What is this for?"

"To make sure you don't get lost."

Diana cautiously touched her calf. The cord that bound her ankle was thick and coarse. The knot was so tight she couldn't undo it with her hands.

"This should be enough. Go on."

As Diana hesitantly walked toward the door, the rope unraveled and extended behind her. It felt strange to have something tied around her ankle.

Meanwhile, Felix pulled out a cigar, cut off the end, and lit a match. He granted her permission with unexpected generosity.

"Be back in two hours."

"Yes, master."

Two hours. As if by magic, her spirits rose again. Diana cautiously opened the door and stepped outside.

How long had it been since she'd been in such pristine, pure nature?

It was the first time since leaving Dortes. The earth, the wind, the sun, the water. Diana opened all her senses, except for sight, to fully enjoy nature's gifts.

She hesitated for a moment, worried about stepping on something sharp, but the feel of the dirt under her feet instantly put all her worries to rest.

It was so soft that she couldn't resist the urge to keep going, so she instinctively jumped and stomped her feet. Forgetting her fear of soiling her skirt, Diana raced down the forest path. Her heart opened wide and she felt free, liberated in a way she hadn't felt since she left home. Tears welled up in her eyes.

I want to go home...

The smell of water wafted from nearby. Like a madwoman, Diana desperately pushed through the bushes. The sound of water gradually grew louder.

She stepped in the mud and slipped and fell.

As if it had been waiting for her to fall, the crystal-clear spring water enveloped her. It wasn't a fall, but a landing. No, it felt like she was flying. Diana swam gracefully through the water like a mermaid.

The small stream grew larger and deeper until it reached a huge canyon. There must be a waterfall nearby. She could feel the vibrations of the water hitting the surface against her skin.

Diana swam hard toward the sound of the waterfall.

Suddenly, a powerful force yanked her back.

"...!"

A violent pain shot through her ankle. As Diana screamed underwater, the creatures swimming with her pushed her to the surface.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah..."

The rope around her ankle stretched taut. Diana had reached the end of the allowed distance. Any more and the friction would tear her skin.

The other end of the rope must be fastened somewhere. No matter how hard she tugged, it wouldn't budge.

"..."

Standing dazed in the water, Diana turned her back to the waterfall and swam against the current. As her head dipped below the surface, the tightness in her chest began to clear once again.

Diana finally lifted her head above the water. She gasped, as if she couldn't hold her breath any longer.

Except for the swaying of the grass, the rustle of the wind, and the movement of insects and birds, the air around her was deadly silent. The warm sun should have been shining on her.

But there was nothing.

Still nothing.

Tears burst into her eyes.

Diana covered her face with her hands and wept. She had never felt like crying, but the tears came. She was filled with joy at the faint sense of freedom she felt for the first time in thirteen years, but she felt sorry for herself for being so happy over something so small.

Her ankles were still shackled, and there was not a ray of light in sight.

Her future looked as dark as the black void in front of her. Diana could not protect herself, could not move in any direction.

She sat on the riverbank and cried for a long time.

***

The walk back from the water's edge was not difficult. All she had to do was grab the string around her ankle and keep walking. Ironically, despite being tied up, the path and destination were clear.

Wet clothes were no problem.  Draining water was one of Diana's basic skills. With a quick stretch of her hand, the droplets evaporated into water vapor and disappeared.

Damp stains remained on parts of her body that hadn't yet been touched, but she knew her time was up. Diana gripped the string tightly and headed back to the cabin.

"I'm back...."

There was no response, but Diana knew she had to greet her master.

He was definitely on the first floor, his gaze too intense not to notice.

Diana slowly walked to one corner of the room, winding the thread. She tried to organize the other end of the string. But after a few steps, she stopped.

The end of the thread was in his hand.

She had tugged on it several times, hoping it would get loose. Would her longing along the string reach him?

Diana hesitated, then approached him and held out a neatly coiled bundle of thread. She imagined snatching the other end from his hand and diving back into the water.

Felix took the thread and threw it somewhere. But he didn't untie the knot around Diana's ankle. A bitter, herbal scent wafted from him. It was a scent that hadn't been there in the morning.

No, it was more like the scent of poisonous plants than herbs.

Over the past few days, he had seemed unusually calm, but today that calm seemed to have vanished.

His silence was always frightening.

Diana instinctively swallowed dryly as Felix took a step closer. She braced herself, thinking she'd gotten used to his quiet movements and sounds, but she couldn't stop her chest from tightening.

A tangled leaf slipped out of her hair, and she realized how disheveled she must have looked. She dried herself and kicked off her muddy shoes, but she hadn't had time to straighten her tousled hair or wash her soiled clothes.

"I'll go wash up. I was, well, in the woods..."

Before she could finish, she felt his breath on the nape of her neck. The Crown Prince was breathing in her scent, a faint chill spreading across her skin with each of his breath, raising goosebumps.

Diana's appearance was even worse than he had vaguely imagined. Her hair was disheveled and matted, tangled with dirt, leaves, and tiny roots.

Her clothes were damp in places, as if it had been submerged in water. The mud on her small, bare feet had barely washed off, leaving only dry marks on the insteps of her feet. The hem of her apron and dress were crumpled beyond recognition.

Despite having been away for only two hours, Diana had returned imbued with the essence of nature. She smelled of clear, clean water. She smelled like a spirit born and bred from a hidden mountain spring. Yes, that's what she was. She was more spirit than human.

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