Chapter 9
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Elain knew full well that Deckard was the kind of man who could actually do that. The only thing that mattered to him was his own enjoyment. That was also why no one could match the number of enemy heads he’d taken on the battlefield. It was impossible to defeat someone who feared death not at all and charged in, reveling in the fight itself.
“…No. You won’t get past me.”
“Don’t be so sure. What if you get hit from behind?”
Narrowing her eyes, Elain shook her head. There was only one reason Deckard had spent all that time and effort to get here.
“If I get caught here, that’ll be the end of your fun—and there’s no way that’s going to happen.”
Deckard’s long, dark lips twitched upward. It meant he was enjoying himself. Elain looked at his black hair, damp and clinging to his forehead, and added in a low voice.
“It must’ve been more thrilling than you expected to see me bow my head to you. Enough to make you rush over like this, right out of the shower.”
“You’ve got a sharp tongue now, haven’t you? That’s a lot different from your attitude earlier.”
He smiled and whistled softly, while the circle around them gradually closed in.
“Hands up and turn around!”
The sound of footsteps approaching from behind Deckard was distinct. Elain was shaking so badly she could barely stand, but she managed to steady her legs. She couldn’t let anyone see her collapse right in front of everyone.
“Get out of the way.”
This would be the last time she’d make a fool of herself. If that’s the case, it’s better to walk in on her own than be dragged away. Just because she would be locked up didn’t mean there was no way out.
“You’re not seriously going to turn yourself in, are you?”
“What’s it to you?”
“I ran all the way here to help you—this is embarrassing.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in cards I’ve already discarded.”
Deckard approached Elain, who was muttering coldly. Then he gently grasped her wrist as she tried to step forward.
“Excuse me.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
Meeting her piercing gaze head-on, Deckard gently kissed the inside of her wrist.
“I’m giving you a chance to pick up the card you threw away.”
“I’ll say this one last time. Put your hands up and turn around!”
The pursuers raised their voices fiercely. They were perhaps five paces away. Elain swallowed her trembling voice and sneered.
“Don’t act all tough when you can’t even help me.”
“Are you trying to provoke me on purpose?”
“I’m not provoking you—I’m just stating a fact.”
“I see.”
Deckard smiled, his eyes sparkling.
“Let’s make that bet I mentioned earlier, Elain. If I get you out of here safely, you’ll grant me one request.”
Before Elain could even reply, Deckard pulled her toward him. Whoosh. Just as Elain, swept into his arms, looked up at him in surprise,
“We’re both on the government payroll—give me a break, sir.”
“What? Who are you?”
“Ah, yes. I am Deckard Helkaiser, Commander of the 4th Knight Division of the Capital Defense Force.”
Deckard licked his lips. Facing his delighted expression, Elain’s heart pounded so hard in her chest it felt as if it would burst. Had she ever been this nervous in her entire life? Not even when her father had delivered the tragic news in his study had she felt this way.
“Whoa…! Commander Helkaiser!”
She could hear the soldiers stirring.
“I’m so sorry!”
“My apologies!”
Seeing the number of soldiers surrounding them, Elain instinctively shrank back. More soldiers than an entire battalion were chasing her. Deckard placed his hand on Elain’s arm, which was covered in goosebumps. Then he tapped his fingers rhythmically—tap, tap—as if he were playing a game.
“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you, Commander!”
Elain’s heart began to race at a different pace than before. A faint glimmer of hope rose within her—perhaps, just perhaps, she could really use his name to get out of this situation.
“It’s fine. But what’s going on?”
The reason Deckard remained in a low-ranking position was that he acted as if he had absolutely no interest in politics or titles. But in reality, no soldier could possibly be unaware of just how many great feats Deckard had accomplished in battle. Moreover, it was just today that he had returned after completely resolving the troublesome civil war in the East.
“We’re searching for the traitor of Berlois.”
Deckard’s eyes lit up as he looked at Elain.
“Elain Berlois?”
“Yes!”
“Oh, come on. I gave you all her movements, and you still haven’t caught her?”
Elain hid her slightly trembling body in Deckard’s shadow. As the guards chanted their apologies, Deckard sighed.
“It’s not my jurisdiction, but as someone with experience, let me give you a tip: the fact that the woman fled this way suggests it’s highly likely because this stream leads to the Meren River.”
“The Meren River....”
“It’s the narrowest river in the kingdom. Once she crosses there, she’s in Swan. If she crosses the border and hides in a neighboring country, how do you plan to catch her?”
“Huh...?”
He could sense the confusion in the other man’s voice. Elain held her breath and blinked. Deckard had just deliberately dropped a hint about the possibility of her fleeing overseas.
“But it takes at least half a day by carriage to reach the Meren River, Captain. The fugitive barely managed to escape Mudrow, so she probably hasn’t left Lumière yet.”
The soldiers’ assessment—that she, having slipped into Mudrow unarmed, would still be in the capital—was accurate. But Deckard threw them off balance once again.
“What if she has an accomplice?”
“Huh?”
“Mudrow—that explains everything: why she, as a fugitive, was giving me advice at the motel where I hosted my party and deliberately drawing people’s attention. She must have needed to let her accomplice know her location.”
As the soldiers grew even more unsettled, Elain looked up and met Deckard’s gaze. She swallowed dryly without realizing it. There wasn’t a hint of wavering in his tone. Even if his personal life was a bit messy, his ability to convey orders to his subordinates was truly that of a professional. Or rather, in this situation, perhaps it should be called a skill for throwing the enemy off balance.
“Even if there are accomplices, it’s practically impossible to break through all of Lumière’s security and escape, Commander!”
Someone hesitated before speaking up. It was a reasonable doubt. But Deckard remained unflappable.
“You’re saying that because you don’t know just how cunning Elain Berlois is.”
As Elain clenched her fist, drenched in cold sweat, he looked at her and gave a sly wink.
“Don’t you all know how the daughter of the marquis tried to ruin me three years ago?”
Three years ago, what had happened between her and him had been the hottest topic in high society and a favorite topic of conversation that livened up the atmosphere in bars. It was also the official reason for blocking Deckard’s promotion.
Deckard was now turning the scandal between them against her. What’s more, just a few hours ago, at the Mudrow bar, he had even accused her. That was the moment Deckard’s animosity toward Elain had been publicly revealed.
“She’s the woman who fired a gun at me and ran away just a few hours ago.”
Elain bit her lip slightly. She’d thought he was just trying to scare her. She never imagined he’d use the gunshot—which she’d clearly heard at the motel—this way. If it was a spur-of-the-moment move, it was impressive; if it was planned, she wondered what his true intentions were.
No way.
Elain’s blue eyes wavered slightly as she looked at Deckard.
Had he intended to help her from the very beginning? But if that were the case, his behavior from the moment they reunited until now had been so… off-putting.
“She’s a genius at manipulating those around her, so everyone better stay on high alert.”
Just like that.
Deckard cast a sly glance her way.
‘What, does it annoy you when I badmouth you?’
It felt as if his voice were ringing vividly in her ears. Just then, behind Deckard’s sneer, someone raised their voice.
“Commander. I’m truly sorry. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“Is your arm—the one injured in battle—all right? Viscount Morven, Deputy Commander of the First Defense Army.”
The man whose name was called bowed his head in surprise. Elain had to take another deep breath. Was the commander leading the search party an acquaintance of his? There was a reason for Deckard’s confidence after all.
“If it hadn’t been for Lord Helkaiser, it wouldn’t have been my arm—it would have been my head that flew off. Thank you.”
She was now indebted to him as well.
“How embarrassing. It’s obvious you’re just showing off to get thanked, Morven.”
Someone chuckled softly. The atmosphere around them shifted in an instant. She could sense the soldiers relaxing at his single remark. Was this the power of someone who had led a group for the past three years?
“I’m sorry! Then, could you please confirm the identity of the person here with us?”
Morven, the leader of the group, hesitated before asking. Even if this person had a connection to Deckard, he was still a soldier. Finding Deckard in a place like this was suspicious, so Morven undoubtedly wanted to verify the situation before moving on.
“I’m afraid that won’t work, Ellie.”
Deckard muttered, clicking his tongue.
“Morven is a soldier of rare loyalty.”
Elain didn’t have a moment to process what he meant. Deckard had spun her around in his arms. With every muscle tensed, she was suddenly buried deep against his chest. Thud! Thud! The sound of a heartbeat—whether hers or his, she couldn’t tell—pounded in her ears.
“I didn’t mean to go this far.”
Snap. With a tearing sound, the shoulder strap of her chemise snapped. As the fabric slid down, revealing her bare skin, Elain’s lips—unable to scream—parted silently.
Beneath the blazing light, Deckard’s dark features came into sharp focus as he held the bare-chested blonde woman in his arms.
“If I tell you who this noble lady is… do you think you can handle the consequences?”
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