Chapter 88
Raylenne explained the escape plan to Aiden and handed him the necessary items before leaving the room. Once back in her own room, she reviewed the plan in her mind once more.
‘First…’
Tonight, when darkness falls, she would quietly move outside Aiden’s window and throw a small stone to signal him. Aiden would then unlock his shackles with the key, attach them to a rope, and drop them outside. It was crucial that he did this carefully, as simply dropping the heavy iron shackles would create a loud noise.
The reason for sending the shackles outside first was to destroy evidence. If the guards found the shackles neatly undone, they would certainly suspect that someone had helped Aiden.
After removing the evidence, the next step was for Aiden to climb down the rope. Once Aiden was safely outside, Raylenne needed to remove any traces of the rope from the bed. She planned to burn the rope, having prepared it from a highly flammable material to ensure it would be destroyed quickly.
‘With the evidence thoroughly eliminated, Aiden should be able to escape the room safely.’
Raylenne’s role was crucial afterward. She needed to divert the attention of the guards at the main gate to ensure Aiden could slip through unnoticed. Though it was somewhat drastic, she had a perfect method for doing so: starting a fire.
She planned to use an abandoned hut near the training grounds as kindling. It was isolated enough that the fire wouldn’t spread elsewhere, making it an ideal choice. If she made a fuss about a fire at the training grounds, the guards at the main gate would immediately rush over.
While this was happening, Aiden would sneak out through the main gate by avoiding the patrol routes she had informed him about. From there, it would be up to Aiden to complete the escape.
After descending from the estate entrance, Aiden would find a small pond where she had tethered a horse for him. He would need to ride it and exit the duchy. If he continued to ride, he should be able to completely leave the duchy within a day. Even if he encountered guards, he was equipped with a sword and could defend himself.
‘As long as Caverion doesn’t pursue Aiden…’
Though Caverion hadn’t explicitly confirmed his promise not to chase Aiden in their last conversation, Raylenne chose to trust him. She had to believe it; if Caverion decided to search for Aiden, the escape plan would be swiftly thwarted.
Raylenne glanced at her watch and closed her eyes, steadying herself.
Click.
The sound of lights being turned off in the hallway and the footsteps of the maid-in-charge echoed. When the footsteps faded, the operation would begin.
Click-clack. The sound of shoes reverberated through the quiet estate. When the sounds finally ceased, Raylenne left her room. It was time to commence the operation.
* * *
Arriving below Aiden’s window in her robe, Raylenne picked up a stone and threw it towards the window. Throwing a stone up to the third floor proved more challenging than she had anticipated.
She threw the fifth stone, straining to listen for any approaching patrols.
Clink—
‘Finally, I hit the mark…!’
The window rattled and slowly opened, revealing Aiden’s silver hair against the dark night sky.
“Lady Raylenne?”
“Aiden, come down now.”
As Raylenne whispered, Aiden withdrew momentarily. He seemed to be unlocking his shackles with the key she had given him. Soon, the shackles were attached to the rope and lowered out of the window. Despite the iron extensions making it difficult to lower slowly, Aiden managed to lower it steadily.
Once the shackles reached the ground, Raylenne untied the rope from them, allowing it to retract upward.
‘Now it’s Aiden’s turn to descend.’
As expected, Aiden sat on the window ledge and checked if the rope was securely fastened to the bed. Confirming that the rope was properly secured, Aiden carefully descended. His recovered strength made the descent manageable.
“You’ve done well.”
When Aiden landed safely on the ground, Raylenne took out a match. It was time to set the rope on fire.
As Raylenne struck the match, flames quickly flickered in the darkness.
“I’ll start the fire now.”
“…”
But Aiden did not hand over the rope; he simply stared at Raylenne silently.
Confused, Raylenne said, “Hand me the rope. The patrol will be passing by soon.”
Eventually, Aiden handed the rope to Raylenne. She lit the end of the rope, which quickly burned and turned to ash.
Some ash would inevitably remain near Aiden’s bed, but that was unavoidable.
Raylenne pointed to the shackles lying on the floor. “Throw the shackles into the small lake on your way to the main gate. We need to remove any evidence.”
The shackles were heavy and cumbersome to carry, so Aiden would have to dispose of them at the lake. Sinking in the lake, they would be difficult to find.
Destroying evidence was critical.
“Aiden, do you remember the patrol route I taught you?”
Aiden nodded.
“Once you reach near the main gate, keep an eye on the guards. When they leave their posts, head for the gate.”
“…Understood.”
At that moment, footsteps were heard in the distance, likely from the patrol. Startled, Raylenne pushed Aiden.
“Aiden, go now…!”
Hesitant at first, Aiden had no choice but to move. Raylenne watched him leave until he disappeared from view, and then she began to move on by herself.
* * *
Raylenne arrived next at the knights’ training ground. She retrieved an oil can she had hidden nearby and poured its contents over the abandoned hut.
‘I never thought I’d be setting a fire.’
Previously, she had only used her blade to slice the thighs of assassins who came to harm her. Now, contemplating her actions, she took out the matchbox she had used earlier and struck a match.
Whoosh.
As the flames erupted from the match in the darkness, Raylenne quickly tossed the lit match into the hut. With winter approaching, the estate was already cold and dry, making the climate even more arid. The wooden hut caught fire almost instantly.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Raylenne dashed towards the main gate. She ran for what felt like an eternity, finally arriving at the gate where the knights were stationed. The sudden appearance of a woman running in the dead of night clearly startled the guards.
When the knights recognized Raylenne, their surprise only deepened.
“Isn’t this Lady Raylenne…?”
“What are you doing here at this hour…?”
Catching her breath, Raylenne pointed towards the training ground with a trembling finger.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I was out for a walk when I noticed a fire at the training grounds.”
“What?”
“Is it true?”
Raylenne nodded. “You should go see for yourselves. The air is dry, so the fire could easily spread to other areas.”
She added, “The flames are quite substantial, so everyone here should go. I will head to the estate and inform the others.”
“Yes, understood! Lady Raylenne.”
The dutiful knights hurried towards the training grounds. Once they had left, Raylenne scanned her surroundings. From behind the stables near the main gate, she spotted the glint of dark eyes.
Raylenne gave a slight nod, and Aiden emerged from his hiding place. Seeing the target so close made her heart pound with anxiety.
As Aiden approached, Raylenne pulled him close behind the castle walls.
“Listen carefully, Aiden. As I mentioned, there’s a horse tied at the pond below. Ride it and leave the duchy as quickly as you can.”
Even after all the instructions, Aiden remained motionless, simply staring at Raylenne.
“Aiden?”
“…”
Despite understanding the urgency, Aiden did not move easily, just as before. Raylenne realized the reason he might be hesitating.
‘Perhaps this might be the last time I see him.’
Realistically, it would be hard to meet Aiden again. Once he left, he would become a fugitive, evading everyone’s gaze. But then, he would eventually awaken to his destiny, meet the heroine, and live happily. This was merely a fleeting trial.
Raylenne masked her bittersweet feelings and spoke calmly, “Why aren’t you leaving? Hurry up.”
“…”
Aiden continued to gaze at Raylenne. His dark eyes shone brightly in the darkness.
“Lady Raylenne.”
His quiet voice resonated through the cold air, sounding comforting yet final.
Though it might be a long farewell, Raylenne watched him intently, not blinking, as if trying to memorize his face.
Aiden’s eyes were similarly fixed on Raylenne.
“I will never truly leave you, Lady Raylenne.”
“…”
“I will gain strength and surely come to find you again.”
Aiden kissed the back of Raylenne’s hand three times—a gesture reminiscent of a knight’s oath in the empire. Raylenne watched this solemn act in silence. Despite repeatedly reassuring herself that this was for Aiden’s benefit and unavoidable, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness.
“Aiden, you’ll surely manage to escape safely.”
To hide her true emotions, Raylenne forced a smile. She wanted to show him a smiling face, perhaps because this might be their last meeting.
“Then, as you say, we’ll meet again someday.”
Raylenne pulled her hand away from Aiden’s grasp.
“Aiden, you must go now. If you stay here any longer, it will become problematic for both of us.”
At the almost threatening warning, Aiden finally began to move with heavy steps. Raylenne stood still, watching as he disappeared into the darkness.
The shadow under the moonlight gradually faded into the night.
And so, Aiden left the castle.
