Chapter 7
Evelyn forced a strained smile onto her face, which looked as though it might crumple at any moment.
“What about the lost item?”
“It doesn’t seem to be anywhere nearby.”
So, that must’ve just been an excuse to lure her out.
The bait, casually tossed to draw her into a quiet place, had been too easy for her to bite—and that was her mistake.
Evelyn could only feel regret over her own foolishness.
Chaser, watching her silently reflect on her error, eventually spoke with a flat tone.
“Don’t do this again.”
“Do what?”
“Don’t trail after strangers like a baby chick. Especially not to isolated places.”
His words sounded laced with concern, but unfortunately, coming from the person she feared most, they didn’t offer much comfort.
I only stepped forward because I thought someone needed help…
But Evelyn was perceptive enough not to continue the conversation any further.
“You really have no idea how dangerous people can be.”
“……”
“Are you stupid, or just naïve?”
His sneering words mercilessly crushed the pure goodwill Evelyn had managed to muster in spite of her fear.
The kindness she had dared to extend, despite trembling inside, failed to reach him entirely.
“Aren’t there monsters around here?”
Perhaps sensing her urge to flee, Chaser mercifully changed the subject.
Only then did Evelyn finally manage to part her dry lips and speak.
“Yes. I’ve lived here for ten years, but I’ve never seen one. They say monsters often appear in the Foren Mountains nearby, but it’s rare to see them around Mount Ast.”
“So that’s why you offered to help without hesitation, even in the middle of the woods.”
“Isn’t that normal?”
“Not at all. Even if it’s early morning, wandering alone and unarmed on a deserted mountain trail? You might as well be begging a monster to eat you.”
His words were harsh, but not inaccurate.
She had gotten herself into this mess simply by offering to help without thinking.
“After I escaped that mansion, I never went anywhere besides the monastery and the village below. I didn’t know any better.”
Chaser’s sharp gaze, as if urging her to go on, made Evelyn fumble into an explanation.
“Sister Benedicta always wanted to send me to the capital instead of keeping me in this quiet rural village. She said it would be good for me to grow up seeing the world. But I was too afraid, so I refused.”
“Afraid Luisa might come looking for you?”
“Yes. If she knew someone who knew the family’s secret was still alive, she wouldn’t leave me alone.”
When Chaser had appeared, Evelyn had thought her deepest fears were finally coming true.
And Chaser probably knew that—and used it to scare her.
“Coward.”
It wasn’t just a scolding—his tone made it clear he found her pathetic.
But just this once, Evelyn agreed with him. She felt exactly the same way.
“That’s probably why I could never become Luisa.”
She gently touched her necklace, trying to calm the heart pounding anxiously in her chest.
“But… how do you remember me?”
Evelyn was genuinely curious.
Why would anyone remember a failed, powerless girl who had been deemed useless?
Was it just because he had a good memory?
Or did he keep track of every possible candidate, just in case?
But the answer she hoped for didn’t come.
“I’ll be staying at the monastery for a few more days.”
Instead, he offered an abrupt, unexpected statement.
“What?”
Startled, Evelyn’s head snapped up.
Despite her reaction, Chaser calmly elaborated.
“I told you—I’m looking for something.”
“So… that wasn’t a lie?”
“Why would I lie?”
Meeting Chaser’s serious gaze, Evelyn realized he wasn’t bluffing.
She had assumed it was just bait to lure her in.
The desperate wish she’d whispered to herself the night before—to survive just one more day—was already falling apart.
“There’s something I need to find in this mountain.”
“Oh…”
Chaser’s arrogant gaze met Evelyn’s uncertain voice, but this time, she couldn’t afford to back down.
“The monastery is busy preparing for winter. We don’t really have the capacity to look after guests right now.”
“I’ll just stay quietly.”
“Still… it’s not allowed.”
Her voice was barely audible, but her will was firm.
“You’re still scared I’ll kill you, aren’t you?”
Chaser sneered, twitching the corner of his mouth in amusement.
Then, in a voice too low for her to hear, he muttered:
“If I meant to kill you, I’d have done it back there.”
“…Sorry? What did you say?”
“What? What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
At his evasive reply, Evelyn stiffened even more, her body tense with anxiety.
Not even pressure backed by power would make her back down.
Who knows what might happen if I let him into the monastery for no reason?
Determined, Evelyn narrowed her eyes sharply.
He should have been annoyed by her continued refusal—but strangely, he looked rather relaxed.
“Well, I suppose I wasn’t being considerate. Preparing for winter must cost quite a bit.”
Chaser rummaged through his coat and pulled out a heavy pouch.
“Here. This should cover my lodging.”
He placed the pouch on Evelyn’s hand.
With suspicion in her eyes, Evelyn slowly opened it.
Inside, glittering gold coins filled the pouch to the brim.
“Ah, is that not enough?”
She hadn’t said a word, yet another pouch, even heavier than the last, was placed into her hand.
It was a considerable amount—more than enough to tempt anyone.
With this much money, she could live comfortably for a while.
No—not just for a while.
She might be able to live worry-free for years.
But Chaser is part of the Luisa family.
What if taking this money dragged her into something dangerous later?
She couldn’t just accept it so blindly.
“N-no. I can’t accept this much money…”
“Hmph.”
Chaser looked down at her, visibly irritated, as though reaching the limits of his patience.
He made no further attempt to persuade her.
“I didn’t realize you were in a position to refuse.”
It was strange.
Even though she was no longer in his arms, it somehow felt harder to breathe than when she had been.
“If you want to live, you’d better make the smart choice.”
It was a final warning.
Of course—persuasion didn’t suit him to begin with.
If anything, it was coercion disguised as reason.
How could I forget what kind of person he is just because we exchanged a few words?
Evelyn could only scoff at herself and silently nod.
She never really had a choice to begin with.
Chaser ended the conversation and left, saying he would scout the mountain some more.
Only after she saw him disappear into the distance did Evelyn’s legs give out, and she collapsed to the ground.
“Hkk…”
Tears she had been holding back began to well up in her eyes.
Why… why does it have to be Chaser Luisa?
How long could she possibly endure, coexisting under the same roof with such an arrogant man?
She could probably bear him complaining about the monastery’s conditions.
But Evelyn’s greatest fear wasn’t minor discomfort.
What if, after finding what he’s looking for, he tries to silence everyone—and shuts down the monastery?
Nobles didn’t see commoners as people.
And someone from the Luisa family would surely feel no hesitation about “clearing out” a few lives.
Evelyn had witnessed just how cruel the Luisa’s could be when she was a child.
The fear gnawed at her.
She covered her mouth with both hands and buried her face in the dirt.
She was terrified that the moment she made a sound, Chaser might return.
“Mmgh…”
Evelyn hated the situation she was in with every fiber of her being.
But she didn’t even know who to blame, and that made it even more painful.
Where had things gone wrong?
Surviving the Luisa trials despite having no special ability? Or was it simply daring to be noticed by Chaser Luisa?
No—maybe her greatest mistake was being alive at all.
If she had died during the Luisa trial as fate intended, Sister Lasagna would never have taken her into the monastery.
Chaser would have passed through, just sheltering from the rain for a day, and left.
None of this danger would have happened.
Her very existence felt like it was dragging the monastery into a pit of death.
She hated herself for it.
But even hating herself wouldn’t solve anything.
Evelyn steadied her breath and slowly lifted her head.
Through the bare, withered tree branches, she could see the faint outline of the monastery in the distance.
Yes—she had to protect the monastery.
It was her past, her present, and the future that had been given to her. A precious place where the people she loved still lived.
She couldn’t just sit there crying forever.
Wiping away her tears, Evelyn slowly rose to her feet.
It felt like walking around with a ticking time bomb pressed against her chest, but she had to endure it.
No—not just endure. She had to survive and protect everyone, no matter what it took.
Don’t provoke him. Don’t draw attention. Let him think I’m weak or pitiful—it doesn’t matter. If that’s what it takes to make this pass peacefully, I’ll do it.
Of course, if Chaser had already decided to kill her, none of that would matter.
Still, Evelyn forced a smile.
She wouldn’t give up hope—not until the very end.
The monastery was located on the mid-slope of Mount Ast, and because of the altitude, the trees surrounding it were exceptionally tall.
After giving Evelyn his one-sided notice, Chaser leapt lightly to the highest tree in the area, evading her line of sight, and perched atop it.
From there, he quietly observed Evelyn as she sat on the ground, trying desperately to hold back her sobs.
Let’s see what she does next…
