Chapter 1
“Ah!”
It felt as if air had suddenly rushed into her lungs after being submerged underwater. Regina took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide.
“Ugh… Huff! Cough, cough!”
The pain was so intense that she could taste blood on her tongue, but more urgent was the need to breathe. Gasping for air and coughing dryly, she clutched her throat with both hands.
“Hah, hah.”
As she began to calm down, she blinked, and the tears that had welled up in her eyes fell, dropping to the ground. She wiped her face and found her palm covered in cold sweat.
“Cough… Where am I?”
She looked around while coughing softly. Her blurry vision slowly cleared. There was a shattered window and a tilted carriage door, and she lay inside, her body folded awkwardly.
Then Regina remembered the sudden accident on the way back when one of the carriage’s rear wheels came off, causing it to overturn.
The strong impact had knocked her unconscious as her head hit the window with a thud.
She frowned in pain from the aching all over her body.
“Ouch, there’s not a spot that doesn’t hurt.”
She raised her arm to inspect her body for any cuts or injuries, but found none. Her clothes, however, were in tatters, but that was not important right now.
Regina stood up, bracing herself on the broken carriage door to get out of the tilted carriage.
Only when she stood up did she realize she was barefoot. Turning her head, she saw her shoes lying in the corner of the carriage.
“Why is it so quiet? Hans, Lily?”
After putting on her shoes and stepping down to the ground, the heels of her shoes sank into the gravel and dirt. Stumbling, she called out to the coachman and maid, but there was no response.
Not even the horses that had been pulling the carriage were there. It seemed to be early dawn, with a light mist settling over the forest surrounding her.
“Hans! Lily! Is anyone there?”
She called out louder, but again, there was no reply.
“Strange, did they go to get help?”
Feeling uneasy, Regina forced herself to look around calmly.
She was in a small clearing surrounded by dense coniferous trees, so thick they looked like a wall of spears. It was a wonder how the carriage had even gotten through.
The outline of the trees in the forest was blurred by the morning mist. Regina shivered and quickly turned her head, unnerved by the eerie silence.
Even after looking around for a while, she saw no sign of anyone. She swallowed nervously.
She was truly alone here, with nothing but the broken carriage.
“Damn it, this is crazy.”
To avoid being overwhelmed by the eerie atmosphere, she spoke loudly to herself and clambered back into the tilted carriage.
Rubbing her arms against the chill, she searched the carriage for anything useful.
“I hope there’s something here that can help.”
She hadn’t noticed it earlier due to the shock, but there were several empty boxes scattered inside the carriage.
“…?”
In disbelief, she hurriedly opened and turned over every box she could see. But the boxes that had contained valuable tea sets, dresses, shoes, and jewelry were all empty.
“…Damn it, they must be insane.”
The coachman and maid had stolen the money and valuables and fled. She couldn’t believe it and let out a hollow laugh while staring at the empty boxes.
“They really stole the valuables and left me here unconscious?”
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she quickly stood up and opened the space under the carriage seat. She frantically felt around the empty space, but her hands found nothing.
“No, no! Not the necklace!”
She even stuck her head under and searched thoroughly, but all she found was dust on her palms. Trembling in disbelief, she collapsed to the floor and screamed.
“My necklace!”
That necklace had been a gift she had begged her father for three months to get, adorned with a large sapphire.
To get it, she had read books she never would have touched, embroidered until her fingers bled, and even resorted to childish antics and hunger strikes.
After all that struggle, she finally got the necklace, only for it to be stolen before she even had a chance to wear it.
“…They dared to steal my necklace!”
Regina ground her teeth and glared with wide eyes. The thieves had left her for dead, carelessly tossed into a corner of the carriage like a piece of trash.
Anger surged through her, giving her newfound strength. She wiped her tear-streaked face roughly.
“I can’t stay here. I need to go back and tell Father to catch those bastards right away.”
Regina picked up an old coat from the corner, draped it over her shoulders, and stepped out of the carriage.
She didn’t care if this was a forest or a swamp. She would crawl back if she had to, but she would make sure those two were thrown into hell.
“I will catch them!”
Her voice echoed through the once-silent forest, startling several birds into flight from the branches.
* * *
The Evelyn Viscount’s estate was in an uproar.
Regina, the only daughter of the Viscount, had gone to town early in the morning and had not returned, even as the day ended.
When the servants sent to search for her came back empty-handed, the anxious Viscount Evelyn finally stood up from his study where he had been waiting impatiently.
The dawn light was starting to break outside the study window.
“I can’t wait any longer. We must notify the authorities immediately.”
“I’ll send someone right away.”
The butler responded, but the Viscount shook his head.
“No, it won’t be fast enough if I just send the servants. I’ll go myself.”
He put down his cigar in the ashtray and took the coat the butler handed him.
“I’ll prepare the horse.”
“Do so.”
The Viscount, with dark circles under his eyes from staying up all night, nodded firmly.
“I’ll be back. If my daughter returns while I’m gone, take care of her.”
“Yes, sir.”
After entrusting his daughter to the butler, the Viscount left the mansion, mounted the horse brought by a servant, and headed to town.
“Yah!”
The brisk morning wind hit his face as he rode the horse at full speed.
The narrow path from the mansion to the town was flanked by dense forest on the left.
Careful to avoid being scratched by branches, the Viscount urged his horse onward without stopping.
‘I should not have let her go alone.’
He remembered Regina begging for months to buy a necklace. When he finally relented, she had eagerly boarded the carriage at dawn, ready to go.
He had suggested sending a servant, but she had insisted on going herself, smiling brightly. He regretted not stopping her. The idea that his daughter could be in danger within his small domain seemed impossible, but now he bitterly regretted his complacency.
‘Please be safe, Regina!’
Regina was a precious treasure, born late and raised with all their love. He and his wife could not bear it if anything happened to her.
He whipped his horse in his mounting anxiety.
A girl emerged from the forest, startled as the horse galloped past, but the Viscount ignored her and rode on.
Then he heard a desperate voice calling from behind.
“Father! Father, over here! Wait!”
Startled, the Viscount quickly pulled on the reins.
– Neigh!
The horse, running at full speed, reared and then came to a halt.
“Whoa, easy there.”
The Viscount patted the horse’s neck to calm it down before turning around. The horse, which had been neighing wildly, soon settled and stood still.
“Father!”
At that moment, Regina, who had just emerged from the forest, burst into tears and ran towards him.
Frowning, the Viscount looked down at her from the horse, then recognized his daughter and jumped down in shock.
“Regina! My God, are you alright?”
He ran to her, checking for injuries, and when he confirmed she was unharmed, he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Thank God! Thank you for bringing my daughter back safely.”
“Father!”
Once in his arms, Regina couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.
The forest had been so dark, with every tree looking the same, and every spot feeling like the same place. She had felt she might wander forever.
Her legs were aching, and her cheeks stung from dried tears. She had been so exhausted she sat down and found a path purely by chance.
She had just seen her father riding past on a horse and had been so shocked.
“Sob!”
“Regina, are you hurt?”
As she wept loudly, the Viscount awkwardly patted her back.
For some reason, it felt like they had been apart for much longer than just half a day.
“It’s okay. Everything’s fine now, don’t cry.”
“I was so scared, Father!”
Holding his daughter close, the Viscount felt his eyes well up.
“Alright, alright. It’s okay. Don’t cry anymore, Regina.”
He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his daughter’s tear-streaked face.
“It’s cold, put this on.”
After draping his coat over her shoulders, Regina grabbed her father’s hand. The Viscount lifted his hiccupping daughter onto the horse and climbed on behind her.
“Let’s go home.”
With these words, the Viscount struggled to hold back his own tears. It seemed his emotions had become more sensitive as he aged.
“Yes, Father. Let’s go home.”
Seeing his daughter smile joyfully through her swollen eyes, he couldn’t help but let his tears fall.
