The One Who Won't Be Abandoned - Chapter 3

I led Andre into the cabin first. I had expected it to be dark and gloomy inside, given the large trees surrounding it, but sunlight streamed in brightly through the windows, filling the space with a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Despite the inviting light, the signs of abandonment were unmistakable. Dust blanketed the floor and furniture thickly. Thankfully, the windows had been shut tight, preventing the interior from becoming a total ruin. Had they been left open, the cabin would likely have been a dilapidated wreck.

Relieved by the unexpectedly welcoming atmosphere, I detached myself from Andre, whom I had been clinging to, and began exploring the surprisingly spacious interior.

“There’s even a bed here!” I called out.

Of course, the bed was covered in dusty sheets so filthy they would need several days of cleaning and airing out, but just having a bed at all felt like an incredible luxury.

“Maybe…”

Curious, I checked the fireplace. While it was stocked with plenty of dry firewood stacked neatly beside it, there was no sign of any matches. My initial excitement was quickly replaced by disappointment.

“Come here,” Andre called to me.

Turning toward his voice, I saw him standing by the wall, pointing at a map that hung there. Stepping closer, I recognized it almost immediately—it was a map of Kayaal Mountain.

The map depicted the vast mountain range in detail, including a marked path leading down to the village at the base. It was the nearest village to the Kaiman Estate, one I had visited a few times before with my mother. The map clearly showed the estate on the right side of the mountain and the village on the left.

“According to the map, we could probably reach the village in an hour or two if we follow this path,” I said.

“….”

“It’s still morning. We should leave now,” I added, carefully taking the map off the wall. Aside from a few torn corners where it had been pinned, the map was in excellent condition.

“Let’s go together,” Andre said.

“No, it’s safer if you stay here,” I replied while studying the map.

“Let’s go together. I’ll be good. I promise.”

“Then promise to stay here and be good,” I countered without looking up.

“Let’s go together. Please. I’m begging you.”

The word please caught me off guard, and I turned to look at him.

Just moments ago, his face had been calm and expressionless as he pointed to the map. Now, his eyes drooped pitifully, and his lips quivered as if he might cry. He wore an expression so unfamiliar to me that it left me momentarily stunned. If I told him to stay behind one more time, it looked like he might actually break into tears.

Flustered by this unexpected display, I found myself agreeing without much thought. “Fine,” I said.

“Uh, okay. Let’s go together,” I said, flustered.

The moment I agreed, Andre’s anxious expression instantly changed, replaced by his usual cold and composed demeanor. Without a word, he shrugged off his expensive jacket and draped it over the cabin’s lone wooden chair. Then, he ran his palm over the dusty surface of the wooden table, wiping the gathered grime onto his pristine white shirt.

“What are you doing?” I asked, incredulous.

“I have to look like a commoner,” he replied curtly.

I sighed, holding back from pointing out the obvious—that his strikingly noble features were what made him stand out, not his clothes. Instead, I picked up his discarded jacket and placed it back over his shoulders.

“We’ll go to the village in a few days. It’s better to wait until then if we’re going together,” I said.

“What about the fire?”

“We’ll manage without it for a few days. We survived last night without one, didn’t we? Today, we should focus on cleaning the cabin.”

Currently, the cabin was more like a dusty pit than a living space. We didn’t know how long we’d be staying, but at the very least, I wanted to make it somewhat livable.

I opened the windows wide, letting in fresh air and sunlight, while Andre, without being told, opened the door and propped it open with a stone to keep it from closing.

When I stripped the bed of its covers, a cloud of dust erupted, making it seem as though snow was falling inside the cabin. The bedding appeared to have been abandoned for decades. The blankets and pillows were discolored and on the verge of disintegration, with fabric so rotten it practically crumbled to the touch.

At least the sheet underneath was in slightly better condition. But compared to the luxurious bedding of the Kaiman Estate, it was so musty and worn that even the estate’s hunting dogs wouldn’t have used it.

“We can’t use this,” I said, holding up the tattered blanket.

The sheet might be salvageable with a bit of dusting, but the blanket was beyond saving. Even if I could force myself to bear the musty smell to fend off the cold, I doubted Andre—raised in luxury—could endure it.

“Should we throw it out?” I asked.

“Just keep it,” Andre replied, his tone flat.

“Alright,” I said, shrugging.

Per Andre’s suggestion, I decided to keep the blanket. I shook it out to remove as much dust as possible, then hung it over a sturdy tree branch outside to air out. Silently, I prayed the smell would lessen somewhat.

Andre followed me around the cabin, diligently helping with every small task I assigned him without complaint.

“Take these dishes and wash them in the stream,” I said, handing him a stack of wooden bowls.

Andre took them, giving me a brief glance before heading toward the stream. He had barely walked a few steps when he stopped and turned back to look at me, hesitation clear in his expression. It seemed he was uneasy about being away from me, even for a short time.

“Scrub them thoroughly!” I called out after him, showing no mercy as I sent Andre off to the stream.

Left to my own devices, I wandered over to the shed attached to the cabin. As soon as I stepped inside, my jaw dropped in amazement. The shed was stocked with firewood piled high, along with tools like an axe and a shovel. To me, this wasn’t just a storage shed—it was a treasure trove. Seeing not only a shelter but also an abundant supply of firewood that could last us for days or even weeks filled me with gratitude.

I scoured the shed eagerly, holding onto a flicker of hope, but there were no matches or flintstones to be found.

“Wow, so much firewood, but no way to start a fire,” I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief.

Spotting a neatly propped-up broom in one corner, I grabbed it and returned to the cabin to sweep the wooden floor. I worked so hard that sweat began dripping down my face, soaking my already sticky clothes.

“Ugh, I don’t have a change of clothes,” I grumbled.

The sweat-drenched fabric clung uncomfortably to my skin, but there wasn’t a single spare piece of clothing or even a scrap of cloth in the cabin to change into. The urge to head to the village tugged at me again. I wanted nothing more than to rush down the mountain, buy all the essentials, and return before nightfall.

“Could I just go alone…?” I wondered aloud.

Of course, Andre would probably be alarmed to return and find the cabin empty. But if I managed to come back with supplies before sunset, maybe he’d understand. Making a quick decision, I propped the broom against the wall and stepped outside.

Pulling out the neatly folded map from my pocket, I unfolded it and carefully studied the path to the village. But as I prepared to head out, the image of Andre’s face from earlier flashed through my mind.

That vulnerable, almost pleading expression he’d shown when he begged me to let him come along—it lingered in my thoughts. He had wiped that expression away almost immediately, but I knew it had been genuine. No one could fake the fear I’d seen in his trembling eyes.

I glanced toward the trail and hesitated. I knew I needed to leave before Andre returned, but my legs refused to move.

With a deep, frustrated sigh, I stuffed the map back into my pocket and reluctantly turned toward the direction of the stream. If I couldn’t leave him behind, I’d just have to fetch him first.

* * *

The “path” marked on the map wasn’t much of a path at all. It merely pointed in the general direction of the village.

“Ah!”

For what felt like the hundredth time, my foot caught on a tree root sticking out of the ground, nearly sending me sprawling. If Andre hadn’t been following closely and caught me just in time, I might have ended up rolling all the way down the mountain. Or worse—cracking my head on a rock and dying before even reaching the village.

“You know, you might as well have worn your jacket,” I said, lightly tapping the back of Andre’s hand in thanks. “It’s not like it wouldn’t have been shredded to rags by now anyway.”

Andre, in an attempt to appear less conspicuous, had left his overly luxurious jacket back at the cabin. Meanwhile, I had ripped all the lace off my maid’s dress to make it look more like an ordinary peasant’s outfit.

But it hardly mattered at this point. Our clothes, already dirty from sleeping on the ground, had been further mangled by the sharp branches and brambles blocking our way. By now, they were so torn and filthy that we didn’t look remotely like nobility—or even ordinary villagers. We were more likely to be mistaken for beggar children and chased away.

“When we get to the village, we’ll need to buy a ton of things,” I said between labored breaths. “Clothes, too. Just one trip feels like going to war.”

“Yeah,” Andre replied simply, his tone calm and steady.

I couldn’t understand how he managed it, but while I was gasping for air and struggling to navigate the rough mountain terrain, Andre followed along effortlessly, not even breaking a sweat.

“Look,” Andre said, pointing ahead.

I lifted my head, which had been bowed as I focused on the uneven ground, and saw it. Far off in the distance, the village was finally in sight.

For a moment, I felt a surge of relief and excitement at the thought of returning to civilization. But it was quickly replaced by an all-too-familiar sense of dread and caution.

Images of the knights and soldiers who had stormed the Kaiman Estate flashed vividly through my mind. The way they had mercilessly cut people down without hesitation, their twisted smiles betraying a sickening enjoyment of the slaughter. Their unhidden cruelty, their utter lack of remorse—those memories sent a chill down my spine.

It wasn’t impossible that they might be lingering near this village, savoring the destruction they had caused or patrolling to ensure no survivors escaped. The village’s proximity to the Kaiman Estate made it a plausible hiding spot for fugitives like us—and therefore a likely target for the royal forces.

“Come on,” Andre said, his voice steady as he stepped closer to me. He stood by my side, his calm presence cutting through some of my unease. “There’s a proper road over there.”

* * *

I anxiously scanned my surroundings, my eyes darting to every corner of the village. Only after confirming that there were no royal knights or soldiers in sight, either outside or inside the village, could I let out a breath of relief and slightly calm my racing heart.

But despite the absence of any figures from the royal forces, the village’s atmosphere was heavy and grim. It was as though the entire place was in mourning, an oppressive gloom hanging over the streets. It didn’t take long for me to understand why.

Many of the villagers had been workers at the Kaiman Estate, commuting daily to and from their jobs. Those who had been at the estate on the day of the massacre would have perished along with everyone else. Realizing this, I felt a chill creep up my spine, the weight of the tragedy pressing down on me even harder. I quickened my pace, trying to push the unease away.

But my hurried steps came to an abrupt halt when I heard a wailing cry echoing from a nearby alley. It froze me in place as though invisible hands had grabbed my ankles.

“Oh, my son! My precious son! What sin did he commit to deserve this…?”

I instinctively grabbed Andre’s hand. I didn’t know why, but I felt I needed to hold onto him in that moment. It was a good choice.

“Curse those damned Kaiman bastards! It’s their fault! My son died because of that cursed family!”

A middle-aged woman, her hair disheveled and wild, stormed out of the alley, her voice cracking with raw fury. She grabbed a passing man and screamed at him, pouring out her grief in an uncontrollable torrent.

“Tell me! What did my son do to deserve this? His only fault was delivering goods to that cursed estate! Why did it have to be then, on that day?”

“Let go of me!” the man shouted, struggling to free himself. But the woman clung to him even tighter, sobbing so hard her entire body shook.

“Let’s go,” I whispered, tugging at Andre’s hand.

He hadn’t taken his eyes off the woman, his expression frozen. I could feel the tension in his hand, but I urged him forward.

Behind us, the woman’s anguished cries cut through the air like a cold wind, sharp and piercing. This time, I didn’t stop. I kept walking, refusing to let the weight of her sorrow and anger hold me in place again.

* * *