The entire carriage rocked violently like a sailboat on rough waves.

It was due to the shock that originated from Adrian’s compartment.

“Ugh…! Lady Vi, immediately block the carriage door!”

Adrian urgently shouted.

Following the sound of swords swinging consecutively, there was a loud commotion from the crowd.

It was evident that something unusual was happening.

‘Seems like Adrian is facing multiple opponents alone. I should go out and see.’

At that moment, as if hearing my inner thoughts, Adrian shouted loudly.

“If you come out now, Lady Vi, it will be dangerous for me too! Quickly, block the carriage door with anything you can find!”

“But…!”

The desire to go outside and help Adrian was overwhelming.

However, in urgent situations, there was a need for more rational judgment.

“Adrian is right. I don’t have any martial skills, and going out would only be a hindrance.”

Recalling Adrian’s advice to block the door, I hurriedly surveyed my surroundings.

‘If only there were some logs or something.’

But in a noble’s carriage, it was unlikely to have such things.

“Well, there’s no choice… I have to obtain something even if I have to break it!”

I lifted my skirt, firmly lowered the seat, and began kicking.

However, the high-quality carriage seat crafted by a skilled artisan didn’t break easily.

“Ugh…! Please, just break already, will you?”

Even during my attempts, the carriage shook violently due to the ongoing battle in the coachman’s compartment.

Because of that, my body swayed significantly with each kick.

I gritted my teeth and tried to maintain my balance while continuously kicking the seat.

Thud! Thud!

After several attempts, something finally broke beneath the cushion of the seat.

“Got it!”

With one foot against the wall, I pulled with all my strength, and luckily, the piece of wood easily came loose.

“Now, I just need to block the door!”

I ran straight toward the door with the wooden piece in hand.

And it was precisely at that moment, as I was about to place the piece under the latch.

Click―.

The locked latch slowly turned.

‘N-no way…’

A chill ran down my spine.

With a frightened expression, I raised my head, and beyond the window, a unfamiliar man appeared.

The man, dressed shabbily like a slave, was excessively thin.

With his head deeply bowed, he continuously pulled the locked latch.

Above his awkwardly exposed neck, the spine bones protruded, and his severely emaciated body swayed weakly with the recoil of the unyielding latch.

Click―. Click―.

The movements were so slow that it felt eerie.

Overwhelmed by the strangeness, I, who had been frozen in fear for a while, shook my head, trying to regain composure.

‘Not… not the time for this. I need to block the door quickly.’

My hands were trembling.

Taking a short deep breath, I placed the piece of wood under the latch.

At that exact moment.

Whoosh!

The man suddenly lifted his head.
Separated by a single glass window, facing the man, I couldn’t help but freeze.

‘This can’t be real…’

Not on the man’s face, or where I thought the face should be…

There was nothing.

No eyes, nose, mouth, nothing.

In that moment of terror, facing the empty face of the man like a mannequin.

Squelch―.

With an unpleasant sound, the space where the man’s lips should be tore open sideways.

Through the torn gap, an unsettling sound like scratching metal soon followed.

“Found it! Found it!”

The man repeated the same words rapidly while pulling and banging on the door.

Compared to the earlier lethargic state, the man pulling the latch now exhibited a strong force.

Click―!

The lock that couldn’t withstand the force gradually showed signs of weakening.

The more it weakened, the faster the man’s actions became.

Click, click, click―!

At the same time, Cedric, who was walking alone on the forest path, checked his wristwatch.

“It should be about time.”

However, the forest path spread out before him was still silent.

Cedric, who had been looking at the forest path with a sour expression, gradually wrinkled his forehead.

Rebecca and Adrian.

The scene of the two of them laughing together suddenly flashed in his mind.

Cedric shook his head as if trying to shake off the displeasure he felt.

He couldn’t understand why he himself felt such staged discomfort.

Was it a fleeting jealousy toward the new friend Rebecca had made?

Or perhaps petty jealousy towards the newcomer aiming to start a new love?

As he sighed and took another step, his shoe made a sizzling sound as if burnt.

Suspicious, Cedric took another step, and once again, a small wisp of smoke rose.

“This is…?”

It was an illusion barrier.

A barrier that, to others, led to the original location, but the designer of the barrier had specified certain individuals to lead to a different location.

Usually used when committing heinous crimes or when a hiding place was needed, it was an advanced illusion that required considerable skill.