It was a night so dark that not even the moon had risen.

“Well then, sleep well.”

“Sure, dream good dreams.”

Even with the impending doom of the world, the day would still end, and tomorrow’s sun would rise. Despite the peculiar sense of daily life becoming the only lifeline, the Windsor family behaved as usual. They ignored the undead creatures that crawled out at night outside the townhouse.

“Sigh, even the construction of the Duke’s mansion has come to a halt.”

Paval, who had been busy coming and going, started to come less frequently. Although the Windsor mansion had fallen prey to the undead’s occupation, thinking about it made Yurisien’s stomach ache. Despite knowing that he might not easily fall asleep due to the insomnia that had developed over the past few days, Yurisien resolutely lay on the bed.

“Just lying down makes me feel somewhat refreshed, as if I’ve had a good sleep.”

If only he could close his eyes and take a short nap, it would be even better. While trying to organize the anxious thoughts in his mind and take deep breaths, it happened.

Thunk.

The window shook. At first, he thought it was just a gust of wind. But again, thunk.

“…?”

Curious, Yurisien walked towards the window, and there.

“…Rat King?”

A man who should be in prison was hanging on the window, knocking on the door. He gestured as if he could open the doo
A man who should be in prison was hanging on the window, knocking on the door. As if asking Yurisien to open the door, he gestured with a glance. Yurisien instinctively checked Benjamin’s room on the opposite side; the curtains were drawn, indicating he might be bathing.

“Well, what’s going on? How did you come here?”

“How did I come? I escaped and came. Do you think I, who easily escaped from the Imperial Prison, can’t break through one Windsor Townhouse?”

The Rat King shrugged and entered the room.

‘Even though it’s a townhouse, now we have both Kendell and the Rat King.’

Yurisien couldn’t help but feel his pride wounded, thinking that Windsor’s prison was so vulnerable. However, the former had Greta’s help, and the latter ruled all the rats in the world. They were powerful enough to resist Windsor.

“Sigh, what’s happening? If you had ordered someone, I would have gone.”

Yurisien hid a dagger while pretending to wear a shawl. Meanwhile, the Rat King closed the curtain. Before Yurisien could be puzzled by it, the Rat King quickly spoke.

“Heathcliff found out.”

“What?”

“Heathcliff found out that we’re in contact. I don’t know how he found out, but my rat brought the information. There’s no way it could be wrong.”

“Is it Greta’s doing again?”

Yurisien firmly believed that Greta was alive. Since she had once seized the Imperial Palace, even if she secretly communicated with Heathcliff, it was not unthinkable.

“What should we do? At this rate, all our plans will go awry.”

“Calm down, Rat King. Plans are bound to go awry at any time. We just need to make contingency plans.”

However, Yurisien was also uneasy, so he got lost in thought without thinking. While devising contingency plans, it happened.

“Hm.”

The moment the Rat King’s lips formed a smile, he suddenly grabbed Yurisien’s neck.

“Ugh…”

Although Yurisien instinctively twisted his body, he didn’t get hit directly in the neck, but the tremendous impact made him lose half of his consciousness.

“Tsk. Let’s loosen up your hand.”

The Rat King, who cooled his tongue, raised his hand again. Just when he was about to hit Yurisien again, thunk! He knocked again.

“What the hell is this? How did you come here?”

“I came by breaking out. Do you think I, who easily escaped from the Imperial Prison, can’t break through one Windsor Townhouse?”

As if gesturing that he could open the door for him, the Rat King entered the room.

“Well, what’s going on? If you had ordered someone, I would have gone.”

Yurisien hid a dagger while pretending to put on a shawl. Meanwhile, the Rat King closed the curtain. Before Yurisien could be puzzled by it, the Rat King quickly spoke.

“Heathcliff found out.”

“What?”

“Heathcliff found out that we’re in contact. I don’t know how he found out, but my rat brought the information. There’s no way it could be wrong.”

“Is it Greta’s doing again?”

Yurisien firmly believed that Greta was alive. Since she had once seized the Imperial Palace, even if she secretly communicated with Heathcliff, it was not unthinkable.

“What should we do? At this rate, all our plans will go awry.”

“Calm down, Rat King.
Heh, Yurisien burst into a bitter laugh and, as she examined her body, her eyes widened. Yurisien wasn’t restrained. She was wearing a dress, a white dress, a wedding dress!

“What is this…”

Due to the constant burst of bitter laughter, her throat cleared. Yurisien couldn’t lift her arms because she was wearing an off-shoulder dress. It was tight enough that it clung tightly to her body. Only now did Yurisien slowly start to examine where she was.

“Is this a cottage?”

It was a log cabin without distinguishable rooms. However, judging by the feel of the soft sheets, the sturdy bed, and the absence of any dust or cobwebs on the edges, someone had diligently maintained it. On the fireplace, there was a hunting trophy. Now she noticed that there were riding boots, a bow, and a crossbow neatly placed near the door, as if someone had prepared them for immediate use.

‘Maybe it’s a hunting lodge for some noble.’

A hunting lodge referred to a place where nobles would come to take a break from time to time. Nobles who enjoyed hunting would build small lodges inside their favorite hunting grounds and spend a few days there, enjoying hunting.

‘I heard that Heathcliff also likes hunting and has several hunting lodges.’

A bitter smile crossed Yurisien’s lips as she suddenly thought of the time she dreamed of spending with Heathcliff in a hunting lodge after Erugen disappeared. That was her only support. She didn’t even know that the rotten rope had rotted away in her dreams. A moment she now considered fortunate that everything was finally straightened out.

‘Wait, a hunting lodge?’

For a moment, a shock flashed in Yurisien’s eyes. She quickly got up from the bed where she had been lying and checked the weapons placed near the door. Lo and behold, there were initials engraved on the handle of the crossbow.

“Heathcliff Openheid.”

The moment she called his name aloud, the door opened with a creak.

“You’re awake.”

“!”

A tall, dark-haired man appeared, brushing off the thick snow piled on his jet-black fur coat. He had white snowflakes haphazardly stuck to his greasy, unkempt hair, and he stared at Yurisien with black eyes set in a pale face.

“You…”

The Rat King, it was him.

“I was planning to wake you up, and it worked out well.”

The Rat King stared at the surprised Yurisien, then brushed the snow off his fur coat. Unable to clear his shoulders due to the heavy snowfall, he soon gave up and reached out his hand to Yurisien.

“Get up.”

Yurisien glared at him. The swirling emotions in her crimson eyes were full of betrayal, but to say that was the only thing would be too simple. The Rat King, with his black pupils without any gleam, silently looked down at Yurisien. Between his pale lips, a cold breath formed.

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Stepping forward, the Rat King, who had walked forcefully, grabbed Yurisien’s forearm.

“Ugh, let go of this! How dare you!”

Yurisien tried to resist, but it was useless because of the uncomfortable dress. The more she struggled, the more weapons near the door were pushed aside. It was too late to realize it.

“Stop useless resistance.”

“You wretched…”

As Yurisien bit her lower lip in frustration and cursed, a deep smile hung on the lips of the Rat King, whose face fell to the ground.

He said, “Then, shall we escort you to the wedding venue, bride?”