Although there was a faint Gallic accent in the coachman’s grunts, it was only when he spoke that it became clear. This man was not Etruscan.

‘A foreigner? A Gaul? A Gaul causing such a commotion in the royal palace?’

If he was a real Gaul and not a spy sent by the Holy See to create discord between Gaul and the Etruscan Kingdom, this was a political suicide attempt.

‘Why is he doing this?’

But Ariadne’s thoughts were abruptly cut short by the coachman’s retaliation.

“Yah!”

Realizing he couldn’t remove Ariadne, who was clinging onto him with all her weight, with just one hand, he threw away the left reins and pulled the ribbon with both hands. She could not resist the force of a fullgrown man pulling with all his strength.

“Aah!”

Bang!

The two horses that were completely free ran wild. The carriage, now without a cover, rocked back and forth, about to tip over at any moment. As the carriage swayed violently, the coachman successfully snatched the ribbon from Ariadne’s hand.

“Argh!”

The ribbon slipped from her tightly gripped hand, the jewel embroidery scratching her skin, tearing at it. It seemed like her wrist was sprained. The pain was unbearable.

‘If this goes on… No!’

Ariadne gauged the speed of the carriage. The horses were running wildly in all directions, so the speed of the carriage itself was quite reduced. She quickly surveyed her surroundings.

‘Now!’

She threw herself from the carriage before the coachman could reach over the back seat to grab her.

“That damned wench!”

An expletive in Gallic could be heard from the inertiacarrying carriage. He seemed furious that the prey he had caught had escaped.

Thump!

Ariadne threw herself into the delicately landscaped royal garden. She had thought the shrubs would cushion her fall. Some branches did lessen the impact. But she was scraped and pricked all over her body by the branches.

‘I need to escape before he comes back…’

Ariadne, who had fallen into the shrubs, barely managed to get up and hobble away without a moment’s rest. There was no time to waste.

Instead of running into the grass, she ran straight back the way she had come, along the paved path. There was nowhere to hide in the royal garden anyway.

Moreover, if no one helped her, it was over anyway. It was better to run to a place where she could meet someone rather than hide. The royal palace was a place with a lot of traffic. There would be someone, a servant or a maid, who she could meet.

“Ouch!”

As she ran mindlessly, Ariadne stumbled. The highheeled shoes she had chosen for the ball were to blame.

She gritted her teeth, took off her shoes and threw them away. Having taken off the other shoe as well, she limped along, holding one shoe in her hand.

‘I can’t, if I slow down, he’ll catch up…!’

Should she have run into the grass, she regretted belatedly. But one must try everything they can until the end.

Even with her legs giving way, Ariadne trudged on. This was a race against time!

But the heavens didn’t help her.

“I’ve got you, you damned wench!”

The coachman, or rather the Gaul, who had somehow caught up to her in a sprint, grabbed Ariadne’s hair.

“Ah!”

She screamed in pain as if her scalp was being torn out.

“You’re the first woman to trouble me this much.”

Gallcoin gripped Ariadne’s hair in his right hand, and taunted her from behind her.

“As a payback, let me show you something fun.”

“You crazy bastard… The Great Etruscan Kingdom will not tolerate such a provocation!”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m hoping for. That’s what makes it worthwhile.”

Ariadne doubted Gallcoin’s words. He seemed to enjoy provoking diplomatic disputes.

“What do you want?”

“You’ll find out after I have a little fun today. I want to see tears in your beautiful eyes, and your father running around in frustration.”

They were conversing in their respective native languages, but they were able to communicate perfectly. The other party was also fluent in Etruscan.

He tore off the cloak she was wearing while holding her hair. As the cloak was torn off, the connected patlet also tore off, revealing her white neck and shoulders.

“I’ll throw this in the forest. Wouldn’t someone imagine something fun if they find it?”

“What did you say?”

The situation was getting more ominous.

“You don’t mean to…?”

Gallcoin seemed to understand Ariadne’s worry.

“Hehehe, don’t worry, I’m too old for such things, I can’t do it outdoors.”

“You crazy bastard!”

“Ladies should use elegant language, even though you won’t be able to show your face and socialize soon!”

He struck Ariadne’s thigh hard with his knee. She fell to her knees, moaning.

“Why do you mess with a man you shouldn’t. You will be hurt if you covet something beyond your reach.”

Gallcoin held Ariadne’s hair and shook her while taunting.

“The noble person was very angry because of you. You must be punished for behaving beyond your station.”

He subtly hinted that today’s event was due to Lady Lariesa. The other side should start scrambling for an advantage. Then he can threaten with the contract in his hand and the Duke of Oud will have to concede to Duke Mireille. In the short term, a marriage with the royal family of Carlo, in the long term, her life will be ruined.

“Now, where should we start? I guess I have to pay back what I received?”

He placed his hand, as big as a pot lid, on the same spot where she had strangled Gallcoin earlier. Gallcoin tightened his grip on her.

“Huek!”

She was suffocating. She might really die…! Ariadne was stiffened with fear.

But Gallcoin seemed to have no intention of killing her, as he let go of his grip on her after a moment.

“What should I do to make your father the angriest?”

She wanted to retort. Whatever you do to me, you can’t really make my father angry.

But she was so scared that she couldn’t speak.

“Stop it!”

The words she wanted to say echoed clearly in the air.

It wasn’t her voice.

Whoo!

The sound of metal cutting through the air rang out.

Puck!

The figure of the man who was choking Ariadne’s neck fell to the ground like a scarecrow.

Suddenly freed, she took a deep breath.

Hwong!

The sound of swinging metal rang out again.

Pak!

This time, the sound of a skull breaking was heard. Gallcoin, who had fallen to the floor, didn’t even move. Only then did Prince Alfonso, the man who had wielded the ceremonial sword, rush to his fallen lady.

“Ariadne!”