It was three hours ago that Cain discovered the abandoned carriage.

Cain’s blood ran cold when he found Jane’s red hair in the carriage. Meanwhile, his brain felt like it was completely melting from anger.

Cain tore through the carriage as if ripping it apart. He tore off the door and ripped down the curtains from the windows.

Hoping to find any trace Jane had left behind.

His hands tore at the carriage without gloves, getting cut, but he paid no mind. He just let the blood drip away in the rain.

Even after nearly destroying the carriage, he found no trace of Jane.

Cain tried to calm himself as he shook the rain from his wet hair. But his heated mind refused to cool down.

Cain gritted his teeth and rubbed the wound on his palm. Only after the sharp pain struck his brain did he come to his senses.

He let his arms hang and looked around.

Abandoning the carriage midway meant they intended to stay in the mountains for at least today.

If they were heading to town, it would have been right to take the carriage, come what may.

Especially in this rain.

So where could they have gone?

They wouldn’t have taken the road.

Cain’s gaze, sharp as a well-honed blade, turned to the forest. He shook his arm as if shaking off blood. Taking out a handkerchief and roughly wrapping it around his hand, he noticed a patch of flattened underbrush unlike the surroundings.

‘They went this way.’

Cain moved, following that trace. And he found another clue.

A piece of dress fabric. Cain snatched the piece caught on a branch.

Had Jane left it behind, or had it been torn off as she was roughly dragged away?

His reason was paralyzed again. His insides boiled like a furnace.

Cain looked up the mountain. The dress fragment in his clenched fist was stained with Cain’s blood.

Cain took a deep breath and started running. Running through the rain-soaked forest path was not easy.

Dangerous situations arose, but each time Cain gripped tree trunks to steady himself and kept climbing upwards.

The forest quickly grew dark. Cain’s search slowed. Beasts cried out and insects flew about, but his steps did not falter.

After some time, Cain realized the dress fragments he had been finding were traces Jane had deliberately left behind.

Just as Cain was about to despair, unmistakable remnants of the dress caught his eye.

The expensive dress had plenty of easily detachable lace and crystals, which became Cain’s guideposts.

‘Is this why one wears an expensive dress?’

To leave traces in case of an emergency?

The exhausted Cain had an amusing thought as he stuffed a piece of lace into his pocket. For a brief moment, he felt his chest loosen.

But soon he grew anxious again, and that anxiety tightened around his throat.

He felt he would go mad if he didn’t babble nonsense.

But he couldn’t make a sound. If by chance the kidnappers were nearby, he might be discovered and put Jane in danger.

Cain paused to catch his breath and check the time. He had been wandering the forest for a full two hours.

His calves burned with a dull ache, but he exhaled sharply and peeled himself off the tree trunk he had been leaning against.

After stumbling through the forest for some time like that, he discovered a suspicious cave. Faint smoke was rising from a cave in an area untouched by people.

Cain approached the cave, gripping the revolver in his pocket. He intended to assess the situation and, if possible, rescue Jane without causing a commotion.

In his mind, he had shot the kidnapper hundreds of times, but in reality that would be difficult.

It risked complicating matters.

Please let Jane be in there.

He swallowed, desperately wishing. His muscles were so tense that his trapezius ached sharply.

Now just one more step and he could see inside the cave. Just as he took a deep breath and stepped forward, he sensed movement from within.

Cain pressed himself against the left wall of the cave entrance, pulling back the foot he had extended.

The movement inside was very cautious. From just the subtle sounds, it was impossible to tell if it was a kidnapper coming to check outside, or someone else.

Should he wait for them to come out, or make the first move?

‘Let’s move.’

Cain decided and took a step.

“Is it because you were raised too gently? You don’t seem to understand when someone speaks nicely to you, do you?”

A sneering voice, followed by the sound of someone inhaling sharply.

The hair on the back of Cain’s neck stood up. He rushed into the cave before even assessing the situation.

Jane, whom he had longed so desperately to see, was inside the cave. He wanted to crush her in an embrace right away, but there was an interloper.

A man who looked like a wild boar had raised his hand high toward Jane. He was acting as if he would strike her at any moment.

“Put that hand down!”

Cain shouted, aiming his revolver at the man.

“Cain?”

Jane’s face brightened upon seeing Cain, but only for an instant. The man did not miss the moment Cain and Jane exchanged glances.

“Ugh.”

The man wrapped his arm around Jane’s neck. He pressed close to her and held a dagger to her.

“Don’t move, Lord Duke.”

Cain froze in place. At such close range, he could have subdued the man with some sacrifice, but he did as told.

“Our fates seem quite entangled, don’t they?”

The man moved sideways one step, fused as one with Jane. His intention to move outside was plainly evident.

“Let Jane go. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

As if he had been waiting for those words, the man’s lips split into a wide grin. Cain’s eyes narrowed.

That man looks familiar.

Cain’s eyebrow raised slightly.

“You finally recognize me?”

The man’s voice, his square-ish angular face, his nose that looked like it had been flattened in a fight…

“Rose Faction?”

“Yes, I’m Augustus. You’ve heard my name, right? Ah, perhaps you’re more familiar with calling me Fist Axe?”

Fist Axe, the nickname of the leader of the Rose Faction’s hardliners.

“Did you kidnap the duchess for the Rose Faction?”

Cain asked about his motives, though he wasn’t really interested. He intended to create an opportunity to save Jane by distracting him even a little.

“For the Rose Faction? Why would I? I move for what I want.”

“Fine. What is it you want?”

“If I just say it, you’ll give me anything? That’s too easy. Hey, Jexy.”

Jexy, who had been pretending to sleep though she’d come to her senses earlier, flinched.

“If you don’t get up now, I’m leaving you behind. Is that okay?”

At Augustus’ threat, Jexy reluctantly got up. As she staggered out wrapped in a blanket, Cain glared at her fiercely.

Seeing that look, Jexy gave up any lingering attachment to the position of duchess.

“It’s good to see you again, Cain.”

“Jexy, I’m disappointed. I didn’t think you would commit such a foolish act.”

“So if you had just abandoned that woman and married me, wouldn’t that have been better?”

Jexy blamed Cain until the end. Cain kept his mouth shut. Jexy’s unreasonable accusation shook him.

Even if he hadn’t married Jexy, if he had let Jane go earlier, if he had left her alone…

‘You idiot, is this the time for such thoughts?’

Cain admonished himself and adjusted his grip on the revolver. Though it was a very small movement, it was enough to catch Augustus’ attention.

“That’s a nice gun, Duke.”

The skin under Cain’s eyes twitched.

“Jexy, go get the Duke’s gun.”

“What? Get the gun? I’ll be caught and killed if I go!”

Jexy protested vehemently that she couldn’t go.

“No. The Duke absolutely cannot kill you. If you die, this woman dies. My knife skills may not be as fast as his gun, but they’re not far behind.”

Augustus pressed the knife harder against Jane’s neck. Blood trickled down her pale, slender throat.

“I’ll hand over the gun!”

Cain said quickly. He gestured toward Jexy.

Jane shook her head slightly. It was impossible to guess what Augustus might do once he got the gun.

But Cain was not in a state where rational judgment or calculations were possible.

Save Jane.

That was the only thought in his mind.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace.”

When Jexy had come fairly close to Cain, he suddenly threw the revolver.

“What are you doing!”

Augustus’ attention wavered momentarily, surprised by Cain’s sudden action. Seizing that gap, Jane bit down hard on Augustus’ arm.

A metallic taste spread in Jane’s mouth. As Augustus reflexively pulled his arm away, Jane ran forward.

Cain rushed toward the revolver. But Jexy was a problem. She grabbed onto his pant leg.

“Hurry, pick up the gun, you idiot!”

Cain struck Jexy mercilessly. Jexy crumpled and fell, but that brief moment was enough for the situation to be resolved.

In a way that was extremely disadvantageous for Cain and Jane.

“Whew, you’re so stingy about one gun, how do you expect to negotiate with me?”

Augustus aimed the revolver at Cain. Jexy crawled on the ground and hid behind Augustus’ back.

“Come here, Duchess. Your husband came rushing here in a mess to save you, but you’re trying to run away and leave him?”

Jane, who had hesitated in the rapidly unfolding situation, looked back and forth between Cain and Augustus.

“Jane, run down without looking back. If you go down a little, you’ll be able to meet Nathan.”

“Take one step from there! I’ll shoot you right away!”

Augustus raised his voice. He pulled back the hammer demonstratively. Now just a light pull of the trigger would fire the bullet.

Jane’s face turned deathly pale. Jane moved as if in a trance. She exposed herself defenseless to Augustus.

Then Cain stood in front of Jane, shielding her. He turned to Jane and said:

“Go, Jane. Please.”

Jane shook her head.

“Leaving you alone…”

“You have to go for me to live.”

Cain was very firm. Jane’s eyes shook greatly.

“Quite the drama you’re putting on. Stop with the theatrics and come here. If you don’t…”

“Why are you just talking? Shoot him already!”

Jexy, who had been frustrated watching from the side, smacked Augustus on the back. Staggered by the surprise attack, Augustus’ finger pulled the trigger.

Bang! The bullet flew straight towards Cain.

In the blink of an eye, the bullet pierced Cain’s body.

“Cain, Cain!”

Jane screamed loud enough to bring down the mountain. Cain’s body slowly crumpled.

“R-run away, Jane.”

“Who said you could run away!”

Augustus rushed to grab Jane. Having shot the duke, he needed to at least have the duchess in his grasp.

Augustus and Jexy brushed past Cain. That’s when it happened.

Bang, bang!

Gunshots rang out in succession.

Augustus and Jexy collapsed right in front of Jane. Their blood spread across the floor.

And Cain’s arm dropped. In his hand was the revolver. He said, gasping:

“I never said… there was only one gun. Idiots.”