It felt too unreal. I pinched myself, wondering if it was a dream, but the pain was too harsh for it to be a dream. Trying to think I got lost didn’t make sense. It’s not like I was alone; I was with Hila. It didn’t make sense to lose my way in just a few minutes.

‘After being captivated by the unpleasant feeling, it turned out like this… What is it, some kind of curse?’

To become lost in a crowded walking path.

Could an exit be found anywhere I walked? Could I find people? But, on the other hand, it felt like a vague certainty that no matter how much I walked, there would be no one. It seemed like a waste of energy, especially in this situation with no food or anything else.

Moreover, by now, Hila must have realized that something was wrong. She probably went to ask for help. To be rescued safely, wouldn’t it be better to stay put? They say if you wait quietly, help will come. Why waste energy unnecessarily, especially in this situation?

Riley decided to stay put. While doing so, she listed hypotheses that could make sense of this situation.

First, this could be an hallucination.
I’ve read in a book. Special plants infused with magic are said to have unique abilities. While I don’t know what kind of species inhabits this place, I’ve heard of plants that induce hallucinations. So, could this be a kind of hallucination?

Secondly, maybe this is an entirely different place.

Could I have been moved to a different location for some reason? I don’t know, but considering the era when teleportation magic is prevalent, it’s not entirely impossible.

Thirdly, could this be harassment from the Blerstige?

Of course, I was aware of becoming the ‘cursed freshman’ and being avoided by them, but haven’t I already committed unreasonable acts? Thinking about someone who might resent me, only the Blerstige came to mind.

Fourthly, or maybe there is another enemy.

This enemy could be against Giben. Considering the incident where bullets flew towards him during the visit to Lulath, it was a plausible story. Moreover, he recently faced a threat of poisoning.

With the situation of the marriage spread, it wasn’t entirely strange to become a target.

‘Of course, my identity hasn’t been revealed in the articles, but… someone might know about my existence. Like Count Willow Ermeinz… Could it be his doing?’

Willow Ermeinz, the Count!

Riley was astonished, recalling his old and plump face after a long time.

‘No matter how you look at it, the only one capable of such an outrageous act is him.’

In an instant, she fell into a panic state. It felt like her head was about to explode.

If by any chance, this situation was caused by Count Ermeinz, wouldn’t sitting here quietly be insane? What if he brought assassins again? What if she ventured out of here into deeper areas? What if she got lost, wandered around, and missed the rescue team?

What to do? In this situation, what should she do?

Since it was an unprecedented and never-considered situation, she couldn’t find a way to handle it.

‘No, stay calm. Let’s hold our ground for now. We’re not sure if it’s really Count Ermeinz’s doing.’

The fear of not knowing when assassins might target her was terrifying, but in reality, moving from here wouldn’t make much of a difference. Even if she encounters enemies, she could still meet them while moving.

Riley remained vigilant, hiding her body behind a tree column. Fortunately, there were many trees and grass around, making it suitable for concealment.

‘Wait for the rescue.’

Hila would bring people.

Until then… no matter what, she had to endure.

“Are you just going to keep watching?”

In response to the seemingly boring question from the subordinate, Reynald leaned slightly against the tree instead of answering.

Already two hours had passed, and the sight of the woman silently holding her ground seemed truly leisurely and dull.
Seemingly cautious in nature, Riley, with her nerves on edge, carefully observes her surroundings and refrains from moving or changing locations, even in the face of potential death. This is likely evidence of her cautious personality.

If she had a curious or proactive disposition, she might attempt to resolve the situation. However, observing her simply endure suggests a passive and waiting-for-rescue attitude.

“How long is that woman going to keep doing this…?”

“What does it look like to you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The woman over there.”

In response to Reynald’s question, the subordinate answered with a disdainful look.

“She seems hesistant and foolish. What’s the point of just sitting there, trembling in fear?”

“She might be patiently waiting for a rescue.”

“In the first place, if that woman is a magician, wouldn’t it be common for her to try using magic? Even if this environment makes it difficult to use magic, considering she’s a genius enough to be admitted to Horizon, she should have the ability. So, why doesn’t she use magic to escape easily?”

“That’s true.”