Chapter Fifty: The Escape
“…Huh?”
In the dim, dirty tavern swarming with people, the Silver-haired Man stood in the crowd, brows raised, a hint of confusion and bewilderment on his face. He turned his head in the direction the woman pointed.
At first, his gaze seemed unfocused, wandering aimlessly for a moment, but then it suddenly locked onto me.
And then, he froze.
It was as if he had seen something unbelievable, his beautiful eyes, the same color as the sky, widened in shock. The lazy lids that were half-closed suddenly shot open wide, and he unconsciously took a step forward, only to abruptly halt.
He seemed unable to believe what he was seeing, completely at a loss. He swallowed hard, his narrowed pupils trembling slightly, fixating tightly on the young girl hiding behind the throng. On his scruffy face danced expressions of inexpressible shock.
“Is she…?”
This was the same man who had been all swagger and a bit tipsy just moments ago, commanding the tavern’s attention with his powerful aura. In an instant, he appeared utterly tongue-tied, struggling to find words.
“L-Little Shay…?”
The quivering call, barely reaching my ears through the flickering candlelight and whispers, suddenly sounded distant and ethereal, almost as if it were coming from far away—hazy and insubstantial, like a hallucination.
He saw me…
He…
Recognized me at first glance…
What should I do…
I can’t believe I’m really seeing Carlos…
How should I react…
I…
I have no idea how to untangle my complex feelings right now.
I really want to rush over and hug him, bury my face in that reliable chest and loudly vent my grievances, crying without a care in the world. This impulse has nothing to do with any romantic feelings—it’s just pure, unreserved trust.
I used to trust this man so much, believing that no matter what happened, he would never be the one to hurt me.
But that trust seems to have wavered, muddy and indistinct due to the changes that have taken place.
I no longer dare to be completely certain.
Certain that no matter what happens, he will stand firmly by my side.
Because I’ve been horribly betrayed before. Even if the wounds in my heart can heal, they will forever bear the ugly scars of that heart-wrenching pain and sorrow.
Though right now, I truly want to trust this man again.
I came all this way, determined to see him. I have a million questions to ask, just wanting to see the familiar, dependable face I once knew.
With such feelings, I stood there, but I had never thought—or perhaps I just didn’t want to think—about the fact that, subconsciously, I had been avoiding something all this time. The moment I actually saw him, I… just how should I talk to him?
Or rather, what should I do…?
My heart was all defenses.
Only when I truly saw Carlos did I come to realize just how intense and profound this gut feeling of fear had become—so deep that I felt lost, unable to take even a single step forward…
I feared he might be like Angel, striking from behind when I least expected it, dealing that fatal blow.
That would crush my heart completely.
That kind of hurt? I just can’t bear it again…
And this Carlos guy…
I still remember the bond he shared with Angel…
I can’t dare to trust him anymore…
I can’t…
Trust anyone from the Church again…
So…
…I might as well escape.
I just came to see him, and now that I’ve seen him…
That’s enough…
The atmosphere in the dim tavern grew silent for several seconds, drunkards glancing nervously around, and along the line of sight of that man, they gradually shifted their attention to the girl hiding in the crowd behind them.
Feeling something was off, people instinctively shifted aside, creating space for these two.
Meanwhile, the powerful man seemed to finally snap back to reality. He glanced at the bottle in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then obediently put it back and started walking toward the girl. The Red-haired Woman nearby pursed her lips, rolled her eyes in apparent dissatisfaction, but did not try to stop him.
But the next moment, just as the drunkards began to buzz with excitement, thinking tonight might just get interesting, the girl suddenly grabbed the hand of the Little Girl beside her, said nothing, and sprinted toward the exit of the tavern.
This left the man who had just been about to approach, frozen in place.
“Hey, where are you going!”
“Wait—”
Frantic calls came from behind, but the girl ignored them, quickening her pace, weaving through the tables and people, dragging the Little Girl out the tavern door. Outside, she found several drunken men crowding at the entrance, peering inside, confusion painted on their faces. Those who didn’t know what was happening whistled as she emerged; some tried to strike up a conversation, their voices a muddled buzz, but she ignored all of it.
“Big Sister, what’s wrong…?”
“Who was that person? Do you know him? Why did we have to leave suddenly…?”
“Big Sister, c-could you be gentle? Betty’s feeling a bit sore…”
As they trudged along the dirt path outside the tavern, the Little Girl was dragged along by the wrist, struggling to keep up. Her hesitant words made the girl realize she was holding on too tightly, so she loosened her grip, but still, no words came from her as she sped up.
She wasn’t even sure if she truly wanted to escape.
If she really wanted to run away, she could have easily swept Betty into her arms and used Moon Step to vanish. Even Carlos would find it difficult to stop her—she could even just ignore everything and play turtle, retreating into the Land of Dragons where no one could find her.
She could do that without question.
But still, she didn’t actually go through with it.
There seemed to be some lingering expectation in the girl’s heart; she chose to flee but didn’t fully commit to the decision. With her head bowed, she stepped through the tavern’s archway, but then her steps came to an abrupt halt.
In the Little Girl’s confused gaze, the girl slowly turned her head to look back.
The cacophony inside the tavern still erupted with shouts, and from the disordered crowd, she spotted the man stumbling out from within, his footsteps uneven and his figure frantic.
“Little Shay—!”
He was calling her name.
The girl immediately turned away, dragging the Little Girl into an alley, continuing on in silence.
But as they walked, her pace gradually slowed.
By now, the sky had completely darkened, the alley devoid of streetlights, making it difficult to see ahead. Nearby, a few drunken men were mumbling to themselves, occasionally bursting into manic laughter, the air heavy with an unpleasant stench. The Little Girl covered her nose once more, but it appeared the girl was past caring about those things.
She released the Little Girl’s wrist, her mind preoccupied, her gaze downcast.
“Big Sister…”
Betty’s voice was muffled as she lagged a step behind, wanting to say something but hesitating, gazing up at the girl’s back, filled with confusion and worry.
Moments later, there came footsteps approaching from behind.
