An Unexpected Proposal-Chapter 51

“I see. You don’t even wish to speak to me anymore.”

Sirin smirked and took a seat beside her. Alicia curled into herself, clutching her stomach protectively. The rattling of the carriage wheels was more terrifying than anything.

Someone, anyone—please, find me. Please.

Alicia pressed her hands together in silent prayer.

She had never believed in gods, but now, in her desperation, she found herself seeking them.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freёnovelkiss.com.

The image of Lady Morco, battered and bleeding yet still trying to protect her, refused to leave her mind.

“There’s no point in waiting for His Grace. He won’t come for you.”

“…”

“No, I should say—he isn’t coming for you.”

“…”

“His Grace has abandoned you.”

“Shut up.”

Alicia growled through clenched teeth.

But Sirin only chuckled, as if amused by her resistance.

“You may find comfort in believing otherwise, but it’s the truth. His Grace made a deal with my master.”

He offered the child in your womb.

Sirin’s gaze dropped to Alicia’s stomach.

The scene had been staged to perfection, with Sijna left behind to serve as a witness. She would stall for time, ensuring there were no interruptions.

Now all that remained was to break Alicia, to make her cooperate willingly.

“…His Grace would never do that to Lady Morco.”

“His Grace does not tolerate traitors. That is all.”

A smile stretched across Sirin’s lips, a cruel contrast to the words she had just spoken.

“A traitor? Lady Morco—”

“You were preparing to escape. And she helped you.”

“…”

“Don’t look away. This is all your fault.”

Sirin brushed her fingers against Alicia’s cheek. Alicia did not respond, her lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line.

“Don’t worry too much. Despite everything, His Grace still loves you.”

“…Love?”

Alicia’s gray eyes wavered.

Sirin didn’t miss her moment—she pressed in further.

“If you simply hand over the monster in your belly, you will be reunited with him.”

“How can I trust you?”

“Trust me? That’s up to you. I won’t force you.”

Sirin let go of her, smiling as if it didn’t matter.

Alicia lowered her head, cradling her stomach.

She wanted to believe it was a lie.

But she couldn’t.

Cabelenus had never wanted this child.

If His Grace truly did this…

Alicia’s grip tightened.

If he was responsible for all of this, then she couldn’t bear to see him again.

A man who would trample anything for his goals was no different from a demon.

What am I thinking? That’s impossible. His Grace wouldn’t…

Alicia let out a hollow laugh, her body sagging.

She didn’t understand how things had come to this.

She still loved him.

And yet, she was terrified of him.

The choice was obvious.

“So long as you cooperate—”

“No.”

“…What?”

“I said no. I won’t cooperate.”

Through the strands of her fallen hair, the world outside the carriage window looked like a prison of iron bars.

Alicia scoffed to herself.

Her hands rubbed against her face roughly, as if trying to wake herself from a nightmare.

Her body trembled instinctively, recalling past horrors—but she couldn’t sit back and do nothing.

No one would protect her.

No one would protect her child.

She was the only one who could.

“You don’t seem to understand your situation—”

“Even if I die, you will never take my child. My child. I will protect them.”

Alicia’s voice was like steel.

Whether Sirin was lying or not didn’t matter.

She couldn’t afford to sit still and wait for Cabelenus, nor could she let herself be taken away like this.

“And what do you hope to change by glaring at me?”

“It’s better than doing nothing.”

Alicia swept her hair back, her expression unreadable.

Sirin swallowed unconsciously.

The timid noblewoman she had once known was gone.

“This is Schwarhan. Escaping His Grace’s eyes is impossible.”

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t…?”

“I would rather die with my child than let you take them.”

I hate saying things like this.

Alicia let out a bitter laugh.

“How cruel.”

“There are worse fates than death.”

If I had only made up my mind sooner.

Alicia rested her hand over her stomach.

She could still see Lady Morco’s broken body every time she closed her eyes.

Even knowing regret was meaningless, she couldn’t stop it from consuming her.

“…I’ll make a wish.”

“…What?”

“Destroy him for me. Utterly.”

“What nonsense are you—”

Sirin scoffed.

But then, something warm trickled down her cheek.

She reached up.

It was blood.

Crimson. Thick.

“…What the—”

Her words never finished.

A terrible, wet choking sound ripped from her throat.

Her body twisted unnaturally.

Blood poured from her eyes, her nose, her mouth—seeping from every possible opening as if something inside her was leaving.

Alicia watched, expressionless, as Sirin collapsed.

She reached for the fallen sword.

It was heavy—far too heavy for her to hold properly—but she didn’t let go.

“If you move, I’ll kill you.”

Just like you did to Lady Morco.

Alicia pressed the blade against Sirin’s throat.

The once-composed maid was now a blood-soaked, wheezing wreck, barely hanging onto life.

“A-a…g-gah… My… lady, y-you’re not… like th-this…”

“Any mother who has sacrificed her own body for her child will do anything to protect them.”

Her voice was unwavering.

Her decision had been made.

Alicia’s face twisted.

She had failed to keep her promise to her mother—to meet in Lubertain—but this was an ending she had to see through with her own hands.

She had already used the child's power. She could not stain herself further with bloodshed.

“I thought I had changed. But I haven’t. I’m still too weak. I always realize it too late—only after I’ve lost something precious.”

Regret was meaningless.

Alicia let out a short, bitter laugh and tightened her grip.

The sensation of cold steel pressing against someone else’s skin was unfamiliar—no, terrifying. But she didn’t look away.

She didn’t loosen her grip.

Instead, she forced herself to face it.

To survive, she had no choice but to become the hunter instead of the prey.

“I won’t do it anymore. I won’t lose. I won’t regret. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

A twisted smile curled at her lips.

And then—

A deafening roar.

Cold air rushed in, sharp enough to freeze her lungs.

Alicia instinctively turned toward the sound.

The roof of the carriage had been torn open. A massive hole gaped above her, revealing dozens of unblinking eyes staring down at her.

Golden eyes, gleaming through thick fur—light in color, yet unmistakably the same shade as Cabelenus’s.

“Beasts…”

Alicia exhaled, her voice barely more than a sigh.

The creatures blinked their large eyes at her, rolling them as if in thought.

They were invaders—yet she felt no malice from them.

As if possessed, she reached out a hand.

And, as though they had been waiting, the beasts lowered their heads.

Alicia gasped softly.

Her eyelashes trembled, as fragile as a butterfly’s wings soaked in rain.

Beyond the beasts, the world was nothing but a raging snowstorm.

***

Hiiiing!

The wind howled.

Phaeton reared onto his hind legs, struggling against the relentless blizzard.

Cabelenus yanked at the reins, swearing under his breath, before finally dismounting.

“Your Grace!”

Gajev leapt down after him, stumbling as the snow swallowed his boots.

Even Phaeton—one of the most resilient beasts, bred to tear through storms—had turned tail and fled.

The blizzard was that fierce.

Even Cabelenus wasn’t safe.

“The snow is too strong. If we keep pushing forward recklessly, it’ll be dangerous.”

Gajev reached out and grabbed onto Cabelenus’s sleeve, barely keeping his footing in the knee-deep snow.

But Cabelenus didn’t stop.

He didn’t even acknowledge him.

“The storm is early this year. Maybe… maybe the hunting season has started sooner than expected. If monsters appear in this weather—”

“So we should turn back?”

“…I know you’re desperate, but—”

“She’s waiting for me. She might be crying in fear right now. I have to get to her—”

“Your Grace!”

Gajev fell to his knees and clung to Cabelenus’s leg.

But the man didn’t even pause.

“She’s dead.”

“…What did you just say?”

The murderous glare directed at him was suffocating.

Gajev’s face twisted in pain, his breaths coming in short gasps.

His master—once so composed, so unshakable—was barely recognizable.

His hair was a tangled mess. His beard unkempt.

His bloodshot eyes were nothing but a wounded beast’s wild desperation.

“She is dead, Your Grace. You know that. Just because you refuse to accept it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”

“You must really want to die.”

“Then kill me.”

“…”

Cabelenus’s clenched jaw trembled.

“That’s easy to fake. Alicia is alive.”

“…”

“The storm traps them just as much as it traps us. If they’re delayed, then this is our chance to catch them.”

His golden eyes flashed with burning determination.

There was only one thought in his mind.

Gajev lowered his head, unable to bear watching him like this.

“Your Grace… you’re not the only one who has lost someone precious.”

“…”

“And you still have things to protect.”

“Protect? If I couldn’t even protect one woman, what can I possibly protect?”

Cabelenus ran a rough hand through his hair.

Even then, his gaze remained fixed on the endless expanse of white.

“Catching the culprits won’t end this. You know that. The real mastermind is above them.”

“So what? You want me to do nothing?”

“Your Grace… you were the one who said it. The one who wins in the end is the true victor.”

“…”

“You’ve endured all this time. You can do it again. Swallow this pain. Bury it deep. Let it rot until it festers into a poison strong enough to kill your enemies.”

“…Yeah. I’ve endured.”

But not when it came to her.

Cabelenus covered his face with his hands.

He wasn’t sure if the sting in his eyes was from the cold—or from something else.

“I was greedy. I rushed things.”

“…”

“I was impatient to end this, to win faster. And… I thought…”

He let out a hollow laugh.

For the first time in his life, he feared a snowstorm.

Because when it cleared—

He would have to face the truth.

That she was gone.

But even so—

If there was any chance—

If Alicia was waiting at the end of this storm—

He had to keep going.

“…I just wanted to be with her.”

His arms fell to his sides.

His eyes were rimmed red.

“I thought… once I escaped this wretched cycle, I could stay with her forever. That if I just held out a little longer, everything would finally be over.”

Yet, even now, all he could remember was her crying.

Even when he tried to recall her happiest moments—

Only her tears surfaced in his mind.

“She was always there. But all I remember is her crying.”

“…”

“If I had known— I would’ve just stayed by her side.”

“…”

“I would’ve given her anything she wanted. I would’ve made her laugh as much as she wanted.”

“…”

“Then at least… at least I’d have more memories of her smiling.”

He had thought he was her savior.

But in the end—

She had cried more with him than she ever had before.

He was the one who had made her weak.

Cabelenus let out a shaky breath.

Ahead of him, barely visible through the blizzard—

A carriage.

Torn apart.

His hands trembled as he rushed forward.

His frozen, bloodshot eyes darted wildly.

The wreckage—shredded apart, clawed to pieces.

And among the wreckage—

A familiar scrap of fabric.

His body swayed.

No—

It wasn’t his body that was swaying.

It was his entire world.

“…Ha. Ha, ha… Hah…”

Cabelenus collapsed onto his knees.

At first, he only laughed.

Then, he sobbed.

He had thought it was only part of her.

But it was everything.

And on this day—

The day he understood—

He lost everything.