The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 216: The deepest part

Canillas drifted his cold gaze away from the gore scene before him toward Joanna, who was now in his arms.

Pulling his arm that wrapped around Joanna’s head away to move it around her shoulder, Canillas could finally see Joanna’s face closely as she lifted her head to see him.

She smiled at him, but Canillas could only linger his eyes on her face in silence before trailing down to her neck.

Tightening his grip on Joanna’s shoulder, Canillas raised his other hand, but he stopped midway before touching the wound on her neck, not willing to stain the part of her body with his bloody hand.

It was what Marvin watched from the other end of the corridor.

Hissing in pain, Marvin looked down to find the fabric of his navy uniform was darker on the area around the right side of his stomach.

"Joanna!"

He then shifted his gaze from the bleeding wound on his stomach toward the source of the hysteric voice. Soon, Marvin made his way there in a haste, holding the wound with his one hand but ignoring the unbearable pain.

"There are more of them here." Marvin heard the man across from him speak to him in an urgent tone with his heavy breath, but he did not remove his gaze from the unconscious Joanna, who was now being carried in the man’s arms.

"Please inform the chief guard to close all the gates and find them all. Investigate and make sure there are no missing guests, especially young ladies," Canillas said more quickly, noticing where the young Captain’s eyes were fixed.

"Thank you." Canillas met the young Captain’s blue eyes as the young Captain finally saw him in the eyes. "I will never forget that."

He meant it because if the young Captain did not throw a dagger precisely on the back of the filthy man at the right time, Canillas refused to imagine what would happen next.

He did notice the young Captain was wounded. However, at the moment Canillas considered only the young Captain the right person to deliver the emergency message he had shared, although he had the authority to do so, recalling the military cooperation between Archess and Terra, where he was officially appointed to be the person in charge of overseeing the alliance.

As was informed by Admiral Vich, the young Captain was one of the most capable Terran navy soldiers, and Canillas wanted him to get more acknowledgement by carrying out a notable task. At least, it was the simple thing he could do to repay what he had done for his wife.

Aside from all of that consideration, there was nothing important to do at the moment but to have his wife open her eyes again.

---

Joanna made a slow pace down the forest, bathing in the moonlight with bare feet. Her long, dark hair was tousled by the wind behind her back.

Coming to a stop in the deepest part of the forest, Joanna looked up into the sky, where the moon cast a pale light.

Looking around, she found nothing but tall trees that towered around her, reaching up to the dark sky.

A wind picked up, making her shiver. Her white nightgown fluttered, not able to shield her from the shivering night breeze.

It was time to go back. It was too quiet and cold. She disliked it, although she preferred to dwell in a peaceful place compared to a noisy one.

Joanna made a turn around, pacing down the same path to return to the bright place that was warm and not too deafeningly quiet.

Her home. She had to go back to her home.

But she was there again, back to the deepest part of the forest, where she could see the moon up there. Nonetheless, different from before, light was minimally cast down this time as dark clouds gradually hovered over the sky.

Joanna was consumed by fear. She was afraid—afraid if her surroundings became darker, afraid if the rain would come soon, afraid if she could not find her way home.

Feeling suffocated, Joanna made her way again, returning to where her family was supposed to wait for her.

But she was there again. She was trapped. She could not find a way out. She was back in the deepest part of the forest, no matter how much she walked through the same path that directed to her home.

Joanna was in panic. She wanted to scream for help, but no sound she could make, as if there were a lump in her throat, blocking her from making any sound.

All she could do was cry. But even in her cry, no sound could be made by her.

She cried in silence until a rustling sound of footsteps on dry leaves seeped into her ears, breaking all the deafening quiet that gave her no peace.

Joanna was alarmed. Fear washed over her shivering body when the sound got closer and closer toward her direction.

She was about to run away, escaping the danger that might approach, but she cancelled all the precaution measures she had in her mind when a tall, strong figure came into her view.

Joanna knew this figure, although she could not see his face clearly due to the dense dark clouds that did not allow the pale moonlight to cast its grace freely.

The cry turned into a smile as she let out a sigh of relief.

Without any hesitation, Joanna approached the figure with a light step, knowing that he came to help her. However, before she could get closer, the figure turned his back on her and walked away from her.

Yet it did not stop Joanna from following him because she felt certain that he came to help her find a way out. And he indeed came for her, as he led her to a place that she preferred to be.

Light gradually appeared. Her surroundings turned bright as sunlight blasted around her, blinding her eyes. The mixed fragrance of fresh flowers was in the breeze.

Looking around, Joanna found herself now surrounded by a sea of various wildflowers. She was now in the middle of the meadow.

She smiled broadly as she felt secure. All her fear had evaporated, turning into vapor in the wind.

Joanna turned to see the figure who had brought her there, but the figure was still away from her, maintaining his distance from her. He just stood on the side of the meadow with his eyes on hers.

Joanna smiled at him once again, expressing her gratitude and comfort. Yet he once again did not return the smile to her. He only looked at her with a face that was void of expression.

Then she was standing there, in the middle of the meadow, while he was on the outer side, distancing from her. Only their eyes were met in the air as they stared at each other, becoming a thread to connect them, despite the significant distance that separated them.

But it did not last long, as the figure retreated, showing his broad back to her, and then walking away, stretching to the distance between them.