The Escape of Layla

When I'm done crying, I squeak and watch the sun set. If it's not time to go home, I'm going to lose track. I don't know what face to see Mr. Leanhardt, but if we don't get back to the mansion anyway, the sun will be completely down.

I stood up on the spot with a trembling leg and looked around. Apparently this place is on a small high hill.

Second, breathtaking without thinking of the familiar sight reflected beneath your eyes.

That... is the capital of the kingdom of Altair.

Out of the way, my heart jumped. Before, when I went out to King's Capital with Mr. Leanhardt, I used the magic of metastasis, so I wasn't sure how close I was to the phantom King's Capital.

And perhaps I have gone outside the capital of the Phantom King. There was no place on the map borrowed from Mr. Charlotte to come outside from the capital of the illusion king.

… I wonder if I can return to the capital of the Fantasy King by myself.

Shortly after I felt such anxiety, a familiar voice sounded inadvertently behind me.

"... I finally found it. - Leila."

Yes, a pleasant, clear, slightly lower voice.

If you look back, there was someone there who should have said you miss it the earliest time now.

"... His Royal Highness Prince Wang?

Silver hair, a testament to royalty, is brilliant reflecting the remnants of the sunset. Due to the darkness of the evening, I didn't see well until the pale of my eyes. A few escort knights seemed to be holding back behind His Royal Highness, who, as always, made a dignified twinge.

"What the hell is wrong with you? How could you be in such a place..."

I can't believe the sight in front of me, and I keep my mouth shut with the questions that come to mind. There is nothing too much for His Highness to come with patience on this hill like it may be said to be a detachment of the king's capital.

"I came in a hurry because the guard knight around said I found you. Besides... that's our dialogue, Leila. I can't believe you disappeared from before me without saying anything... did you think you'd be forgiven?

"... Your Highness?

Slowly, then steadily, the distance from His Highness shrinks. Despite this situation, the other person is royal. I tried to get a formal thank you, but there was no strange chest noise in the metal noise that sounded behind His Highness.

Why are His Highness's escort knights holding their swords?

There's no way I'm after His Highness. They are already a thick selection of knights loyal to the royal family.

In that case, there's only one aim for them.

"Your Highness...? Well, what the hell..."

From His Royal Highness and the escort knights who creep closer, he retreats after trying to get a little distance. Even though I knew such imitation was worthy of disrespect, instinctive fear made it so.

"I'm fine. If you stay quiet, you won't let it hurt."

His Highness said so only calmly, but it is also synonymous with declaring that if you return the back, you are after me. After all, the swords of the escort knights are directed at me. Thinking so, the silver glow in the sunset just didn't get scary.

"Huh..."

This is bad. No, pretty bad.

The moment I perceived it, I fled from before His Highness at full speed. Promise, the escort knights will be coming after me soon. I had already run tired and whipped to my paralyzing feet and fled with all my might.

I don't know what His Highness's purpose is, but he's likely after my life. I don't know why, I shouldn't have done anything to resent His Highness. I also accepted the divestiture completely, and I hear you didn't charge any compensation except for my medical expenses. I should have pulled it off so beautifully without any more carelessness.

Or is it Rose? I don't want to suspect Rose, but there's no chance that I've tried to tell Your Highness that there isn't, and to wipe me out - although I don't want to think that my real sister resents me that much.

Besides, it was hard to imagine that that beautiful sister would do me every favor and have a man to resist. With as much power as His Royal Highness, one of the people will be able to turn it off easily. Even if it's a lady from the prestigious Duke's house.

At that moment, he falls pitifully over a branch of a tree hidden in the lawn. One of the leather shoes fell off, dirt on his cheeks, but he ran out again without picking up his shoes or wiping the dirt. Your Highness and the escort knights are already approaching the tip of their eyes and noses. I just have to run as far as I can.

As he continued to run with a terrible cough, it was Mr. Leanhardt's smile that floated behind his brain. If I give up here, I'll never see that smile again. That hunch, close to certainty, kept my body running, having already reached its limits.

But at that moment, he pulls his right arm in his hand, stretched from behind him. It was strong enough to think that my shoulders would fall out.

Looking back, His Highness is grabbing my arm and staring down at me. I didn't know if it was anger or hate living in those eyes, but I was sure it wasn't such a shallow emotion.

When did I make you hate me so much?

"Eh... are you going to kill me? Can't you at least tell me why?

I also look up at His Highness with my breath constantly and almost provoking eyes. Enough. If it were to really kill me, there would be no offense of disrespect or anything.

"Oh, Layla. Can you even look at me like that? [M]... beautiful."

His Royal Highness' fingertips accompany his eyes. I don't know enough to be tortured to get my eyeballs choosen alive, but if His Highness wants to, let's at least wish him a suicide.

For once, I'm still supposed to be the Duke's Lady. Noble housewives are given the option of execution or suicide for the most part, depending on the charge. With all these witnesses, there's no way you're going to torture a duke's warrant for wishing to die yourself.

"Your Highness, if you want my life, please lend me your sword. As a daughter born in the Duke of Ashbury's house, at least at the end of the day, we will die with dignity."

I've decided to be ready. I don't want to die, but if this happens, I can't help it anymore. I'm sure that the punishment for hurting that sweet Mr. Leanhardt hit me.

... Leannhardt will be waiting for his next rebirth.

His Royal Highness had, as always, eyes with strong emotions, but eventually distorted his mouth somewhere interesting. And when I dull, I raise my voice low and laugh out.

"I gave Layla her life, you know.... I finally found out, but there's no way I'm going to do that, is there?

His Royal Highness grinned, glancing at his cheeks with his fingertips that had accompanied the abyss of my eyes. I don't know, that act that even makes me feel comfortable when it makes me Mr. Leanhardt, now only causes chills.

"... were you looking for me?

"It would be obvious"

His Royal Highness's fingertips stretched to my neck muscle and I decided to press the tip of my nails around the carotid artery. As it were, Your Highness gives me a happy grin he has never shown me before.

- Because Leila's mine.

... I've never heard His Royal Highness say "I" before.

I couldn't keep up with my understanding of what was being said, and I had such misplaced feelings. I'm sure I would have looked out of the way.

While doing so, he was clothed to cover his mouth from behind. I spoke out in a hurry, but it didn't get far because it sounded like a mound.

On the contrary, I accidentally collapse onto the spot to see if my legs have finally reached their limit. His Highness kept pulling my arm, so painful that my shoulders seemed to fall out, but still so much that I was drained of strength that I couldn't stand up anymore.

"Because I can't do it with such a luxurious body."

His Royal Highness shrugged so, lifting his arms on my back and behind my knees, he held me straight up. Even though there is a difference in force, I can't even resist it because I'm already so tired that I can't move my hands or legs. He expressed his protest by staring at His Royal Highness, but even that made him laugh as if to mock him.

"... we're going back. Don't let anyone see you."

"Ha."

The sight of His Highness giving pale instructions to the escort knights somehow didn't seem real.

What the hell will happen to me like this? They're gonna kill you?

It was still that guy in my mind, even though I knew I was selfish in such an unexplained situation, remembering the crisis in my life.

- Help me, help me, Mr. Leanhardt.

Zero fallen tears instead of words are sucked into the ground without sound.

The purple blue sky was no longer visible.