Escape from the evil lady (GL)
Chapter 80 - 30. Wishing for happiness

Chapter 80: Chapter 30. Wishing for happiness

Since this day turned out to be quite exhausting, I decided to go to bed earlier than usual. But suddenly, before I could give the necessary orders to the maids, there was a knock on my room.

The knocking was quite loud and impatient.

There weren’t many people in this castle who were willing to barge in on me with such persistence. Of course, at first I assumed that it might be the Crown Princess. And so I wondered what she could be doing here at this hour. However...

«Come in,» after I hesitantly gave my permission, the door swung open without delay.

I didn’t think I could be even more surprised, because the unexpected visitor to my room wasn’t even the Crown Princess, but... Mag.

The Knight of the Dark Host looked agitated and out of breath, as if he had been running all the way here.

— Meg...? What are you doing here? — I asked immediately.

— Lady!

Suddenly, a man with scars and a menacing appearance fell to his knees in front of me.

I involuntarily opened my mouth.

— Wait...! What are you doing?!

— Lady, I know it would be unworthy of me to ask for such a thing, but still... — he stuttered: — Please help me save my friend!

«What?»

It took me a moment to understand what he meant.

— What are you talking about? — I asked slowly.

— Jacob is... him... — Mag sobbed, — He might die soon!

— Die? — I asked in surprise, — What does that mean?

— Her Highness sentenced him to death for what he did to you... It’s supposed to take place tomorrow morning.

— ...

— I know it was an unworthy act, and I tried my best to dissuade him, however... — Mag steeled himself before continuing to speak, — Jacob was my comrade, and we fought side by side for many years. Even though it was Her Highness’ will... I can’t just watch him die!

— ...

— So please do something...

After listening to the revelations of the knight, who was about to burst into tears, I couldn’t find the words for a while. Of course, even I couldn’t have expected that the Crown Princess would want to execute her most loyal subordinate for such a thing. Especially Jacob Osman, who had been her right-hand man for a long time.

And while the huge knight in front of me was sobbing, at first I really didn’t know what to do. But anyway... Isn’t death too harsh a punishment? Even if he was one of the knights of the Dark Host, but one way or another, he was still a man who had something to lose.

Although it was a completely unexpected change in my plans for the evening, I didn’t seem to have a choice. I sighed softly.

— Where is Jacob now? — I decided to ask after a lull.

— Him... — Mag continued to stifle his sobs, — Her Highness ordered him to be locked up in a dungeon until his execution tomorrow.

I sighed again, and this time I answered the knight, who was looking at me hopefully:

— OK... In that case, I’ll visit him.

***

Even though the maids tried to dissuade me, I still quietly left my room that night to visit the dungeon. There was no point in keeping it a secret from them, because the maids were always at my door anyway, and I couldn’t just get rid of them. So I just decided to tell them about my plans as they are.

And although, of course, none of my maids supported this idea, I decided to implement it anyway. More precisely, Mag’s pitiful tone and gaze simply left me with no other choice.

When I arrived at the dungeon located in the dungeon of the Heilos residence, the guards were surprised to see me. And when I informed them of my intention to visit the prisoner, they hesitated a bit before letting me through.

«Shouldn’t a person intending to visit the dungeon first get Her Highness’ permission?»

«But the princess said that we should obey this lady’s orders as if they were her own... What if we get punished for it later?»

After whispering among themselves for a while, the soldiers finally stepped aside, allowing me to go forward.

— Lady, do you need an escort? — One of the guards asked hesitantly.

— No, it’s okay, — I smiled briefly, — I’m only going to come in for a while.

— ...Good.

Having passed this obstacle, I breathed a sigh of relief when I was finally able to enter the dungeon. Passing by the prison bars, behind which a variety of prisoners were kept, I eventually reached almost the very end. And in the penultimate camera, I could make out a familiar dark silhouette.

— Sir Jacob.

The knight was startled to hear my voice.

— A lady? What are you doing here?

— I... I came to talk to you.

— Talk? — He smiled bitterly, — What are you going to talk about with a man who is about to die?

— Sir Jacob...

— Lady, I don’t need your sympathy. Please go back to your room as soon as possible.

With these words, the knight was about to resume his former position, sitting on the cold floor and leaning back against the wall, staring blankly at it. But I didn’t let him go back to it.

— Are you really ready to die so easily? — I asked.

The main villain’s subordinate replied without hesitation:

— I failed Her Highness, so I deserve it.

— Is it really so?

— What...?

— I understand, — I nodded my head slowly, — you only did this for the good of Her Highness. Isn’t it?

— ...

— I came here not so long ago. So it’s pretty obvious that you don’t trust me. And yet. I will do my best to prevent the death of an innocent person.

Of course, the word «innocent» was said with some exaggeration on my part, but I continued to speak in the same spirit. At that moment, I turned around, intending to head out of the dungeon. But Jacob Osman suddenly called out to me in a low voice from behind.

— Lady, — he began hesitantly, — don’t you want to know why I came back for you?

I smiled faintly, and it was hard to see in the darkness of the dungeon. Nevertheless, I answered anyway:

— Is it because you wanted Her Highness to be happy?

— ...

Jacob Osman, still looking at me strangely, didn’t say a word. Then I continued talking:

— We think the same way. I also wish Her Highness nothing but happiness.