Winter Wolf - Chapter 2. Part 1

Chapter 2. Part 1

Terrence’s room is the same as Lysithea’s. She looked at the small bed, which seemed too small for him to lie on, and then shifted her attention to the table.

On the small table was the map she had mentioned.

‘The marks are…’

The map, covered in leather, was smudged with red stains, perhaps from wine or blood.

Lysithea held onto the map tightly, avoiding dwelling on more disturbing thoughts. She returned to her room, glancing down the dimly lit hallway.

The sound of a snowstorm outside her window mixed with the crackling of wood in the fireplace. Lysithea sat in bed, cuddling into the cold blankets and unfolding the map.

The road to the port was empty. Along the way, there were three or four small inns that served as halfway points for the next three nights.

The map had limited coverage, so if she wanted to find another port, she would need to backtrack to the nearest city or town.

She had to explore everywhere, whether it was the last town she passed or the original port she aimed for, and find a new map or a different broker.

The question loomed: could she afford it? Would she still be alive when the time came?

‘Three days…’

Lysithea tousled her crimson hair. She closed her eyes and considered the possibility that the sea would freeze over in three days. If that were to happen, she could make it to a harbor and wait for the weather to improve before she could stow away. With any luck, the sea might melt in a week.

Did she consider herself lucky to survive?

Lysithea clenched her teeth as Terrence’s smile appeared in her mind.

Lysithea never thought of herself as lucky. In a single night, her life was completely overturned, leading to the loss of her family and fiancé and making her the target of killers.

Each time she faced death, she made critical decisions and managed to survive. However, this time, uncertainty clouded her mind.

A snowstorm was still blowing outside, and her money was running low. If she asked Terrence to get one horse tomorrow, he would probably ask for more money. If she agreed, she would run out of funds by the time she reached the port, leaving her stranded on the road.

Her bet with Terrence may save her.

‘Surely, I won’t lose.’

Lysithea prepared herself. She reassured herself that there were no ghosts. She believed that even if she lost, it wouldn’t matter as much as her fear.

Prince Jade’s engagement ring. A relic of the Asylum, beautiful as it was, it would surely sell for a fortune if she still had it.

It was the last item she brought back from the capital. She kept it not because she loved the Prince, but because she didn’t want to forget the past.

‘Somehow, I must survive.’

Lysithea fell asleep, feeling a slight regret for not having eaten.

***

Lysithea Heilenair del Arman is the youngest daughter of a Marquis. She is naturally optimistic but has a dark side. When she runs away, her senses are always on high alert, and she rarely falls into a deep sleep.

She changed her bed frequently.

However, now she cannot tolerate any noise while sleeping, especially screaming.

‘Is there someone out there?’

Lysithea woke up to someone’s presence. She got out of bed, feeling dizzy and uncomfortable. The room was dimly lit by a small fire on that deep night.

Through the swirling blizzard, she could hear a man screaming outside her door.

She wondered if it was Terrence, but the voice was too high-pitched.

It was a different voice. She put on a shawl over her pajamas and quickly went to investigate. The screams were coming from some distance away, so she hesitated to open the door. She turned the doorknob slowly, trying not to make any noise, and opened the door. The cool air from the hallway rushed in.

Lysithea looked around the hallway and asked, “Is anyone here?”

The fire was glowing from under the door of Terrence’s room. Lysithea gathered her courage and stepped into the hallway to face him.

She heard a scream that seemed to be coming from the room.

Lysithea knocked on Terrence’s door. She was worried that someone might jump out of the dark hallway.

Terrence, can you come out for a moment?

She spoke a little louder into the door, but there was no response from inside. Lysithea excused herself and turned the doorknob, but the door was locked.

“I told you earlier not to disturb me when I’m sleeping.”

Lysithea felt uneasy knowing a big man was sleeping behind a door she couldn’t unlock. She couldn’t do anything about it.

The unrecognizable screams echoed from somewhere down the hallway. However, she lacked the courage to explore the darkness alone and uncover the truth.

I will ask Terrence in the morning instead of doing this nonsense,’ she thought.

Lysithea eventually returned to her room. This time, she made sure to lock the door behind her. After spending a few moments in the warmth of the campfire’s light, she slid under the covers.

She closed her eyes, but she couldn’t sleep.

Lysithea keeps hearing screams.

The screams started once and never stopped. She covered her ears with both hands and wondered, ‘Who is he and why is he in so much pain?’

During dinner, Terron mentioned that the previous owner of the mansion was a big drug dealer on the continent about a hundred years ago.

*”He was killed by people he held a grudge against.”

As soon as his words sank in, Lysithea’s mind raced.

‘No, it can’t be true; it can’t be true.’

She bit her lip, tightly pulling the blankets over her head.

‘A ghost? Such things didn’t exist.’

‘Then what was that screaming?’

‘There’s someone else in this house,’

Lysithea reasoned as logically as she could.

‘An unfamiliar man is hiding in there. But why is he screaming so loud?’

‘The mansion is large and has many rooms. Someone may be hiding or staying in another room with Terrence’s consent.’

‘But why is he screaming like that?’

‘Terrence… Terrence is aware of it; that’s why he sleeps so soundly no matter who’s screaming.’

Lysithea was nervous, and her resentment toward Terrence was growing.

‘He should’ve informed me if there was anyone else in the house, aside from me, that blasted broker.’

‘That man is insufferable.’

Lysithea tossed and turned, grinding her teeth.

The screaming ended in the early hours of the morning, and Lysithea, still unable to sleep, finally opened her eyes to face the light of day.

***

“You seem quite exhausted.”

“What? Aaah….”

Lysithea sat at the kitchen table, struggling to contain her overwhelming drowsiness. She hadn’t woken up until after dawn, and it was nearing lunchtime.

“Do not tell me that you still hold onto any of your previous noble habits, such as sleeping in.”

Terrence laid out a simple lunch and handed Lysithea a metal glass. She reached for a napkin, feeling embarrassed.

The steaming soup and heated sausage appeared more appetizing than the previous night’s meal. As she tasted the soup, Terrence smiled.

“It seems like you’re starting to feel better. Yesterday, you were almost completely without an appetite.”

“Hey, Terrence. I’ve been wondering about something.”

“What is it?”

Lysithea inquired, trying to make it sound casual.

“Is there anyone else in this house besides me? Perhaps another refugee, or someone else?”

Upon hearing her question, Terrence immediately shook his head.

“No way. That’s impossible. This job requires confidentiality.”

“Really?”

Lysithea’s face showed a hint of frustration. Terrence observed her expression and asked.

“Why do you ask?”

“I heard a scream last night.”

Lysithea almost answered, but she quickly closed her mouth. She continued to take a risk with Terrence, holding back. If they were alone in the mansion and she admitted she heard someone else scream, she knew how he would react.

“last night?”

He asked again in a husky voice. Undoubtedly, the voice was different from the one that screamed last night.

Lysithea sighed at the deep, masculine tone and excused herself.

She explained, “Something you said bothered me, and I couldn’t sleep.”

Terrence glared at her as if urging her to continue. Lysithea casually changed the topic.

“So, since stowing away isn’t an option, when do we plan on getting new horses?”

“Oh, that’s what kept you up?”

He smiled and lifted his knife.

“I thought you had seen a ghost or something. You were acting strange,” he said.

“No, I’m just a bit tired,” she replied.

Terrence’s eyes lingered on the side of Lysithea’s face as she shifted her gaze away. Terrence stared at her for a moment before returning to slicing the sausage.

“As soon as the snow calms down, we’ll go get horses at the nearest inn.”

“So, when…?”

“We are not sure when the snowstorm will stop if it will be in three days or more.”

Lysithea looked out the window and felt dismayed. Unfortunately, the storm showed no signs of stopping.

At this rate, she wondered if they would be snowed in and unable even to open the door. Lysithea starts worrying.

“Oh, what if an assassin shows up?”

“What?”

Terrence’s remark reignited Lysithea’s long-buried fear. She worried about being trapped in the mansion and exposed to a potential killer.

Terrence noticed her tense expression and said, ‘Get on your horse and ride away. ”I’ll be fine staying here.”

Will you kill the killer for me? Terrence laughed as she asked.

“No, of course not. Why would I go through all that trouble to help you? I’ll just act like I don’t know you when a killer comes after you.”

Lysithea was horrified. He would have abandoned her without hesitation.

“Do you think you’ll be safe if I’m killed? There’s no way they’re leaving witnesses alive; we’d rather face this together.”

“There are many ways to keep me alive if I choose to do so.”