If You Wish to Have Me

IYWHM Chapter 170

     

A welcome face she hadn’t seen in quite some time. However, there was no leisure to rejoice in their reunion.

Kisa asked Gale, being careful not to let any sound leak outside.

“Did you infiltrate this place pretending to be a laborer?”

“That’s right. I was lucky. It just so happened that the concert hall was recruiting a large number of people due to problems with the building.”

Gale carefully closed the window he had entered through and faced Kisa.

“Moreover, whether it was a money issue or not, they weren’t being picky about hiring even incompetent riffraff. Well, thanks to that, I was able to wander around inside the building beforehand and familiarize myself with the layout.”

It seemed that the reason he had been able to instantly move from the break room where he was just moments ago, go outside, and infiltrate through the restroom window was due to the geographical information he had gained while working as a laborer.

Kisa hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“To be honest, I don’t understand why you would go to such lengths for me, Mr. Gale. But…”

Various emotions swirled within her, and many questions arose. But there was something else she had most wanted to tell him over the past few days.

“Thank you. You’re extending a helping hand once again to me, who left without a word.”

Gale, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth with “Perhaps…”

“Perhaps that’s what I wanted to hear. It’s natural to hope that you can be of help to someone you care about.”

Upon hearing those words, a sad expression naturally appeared in Kisa’s blue eyes.

“Please don’t worry about it. I know well what your feelings are.”

Gale spoke first, cutting it off as if to say she didn’t need to say anything.

“In fact, I had somewhat foreseen this from when I first confessed. Nevertheless, I came here of my own will.”

“Mr. Gale…”

“Now, since we don’t have plenty of time, shall we get to the main point? If we drag this out too long here, those outside will find it suspicious.”

Feeling his gentle consideration in trying to lighten the burden on her heart until the very end, Kisa quietly nodded.

“Since this is important, I want to confirm once more. Do you truly want to leave that man’s side—Duke Hillan’s side?”

It was an answer that needed no hesitation.

“Yes, that’s right.”

She loved Seyard, but it was difficult to trust him, and she couldn’t enjoy true happiness by his side.

‘As long as he tries to control me, nothing will change from when I first ran away.’

Seyard had said he would change, that he would try harder, but they were all empty promises.

If that had really been his true feelings from the beginning, when they met again, he wouldn’t have used the child in her womb as leverage to keep Kisa tied to him.

“If I could, I’d want to leave right now.”

“Then for now, worry only about your own situation. Put other problems aside for the time being.”

With those words, Gale blocked Kisa from worrying about himself or Chloe, who was cooperating with him.

Kisa knew it was a selfish decision that relied on Gale’s kindness, yet she answered that she understood.

Then Gale, with a somewhat satisfied expression, asked her to tell him about the detailed situation Kisa was currently in.

“I’ve heard the general situation from Chloe, but hearing it from you is different. No matter what plan we devise, I need to know for certain.”

“Well, there are seven servants who assist me in total. Of those, about three are always on standby in my room, and the rest are…”

Kisa tried to explain in as much detail as possible, excluding information that Chloe would likely have already provided to him.

Gale listened seriously to Kisa’s story and asked questions in between.

“Will there be another opportunity for you to go out?”

“I can create one if I try. I’m not exactly under house arrest.”

“Then can you go out by yourself without necessarily being with the Duke?”

“Yes, I haven’t had any reason to go out until now, but it should be possible. Of course, servants and bodyguards would follow me. Ah, but if I suddenly say I’m going out alone, he might become suspicious.”

“Then it would be good to gradually increase your outings from now on so that he lets his guard down. Would that be difficult?”

“No, I can do it. If I say that my interest in the outside world has returned after this outing, it wouldn’t be such a strange excuse.”

“Good. We’ll do that… Now, about the specific escape method.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a method that can only be used once at most, but here’s what I’ve been thinking.”

After hearing his words, Kisa placed her hand on her cheek and fell into thought.

“It’s the most realistic method available. But to execute it, how I act will also be important.”

“That’s right. Shaking off the Duke’s people and being alone, like today, is absolutely essential.”

“I’ll try it once. No, I have to make it work even if it doesn’t.”

When there were people like Gale and Chloe who were going all out to help her even though it wasn’t their problem, she couldn’t say she lacked confidence in even this much.

Gale smiled at that confident declaration and offered praise that was unlike him.

“Your confident attitude looks good. If you continue like that, you’ll surely succeed.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you for saying that.”

Kisa lowered her head, feeling embarrassed.

‘I thought he was someone who was blunt in attitude despite having a kind heart, but he has this side too.’

Come to think of it, just as Daniel and Melissa, whom she had known for over ten years, had sides she didn’t know about, it was natural in a way that Gale also had aspects Kisa hadn’t encountered yet.

When she thought about it, she hadn’t known him for even half a year.

If the plan succeeded and she escaped from Seyard, would there be opportunities to see more of his other sides?

Such thoughts lightly crossed Kisa’s mind, but given the situation, they couldn’t deepen further.

Meanwhile, Gale, who had wiped the smile from his face, returned to the main topic.

“Escaping from that man’s people is important, but where and how to go afterward is the key.”

“I agree.”

Hadn’t her previous escape also succeeded in getting away from Seyard itself, but problems arose afterward?

“Miss Manoa and I underestimated the Duke too much. This time, it might be best to go not just somewhere like Octava, but much farther—to an entirely different continent. But that…”

A gaze containing subtle worry reached Kisa.

“I’m prepared. It will be a difficult journey, but I’ll try to endure it. I managed the sea journey quite well.”

“I’m quite relieved to hear you say that. But actually, what I’m most worried about is a different part.”

“What’s that?”

He hesitated somewhat before answering.

“It’s too… obvious.”

Gale’s eyes darkened with concern.

“The escape method I just mentioned, and the plan to go to a more distant place—they’re all extremely standard responses. I’m not sure if we can truly shake off the Duke’s pursuit with methods of this level.”

Seeing him worry, words like ‘it’s okay’ or ‘don’t worry’ didn’t come easily. In fact, Kisa had the same thoughts.

That’s how much Seyard Hillan occupied a position as a massive, undeniable presence in her heart.

“In that sense, I’ve been thinking of a move. It’s still in the planning stage, but if…”

Gale’s words couldn’t continue further.

“Lady Kisa? Are you there, Lady Kisa?”

It was the voice of a bodyguard waiting outside.

“The performance will start soon, so you need to go now. Is there some problem? Should I go call the servants?”

Kisa cleared her throat and tried to speak calmly as she opened her mouth.

“Nothing’s wrong. I was just resting for a moment because my stomach was feeling queasy.”

“This may be presumptuous to say, but if you’re really having a hard time, how about just returning to the hotel? His Grace said you should do so too.”

“I’m really fine. I’ll come out now.”

It seemed like she would arouse suspicion if she didn’t leave quickly.

“Gale, I…”

“Go. I’ll leave through the window right away too. Instead, let me tell you just one thing.”

Then Gale conveyed one piece of information regarding the next communication with Chloe.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. Farewell.”

Kisa nodded firmly and left the restroom with those final words. Then she hurriedly entered the hall following the bodyguards’ guidance.

Since the start time was right around the corner, it seemed she was almost the last person to enter.

“You’re late.”

Seyard had already arrived and was sitting in his designated seat.

“Yes, my stomach wasn’t feeling well…”

“Is that really so?”

“Pardon?”

Kisa was about to sit in the seat next to Seyard when she met his eyes at that question.

“I asked if you were really late because your stomach wasn’t feeling well.”

A pair of red eyes glinted sharply.

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