Chapter 81
The next day.
Asil returned to the Duke of Skya’s estate, this time with her little rabbit friend hopping at her side.
Once again, Caron was there to greet her. He chattered incessantly, clearly trying to win her favor, but none of his words managed to reach Asil’s ears.
They walked through the garden together, and when they reached the spot where, just yesterday, she had caught the scent of Lilibet and Briden, Asil exchanged a look with the small rabbit nestled in her arms.
Please, rabbit friend. I’m counting on you.
Kyuu!
The little rabbit thumped its chest with both paws, as if to say, Leave it to me!
Then it leapt from her arms and darted straight toward a thick patch of shrubs.
“Rabbit friend, wait! You can’t run off like that!”
Asil pretended to be alarmed and chased after it.
Good job, rabbit friend! Faster—run faster!
“Young lady, where are you going!”
Caron, startled out of his wits, hurried after her.
Asil ran as fast as her small legs could carry her, determined not to be caught.
When she spotted a tall hedge up ahead, she dove straight into it and crouched low.
Unaware that she had disappeared into the greenery, Caron shouted in confusion.
“Young lady! Where have you gone, young lady!”
Kyuu!
The rabbit popped up in front of him, wriggling about conspicuously, then bolted off in the opposite direction of where Asil was hiding.
Caron, completely fooled, chased after the little creature, his voice growing fainter and fainter.
After a short wait, the rabbit returned, panting heavily. Its once-snowy fur was now streaked with dirt from running through the garden.
The tiny creature stood proudly on its hind legs and puffed out its belly.
Kyuu, kyukyuu?
Did I do well?
“You did so well! You’re the best, rabbit friend!”
Asil clapped her hands in delight, then scooped up her brave companion and made her way toward the basement entrance she had found yesterday.
Just as before, two knights stood guard at the doorway.
But today, Asil felt invincible.
“Please.”
Kyuu!
The little rabbit gave a determined nod, then dashed straight for the stairway leading down.
The guards noticed the movement immediately.
“A rabbit?”
“Whose is that? Its fur’s too clean for a wild one…”
“Hey, rabbit, you can’t come this way. Shoo! Shoo—wait, why’s it so fast?!”
“Catch it!”
“Over there! It’s going that way!”
The baby rabbit zigzagged between their legs and bolted down the stairs, luring both knights after it into the depths of the cellar.
Seizing the chance, Asil slipped silently down the steps.
Thankfully, the staircase wasn’t long.
She was nearly at the bottom when she heard the muffled commotion of the knights above.
Kyuuu!
“Finally caught it! What kind of rabbit’s this quick?”
“Oh, you little rascal…”
Ah! My poor rabbit friend’s already been caught!
Asil quickly looked around. She spotted a dark corner just beyond the reach of the torchlight, hurried over, and pulled out the black cloth she had brought with her.
Wrapping it around herself, she curled into a tight ball.
The knights, still distracted with the squirming rabbit, passed by without noticing her at all.
Good job, she thought proudly. I’ll give you a big strawberry when we get home.
Watching their retreating backs, Asil slowly stood up and began moving deeper into the basement, careful to muffle her footsteps.
At the far end of the passageway stood a row of heavy iron doors.
The air was damp and cold, the stone walls thick with age. Once, this place had been a prison for war captives—but now, all but two of the cells stood open and empty.
It looks so gloomy.
The chill and darkness reminded her of the abandoned barn near the old tower—she was scared, but she bit her lip and pressed on.
There was no rabbit friend here to scream alongside her, and the faint scents of Briden and Lilibet were definitely nearby.
If she was this frightened, how terrified must those two humans be right now?
Asil is a fierce black dragon, she reminded herself. I won’t let them see me scared.
With that vow, she approached the iron doors.
Each one had a small peephole—just big enough for a guard to look inside.
Asil hopped up and down, trying to see through it, but her legs were far too short.
Resigned, she looked around, gathered some discarded junk, and stacked it into a makeshift platform.
Balancing carefully, she climbed on top and peered inside.
There—lying motionless on the floor—was Briden.
“…?”
From outside came a faint sound, and the boy’s eyelids fluttered open.
But almost at once, Briden winced and shut his eyes again. He assumed one of the knights had come by to bring him water.
Then—
Tap, tap.
Someone rapped softly on the cell door.
“Oppaaa~.”
Startled, Briden jerked upright. That was not the voice of a knight.
“Wh-who’s there?”
“Asili.”
“Where are you speaking from?”
“Right in front of the door.”
But the prison was pitch-black—no light at all filtered in.
Unlike Asil, whose dragon sight pierced through the darkness, humans saw nothing but solid night.
He stretched out his hands, fumbling his way toward the sound.
“How did you… get in here?”
“I came to save you. Asili will get you out.”
Speaking in a whisper, Asil hopped down from her makeshift platform and glanced behind her.
If she made too much noise, the knights outside might hear. She would have to break it—quietly.
Creak…!
The hinges gave a soft shriek, and then, with a dull clank, the door swung open.
Yes! It worked. Quietly breaking things—Asil can do anything! She’s the mighty black dragon, after all!
She was still congratulating herself when a voice drifted from the next cell.
“Lady Erzébet …?”
It was Lilibet.
Asil hurried over and broke the lock on her door as well.
Moments later, the two bewildered captives stood before her, blinking in disbelief.
“Is this real?”
“Are you really Lady Erzébet?”
Lilibet’s voice trembled. She reached out and began patting Asil’s face over and over, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Her soft, chubby cheeks squished like steamed buns beneath the girl’s hands, but Asil only nodded solemnly.
“Yup. It’s Alili.”
“How did you even get in here? Weren’t knights guarding the entrance?”
“And the door—how did you open it? Only my father has the key.”
“It’s a secret. But why are you and Oppa down here?”
“We tried to run away… and got caught.”
Briden bit his lip, then took her small hand tightly in his.
“Please, help us. We don’t have much, but we can pay.”
Lilibet clutched at Asil’s arm, her voice shaking.
“If there’s anything else you want, we’ll give it to you—anything. Just please help us… please…”
Tears streamed down both their faces as they clung to her.
Seeing that, Asil felt a lump rise in her throat. Straightening her back, she spoke in her most dignified tone.
“You don’t have to give Asili anything. Friends help each other just because. What should I do to help?”
“Wh-what?”
Briden blinked, his eyes wide, unable to process what he’d just heard.
Lilibet’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly before she stammered out her plea.
“Can you take us out of here? Without Father finding out?”
“Okay!”
That much was easy—like eating bread that’s already soft.
Asil pressed the small button on the pendant her father had made for her.
A moment later, Arcian was summoned to the basement through Asil’s necklace.
To keep his identity secret, he quietly put Briden and Lilibet into a deep magical sleep, then transported them to the Erzébet estate.
“Asili has to go get her rabbit friend now.”
Asil returned to the Skya ducal garden, pretending she’d been lost all this time, and retrieved her rabbit from a flustered Caron.
Then she went straight back to the count’s manor.
Hours passed.
When the two children finally stirred from their enchanted slumber, they opened their eyes slowly.
“Ugh…”
“Where… are we?”
“At Asili’s house,” came the small voice beside them.
Propping her chin on the edge of their bed, Asil beamed at them.
The Skya siblings’ eyes went round as saucers.
“What?”
“This is your house?”
The warm glow of sunset filtered through the window—it was clearly no dungeon.
But the Erzébet estate? How could that be? Who on earth had brought them all this way?
Lilibet’s voice quivered as she asked,
“Did you really… take us out of the basement?”
“Yup.”
“How?”
“It’s a secret.”
Asil grinned—wide and mischievous.
Lilibet stared at her in awe, tears welling in her eyes.
“How could we ever repay this kindness…?”
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By Anna 💓
