Chapter 01 . The Woman Standing Before the Muzzle
In the early dawn, Deborah, unable to sleep after tossing and turning all night in distress, finally tidied the blankets and got up.
Thinking of the child in her womb, she knew she should eat well and sleep well—but when she was alone in the quiet, the moment of that nightmarish reunion from a few days ago would invariably resurface, making sleep impossible.
Moreover, the fear that her sleepwalking might recur during the night, unbeknownst to her, was another reason she couldn’t fall into a deep sleep.
She had thought she had fled as far as possible from everything that reminded her of 「Elfengrin」, but her cruel fate, which had never once been on Deborah’s side, had inevitably led her to reunite with Raymond.
To escape the countless thoughts that kept chaining together in her mind, Deborah felt she needed fresh air to clear her head.
Thinking of the still-chilly dawn air, Deborah draped an old shawl over her shoulders and then picked up a wicker basket.
Though she had lost her appetite due to that horrific reunion, she also recalled how she had neglected proper meals lately due to her increasingly heavy body, and she thought she should eat something for the sake of her child.
If it were freshly picked, vibrant fruit from the forest, she felt she might be able to swallow a little.
Having prepared everything, Deborah opened the door of the cabin and stepped out.
She was about to lock the door but, seeing the shabby household items that even a thief wouldn’t bother stealing, she simply closed it and left.
As she stepped outside, the cool and crisp dawn air seeped into her with every breath, pleasantly awakening her entire body.
“Little one—shall we go for a walk together?”
Deborah gently rubbed her swollen belly and whispered in a tender voice.
Whether by coincidence or not, she felt a ‘thump’ of movement from her belly, and her eyes widened in surprise.
That small movement, as if responding positively to her question, was so wondrous that inexplicable tears welled up.
‘Yes… my baby.’
Having felt so alone, as if thrown into the world by herself from birth, Deborah felt a deep attachment as she sensed the ‘life’ stirring within her once more.
This child was her only blood and family in the world.
When she had fled from Elfengrin with nothing, learning that Raymond’s child was growing inside her had made her world go dark.
When she had fled from Elfengrin with nothing, learning that Raymond’s child was growing inside her had made her world go dark.
With no one to rely on, wandering as a vagrant, she couldn’t see the responsibility of a new life as a mere blessing.
But as time passed, her attachment to the child strangely grew day by day.
Perhaps it was because, deep within Deborah, there lingered a longing for the ‘family’ she had lost since birth.
And… the child in her womb was none other than Raymond’s.
Though she couldn’t be purely joyful, not once had she ever considered not having Raymond’s child.
As she thought this, her throat stung, and a heavy feeling welled up.
Recalling the one radiant moment in her life that would never come again—
The moment she had been loved by Raymond filled her chest with a heavy, aching sensation, like a hot stone lodged within.
The man who had once been so tender, like a loving partner, had now become a cruel man who unreservedly poured scorn and ridicule on her in front of everyone.
Knowing it was her own doing only made it more painful and heart-wrenching.
Even after soaking her pillow with tears all night, thick teardrops fell once more from Deborah’s golden eyes.
At that moment, another ‘tap’ of movement came from her belly.
With her nose quickly turning red, Deborah couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the movement.
“Alright, I get it—I’ll stop crying now. I promised not to be a crybaby mom, but I broke it so soon, I’m sorry.”
Deborah gently rubbed her belly again and wiped the thick tears streaming down her cheeks.
Buoyed by her child’s encouragement, she took a step forward with renewed vigor this time.
* * *
The forest, a short distance from 「Chambrin」, was an ideal place for hunting.
Numerous trees of various species grew densely, and a large river nearby provided abundant water.
The healthy ecosystem allowed diverse flora and fauna to thrive, making it an optimal spot for those who came to hunt around this time of year.
From late summer to autumn, as nobles moved to areas where hunting was permitted to hunt birds or deer, this forest was considered one of the best hunting grounds in Rubeik.
The only downside, if it could be called that, was that most of the forest was private property of the Cheister ducal family, accessible only when the duke was hunting.
The only downside, if it could be called that, was that most of the forest was private property of the Cheister ducal family, accessible only when the duke was hunting.
As soon as word spread that the Cheister ducal family, who always moved their residence to Chambrin around this time, had returned this year as expected, nobles flocked to Chambrin as if they had been waiting.
Finally, permission came from the mouth of Duke Cheister, Raymond, that he would go hunting at dawn today and that those who wished to join could do so, which is why a sizable group accompanied Raymond’s hunting expedition that morning.
*Bang—*
As Raymond, holding a rifle adorned with the ornate crest of the Cheister family, took precise aim at a swiftly flying target, the flapping prey fell powerlessly from high in the sky.
Bark, bark— As the prey fell, several ferocious hunting dogs with fierce eyes rushed toward it, seizing the fallen target with sharp teeth.
“That’s—a perfect shot, Duke Cheister.”
“To hit a bird flying that far with a single shot—it’s astounding every time I see it.”
Those watching Raymond’s hunting skills marveled and shook their heads in awe.
His marksmanship was so renowned in Rubeik that half of those who joined the hunt could be said to have come just to witness it.
Even seeing his near-miraculous ability to hit a target with one shot up close, they shook their heads in wonder.
Yet, despite the outpouring of admiration, Raymond’s reaction was utterly cold.
Yet, despite the outpouring of admiration, Raymond’s reaction was utterly cold.
He had always been a cold man, but somehow, the duke they saw this year was not just cold but menacingly grim.
As Raymond silently pulled the trigger at the prey, the nobles, feeling a chill, cleared their throats and exchanged uneasy glances.
Thanks to Raymond’s silent focus on shooting, a pile of prey soon accumulated nearby.
Only after a while, perhaps having lost interest in hunting, did Raymond finally lower the rifle he was holding.
The noblemen, sensing the hunt was drawing to a close, began quietly handing their rifles to the attendants beside them.
*Rustle—*
At that moment, a suspicious sound came from among the group preparing to wrap up the hunt.
The gazes of the people, who had been moving with heightened alertness until just moments ago, turned toward the sound in unison.
At the center of their attention stood a woman.
She appeared startled, and given the relatively close distance, it was clear at a glance that she was a pregnant woman with a swollen belly.
“Didn’t we explicitly warn everyone to stay away from the forest because of the dawn hunt today? How did a woman, a pregnant one at that, end up here—?”
Tch, I’ll go warn her to be careful. Just as an elderly count was about to approach the woman to caution her about the dangerous situation,
“Stop.”
The elderly count, who had just taken a step, froze at the sudden cold voice.
Turning to see Raymond, who had uttered the cold words, the count’s shoulders flinched.
‘How could he have such an expression…’
Cold sweat dripped down the count’s forehead at the sight of Raymond’s piercing, almost blazing blue eyes.
Cold sweat dripped down the count’s forehead at the sight of Raymond’s piercing, almost blazing blue eyes.
Raymond, who had told the count to stop, had his gaze fixed on the uninvited guest standing across from them with a startled expression.
As everyone held their breath, warily observing Raymond’s inexplicable behavior toward the suddenly appeared woman,
He suddenly lifted the rifle he had just lowered and spoke to the men beside him.
“Come to think of it—birds, rabbits, foxes, deer. I’ve hunted most animals, but—”
Uttering the words in a slow, menacing tone, Raymond aimed the barrel of his rifle at the woman, and the faces of the men beside him turned pale.
“Duke Cheister—what, what is this?”
“Duke Cheister—what, what is this?”
The elderly count, who had stepped forward to warn the woman, approached Raymond and spoke in a trembling voice, but Raymond seemed uninterested in anything but the prey before him.
“I’ve never hunted a human before. That one looks like quite a fresh catch, doesn’t it?”
Raymond was the only one smiling at those words, which were unclearly directed at no one in particular.
Yet, despite the clearly tense situation, something strange happened.
The man aiming the gun and the woman standing before the barrel—
The two directly involved in this dangerous situation showed no change in expression on their faces.
Instead, those watching from the sidelines were the ones with anxious and horrified expressions.
As the tense atmosphere held, Raymond’s slow voice came again.
“I once held something just like that in my hands—but it dared to betray me and even bit my hand before running away, didn’t it?”
*Click—*
The sound of the rifle being cocked echoed sharply in the quiet forest.
Even with the barrel threateningly aimed at her, the woman before him—Deborah—showed no movement.
The moment her unshaken expression registered in his vision, Raymond’s face grew even more ferocious.
“With a child in its belly, this one shot will take down two, won’t it?”
Raymond, sneering coldly, finally put strength into the finger on the trigger.
*Bang—*
Everyone present turned their heads or closed their eyes, unable to face the horrific scene unfolding before them.
But after a moment of silence with no further sound, they cautiously opened their eyes.
Seeing the woman, whom they thought would be lying shot, standing upright in the same position as before, they let out sighs of relief.
A small scratch appeared on Deborah’s cheek.
The bullet fired by Raymond, the renowned marksman who never missed, had narrowly grazed her cheek.
Whether it was a mistake or intentional, no one present could tell.
By now, the mocking smile had vanished from Raymond’s face.
Seeing Deborah standing without so much as blinking, even after he had aimed and fired, a cold rage boiled deep within him.
‘That filthy woman, what is she to act like this!’
Staring at Deborah with cold eyes, Raymond fiercely threw down the rifle and turned to leave the forest.
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By Anna 💓
