Thinking of Jin, I let out a long, involuntary sigh. The way Astrid Obert—the unlicensed doctor—had treated the street children had been simple: feed them well, keep them in a clean place, and let them sleep soundly. That was all.
And what about me? Back in the modern world, I had been nothing more than an ordinary office worker. A low-level employee in the new-product development team at a confectionery company, that’s all. For someone as ordinary as me to become the personal physician to the leader of a rebel army…
According to the original story, three months from today, Jin dies. After his death the Liberators scatter in every direction, and Astrid is murdered. Yes. My own fate would come to an end in three months as well.
“…If I want to survive, I must never go down to the underground city—the Liberators’ hideout.”
That was the conclusion I had reached after a week of frantic confusion following my possession into this book. I had already tasted the agony of death once. I could not endure that kind of pain again.
Just then, commotion erupted outside the cell.
They’re here. The Liberators.
I gripped Rodant’s hand tightly as he flinched at the sound of gunshots and screams.
“Stop them! It’s the Liberators!”
The guards shouted. As if that would make any difference. They were all going to die soon anyway.
Before long, a man with ash-gray hair flowing behind him appeared in front of the cell door.
“Astrid Obert?”
His voice was deep and trustworthy as he asked. The sturdy man looking down at me had eyes like a lion’s—exactly as the novel described. Long, pale-gray hair; sky-blue eyes so light they seemed almost colorless. A man with strong, handsome features.
And those broad shoulders… damn, he really was built like a tank.
“…I’ll ask again. Are you Teacher Obert?”
When I didn’t answer right away and simply looked him up and down, he frowned slightly and repeated the question. Wow, what a short temper.
“Yes, that’s me. I am Astrid Obert. And you are?”
Of course I already knew who he was, but I asked out of courtesy.
This was Richard, the second-in-command of the Liberators. Jin’s most loyal right hand and his one true friend.
“There’s no time to explain. Come with me for now.”
Richard pulled a bundle of keys from his coat and began searching for the right one. In the distance, a guard’s shout rang out.
“Here! The Gray Lion is here!”
Gray Lion—Richard’s nickname. Come to think of it, the man standing before me right now was the third most wanted criminal in the entire Regnumia Empire.
“Wait just a moment.”
Richard spoke in a low voice. Then he raised his revolver toward the guards charging at him and began firing. One shot, one man down. The precision was breathtaking.
The novel had emphasized what a crack shot he was, but seeing it in person was something else entirely.
This era’s technology wasn’t advanced; the standard firearms were crude matchlocks at best. Yet that revolver had been specially developed by one of the Liberators’ craftsmen.
In no time at all, the swarm of guards that had rushed in like ants lay scattered on the ground. Richard’s movements grew urgent. He had to get Astrid out of the prison before the imperial troops arrived.
“Come out, Teacher Obert.”
Richard unlocked the cell door.
Finally, escape from this suffocating cage. I had grown sick of staring at the sliver of sky visible through the tiny barred window. Heart lifting, I stepped out.
We ran frantically until we reached a deserted back alley. The silence was absolute—no sound of pursuit. We had shaken them off, at least for now.
“Uncle… are you really the ‘Gray Lion’?”
Rodant’s eyes sparkled like stars as he looked up at Richard. Richard glanced at the boy, then gave a polite bow to both of us.
“I should have introduced myself earlier. My name is Richard.”
At his answer, Rodant let out an awed “Wow—”
“Can I become a Liberator too?”
Rodant’s eyes shone even brighter. Any moment now lasers were going to shoot out of them. A faint smile touched Richard’s otherwise stern face.
“Of course. Come with us.”
The Liberators took in every street child who had no home and no family. It seemed Rodant would end up joining them after all—just as the original story dictated.
“I’ve been slow with the purpose of our visit, Teacher Obert. We need your help. You are our only hope. You must come with us.”
Richard spoke gravely. Excuse me? First meeting, and already that heavy tone, calling me their only hope? How was any woman supposed to keep her heart from racing after hearing that?
“I’ve heard the rumors, yes, but… I’m not a skilled physician. I don’t even have a medical license. I can’t go with you.”
The rumor that the “King of the Underground City,” Jin, was dying had already spread throughout the empire. Of course, the original Astrid would have marched into hell itself if someone needed her help.
But I wasn’t her. I wanted to live.
Jin’s death was tragic, but there was nothing I could do even if I went. If I followed Richard to the underground city now, my life would end in three months.
When he heard my refusal, genuine surprise flickered across Richard’s face. What, shocked that the so-called Angel of Aub Street isn’t quite the saint the rumors painted?
“I never imagined Teacher Obert would refuse.”
Richard said quietly.
Please don’t say something like “Refusal is not an option.” Come on, big strong mister, just let me go. I looked at him pleadingly.
Richard let out a reluctant sigh and spoke.
“…Pardon my rudeness, Teacher Obert.”
He sounded impeccably polite. Rudeness? What rudeness? I stared at him in confusion.
And then—
Click. Richard cocked the revolver and leveled it at my head.
“I’ll ask one more time, Teacher Obert. Will you come with me?”
……Right now there was a gun…… pointed at my head. Cold sweat trickled down my spine. Of course. There was no way it would be this easy.
“I-I’ll go! I’ll follow you, so please put the gun down!”
My voice came out in a pathetic whine. Richard lowered the revolver with that same impassive expression. Then he pulled a length of black cloth from his coat. W-what are you—
“I’m sorry. Until we reach the underground city, I’ll have to cover your eyes. We can’t risk you memorizing the route and escaping later.”
Richard said as he gently tied the black cloth over my eyes.
……Had the original Astrid been blindfolded and dragged away like this too? No, surely not. Richard wouldn’t have done something so cold to the angel who walked into the tiger’s den of her own free will.
