Chapter 90: CH 90

Riett blinked silently and asked slowly,

“…Is that important right now?”

Evan smiled playfully,

“Yes, it is to me.”

Riett found it difficult to accept Evan’s sudden question.

‘Why are you asking such a random question?’

“Answer me, Riett.”

Suddenly, Evan’s wet hair was right in front of Riett’s eyes. Behind it, his deep eyes urged for an answer.

“Am I more handsome than him?”

In an instant, Riett’s eyebrows narrowed.

‘No way…’

Riett seemed to understand the absurdity behind this question.

“Are you… jealous?”

Evan smiled gently again. His sharp eyes flashed between narrowed eyelids.

“Madly.”

Although it was an answer that didn’t match his expression, the slight crease on his forehead truly conveyed his feelings. Startled, Riett barely managed to respond.

“He may be good-looking… but I only met him once!”

“You said he was a handsome man.”

So, he asked such a nonsensical question…? Has he been bothered since then?

“I said he was beautiful, not handsome!”

“Hmm… I see.”

Despite Riett’s explanation, Evan still seemed dissatisfied. With a sense of unease, Riett added an explanation.

“Evan, to me, Perante is someone I consider an enemy.”

“I know… but whenever he catches Riett’s gaze, I feel jealous.”

Evan expressed his feelings without restraint as if a seal had been lifted. It was Riett’s job to stiffen up even more.

But suddenly, Evan smirked.

“Why are you suddenly smiling?”

“Because now I can honestly express my emotions.”

Is that good? On the contrary, it feels incredibly uncomfortable to her…

While Riett silently complained, Evan leaned against the back of the chair.

“To expose Perante’s true identity to others, we need to have a good conversation with the Crown Prince of the Haren Empire.”

Indeed, if they can reveal Perante’s true identity from that side, things will be easier.

From the Crown Prince’s perspective, exposing a spy wouldn’t be favorable, but Evan was hopeful because he thought the Crown Prince might consider himself indebted.

“Yes… And for now, I plan to inform His Majesty before anyone else.”

His Majesty will surely be greatly shocked. He has believed in Perante like steel and has been obsessed with finding the Spirit Stone, but the Spirit Mage had other intentions.

Riett, who had furrowed her eyebrows, quickly turned to Evan.

“Why did Perante betray the Truto Empire?”

“Well, he might have been offered better conditions by the Haren Empire, or perhaps he was disappointed in His Majesty.”

“But then there was no need for him to inform His Majesty about the location of the Spirit Stone.”

Certainly, something must have happened after he reported the location of the Spirit Stone to His Majesty. He stayed in the palace for about two days after reporting the location of the Spirit Stone.

According to His Majesty’s words, Perante did not enjoy meeting people. During his stay at the palace, he mostly stayed in his room or took walks near the palace. So, it’s unlikely that he had the opportunity to meet someone and plot a scheme.

The letters entering the palace were censored, so if he showed any suspicious movements, he would have been caught for sure.

“Riett, let’s stop thinking about it for today. Just discovering that he is a spy is already a significant achievement.”

A soft voice interrupted Riett’s thoughts. Riett now noticed that her eyebrows were furrowed. She slowly relaxed the facial muscles that had been tightened.

‘Yeah.’

No more thoughts for today.

Riett made an effort to continue the conversation with Evan on a lighter topic.

“How is your father doing?”

“He heard about the plight of exiled Riett, and it doesn’t seem like he’s doing well.”

“You worry a lot, don’t you?”

“He said he would come here right away with the knights.”

As if recalling Evan’s father, who was raging, Riett shook her head with a sense of unease.

“But he didn’t come.”

“I stopped him. Even if he came, he wouldn’t be much help.”

Evan’s indifferent attitude extended to his father, although he knew his father well enough to be an exception.

Riett felt sorry for the old man, but what Evan said was true. Although he had a good understanding of the palace’s affairs, he had retired a long time ago and wouldn’t be of much help now. He was past the age to receive assistance.

Riett stood up and looked out the window.

‘By the way, it doesn’t seem like the rain is going to stop.’

She wondered if Lucas, who went to the forest, was doing fine. The sound of rain hitting the cabin was louder than before.

That’s when it happened.

Bang! Boom!

With a flash outside, a loud noise followed.

‘Even thunder and lightning…’

Riett frowned and looked at the angry sky with a worried expression. Evan, who had been looking outside with her, became more serious.

“The rain is heavy, and there’s a risk of landslides in the mountains.”

Riett’s gaze turned to the mountains as Evan spoke. As he said, not far from there, the soil of the mountains was slowly trickling down.

People living below seemed to sense the danger as well. One by one, they started evacuating. Just as Riett and Evan were about to leave the cabin, a middle-aged woman looked around and shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Someone, please help us! Please!”

The woman holding a baby in her arms had fear written all over her face. Her voice was clear and distinct, even amidst the noise of the rain.

Without hesitation, Riett took a step forward, and Evan’s footsteps could be heard following her. Riett reached the woman and opened her eyes wide to see through the pouring rain.

“What’s happening?”

“My mother-in-law couldn’t come out! I couldn’t bring her with me while taking care of the children… and I can’t go back now with the baby…”

The baby in her arms was a newborn that couldn’t be entrusted to anyone, and there were children lined up behind her.

Suppressing her perplexity, Riett asked,

“So… your mother-in-law is trapped alone in the house?”

“Yes… Hufgh, she has difficulty moving, so it’s hard for her to come out alone.”

The woman’s face showed guilt, urgency, and sadness. But there was no time to grieve with her.

“Where is your house?”

“Um, over there…”

“I understand. I’ll go.”

As Riett checked the location and was about to run, Evan anxiously grabbed her.

“Riett!”

Amidst the rain, Evan’s desperate expression was visible.

“Going there now is suicidal. Look up.”

Indeed, just as Evan said, the farmhouse could soon be buried under a heap of mud.

But Riett knew what choice she had to make.

“Evan.”

Her red pupils shone distinctly even in the rain. The gaze that appeared through the raindrops harbored an unwavering determination that could not be stopped.

“You know, even if I regret it later, I have to do what I believe is right now.”

Riett removed Evan’s hand that was holding her.

Evan silently watched as his hand fell from Riett’s arm. But soon, he lifted his head and met her gaze. Even amidst the fierce rain, Evan kept his eyes wide open.

“Then let’s go together.”

“What?”

Riett asked in disbelief. Evan was resolute.

“You must not go alone, Riett.”

Riett hesitated for a moment.

As Evan said, rushing there alone would be an act of suicide. But to bring Evan there…

She wanted to say it was fine, but just as Evan couldn’t stop her, she knew she had no right to stop Evan either.

As Riett swallowed a dry spit, her throat tightened.

With clenched fists, Riett nodded at Evan.

“Yeah, let’s go together.”

* * *

Riett arrived at the entrance of the house and placed her hand on the doorknob. The door was open.

She cautiously leaned her head inside the house to quickly check where the mother was.

The mother was huddled in a corner, muttering to herself, seemingly unaware that Riett and Evan had entered. She appeared to be mentally unstable.

“Evan, I think you should carry her.”

Evan seemed to have thought the same, as he silently lifted the mother without a word.

Then, a loud crash was heard. It felt like the soil was covering the house. The window outside was covered in dirt.

However, fortunately, the house didn’t collapse immediately. Although it was unsettling, the house was still standing for now.

But there was one problem: the entrance was blocked by soil, preventing them from going out.

‘What should we do…?’

Riett surveyed her surroundings.

The window on the opposite side of the mountain wasn’t covered in dirt. It seemed possible to go out that way.

Evan also had the same idea, nodding his head and moving toward the window.

Riett approached first and opened the window. The window was a bit high, making it difficult to send the mother outside.

“Evan, I think it would be better if you go first and receive her.”

Evan stared at Riett without saying a word. Riett understood why Evan hesitated.

It didn’t feel right for him to go out alone first. Despite the house still standing despite being covered in soil, they didn’t know when it would collapse.

But as she said, it would be more stable for Evan to go out first and receive the mother. After all, Evan was much stronger.

As if comforting Evan, Riett added her words.

“It would be more stable for you to go out first and receive her rather than me.”

However, Evan’s expression remained grim.

“Evan, go quickly. We don’t have time!”

As Riett urged, Evan reluctantly jumped over the window as if there was no other choice.

‘Now I have to send the mother.’

Riett guided her to the window. Fortunately, Evan swiftly took the mother in his arms. Now it was Riett’s turn.

“I’ll go out right away, so you take her to a safe place.”

“You need to hurry.”

Evan’s eyes flickered with unease. But soon, just as Riett said, Evan carried the mother and leaped to a place where they wouldn’t be affected by the landslide.

Thud.

At that moment, an uneasy sound resembling something breaking came from the ceiling. Riett, who had been looking up, swallowed a dry spit.

‘I need to get out too.’

Riett hurriedly lifted her foot onto the windowsill. And just as she prepared to leap with all her strength…

Thump!

The roof collapsed, burying Riett under the soil.

Her vision instantly turned dark