The Little Sister in the Devastating Novel Wants to Live - Chapter 50
Episode 50
After a long, bumpy ride, Stella tapped on the carriage.
I thought the noise would drown it out, but the coachman must have heard because the carriage came to a halt.
“…Are we there?”
I asked, stumbling as I spoke.
Stella smiled apologetically and shook her head.
“No, we still have a bit to go. But you seemed to be having a hard time, so I thought we should take a break.”
That’s right.
If we still had a long way to go, we should take breaks.
I stumbled out of the carriage.
My guard, noticing my state, approached with concern.
“Are you alright?”
I wasn’t, but there was nothing to be done.
The regret of agreeing to help Stella crept in, though only slightly.
“I’m sorry. It was my idea to come…”
“No, I should be the one apologizing.”
I felt like a huge burden.
Stella, worried, handed me a water bottle.
I took a drink to soothe my throat and was about to get back in the carriage when Stella stopped me.
“I don’t think you can continue like this. It might be rude, but how about we bring His Grace here?”
Stella turned to my guard.
“My coachman knows where the Duke is. If it’s alright with you, I think it would be better to bring His Grace here. He can’t leave the hunting grounds, but he can move within them.”
My guard, after some thought, responded.
“Would it be safe for the two of you alone?”
“I can shoot, you know.”
Stella showed her rifle.
Impressive, she could shoot as well.
After some hesitation, my guard nodded.
He must have thought it better to go quickly and return.
“Alright, I’ll go quickly.”
The coachman mounted the horse first, followed by my guard.
He bowed and said he’d be back soon.
I was left alone with Stella.
Instead of staying in the carriage, Stella suggested a walk.
“When will we get to see a place like this again?”
“Let’s not wander too far. It could be dangerous.”
“Okay.”
We walked a few steps away from the carriage, slowly taking in the surroundings.
“Your necklace is beautiful. May I see it up close?”
“Sure.”
I handed my necklace to Stella.
She examined it carefully, befitting someone who dealt in luxury goods.
Then she fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.
I looked up at the sky, feeling it was hard to break the silence.
The sky was overcast since yesterday.
It was a dull gray.
‘Is it going to rain?’
Just as I had that thought.
‘Thud.’
Stella pushed me.
I staggered in my high heels.
I was about to laugh it off, thinking she was joking, when the ground beneath me gave way.
‘Splash!’
“Aaaah!”
I screamed as I fell into a pit.
What is this?
I slowly looked around.
It took a moment to realize I had fallen into a pit filled with muddy water.
I paddled my feet but couldn’t touch the bottom.
Fear surged.
I looked up to see the gray sky and the leaves, now starting to turn red.
“Evelyn?”
Her calm voice called out, making me hold my breath.
What on earth is happening?
“Well, you fell nicely. That’s a relief.”
Her voice was steady.
“Stella.”
My mind was in chaos, but strangely, it felt eerily calm.
“What are you doing?”
A soft laugh echoed from above.
Stella peered into the pit.
“Shall I be honest? I dislike you.”
What nonsense.
It was as absurd as it was bewildering.
“You’re nothing, yet you somehow got lucky and became part of a good family. It’s infuriating.”
It was a clichéd line, something a villain would say, one that I wouldn’t take seriously.
But for some reason, those words cut deep.
Remembering that I had considered Stella a good friend made my blood boil.
“It will probably always be that way.”
“So… So, you’re doing this to spite me? Eventually, I’ll get out of this pit, and we’ll meet again.”
I tried to sound strong, but it felt weak.
“Oh, you think so?”
Her voice dripped with mockery.
“Yes, because you’ll be rescued and this whole incident will come to light.”
She chuckled darkly.
“We’ll see about that. Do you really think anyone will believe you over me?”
With that, she straightened up and disappeared from view.
My heart pounded with a mix of fear and anger.
Struggling to stay afloat, I realized how truly dire my situation was.
I screamed again, hoping someone would hear and come to my rescue.
“Help! Somebody, help me!”
The only response was the echo of my voice and the rustling leaves above.
Stella quietly closed her eyes.
“Do you really think you can get out?”
“Of… of course. I… I don’t think you’re someone who would… kill a person…”
What was wrong with my voice?
I suddenly remembered the water Stella had given me.
Had she put something in it?
I hadn’t tasted anything unusual.
“You really can’t read people.”
Stella said in that calm tone.
She thought I couldn’t see, but I noticed her tightly clenched fist.
She was trembling, showing her inner turmoil.
This wasn’t her own plan.
Was it Count Durant’s orders? Or the Empress’s?
“Your throat will swell up, and you won’t be able to make a sound.”
“Goodbye. We won’t be seeing each other again.”
With that, Stella disappeared without looking back.
She covered the pit’s opening with a makeshift lid of intertwined grass.
This was absurd.
Was I really going to end my life in such a crude trap?
No way.
I couldn’t let this be the end.
I wrestled to get out of the pit.
The muddy water made it hard to move, and my dress wasn’t helping at all.
I swore silently, struggling to pull myself out.
But every time I grabbed onto the muddy wall, it slipped through my fingers, dragging me back down into the pit.
I heard the sound of hooves and the neighing of a horse.
It seemed my guard had arrived.
“Where is my lady?”
“She went over there for a bit. She should be back soon. But what about the Duke…”
“He has departed. It seems there was a miscommunication.”
“Is that so? It was urgent, but I’ll have to wait until after the hunting competition. The lady is late. I’m getting worried. Can you help me look for her?”
“Of course.”
The footsteps began to fade away from where I was.
Could this really be happening?
I balled up some mud and threw it upward.
Plop.
It didn’t go far and just splashed back into the water.
It made a splashing noise.
Yes, that’s it.
When my guard returned, I’d make a splash to call for help.
The pit’s cover and the surrounding bushes would make different sounds.
But as I waited, no sounds of my guard returning reached me.
They wouldn’t leave the carriage and horses behind, right?
Oh, come to think of it, I hadn’t heard the horses since earlier.
Realizing this sent a chill down my spine.
Not knowing what was happening above was more frustrating and frightening than I thought.
My heart pounded heavily.
Would I really die here?
It wasn’t a gruesome death but a pitiful one.
No.
I didn’t want to die like this.
I paddled harder.
Trying to climb the muddy walls with my dress soaked and weighing me down was futile.
I couldn’t remove the dress either.
Dresses were never designed to be taken off alone.
I could feel my legs growing cold from being submerged in the muddy water.
How long had I been in this pit?
The light started to fade as the sky grew darker.
The fear of not being able to escape overwhelmed me.
No.
I wouldn’t die here.
My guard would bring Igon, and they would come to this area.
If Igon knew I was missing, he wouldn’t rest until he found me.
As I splashed around, they would hear the water and search the area.
They would find me.
My water-soaked body began to shiver from the cold.
I let out a faint moan, feeling on the verge of tears.
The only small relief was that the swelling in my throat was gradually subsiding.
“…Help, help me…”
As soon as my voice started to return, even faintly, I began to cry out for help.
I hoped that someone searching for me would pass by and hear me.
‘Woof! Woof!’
I heard dogs barking in the distance.
Several people had brought their hunting dogs to this event.
Dogs have a much better sense of smell and hearing than humans, so if I kept calling out… But what if it wasn’t a dog and a wild animal instead?
My legs, which I had been constantly moving, were now aching, and my body was freezing.
All I could think of were the worst possible outcomes.
Then, I heard voices from afar.
Could it be that they were looking for me?
Igon? Or someone else?
“…lyn! E…”
“Duke…! Miss…!”
The fragmented voices were clearly calling my name.
I gathered all my strength and shouted.
“Help me!”
My throat wasn’t fully healed, and it hurt a lot.
My voice came out much huskier than usual.
“I’m here!”
“Please help me!”
Each shout brought a stabbing pain, as if my throat would start bleeding.
But I couldn’t stop.
If I missed this chance, I would die.
I would really die.
Knowing someone was searching for me, I had to do everything I could.
I plunged my hands into the mud, scooping out handfuls and throwing them upward.
I hoped that someone would notice the movement of the earth in the twilight.
One of the mud clumps I threw up even landed on my face.
But I kept at it, calling out with every bit of strength I had left.
“Here! I’m here! Please help!”
Just then, the barking grew louder, and I heard footsteps approaching.
“Evelyn! Evelyn, where are you?”
It was Igon’s voice.
My heart leaped with a mixture of hope and desperation.
“Igon! I’m here! Please, help me!”
I managed to make my voice loud enough to be heard.
Suddenly, the cover over the pit was removed, and I saw Igon’s worried face peering down at me.
“Hold on, Evelyn! We’re getting you out of there!”
Within moments, he and the guards had ropes lowered and pulled me out of the muddy pit.
I was shivering, wet, and covered in mud, but the overwhelming sense of relief made me forget all of that.
Igon wrapped his cloak around me, his face a mixture of relief and anger.
“What happened? Who did this to you?”
Trembling and exhausted, I could only manage a whisper.
“Stella… She pushed me…”
Igon’s eyes hardened, but he focused on comforting me first.
“You’re safe now. I’ll make sure she pays for this.”
With that, he helped me to a safer place, ensuring I was warm and taken care of.
The nightmare was over, and I knew I owed my life to Igon’s determination to find me.
