*Rattle* *Rattle*

A carriage was moving slowly under heavy rain.

*Rattle* *Rattle*

When I lifted my head up, I saw a very beautiful lady holding a baby in her arms sitting across from me.
She had a chain wrapped around her left wrist.
I followed the chain with my eyes, and it led to a man sitting right next to me.
He was handcuffed.
Was he a hostage?

The woman put her hand over her throat and spoke,
"What rain! This kind of weather always makes my throat hurt."
"Oh, I can take a look if you want," the handcuffed man said with a nervous voice.
"Hmm... do you have medicine for it?"
"I might have something, but I can't tell without having a look first."
"Very well, but I won't unlock your handcuffs."
"That is fine."

After saying that, the man leaned towards her and started caressing her throat.
For some reason, the woman smiled; maybe she was ticklish.

"Hmmm... I see what is wrong, but I don't have medicine for it."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, I can make some after we arrive at the castle."
"Can't you just make it now?"
"I don't have the necessary plants."
"Tell me what you need. I'll ask one of the guards to go fetch some."
"They won't be able to harness it without damaging the plant,uncuff me and I'll go get some."
"You want me to uncuff you? Not a chance! Forget it. I will wait until we arrive at the castle."
"I... understand." The man retreated back to his seat.

*Rumble!*

A loud thunderclap reverberated through the air.

"Waaaah!"

The baby began crying abruptly.

"Oh, what's wrong? Are you scared of the thunder?"

The woman gently shook the baby in her arms, but the crying persisted.

"Let me hold him," the man said, reaching out for the baby.
"Here," the woman handed the baby to him.

He took the baby in his arms and started gently shaking him, while humming a soothing melody. Soon, the baby began to calm down.

"Such a daddy's boy," the lady muttered, looking at the baby.
"With a mother like you, it's hard not to cry."
"You said something?"
"No."

The baby fell asleep once again, and the woman took him back into her arms.
She gazed at his peaceful sleeping face for a while. Slowly, her head began to sway back and forth, and she placed her left hand on her forehead.

"I... suddenly feel really sleepy."

The man looked at her and smiled.
"It seems like it finally worked."
"Did you do something to me?!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metal box filled with water, containing a blue flower.

"If this flower gets wet, it releases a sleep-inducing fragrance. I simply rubbed some of it onto my arm."
"You little... GUARDS!"

The lady managed to shout out for help before passing out.
She was now fast asleep.

The carriage door swung open, revealing a man adorned in shining white armor seated atop his majestic horse.
He peered inside with a concerned expression on his face.

"What is happening here?!"
"Lady Unut has fainted. We must pause the convoy briefly. She requires some fresh air," explained the handcuffed man.
"Halt the convoy!" the armored man commanded.

The carriage abruptly came to a halt, causing us to jolt within.

"What's wrong with her?"
"The lengthy journey must have made her nauseous. She'll be alright, but she needs some rest."
"Is that so? Well, that's a relief!"
"By the way, can you release me for a moment?"
"What kind of question is that? Of course I can't!"
"Come on, I can't hold it any longer."
"Oh, you meant that? Fine, but..." He glanced at the sleeping lady."
"We can't wake her up right now, or her condition might worsen. You need to uncuff me."

The guard let out a sigh.
"Fine, but I'll be keeping a close eye on you. Don't even think about attempting to escape like before."
"I won't, I won't. How could I possibly run away when there are guards everywhere?"

The guard unlocked the man's handcuffs.
"Let's go—"

*Thwack!*

"Eek!" I instinctively retreated to the other side in fear.

Blood spurted from the guard's head and he fell from his horse.
He had been struck by an arrow!

"AMBUSH!" A voice shouted from outside.

I glanced at the now uncuffed man from the corner of my eye.
Both of us were in a state of shock.
However, his expression suddenly transformed.

"This is my lucky day," he declared with a sinister smile.

His gaze shifted towards the still-sleeping baby.

"I can't let you grow up with a witch like her."

Without hesitation, he snatched the baby.

"With all the guards gathered in the opposite direction, and us having a horse, this is our only chance."

He swiftly mounted the horse, clutching the baby in his arms.

*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*

They hastily departed from the scene.

...

I felt a shake on my arm.

"Angel, Angel, wake up!"

I opened my eyes slowly, then closed them again.

"Hey, don't fall back asleep!" she said as she pinched my cheek.
"Ouch! Ow, stop it!"
"Then wake up."
"I am awake, Big Sister Rose."
"Your eyes are still closed... oh well, come over here."

I felt a force lifting me up.
She must have been carrying me.

"How did you manage to sleep in that position?"
"Mmmm," I murmured.
"You were sleeping while sitting."
"..."
"You were tired after all that work, weren't you? Sorry, we worked you too hard."
"Mmmm," I murmured again.
"It's okay. I'm taking you to a tent where you can continue sleeping."

We walked for a bit, and with every step Big Sister Rose took, I slightly shook, which made me even sleepier.
After some time, we arrived at the tent, and Big Sister Rose put me in one of the beds.
My consciousness faded away, and once again, I found myself dreaming.

...

Two men engaged in a heated argument next to a carriage deep within a forest.
Among them was the handcuffed man whom I had previously seen in the same carriage, and he was holding the dormant baby.
As for the other man, I had no familiarity with him.
This carriage appeared noticeably cheaper and older compared to the luxurious one from earlier.

"Why did you bring the baby with you?" the unfamiliar man inquired.
"I couldn't bear to let him grow up in the presence of that witch," the man with the baby responded.
"Huh? She could have provided him with a better upbringing. He carries noble blood and should be raised in a noble household," the unfamiliar man reasoned.
"No, she's unstable. There's no telling what she might do when she loses control," the man with the baby insisted.
"Well, that's your concern, but..."

*Thud*

Suddenly, a woman leaped down from the carriage, dressed in plain clothes in contrast to the previous lady's attire.

"It's alright. We will take care of him and ensure he grows up healthy," she reassured, approaching the other two men.
"Thank you. You would be a better mother to him, unlike that witch," the man with the baby expressed his gratitude.

The unfamiliar man scratched his head, sighed, and spoke,
"But this increases the likelihood of her coming to search for her baby, you know."
"I understand. There was a chance she would let him go, but she would never let her child go missing. She's probably causing a scene right now," the woman explained.
"We won't betray you two, but ultimately, it's up to you to hide yourselves and the child," the unfamiliar man advised.

The man holding the baby steps forward.
"Don't worry. I will never allow her to find us," he assured them.
"As long as you keep a low profile, you should be fine, I suppose."

The man holding the baby man nodded.

"My only regret is leaving my diary back in the Unut mansion. We left in a hurry, so I didn't have time to grab it," he lamented.
"Wait, you didn't write down our destination in that diary, did you?" the unfamiliar man asked with concern.
"Of course not. I mainly wrote about the plants I found around the village, mostly anyway," he clarified.
"Well, that's alright then," the unfamiliar man sighed in relief.
"No, it's not. There is a lot of valuable information in that book. It could save many lives," he insisted.
"We won't go back for your damn diary. Just write another one."
"Okay, fine," he reluctantly agreed.
"We should leave now before they catch up to us," the unfamiliar man suggested.

One person mounted the carriage, while the other two climbed onto the back.
Intrigued, I decided to join them and see where they were headed.
The man pulled the reins, urging the horse to move, and the carriage began its journey.

"Huh? Wait, I'm going to fall!" I shouted in panic.

Although the carriage was already in motion, I somehow remained stationary.
As the carriage moved away, I slid from my seat.
The man tugged on the reins once more.

"Come on, faster!"

I lost my grip on the edge of the carriage and started plummeting towards the ground.
My face was about to hit the ground.
I closed my eyes...
I suddenly jolted awake, jumping out of bed and opening my eyes just before I fell.
My body was covered in sweat.

"Mansion of Lady Unut," I whispered, unknowingly vocalizing my thoughts.
Was the mansion that man talked about the same as Lady Unut's old house?
My grandpa once told me that Lady Unut used to live there in her family's mansion.
But she left, and no one has visited the place since.
My friends say the mansion is haunted by ghosts.
The man also mentioned leaving his diary there.
I wonder if it's still there, untouched?