I Like Another Man, Not the Male Lead - Chapter 53

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 53

“Let’s expand the search range a bit more.”

A Sword Master’s hearing range was far superior to other knights. The forest that had been torn apart by the wolf pack hadn’t even recovered its peaceful sounds yet, so there would be nothing to interfere with hearing human sounds. Yet it seemed there was no criminal within hearing range.

The criminal might have fled farther than expected. Matthias nodded.

“Expand the search range further! Proceed with a double search!”

Matthias’s voice echoed. Rochester crouched down and placed his hand on the ground. A strange smell was rising from the damp soil.

‘It wasn’t just one person. It wasn’t only the wolves that moved in an organized manner.’

Then, Rochester’s gaze stopped at one spot.

Something glinting was visible between the bushes. Rochester approached and picked it up. A small object attached to a string revealed itself.

It was a whistle. A small, silver whistle. It was similar to what knights used, but something was different. It was more elaborate, with small patterns carved on its surface. Rochester held the whistle up to the light. The pattern was clearly visible. It bore the wolf design. Rochester twisted his lips.

“Matthias. It seems like this was used to control them.”

Matthias approached and examined the whistle.

“It’s similar to what’s used for training hunting dogs.”

“Are you saying they tamed wolves like they would tame dogs?”

Rochester’s voice lowered. Cold anger was contained within it.

Someone had truly planned to put Reina in danger and kill her. How dare they. Right under his nose!

“Right, this incident couldn’t have been a coincidence. You said Reina was acting strange?”

Rochester gripped the whistle tightly in his fist. The metal made a creaking sound.

“Her body was moving but she definitely seemed unconscious.”

“Can you testify to that later?”

“I swear on my sword. Matthias of Hailboard swears that he will absolutely never betray you in this matter. This happened in the hunting grounds I was watching over. This is directly connected to my honor as well. I want to catch the criminal behind this incident. Until we catch the criminal, I am your comrade and will be one with you.”

Matthias placed his right hand over his left chest as he spoke. It was the Knight’s Oath. If Matthias broke his oath, it meant he wouldn’t mind dying by Rochester’s hand.

“…Thank you.”

The search resumed. Matthias and Rochester scattered and began combing through hell.

Rochester’s face turned pale when he found Reina’s ribbon among the wolf carcasses. The blood-soaked ribbon wrapped around Rochester’s hand.

“…Damn it.”

He had failed to protect her again. Intoxicated by the mere achievement of catching a giant bear, he hadn’t noticed that Reina was in danger. He had sworn never to put Reina in danger again. Even after becoming a Sword Master, Rochester had broken his oath.

Rochester gritted his teeth. He could almost see Reina standing in this fishy smell.

She would have been standing around here. How scared must she have been. How much must she have looked for Rochester.

The fist holding the ribbon trembled. Rochester took a deep breath.

They said they were searching along the waterway, so Reina would surely be found. Caesar wouldn’t have made such a choice without any calculation.

Rochester tied Reina’s ribbon to his sword hilt. Reina’s ribbon fluttered next to the five-colored ribbon that Selena had made.

Matthias discovered deeply indented footprints. Clear boot prints. They were the same traces as boots frequently worn by hunters. But the depth of the soil indentations was consistent, and the stride was regular too. This wasn’t someone who had randomly picked up weapons for survival. They had definitely received regular training.

“These are a knight’s footprints.”

Matthias muttered.

“This isn’t a patrol area.”

So troops had never been dispatched here either. Rochester followed the footprints. The footprints led into the bushes. Pushing through the bushes, he could see a rock. Matthias turned around and stared at the accident site. The distance was quite far. It was also a position outside the designated hunting zone.

“Someone was watching from here.”

Rochester climbed onto the rock to check the view. The cliff where Caesar had jumped down was clearly visible.

Rochester, who had climbed up the tree with branches bent downward in front of the rock, narrowed his eyes. From this position, he could see deeper inside, where the accident site where Reina had been surrounded by wolves was more clearly visible. The criminal must have been watching from here, hoping for Reina’s death.

Rochester came down from the rock. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

“And look here.”

Matthias pointed around the rock. There were several footprints. They didn’t belong to just one person.

“At least… there are three of them. This one belongs to a man, weighing about 80 kilograms. This one… is it a man? It seems likely. But lighter. About 70 kilograms. And I can’t tell about one. The traces are too erased. I can’t be certain that all of them are knights, but at least one is definitely a knight.”

Matthias, who had been analyzing the footprints, paused for a moment.

“But if this really is a knight’s trace…, who on earth?”

He couldn’t think of any knight who would participate in such a dishonorable act. Whoever it was must have already lost their way as a knight.

They resumed their search. The night grew deeper. Nevertheless, Rochester and Matthias didn’t stop. Holding torches, they wandered along the river and through the forest, searching for Reina and the truth.

＊ ＊ ＊

Heyson ran to the abandoned cabin.

His breath rose to his throat. His legs were shaking. He opened the door, rushed inside, and slammed it shut. Then he slumped down with his back against the door.

“Haa… haa…”

Only rough breathing echoed in the darkness. His hands trembled. His whole body shook. Sweat ran down his back.

‘Caesar definitely saw me!’

That moment kept coming back to him.

Golden eyes pierced through Heyson. Cold, sharp, and clear.

‘He saw me. He definitely saw me! He can’t still be alive, right?’

Heyson clutched his head. His fingers tangled in his hair. He felt like he was going crazy. Heyson’s voice trembled violently.

“I’m screwed… completely screwed…”

His muttering voice was trembling.

“No…, no…”

Heyson shook his head. He wanted to deny it.

The sound of wind came from outside the cabin. Tree branches scratched the window. Heyson jumped in surprise and turned his head.

“Wh-who?”

There was no answer. Only wind. But Heyson’s heart was beating like crazy.

Heyson jumped up and ran to the window. He slightly opened the curtain and looked outside.

There was only darkness. The forest was quiet. The bloodshed from today felt distant.

The cabin door shook. Was it because of the wind, or was someone outside? Heyson jumped up and pressed his back against the wall. He stared at the door with wide eyes.

“Wh-who is it!”

He shouted with a trembling voice.

There was no answer. Only wind seeped through the door crack.

Heyson stood there trembling. The fear he had brought upon himself consumed him.

Heyson crawled to a corner of the cabin and crouched down. He hugged his knees. If he stayed here, they wouldn’t find him.

Heyson finally realized how small and useless he was.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————