Please Answer Me - Chapter 81

Thelma’s eyes fluttered wildly. Knowing Rashid’s character well, it wasn’t hard to predict his behavior. He would never do anything that would lead his men to their deaths. So he would go there alone.

Just like his father did twenty years ago.

[…Thelma?]

Seeing her expression harden in the rain, Benny realized something was amiss. Contrary to her expectation that she would tell Riga as soon as she told her the story, Thelma made no move.

[Thelma, why….]

Thelma released her grip on Benny’s arm. She scrambled to her feet and looked down at Benny.

[You must not tell Riga about this until tomorrow.]

[Thelma!]

Thelma’s expression didn’t falter in the slightest despite the panic in Benny’s voice. It was as if all her emotions had been washed away by the pouring rain.

[Rigaina has returned on schedule and is resting. Make sure everyone knows that, not just Benny, and if anyone asks, tell them the same thing.]

When none of them answered, Thelma warned them fiercely.

[Why don’t you answer me? If any of you disobey me, I will have you thrown out of the castle at once!]

Benny staggered to her feet just as the maids were about to nod reluctantly.

[Then I’ll tell Riga myself.]

[Benny!]

Thelma stepped in front of her. Benny pushed her aside as hard as she could with her hand.

[Get out of my way! What do you think you’re doing, Thelma, hiding something like this?]

[Are you saying you’re okay with being kicked out of the castle?]

[Have it your way, I don’t care! I’m going to save Rigaina first!]

The moment Benny started to walk away from her, Thelma slapped her across the cheek with all her might.

There was a moment of silence. Never before had Thelma treated the workers with verbal abuse or violence, something she usually despised the most.

[…You know it’s too late.]

A moment later, a sob escaped her lips. Benny, whose head had been turned away, looked at Thelma with tears in her eyes.

[But, but Riga might have a way.]

[There is no such thing. You’re only endangering Riga. Unless you want a repeat of the past, you need to stop here, no matter how much it hurts.]

Benny broke down in sobs. The truth was, she’d known it since the moment she’d gotten on the horse. Rigaina would be torn to shreds by the monsters, and there would be no trace of her left. No one had ever gone into the Monster Forest on a rainy day and survived. How could a weak woman survive there, when even the strong men have been eaten alive by the monsters, leaving only their bloody clothes behind?

[What should we do? Should we just stay here? Rigaina is alone in the Monster Forest right now.]

Benny wiped away the tears that mixed with the rain with her hands. Thelma pulled her into a hug. As Benny sobbed in her arms, her vision caught sight of a man standing in the rain.

“Ri, Ri….”

Benny’s mumbled words made Thelma turn around in a panic. Rashid had been standing there for who knows how long.

Rashid walked toward them as they stood frozen in place.

“Did you just say Monster Forest?”

Benny pursed her lips, unable to answer. Then Rashid’s anger struck her like a thunderbolt.

“Tell me,” he said, “is it true that she’s in the Monster Forest?”

“Y-yes! She tried to save Ethel and couldn’t get out on her own…. Ethel said she fell off her horse on the way….”

Before Benny could finish her sentence, Rashid was on top of Masha. There was no hesitation in his movements, and just as he grabbed the reins and was about to ride off, Thelma opened her arms and blocked his path.

“No!”

“Get out of the way.”

Rashid growled through his teeth, threatening to stomp on her if she didn’t get out of the way immediately, but she didn’t budge.

“No. No, I can’t lose you too!”

Hot tears welled up in the corners of Thelma’s eyes. The events of that day, twenty years ago, flashed before her eyes like a flash.

Just like Rashid now, the man did not hesitate a moment before mounting his horse. Thelma grabbed him and begged. Please think twice about riding off to the Basque alone. It will take time, but there are many other ways to get Elysia back.

Then he said….

“Thelma, I can’t leave Elysia in this misunderstanding for another moment. If I don’t go now, she’ll think I’ve abandoned her and am abandoning her again.”

Misunderstanding.

The hand holding his robes loosened at the word. Elysia’s misunderstanding was all Thelma’s fault. A single act of greed for something she shouldn’t have had had such devastating consequences.

I never wanted this….

“And now Elysia is carrying my child. I don’t want to be an unworthy father to my child.”

It was unacceptable for a Quat chief’s child to be born on another tribe’s territory. Not only would his legitimacy be questioned, but he would be held hostage for life or killed.

So he left for the Basque, for his wife and future child. At that moment, his face had already foretold his death.

“I regret that day, twenty years ago, over and over again. I should have stopped the late Riga from leaving for the Basque then, even if it meant killing myself in front of him.”

She would rather die here and now than see him go to his death like his father, and that was a far better option than witnessing another death for which no body could be found.

Thelma drew a dagger from her hip and held it to her own throat.

“The moment you leave here, Master Rashid, I will slit my throat. You know better than anyone that my words are not empty.”

Not that he would give up the woman he loves for a mere nanny. Yes, he would go to her eventually, and knowing that, Thelma was doing this now only to die before him.

To her, Rashid is her son. No parent can see their child die.

Thelma squeezed her eyes shut, ready to slit her throat as soon as she heard him leave. But a moment later, she heard Rashid’s voice, not the sound of galloping hooves.

“I always told you, Nanny. I’m not like my father.”

Thelma opened her eyes and looked ahead. In the pouring rain, Rashid stared down at her with a quiet gaze. The emotions of a moment ago had faded, and he seemed to have regained his usual coolness. His watery blue eyes sparkled with determination.

“I’ll prove it today. I will bring her back with me.”

Thelma stared at him in disbelief. Rashid really did look nothing like his father now. That was not the face of a man about to die; it was the face of a man determined to survive.

“So, Thelma, don’t think nonsense and wait. I’ll be here by tomorrow morning.”

Rashid walked away. Thelma watched his departure with a devastated gaze.

[Thelma….]

Benny did not approach her for fear that she would make the wrong choice. After staring at Benny for a moment, Thelma threw the dagger to the ground, then turned to everyone and announced in a booming voice.

[I am going to see Elder Calante now. In the meantime, close the gate and don’t let anyone out!]

***

Arriving at the Monster Forest, Rashid dismounted from the horse and ran straight into the forest. When fighting monsters, ground combat is more favorable than on horseback. A horse would only attract the monster’s attention. For now, it was important to stay out of its sight as much as possible.

When it rains, the monster’s strength increases, but its sense of smell decreases significantly as its scent is washed away by the water. Its eyesight isn’t very good to begin with, so if you are lucky, you might never see it. A very slim chance, of course.

Rashid ran fast, sticking to the narrow paths that would be difficult for the larger monster to navigate. Fortunately, the hoof prints hadn’t yet been washed away by the rain. Rashid kept checking the remaining hoof prints, searching for her.

Please, stay alive.

Rashid prayed to the gods with the most fervent hope he had ever known.

Elheim, Ark. May any god be gracious to her and spare her life.

He had never believed in the existence of gods. He despised such human weakness and would rather practice with his sword, slashing and stabbing one more time than pray to a god.

But when the moment came when human strength was no longer enough, he had no choice but to cling to the Absolute. Please help me just this once. I’ll do anything to save her.

Rashid bit his lip until it bled. When he realized she was Princess Lysa, he should have banned her from the outside world immediately. No, it would have been better if he had just sent her back with the envoy when they came. He wished he’d listened to the words she’d shouted so many times, that she wasn’t the daughter of the Basque chief.

His own arrogance had led to this. Not only had he dragged the wrong woman here by force, but he had driven her to the brink of a miserable death.

Rashid felt an excruciating pain in his heart as he pictured her soft skin and beautiful hair being torn to shreds.