236 – Chloe Side Story – Maids Serve Cats – 4
“Whoops…!”
With a brief death note, the man’s body lost its balance and collapsed.
-Quickness.
With machine-like movements, Gloria pulled the unconscious guard by the leg and threw him into a nearby flower bed.
“Whoa….”
A tired sigh burst from her mouth.
‘How many times have I done this….’
She was constantly moving due to the guards appearing after her, and before she knew it, large beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.
Now there is no place to hide anymore, and you will start to wonder why they are not returning.
‘The master should return before it’s too late…’ .’
While I was thinking that, I heard a lively voice coming from somewhere.
“I’m here!”
Chloe comes running from far away, waving her hand brightly.
When Gloria saw that, a bitter smile appeared on her face.
‘Didn’t we come here secretly…? .’
Gloria was glad that she was safe, but her expression soon hardened.
‘Have you been tracked?’
Isn’t there a long procession following behind the master?
Sigh.
The moment when she quickly hid Chloe, who had approached her, behind her, straightened her posture, and regained her balance.
“Go, let’s go together…”
Her eyebrow twitched at the sound of a loss of breath, as if she would run out of breath at any moment.
– Fluffy.
Women who run panting and fall awkwardly at their feet.
Gloria looked at Chloe and asked at a sight that seemed too shabby to be a tracker.
“Master…? What are these people…”
“These are the Assei who voluntarily enlisted this time! We are the same maids, so let’s be friends!”
Chloe snorts, saying that there was something else worth stealing other than jewelry.
‘Assei. Is it the language of the beast people?’
Gloria inferred the source of a word she had never heard of in her life from her master’s race.
I heard that in the deep forests of the East, there exists a community of beasts who live in isolation from humans.
‘Well, the master is also a prisoner.’
I heard that their clothing and lifestyle are very different, so I thought that might be the case.
“Over there…”
“Hmm?”
“What happens to us now…?”
Among the maids who were sitting on the ground catching their breath, a woman who looked quite lady-like hesitantly opened her mouth.
‘It looks like you brought him here without thinking….’
Her guess was true.
-Quang!
-Stand up quickly and move your legs quickly, guys!
-Why are you doing this to us… !
I left the dumbfounded women behind and immediately broke down the door.
-The maids escaped!
– Stop it even if it kills you! If even one person escapes, our heads will be blown off!
When the soldiers saw the broken door and Chloe leading the maids who had voluntarily enlisted, they chased after them fiercely and had no choice but to follow.
-This way!
Soon after them, the marquis’ private soldiers came in.
“Tsk, annoying.”
When Chloe extended her fingernails as if they were going to jump out at any moment, Gloria came forward and urgently stopped her.
“Master. If we see blood for no reason, we will be chased. We have to get out of here now.”
Gloria explains that if the situation escalates, she will be chased by the knights.
“Then what should we do with them?”
Gloria shifted her gaze towards the women Chloe had brought.
The nutritional condition is the worst, and each person has scars on their bodies as if they have been abused.
Seeing him out of breath like that, it was clear that his stamina was running low.
Gloria saw that and quietly shook her head.
“Unfortunately, we can’t afford to take them with us.”
“Hey….”
Chloe cried at the grim reality that came out of her mouth.
-Hurry and surround us!
-Not a single person should be let out!
While he was hesitating, the guards chased him all the way to the chin.
If things continue like this, a siege will be formed.
“Ugh….”
“Master…!”
Once Gloria had finished, Chloe made her decision.
“No! These are the first treasures Chloe stole! They’re mine now!”
Chloe insists that she will never give up, saying that the first step is important.
“Now is not the time to be stubborn!”
“I don’t like it! I don’t like it!”
The woman who was the eldest sister of the maids, who was listening to their conversation, did not understand what they were saying.
‘We are the treasure… ?’
They are just toys that are about to break down, but they are treasures.
“Originally, it was said that if you live upright, you will be envious and jealous of those who criticize you! That’s why Master also said that you always live a hard life!”
Gloria was dumbfounded to see Chloe holding up her teacher’s shield again this time.
I wonder what kind of life the person called my master’s teacher has led.
“So!”
Chloe, with wide eyes, looked straight at Gloria and said.
“I have to show the Master when he returns. Chloe is by no means weak! I can keep up with Chloe like this!”
It looks like her owner doesn’t want to back down.
“I can’t help it.”
Gloria realized that and made a decision.
Even if she dies here, let’s keep her master alive.
-Sereung.
She lowered her body and took her stance, taking out her dagger from the holder on her thigh.
The moment she finally kicked the ground and was about to jump out.
-Suddenly.
Something grabbed her ankle.
“Huh…?!”
Her sudden braking caused her body to lean forward, but someone grabbed her from behind and stopped her.
“Master, don’t stop me…!”
She turned her head to say don’t do this, but it wasn’t her master.
Jigsy.
Her pitch-black shape, without her eyes, nose, or mouth, was holding her.
***
-Run in!
From noble mtl dot com
-Drive it into a corner!
Chloe pushed past Gloria with her back to the wall.
As she listened to the sound of the soldiers rushing in, she reflected on her experiences learning from Ian.
-I can’t do this anymore!
The day I practiced melting into the darkness.
She became irritated by her skills that were not improving at all.
-What’s the problem? Are you stronger than you think?
-But! Even my family said it was a shame to be born weak like me!
I betrayed the expectations of my teacher who trusted me and ended up speaking weakly.
-They made fun of me and called me a pig, saying I was useless and only ate rice. Chloe is not a pig… It’s a tiger….
Maybe I did it because I was angry with myself.
What if I can’t do it even though my teacher helps me like this? Do.
But Master did not leave me alone on that day.
– Perfect!
-Hunyang?!
-Why are you whining so much?
-Hey….
-The sound of a child who can do everything crying because he or she can’t do it. Wake up. Don’t you wake up quickly?
I continued training like that, but the day ended with no progress.
Master, who was carrying an exhausted self on his back, said these words to me.
-I don’t accept kids with no potential.
-Nyaang… ?
-You may not be trustworthy right now, but with some exaggeration, you can become strong like the other kids.
I, a weak person, can become strong like no one else but like a warrior party.
-If you are not confident, think that there is a reason why I am doing this and follow me.
-Then what will be different… ?
-Of course. The scenery is different.
-Scenery?
-Yes, the scenery.
I don’t even believe in myself, so how can Master be so confident?
-But why is Master always getting in trouble with other kids?
-Are you just going to throw it away?
-Ugh~! Don’t throw it away Chloe!
I miss you. What is that scenery like?
“….”
Chloe closed her eyes and concentrated.
The shouts and footsteps of her soldiers running toward her tightened her grip at every moment, but she did not care.
What she’s looking for now isn’t something so flashy.
Master said I had talent.
In that case, I have no choice but to believe.
If you say there is a teacher, then there is.
Because Master always shines dazzlingly.
Because you embrace me and shine on me with that light.
But that doesn’t mean I have the confidence to shine like my teacher.
Just do what you can and what you want to do.
He said he would become a shadow that follows such a teacher.
At that moment, the clouds covering the sky cleared and the full moon that rose brightly drenched the earth.
As the shadow began to grow in size, her senses felt something. Something foreign, the shape of which cannot be guessed.
Found it.
-Sssss.
“Huh…?”
Shadows flickered beneath the feet of the guards who were running.
It wasn’t an illusion.
-Sssss.
Because her shadow was springing up all around her.
***
-Mom~!
When she was young, she was immature and was teased by her brothers and sisters, so she ran to her mother and complained.
-Why am I the only one with this name? Everyone except me has one letter! I also want to have a pretty name like Yeoni!
Was it the day when Chloe was teased for being a name only humans would use?
But I think the bullying was particularly severe that day. Considering that he even said that.
-Why did you only give birth to Chloe? Why did you give birth to Chloe in such a strange way?
Then her mother jumped up from her seat.
It was my first time seeing it. The sight of her mother standing there.
That’s because her mother was always lying in her hospital bed.
-….
Without saying a word, my mother took her knife, held my hand, and led me to the bamboo forest behind her house.
After telling me to stay away from her, my mother pulled out her knife and swung it lightly.
-Yeongseom.
At that moment, the shadow of the sword grew longer and cut down the bamboo around it.
My mother came up to me and hugged me as I was covering my ears in shock at the sound of the cut bamboo falling to the ground. She said this.
-It’s because Chloe is still young. There is no way my daughter is weak when her mother is this strong.
I would have probably understood that much, but I was young and anxious so I asked.
-What if it’s the same when you grow up… ? So Chloe isn’t her mother’s daughter? She doesn’t like that….
-Are you that worried? It’s unlikely, but if that day ever comes….
I still remember it clearly.
-You can hate her mother instead.
My mother’s face that smiled and cried.
-Suuu.
Pink mana flickered on the long fingernails.
Mana flowed around her fingernails and transformed into a total of ten sharp blades, five on each hand.
‘Mom was right in the end.’
I can do it too. I am stronger than I thought.
And I am grateful to the person who made me realize that.
‘Master.’
Chloe vaguely realized.
This is the first step toward becoming a teacher.
“Wolhonyeongcham.”
– Shukak!
As she swung both her hands, the shadows where her fingernails had passed were cut off.
And.
“Kwaaak!”
“My arm! My arm!
“Where is everyone…! Snow…!”
The soldiers whose shadows were cut actually had their parts cut off, and they screamed as they watched their bodies getting cut up more and more and rolled on the ground ungainly.
Gloria saw the maids hugging each other in fear.
Sometimes as strong as a bending wind.
Sometimes her dance moves are as fleeting as crashing waves.
The sight of him approaching her at dawn and deciding to take her life was like that.
“…Twilight Claws.”
She had no choice but to admit it.
There is no name more fitting than this.