Page 40 of I Ran Away to Evil #3
Carefully Planned Foiling
Gerda
The second the battle started, I dropped everything to go after the Keeper of Fate.
I had no idea how I was going to talk my way into revealing her secret identity, but in the worst-case scenario, I could just blame [Sense Danger]. Or fall back on that well-timed Sleep potion to the face.
I finally spotted her on the opposite side of the hall. Pram had just iced the floor and was now making an ice wall to protect the noncombatants against the opposite wall of the sanctuary. To reach her, I’d need to circle around or brave the battlefield between.
The good news was, King Keith was on this side with me, safely tucked behind Julian’s [Barrier], where Alice couldn’t reach him.Henrietta’s oracle scenario had started when the battle was at an end and the damage already done.
In that future, Chloe was permanently gone, and many of the guests had died in the chaos—unfortunate for them, due to their differing inheritance laws.
It was a reminder that the keeper didn’t need to actually kill everyone to further her plan; half of her list could have their fates irrevocably altered with a simple unaliving.
Henrietta had been walking back to Keith so she could comfort her husband in his grief when the Keeper of Fate had hit the Dark Lord with a bottle of molten ash vane.
It had only gone further downhill from there.
So in this timeline, I’d equipped one of my two life-saving phoenix tail feathers and waited until the keeper tried to cross the room before moving to intercept her.
Now hearing that John was on his way, I switched to a distraction tactic.
“Riddle me this,” I said, swinging my axe back until the smooth wooden handle rested on my exposed shoulder. “How are you going to escape now, spy ?”
“You brute . Do you think they’ll listen to your nonsense?” The keeper glared from behind her fan, looking down her nose at me in her best princess fashion. “ I am no spy. You speak with the Princess Contessa la Rouche of Ildsfeld!”
The woman’s disguise was exemplary, as to be expected from the leader of an international spy organization.
“ Are you, though?” I goaded, trying to keep her attention from John’s shadow. It had started ten paces back where Julian stood, arms crossed and patiently waiting.
She narrowed her eyes. “ Of course I am .”
I smiled a challenge. “I thought you were the Keeper of Fate?”
“How do you know that name?” she started, then her eyes narrowed. “ Wait! ”
I thought she’d noticed John’s shadow—but no, her eyes never left my face as she considered something.
“No … I don’t believe it.” She scoffed. “It can’t be you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’m the one who found all of your traps—and now, you are trapped.”
“You think so?” She snapped her deadly fan shut and paused dramatically.
Nothing happened.
Her eyes went wide, then narrowed in pure, unadulterated hatred. “ What did you do? ”
“You won’t escape while I’m still here.” I smirked.
It was, in fact, Grand Duchess Calisto who’d taken my advice and used one of her enchantments to separate the sanctuary into a pocket dimension. It guaranteed that no one could escape—including the pink portal mage who had kidnapped her daughter.
But the keeper didn’t know that.
At that point, my perception felt John’s shadow touch my own. Perfect. I wanted him safely under my feet for the next part of my plan.
“Surrender, Keeper. The door is barred!” I said, deliberately looking away and pointing at the sanctuary’s front doors. The Keeper of Fate took my bait and threw her potion bottle at me.
By the looks of it … it was molten ash vane. I calmly stepped aside and let the bottle shatter on the floor behind me.
It looked like I didn’t need to use up a phoenix feather after all.
If I were John, I would’ve used this opportunity to capture her right away, but the master rogue waited. The Keeper of Fate stared at the bottle and then back at me. “You …”
“Any other tricks?” I asked, tapping my foot to inspire John. Why was he waiting?
“All this time,” she said, her voice coming out as a hoarse laugh. “All this time, you were a bridge troll? ”
“Yes?”
“YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!” She whipped her fan out. “ DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE?! ”
“John!” I shouted, dodging two poisoned air blades that narrowly missed my ear. “Now would be—”
The man was already on it, appearing from the floor and clamping a set of manacles onto the keeper’s wrists. Princess Contessa la Rouche of Ildsfeld changed from a tall black-haired human into a familiar blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman with enough charm to knock out a troll.
I should know; I could feel it in my gut.
“ I’M GOING TO END YOU—Let me go! ” The woman screamed her frustration and tried to break free of John’s hold on her manacles. It was useless with all of her stats reduced, but I took a step back anyway, bumping into Duke Julian’s firm chest.
It was a very nice chest.
“Miss Gerda.” Julian lifted one finger to push the blade of my axe away from his face. I hurriedly stored the weapon in my ring and stepped to the side.
Visha was with him, the elf immediately stepping forward to help take charge of the keeper.
On the other side of the hall, Julia, Chloe, and Their Royal Highness had reappeared, and Grand Duchess Calisto was thanking everyone for coming, and reminding them that there would be a reception lunch in the dining hall in one hour’s time.
“I can’t wait to hear how you will explain this. But first—” Julian turned dark eyes on the keeper. “It is so good to see you again, Guild Mistress Alice. We have much to discuss , you and I.”
Alice stopped struggling against her bonds and turned my way. She didn’t spare the duke a glance, instead yelling at me, “You think you’ve won? These bonds won’t keep me, and I will come for you—”
“I see we’ll have to do this elsewhere.” Julian cut off Alice by bending down to block her view.
“You are under arrest by warrant of the Continental Council.” His voice dropped to an angry timber.
“And you will go quietly or we will be forced to take drastic action. Visha, check with mother where she wants our special guest. ”
The celestial glared but kept her mouth shut as she was dragged away.
“Now, Miss Gerda.” Julian turned back to me, a pair of manacles dangling from the half elf’s hands.
It was like something straight out of fanfiction art.
I almost fought it, but Henrietta had spotted me and was on her way over.
Besides, thanks to my own intervention, I couldn’t portal out even if I wanted to.
“I think you already know why I’m detaining you,” he said as he clasped the manacles around my wrists.
[ Veralyn’s Enchanted Restraint Manacles: A modified version of the restraints designed for St. George’s Trials. Prevents access to all nonpassive Titles, Skills, Perks, Bonded, and Equipped Items. All Attribute stats capped at 15.]
I raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m brilliant and figured out who the mastermind was?”
“Among other things,” he stated.
“You didn’t need to manacle me to bring me in for questioning,” I told him.
“Are you sure ?” Julian countered. “When someone easily escaped my level fifty-four rogue yesterday?”
“Okay, that’s fair.”
“ What is the meaning of this ?” The Dark Lady had arrived.
“I’m just taking her in for questioning—”
“Questioning? Again ?” Henrietta crossed her arms.
“You can release the bridge troll; she’s innocent.” Grand Duchess Calisto also walked up to join us. She looked like she’d been through all seven hells and back again, and was using Their Royal Highness as a crutch. Visha held Alice nearby.
Behind her, all that remained was the wedding party. Sir Tully and Pram stood by the exits. Hana and Wendy were picking up the scattered remnants of the brides’ bouquets that littered the floor. Chloe was seated, with Julia supporting her wife by handing her mana potion after mana potion.
“Ha, innocent ?” Alice barked a laugh that drew everyone’s attention. Her face twisted in some secret, malicious smile before her eyes met mine, and she said, “You have all been deceived. That’s not Gerda the Bridge Troll— that’s Madame Potts .”