Chapter 07
812 Words
Ada Williams
My entire body went on high alert the instant I heard that voice.
Cold and low.
But strangely familiar.
I felt my stomach plummet before I even understood why. Then came a few flashes—quick and disjointed.
A man watching me from the road.
Stares that lingered just a bit too long.
Uncomfortable smiles.
Fictional Ada changing her route just to avoid crossing paths with him.
Her father standing in front of the door with a hardened expression.
Protection.
Because that man had been harassing Ada for a very long time. Only now... she was alone.
Or rather, I was.
His name struck my brain like a bolt of lightning: Duene Esparza, one of the messengers and subordinates of the local nobility.
My heart began to pound so hard I thought he'd be able to hear it from outside. I stood completely still in the middle of the dark kitchen, barely daring to breathe.
Damn it... now this?
Maybe if I pretended I wasn't here... he would leave.
Silence.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Two more knocks. Louder this time.
"I know you're in there."
My throat went dry instantly. His voice remained calm, but there was something wrong with it. Something slimy.
"If you don't open up... I'll just have to open it myself. Just to make sure you're alright."
My blood ran cold.
No f*****g way was that concern. It was a threat.
The fear fictional Ada felt toward this man wasn't an exaggeration. It was real... very real.
I automatically took a step back. My mind began to race. What should I do? What the hell was I supposed to do? I was in a crazy medieval world full of war, monsters, and broken systems... and all I got were useless farming skills that I couldn't even use!
Excellent.
Another knock echoed. More impatient.
My body reacted before my mind did.
"D-Don't do that!"
My own voice came out trembling.
Shit.
I needed to sound calm. I needed to think.
"Wh... what do you want?"
Silence stretched between us for a few seconds before he answered.
"I came to check on you. No one's seen you in town since your parents died. People started worrying... so I thought I'd stop by."
Yeah, right.
I didn't need the fictional Ada's memories to know something was off.
It was in the way he spoke.
The tiny pauses.
The careful choice of words.
The way every sentence sounded rehearsed.
Years of dealing with scammers, smooth talkers, and professional bullshitters had taught me a thing or two.
And this guy wasn't nearly as convincing as he seemed to think.
Besides...
What kind of man shows up at a young woman's house in the middle of the night because he's "concerned"?
Creep.
I drew in a slow breath and forced myself to stay calm.
"I'm okay. It's just... the farm's been keeping me busy lately. That's all. I haven't had much reason to go into town."
The man said nothing for a moment.
Then—
"I see..."
His tone changed.
Softer.
Almost kind.
Which somehow felt even worse.
Every instinct I had was telling me not to trust him.
"Just open the door a little. I brought something for you."
I frowned immediately.
"What?"
"A letter from the Count. New laws and taxes. It involves you, too."
My stomach tightened. That... sounded too specific to be made up.
Damn it.
What if he was telling the truth? If I ignored something important in this world, I could end up making my situation even worse.
My mind began to race. Think, Ada! Think! Use your brain.
This was exactly how I dealt with suspicious clients at work. I couldn't act out of fear. I needed to analyze.
Controlled tone.
Trying to sound trustworthy.
Excessive insistence.
Attempting to create urgency.
Everything about him screamed danger. But at the same time... the information seemed plausible.
I nervously bit the inside of my cheek before looking around the kitchen. My gaze landed on a thick piece of wood leaning near the stove.
I grabbed it immediately.
It was heavy. Great.
I gripped it tightly as I walked slowly toward the door. My heart was racing. I took one last deep breath before unlatching just a fraction of the old wood and cracking it open slightly. Just enough to peek outside.
And the second my eyes met the man standing there... a violent shiver ran down my entire spine.
The moment he realized I wouldn't open it any further, his expression shifted. Only for a second, but I saw it—the fake politeness cracked.
Duene suddenly shoved the door.
My heart nearly leaped out of my throat. The wood shuddered violently, but it didn't give way, thanks to the chain and the makeshift latch.
Instinctively, I raised the piece of wood I was holding.
"Stay back!"
- Writer
