IESM 09

I Ended Up in a Shotgun Marriage with the Male Lead
Chapter 9

“Don’t worry. I came to help you because a child named Ivan asked me to.”

“Ivan? But… he can’t even speak the imperial language…”

“Is that really what you’re worried about right now? And since I’m treating your injuries, let go of my wrist.”

She was right. That wasn’t what mattered at the moment.

Realizing it immediately, Kaiden released her wrist and cooperated.

“Where is the child now?”

“…He’s hiding safely for now.”

Emilia answered while moving her hands again.

Of course, the problem was that “hiding safely” meant he was inside her bag.

“The people chasing you are walking around pretending to be railway staff.”

She briefly explained the situation to Kaiden.

“But… can you really not move at all?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

Kaiden glanced at the dagger lying beside him.

The mysterious substance coating its blade was deadly even to someone like him, who had a high resistance to poison.

Aside from managing to move his arm slightly a moment ago, he couldn’t move at all.

Even his vision had become blurry.

Because of that, he couldn’t get a better look at the woman in front of him.

Quietly, he watched the woman carefully moving about with soft rustling sounds.

…What kind of woman is she?

Even if a child had asked for help, most people wouldn’t willingly throw themselves into a situation this dangerous.

And yet she remained so calm.

Just then, the train lurched.

Kaiden frowned slightly before speaking.

“Do you know which station we’re at now?”

“Ah… The last station was Bandia Station, in the Tinus Viscount’s territory.”

“Then that’s fortunate.”

“Fortunate?”

“Yes. My men should be waiting at the next station.”

“Really?”

Emilia’s face immediately brightened as she tied off the bandage.

That was wonderful news.

There was only one problem.

Even if Kaiden’s people boarded the train to help them, it would still take time for them to find Kaiden and Ivan.

“Then I’ll go tell them where you and Ivan are.”

“Would you do that?”

Kaiden immediately described what his aide looked like.

As Emilia pictured the man’s face, she let out a small sigh.

“But… won’t they think I’m suspicious?”

Even if she told them their location, it would be a disaster if they thought she was luring them into a trap.

“Do you have something that could prove your identity?”

“Then… would you check the inside pocket of my jacket?”

“Ah, okay.”

Emilia nodded and slipped her hand inside his jacket.

Her fingers found a small pocket watch.

She quickly took it out, but Kaiden flinched.

“Did I touch your wound?”

“…No.”

“Is this it?”

“Yes. If you show them that, they’ll immediately realize it’s mine, and—”

Suddenly, Kaiden stopped speaking.

Why did he stop?

Emilia looked at him in confusion.

“Wait.”

“Wh-what?”

Kaiden suddenly leaned closer toward her, making Emilia instinctively shrink back.

Then his low voice whispered beside her ear.

“Someone is coming this way.”

“What?”

Startled, Emilia lowered her voice.

“Could it just be an ordinary railway employee?”

It seemed too soon for the man she’d seen earlier to have reached this carriage already.

“No. Those footsteps don’t belong to an ordinary person. They’re probably the same people you mentioned.”

Emilia froze.

Wait.

People.

That meant there wasn’t just one of them.

What do I do?

She bit her lip and nervously glanced toward the door.

Please… just walk past without noticing us!

Then, suddenly, something she had seen earlier in the station waiting room flashed through her mind.

Ah! Right!

They didn’t have to fail to notice.

They just had to pretend they hadn’t seen anything.

The only problem was that she hesitated to actually do it.

At that moment, Kaiden frowned and pushed her away.

“You need to leave. Now.”

“Huh?”

Emilia stared at him, not understanding.

“The corridor continues outside, so the moment you leave—”

As she hurriedly tried to explain, Kaiden shook his head.

“No. I mean go outside and tell them there’s a suspicious person here.”

“What?”

In other words…

He wanted her to pretend to be an innocent passenger and escape by herself.

“Don’t say something so ridiculous!”

Emilia snapped at him in a hushed voice.

She had no intention of listening to any more of Kaiden’s nonsense.

Instead, she replayed the scene she’d witnessed earlier.

Is this really the only way?

I don’t know! It’s the only thing I can think of right now!

Swallowing hard, Emilia steeled herself.

“Just so we’re clear… I don’t have any bad intentions, okay?”

No matter what, she felt she absolutely had to say that first.

“What exactly are you—”

Kaiden never got to finish his question.

Emilia kicked the dagger far out of reach in one swift motion…

Then climbed directly on top of him.

“What… are… you doing…?”

Even Kaiden, who had remained calm while enemies approached, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

At the same time, the warmth of her small, delicate body and her soft scent enveloped him.

“Just stay still!”

Did he think she wanted to do this with a man she’d only met today?

Scolding him, Emilia unfastened several buttons at the front of her clothes, exposing one shoulder.

“Are you good at… making those kinds of sounds? No—never mind.”

She quickly shook her head.

Even to her own ears, it had been an absurd question.

Besides, there wasn’t time to wait for his answer.

By now, even Emilia could hear the approaching footsteps.

“Let me borrow your arm.”

She positioned Kaiden’s right arm around her waist.

Holding her breath, Emilia watched from the corner of her eye until the men reached the door.

The moment they grabbed the doorknob—

“Mmm…”

Emilia let out a soft, breathy moan.

“Wh-what was that?”

Fortunately, the men outside sounded thoroughly flustered.

But Emilia didn’t stop there.

“Ah… darling… wait… a little slower…”

She blurted out whatever lines she could think of.

Instead of opening the door, the men peered through the window.

What they saw…

…was a woman straddling a man.

To anyone watching, it looked unmistakably like they were engaged in something very intimate.

No explanation was necessary.

At that moment, Emilia turned toward the window and screamed.

“Wh-what are you staring at?!”

At the same time, she pulled Kaiden’s head tightly against her chest.

They can’t see his hair color and get suspicious.

Even then, Emilia wanted to die from embarrassment.

But there was an unspoken rule everyone knew.

In a public place, the embarrassed person isn’t the one doing something awkward—

It’s the one who accidentally witnesses it.

Please… please…

Praying the men felt exactly that way, Emilia pretended she was on the verge of tears.

“Wh-what do we do?! I told you I didn’t want to do this here! I said people might come!”

She even glared at the men outside as though they were the shameless ones…

…all while carefully memorizing every detail of their appearances.