Page 185 of I Ran Away to Evil
The carriage shook violently as it started to sag, and there were screams outside. I started to fall forward, but my Dexterity saved me.
“Are you good in a fight?” I asked as I lifted Jacqueline back into position.
“I can help,” Brownie assured me.
“Lift your arms; I’ll be gentle.”
Brownie closed her eyes and looked away as I sliced through the regular rope with my magical sword.
The carriage came to a messy halt as we prepared for battle.
CHAPTER 112
A Higher Intelligence Means Nothing If You Can’t Use It
Keith
The more time he spent analyzing the pink dome, the more Keith was certain of two things:
One, itwasin fact a pocket dimension laced with [Void Damage].
Two, Henrietta had the patience of a saint. He was surprised she hadn’t acquired the title while growing up. Anyone who suffered the king and queen of Drendil as parents and walked away a decent personhadto qualify for sainthood. Doubly so, as she’d somehow resisted the urge to stab them into oblivion with her [Void Damage] sword.
He’d tried to draw Jacqueline from her sheath and cut through the bubble—as a Void artifact herself, the sword could probably interact with it—but he’d been unable to touch her handle without getting stung with bouts of sword intent. He got the message that she was not willing, and he wasn’t going to fight with a sword.
A sword that suddenly vanished from his hip.
It happened so suddenly, from one moment to the next, that he didn’t even see it happen. He blinked, then smiled wolfishly. He adjusted himself to ensure nobody else would notice the missing sword, and felt an invisible weight fall from his shoulders; if Ria had her sword, nothing could stop her.
“Monfort, have you figured out how to get us all out of here yet?” King Simon’s words pierced through Keith’s moment of relief, and he marveled at the sheer audacity of that statement.
“How about I askyoua question,” Keith ground through clenched teeth. “Where is Henrietta?”
“Who cares?” the king snapped back. “When we don’t even know whereweare!”
“This never would have happened ifyouhadn’t sent Havork to escort Henri,” Queen Thalia screeched at her husband. Keith flinched. So did her husband.
“You can’t blameme.” King Simon tsked. “Youwere the one whose skill promised Marquess Dorset was telling the truth and trustworthy.”
“Why, I never!” The queen huffed.
“You did, actually.” The king frowned. “Now I see where Henri gets her lack of wits. A higher Intelligence meansnothingif you can’t use it.”
There wasn’t much else Keith could do at this point, so he released the lesser [Shield] spell. He massaged an ever-growing headache.
Keith continued trying other perks and spells. Ever one to learn from his mistakes, he took out a mana potion at some point and restored his mana.
Ria would kill him if he died here from his own folly.
Their guard frowned at him but didn’t make a move to stop him, so Keith kept his mana full. He continued recasting [Dragon Shield] and drinking mana potions while he kept poking at the barrier.
Hours dragged on; at least two, he was sure. The marquess returned, stepping into place outside Keith’s cell.
Keith crossed his arms, ready to cast a second spell if needed, while reactivating [Multitask].
“Dorset!” King Simon walked over to the bars and clanged his cuffs loudly on the metal. “Let us out of herethis instantor our knight commander will hunt you down andend you.”
He sounded very confident. Then again, his knight commanderwasa level sixty paladin.
