| Chapter 18. The Secret Passage

“I’ve finally found it!”

After several sleepless nights in the Ivanov royal archives, Natasha unearthed an ancient map of the castle. Her trembling fingers traced over the map, and she discovered a secret passage leading to the solitary cell in the underground prison. Clasping her hands together, she offered a prayer of thanks to the goddess Hella.

Though it might seem blasphemous, Natasha didn’t truly believe in the goddess’s blessings. If such divine favor existed, her mother and teacher wouldn’t have met such tragic ends. If anything, perhaps the goddess who supposedly loved all might harbor a special hatred for her, inflicting pain on those around her.

But today, at least, it felt as though the goddess had smiled upon her. At last, she could save Alexei. She could finally be of help to him.

Tucking the map securely into her chest, Natasha hurried back to her room. Her footsteps felt light, as though she were flying. She had to hurry—there wasn’t a moment to lose.

Once in her room, Natasha pulled out a maid’s uniform from the corner of her dressing room. She’d coaxed Renna into acquiring it earlier, joking about sneaking out for a secret adventure into the village.

Though she wasn’t used to dressing without assistance, the simple design of the maid’s uniform allowed Natasha to manage it with only a little fumbling. After donning the attire, she studied the map one last time, committing the route to memory before tucking it deep under her bed. She grabbed a small lantern with a handle and stood up.

* * *

Creak.

Carefully, Natasha opened the door and peered down the hallway. The castle was silent in the early hours of dawn, but Natasha stayed on high alert as she made her way to the audience chamber.

According to the map, the entrance to the secret passage was unexpectedly located beneath the throne in the chamber. Even as she set her lantern down and began to push aside the heavy throne, Natasha still doubted the map’s accuracy. But as she lifted the carpet, her breath caught. Beneath it lay a large wooden plank with a recessed handle.

‘There really is a secret passage here.’

The solitary cell in the underground prison wasn’t just for housing the worst criminals. In the past, kings had used it to confine political rivals or threats that needed to be discreetly dealt with. This secret passage must have been designed for those occasions, allowing the ruler to secretly check on their captives.

But that was all a story from a bygone era. The passage hadn’t been used in ages. Even Natasha, who had grown up in the castle, had only just learned of its existence. Sergey, who was adopted not long ago, likely had no knowledge of the passage or the map either.

With great care, Natasha lifted the cover of the passage, picked up her lantern, and shone its light below. The faint outline of moss-covered, cobweb-laden stone steps appeared. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her skirts and began descending cautiously, one step at a time.

A short while later.

‘He’s not here.’

Natasha’s heart sank as she stared into the empty prison cell at the bottom of the slippery, dark staircase.

‘What happened? Could he have been killed and disposed of already?’

Her hands trembled, and her thoughts threatened to spiral into chaos. But there was no time to fall apart. If Alexei had been executed and discarded, Sergey would have celebrated with a triumphant feast by now. Yet no such announcement had been made.

Natasha forced herself to think. She hadn’t lost him yet—there had to be another explanation.

‘Did he escape in the dead of night? But how could he, in that state, torn apart by the lion?’

If so, may he be safe.
May he find happiness far from Sergey’s reach. May he never cross paths with me again… and may he never suffer misfortune because of me.

‘Goddess Hella, even if you despise me, I beg you to watch over him. He has nothing to do with me—grant him your mercy, even if I am denied it.’

After offering a brief prayer in her heart, Natasha glanced around cautiously and hurried back up the stairs. If Alexei had indeed escaped unnoticed, Sergey would suspect her first. She had to return to her room quickly.

Carefully checking for any traces she might have left behind, Natasha restored the throne and rug to their original positions before slipping out of the passage and returning to her room.

* * *

“Natasha! Are you in there?”

Sergey burst into Natasha’s room, nearly kicking down the door, just moments after Natasha had concealed the maid’s uniform, changed into her nightgown, and laid down in bed.

“Yawn… Brother, what brings you here at this hour?”

In the dim room, shrouded by heavy curtains, Natasha sat up groggily, feigning the remnants of a deep sleep. Watching her, Sergey exhaled in relief. The news of Alexei’s disappearance overnight had sent him into a frenzy, convinced Natasha might have eloped with him.

‘Still… I can’t shake my suspicions.’

Even as he observed Natasha’s calm, unaffected demeanor, Sergey’s doubts lingered. How had Alexei escaped the heavily guarded underground prison? No one in Ivanov Castle seemed capable of aiding him—except Natasha.

“That slave, Alexei…”

Sergey began, carefully watching Natasha’s face.

Her expression lit up with unexpected enthusiasm.

“Is he… finally dead?”

“Hmph, no… That’s not it.”

Taken aback by her reaction, Sergey hesitated before continuing.

“He disappeared. Without a trace.”

“What? How is that possible?”

Natasha’s pale, shocked expression convinced Sergey to set aside his final shred of doubt. Steeling himself, he vowed to use any means necessary to find Alexei and destroy him.

* * *

After that, Sergey mobilized the full power of the Duchy to search for Alexei but failed to locate him. Later, it was discovered that one of the newer prison guards had also vanished that night. That guard, it turned out, had been concealing his identity and was a Metis—a mixed-blood descendant of the Knulu tribe.

In a rage, Sergey executed the remaining prison guards and displayed their severed heads on the castle walls. Still, sleepless nights plagued him, haunted by nightmares of Alexei returning with a blade at his throat. However, as months passed without incident, even those nightmares faded.

‘In that condition, torn up by the lion, he couldn’t have gone far. He must have died somewhere, unnoticed.’

Sergey allowed himself this comforting thought. Even if Alexei had somehow survived, what threat could a mere slave pose to him? At best, the man was likely cowering in fear, running as far away as possible.

‘Pathetic fool. He’s nothing but a weakling.’

Chuckling, Sergey took another swig of liquor from the bedside and smirked to himself.

* * *

A year had passed since Alexei’s escape. The nightmares that had tormented Sergey were long gone, and the once-celebrated gladiator had faded from the public’s memory. The uproar caused by Alexei’s pardon—granted under Natasha’s suggestion—had subsided, and Sergey had returned to his usual self-indulgent ways.

What still gnawed at him, however, was the way Alexei’s popularity had far surpassed his own. The Emperor of the Luman Empire had used gladiatorial games to bolster his image and rally public support, yet Sergey found himself overshadowed by a mere slave.

In truth, there was a fundamental difference between the games in the Luman Empire and those in Ivanov. The Luman games were a public spectacle for entertainment, whereas Sergey’s games were a self-serving indulgence. But Sergey, blind to this distinction, had no desire to reflect on his failures.

Still, with Alexei gone and the public’s adoration waning, Sergey saw it as an opportunity to solidify his power through other means.

“It’s time to stop waiting,” he muttered.

Grabbing a formal marriage proposal letter from his bedside table, Sergey rose abruptly. He rinsed his mouth with leftover rum, wiped the sleep from his eyes, and tossed a velvet cloak over his nightclothes.

“Not bad. I’d say I’m quite the handsome fellow.”

Admiring his reflection in the mirror, he patted his belly with satisfaction, crumpled the letter in his hand, and made his way to Natasha’s room.