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The cargo carriage sped along the road, carrying Camilla and Alice. They sat shoulder-to-shoulder, cramped within the small compartment overflowing with goods.
“Where exactly are we… headed?” Camilla asked cautiously.
“We must travel to the Imperial Capital tonight,” Alice replied. “Many testimonies have emerged against you, and everyone harbors personal grievances. I tried to persuade them to amend their statements, but they were hesitant, as retracting testimony carries serious consequences. For now, our only recourse is to have a higher-ranking judicial figure pressure the local court.
My mother has already arranged an audience for us with the Grand Justice of the Capital’s High Court. You must personally explain everything to him, detail by detail. Given our connections, he is sure to offer his assistance.”
“Alice…” Camilla looked at Alice with profound relief. “I truly don’t know how to thank you.”
Pulled from the brink of certain death, Camilla finally regained a semblance of composure. She felt immensely fortunate for having cultivated a good relationship with Alice earlier.
“It’s alright, it’s simply what I should do,” Alice said with a gentle smile.
“But why are we traveling in a cargo carriage?” Camilla’s brow furrowed slightly.
As a proud noble, she usually disdained even the public carriages used by commoners. The confined space of this cargo carriage, barely allowing her to stretch her legs, made her feel utterly miserable.
“We are, after all, seeking to use back channels, so our journey must not be publicized. We need to act discreetly. Disguising ourselves in a cargo carriage to leave the city won’t leave a record. Please bear with it a little longer,” Alice comforted her.
“Alright, but I feel… a bit unwell,” Camilla complained softly.
The carriage lacked even soft cushions, and the constant jolting left her feeling nauseous.
“I’ve prepared a very effective motion sickness remedy,” Alice immediately said, pulling out a small bottle and offering it. “Mother brought it back from the Imperial Capital some time ago.”
Camilla took the bottle, opened it, and involuntarily wrinkled her nose. “What… what is this smell?”
“Good medicine often tastes bitter. Be a good girl, don’t be willful, and drink it all,” Alice coaxed with a smile.
With Alice urging her so strongly, Camilla dared not refuse. After all, Alice was her only reliance at this moment.
She tilted her head back and swallowed the liquid in one gulp.
“Ugh, that’s so awful,” Camilla said, sticking out her tongue.
The medicine was both spicy and bitter, rushing into her stomach like a ball of fire, a wave of warmth spreading throughout her body.
“Here, drink some water,” Alice offered a waterskin.
Camilla took a deep gulp, washing away the strange taste from her mouth.
For some unknown reason, immediately after drinking the medicine, Camilla felt her eyelids grow heavy.
She struggled to stay awake for a while, but the drowsiness inflated like a balloon, steadily consuming her consciousness.
Finally, she could no longer resist. “Alice, I’m so sleepy.”
“Yes, this medicine has a calming effect, and you must be tired,” Alice said softly. “It’s fine, go to sleep. Just lean on my shoulder.”
“Okay…” Camilla was too weary for any further thought. Her body swayed, and as her head rested on Alice’s shoulder, she lost consciousness.
“Good night, my dear Camilla,” Alice whispered, a faint smile playing on her lips.
****
The carriage, having reached the outskirts, gradually slowed. Ahead, where the road stretched, a dilapidated, abandoned farmstead came into view.
****
Camilla had a dream.
A nightmare that felt eerily familiar.
In her dream, she stood in the school building, her arms seized by two boys, one on each side, holding her as if preparing for an execution.
She looked left and right, realizing these two boys were the very same henchmen she had bribed in the past.
“You two scoundrels, are you rebelling!?” she instinctively roared.
In her subconscious, these two were merely her lackeys. To dare treat her this way meant they were tired of living.
Both boys seemed deaf, utterly ignoring her furious shouts.
Then, a third person suddenly appeared before Camilla and slapped her hard across the face.
Camilla was stunned on the spot, staring wide-eyed.
Her eyes then widened even further, her mouth agape in astonishment.
The person who slapped her… was herself!
“A commoner, daring to dirty my new shoes? You’re asking for death!”
Along with the angry curse, two more slaps landed on her face, making her ears ring.
Just as Camilla was about to retort, the two boys holding her suddenly shoved her forcefully, sending her tumbling forward onto the ground.
The scene abruptly shifted, changing from the school corridor to a small grove. She quickly braced herself with her hands to prevent her face from being buried in the dirt.
“Eek!” she instinctively shrieked. Right on the ground where her face was aimed, a writhing mass of entangled earthworms squirmed.
She instinctively tried to lift her head and dodge, but at that moment, a foot pressed down on her head.
“Eat it while it’s fresh! I had someone specially dig these for you!” she heard her own voice declare from above.
Indeed, this time, the one stepping on her head and forcing her to eat earthworms was still herself!
“Too hungry to eat, are we? Let us help you.” The ‘Camilla’ stepping on her head sneered. “Someone, feed Her Ladyship!”
Her two henchmen immediately moved. One clamped her jaw, forcing her mouth open, while the other reached down and stuffed the earthworms from the ground into her mouth.
Her tongue distinctly felt the cold, slimy texture of the earthworms, along with their vigorous wriggling.
The intense nausea caused her to immediately begin vomiting. Amidst her retching, she heard her own loud laughter.
At that moment, her memories suddenly resurfaced. She realized she had an impression of these two scenes she had just experienced.
Indeed, these were all things she herself had done to others in the past.
However, in this strange illusion, her perspective had become that of the victim.
By the time she had nearly emptied her stomach and managed to raise her head, she found the scene had changed once more.
She was now in a prison cell. For some reason, she felt pain radiating throughout her body, as if she had been severely tortured, and one of her eyes could barely see.
She tried to stand but found a sharp pain in her right foot, rendering it useless.
When… when did this happen?
She felt she had some faint memory of this cell, but she couldn’t recall it at the moment.
A person suddenly appeared outside the cell door. She instinctively looked over. Based on her experience in the previous two scenes, she expected to see herself again.
But this time, it was Alice, holding a lantern, who appeared outside the cell door.
“Alice! Save me, Alice!” Seeing Alice, hope suddenly ignited in Camilla’s heart.
She knew Alice would surely save her. Even if she lost her power and was ostracized by everyone, Alice would still extend a helping hand!
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore Ever Since My Roommate Started Sleepwalking. Start reading now!
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