One-Shot Transmigration: Sorry I'm Here To Ruin Your Happy Ever After-Chapter 121: The trial(1)

They left the field and walked toward the inn near the center of Briar Glen, a small, creaking place with faded curtains and a sign that swung whenever the wind passed.

No one paid them much attention; farmhands came and went, the smell of stew drifted from the kitchen, and the old owner barely looked up as they entered.

They disappeared into a room upstairs.

What they discussed stayed behind that closed door.

When they finally stepped back outside, the sky had turned orange, the sun sinking behind the distant hills. Min-jae inhaled slowly, bracing himself.

"It’s settled then.." he said.

Odysseus nodded, folding his arms behind his back. "We move tonight. At dawn, it gets too busy and make it harder to stay hidden."

Yura tightened her cloak around herself. Her fingers were trembling again, but this time it wasn’t from fear, more from the weight of everything she had to become in just a few hours.

Saar glanced at her, voice low. "Once we cross the lake, there’s no turning back. On the other side is Aldoria... and the moment we step out of the forest, we’re completely exposed."

Yura swallowed. "I know. I’m ready."

Min‑jae turned to her properly this time, really looking at her. She looked exhausted, shadows under her eyes, dirt still smudged on her sleeves from earlier.

Yet her gaze was steady.

"You’ll need to blend in as much as possible.." he said softly.

"I’ve read the manhwa.." she murmured. "I remember what nobles wore, how they walked, how they talked. I won’t embarrass you when we get there."

-_-

What’s a manhwa? Was it some kind of book?

"You could never embarrass me."

She blinked, startled. Min‑jae didn’t even seem to realize he had said it aloud.

Odysseus cleared his throat politely. "We should prepare her now. Briar Glen may be small, but people will still notice if we start wandering around looking out of place once night falls. Let’s finish everything before we head into the woods."

Saar stepped closer to Yura, adjusting the collar of the cloak they’d given her. "Your posture needs to change. Not stiff, but deliberate." He tapped his chest lightly. "Aldorian noblewomen move like they’re being watched even when they aren’t."

Yura straightened her back, trying to follow the rhythm Saar demonstrated.

"Good.." Saar said. "Now your tone, keep your answers short unless spoken to directly. And avoid apologizing. Nobles consider it weak."

She nodded again, absorbing everything with the urgency of someone who understood there were no second chances.

Min‑jae lingered at her side, eyes softening despite himself. "You don’t have to be perfect. You just need to survive long enough for the trial."

"And you’ll... really be cleared tomorrow?"

His jaw tensed. "According to the schedule Saar overheard, yes. The tribunal starts at noon. If everything goes well..m"

"You’ll be free.." she whispered.

Free to return to Meical.

Free to reclaim the life that had been ripped from him.

Min‑jae didn’t say it out loud, but the thought lit in his eyes.

Odysseus motioned toward the path leading out of Briar Glen. "Time to go. We must reach the lake before the moon rises. It’s easier to cross when the water is still."

They began walking toward the trees, leaving the dim lights of the inn behind them.

The air grew colder as the forest thickened, fireflies blinking between roots and branches.

Ahead, through the trees, the lake glimmered faintly. Yura exhaled slowly. "Once we cross that... there’s no coming back, right?"

Min‑jae stepped beside her.

"Yes.." he said. "But it’s the only way forward."

And with that, they moved toward the water, toward the far shore where Aldoria waited, dark, dangerous, and holding the truth Min‑jae—no, Kaizar had been denied for so long.

The forest was a dark, suffocating shroud, its silence oppressive and heavy.

No torches lit their path, no friendly glow guided them, only the faint, silver moonlight filtering through the tangled branches like a whispered secret.

Every step was a careful, deliberate dance, where one misstep meant a torn cloak, scraped hand, or twisted ankle.

Minjae led the way, his broad shoulders brushing against the darkness. Odysseus followed close behind, his eyes scanning the shadows.

Yura trailed a pace back, her breathing steady, but her eyes darting nervously at every snap of a twig.

Minjae’s voice was a gentle warning, "Careful.." he murmured, catching a low-hanging branch that threatened to snag Yura’s cloak.

"I am.." she whispered back, her voice barely audible, her grip on her cloak tightening.

The forest seemed to hold its breath as they moved, the only sound the crunch of dry leaves beneath their boots.

The trees seemed to loom over them, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching out to snatch them back.

As they walked, the trees began to thin, and the darkness receded, revealing the faint outline of rooftops in the distance.

Lights flickered like fireflies in the town below. The path curved, leading them finally to the edge of Aldoria, where the shadows of houses and cobblestone streets stretched into the darkness like welcoming arms.

Minjae paused, his eyes scanning the group. "This is it.." he said, his voice low and urgent. "Once we leave, there’s no turning back. Be careful."

Odysseus and Saar exchanged a glance, their eyes sharp and ready. Minjae’s gaze lingered on Yura, his expression unreadable.

"We split here. Saar, find clothes and jewelry for Yura. She needs to look the part tomorrow. Odysseus, go back to the Vukasin Estate. Don’t return till tomorrow. Understand?"

"Yes, Madame.." Odysseus said quietly, bowing slightly.

"Understood, Master.." Saar replied, fists still clenched, though the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

The two men melted into the shadows, each taking a different route, leaving Min‑jae and Yura standing on the outskirts of the town.

Min‑jae took a deep breath, turning to Yura. "Now it’s just us. We need to find an inn. Somewhere discreet. Somewhere we can stay without drawing attention until tomorrow."

Yura nodded, still holding her cloak tightly. "I’ve never... snuck into a town before.." she admitted quietly, a small edge of fear in her voice.

"You’re doing fine.." Min‑jae reassured her, offering a small smile.