I Ran Away To Evil: Book 2 & 3 - A Cozy LitRPG RomCom

Hearing Julian's order to John, I changed tactics. Especially when the shields protecting both myself and the Keeper dropped.

The Keeper of Fate had taken position to strike back with a poison tipped metal prong fan. It was as beautiful as it was deadly, the fabric painted with red lycoris flowers on a white background.

“Riddle me this,” I swung my axe back - and let the smooth wooden handle rest on my exposed shoulder. “How are you going to escape now?”

I shot a look at Duke Julian. He was unamused, but I’d already made my decision, and I'd already accepted getting questioned for my part in revealing the Keeper of Fate’s identity.

If I’d left the Keeper alone she would have MAV’d someone. In Henrietta’s route, the battle was at an end and the damage was done. Only Chloe was lost, but many of the guests had died in the chaos and needed to be revived with potions. Unfortunate for them due to their differing inheritance laws. The Keeper didn't need to actually kill everyone; half of her list was easy with a simple un-aliving.

That was around the time the Keeper surprised Keith with a bottle of Molten Ash Vane.

This timeline, I’d attacked her the second she’d palmed a potion.

I didn’t know if it was the MAV, but that didn’t matter; I hadn’t come this far to have all of my carefully planned foiling undone.

Getting interrogated was worth it, in my humble opinion. Especially if I was interrogated by Julian...

“You think they’ll listen to this nonsense.” The Keeper puffed up her chest and glared down her nose at me in her best princess fashion. “I’m an official guest!”

“Are you though?” I raised an eyebrow.

The woman’s disguise was exemplary, as to be expected from the leader of an international spy organisation; even I couldn’t see through it.

The Keeper narrowed her eyes at me. “Of course I am. I am the Princess Contessa la Rouche of Ildsfeld!”

“I thought you were the Keeper of Fate?” I goaded, trying to keep her attention from John as his shadow hid in my own. It paused there, which was not reassuring. I hoped he wasn’t going to wait for the woman to outright attack me before acting.

“How do you know that name?” She demanded, her act slipping for just a moment. “Wait-”

I thought that she’d noticed shadow boy, but she’d simply trailed off, her brow knitted in concentration.

John had been extra cautious in his approach, moving at a snail's pace. I would’ve jumped her right away myself, but I wasn’t the master rogue.

“No... I don’t believe it.” Whatever conclusion she had come to, she sounded like she didn’t believe it either. "It can't be you."

In an attempt to draw her back, I said, “I’ve dealt with all of your traps, Keeper, and now you are trapped.”

“You think so, do you?” She scoffed, raising her fan to cover her face. Then she paused expectantly.

Nothing happened.

She looked around in frustration. Her doppelganger spy ability was overpowered, but it came with one glaring flaw - she couldn’t use her skills while she was transformed, and instead she could change places with her dopple.

But she couldn’t change places now. I smiled.

Her eyes went wide and then narrowed in pure, unadulterated hatred. “What did you do?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” I smirked.

It was, in fact, Duchess Calisto who’d rigged this entire building with enough enchantments to separate us from the rest of our dimension. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had mana drain by now. Her golem battle had been fun to watch, but we all knew the woman could have ended things sooner in her own way.

But then someone might have escaped or been missed. Better to pocket dimension the entire building and trap everyone inside.

I glanced around the room. The rest of the hall was no longer consumed in battle, and the adults were cleaning up the mess. Between Pram and Agatha, half of the hall was a frozen tundra, partially separating us from the front doors. Julia, Chloe and Their Royal Highness had reappeared, and Grand Duchess Calisto was already releasing non-combatants from the Sanctuary. Thanking them for coming and hoping they had a good time. Calisto reminded everyone that the reception lunch would be held at noon, in just over an hour.

I wanted to poke John; it was past time to end this.

The Keeper didn't realise that my Perception was so broken, and used the opportunity I gave her. She threw the potion bottle at me.

By the look of it... it was MAV. I didn't so much as 'catch' the bottle, but touch and store it into my hero's inventory quick enough that it appeared like I'd caught it.

"It must be." The Keeper of Fate sucked in breath. “All this time, you were a bridge troll?”

“Yes?” I readjusted my battle axe.

“You ruined everything!” She whipped her fan out, and I dodged two air blades that narrowly missed my ear. “Do you know what you’ve even done?”

She lunged to slice me with the fan and I barely got out of the way, shouting. “John! Now would be a–”

The man was already on it, appearing from the floor and clamping a set of manacles onto the Keepers wrists. The rogue pocketed the fan.

The Princess Contessa la Rouche of Ildsfeld changed from a tall black haired human into a familiar blond haired-blue eyed woman with enough charm to knock out a troll. I should know; I could feel it in my gut.

“I am going to end you.” The woman screamed her frustration and tried to break free to get at me. It was useless with all of her stats reduced, but I took a step back anyway and bumped into a firm chest.

“I’m sure you heard me tell you to stand down?” Duke Julian used a finger to push the blade of my axe away from his face, and raised one eyebrow at me. I promptly returned the Magesplitter back into my hero storage and stepped aside, waving empty hands in surrender.

Wow, he had a very nice chest.

Visha, alive again and annoyed, also joined in, immediately taking control of the Keeper.

“It is nice to meet you, Guild Mistress Alice Smith. We have much to discuss.” Julian’s cold hard stare sent shivers down my spine just watching it. It was very sexy. Alice didn’t reply, choosing for the first time to remain silent. She was seething, and shooting daggers at me.

Julian waved a hand, “Restrain her. I'll take her to the dungeon myself.”

I had a problem.

Luckily, John appeared as a welcome distraction and I held out my hands to be cuffed. “Hello, John.”

“Miss Gerda.” John’s lips twitched as he clamped a set of the Veralyn’s Enchanted Restraint Manacles on my wrists.

[Veralyn’s Enchanted Restraint Manacles: A modified version of the restraints designed for St. George’s Trials. Prevents access to all nonpassive Titles, Skills, Perks, Bonded, and Equipped Items. All Attribute stats capped at 15.]

“Good work today,” I praised John.

The man lost the battle and his face broke out into a small, amused smile. “Thank you, you too.”

I felt Julian’s hand on my shoulder and looked up into his piercing gray eyes. “I think you already know why I’m detaining you, Miss Gerda.”

I lifted my manacled hands, “Because I’m brilliant and figured out who the mastermind was?”

“Exactly.” He stated.

“You didn’t need to manacle me to bring me in for questioning.” I said, but I was so glad he did.

“Are you sure?” Julian countered. “When someone easily escaped my Level 54 Rogue yesterday?”

“Ok, that’s fair.”

I wasn’t too worried, Henrietta and Keith were already walking over, the Dark Lady frowning at my bonds.

“You can release the bridge troll.” Grand Duchess Calisto was with them. She looked like she’d been through all seven hells and back again, and was using Their Royal Highness as a crutch. Definitely mana burn.

Behind her, all that remained was the wedding party. Sir Tully and Pram stood by the exits, and Julia’s party was picking up the scattered remnants of the bride's bouquets that littered the floor. Chloe was seated, Julia supporting her wife by handing her mana potion after mana potion.

Alice scoffed, drawing attention. Her face twisted into a sneer of revenge as she said. “You have all been deceived. That’s not Gerda the Bridge Troll - That’s Madame Potts.”