He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 90

Jacob Evans looked up at Theo and his group, his face etched with pain.

“Lord Jacob! You’re here? What are you doing? Get up, quickly! There’s no time! The rebel slaves are swarming down from the mountain! We have to escape!”

But Lord Jacob couldn’t rise. He could only drag himself forward, his legs scraping against the floor.

“My Lord, what’s wrong? Are your legs injured?”

Jacob, struggling to crawl, stopped at the foot of the steep, narrow stairs, defeated.

His wife explained, her voice tight with worry.

“Jacob’s right foot is broken! He fell down the stairs while rushing to the hideout.”

Jacob, already hobbled by a disability in his left leg, now had a broken right foot. Walking on his own seemed impossible.

Jacob snapped at his wife.

“Go, Mother! There’s no time! Just leave me and run! I’ll hide here. Those black bastards will never find me.”

Lord Jacob tried to crawl back into the hideout on his hands and knees.

“My Lord! You can’t stay here! It’s too dangerous now. The stone covering the hideout door is broken and falling apart. That’s how we found this secret place! The slaves will discover it soon. We have to get out of here! We’ll support you!”

Theo’s voice was urgent, but Lord Jacob clutched the gun beside him and yelled.

“Are you serious? Look at me! I’m twice your size! How long will it take to carry me? You said those black bastards are coming! You’ll all die trying to drag me along!

I don’t want to burden anyone or be seen like this. Just go! Leave me! I’ll hide!”

Leonard pleaded, his voice cracking.

“Brother, we have to get out of here! You’ll die if you stay! Please, let’s go! Henry and I can carry you.”

“Yes, Brother! Hurry!”

Jacob scoffed.

“How are you two going to carry me? You scrawny guys can’t even lift Grace! Just take Mother and go! They say the black bastards are coming! Why are you still here?”

Theo noticed Leonard and Henry’s trembling legs and shaking arms.

‘…’ He realized.

They must have been hiding in the basement, disoriented by the sudden riot that afternoon.

They’d been trapped in a narrow, windowless secret space without water for hours.

The thick walls barely allowed sound to pass through. The air would be stale, and they’d be exhausted from being crammed together in such a small space.

They barely had the strength to stand.

There was no time to waste.

Theo shouted, “Madam, please leave! Leonard! We have to go! We’ll figure out what to do with the Lord. Get to the carriage! Tyson, take the Madam, quickly!”

“Ah, yes, yes!”

Tyson rushed down, grabbed the Madam’s arm, and pulled her up the stairs.

“Madam! We must hurry!”

“Jacob! You have to come! Jacob, do you understand?”

Theo turned to Leonard and Henry.

“What are you doing? Get out of here!”

“But… he’s our brother… we have to take him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! You don’t have the strength to carry him! We’ll carry him. Get out of here! You’ll all die!”

“But…”

“Lord Butler! Get these stubborn fools out of here! I’ll be right behind you!”

Lord Butler and Benjamin forcibly dragged Leonard and Henry away.

Jacob, who had been staring blankly, screamed at Theo and Jonathan, who remained.

“You two, get out! Don’t make excuses! Go! Get out of here!”

He dragged his legs and crawled back into the hideout.

Jonathan, who had a strained relationship with Lord Jacob, was speechless at the sight.

Despite everything, he felt a pang of guilt and pity for Jacob, who had lost a leg because of him.

Just then, Kelly, the caretaker, shouted from above the stairs, her voice frantic.

“Quickly! Get out! There’s no time! We’re leaving! The black people are swarming near the warehouse! They’ll be here in minutes! Hurry!”

Thump. Thump. Thump-

Kelly’s warning echoed as she fled the mansion.

Theo turned to Jonathan.

“Jonathan! We need to get the Lord to the stairs. I’ll carry him. Push from behind.”

“Yes? Ah, yes, I understand.”

The stairs were too narrow for two people side-by-side. One person would have to carry him on their back.

As Theo prepared to lift him, Jacob struggled.

“I told you, don’t! Leave me alone! Get out of here!”

Theo rebuked him.

“Stop! If we argue because of your pride, we’ll all die! We’re risking our lives to save you!

Do you even know how many people are risking their lives for your family? If you don’t care if we die, then fine! But we’re going to try our best to get you out. So shut up and listen!”

‘…’ Jacob fell silent, overwhelmed by Theo’s determination.

“Jonathan! Get him on my back!”

“Yes! But, can you really carry him?”

“Yes! Don’t worry! Just get him on my back!”

In his previous life, Theo had worked as a porter. No matter how heavy a person was, it was nothing compared to the loads he used to carry. His body remembered the technique.

Jonathan struggled to lift Jacob, who was heavy and large, and finally got him onto Theo’s back.

With a powerful shout, Theo stood up effortlessly.

Jonathan stared in surprise.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes? Yes, yes!”

Theo climbed the stairs quickly.

Reaching the kitchen, Theo set Jacob down.

“Jonathan! It’s a long way to the carriage. Each of you put your hands on his shoulders, grab his lower back, and run. That’s the fastest way!”

“Ah, yes! I understand!”

“Then, let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Tap- Tap- Tap-

“Huff- Huff-”

As they left the living room and headed for the front door, Theo and Jonathan gasped for breath.

Even with two people supporting him, Jacob’s size and weight were a burden.

But there was no time to complain.

They supported Jacob and ran towards the carriage.

“Sob… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Theo and Jonathan, focused on running, didn’t hear Jacob’s quiet, sobbing voice.

Bang- Thud- Thud-

Thud Bang-

Emerging into the yard, they saw black slaves swarming down from the mountain like ants.

Lord Butler and the caretakers were firing their guns, trying to slow the approaching rebels.

“Oh! They’re coming! The Young Master and Lord Sanderson are bringing the Lord!”

“Stop the carriage! Stop the carriage!”

Lord Butler shouted.

“Hurry! Quickly! Quickly!”

“Lord Sanderson! Run faster!”

Lord Butler stopped the carriage and encouraged the caretakers.

“Anyone who’s reloaded, fire! We have to stop those blacks!”

Thud Bang-

Bang- Bang-

Bang Bang-

Theo and Jonathan reached the carriage.

“Huff- Huff-”

They pushed Jacob into the carriage, gasping.

“Thank you. Thank you. Sniffle-”

The Madam and his younger brothers, who had helped pull Jacob up, thanked Theo with tears in their eyes.

“Go! We have to go! Get in!”

As Theo was about to board the carriage.

“Agh!”

A caretaker screamed.

“L-look! The blacks are chasing us on horses! And… there are a lot of them!”

“Huh! Really?”

“Damn it! Where did they get those horses?”

“It’s over! Even if we run, they’ll catch us! We should have left sooner…”

Theo quickly assessed the situation.

About 30 black slaves were riding towards them at full speed.

Doo-doo-doo-

‘Leader…?’

The one leading the charge was noticeable, even from a distance.

He was large and wore something like a fur vest.

He looked like an African warrior. He was their leader.

‘Damn, there’s a leader!’

The rebel slaves were disorganized, but a leader changed everything.

And if the leader was chasing them so desperately, there was a reason.

He needed spoils to unite the rebels and show his courage.

The spoils he wanted were the heads of the white people.

Doo-doo-doo-

The distance was closing. 200 meters.

If they continued, the carriage would be caught, and everyone would be slaughtered.

Poof- Poof-

Lord Butler was reloading his Kentucky long rifle, his hands trembling.

The other caretakers couldn’t reload.

They drew knives, preparing for close combat, expecting the slaves to attack before they could reload.

The women made the sign of the cross and prayed.

Theo shouted at Lord Butler.

“Lord Butler! Give me the gun!”

Lord Butler tossed the loaded gun to Theo.

“Here! It’s loaded!”

The group was now within 100 meters.

“Huff-”

Holding the gun, Theo took a deep breath to steady himself.

He gripped the gun firmly.

Chuck-

He had to find the target.

It was dark, but the fires provided some light.

The leader’s torso came into the crosshairs.

But he was moving on horseback. He kept moving out of the crosshairs.

He couldn’t just follow the target.

He had to aim for the moment when the target was in the crosshairs.

Fortunately, they were coming straight.

Doo-doo-doo-

Theo looked away from the target, to the right.

The more he focused, the less he could see. A trick he learned for night shooting.

He moved his eyes back to the target, focusing on the movement above the crosshairs.

“Hoo-ooh-”

Theo took a deep breath, held it, and stopped breathing after exhaling.

Doo-doo-doo-

The leader and his group were within 100 meters.

Everyone held their breath.

The leader came into the crosshairs.

‘…’ Theo gently pulled the trigger.

Creak-

Thud-

Cheee-

The powder pan opened, and a spark ignited the gunpowder.

A gunshot echoed through the night.

Thaaaang-

The bullet pierced the leader’s chest.

Thwack-

The leader was thrown back.

He didn’t let go of the reins. The horse struggled, raising its front feet. The group collapsed like dominoes.

Horses and slaves screamed and rolled on the ground.

The group chasing from behind was flustered and tried to stop their horses.

They were surprised by the power of the gun fired from 100 meters.

The frightened rebels hesitated.

They had never imagined bullets could fly so far.

Lord Butler and the caretakers were speechless.

“No… how could he… hit that black bastard from there…”

The distance was 100 meters, but it felt farther in the darkness.

Everyone was stunned by Theo’s skill.

Theo threw the gun into the carriage and shouted.

“We have to go! Jonathan! Get in! Hurry!”

“Ah! Yes. Get in! Quickly!”

“Depart! Depart!”

The caretaker raised his whip and drove the carriage.

“Giddy up! Giddy up!”