Shi-en wandered through the cold night.
The northern moon scattered a particularly melancholy light. Every time that chilling silver pierced her retina, it sent shivers down her spine.
The night wind felt like a whip.
Every time the north wind blew, her delicate skin felt as if it would tear apart. The sting in her flushed cheeks brought forth sharp pain.
It was not good weather for a walk.
Nevertheless, the imperial princess could not bring herself to stop her hurried steps. Not even the pain or the cold could awaken the girl’s spirit.
It’s my fault.
It was a self-reproach trapped inside her like sharp glass shards. The dry, cold wind brushed against her skin, and the endless self-loathing struck her soft heart.
Everything is my fault.
“Whew, ugh…”
Suddenly, the princess’s breathing grew rough.
Unable to endure any longer, her body sought refuge beneath the wall without her consent. Her ashen grey eyes trembled incessantly.
Before her ears, which were muffled by her hands, several scenes flashed by.
The first encounter, drenched in a downpour.
The steadfast figure who protected the princess from the dark priest.
Even after that, I-an never blamed her. He always treated her with a gentle smile.
Thus, the princess unwittingly harbored a thought beyond her place.
Could it be that I might receive forgiveness? It was a clumsy mindset.
How foolish.
Once again, the princess had made a grave mistake.
Her spirit, having experienced battle for the first time, was unstable. It was also the first time she had harmed another sentient being. For the first time, her hands trembled uncontrollably, causing her magic to falter.
The cost was catastrophic.
If only the princess had acted a bit more quickly when I-an was fighting the snow-type mage.
Had she done so, I-an would not have gone missing. Moreover, he wouldn’t have lost his memory, nor would he have turned into a traitor of humanity with his blade aimed at her.
It was a cruel tragedy.
The princess already owed a debt to I-an.
Before she could repay that debt, she had made yet another such lamentable mistake.
It had already been several days since she tangled her hair and reproached herself.
Still, her mood did not improve in the slightest. Rather, the sense of loss at having lost the hero of humanity, the wonderful knight she admired so dearly, grew even larger.
Especially with the knowledge that the responsibility lay with her, she need not mention the state of her heart.
“Whew, ha… wheeze, aaaaah!”
Thud, the girl’s head collided with the wall.
Thick mud seeped into Shi-en’s mind like boiling residue. Each time it happened, she tormented her own body as if fighting against herself.
It seemed that only by doing so could her thoughts be momentarily clarified.
But regret always came too late.
It was water under the bridge. The best course of action was to devise a way to somehow save I-an.
But, how on earth?
As the conundrum pierced her mind like a sharp awl, her thoughts once again became tangled.
Thud, the princess’s head hit the wall again.
With a sharp pain, her vision cleared. The princess bit her nails, lost in thought. Her whole body trembled violently.
Think, come up with a solution.
What about a hostage exchange?
Surely, the empire’s princess holds more value as a hostage than I-an. If she could sacrifice herself to save I-an, she would willingly risk her life.
“Hah, ugh…”
This was not a truly sincere thought.
However, the shock of her first m*rder, along with the loss of the man she loved, had already broken the girl’s mind. The desire to atone for her sins was dominating her.
The more she chewed on it, the more okay it seemed.
Shi-en goes to the elves, and I-an returns to humanity.
Amnesia?
Perhaps they could talk, and he might return. At least it was better than being branded a traitor to humanity alongside the elves.
Of course, Shi-en would have to endure all sorts of humiliation.
She was a girl raised in royal privilege. She knew well that she couldn’t expect to be treated well in the harsh coniferous forest.
It was frightening and daunting.
But now, for a girl whose life had become hell, it was her only salvation. Hadn’t a rescue party led by Delphine and Senior Elsi just been dispatched?
If she could persuade them well enough, it wouldn’t be impossible.
Shi-en shook off her unpleasant imagination and with blurry eyes envisioned what would follow.
I-an would return.
Meanwhile, Shi-en could be dragged away by the elves and subjected to who knows what. During her agonies, I-an would likely find himself cradled once more in the arms of women.
Delphine Yuridina.
He might seek that vixen’s body once again. It had once instilled a gut-wrenching sense of defeat, but it no longer mattered.
Once I-an regained his memories, he would think of the princess every night.
This was a conclusion drawn from observing his heart thus far. Even just before sleeping, at meal times, and even while holding another woman.
I-an would not be able to erase her from his mind.
After all, she had no hope of love.
The princess had already committed too many sins. There was no way she could utter a desire to be held in I-an’s embrace, shamelessly.
If so, then why not choose to remain a scar instead?
Someday, I-an might come to save her.
Would she be able to ask for forgiveness then?
Punishment is the most classical means to atone for sins. If she could suffer for years to gain I-an’s forgiveness, Shi-en was willing to do so.
And perhaps, someday…
A warm heat bubbled above the princess’s head. Memories rose like steam, reflecting a night’s scenery from long ago.
It was the image of two lovers entwined in ecstasy.
“Ha, ha… wheeze, yes…”
Shi-en’s voice began to interweave with her gasps.
The princess held her breath as much as possible, unconsciously bringing her hand down as if she were a teenage girl who had just awakened to her body for the first time.
But soon, the princess’s body felt a jolt of shock and froze.
She heard a presence from somewhere.
A rustling sound brushed against her ears like footsteps over leaves. The princess, who had intended to engage in a secret act, held her breath even more.
This place was one of the secluded spots within Yuridina Castle.
After all, only those of certain status could enter Yuridina Castle. Apart from servants, it was mostly nobles.
There was no reason for anyone to come to such a remote place at this hour.
Unless one had arrived in a daze like the princess.
Just then, there was a small hole in the stone wall. As someone confident in her vision, Shi-en found it the perfect size to peek through.
As her ashen grey pupil swept over the peephole, she was inundated by the chilling moonlight.
A shadow of a man could be seen in the distance.
He was dressed in thick clothes, so his features were indiscernible. However, just from the sagging shoulders, it was clear he was frail and elderly.
The princess’s ashen grey pupil instinctively widened.
Though her vision was too hazy to see details, there were no positive feelings reflected in his silhouette.
Anxiety, restlessness, despair.
The grim colors almost made the princess furrow her brow.
But the true shock that would astonish the princess had yet to begin.
“… Step out.”
Could it be directed at her?
Surprised, the princess almost rose her body uncontrollably. But just before that, another shadow of a man overlapped behind the first.
It was an impressive skill of stealth.
The princess listened intently, filled with questioning about this suspicious meeting.
As the radiant moonlight reflected against him, the face of the newly appeared man was illuminated.
He was a masked stranger.
His voice crackled as he began to speak. It was undoubtedly a distorted voice.
“Sir Alex has perished, I hear. Is the secret well kept?”
“I told the messenger firmly. I cautioned that a terrifying friend is after his neck…”
The frail response made the masked stranger fall silent.
The elderly man turned his exhausted gaze toward the stranger.
“By the way, it’s a face I’ve never seen before… I suppose the church is well-staffed these days?”
“That’s not something the Marquis ought to worry about.”
Marquis?
As soon as the princess heard that word, she forced herself to swallow a scream.
Covering her mouth with both hands, she barely managed to hush her breath after sliding down the wall.
The Marquis, after all.
There was only one Marquis whom she could think of staying at Yuridina Castle.
Marquis Yuridina.
The owner of this castle.
—
In the burnt village, only ash scattered.
Delphine stood before a grave made of her own eyes. Her bl**d-red pupils were aimed at the mound where the great sword was lodged.
“Alex…”
The woman’s voice was mixed with complex emotions.
Why had Alex come here?
He had supposedly been assigned to handle the disappearance alone, but Delphine had never received such a report.
Someone might have shaken the reporting system, or perhaps…
Delphine could not bring herself to consider other possibilities.
He had been a loyal servant to her family for as long as she could remember. She did not want to tarnish his name after his d*ath.
And besides, the truth would soon come to light.
Delphine’s eyes flickered back to the behind her. There stood a woman with crimson hair, pouring liquid onto the ground with a pale face.
Beside her was a small girl, bubbly with exclamations.
“Wow, hey! Those are footprints! Hey, commoner! How did you do this?”
“I made them on the way here.”
It was a voice steeped in heartfelt fatigue.
At Emma’s confession, Elsi wore an awkward expression and fell silent.
The process of exploring the coniferous forest was a grueling task.
To someone like Emma, with unfathomable weakness, it must have been an even harsher schedule. Yet, she sacrificed her sleeping time to brew potions.
That spirit was enough to leave Elsi momentarily speechless.
“My life is as good as thrown away anyway. I’d have died were it not for I-an… So, I want to help him, even a little.”
“Y-yeah…”
The verdant pupils of Emma, which only gazed at the ground, held a deep resolve. Steadily sinking, crystallizing her will.
Elsi couldn’t help but giggle and cling to Emma.
“Commoner, not bad, huh?! I liked you… Once we find my lord, I’ll specially allow you to be my concubine!”
She spoke as if it was already decided.
Delphine internally scoffed but refrained from provoking Elsi.
The little brat wouldn’t understand anyway.
She recalled the flirtatious whispers they shared that day and the ecstasy that burned her spine white.
With that inexplicable sense of superiority and betrayal, Delphine smiled slightly. But on the other hand, her heart twisted.
She had to find him, her lord.
As if in response to that longing, Emma’s bright voice echoed.
“I found it! Signs of a group moving!”
Startled, Delphine turned her gaze toward Emma. Indeed, there lay a chaotic array of footprints.
All of them headed in a specific direction.
At last, Delphine let out a sigh of relief.
She had finally found it.
The place where I-an had departed.
Within a day or two at the latest, they would uncover his hidden refuge.
