A gloomy darkness descends. The sun disappears, and only the crescent moon, hidden behind clouds, sadly emits its light.
A curtain of darkness that hides even a single star envelops everything, with only the light of murky eyes wandering like fireflies in the surroundings.
Thus, I gaze at the sky where twilight spreads.
A wolf’s howl breaks through the silence.
In this stillness, the ground resonates, and the wind rushing forward, ignoring even my breath, revives a memory within me.
It was the same that day. The night Mira-zen died, a night when not a single star was visible, and only the crescent moon emitted a sinister glow.
On the thirty-fifth night, Temujin launched a surprise attack in the northwest.
Is this really a coincidence? I ran while trying to erase the residual thoughts popping up in my head.
I was already far ahead of Adele, and I could no longer hear anyone’s voice.
I might be told to join the ranks, but this time, I intended to move alone.
Otherwise, it would be too late, just like back then. A fragment of regret buried in my chest fluttered.
The words I heard on the last day of the thirty-fifth lingered in my ears, trying to revive the emotions of that time.
But I held back. What good would it do to recall such feelings?
I thought nothing would happen. Repeating this internally, I managed a somewhat dry expression.
Nothing would change by indulging in such thoughts,
I sensed Adele’s presence following me and turned my head slightly.
Adele’s expression was unchanged. She neither looked angry nor serious; her face was indifferent.
“We’ll soon arrive at the northwest. You plan to move separately, right?”
“Probably. Securing Her Highness the Princess’s safety is the top priority.”
“…Is that the only reason?”
For just a moment, I saw Adele’s eyes waver.
There was no special reason for wanting to rescue Mira-zen first.
It was simply because if I didn’t, I would regret it just like my past life.
She didn’t know my previous life, so I couldn’t say I’d regret it.
After pondering my response for a moment, I quietly replied.
“None.”
“I see.”
Adele smiled softly. Perhaps my answer was acceptable, as she briefly gazed into the void before drawing her sword and offering it to me.
When I stared at it blankly for a moment, she sheathed it at my waist and continued speaking.
“Take it. There’s nothing more dangerous than a broken sword in a fight.”
Saying that, Adele smiled slightly and urged the back of my wolf to quicken its pace.
Startled by the sudden acceleration, I briefly widened the distance, and Adele called out to me.
“It’s a loan. Don’t get hurt, and don’t die.”
Her gaze was still fixed on me.
Perhaps she was looking at the slowly rising twilight. Yet, with a hint of disappointment, she furrowed her brow and added,
“So go ahead… rescue Her Highness the Princess. I have to lead the soldiers.”
“I have to lead the soldiers.”
A few times, my trembling lips finally came to a close.
As the speed picked up, the distance between Adele and me grew significantly.
The distance at which I could no longer see her face, but the last image I had of Adele seemed incredibly lonely.
Did I tell her to come back safely? Remembering those words made my heavy heart feel a little lighter.
I ride the wind.
The last place Miragen died was the Imperial Palace; this time, it’s the Northwest. Since the locations are different, I believe the outcome will be different as well.
Moreover, isn’t the time different too? I briefly close my eyes and let the moonlight seep in when I open them again.
It was different from the thirty-fifth night.
It must be, without a doubt, different this time.
Going to Miragen now is Robert of the one-hundred and one.
#
“What’s the current situation?”
“We’re fully encircled. The Imperial Army has been wiped out; once we deal with the soldiers hiding inside, we should secure the princess’s safety.”
“Hmmm, that cunning woman must still be in the west. I guess she never thought I’d ambush this place.”
Temujin, recalling Adele Igrit, smirked softly. It was a sneaky grin, but the situation was already smiling favorably upon him.
If he were himself, he would have faced them from the west or retreated to respond.
Finding out that the princess was in the Northwest was just a stroke of luck.
No, perhaps it’s a sign that God desires his victory.
“By the way, did that woman go right back?”
“She only informed us about the princess and vanished. If she wants to find herself, she said to come to the South.”
“What was her name? It was something like… Teres…?”
“She referred to herself as Teresia. I didn’t hear her last name.”
Teresia—Temujin nodded as he mulled over the name. He wouldn’t forget such a debt. Her informing him about the princess in this situation would be significant, and he believed he could achieve results against Adele this time.
The reason the princess is in the Northwest was because of the Teranite mines.
What she planned to do with it was uncertain, but it was evidently important to the princess.
So he aimed for it.
No matter how much of Adele Igrit she is, she couldn’t possibly head west while neglecting her safety.
“What will you do if you capture the princess?”
To that question, Temujin replied as if it were obvious.
“I’ll kill her.”
He intended to kill the princess right before Adele Igrit’s eyes, ensuring she vanished from the North. What would her face look like in despair?
For a moment, Temujin chuckled softly and then began leading his tribe’s warriors onward.
The remaining soldiers in the Northwest were all those stationed by Adele, so it wouldn’t take long to break through.
As Temujin reached out his hand, the immigrant warriors surged forward.
Caw—
And there was a bird watching this unfold.
Miragen, having heard Temujin’s voice, swallowed hard.
She had brought along a few artifacts for unforeseen circumstances, but she never expected to hear such words.
I never expected to be listening to them.
Kill? Myself? I knew the Immigrant Tribe had invaded the Northwest and hid my body, but if things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before I got caught.
I pressed my temple and thought.
Ways to resolve this situation, and furthermore, ways to get out of here alive.
“…If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have come at all. I should have listened to what Adrian said.”
Miragen, who had severed her connection with the bird, narrowed her eyes.
Why did Robert’s words come to mind in such a situation?
The selfish advice to think only of one’s own safety in any situation was clearly tinged with concern for herself.
Did he anticipate that things would turn out this way?
With a sigh, Miragen gazed into the air. There were now two remaining artifacts.
Excluding contacting Robert, there was only one artifact left to protect her body.
That, too, could only be used for a short time to hide, probably only when she could barely escape this place.
For now, the soldiers stationed by Adele remained, and there was no commotion spreading to where Miragen was staying.
It should be fine for now. Surely, there would be enough time to contact someone.
So, as she cautiously fiddled with the artifact, a vibrating sound came with a low hum.
-Your Highness the Princess, are you alright?
The voice that came immediately made Miragen flinch.
I didn’t expect to receive it so quickly.
She felt glad and tried to smile, but realizing the current situation, she bit her lips instead.
“I’m fine. But didn’t Duke Taylor say he was in the North? How is it over there?”
-I’m heading that way. Who’s with you right now?
“…Uh, just a moment. Coming this way?”
Stunned by the unexpected response, Miragen withered before she could collect herself to speak.
Does he know how dangerous it is here that he’s coming this way?
“No! You’re not coming alone, right? You should tell Adele and come together—”
-I know how dangerous it is. And I also know what situation you, Your Highness, are in.
“…Duke Taylor.”
-That’s why I’m coming. The Grand Duke is gathering soldiers and making his way here, so he will probably join me.
In the end, that meant he was coming alone.
Miragen barely suppressed the moment her mind went blank and parted her lips.
What confidence did he have? What was he even thinking? Even though she was a princess, she was not someone so critical that one person would risk their life to come for her.
Unless it were Adele Igrit. It meant Robert Taylor didn’t need to come alone.
“You don’t need to come. It wouldn’t be too late to come with someone else; the Immigrant Tribe is all over the place. You think you can break through on your own to get here?”
-That’s correct.
“What nonsense—!”
The Imperial Army had fallen entirely in this situation.
No matter how extraordinary the leader of the Immigrant Tribe was, how could Robert Taylor, who had never even held a sword, make it this far?
She was grateful for the sentiment, but Miragen judged it to be futile bravery.
She couldn’t let another life be lost, so she spoke in a low voice.
She opened her mouth with a sound.
“Duke Taylor, I am speaking as a princess right now. I appreciate your willingness to come, but it’s impossible for me to break through here alone. You haven’t received the Grand Duke’s permission, have you?”
“If it’s permission, I’ve already received it. That’s why I’m moving alone.”
“Receiving permission, huh? It sounds like you’re saying the Grand Duke Igrit allowed you to do this.”
At that, Robert’s softly laughing voice echoed. But why did that laughter ease my anxiety?
I briefly grabbed at my chest and cautiously parted my lips.
“Even if you say not to come, I will. I’m almost there anyway, so I can’t turn back now.”
“…Even if it’s a princess’s command, will you still do it?”
“The order you give me won’t be that.”
Robert’s voice was gentle.
For a moment, his voice wrapped around me softly enough to forget this situation, leaving me dazed as I stared into the air.
When the immigrant tribe invaded, I briefly thought that I might die here. Didn’t I just hear someone say they would kill me if they caught me?
Feeling inexplicably relaxed, Miragen, who had been clutching her unsteady legs, spoke up.
“Then what order should I give?”
“Just ask for help. If you can let me know where you are, that’ll be enough.”
“…I can’t give orders. How can I say that in this situation? If I looked like such a bad person, I want to say that’s not true.”
I found him to be a remarkable person.
Despite the dangerous situation, he seemed to be warning me as if he knew the danger all along. He wasn’t running alone, was he?
I didn’t know what I felt toward him.
I realized that he first approached me to meet the Crown Prince.
We hadn’t spent any time together. We only met by coincidence with Adrian’s help, and it was all just a forced connection from then on.
With a slight warmth rising in me, Miragen slowly caressed her cheek.
This wasn’t the time to feel such emotions… Blinking my eyes, I let out a light breath, but the sensation didn’t fade.
“There is a hidden entrance. I’ll let you know, so can you come that way?”
Since I, as a princess, could access those, there were a few secret passages.
If it were something else, I wouldn’t know, but there should be many passages leading underground. As I momentarily thought about the locations of the passages, I continued speaking.
“It should be to the east if you go from the front of the building I’m in. You know it’s rough terrain, right?”
“…Ah, I think I know where that is.”
“If you’re really coming this way, don’t fight with others and just head that way. No one should know about that place.”
Just as Miragen was about to question the suddenly silent voice, Robert quietly spoke.
“Can you hold out until I get there?”
“Of course. Don’t worry about me; worry about how you’ll get here safely.”
“If you’re alive, I will save you.”
I chuckled at that but didn’t understand the next part.
His cold voice continued.
Yet it felt more like he was about to cry than genuinely cold.
“This time, without fail.”
Robert muttered.
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