IWETR 4

Chapter: 4

After making sure the night had grown deep and that all the children were asleep, Seria quietly slipped out of her room.

After ten o’clock, leaving the monastery without permission was forbidden, so she had no choice but to be careful.

Especially if she wanted to avoid being caught by Sister Vanessa, whose sleep was light, she couldn’t make even the slightest sound.

Fortunately, all the lights in the monastery were out.

Seria wrapped herself in a cloak and crossed the corridor.

Her heart was pounding.

For some reason, it felt as if she were committing a crime.

The moment she reached the entrance hall, Seria stopped in her tracks.

Standing there was the abbot, as if he had been waiting all along.

“Ab… Abbot?”

Flustered, Seria awkwardly hid the cloak she was holding behind her back.

The abbot carefully studied Seria’s unsure expression, then gave a small smile.

“Anna, you must have something important to do. Go carefully… and come back safely.”

“Th-thank you…”

The abbot seemed as though he wanted to say more, his lips parting slightly, but in the end he shook his head.

Seria bowed deeply, then quickly ran along the path leading behind the monastery.

The forest path, devoid of any lights, appeared strangely bright under the moon.

At the end of the path stood a single rough-looking black carriage.

Just as she expected, Theodore was nowhere to be seen—only a lone coachman waited for her.

For some reason, the coachman was smiling so broadly it looked as though his mouth might reach his ears.

“I’ve been waiting for you, miss. My name is Davy Linden.”

“Ah, yes… I’m Anna.”

“I’ll escort you.”

Seria climbed into the carriage while receiving the coachman’s overly polite greeting.

In stark contrast to his courteous manner, the carriage itself lurched forward roughly.

She nearly slammed her head into the door, but her thoughts were entirely consumed by the words Theodore had left behind.

“Kill the Crown Prince. That’s my request.”

Theodore had calmly asked her to kill his own lord.

As if he were making idle conversation about how bad the weather was that day.

When she first heard it, she’d doubted her ears.

She had always been told that the Antithesia imperial family and the Belbat house shared a bond that went back to ancient times.

What kind of upheaval could have occurred in a relationship built over centuries?

And why, of all people, was she necessary in this matter?

Countless questions flooded her mind, but she couldn’t ask them then.

There were too many eyes and ears in the monastery.

Perhaps aware of that fact, Theodore had said nothing more before leaving.

“Haah…”

Seria closed her eyes, pressing a hand to her aching head.

The sound of soldiers’ boots filled the corridor. Urgent shouts echoed from all directions.

Even without seeing it directly, it was clear that something was terribly wrong outside.

Restlessly pacing the room, Seria finally walked to the window to look out.

“Your Highness, it’s dangerous. Please come back.”

“It’s fine, Nanny. I just want to check.”

It had been only ten days since news arrived that the Antithesia army had been repelled at Atran Castle.

Given the heavy losses on their side, the enemy must have suffered as well.

Hadn’t everyone said things would settle into a lull for a while?

Then why was the palace in such frantic motion?

“Hurry up! Move faster!”

“Yes, sir!”

Fully armed soldiers were hauling carts loaded with gunpowder toward the walls.

It wasn’t strange in wartime, yet an unexplainable sense of unease crept in.

The nanny’s unusually anxious expression, the soldiers’ haste—

There was clearly something everyone knew but her.

“Nanny, could it be that—”

Knock, knock.

Before she could finish, the door opened and Serion appeared.

“Seria.”

“Brother…”

Her joy at seeing him after days apart was fleeting.

Seria’s eyes trembled.

Like the soldiers she’d just seen outside, Serion was clad in full armor, a sword at his side.

He looked as though he might head straight for the battlefield.

“What is all this…?”

“It’s been a while. I’ve been busy and couldn’t come see you. I’m sorry.”

“That doesn’t matter! What is this? Why are you dressed like this? What happened?”

“It’s nothing. We’re at war—of course I’d wear armor, right?”

Serion smiled gently and ruffled her hair.

The cold, hard feel of his gauntlet against her head felt unfamiliar.

Seria grabbed his hand and pulled it down.

“You’re lying. I know everything—so tell me the truth.”

At her earnest plea, Serion let out a troubled sigh and rubbed his face.

“Your Highness! We’ve received intelligence that Theodore Belbat is nowhere to be seen in the Antithesia camp! You must come at once—!”

An urgent voice rang out from the corridor.

Hearing it, Serion seemed to steel himself and crouched to meet Seria at eye level.

“Alright. You’re too smart for me to hide things from you.”

Sadness filled his eyes as he looked at her.

She hadn’t even heard the explanation yet—so why were tears already falling?

Drops of tears slid from Seria’s eyes.

“They said we stopped them at Atran Castle. Then why—why is this happening?!”

“The Antithesia army’s movements are strange. This place won’t be safe anymore. So, Seria, you—”

“No. I won’t go!”

“Seria…”

Serion wiped the tears from her cheeks and glanced toward the nanny.

The nanny quickly opened the wardrobe and pulled out clothes hidden deep inside.

They were commoner’s clothes, prepared long ago in case of emergencies.

Seeing them in her hands, Seria shook her head violently.

“Please, brother…”

“If you go outside the palace first with Nanny, I’ll follow soon. Mother and Father too.”

Clinging to him and sobbing, Serion closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again.

At times like this, he had to stay resolute.

Holding Seria’s shoulders firmly, he spoke.

“Seria, look at me.”

“I don’t want to… Why do I have to go alone…?”

“I promise I’ll come to you with Mother and Father. Just grant me this one request. I swear.”

Serion held out his little finger.

Through tear-blurred eyes, Seria stared at it.

Serion had never once broken a promise.

But could he keep this one too?

She didn’t know. Yet she did know that insisting any further would only make things harder for him.

“You have to. You must come. If you don’t… I’ll hate you forever…”

“Haha, isn’t that a terrifying threat? Don’t worry, Seria.”

With his usual bright smile, Serion pulled her into a tight embrace.

He had promised her—but in truth, no one knew what would happen.

At worst, this might be the last time they ever saw each other.

Seria knew that as well.

Serion lifted his head, swallowing back the tears that threatened to fall.

Tragically, his promise was never kept.

Leaving the front-line Aventa Castle untouched, the Antithesia imperial army advanced straight into the capital.

Not long after Seria escaped, they stormed the palace.

Aventa’s soldiers fell before the sudden onslaught of Antithesia’s elite troops, unable to mount any real defense.

The palace gardens, once famed for their beauty, were drenched in blood, and the grand halls were left scarred with the marks of war.

Less than four days after the Antithesia army assaulted the palace, the empire’s flag was raised outside its walls.

“Hear this, people of Aventa! Your king has declared surrender and accepted death! Lay down your arms and cease resistance! Those who surrender will be spared—those who do not will pay the price!”

The pounding of war drums and the cries demanding surrender echoed all the way to the common house where Seria was hiding.

Mother… Father… What happened to them? What about my brother?

Living in hiding with the nanny felt like passing through hell.

Outside had been eerily quiet, and no news came from the palace.

She had never imagined the palace would fall first.

Serion’s voice—telling her he’d come in just a few days—still rang vividly in her ears.

She wanted this to be a lie.

She wanted it to be a misunderstanding.

Seria sprang to her feet and rushed toward the door.

“Your Highness! You mustn’t go out!”

The nanny grabbed her arm desperately, tears streaming down her face.

“Let go… please…”

Seria shook her off and burst outside.

“Huff—huff…”

She ran until her lungs burned, arriving at the castle gate where a crowd had already gathered.

Pushing through the people, she searched desperately for Serion.

But he was nowhere to be found.

“Ah!”

Battered from all sides by the crowd, Seria lost her balance and fell.

As she crawled sideways through the haze of dust to avoid being trampled, a trumpet blast tore through her ears.

The crumbling gates opened, and mounted figures rode out in formation.

“Out of the way!”

“You there! What are you doing?!”

Antithesia soldiers kicked threateningly, forcing people back.

At the head of the procession rode a man with blazing red hair, shining like the sun itself, smiling as he exuded overwhelming authority.

At a glance, it was clear he stood at the very top of the Antithesia army.

Right behind him followed a pitch-black shadow.

Unlike his lord, who was spotless and untouched by blood, this man wore a cloak soaked dark crimson.

Silently, he stared straight ahead.

The moment Seria met his face, her body began to tremble instinctively.

She had once overheard rumors.

That in the enemy camp, there was a young but cunning strategist.

His name was—

“Theodore… Belbat?”

The instant she spoke it, a chilling killing intent poured forth.

Those ashen-gray eyes—like the aftermath of something burned to ashes—instilled a primal terror.

In that moment, Theodore looked like a demon straight out of myth.

“Hah… huff…”

She must have fallen asleep without realizing it.

Seria’s bangs were damp with cold sweat.

Pushing her wet hair back, she looked outside.

The carriage was racing through a pitch-dark forest, relying only on the lanterns hanging at its sides.

As if that weren’t enough, snow began to fall once more.

Just where is this carriage taking me?

Her heart began to pound violently.