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Chapter 26
“What on earth happened inside?”
“Woof woof!”
Soon-dubu, who had been watching anxiously as if searching for something he could do, licked El’s hand.
Even though both of them knew better than anyone that El wasn’t the type to just sit back and be bullied, the way they still worried and didn’t know what to do made El feel strangely grateful.
“It wasn’t anything serious… but anyway, I won.”
When El said that, puffing out her chest proudly, Lari shouted,
“Well… of course you should!!”
“Pfft—ahahaha.”
They both burst into laughter at the same time.
They laughed while looking at each other for a long while, until El suddenly hesitated, sensing that the carriage was moving too fast.
The faster it went, the more it shook, and she felt almost weightless.
When she looked outside, it felt as if they were running through a forest.
Had there been a place like this on the way to the Sedel Marquisate?
“…Huh?”
Something felt off. El tilted her head and called out to the driver.
“Hey.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Where exactly are we going right now?”
“You seemed tired, so I’m taking a shortcut.”
“…A shortcut?”
She really was exhausted, so she hadn’t thought much of it. She only wanted to get there quickly and rest.
Besides, she barely ever left the imperial palace, so she didn’t know the roads well.
But… if this was a shortcut, why was the palace nowhere in sight?
Even worse, Dominedi and the guards who had left with them were gone.
Something was wrong.
Dominedi wasn’t the kind of person who would disappear without a word, and El didn’t even know when they had been separated.
“When will we arrive?”
“Soon enough.”
“Soon?”
“Yes.”
But she could clearly see there was nothing around.
“Driver, are you sure you’re going the right way? Stop the carriage!”
El shouted sharply, feeling uneasy.
But the driver ignored her completely, whipping the horses harder and continuing forward.
Lari also sensed something wrong and reached toward the driver’s seat to stop him.
As the driver lost control of the reins, the carriage began to sway dangerously.
Creak—creak—
“Ahhh!”
The weight suddenly shifted, and the carriage slid sideways.
It barely regained balance and began running along the dirt road again—but it was clearly heading deeper into the forest, farther away from the capital.
Yet it was already too fast to stop.
Then—
Crash!
One of the wheels came off.
The carriage completely lost balance and collapsed.
El, Lari, and Soon-dubu were thrown forward, smashing into a tree and slamming to the ground.
Bang!
The driver lay coughing among the wreckage.
At that moment, a black shadow appeared.
Without hesitation, it threw a hidden dagger.
The blade pierced straight through the driver’s throat, killing him instantly.
Though El couldn’t see it clearly, another dagger flew toward Soon-dubu.
Something flashed—
Soon-dubu let out a scream of pain.
“Yelp—!”
“Aah!”
El clutched him tightly.
More than the fact that someone had just died before her eyes, she was terrified that something might happen to Soon-dubu.
“El!”
Then another sharpened killing strike flew toward them.
Without thinking, El threw her body over Soon-dubu to protect him.
Clang!
At that instant, a transparent barrier appeared—
And a stranger stepped in front of her.
“Are you insane!?”
The man snapped irritably at El, telling her he would hold them off somehow, so she needed to run.
El rose unsteadily.
Her dress clung to her legs, getting in the way, so she boldly tore the skirt up to her knees.
Holding Soon-dubu close, she helped Lari up—
But Lari couldn’t move.
“E-El… I think… I hurt my leg. Go first.”
Lari answered tearfully.
El shook her head, hesitating.
She was terrified something would happen if she left her behind.
“Tch—damn it!”
The man blocking the assassins shouted again that he would take care of the maid, so El needed to go now.
Lari also urged her.
“I’ll survive somehow! Please, go!”
“…Lari.”
“Hurry!”
In the end, El ran.
She looked back again and again, but the man—perhaps a mage—did not allow even a single assassin to enter deeper into the forest.
It would have been best to flee somewhere with people, but the driver had deliberately lured them into a deserted area.
There were no real options.
Everything was empty and open.
Hiding among the bushes seemed safer.
The mage looked strong enough to buy her time.
“Huff… huff…”
How long had she run?
Carrying a large dog like Soon-dubu, El’s stamina quickly gave out.
When she finally felt she had gained some distance, she stopped and checked him.
Her hands and dress were soaked red with his blood.
Soon-dubu’s breathing was growing weaker.
El carefully laid him down.
“What do I do…?”
She couldn’t touch the wound carelessly.
A sharp blade was lodged in his side.
If she pulled it out, he could bleed to death.
And she herself was a mess—
Her dress was torn to rags, her whole body covered in dirt.
Waiting in a forest like this for someone to come was impossible.
All she could do was pray the mage had won.
Her vision felt like it was going dark.
El sobbed, tears falling endlessly.
“Hic… Soon-dubu…”
Was it her fault for coming out?
They were clearly targeting Soon-dubu.
Even without proof, El was certain this was Reynard’s doing.
No matter how quiet things had been, she should have been more careful.
She blamed herself helplessly.
According to the head maid, the Helio Festival was held during a sacred month.
In Renne, committing a crime during that period meant rotting in prison for life.
People’s faith was so strict that even nobles were cautious during this time.
That was why El had felt somewhat safe…
But this—
This was madness.
“Waaah…”
El cried uncontrollably, stroking Soon-dubu’s head over and over, forcing him to keep his eyes open.
His eyes were already half-lidded, as if his breath could stop at any moment.
She was terrified.
If Soon-dubu died…
That meant Schuert would die.
She couldn’t accept that.
Though they were the same existence, El would feel the unbearable emptiness of losing them both at once.
Even losing one would be devastating—
Losing both was unimaginable.
* * *
After crying for a long time, El forced herself to calm down.
She wiped her tears, trying to stay strong.
She covered Soon-dubu with branches so he wouldn’t be easily seen, then cautiously checked the surroundings.
Since no assassins appeared, it seemed the mage had held them off.
But she didn’t know how far she had run, and dusk was already falling.
She couldn’t go much farther.
She gathered a few fallen fruits nearby and returned.
Soon-dubu’s fever continued to rise.
She desperately needed water, but there was none nearby.
She had to escape this forest and return to the palace as soon as possible.
“Is Lari okay…?”
Even while she herself was a wreck, she worried about Lari.
“Ah…!”
Only now did she notice her own ankle was swollen badly, likely injured in the crash.
But there was nothing she could do.
Helplessness drained all her strength.
Holding Soon-dubu’s paw tightly, El prayed to a god she had never believed in before—just to survive tonight.
Then—
In the distance, a white light appeared.
A voice called out.
El froze, thinking it might be the assassins.
The light drew closer.
“Crown Princess?”
“…”
“Your Highness~?”
It was a man’s voice searching for her.
Only one person.
El thought it might be the mage who had helped her earlier.
The voice sounded similar.
Even if it was an assassin, it was already too late to run.
Rustle.
Just as she expected, the mage appeared through the bushes.
Seeing him meant the assassins were dealt with.
“Hi, Your Highness.”
“…”
“I came to take you back.”
“…What about Lari?”
“Ah, the maid went to request help from the palace. She insisted we had to inform them immediately, so I stayed behind to search for you. The assassins are all taken care of.”
“Th-thank you… but how…?”
Was he someone sent by the Emperor?
He was clearly a stranger, and his behavior didn’t seem noble at all.
“Ah, well… it just happened.”
He seemed uncomfortable explaining.
But he had helped her.
He had even come looking for her.
If he were dangerous, Lari never would have left El alone with him.
“…But that dog doesn’t look good.”
“He has a high fever… hic…”
El’s tears spilled out again.
The mage said healing magic wasn’t his specialty, but he could at least provide water.
He summoned a small spray and let it drip to Soon-dubu’s lips.
“Thank you… truly!”
“It’s nothing.”
“C-could you give a little more water?”
“Of course.”
El tore another strip of cloth from her sleeve, soaked it with the water, and placed it gently on Soon-dubu’s forehead.
Even if it was only temporary, she felt a little more relieved.
She just wanted him to wake up.
* * *
As night approached, El glanced at Soon-dubu, then back at the mage.
Darkness was falling.
Soon-dubu would soon transform back into human form.
And if the palace sent people searching for her…
Everyone would discover that Soon-dubu was Schuert.
They had left with a “dog”—
But if they returned with a “person”…
