Chapter 11
‘Ah… I’m exhausted.’
From early morning I’d met Jaeger and even fought off a horde of zombies.
By the time the sun was setting, we returned to the pond in the Sacred Forest to stay the night.
The Crown Prince excused himself, saying he was going to stretch his body a little.
Feeling hungry, I pulled some jerky from my pack.
I tore it in half—keeping one portion for myself and holding the other out to Jaeger, who was washing his face at the pond.
“Would you like some?”
Jaeger slowly lifted his face and fixed me with those pale gray eyes.
It felt like the first time I was really looking at him.
Droplets clung to the ends of his short navy bangs, glinting in the light. Drip. A bead slid down along his jawline and fell into the water’s surface.
I found myself staring at it, entranced, then quickly broke the silence.
“It was sheer luck that you woke up in the forest, Your Grace. But that luck won’t last forever.”
“……”
“So, please, take my hand. It’d be best if we found more survivors and escaped together.”
I lazily shook the piece of jerky in my hand. Jaeger furrowed his brows, his eyes fixed on my hand.
Of course, I didn’t mean literally take my hand. I meant: cooperate.
The stage of politely persuading him was over.
He had to realize that escaping alone was hopeless, and that he needed to join me.
In that sense, maybe the Crown Prince had been right—the harsh experience itself had been the only way.
He no longer tried to recklessly escape, and had even returned to the forest.
Jaeger looked up at me sharply, then gripped the mace by his knee and rose to his feet.
“Ugh.”
But then he staggered, clutching his shoulder.
‘His clothes aren’t torn, so he wasn’t bitten. Could it be dislocated?’
I’d learned basic medical knowledge from our family physician—like how to treat wounds or reset a dislocated shoulder. I should be able to handle that much.
“Let me take a look.”
Smack!
Jaeger coldly slapped away my reaching hand. His eyes twisted as he glared at me fiercely.
“As you said, escaping alone is impossible. I’ll have to cooperate. But I cannot trust you. And I will not entrust my life to someone I cannot trust.”
“…So?”
Jaeger took a deep breath, then with a sickening crack, snapped his shoulder back into place. He rotated his arm widely, and as if the pain had never existed, wiped the moisture from his jaw and straightened up.
“I’ll hold onto it. Hand me the warp scroll.”
The scroll was my last resort. I couldn’t give it up.
“Negotiations failed.”
“Does this look like a negotiation?”
“You think you can order me around when I’m not your subordinate?”
Jaeger’s eyes narrowed, but instead of arguing, he let out a sigh.
“If we gather enough survivors to fill the scroll, it will indeed take us to the Empire, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Very well. Then until we escape, I’ll remain by your side—to watch you.”
So you can’t try anything foolish.
Jaeger growled the words harshly, brows drawn tight.
“Suit yourself.”
“When we return, and a thorough investigation is conducted, you’d best cooperate without resistance.”
“As much as you like.”
His eyes flicked down to the belt pouch at my waist.
“And don’t think you can brush off that weapon with some flimsy excuse. There hasn’t been a single weapons permit issued this month, and our security is not so lax that one could smuggle it in.”
Well, it was lax in the face of Heiton’s invisibility patch.
“…Fine.”
Jaeger scrutinized me a moment longer, then twisted his face in irritation and turned his head away.
“To think I’d be stuck here with the likes of you. It’s dreadful.”
Huh? Excuse me, did his tongue turn into a knife or something? That was harsh.
I frowned and opened my mouth.
“Your Grace, that’s a bit—”
“Your words are too harsh, Duke.”
A sudden voice cut in, and I turned around.
The Crown Prince stood there, shirtless, a spear slung over his shoulder.
His rough breathing and glistening muscles made it clear he’d really been training.
But…
“Isn’t that too rude to the lady?”
Why are you getting angry…?
The Crown Prince’s lips curved into a sharp smirk, coldness radiating off him.
I blinked in disbelief, caught in the middle.
‘Does he really have the right to say that after making me cry?’
Still, since he was speaking up for me, I chose to stay quiet.
He stepped forward, adjusting the spear on his shoulder.
“Duke, are we not indebted to the lady?”
“Whether it’s a debt or a grudge remains to be seen.”
“You’re impossibly stubborn. No wonder you’re unpopular.”
“I don’t need popularity.”
“Oh? I suppose it’s enough for you to have the affection of just one woman?”
At that, Jaeger’s gaze sharpened like a blade.
“Do not dare mention her so lightly.”
His voice was biting, with an unspoken How dare you.
The two men squared off, tension crackling between them.
I just stood there, then slowly lifted the jerky in my hand.
“Jerky, anyone?”
Both men turned to me with incredulous looks.
“No takers? Fine, more for me.”
I bit into the jerky nonchalantly.
Of course, it wasn’t because I lacked awareness.
I had no intention of being caught between two men radiating killing intent over a woman. Pretending not to notice was the best way to break the tension.
“Put on some clothes.”
As expected, Jaeger clicked his tongue.
The Crown Prince glanced down at himself, raised his brows, then put on the white shirt draped over his shoulder.
Jaeger, watching him, then brushed past us into the forest.
“I’ll sleep separately.”
Uh, that’s not good. I shouted after his retreating back.
“Your Grace, tomorrow we’re heading to the northern shelter to look for survivors! Until then, no splitting up…!”
Jaeger disappeared into the dark woods without much acknowledgment.
I let out a heavy sigh watching him vanish.
‘Really, every one of them does whatever they want.’
Still, since I’d managed to persuade Jaeger, only two more hurdles remained before survival was within reach.
Smiling to myself, I turned—only to see the Crown Prince, shirt buttoned loosely enough to show his chest, approaching with a dissatisfied look.
“Lady, the way you treat the Duke and the way you treat me, the Crown Prince, is very different.”
What kind of nonsense is this?
“It’s exactly the same.”
My blunt reply made him frown, his eyes sulky.
“See? Even your voice is colder toward me.”
Me? Even if that’s true—
“…You really don’t think you’ve done anything to deserve my coldness, do you, Your Highness?”
“……”
I teased, and surprisingly, he went quiet—as if guilt had finally shut his mouth.
Since meeting Jaeger, he’d been oddly disgruntled.
Who knew what was going on in that twisted head of his.
I glanced him up and down, then asked half-jokingly:
“Are you… jealous? Because I’m looking out for the Duke?”
“…Jealous?”
His expression shifted strangely, as if the word was completely foreign to him.
Before he could scoff twice again, I left him behind and headed toward my things.
“Well then, I’m going to get some sleep. Do as you like.”
The Crown Prince ruffled the back of his hair, looking puzzled even to himself, then grabbed his jacket from a branch and followed me.
Leaning against a tree with eyes closed, Rihad slowly opened his lids as if sensing something.
Someone parted the leaves and stepped into view.
Rihad gave a small laugh and turned to the lake.
“Planning a sneak attack while I sleep, Duke?”
Jaeger approached and stood beside him, both gazing at the water.
The pale surface shimmered faintly under the moonlight.
“Is there someone suspicious in the Imperial Palace?”
“Suspicious?”
“Don’t play dumb. Even a newborn could tell this isn’t just some natural disaster.”
“You’re saying it was orchestrated inside the palace?”
“This is a sacred zone managed by the Temple.”
“Ah… so they’d be the first suspects, and therefore couldn’t possibly be guilty? But Duke, couldn’t someone turn that logic against them?”
“The palace could have taken advantage of the fact that the Temple would be blamed first. Don’t you agree?”
Rihad was about to deny it—but then recalled the ministers who often tried to curry favor with the royal family by finding fault with the Temple, and the siblings who opposed the clergy. He closed his mouth.
