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Chapter 83
Idorian brushed his hand lightly against mine.
“Your Highness?”
“I get too anxious if you’re not within my sight.”
Idorian let out a restrained sigh.
“It’s just that…”
He abruptly shut his mouth. It looked as though he was sifting through the words he had blurted out unconsciously.
His gaze, which had been lowered in troubled thought, suddenly lifted.
“What if I go alone instead?”
His eyes gleamed, as though he’d finally come up with a good idea.
“I’ll go to the village entrance first, meet the Imperial Army, and bring some of them back here.”
He looked at me, seeking agreement.
“You just wait inside the house. Yes, that would be best.”
Before I could say anything, he rushed to the conclusion.
“…Is this also part of the debt you think you owe me?”
I stared at him silently, then let the question—one that had risen all the way to my throat—finally escape.
“Your Highness… you’re not like the person I used to know.”
“…What?”
I’d prided myself on knowing Idorian well—
The Idorian in Penelope’s memories, the Idorian written in the novel, and the Idorian I experienced myself.
I thought I knew him better than most.
But not anymore.
“The method you mentioned is a good one. It’ll take a while before we reach the capital, but…”
It was certainly the safest plan.
I was about to ask if I should go with him, but closed my mouth. Even if I did, I wouldn’t be of any real help.
If anything, Idorian would be forced to keep protecting me. Just as he said, it would be better for him to go alone.
“If Your Highness does that, we’d be grateful.”
“Mm.”
He nodded a beat late, as though he hadn’t been listening to my words and was lost in his own thoughts.
“But Your Highness must be careful.”
“Yes, I will.”
The moment Idorian replied, the smoke rising from the fortress side suddenly stopped.
“Your Highness—the smoke’s gone.”
“…Hmm. I’m not sure what that means.”
He narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking hard.
“I hope it means our signal reached them properly.”
“…Should we wait a little longer?”
We didn’t have to wait long to confirm that our signal had indeed reached them.
A mountain pigeon was circling the smoke above the courtyard. Something was tied to its leg—a message sent from the fortress.
“I’ll go. If the bird behaves quietly, we’ll take it to where Lumi and Uben are waiting.”
Idorian carefully opened the warehouse door.
Despite his caution, the noise drew a few zombies, but since the sound stopped quickly, they did not rush toward us.
Once outside, Idorian lifted his left hand, and the pigeon cautiously perched on his arm. But his expression quickly turned uneasy—using only one arm made his movements awkward. After shifting several times, he finally held the bird against his chest so it couldn’t fly away.
He gestured for me to come out.
The pigeon, surprisingly well-behaved, remained quiet, turning its head this way and that without a sound.
“Let’s go back, Penelope.”
Idorian handed the bird to me. I didn’t like birds, but I shut my eyes and accepted it anyway.
“…Shall we?”
When I opened them, the pigeon was staring up at me from just beneath my chin. I nodded stiffly. Idorian tugged lightly on my arm, adjusting my hold so the bird wasn’t so close to my face. My vision cleared as the pigeon shifted farther away.
We followed Idorian.
The pigeon never made a single sound—as though trained, or perhaps it was simply its nature. Not even once, all the way until we entered the house where Lumi and Uben waited.
“Lumi, Uben. We received a letter from the fortress.”
Idorian quickly explained.
Uben hurried over and reached for the bird, eager to see. I passed it to him, and he skillfully removed the letter from its leg. He handed it to Idorian, then fed the bird a few kernels of corn.
Idorian unfolded the letter. Neat handwriting filled the page.
[I pray this letter reaches those I so dearly miss.
Your Highness, Lady Penelope, Uben, and Lumi—it has already been a week since you left the fortress.
Are you safe? Are any of you injured?
First, we bring wonderful news. This morning, the Imperial Army finally arrived at the fortress.
We waited so long for this moment, yet the joy feels incomplete because you are not here with us.
His Grace, the Grand Duke Heresden, and I have been worried every single day, unable to hear any news. When we received your signal, we felt more relief than words can say.
Though His Grace insists it’s not certain yet, I believe without a doubt that the signal came from you.
The Imperial Army and His Grace are carefully considering a way to join you. If you receive this letter, please reply. Even a short message would give us tremendous strength.
We eagerly await the day we can see you again. May you stay safe until then.
—Lillia Swedi]
As Idorian finished reading, Uben’s lips trembled, eyes brimming.
“They contacted us… thank goodness.”
Lumi lightly tapped his shoulder, as though telling him not to cry.
“So there’s no reason for us to split up anymore.”
“Yeah. We can send a letter back.”
“Then let’s do it. We just need paper and a pen…”
Lumi trailed off and looked at Uben.
“I’ll find it!”
Uben hastily wiped his eyes and searched the house until he returned with what Lumi requested. Lumi ruffled his hair in praise, then handed the items to Idorian.
[To Lillia Swedi.]
Idorian wrote smoothly with his left hand. The handwriting was slightly different from before, but still clean and orderly.
[Things aren’t perfect, but everyone is safe. We are currently heading toward the village entrance to rendezvous with the Imperial Army.]
He briefly summarized the condition of the injured and their current pace. He then suggested that the Imperial Army stay a few more days at the fortress to recover, and meet them in eight days at the village entrance—where we expected to arrive by then.
Idorian was finishing the closing line when—
“Wait!”
Uben, who had been resting his chin on the table while watching, stretched his hand out.
“I want to write something too.”
Thanks to Lillia’s occasional lessons, Uben could now express what he wanted in writing. Idorian handed him the pen and paper without hesitation.
[Lillia big sister, I miss you and His Grace so much!!]
Uben pressed down hard, his letters crooked but heartfelt.
[Did you eat the meat we stored in the warehouse? If not, make sure you eat it all! If you come down without eating it, you’ll regret it forever. I don’t want you to be sad like me.]
Lumi and I also added brief greetings, saying we hoped to see her soon.
Lumi tied the letter to the pigeon’s leg and released it. The pigeon flew in the direction it came from, growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared.
We waited a long time for a reply.
But no reply ever came.
