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Chapter – 42
Roxis sheathed the broken sword that was left with only half its blade.
Ares, who had been staggering, straightened himself and spat out a mouthful of blood.
“You’re late, Your Highness.”
The hair he had tied earlier had come loose again, and even the ends were cut at an odd angle. Yulion clicked his tongue as he scanned Ares’s condition.
“Why are you here? Your mission wasn’t to fight in this place.”
“My mission is to follow my master’s words.”
Ares shrugged toward me.
Feeling inexplicably guilty, I gave an awkward smile. Yulion’s golden eyes locked onto me.
They shimmered like jewels, studying me slowly from head to toe.
My tangled hair.
The accessory that had disappeared at some point.
The torn hem of my dress.
And… my shoes, their heels broken off.
“…Ha.”
His gaze paused briefly at my bloodied feet. A clear emotion surfaced in his eyes—refined fury, quiet yet ready to erupt like molten gold fresh from a furnace.
“Rohiriel.”
My name escaped him like a sigh. I held his gaze.
“Stay still.”
The blazing heat in Yulion’s eyes cooled instantly, as though doused with cold water. He bit out the words and withdrew his gaze from me.
The next moment—
—BOOM!
A thunderous crash shook the ground, a sound no human should have been able to produce.
“Guh!”
Roxis was sent flying into a tree. Yulion swung his sword again.
The blade shattered white under the sunlight, leaving dozens of afterimages in the air. Roxis was no easy opponent, but since his main weapon was twin swords, countering with only one had its limits.
This time, his left leg was slashed. Roxis panted heavily.
The situation had reversed within mere breaths. I swallowed hard.
I knew Yulion was strong, but…
This was beyond imagination.
Even if Roxis wasn’t in perfect condition, the gap between them was significant.
Now I understood why Roxis had appeared already wounded.
“Roxis Cassian. I’ll grant you your last words.”
At some point, Yulion’s sword was pressed lightly against Roxis’s throat.
Even cornered like this, Roxis grinned brightly.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince. Is it acceptable to torment an innocent citizen like this?”
“If that’s your last word, even a crawling worm would laugh at you.”
With a sneer, Yulion raised his sword—
But the strike never came.
By the time I realized someone had grabbed me from behind, it was too late.
A rough hand yanked me back, and something cold pressed against my neck.
“What—!”
Yulion noticed the shift instantly and turned his gaze toward me.
Seizing the moment, Roxis slipped out of Yulion’s range.
Yulion moved as if to rush toward me, but at the same time, I felt something wet at my throat.
He must have pressed the blade deeper to threaten him.
“Stop! Do you not care if this woman’s throat is pierced?”
Yulion froze like a statue.
His expression turned savage, like an enraged beast.
“You’ve lost your mind.”
His eyes searched for Ares near me.
Ares stood several steps away, stunned into stillness.
He must have been injured in his fight with Roxis. Otherwise, he would never have failed to notice this man approaching.
The heat of battle cooled instantly under the hostage situation.
Without taking his eyes off me, Yulion spoke to Roxis.
“You plan to run like this? There are too many witnesses. You won’t escape.”
Roxis smirked and stepped back.
“Is there any proof that I am Roxis Cassian?”
“What kind of wordplay is this?”
“Exactly what I said. Is there proof that the one who attacked you here is Roxis Cassian?”
The nerve of him.
If caught on the spot, he couldn’t deny it. But if he escaped, it would be a different story.
He could simply claim it wasn’t him.
A fake Roxis could easily be produced. An innocent man would step forward claiming responsibility.
That was the Cassian way.
“Back away! Now!”
The man holding me shouted roughly, gaining confidence.
Yulion’s golden eyes flickered violently.
I needed to create an opening.
Who was this man?
Though I couldn’t see his face, I could guess one thing.
“You’re not a vassal of Cassian.”
The arm around my shoulders flinched.
Roxis clicked his tongue faintly.
“You don’t know me, do you? That’s why you made such a foolish move. Isn’t that right, Roxis?”
I deliberately directed the question at him.
The arm tightened.
Fear. Confusion.
He was a mercenary hired by Roxis.
That meant he could talk later—Cassian’s vassals were bound by restrictions, but mercenaries weren’t.
Smiling faintly, I reached for my waist pouch.
“Execute the final plan!” Roxis shouted urgently.
“What suddenly—!”
“Just do it!”
In the chaos, I slipped my hand into my small bag.
The mercenary, flustered, didn’t notice.
“Execute it—!”
As Roxis shouted, the man pulled out a small orb from his clothes.
At the same time, I retrieved what I had been looking for.
“Rohiriel!”
Yulion’s eyes widened.
I grabbed the blade at my neck, twisted my body, and smashed the medicine bottle I had taken out against the man’s face.
“Ugh—!”
“Damn it, you idiot!” Roxis cursed.
The mercenary collapsed.
The orb he had meant to throw dropped and rolled toward the watchtower management office.
“What are you doing?!” Yulion shouted, rushing toward me.
At the same time, Roxis threw something at the orb.
Light leaked from it.
It ignited.
Knowing exactly what it was, I reached out toward Yulion.
“Run! Now!”
Our fingertips touched.
His lips moved, but I heard nothing.
The world went silent.
Then came an explosion too loud for the ears to bear.
Blinding light consumed my vision.
A violent wind swept through.
Gradually, sound returned.
The flapping of birds fleeing.
The groan of collapsing wood.
And—
“You, honestly!”
Yulion’s furious scolding, as he held me in his arms.
“Are you in your right mind? What were you thinking—!”
I peeked up at him. His face was twisted with anger.
“I’m sorry. If I’d acted just a second sooner, I could’ve stopped the explosion.”
Even one second earlier would’ve been enough.
But Yulion’s expression darkened further.
“Is that what you think matters right now?”
“I—I said I’m sorry.”
“You still don’t understand what the problem is. Show me your hand.”
He took it before I could move.
The hand that had grabbed the blade was covered in blood.
He examined it carefully and spoke coldly.
“Did I not tell you to stay still? Why?”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
I tried to pull away, but he held me firmly.
He tore his sleeve and wrapped it around my hand.
“I could have saved you. Did you move because you don’t trust me?”
“That’s not it. I just chose the faster, more certain method. Even if I get hurt a little, I don’t feel pain anyway.”
The moment I said it, I realized my mistake.
The air around him turned icy.
“Didn’t you say you were recovering?”
“…I am.”
“You said you would be fine soon.”
“I was busy today. I forgot to take my medicine.”
“…Ha.”
His golden eyes burned fiercely, though his voice remained cold.
“It seems your own safety means nothing to you.”
The weight of his gaze pressed down on my shoulders.
Trying to break the tension, I glanced around.
“What about Sir Ares? Is he alright?”
“Rohiriel.”
“We should check that man too. And Roxis… he escaped.”
As always.
Right then, Ares ran over.
“Your Highness, are you unharmed?!”
He was bleeding from several places but standing.
“What about that?” Ares cried miserably, pointing at the watchtower management office.
The building had been completely destroyed.
All that remained were gray ashes drifting in the air.
