Soon they passed through the capital’s gates, and without a word, they urged their horses to go faster. She was so overwhelmed with keeping up that she had no leisure to look around.

As they rode northeast toward their destination, the Ferdie estate, the smooth dirt road gave way to a rough mountain path.

As time passed, a slight weariness appeared on Evenel’s face.

‘More tiring than I thought.’

The sensation of riding in a misty field was completely different. And being a beginner who had just learned to ride, sustaining such a long ride was bound to be a strain.

Even if she practiced incessantly, there was no way she could easily keep up with the knights who had been training for a long time.

As a result, she gradually fell behind.

“Your Majesty.”

At Demil’s call, Shuher looked back and, spotting the lagging Evenel, scanned the surroundings before raising his hand. Following his signal, the knights also stopped.

“Let’s rest for a bit.”

He approached Evenel, who had dismounted to catch her breath.

“Tired already? Quite different from yesterday.”

“……I apologize.”

Evenel said only this one line after looking at the knights who showed no signs of fatigue. Shuher pulled away, hearing her mumbled apology as she hung her head slightly.

No one came to stand beside her as she caught her breath.

The journey continued until late at night, and they ended up camping in a forest.

The knights, including Shuher, seemed accustomed to such circumstances. They quickly started a fire and began eating the dry rations they’d brought.

Evenel sat alone, leaning against a tree, not saying a word. She listlessly ate the food and drank the water that had been prepared for her.

Her face seemed more thoughtful than tired.

Then, hearing laughter, she turned her head to see the other knights sitting around the fire, chatting cheerfully.

At that moment, Shanye opened his mouth to speak to the isolated Evenel.

“Ah, under normal circumstances, we could’ve comfortably rested in a small village.”

“It’s someone’s fault that our schedule is delayed.”

“Now you surely realize that real life is different.”

They seemed to speak as if it didn’t matter whether she heard or not. Shuher and Demil simply listened silently.

Evenel, the subject of their words, showed no change in her expression. Then she suddenly stood up.
“I’ll go for a short walk. I won’t go far.”

With that, she vanished into the forest. The knights continued their conversation as if nothing had happened.

Shuher’s gaze shifted to the food she had barely touched. It was then that Demil, who was nearby, spoke up.

“It will probably take her some time to get used to it.”

Hearing this, Shuher chuckled.

“Are you covering for that woman now?”

“Rather than that…”

Demil halted, reflecting on Evenel’s demeanor that had changed overnight. She had always been eerily quiet, regardless of how others reacted when she spoke.

If it were the usual her, she would have deflected anything Shuher said with ease.

“Her role is already decided anyway. We’re going to great lengths to take her for that reason.”

“But for some reason, Your Majesty also doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.”

Demil had sensed that his mood was heavier and more irritable than usual since they left the palace.

“We’ll depart early tomorrow. Rest as you see fit.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shuher coldly turned his head after looking at Evenel’s empty seat.

For days, the party had been riding without any major problems like monster attacks, and they were nearly at their destination.

Evenel had grown somewhat accustomed to this journey. However, she moved mechanically, not interacting with anyone.

Nobody in the group paid her any mind or made any effort to talk to her. It was as if she was oil to their water, never mixing.

As night fell again, Evenel sat apart from the others during their camp outside. Then Demil approached her with some food.

“Please eat. We will arrive at the territory of Ferti by tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

However, she didn’t eat, only accepting the food.

Demil, who had been concerned about her lack of appetite even during their brief rest stops in villages, finally said something.

“You won’t last if you don’t eat properly.”

“I just don’t have an appetite.”

In a voice lacking energy, Evenel answered and then candidly expressed what had been on her mind for the past few days.

“Did I come here for nothing?”

Realizing what she had said, she quickly waved her hand.

“Never mind. Just forget it. I’ll eat the food.”

In the end, Demil distanced himself from Evenel. However, her last words were strangely troubling to him.

Had she been thinking this way while alone these past few days?

‘Let’s not worry about it. There are more important things right now.’
He had no time to think about the imminent subjugation mission looming right in front of him.

Evenel set down the food Demil had given her after taking a few bites, and lay down on a spot set aside. She closed her eyes, listening to the conversation among the knights.

How much time had passed? She woke up early in the still dim dawn.

Seeing that everyone was asleep, except for the two standing guard, she tidied her sleeping area. Then she discovered her horse that had awakened and approached it.

“Did you sleep well? Want to go drink some water?”

She tenderly stroked its mane and then led it into the forest. Remembering the river nearby where she had fetched water earlier, she decided to go there.

After walking for a few minutes, a stream eventually appeared.

Evenel washed her face with the water, as cold as ice, as if trying to shake off her remaining sleepiness. She leaned against a rock and quietly watched her horse drink.

“Ah…”

A deep sigh revealed Evenel’s emotions.

Shuher’s words, that everyone would die because of her, lingered in her mind as if shackling her. The more she thought, the more she questioned why she was here, leaving her confused.

It felt as if she had lost her way.

“Maybe I should just do as I’m told. It will all end once that person shows up anyway.”

She planned to stay in the palace only until the female protagonist appeared. After that, leaving Karies meant she wouldn’t have to hear any more criticisms.

Thinking this made her feel empty, questioning what she had been so busy for.

‘She probably won’t even want my help anyway.’

At that moment, as she closed her eyes to enjoy the calm, Evenel’s eyes shot open.

‘What is this feeling?’

There was nothing in sight, and the surroundings were quiet, but an inexplicable anxiety engulfed her.

“Something’s here.”

She stood up and instinctively looked around.

Just then, Evenel’s gaze focused on one spot, and at the same time, an object burst out of the bushes at a high speed, attacking her unguarded horse.

‘That is…’

What filled her vision was a beast, viciously tearing at the horse’s throat, dripping with blood.