What came out of her mouth was a denial. It was contrary to the confident words she’d said earlier.

“I couldn’t even protect the people who are important to me.”

Hivru, reading the sorrow filling Evenel’s eyes, was so flustered he couldn’t utter a word.

“In fact, I was totally lost on my way here. What should I do, and whether I even have the right to do it.”

“Not anymore?”

“No, I’ve made up my mind now. I will do as I wish. Deciding that clearly, I don’t waver anymore.”

Only after peeling off the fact that he was Aodi, did it seem like he saw the real her. She wasn’t a bad person, contrary to the thick rumors.

So he felt more comfortable to talk freely.

“I was really sorry about yesterday. I guess I was impatient myself. I know what people are saying about me. So, your Highness.”

“Highness, what? Call me by my name, we’re already at that point.”

At Evenel’s refreshing words, Hivru momentarily forgot his situation and smiled comfortably.

“You’re finally smiling.”

“You’re the first person who talks this much to me. Including the part about not whining.”

“Is that a compliment?”

As they exited the forest, they saw a large lake in the open space ahead. And beyond it, a road was visible.

“If you walk straight down that road, you’ll find the entrance. The Emperor will come from there too.”

“That’s a relief.”

Just as they had passed the lake, a hair-raising noise was heard from the sky.

‘This sound.’

When Evenel hurriedly looked up at the sky, two large birds were circling in the air, emitting a piercing sound that seemed to tear the ears.

They appeared to have already recognized the two as prey.

“They’re Laphirin.”

It looked similar to the Laphiru that she had seen in the palace before, but had a shorter beak, and instead, much larger wings.

‘This place is too open.’

Evenel quickly judged that they should leave this area and looked at Hivru.

“Let’s go that way quickly. This place is disadvantageous for us.”

“Alright.”

Both ran as fast as they could towards the forest path visible in front of them. However, as if unwilling to let them go, the beasts followed them fiercely.
Finally, he could only stop a few steps away from his destination.

‘Is this the end of the escape?’

Evenel pulled the trigger towards the flying Lapirin around her, but hitting a flying object wasn’t easy.

“Hevru, I’ll create an opening…”

But before that, two of them rushed at him, seeing a gap.

“Dodge, Hevru!”

“Ah…”

‘I can’t move.’

Hevru froze in place, unable to move a finger as he watched the monster rapidly fall towards him.

‘It’s over now.’

Closing his eyes, thinking it was the end, he felt a strong push. Startled, he opened his eyes to find Evenel standing where he had been.

“Evenel!”

She fired her gun at the approaching monsters while lying on the ground.

“Hevru, run! I’m buying time.”

“But, but…”

“Quick!”

Evenel had no time to worry about him. Even Hevru had to escape this place. By now, Shuher and his group would almost be here.

No, they had to be.

Pushed by her urgency, Hevru got up and started running, leaving Evenel behind.

“I’m your opponent!”

Evenel didn’t stop pulling the trigger, ensuring the monsters didn’t divert their attention to him. Her arm trembled as it reached its limit, but she couldn’t give up now.

She aimed at the core of a close Lapirin, but the bullet didn’t come out.

‘Of all times.’

She tried to reload quickly, but the situation was too urgent. They didn’t even give her the chance, attacking from both sides.

Then a sharp beak grazed her right shoulder, and in trying to evade, she dropped the gun.

‘No.’

She tried to pick it up again, but the monster was quicker. Realizing it was a weapon, it bit the gun and shattered it to pieces right before her eyes.

With her only weapon gone, Evenel had nothing left to do.

When she was cornered with no more room to escape, an arrow suddenly flew in and pierced the right wing of one of the Lapirin.

The Lapirin flailed in pain, distancing itself from her.

‘What just happened?’

“Are you okay?”

More than the joy of survival, in an inexplicable situation, a person appeared before her.

“Hevru?”

“Sorry for being late.”
In Hibru’s hand was a silver bow. It was clear he was the one who had fired the arrow just moments ago.

‘But there’s definitely no arrow.’

Hibru, keeping an eye on the Laphirin he had shot, asked, “Where’s the core?”

“Ah, it’s in the middle where the right wing and the torso connect.”

Before her answer even ended, he pulled the bowstring without notching an arrow. His gaze sharpened for a moment.

It was the look she had seen during their night training.

At that moment, a startling spectacle unfolded before Evenel. Just as Shuher’s sword had emanated dark energy, a light resembling Hibru’s eye color began to envelop the bow.

Soon that light became the arrow she had seen.