‘Huh?’

Didio, the charge captain of the Uva Rosa who could make even a crying child stop, opened his eyes wide in disbelief.

‘I definitely grabbed it and pulled, but……?’

Only his palm, calloused like a bear’s paw, was cut by the blade and dripping blood. The Grand Duchess’s sword didn’t budge an inch from its original position.

‘Hmm?’

Didio pulled the sword again.

The young Grand Duchess, still gripping the sword handle without even a change in her breathing, was looking at him with the cold killing intent unique to a swordsman accustomed to cutting and stabbing, rather than that of a noble lady raised in luxury.

How strange. Even knights who roam battlefields don’t exude such killing intent.

It was a deep-seated killing intent that could only be sensed from mercenaries who rolled around in the mud with nothing but their bodies as capital, like himself.

Feeling as if he could even smell blood, Didio stared at the Grand Duchess with his mouth agape.

The Grand Duchess, more chilling for her lack of expression, reminded him of a boy he had met long ago in a mercenary group. That kid often wore the same expression.

‘Right. When there were clear reasons to kill, but he didn’t want to kill, that kid’s expression was exactly like this.’

It’s absurd. Now, who is sparing whom?

Didio snorted and pulled the sword again, but. Still. It didn’t budge an inch. Damn it.

“Didio. Was your hometown in the North?”

Yuriella stared at the man she had briefly associated with in the mercenary group before forming a connection with Plama.

She didn’t know his hometown was in the North.

No one in the mercenary group had been curious about each other’s hometowns.

Back then, the only thing that mattered to them was hoping that this place wouldn’t be where they’d be buried today. That was all.

“Yes. My father was born here in Colina Rosa. My father’s father, and his father before him, tilled the land of the North and were buried in this soil.”

I see. So you too are from the North. One of the Grand Duke’s people…….

Yuriella now realizes that just because someone doesn’t talk about their hometown doesn’t mean it’s not important at all.

“When did you return to your hometown?”

“A year ago. Though I couldn’t return in glory, I came back to the place where I’ll be buried with my head held somewhat high. Not knowing what calamity was waiting.”

The ‘calamity’ he refers to must mean the Emperor’s subjugation of the North.

“……So, what did you lose? Family? Land? ……Children?”

“Would those with precious things left be wandering around like this? I lost everything.”

“……”

“I lost everything I had. And the things I should have had, the things I wanted to have, I had to bury them all on the blood-soaked red hills along with what I’d already lost.”

“Isn’t your enemy…… someone else? Why are you pointing your swords at your neighbors instead of your true enemies and inflicting wounds?”

Didio snorted loudly.

“Our enemy Solas was already beheaded by the Emperor. Someone else will behead the Emperor. So what? It’s just a power struggle among the high and mighty, while we innocent people are used and killed off-.”

Suddenly stopping mid-sentence, Didio furrowed his brow and tilted his head askew.

“If you’re trying to buy time waiting for the Grand Duke. Give up. The Grand Duke isn’t one to be so slow in cutting down your people, even if they were a band of thieves.”

As Didio let go of the sword he was holding, he twisted his body and kicked out towards Yuriella’s solar plexus.

Creating a slight gap, Yuriella stepped back swiftly and took a defensive stance, gripping the sword handle with both hands.

As Didio drew his sword, the rest of the Uva Rosa members also unsheathed their blades.

Didio shouted.

“Execute the informants! Cut down anyone who gets in the way! Everyone is our enemy, no matter who they are!”

Simultaneously, the red bandanas moved towards the four informants.

The patients and medical staff who had been crouching on the floor since Uva Rosa’s intrusion screamed, and the servants of the Grand Duke’s household, led by Butler Alexis, rushed to Yuriella to protect their mistress.

Didio grabbed the collar of an informant hiding under a medicine shelf and lifted him up.

“Chirino Saba. In the name of Uva Rosa, I’ll take your worthless life.”

As Didio’s sword swung in a wide arc towards the informant’s neck, Yuriella’s sword deflected it in mid-air and plunged towards Didio’s throat.

Didio hurriedly pulled his body back and touched his cold nape.

Blood stained his fingers. But something was odd. That attack should have inflicted a fatal wound on him.

‘Could it be, she spared me?’

The Grand Duchess had clearly seen his weakness and struck sharply, yet showed mercy with her final sword stroke. Just as her husband, the Grand Duke, would have done.

Didio readjusted his grip on the sword and blinked. His expression showed he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Though she showed no intent to attack, the Grand Duchess’s slender body itself seemed to emit the sharp energy of a sword.

Didio felt a shiver run from the top of his head down his spine.

‘So the Grand Duke didn’t take a wife, but placed a guard knight by his side pretending to be a companion.’

There’s no way a noble young lady could wield a sword like this. If she’s not the real Grand Duchess, there’s no need to spare her.

Exuding killing intent, Didio swung his sword at Yuriella with all his might, shouting “Yah!”

‘This is troublesome.’

Yuriella clicked her tongue inwardly as she was pushed back by Didio’s attack.

Though she knew Didio’s weaknesses and openings, Yuriella’s body couldn’t withstand the bear-like strength of Didio.

If she used all the wind power that Aeri had infused her with, she could easily dispose of Didio and his companions, but…….

Karina Pioni was watching with her eyes wide open.

If she used her power, the fact that the Grand Duchess was the master of the holy sword contracted with Aeri would immediately be known to the Emperor and Empress Dowager. It must not be revealed yet.

‘Besides, I haven’t found the Wind Sword yet. If I’m checked now, it will negatively impact the Grand Duke’s great cause.’

The Archmage, who was treating patients in the guise of Ricardo, the Grand Duchess’s personal physician, also looked at Didio and the thieves with a troubled expression.

Subduing them would be easier than twisting a child’s wrist. But…….

He was here only out of personal favor and consideration to stay by Yuriella’s side. He hadn’t come in his capacity as Archmage.

If it became known that the Archmage was helping the Grand Duke couple in the North, the balance between the East and West would tilt towards the North. With the meeting of the great nobles already convened, it would be problematic for the Mage Tower to break neutrality.

‘Your Highness. Just let the informants go.’

He made eye contact with Yuriella, but he already knew she wouldn’t listen.

‘This has become troublesome.’

It wasn’t just Yuriella and the Archmage who were troubled.

The clenched fists of the black mage Cassandra twitched nervously.

If it weren’t for Yuriella’s fierce glare, she would have long since transformed these thief bastards who dared to speak and act rudely towards Her Highness into a herd of pigs.

Karina also bit her lip hard while looking around. The Empress Dowager had given a strict order.

[Bring the Grand Duchess’s head attached to her body to the Imperial Palace. If even a hair on her head is harmed, I will hold you severely accountable.]

As she never speaks nonsense, if the Grand Duchess dies or gets injured, the promised position of Empress will be forever out of reach. Yuriella Ielheim must not die today.

‘But how……?’

Her holy power can only be used to heal and help people. She can’t even protect her own weak body, let alone defeat a pack of vicious thieves.

But she can’t use black magic to save the Grand Duchess in front of everyone either. In exchange for securing the Grand Duchess’s safety, she would forever become a fugitive pursued by the Mage Tower.

Didio’s comrades widened their eyes as they watched the Grand Duchess parrying their charge captain’s sword. Some even approached whistling to watch.

But the overwhelming difference in physique was undeniable.

Yuriella’s sword, blocking Didio’s attacks, gradually lost strength. It was already amazing that she had managed to face the thieves’ charge captain for so long with such a small and delicate body.

Didio’s blade, sliding along Yuriella’s sword, lunged towards her face.

Yuriella knows how to block Didio’s sword. She just needs to change the direction of the sword and break his balance. But her slender wrist, already drained of strength like wet cotton, wouldn’t move as she willed.

“Your Highness!”

At that moment, a woman came running with a scream-like shout and crashed into Didio with her whole body.

Delilah. No, Lewis, disguised as the Grand Duke’s mistress, collided with Didio and they both tumbled to the ground. One of the Uva Rosa members standing nearby watching swung his sword widely at him.

“No!”

Without hesitation, Yuriella threw herself over Lewis.

She must protect him. He firmly believes that her lord is the future of the empire.

Yuriella tightly embraced Lewis and squeezed her eyes shut.

Perhaps thinking this might be the end.

In that fleeting moment. Instead of the chaotic screams, smoke from the explosion magic stones on the floor, and afterimages of terrified people, one clear face filled Yuriella’s retina vividly.

Her lord with brilliant silver hair seemed to be angry, or perhaps trying hard not to cry.

‘He looks most handsome when he smiles.’

Sensing the end, Yuriella hugged Lewis even tighter, without the slightest gap.

But what rushed in was not the sharp swords of the red bandanas, but the eardrum-shattering shouts of the domain’s people.

“Protect Her Highness!”

“Your Highness!”

The people who had been crouching on the floor, trembling in fear, now threw their fists and bodies at the red bandanas of Uva Rosa!

Some, still crouching, grabbed their ankles and bared their teeth to bite the legs of these log-like men.

Yuriella slowly raised her body and looked around in disbelief.

The people of Colina Rosa were protecting her.

The people of the land she had trampled.

The people who had to lose their families, their land, and their hope because of her.

“Ah……”

Transparent tears began to well up in Yuriella’s red eyes.

While she was plotting shallow schemes to hide her power and offer her measly life to repay her debt to the North.

The people of Colina Rosa had risen from their trembling bodies to try to save her life. Without any calculation. With nothing but empty fists and emaciated bodies……!

Feeling too ashamed to even show her tears, Yuriella hid her face in her hands and sobbed.

“You evil thieves! You’re making our beautiful Grand Duchess cry!”

Even a white-haired old woman with a bent back struck the red bandanas’ backs with her wooden cane.

When her body was about to collapse, no longer able to endure.

There were hands that embraced her deeply into their chest.

The Grand Duke’s chest, breathing heavily from rushing here, became wet with his wife’s tears.

“Frost….. Those people, Colina Rosa…… they saved…… me.”

Frost looked down at his wife while catching his breath.

And without saying anything, he buried his face in the nape of his safe wife and exhaled deeply. Her scent cleared his airways that had felt like they would burst.

“I told you. The people of Colina Rosa are strong. Because they protect me, I can protect them. That’s the secret of my strength, Yuriella.”

With her face buried in Frost’s chest, Yuriella nodded slightly.

Now she seemed to understand.

It’s not the strong who protect. Those who protect are the strong.

Now she truly believed it. The people of Colina Rosa are strong. They will be able to be happier tomorrow.

*

That night.

Karina Pioni reported to Empress Dowager Sophia about the final schedule in Colina Rosa.

“The Grand Duchess has many similarities to Commander Solas. Everywhere she went, her popularity soared to the skies.”

[If they’re alike, then the Grand Duchess won’t have a long life either. The more loved they are, the more haters they have, and the higher the praise, the sharper the blade that will strike them down. She must be a foolish child who doesn’t know this.]

“Seeing the Grand Duchess in person…… I could understand why His Majesty the Emperor couldn’t take his eyes off her.”

[Don’t be too jealous, Karina. There’s no swamp harder to escape from than the one you fall deeply into. Anything else to report?]

The Empress Dowager smiles at Karina with the most benevolent smile through the communication magic tool.

“That is all I have to report, Your Majesty.”

Karina also responded to the Empress Dowager with a beautiful smile as if painted.

She almost blurted out the incredible thing she had seen here, wanting to see that picture-perfect face crumple like a witch’s.

‘No. No, Empress Dowager. I don’t want to die like Solas. If someone has to be abandoned and killed, it should be you and the Grand Duchess, not me.’