It was the fifteenth day since then.

As the sun began to set, darkness started to creep across the sky. Soon, pitch blackness accompanied by a large, round moon arrived.

A moment later, a knock sounded on Natasha’s bedroom door. Though it was a time when all the servants should be asleep, she did not find this suspicious.

The woman refrained from giving the usual command to enter. Instead, she walked to the door herself and turned the handle directly.

Opening the door revealed Sir Dante standing steadfastly. As soon as their eyes met, he bowed silently, holding some clothes in his hands.

Matching his silence, Natasha gestured for him to enter. The perceptive Sir Dante promptly stepped into the room.

“Princess.”

As soon as the door closed, he whispered softly. He had used Natasha’s long-standing title.

“We will depart in two hours, when a new day dawns for the empire.”

“Has the time already come to that?”

“…Are you truly coming with us, Princess?”

Sir Dante asked in a worried voice.

“As you know, it would not be an exaggeration to say this operation is a matter of life and death. Even if the palace security has weakened, we don’t know if the knights can break through…”

“Sir Dante.”

Natasha laughed lightly as if to say, what nonsense is this? She understood his concern, but to come here and try to persuade her—Sir Dante was persistent in unnecessary matters.

“I am the master of this operation.”

“…”

“Without me, it would be pointless.”

At her resolute voice, the man’s mouth closed immediately. Though knowing this signaled the end of his argument, Natasha continued speaking without pause.

“This is something I started, and it would be absurd for me to back out because it might become dangerous. I don’t want to be that cowardly. And I no longer wish to survive alone. It’s a lonely and painful thing.”

“…”

“And I’ve hoped and hoped to bring down the man who tormented me and my loved ones with my own hands.”

“…Princess.”

“This is what I want. Sir Dante, I’m more excited now than ever before. I feel like I’m truly alive and breathing for the first time.”

He looked at Natasha with a somewhat pitiful expression, like a rain-soaked puppy. But then he sighed as if there was nothing to be done.

“I understand. I spoke out of turn. I didn’t realize how eager you were, and only asserted my own selfish desires.”

At last, Sir Dante handed over the clothes he had been holding to Natasha.

They were leather armor and protective gear.

She too needed to depart armed for this battle. However, as Natasha had not received knight training, she could not bear the weight of full armor and opted for lighter gear instead.

After all, she would not be directly engaging in combat.

“And I’ve prepared a sword as well, just in case. I didn’t consider the weight since I thought it best to prepare a good sword, but…”

Sir Dante then handed over a sword. As he said, the sword he passed was quite heavy. It would certainly feel weighty when worn at the waist.

However, Natasha replied that this should be sufficient without showing any sign of discomfort.

Their conversation ended with a final greeting to meet again in two hours. It was now time for Sir Dante to leave the bedroom.

He suddenly knelt down. He drew the sword at his waist and thrust it into the ground, still in its scabbard.

The scabbard bore the crest of the Kingdom of Charliee. It seemed to be the sword he had used when he was part of the Charliee Royal Knights.

“May happiness come to the Kingdom of Charliee.”

“…”

“And may peace be with the only sun of Charliee.”

Sir Dante carefully grasped the woman’s hand and briefly kissed her white hand.

Natasha, smiling gently, extended her hand towards the loyal knight. Sir Dante, who had been showing his respect, carefully took the woman’s hand.

Natasha looked up at him as she helped him stand.

“Come to think of it, there’s something I haven’t told Sir Dante.”

“…Yes? What might that be?”

“Even though it’s a matter of life and death, there’s no need to worry about me.”

“Ah… B-but…”

Sir Dante soon showed a troubled expression. He seemed to think Natasha was continuing to nag him for trying to dissuade her earlier.

Who would be scared of such nagging in this situation? Natasha held back a smile that threatened to escape and spoke the words she had wanted to say.

“—Because we will not be defeated.”

We will not fail.

“We’ve prepared diligently, haven’t we?”

For we have been running solely for tomorrow.

What did Sir Dante reply to those words? Though it hadn’t been long since their conversation, Natasha had already forgotten.

Ah, he might have said something realistic about how Natasha’s life could be in danger regardless of success or failure.

Then he might have added a sharp advice, unlike a subordinate, saying that if she wanted to see the successful Kingdom of Charliee, she should stay sharp.

Natasha couldn’t bring herself to argue.

As Sir Dante said, she was always in danger of death, regardless of success or failure.

And now she feared the mortal fate called ‘death’.

It felt unfair and bitter that she might not be part of Charliee’s future. She also worried about someone who would be left alone after her death.

At that moment, the sound of a lark chirping rang out from the clock. It was a signal that an hour had already passed.

That meant there was one hour left until dawn broke and they departed.

It was when Natasha was sitting on the balcony railing, enjoying the night breeze. Suddenly, noise intruded into the quiet bedroom.

The man who created the disturbance began walking steadily towards her. Unlike someone who would knock on the door and ask permission to enter, he approached Natasha with a confident attitude, quickly closing the distance between them.

He stopped in front of the woman and slowly extended his hand.

Even that was so confident and arrogant that it made her laugh. It was fascinating how the man before her acted the same regardless of their relationship.

“Did you come to lecture me too? Or to give some stern advice?”

His gray eyebrows twitched as if to say, what are you talking about?

“Sir Dante dropped by the room just now.”

Without even explaining their conversation, Sieghart seemed to have already grasped the situation and nodded.

Having spent a lot of time together due to the operation, Sieghart also seemed to have realized how persistent Sir Dante could be.

“That’s a relief. I didn’t come for such reasons.”

“Is that so?”

“I, who have watched for a long time, know well how stubborn my wife is.”

Sieghart shrugged his shoulders.

“Then for what reason did you come?”

“I came to check. In case my wife was feeling nervous.”

Nervous, was it? Such a fragile feeling had emerged when the rainy season started, and was swept away when the rainy season ended.

Still, the one who knew Natasha’s vulnerable side best was indeed none other than Sieghart Asthart.

“I’m fine. I’m strong, you know.”

Natasha descended from the balcony, holding the man’s hand with a faint smile. Sieghart’s hands, which had an icy impression, felt warm to the touch.

“I knew that.”

Natasha stared intently at the shadow cast over the man’s face. The dark shade that took on her form strangely made her feel good.

“Ah, if it’s alright, would you help me prepare? Sir Dante brought some equipment earlier.”

“Certainly.”

Unable to bear the strange feeling, she suddenly changed the subject.

Natasha then handed over the clothes and sword placed on the bed to Sieghart. Then she turned around, positioning herself so that he could easily remove her dress.

The hand touching her back felt as hot as fire. Though the man’s face was far above her own, it felt as if his thick breath was brushing against her shoulders and back.

As he loosened the dress strings, the gap widened. The lowered sleeves hung on her delicate shoulders.

The leather armor was placed over her chest. As he tightened the straps, the armor snugly wrapped around her body, protecting her skin.

Unlike his hands that felt hot as if burned, his touch was extremely delicate as he fastened the guards on her wrists and knees.

“Natasha.”

The man’s head drew closer to Natasha’s ear. His voice, seeping in secretly, was moist.

She inhaled unconsciously, tensing up. Her heart pounded, not knowing what Sieghart would say.

“When this duel is over.”

When the duel is over,

“I’ll keep my promise.”

…What promise?

“To let you go.”

“…”

“As you wished.”

It was utterly incomprehensible. Only words that could not be understood at all.

As Natasha turned around, Sieghart’s head turned away. Their gazes, now askew, created a moment of silence.

To her lingering gaze that seemed to demand an explanation, Sieghart murmured slowly.

“I have no intention of tying you down out of sympathy.”