Whoosh, Princess Larratu dropped the blanket.

‘This is too much.’

I should endure since she was surprised. Suppressing my anger, I picked up the blanket again.

“Where is Karsatuna?”

Different tone than before.

Her first question with a condescending attitude, even after building friendship.

I paused for a moment and then opened my mouth calmly.

“She’s with the others.”

“Did she get hurt by the thugs?”

“She’s unharmed. I subdued the thugs.”

“Who.”

“What?”

“Who subdued that guy?”

She retorted from behind.

“Kichep did it.”

“Kichep…?”
I hesitated for a moment, but it was something I would eventually find out.

“And the 5th Prince helped.”

“The prince…”

Princess Larratu, who was muttering, quickened her halted steps.

“Ha.”

Then, a thin and clear chuckle brushed my ears.

Watching her small and slender figure, I suddenly recalled.

The face of the princess who looked down on me next to the king, ordering my execution just before the guillotine.

Was it pity? Or was it the horror of the dreadful scene I would soon witness?

As the memory of her scowling face vividly emerged, my feelings became strange.

Karsatuna rushed to Princess Larratu as soon as she saw her and embraced her.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

While comforting the teary-eyed princess, I looked down at the blood-soaked thug.

“The prince’s prediction was correct.”

Kichep, holding the thug’s neckline, nodded.

“He is from the Umbrage.”

I closely examined the thug’s face. Blood was flowing profusely from the oddly twisted arm and the shoulder pierced by a knife.

The grotesque face distorted by pain was unfamiliar to me.

‘Probably Jacques’s comrade.’

The spy caught in my past life was likely not only Jacques. What was that man doing back then? Probably executing plans to devour the kingdom like Jacques.

Unintentionally, I raised my head and was startled. It was because I met Giovanni’s gaze.

Giovanni naturally turned his head away, but my surprised heart continued to beat rapidly.

Giovanni asked Kichep, “The mark?”

“Here it is.”

As Kichep swung the dagger toward the thug, Karsatuna let out a small scream. Her eyes widened.

With a disdainful glance at her, Kichep muttered and waved his hand in the air.

The thug’s head was neatly sliced into chunks with a single gesture.

The man’s once voluminous hair now turned into a mere mess. Sharp and vivid. A black tattoo covered the back of his bald head.

‘A cactus?’

Checking the tattoo, Giovanni murmured, “It matches the Umbrage.”

“Good job.”

“Good job? What are you talking about? When I think about what I couldn’t do until now, tears well up.”

Kichep, who covered his face, grumbled.

“Do you know how embarrassing it was? Groaning like a sick dog. Suffering from a disease like the plague. It was so humiliating that I wanted to die. If it weren’t for the prince, I wouldn’t have been in such a place.”

Kichep, whose significantly slimmer shoulders bounced up and down, swallowed his words after glancing at Giovanni. Then, he quickly added.

“But I don’t mean I want to go back to the desert.”

“If you want, I can arrange that.”

“I absolutely refuse. What about this guy?”

I observed Princess Larratu, tightly holding her wet dress from behind.

Suddenly, she, who had grabbed her chin, took a step towards them.

“The recruit of that guy will be handed over to the kingdom.”
She didn’t know she would step forward, and Karsatuna blinked. Kichep glanced briefly at Giovanni, then slowly kneeled.

“Are you okay? Assassins like this are very poisonous. They won’t easily talk. They might die from torture, gulp.”

Kichep pretended to slit his throat.

Princess Larratu ignored him and stared only at Giovanni. Chomp, Kichep made a show of tasting.

Giovanni slowly spoke, “An Umbrage assassin.”

“…….”

“Grown in the desert, won’t easily talk about trivial matters. Torturers in the kingdom are quite skilled. By the way, you seem to know the origin of the author.”

Princess Larratu, holding her hands together, grinned.

“A bit disappointed. The kingdom treated the prince with utmost care, yet I, the princess of the kingdom, am threatened by the empire.”

Kichep widened his eyes.

“Princess? What are you talking about? The author and the prince have no relationship whatsoever.”

“Well, it’s hard to believe from my perspective. Even if the kingdom’s soldiers were to bring the prince right now, it’s an unavoidable situation, don’t you know?”

Kichep finally stiffened his face.

“W-Well, still, you’re being quite harsh to the one who helped.”

“Kichep.”

Giovanni signaled with his eyes.

Kichep closed his mouth, but the expression of discontent remained.