How could she, as a citizen of the kingdom, have such a disrespectful dream!

The nightmares she couldn’t tell her father about since childhood had made her sick from the inside.

Today’s nightmare was more dreadful than usual.

‘Why does Marta have Igraine’s face?’

The vast desert, a boundless wilderness.

Amid the endless sand that surrounded the area, there stood a small, inconspicuous dwelling.

Apart from the worn and large roof barely providing shelter from the scorching desert sun, the house had no noteworthy features.
This is the space where the exiles awaiting deportation from the kingdom are held, a prison without bars.

Even without guards and bars, the criminals cannot escape.

This is because they wouldn’t last a day without the groceries brought by the messenger who visits every two days.

The desert prison, scorching during the day and chilling at night, becomes incredibly lonely and desolate when dawn breaks.

Unfamiliar surroundings added to the mix, the criminals often find it difficult to sleep.

‘I must have felt the same way. If it weren’t for Tyrene.’

Turning away from the barren horizon that seemed to stretch endlessly, I shifted my gaze from Tyrene, whose tail filled the small house, shaking it irritably.

“How much longer do I have to stay in this hot place?”

A sharp voice.

Tyrene was as usual, but one thing was different—its pale sky-blue body seemed hazier than when it was in the kingdom, as if it would disappear soon.

“Stay still for a moment. The messenger says talking drains my energy.”

Even my own voice saying that lacked strength.

The water delivered by the unfriendly messenger barely amounted to an ordinary glass in quality.

It was not enough even to wash, let alone quench the thirst to the full.

You can compensate for the lack of water by reciting wise words, but it was difficult to muster strength with only a piece of hard bread and a small amount of cheese for food.

‘I’d rather be in the kingdom’s prison, even if it’s filthy.’

Well, if it’s a flea-infested room, I might reconsider.

‘How many days have passed since I’ve been trapped here?’

It’s been at least two weeks.

Even the jailer, who had bad breath, was missed, and the situation where Tyrene, the only one who spoke to me, disappeared was something I didn’t want to imagine.

“If you lose more energy, you won’t be able to maintain your form.”

“Gather the scattered spirits’ power. Then, no matter where you are, I won’t disappear. So work harder and do it soon.”

Even the grumbling voice felt weak, making it unnecessarily bitter.

“I can only not materialize, but if you collapse, it’s a bigger problem. So how long do I have to stay here?”

“Wait until the Imperial spy is caught.”

“You’re trying to dry me to death.”

“There’s no need to confirm it that definitively.”

Although there seemed to be no intention to kill, it became quite suspicious at this point.

“Didn’t your friends catch the tail of that person?”

I recalled the letter sent by Ciri.

“Jacques found the hiding place. There were traces of a priest’s body and torture, so it’s probably correct. However, since it seems he hasn’t visited the hiding place recently, he probably settled elsewhere.”

I clicked my tongue in regret. If I had found it a little faster, I wouldn’t be going through this suffering now.

“As long as that guy is in Amtein, we can catch the tail again. We have to hope for that. We can’t be deported like this.”

The power of the remaining spirits in the kingdom is still power, but my lips twitch.

“During that time, I have to gather all the hidden property.”

People in Amtein always carry a reserve, no matter where they are. You never know what situation you’ll face.
Dedicating oneself to Count Laurence and managing a separate purse were two entirely different matters. The energy that had dwindled at the thought of losing the accumulated wealth and treasures through the secret account surged back when imagining not being able to find or lose them.

It was resentment.

“Just try gulping down my money. Even if you drive me away, I’ll come back and take twice as much.”

After uttering these words once, he immediately regretted it.

Expressing anger felt like the heat of the desert flowing into his nose more rapidly.

“Oh…”

Leaning against the door, he stared absentmindedly at the horizon where the sun was setting.

The sand, bathed in the setting sunlight, shone with a golden hue.

It was the only beautiful thing in the hot and dry situation.

A golden wave in the desert, reminiscent of the kingdom’s wheat fields’ undulating waves.

A shadow fell upon it.

“Huh?”

He blinked. The lengthening shadow was gradually approaching. At first, he thought it was an illusion or hallucination. However, the shadow became increasingly darker.

He stepped away from the door. To get a better look, he widened his eyes and then shielded them with his dry hand.

A mercilessly large figure. Broad shoulders. A neck so thick that you would need to tilt your head to meet their eyes.

There was only one person I knew with such characteristics.

“Am I dreaming right now?”