“I missed you so, so much! I’m so glad you’re safe, miss!”

The situation that followed was too intense.

Karin, who hugged her, wailed and spewed out words that were too mangled to understand, and then frowned and cried like a child for a while.

When it was too much for Karin to calm down, and she could only fidget her hands.

From afar, a familiar woman who walked alongside Elizabeth separated Karin and stood in front of Merche.

“Wait, stop crying and come out for a bit. Ahem. Um, hello? Do you remember me by any chance?”

“Lady Karla. It’s an honor to see you again. We met at the banquet last time, right?”

“Wow. My goodness. You have a really good memory. Remembering all that in this complicated situation.”

Karla, who exclaimed and twinkled her eyes, held Merche’s hand and spoke quickly.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have time to explain the circumstances in detail. We’re in a bit of a hurry, Miss Merche.”

“…Perhaps, is there a problem? Is there already a pursuit?”

“My goodness, you’re incredibly sharp. No. This isn’t the time to admire this. Anyway, that’s it, um. Yes. There’s already a pursuit on our tail! Two of them, even!”

That meant that in addition to Genovefa, there was another pursuit.

Before even trying to gauge who it was, Karla’s sharp voice was one step ahead.

“Rude Lupinus. That returned prodigal son. Does he have some kind of grudge against you, Miss Merche?”

“…So the other pursuer chasing after me is Lord Rude.”

Merche understood at once.

Rude noticed that she was trying to leave, so he was running to catch her.

Once the facts were quickly grasped, the urgency of the situation was finally felt.

“Although I cooperated with that Komeo to rescue you, it’s still too early to turn the tide. This place isn’t far from the Lupinus territory, and if we’re not careful, you might get caught again. So, although it’s sudden, I’ll ask you, Miss Merche. Will you help me?”

Although she asks if she will help, there is already confidence in that voice.

As if she thinks Merche has a very great ability, an inexplicable confidence for which the cause cannot be known at all.

Whatever she saw and expected from her, it was obvious that it would clearly be a vain expectation.

This was Merche’s own conviction.

“If I have the ability to help you, Lady Karla, I will do so, but I have no other abilities.”

Rather, Karla laughed at the honest words. No way. The words that were spoken by moving only the lips without making a sound are clearly read.

“Yes, well. Let’s say that’s the case for now. But as I said before, the situation is a bit urgent, so shall we depart first?”

The door of the carriage to leave for Venenum opened.

After staring blankly at the door that was wide open as if welcoming, she finally erased all distracting thoughts.

She’s leaving. The Lupinus she thought she would be tied to forever.

Not long after getting on the carriage, all preparations were finished.

To think it was such an easy and simple thing.

Leaving the land of Lupinus did not take long, so much so that the days she struggled to do such an easy task seemed ridiculous.

Looking at the window in the carriage wall, several thoughts passed by.

For example, things like the last conversation she had with Karin before leaving.

−Miss! I’ll take good care of your younger sister! So don’t worry!

−…Okay. I’ll leave Christine to you, Karin.

Karin decided to follow Christine, not Merche. It was purely because of Merche.

Knowing that she worries about her only sister like a child left by the water.

Karin, who reads Merche’s inner thoughts better than anyone else, volunteered to become Christine’s companion.

And one more thing. There was one more person besides Karin with whom she discussed Christine.

−I would like you to send Christine to the Sano family.

That was the last request she made to Elizabeth.

To make the Sano territory Christine’s place of settlement.

Sano was one of the six meritorious families, and the only place with healing authority.

Above all, Sano was also the only hope that could make Christine open her eyes.

However, the doors of Sano did not open to just anyone.

Unlike Venenum, which accepts even the worst criminals once they enter the territory, it was very difficult to enter the Sano territory in the first place.

Unless requested by the Komeo of one of the meritorious families.

−You know it’s an unreasonable request, don’t you?

−Of course I know. If it’s a difficult task even for you, Komeo, you can refuse.

Even as she made the request, she thought it would be rejected. However, contrary to expectations, Elizabeth expressed her acceptance, not rejection.

−In return, I hope you will grant one of my requests as well.

−Please tell me.

−My son, Rude. Forgive that child even just once.

Forgiveness. Once at the name Rude, once at the word forgiveness, her thoughts stopped twice like that.

She could not understand what Elizabeth wanted.

Nevertheless, in the end, she accepted that condition.

The reason for agreeing without much hesitation was simple.

Rude Lupinus, Merche had never resented that man in the first place.

Of course, he had a history of accidentally putting Christine in danger and also driving Merche to the brink of death.

There were quite a few times when she was troubled by his excessively passionate obsession.

But that was all. She could not resent or hate Rude for those reasons.

Rather, she blamed herself.

The twisted desire to be kind to everyone and receive the recognition and affection she wanted. The tragedy caused by that desire.

It was all Merche’s fault. There was not the slightest room for Rude’s fault in that.

“Excuse me! Miss Merche?”

Knock knock! The sound of knocking on the closed window scattered the distracting thoughts.

She didn’t even reach out to open the window, but the door opened by itself, and soon Karla poked her face in.

She was the one who chose a horse, saying it was more comfortable to run directly than to ride in a carriage.

Such Karla spat out words quickly with an urgent look on her face.

“The pursuing group has gotten too close. Someone is riding a wolf and chasing like crazy, but I don’t know which of the two it is? So, what I’m saying is, we need to increase our speed! Your stomach might churn a bit, but try to endure it as much as possible!”

As soon as the window closed with those words, the speed became incomparably faster than before.

The unstable movement of the rattling carriage made the body bounce and shake incessantly.

It was so hard that it felt like her empty stomach would be vomited out at any moment, but she clenched her mouth and endured it somehow.

“Miss Merche! The carriage is in danger…”

Bang!

Karla’s scream-like shout and the violent sound of collision overlapped.

The carriage shattered and fragments flew in all directions, and the body rose into the air.

Her mind was hazy.

She felt blood flowing from somewhere in her body, her ears were clogged, and her vision was blurry.

The carriage flew away. Anyone riding in that carriage would have their body crushed and more.

Nevertheless, considering that the pain was felt so vividly, it seemed that Merche had managed to survive.

The limply hanging body shook violently.

Why, what is shaking me like this?

Even while suppressing the pain, she continued her thoughts and searched for the cause.

Judging by the wind brushing her cheeks, it seemed she was in motion, and the shaking of the body also seemed to be because she was in motion.

Ah. Something was running with her body on it.

The sensation of soft fur. The all too familiar breathing and the growling sound.

“…Shakar.”

It’s Shakar. Without any possibility of mistake, it was the wolf Shakar who was carrying her and running.

“You, how did you get here…”

“Miss Merche!”

She stopped trying to talk to Shakar and glanced to the side.

A woman riding a horse was running almost parallel to her left, looking at her.

Ah. The person who was always with Lady Karla. What was her name?

She was someone whose proper face she had never seen since they met.

Dressed in a long robe and even covering her head with a hood, she had only heard her voice a few times at best.

“Try to come to your senses. The pursuer chasing Miss Merche has caught up right behind.”

She followed the fingertip the woman pointed at as if possessed.

There, a man who absolutely could not be mistaken and absolutely should not be met here was riding a large wolf and running towards them.

“That must be Lord Rude, the successor of the Lupinus. If you get caught by him, Miss Merche will also be dragged back to the Lupinus territory. Are you still okay with that?”

No. I don’t want that. I will never go back there again.

Although she couldn’t say it out loud, she chanted it in her mind.

Still, she couldn’t take her eyes off the purple eyes that were vividly staring at this place.

‘Merche.’

He called out to her.

She could feel that Rude’s determined gaze was also on her, even without deliberately confirming it.

“Miss Merche.”

“…Enough. That’s enough, so tell me right away. What do you want to say to me?”

“I hope you realize it. The fact that you, Miss Merche, were born with a great destiny.”

The prophet, Iler’s eyes shone.

Even though the terrifying wolves and Rude were chasing right behind, and the allied group was only running away, Iler was not scared at all.

One born with a great destiny.

A being who will bring a brilliant and glorious future.

As long as Merche Ashtad belongs to the allies, victory is theirs.

Iler looked at Merche with a deep smile.

“Stop them. Order them not to dare approach here. That is what you have to do, Miss Merche.”