“Are you really alright?”

“My shoulder still hurts. But now I can move my left arm a little. I heard everything from Lord Ophilit. I survived thanks to you.”

At that moment, my face flushed hot.

I looked at Bran.

He gave me a thumbs up with an expression that said, “I did well, didn’t I?”

He heard everything? What exactly did he hear and how much?

Suddenly, all the actions I took yesterday to save this person flashed before my eyes like a kaleidoscope.

Actions that seemed natural yesterday, why do they suddenly feel so… embarrassing now?

I used my tongue to open the Grand Duke’s mouth. I poured the water in my mouth deep into the Grand Duke’s throat.

I put my lips on those broad shoulders and sucked out the poison from the wound. I placed my hand on his chest…

Our eyes suddenly met.

My cheeks were burning, and I couldn’t look at him directly. But the Grand Duke also slightly averted his gaze.

Bran asked,

“Esther, are you not feeling well? Do you have a fever? Your face is red.”

“No, I’m fine.”

‘Be quiet, Bran. You tactless fellow.’

But Bran didn’t close his mouth.

“Oh, Your Grace. Your face suddenly turned red. Is the poison not fully out? Lie down quickly!”

“!”

Surprised, I approached the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke’s ears had turned red.

The Grand Duke said to Bran,

“I’m fine.”

“Bran might be right, Your Grace. Please lie down for now.”

I was worried.

Then the Grand Duke lowered his head and leaned against the cave wall.

I raised my hand to touch his forehead. Fortunately, there was no fever.

“There’s no fever, but…”

“Esther, you sucked out… the poison from my wound. Are you alright?”

He asked with a worried tone, pulling his cloak up to his neck, his head lowered.

‘Is he cold?’

I picked up Bran’s cloak from a corner and draped it over the Grand Duke as an extra layer.

“I’m fine. That… it was necessary to save Your Grace. I did my best.”

“…”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. Sorry? For saving me? I’m grateful, beyond words.”

The Grand Duke showed a faint smile.

“It’s nothing.”

“Did you collapse the mountain?”

“Yes. I thought the sight of falling rocks might be visible from afar. Hoping that the knights would find us.”

“Everyone must be very worried.”

The Grand Duke tried to rise.

“Not yet!”

I supported him.

As expected.

The Grand Duke who tried to stand up frowned and leaned back against the cave wall.

Even waking up this quickly is a testament to his incredible physique and stamina.

I pulled the cloak up to his neck.

“You shouldn’t push yourself yet.”

“Shall I go get some more food?”

Bran said.

“Yes, please, Bran.”

He left.

But an unexpected situation arose.

After Bran disappeared, only the Grand Duke and I remained in the cave. An unanticipated silence filled the cave.

‘It’s a bit awkward.’

I don’t know where to place my gaze. Glancing slightly, I saw the Grand Duke silently looking at me.

“Your Grace! Fruit juice! Would you like to try some juice? It might be good for recovery.”

Our eyes met and the Grand Duke smiled again.

“It’s alright.”

“No, please try some.”

I carefully mashed the fruit Bran had brought yesterday. But I must have used too much force… the fruit ended up being torn apart.

‘Oh no, you fool.’

I awkwardly looked at the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke said, trying to hold back his laughter,

“There’s no need to make juice. I injured my shoulder, not lost my teeth, Lord Esther.”

“Ah, right.”

I felt a little resentful. It would have been nice if he had told me he could chew before I mashed the fruit.

At that moment, Bran’s shout was heard from afar.

− Over here! Here! Hey, Brigadier Generals! Here!

“It must be the knights! They’ve come!”

I stood up, feeling happy.

“Is that so.”

“?”

‘What’s this? Is he still not feeling well? He seems indifferent.’

[This is the timeline separator]

“Your Grace, the Grand Duuuke! Uwaaah!”

Brigadier General Moby burst into tears.

“I caused you worry. I’m sorry, Brigadier.”

“Not at all… These guys… They deserve medals.”

The Brigadier wiped his tears as he looked at Bran and me.

He said they had searched this vast plain without sleep to find us.

As soon as the reunion greetings were over, Brigadier General Moby took out an enormous amount of medicinal herbs from his pack.

Then, as if he were as skilled with medicine as he was with food, he immediately prepared remedies to feed the Grand Duke and apply to his wounds.

It was truly fortunate.

As I watched clean bandages being wrapped around the Grand Duke’s shoulder, I shared some of the food brought by the knights with Bran.

Perhaps due to the excessive tension, I wasn’t even hungry, but we had to eat as it was a long journey to the barrier.

After a long rest.

Moby and another Brigadier General supported the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke’s condition had clearly improved compared to the morning.

I said to Brigadier General Moby,

“I’ll go down ahead with Bran.”

“Thank you then, Miss Esther.”

I looked at the Grand Duke standing next to the Brigadier General. The Grand Duke was looking at me.

“Let’s go together.”

“No, sir. There might be demonic beasts appearing.”

His face darkened.

“I’m sorry. To be a burden to you like this.”

“Not at all. A burden? What are you saying?”

How could he say such a thing.

I went down the rocky mountain at the lead with Bran, prepared for any possible danger.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was when we had almost reached the bottom of the mountain.

In the distance, I saw a group of unfamiliar people approaching.

‘What’s this?’

They were all on horseback. Roughly a dozen or so. Their number was similar to ours.

But their skin color was different from ours. Their tanned skin and the clothes they wore were different from those of the Empire.

I had a bad feeling.

Tanned skin… Could it be?

That’s when it happened.

“It’s the Sanctus!”

I heard several Brigadier Generals shouting. There was fear in those shouts.

As I thought.

But why are the Sanctus here? They are pagans from the north, bordering Delfast.

Why are they near the border of Delfast, an enemy country, not even their own territory?

I reflexively gripped my sword.

“Bran. Do the Sanctus come this far?”

“Yeah. It’s my first time seeing them. I’ve never been out this far either. But this isn’t their territory, right?!”

Bran also clenched his teeth, seemingly surprised.

Suddenly, I thought.

‘What could it be? Could they have set fire to the forest of demonic beasts?’

Fire is a product of humans. They are foreign invaders in this unfamiliar land.

No way.

But if by any chance they did set the fire to incite the demonic beasts…

I stood in front of Bran. And slowly walked forward.

‘I’ll kill anyone who attacks.’

I heard everyone behind me drawing their swords.

“Wow. Holy sh…”

Just as Bran was about to curse.

Three large Sanctus knights on red horses began charging towards us. With their swords raised.

‘What’s this? They’re attacking right away? Is it really an attack?’

It was strange, but I also raised my sword to eye level.

That momentum is clearly an attacking momentum.

‘But why are only three out of ten coming?’

Even as I was thinking, they were getting closer.

They raised their swords.

But.

Suddenly, cold sweat ran down my back. My vision blurred.

‘Why am I like this?’

My field of vision seemed to be narrowing. It feels like my sight is darkening.

My hands and feet started trembling uncontrollably.

My heart is beating violently, as if it’s about to jump out of my chest, to the point of pain.

‘What’s wrong! Esther. You killed demonic beasts easily.’

But they are humans, not demonic beasts.

My body remembers, the sensation of cutting down people in my previous life.

‘Three of them shouldn’t be a problem. I just need to cut them down… but why?’

At that moment, I asked myself.

− Are you going to kill people again? −

‘!’

I stared at the approaching enemies through my blurry vision.

There, those approaching are ‘people’.

‘Can you kill them? Esther? People?’

“If necessary, I will kill.”

I said through gritted teeth.

I’m no longer an assassin, but I’m a knight, and a knight must kill enemies. Must fight.

Behind me is the injured Grand Duke.

I heard the Grand Duke’s voice trying to stop me, but I moved forward.

But.

They started to turn back and run away.

‘?’

[This is the timeline separator]

“Esther! Come back!”

Sion Belfast shook off the support of the Brigadier Generals.

He ran towards Esther.

He had an ominous feeling. This wasn’t a real attack. Those bastards were creating a strange situation right now.

“Esther!”

But she advanced quickly towards the enemy, showing a determined back view.

At that moment.

With his Esther right before his eyes, the three enemies began to turn back.

“Esther! Stop!”

She turned to look at him.

That’s when it happened.

− Swish

A long arrow flying at a terrifying speed pierced through Esther’s body.

It happened in the blink of an eye.

As soon as they shot the arrow, the Sanctus hastily retreated.

The Brigadier Generals desperately tried to stop the Grand Duke.

“You can’t, Your Grace! It’s a trap!”

“Esther!”

Sion called her name like a madman.

“You can’t go, Your Grace!”

Moby blocked him with his whole body.

She stands still, dazed, with the arrow piercing her. She looks at the arrow stuck in her body once, then turns to look at him.

− Thud

Her knees buckled.

“Esther!”

Sion pushed Moby away. He threw off all the Brigadier Generals trying to stop him.

At this moment, Sion Belfast was not the shield of the Empire.

He was desperately just one man.

Not realizing that his shoulder wound had reopened, Sion fell to his knees in front of Esther.

He caught her falling body.

“Esther!”

Instead of answering, she looked at him once more. But soon, that small face fell limply downward.

Blood gushed from her stomach and mouth.

She opened her eyes. And looks at him.

Those eyes are gradually losing their light.

“Aaaagh!”

Sion screamed.

He tore off the bundle of herbs wrapped around his shoulder and covered Esther’s wound.

“Blood, Esther, just a little, just hold on a little longer. Keep your eyes open!”

“…Your… Grace.”

Is she calling me?

But the blood that came out with her voice blocked her mouth.

“Don’t speak. I’m here. You’re not going to die.”

Sion shouted like a scream.

“My words! Listen to my words!”

His black horse came running.

Sion mounted the horse, holding Esther. Now was not the time to waste being careful.

Every minute, every second was critical.

He grabbed the reins with his left hand, pressed her abdomen with the other hand, and rode madly towards the wall.

“Hold on a little longer, Esther.”

He kept calling her name to keep her from losing consciousness.

But.

It was strange.

Her face and body, losing consciousness, were strange.

The face outside the mask distorts and returns to normal repeatedly, like the face inside the mask.

Her body sways like a branch thrown into a typhoon.

A bizarre sight he had never seen in his life. Sion Belfast gritted his teeth.

“You must live. If you die, I die too.”

Sion spoke to her soul, which might slip away from her body while he was riding.

He begged her not to go, to stay, to live. If she could hear his voice, to come back.

He didn’t know.

That the arrow that shot his Esther, the Sword Master, was not an ordinary arrow.

The tip of the arrow was coated with poison.

That poison Medeia had used before killing Esther in her previous life.