“Has Enrique ever felt this heartbeat from me?”

I don’t know for sure, but judging by the lack of memories impressed by the beating of my heart, Enrique might have been tranquility itself even in the moments when we kissed.

I was the one who loved. While Enrique might have found favor in me for treating him well, he might have liked me.

However, love was something I did alone.

Thinking this way actually made me feel better. In the past, it would have been uncomfortable, but now, it was pleasing to know that Merem and I could naturally share our hearts in love.

“To think that I can feel like this without putting in effort or trying to love. I must have been unknowingly stressed, trying to stop the current of my feelings flowing toward Merem.”

Let the heart guide, not the mind.

With that in mind, I envisioned a distant future with Merem.

Today, as long as he doesn’t suffer too much to death in this narrow bathtub, there might be, possibly, the chance for us to have a child.

“Umm.”

The warmth filling my side throughout the long night was more blissful than I could have imagined.

Feeling the weight hugging my waist, I slowly came to my senses.

Judging by Merem’s calm breathing, he seemed to be deeply asleep.

There was almost no sound outside.

The greenish light seeping through the gap in the ranch indicated the passage of time.

I blinked, suddenly feeling puzzled.

So… why did I wake up at this moment when everyone else was asleep?

I was in a state of readiness.

Although we had driven away the demons from this place and set up a camp to ensure safety, it wasn’t as perfectly secure as the imperial palace.

Therefore, both my body and mind, sharpened beyond their usual states, were on edge. The accumulated experiences of over a thousand years on the battlefield were not to be underestimated.

“Merem. Something is coming.”

I gently shook him awake, and Merem instantly opened his eyes.

Even though he had just woken up, his clear golden eyes scanned the surroundings without a trace of drowsiness.

“It’s better to go out.”

Nodding at my words, Merem grabbed the thick cloak hanging nearby and wrapped it around me.

It wasn’t suitable for going outside as it was a thin indoor dress designed for sleeping, but I didn’t want to bother changing clothes.

Yes, I didn’t want to.

That was the important part.

“I feel like there’s a loud warning somewhere.”

Ignoring something like this wouldn’t be good.

“Your Majesty! Have you already woken up?”

“Lidia. Is everything okay?”

As we stepped out of the ranch, the chilly morning air hit us. Lidia, who seemed to have woken up early to fetch water, was surprised to see me and rushed over.

“Yes, I asked the knights I encountered, but nothing happened overnight. No demons either.”

“No demons?”
Even though the feed is abundant, not a single creature came to open its mouth.

Perhaps noticing the seriousness of my expression, Lidia cautiously asked.

“Should we go and check again?”

“No, it’s done.”

This is not good.

As I turned my head, loosening the cloak, I happened to meet eyes with Enrique.

“……. ”

His purple eyes conveyed a certain meaning as they gazed at me. In response, I raised my eyebrows.

“Yes, you’ve noticed, too.”

Even though it’s rotten, Jun-chi, your instincts are sharp.

The atmosphere is restless. Without any apparent reason, my chest feels stuffy and my mood is sour.

From the early morning, annoyance has risen from seeing Enrique’s face, but more fundamentally, a discomfort has crawled beneath my skin.

Stomach? Or perhaps below?

The ground has hardened from the rain that fell at dawn.

While staring at my mud-stained feet, I, more quickly than anyone else, noticed the abnormal phenomenon.

The ground was undulating.

As if it were a swamp made of mud, sections of the previously intact ground had sunken downward.

“They’re coming.”

“What?”

At some point, Showpen, who had come to my side and was expressing curiosity, and Merem, who had clenched his sword, both reacted.

Almost simultaneously with Enrique exerting his divine power strongly, the incident occurred.

“Gyaak!”

Ddudududuk.

The sturdy ground trembled and made a roaring sound. The barn that Lydia had just set up, standing tall, snapped like a twig.

Kieeeeek!

And right there, ‘it’ sprang out.

Thick, strong roots wriggling as if alive.

The roots with explosive destructive power destroyed everything in their path, knocking down the camp and turning the area into chaos.

“Ack!”

“W-What is this!”

For ordinary people, there was no way to escape the sudden attack from below the ground.

As dozens of people were caught in a split second, the soldiers who were shocked screamed, making the surroundings even noisier.

…Once again, I must emphasize that the Jazte we expelled from here yesterday are demons that react to sound.

“What is this? I’ve never seen it before.”

Merem, narrowing his forehead, drew his sword and slashed the roots rushing toward him.

Lifting Lydia, who had been trampled, I quickly explained.