Aaron realized his mistake and abruptly turned his body to leave the tent.

Outside, Dyke and his subordinates had already returned and were waiting for the commander’s orders.

“Commander. What exactly is happening? Should we suspend the prisoner search?”

“No. Continue the search, but change the direction.”

“What? Then where should we search?”

At Dyke’s question, Aaron raised his head to look around the camp.

The cool night breeze grazed Aaron’s cheek.

The giant Mount Tarens.

It was still dormant, enveloped in deep darkness.

As if sucking in all light and sound, Mount Tarens slept in the serene darkness.

Aaron clenched his fist tightly.

Having fled without a word, he couldn’t have gotten far.

He couldn’t let his prisoner escape so disappointingly.

No matter what, he had to retrieve her.

Just as Aaron, who had reaffirmed his goal, was about to give an order.

A loud gunshot echoed from the mountains behind the camp.

A shot that a prisoner sneaking away without a sound would never have fired.

A gunshot that should never have been fired shook the mountain.

Everyone there, including Aaron, simultaneously turned their gazes toward the source of the sound.

The quiet commander’s tent, devoid of any presence.

All the Imperial soldiers had been mobilized to find the prisoner, leaving the deserted camp engulfed in silence.

Under the heavy silence, something stirred.

A grim presence, like a ghastly ghost crawling on the ground, emerged from under the bed.

“Ah, this crazy bastard.”

Delia, stretching her body that had been curled under the bed, clapped her hands and dusted herself off.

She also lightly shook her tousled hair to loosen it.

“Get out quickly if you’re leaving. Why are you dragging it out so long?”

Delia muttered, scanning the interior of the tent.

The crazy commanding officer had led his subordinates out to look for the prisoner.

“He doesn’t even know I’m here.”

Thanks to this, the inside of the tent was filled with a profound silence she couldn’t handle alone.

The traces of the two who had been together for a short while were scattered everywhere.

Even though he had come to steal Eolenty, how delicate and soft were his touches?

The firm strength to open his lips, the touch stroking her hair, even the gaze inspecting her wounds.

There were times when she found herself surprisingly entrusting her body to him and was shocked.

Her heart seemed to be scraped raw just by recalling his touch.

She was pathetic for being swept up in him.

“But. Now you’re finished too.”

If she leaves this place now, she won’t need to think such thoughts.

But sometimes she thought she might miss his touch. Very occasionally.

“Goodbye, Commander. Let’s not meet again.”

As Delia moved toward the entrance as if to shake off Aaron, she glanced at the chair where he had been sitting.

Her eyes naturally fell on his uniform hanging there.

The uniform imbued with his cool body scent.

The clothes containing traces of him, who had only seemed firm.

Approaching, Delia cautiously touched it, then boldly snatched the jacket.

“I’ll take this. Think of it as payment for tormenting me.”

The night in the forest was terribly cold.

If she had his bodytemperaturesoaked uniform, she could endure the night.

The black uniform that covered the white shirt was perfect for hiding.

Why his jacket, not a robe?

For a moment she questioned herself, but by then Delia had already donned Aaron’s uniform and stepped out of the tent.

Delia, dressed in Aaron’s black uniform, melted into the darkness of the camp.

The camp was completely empty, so there was no one to block Delia’s path.

Except for a few guards on the outskirts.

“Huh?”

The guard protecting the camp widened his eyes in surprise at the figure sweeping through the darkness.

It seemed to be wearing the uniform of the Imperial Army.

Who was it and why were they coming so cheerfully?

“Hey!”

And then, a flurry of golden hair fluttered.

“Ugh!”

Realizing the identity, the guard fell backward from the impact on his jaw.

The guard fell unconscious due to the second shock when the back of his head hit the hard ground.

Phew.

Delia confirmed the guard’s unconsciousness and breathed a sigh of relief.

“You even came out to see me off.”

Delia bent down and snatched the guard’s gun.

She also stole the knife attached to his waist.

She even pillaged the dagger hidden in his pocket.

Considering what she had gone through, this much was a given. Yes, indeed.

“Thank you for the farewell gift.”

Delia, murmuring softly, checked the gun.

The powder was in, the bullets were loaded, it was a gun ready to kill something.

Delia quickly slung her gun over her shoulder and scanned the area.

Before the guard who had fainted woke up, before another soldier noticed, she had to escape quickly.

Where should she hide?

Obviously, she had to move towards the fortress.

She needed to get back to the fortress quickly to prepare for the Empire’s attack.