“However, if I turn away here, I won’t be at peace for the rest of my life.”

Jeor knew how much Dongjehu longed for Ariana. He vividly remembered Dongjehu’s joy when he found Ariana, the joyful gaze he had when staring at her, the slightly elevated tone of his voice when Ariana was in front of him.

“Also…”

Jeor gripped the blue silk pouch he had placed in his pocket. When he had asked for a strand of hair, he recalled Ariana’s expression.

“Good grief.”

Jeor closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and headed towards the fireplace. As he pushed the fireplace aside, as expected, there was a secret passage.

Jeor ran through the narrow and long passage. Despite knowing what was at the end, despite knowing that it was definitely not light, he still proceeded.

Eventually, he reached the end of the passage and entered the forest. Following the footprints leading out of the passage, he heard the rustling sound of bushes on the other side.

The movement of something slightly larger than a wild animal.

Reflexively, Jeor held the sword in his hand. In his eyes, which were opened wide, Ariana’s figure walking confidently towards him came into view. The face that shone brightly amid the dense greenery dazzled his eyes.

Blue eyes were fixed on Jeor.

A little surprised at the fact that Jeor was here, the eyes that had grown larger returned to their original size. Only then did Jeor come to his senses and run towards Ariana.

“Princess.”

“Stop, Dongjehu.”

He abruptly stopped at the sound of her whisper-like voice.

Ariana’s clothes were covered in dirt, and one shoe was missing, making her step messy. However, her eye pupils emitted a powerful light.

“Did Duke Ovelier send you? Did he command you to check if everything was handled properly?”

Her voice, not trusting at all, made his chest ache.

“Impossible. I just…”

“Stop playing this game of searching each other in this yard. It’s not fun.”

Ariana approached.

“Whether you came to learn or to protect, it doesn’t matter.”

“Of course, I…”

“Not me.”

Ariana came closer.

“There must be someone Dongjehu genuinely wants to protect.”

It was hard to meet her clear blue eyes directly. When Jeor avoided her gaze, Ariana lightly touched his cheek with her hand, making him face her.

“No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like you want to kill me. Your gaze is too desperate for that.”

Her voice was soothing.

“Yet, it doesn’t seem like you’re cooperating with Duke Ovelier either. In that case, there must be a reason you’re turning a blind eye to his atrocities. Am I wrong, Dongjehu?”

Jeor closed his eyes.

When he did, Ariana’s hand on his cheek felt even warmer. Her hand seemed to grow larger, strangling his throat.
“Your mother is a pure person. She finds happiness and purpose in life by simply trusting her husband and loving her children.”

After Ariana’s hand, which had been on his cheek, dropped, it took a moment before Jeor opened his eyes.

Ariana was still standing close, staring intently at Jeor.

Jeor asked with difficulty, “How can I seek forgiveness?”

“I don’t forgive those who threaten my life, Dongjehu. Nor do I inquire about the sins of the innocent.”

“If it becomes known that Duke Ovelier tried to kill the princess, the Ovelier family won’t escape unscathed.”

“Do I have to be concerned about that?”

Jeor let out a bitter laugh.

“No.”

Ariana sighed softly.

“I am soon entering the territory of the North. I might stay there longer than planned.”

It implied what Jeor could do during that period.

With those words, Ariana limped towards the secret passage. Jeor followed her a step behind, asking, “How did you escape from their hands?”

“Innocent but greedy peasants. I didn’t drink all the tea with the potion, and they didn’t steep the tea long enough. They probably planned to keep the potion for selling or other purposes.”

“Even so, it wouldn’t have been easy to deal with them.”

“When the efficacy of the potion is low enough to speak, the rest is not difficult. Duke Ovelier set my life value at a mere 10 gold. I have more money than that.”

Innocent but greedy peasants crumbled easily before Ariana’s few words and the promise of more money.

“If they killed me for 10 gold, I told them what would happen. If they didn’t kill me, I also told them what price they would pay.”

“Where are they?”

“Let them be. They were just ordinary people who would have lived normally if it weren’t for Duke Ovelier’s 10 gold.”

“The princess is too soft-hearted.”

“That’s why you bought time, Dongjehu.”

With Ariana’s cold voice, Jeor could understand that he had time to use his skills until Ariana returned to Dongling.

Dark emotions dominated Jeor once again.

If he killed Ariana here…

As if feeling life, Ariana, without turning back, spoke.

“If you want to kill me, go ahead. It might be more convenient for Dongjehu to leave me dead here.”

A resigned voice.

“If I hadn’t returned to Dongling, Duke Ovelier wouldn’t have committed such a reckless act, and Dongjehu could have lived peacefully. I really shouldn’t have been born.”