Chapter 80
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 80
I added one more thing.
"If anything happens to The Emperor, it would be catastrophic. We need to know in advance."
Everyone gasped in admiration at my words.
"Ah...! So that bizarre embroidery was the magic circle itself!"
"As expected of you, Lady Enya. You were thinking several steps ahead. I should have realized every detail of that unique embroidery held meaning."
'These fools?'
At the same moment, everyone's faces brightened as if they'd found hope. I had located The Emperor's position.
"Here. The Emperor is right in this location."
The Emperor's position was in a valley near the Forest of Sleeping Statues.
* * *
I moved along with The Emperor's knights. But there was no sign of where The Emperor had gone.
"Hurry! Why is everyone's stamina so weak?"
Right now, I was searching for The Emperor more earnestly than anyone else here. Thanks to my endurance honed by years of fleeing and farm work, my stamina seemed superior to that of the Aides.
I extended my hand to an Aide who had slipped on a wet rock.
"Grab on and get up."
"L-Lady Enya...! Thank you so much."
"We don't have time. Hurry up. We need to find The Emperor before sunset."
"...We never knew you held The Emperor in such high regard, Lady Enya! We feel ashamed that our loyalty pales in comparison to your devotion."
The Aides around us nodded in agreement.
Why was everyone looking at me like I was a goddess of fortune?
It seemed like they'd misunderstood something, but it wasn't important right now, so I let it go and got up to continue walking.
Now that I thought about it, she was missing too.
The Female Mercenary.
Was she with The Emperor?
I'd searched this entire area, but The Emperor's exact location remained fixed in one spot, flickering, while his figure was nowhere to be seen.
"Hmm...?"
That meant there was only one answer.
I didn't want to think such a thing, but...
This was...
'A monster's powerful aura is shaking the atmosphere, making it impossible to locate him.'
BOOM!
"A monster! Everyone, get down!"
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
The ground trembled violently as if possessed by madness, and the earth churned beneath my feet. A monster materialized before my eyes.
"Why right in front of me!"
As if there weren't plenty of other places for it to appear!
"My lady!"
I leaped sideways to evade the monster.
When I came to my senses, everyone had vanished, leaving me alone in this place.
"Damn it, this isn't the path I was walking before."
I'd fallen victim to the monster's spell. It was a creature that wielded magic with terrible proficiency.
Magic that scattered people to different locations.
I'd been separated from the others.
"Gasp—this insane monster! Why is it only chasing me!"
I ran with every ounce of strength, but my stamina was reaching its limit. This was dire—the monster's speed far exceeded mine, and I couldn't possibly outrun it.
But I'm the original heroine...
Shouldn't the heroine be miraculously saved?
There's no way the original heroine dies by being devoured by a monster...!
Crack!
"Kyaaaah!"
The moment the beast's claws descended, I barely managed to roll away. I'd nearly become a crater in the ground.
Crunch!
"Kyaah!"
This time I jumped to the right.
Do I have a talent for dodging?!
Crash!
"Ah! How cowardly to uproot trees like that!"
"Whoooosh!"
The tree toppled, blocking my path ahead. An enormous tree had fallen, layering upon itself like a small mountain.
I couldn't climb over that.
"Haa...!"
Of course, I couldn't turn around and face the monster head-on either.
I closed my eyes for a moment and exhaled a sigh of resignation. Names of people I longed to see spilled from my lips.
"Mother, Father, Dale. What do I do?"
...Dale?
In this moment, the person I want to see most is Mother, Father, and Dale? That makes no sense.
But then again, it makes just as little sense for the original heroine to die to a monster, doesn't it?
"Whoooosh. Whoosh."
"Ugh, shut up! I'm going mad with confusion! Ugh! If you're going to kill me, just do it quickly... couldn't you at least spare me this?"
"Whoooosh!"
At the same moment, the monster raised its claws high. So high and vast they blotted out the sun.
You bastard.
"Kyaaaaaaah! Farewell! Dale—!!!!!"
Whoosh!
The sound of air being cleaved began from high above my head, piercing my left temple in a single, devastating instant.
"SCREEEEEECH!!!"
A shriek like a slaughtered beast tore through the air.
What...?
When I opened my tightly shut eyes, an astonishing sight unfolded before me.
A monster, its neck pierced clean through by a blade, slowly toppling backward—and at the sword's tip, a gleaming ornamental guard.
A dragon motif etched clearly upon the decoration, with a cloth bearing a beast emblem hanging from it. No—looking closer, it was my embroidery.
The fallen monster and blood-soaked earth.
Just before the blood spurting upward from its neck could rain down upon me, a strong arm pulled me away.
Splash—!
Moments later, the monster's blood drenched the very spot where I had been standing.
"...!"
My heart thundered wildly, as if it might burst from my chest.
Tender arms wrapped around my back, holding me firmly, his broad chest cradling my entire body, rough breathing from above and a heartbeat racing as fast as my own.
Scorching warmth radiating through me and a scent that inexplicably brought me comfort.
Uneven breathing, crimson lips, a sharp nose bridge, and eyes hidden behind disheveled hair.
Those lips are... Dale?
No, that's blonde hair.
"Oh...!"
I jolted upright and pulled away from him.
"Your... Your Majesty?!"
I thought it was Dale...!!!
I'm insane! Enya Lockhart, you're insane! Why didn't I get up immediately instead of pressing myself against him?!
I struck my forehead repeatedly.
I'm mad. I must be mad.
"Th-thank you for saving me!"
"Are you injured?"
"I'm perfectly fine!"
My flustered response came out bright and cheerful. The Emperor turned his back to me, straightened his hair, and then fastened his mask back into place.
'He doesn't wear it when he's alone.'
It seemed he didn't want me to see his face.
"Your Majesty, you needn't wear the mask. I won't tell anyone."
"...."
"I mean it. I swear it on the honor of House Lockhart."
As The Emperor listened to my words, he touched the mask thoughtfully before speaking.
"It is more comfortable this way."
Liar.
"Liar."
"...."
"Hah."
Did I just say that out loud?
I'd only meant to think it, but the words had escaped my lips.
"Oh, no—I didn't mean The Emperor is a liar or anything...."
"It's fine."
Yet his voice carried a note of disappointment. The Emperor passed by me and approached the beast, drawing his sword.
Every movement—his stride, the way he unsheathed his blade, wiped the blood clean, and returned it to its scabbard—possessed an effortless elegance.
The Emperor truly was different....
"My lady, you've come to the Hunting Grounds yourself."
His voice sounded stiff, tinged with what seemed like anger.
"Why would you do such a thing? You should have known how dangerous this place is. What were your knights and advisors doing?"
"I insisted on coming to see Your Majesty myself."
"...You did?"
Just then, between the trees behind The Emperor, I spotted a young beast charging toward us.
"Why would you...."
"Your Majesty, behind you!"
Whoosh—!
Thud!
In an instant, The Emperor spun around and drove his blade directly into the beast's heart.
Unlike me, who nearly fainted from shock, The Emperor dispatched the creature without hesitation.
"It had offspring. We must move away from this location."
Before he could finish speaking, I sensed an ominous presence from above. The moment the beast in the tree leaped down—
"Watch out!"
Crash!
I knocked The Emperor to the ground and rolled with him. As we evaded, the beast looked around confused before turning its gaze back toward us and advancing.
The instant the charging beast opened its jaws, The Emperor struck it barehanded with a resounding blow.
"...Barehanded?"
I blinked in astonishment.
I'd never seen anyone strike a beast with their bare hands before. In any case, the forest fell silent, and my tension eased slightly.
"...Sigh, I don't understand where these beasts keep coming from. Your Majesty, are you alright?"
"...."
Frustrated, I banged my forehead against the ground repeatedly. No matter how many I killed, where were they all coming from?
"We can't stay here—Your Majesty, we need to leave immediately. The mages' barrier has collapsed. I'll explain the details later; let's just go now."
"...."
"What are you doing? Come on, let's move!"
Then The Emperor quietly wrapped his hand around mine.
"...I cannot rise unless you release me."
"Oh."
How long had I been pinning The Emperor down???
I was sitting atop him, my hands gripping his collar. The forehead I'd been banging wasn't against the ground—it was against his chest.
The Emperor's neck flushed crimson with anger.
Or wait—was that not anger, but embarrassment?!
'Damn it!'
Cold sweat dripped down my face. My grand romantic operation—the heart-pounding ♡ love strategy in crisis—wasn't supposed to entangle me and The Emperor together, was it???
"This happened while I was trying to save Your Majesty's life. There were absolutely no improper intentions, or rather, none at all! You understand what I mean, don't you?! I'm so sorry!"
I quickly stepped back from The Emperor.
Thank goodness I had quick instincts. I'd almost planted a misunderstanding in The Emperor's mind.
'Love that blooms in danger should happen with a different woman, not me. What would I do if I stole The Emperor's heart?'
The Emperor remained silent, seemingly overwhelmed by the shock of encountering monsters in succession.
The fact that I'd ended up rushing toward him and embracing him felt awkward, and on the other hand, I felt sorry toward Dale.
I didn't know why Dale kept coming to mind, but that's how I felt.
"Anyway! Let's return to where everyone is. It's dangerous here."
I extended my hand to The Emperor. But he stared at my hand as if looking at an object.
"Take it. I'm going to tear the teleportation scroll. We can't afford to lose Your Majesty by any chance."
"You're asking me to hold the lady's hand."
As if I'd coated my hand in poison, he examined it carefully before cautiously approaching.
The Emperor couldn't even properly touch my fingers.
"Are you truly certain I may?"
"Just take it. Should I grab yours instead?"
I seized The Emperor's hand firmly.
It seemed like a full day would pass before The Emperor would drop his suspicions and take my hand willingly.
"Then we're going. Hold on tight."
I felt The Emperor interlock his fingers with mine.
I held the edge of the scroll between my teeth and tore it with one hand.
Riiiiip!
Whiiiiiiing~!
Whine? Wait, wait—!!!
"No, where are you going!"
A sudden gust of wind swept the scroll away. It soared skyward like it had sprouted wings, beyond my grasp.
"...What?"
But the unresponsive scroll fluttered away like a butterfly.
"Have you lost your mind? Come back! Where are you going! This can't happen!"
In the end, the number of scrolls remaining in my hand was zero.
"Your Majesty, you don't have a scroll either, do you?"
"...No."
The Emperor also possessed zero scrolls.
With monsters lurking about, we couldn't take any of the proper paths. So now.
"Um... it seems we've been stranded, haven't we?"
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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