The First Test (1)
“Poison! It must be poison! What do we do? What do we do?!”
Edwin was on the verge of tears, completely at a loss.
“Shut up already.”
Leo clamped his good hand over Edwin’s mouth.
“That’s not what matters right now. Look over there.”
At Leo’s words, Edwin turned his head to follow his gaze.
A massive wolf stood before the boys, drooling. Or rather, it was a monster that merely resembled a wolf.
Instead of fur, its body was covered in sleek black scales, and it had four eyes.
The sight alone was enough to make one’s legs go weak. Edwin swallowed hard.
“It’s a variant monster. As you can see, it looks nothing like the usual ones.”
Leo’s voice had grown far more serious than before.
“Damn it, I didn’t think this bastard would show up again.”
“Again? You’ve seen it before?”
“I saw one a few months ago. Not the same one, though.”
Of course it wasn’t.
The monster from a few months ago had been burned to death when Sage Lil and the villagers joined forces.
“But this is a restricted area! No one can just walk in here—how did a monster get inside?!”
“It must have climbed over the iron fence where it connects to the mountain range. Damn it, that fence is as tall as a three-story building. How the hell did it get through?”
A monster that could breach a fence as tall as a three-story building? Did such a thing really exist?
Edwin whispered in a terrified voice.
“Then what do we do?”
Leo didn’t answer.
But the young prince instinctively understood.
He had no plan either.
What do I do? How are we supposed to get out of this?
Between the monster’s claws, which it kept licking, hung a scrap of Leo’s sleeve.
Edwin examined Leo’s wound again.
The arm that had shielded him earlier had been slashed by the monster’s claws, leaving a chunk of flesh torn away.
A chill ran down his spine.
If Leo hadn’t protected me…
That claw might have caught his head or his back instead.
Am I really going to die here?
Reduced to nothing but a monster’s meal?
Edwin bit his lower lip.
No, this isn’t the time to think like that. What do I do?
What should I do, Rachel?
Strangely, the first person who came to mind in this moment was Rachel.
The person who had brought him here.
The person who always reached out to help whenever he needed it.
But unfortunately, that person—Rachel—was not here.
“Ugh…”
Meanwhile, Leo’s breathing grew increasingly ragged.
The hand gripping his arm felt colder and colder.
Edwin’s mind grew icy cold along with it.
I’m always like this.
Every time he found himself in danger, someone else had to sacrifice themselves for him.
And he could only watch helplessly.
Edwin squeezed his eyes shut and thought.
…I have to do something.
Think. Think hard. The only one who can help me now is myself.
So figure out a way to escape that damn monster, Edwin.
Right, books. What did the books say about monsters?
Edwin recalled reading something about monsters in a book once.
Creatures cursed for defying the gods.
That was how one book he’d read by chance had described them.
And what else…
Edwin desperately tried to remember any detail that might help their current situation.
The young prince, face twisted in concentration, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
That’s it. It said monsters are drawn to magic stones. The presence of magic stones increases the chance of monster appearances.
Edwin watched the monster’s movements closely.
It stood inside the cave, baring its teeth at them.
It looked ready to charge and tear them apart at any moment.
This is a magic stone mine. Maybe it considers this place its territory?
That would explain its reaction.
To the monster, this magic stone mine was a treasure vault to protect, and Edwin and Leo were nothing but intruders.
Edwin clenched both fists as if he had made up his mind.
“…Edwin? What are you doing?”
Leo stared at him in confusion as Edwin suddenly shook him off and stood up.
“Listen.”
Edwin continued in a grave voice.
“I’ll draw its attention. You run away in the meantime. Your legs are fine, right?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“If we stay like this, we’ll both die. So while I distract it, go down to the village and get Rachel.”
Was he talking about that suspicious woman named Rachel?
Leo stared blankly at Edwin for a moment before grabbing the hem of his pants.
“Then you go! I’ll be the one to distract it…!”
“No. You’ve been poisoned. If you collapse while it’s chasing you, there’ll be no way out.”
“What’s the difference between collapsing on the way to the village?! It’d be much better if the one who’s poisoned lures the monster…”
“No.”
Edwin turned his back to him and spoke in a small voice.
“You’re someone this village needs. So you have to live.”
“What? What the hell are you saying?!”
Leo frowned and shouted.
“Hey, idiot! I don’t know what you’re thinking, but stop it! You can’t go!”
“…Don’t worry.”
Edwin muttered in a strangely bitter voice.
“I’m good at running away.”
The young prince then picked up a large magic stone and waved it in front of the monster.
“Hey! You monster! I’m taking this! Got it?!”
The moment the monster saw the magic stone in the prince’s hand, it became extremely agitated.
As it revealed its killing intent, Edwin bolted.
“Edwin—!”
In that instant, Leo’s scream filled the sky.
The inside of his mouth tasted salty and bitter.
Sweat trickling down his forehead stung his eyes.
Edwin gasped for breath.
The pounding of his heart sounded like a drum.
“Huff, huff—!”
He clenched his teeth, but the sound of his breathing kept leaking out.
Edwin glanced behind him.
The monster was chasing him silently, like a shadow.
Its gleaming eyes held nothing but pure rage—no trace of intelligence.
It seemed extremely displeased that Edwin, a mere child, kept staying just out of reach.
“Damn it—!”
The deeper they went into the forest, the more leaves and branches tore at Edwin’s entire body.
The wounds stung, but the prince couldn’t stop running.
If he stopped, someone would surely die.
Whether it was him, Leo, or the villagers.
Edwin squeezed his eyes shut.
Old memories flashed behind his eyelids.
Please help! Emma’s really sick!
I’m sorry, Your Highness. The physician has gone to the Second Prince’s palace.
That day, he had been out of breath too.
He had run to the Medical Bureau after Emma collapsed from drinking tea, but the physician wasn’t there.
At the official’s single sentence, Edwin had run again.
He hadn’t realized until then just how far the road from the Medical Bureau to the Second Prince’s palace was.
But even after running that long, long distance, the gates of the Second Prince’s palace had remained closed.
Her Highness the Second Prince’s Consort has also collapsed. I’m sorry.
The young prince had lost someone precious in such a hollow, meaningless way.
This time will be different.
His vision blurred from the tears welling in his eyes, but he tried to ignore it.
Shaking off the tears, Edwin pushed his legs even harder.
This time will be different!
At least this time, he wouldn’t lose anyone.
With that thought, the young prince kept running.
Whenever he felt a chill and ducked his head, the monster’s claws would slice through the empty air above him.
It felt like his breath would give out at any moment, but he couldn’t stop running.
But there was one thing Edwin had forgotten.
The monster possessed a body far stronger than that of a mere child like the prince.
Kraaaah—!
Enraged, the monster let out a monstrous roar and leaped over the prince’s head.
Having overtaken him in an instant, it slowly turned around.
Edwin lost his balance from the sudden stop and fell backward.
“Huff!”
The magic stone he’d been holding shattered against the ground.
His palm was cut, but he didn’t feel the pain.
Because right in front of him, a far clearer image of death had opened its jaws.
Edwin trembled as he stared at the monster’s sharp fangs.
Am I going to die?
Was he really going to die?
In a place no one knew about, without anyone knowing, without leaving a single trace.
Just like the people who had died here before.
So go ahead and prove it, little prince. Prove that you are not just ‘anyone.’
Perhaps that old sage had already known the answer.
Someone like me isn’t a prince or anything. Someone like me…
Can’t protect anyone after all. Not Mother, not Emma, not Emilia, not me, not Leo.
Edwin sobbed as he clenched his fists.
He didn’t want to cry pathetically, but the tears kept coming.
Your Highness, please remember this.
At that moment, Rachel’s voice echoed in his ears.
As long as you remain weak, you cannot protect yourself, others, or anything else without becoming a coward.
Edwin scooted backward on his rear, avoiding the slowly approaching monster.
Rachel was right.
The weak must be cowards to survive.
If you don’t know your place and try not to be a coward, you die.
Just like now.
Grrrr—
The monster let out a satisfied growl as it looked at its terrified prey.
And just as it was about to swallow the young prey before its eyes—
“Rachel—!”
Edwin squeezed his eyes shut and shouted his nanny’s name.
He didn’t even know why himself.
He just felt that if he called her name, she might appear even now.
Perhaps that was why. Even when he saw Rachel’s back flying toward him like a bird, Edwin couldn’t believe it.