---------------
Brought to you by ‌‌Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------

Chapter 23 ‌‌
* * *
Contrary to her expectations, the journey proceeded without incident.
Though the nights stretched on, thick and tar-like, no one emerged bloodied as dawn broke, and they packed their belongings and departed again before the sun reached its zenith.
The soldiers, exhausted by the oppressive heat, fell behind and caused minor delays, but ‌‌‌‌the pilgrimage progressed without major disruption.
The procession, led ‌‌by Barcas and his Personal Guard, arrived in Sortika, a small city to the northwest, five days after departing the Imperial Palace, and after spending a day there, they moved north again.
Throughout this time, I watched the attendants Senebier had sent with keen vigilance.
They maintained an insufferably loyal demeanor, yet I never once lowered my guard against them.
They were simply ‌‌waiting for the opportune moment. It was as clear as day that something terrible would happen soon.
Whenever Senebier was involved, sinister schemes always followed like shadows.
If not today, then tomorrow; if not tomorrow, then ‌‌‌the day ‌‌‌after. Soon, a ‌‌‌‌horrific scene would unfold before my eyes.
I could not tell whether I feared it or anticipated it.
When I saw Barcas, who treated ‌‌me with such coldness, showing endless tenderness ‌‌toward Ayla, I wished for something terrible to happen immediately.
If both of them became so mangled that their forms were unrecognizable, my heart would feel relieved. I would rather see his corpse than watch him stand beside Ayla.
Yet when ‌‌‌‌night deepened, a suffocating dread would overwhelm me. No matter how many times I told myself that such a man's death meant nothing, it was useless.
After trembling with anxiety ‌‌‌all night, ‌‌I fled the barracks before dawn broke. And relying on the dim light of early morning, I set out to find him. Only by confirming with my own eyes that Barcas was alive and breathing would my chest finally feel unbound.
I hurried along a narrow path overgrown ‌‌‌with vegetation when I heard the sound of a horse neighing, and I stopped abruptly.
Pushing through the dense undergrowth, I saw ‌‌a gray stallion with a black mane flowing freely.
Barcas, who had skillfully led the massive horse to the water source, knelt on one knee ‌‌‌on the ground. He ‌‌‌‌‌pulled the reins to guide the horse's head down to the water's surface, then with his other hand, he scooped up spring water and wetted the stallion's long, muscular neck. ‌‌‌
Sunlight filtering through the lush foliage painted his hair a beautiful silver. Watching that scene ‌‌with bated breath, I desperately ‌‌‌closed my eyes.
No matter how much I carved away, my love for Barcas grew like a tumor, consuming me. I could see no way out of this ‌‌‌‌mire.
How could I ever cast aside this feeling?
I had been leaning against the Large Ancient Tree, gazing vacantly at the sky, when I turned my body away and discovered Ayla walking along the path. I quickly ‌‌‌hid myself behind ‌the tree. ‌‌
She had come out immediately upon rising from bed, ‌‌wearing only a thin gown over her light dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. Her appearance was as disheveled as mine—no, even more so.
Yet despite this, Ayla appeared ‌‌‌noble and dignified. It occurred to me that perhaps her blood contained something I could never possess, even if I died trying.
"So you were here."
Ayla, her cheeks flushed with warmth, carefully approached him and sat down on a flat rock beside him.
Barcas's ‌‌‌gaze fell upon her. As ‌‌‌‌if she could not bear even that quiet look, Ayla softly curved the corners of her eyes and carefully removed her shoes. Then she dipped her feet into the spring water and splashed it playfully.
The sound of the horse neighing, the splashing of water, and the bright, cheerful laughter like birdsong melted into the ‌‌‌‌cold morning air.
I suppressed the urge to rush out and seize my half-sister by ‌‌‌‌the hair. I restrained the desire to tear apart the lips that smiled at him, to rip out the tongue that chattered at him. I could not bear ‌to see Barcas protecting Ayla.
Soon, after Ayla had enjoyed the water to her satisfaction, she reached out her hand toward him. Instead of taking her hand and helping her up, Barcas bent down and dried her feet. Then, as if he were a faithful servant, he carefully put her shoes back on. That sight pierced my heart like a dagger.
I turned and began to run. Branches and leaves tore at my arms and calves, but I ‌‌felt no pain. It was as ‌‌if all my senses had broken down.
I gasped roughly as I raced through the winding forest path like a thoroughbred. Then my foot caught on a protruding tree root, and I tumbled to the ground. Buried in the undergrowth, my chest heaving, I suddenly burst into laughter.
What would Senebier say if she saw me like this? She would probably furrow ‌‌‌her beautiful brow and shake her ‌‌head in disapproval. I could almost hear her mocking voice from somewhere.
"You have two paths before you. One is to obtain the man you desire by any ‌‌‌means necessary, and the other is to become a somewhat less pathetic loser."
She seemed to hope I would ‌‌become a seductress and lure him, but I could never become like Senebier, even if I died.
She would have seized what she wanted without hesitation or scruple. But I could only pray that this painful time would end soon, unable to know what else to do.
Looking up ‌‌‌‌‌at the fragmented sky through the branches, I soon pulled myself to my feet. As I emerged from the dark forest path with weary steps, I noticed several knights standing about in confusion. Passing them ‌‌and approaching the carriage, a Guard Knight named Rubon quickly stepped in front of me. ‌‌‌‌‌
"Where have you been without a ‌‌‌‌word! I've ‌‌‌‌told you countless times that you mustn't wander alone without an ‌‌‌escort!"
The knight, who had been pouring out his presumptuous scolding, suddenly fell silent. He seemed quite startled by my disheveled appearance.
"What on earth... is that condition... Did you perhaps suffer an ‌‌‌‌assault somewhere?"
She stepped past him and climbed onto the carriage's footboard.
Yet the Nobleman showed no signs of ceasing his complaints. Gripping the door frame, he continued in a rigid tone.
"I have a duty ‌‌‌to protect Your Highness. Therefore...."
"Anyone listening would think ‌‌you genuinely cared about me."
Talia looked down at him with a scornful smile.
"It seems you've received orders to never take your eyes off the reckless princess... but if you're going to keep watch, at least keep your wits about you. Why are you blaming me for what you lost while standing there like an idiot?"
The Nobleman fell silent, his mouth clamped shut.
Talia slammed the door shut directly in his face.
The Nobleman's fingers caught in the door frame, and he let out a harsh curse. Though his gauntlets prevented serious injury, the pain was considerable enough that his grumbling continued for some time.
She, as always, ignored all the complaints drifting ‌‌‌‌in from outside.
Had I ‌‌‌absorbed every word spoken by those surrounding me, I would have lost my mind long ago.
Since becoming a princess, the first ‌‌thing she learned was how ‌‌‌to let words pass through unheeded.
Talia drew thick curtains over the glass window where the morning light was beginning to filter through, and curled up like a hedgehog. ‌‌‌

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team ‌and enjoy the latest releases, please ‌‌read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------