YWPWYLFDM 46

Chapter 46

At those words, Alexia looked slightly surprised.

Until now, Rodrick had been using every resource at his disposal to track Ayla and Byron.

And now he intended to expand that effort even further.

“Excuse me?”

“…The fact that he hasn’t been caught so far clearly means someone is assisting him from the shadows. So, we need to find that accomplice.”

At Alexia’s puzzled expression, Rodrick answered with a serious look.

Of course, this didn’t mean they hadn’t tried before.

Byron had been on the run for over ten years. Every possible method had been attempted.

They had already interrogated anyone remotely connected to Byron long ago, punishing those involved in treason.

Yet Byron’s whereabouts remained a mystery.

“…Your Highness.”

Alexia spoke in a low, somber voice.

“You know, even without me saying it. It may be a futile effort. But… I can’t just stand by. We have to do something.”

Rodrick clenched his fists tightly.

He felt unbearable self-disgust. Such a helpless feeling.

Even if it might be pointless, he had to do something. At least doing something would let him console himself that he was making an effort.

“….”

Alexia said nothing further. She could understand, at least a little, how Rodrick felt.

Meanwhile, Byron’s group was hiding deep in a mountain hideout.

Even bandits accustomed to living in the mountains had abandoned the area, seeking warmer shelters during the harsh winter.

It was a remote location, impassable by carriage.

The extreme cold forced them to climb on foot, and living in a cave hardly met Byron’s high standards, leaving him in a foul mood.

Yet they couldn’t complain.

Imperial forces, desperate to capture him, were scattered across the entire empire.

No one knew how long they could remain here—or when they might have to flee again.

‘…Well, maybe it’s good for me,’ Ayla thought, warming her hands by the fire in the center of the cave.

Of course, spending all day with Byron wasn’t always pleasant. But without even trying to eavesdrop, she could often discern what Byron and Cloud were planning—a definite advantage.

Ayla glanced at Byron beyond the fire.

Wrapped in soft furs on a makeshift bed, he still gripped a cup of warmed liquor, complaining about the cold.

Then suddenly:

“How on earth did rumors spread that someone saw me at the checkpoint? Didn’t I order them all killed to keep mouths shut?”

Byron suddenly erupted in anger.

This had been a recurring complaint for several days.

Ayla worried that Byron might learn she had spared some soldiers.

If the rumors of him being spotted reached Byron, it could also mean he’d hear about Ayla showing mercy.

Yet acting suspiciously would only raise more doubts.

She focused on the rising flames, pretending to be indifferent.

“…It seems there were survivors after all.”

“Then why did they handle it that way?!”

Byron slammed his fist on the bed in frustration.

It would only hurt his own hand, Ayla thought, quietly observing his expression.

His face was flushed with anger, but he showed no resentment toward her.

Fortunately, the rumors hadn’t spread that Ayla had intentionally spared them.

Whether the soldiers had kept quiet to protect her or because the rumor wasn’t interesting enough to spread, she didn’t know.

But either way, it was a relief for Ayla.

“How long are we supposed to stay in a place like this?!”

“It may be uncomfortable, but you must endure for a while. Those seeking to capture you…”

Cloud replied in his usual calm, steadfast tone, but Byron couldn’t contain his anger and eventually threw his cup to the floor.

“Uncomfortable? This is more than just a little discomfort!”

Eating was barely adequate, sleeping was uncomfortable, and living in a cave with sensitive Byron was bound to be difficult. His outburst was inevitable.

The real problem was that this situation wouldn’t end soon—and might even get worse.

Cloud silently picked up the fallen cup and placed it on the small table next to the bed. He looked at Byron and spoke quietly.

“We don’t know how long we can stay here, my lord. Perhaps it would be better to hide underground, like eleven years ago…”

Byron, already fuming, recoiled at Cloud’s suggestion and shrugged off his furs.

But he didn’t yell or throw anything. He only clutched the thick blanket on his lap, his expression more fearful than angry.

Fear. What could frighten him so?

Eleven years ago, Ayla had been two years old.

From her perspective, it was eleven years ago—but to her, coming from six years into the future, it was seventeen years ago. She couldn’t possibly remember it.

“That… won’t do.”

Byron said firmly, as if there was no room for negotiation.

“My lord, this is dangerous. We don’t know when this place might be discovered.”

But Cloud continued to persuade him—it was too dangerous a situation not to.

“…There must be another way. I’ll think about it.”

Byron remained obstinate, dismissing Cloud with a wave of his hand, and covered himself with his furs again.

“Bring more drinks here.”

Having vented his anger, Ayla turned her gaze back to the fire, silently shaking her head.

Cloud sighed and sat near Ayla, looking utterly drained.

‘…Maybe I can dig for some information,’ Ayla thought.

Why had Byron reacted so fearfully at the mention of “underground”? She had a chance to find out.

She tugged at Cloud’s sleeve, pretending to be a curious child—a role she was now quite practiced in.

“What is it, miss?”

“Cloud… where is the ‘underground’?”

Ayla lowered her voice, careful that Byron wouldn’t hear.

“Ah… well…”

Cloud pondered, deciding how much to reveal without giving away critical information.

“Eleven years ago, people were searching for our master everywhere. So we hid in an underground waterway.”

He also lowered his voice, describing it as dark, damp, and full of mold, with no sunlight.

“…Of course, it’s unbearable, but it’s perfect for evading pursuit.”

Cloud stopped there, intending to reveal no more.

‘Not much useful information,’ Ayla thought, clicking her tongue.

Indeed, it was understandable why Byron would never want to go there.

Truthfully, Ayla herself didn’t want to go to a moldy, foul-smelling place either.

Even if she was willing to do anything for revenge, a dank, musty hideout wasn’t appealing.

After a moment:

“…Alright! That will do.”

Byron, seemingly lost in thought, suddenly spoke as if recalling something.

“Let’s go to Incelcorp. The count can provide us with a hideout.”

“Excuse me? M-Master, are you saying we should cross the border now?”

Cloud leapt to his feet, shocked at Byron’s sudden plan.

“Yes. No matter how frantically they search, they’re limited to the Pheles Empire. We can stay abroad until things settle down.”

Byron seemed proud of his idea, grinning at his own cleverness.

“…But crossing the border won’t be easy.”

Cloud carefully voiced his concern—especially with the empire’s forces so desperate to capture Byron.

“Well, there must be a way. Ah, we could consider taking a ship,” Byron muttered.

Since Incelcorp was a coastal kingdom, smuggling in by ship might work.

Ayla pretended to be disinterested but listened intently.

Going abroad—something she had never experienced in her previous life.

Though much had already changed, she felt a twinge of excitement.

‘Will I finally see the sea?’

It was absurd to be excited about such a small thing in this situation, yet Ayla felt her heart beat pleasantly.

Of course—she had never been abroad in any life. She had never seen the sea.

“…I’ll look into it.”

Byron’s plan made sense, and Cloud nodded, ready to follow his orders.