Chapter 12
“Make me afraid, you say.”
“….”
“I look forward to it.”
After saying that, the Crown Prince turned his head.
It meant he was done with me.
I didn’t say anything more and left the reception room.
“Lady!”
The Young Duke had been waiting outside the whole time.
He ran toward me like a puppy and smiled lightly.
“It seems His Highness accepted it well.”
“…Well, yes.”
“Don’t tell me he allowed you to join the delegation?”
Why does he sound so surprised? Did he want me to be rejected?
Honestly, I wanted to join the delegation to uncover the secret of the artifact. But even alone, it wasn’t impossible for me to go to another empire.
If I said I would go to the Eastern Continent alone, his expression would be interesting.
Too bad this wasn’t the time to tease him.
“No, not that. Instead of joining, I received another order.”
“An order…?”
“Yes. I have to go to the Steyn territory.”
“…Lady, you’re not planning to go there alone, are you?”
I stopped walking toward the guest room.
“You’re coming with me?”
“Of course. Aren’t we on the same side? At least, I believed so…”
Raiden suddenly looked pitiful, his eyes trembling.
He really does resemble the Crown Prince in some ways.
Other noble ladies might feel their hearts flutter, but I just shrugged.
“How long does it take to reach Steyn territory?”
“If you travel with me, it will take about a week by carriage.”
“A week?”
“That’s the minimum. It’s located at the far east, quite far from the capital.”
A week is too long.
I could train while sitting in the carriage, but doing that in front of him would be uncomfortable.
If I knew the way, running would be faster anyway.
“…I’ll go separately. Just give me a map.”
“You’re going alone?”
“Well, you can come if you want. I’m just saying we should travel separately until Steyn.”
After the party, I realized how useful the Young Duke’s status was.
I might need him once I reach another territory.
But not during the journey.
“How are you planning to go? Did you get a large amount of money somewhere?”
“No?”
“Are you going back to the Soner Count family for help?”
“No?”
“Are you joking right now?!”
“No?”
I walked calmly toward the guest room.
I was already getting used to the mansion.
Still, I had no attachment to it. Knowing when to leave is important.
The Young Duke followed me, still talking.
“Why do you insist on going alone? Am I a burden?”
“How could you be a burden? We can just meet at the destination.”
That was completely honest.
Until I reached the Eastern Continent, he needed to spend his money and power as my sponsor.
“I need a reason. Are you getting help from someone else? Wait… did the Crown Prince secretly agree to help you?”
Why is the Crown Prince suddenly involved?
He misunderstood something.
I didn’t want to ruin my relationship with the Young Duke yet.
So I had no choice but to tell the truth.
“You said it takes a week by carriage, right? I’m faster if I run.”
“…What? Run?”
He looked at me like he couldn’t believe it.
Well, this body used to be weak. Of course he would be shocked.
But I really could run there.
“From the capital to Steyn… a distance that takes a week by carriage?”
He stared at me in silence.
“Haven’t I already proven my strength?”
“That doesn’t mean you can run all the way there!”
To be exact, it wasn’t just running—it was movement technique.
If I were at my previous level, I could reach there in a day by running through the sky.
But with this body, that was impossible.
Still, I could cut the time in half.
And train my footwork along the way.
“I said I can do it. Do you want me to keep repeating myself?”
The Young Duke couldn’t respond for a moment.
Then he muttered in a low voice.
“Lady, even if you run fast, a carriage maintains a steady speed. Running is exhausting and unstable.”
“So?”
“You’ll collapse before reaching the destination. In the end, stability wins.”
“Hmm. Isn’t that something only the weak say?”
I shrugged.
His eyebrows twitched slightly. He looked quite offended.
Soon, he rubbed his temple as if giving up.
“I’ll give you the map. If you truly arrive by running… my opinion of you will completely change.”
I smiled and held out my hand.
He glanced at it—then turned away.
He shook hands before, but now he refused.
He can be surprisingly petty.
* * *
The next morning.
I borrowed a sword and knight uniform from a maid and left the mansion.
I had explained everything to Lili during the night when she briefly woke up.
I didn’t need to carry much food or money.
Sleeping outdoors was normal for me.
I was fully prepared.
But—
“…Why are you here?”
The Young Duke was waiting at the entrance.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
“I said I’d go with you.”
“Didn’t we agree to travel separately and meet at Steyn?”
“I need to see if you really run there.”
He gently patted the black horse beside him.
It was a well-trained horse with a beautiful black mane.
“Why not take a carriage? It’s much more comfortable.”
“You’ll take the shortest path straight from the map. If I use a carriage, I won’t be able to follow you.”
“…Following me will be harder.”
“I said I’d see it for myself. I need to witness it to believe it.”
I frowned.
At this rate, he would follow me no matter what.
“Of course, I can’t run as long as you. But I’ve trained in horseback riding. If I follow on horseback, I won’t fall behind.”
“…That’ll be tough.”
I muttered and stepped forward.
I could take a carriage until leaving the capital, but I didn’t want to.
First step—slow.
Second—faster.
From the third step—
My speed became like the wind brushing past my feet.
No need to care about someone who insisted on following.
I quickly drew in the energy of nature.
Ssssss—
Unlike using internal energy, natural energy could be used endlessly depending on level.
For now, I could only maintain it for half a day.
But it didn’t drain my body much.
I pressed into the ground—
Then lightly pushed off.
My steps connected smoothly like a flowing line.
And I moved forward.
* * *
After running for a long time—
I slowed down.
It was getting dark.
Time to prepare for camping.
I also needed to check the map again.
And train to reach the next level.
“Hmm. I wonder if I’ll find some kind of rare medicine.”
At that moment—
I heard familiar hoofbeats in the distance.
“Oh? He really followed me?”
I turned back with a small smile.
He looked exhausted, and the black horse was breathing heavily too.
“You should stop following me. If you return to the capital now, it won’t be too late.”
“…If I were going to stop… I wouldn’t have come in the first place.”
“Maybe you can handle it, but the horse chose the wrong master.”
The horse snorted hot air and trembled.
At this rate, it wouldn’t last even a day.
Should I recalculate his arrival time?
While I was thinking—
“Lady Rize… let me ask just one thing.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t believe it. What was that movement you used while running?”
“….”
“No… that’s not it. What exactly are you?”
