Chapter 50
“What is that?!”
Dierian jumped to his feet and immediately cast a magical shield.
Whack! Splatter! Smash!
Dark red blobs slammed against the shield, sounding like wet impact.
But they weren’t just blobs.
They were the blood and flesh of monstrous creatures that had been crushed trying to break through the barrier.
A lump of flesh slid down the shield right in front of Eslyn.
“My lady!”
Jex quickly drew his sword and blocked Eslyn’s view.
The air was suddenly thick with the stench of blood. Eslyn clamped her mouth shut to stop from gagging.
The empty potion bottle she dropped rolled away across the floor.
“What the…?”
Through the broken front door, monstrous creatures crawled in.
They circled Dierian’s magical barrier, waiting for an opening.
“Monsters? In a place like this? That makes no sense!”
Dierian shouted, shocked. Still, he kept reinforcing his shield—two, three, four layers deep.
“Diel!”
“Stay back, Your Highness.”
His voice was serious. He didn’t even glance at her—his focus was on the monsters.
BOOM! ROOOAR!
A huge explosion came from the back—the bedroom side.
“Sir Jex, watch the rear!”
“My lady, this way!”
Jex slashed through charging monsters, keeping Eslyn behind him while defending with precise strikes.
“Ugh…”
The stink of monster blood and rot was overwhelming.
What is happening?
Eslyn couldn’t understand.
Why were there monsters in such a remote place?
CRASH!
The right-side window shattered.
“Your Highness!”
Another monster lunged through—from her side.
It was too fast. She couldn’t dodge it.
“…!”
“My lady!”
Dierian expanded the barrier. Jex threw his body forward.
But it was too late.
“No!”
Just as Eslyn braced for impact and shut her eyes—
Thud! Splat!
A dagger flew through the air and pierced the monster’s skull.
Its blood sprayed Eslyn’s face. The body slammed into the wall.
Even though it was a small weapon, the throw was so powerful it made the whole cabin shake.
“Huff…”
A faint horse sound echoed…
Then a massive shadow appeared in the broken doorway.
The man sliced through the monsters in front of him, moving so fast they couldn’t follow his movements.
Slash. Slash. Bodies fell in two with each motion.
“Drop the barrier for a moment, mage.”
He stepped on the corpses and muttered calmly.
“Don’t order me!”
Dierian snapped—but still opened a small gap in the shield.
The man leapt inside like moonlight itself.
His muscular shoulders gleamed in the soft blue light.
“Haa…”
He let out a long breath.
“Next time, choose a safer place to live, Jex Etiwood.”
He muttered under his breath like a curse.
“Sir Tebet?”
Eslyn blinked in shock.
“Yes.”
He gently wiped blood off her cheek and looked into her eyes.
“You’re not hurt, right?”
“No, I’m fine… thanks to you.”
“Good.”
Tebet smiled softly and stroked her face once more before looking around.
“Your Grace! Why are there monsters in a place like this?!”
Dierian was still holding up the barrier while more monsters flooded in.
“We’re surrounded again! Are you just going to stand there?!”
The high-level mage shouted in frustration.
Eslyn snapped out of her shock.
“He’s right. What is happening?”
“A small monster portal appeared suddenly. The palace detected it too late.”
“Oh no…”
“At least I wasn’t too late.”
Tebet glanced at the monster he’d just slain.
CRACK!
The cabin shook again. Dust and wood chips rained down.
Even the kitchen had been breached. The entire cabin could collapse any minute.
“Damn it! Sir Jex! Is this place famous or something? Why are there so many monsters?!”
“Of course not, Lord Dierian.”
“Ugh! Boring answer! More importantly, how about we focus on ESCAPING?! I’d rather not die buried under rubble!”
“I’ll distract the monsters.”
Tebet said calmly.
Dierian shut up instantly.
“…Did you finally lose your mind?”
“My aide should be bringing soldiers soon.”
He had rushed ahead, but Jerome would catch up.
“That’s too risky, Sir Tebet.”
Eslyn finally spoke.
Tebet turned to her. His gaze was soft, totally different from how he looked at Dierian.
“You’re still being hunted. You shouldn’t be seen by palace soldiers.”
“But…”
“This is nothing. I’ve been fighting wars since I was a child.”
Eslyn’s expression flickered.
Since when? she thought, looking up at his profile.
Somehow, she knew the answer.
‘My first war? Don’t remember clearly… Maybe when I was ten.’
His voice echoed in her mind. Even the sadness she felt hearing it.
Her eyes drifted to the empty potion bottle on the floor.
ROAR! THUD! THUD!
“My lady! Your Grace! We’re out of time!”
Jex shouted as monsters smashed into the barrier again.
Blood, guts, limbs—the air was filled with horror.
“Let’s move quickly.”
Tebet pushed Eslyn toward the left window, the only direction still safe.
His grip tightened around his sword, and his expression hardened.
He looked like someone more at home in battle than breathing.
“Those two will protect you with their lives this time.”
This time…
Eslyn caught the way he said it, and her expression darkened.
“Jex Etiwood.”
“Understood, Your Grace.”
Jex stepped forward to shield Eslyn.
“Hey, mage! Why’re you still standing there?!”
“I’m going, I’m going! Of course I’ll use Your Grace as my meat shield and run! Ew, gross—look at that thing’s guts!”
Dierian stomped in disgust at the sight of another monster being ripped in half by the shield.
“Move fast. And…”
“Yes, yes! I won’t let a single hair on her head get hurt, okay?! Even if you weren’t glaring like a terrifying god, I’d still do it!”
Dierian huffed. Jex moved quickly.
“My lady, excuse me.”
“Wait.”
Eslyn stopped him and turned to Tebet.
“Sir Tebet.”
“Eshi?”
“Is this really your choice?”
Her voice was oddly calm.
Tebet nodded solemnly.
“Yes. It is.”
Eslyn’s blue eyes flickered with emotion, but she pushed it all down.
Not yet.
“Then I’ll trust you. But take this.”
“What is it?”
“Better than nothing.”
She handed him a transparent red magic stone.
Pelisus? Dierian murmured from nearby.
Tebet stared at it in his hand.
The gleaming red gem looked almost like his own eyes.
“My first gift from you…”
…That’s not true, Eslyn thought.
‘Why are you giving me this?’
Her real first gift to him had been the winter grapes she grew herself.
But she said nothing. There were more urgent matters now.
“Let’s go, Diel. Sir Jex.”
Her voice was steady.
She knew Tebet’s strength. The best way to help him was not to hold him back.
Jex picked her up gently. Dierian narrowed the barrier and cleared a path.
ROAAAAR!
A monster lunged at them.
“You dare.”
Tebet moved.
The monster was down before the eye could follow his sword.
His blade glowed with a powerful energy—visible and terrifying.
“There’s a cave nearby. We’ll meet you there, Your Grace!”
Jex shouted.
Tebet only nodded. Eslyn saw him string the magic stone around his neck.
That was the last image she had of him.
“Mount up!”
Dierian yelled. The three of them jumped onto a glowing blue magical horse and galloped away.
BOOOOM!
The sound of destruction echoed behind them.
But Eslyn didn’t look back.
“My lady?”
“I’m fine. I’m… fine.”
She whispered like a chant.
Jex, galloping beside her, looked over with worry.
Her grip tightened on the reins. Her healing wrist ached again.
Tebet would be okay.
That wasn’t hope—it was certainty.
“It’s not him I’m worried about…”
These memories.
Were they really okay?
Her throat burned as the potion’s effects began.
She tasted metal—blood—on her bitten lips.
