Chapter 27
Arlen tried her best to continue eating as if nothing had happened. Not only because she didn’t want to appear awkward in front of them, but also because it was important to eat whenever she could. Right now, the only and most important responsibility she had was to take care of her body.
“I’m sorry. I might… have to run.”
Arlen quietly nodded. She forced the last of what might be her final meal into her mouth.
Soon, they stood up from their seats. Azen noticed one of the group quickly slipping out of the dining hall.
‘Tch.’
It seemed they weren’t merely curious about strangers. He tensed. Gripping her hand tightly, he quickened his pace just enough to not look suspicious.
This village had no walls. They had deliberately chosen a place like this. They could just ride away. There was no knightly force surrounding them, and any random villagers chasing them would be easy to shake off.
As long as they were on horseback.
As they headed to the inn’s stables, the group appeared ahead, blocking their path.
“Travelers, where are you heading?”
Azen frowned and tried to sidestep. It was better to pass through without causing trouble.
“What brings you to a countryside like this? Need any guidance?”
“We’re just passing through and resting briefly. No assistance is necessary.”
He thought it unlikely they’d let it go with such words, but he answered and tried to pass by.
However, the group had clearly intended to block them until their soldiers arrived. They moved more deliberately to stop their path.
Should I just cut them all down?
He didn’t want to cause a scene, but that was mainly to avoid leaving traces. What’s the problem with crushing worthless pests like them anyway?
Shing.
His sword was drawn harshly from its sheath. He felt her hand flinch in his left hand, but he held on without letting go.
“No guidance is needed. Step aside.”
When his eyes flashed with murderous intent, they hesitated and began to back off. Unsatisfied with their pace, Azen swung his sword, slicing one man’s collar.
“Eeek—!”
Azen didn’t say another word. There was no time for further threats. He strode forward without hesitation, and they scrambled aside, retreating quickly.
Or so it seemed, but…
“Ah!”
At her small scream, he immediately turned around.
One of the men who had retreated had dared to grab her hood.
“Ugh—!”
The next scream came from the man. His hand fell from her arm and tumbled to the ground.
From that point, Azen showed no mercy. The chaos had already begun, and blood had been spilled. These were the ones who had dared touch her and tried to restrain them, so letting them go would only cause future trouble.
Knights and ordinary people were no match for each other. A knight who had even won a tournament could cut down civilians in an instant. Blood splattered everywhere, and the inn was quickly filled with the metallic stench of blood.
People screamed and ran in panic, while all the men who had dared touch her lay sprawled in puddles of blood.
But there was no time to worry about that.
Damn it.
Azen grabbed Arlen’s waist, who had gone pale and frozen.
“Excuse me, miss.”
He lifted her tightly and ran swiftly toward the stables. The stable keeper recoiled at the sight of Azen covered in blood, and Azen quickly found two saddled horses and pulled them out.
“Get on.”
Arlen, still pale, mounted without hesitation. Azen helped her onto the horse and immediately got on his own.
“We’ll head west.”
“Okay.”
Arlen spurred her horse forward, and Azen followed closely behind.
“Don’t slow down—just keep running.”
Arlen gritted her teeth and urged the horse onward. She passed by people screaming and dodging narrowly, on the verge of fainting, but bit her lip until it bled. Any hesitation would increase Azen’s risk, so no matter how much she wanted to cry, she couldn’t slow down the horse.
Azen followed closely behind, scanning their surroundings.
The once peaceful village became chaotic in an instant, dust flying from galloping horses as people tried to avoid them.
‘If we can just get out of this village…’
The noise would attract pursuers, but they could erase traces and cross the border. Since they already knew Luthernca had been annihilated, there was no need to stay in Ashneran. They could either officially seek asylum in Wesland or hide in the countryside.
However, just as Azen thought they could catch their breath after leaving the village, he realized that the ones chasing them weren’t random villagers but properly mounted knights.
Damn.
There hadn’t been any when they entered the village last night.
Thinking back, when they entered the inn last night, no one had paid them any attention, but in the morning, people had whispered and blocked their path. A knight must have arrived overnight and put up a search notice. Damn it.
This village was quite far from the capital, and yet knights had been sent to even small villages like this.
Even though Arlen could ride, there was no way she could shake off knights pursuing at full speed. And the horse she rode had been hastily picked from available saddled horses—not a trained mount.
Damn, cursed.
“Go ahead.”
He spurred his horse and rode beside her, shouting.
“Azen?”
She looked back at him.
Damn. He already had to send her ahead alone.
“Don’t stop. Run. I will come for you—go ahead.”
Her eyes reflected a mix of emotions: anxiety, worry, fear… yet no trace of despair. Not yet.
“I will return, to your side, for sure.”
Her tightly pressed lips trembled. Nodding with a face that looked like tears could fall at any moment, she agreed.
He stopped his horse.
Her horse, continuing to run, quickly outpaced him. After one last glance back, she seemed to steel her resolve and rode forward, gradually becoming smaller in the distance.
Turning his horse to face the pursuing knights, she was no longer visible.
Damn.
Not seeing her, the unease he felt when he told her to go first now completely overtook him.
He recalled her sitting alone on the cliff.
He didn’t want to leave her. He didn’t want to let go of her hand. He didn’t want to leave her alone out of sight. He was anxious. Terribly anxious.
How had the commoner knight in the past lost her hand? Surely, it wouldn’t happen now. That bastard wouldn’t snatch her away without him seeing her again, right?
Grinding his teeth, he drew his sword, spurred his horse, and charged at the pursuing knight.
He had to resolve this as quickly as possible and get back to her.
Arlen hid in the forest.
Even though she was hiding, she hadn’t erased any traces. Actually, she hadn’t wanted to. She was afraid Azen might not find her.
Afraid he wouldn’t appear.
She was terrified that no matter how long she waited, he might never return.
All the people precious to her were disappearing out of reach, and she feared losing one more right in front of her eyes.
She was afraid that the person appearing in the forest wouldn’t be Azen but another pursuing knight. Afraid that Azen’s blood might stain the knight’s clothes.
“Ugh…”
Trying not to cry, the tears she had managed to hold back now streamed freely, as she was alone.
Sitting alone in the forest, all the emotions she had been suppressing came rushing at once.
Her family, the nanny and Zine, all the people at the duke’s manor—were they safe?
…Alive? Could she really see them again?
No matter how anxious and difficult things had been, she hadn’t felt this much fear because Azen had been by her side.
Azen, who had stayed faithfully by her side for the past ten years, was still there.
‘Honestly, I didn’t want to let go and run alone.’
When he said, “Go ahead,” she wanted to stubbornly shout “No!” and insist on staying with him.
But she knew how much that would interfere. Staying by his side would be more hindrance than help. So she gritted her teeth and rode on.
Sitting on the ground with the reins in her hand, burying her head in her knees, she sobbed, desperately waiting for one person.
Please…
Please come back.
Please come back safely.
Please…
“Miss?”
She lifted her head.
Through tear-blurred vision, she saw a familiar face.
“You’ve been waiting long? I came quickly…”
“Azen!”
Arlen jumped up and ran, throwing herself into his arms before he could react.
“Ugh.”
He let out a small involuntary groan, and Arlen, startled, stepped back. The groan wasn’t from pain but from frustration that her warmth had left him.
Then,
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were hurt…”
Tears welled in her eyes, falling as she looked at him with concern and affection. His heart ached.
“I should have been careful… Are you okay? Where are you hurt?”
She hurriedly checked him over. Since his clothes were already bloodied from the village fight, she couldn’t tell where the wounds were.
“It was just a light graze. I’m fine.”
“Liar, you groaned earlier.”
“That was an unexpected shock… I couldn’t help it…”
“…”
Her face hardened. She seemed guilty for having caused him such a shock.
“No, it didn’t hurt, and I didn’t dislike it, so…”
“Sorry, I was too thoughtless.”
“No, it didn’t hurt. I just…”
In truth, she was just so happy. So happy that he had run to her, looking at her with such desperate eyes…
She had allowed herself to be distracted, letting her guard down because her heart fluttered at that alone, despite the miserable situation he had been put in.
“Where are you hurt?”
She bit her lower lip and asked once more.
