<Episode 7>

The Crown Prince looked up at me steadily, speaking in a slow, measured tone.

“…My lady, why don’t you just let go?”

“What?”

What kind of nonsense was that, especially in a situation like this?

I seriously considered letting go and making a run for it.

As I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, he let out a small, incredulous laugh.

“I’m just trying to understand. Do you realize that by trying to save me, you’re putting yourself in danger?”

“Of course, I know that…!”

Behind me, the zombies were closing in, practically arm in arm with their comrades. Were they trying to make friends?

“Ugh.”

My strength was waning, and I leaned forward.

With the shift in balance, my hair tie snapped.

A cascade of silver hair fell, brushing against the Crown Prince’s cheek as it tumbled down. Our eyes met—his calm, untroubled yellow eyes stared into mine.

Maybe it was those serene eyes, but I felt the last of my energy drain from my exhausted body.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

‘This is it. I’m at my limit.’

Just as I felt his hand slipping from mine, he grabbed my wrist with his other hand, the one not holding the spear.

“My lady.”

“…Ugh, what now?”

“If I were to die like this, would you die with me?”

I opened my eyes wide and glared at him.

‘Are you insane? Why would I do that? Is he seriously saying he doesn’t want to die alone?’

I thought he was joking, but his expression was deadly serious.

His black pupils shimmered with a kaleidoscope of colors, like opal fins slicing through water. His eyes were like those of a child who had just discovered a new toy.

I instinctively felt like I was standing at a crossroads. It was as if my answer would determine his next move.

‘Ah, to hell with it.’

I squeezed my eyes shut and shouted, my voice tinged with desperation.

“Fine, fine! I’ll die with you, okay? So just….”

Do something!

I was internally screaming when suddenly, one of the zombies pushed past the others and came up behind me.

A shadow loomed over my head.

I glanced anxiously at the hammer that had fallen just out of reach when something flashed by my face.

Crack!

The sound of bones being pierced filled the air, and I watched as several strands of my hair fell to the ground.

I stared blankly at the fallen hair before slowly shifting my gaze to the Crown Prince.

He was grinning, a deep smile on his face. The shimmering light in his eyes was different from before—more intense.

“Just hang on, my lady.”

The Crown Prince tightened his grip on my hand and planted his feet firmly against the wall.

Tap, tap, tap!

He sprinted up the wall, then launched himself high into the air, landing securely behind me.

‘What just….’

I sat there in a daze, blinking in disbelief. Slowly, I turned to look at him.

“Get up.”

The Crown Prince spoke in an unexpectedly gentle voice as he helped me up by the arm. My legs trembled like those of a newborn fawn as I stood, staring up at him in a daze.

“We should go, to the forest.”

He flashed me a warm smile, then swiftly dealt with a charging zombie before taking my hand and running.

I instinctively grabbed the hammer lying on the ground as I was pulled along.

“….”

We ran for what felt like ages before the horde of zombies thinned out, and the dense forest came into view.

As the fog in my mind began to clear, a single thought took root.

“…You bastard!”

That crazy jerk! He could’ve climbed up the whole time!

Crack!

I grumbled under my breath as I smashed a zombie’s head instead of his, regretting my missed opportunity.

* * *

By the time we reached the sacred forest in the north, night had fallen, and darkness enveloped the area.

The entrance to the forest was surrounded by a thin, transparent barrier, almost like a protective veil.

I passed through the barrier first, with the Crown Prince following closely behind.

The eerie sounds of zombies outside were instantly muted, replaced by the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

‘It’s so peaceful here.’

I walked ahead, pulling out a map.

The map of the northern forest had several ‘X’ marks engraved on it. A note at the bottom explained that the marked trees would guide us to a pond.

I rummaged through my bag and pulled out a light stone—a small, flashlight-shaped stone that Hayton had made—and muttered the incantation written on it.

Squinting against the sudden burst of white light, I shone it on the tree trunks ahead.

“There it is.”

An ‘X’ was engraved into the rough bark.

I traced the mark with my hand before consulting the map again and moving forward.

As we walked, the air grew colder.

I began picking up branches and pinecones, one by one, to start a fire.

The Crown Prince quietly approached and took the items from my arms.

“….”

He tossed them carelessly to the ground and continued ahead.

We walked in silence for a while longer before he suddenly spoke.

“My lady.”

“….”

“Are you still angry?”

“….”

“It seems to be lingering.”

So what? Don’t talk to me.

I kept my mouth shut and focused on walking.

We continued in silence, and after a while, the smell of water filled the air. Pushing aside the thick foliage, we found a sparkling pond.

The clarity of the water in the sacred forest pond was directly tied to the strength of the barrier.

“It’s clean.”

I was relieved that the sacred forest hadn’t been destroyed by the unexpected earthquake, something that hadn’t happened in the original story.

I approached the pond and stared at my reflection.

Bright red eyes, like rubies.

Bangs that covered my forehead and layered side hair that framed my face.

As I leaned closer, the silver strands that reached my waist slid down my back.

‘Still pretty.’

It had been over a month since I started living with this face, but I still hadn’t gotten used to it.

‘If only she hadn’t been so wicked, she could have lived a better life with such a pretty face.’

As I stared blankly at my reflection, the Crown Prince’s face suddenly appeared on the water’s surface beside mine.

I glared at him through the water before stepping away.

I took out a hair tie from my pouch and began tying up my hair, searching the ground with my foot for a flat spot to sit.

“Here.”

Noticing that I was about to start a fire, the Crown Prince brought over the branches and pinecones he had previously dropped.

I naturally pulled out some paper and matches from my bag, lighting the kindling with the match.

I poked at the fire with a stick to ensure the logs caught flame, and the Crown Prince knelt beside me, taking the stick from my hand to tend to the fire himself.

Just like when he had helped build the raft bridge, he seemed surprisingly adept at handling rough tasks for someone of royal blood.

I stepped back, hugging my knees as I watched the flames dance.

Once the fire was going, the Crown Prince leaned against a tree beside me.

“I apologize for startling you earlier.”

“….”

It took a while, but he eventually offered a straightforward apology. It was very much in character for him.

But it didn’t make me feel any better.

“My lady.”

His deep voice broke the silence again, and I sighed.

‘If I don’t respond, he’ll probably keep talking, even when I’m trying to sleep.’

I shot him a sidelong glare.

His golden eyes trembled slightly.

To be honest, I was a bit surprised by his reaction. In the original story, he was the type of person who wouldn’t even bat an eye if a mere noble lady got angry with him.

With a sigh, I turned my head away.

“You were testing me, weren’t you? Because you don’t trust me.”

His golden eyes, glowing faintly in the firelight, widened slightly.

“You must have thought that this incident could be the work of the Emperor’s faction, and that I might be an assassin or a spy sent by him.”

The Empire was currently divided between the Emperor’s faction and the Crown Prince’s faction.

The Emperor frequently sent the Crown Prince off to war, including small skirmishes and battles of attrition, with the not-so-subtle intention of seeing his son dead. This was no secret in the Empire.

Despite that, the Crown Prince continued to fight, earning the title of hero—much to the Emperor’s frustration, no doubt.

So it wouldn’t be surprising if the Emperor had sent spies or assassins from time to time.

Given that, I could understand why the Crown Prince had become distrustful of people and had even doubted me.

But… of all things, why did he have to test me by risking both of our lives?

‘How could you….’

As the emotions I felt back then surged up, my eyes began to burn.

Was I sad? No, I was furious.

Sometimes, when I couldn’t contain my anger, tears would spill out.

The Crown Prince’s eyes widened as he watched me.