<Episode 11>

‘Ah… I’m exhausted.’

Since early morning, I had met Jaeger and even fought off a horde of zombies.

As the day grew late, we decided to return to the pond in the Sacred Forest and stay there for the night.

The Crown Prince excused himself, saying he needed to stretch his legs for a bit.

Feeling hungry, I pulled out some jerky from my backpack.

I tore the jerky in half, setting aside my portion, and handed the other half to Jaeger, who was washing his face at the pond.

“Would you like some?”

Jaeger slowly lifted his face, his light gray eyes fixed on me.

It felt like the first time I truly saw Jaeger.

A droplet of water clung to the end of his short, dark blue bangs, sparkling. Drip. The droplet traced down his jawline and fell into the pond.

Mesmerized by the sight, I quickly realized and changed the subject.

“It was really fortunate that you woke up in the forest, Your Grace. But who knows how long that luck will last?”

“……”

“Now, please take my hand. It would be great if we could find additional survivors and escape together.”

I casually waved the jerky in my hand. Jaeger frowned, staring at my hand.

Of course, I didn’t mean he should literally take my hand. I just wanted him to cooperate.

The time for heartfelt persuasion had passed.

He needed to realize that escaping alone was hopeless and take my hand.

In that sense, perhaps the Crown Prince’s harsh method of making him experience it firsthand was the right one.

He wasn’t recklessly attempting an escape, and he had returned to the forest.

Jaeger glared at me sharply, then grasped the mace he had laid beside his knee and stood up.

“Ugh.”

At that moment, he clutched his shoulder and staggered.

‘His clothes aren’t torn, so he doesn’t seem to have been bitten. Could it be a dislocation?’

I had learned basic medical knowledge from our family’s physician, including how to treat wounds and reset a dislocated shoulder. I could manage that much.

“Let me take a look.”

Smack-!

Jaeger coldly slapped away my hand as I reached for his shoulder. His eyes narrowed as he shot me a fierce glare.

“You’re right. Escaping alone is impossible. We have no choice but to cooperate. But I can’t trust you. And I have no intention of entrusting my life to someone I can’t trust.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

Jaeger took a deep breath, then with a grinding sound, reset his bone. He grimaced as he rotated his arm, but then quickly wiped any sign of pain from his face, straightening his upper body as if nothing had happened.

He moved his shoulder to wipe the moisture off his chin and looked at me.

“Give me the warp scroll. I’ll keep it safe.”

The scroll was my last line of defense. I couldn’t hand it over.

“Negotiations are off.”

“Does this look like a negotiation to you?”

“Do you think you can just give orders when I’m not even one of your subordinates?”

Jaeger’s eyes narrowed as if he had much to say but chose to hold back. He sighed.

“If we gather additional survivors and fill the capacity of the scroll, is returning to the Empire the plan?”

“That’s right.”

“Very well. Then until we escape this place, I’ll stay by your side and keep an eye on you.”

To ensure you don’t try anything foolish.

Jaeger growled the words, his eyes narrowing as he spoke.

“Do as you wish.”

“When we return and thoroughly investigate this situation, you’ll need to cooperate without any complaints.”

“As much as you want.”

Jaeger’s gaze shifted to the belt pouch tied to my waist.

“Don’t think you can get away with flimsy excuses about that weapon. There hasn’t been a single weapon permit issued this month, and our security is not lax enough to allow smuggling.”

Yet, Hayton’s invisibility patch seemed to slip past your security just fine.

“…Alright.”

Jaeger stared at me as if assessing something, then frowned and sharply turned his head away.

“Of all people, I had to end up here with someone like you. It’s unbearable.”

Huh? No, wait a minute, does he have a knife for a tongue? That’s a bit much, isn’t it?

I furrowed my brows and opened my mouth to speak.

“Your Grace, that’s—”

“Watch your words, Jaeger.”

A sudden voice interrupted, and I turned around.

The Crown Prince had returned, his shirt off and a spear slung over his shoulder.

Judging by his heavy breathing and the sheen on his muscles, it seemed he had indeed been training.

But…

“Aren’t you being too rude to a lady?”

Why are you the one getting angry…?

The Crown Prince stood there, exuding a cold aura, his lips curled into a sharp smirk.

Standing between them, I blinked in bewilderment.

‘Is this really something he should be saying?’

I thought about it, but since he was defending me, I decided to stay quiet.

The Crown Prince took a step forward, adjusting the spear on his shoulder.

“Duke, aren’t we indebted to the lady?”

“Whether we’re indebted or enemies remains to be seen.”

“You’re as stubborn as ever. No wonder you’re not popular.”

“I don’t need such things.”

“Ah, I see. As long as you have the attention of one woman, that’s enough for you?”

At that moment, Jaeger’s gaze turned as sharp as a needle.

“Don’t mention her in your jokes.”

His voice was laced with a cold sarcasm, as if the word “dare” was implied but left unspoken.

The tension between the two men was palpable.

I stood there awkwardly, then slowly lifted the jerky in my hand.

“Does anyone want jerky?”

Both men gave me a look of disbelief.

“No takers? Fine, more for me.”

I chewed on the jerky nonchalantly.

It wasn’t that I didn’t notice the tension.

I just didn’t want to be caught between two men ready to draw blood over a woman, so I pretended to be oblivious. There’s nothing better for breaking the ice.

“Put your shirt back on.”

As expected, Jaeger clicked his tongue in annoyance.

The Crown Prince looked down at himself, raised an eyebrow, then set the spear aside and put on the white shirt that had been draped over his shoulder.

As he did, Jaeger, who had been watching, brushed past us and walked into the forest.

“I’ll sleep separately.”

Oh, that won’t do. I called after Jaeger’s retreating figure.

“Your Grace, tomorrow we’re heading to the northern shelter to look for additional survivors! Until then, don’t act on your own…!”

Jaeger barely acknowledged my words as he disappeared into the dark forest.

I let out a deep sigh as I watched him vanish.

‘Both of these guys are just so headstrong.’

Still, I had successfully persuaded Jaeger, so if I could get through the remaining two hurdles, I’d be on the path to survival.

Just as I was inwardly smirking at the thought, the Crown Prince, who had buttoned his shirt just enough to reveal a hint of his chest, approached.

But… he seemed displeased.

“Lady, the way you treat the Duke and the way you treat me as the Crown Prince are different.”

What kind of nonsense is this?

“I treat you both the same.”

The Crown Prince furrowed his brow and gave me a sulky look at my curt response.

“See, even your tone is colder with me.”

Me? Even if that were true…

“…Don’t you think it’s because you’ve done something to annoy me?”

“……”

My subtle jab made the Crown Prince fall silent, perhaps because he had a conscience after all.

Ever since he met Jaeger, he’d been showing signs of displeasure.

Who could understand what’s going on in that crazy mind of his?

I eyed the Crown Prince up and down, then casually threw out a question.

“Are you… jealous? Because I’ve only been looking after the Duke?”

“…Jealous?”

The Crown Prince’s expression twisted slightly, as if he had never heard such a word before.

Before he could scoff twice as he usually did, I ignored him and headed towards the place where our belongings were.

“Well then, I’m going to get some sleep, so rest as you see fit.”

The Crown Prince, with a look of disbelief still on his face, ruffled the back of his hair, then grabbed his jacket that was caught on a branch and followed behind me.

* * *

Lihad, leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, slowly lifted his eyelids as if sensing something.

Someone emerged, brushing aside the leaves.

Lihad smirked as he gazed at the lake.

“Planning to attack while I’m asleep, Duke?”

Jaeger, who had approached and now stood beside him, also looked out at the lake.

The soft, pale blue water shimmered under the gentle moonlight.

“Is there anyone in the palace you suspect?”

“Suspect? What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb. Even a newborn would know this isn’t just a natural disaster.”

“You’re implying that this was orchestrated from within the palace?”

“This area is a sacred zone managed by the temple.”

“Ah. So, they’d be the prime suspects, which means they couldn’t possibly be the culprits? But, Duke, couldn’t that be exactly what someone might exploit?”

“The fact that the temple would be the first to be suspected could have been used by someone in the palace. Don’t you agree?”

Lihad, who was about to refute, fell silent as he recalled the ministers who often sought to appease the royal family by finding faults in the temple, and his own brother who had clashed with the temple.