Medea frowned at the sight of Cesare.
Medea thought that this was another chance encounter, not realizing that he had come all the way here to find her.
She was about to ask how he got here when the mercenary suddenly walked towards her with a distorted expression.
The relaxed lips that always boasted of being relaxed were twisted, and the sharp jaw was clenched as if the teeth were clenched.
The distance between the two became closer in an instant.
"Medea."
And a solid embrace filled her vision with darkness.
Medea was so surprised that she forgot that he had called her name without any manners.
In the moment of daze, the mercenary's clear anger poured down.
"Why are you so stupid? Why do you move by yourself? Don't you know that holding a tool and not using it is uncivilized?"
Medea couldn't understand why the mercenary was so angry at her. She looked up at him, puzzled.
"Acares, are you crazy?"
"There was no need to go this far. Why are you leaving behind your beautiful maids, your ministers, and your Queen Dowager, and doing it by yourself? Without having to sacrifice yourself every time!"
Cesare's reason told him to stop, but his instincts would not stop.
Goddammit, who do I see in this woman?
Do I want to help the Princess, or do I want to save myself, who was left alone as a child?
He wanted to make her understand that she was not alone.
He wanted to tell her that someone understood her, that she could take his outstretched hand.
At the same time, Cesare knew.
Just like him, the Princess would neither believe nor be convinced by those words.
"Why does it have to be like that?"
As he had expected, the Princess asked with clear eyes. Her calm expression was as calm as the surface of the water without any ripples.
"If you don't think of me as a woman, you'd better let go of this arm quickly. Otherwise, the poison you gave me might pierce your neck."
Only then did Cesare notice the small iron needle placed under his chin.
With a sly laugh, the arms that had been wrapping around Medea loosened.
"..."
A short breath. It was enough time for Cesare to come to his senses.
"... I made a disgrace."
"Okay, just know it."
"...Ha."
The straightforward answer, which did not even deny it, left a scar on his lofty pride.
Silence fell.
"What is the situation in the palace?"
Medea asked absentmindedly. Cesare responded as if he found it absurd.
"Princess, are you treating me like a messenger now?"
She glanced at Cesare without answering.
Moonlight shone into the cave, revealing Acares's figure clearly.
Sweaty hair, dust and leaves clinging to his arms and legs, a pale face.
Even the reddened hands under the sleeves.
Medea couldn't understand everything he was saying, but at least she knew that the mercenary had come to see her.
Even though he jumped off the cliff and searched for hidden traces to find her, ironically, she didn't feel any sense of caution.
Maybe it was because she read the worry directed at her that had passed through his clear, golden eyes.
Cesare seemed to come to his senses and withdrew from Medea a little too late.
"Sit down. I was just about to eat dinner."
Medea averted her eyes and gave him a seat.
"I will do it."
Cesare, who had been staring blankly at the small scratch on her beautiful white hand, took the dagger from her hand.
Medea watched him quietly as if observing his appearance. A hint of interest flashed across her green eyes.
Soon a delicious smell wafted into the cave.
"I thought you were only good at swordsmanship, but you're also quite good at cooking."
Medea praised him with an indifferent face.
Perhaps because he traveled to many places as a mercenary, he had a talent for making decent dishes with few ingredients.
"Just eat."
Contrary to his cold response, he broke off the end of the rabbit meat to avoid pricking his hand on the branch and handed it to Medea.
"..."
Cesare felt strangely angry when he saw the Princess's small face, which seemed to be enjoying the camping life away from the palace.
"It's always the dot that counts."
"You came very well prepared, yes."
Cesare said in despair as he watched Medea take out the salt and strike it.
"Should I give you some too?"
"It's okay."
The cold rejection came back.
Medea shrugged and took a bite of the meat.
It tasted not bad.
***
Valdina Palace.
"Have you heard the news? The Princess is at the hunting grounds-"
"Ha! Of course! The culprit knows. It was Little Duke Claudio who killed Her Highness!"
The unfortunate incident that occurred in the hunting grounds was soon reported to the royal palace.
"Bad guy! Save our Princess!"
"What have you done for our Valdina!”
The rumor spread like wildfire, and even the people on the streets learned of Medea's disappearance.
The fourth Princess clicked her nails.
Things got so big that she couldn't even handle them.
'What should I do? I didn't know the Queen Dowager would come to her senses so quickly.'
Even the Queen Dowager seemed to be suspicious of her as well. Her eyes were very sharp as she watched the Katzen delegation.
'If they find out that I was the one who released the wolf into the hunting grounds, I'm finished.'
A member of the delegation attempted to assassinate a direct member of the royal family of the country they were visiting? Valdina, no matter how small the country, would not remain silent.
'Samon, I shouldn't have trusted that idiot. He can't even handle something like this properly!'
The nerves of the 4th Princess, who was wandering somewhere between anger and worry, were fraying.
"The Emperor won't leave me alone. What if he finds out what I did? But there's no evidence. How would they know-"
"Your Highness the Princess."
At that moment, the 4th Princess was startled by the voice calling her. Kensington was staring at her.
"...You're not right, are you?"
"What, what is it?"
"This matter. It certainly has nothing to do with Your Highness."
"Wh, what! That's nonsense!"
The fourth Princess, who had been pricked by a needle, suddenly became angry.
"Count Kensington, don't kill a living person for no reason. What does the disappearance of the Princess have to do with me?"
She stormed out, grumbling.
"Chief, the 4th Princess's reaction is strange. I'll look into it."
"Yes. Just leave it."
At Umberto's words, Kensington sighed and waved his hand.
"Even if it was the 4th Princess's doing, what can I do? Even if I try to clean it up, in this situation, do I have no choice but to share the princess's guilt?"
He sighed.
"I've done my best so far when it comes to Katzen, putting everything aside. But that doesn't mean you can use me however you want."
The Fourth Princess, the Grand Duke, and even his lord the Emperor.
A deep look of skepticism appeared on his face.
"Short story...?"
"If you have the means, you should find out more about the Princess's situation."
Kensington stared down at the map of the forest where she had disappeared.
His gaze was fixed on the area densely painted in green for a long time.
"There's no way the Princess would be so easily defeated. She definitely has other plans this time."
"That means..."
"The problem is, I don't know who she's aiming at."
Regent Claudio? Fourth Princess? Grand Duke Castulo Or all three?
He just hoped that it wouldn't be the result of sweeping everyone away with one flap of the wings.
Kensington sighed as he looked out the window at the Princess's palace in the distance.
***
Deep at night, the temperature in the forest was cool.
Crackle crackle.
The warmth of the campfire warmed the air.
"When do you plan on going back?"
"Well."
A short answer. Cesare, who had been facing Medea, hesitated.
It was because he discovered the darkness that had settled on the green eyes that were blankly staring at the crimson flames of the firewood.
"So, what are your plans for the future?"
Medea stared at Cesare with an expression that said, "Why would I tell you that?"
"You know you can't stay here too long anyway, right?"
The mercenary was right.
As time passes, memories and emotions fade.
Medea's appearance should have been at a time when suspicions toward the regent were at their highest.
Cesare, reading her intentions, made a suggestion.
"Let's say I found you at the top of the tower. It'll make your return a little easier."
The Magic Tower was a very secretive group that did not even bother to come forward or participate in politics.
However, the prestige and influence it had on the continent was certain.
'It's been several days since I disappeared. I won't be able to avoid rumors when I return.'
Especially, Duke Claudio will try to belittle Medea by claiming that she hid herself to trap Samon so that she could survive.
'But if the magic tower gets in the way...'
There will be no room for the Regent to act rashly.
Medea nodded. She had been offered a better deal, so there was no reason to refuse.
But a question arose.
"Acares, why do you keep helping me?"
There is no such thing as a favor without a price. The mercenary in front of her did not seem so easygoing that she would abuse it.
Cesare, who had been staring at Medea's face with sunken eyes for a while, opened his mouth.
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