Karina was confused as she faced Jeremiah's gaunt face and his sorrowful gaze at her.
'Could it be... that he was worried about me?'
A question like that arose in her mind. But...
'That can't be. Jeremiah doesn't care about me.'
Karina shook her head to deny it, trying not to fall into the illusion. When she cleared her mind and looked up, Jeremiah and David were facing each other as if they were confronting each other. Jeremiah gave David a dry look and said to him, who was blocking her way.
".... Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am glad to see you are well. I am sure the Royal Search Party and Lord Levy will be pleased."
The expression on his face as he looked at David was not pleasant. It was difficult to see it as the attitude of someone happy to have found the Crown Prince, even if it was just empty words.
"I can't tell you how thankful I am that the Grand Duke of Colesburg has come. I was in a difficult situation. when the monsters showed up in droves."
David continued talking, not caring about his attitude.
"The situation is more urgent now, dealing with the demons. How about resolving the issue later?"
"I can deal with those kinds of monsters at any time."
Jeremiah said that monsters were no problem at all.
"Oh, right."
David looked like he knew.
"It would be natural for the Grand Duke of Colesburg to place greater importance on the safety of me and the Grand Duchess. Even if all the monsters are dealt with, if the target of our rescue is not safe, there would be no point in coming all the way
here."
"..."
Jeremiah's brow furrowed as if in disbelief.
"But it's not safe yet, so I think it would be better to check after dealing with the monsters."
As David said, they were still surrounded by monsters. The monsters that had been hesitating began to growl again, looking for an opportunity to attack. However, they could not rush in because of the aura of strength that they could clearly sense from Jeremiah. At that time.
"Destroy the monsters!"
The Northern Knights arrived, cutting through the forest.
"Protect the Grand Duchess!"
"You can't miss a single one!"
With a loud shout, the Northern Knights began to attack the monsters. Ron, who arrived with the Northern Knights, ran to where Karina was.
"Your Highness! You are safe. That is such a relief."
His expression brightened when he saw Karina looking fine.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
And then, Levy came running out of breath and burst into tears of joy when he saw David.
"I'm glad you are safe!"
"I'm okay, calm down."
Rather, it seemed like David was appeasing Levy.
"But why just you? Where is the Imperial Search Party?"
Levy stuttered in response to David's question.
"Ah... It looks like the Imperial Search Party will be a little late as they have to deal with the monsters they encountered along the way."
Yes. The Imperial Search Party and the Northern Knights were both attacked by new monsters, but the circumstances of the two knights were completely different. The Imperial Search Party was unable to properly respond to the sudden monster attack. All they could do was block the monsters' attacks and threaten them.
However, the new monster attack did not deal much damage to the Northern knights. It was certain that they had been frequently subduing monsters in the North, so their skills in dealing with and dealing with monsters were top-notch. The Northern knights quickly dealt with the monsters that rushed at them and followed right behind Jeremiah as usual.
And now, here too. As soon as the Northern Knights appeared, all those monsters were being cleared out in an instant.
"How can we deal with so many monsters so quickly... Do people who go on expeditions to the North commonly experience situations like this?"
David muttered, seeming inwardly shocked.
"The number of monsters is certainly greater than when we went to the North to subdue them, but we, the Northern Knights, can handle this much more easily."
Ron said with pride in his voice.
"I brought only the most skilled ones from the Northern Knights. Now you don't have to worry about monsters."
Jeremiah reassured Karina by saying so. If he said that, then it was a situation where she could really feel at ease. Karina, who decided that she could trust the Knights, quickly took care of Selena and Hasten.
"Are you both okay?"
"I'm fine. But Hasten lost too much blood..."
Selena couldn't finish her words. Hasten was in bad shape, injured here and there while fighting the monster. He was drenched in blood and was sitting on the ground, breathing heavily. Ron, who had confirmed their identities, took medicine out of his bag and handed it to them.
"It's a hemostatic. If you use this, the bleeding will stop a little."
"Thank you, Sir."
Selena took the medicine without a single rejection and applied a styptic to Hasten's wound. It wasn't a perfect cure, but it was fortunate that they were able to receive the medicine and treatment at the right time.
Karina and Selena took a deep breath. In the meantime, the Northern Knights, who had dealt with all the monsters, prepared for battle. The bodies of dead monsters were strewn everywhere. The imperial search party, which had just arrived, also joined in late. They reacted bewildered when they saw that everything had already been cleared up.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
Nick and the search party found David and immediately gathered around him.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince! Are you hurt anywhere?"
Because their top priority was to find and protect their lord David.
"Quick, look at His Highness!"
"Now that we are here, you can rest assured, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
They were busy ensuring David's safety and protecting him. David, who was between Karina and Jeremiah, was surrounded by them and moved away.
'It makes sense since we found the Crown Prince.'
She's thinking about that.
"Ah...!"
Karina stumbled as her legs gave out. Jeremiah quickly pulled her into his arms and she almost fell over. Karina, who was suddenly held in Jeremiah's arms, was flustered.
"What...!"
Her words, which were about to ask what he was doing now, were not completed.
"It looks like it's hard."
As Jeremiah said that, he quickly hugged Karina.
"Ouch! My... put me down!"
Karina struggled and tried to escape from his arms.
"Even if it's uncomfortable, just bear with it for a little longer."
"I can walk by myself!"
"You are a patient. We cannot leave you here any longer."
Jeremiah seemed to be thinking of leaving the Cursed Forest in this state.
'What if someone sees this!'
Everyone, including the Northern Knights and the Imperial Search Party that had come to find David, had already seen this, but Karina, who was hidden by Jeremiah's body, did not notice it. She pushed Jeremiah away as if rejecting him and said,
"You go and examine His Highness the Crown Prince."
"What?"
"The reason you came all the way to the Cursed Forest was to rescue His Highness the Crown Prince."
"..."
Karina said that as if it was a given.
Jeremiah must have received orders to rescue those captured by the monsters, so it's only natural that he ensure the safety of those his rescue.
Even if the person he had come to rescue was the Crown Prince, he couldn't have completely ignored her safety. In addition, since they hadn't divorced yet, Karina was the Grand Duchess and Jeremiah's wife. He couldn't have heard that he had left his wife, who was in danger, to die without knowing it.
'I almost made a mistake.'
Karina tried to calm herself down. Jeremiah stared at Karina with his mouth tightly shut. Karina noticed his gaze and couldn't hold it in any longer, so she asked.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Jeremiah asked back to Karina, who asked with an expression that said she didn't understand English.
"...Why do you think so?"
"Yes?"
"Why, you ask, don't you think I came to save you?"
"Of course..."
Because I am nothing to you. In the past and in the present. I was someone who didn't deserve even a shred of interest from him. Is that all?
'Rather, you'll start to hate me more and more.'
As it has been in the past. Of course, it may not be to that extent now, but it will be soon.
'Why are you asking me such a question?'
Karina, who was upset, didn't give any answer.
"Ahem... ahem."
Knight Commander Ron, who had been observing them, coughed slightly and caught their attention.
"Your Highness, I think you are misunderstanding, so let me tell you something. There was no order from above."
Karina turned her head to look at Ron while still being held by Jeremiah.
"As soon as His Highness the Grand Duke heard the report that the Grand Duchess had been captured by a monster and taken to the western Cursed Forest, he personally organized a search party and entered the Cursed Forest."
"..."
"His Highness the Grand Duke searched for the Grand Duchess day and night. He was the first to arrive, and he left us behind and went ahead like a madman..."
Ron sighed when he said this part.
"He went alone in this place teeming with demons... I was a little nervous back then, too."
There was no sign of a lie in Ron as he spoke.
"Then..."
Karina's eyes widened. Jeremiah really came to save her?
The image of him suddenly appearing when she was in danger of death from a new monster, and boldly jumping in despite the danger came to mind again.
'Really...?'
Suddenly, the image of Jeremiah that she had seen in her dream overlapped with his current appearance. The eyes that were looking at her were just like back then...
'What the heck...! Why do you keep confusing people...'
Karina didn't know why she had that dream.
'I don't want to make the same mistake again as I did in the past..."
Suddenly, Karina realized that this was the first time she had seen Jeremiah since their union. Then, naturally, she remembered the last night she had been with him.
'Ah... crazy...!'
Karina covered her mouth. She remembered the incident vividly. She had been sobbing and getting angry in front of Jeremiah, and he had been drunk and spewing out words that he couldn't understand. And then, in his chest...
Karina barely managed to suppress the groan of embarrassment and shame that was about to burst out.
'Let's not think about it. Let's forget it. I... I don't remember. I was drunk that day, so I just... I don't remember anything...!'
Karina, who had made a decision, kept her mouth shut. But her face and the tips of her ears were already turning bright red.
"Karina. Your face is red. Is it hurting somewhere?"
"...!"
Jeremiah looked more closely at Karina's face, not knowing her speed.
"Don't hold back and speak up."
"..."
Under his gaze, which was looking at her with a very serious expression, her face turned redder than it could have been. Karina's pupils trembled as if there had been an earthquake. She could not look Jeremiah in the face because of the shame that was surging in her. She felt like she wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
"I'm okay! I'm fine!"
Karina covered her face with both hands. Jeremiah didn't seem to have any intention of putting her down. Karina eventually buried her face deep in his arms. She thought it would be better to avoid his gaze like this.
"Go quickly! As fast as you can!"
'Please!!!'
She'd rather get out of the Cursed Forest and let this situation end quickly. While Karina struggles with the shame that is welling up inside her.
"...Yes."
A satisfied smile appeared on Jeremiah's lips as he watched Karina digging into his chest.
"Do whatever you want."
He held Karina tightly in his arms. In this way, Karina and her party were able to safely escape the Cursed Forest by joining up with Jeremiah, who was accompanied by the Northern Knights.
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