The chase team was completely far away, so I lit a bonfire with peace of mind.
While I was being chased, the sun was setting and the sky was dark.
My body, which had been frozen in the cold night air, melted little by little with the warmth of the campfire.
While we were basking in the fire, Rodrick said.
"Let's take off the ring for now. Magic doesn't last forever. As long as you wear the ring, the magic power inside will continue to be consumed, so it's best to take it off when you're not using it."
"I see. Then I should put it on and put it back on when I enter the village."
When the ring that had been on my finger was removed, we were soon back to our original shape.
Rodrick grinned as he saw me shrink again.
"After all, it's much better than it should be, isn't it? The changed appearance is too big and burdensome..."
"You look better now, too. At least you don't speak in a weird tone."
It still gave me goosebumps when I thought about how he had dropped the cute picture in front of Kishian, pretending to be my lover.
Of course, thanks to his acting skills, we were able to escape safely without arousing suspicion.
"Was it strange? I thought you looked cute."
"..."
"I've lived a rough life, so I'm good at shaking. This is also a kind of survival skill. Can I show you?"
"Nope."
Rodrick gave me a sullen look at my knife refusal.
It was a conversation that wasn't really nutritious, but it was also a way to relax.
I slumped my shoulders and spoke.
"I really don't know how to thank you."
"What is gratitude? It's a job I get paid to do."
"Still... It's different from a normal request."
It was a much more difficult quest than the usual quests that mercenaries receive.
If Kishian knew that Rodrick was helping me, he wouldn't stand still.
Not only would Rodrick's life be in danger, but his mercenary group would also be targeted.
Aren't they risking everything to help me?
No matter how much I was going to pay him, I couldn't help but feel indebted.
"Can I ask why? I know you didn't just move because of money. The remuneration I promised you is not worth the price of your life."
No matter how good the money is, it is useless if you lose your life.
But he said he didn't regret helping me.
I've always wondered why he's so dedicated.
I couldn't ask because I was busy running away, but I might be able to hear the reason now.
"I am..."
Rodrick had a hard time.
I waited patiently for a long time, but he asked me a question out of the blue.
"Do you remember the first day we met?"
"Are you referring to the day I commissioned you to protect the Kishian?"
"Yes, that day."
I remember it was a similar season to now.
The first spring day after the Kishian leaves for the subjugation site.
I had gone out of the palace for a while to meet up with a mercenary whose name had just begun to be known.
I rented an entire secluded shop on the outskirts of the islands and waited for mercenaries and Rodrick.
Rodrick walked into the store and looked a little younger than he is now.
"I remember. You came to the place where I was waiting. You looked young, but you had a lot of energy. You put on a dry face as if you didn't have any emotions..."
"It was a bit difficult at that time. I'm an illegitimate nobleman."
"Huh?"
I was surprised because I didn't know about it at all, but he continued the story in a casual tone.
"The family that abandoned me didn't like the existence of an illegitimate child. So I struggled a lot from the early days of the mercenary group. I thought that if my name was known, it would hurt my face, so the man named Father interfered with me."
"Oh..."
"It was very difficult. A powerful family interferes with the backyard, and all the guests are cut off... I was on the verge of starvation."
If that were true, I might not have hired Rodrick.
The wretched man would have disturbed him.
Fortunately, I did not call him to the imperial palace openly, but contacted him secretly, so I was able to entrust him with the commission without hindrance.
"You must have had a hard time."
"I felt like the whole world was my enemy. That's right. I feel sorry for being born out of wedlock, and every time I struggle to live, I try to crush him... I wondered why I was born and was being treated like this."
I felt a strong sympathy for him at that moment.
I wondered again and again why I was born and suffered like this, and why a useless imitation had to be born.
"If I didn't get any requests. I tried to beat them all up. Then I met you and was comforted, so I had the strength to live."
Did I comfort him?
It was so long ago that I couldn't remember much.
I only remembered that I felt a little sorry for the young-looking man who came in with a bamboo statue.
"What did I say?"
"You told me to eat candy and cheer up."
"..."
"That was the first time I had ever received candy from someone else."
Candy. I guess I saw Rodrick as a child.
"When I heard about the request from you, I got the advance payment, and then I forgot about the candy, and my tears just came out."
"Candy... Is that a reason to risk your life?"
"I know it's just a light act of compassion. Still, I was desperate enough to feel that even that slight sympathy was salvation."
He skewered the blazing campfire and hinted.
"Is salvation separation? That is salvation. I think you're more like a savior than any other Princess."
I had denied that I was a savior, but I didn't deny it at that moment.
Even if it was just a small help, it would be if he felt it was salvation.
I looked up at the stars in the sky and traced the memory of the first day I met Rodrick.
I suddenly remembered what the candy I had given him tasted like.
It tasted like grapes.
***
After a long journey the next day, we were able to rejoin Herta.
Fortunately, everyone was safe.
When I asked him how he got out of the first village, he said that he had received help from the merchants who happened to be staying there.
The merchants already had passes, so they were able to pretend to be their group and leave the village without difficulty.
I didn't think there was such an easy and convenient way...
Rodrick and I, who escaped after beating the soldiers, regretted not using that method, but we escaped safely.
We traveled all the way south until we arrived at the Black Panther Mercenary Headquarters.
As the headquarters of the largest mercenary group in the Empire, the building was quite grand.
It was as big as a mansion of most noble families, and many people came and went there.
Its main customers were merchants traveling abroad, who needed the protection of mercenaries when traveling between countries.
You must have been busy carrying out my quest at the subjugation site, but you have grown to this size.
I was so impressed by the huge building and the crowd of people when Rodrick asked.
"How do you feel?"
"You ask that question, too."
"Has anyone else asked this question?"
"Kishian asked exactly the same thing. When I first arrived at the Grand Duke's residence,"
When Kishian's name was mentioned, Rodrick's expression seemed to harden.
But for a moment, he smiled with his clear turquoise eyes twinkling.
"So, how do you feel?"
"I think it's a cool place."
As I replied roughly, the smile on his lips grew even stronger.
"Right? It's worth your hard work. Anyway, let's go in. There is also a separate accommodation inside."
I desperately needed a break.
I was afraid of being captured by the Kishian, so I rode my horse the whole time.
Afterwards, Rodrick personally led me to my accommodation.
The accommodation he gave me was on the third floor of the main building, which was much larger than I expected.
It was also a single room.
He gave up one of the lodgings used by the mercenary group cadres.
After entering the spacious and comfortable room, I washed myself with hot water.
I washed off the dirt on the way back and lay down on the bed, and finally felt real.
I finally escaped from the Grand Palace.
"I finally got freedom."
In the Imperial Palace and in the Grand Duke's residence, I was an imitation of Letie.
It was true that I felt happy with Kishian, but there was always a sense of insecurity lurking in the back of my mind.
It was the happiness I got from living under the name of Letie and pretending to be that child.
I didn't know when it would slip out of my grasp.
But there was no need for that here.
Here in the South, where no one knew me, I didn't have to imitate others.
I was able to live as myself.
"..."
It went well. Now that I can enjoy the complete freedom I had hoped for.
I closed my eyes, repeating that.
The accumulated fatigue turned into a subsidiary energy that consumed me.
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