Part 2 Chapter 60
* * *
June had already passed its first week.
I wore a simple shirt, with a holster strapped to my belt. Inside, the gun Rivan had insisted I carry for “safety.”
The great warrior (that’s me!) was fully armed and ready for battle!
“…You’re not going to fight. Don’t get excited.”
Nike cut right through my mood.
“Haha, no, it’s not that! Don’t you know how important this place is for us?”
“Of course.”
Nike smirked.
The cursed land of the western continent—Glatt.
And the battlefield where, in my past life, I met Nike for the very first time… the fateful summer of my sixteenth year.
So why am I going there again now?
Well, things got complicated.
Originally, I was supposed to travel with Nike to visit the royal ancestral shrines. It was part of the imperial marriage customs—to bow before the ancestors.
Nike’s monster hunt happened to be on the same route, so we decided to go together.
I’d finish the shrine visits and head back, while he continued on to the battlefield.
But then… the imperial medical office stepped in.
***
As Nike helped me into the carriage, he asked carefully:
“You’ll be alright?”
What he meant was—can you travel while on your period?
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
“…Haah.”
Right. The whole reason I had stayed in the palace so long was to confirm whether I was pregnant or not.
But leaving now meant I wouldn’t be there for the medical checkup.
When she found out, the crown princess nearly fainted.
“W-what?! We agreed already! Why must the shrine visit now of all times?! Delay it!”
It wasn’t just her worry, though. The palace was drowning in gossip.
Rumors spread that our marriage had been rushed because I was pregnant.
The only way to squash them was a definite check from the medical office.
But the crown prince—Nike’s brother—refused to budge.
“This ritual is a royal duty. It should have been done long before the wedding. Even the council is complaining!”
To make matters worse, Nike had to leave for a northern campaign in July.
If we postponed it now, the visit might be delayed indefinitely.
So, Nike proposed a solution:
I would simply go with him. Shrine visit and monster hunt—both together.
“Happy now that the rumors are cleared up?” I teased.
“Mm.”
As always, my cycle came right on time. Once the check confirmed I wasn’t pregnant, Nike and I departed.
Because we’d been delayed to wait for it, the monster hunt was pushed back too—meaning shrine visits and hunting got tangled together.
“Hehe, I can’t wait. Can I help fight monsters too?”
“Are you crazy? No.”
“Fine! Then I’ll just wait at the first shrine. Pick me up after you’re done hunting.”
“Are you crazy? No.”
…Was he a parrot?! Whatever I said, he shut it down instantly.
“It’s safest if you stay with me.”
Ever since he’d been hit by his father’s Nullification, Nike had been extra sensitive. He refused to let me out of his sight.
“Even in a cursed land full of monsters?”
“Yeah. They’re not scary. They just stand there until you slice their necks.”
As he spoke, he fussed over me—hot water bottle, blanket, snacks… piling me up until I looked like a stuffed dumpling.
“Nullification could happen again, and these shrines are new territory. I can’t trust escorts. Only if you’re with me can I protect you.”
Pleased with himself, Nike nodded at his handiwork.
“Besides, thanks to Ratan, the hunting grounds are safer than anywhere else.”
Soon, the Belzer army was marching toward the battlefield.
Inside a massive cage pulled by horses was none other than Ratan.
Ahead of the army rode a golden-haired man.
Ryan Belzer.
Ratan’s so-called “master.”
No—don’t think that! He’s nothing but the brother of that arrogant pink-haired girl!
Today would be Ryan’s death day.
And Ratan’s freedom.
He thought back to half a year ago, when he had planted the seed of his great plan.
***
Back then, hunts were boring as always.
When the earth’s aura weakened, the mindless beasts crawled out. Ratan roared, they froze, and the soldiers lazily cut them down.
Ratan killed too—crushing, stomping, ripping apart.
But then… he saw it.
A tiny beast, trembling on the ground.
‘W-what the—?!’
Ratan could tell instantly.
A sentient beast!
Unbelievable. In all his centuries on the surface, he had never seen one.
An idea sparked.
He quickly checked whether Marchen’s mind—inside his body—was awake.
—“Ahem. Can you hear me? If so, move your arm.”
No reaction. Good.
Swallowing hard, Ratan pretended to crush the beast, but whispered through mental speech:
[Hey. You can think, can’t you? Can you hear me?]
—“Y-yes…”
[Excellent! Listen. You’re too weak to send messages back, so just answer quietly.]
—“O-okay.”
[I’m not really on the humans’ side. I kill only because I must. I’m planning to escape.]
—“R-really?”
[Yes. Help me, or die here. Which will it be?]
—“I’ll help! Of course I’ll help!”
[Good. Take this.]
Ratan snapped off a claw and handed it over.
[Keep it safe. When the time comes, you’ll know.]
And so, he returned—secretly preparing for this very day.
The plan was simple.
The beasts would appear earlier, and in greater numbers.
Humans, overconfident from easy hunts, would panic.
And when the beasts suddenly ignored Ratan’s roar and went wild…
The soldiers would be slaughtered.
Chaos. Blood. Escape.
Perfect.
And if the beasts lost, Ratan had arranged it so he could step aside, claiming innocence.
A flawless scheme.
Yet strangely… his heart felt empty.
Because if it worked, he would never see his “master” again.
‘N-no! That’s not it!!’
…Was he brainwashed?
Why did he suddenly want her to be here, when he should’ve been glad she wasn’t?
‘She won’t come anyway. She never does.’
So this was goodbye.
The thought left him oddly… sad.
‘No! Stop it!!’
Ratan tore at his head, roaring inwardly.
Ryan nearly jumped out of his skin.
Because who popped out of the camp tent?
Not a beast—Bania.
“…Long time no see, brother. You really made it all the way here.”
Was it a mirage? Ryan rubbed his eyes.
“But this is where it ends. Because now… you face me, Bania the Demon Queen.”
She smirked, pulled Rivan’s gun from her holster, twirled it, and leveled it at his forehead.
Ryan’s heart dropped.
Impossible. She couldn’t be here.
Why was she aiming at him—?!
“Don’t mess around.”
Nike appeared, smacked her on the head, and jerked his chin at Ryan.
“You actually scared him.”
“Ahaha!”
Bania holstered the gun, grinned, and hugged Ryan.
“Missed you!”
“Y-you little—! You wanna die?!”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be such a baby.”
“…Your Highness! Why is she here?!” Ryan barked at Nike.
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later. First, let’s unpack—”
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Heavy footsteps.
Ratan emerged from his cage, taking his place in the front lines.
But then he froze.
He saw her.
Bania—snuggled in Ryan’s arms.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, silence.
And then—
Ratan’s roar exploded across the battlefield:
“W-WHY?! WHY ARE YOU HEREEEE?!!!”
