Chapter 49
Flinch—my shoulders trembled.
When I reflexively turned around…
“You scared me.”
“Aren’t you too timid?”
Fortunately, the owner of that presence was Sion.
A faint light flickered in the direction he had walked from, as if he had used teleportation magic.
Soon, he pushed through the bushes, checked Carlos’s condition, and let out a sigh.
“You overdid it.”
“Was there another way? I thought you left the escape to me.”
“I didn’t expect you to come this far.”
Had we really come that far?
Now that I looked around, there wasn’t even a forest path in sight—let alone the village.
We were clearly deep inside the forest.
Sion easily summoned the carriage we had left behind and walked toward Carlos.
“You’re more reckless than I thought.”
“I don’t want to hear useless talk.”
“So prickly…”
Sion muttered with drooping eyebrows.
“Anyway, since we came this far, they won’t chase us right away.
Though after provoking them like that, there will be consequences.”
“I don’t care.”
“Right… as long as we finish registering the guardianship first. That’s all that matters.”
Despite Carlos’s cold attitude, Sion simply smiled and flicked his finger.
A faint light wrapped around Carlos—stronger than the magic I had seen in the carriage.
It looked as if the light was sinking into his skin.
“This one will last longer.”
At the same time, Carlos’s breathing slowly became steadier.
“…Um, thank you.”
I had been quietly watching the two of them, but I finally spoke.
Everything had happened so quickly that I couldn’t understand it all, but it was certain they had protected me.
Their gazes turned toward me.
“I thought I should at least say thank you.”
At my hurried addition, Carlos turned his head without reacting, while Sion smiled softly at me.
“Yes, good girl.”
I was already getting used to his slightly off-beat answers.
A brief, strange silence passed.
“Well…”
“I need to leave here.”
I stopped the words I was about to say.
“Right now?”
Here? Like this?
I tried not to sound shaken, but my voice still trembled.
We had barely shaken off the Imperial army. Carlos wasn’t well, and we didn’t even know how far the temple was.
But Sion answered calmly.
“Yeah. If I stay longer, things will only get more complicated.”
He shrugged.
“They saw me.
If the Imperial army learns my identity too, it’ll be troublesome.
And if the Mage Tower gets involved, the problem will grow.”
“…I see.”
He was right.
If it became known that the Mage Tower Master was on the Archduke’s side, the Emperor would never stay quiet.
It would become politically complicated.
“We’re close to the temple now.
And more importantly, I promised Hella something.
If I don’t go back, she’ll nag me endlessly.”
Sion stretched as he spoke.
I couldn’t tell if he was trying to reassure me or simply being honest, but his face looked carefree.
“Nothing will happen.
The temple is very close.”
“…We’re really that close to the temple?”
“About halfway through the remaining distance.”
…Just how far had Carlos moved us?
Only then did I understand their earlier conversation.
He really pushed himself.
My gaze quietly reached Carlos.
“Useless thoughts.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“You looked like you were about to.”
He cut me off at the source.
I pulled my eyes away and spoke to Sion.
“…Then, please travel safely.”
“You too, Lorea.”
He lightly ruffled my hair, then suddenly let out a small sound.
His mysterious purple eyes looked straight at me.
“Oh, right. Lorea.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t die.”
…Don’t die?
Wasn’t that too sudden for a farewell?
As if unaware of my confusion, Sion added with a blank smile:
“It would be boring.
You’re the most interesting thing lately.”
“What?”
“I hope you don’t die.
And don’t get hurt.”
“…What does that—”
…Was this his way of worrying?
Who worries like that?
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t speak.
This time, Sion looked at Carlos.
“Archduke.
If she gets taken away, it’ll be boring.”
Carlos frowned.
“Nonsense.”
“Yeah. I hope it’s nonsense.”
Sion stepped back calmly.
“Then I’m leaving.
Call me if something interesting happens.”
That was the last thing he said.
Then Sion disappeared without a trace—like the wind.
Only Carlos and I remained.
The forest was quiet.
Only the sound of the wind… and distant birds.
Without Sion, the world suddenly felt silent.
“Let’s go.”
Carlos climbed into the carriage first.
I could see him trying not to stagger.
His breathing still hadn’t fully recovered, and his face was pale.
“Archduke, maybe you should rest—”
“There’s no time.”
He cut me off.
“The Imperial army will chase us soon.
Since they failed in the village, they may use force next time.”
He was right.
But… looking at your face doesn’t make me feel reassured at all.
I had many things I wanted to say, but nothing I could actually say.
“…Yes.”
In the end, after moving my lips for a long time, I swallowed everything and nodded.
He looked down at me as if asking why I wasn’t boarding yet.
Reluctantly, I climbed into the carriage.
Slowly, the horses began to move, and the unfamiliar, ominous scenery passed by the window.
* * *
After that, we traveled for two full days.
Fortunately, the Imperial army did not chase us.
Maybe the chaos in the village had worked… or maybe they were preparing something else.
Or perhaps they truly couldn’t catch up.
The real problem was Carlos.
The farther east we went, the thicker the demonic energy became.
It was hard even to breathe.
For me, it was only uncomfortable—but for Carlos, it was different.
Sweat formed on his forehead, and his breathing grew rough.
Still, the reason he hadn’t collapsed was thanks to Sion’s protective magic.
A faint glowing aura surrounded him.
I’m glad he’s holding on.
I thought that again and again.
Then, on the third day—
around noon, when the sun was high in the sky—
At last, the temple came into view.
A massive white building stood on a hill.
Its spire pierced the sky, and the symbol of the god was carved into the main gate.
It looked grand… and sacred.
…We finally made it here.
The tension inside me suddenly loosened.
Of course, there’s still much to do.
After staring at the pure white holy temple for a moment,
I clenched both fists tightly—
and stepped inside.
