Chapter 73…………
“Then I’ll go look for it, so while I’m gone, absolutely do not leave the barracks.”
“Alright.”
I absolutely did not want the Emperor to find out that I had lost the artifact, so I successfully persuaded Cecil not to make a report.
Instead, I asked her to pretend she was going out for reconnaissance and to secretly find the item for me.
Only after firmly saying that Illia and Mullin would guard me did Cecil reluctantly take her heavy steps away.
The two people who approached me gently patted my shoulder and smiled warmly.
“Don’t worry, the Knight will be back soon with it!”
“So don’t fret and take a short rest, Your Highness. The hunting tournament kept you busy today.”
They had only vaguely picked up on the situation, so they didn’t know exactly what item I had lost.
Pretending to be reluctantly led, I let Illia and Mullin guide me to the sofa arranged in the tent and lay down.
The sun had set, and the darkness sank even deeper.
I wonder if the Knight will be alright… I should’ve sent her when it was light out… But if animals carried the artifact away in that time, it would be impossible to find…
The more my anxiety grew, the less I could think straight.
Mullin and Illia looked at me worriedly.
“She looks uneasy…”
“It’s been a while since she’s been this flustered… How can we calm Her Highness down…?”
They put their heads together and let out thoughtful groans.
They were quietly discussing how to make me relax enough to wait for Cecil with peace of mind.
After a while, both suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!” and looked at each other.
“Genius! That’s a great idea.”
“If we do that, Her Highness will be distracted and won’t have time for stray thoughts. Illia, you bring it. I’ll prepare some refreshments.”
“Alright. But… is it okay to leave Her Highness alone?”
Illia glanced at me — still muttering to myself in deep thought — with concern.
Mullin replied,
“It’s fine. We’ll be right back. What could happen in that short time? Besides, the Imperial Guard is outside.”
In other words, if anything happened, the guards would notice immediately. Illia felt a bit reassured at that.
Mullin stood up briskly.
“Let’s hurry before Her Highness crawls any further into her thoughts.”
“Got it.”
Illia nodded and rose slowly. Before leaving the tent, they said to me,
“We’ll be right back, Your Highness!”
“Don’t you dare go outside without us!”
— Or so they thought.
But Mullin and Illia didn’t know.
When I started focusing on something, I tended not to hear anything around me. Unconsciously, I answered, “Mm…” and they, reassured by that, went outside.
And then, the incident happened.
When Illia returned with Emin and Mullin came back with refreshments, I was nowhere to be found.
…
“Illia…? Mullin…?”
Where did they go?
When I came to my senses, I was alone in the tent.
I looked around inside to find them, but no matter how much I called their names, there was no reply.
“When on earth did they leave…?”
I must’ve been so lost in thought that I didn’t even hear them say they were going.
Sighing, I lay back down on the sofa.
I was idly tapping a cushion when—
“First Princess, are you inside?”
A flat voice came from outside the tent. I flinched and looked up.
“This is Ash Gline of the 1st Division of the Imperial Guard. Lord Blonmind ordered me to bring you.”
Cecil!
She must’ve found the item!
I hastily stood up. I shouldn’t have, but my body moved on its own to open the tent flap.
A man with an eyepatch over his right eye spotted me and gave me a friendly smile.
“The Knight calls for you. Will you come with me?”
“Yes, where is she?”
“Please follow me. She’s waiting at the forest entrance.”
I silently followed the man.
At the time, I had no hesitation — I just wanted to get the artifact back quickly.
The prolonged anxiety had clouded my judgment as well.
But the further I walked, the more I realized something was off and stopped.
Wait… why would Sir Cecil send for me instead of coming herself?
She could have just come to the tent. And it was too soon for her to return.
I’d spent at least two hours combing the 3rd Sector with Dina, but Cecil had only been gone for about 30 minutes.
And why is it so quiet…?
The hunting ground at night was eerily silent. The tent and the forest entrance were in completely opposite directions, which made it stranger.
I stopped walking.
“I’ll just go back. Tell Sir Cecil to come to me herself.”
I turned to run—
“Kyah!”
The knight suddenly lunged, grabbing the back of my neck.
Before I could scream, he clamped his palm over my mouth.
“Mm…!”
“Quiet. Unless you want to die for nothing.”
The “knight” — or rather, the assailant — coldly muttered as he scooped me up in his arms, squeezing my abdomen so hard I could barely breathe.
I struggled, but how could a ten-year-old girl overpower a grown man?
With little effort, he subdued me completely.
A chill of helplessness ran down my spine.
He ran toward Zone 1, where wild beasts roamed freely, and where I could easily be killed.
Where is he taking me…?!
Wearing a knight’s uniform yet brazenly kidnapping me meant he wasn’t actually with the Imperial Guard.
So he was hired by someone…!
And who else but the Empress would have reason to move against me?
I thought of her smirking at me earlier that morning and clenched my teeth.
When we reached the middle of the forest, he started moving along tree branches to avoid leaving tracks.
Any further from the Imperial camp, and my life would truly be in danger.
Looking down at the sheer drop below, I tried to think of a way to escape.
Then, he stopped briefly and jumped back to the ground, starting to make multiple sets of footprints.
He’s trying to throw off trackers…!
I took the chance, swung my leg with all my might, and kicked his thigh.
“Argh…!”
He loosened his grip from the pain, and I bit his palm hard.
Startled, he let go completely.
I rolled to the ground and bolted before I even felt the pain.
“You wretched brat…!”
His voice echoed through the forest. To get back to the tent, I’d have to pass him, so I had no choice but to run deeper instead.
The darkness helped me hide — but wild animals were a real threat.
I can’t win a chase, so I’ll hide…!
I spotted a bush big enough to conceal me and ducked inside.
The wind and his injured leg slowed him down, giving me a brief advantage.
Through the leaves, I watched him scan the area.
Just leave. Trip over a rock and break a bone while you’re at it.
If I made it back safely, I’d go straight to His Majesty and demand this man’s head on a pike.
Finally, he moved off, and I breathed a sigh of relief—
—only for pain to shoot through me.
“Ugh…”
My body ached all over from being slammed to the ground earlier.
I need to get treated.
But I had no idea where I was, thanks to all his evasive maneuvers.
Which way…?
I scanned my surroundings while running — and tripped over a tree root.
I crashed hard, tearing my clothes and losing a hair ornament.
“Found you, you damn brat.”
The pursuer had caught up. His face twisted into a nasty grin as he rushed toward me.
Panicked, I scrambled to my feet.
The chase resumed — until we reached a dead end.
A cliff.
He grinned wickedly.
“Well, well! You went and ran yourself into a cliff!”
He was right — there was nowhere to go.
With him behind me and my sprained ankle, I couldn’t flee.
If he caught me, I’d either be killed quietly or dragged before the Empress.
I bit my lip and turned my back to the cliff.
He slowly approached.
“You should’ve just behaved. Why’d you have to kick me?”
“….”
“And bite me, of all things. How will you take responsibility for that?”
“Why should I? You wouldn’t be in this mess if you hadn’t kidnapped me.”
“You shouldn’t have followed me so easily, then. I thought you were smart, but you’re just a shiny dud.”
If I hadn’t lost the artifact and gotten so anxious, my thinking wouldn’t have been clouded.
I should’ve been more suspicious…!
I had let my guard down because we were so close to the Emperor and the nobles’ tents.
Turning back, I looked down the cliff — a dizzying drop into a raging waterfall.
Survival chances? Close to zero.
I looked back at him. Our eyes met.
And then I ran forward.
“What the—?!”
His shock was understandable.
I had thrown myself off the cliff.
Without hesitation.
The ground vanished from beneath my feet.
I whispered,
“I’d rather die by my own choice than at your hands.”
Just like before.
Even if I hated her, I wouldn’t let someone I once trusted — like my younger sister back then — take my life again.
I closed my eyes.
Splash—!
Pain tore through my body.
…
“You don’t know where she went? What kind of nonsense is that?!”
Emin’s furious roar rang through Lilien’s tent.
Mullin and Illia trembled, pale as ghosts.
Nobles began gathering, drawn by the commotion.
Even the Emperor and Empress arrived.
When the Emperor entered, Emin explained the situation in brief, his face hardening.
“What do you mean by that?”
His voice was flat, but the murderous aura in it was so intense that Illia and Mullin collapsed to the ground.
The Empress entered behind him, narrowing her eyes.
Looks like it worked.
But she couldn’t be certain until the assassin brought back Lilien’s corpse.
Putting on a mask of concern, she asked,
“What’s going on, Your Majesty? And what is the 3rd Prince doing here?”
“….”
Emin didn’t answer, biting his lip until blood dripped from it.
The Emperor brushed past the Empress.
“Summon the knights and form a search party. The First Princess is missing.”
The knights outside bowed and hurried to organize the search.
The nobles buzzed with concern.
Cecil, who had just found the lost artifact, frowned at the noisy hunting grounds and rushed over.
“What in the—!”
But before she could finish, the Emperor stepped in front of her, his gaze icy.
“I heard from the princess’s maids that you went into the forest to retrieve a lost item?”
“Yes, Your Majesty ordered me to… But what has happened…?”
He sneered.
“That’s not why I placed you at her side.”
“…!”
Cold sweat broke out on Cecil’s skin. She clenched her fist so tightly around the artifact that it cracked audibly.
The Emperor clicked his tongue and brushed past her.
“You’ve never once protected the princess properly. I’ll decide your punishment after she’s found. For now, you’re suspended from all duties. Go write a report.”
