T/N: Bria’s epithet has been changed from Poisonous Spider -> Venomous Spider.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The cave began to collapse.

The cave-in began at the center of the tunnel, cutting Seol and the others off from the pursuers. It expanded outward, forcing the two groups to run toward different exits.

“Get out of the waaaaaay!”

“R-Ruuuun!”

Rumble rumble rumble!

Seol shot Devrick a glare after seeing how large the explosion actually was.

“Woah, woah,” said Devrick. “Don’t worry. It’ll end soon.”

Rumble rumble rumble…

The spine-chilling screams were drowned out by the sound of the collapsing tunnel. Gradually, as the tunnel continued to cave in, the screams grew fainter and fainter until they disappeared altogether.

“See?”

Seol wasn't entirely certain about the safety of the transferees on the other side, but the rumblings dying down suggested that there likely weren't too many injuries.

“Bwahahahaha! Bye, you stupid transferees! If I knew things were going to end up like this, I would have set more explosives!”

“Kuahahahaha!”

“Did you see how they froze in place? They were fucking terrified, haha!”

"Of course, I saw it! It's obvious how weak those dogs are when they come running to pick up scraps!"

The smugglers continued to mock the transferees, who had clearly been lured by Hain IV’s promised rewards.

‘The broker must have leaked it.’

Did he recognize Princess Riona?

Seol initially thought that it was fine, as it seemed like the broker didn’t recognize her at all, but the situation was definitely turning for the worse.

‘We can catch our breath for now, but… they will definitely know where we’re headed.’

All of Nevenia’s transferees were blocked off by the collapse of the tunnel.

Not only that, but it would take too long for them to wrap around the border to meet them at the exit. By the time Nevenia’s transferees made it to the opposite end of the route, Seol and the others would have already made it halfway through Adeline.

Rumble rumble rumble…

“Hey, you,” said Devrick, calling Seol who was lost in thought. “I know that I’m caught up in this because of you, but… that was pretty good.”

“It was your plan that was good.”

“Hah! So you have eyes on you as well!”

- Rubs his nose proudly.

- Y-You’re more amazing!

- That wasn’t bad… partner.

Rumble rumble…

The group emerged safely through the exit.

“Hey!” shouted Devrick. “Where are you guys headed?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“I just didn’t want to head in the same direction, hmph. Regardless, I’m going to pay you back for this, alright?”

“Do whatever you want. I’ll show you how thankful I am later too.”

Devrick scoffed after hearing Seol’s answer.

“If you can’t tell me… Let’s go, boys!”

“Where are we going?”

“Anywhere else. It’s over for us in Nevenia. Let’s go somewhere else before we get caught for helping the traitors.”

Clip clop…

Devrick and his men turned their horses, preparing to head off.

However, before he did, Devrick turned back around one last time as if he had something to say.

“Princess Riona, right?”

“......”

"It won't be easy, so let's see how long you'll last. Haha... Seems completely impossible to me, though."

Before Brispin and Chadorf could respond, Devrick had already left with his men, laughing the entire way.

“Don’t mind him, Your Highness. They’re just words from low-class individuals.”

Riona tried to laugh after hearing those words of comfort.

“I’m fine,” sighed Riona. “And… it’s the truth.”

“Your Highness…”

“Crow,” said Riona, turning to Seol. “Where do we go now?”

Seol gestured toward the mountains ahead of them.

“We’re going to cross those mountains.”

“Nogurs is known for its rough terrain, can we really go there on horseback?”

“We can if we stick to the roads. We look like ordinary travelers, and the terrain isn’t so rough that horses can’t manage it.”

“Ah! That’s a relief.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Haha… okay.”

As Princess Riona did her best to cheer herself up, Chadorf made efforts to assist her.

“Are you alright, Rine?”

“Yeah, I’m fine! I’m completely fine.”

“Please let me know if it’s too hard for you!” shouted Chadorf. “I can try to slow down our schedule.”

“Your words are more than enough. Thank you.”

“I’m sure you know by now that I’m more than just words,” Chadorf laughed.

“Hehe…”

“Your Highness…”

However, Seol was only half right.

While horses could definitely cross the Nogurs Mountains, there were sections where riders had to dismount. Some parts of the path were nearly vertical, while others were so narrow that one could easily fall off the side of the mountain.

“Haah… Haah…”

“Haah… Haah…”

Everyone other than Seol was exhausted.

Brispin was weary due to his old age, Chadorf was exhausted from the weight of his heavy armor, and Riona, having never traveled this far in her life, was also feeling the strain.

Despite repeated recommendations from the others to change into lighter clothes, Chadorf steadfastly refused, insisting he couldn't let his guard down around the princess.

Consequently, Seol, being the only one not fatigued, took on the task of leading all four horses by himself.

“Haah… Haah…”

Seol surveyed the land before looking back at the three.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to make it over the mountain today at our pace.”

“Then…”

“We should rest for now. However, we’ll only be resting for a short while.”

“Haah… Haah… okay.”

Color returned to everyone’s faces.

Though they were desperate to run away, their bodies weren't able to keep up with their hearts.

“......”

Seol looked at Riona, she had clearly been through a lot in such a short amount of time.

“Hahaha!” laughed Chadorf. “Leave the bedding to me!”

“You know how to do that as well?” asked Riona.

“I’ve been training specifically for moments like this.”

Chadorf quickly began gathering items to create a makeshift bed.

However, it was all pointless.

In Seol’s eyes, the effort was shoddy at best, resting on that would only worsen their short break.

Realizing this as well, Chadorf awkwardly laughed.

"I apologize, Your Highness. Sleeping in the open might be uncomfortable, but given our situation..."

“I’m fine, Chadorf,” smiled Riona. “I am more than thankful already.”

“Thank you. Then…”

As the two continued their conversation, Seol pulled out his bedding along with something else: pouches filled with warm stones.

Since lighting a fire would expose their location, they needed these stones to maintain their temperatures, especially Princess Riona, whose clothes were thinner than the others.

Seol handed the pouches to the other three.

Brispin was in awe.

“Oho… So it could be used like this too?”

Chadorf was completely shocked. He never could have imagined that Seol would be carrying around such expensive warm stones as if they were nothing.

“A-Aren’t these warm stones? You have so many… Where did you get the money to…”

“I never said I was poor.”

“S-Still…”

“If you don’t need them, I could…”

“It’s not that I don’t need them… In fact, I want to ask for more!”

With these many warm stones, they could soundly sleep as if they were in their own beds.

Light returned to Chadorf’s face.

In fact, Princess Riona seemed happy as well.

“Wow… these are really warm.”

“Fufu… they’re called warm stones,” explained Chadorf. “Adventurers use them a lot. In fact, the knights bring them too when we train in the wilderness.”

Seol then took out more items.

Grab…

It was a pillow stuffed with high-quality Kukuru fur and a mat.

“You’ll be able to sleep a bit better on these.”

“Is this…”

“Why? Do you not need it?”

“No, I was going to ask if this was all you had… I’m rather large, so I was hoping to use two.”

Everyone seemed extremely happy, thanks to Seol.

- Nobita: Sorry, Doraemon… I found someone more useful…

- Nobita ????

- He’s tired of the take-copters now.

Seol wasn’t done yet, though. He started preparing a meal.

Crack.

Sizzle…

Seol intentionally cracked the warm stone to make it even hotter, turning it into an improvised tool for cooking food.

The three remained silent, occasionally glancing at Seol as he diligently worked on creating something.

[You have finished cooking.]

[You have made Smoked Boar Neck with Veggies.]

[It smells great. The dish was a success.]

[You have finished cooking.]

[You have made Truffle Soup.]

[It smells great. The dish was a success.]

Seol then handed a plate to everyone.

“It’s simple, but this should be enough for a meal.”

“H-Huh? This is simple?”

“This smells incredible, but… is it really okay?”

“I’ve already sprayed a scent to get rid of the smell.”

“Th-then I’ll gladly take a bite…”

Everyone took a bite.

Riona's eyes quickly widened in surprise. The three then looked at each other, their eyes widening together in shared astonishment.

“Th-this is…”

“Why? Does it taste bad?”

“No, it’s so delicious! I was shocked!”

“That’s a relief then.”

The princess then began stuffing her cheeks like a squirrel, causing Chadorf to laugh as well. He then turned to Seol before giving him a nod.

He was thankful to Seol.

Small moments of joy like this were irreplaceable during difficult times.

The meal she was enjoying now could become a cherished memory, a source of strength for her in the future.

"Hehe… I didn’t think I’d be so happy to leave that stuffy castle. There could have been a world where I never enjoyed this."

Chadorf smiled bitterly.

They all began to feel drowsy as the warm soup heated up their bodies.

After Seol agreed to stand on guard, the others drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Translator - goguma

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

“Urgh…”

Princess Riona rubbed her eyes and glanced around as she rose from her slumber.

“Hm…? What is it?”

Sensing her movements, Chadorf woke up as well and quickly tried to help her.

“Well…”

She then whispered something into his ears.

Chadorf’s face stiffened before nodding.

“Does she need to use the restroom?” asked Seol.

“Hiek…” stammered Riona. “H-How could a princess ever do something like that in the woods?”

“Of course!” added Chadorf. “And you shouldn’t say something so rude!”

“Then where were you trying to go right now?”

“H-Her Royal Highness and I were just about to go on a walk! The night air is nice, after all!”

“Would you like me to go with you?” asked Seol, beginning to stand up.

However, Chadorf quickly stopped him.

"Y-You don't have to come! Her Highness is not attending to personal matters at the moment. However, in Nevenia, eavesdropping on royalty during their private moments is a crime punishable by death! You wouldn't want that, right?"

“Chadorf!”

Riona glared at Chadorf with tears in her eyes as Seol awkwardly laughed.

“I guess there are a lot of perverts in Nevenia if that’s the law, right?”

“Of course! That is why we try to rule them with it.”

“What a scary law. Okay, I understand. I’ll wait here, so don’t go too far, okay?”

“I can’t promise that! The princess has rather active bowels, so it could be quite lou—”

“Chadorf! Shut up already… please…”

“Ahem… Well, we will be back.”

After letting them go, Seol settled into a light nap, all the while keeping his senses sharp.

Chirp…

As Seol dozed, the cries of birds filled the air, their gaze fixated on him.

* * *

Despite Seol’s warning, Chadorf and Riona went quite deep into the wilderness.

Fwoooosh…

“W-Would you like me to sing?”

“Why do you say that, Chadorf?”

“Because Crow was trying to stick to you when you already had me, Your Highness.”

“......”

“Is there… something you want to say?”

Riona responded to him from the bushes.

“Chadorf… Do you think we’ll be able to escape?”

“You must resolve yourself, Your Highness.”

“I’m… terrified. Everything is so new to me…”

“I know, Your Highness.”

“Everyone is our enemy. The entire world… Why do they hate me so much?”

“Even if they come with a dozen carriages, I will defeat them all.”

“......”

“With the former king dead, you are now the mother of Nevenia, Your Highness. You have been pushed out because of those sly snakes, but… you must return to Nevenia. Could you… promise me that?”

“Chadorf…”

“Thankfully, the transferee Earl Brispin hired is quite capable,” said Chadorf, his arms crossed. “You’ve seen it as well, haven’t you, Your Highness?”

“You felt that too, Chadorf? He’s…”

“Yes. He is not normal.”

“Are all transferees like that?”

Chadorf shook his head.

“I doubt it. Still, it is fortunate for us. And…”

Turn.

Chadorf turned his head, looking directly at the encroaching darkness.

“You over there,” said Chadorf. “Do not come any closer.”

“Huh? Chadorf?” asked Princess Riona. “Who’s there?”

“Your Highness, have you finished?”

“Yes, I’m coming back now…”

“No. Please stay there for now.”

A young boy who seemed much younger than even Riona appeared from the darkness.

“M-Mister,” he cried, tears in his eyes. “I got lost in the forest. I’m so hungry…”

“You won’t fool me,” said Chadorf. “I’ll kill you if you get any closer.”

Shuro, the boy, instantly changed his expression, no longer crying. He immediately tilted his head in confusion.

“That’s strange. Why didn’t you feel sorry for me?”

“Because I don’t have the ability to right now. Are you also after the princess?”

“Yup, that’s why I was waiting here. Are you going to resist?”

“Chadorf!” Riona shouted from the darkness.

“It is alright, Your Highness. Fortunately, I brought my weapon with me.”

Chadorf entered a stance, covering his body with his kite shield and holding his spiked flail closer.

He tensed his body, preparing for his opponent’s move.

And then…

Fwoooosh…

The young boy quickly swung his fist.

‘He’s fast!’

Chadorf raised his shield, blocking it perfectly.

Though the standard way to fight was to deflect it, he decided that letting his opponent punch a metal shield was the far superior option.

‘When he stops, I should…’

However, Shuro punched straight through it.

Crush!

“Hrgh?”

Chadorf flew off, his shield destroyed.

Thud!

Chadorf was flung into a tree, causing it to shake and rustle from the impact.

He barely managed to maintain his consciousness, but this short interaction was more than enough for him to know that he stood no chance of ever defeating him.

He was at a loss for what to do. His body already felt heavy.

Chadorf began to think. What could he do to help Riona live?

Grit…

Chadorf shouted, blood spurting from his mouth.

“Princess Riona, run! Go to Crow!”

Cruuuush!

Chadorf narrowly managed to dodge Shuro’s punch, ducking just in time.

Cruuuuush!

The tree fell down, causing a loud thud.

“Crow?” asked Shuro. “Who’s that?”

“None of your business, you bastaaaaaard!”

Fwip!

Chadorf then charged, attempting to tackle him.

He was trying to carry him to a tree on the opposite side, but…

Thud!

While his tackle was successful, Chadorf was too weak to bring him anywhere.

“Haah… Haah…”

“Not bad.”

Baaam!

Shuro kicked Chadorf’s chest.

“Urgh…”

“That was a lie, by the way.”

Chadorf's weapon slipped from his grasp, leaving him defenseless.

His eyes were beginning to gloss over. Chadorf was moments from going unconscious.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Fwooosh…

Chadorf grabbed a rotting branch and began swinging it wildly. He was like an old candle, trying to maintain whatever embers he could before extinguishing entirely.

However, a candle would never be enough to take down a lion.

Baaam!

Shuro blocked his attack with one arm and…

Bam!

Thud!

“Khrgh…”

Shuro kicked him away as if he was tired of him.

“Knights are… so annoying. But…”

Fffffft!

A dagger landed on Shuro’s back.

“I wonder what this is, princess?”

“Y-You foul—!”

“It hurts.”

Pull…

Shuro immediately pulled it out, letting it drop down to the floor.

Clatter…

“N-No way… How…”

Fwoooooosh…

Shadows filled the hole in his chest.

“Yup, I was lying when I said it hurt!”

Fwip!

“Ahhhh!”

Shuro lifted Riona into the air by her neck and pinned her against a tree.

“K-Krgh…”

“Where’s the statue?”

“What… are you talking about…”

“This again? I’m not interested in your life, okay? I just want the statue, alright? I won’t hit you.”

Ptoo!

Riona spat at Shuro’s face.

“Kill me already.”

Baaaam!

“Bwrgh… Ahhhh… It hurtsssss…”

Shuro punched her stomach. He made sure to hold back enough not to destroy any organs, it was just enough to hurt her immensely.

“Sorry, I lied when I said I wouldn’t hit you. So, where’s the statue? I’ll go back after I get that, okay?”

“Hahahahaha… You’re lying again, aren’t you?”

“How’d you know?” smiled Shuro. “Are you not going to talk?”

“I’m not…”

“Hm… Hitting you any more might be dangerous, so… I should cut something off instead.”

Surprisingly, Riona felt no fear right now.

‘It’s not like I can do anything about it.’

She had already done all she could.

Her opponent was a monster, she had no more options.

“Your arm! I should cut that off, yeah!”

Slice!

The sound of something being cut.

“...Huh?”

Riona fell to the floor.

“Cough… Cough..”

She teared up as air finally entered her lungers once more. The red marks on her neck only proved that she was still alive.

However… She also had both of her arms.

‘Then that sound from earlier…’

As she tried to raise her head, she noticed Shuro’s arms. They were lying on the floor, no longer moving.

“That hurts…”

“Kyaaaa!”

Fwooosh…

She then felt someone pick her up and quickly move her somewhere else. It also came with a familiar scent and size.

“I didn’t expect perverts who wanted to hear you use the restroom to be in the mountains as well, Your Highness,” said a voice from behind a crow mask. “Was Chadorf actually telling the truth? I should apologize to him, I thought he was lying.”

“Are you Crow?” asked Shuro, trying to pick up his arms.

“A pervert doesn’t need to know who I am.”

Fwoosh…

Karuna, the person who cut Shuro’s arms, reappeared by Seol.

Riona was shocked after seeing them.

With Karuna by her side, her heart gradually settled. Just having Karuna by her side made her feel like she had the entire world on her side, protecting her.

After placing Riona down, Seol continued talking with Shuro.

“According to Nevenia’s laws… you need to be punished by death.”

“You’re lying, right? What kind of law is that?”

“Yeah, I didn’t believe it at first either. I don’t blame you.”

Seol’s golden eyes were fixed on Shuro from behind the mask.

“I will carry it out immediately.”