I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 28 - For Victoire
The one who answered was Louis.
“It’s clearly different.”
Louis spoke while touching the trunk of a tree.
“There are no marks from earlier.”
“You left signs on the way, didn’t you…”
“It’s a vast forest. We must not get lost.”
I nodded at Louis’ answer.
There were no sword marks we made on the way to the spring—
Which meant, the path had changed.
“We can’t even use the sun to tell direction.”
After all, the color of the sky was fake.
If we couldn’t rely on the sun, then using shadows wouldn’t help either.
As I was thinking about what to do, Prince Lawrence took out his pocket watch and said,
“…The magnetic field doesn’t seem to be disturbed. On the map, the Empire is to the north, and Victoire lies to the south. If we keep heading south, we should be able to get out of the forest eventually.”
“That is…”
He was looking at the back of the pocket watch—
At the surface engraved with the national emblem.
When I looked at it, Prince Lawrence raised his face and turned the item in his hand around.
Louis muttered with surprise, but also as if he understood.
“A directional compass… You came well prepared.”
“The Emperor added the feature just because a plain pocket watch was boring. I never thought it’d come in handy though.”
Saying that, Prince Lawrence looked behind us.
“That way. It may take longer than when we came… but let’s go.”
At his words, we nodded and started walking through the forest again.
But being confused inside the vast forest made our journey back harder than we thought.
Prince Lawrence kept checking the time on his pocket watch, but even so, it took us two full days to get through the forest.
By the time we finally made it out of the forest, three days had passed.
My sacred power was almost completely drained, but we somehow made it out before it ran out.
(Thank goodness…)
When we saw the exit, I was so relieved I let out a sigh.
We parted with Prince Lawrence after exiting the forest.
He would be returning later to continue the forest investigation, mainly to check the underground stairs, but that would be for another time.
Right now, we weren’t ready for that, and I also wanted to talk to Noah about everything.
That’s what I thought.
Prince Lawrence, too, seemed to have thoughts about the forest traps, and he said he’d return to the Empire once.
He also planned to look into past records on his side, and we made plans to meet again in front of the forest a month later.
After that, Louis and I quickly washed up at the inn and headed to the fort.
But what General McGregor told us in the fort’s office was—
“Noah went to the royal capital!?”
I gasped in shock.
General McGregor nodded with a very serious look.
“Prince Noah planned a private negotiation with the temple, and he went to meet the former royal brother, Aidan Lips.”
“Aidan Lips… He’s basically the top of the temple. You let him go!? Alone…!? Aidan won’t miss this perfect chance to kill Noah. I know there must be guards, but still…”
Even so, if they surrounded him or caught him off guard, he could die.
I said that with worry, and General McGregor continued speaking.
“Prince Noah plans to kill Aidan Lips.”
“─”
General McGregor nodded at my wide eyes.
“Noah… is. I see.”
That’s all I said.
Noah planned to kill Aidan Lips…
Aidan Lips is the one who truly controls the temple, a man with absolute power.
If he’s gone, even if the temple isn’t completely unified, their power would be greatly reduced.
(…It’s only been one day since Noah left. If I ride fast enough, I should be able to catch up to him.)
Thinking that, I raised my face.
General McGregor must have guessed what I was thinking from my expression.
“I’ll go too.”
“Lady Chalize.”
“I’ll be present at the meeting. Of course, I’ll hide my face, but if Aidan tries anything, I’ll be Noah’s shield.”
“─”
Louis sharply inhaled as if to say something.
But he must have respected my decision.
He didn’t say a word.
It’s not that I was being reckless.
But I’m already considered officially dead.
And Noah is someone this country needs.
…Just as General McGregor said.
Whether Noah starts a revolution or turns his back on this country— That’s something only he knows.
But it already felt like Noah had made his decision.
Then there’s only one thing I should do.
Even if I were stabbed, if I use sacred power at the same time, there might be a chance I can survive.
(…Noah must think I’m missing. I have to let him know I’m safe as soon as possible.)
He’s so kind.
I’m sure he’s really worried, probably even blaming himself.
To tell him I’m okay, I needed to go to the royal capital.
That’s what I believed.
So I told General McGregor again:
“I’ll head to the royal capital too. General McGregor, could you lend me a horse? One that’s fast—if possible, the fastest one.”
Just as I finished saying that— suddenly, there was a knock at the office door.
And a voice came from the other side.
“General McGregor. It’s me, Cain. Do you have a moment?”
—It was Noah’s aide, Cain.