The speed of the dragon carriage increased, and the terrible shaking and sound of the wind echoed inside the cargo area.

“Whoa—!”

“Don’t worry, just hold on tight. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

As Emilia huddled close to the others, enduring the shaking with a brave smile, Petra, who had been anxiously biting her lip, nodded slowly.

She’s a strong girl, Emilia thought, feeling strength in the girl’s attitude. The other children around them also seemed to rely on this older girl’s strength, holding back their fear as they huddled together, gritting their teeth.

Each of them was strong. Despite their anxiety and fear that seemed to threaten tears at any moment, none of them succumbed to that weakness, stifling their voices to maintain their composure.

It was precisely because they were witnessing the strength of these children that Emilia could keep herself from showing any disgraceful behavior.

Normally, the running dragon carriage should be protected by the Earth Dragon’s “Wind Barrier” blessing. This “Wind Barrier” is applied to dragon carriages carrying Earth Dragons and protects those within from external influences—wind, shaking, and so on.

However, the current dragon carriage was outside that “Wind Barrier,” and Emilia and the children inside were directly burdened by its movement.

The reason the blessing was lost was simply that this dragon carriage had come to a stop once.

The “Wind Barrier” of the Earth Dragon was predicated upon the dragon’s motion; it remained deployed as long as it was running. However, if movement stops, the effect of the barrier ceases, and there is a drawback in that it takes some time to redeploy.

Due to this, it is common sense that a dragon carriage, once stopped, must wait a while before restarting to allow the barrier to redeploy.

However—

“———!”

Not even the mere stop time could be afforded as the dragon carriage rushed forward without keeping that common sense in mind.

Emilia tightly squeezed the warmth of the hand she held and raised her face to attentively listen to the situation outside the dragon carriage—beyond the awning.

The dragon carriage Emilia boarded was originally meant for peddling; thus, the cargo area, excluding the driver’s platform, was not designed for comfort. The cargo was protected by an awning to prevent deterioration, but there were no small windows, and within the sunless interior, the only light source was the faint glow of the lugmite ore that had been brought inside.

Bundles of blankets were piled on the ground to make a makeshift seat, and everyone was huddled together. Besides Emilia, there were seven children, along with a young man from the village acting as the driver.

This dragon carriage, leading the way for Emilia and the others, was one of four such carriages carrying villagers and peddlers, and it was guarded by a knight riding alone on the Earth Dragon.

After leaving the village under the pretext of evacuation to protect themselves from bandits that appeared in the territory, two hours had passed—and the situation that had been calm abruptly changed just a few minutes ago.

In order to avoid provoking the group hiding in the forest, the dragon carriage group had departed from the mansion and village emphasizing stealth. The twelve evacuation dragon carriages split into two groups—one for the Royal Capital and one for the Sanctuary—taking different paths, parting ways with Ram and the Sanctuary group’s dragon carriage after just a short while.

For an hour after that, although they couldn’t see what was happening outside, the dragon carriages should have been progressing relatively peacefully, yet—

“——Emilia-sama, I would like to take a moment of your time.”

The light touch against her back made Emilia realize that the dragon carriage had stopped.

Before Emilia could even question what that meant, a white-haired old man peered in through the back of the awning.

The old man introduced himself as Wilhelm Trias, a knight affiliated with Crusch’s faction, and despite the gentle smile on his face, the level of skill he possessed could be sensed even by Emilia, who had some battlefield experience, albeit limited.

Because of that, Emilia couldn’t help but feel unnecessary tension whenever she interacted with him. Even in this instance, she was a moment late in responding to the person who addressed her.

“Yes,” she managed to reply after a beat. Wilhelm, however, simply nodded without dwelling on the delay.

“I have a minor concern. Therefore, I would like to take a few knights with me to ‘inspect’ around. Would you grant me permission for that?”

“Inspect…?” she repeated.

“Yes, ‘inspect’. It won’t take much time. I intend to catch up and regroup immediately. Is that acceptable?”

Wilhelm’s respectful way of speaking made Emilia think.

There was something off about the old man’s words, and it occurred to her that he was considering the children with her.

Wilhelm was choosing not to use direct words and instead would allow the guards meant to protect Emilia and the children to proceed ahead.

If the knights were to head towards whatever concern he had, then that meant—

“Do you really need me…?”

“———”

“Do I not matter?”

Even though she knew that asking such a question would be rude towards his thoughtfulness, she couldn’t help but voice it. Upon hearing Emilia’s words, Wilhelm’s eyes narrowed. It was the kind of reaction she had expected. However,

“You will continue to evacuate with the dragon carriage, Lady Emilia. Please take care of the children.”

His smile and gentle gaze held no hint of the negative emotions Emilia had anticipated. Instead, there was only a warmth that sparkled like a guardian watching over the needy children, and noticing that left Emilia bewildered.

Before she could pursue the reason for her confusion, Wilhelm withdrew his hand from the awning, turning his back to her.

“Since we came to a stop, we can expect quite a lot of shaking on the road ahead. Please be sure to keep hold of the children’s hands.”

“Ah…”

“It seems this will play out like master and servant. —Your eyes, they resemble his so much.”

That profound remark left Emilia puzzled, but before she could comprehend its meaning, she felt the dragon carriage starting to move again.

As the agitation caused by the rapid shaking and wind soon returned, she huddled closely with the children, solidifying her position.

With Wilhelm leading a few knights away from the dragon carriage line, only two knights remained to guard the evacuation group. Just like the dragon carriage ahead, the villagers riding in the subsequent carriages swayed with the same kind of disturbance—signifying their anxiety.

Although she couldn’t see what was happening outside, she had a means of learning.

“Looks like there was an altercation with some old men in the back. It’s turning into a fight.”

“Do you have a count of the numbers?”

“We’re eight over here, and there are sixteen of them… exactly double. But I don’t think it’ll be a problem, you know? That old man was absurdly skilled.”

Emilia responded with a nod to Pack’s teasing thought. They were engaged in a mental conversation without his physical appearance, and through the mana that filled the air, Pack had a grasp of the situation outside. This was how Emilia learned about the unfolding events and worked to understand the circumstances.

The existence of Pack, as a high-ranking spirit, actually required a significant amount of mana just to materialize. Once engaged in battle, the consumption of mana would double, making it extremely difficult even for Emilia to maintain his presence for long periods.

Thus, considering the imminent threat, Pack’s form was currently sealed within the crystal stone acting as a vessel. This was to ensure that he would have the reserves necessary for when the time to intervene actually came.

“Well, stepping out unguarded in front of children and getting treated like a toy is part of the reason for keeping this under wraps, you know.”

“Pack, you do have a look that kids would find appealing, so it might not be a bad idea if it helps ease their worries.”

“Stop thinking up scary stuff, my daughter. Anyway, that’s the situation outside.”

As they exchanged lighthearted banter—what could be termed as ‘light thoughts’ in this context—Emilia quietly nodded in agreement while biting her lip, reminded of her own helplessness.

Emilia had offered her assistance, but although Wilhelm understood her intentions, he chose to refuse her. It wasn’t so much about lacking the capability; rather, it spoke to a deeper lack of trust.

Even as Wilhelm behaved kindly, he was unable to take her offer lightly, given her position. Though they were allies, Emilia and their lord would ultimately find themselves in opposition as political enemies. Without realizing it, Emilia understood the difficulty in forming a purely amicable relationship between them.

At this moment, however, she felt that burden of status pressing down on her.

She didn’t possess the abilities that matched such status, nor could she wield authority. Both internally and externally, it was well-known that she was but a decoration, and frankly speaking, she didn’t feel she was worthy of that title.

That very restraint on her freedom of action meant she was unable to aid the trembling children who remained close to her.

What on earth was the purpose of her existence when it came to matters like this?

“—Subaru.”

As she murmured the name of that boy in a small voice, Emilia suddenly realized her own despicable nature. The emptiness of calling that name in the current circumstances and the foolishness of having let go of the qualifications she once wielded darkened her vision.

In abandoning that boy, her mind was now clinging to the weakness of seeking comfort once more in a perilous situation. After causing him so much pain for her own reasons, leaving scars that couldn’t heal, how could she even think of calling his name?

If at this moment there existed a scenario where she could rightfully utter his name, it could only be when she resolved to protect someone—just like that boy did.

“Everyone’s going to be just fine, so don’t worry! No matter what happens, I’ll keep you all safe!”

At that moment, the children who had been huddled close beside her looked up at Emilia. Their eyes were shimmering with tears, and their previously trembling lips were pressed tightly together. Yet, once they met Emilia’s deep, violet gaze, they seemed to shrink back a little, nodding towards one another.

“We’re okay! Don’t you worry, Onee-chan! We promise we won’t let go!”

In strong yet trembling voices, the children clung to Emilia’s entire being. With their arms wrapped around her fingers, wrists, shoulders, and waist, Emilia had never felt so much warmth from others before, and while it shocked her, it was not an unpleasant sensation.

There was, however, an inexplicable sense of discomfort in their words.

“I… promise? Did you promise someone?”

“Don’t let go of Onee-chan!” “Because if I’m not with you, you might do something reckless!” “If no one’s watching, it’ll worry me!”

One response after another came quickly, leaving Emilia flabbergasted. Even as she felt a strange sense of rebellion towards their words, she couldn’t fault the kids; she truly didn’t know how hard a time she would have if they weren’t here. Was that also what Ram had instructed? She wondered if she even had the time to think about it by now. The way they spoke felt oddly familiar.

“———”

As she reflected on this, a strange premonition caused her heart to twitch ever so slightly.

Once she recognized that itch, it compounded rapidly, and the uncertainty of Emilia’s gaze flickered.

She sealed her lips, deep in thought, and then wet her lips with her tongue. They had dried more than she’d anticipated, but as moisture filled them, she cast a question into the air.

“Were you worried about me… Who said that?”

“Ah, no! Don’t—!”

That question transformed Petra’s expression, and she hurried to cover Emilia’s mouth. With her reddish-brown hair swaying, she desperately tried to stop Emilia from speaking, but she was too late.

“Subaru! Subaru said so!” “He said he was worried about his lonely Onee-chan!” “Subaru… oh no! Was that something I shouldn’t have said?!”

As the children eagerly chimed in, mentioning that name too readily, when the last child realized their mistake, everyone suddenly became aware.

Petra covered her face and murmured, “Oh no…” as Emilia processed the name that kept pulsing in her mind.

“Su…baru…?”

There was a sense of premonition lingering. Emilia recalled the way the children spoke with him in mind.

But there’s no way things could be as they seemed, and she instinctively wanted to deny it. After all, she had hurt him with terribly cruel words and left him behind in that royal castle.

He was the one who had wanted her to reach out to him the most, in the very place where he had needed her hand more than ever. At the most crucial moment, she had pulled her hand back and turned her back on him.

She rejected him at the exact moment of the deepest need.

Why then was it that his name sprang forth now, at the moment when her own powerlessness felt most bitter?

This should not have happened. Such a thing should never be.

Emilia’s life had been one spent distant from expectation.

Whenever she expected something, she was met with betrayal, and any hope she had quickly faded and lost its shine. Through countless experiences, she had learned to accept that sad reality as unavoidable.

Therefore, she instinctively feared putting her hopes onto the people around her. Even at times when she wished to hope, fear always took precedence, preventing her from spreading her arms wide.

Whether it was being pushed away or being distanced from others, these were commonplace occurrences for her.

Whereas being approached or sought after was unfathomable.

That’s why she also rejected Subaru, who behaved as though he was sharing everything and trying to offer her the world.

She couldn’t believe it. Not in his actions, his attitude, or his words—what she couldn’t believe was her own heart’s inability to accept them.

As she stacked expectation upon expectation, the moment that façade crumbled under its weight brought Emilia to the brink of abject despair.

It was that fear which had caused her to reject facing Subaru.

If she were to be pushed away one day, it would be better to distance herself first.

Before something decisive could accumulate between them and bring about collapse.

Yet, even now, why…?

“Subaru, you came back to the village? You… came back?”

Among the children who remained awkwardly silent, Emilia’s dazed murmur slipped out.

The dragon carriage was still moving, and the cause of the commotion hadn’t been thoroughly shaken off either. She could not relieve the children’s worries, yet she remained rooted in place.

In the midst of that very situation, her heart trembled violently at hearing that name.

The silence from the children effectively confirmed her query.

He was—Subaru was in the village and involved in this evacuation effort, explaining so much that had felt off.

How could he have been unable to leave the village? Yet he had managed to in an oddly cooperative manner with the hunting team.

Why had the villagers, whose anxiety and frustration had been rising day by day, so promptly followed along without resistance for this evacuation?

Surely, it would have been impossible for the hunting team, visiting a new land for the first time, to establish relations without friction with those who lived there.

As the pieces began to fit into place, realizing that boy had been the missing piece clarified everything.

If Subaru had returned with the hunting team—perhaps even Ram would have approached their negotiations without any preconceived notions.

The villagers would likely show willingness to accept the proposal from Subaru, as he had a significant debt of gratitude owed to them, and they wouldn’t treat the hunting team he brought with any disdain, either.

Most importantly, even if he had remained alongside the hunting team, his intention to draw threats away from the villagers and Emilia during their escape was undoubtedly characteristic of Subaru.

That’s precisely how she knew him—Natsuki Subaru.

“Why—”

The murmur that slipped out felt tragically colored, and Emilia’s deep violet eyes shook as emotions swirled within her.

If these actions were indeed Subaru’s, they differed not one bit from all he’d done before. Knowing full well how much she had hurt him, she still felt overwhelmed by the sheer weight of his presence.

“Even after all the hurt I’ve caused, and after making him suffer and wear that sad face… why is Subaru…?”

She couldn’t comprehend whether he was trying to save her.

She recalled the question she had asked him at the Royal Selection and in the training yard when he was at his lowest.

During that time, Subaru hadn’t provided a clear answer.

What answered back was not meaningful, and the words he attempted to articulate were consumed by hesitance, leading to their separation.

Time passed without receiving responses for questions posed.

Thus even now, she felt all of that remained unanswered.

She believed it was right for both of them to remain unaware of the answers.

“Why…?!”

“That is not—”

Emilia’s throat caught in emotion, and Petra blushed as her lips twisted, her eyes filled with the hope of an answer.

Giving Emilia a pleading look, she was about to speak, yet before they could open their mouths again—

“—!?”

The dragon carriage swerved violently, sending Emilia and the children inside sprawling.

She instinctively grabbed a wall while using her other hand to embrace Petra tightly. Petra in turn, clung to the boy right next to her, and the chain of connection continued, barely managing to keep everyone together.

However, there was no time to feel relief; the dragon carriage kept swerving. It seemed as if they were trying to escape from something.

“Rea, someone is approaching from behind at an incredible speed—!”

“—!!”

Upon hearing Pack’s warning, Emilia looked back.

Through the fluttering awning, with glimpses of the outside world intermittently visible, there lay the figure of whatever was chasing them—this was the cause of their swerving.

Emilia determined to intercept it, but as she attempted to rise, a light weight held her back.

Looking down, she saw the children nearby, valiantly holding onto her clothes and reaching out as if they wouldn’t let go.

“Don’t let go! Stay right here! We made a promise!”

The children clung tightly to Emilia, and though she could have shaken them off if she wanted to, Emilia found herself unable to move facing their restraint.

Looking into her eyes, Petra pleaded with teary, wide eyes, “Are you going to make Onee-chan cry next time?!”

“—!?”

That outburst sent tremors through Emilia, and once again, she found herself unable to move.

And the moment she shifted, a loud crash resonated as the dragon carriage came to a violent halt.

The force of sudden braking surged as their light bodies were hurled through the air. Although the blankets they laid on softened the fall, they still experienced the shock as they landed roughly.

Gasping for air, Emilia shook her head.

“What on earth…?”

“Rea! Someone’s right behind us!”

Pack manifested in a sense of urgency, floating in the swaying carriage, pointing toward the back. Following his voice and movement, Emilia craned her neck, immediately shielding the children behind her as she looked at the awning.

A whirl of mana began to form around her, and icy air slowly cooled the narrow dragon carriage interior. Just then, she sensed someone rushing towards them, and the awning was pulled aside.

As she opened her mouth to chant, Emilia froze, stunned.

“How—?”

Gasping for breath, a boy—one she’d long desired to see—climbed into the carriage. Seeing him sent a tremor through Emilia’s purple-blue eyes.

Shakily, she spoke the name she had yearned for in a small, fragile voice.

“—Subaru.”

She called out that name.

**End of Translation**

 

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