ESMLT 11

Chapter 11

“Ah… I’m drained.”

From early morning, I had met Jaeger and even fought off a horde of zombies.

By the time all that was over, the day was drawing to a close, so we returned to the sacred forest pond to spend the night.

The Crown Prince excused himself, saying he’d stretch his legs for a while.

I, feeling hungry, pulled some jerky from my backpack.

I tore it in half—one half for myself, and I handed the other half to Jaeger, who was washing his face by the pond.

“Do you want some?”

Jaeger slowly lifted his face and looked at me with his grayish-blue eyes.

For the first time, I felt like I was really seeing him.

Droplets clung to the ends of his short navy bangs, glinting. Plop. A droplet ran along his jawline and fell into the pond.

I had been staring, almost hypnotized, until I realized and quickly changed the subject.

“It was truly fortunate that Your Grace woke up in the forest. But we don’t know how long that luck will hold.”

“…….”

“Now, please hold my hand. It’d be good if we could find additional survivors and escape together.”

I lazily waved the jerky in my hand. Jaeger furrowed his brows and stared at it.

Of course, I wasn’t literally asking him to hold my hand. I just wanted his cooperation.

We had passed the stage of careful persuasion.

He needed to realize that escaping alone was impossible, and that he had to take my hand.

In that sense, perhaps the Crown Prince was right—experiencing a harsh lesson firsthand was the proper way.

He wasn’t recklessly trying to escape and had returned to the forest.

Jaeger sharply looked up at me, then grabbed the mace lying next to his knee and stood up.

“Ugh.”

At that moment, he swayed as I grabbed his shoulder.

‘The clothes aren’t torn, so he wasn’t hit… maybe it’s dislocated?’

I had learned from the family physician how to treat injuries or reset a dislocated shoulder. That should be doable.

“Let me see.”

Thud—!

Jaeger coldly pushed away my hand reaching for his shoulder. His eyes contorted, and he glared fiercely at me.

“Escaping alone, as you say, is impossible. Cooperation is inevitable. But I cannot trust you. I will not entrust my life to someone I cannot trust.”

“So?”

Jaeger took a deep breath, then with a grinding sound, realigned his bones. He frowned and swung his arm in a wide arc, then straightened his upper body as if he hadn’t felt any pain at all.

He wiped the water from his jaw and looked at me.

“I’ll keep it. Give me the warp scroll.”

The scroll was my last resort. I couldn’t hand it over.

“The negotiation fails.”

“Do you think this is a negotiation?”

“You’re not even a subordinate—are you ordering me?”

Jaeger contorted the corner of his eyes, then sighed, looking like he had a lot to say but held it in.

“If we gather additional survivors to fill the scroll’s capacity, should we go to the Empire?”

“Yes.”

“Understood. Then, until we escape this place, I will remain by your side to watch you.”

To prevent any foolish actions.

Jaeger squinted and muttered menacingly, almost like a growl.

“Do as you wish.”

“You must cooperate fully when we return to investigate this matter thoroughly.”

“As much as you want.”

Jaeger glanced at the belt pouch tied to my waist.

“Don’t think that weapon will be dismissed with a flimsy excuse. Not once this month has anyone been allowed to carry weapons, and our security is far from lax enough for anyone to smuggle one in.”

He seemed careless only against Heiton’s invisibility patch, though.

“…Fine.”

Jaeger, who had been scrutinizing me, furrowed his brows and sharply turned his head.

“To think I’m stuck here with someone like you. How dreadful.”

Huh? Wait, that’s… a little harsh, isn’t it?

I squinted and parted my lips.

“Duke, your words—”

“Your words are extreme, Lady.”

Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me.

The Crown Prince had removed his outer robe and had a spear slung across his shoulder.

Judging by his heavy breath and glistening muscles, he must have been returning from training.

But…

“Isn’t that extremely rude to the Lady?”

Why are you angry…?

The Crown Prince tilted the corners of his mouth and exuded an icy aura.

I was stuck in the middle and blinked in disbelief.

‘Are you the one who made me cry?’

But since he was speaking on my behalf, I stayed quiet.

The Crown Prince stepped forward, adjusting the spear on his shoulder.

“Duke, aren’t we indebted to the Lady?”

“We’ll see if it’s indebtedness or enmity until the end.”

“Stubborn as ever. No wonder you’re unpopular.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Ah… I suppose all you need is the attention of one woman?”

At that, Jaeger’s gaze sharpened like a dagger.

“Do not mention her in idle words.”

A cold, almost silent sneer.

The two men’s sharp tension continued.

I stood there awkwardly and subtly raised the jerky in my hand.

“Anyone want some jerky?”

The two men gave me incredulous looks.

“No one? Fine, suit yourselves.”

I chewed the jerky nonchalantly.

I wasn’t truly oblivious.

I didn’t want to be trapped between two men vying for a woman, so I pretended not to notice—sometimes breaking the ice requires such tactics.

“Put on some clothes.”

As expected, Jaeger clicked his tongue.

The Crown Prince looked down at himself, raised an eyebrow, and put on his white shirt, leaving the spear across his shoulder.

Watching this, Jaeger walked into the forest ahead of us, bypassing both the Crown Prince and me.

“I’ll sleep separately.”

No, that won’t do. I shouted after Jaeger’s back.

“Duke, tomorrow we’ll head to the northern shelter to see if there are additional survivors! Until then, don’t act alone…!”

Jaeger didn’t respond and disappeared into the dark forest.

I sighed deeply watching him vanish.

‘Honestly, both of them do whatever they please.’

Still, having successfully persuaded Jaeger, surviving the remaining two gates seemed possible.

I smiled to myself when the Crown Prince approached, his shirt buttoned just enough to reveal a teasing hint of cleavage.

But… his expression was discontent.

“Lady, your attitude toward the Duke differs from that toward me, the Crown Prince.”

What nonsense is this?

“It’s the same.”

My curt response made the Crown Prince frown and glare irritably.

“See? My voice isn’t cold?”

Me? Even if it were…

“Don’t you think you’ve done something to displease me?”

“……”

I teased him slightly, and the Crown Prince, seemingly conscious of his pride, stayed silent.

Since meeting Jaeger, he had been subtly showing dissatisfaction.

I had no clue why he acted this way.

I glanced at him and tossed a comment lightly, half joking.

“Are you a little upset? That I’m only looking after the Duke?”

“…Upset?”

The Crown Prince’s expression shifted slightly, unfamiliar with the word.

Before he could scoff twice, I ignored him and headed toward my belongings.

“I’ll get some rest now. Sleep as you like.”

The Crown Prince, looking as if he couldn’t understand, ruffled his hair, grabbed his jacket from a branch, and followed me.

Lehard, leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, slowly lifted his eyelids as if sensing something.

Someone appeared, brushing aside leaves.

Lehard chuckled softly as he looked toward the lake.

“Planning to ambush me while I sleep, Duke?”

Jaeger approached his side and also looked at the lake.

The pale blue water shimmered under the gentle moonlight.

“Do you suspect anyone in the royal palace?”

“Suspect?”

“Don’t play dumb. Even a newborn would know this isn’t just a simple disaster.”

“You mean it was done by someone inside the palace?”

“This is a sacred zone managed by the temple.”

“Ah… so the temple will be the first to be suspected. But, Duke, couldn’t that be used to our advantage?”

“It’s possible the palace used the fact that the temple would be suspected first. Isn’t that right?”

Lehard, who wanted to refute it, fell silent, recalling ministers who tried to curry favor with the palace by picking on the temple, and siblings who opposed the temple.