#37. Does She Really Want to Leave Us? 

Yusuf’s face turned pale when he realized that Siyeref’s characteristic blue Dragonian eyes had followed the trail of footprints.

If he could identify someone just by the size of their footprints, then they too would be discovered…….

“Where are the two Amyeong?”

“Pardon?”

“The two Amyeong assigned to Partanie. Their names are……”

“Ah, you mean Yusuf and Aegir.”

……He didn’t even remember their names.

Yusuf and Aegir exchanged glances, unsure whether this was fortunate or unfortunate.

“Those two are probably watching over the young lady from the lady’s bedroom, aren’t they?”

Yes, that must be it.

How could it be otherwise? She’s a girl who just got up from her sickbed. No matter how much they disliked her, it would be realistically impossible for her to flee all the way here on such a snowy winter night.

They said she had eaten, taken medicine, and fallen asleep, so by now she would be quietly sleeping in the bed of the Red Velvet Room.

The two Amyeong would likewise be watching over her. That weak child wouldn’t even be aware of the Amyeong’s presence.

Surely that’s how it would be.

“Why are you suddenly looking for the young lady?”

“Could it be that she came all the way here?”

“Come now, that’s impossible.”

Despite the murmurs of his subordinates, Siyeref remained silent.

They were right. Moreover, Siyeref didn’t actually know Partanie’s foot size.

It was just that the small footprints somehow reminded him of his youngest sister.

He should ignore this pointless matter and focus on finding the spies sent by Griffones.

‘No apology is necessary.’

For some reason, Siyeref couldn’t calm his agitated nerves.

‘What I want is disinheritance.’

Was it because he vividly remembered his youngest sister’s blue-purple eyes glaring at them and her voice shouting at them?

‘Does she really want to leave us?’

Along with this question, he recalled Partanie’s innocent white face looking up at him.

‘Brother Siyeref!’

Some time in the past when he hadn’t even properly looked at her. The small girl who was full of desperate and one-sided affection.

It couldn’t be.

Siyeref immediately denied it. Even if she was sincere now, once her anger subsided, she would return to her normal self.

But Siyeref’s sharp intuition warned him.

If Partanie truly wanted to leave, now—when both he and the Grand Duke of Dragonia were away—would be the perfect opportunity…….

“……We’re returning to the Blue Brick Castle.”

“W-what?”

“Lord Siyeref!”

His subordinates were shocked, but when their master took the first step, they naturally followed, obedience deeply ingrained in their bones.

‘I need to check.’

Whether she was still there. Whether she had truly escaped using some impossible method…….

Consumed by an unnatural anxiety, Siyeref quickened his pace.

Aegir and Yusuf stared blankly at the group rapidly moving away.

No matter how fast they ran, they couldn’t arrive before them. And even if they could, they wouldn’t be able to explain the young lady’s absence.

Both men thought simultaneously:

‘Damn it, we’re finished!’

* * *

I stopped just as I was about to leave the barrier.

‘Prince Lukaris.’

Because of the injured man collapsed at my feet.

Perhaps because I had treated his wounds, I now noticed his appearance, which I hadn’t properly registered before.

His long, delicate golden-brown eyelashes over peacefully closed eyes, his lips glistening red perhaps from coughing blood, and the shadows under his eyes showing clear signs of exhaustion gave him an almost decadent beauty.

“……”

Despite having an extraordinarily handsome young man before me, what escaped my lips was not admiration but a sigh. Seriously, why are you here?

Prince Lukaris was the only son born to the noble lady of Fenrir, who had once been the crown princess, and raised personally by the empress, who was the lady’s cousin.

He was someone whose blood and status were nothing short of sacred.

‘The complete opposite of me.’

And was that the only difference? Unlike me, who was called the shame of Dragonia, Prince Lukaris enjoyed a lofty reputation.

The empire’s hero who had triumphed in the war against the barbarian Hazak. The heir that the northeastern Fenrir Grand Duchy boasted of.

Not only was he handsome, but his conduct was also exemplary, making him the most perfect prince adored by all citizens of the Hakan Empire…….

Prince Lukaris, who seemed to possess every impressive quality in the world.

‘Not even a newborn puppy would be as pathetic as you. What makes the Dragonia lords wag their tails for you so eagerly?’

Was exceptionally rude to me.

Although I had been mistreated as a half-legitimate lady when I first entered the Blue Brick Castle, after awakening my power and officially proving my Dragonian bloodline, my treatment improved.

At the very least, I was respected as a lady in front of outsiders, so no matter how noble a prince he was, he couldn’t speak to me so rudely.

Feeling as if I’d been slapped across the face, I had gritted my teeth and said,

‘Your Highness seems very interested in others’ affairs. Mind your own business.’

‘Lady, no matter how desperately you cling to them and try to please them, they will never appreciate you. The more you strive for their recognition, the more……’

‘I said mind your own business!’

……Come to think of it, I was quite rude too.

In my defense, I was also irritable at the time. The more I used my ‘power,’ the more my Core became corrupted and my body deteriorated.

In truth, I knew even then.

That no matter what I did, no matter how desperately I struggled, my family would never return the affection I desired.

But knowing didn’t change anything. Having dedicated my entire life to serving the Dragonia family, I knew no other way to live.

And it was already too late to turn back. By that time, my body was significantly damaged, and if I let go of my brothers and father as well, it felt like I would have nothing left.

‘Yes, it was a relationship that would end if only I let go.’

Even then, I knew with pathetic clarity.

It was obvious just from seeing how they treated Fiona Phoenix.

But truth is always painful. I immediately lashed out at Prince Lukaris.

‘Then unlike me, how is it that the noble Prince of Fenrir has graced the northwestern Dragonia rather than the imperial capital?’

Of course, I wasn’t ignorant of the reason. The situation in Dragonia at that time was truly dire.

Following the terrifying plague that had spread throughout the Hakan Empire, there was also the demonic beast outbreak. Dragonia was pushed to its limits.

And as if targeting us in this state, Phoenix demanded the return of Sheren Grad with threats, while the Griffones imperial family supported Phoenix with all sorts of trolling.

Dragonia, strongly opposing the imperial family that hindered rather than helped, seriously discussed independence.

Perhaps to prevent this, the imperial capital sent large quantities of supplies and reinforcements.

‘And Prince Lukaris was the one who led those reinforcements.’

However, the grain they sent was rotten, the soldiers were either too young or appeared sickly, and the weapons were rusted. They were reinforcements in name only, actually a terrible fighting force.

Yes, this wasn’t support but an insult.

Dragonia was extremely angry, but the imperial family used the noble Prince of Fenrir as a shield to prevent any objections.

Though they phrased it elegantly, their point was simple: ‘We sent even the crown prince, what more do you want?’

‘These XXX and XXX and XXX bastards……’

Like me, the three Dragonia brothers were furiously angry.

If we had had even a little strength left, Dragonia might have truly fought an all-out war against the imperial family for independence.

‘But we couldn’t in the end.’

Perhaps because our affiliations were in conflict, my relationship with Prince Lukaris didn’t fare any better.

Prince Lukaris, who was said to be courteous to everyone, constantly found fault with me, and I, tormented by those damned Dragonians, didn’t tolerate any of his nitpicking and immediately exploded in anger.

The ones I wanted love and approval from were only my family who never looked back at me, not some outside prince.

So we were on such hostile terms that it wouldn’t have been strange to call us sworn enemies.

‘Partanie!’

Until that day when we were stranded together due to a sudden avalanche during battle.

‘Wake up, lady! You mustn’t fall asleep now!’

I still don’t properly remember what happened that day.

But the undeniable fact was that Prince Lukaris had saved me that day.

……Though there was the critical issue that I, delirious with fever, had guided him to this secret hideout of the Dragonia Grand Duchy that Father had revealed only to me.

‘Still, the life debt remains unchanged.’

And that I must repay that debt.

So what should I do now? My mind was in turmoil.

[Sudden Quest Generated!]

A quest appeared out of nowhere.

[<Eliminate the threat that has emerged within the Grand Duchy of Dragonia.>

—Quest completion condition: Find the prince abandoned in northern Dragonia and deliver him to the Grand Duke or the heir of the Grand Duchy.

—Reward: Recognition and affection from the Dragonia Grand Duke’s family, and…….]

“What?”

I questioned in disbelief at the text before my eyes.

“You’re telling me to deliver Prince Lukaris to Father or Siyeref……?”

What kind of madness is this?

Shocked, I only realized after looking at the quest again.

‘The danger that has arisen in the Dragonia Grand Duchy.’

That referred to Prince Lukaris, whom I had just rescued from death.

And the quest was demanding that I deliver Prince Lukaris, a danger to Dragonia, to Father and Siyeref.

To gain their affection and recognition.