CHAPTER 69…………………………….
He would die.
What they wanted was Princess Laratu, and once the king realized that the empire’s spy had targeted her, he would be furious and pursue them.
He would be used as a hostage to escape the chase. In that case, there would be no chance of survival.
But Karsatuna did not hesitate.
“Where do you think you’re running off to!”
Shinu grabbed Karsatuna by the hair. Between the wet strands, a man’s hand dug in, knuckles protruding sharply.
A terror that froze him to the bone made his head spin. Yet he gritted his teeth and shouted:
“Run!”
“Karsatuna!”
Princess Laratu, approaching with wide eyes, paused.
Karsatuna stretched both hands behind his head, twisting the man’s wrist, shaking his head vigorously.
At the desperate look telling her to flee, tears welled up in Princess Laratu’s eyes. Rainwater mingled with her tears and slid away helplessly.
Hesitating for a moment, Princess Laratu turned around.
“Annoying!”
Without hesitation, Shinu shoved Karsatuna aside.
The important target wasn’t some noblewoman—it was the king’s cherished princess.
A noble hostage!
Shinu’s eyes flared. Taking in the fleeing back of Princess Laratu, he stepped forward decisively.
Karsatuna disappeared from his mind. As long as he could capture the princess, everything else was irrelevant.
Just as he was about to leave Karsatuna behind and rush toward Princess Laratu,
Swoosh!
Through the rain came something sharp.
Even against the disorienting downpour, he felt its deadly force and leaned back.
The dagger grazed his chest.
The extraordinary strength in the dagger’s blade made Shinu’s expression change drastically.
I must secure the princess first!
Ignoring the possibility of another attack, Shinu turned toward the princess. Someone fell onto him from above.
“……!”
Agony shot down his neck and spine. His face twisted, veins standing grotesquely on his forehead.
But Shinu did not groan.
Instead, he pressed his lips together and readied himself to attack the unknown man who had struck him.
From his bloodied hand, he pulled out a pointed, thorn-like Baghnak, sliding it onto his fingers.
The rear was already taken.
Without straining to turn, he swung the weapon.
Even a graze would do.
The dagger, honed sharp every morning, carried poison that would slowly dissolve flesh through the wounds it made.
But the man immediately struck at his wrist.
Strength drained from Shinu’s hand in an instant.
Veins popped in his eyes.
Someone pressed down on his back with a foot.
“You’re tough. Your bones are broken, and you didn’t even make a sound?”
Karsatuna, who had collapsed onto the ground, opened his eyes wide.
The previously threatening boatman was now completely overpowered by the newly arrived man.
‘Who is he?’
The heavy rain made it hard to discern his face.
Then—
“Kichev, did you catch him?”
‘Egrene!’
Karsatuna’s mouth opened wide in joy.
Rain-soaked Egrene ran up in a single bound, supporting Karsatuna to her feet.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. But Egrene, what about you…”
Karsatuna fell silent when he saw the large man behind Egrene.
Swirling rain in Rior’s rare heavy downpour could not diminish the man’s presence.
He was taller than her, broad-shouldered, massive—radiating a sense of being fundamentally different from the kingdom’s people.
He was none other than the empire’s Fifth Prince, Giovanni Doveracan.
Karsatuna, unable to help himself, looked at him and gasped.
The man had stabbed a sword into the shoulder of the boatman trying to rise. The motion was so natural it sent chills down Karsatuna’s spine.
‘Are all empire people like this?’
Frightened, Karsatuna clutched Egrene’s arm tightly.
“Where’s the princess?”
She hurriedly spoke to Egrene, who was untying the rope from her wrist.
“She ran off. With this much rain, she might slip in the mountains.”
“I’ll find her quickly. Karsatuna, wait here.”
Karsatuna leaned against a wooden post, watching Egrene push through the rain.
Something felt off. With each step she took, the rain seemed to lessen.
Above her retreating head, a faint rainbow appeared.
Karsatuna stared blankly at the beautiful rainbow, the nightmare just moments ago now feeling like a dream.
A pang of unease rose.
‘Why? I feel like Egrene might disappear at any moment.’
Princess Laratu had collapsed on a pile of damp leaves, drenched by the rain.
“Princess.”
When helped up, she looked at him weakly.
Her pink dress was smeared with mud, and her wrists were reddened from the rope.
Seeing him, her expression changed. Gradually, a sharp glint rose in her tear-stained eyes.
“Get up. I’ll help you.”
With a flick, she pushed away his hand and stood on her own. Karsatuna cut the rope with a pre-prepared knife and wrapped her in a blanket.
Whoosh—Princess Laratu dropped the blanket.
‘Too much.’
Surprised, he restrained himself, picking the blanket up again.
“Where’s Karsatuna?”
Her tone had changed.
It was the first time the princess had spoken down to him, despite their growing familiarity.
He paused briefly, then replied calmly.
“He’s with the others.”
“Did the villain hurt him?”
“He’s unharmed. The villain has been subdued.”
“Who?”
“Pardon?”
“Who subdued him?”
He answered as he followed her a step behind.
“Kichev.”
“Kichev…?”
She hesitated slightly, but it was only a matter of time before she found out.
“And the Fifth Prince assisted as well.”
“The prince…”
The princess’s previously hesitant steps quickened.
“Hah.”
Then, a sharp, clear scoff brushed past his ears.
Looking at her smaller, slender back, he recalled something.
The princess’s face, peering down at him just before the guillotine, beside the king who had sentenced him to death.
Was it pity? Or the gruesome anticipation of what was to come?
The memory of her furrowed face made him feel strangely uneasy.
Karsatuna ran up the moment he saw Princess Laratu and embraced her.
“I’m glad you’re safe.”
After glancing at her tearful face, he looked down at the bloodied villain.
“The prince’s prediction was correct.”
Kichev, holding the villain by the nape, nodded.
“He’s from Amak.”
Karsatuna examined the villain’s face. His arm was oddly twisted as if dislocated, blood poured from a shoulder stabbed by a sword.
A face distorted grotesquely by pain, unfamiliar to him.
‘A colleague of Jacques, no doubt.’
The spies captured in his past life weren’t just Jacques. What was this man doing back then? Probably executing plans to take over the kingdom, just like Jacques.
He looked up and flinched—Giovanni’s gaze met his.
Giovanni turned his head casually, but Karsatuna’s heart raced.
Giovanni asked Kichev:
“Markings?”
“Here they are.”
Kichev swung his dagger at the villain; Karsatuna let out a small cry, eyes wide.
Kichev glared at her briefly as if annoyed by the noise, waving his hand.
The blade was so sharp that the villain’s head was sliced clean off in a single gesture.
His thick hair was gone. Clear. A black tattoo on the bare back of his head.
‘A cactus?’
Giovanni murmured, “Definitely Amak.”
“Well done.”
“Well done? What do you mean? Thinking of what I couldn’t do until now, it brings tears to my eyes.”
Kichev wiped his face, grumbling.
“Do you know how embarrassed I was? Shivering with some endemic illness. So ashamed, I just wanted to die. If not for the prince…”
Kichev, shoulders thinner than when he first arrived in the kingdom, swallowed his words, checking Giovanni’s reaction, then quickly added:
“But I’m not saying I want to go back to the desert.”
“If you want, that can be arranged.”
“Absolutely not. What about this one?”
Karsatuna saw Princess Laratu clutching her wet dress from behind.
Suddenly, she lifted her chin and stepped forward.
“The empire’s operative will be handed over to the kingdom.”
Karsatuna blinked, surprised she would intervene. Kichev glanced at Giovanni and slowly straightened.
“Are you sure? Assassins like this are vicious. They won’t speak easily. Torture might kill them.”
Kichev made a throat-slitting gesture.
Princess Laratu ignored him, staring only at Giovanni. Kichev awkwardly licked his lips.
Giovanni spoke slowly:
“He’s an assassin from Amak.”
“…….”
“Raised in the desert. Won’t speak for most things.”
“The kingdom’s interrogators are skilled too. By the way, you know his origin.”
Princess Laratu clasped her hands and smiled.
“A little disappointing. The kingdom treated the prince with the utmost care, yet I, the kingdom’s princess, face threats from an empire operative.”
Kichev’s eyes widened.
“Princess? What do you mean? The prince and I have nothing to do with each other.”
“Well, from my perspective, it’s hard to believe. You know the kingdom’s soldiers can’t stop you if they wanted to escort the prince now, right?”
Finally, Kichev’s face hardened.
“Still, your words are harsh to someone who helped you.”
“Kichev.”
Giovanni cast a look at him.
Kichev shut his mouth but kept his disgruntled expression.
