The hot desert swept past quickly. We galloped with cloths covering our mouths to block the sand and dust. Since we were now dangerously hungry, we rode frantically without saying a word.
After a night like that, we finally escaped the sandy desert.
"……Ugh."
As soon as I stepped out of the sand and onto the black earth, I shrank back. By some trick of nature, the heat vanished like a lie the moment we left the wasteland. And a severe cold I hadn't experienced in a while enveloped my entire body. The ground, frozen with a thin layer of ice, cracked beneath the horse's hooves, and the biting wind pierced through my clothes.
It was the winter of the North. Freezing the soul, even though it hadn't fully arrived.
I pulled my hood deeper and wrapped the cloth that had covered the horse's saddle around Victor. It was because Victor, who had always been robust, had become noticeably pale. He muttered in disbelief, having only wandered the south even during the war.
"It doesn't even compare to Morte... Wasn't the kingdom's capital this cold?"
"It's because we entered the North directly. The capital is at the southernmost part of the kingdom, so it's not that cold."
And Amari is even colder than this place.
I swallowed my words. Then, I slowly began moving toward the distant lights.
Unlike the Empire, the Kingdom didn't have many travelers using the gates. There weren't many guards protecting the gates like in the Empire, and with so many monsters, the areas around the gates weren't particularly safe either. So slightly bold people just blatantly crossed the border illegally, and the residents built villages in the border region and did business with these illegal travelers.
The village we were heading to was one of those places. The village entrance soon came into sight. I soothed my horse, which kept shivering from the cold, and entered the village.
Seeing the scenery there, sentiments instantly rushed in.
The village was familiar. Because it was close to the Black Mountain Range, I had often visited this place. Wooden buildings lined the snow-covered ground, and the outer fences were high to block the wind. The shops all had small windows and thick walls. People with white hair similar to mine were walking, their heads bowed low, braving the cold wind.
However, Victor didn't seem to have the energy to take in the scenery. He asked weakly.
"Where is a restaurant?"
"Ah! It's this way."
I hastily guided him to a nearby shop.
The restaurant doubling as an inn was warm. Yellow lanterns hung abundantly, and a large fireplace, characteristic of Kingdom-style houses, warmed the entire hall.
It was still a bit early for a meal, so the hall was quiet. Victor and I sat by the window. Victor let out a deep sigh as if he had just survived. He looked with interest at the window, which was sealed with wooden boards instead of glass.
"So this is how you block the draft."
"Yes. They take them off when spring comes, but some houses keep them up all year round because the owners are lazy."
I looked at the windowsill covered in a fine layer of dust.
Looking at this scenery, it truly hit me that I had returned to the North. Pale-faced people, thick wooden windows instead of glass, the freezing cold, and monsters.
Completely different from the warm Empire.
A server approached me as I felt bitter. The server, with her long platinum hair tied up, asked in surprise.
"Where did you come from to be wearing such thin clothes?"
"The wasteland."
"Ah~ So you're a mercenary!"
The server easily understood and politely handed out the menus.
After reading the text carefully, I ordered three plates of meatballs, tomato soup, meat-filled piroshki, beef stew, and a cake generously layered with sweet sugar syrup. Even Victor, who would normally have stopped me from overeating, didn't stop me this time.
Soon the food came out, and we began eating with our heads down without saying a word.
"...Kingdom food is delicious."
Victor mumbled. There was no hesitation in the way he cut the piroshki. Truly, it was the first time since I met him that I saw him eat so well.
He hastily swallowed the soup and confessed.
"I've never starved like this in my entire life."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. As you know, I... grew up sheltered."
I chuckled. Seeing him make the same joke the mercenaries had been teasing him about, it seemed he was feeling a bit better now. I transferred some meatballs onto his plate. In return, he pushed his plate of sliced piroshki toward me.
After scraping the cake clean like that, we finally came to our senses. We drank mulled wine and discussed our future plans.
"We have to go further north from here to reach Amari."
"Further from here? I thought this was the North."
"It's true that broadly speaking, this is the North. But Amari is the northernmost region."
I smiled bitterly.
Generally, when the continent referred to the North, it meant the upper part of the Kingdom with its long winters, but when the locals spoke of the North, they meant only the top three regions: Amari, Mul, and Siland.
A shield blocking the monsters of the Black Mountain Range, an isolated land where outsiders rarely came and went. Even the people of the same Kingdom found it unfamiliar.
And I intended to reach that place in a rather unusual and dangerous way.
"We need to prepare thoroughly before we depart. We have to buy winter clothes, food, and more weapons."
Fortunately, the coin purse was safe inside my coat. I paid the surprisingly expensive food bill and got a room at the inn above the restaurant. We left our meager belongings in the room and went outside.
We headed to a clothing store first. Our luggage along with our spare clothes had all blown away, leaving us with only thin clothes. In the past, I would have always looked for thin, cheap clothes because I had no money.
"Please show me your most expensive items."
I said confidently to the shopkeeper. With the gold coins Diederik had given us, we should be able to afford the best winter clothes lined with wolf fur.
The male owner, with his hair slicked back with shiny oil, quickly guided us.
"The best clothes are over here, sir."
The man showed us a few clothes on hangers. I narrowed my eyes.
"...I came to buy winter clothes."
What he showed were men's winter clothes and a high-end dress for a woman. The dress had thick fabric and a heavily furred cape attached, making it look much warmer than my current clothes, but how could I fight wearing such a long, cumbersome outfit?
At my gaze, the shop owner wiped his sweat with a handkerchief.
"To be honest, the women's winter clothes are all sold out, so right now we only have cheap and thin ones..."
"It's fine if it's a bit thin. I'm from Amari."
"Oh, is that so? You looked so wealthy, I thought that couldn't be... oh."
The shopkeeper, who was speaking, abruptly closed his mouth.
I smiled bitterly. It wasn't that I felt unfair. Northern people were usually genuinely poor. Shopkeepers would blatantly close their doors when Northerners draped in weapons and leather clothes walked by.
The owner spoke quickly.
"Well, hmm. But there really are no clothes I can offer you. Because of the monsters, the merchant caravans can't travel often, so in this season, we only have clothes that aren't suitable for the cold."
"Are there that many monsters?"
"Do you not know? It was fine until summer, but lately it's a mess, truly."
Victor and I exchanged quiet glances.
"...I see. It's been a while since I came here."
"Yees, ah, then will you not buy this dress? I'll give it to you at a cheap price."
The merchant looked at me, gauging my reaction. Seeing him offer the dress even at a reduced price, it seemed his claim about having no stock was true.
I let out a deep sigh and reluctantly nodded.
"Alright. I'll take this one."
A little while later, we changed our clothes and left the shop.
I looked down at my sleeves with a very strange feeling. A thick fur cape and a dress with cotton balls? Aside from the Empire, this was an outfit I had never had any relation to in the North.
Victor, wearing a fur-lined leather armor and a fur hat, smiled.
"I feel like the escort warrior of a noblewoman attending a winter ball."
"Stop teasing me... But, are there really that many monsters?"
Victor didn't answer. I read the answer in his silence. The worry I had temporarily pushed aside while crossing the desert surged up in my chest.
Monsters running rampant near the North was a common occurrence. But for even the shopkeepers, who knew that well, to say such things...
'I wonder if everyone is alright.'
I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them, quickly heading to another shop.
Fortunately, the other shops still had some goods left. We bought ointment at the herbalist and purchased plenty of food. Next, we headed to the stables, a bit away from the village center. It was to buy reindeer to ride.
Victor seemed extremely surprised at the idea of riding reindeer instead of horses.
"What kind of beast is a reindeer?"
I asked back in surprise.
"You don't know what a reindeer is?"
"I think I've read about them in books... but I've never seen one. Is it like a horse that lives in the Black Mountain Range?"
"It's not a horse, it's similar to a deer. It has antlers and is much larger than a horse."
Victor looked skeptical. It seemed he couldn't imagine it well.
"You'll know when you see it."
I said with a small smile and opened the door.
"Welcome."
A man smoking a pipe gave a perfunctory greeting. Then, seeing me, he immediately stood up.
"What brings such a noble person to a place like this?"
I became extremely flustered.
I never expected to receive such treatment here. Since I was a poor customer who didn't bring in money, I had always faced indifferent looks. It seemed this reindeer merchant couldn't recognize me.
Feeling peculiar once again, I spoke.
"I'd like to trade the horses we rode for two reindeer."
"Where are you staying?"
"The inn at the end of the street. The two bay horses in the stables there are ours."
The reindeer merchant scribbled something in his ledger. Then he showed us two reindeer. They were fine beasts, large with impressive antlers.
When Victor approached and stroked their snouts, the reindeer nuzzled against him. Pure interest appeared in Victor's eyes. It seemed he quite liked these fluffy beasts.
The reindeer merchant readily gestured.
"You can take them right away."
"What? Without even confirming that the inn's horses are ours?"
"Come on, would a wealthy noblewoman like you tell such a lie?"
The merchant waved his hands and promptly accepted the fee I offered.
I truly felt strange. When I used to walk around in worn-out armor and messy hair, I was always suspected of stealing whatever I brought. Now, everyone was just friendly wherever I went.
I eventually finished the transaction in silence and left the stables. Victor, leading the reindeer, asked quietly.
"Why do you have that expression?"
I looked up at my husband and confessed honestly.
"It's just... it's my first time receiving such kind treatment in this village."
His approaching warmth blocked the cold wind. I murmured softly.
"Because I had so little, the people here were always brusque with me. Even the title of Viscountess meant nothing."
"..."
"Actually, eating at an expensive inn like earlier was a first for me too, even though I used to frequent this place so much."
Victor listened quietly to what I was saying. I asked him.
"Would the people of Amari be treated like me too? Since we have money now."
I hoped so. So that the people of my land, who always had such tear-inducingly hard lives, could be a bit more comfortable—that was the reason I married.
Victor grasped my hand.
"...It's cold. Let's go back."
I nodded.
The winter moon was rising earlier than usual.
❖ ❖ ❖
We returned to the inn before it got any colder.
Perhaps because it was dinnertime, the restaurant was crowded with customers. Smelling the warm food made me hungry again.
"Shall we have dinner too?"
Victor nodded at my suggestion. In the past, he would have said he wasn't eating. It seemed Victor was still hungry too.
I sat back down at the window seat I had occupied earlier. And this time, I placed a somewhat more normal order.
A little while later, two bowls of corn cream soup, a large loaf of bread, stir-fried salted meat with spicy pepper, and a lump of butter came out. Along with wine for Victor and a clear grain liquor for me. We dipped the buttered bread in the soup and ate it with the meat.
While we were eating the warm food for a while, we heard people chattering.
"So, a conscription order was issued in the North?"
"That's what I said. It seems all the Northerners who know how to use a sword are gathering."
"Well, the monsters did increase a bit."
I stopped my hand and pricked my ears. Frowning involuntarily at the strangeness.
A conscription order? It was an unfamiliar term even to me, who was born and raised here with this place as my hometown. The North was such an isolated land that all decisions were made by the lords of each territory. There shouldn't be a commander who could issue a conscription order for the entire North.
But who on earth?
But it seemed they didn't know any more than that either. After a murmur of agreement, they kept chattering.
"Monsters have been swarming since summer, right? I heard the wall construction in Amari stopped too."
"Ah~ right. My friend went there to carry stones and came right back too."
"Did they not get paid?"
"No. They said the daily wage was good. The monsters were the problem."
The man continued.
"Ridiculous monsters appeared even where the workers were, so everyone got scared and ran away."
"No, why suddenly? That neighborhood was always like that, but it wasn't to that extent before, right?"
"I don't know! Anyway, if it's to the point where the Northern bastards can't handle it, isn't it serious?"
"..."
So that's how it was.
I let out a short breath.
It seemed the wall construction stopped because the monsters increased and invaded the town. I still didn't know why they had increased to the point where the Amari knight order couldn't handle them. Still, from the way they talked, it didn't seem like Amari had completely fallen.
It was funny how I felt relieved by such a thing, but still...
I smiled bitterly and gulped down the liquor. The clear grain liquor produced only in the North was fiercely potent, burning down my throat like fire. Heat spread through my stomach, and my mind grew hazy. I even put down my fork and fell into thought.
Anyway, the rumors I heard in Morte were true. That the Northern defense line had collapsed. Someone in the North who couldn't handle the situation ordered people to return to protect their hometown, and it seemed that even Northerners living outside the North were returning to their hometowns. Just as I was doing right now.
Even though it meant our journey so far wasn't in vain, I wasn't happy at all. In truth, I kept dreaming of regretting leaving Morte for nothing. I hoped to see the people of Amari doing well, so I could apologize to Victor for bringing him all the way here for nothing and making him suffer.
But good dreams never come true, after all.
I dragged my chair with a screech and stood up from the table.
"Shall we go up and rest?"
Victor replied quietly.
"I'll drink a little more and come up. Rest first."
"Alright."
I nodded. For some reason, it was hard to even face him right now. I just wanted to fall asleep quickly so we could depart for Amari.
I waved briefly and headed to the room first.
❖ ❖ ❖
Amarion had looked depressed all day.
At first, I thought it was because she was hungry, but it wasn't. From the moment she stepped into the North, her expression froze like thin ice, and her eyes wandered like the moon reflected in a frozen lake. It was as if the very air of this land had resurrected her nightmares.
Victor watched Amarion's retreating figure and called the server.
"Give me the same drink my companion ordered earlier."
"Uh, are you sure? It'll be quite strong for a Southerner."
"How did you know I'm from the South?"
The server smiled cheekily.
"Well, do you think there are many people with such good complexions like you in this town? And your hair is so dark, too."
"...It's fine, just bring it."
"Yees."
The server disappeared into the kitchen. While she brought out the drinks, the men chattering at the next table spoke up.
"Mister, you're from the South, right? What's your relationship with that noblewoman from earlier?"
"From the way you drink, you seemed like a Northerner!"
"Was there such a beauty in that neighborhood?"
They snickered. Victor replied coldly.
"She is my wife."
"Oh my, there's another guy here with a messed-up life!"
They burst into laughter. It seemed they didn't even realize they were being rude. The server, who had approached, set the drink down with a fed-up expression.
While Victor took a sip of the bitter liquor, the men kept chattering.
"It's best not to even think about settling down with a Northerner. They keep saying it's hard, it's hard, but in the end, they can't leave the North, you know?"
"Right! Look at them scurrying back as soon as they get the conscription order. How foolish."
"So of course, the lords and the territory people are all treated like dogs guarding the frontier."
Victor didn't reply and took a gulp of the clear liquor. The viciously hot liquid burned down his throat. The chatter didn't stop.
"Ah, but didn't the young lord of Amari escape just in time?"
"That's right, she was a truly great knight. I heard she was sold off to some rich noble somewhere? They say sold off, but honestly, she also ran away because it was hard..."
"Hey."
A low voice flew from the table behind. Victor turned a chilling gaze. The ones who had been silently drinking all along took off their hoods. Silver hair, even lighter than Amarion's, was revealed. The leather armor wrapped around their entire bodies revealed that they were swordsmen.
One of them spoke.
"What business is it of yours to blabber carelessly about the lords of the North?"
The drunken men hesitated for a moment. But soon, they yelled back.
"What! Are you Amari knights or something?"
"No, we are from Siland."
"Then why are you interrupting... hic!"
The next moment, a dagger embedded itself into the wooden table at a tremendous speed. At the same time, the man's companions and the other Siland people drew their swords simultaneously.
Victor raised his eyebrows slightly. It was an incredibly fast dagger technique he had never seen anywhere on the continent.
The server, hugging a tray, screamed.
"Hey! If you're going to fight, go outside and fight!"
"They're the ones who intervened! Ignorant Northern bastards getting unnecessarily excited..."
"You ignorant fools blabbering away, what? That she ran away?"
The Siland man frowned in outrage.
"If only she really could have. Not knowing how she managed to live with such incredible skill...!"
Another man yelled back.
"Yeah! I don't know! No matter how great she is, she's gone, so what does it matter? Without the young lord of Amari, you guys will just die fighting poorly too!"
"What? You bastard!"
"I said fight outside!"
A melee broke out in an instant.
Amidst the chaos, Victor quietly emptied his remaining glass. Thoughts overflowed along with the alcohol.
His comrades had said that as knights, they should naturally send Amarion back to her hometown. The mercenaries spoke of her nobility, and the Mercenary King had asked him a question, as if asking if he knew what the right choice was.
And here, Victor realized it.
She was the hero of the North. The people of her hometown respected her deeply, and even those who despised the North couldn't take her name lightly.
Even while struggling so much, even after receiving such treatment from her own kingdom's people, she eventually returned here. To protect her hometown. So Victor couldn't help but acknowledge it. That she was too important a person to just keep hidden in his arms.
Because of that, he agonized.
If only it were just the two of us left in the world.
Victor Morte left the burning, bitter liquor behind and stood up. No one saw him disappear up the stairs.
❖ ❖ ❖
I woke up briefly from my sleep at the sound of the door opening.
Perhaps because I drank strong liquor for the first time in a while, it wasn't easy to open my eyes. I looked at the approaching shadow in a daze. It was Victor. He took off his cloak and lay down beside me.
Amidst the faint scent of musk, he asked low.
"Were you happy when you were in the Empire?"
Why was he asking this?
I nodded vaguely at the inexplicable question.
"Was it fun being with me? You weren't cold, and you were full?"
"Mm-hmm... I was happy..."
"Then let's go back."
Even in my hazy state, I frowned.
What kind of joke was he playing now?
I opened my eyes a little and looked up at him. But his golden eyes, somehow more sunken than usual, were infinitely serious. A sweet voice whispered.
"We can just go back. Leave this land that has only tormented you to its fate. You can spend all day with me. I can give you anything. Gold, jewels, even the Emperor's neck if you wish."
His fingers caressed my cheek. Hot lips touched my forehead several times. I shivered.
It was a dreamlike statement no matter when I heard it. Or perhaps it was an illusion brought on by drunkenness.
But.
"I can't..."
I murmured softly.
"I have family in Amari..."
At those words, his hand paused. I closed my eyes.
Family was only a bitter word to me. Neither my indifferent and violent father, nor my mother who hated my land, nor even the people of Amari whom I had to protect, gave me happiness.
Even so, they were my family. My family, whom I had embraced even before I met Victor.
Tears suddenly welled up. I bit my lips to hold back the forming tears. This feeling was probably also because of the alcohol. Victor's hand followed me as I tried to bury my face in the pillow.
"I'm sorry."
It was a sorrowful voice.
"I'm sorry, Marion. I won't say such things again, so please don't cry."
Rustling sounds were heard, and familiar arms pulled me into an embrace. I leaned my body against the hot chest. He opened his mouth. Victor's words were as solid as a knight's oath.
"From the moment you saved me, my soul has been yours. If you wish it, I cannot refuse anything."
He gently stroked my back. In my hazy state, I drifted back to sleep, blinking slowly.
His last words were barely audible, like a dream.
"So if you desire it, I must return you. My Marion. Because I am not the only one you love..."
❖ ❖ ❖
The next morning, I woke up feeling groggy. My body was refreshed from sleeping in a soft bed for once, but I didn't feel good for some reason. I felt like I had a strange dream.
A dream where I heard Victor's sad voice.
I sat up and looked around. Victor wasn't there, but a note written in his handwriting remained.
[I will go receive the items we ordered. I'll also pack our luggage in advance, so please take your time coming down.]
Even written with charcoal, the handwriting was incredibly fluent.
My mood improved quickly. I washed my face swiftly and changed back into the dress I bought yesterday. Looking at it again, it wasn't an outfit suited for fighting, but it seemed manageable enough for riding a reindeer. I braided my hair up, covered it with a white fur hat, and left the room.
Victor was drinking warm milk with a cinnamon stick on the first floor. He greeted me with a pleasant smile.
"You're up?"
"Yeah. Good morning, Victor."
I approached and sat across from him.
Was it just my imagination? Victor seemed to shine even more today. Should I say he looked relieved? The faint shadow that had been hanging over his face ever since meeting the Mercenary King was gone.
Was it really just because he was hungry?
I tilted my head in wonder for a moment, then just ordered breakfast. Then we discussed our future schedule.
"We'll leave the village and follow the road heading north. It's not far, but we might have to camp for a day. Will you be alright?"
"Yeah. Do as you wish."
Victor smiled brightly again.
What is this, really? Why is he acting so pretty today?
I hid my cheeks, which kept trying to flush red, and buried my face in my plate.
Just then, some man spoke to us.
"Hey, are you heading to the North by any chance?"
Victor and I turned our heads at the same time.
It was a short-haired man wearing faded winter clothes and a sword at his waist. The man smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry for eavesdropping, but I was wondering if you'd consider traveling with our group. We're all heading to the North too."
The man gestured. Several people wearing old fur cloaks were sitting at the table.
I scratched my cheek.
"I don't mind, but we'll be taking a different route starting tomorrow morning. Is that still okay?"
"Well, having more companions for even a day is better."
The man shrugged.
"Monsters are so vicious these days that even decent people travel in groups. We wanted to go with the Siland people who stayed here yesterday, but for some reason, they left at dawn..."
The man grumbled. Though he complained a bit, he didn't seem like a bad person. I was also concerned about heading into an area with many monsters.
I nodded without hesitation.
"Alright, let's go together."
"Great! Nice to meet you."
The man grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously. Fortunately, Victor just watched with half-closed eyes and didn't say anything.
The man asked.
"We should at least introduce ourselves. What's your name?"
"Hmm."
I thought about giving my real name for a moment, but then closed my mouth. I felt somewhat embarrassed. It wasn't something to be proud of, for someone like me to have the 'name of the successor' of Amari.
So I just made something up.
"I'm Mari, and my companion is Victor. And you?"
"Ivan."
"Nice to meet you, Ivan."
"Likewise."
Ivan greeted Victor and me, then returned to his table.
We also exchanged eye greetings with the people behind us. After finishing the greetings, Victor lowered his voice and asked.
"Why didn't you use your real name? There's no need to hide it."
I avoided his gaze and answered.
"Just, it's embarrassing. I was always a terrible lord here."
"..."
"I was afraid they might recognize the name."
Victor fell silent. His eyes quietly watched me for a while. Then he muttered to himself.
"Why are you so..."
"Pardon?"
"No, let's go now."
He said and stood up. I followed him outside the inn, not understanding why.
Soon, Victor brought the reindeer he had prepared. Ivan and his group followed suit.
Ivan exclaimed in admiration.
"Wow, these are fine reindeer."
"We paid a lot of money."
I grinned and stroked the reindeer's back. The large-hoofed reindeer obediently lowered its body.
We each mounted our reindeer and left the village.
❖ ❖ ❖
The weather was good today. The sky was cloudy but bright, and there was no snow or sleet. It was just as cold, but by Northern standards, this was excellent.
We drove the reindeer along the black dirt road. Rushing quickly and getting swarmed by monsters would be dangerous, so we went slowly, keeping an eye on our surroundings.
Fortunately, not many monsters appeared. Just frost wolves with cold fur and venomous horned lizards, which was fairly mild for the North.
Ivan's group was quite skilled with the sword. They fought while protecting a robed person; seeing this, I immediately realized they were born and raised Northerners. In the monster-infested North, it was common for a party to include at least one healer, and formations were typically built around protecting that healer.
None of them seemed to be knights, but that was also common among Northerners. All Northerners had to possess at least basic combat skills.
Victor and I dealt with the monsters appropriately while keeping an eye on them. Even so, the group was amazed.
"Your skills are amazing! Are you knights?"
"Something like that."
"Really? I couldn't tell because you're dressed like a noblewoman. Then, are you escorting a Northern lord?"
I snapped my mouth shut. Whatever I said would be a lie. After some thought, I answered.
"...Due to circumstances, I'm currently living very far away."
Fortunately, Ivan didn't ask any more and explained.
"I see. We're all from Mul. Those guys and I work as mercenaries, and the healer ran an herbalist shop in the South, but we're heading up because the lord called us."
"The lord...?"
"I mean Lord Muriel of Mul. He issued this conscription order."
I blinked in surprise.
Muriel Mul. He was the only son of the previous Lord Mul and lost his parents before he even turned five. It would have been too much for him to become a lord at that age, so someone else must have acted as lord regent.
"Did Lord Muriel become the lord?"
"Surprising, right? We were surprised too. He's only fifteen years old now. I heard he took the lord's seat directly this year and is fighting. Then when the situation became too much, he ordered the people of Mul to return."
Ivan clicked his tongue. His face showed clear pity for the young lord's hardship.
"It was actually a request rather than an order, but what Northerner could ignore a lord's call? We all packed up and left, and hearing the news, the people of Amari and Siland followed suit back to the North."
"I see..."
I secretly bit my lip hard.
How hard it must have been for such a young child to fight alone. Wasn't I also dying of misery when I first became a lord regent at fourteen? I couldn't even help him...
"Mari."
Victor called me from beside. As I snapped back to my senses and turned around, he said calmly.
"For now, let's move quickly. The smell of blood will likely draw others."
"Ah, right. Hey! Let's get moving!"
Ivan signaled. We grabbed the reins of our reindeer and started walking again.
❖ ❖ ❖
Not long after, the sun set. We passed down a familiar path and entered an old mountain cabin. It was a cabin left empty for travelers.
"Let's rest here today."
Following Ivan's words, the group finally dismounted from the reindeer.
The cabin was a rustic wooden house. In the Empire, it would have been fully stocked with food and firewood, but the poor Northern cabin didn't even have much firewood. It was an absurdly cold and uncomfortable space, but everyone, including Victor, seemed fine with it.
He even started a fire in the fireplace and put a pot over it. The way he melted snow and added jerky, dried vegetables, and spices looked surprisingly familiar.
I opened my eyes wide and asked.
"When did you learn to cook?"
"From Mirage, at the mercenary company."
He let out a short sigh.
Ah.
I smiled small, feeling like I knew when it was. Victor was so clumsy that Mirage had held him down and taught him for a while; it must have been then. That meddling magician was capable of doing the absurd act of teaching the Grand Duke of Death how to boil soup.
Anyway, thanks to that, the soup tasted quite excellent. Ivan's group, who hadn't brought much food, also received a share with words of gratitude. We sat around the fireplace holding our hot soup. Naturally, various stories came up.
"I don't know about Victor, but Mari, you look like a Northerner. Can I ask where you're from?"
I answered readily.
"I'm from Amari."
"Oh, so you're an Amari woman, that's why you use a sword!"
Ivan laughed heartily. At the same time, Victor's eyes narrowed. The middle-aged healer woman sitting next to us, dipping dry bread into the soup, smiled.
"There's a saying that you find men who use swords in Mul, and women who use swords in Amari."
"Right. Mul and Amari are close, so we had a lot of swordsmanship tournaments, didn't we?"
"True, we might have seen each other back then?"
I smiled quietly.
There wasn't much to enjoy in the North, so every warm summer, knights held friendly tournaments and used them as entertainment. During those times, I patrolled the surrounding mountains and hunted monsters in place of the departed knights. So they probably hadn't seen me.
The excited group chattered away.
"We used the tournaments as an excuse to make eyes at each other, right? Sometimes falling in love while drinking together."
"Traditionally, people from Mul and Amari married a lot."
"Ah~ right. My father was originally from Amari."
For some reason, Victor's expression grew increasingly strange.
Whether knowing it or not, the healer woman asked playfully.
"Does Mari have a lover right now?"
"...No."
Victor's eyes widened at my answer. He stared at me like someone deeply wronged. I tried hard to avoid his gaze.
Revealing the truth wasn't difficult, but if they knew I was a woman returning with a Southern husband while wearing a dress, they might figure out who I was. Besides, I didn't want to hear mischievous jokes like those in the mercenary company.
They made a fuss.
"No, what were the men doing? Not taking such a pretty lady yet!"
"If Lord Pendragon hears about this, there'll be quite an uproar."
At the mention of the Lord of Siland, Pendragon Siland, the young people shook their heads in unison. Lord Pendragon, who was now nearing seventy, had been a great knight since his youth and still maintained a dignified presence, but he had the flaw of being too anxious to match up any unmarried young people he saw.
Come to think of it, what was Lord Pendragon doing? While Muriel was fighting so hard?
"How is Lord Pendragon doing?"
At my question, their faces suddenly darkened.
Ivan wiped his mouth with his old sleeve and smiled bitterly.
"You must have been really far away. To not have heard that news."
"What news?"
"Lord Pendragon fell ill this spring."
I was so surprised that I dropped my wooden spoon. He fell ill? Him?
"Was he injured? Or did he catch a disease?"
At my urgent question, the healer woman shook her head.
"They say it's hard to pinpoint a specific illness. His vitality has simply declined. He has overworked his body since he was so young."
"He's getting old, isn't he? Fighting in the North his whole life, holding on this long is a miracle."
"He says he'll shake it off and get up anytime, but..."
That couldn't be.
I gripped my soup bowl tightly.
I had no idea how many more shocking news I would hear since returning here. In my time, the North was a hard but eventless, boring land. In half a year, one lord collapsed, a young boy became lord, and the monsters doubled.
This wasn't what I had imagined, so why...
Ivan let out a deep sigh.
"Amari must be very different from what you know now. After the 'White Lady' left..."
"White Lady?"
Victor, who had been quiet all along, asked back. Ivan nodded.
"We call the young lord of Amari, Lady Amarion, that. She always worked alone instead of her incompetent family."
"She was so remarkably strong that girls from Mul and Siland would flock to Amari in clouds to learn the sword."
"I've seen her."
A man suddenly said.
Startled, I quickly lowered my head. A low voice continued.
"I ran into her one winter day on the mountain. At first, I thought she wasn't human. So many monsters were dying so fast."
"..."
"She... wasn't just strong. I've never seen anyone that strong. Even if a dragon appeared, she could probably kill it."
"They say she goes hunting carrying ten swords at a time. Not her, but the swords couldn't withstand it."
"And when even those swords broke, they say she would peel off monster teeth or bones to use as swords. Amari has had many great swordsmen, but even looking through history, there wouldn't be anyone like her."
I lowered my head even more. Even though it was all true about what I had done, I was too ashamed to lift my head. Especially after hearing the news about Muriel and Lord Pendragon.
I wasn't the great person they thought I was.
I squeezed out only one sentence.
"That's... an exaggeration."
"What! Even the 'Sorceress Queen' or 'Walking Death' wouldn't be a match for her."
"And what if it's exaggerated?"
The healer woman said bitterly.
"For people like us, we need such a hero. What else do we have besides that?"
I lost my words and looked at them.
The travelers returning to Mul were exhausted. Torn, repeatedly mended cloaks and old shoes, heavy pouches slung over their shoulders. The healer woman's hands were stained with herb juice, and the swordsmen and spearmen covered old scars with shoddy fur armor and bandages.
That was what Northerners were. The ones who remained in that barren land purely out of a sense of duty.
I bit my lip and turned my head away.
Ivan concluded quietly.
"Anyway, you'll have to be prepared. Amari is currently a land without a lord."
I couldn't answer and only nodded. Then I spread a blanket near the fireplace and lay down. My heart beat so much it hurt.
It was my first time hearing things about myself in this way. Of course, I had received praise and words of gratitude, but I could never truly accept them. I thought an incompetent successor who couldn't even protect her people properly didn't deserve to hear such things.
It was the same even now that I realized I was quite strong. I felt I was a hopelessly incompetent lord.
But what if it wasn't true? What if my existence was more important here than I thought?
I squeezed my eyes shut.
I had to confirm it after all. From someone who knew me and the North better than anyone.
❖ ❖ ❖
The next day, we woke up early. It was because it was snowing. It was already heavy snow piled up to our ankles. In the North, the cold weather made the snow freeze easily, so we quickly packed our belongings and closed the cabin door. I handed over all our food to them.
"What are you going to do?"
"We're fine. We have separate plans."
Ivan looked surprised but soon nodded.
"...I'd like to decline, but we're not in a position to. Thank you."
"Travel safely. Glory to the Lord of Mul."
"And may Amari pass this cold winter without freezing."
We exchanged short Northern greetings and parted ways. They bowed and disappeared down the road.
Victor, who had been standing behind me all along, spoke.
"Marion, I decided not to interfere with your actions, but..."
He pointed at the large signpost. The signpost indicated that if we kept going down that road, we would reach Amari, Mul, and Siland.
"To go to Amari, shouldn't we follow that road too?"
"There is a faster way."
I said quietly.
A method that could resolve my doubts and get us to Amari at a remarkably fast speed. An absurdly dangerous path, but one Victor could follow.
Victor didn't ask any more. He just mounted his reindeer and headed where I pointed. I drove my reindeer after him, out into the open field.
The Northern plains were a distant white. As the snow piled up on the almost treeless land, it transformed into a dazzling, pure white like silk. Everything was pure white except for the reindeer hoofprints stamped like a seal. It was a scenery I was sick of seeing, but Victor couldn't take his eyes off it.
"This place is quiet."
His sun-like eyes held the snow-capped mountains. He looked back at me.
"If I said the cold here is beautiful, would you dislike it?"
"No. I also think it's beautiful here."
Though it was barren land difficult to farm, I always thought the North was beautiful. Even when my flesh cracked from the cold and the blood on my sword froze, smelling the cold wind made me feel alive. That was how I endured the solitude after hunting.
"Of course, it's a hard place for people to live. Because we're always hungry. It would have been nice if we could at least eat the monsters."
I bit my lip tightly.
I hated monsters. Most monsters were poisonous and inedible, and things like snow golems melted and disappeared into snowdrifts when they died. They felt like existences created out of malice just to torment people. I hated that they harmed people, that they came down to attack the village, and that no matter how many I killed, they couldn't even be used as food.
"So I always thought about setting fire to the Black Mountain Range until it all burned down. My friend would scold me whenever I said things like this."
Victor replied quietly.
"I understand."
"Really?"
"Would I, who wandered the battlefield for revenge, not know that feeling?"
He smiled bitterly.
"And Marion, you are unconditionally right to me. Why wouldn't you be able to set it on fire?"
Victor said. It was a sincerity without a trace of a smile, too serious to be a joke. I shook my head with a smile.
"Stop it, or my friend will really get mad."
"...It seems like the first time you're talking about a hometown friend."
"Yes. It's my only childhood friend left. You'll be able to meet him soon too."
Before Victor could ask more, a black birch forest appeared at the edge of the snowfield. I quickly spurred my reindeer toward it.
❖ ❖ ❖
The trees of the Black Mountain Range were strangely all black. It was for the same unknown reason as the creation of monsters. This forest was the entrance to that Black Mountain Range.
I stopped in front of the birch forest. As I approached, a small path came into view. It was a gloomy path that made one reluctant to even go near it.
But this was the 'entrance'.
"This is a path used by thieves."
Victor raised an eyebrow.
"By 'thieves,' you mean those...?"
"Yes. The residents of the Black Mountain Range."
Victor turned his head in surprise, examining the narrow path.
Generally, thieves referred to those who hid on the roads and attacked travelers, but to those who knew of the Black Mountain Range, the meaning was a little different.
They were the masters of the Black Mountain Range. Reclusive people who roamed the entire mountain range hunting monsters and lived self-sufficiently in the fortress on the mountain. They were warriors that even the Emperor couldn't touch because once they hid in the mountains, no one could find them. Presumed to have originated from the North, specifically Siland, they lived there for generations and called the most outstanding among them by the title of 'King.'
Where we were going now was precisely their city.
"We will take this road to the King of Thieves' fortress."
At my resolute words, Victor fell silent for a moment. Reducing his countless questions to just one, he asked.
"...How do you know them?"
"The thieves often come down to the North for barter, and I used to climb the fortress with them. Because I was the only one who could climb the Black Mountain Range without getting hurt. I also learned how to use their paths back then."
I quietly felt the pitch-black birch tree.
As expected, one of the knots had a round, semi-circular carving. A marker for the starting point.
"If we cross the Black Mountain Range through this path, we can arrive in Amari days earlier. But... The inside of the mountain range is a terrifying place that constantly changes its structure. We'll have to keep swinging our swords to block the monsters."
"..."
"It'll be quite dark. Will you be alright?"
Victor nodded at my question.
"I'm fine because you are with me."
I tightly gripped his hand and let go.
"Now, let's go!"
We galloped our reindeer down the dark path.
❖ ❖ ❖
The forest of the Black Mountain Range was alive. They changed their structure at will to deceive intruders, so a single path could suddenly split into two or three. Depending on where you entered, a half-day's journey could be reached in an instant, or a ten-minute walk could make you wander for months.
Simple markers were arbitrarily altered by the forest's magic, so the thieves created a complex way to find the path.
"'You are pure white, an unmelted white star...' This way!"
I read the phrases written on the large trees one by one as I ran.
"'Unreachable,' 'pure white,' 'of honey'... this way!"
Victor followed me into the second path and shouted.
"What kind of rule is that cipher?"
"It's like continuing the lyrics of a song!"
I said, reading the phrases engraved on the next tree.
"In this forest, the paths change places every time to deceive people. So they engrave cipher texts based on lyrics on the trees so we can choose only the right path, and they mark what song it is in advance."
The marker at the entrance of this path was a round half-moon. That meant the folk song 'The Knight and the Snow Goddess.'
The lyrics went something like this.
[You are pure white, an unmelted white star.
Unreachable you, silently without a word.
Ah, if I die and wither away in this place.
O Goddess, please take my soul.]
I ran down the path where 'in this place' was written and slashed at the goblins charging at me. I saw Victor delivering a sword strike at the yeti chasing after him.
I hurriedly read the next words and desperately spurred my reindeer on. There were more monsters than usual, which made me even more anxious. The massive reindeer galloped forward at an incredible speed.
"This is the last one!"
I leaped into the path with the last phrase written on it. Then, suddenly, my field of vision opened wide. And right before my eyes, a massive wooden fortress was revealed.
"This is..."
Victor opened his mouth slightly and looked up at the endlessly towering fortress.
The legendary fortress, the dwelling of the thieves, was right before our eyes.
The thieves' fortress was incredibly tall. Raised by tying special fire-resistant trees over several generations, the fortress was like an unyielding black wall. Thanks to the fortress that even a serpent couldn't scale, the thieves of the Black Mountain Range were able to endure in this dangerous land for a long time.
Even with so many monsters, fortunately, the fortress looked intact. I approached it with relief. The lookouts in the watchtower asked lazily.
"Who are you? Coming here wearing a dress, are you a phantom of the mountain range?"
They couldn't recognize me either?
I was a bit shocked. I thought I saw them quite often... I shook off the shock and shouted.
"It's Amarion, Amarion of Amari!"
"...What, you're Lady Amarion?"
The lookouts gaped.
Soon, a commotion arose inside. With a crash and the sound of something falling, a familiar figure suddenly leaned out of the window. Near-white silver hair, and violet eyes rare even in the North. The delicate face that always wore a calm expression was unusually flushed.
I smiled and waved.
"It's been a while, Kirgis."
My childhood friend, the current King of Thieves, answered while gripping the window frame tightly.
"...Marion."
"Marion?"
And at the same time, Victor's eyes narrowed.
❖ ❖ ❖
Kirgis was an old friend. I'd known him since I first held a sword.
He was quite strong from a young age, so he used to come down among the thieves who came to Amari to trade. Since he was the only one my age I could spar with, I often crossed swords with Kirgis.
As I became able to climb the Black Mountain Range, our meetings increased. I traversed mountains and fields with Kirgis. He survived longer than any of my other friends, taught me dagger techniques, and became a friend I could hunt with.
When Kirgis told me he had been chosen as the 'King' of the thieves, we even had a modest celebration with wine from Amari Castle. I even joked, saying I couldn't believe he was at that level.
I followed him into the fortress.
Kirgis was particularly quiet today.
He was always a quiet guy, but not to this extent?
The thieves spoke to me as I wondered about it.
"Wow, we really didn't recognize you, my lady! Your face has completely blossomed!"
"Has it?"
"Your voice has brightened too! Goodness, I was so worried when you suddenly got married, I guess they treat you well there?"
I smiled quietly.
"Yes."
"That's good. But who's the guy who came with you? It couldn't have been easy coming up that path."
"Ah, it's my husband, Victor. Victor Morte."
"..."
Suddenly, a heavy silence fell. Hard gazes uniformly turned toward Victor.
Did I say his name unnecessarily?
But they didn't seem afraid of Victor. Something more...
I looked up at Victor with an indescribable discomfort. Whether he knew it or not, Victor was looking around the village with a fascinated expression.
The thieves' village was a unique place. Thanks to the high walls, only the strong selected after training needed to go out and fight under the name 'thief'. Meanwhile, the weak lived peacefully inside the warm wooden village. The elderly and children walked holding hands, and blacksmiths hummed as they forged iron for the warriors.
It was the sight I had always envied. A land where the weak were safe.
But somehow, I felt a sense of incongruity. Something felt different from usual...
Kirgis called out to me as I frowned.
"Rest here for now."
It was a cabin for outsiders in the middle of the village. I nodded and went inside.
The cabin was warm. I sat in the wooden chair, patting my legs that ached from riding the reindeer. I didn't plan to stay long, but it felt comforting to bask in the fire after so long.
Soon, the residents brought in warm goat's milk and thin onion bread. I thanked them.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing, it's nice to see you after a long time! Kirgis will be happy too!"
They smiled and left the room.
Only after we were finally alone, Victor asked.
"...May I ask how you know the 'King of Thieves'?"
"Yes."
I gave a brief explanation while eating the bread.
That he was my only remaining childhood friend, and that we hadn't been in touch for quite a while because he was in a place like this. I also mentioned that he was quite strong, so we used to hunt together.
Victor's eyes sank.
"I see. A friend... Why didn't you tell me before?"
"There wasn't time to explain. I didn't think you needed to know."
I didn't know it would turn out like this, though.
I smiled bitterly.
Originally, it was right that the two of them would never have met. Like the previous Kings of Thieves, Kirgis rarely came down from the mountain. Only exaggerated rumors abounded across the continent once he became the King of Thieves.
It was the same for Victor. Why would the lord of Morte, a meritorious subject of the Empire, ever visit the thieves' fortress? So I didn't particularly explain it, and during this trip, I missed the chance to say it.
Just then, Kirgis returned.
"Have you filled your stomach a bit?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
Kirgis's violet eyes looked at me. He sat down and asked calmly.
"Why did you come here?"
He didn't beat around the bush. We had spent so many years reading each other's thoughts just by meeting eyes and swinging swords. So I answered directly too.
"I want to borrow the thieves' path. I want to get to Amari as quickly as possible."
"Why Amari?"
"Why? Because I heard that place is in danger. So of course I have to go."
Kirgis didn't answer. His gaze slowly swept over Victor and me. I looked at him with a hint of anxiety.
My old friend, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, was acting a bit strange today. It looked like he had a lot to say, something weighing on his mind, but he couldn't easily open his mouth. And I had never been able to endure this kind of gaze from Kirgis for long.
"Kirgis, what on earth is going on?"
Unable to hold back, I asked, and he turned around. When he opened the tent flap, the thieves quickly poked their heads in.
"Why, Boss?"
"Bring some drinks and food. The path to Amari won't open until tomorrow morning anyway..."
"Oh, are we drinking?"
The thieves ran out excitedly. Since the fortress thieves always lived ascetically, they seemed to want to use the guests as an excuse to get drunk.
They were just the same as before.
I glanced at my friend who was acting particularly strange. He let out a deep sigh.
"Let's talk while drinking. Like always."
I had no choice but to nod.
❖ ❖ ❖
And so, an impromptu drinking party began.
The thieves, wanting to join in, crowded in, filling the quite spacious cabin with dozens of people. The potent fruit liquor commonly drunk in the fortress circulated. And I noticed something strange.
"Victor, they are..."
"Yes. They're all wounded."
Victor set down his glass and frowned slightly.
The laughing thieves were all bandaged up. The sense of incongruity grew stronger.
Thieves never overhunted. In the first place, there was a wall, so there was no need to fight unnecessarily, and they only caught as many monsters as needed. So there was no reason for this many people to be injured.
I looked back at Kirgis. Bandages were visible between his white cloak as he sat slumped.
I asked, startled.
"Are you hurt?"
Kirgis glanced at me and emptied his glass.
"I'm fine."
"But you rarely get hurt."
I was worried. Kirgis was the only person in the North I thought was strong. I couldn't even fathom what could have injured him this much. At least, as far as I knew, there was nothing nearby that could hurt Kirgis.
Kirgis, who was staring at me again, changed the subject.
"How did you know the situation here wasn't good?"
"...People I got close to in Morte told me. Since it was news about the North, it wasn't certain, so I came all the way here directly."
"You're still reckless."
He smiled bitterly and nodded.
"That's right. The monsters increased. So much that they've even polluted the wasteland and the mountain range. So all our warriors are hunting across the Black Mountain Range."
Ah.
I realized the identity of the incongruity I felt when looking at the village earlier. The strangely quiet village and the empty armory. The countless wounded. This was not a normal scene in a thieves' fortress.
At the same time, I recalled the strangely quiet wasteland throughout our journey.
"Don't tell me, the ones blocking the monsters heading to the wasteland were..."
"Yes, us. But we're slowly reaching our limit. The North has been in total war since summer. The Lord of Mul called in all the territory people who could fight, and Siland and Amari somehow held on. Right now, they're barely maintaining a balance, but..."
"..."
"Even if they all gather, they probably won't be able to withstand the monster wave."
He spoke of the worst-case scenario blandly.
I clenched my fists, unable to believe it.
Even in years with many monsters, this had never happened. A slight increase in monsters was no big deal to the thieves who valued the ecology of the Black Mountain Range, so they rarely helped during waves. But now, even with the thieves stepping in, it had come to this. Why on earth had it suddenly gotten to this point? Nothing should have changed. Nothing.
But at the same time, the suspicion I had been harboring throughout the journey raised its head.
I was stronger than I thought.
Even after crossing half the continent, I saw no one who could match my sword except Victor. The famous knights and mercenaries were all weak, and even the legendary Yazi was incredible, but I didn't feel like I would lose.
And Victor was the strongest knight on the continent. Stronger than any hero on this continent.
Then maybe, could it be...
I bit my lip and asked the question I had been wanting to ask.
"...Is it because of me? Because I wasn't here?"
The violet eyes sank deeply. He nodded.
"Yes."
I opened my eyes wide. I couldn't believe it, and I didn't want to believe it.
Truly, for the lack of just one inadequate person like me, such a thing had happened.
Words spilled from my mouth as if it wasn't my own.
"That can't be true. Just because one person disappeared... I barely win against you too..."
"I am the youngest king in the history of the fortress, Marion. I have never seen anyone defeat me except you."
"..."
"Every spring, you smashed countless eggs and slaughtered thousands of monsters. How many times did I tell you that you single-handedly completely messed up the monster regeneration of the Black Mountain Range?"
"But."
I bit my lip.
The thought that had denied me my entire life suddenly popped out.
"Then why did so many Amari people die?"
The moment I let it out, my breath truly hitched. I bowed my head deeply.
I truly thought I was pathetic. Not only because I starved my people without money, but also in swordsmanship.
No matter how hard I tried to protect them, people's lives vanished as fleetingly as embers on a winter day. My nanny, the butler who worked at the castle, the blacksmith's wife who fed and sheltered me, the healer who always treated my knees. Countless people died and disappeared like that.
I cried every time I buried them. None of them lived out their natural lifespans. They were all people who could have lived if the monsters had been killed earlier.
So I always thought. If only I were a little stronger. If I were a genius, a great knight like 'Walking Death', I could have saved everyone.
That was why I could never have full confidence in my sword.
Kirgis spoke as if he had read my mind.
"You can't save everyone, Marion. No matter how strong you are."
"..."
"Ask your husband. Did the greatest knight on the continent protect everything precious to him?"
I didn't even need to ask. I squeezed my eyes shut. Victor had lost more than anyone I had ever met. Even though he was so strong.
Victor was silently watching us. Kirgis said quietly.
"I thought you knew and still ran away."
"Ran away?"
"Didn't you get married because you didn't want to be in the North?"
"...What?"
Kirgis set down his glass. His violet eyes shone without emotion.
"You left without even contacting me. Following a man you'd never seen. Leaving behind your land, your suffocating family, and me."
I opened my eyes wide. It was a face that rarely showed expression, but I knew what Kirgis was thinking. It was loneliness. And a slight sense of betrayal.
But I was actually the one who felt betrayed. To think such a thing. When he knew full well what kind of person I was.
I glared at him and spoke.
"How can you say that? All my choices were for Amari."
"How would I know? You went to the capital one day, and suddenly contact was cut off. Even the people of Amari didn't know your news properly."
"How do I contact you in the North where even carrier pigeons can't travel?"
"Really? Was there truly no way? Or did you just want to forget and move on?"
With an expressionless face, my old friend struck at my weakness.
"You always wanted to put down your sword. Always. Even when fighting here. You always wanted to run away."
I gritted my teeth.
"Kirgis, you really...!"
"—Marion."
A large hand grabbed my wrist from beside me.
I turned my head blankly. Victor, who had set his glass down at some point, was holding onto me. Kirgis clenched his fists and turned his gaze away. Beside us, the thieves grumbled loudly.
"Ah, the mood is completely ruined."
"Exactly! What is this, Boss? To a friend you haven't seen in so long."
"No development since you were kids."
An older man casually pulled Kirgis and me to our feet.
"Now, go out and sober up. Cool your heads a bit."
He kicked us out into the dark outside the cabin. The cold wind blew sharply. Flustered, I mumbled.
"No, wait, it's cold..."
But the door slammed shut mercilessly right in front of my face.
Kirgis and I looked at each other with bewildered faces. Loud laughter erupted from inside.
❖ ❖ ❖
Victor Morte was enveloped in a peculiar emotion.
It was the first time he had seen Amarion so angry. The fact that there was someone she could be that honest with was a bit annoying, but at the same time, she was incredibly endearing.
'So that's why she has such low self-esteem.'
When Marion first said she was weak, Victor decided to give her time. He thought that telling her right away wouldn't make her believe it, but experiencing it would make her gradually realize it. Hadn't he himself not known how strong he was while in Morte, only realizing it after going to the battlefield? He waited and kept telling her she was precious, thinking she would become a more confident knight.
But she strangely refused to accept that fact. Even receiving countless praises across the continent, she always thought of herself as an inadequate swordsman.
The reason was right here. Because of what she had lost in Amari. The memories of loss made her blame herself, and she became a person who couldn't forgive herself.
So she left the North. Even though she had endured no matter how hard it was, she willingly sold herself at the offer of a pouch of gold coins. Then, like a river with a broken dam, monsters poured out...
"...Showing killing intent towards me isn't a very good idea."
The thieves flinched at the Grand Duke's words. But their hostile gazes didn't disappear. They said fiercely.
"No matter how strong you are, are you stronger than Lady Amarion?"
"Are you going to attack us?"
"...No. You are our guest."
The thieves sighed. "Ugh," they shifted their aching bodies and gulped down the strong liquor.
"You have to understand our dislike. You're the enemy of the Northerners, you know?"
"You have no idea how shocked we were when we heard the news of the lady's marriage in Amari. They said a high-ranking Imperial noble took the North's hero away through coercion, so how could we not be worried? Though I didn't know he was 'Walking Death'."
"Thanks to that, the monsters increased to an uncontrollable level, and Amari is a mess."
"Even now, I'd love to punch you if I could."
Victor swallowed another mouthful of liquor. The incredibly potent alcohol burned his throat.
In the past, he would have mocked or gotten angry at them.
"I understand."
Victor set his glass down. He slowly looked at the thieves.
"It is my fault. I took her away without knowing how important a person she was."
"..."
"She blamed herself the whole way here. It was painful to watch. In the end, it's all my fault. She's too noble, so she probably can't bear it."
Victor said bitterly.
The thieves' gazes became subtle. An older thief asked.
"Do you like the lady?"
Victor nodded without hesitation.
"I will do anything if she wishes it."
"Even if the lady says she wants to return?"
Victor stared down at his glass.
The North was a land that grew harder to live in the more you knew about it. The food and drink were coarse, and with every step, a biting wind blew that was hard to endure. He wondered if they ever even saw clear skies.
But.
"Honestly, I want to stop it somehow. Who would want to leave their wife in a place like this? A barren land with no sunlight, lacking food and firewood."
"..."
"I don't like that she has to sacrifice herself either. Why must she swing her sword in such agony? If the continent requires one person's sacrifice to keep going, wouldn't it be better to just let it perish?"
Whether it was the alcohol, the words poured out. They were words he had bottled up the entire trip to the North. Victor tightly gripped his wooden cup.
"But what can I do, when she loves this land?"
"..."
"So if Marion wants it, I will send her back. To the position of the young lord of Amari. Her life is hers to decide."
The thieves fell silent for a moment. After a while, the older thief scratched his head.
"I feel strange. We talked about that sometimes too."
"About what?"
"If one person has to sacrifice for the rest to live, what meaning does that have?"
Victor raised his eyebrows. The older thief continued.
"I don't know how it looks to you, but Kirgis is strong. Thanks to him, we could more or less block the monsters even without Lady Amarion until summer."
"But the boss struggled more and more. He had to protect the fortress and block the growing monsters."
"Those injuries were sustained while protecting us. The idiot, it would have been much better if he'd taken care of himself."
The thieves drank with bitter expressions. Another person concluded.
"But what can we do? He wants to do it himself. The lady and the boss were similar in that way."
Suddenly, a thief giggled.
"Actually, that's why we thought those two would get married. Their personalities were exactly the same. Always wandering around alone, saving people without a word."
"Plus, our Kirgis is quite handsome, right?"
"Exactly. He himself wasn't interested in anyone but the lady. But that's how it goes—being friends, holding hands, making eyes at each other!"
"..."
The thieves chattered excitedly.
Victor silently drank his liquor. There was no reason to fall for such low-quality provocation. Marion was already his wife, and they were a couple who trusted each other. He no longer got jealous as easily as before.
But the thieves fell over backward laughing.
"Hahaha, look at his face! The 'Walking Death'!"
"You live long enough, you see all sorts of things."
"Here, drink, drink!"
Liquor poured in, overflowing the cup. The Grand Duke inevitably thought of the 'Troll's Right Calf' mercenary company.
If he had known there were this many insolent people on the continent, he would have looked more fondly upon Kaltz and Leonard.
The Grand Duke of Morte belatedly regretted it as he gulped down the liquor half-forcibly.
❖ ❖ ❖
The cabin door wouldn't open. They had actually locked it. Kirgis and I stood there blankly for a while before deciding to just walk.
My heart grew heavier with every step.
From the incident in Morte to the present. All of this happened because I left the North. I was so poor that I thought money would solve everything. I thought if we hired expensive mercenaries and built walls, we wouldn't have to fight.
Kirgis, walking slowly a bit behind me, suddenly spoke.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it that harshly."
I nodded.
"I know. I was wrong too."
"...I thought you left on purpose, so I didn't contact you either."
I looked at him with wide eyes. The North was a land where even sending letters to the outside was difficult, but the thieves could traverse the Black Mountain Range, allowing them to quickly spread news across the entire continent. So in truth, if he had wanted to contact me, he could have easily done so.
Kirgis lowered his eyes. His long, white eyelashes hung down.
"I thought it was fine as long as you were happy there. If you didn't have to use a sword and lived comfortably as a noblewoman. So I didn't tell you the news about Amari either."
"Kirgis..."
I closed my mouth tightly.
The words that I was happy were true. Life in the Empire was beautiful on a different level from the Kingdom. But.
"Yeah. I was happy. But I won't abandon my land. How could I, when the land I swore to protect is right here?"
I just regret coming so late.
Kirgis looked at me steadily as I spoke filled with regret. He turned his head for a moment to look at the smoking chimney. Then he said.
"Don't blame yourself. Like I said earlier, you can't take responsibility for all the deaths. And it's not too late yet. You can fix it from now on."
"..."
"The situation in Amari is truly not good, Marion. Your father..."
I shook my head, stopping his words.
It was obvious what he was going to say. My parents had always been uncooperative in protecting Amari. My father always shut himself up in the castle, and my mother, who should have acted as lord regent, would rather see Amari perish.
Even so, I smiled.
"Whatever it is, it'll be fine. Victor is with me."
Kirgis stared at me for a moment before turning his head away.
We walked in silence for a long time. As we walked, we saw a pile of stones with a fire lit on it. We naturally stopped and warmed ourselves by the crackling fire.
Kirgis suddenly asked.
"You like the Grand Duke."
I opened my eyes wide. Talking about this with an old friend felt somewhat embarrassing. I looked down at the floor with a flushing face and gave a small nod. He asked again.
"How did you fall for him?"
Feeling the heat warming my cheeks, I looked down at the campfire.
When I thought about it, too many things came to mind. He was the person who followed me all the way here, what more could I say? So I just gave a short answer.
"He's cool, his face."
"You never said that to me, not even once?"
Kirgis smiled bitterly.
I was truly surprised and asked back.
"You know even if I don't say it, right? Whenever you came down, the village girls were so happy."
"Right."
He smirked. His purple eyes flickering in the firelight looked at me somewhat warmly.
"Anyway, I'm glad you're doing well. I was worried."
"I'm sorry I couldn't contact you."
"Me too, I'm sorry for acting like a child."
He laughed quietly and said.
"Shall we go back now? By this point, they've probably gotten so drunk they forgot to block the door."
I smiled, nodded, and returned to the cabin with him.
❖ ❖ ❖
The next day, we woke up at dawn.
Although I drank a lot, which was rare for me, I didn't have a hangover, perhaps thanks to the blessing. However, Victor wasn't so lucky. While I was away yesterday, the thieves made him drink an absurd amount of strong liquor, and he fell asleep leaning on my shoulder, more drunk than I had ever seen him. When I scolded them for giving so much alcohol to a Southerner, they only laughed.
Considering how much he drank, it seemed even his great magic couldn't completely detoxify it. Victor woke up with a tired face and got dressed. I asked with concern.
"Are you alright, Victor?"
"I... don't know. It's been too long since I felt like this... But do Northerners always drink that much?"
I nodded.
"Not as much as yesterday, but we drink often. Because it's cold. On feast days, we drink that much."
"Oh my, I wonder if I can survive in Amari."
I chuckled faintly and took his hand, heading outside. Outside, where the sun hadn't fully risen yet, our reindeer, the thieves, and Kirgis were already standing. He said.
"We usually don't interfere in matters below the mountain. But since you've come..."
He handed me something like a heavy pouch.
"If it looks like the situation is getting serious, burn this. It will produce red smoke, and I'll come down when I see it."
I received the pouch. As a Northerner, I knew better than anyone how rare it was for the thieves to step in and help directly. I gave my sincere thanks.
"Thank you."
"And..."
Kirgis looked at Victor. Neither of them said a word. But it seemed some sort of understanding had passed between them.
Kirgis looked back at me and said.
"Go carefully, Marion."
"Yeah. Thanks. Take care of yourself."
I bowed and mounted the reindeer.
The sun was rising from the far end of the mountain.