The scent of grass rose thickly.
Preci and his subordinates easily entered the forest. Though they entered somewhat later than their target, fortunately, the target had been moving carelessly, leaving traces behind.
What the target intended to do here, Preci wasn't particularly interested.
"They moved this way."
As they followed the traces, they found themselves going deeper into the forest.
The warm sunlight that had been shining down was blocked by the lush, overgrown leaves and couldn't reach the ground. The trees were so dense that even though it was midday, the surroundings were dark.
Perhaps because the sunlight couldn't reach, the air in the forest was cool and damp.
Preci took a deep breath to shake off the tension pressing down on his chest for no reason. He had long since removed his stifling helmet.
"The footprints were made not long ago."
Finally, a subordinate gave a welcome report. Preci glanced at the footprints formed by pressed leaves and soil, then nodded.
"Approach quietly."
They were experts at suppressing their presence. Among them, Preci was even more so.
Moving lightly and swiftly through the forest without even the sound of leaves rustling, he suddenly stopped. His subordinates also stopped in their places and lowered their bodies.
A clearing appeared in the forest that had been shaded by the dense trees. With nothing blocking the sky, sunlight illuminated the clearing in a circle.
Their target was standing in the center of that clearing, seemingly having dispelled the appearance-altering magic she had been using.
The first thing that caught his eye was silver hair, cascading like a waterfall, glistening in the sunlight.
"……!"
Seen from afar, the hair that might look like expensive silk swayed and rippled with every movement.
The white skin, brightly revealed under the sunlight, also looked somewhat surreal. Her profile, tilted slightly, revealed a prominent nose bridge and firmly closed lips that asserted their presence.
Following her slowly blinking eyelids, purple pupils appeared and disappeared as if tormenting one's heart.
Preci, who had almost lost his wits unconsciously, fortunately regained his reason quickly.
'It stands out more because of the sunlight.'
Perhaps because the target was wearing a dark, simple, and ordinary cloak, her white face appeared even more contrasted.
Preci steadied his mind. Objectively, it was true that the target's appearance was excellent, but he already knew the contents were entirely different.
The target was a vicious woman who had tried to buy poison from him to kill the woman he loved.
Preci, who had regained his coolness, signaled his subordinates with his fingers. Surrounding the target standing alone in the center of the clearing was very easy.
Even until they completely surrounded her, the target was completely unaware of their existence.
Preci unconsciously smiled a cruel sneer.
'How should I finish this off?'
Preci, who had intended to end it cleanly, quietly, and quickly, changed his mind. He wanted to see the face of the target, who didn't even know her situation and only looked peaceful, distorted ugly.
Preci openly revealed himself. A branch rolling on the ground broke under his step with a 'tuk' sound.
It was a very small branch, yet the sound echoed unusually loudly.
So he realized. The eerily still state of the forest.
"Who are you?"
The discomfort felt in that instant quickly vanished. Meeting the purple eyes looking straight at him, the cruel impulse that had been temporarily set aside inside him boiled up.
"I have come from the Imperial Palace."
With Preci's appearance leading, his subordinates slowly revealed themselves in a semicircle.
The target slowly looked around at the strangers surrounding her and approaching. No tension or fear could be seen on her face.
Seeing her peaceful face, Preci's brows slightly furrowed. However, he soon smiled a good-natured smile and spoke.
"His Majesty the Emperor was greatly disappointed in the Resurrected One, and has ordered us to find and execute this fraud immediately."
"His Majesty?"
"Yes."
Though he had no intention of letting the target go, there was no need to reveal their true identity.
It was true that the Emperor was angry with the Resurrected One, and that he suspected the Resurrected One was a fraud, so making them fight each other would be best.
Since she was a woman who had already been beheaded once, wouldn't she despair if she thought another execution order had come from the Emperor's mouth?
Preci looked at the target with expectation.
"His Majesty ordered my execution……."
She murmured quietly, tilting her head askew. Her sparkling silver hair flowed down following the movement of her head.
At the same time, Preci's pupils wavered.
"I see."
Her white and pale face was smiling softly at Preci.
Not a speck of despair could be seen in her neatly folded eyes. Rather, she looked…….
She looked like she was enjoying herself.
'……What.'
Feeling chills down his spine at the impression he unconsciously had, Preci reflexively took a step back. The target was watching his reaction as if observing it.
"So, you've come to carry out His Majesty's order?"
"……That is correct."
"Then if I send your heads to His Majesty, would I instead be wanted for treason?"
"Being beheaded and resurrected must have caused some problem with your head."
At Preci's words, she—no, the target—burst into laughter. The sound of laughter echoing in the silence sounded quite innocent.
"My head is perfectly normal. It's just that my temperament has always been violent. Don't you already know? I remember requesting you multiple times to buy medicine and deceive people."
Preci, who had been pretending to be composed, could no longer hide his expression this time.
With a face coldly settled, he twisted his lips.
"Seeing you laugh like that when you know who I am, you're truly out of your mind."
Now he had obtained a perfect reason not to let the target out of the forest.
Rather, it worked out well. Preci decided to think so.
How much had his beloved Lilia suffered because of that woman.
Preci had vowed to protect her from behind for her whole life, but every time the target received immunity because she was the second daughter of a ducal family, he regretted not being able to step forward himself.
Now that an opportunity had arisen, he just needed to do what he did best.
Just as Preci, having made that resolution, was about to grasp his sword—
"What!"
The bushes behind the target shook greatly. Preci and his subordinates reflexively took attack stances.
They hadn't felt any presence—had she hidden people behind her? But how could she have known about their attack and prepared people in advance!
Moreover, this place was currently controlled as a restricted entry zone, making it difficult for many to approach without special camouflage like Preci and his subordinates.
With sharply raised eyes, Preci glared at the area behind the target.
The bushes that had shaken a few times seemed to quiet down, then soon something popped out.
It was…… a cat. A black cat.
The cat, appearing while swishing its tail, approached near the target's legs and stretched its body in a yawn.
"Ha, a cat."
One subordinate who had been tense let out a hollow laugh and muttered annoyingly. At that moment, the bushes shook again.
"…What is that?"
A turtle slowly crawling out was visible. Behind it, a small black bird flew up. Invisible black dots were also flying around dizzyingly.
At the absurd scene, Preci frowned, when a black, massive shadow pushed through the bushes and jumped out.
It was a large black bear.
Preci gripped the sword hilt he had been loosely holding with force. A black bear!
The bear's appearance was unexpected. However, it might have been a good thing. Dying torn apart by a bear's front paws would be a more natural end than them doing it directly.
Preci pulled his subordinates back to get out of the bear's attack range. Seeing their reaction, the target looked behind herself.
He expected blood to splatter at any moment. However, the imagined scene didn't occur.
"How……?"
Someone among the subordinates muttered in a dazed voice.
Preci was in the same state of mind as that subordinate. He couldn't understand what this situation was at all.
The bear that had approached the target on all fours was lowering its head like a gentle puppy. It looked like it would swing its massive front paws at the person in front of it at any moment.
Preci became increasingly anxious. The target showed no sign of surprise at seeing the bear, and rather was accepting the bear's gentle reaction as if it were natural.
Rustle.
"What is it this time?"
When sound came from the bushes again, one subordinate said sharply with an irritated voice.
Would it be an animal again? A fierce beast?
'Could the Resurrected One know how to control animals?'
Preci swallowed dry saliva and took another step back. Fortunately or unfortunately, this time it wasn't an animal.
What appeared this time was a person. It was a knight wearing heavy armor, and Preci, who had been monitoring the target for several days, recognized at a glance that this knight was the target's guard.
'Surely there was no guard earlier…….'
Originally, that guard hadn't been brought along when leaving the mansion. Then had that guard knight been sent to this forest in advance?
In the increasingly confusing situation, Preci clenched his teeth and glared.
"Do you mean to tell me you were complacent believing in that one guard?"
The animals…… the black bear was threatening, but Preci had several types of poison. His subordinates also usually applied poison to their swords, so there was no reason they couldn't handle even a fierce beast.
Then the problem would be that guard—his skills looked good, but their side had far greater numbers.
And usually in such situations, the side with someone to protect is at a disadvantage.
Preci laughed triumphantly. It became more troublesome than expected, but that was all. The result wouldn't change.
Just as Preci, who had regained his composure, was about to speak again, the target smiled a brilliant smile and asked back in a gentle voice.
"Who said it was one?"
The target raised one hand and lightly waved it.
And, the forest turned black.