Before the dawn light could rise, Relia woke from sleep and departed.
At the checkpoint inspection point, she waited her turn and slipped the one remaining potion into her inventory.
Thanks to this, she passed the inspection of her belongings without issue.
However, the moment she passed through the checkpoint, Relia realized there were people following her from behind.
Turning her head, she saw fifteen or so men on horseback chasing after her.
From their appearance, they were the mercenaries she had seen in front of the inn yesterday.
Relia gritted her lips and drove her horse forward.
However, they were far more skilled at handling horses. Relia was surrounded by them near the forest.
"Damn... didn't you say you gave them sleeping pills?"
"I don't know. Looks like that woman just took the money and didn't give them any."
"Should we go back and kill her?"
"Why bother when there's bigger money right in front of us?"
They laughed with greedy gazes. Relia furrowed her brow.
"Why exactly are you following me?"
When Relia asked, they shrugged their shoulders.
"In these harsh times, traveling alone is dangerous. When there are guys like us around."
"Don't worry, if you behave, you won't get hurt. We just need to collect the reward."
"What reward?"
Surely not....
"Yeah, from today you're an alchemist. I heard the Teles Territory right next door gives a bigger reward than the Trick Territory? So let's go there quietly, alright?"
After saying this with a lewd laugh, the thick-bearded man pulled out a bow from behind his back.
What he was aiming for was the horse Relia was riding.
It seemed he planned to knock her off the horse first, then bind her hands and feet.
Relia hurried to open her item window but instead grabbed the horse's reins first. The man sneered at her and quickly released the bowstring.
However, the man failed to hit Relia's horse even at close range.
The arrow he shot floated in empty air, standing still as if time had stopped.
"What is that?"
It was when the men were buzzing at the strange scene.
"Argh!"
Suddenly one of them fell from his horse screaming.
What followed was a horrific sight. The man who had fallen to the ground let out a monstrous scream. The blood flowing from his body was being absorbed somewhere.
In an instant, the man had all the blood drained from his body and twisted grotesquely.
The men, startled as if witnessing a demon, quickly began to flee.
But Relia stood frozen in place, unable to do anything.
The sword that had absorbed the blood pulsed as it emitted a red mist.
Holding that sword, Oscar was looking at Relia.
"Leo, didn't I tell you?"
"...."
"You really have no learning ability."
He tilted his head and smiled. It was a chilling smile.
"I warned you like that... and you abandon me again?"
Relia was so surprised she couldn't say anything.
How are you here....
As she murmured those words inwardly, screams came from behind.
Oscar had no intention of quietly letting those who had fled in panic go.
Relia didn't want to see the horrific scene unfolding behind her, so she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Don't close your eyes."
A low voice spoke right in front of her. Because of this, Relia opened her eyes again.
For some unknown reason, Oscar was glaring at her with angry eyes.
His sword emitted an even redder mist than before. Somehow she felt like her breath was caught in her throat.
Oscar lightly twisted his wrist and sheathed the sword as he spoke.
"It's no use running or closing your eyes. Leo."
Leo.
Relia was bewildered and frightened by Oscar calling her that.
The forbidden spell placed on her had precise standards yet ambiguous lines.
If Relia revealed with her own mouth the fact that she had disguised herself as 'Prince Leo' and gone to the neutral zone, she would die.
It didn't matter if someone naturally figured it out without her saying anything, but Relia acknowledging it might be another matter entirely.
With nothing certain at the moment, it was better to be cautious until she could undo the forbidden spell.
"...."
Relia looked around in case someone might be listening.
However, apart from the mercenaries' corpses twisted from having their blood drained and the sight of their horses fleeing, nothing else was visible nearby.
"Do you dislike being called by that name?"
Oscar asked in a quite gentle voice. But his complexion was cold, and his gaze was sharp.
Tension hung in the air.
To avoid provoking him, Relia slowly dismounted from her horse.
"H-how did you come to be here...?"
When Relia asked, he answered calmly without changing his expression in the slightest.
"You're curious about that in this situation? I've been following you since the moment you left the imperial castle. You're the one who ignored my warning."
Oscar said matter-of-factly.
Relia squeezed her eyes shut then opened them again.
'He's been secretly following me for a week?'
How could she not have known that? Did even Yeongum not know?
[◔_◔...]
"...."
[..( ｡_｡)...didn't know he was following master.]
So, he did know about it.
Relia rubbed her forehead as her head throbbed.
Oscar frowned as he looked down at her.
Did she hate that much that he followed her? Did she really try to abandon him again?
He felt as if his chest was being hacked apart with a knife.
He trembled with a sense of betrayal.
Just then, Relia opened her mouth as if to say something.
Oscar gazed at her lips desperately, with hopeful anticipation.
"I... don't understand what you're talking about, Oscar."
But Relia's lips betrayed him once again. The light in his eyes turned cold.
Relia cautiously looked up at him then lowered her head again.
She couldn't bring herself to properly meet Oscar's eyes. He looked like a cornered beast.
In his red pupils, hatred for the hunter who had driven him to crisis, and a pitiful, sorrowful appearance fearing death—two things coexisted.
Relia had no choice but to pretend not to know.
Because she couldn't immediately acknowledge being 'Leo.'
A momentary mistake could trigger the forbidden spell, making everything futile. She might end up coughing blood and dying right in front of Oscar now.
She didn't want to hurt Oscar even more.
"...If you're going to pretend not to know until the end, then it can't be helped."
"...."
"Fine, Relia. You must be curious why I followed you. It's simple. I've designated you as the murderer who killed Leo."
"What do you mean...! The person who killed Lord Leo was already executed...."
"No, it's you. You killed him."
Relia, who was about to deny it in agitation, fell silent and stopped.
Oscar too knew the fact that Relia wasn't the culprit.
Relia lowered her head.
'He must be trying to say that by denying I am Leo, it's the same as killing Leo.'
If that was his meaning, she had nothing to say. Because he wasn't wrong.
"So I'm going to try to think of you as Leo's replacement. Everything I couldn't do for Leo, I intend to do entirely to you."
"What do you mean by that...."
"I'm going to take you in Leo's place."
Relia's brow furrowed. What was Oscar saying right now?
"If Leo had been alive, I was planning to get him back. But since Leo died, shouldn't I at least take you?"
"Wh-what...."
"Leo promised me. To stay by my side for the rest of his life."
Saying that, Oscar laughed as if asking what the problem was.
Relia had nothing to say. It was true that she had made such a promise to him.
But that was....
Relia recalled events from long ago.
When they were staying at the temple. It was a day when Oscar had another episode.
"Oscar, it's okay. Don't listen to any sounds."
"Hnngh... Leo... Leo...."
"I'm right here, don't worry. Oscar. Okay?"
As he gradually calmed down, Oscar grabbed her collar and asked.
"I, do I have to live like this forever... I'm scared... the, the thunder sound is...."
"No, don't think like that, Oscar. I'll protect you. Okay?"
"...Forever?"
"...Yes, forever. So don't be afraid."
I'll protect you.
Relia held the smaller Oscar in her arms and whispered thus.
At that moment, there was no choice if she wanted to calm Oscar down.
But even if she could turn back time and return to the past, Relia would have repeated the same words.
Even if she knew such a day would come.
"So now you're mine."
"...."
"I'm going to take you."
His voice saying that was low and dangerous.
Oscar approached while grabbing one of Relia's shoulders. Because he was approaching threateningly close, Relia found herself stepping backward.
Relia counted to three inwardly and glared.
In times like this, she had to keep her wits about her.
Oscar had a major trauma from the combination of wounds received in childhood and the shock of Leo's death.
In short, it meant his mind wasn't entirely healthy.
Relia felt a sense of responsibility regarding that. Therefore, healing Oscar was also her duty.
"L-Lord Oscar. First, please calm down."
"...."
At the tone of voice as if dealing with a patient, Oscar's eyebrows creased.
"First... try taking some deep breaths."
"What are you trying to do?"
"Pe-people are not objects... they can't be taken or not taken...."
"...Ha."
"Besides, I'm not a slave either... so please just calm down first...."
Oscar was difficult to control. With such an opponent, she had to approach carefully.
Even more carefully than with Oscar in childhood.
Like gently coaxing a baby kitten.
"First, thank you for saving me."
"...."
When Relia calmly started with thanks, Oscar's expression crumpled even more.
She had thought he would keep denying and pushing him away, so this was unexpected. If Relia had responded that way, she might have failed to suppress her impulse again and hurt him.
With the mindset of watching what more Relia would say, Oscar stared fixedly at her.
Seeing his eyes become gentler than before, Relia breathed a sigh of relief.
"I must go to my home territory. There are many things I need to take care of there."
"...Where is that?"
"...The Superion Territory."
Relia added vague words so he could figure it out on his own.
"Actually, when I was young, I left the imperial castle and ran away. There were people who helped me then, and I need to repay that kindness. I was very young then... and I was scared, and I was just a child who didn't know how to do anything."
"...."
It was words containing the meaning that she hadn't deceived with intention, but that she too had no choice.
Fortunately, Oscar seemed to have figured out the underlying meaning to some extent. His pupils wavered.
It was truly fortunate that the person before her was Oscar.
If it had been Calix, he definitely wouldn't have noticed.
"Anyway, I need to go there...."
"...."
"Would you like to come with me?"
Relia cautiously proposed. Given the circumstances, separating from Oscar and going alone was impossible.
Looking at those eyes, she could tell. They were sticky eyes filled with determination never to separate from her.
When Relia took the initiative and proposed first, Oscar slowly nodded.
His gaze was cold and his expression was frigid, but in any case, his response itself was docile like a baby kitten.
"But there's something you must promise when we go there. You must never call me that... Lord Leo again. You mustn't say anything to those people."
"Alright."
And so an unimaginable companion was formed.
Though Relia who proposed it felt uneasy in her heart, Oscar's expression actually looked comfortable.
'Fine, as long as you're comfortable, Oscar....'
Relia sighed inwardly and mounted the horse again.
But something was strange.
Relia looked down at Oscar from atop the horse.
"...What about the horse you rode?"
"I didn't come on a horse."
"...."
Relia blinked. Then did he walk?
"Th-then how did you follow me...?"
"I created a rift."
Oscar answered calmly. Relia was dazed for a moment.
'Rift? By rift... he couldn't mean a spatial rift, could he?'
When she was young, her grandfather had once shown her the temple's scripture.
Her grandfather said there was no need to particularly believe in religion, but since the scripture was also a historical record, it was worth reading.
However, since there were many difficult parts, he had taught her this and that while reading the book himself.
That scripture had a section explaining the powers the ancient demon race possessed....
One of them was 'spatial rift.'
In short, demons could create rifts in the air with their fingertips and travel through space.
It was an ability possessed only by high-ranking demons with enormous magical power, and using that power, they had tried to slaughter humans by leading armies of millions of demons.
'And you use that?'
Relia's gaze turned to the demon sword he wore at his waist.
Even the one who first possessed that demon sword probably couldn't use that much power.
Fear of Oscar washed over Relia.
At the same time, worry that the demon sword's power might consume Oscar also came with it.
But perhaps because Relia had allowed him to accompany her, Oscar's expression became docile like a baby kitten.
Looking at him this way, it seemed his childhood face still remained. When they first reunited, she had thought he was a different person.
Anyway....
'Since it's come to this, should I ask Oscar to create a rift and travel to the territory?'
That thought occurred to her, but since it was a power demons possessed, it somehow felt unsettling.
'Of course, I'm using even more unsettling power in others' eyes....'
[...(ꐦ°꒫°)...]
Yeongum floated a message as if protesting the word 'unsettling power,' but Relia ignored it.
Fine, let's just go. Anyway, the remaining road was only the safe grassland path, and it would only take a few more days.
Relia organized her thoughts and spoke to Oscar.
"Then we'll need to ride the horse together. Please ride behind me."
Oscar mounted behind Relia as soon as the words ended. Relia shrank her shoulders at the unfamiliar energy felt from behind.
Should I have said I'd ride behind?
Just then.
From behind, a solid, thick arm came forward and strongly wrapped around Relia's waist.
It was a firm arm like shackles put on criminals or slaves.
"Um...."
Relia twisted her body slightly, thinking this wasn't right, to protest.
But when she turned her head, Oscar's face was right in front of her, so she had to face forward again.
"Lord Oscar... I can't properly hold the reins like this."
The moment Relia's words ended, Oscar placed his own hand over hers holding the reins.
Her hand was completely covered by the large hand and became invisible.
Relia frowned looking at that.
'I was supposed to be the leader....'
When did his hands get this big too? They were definitely small before.
Amidst this, somehow her pride was hurt, and she pushed against Oscar who was clinging to her from behind.
Even if they were riding together, there was no need to cling this much, was there?
Oscar pressed his body tightly against her as if obsessed with body heat.
Relia fidgeted trying to find a somewhat comfortable position. But somehow something felt like it was digging into her lower back, making it very uncomfortable.
Thinking something that had fallen from a pocket had shifted there, she brought her hand back, but the moment she grabbed it, Oscar seized her wrist.
"It's a bit awkward to touch in this kind of situation. As I said, I'm like this even if you're a man."
"....?"
When Oscar released her wrist, Relia grabbed the horse's reins again.
Relia, who had been dazed for a moment, belatedly understood the meaning of Oscar's words. And what she had touched.
'....!!!'
From the shock, her vision swam. It felt like alarm bells were ringing in her head.
Suddenly, Oscar's childhood appearance flashed through her mind.
'That cute and kind child....'
She had felt it before, but every time Relia anew realized the fact that the friends she was close with as a child had become 'adult men,' she was seized by a strange feeling.
When Relia said nothing, Oscar asked in a slightly anxious voice.
"Why, is it disgusting when a same man does this?"
Somehow it sounded like a slightly angry voice. Relia was flustered.
Oscar seemed to have figured out that Relia was 'Leo,' but didn't seem to know she was a woman.
Thanks to Calix. Should she call this fortunate or not....
She feared what kind of expression Oscar would make when he later learned she had deceived him again.
"N-no... that's not it... it's too...."
When Relia equivocated her answer, Oscar understood it in a different direction.
"Ah, so you're surprised? Why are you so surprised by that. I heard from Calix that you're about this size too."
"...."
"Should I take care of it? I don't think once or twice will be enough though."
"N-no need."
Relia answered quickly and picked up one bundle tied to the horse and placed it at her lower back.
It contained spare clothes, so it might be better. Of course, when she actually tried it, there wasn't much effect.
Oscar found that action absurd but didn't particularly point it out.
Relia gritted her lips and began driving the horse.
Thus the horse carrying the two of them ran across the grassland and headed toward the forest.