Chapter 49: The Poison Blooming in the Flower (4)

"Huh."

I feel like I'm going to collapse.

I exhaled deeply and twisted my head from side to side. The fatigue in my muscles was subtle but persistent.

The escape at night was exhausting.

I ran out of the city at full speed, heading for a nearby village where I had left my horse before coming to the city.

I continued riding the horse. At first, the direction didn't matter. I didn't even have time to eat or drink.

Because the pursuit team was on my tail.

The border lord kindly told them to stop, but dogs don't listen to people who aren't their masters.

'I should have slept more.'

I was intensely feeling the advice Marhan gave me: eat when you can and sleep when you can.

But, would I have noticed this situation if I had?

Anyway, the reason the empire's dogs were chasing me, even knowing I belonged to Haisen, was obvious.

They weren't coming just to confirm my identity. They were coming to extract any information they could from me.

Capturing a spy is a rare event. I don't know what they think of my escape.

They might think I fled because I have important information.

'Well, it's not entirely wrong.'

I had two reasons for fleeing. The first was for our safety.

If the viscount betrayed us, we could all have died.

I would be suspected, but from the viscount's perspective, he could just deny it. After all, it's like we were caught up in the conflict between the empire and Temerjan.

Without direct evidence, there would be additional surveillance, but it wouldn't pose a significant threat to the border lord.

I could also exaggerate and say that other people had fled, but that carries risks.

And the biggest reason was the second one.

'I can't let my face be known in the empire.'

I need to stay in the empire. I have to do my best to prevent Haisen's decline.

If my face becomes known, I won't be able to set foot in the empire as a spy.

Absolutely not. It would mean the collapse of my plan.

In the end, the empire's dogs, though persistent, fell behind.

Thanks to the wind, which I used to the fullest. Of course, I'm feeling extremely fatigued now.

The empire's dogs are probably still chasing me, as I'm bound to leave some traces.

'I'm a bit worried about Denif's face being known.'

But it's still a much better outcome than being captured by the empire. I wasn't worried about them.

Denif is likely recovering from his injuries.

"Hmm."

I took a bite of the dried meat I had prepared, chewed it roughly, and swallowed, then took a sip from my water flask.

The supply wasn't abundant. With the journey's duration unknown, I had to conserve it.

I felt the urge to brush my teeth but clenched my teeth and endured. I remounted the horse and shifted my thoughts.

'What the hell happened?'

Why did the empire and Temerjan cause such a commotion near the border lord's territory?

It didn't seem like a simple coincidence. After some time, I could guess the answer.

The border lord's territory borders Temerjan. And Temerjan has recently been in conflict with the empire.

From Temerjan's perspective, this marriage proposal might have looked different.

I can't be sure, but nothing else comes to mind. It's not a big deal.

After all, it's a deduction based on what has already happened.

'I should have considered this earlier.'

I could have thought of this when I received the mission. I had all the information.

Of course, I wouldn't have known that Temerjan would send nearly twenty assassins into the empire's territory, but I should have known about the possibility of surveillance.

I need to reflect.

I was too focused on the information in the game. It's also important to judge based on the current situation.

I put my brief thoughts aside. Now is the time to focus on my survival. I've put some distance between us.

Now I need to decide on a stopover and destination.

'Should I go to Altre, or further away?'

Heading to Chenarus, the capital of the empire, while they are pursuing me would be insane.

I had to leave the empire.

Going straight to Haisen didn't appeal to me either. The same went for Temerjan, which is to the right of Haisen.

I just kept riding, but fortunately, I was heading southwest. If I turn slightly south, I'll reach Altre.

To the left of Haisen, where Orhen is.

'Altre isn't bad.'

It was hard to decide immediately. It might not be safe. The empire's dogs might think the same way.

They might have agents stationed at the borders between the empire, Altre, Haisen, and Temerjan.

'Maybe I should go west.'

I had that thought, but it would be too much of a detour. I'll just go to Altre.

Thinking about it, it might be an overreaction.

The situation is already over. They know which organization we belong to.

They probably won't deploy enough agents to cover the entire border.

There might be a few, but I should be able to get through.

I made my decision.

I'll go to Altre. After that, I'll think about it once I've passed through three cities.

I slightly adjusted the horse's direction.

* * *

"Will he be okay?"

"...Yeah."

To Denif's question, Timang nodded heavily. Even after reconsidering, it was an incredible move.

To come up with such a plan in such a critical moment.

However, he was negative about whether Kalin would be okay.

The empire's dogs might have paused due to the border lord's intervention, but they would still be in pursuit.

'Damn it.'

Timang took a deep breath to sigh but, remembering Denif in front of him, exhaled through his nose.

The atmosphere became heavy.

Last night, about 15 minutes after the empire's dogs retreated, an imperial official appeared.

The border lord was furious.

What the hell was going on, he demanded, and he also revealed Forden's death.

The imperial official calmly explained that it was to protect the border lord's life.

They had detected Temerjan's assassination attempt and quickly mobilized their agents to stop it.

Only then did Timang and the border lord understand the situation.

Aitami couldn't cause more trouble.

After all, even if it was a secret escort, the border lord had brought unauthorized people into imperial territory.

'Fucking bastard. He looked like he wanted to eat my face.'

There wasn't much conversation, but the empire seemed to know that they were from the intelligence bureau.

The way they scrutinized him made Timang feel like his face was being pierced.

Fortunately, since they knew each other well, they didn't pry further.

It was just a conversation to maintain appearances.

"...Do you really think the border lord betrayed us?"

"That's still unknown."

Timang's experience told him otherwise, but it was too early to say.

In the renewed silence, Timang thought about Kalin's safety.

They were safe. Their faces were known, but the problem was Kalin. Could a 16-year-old escape the empire?

If Kalin disappeared, the empire could just pretend it wasn't their doing.

'I should have asked him to come with us.'

Timang's heart burned with regret. He had been too short-sighted. It would have been simple to say there were five people instead of four.

There were risks, but sending a new recruit who had only been there for a few months was a failure as a senior.

Timang deeply regretted it. He needed to reflect. He had been quite proud of himself.

He had spent over a decade in Haisen's lower ranks.

But this mission made him realize the true talent of people like Kalin.

He still had a long way to go.

'The deputy leader of Haisen is out of the question.'

Regardless of the mission's success, his face being known in the empire made it impossible.

He could either go underground or to Altre.

Thinking that, Timang felt ashamed.

How long had he been alive thanks to a new recruit? He wanted to slap himself.

He had abandoned the children, justifying it as the best choice in a difficult situation.

Timang placed his hand on Denif's shoulder.

"Kalin will be... fine. Focus on your recovery for now."

* * *

I had long abandoned the exhausted horse, keeping only the saddle.

I wanted to discard that too. It was heavy, but I carried it, gritting my teeth.

It was made by Hamal and was something I received when I became an inquisitor.

For now, I still had the strength to carry it.

If it got too difficult, I was prepared to drop everything, even my sword, and run.

I avoided all cities and villages. I caught all the birds I saw, thinking they might be carrier pigeons, but stopped halfway.

The bird carcasses could soon reveal my trail.

Catching every visible bird wouldn't solve the problem.

Carrier pigeons are faster than humans. If they were determined, I couldn't stop them.

'I should have risked it and visited a village once.'

All my food and water were gone. I had been conserving them, but it was already the ninth day.

My mouth was parched.

I had seen a river and endured with superhuman patience.

Drinking from a river could be dangerous.

My obsession with cleanliness and the fear of collapsing from illness had helped me resist.

But the fact that I felt the urge despite knowing the risks meant my body wasn't in good shape.

Fortunately, I was almost to Altre.

My eyes were getting heavy, but I needed to stay alert. The end is always the most dangerous.

'The moment my stamina drops is when the empire's dogs will strike.'

Personally, I think the chances of them being there are low, but I need to assume the worst.

I need to be cautious about the judgments I make in my tired state.

I need to move carefully.

I just need to hold on a little longer. I've done well so far. My traits have been a huge help.

I wanted to praise my past self.

The wind helped me shake off the pursuers, and my endurance as a superhuman has kept me going through this fatigue.

'Hmm?'

How far had I traveled? Suddenly, I felt an odd sensation. It was an instinct.

Like the first time I saw Phiri.

I reflexively turned my head. At 11 o'clock ahead, I saw nothing but a distant forest.

It was a distance the wind couldn't reach. Cold sweat trickled down my back. Was it just an illusion?

A strange signal from my body, which wasn't in good condition?

No. I'll exclude hopeful thoughts. I'll assume the worst. I need to think of it as an enemy.

If I can feel it from this distance, it must be at least Phiri's level.

'Should I run? No, can I even survive by running?'

It doesn't matter. I need to run now. As I thought this, my leg muscles tensed.

Just as I was about to push off the ground, a black dot suddenly appeared in the forest ahead.

It was a person, moving at incredible speed. A strong individual.

That brief moment of stiffness cost me time. I tried to push off the ground, thinking, "Oh no."

In that time, the black dot got closer and now looked like a person. And...

I couldn't move my legs.

It was a familiar face. The tension that had been building to its limit suddenly dissipated.

"Kalin."

Haisen's intelligence chief, Havan Brusek, was there.

The duke's eyes were slightly widened. I felt a small joy in them.

"Father, how...?"

The duke placed his hand on my shoulder.

"You've done well. Let's go home now."

I wasn't sure if the fatigue I had been suppressing was suddenly overwhelming me or if the relief from the release of tension was making me feel this way.

A deep breath escaped my lips.