Chapter 352

When I arrived at the inn near the north gate of Amar, I was greeted by familiar faces.

It was the Turtle Unit, my comrades who had shared life and death with me in the underground and had achieved remarkable feats in this civil war.

Although I was unconscious and unaware of the details, their fame must have skyrocketed after the war ended.

“Haha, as expected of the Savior. You look much better than I thought.”

Duncan’s hearty laughter boomed.

“I knew it. I knew you’d get up without a scratch.”

Gwen said with a trusting smile.

“I’m so glad you’re safe, Savior.”

Milia sighed in relief.

“Oh my god, Max, you really need to stop being so reckless with your body! You’re not a machine. You can’t just fix yourself.”

Ran scolded me, her eyes dark with worry.

The other residents were no different.

I smiled back sincerely.

“I apologize for worrying you all. But at least I’m alive, right?”

My simple statement seemed to ease their worries.

They looked at me as if to say, “That’s our Savior.”

“Alright, let’s not waste any time. Let’s get going.”

I urged them.

“I thought we were finally getting a break, but here we go again.”

“You’re working us too hard.”

“Well, it’s not a battlefield anymore. It’s a picnic.”

They grumbled but started preparing for departure, packing their belongings and getting the horses ready.

Their bodies were honest.

I chuckled and said, “Who said it was a picnic?”

“Huh? The war is over, isn’t it, Savior?”

“Yes, the war is over. But that doesn’t mean there are no enemies left who want me dead.”

“Huh? Enemies? What do you mean?”

“Remember this. Successful people always have enemies lurking in the shadows, waiting for a chance to stab them in the back. Especially in times of political instability like this.”

I deliberately avoided mentioning the princess.

It was a dangerous topic.

If someone overheard us, we could be branded as traitors.

It was a secret that only Regina and I knew.

“Huh, I guess you’re right…”

But even with that vague statement, the residents understood.

They had a keen sense of danger, honed in the underground.

They seemed to have sensed the presence of enemies.

“Well, this is good. I was getting bored anyway.”

“Bring it on. I’ll crush their skulls.”

“Haha, anyone who tries to mess with the undefeated Savior is asking for death.”

They were confident.

It was understandable.

They were the elite of the elite, having defeated the eastern, southern, and central armies, and even infiltrated and conquered the impenetrable Imperial City.

“I’m relieved. I don’t have to worry about your safety.”

I was no longer worried about anything happening on our way to the Imperial City.

“Heh, with your wife here, do we even need escorts?”

Duncan said, glancing at Regina.

It wasn’t a lecherous gaze.

He was just curious.

It was understandable for someone like Duncan, who walked the path of martial arts.

Regina’s fame had reached new heights after she single-handedly killed fifty of the Cavern Knights, the strongest knights in the east.

She had even earned a new nickname: “The Knight Slayer.”

She didn’t seem to like the intimidating nickname, though.

“One hand can’t handle many hands.”

Regina replied before I could.

It was an unexpected answer.

It was a heavy statement, coming from someone who had killed fifty renowned knights by herself.

Duncan’s expression turned solemn.

It was the first time I had seen him look so humble.

“Your words are truly insightful, Madam.”

He seemed to have interpreted her words as a warning to never be arrogant, no matter how strong you were.

I also interpreted it that way.

But,

“I was just kidding.”

“Cough!”

I choked on my drink.

She was kidding?

She had a talent for delivering jokes with a straight face.

“…Huh?”

Duncan, who didn’t know Regina’s true nature, blinked in confusion.

The other residents also looked confused.

The atmosphere turned awkward.

Regina spoke again, “I can handle the escort by myself.”

It was an insane statement.

If it had been anyone else but Regina Erenbert.

No one here could refute her words.

“But wouldn’t it be too shabby for the undefeated war hero to return to the Imperial City with only one companion? He needs to be accompanied by the elite unit that made the greatest contribution to the war effort.”

It made sense.

Every detail mattered when it came to building my image.

It seemed like that was what she really wanted to say.

“A-Ah, yes…”

“W-We’ll keep that in mind.”

The residents stammered.

They seemed to be shocked that her seemingly profound statement had been a joke.

…I’m sorry, guys.

“And make sure your armor is polished.”

S-Stop it!

“Y-Yes, ma’am! Right away…”

“I’m just kidding.”

“…”

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

* * *

Our journey to the Imperial City was peaceful.

With so many of us, there was no chance of anything happening.

And,

For some reason, the residents were treating me like royalty.

I knew why.

They were afraid of Regina.

It hadn’t been this bad before.

It seemed like they had become wary of her after seeing a glimpse of her true nature.

They were doing their best to prevent her from making any more of her “creepy” jokes.

I felt a little uncomfortable, even though I was benefiting from it.

Wait a minute.

Why should I feel uncomfortable?

A husband and wife should be of one mind.

I wasn’t sure if that saying applied to this situation, but I decided to just focus on the matters at hand.

Speaking of which, there was something that had been bothering me.

*Gulp*

I took a sip of warm water and asked Regina, “It all happened so fast that I don’t remember the details clearly, but…”

She nodded, encouraging me to continue.

“The Imperial Knights who were with the treacherous prince… They were all dead, right?”

I asked, recalling the vague memories that were surfacing in my mind.

“Yes.”

She confirmed.

“Who killed them?”

“The princess.”

“What?”

My eyes widened.

The Sword Saint and the Silver Flash had been there.

They were both incredibly strong.

Especially the Sword Saint, who was one of the strongest warriors in the world, a legendary knight from a bygone era.

I had experienced his strength firsthand, albeit briefly.

And the princess had killed both of them?

And in front of the treacherous prince, who was also a formidable warrior?

Even the princess, who was one of the strongest warriors in the world, could do such a thing?

I racked my brains.

And then I came up with a possible scenario.

The princess had killed the Sword Saint and the Silver Flash with all her might, but she had been seriously injured in the process and was on the verge of death when I arrived.

And I had saved her.

…But even then, it was strange that she had been able to kill them in the first place.

The princess I knew wasn’t that strong.

“Hmm…”

I narrowed my eyes and thought about it.

And then I looked at Regina and asked, “…Could you have done it?”

At that moment,

I felt everyone’s attention shift towards us.

They were all listening intently.

*Gulp*

Some of them even gulped nervously.

I chuckled.

‘Seriously…’

Their obsession with ranking was the same in reality as it was in the game.

Well, it was understandable in this case.

They were all seasoned warriors, so it was only natural for them to be interested in a story about the strongest warriors in the world.

Wait a minute.

Had I just asked a dangerous question?

It wasn’t something I should have asked in front of so many people…

“I don’t know. I’ve never fought them.”

Regina replied nonchalantly.

I was relieved that she didn’t seem offended, but her answer had just created a new ranking in their minds.

They had heard her answer clearly.

Now it was a fact that the monstrous princess was stronger than the Knight Slayer.

She didn’t seem to care, though.

“I see. Well, even if she was seriously injured, it’s still incredible that she was able to kill both of them…”

“Seriously injured? What are you talking about?”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head, confused by her unexpected reaction.

“The princess. She was lying on the ground, seriously injured.”

I remembered it clearly.

Her hunched back.

Her trembling hand clutching her chest.

Her pale face as she looked at me.

And the way she had dropped her sword.

She couldn’t have been acting.

“Hmm, I see. That’s what you think.”

Regina rested her chin on her hand.

“What do you mean?”

“But she wouldn’t have been able to participate in the victory parade if she was seriously injured, would she?”

“Huh?”

I realized that I had missed something important.

She wouldn’t have been able to return to the Imperial City if she had been seriously injured.

She would have been treated in Amar, just like me.

“T-Then why was she…?”

I couldn’t understand it.

She hadn’t been acting.

Was there anyone who would pretend to be on the verge of death in that situation?

At that moment,

Regina leaned closer to me.

I could feel her breath on my ear.

She whispered, “…Don’t tell anyone.”

Her serious tone made me nervous.

I nodded reflexively.

She continued, “I saw it. The princess’s weakness.”

Weakness? The monstrous princess had a weakness?

I had never heard of such a thing.

*Tap*

She placed her hand on my left chest.

*Thump-thump.*

I felt embarrassed, wondering if she could hear my heart racing.

But my embarrassment quickly vanished.

Because she said, “She has a heart condition.”

What?

A heart condition?

The princess?

That’s why she had been acting like that?

“It’s serious… She probably won’t live long.”

I almost gasped in surprise.

What?!

The monstrous princess was terminally ill?!

My mind reeled.

And then I started to recall all the things the princess had done in the game.

‘S-So that’s why? That’s why!’

She had always seemed to be in a hurry.

I had understood her ruthless purges at the beginning of her reign.

There had been many emperors like her in history.

But even for a psychopath, it had seemed strange that she had immediately invaded the kingdom with an army that hadn’t even recovered from the civil war.

I had thought she was just crazy, but it made sense if she was desperate.

Her limited lifespan had made her desperate.

‘Huh, so she was a monster with a tragic backstory?’

I started to feel sorry for her…

Damn it, snap out of it!

I shook my head.

She wasn’t someone I should feel sorry for.

She was a monster.

Did I really think she had changed?

We couldn’t coexist.

One of us had to go.

I steeled my resolve.

And then I heard Regina’s voice again.

“Now that I know, I won’t lose.”

* * *

Regina was mistaken.

It was understandable.

The weak heartbeat she had sensed from the princess had been the heartbeat of a seriously ill person.

Someone who wouldn’t live long.

The princess, who had been mistakenly labeled as terminally ill, was currently basking in the sun in the garden.

“…Why are my ears itching so much today?”

She scratched her ear.

“If you’re going to talk about me, at least do it to my face.”

She had no idea that her most trusted companion’s fiancée had labeled her as terminally ill.

And that her most trusted companion had also been misled.

“Sigh, anyway.”

She sighed again.

She was definitely not herself.

“Should I do it, or not?”

What was she talking about?

“No, I don’t know yet. I really don’t know.”

Even her tone of voice had changed.

She shook her head and stood up.

“I need to think about this some more.”