65 One of them is off.




In this season, the sun sets early. While we were using the forest to disperse our pursuers, the sun slanted further and further to the west, and by the time we were sure we had escaped, a beautiful sunset was burning Diana's eyes.

(Well, if that's west, then north is roughly this way. ......)

Mist Lake is located in the northernmost part of the kingdom. At any rate, if you aim north, there should be no mistake.
This is the first time I've ever been left alone in a completely strange land without a map or a horse, but fortunately Deanna is a seasoned traveler. She took her steps carefully, reading the sun's position to get a general direction, figuring out which paths were frequented by people in the forest, and keeping an eye out for her pursuers. Not a very pretty stray, indeed.
--As a result, Deanna somehow managed to get out of the thick forest before it became pitch black.

Just because it wasn't pitch black, the sun had already disappeared over the horizon. The western sky is still glowing with a lingering twilight light, but the eastern sky is already dark. In a few moments, the world will be completely enveloped by night.
Deciding that it was too dangerous to walk at night in a strange land, Diana decided to stay at the edge of the forest and spend the night. On the softest soil she could find, she gathered up the fallen leaves around her and made a makeshift bed. Since we couldn't warm ourselves by fire, we had to keep the heat to a minimum or we would seriously freeze to death in this season.
In addition, I found some nuts that can be eaten raw, so I chewed them slowly on the bed I made. There was a stream while I was running away, so I didn't need to worry about hydration, but if I could eat something, I should eat it. ...... Really, it's not a pretty stray, is it? (The problem is that it's not water.

(......The problem is that I don't have a container to carry water in. (The problem is that I don't have a container to carry water. I'll also have to ask for directions, and if possible, a horse to sell. Before that, I'd like to take off my dress. ...... I wonder if I can get a set of clothes exchanged.

Deanna was aware that she was lost, but she didn't really feel threatened. She knew the way to her destination, and she could calculate, based on her years of experience, that if she changed into comfortable clothes and flew her horse, she would be able to reach the Temple of Mist in one day tomorrow. If he was good, he might even be able to catch up with the procession.

(Rita, you must be so worried. .......) If we can get back as soon as possible, so much the better.

When I ran away, I was so self-conscious that all I could think of was to do the best I could, but now that I think back, I can easily see Rita exploding with anger and worry. Although she did not feel sorry, Deanna did not regret her decision to run away, and if she were to encounter a similar situation again, she would do the same thing again and again. I don't think I would want to sacrifice anyone to protect myself, now or ever.
I'm not sure I'd want to sacrifice anyone to protect myself. ......, but I am aware that my actions are causing a lot of worry and trouble for those around me. When I return, I will first apologize to Rita with all my might.

I leaned against the base of a tree to rest my body and looked up at the sky. I could see the early stars beginning to twinkle as if to guide the night. There seemed to be no clouds today, so it would be a beautiful starry sky.

"Night, or ......

It's been a long time since I've been out in nature like this, thinking about nothing but the end of the sky. The time that was not so rare when I was a child may become more precious as I grow older.
Deanna gently closed her eyes...

"Master Red Rose!

She was pulled back to consciousness by the voice of someone she didn't recognize calling out to her.
The color of the sky and the air were the same as before. She had only closed her eyes for a moment, not long enough to fall asleep.
When Deanna woke up, she saw a figure running towards her from the depths of the forest. The figure grew larger and larger until she was able to make out the person.

"My Master Red Rose! Oh, thank God you're okay!
You are .......
"My name is Colt, and I am a Knight of the Inner Palace Guard.

I'm sure you'll be able to understand that I'm not the only one. It's a good idea to take a look at a few of the things that you can do to make sure you're getting the most out of your time with your family.

You've been looking for me?
"Of course, my lady. The Red Rose is very important to the kingdom. His Majesty was so concerned that he kept his own guard to a minimum and devoted the rest of his men to searching for the Red Rose.
"...... Well...

In all honesty, Diana didn't think that Juke was that worried. I'm not sure what to say, but I'm not sure what to do.

(Because your Majesty has no reason to worry about ...... me.)

At the very least, they're worried that they won't be able to make it to the ceremony the day after tomorrow. I'm sure he wouldn't be so auspicious as to worry about Diana.
This is why Diana was surprised by the words of the Colt Knight, but the girl in front of her didn't seem to understand the reason for Diana's confusion. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of this, but I'm sure you have.

"Come on, Red Rose, let's get you home.
That's what we should do if we can. ......
...... What's wrong?

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. I'm not sure what to say.

It's already late in the day. I'm sure you're not the only one, but isn't it dangerous to walk the streets at night with an unaccustomed walker?
It's not every day that a knight of the court gets into the wrong hands.
"Oh, we were attacked by such 'miscreants' just this afternoon.
"It seems that they were helpless ruffians. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

The Colt knight refused to withdraw his hand.

"It's all right, Master Red Rose. No matter what happens, I will protect you. I'm sure the Red Rose would love to see you as soon as possible.

Perhaps motivated by a sense of duty, she didn't seem to be able to move even with leverage. I don't have a choice in the matter, Diana muttered to herself.



(It's actually much safer to move after it gets light. .......) (Well, there's no way the Kingsguard knight who found the Red Rose could just leave her there for the night.

--Diana was tired. In the event that you've got a lot of time and energy, you'll be able to make the most of it. She was more tired than she thought she would be. ...... She was desensitized to discomfort and signs that she would normally notice.
Normally, she would have noticed. She would have realized that there was no way a knight of the royal palace would be acting alone, no matter how much he was searching for her.
It's a good thing that you're not the only one who can't afford to pay for this.
And - the occasional disturbing hint from the Colt knight was undoubtedly directed at her.
The usual girl would have noticed this.

She looked at her left hand for a moment, and then slowly raised it to take it. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

--A moment later.

Dee!

I'm not sure what to make of that.
I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've seen it before. In the space left by Deanna's movement, a black shadow descended without pause.
The look that flashed across his face for a moment was a nervous one.

"Are you okay?
"...... What?
The dagger. You didn't get cut anywhere, did you?

I'll check as you ask. The dagger that the Colt knight had hidden in his right hand and was about to pierce Diana's body was flicked away by a flying weapon before it could pierce her, and fell to the ground a short distance away. Of course, Diana was unharmed.

I'm fine, but you know what, that was ......
"It's probably poisoned. Don't touch it, okay?
"Okay, .......

His voice was the same light tone as usual, but now he was like a blade without a blade. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.
--He laughed fiercely, his eyes the color of the darkness of the night.

"...... Hmm? In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the web site.

What's the point? Whose orders?
There was no answer to the questions that kept coming up. The expression of the Colt Knight was lost in the darkness of the night that had finally come, and Diana could not see it.

It seems that the one who was asking the question was not expecting an answer either. After confirming that the other party had no intention of answering, she drew the dagger at her waist with ease. In the next moment, a horrifying killing intent came from the boy in front of him.
The next moment, a horrible, deadly feeling came from the boy in front of her.

"Wait, wait, Kai! Don't kill him!
You're just saying that. Dee, shut up.
I'm not gonna shut up! You know, I don't mean to brag, but if I had to kill every time someone tried to kill me, there'd be no end to it in my family. The important thing is to find out who's behind this, okay?
That's true, but... Okay, well, why don't we just torture him and get him to talk?
So why do you have to be so crazy about it? You have to start by listening to her.

In this conversation, which seems to be full of gaps, his murderous intent is the same as before, and he is targeting the Colt knight. If she moves to escape, Kai's blade will cut her head off from her body as a reflex. She knows this, so she's forced to watch Deanna and the others, unable to move.

Deanna looked at the Colt knight with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.
"What?

Deanna's question must have been unexpected. In the other side of the darkness, the Colt Knight gulped heavily. Deanna smiles, somewhat self-mockingly.

You did not set out to kill me because you had evil thoughts. I've seen you work hard enough to believe that. ...... You've been working for your country.
"Hey, Red Rose, are you ......?
...... There must have been a reason for that, right?

The look from the side is quite painful. You didn't know enough about the Imperial Guards to be able to identify them personally, I hear you say. It's true that I don't know them well enough to match their names and faces, but I've seen how they work from time to time, so I'm not telling a complete lie.
--And in this case, the important thing is not the authenticity of Deanna's statement, but to have the Knight of Colt tell the truth. It is better to ignore some of the fishy stuff.

...... Something about me must have been unforgivable to you. Can you tell me what I've done wrong?

As he spoke, he cautiously approached the Colt Knight, one step at a time. As the distance narrowed, I could gradually see her eyes wavering.

I'm sure I can drop her.

I was convinced, and was about to open my mouth to give her one more push, when...

"Dee!
Get down!

He pulls her arm and jumps to the side, falling to the ground. At the same time, several weapons flew at the spot where the Colt Knight was standing. The dagger that flew dangerously close to him was flicked back by the black-clad man.



...... Are you okay?
"--!

She froze with a stunned expression, but as soon as she made eye contact with Diana, she shook off her hand and stood up. In the depths of her eyes, you can see the anger and the confusion that surpasses it.

"Deanna Crester....... You, you ......!
Colt," he said.
Mana. Get out of here.

A low voice, as if from the depths of the earth, struck the spot. As if obeying the unreadable voice, the Colt knight slowly disappeared into the forest. Sparks flew in front of Diana's eyes as she tried to chase after him.

"Huh? That's pretty good.
"So are you. I'm not so sure about the rest of you.

The black hood flutters. The boy, who lives in the underworld where the sun don't shine, is having a more than even fight with a man who doesn't look like a regular guy, who is also holding a long sword. As soon as his opponent attacks, he slips into his pocket and sharply cuts up his opponent. It wasn't long before Deanna, who had the misfortune of watching the two fight up close, noticed something.

(This is the man who attacked our carriage in the daytime at ...... and fought Rita!

His face and clothes were obscured by the darkness, but there was no mistaking his fighting style. You mean he came here to kill Deanna? I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you out.
If it is ......, then what the hell... I'm not sure if it's Diana or the Red Rose that I want to kill.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. The man who had been wielding the sword suddenly jumped far back.

I see. ....... I thought I'd seen your face before, but you must be the one who was hired by the Marquis of Landrose to work in the palace.
"Oh, you know who I am? So you're from Mr. Landrose's family?
It's not just the people in the back that he's hiring. It's a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find any useful information. Are you planning to betray us?

It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web.

"Betray? I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.
I'm sure you've been working for the Marquis.
Lately, he's been paying me less and less. I thought it was time to quit.
And now you're going to work for the Red Rose?
You're really stupid, aren't you? There's no way the Red Rose would hire a shady guy like me. Hanging around this young lady is simply a hobby of mine. You shouldn't put Master Peony and this lady in the same category.

An amused chuckle came from the darkness of the forest. A hand restrained Deanna from standing up, and Kai unleashed a piercing murderous intent.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm sure you're not the only one. ...... Well, try your best to protect her. The woman won't live that long anyway. ......

The words that echoed in the wind were as powerful as a curse that seeped into the core of her body and entangled Deanna's entire body. The words echoed in the wind and twisted around Deanna's entire body with a power like a curse that penetrated to the core of her being. In the deep darkness, she felt as if her life was on the verge of dying.

"Dee. ...... Dee?

In the midst of the unfamiliar cold, what woke Diana up was the warmth of a touch on her shoulder and a gentle call of her name. It's not that I'm not a good person," she said.
--The violet-blue color of the night glowed with a gentle light, reminding Deanna that night was not a dark place.

"Kai .......
"Yeah. I think we're safe for now, but now that they know where we are, we need to move quickly. Can you stand?

Kai was the same man who had helped me stand up. The sharpness of the blade was nowhere to be found, nor was there an air of ferocity that could make you feel fear. He was so normal that ...... Diana felt like crying.

"...... Dee?
"What are you going to do, ......, now that Liliane and the others know about your betrayal?
"Why would you even say that, Dee? I was hired, I wasn't the one who betrayed them in the first place. There's no one else in the Peony but me, so I'll be able to spy on the conservatives without worrying about anyone else. It's not all good.
But what about you, then? You were hired by Master Liliane for a reason, weren't you? Are you okay with that?

I'm not sure what to do.

"Because Dee is like that, you know. ......
"What? You know, I'm not a 'dark' person.
"You know, I'm not a secret agent for the Cresters like the Dark Ones. I'm not a secret agent for the Cresters like the Dark Side.
Because that's what ......



What about Kai's purpose in the first place?
I don't want him to lose his purpose because I saved him.

Why are you here in the first place? You have to report to Liliane every day, don't you?
I don't want to deal with that selfish girl when Dee is about to leave the palace, being hunted by an unknown person.
"So, it's your job to keep Liliane company!
"I'm not...

Kai's eyes flickered for a brief moment with the sharp light of a burning flame. He grabbed her arm, and pain and heat shot through it.

"It's been a long time. I never meant to work for the Landlords. I didn't need the money. All I wanted was to protect .......
"You're ......?
Not because of the job. I'll always do my best to protect what I want to protect. That's why Landrose hired me.

Their gazes intertwined. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to.

"...... Kai, you are...
I'm not sure what to do. ...... I've already decided that.
Why?
Do you want to know why?

The air moves loosely. You'll be able to find a great deal more information on the web. My heart was beating loudly, and my reflexive choice to leave was blocked by the other arm.
--By the time he realized he was trapped, it was too late.

"Kai ......
"Hey, Dee. I'm not sure what to do. Now you can leave your king, your country, and everything else behind and be free.

A sweet, irresistible temptation whispered in Diana's ear. Without realizing it, she clung to Kai's arm.

No. ...... No, no, no, no. If I run now, the confrontation between the conservatives and the revolutionaries will be inevitable. If I'm not careful, the whole country will go to war. You can't do that.
"Why should Dee have to bear it? It's all your fault.
Because ...... wants to protect you.

Her arms clung tighter.

In the palace, I met a lot of people who looked out for me. You'll find a lot of people who will look out for you. There are many people who love me. ......

I can't mourn, she mutters.

"Yuri, Lurie. And Shayla. And Shayla. I want everyone to be happy. If I run away, the first path will be blocked.
"...... just like Dee wants them to be happy. I'm sure there are others who want Dee to be happy, too.
I don't want the kind of guilty happiness that comes from abandoning everyone else!

The blue eyes reflect a noble soul. The dark blue night sky that caught that light was very, very warm.

"Yeah. I'm sure that's what it is, Dee.
"...... What does that mean?
I'll protect your entire soul, your thoughts and everything else. I'll protect your whole soul, your feelings and everything else. I'll make sure you get everything you want and be happy.

It seemed like a solemn vow whispered under the starry sky. It wasn't a temple, it wasn't even a form of prayer, but it had a holy air to it.

--I should refuse, the calmest part of me said. If I nod, I'll probably tie Kai up for life. Don't do that, reason tells you.
Even though it's .......

(I can't tell him it's okay.)

Deanna has already realized that she is not that strong. She knows that Kai has been aware of Deanna's vulnerability for a long time and has been reaching out to her, and that she has been unconsciously relying on him to make her feel safe.
I'll accept everything about Diana, but I'll never give up on her, and I'll protect her. The fact that Kai had said this gave Deanna a joy that far exceeded her expectations.

Reason scolded her heart of joy. She could neither deny nor affirm it, but could only cling to her arms with all her might.
It's not that I don't like it. ...... I don't know that this is the most eloquent affirmation a man can give.

The arm around my back is so strong. I felt the pleasure of being hugged so tightly that it made my skin crawl. My instincts, transcending reason and logic, were simply seeking this arm.
The unknown emotions came rushing in like a muddy stream, and Deanna suddenly felt scared.

(I ...... funny)

The shiver that ran through her whole body was noticed more quickly by the man who had taught her the feeling than by Diana herself. Gently patting her on the head, Kai slowly pulled away from Deanna.



"Kai ......?
Come on, let's get to the nearest village. It's a festival and everyone in the village is awake, so if we negotiate well, we should be able to get some clothes and a horse.
Uh, yeah. Okay.

Kai smiled as usual, and Diana smiled back, relieved. As she watched Kai start to walk ahead of her, Deanna found herself wondering about many things.

"......, Kai. Can I ask you something?
"Only if I can answer.
I think your answer is cunning.

He smiled at Deanna's pouting.
--The night seemed to go on and on.