Rose was kidnapped by Sabina…
Sabina, who held a grudge against my brother Adel, planned to sell me to the Alliance.
Before that, I had to pass through the so-called Demon Realm, the Witch’s Forest.
It was either die in the Witch’s Forest or become a hostage for the Alliance… the worst of both worlds.
What was even worse was that I had no freedom to choose.
“Well, looks like it’s time to make our move, Sabina.”
“That’s right. It’s a do-or-die gamble, betting everything, including our lives.”
“If this were Powerball, it’d be a game-deciding fourth-down gamble. I’m counting on your assist.”
“Yes, make sure you score that touchdown!”
The two, engrossed in their conversation, weren’t looking at me.
This was my chance.
Ashes, just in case, had planted a single-molecule whip in my hair.
Ashes wasn’t here, but she was a guardian deity protecting me.
I slowly, inch by inch, began to cut through the nylon ropes binding my limbs with the single-molecule whip.
Suddenly, the helicopter began to shake violently!
“It’s the Witch’s Forest specialty, magnetic turbulence! The instruments are useless now!”
“Yes, it’s all about visibility! I’ve installed all the visual enhancement apps.”
Ugh, it was shaking so badly. It felt like the helicopter might fall apart.
After about ten minutes, we passed through the magnetic storm, and the weather seemed to be stabilizing.
Alright, time to resume cutting the ropes.
“Now it’s a toxic gas fog. What a reception, honestly!”
“Stop complaining! Thanks to this, we don’t have to worry about pursuers. Once we’re out of the Witch’s Forest, there are hardly any Mechanist Army bases until we reach Alliance territory.”
Once we were out of the Witch’s Forest, they would have to land for a break and maintenance.
That’s when I would make my move.
After flying for another ten minutes, just as we exited the dense fog.
“Marvin, ahead!”
“A helicopter? Impossible!”
A helicopter in the Witch’s Forest? …Is it a rescue team!… No, a rescue team wouldn’t be coming from the front.
“It’s an Alliance helicopter! Damn it, why is it here! We have to shoot it down!”
“Wait, Marvin! Don’t shoot!”
“This is a Mechanist Army helicopter! If we hesitate, they’ll shoot at us!”
The sound of machine-gun fire echoed inside the helicopter.
“Got it! Hit! …Guaaaah!”
Marvin’s head fell off, blood gushing from his ears, and he stopped moving.
“Aaaaugh! My head is splitting open! …What in the world happened!”
Sabina also screamed, clutching her head in the co-pilot’s seat.
Watching the carnage in the cockpit, I ripped through the ropes restraining me, stood up, and rushed to the cockpit.
“How did you break free!”
“Not now! We’re going to crash! Sabina, can you fly a helicopter?”
Sabina shook her head.
The instruments were useless in the Witch’s Forest, so the autopilot wouldn’t work either! …Then… I’ll be here…
“This way! Hurry!”
Pulled by Sabina, who had left her seat, I moved to the rear cargo space.
Sabina took a parachute from a storage compartment and quickly began to put it on.
“…A parachute descent won’t work for a princess. If that’s the case, hold on to me tightly. If you let go, you’ll die?”
There was no time for debate. I clung to Sabina with all my might.
“Here we go! Are you ready?”
Before I could answer, Sabina, holding me in her arms, jumped out of the falling helicopter!
The wind was strong above the Witch’s Forest, and the parachute drifted to the right and left.
“Ugh, the wind is strong! I can’t control it!”
“Why me too? My chances of survival would be higher alone.”
“You’re a hostage! Stop talking nonsense at a time like this!”
A hostage? Even if I were a valuable hostage, my life should come first.
I could feel the ground approaching rapidly. We were falling at a considerable speed!
“…Don’t look down!”
“I won’t, even if you ask me to!”
We hit the branches of a large tree and were struck hard. Still, Sabina didn’t let go of me.
But that reduced our falling speed! Maybe we’ll survive!
…But I said I wouldn’t look even if you asked… I looked down.
There were sharply uneven giant rocks in our fall path! It’s… over!
Immediately after Sabina hugged me to protect me, we were slammed into the ground with a tremendous thud.
That was the last thing I remembered.
I woke up to the sensation of a hand stroking my cheek.
I… I’m alive! I’m alive! My body aches all over… but I’m alive!
“…Are you awake?”
That voice, that hand… Sabina!
I jolted upright and stared at Sabina, stunned.
Leaning against the giant rocks, Sabina was… in a pool of her own blood.
…She shielded me from the rocks… and was gravely injured. …Why! I thought I hated her, my enemy’s younger sister!
“Sabina! Please, hang in there!”
“…Lady Rose. Let’s have a lesson in proverbs… What do you call my current state?”
“Don’t say foolish things at a time like this! A sharp rock is stuck in your stomach! What should I do? The bleeding won’t stop!”
I tore my skirt to make a bandage and tried to pull out the rock embedded in Sabina’s stomach, but she stopped me.
Right. If I pull out the rock, I might bleed profusely. Should I stop the bleeding while it’s still stuck in?
“Lady Rose… The answer is… ‘Karma’… Is that correct?”
Sabina smiled sadly as she coughed up blood.
“Stop it! I don’t want to hear that! Help! Somebody!”
Even as I screamed and cried, no one came to help.
“…Lady Rose. I was… afraid of you. As the days went by… I realized I… couldn’t hate you anymore…”
“Hate me or resent me all you want! Just don’t talk anymore!”
“…And so… before the flames of hatred… disappear…”
The light… the light was fading from Sabina’s eyes. Along with the tears running down her cheeks.
“…Really… an idiot… I………………….”
…The last drop of her tears fell to the ground… and the light vanished from her eyes.
I gently closed Sabina’s eyes and hugged my knees.
In the dark forest, I was all alone… What would happen from now on?
Only desperate thoughts came to mind, and tears welled up in my eyes.
How long had I been sitting beside Sabina’s body?
Sabina risked her life to save me, but I would probably… not survive either.
This was the Demon Realm, the Witch’s Forest.
For someone like me, not a soldier, escaping this forest was impossible, even with a miracle.
…No! I won’t give up! If a miracle isn’t enough, I’ll have to create something more than a miracle!
Even if it’s a futile effort or wasted labor, the only thing I can do is not give up!
If I give up surviving, I won’t be able to face Mother who gave birth to me, or Ashes and Quester, who are my family!
I stood up and started walking. I didn’t know which way to go.
But if I didn’t walk, I would never reach the exit. So, I walked.
According to my internal clock, I had been walking for 30 minutes, but I already felt the exhaustion of walking for a full day.
I picked up a tree branch to use as a walking stick and continued. My body screamed at me to rest.
But I kept walking. As long as I had the strength in my fingers, drop of blood… I would not stop walking! I wouldn’t give up!
After crossing a rocky area and entering the forest, my sense of direction became even more confused.
Maybe I could tell direction from the tree rings?
As I began searching for tree stumps, I realized how foolish I was.
There wouldn’t be any stumps in this forest without lumberjacks! Really!
I sat down at the base of a giant tree. Wandering aimlessly wouldn’t lead to escape.
I should have thought before acting. This was my first time in such a situation, and I had acted impulsively.
Let me recall, first, the size of the Witch’s Forest.
And then, considering the helicopter’s speed and flight time, I could estimate the distance… What! That sound!
A low growl was approaching. An ominous melody… a symphony of death.
I thought I had to run, but it was too late.
I was surrounded by six wolves. I had my back to a tree, so there was nowhere to run.
Even if there were no trees, running away would be impossible.
These wolves were no ordinary wolves. The Witch’s Forest was an environment similar to the realm of monsters, and all the creatures living there were mutated.
The wolf pack slowly tightened its circle. If they got close enough to pounce, it would be the end.
My only weapon was a single-molecule whip. But… I had never fought before. The situation was… completely hopeless.
If that’s the case… I’ll have to use this single-molecule whip… on myself…
I don’t want to give up, I don’t want to die… I want to live!
Wiping my tears, I was about to choose a dignified death, the last pride of a princess, when a gunshot echoed through the forest.
The wolves scattered instantly, and no longer paying attention to me, who was now defenseless.
Facing the sudden intruder, he adopted a combat stance, lowering his body.
The intruder to the wolves, the savior to me, was a young man in a military uniform, holding a gun in his left hand and a drawn sword in his right.
“Come on, doggies. Or should I say wolves?”
Even facing a pack of mutated wolves drooling purple saliva and growling, the young man showed no signs of panic.
“Don’t growl like that. I’m also known as a wolf. Can you let me go out of consideration for fellow wolves?”
As he said that, he slowly walked towards me.
Is he… really going to help me?
The mutated wolf that had closed the distance inched forward, growling, and leaped at the young man!
“Negotiations failed, huh? In that case… it’s war!”
The young man swung his sword and sliced the mutated wolf in half mid-air!
The one mutated wolf that had leaped had become two pieces of meat and fell to the ground.
The remaining five wolves surrounded the young man in a circle, slowly circling.
Wolves are naturally intelligent hunters, but perhaps mutated wolves are even smarter?
The young man addressed one of the circling wolves, which was slightly larger than the others.
“Are you the commander (leader)? You saw our capabilities with that scout a moment ago, didn’t you? The right decision here is to tuck your tail between your legs and run. You have a magnificent tail for that, so roll it up and escape. I’m telling you this for your own good.”
The leader-like wolf and the young man confronted each other, their gazes locking.
The young man slowly closed his eyes and spoke.
“Animals… I don’t want to kill them unless I intend to eat them… You don’t seem to understand!”
The young man’s eyes snapped open. His black eyes had transformed into golden ones!
The leader wolf, which had been about to pounce, stopped moving and collapsed with a death howl.
Then, blood gushed from its ears, and it stopped moving.
This ability… is the Evil Eye! This person is the one who gravely injured pilot Marvin!
“…I warned you. Since you ignored me, I’ll use force. Don’t blame me. So, what about the rest? Are you going to avenge your commander…”
Before the young man could finish speaking, the remaining wolves really tucked their tails and fled.
“You should have done that from the start. Do they have animal welfare societies here too?”
Animal welfare societies? Shouldn’t it be the Animal Welfare League?
Muttering to himself nonsensically, the young man clapped his hands twice towards the two dead wolves and bowed.
It seemed true that he didn’t want to kill animals unless he intended to eat them.
For now, no, I must thank my true lifesaver.
“Thank you for saving me from a dangerous situation. I… I am the princess of the Ringvolt Empire, Stinrose Ringvolt. And you are?”
“…I seem to be involved with princesses lately. Though the cup sizes are on a different scale…”
The young man muttered to himself again with a wry smile.
I don’t know which princess he’s comparing me to, but isn’t his muttering quite rude?
Well, my chest isn’t large, but! They might grow bigger in the future!
“I’m asking for your name?”
I know I shouldn’t get angry with my lifesaver, but it’s strangely irritating!
“Ah, me. I’m Sergeant Kanata Amakake. Though titles like princess or sergeant seem meaningless in this forest.”
Kanata Amakake! So this is the Kenrou who gravely injured Clifford!!
Kanata really has no luck, does he? (lol)
