* * *

At Tens’s response, the Grand Duke nodded and started to move.

That’s when Ronen wrapped his arms tightly around the back of his neck, pulling him into a close embrace.

Feeling the slight tremor in Ronen’s hands, the Grand Duke gently patted his back as they descended the stairs.

The place Ronen would take refuge in was the underground space of the main castle.

Just as the Grand Duke, moving swiftly, stepped onto the underground staircase, Ed’s voice echoed.

“Your Grace!”

Seeing the Grand Duke descending, Ed ran out from inside, visibly tense and worried.

The Grand Duke gently set Ronen down and offered a faint smile.

“Glad to see you made it here safely, Ed. I would’ve come looking if you weren’t here.”

“How many monsters appeared?”

The Grand Duke shook his head slightly, saying, “Don’t think about that. Your task today is to watch over Ronen and yourself, Ed.”

The Grand Duke tousled Ed’s bangs lightly before turning to leave.

Watching his retreating figure, Ed quickly ran to catch up, his voice firm.

“Then, Your Grace, you must return without so much as a scratch—that’s your mission tonight.”

The Grand Duke stopped, turning around to look at Ed. He held out his right hand.

“Isn’t this how it goes?”

The Grand Duke’s gesture mirrored the way Ronen and Ed linked their pinky fingers in a promise.

When he raised his pinky and wiggled it slightly, Ed hooked his finger around it.

“And don’t forget the thumb, like this,” Ed said, raising his thumb. The Grand Duke chuckled softly, pressing his thumb against Ed’s.

Even that small gesture brought both of them a sense of calm.

After holding the link a moment longer, the Grand Duke looked down at Ed and said, “I’ll be back, Ed.”

A group of horses charged powerfully into the dark forest.

“Your Grace, to the right!” Irtel shouted as a flare launched by the scouting team illuminated the direction.

The Grand Duke urged his horse forward at greater speed.

The Sauni Forest, dense with birch trees and often cloaked in fog, presented visibility challenges.

Irtel had anticipated difficulty in spotting the monsters before they awoke, but with the scouting team heading in the direction indicated by the Grand Duke, they found the monsters faster than expected.

Reaching the marked location, the Grand Duke dismounted as the scouts shone torches in the direction of the creatures.

“Aran.”

The Grand Duke’s deep voice called, summoning a silver wolf through his magic.

As Aran appeared in the forest, Irtel rallied the knights with focused attention.

“Flying monsters are tricky. Archers, stay ready and prepare to keep them grounded when they take to the air. Everyone else, prevent them from approaching His Grace and the archers….”

Just then, as if awakening, the two monsters shook off their dormant state, their heads turning.

The larger, black monster’s feathers stood on end like those of a giant, menacing eagle, and a tense gaze filled the knights’ eyes.

Irtel raised his voice, continuing his orders, “Everyone, take your positions!”

The experienced squad members, who had fought monsters multiple times before, quickly moved into position.

Boom!

At that moment, Aran dashed forward and bit down hard on the right monster’s leg.

A disturbing metallic sound rang through the forest, as if his teeth were clamping onto solid steel.

A thick cloud of dust rose as the monster, trying to pull away from Aran’s grip, staggered backward.

Irtel shouted, “Use the magic tools to clear away the mist, and brighten the torches! We can’t afford to lose visibility, not even for a second!”

The squad obeyed, and the forest, once shrouded in fog and darkness, became brightly lit.

The Grand Duke aimed his sword at the now defenseless monster.

His strike landed dead center on its forehead, and with a grating, displeasing sound, the monster toppled backward with a thud.

At the same time, Aran launched himself toward the monster on the left.

This creature, already more accustomed to the world, lowered its head, guarding itself with its beak while flapping its wings.

“The support knights! Spray water at the monster’s location using the magic tools!”

As Irtel’s voice echoed through the forest, Aran leapt into the air, obstructing the monster’s attempt to take flight.

Watching closely, the Grand Duke saw Aran bite down on one of the monster’s wings, snapping it.

He brushed his hand along his sword and commanded, “Aran, stand down.”

Feeling the magic energy flowing along the blade, the Grand Duke swung his sword wide, releasing a spell charged with the power of lightning.

A thunderous sound and blinding light erupted. When the brightness faded, only a pile of ashes remained.

Seeing that the monster was gone, the squad members exhaled in relief, while the Grand Duke looked off into the mist and shook his head slightly.

“…There’s still one left.”

---

In the underground shelter, Ronen, Ed, Jaynon, and Tens sat in a circle around a lamp.

Wrapped in a blanket up to his head, Ronen pulled his knees close, seeming much calmer now.

As he munched on jerky, he asked Tens, “So, where did everyone else go? Why are we the only ones here?”

Tens handed Ronen a flask of water, replying, “There are many shelters in the northern fortress, young master. The residents of the north train for each season to evacuate quickly and safely from their closest location, so I’m sure everyone else is in a safe shelter as well.”

“Oh, I see. I’m glad we’re all gathered here like this. If I’d been alone down here, I would have been scared and shivering still.”

“Don’t worry, young master. I’ll always be by your side, so you’ll never have to be alone.”

At that, Jaynon thumped his chest, and Ronen laughed a little.

Though the shelter was dimly lit, their quiet chatter seemed to ease the tension and fears.

“By the way, you said they practice these drills regularly. Does that mean these things happen often in the north?”

“More frequently than in the capital, but the Grand Duke usually repels them quickly, so the territory doesn’t suffer much damage.”

“Mm.”

Ronen nodded thoughtfully at Jaynon’s answer, took a sip of water, and turned to look at Ed, who sat beside him.

He tilted his head slightly, noticing how quiet Ed had been since they’d entered the shelter.

‘Is he scared because of the monsters?’

Concerned, Ronen called his name softly. “Ed.”

But Ed, lost in thought, was wondering if a small window would be nice, just enough to glimpse what was happening outside, and didn’t hear him.

“Ed, the young master is calling you.”

Jaynon gently tapped Ed on the thigh, finally snapping him back to the present, where he saw Ronen looking up at him intently.

“Oh, yes, young master?”

“Are you okay, Ed?”

“Yes, I’m fine, young master.”

“Then, tell me about it. I didn’t see the monster, but you fell into the rift that time, didn’t you?”

At Ronen’s question, Ed recalled the day he first slipped into the rift.

“…With the Grand Duke protecting me, I wasn’t scared at all, even when I saw a giant monster.”

Ronen’s face flushed with pride, and as he thought of his brother’s bravery, he stretched his legs, tapping his toes in excitement.

Ding, ding, ding.

Then, a bell tolled through the fortress.

Ronen’s eyes widened, and his ears perked up.

This time, it was a slow, deliberate sound, unlike before.

Noticing Tens and Jaynon listening intently, Ronen swallowed nervously.

Ding, ding, ding.

And as the bell tolled again, Tens smiled.

“You may go back to your room now, young master.”

---

Once back in his room, Ronen placed his hand on the window and looked outside.

‘I wanted to see my brother return.’

But he had no choice but to come back to his room, as Ed and Tens insisted.

“It’s late, young master. It’d be best to greet His Grace in the morning.”

Tens was right.

It was the middle of the night, and his brother, after fighting the monsters, surely needed rest.

‘Still, I wanted to see him.’

Ronen pressed his forehead against the windowpane, searching for a glimpse of the Grand Duke but unable to find him.

“…Ed, I’m going to sleep now.”

Despite his anxious desire to make sure his brother was unharmed, Ronen finally pulled away from the window.

He didn’t want Ed, who was waiting on him, to miss out on rest.

“Yes, young master.”

Ronen lay down on his bed.

Though he tossed for a bit, it was so late that he soon drifted off to sleep.

Ed watched Ronen’s breathing settle, then gently pulled the blanket up to his chin before stepping out of the room.

On his way to his own quarters, Ed suddenly turned around.

It was a longer route, but he decided to pass by the Grand Duke’s chambers, just to make sure he had returned safely.

When Ed reached the corridor, he saw Irtel exiting the Grand Duke’s room.

Surprised, Ed hurried over.

* * *