* * *
“Luther?”
“Yeah.”
Kaindel blinked repeatedly, as if he hadn’t expected me to suggest that.
He looked like he was trying to confirm whether he had heard me correctly.
Luther.
He murmured the name again, then finally spoke in a slightly cracked voice.
“Isa, are you saying…”
“That doesn’t mean I’ll stay with you.”
“……Then?”
“Just.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. For some reason, I felt a flush creeping up.
Telling Kaindel to come to Luther didn’t mean I intended to go back to how we used to be.
It didn’t mean all my resentment toward him had disappeared either.
I just wanted him to know that I wasn’t running away from him.
That was all.
I simply wasn’t leaving him behind.
“I just think… maybe I should watch a little longer.”
I still hadn’t decided what to do about Kaindel.
I was close to a conclusion, but I hadn’t fully made up my mind yet.
But based on everything I had seen from him so far, a voice inside me kept whispering that I could wait a little longer.
That if I did, I might finally figure out what I should do.
Kaindel stayed quiet, as if mulling over my words.
Was he trying to read between the lines?
I had meant them honestly.
Just as I was tilting my head, wondering about his silence, Kaindel’s focus returned.
He lifted the corners of his lips.
“Alright. I got it.”
The expression in front of me was completely different from the one I had seen at the temple.
His face was noticeably brighter.
A weight I hadn’t realized was there lifted slightly from my chest.
Like a thorn that had been stuck in my finger had finally been pulled out.
“I’ll come to Luther when it’s all over.”
As I looked at Kaindel, who readily agreed, I barely held back a sigh.
That was when I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.
“And about that thing.”
“Hm?”
“I already told the Pope.”
“You told the Pope?”
“Yeah. So don’t go charging in recklessly. Get his help instead.”
“……”
“Don’t come back injured.”
If it were Kaindel, he would almost certainly try to face Kerelona with force.
Even if an easier solution existed, he might still choose violence because it was the more decisive option.
That was just the kind of person Kaindel was.
That was why I had asked the Pope for help—even going as far as offering him information he wanted.
Though I still had no idea why the Pope had been so interested in that information.
I thought back to the Pope, who had questioned me about the Great Calamity, and then spoke again.
“If you come back injured, I won’t see you again.”
If Kaindel got the Pope’s help, then at least the princess’s plan could be stopped without bloodshed.
Kerelona needed the illusion of a marriage with the Hero.
If that illusion was shattered, then at least on that day, she wouldn’t be able to proceed as planned.
Of course, that was just my assumption.
I had no idea how exactly the Pope intended to help Kaindel, so there were always unknown variables.
“……”
At my warning, Kaindel’s lips parted slightly in surprise.
He looked like he had something to say.
After a brief hesitation, he let out a quiet chuckle.
I heard the faint sound of air escaping.
“Alright.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Hearing that soft promise, I finally felt at ease.
Without realizing it, I smiled at him.
It was the first genuine smile I had given Kaindel since our reunion.
＊
“Thank you. Travel safely.”
“Yeah, have a good day.”
I watched the departing carriage for a moment before turning around.
I was finally back.
Something about the air felt different, and I instinctively curled my toes.
The weight of my bags, tightly gripped in both hands, assured me that this wasn’t a dream.
Luther hadn’t changed at all in five years.
From the scenery at the village entrance to the buildings, everything was exactly the same.
It felt as if I had traveled back in time.
My heart stirred restlessly.
Catching myself staring blankly at the village entrance, I shook off the daze and followed a familiar path.
If I passed the village chief’s house and turned left at the stables, I would reach Alice Inn.
Just like before.
The closer I got to Alice Inn, the more my chest swelled with emotion.
A pleasant kind of anticipation.
Sure enough, at the end of the road stood Luther’s one and only inn—Alice Inn.
I took a deep breath, looking up at the signboard that still bore the same lettering as five years ago.
The front of the inn was oddly quiet.
Was it because lunch hours had already passed?
Peeking inside, I carefully pushed the door open.
“Hello.”
“We’re not taking—Isa?”
“Alice.”
Alice, who had been lounging on a table reading a newspaper, stopped mid-motion.
Her eyes widened in shock.
She had recognized me immediately, despite how much I had changed in five years.
Of course. That was just like Alice.
“Am I dreaming? I must be, because there’s no way I’d see you here.”
“Yes, it’s me. So you don’t have to pinch my cheek. This isn’t a dream.”
I chuckled as I watched Alice pinch my cheek.
She hadn’t changed at all—then or now. And I liked that.
But Alice wasn’t the only thing that had stayed the same.
As I glanced around the restaurant, identical to how it was five years ago, I set down my luggage.
The weight slipping from my hands made my shoulders feel noticeably lighter.
Spaces had a strange kind of power.
Just stepping into Alice’s inn and restaurant made it feel like I’d been transported back in time.
That period of my life hadn’t faded—it stood before me, vividly intact.
“I’m home, Alice.”
At last—
“Isa!”
“Ahh, Alice! That hurts!”
“Welcome back. You’re finally back!”
“I can’t breathe—let go of me!”
“Just bear with it a little longer, you rascal. I’m so happy I could die.”
I was home.
Hero and Princess’s Rift… Finally Comes to Light?
Yesterday, the wedding of Duke Kaindel Rayford Schudelgarten and Princess Kerelona de Hadelber took place.
Many guests attended, including the hero’s former comrades.
Even figures who had long been absent from public appearances—such as the Theron Kingdom delegation and James Spencer—showed themselves, drawing much attention.
Gifts celebrating the union poured in from the night before until morning.
However, what stole the spotlight was Duke Schudelgarten’s unexpected behavior during the vow exchange.
When it came time to pledge eternal devotion, he responded with denial.
Hearing this, the Pope asked, “Then are you refusing to accept the princess as your partner?”
To which Duke Schudelgarten answered, “Yes.”
The Pope, acknowledging the unwavering stance, declared, “With such firm opposition, this wedding can no longer proceed,” and left the hall.
Shocked, the princess cried out, “There are still ten minutes left in the plan!”
Meanwhile, His Majesty the King, in an attempt to quell the growing unrest among the guests, ultimately collapsed on the spot.
Following the failed wedding, Duke Schudelgarten announced his resignation, apologizing for the disgrace he had brought upon the royal family.
Opinions among the people were divided—some insisted that a hero of the kingdom shouldn’t step down over such an incident, while others argued that his actions had stained the nation’s honor and deserved harsher punishment.
Some even called for the confiscation of his assets.
His Majesty’s condition remains unclear, and Duke Schudelgarten’s fate is expected to be decided once the King regains consciousness.
Meanwhile, the princess’s cryptic mention of a “plan” has sparked widespread speculation.
What did the Duke’s actions mean?
What was the princess planning?
An anonymous tip led authorities to search a cabin near Roella Forest, where they discovered twenty long guns—an illegal weapon banned in Hadelber Kingdom.
This marks the first time such weapons have been found in the kingdom.
* * *
