Clunk, clunk.

The carriage shook violently once.

It seemed that a stone had gotten caught in the wheel.

There was no conversation between the two heading to the temple. Ariadeline didn’t particularly want to talk, and Carlothian kept watching her intently.

“…Do you have any idea?”

“No, not really.”

“…I see.”

As he fell silent, the inside of the carriage was once again enveloped in silence.

Carlothian couldn’t take his eyes off Ariadeline, who was staring out the carriage window.

She always had a gloomy expression whenever she was with him.

He thought it would be nice if she could feel a little better and more at ease.

Then, something suddenly came to mind.

Carlothian knocked on the wall of the carriage and said, “Let’s stop by the lake at the temple before we go to the temple.”

It was a place he often went to when he felt troubled. At that, Ariadeline asked in surprise, “The lake?”

“…It’s good to go there when you have a lot on your mind.”

“Ah.”

The lakeside of the temple.

Ariadeline nodded. A subtle divine power lingered by the lakeside of the temple.

So it was probably a good place to calm Carlothian’s troubled heart.

The same went for madness.

Carlothian likely recommended the lakeside with that thought in mind. However, Ariadeline’s thoughts were somewhat different.

‘Hmm, he wants to go to a place that reminds him of another woman.’

Ariadeline rested her chin on her hand and gazed at the sky outside.

“What thoughts did you have by the lakeside?”

“……”

He momentarily couldn’t respond. It was likely because the conversation would inevitably lead to Dorothea.

“Have you ever thought of me?”

“……I have.”

“Liar.”

Ariadeline said with a light laugh. Carlothian then replied in a firm tone.

“I have.”

Ariadeline looked at him in surprise.

“I can’t say it was in a good way, though…”

“That’s fine. You don’t have to explain.”

Ariadeline said nonchalantly.

“It’s surprising that you’ve thought of me even once.”

Carlothian grew anxious. It seemed like she didn’t want to hear more.

He opened his mouth to make another excuse. But at that moment.

Clunk!

Bang!

Hiiing!

“W-What’s happening?!”

The panicked voice of the coachman burst out. The carriage suddenly tilted. Carlothian immediately wrapped his arms around Ariadeline.

Bang, crash!

In an instant, the carriage toppled over.

“Ahhh—!”

“Ariadeline…!”

Crash! Clang!

The sound of the carriage breaking could be heard. The loud noise of the horses thrashing about. Fragments of the shattered carriage window scattered everywhere.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Ariadeline, holding her throbbing head, nodded nonetheless.

“Yes, yes. I’m fine.”

“Stay here for a moment. I’ll go check outside.”

“Oh, okay.”

Carlothian looked up. Due to the carriage tipping over, the door was above his head.

He grabbed the handle next to the door and swiftly kicked it open with his foot.

Bang!

The door flew out, and he climbed on top of it. He then spotted the fallen coachman in the distance. He frowned.

‘Did the carriage collapse and throw him out?’

Carlothian looked at the carriage wheel. He saw a wheel rolling not far away.

Now that he thought about it, he remembered hearing a clunking sound a moment ago. Carlothian frowned at the thought that it was his mistake.

Shhh-shhh-

He heard a sound from somewhere. Carlotian immediately lowered his shoulders slightly and gripped his sword hilt.

‘Someone is here.’

Swish—

‘It’s not just one or two.’

Swoosh—

Without hesitation, Carlothian drew his sword. Following the attempted poisoning, there was now an ambush. He thought that the wheel hadn’t just come off by accident.

“Ariadeline, don’t come out.”

“What’s going on?”

Ariadeline, sensing something was amiss, asked, but Carlothian didn’t respond. Instead, he jumped down beneath the toppled carriage.

As he leaped down, men dressed in black silently emerged one by one from the bushes near the lake. Each of them raised a long sword.

“Where did you come from?”

Carlothian asked. Naturally, there was no response, and he didn’t expect one.

Thud!

At that moment, the men in black rushed at him all at once. Carlothian swung his sword horizontally with great force.

Ka-ka-kang—!

The assassins’ swords simultaneously broke against Carlothian’s blade. However, as if they had anticipated this, they immediately drew daggers and swung them.

Clang!

As one dagger clashed with his sword, the others lunged at Carlothian with their swords.

But he quickly stepped back to evade the blades and then kicked the chest of the nearest attacker.

Thud!

As one fell, another took his place. They charged at him once more. Carlothian bent at the waist to evade the swinging sword aimed at him and swiftly thrust his own sword forward.

Thwack!

The blade sank deep into one man’s lower abdomen, and Carlothian immediately kicked his body away before swinging his sword at the man beside him.

As expected of the Empire’s top swordsman, his speed was beyond what the eye could follow.

Swoosh!

Another man fell. Carlothian counted with his eyes. One, two, three. Four. Five.

With two down, five remained. Carlothian couldn’t help but chuckle at himself.

‘I’ve killed a lot of people. But only seven?’

He felt that his reputation was slowly fading. Was it because of his foolishness in love, or was there another reason?

He rushed forward, closing the distance to the assassin. He struck at the assassin’s shin and then brought his sword down from above.

Clang!

The assassin blocked the blow with a dagger, but

Crack—!

That dagger shattered, and the assassin’s head was severed. He heard the sound of skull cracking, followed by the contents spilling out.

Blood splattered onto Carlothian’s cheek. He ignored it and dodged another thrust aimed at him, once again plunging his sword into a body.

Thwack—!

For him, killing was an effortless task. Assassins fell easily before the tip of his sword.

The assassins made not a sound. Not even as they were dying. It was impossible to tell if it was because Carlothian’s sword was simply too fast.

‘What is this?’

In that moment, Carlothian sensed something was off. He had taken down two more men. There should be three left.

‘Where did one go?’

Carlothian quickly scanned his surroundings. An uneasy feeling washed over him, prompting him to turn around.

“Ahh—!”

He heard Ariadeline’s scream. Carlothian’s eyes widened.

“Ariadeline!”

He saw an assassin reaching into the carriage, forcibly pulling Ariadeline out.

Swick—!

And just as Carlothian was caught off guard, another assassin struck him from behind.

“Ugh!”

A searing pain shot through his back. Despite this, Carlothian did not turn around. He was focused solely on Ariadeline.

Soon, the assassin who had pulled her up pressed a blade against her throat.

Carlothian felt his vision turn crimson. How dare, how dare they touch her?

“I’ll kill you…!”

Thud! Thunk—!

Several blades pierced into Carlothian’s back. Clenching his sword tightly, he took a few steps forward. The assassins attacking him were no concern. She was in danger.

In his reddened vision, he could see the knife pressing closer to her neck. A fine crack appeared on her pale skin, and a trickle of red blood flowed down.

And in that moment, he locked eyes with her. Carlothian understood what Ariadeline was thinking at that instant.

“No! Ariadeline!”

He shouted in despair.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

From outside, the sound of swords clashing could be heard. I furrowed my brow. Could it be that the assassins had come?

Poisoning followed by assassins. It was clear that Carlothian was being targeted.

I thought of Seth Dolorante. Is he taking such an active role in this? It didn’t make much sense.

I looked up at the carriage door above me. The sound of swords clashing continued from there.

There were no screams from the assassins or Carlothian’s voice to be heard.

‘It sounds like there are several of them.’

I wasn’t too worried. I knew Carlothian’s swordsmanship well.

But how much time had passed? I heard footsteps on top of the carriage.

Someone was climbing up.

Yet the sound of swords clashing still echoed. I instinctively knew.

‘It’s not Carlothian.’

I pressed myself against the wall of the carriage. But despite my efforts, a man in black clothing reached out and grabbed my arm.

Naturally, there was no consideration. The forceful grip caused a pain in my shoulder that felt like it would dislocate the joint.

“Ahh—!”

As I was dragged up onto the carriage, I saw Carlothian looking this way.

No, behind him!

“I’ll kill you…!”

Thud! Thunk—!

Is this really the time to worry about me?

I almost screamed at the sight of the assassins stabbing him in the back. The blade pressing against my throat wasn’t the main issue right now.

I furrowed my brow tightly.

His blood splattered across the grass by the lake. He began to leave the assassins who were attacking him behind and came toward me.

I can’t survive this.

I gripped the assassin’s blade pressed against my throat tightly.

The assassin’s body flinched for a moment. I didn’t understand how he could be hurt because of me in this situation.

Because.

“No! Ariadeline!”

I’m going to regress.

I pulled the blade towards me and cut my own throat.