“He’s dead.”
Jessica paused what she was doing. She’d spent the whole night sharpening her sword by the creek.
She remembered everything that happened last night with perfect clarity.
“Mm. Thank you.”
Anna handed her a cup of warm water—freshly boiled and cooled just this morning.
“What are you thanking me for?”
Jessica used a piece of deerskin to carefully wipe the water droplets from her sword blade, not even glancing at Anna.
“It’s nothing, I just wanted to thank you.”
Anna set down the cup and stood up. She dusted off her clothes, turned, and walked toward the others gathered by the fire.
“What a strange person.”
Only when Anna’s footsteps had faded did Jessica turn around and pick up the cup.
Gulp, gulp—her throat worked as she drank.
The water was too cold.
She poured out the rest into the stream.
She and that strange woman could only walk together halfway, after all.
She slung her sword over her back, strapped on her shield and pack, and set off toward the rising sun.
She would finish the journey alone.
Even if, ahead, what awaited her was the Demon King himself.
“Jessica’s gone.”
Lydia gazed at the departing figure of the young knight, shining brilliantly in the sunlight, and wore the expression of a child who’d just lost a dear playmate.
“I thought she’d be coming with us.”
Anna and Ophelia exchanged glances and smiled wryly at the same time.
Last night, only Lydia had slept soundly, lost in her dreams.
Is she really a rabbit? Anna wondered to herself.
“Lydia.” Ophelia pinched the back of Lydia’s neck. “Some people can only go with you for part of the way. There are roads we have to walk ourselves.”
She looked off to the east, where the ruined old castle stood silently beneath the rising sun. She knew full well what was waiting for them there.
She couldn’t help stealing a glance at Anna. In Anna’s eyes there was no fear, no surprise—only a sense of inevitability, a spirit that said this must be done.
She knew the path ahead was dangerous and uncertain, but she kept going forward all the same.
They’d come this far—if all they cared about was money, even just the feat of defeating a Demon King’s officer would earn them a hefty reward from the Association. If money was the goal, Anna had already done more than enough.
But Anna chose to keep going, and it had nothing to do with money. She moved forward with a sense of duty that bordered on obsession, determined to step onto the battlefield that belonged to her.
She said it was her mission. Ophelia couldn’t dissuade her.
So, last night, when they learned the Demon King was lurking in Scarborough, Ophelia decided—she would go with Anna.
To share life and death with her—that was Ophelia’s resolve.
“Lydia.” Anna gently squeezed Ophelia’s fingers, then turned around to face Lydia, who was following behind. “I don’t want to hide this from you… What we’re about to face is far more dangerous than minotaurs.”
She lifted her hand and opened her palm, showing Lydia a Demon King’s military badge she’d picked up from Ululu’s body. Her gaze never left Lydia.
It was as if she was trying to persuade Lydia to turn back, not to follow them into danger.
“Sis…?”
Lydia’s face darkened. She reached out, closing Anna’s fingers over the badge, then lifted her head, her gaze unwavering.
“What do you take me for… Sis, you’ve saved my life, not just once. For your sake, I’d stake my life without hesitation.”
Lydia’s hand clenched into a fist over her chest, as if she was angry at Anna for suggesting she go back.
“Lydia, we’re talking about the Demon King himself.”
Ophelia reached out, wanting to pat Lydia’s shoulder, but Lydia batted her hand away.
“So I should just watch Sis go ahead and let Ophelia have you all to herself… is that it?”
Lydia stubbornly moved to Anna’s side and, ignoring Ophelia’s gaze, locked arms with Anna’s free arm.
“I won’t let go that easily… No way.” She gazed into Anna’s eyes, her look sincere and unyielding. “I want to stay by your side, too.”
“Lydia…”
Anna let out a sigh—she really couldn’t win against Lydia.
She sneaked a guilty glance at Ophelia. As expected, Ophelia turned her face away.
The corners of Ophelia’s mouth curled so much it was as if she could catch a fish in the stream.
“Ophelia.”
Anna tugged gently on their joined fingers.
No response. Ophelia was like an angry cat sulking after losing a fight.
“Ophelia.”
Anna leaned close to Ophelia’s ear, glancing swiftly around to make sure no one was paying attention—Lydia wasn’t even looking.
Taking the chance while whispering in Ophelia’s ear, she sneakily stuck out her tongue.
The tip of her tongue moistened Ophelia’s earlobe. Anna clearly saw Ophelia’s face flush red from nose to ears.
Ophelia unconsciously squeezed Anna’s hand tighter, wrapping Anna’s fingers in her palm.
“Will you pay attention to me now, Ophelia?”
Anna’s voice sounded right by her ear. Ophelia turned her head—straight into Anna’s lips.
Peck. Anna gave her a quick, bird-like kiss.
Anna was smiling, as radiant as a morning flower.
There was just no resisting her.
That smile was too dazzling—like the noon sun, so bright Ophelia could momentarily forget her jealousy.
She knew Anna felt nothing romantic for Lydia, that rabbit-like, innocent girl, and she knew exactly where Anna’s heart truly belonged. But every time she saw Lydia get close to Anna, anger would well up uncontrollably. She was jealous, even though no one had done anything wrong.
She envied Lydia for being able to express her feelings so frankly, with no hiding and no awkwardness.
“Ophelia.”
Anna gazed ahead, her eyes resting on the barely visible high outer walls of Scarborough.
“Thank you.”
Without warning, for no reason, Anna suddenly said something out of nowhere.
“What are you thanking me for?”
Ophelia pressed her lips together, trying to keep her face stern, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t manage to give Anna a cold look.
She asked softly, but her hand squeezed Anna’s fingers even tighter.
Anna didn’t answer right away. She stayed silent, her eyes never leaving those once-grand, now desolate city walls.
In the midday sun, Scarborough’s towering ruins stood out sharply in the light—crumbling bricks, deep green moss, and here and there the faded remains of white bone. The broken walls and shattered stones were like the bones of a great dragon, silently telling tales of past glory and fallen despair.
“Thank you for staying by my side.” Anna’s voice was so soft it almost melted into the sunlight. “Thank you… for walking this road with me.”
She turned her face to Ophelia. In those always-burning red eyes, feelings tangled and wild as weeds surged up—bewilderment about the future, fear of the unknown, defiance of fate… and, for Ophelia alone, an inextricable longing.
Ophelia’s heart gave a little jolt, a sweet ache spreading through her chest.
Anna was grateful that she could stay.
“Idiot.” Ophelia muttered. “I told you, I’ll love you to the ends of the earth, Anna.”
She leaned her forehead against Anna’s shoulder, using the gesture to steady the sting in her eyes.
“The world has no end, you dummy.”
Anna remembered the vows they’d exchanged in the royal capital and couldn’t help but laugh softly.
The world has no end—nor does love.