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Following that, another scream and sounds of chaotic movement were heard.
'What's going on...?'
I reflexively picked up Rudhian and held him protectively.
The knights escorting us quickly surrounded us as well, but they were just as clueless about the situation.
The knights, after surveying the surroundings, said to me,
"It seems there's some trouble at the gathering point. It would be best to leave the forest first, so we'll proceed forward slowly."
"...Letizia?"
"It's alright, Your Highness. I'll protect you this time."
I nodded to the knight and soothed Rudhian, who was looking at me with anxious eyes, embracing him tightly.
Even amidst all this, screams continued to come from the direction of the gathering point.
Anxiety and unease made my hands sweat.
As we slowly headed towards the gathering point under the escort of the knights, the undergrowth ahead suddenly began to rustle.
It seemed like something was approaching us.
A knight, noticing it, raised a hand to signal a halt.
At that moment, everyone held their breath.
"Oink!"
The undergrowth shook violently, and a wild boar burst out.
"Catch it!"
The knights rushed forward to stop the boar.
But just before their swords could reach it, an arrow flew from somewhere and struck the boar in the back.
I quickly covered Rudhian's eyes.
Thud!
The boar, easily larger than an adult man, collapsed, and someone appeared from behind it.
"You were here. Are you alright?"
It was the commander of the Second Knights Division, whom Idris had introduced to me before the hunting festival began.
I asked urgently,
"What's going on?"
Judging by the continuous commotion behind the commander, I knew it wasn't just about a single boar.
"The beasts of the forest have suddenly started rampaging. We don't know the cause yet, but it doesn't seem like a natural phenomenon."
At that moment, one person immediately flashed through my mind.
"Are the men alright?"
"That hasn't been confirmed yet."
"Then send someone quickly to―"
I stopped speaking.
A faint smell of burning had caught my nose.
'Could it be...?'
Turning towards the direction of the smell, I saw faint smoke rising from within the forest.
"…A wildfire is spreading in the direction His Majesty went, making it difficult to approach."
Only then did I understand why the commander had determined it wasn't a natural phenomenon.
'Wildfires rarely occur in summer forests.'
It rains a lot in the summer, and the waterlogged trees don't catch fire easily.
Even if they do, they don't spread and quickly die out.
The place we were in was even damp with moisture.
For a wildfire to break out in such a summer...
'Someone is using magic to start the fire artificially.'
The simultaneous attacks by wild beasts and the wildfire.
These were incidents that could not be considered separately.
I tightened my grip on Rudhian in my arms.
"We'll check on His Majesty's situation, so please evacuate with Crown Prince Rudhian first."
I was worried about Idris, but there was nothing I could do in this situation.
Just to leave this place and protect Rudhian safely.
That was the only thing I could do for him, at least.
'Idris will be alright. He's survived wars.'
Regaining my composure, I embraced Rudhian and nodded.
"...I understand. Please provide escort."
We returned to the gathering point under the escort of the commander.
The gathering point was, as expected, a scene of chaos.
Bears, boars, wolves, and other wild beasts were rampaging and attacking people.
As I stared at the scene in confusion, knights approached.
"Commander, the carriage is ready."
It was the carriage for Rudhian and me.
But with the beasts still rampaging and the noble ladies and children not yet evacuated,
the commander, who was in charge of the knights, couldn't leave his post.
After briefly assessing the situation, the commander slashed down a wolf running towards me and shouted to the knights,
"Make it your top priority to escort the Crown Prince to the Imperial Palace safely!"
"Yes!"
"Lady, follow these men."
Under the escort of the knights, I got into the carriage, which immediately departed.
I finally let out a sigh of relief. Then, I checked on Rudhian's condition.
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
"Uung... I'm okay. But what about the others?"
"The others will be fine too. A very strong knights division will protect them."
"I want to become an adult quickly so I can protect people too..."
I couldn't help but smile at Rudhian's thoughtfulness, thinking of others even when he was scared and surprised.
"You will definitely become such an adult, Your Highness."
I must have been surprised too, but talking to Rudhian made me feel much better.
Rudhian seemed to gain a sense of security from me as well, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
Seeing that made me yawn too, but I widened my closing eyes.
'I can't relax until we reach the Imperial Palace.'
But it seemed alright to let Rudhian sleep.
"Your Highness, you can sleep if you're sleepy―"
However, before I could finish my sentence, the carriage suddenly stopped with a thud!
At the same time, the sharp, clanging sound of metal clashing echoed piercingly in my ears.
The drowsiness vanished instantly.
I hurriedly looked out the window.
"What's going on?"
Then, a knight who was nearby strode up to us.
Making eye contact with him, I hurriedly bit my lip to stifle a scream.
"..."
"It's an ambush. We'll take care of it quickly, so please wait inside the carriage for a moment."
After quickly explaining the situation, the knight approached the group in confrontation.
Only after he walked away did I finally release the breath I had been holding back.
Because that knight just now... no, the man wearing the uniform of the knights division...
'His face... was stained black.'
Just like the maid in the Crown Prince's palace who tried to drown me during the founding festival.
'That person is an attacker.'
Someone who came to kill me and Rudhian.
My heart pounded rapidly with extreme tension, and the blood in my body ran cold.
Even in the midst of this, the sounds of knights and attackers fighting continued outside the carriage.
'...Get a grip. We have to escape during this opportunity.'
If the attackers win, Rudhian and I will die, and if the knights win, they will come looking for us.
I embraced Rudhian's shoulders, who was frozen in fear due to the sudden situation, and asked,
"Your Highness, do you remember what I told you when we first met at the founding festival?"
Perhaps due to the chaotic situation and mixed memories, Rudhian didn't seem to remember.
"I said I came to protect you."
Rudhian nodded as if he had remembered.
"Those people are wearing knights division uniforms, but they are trying to harm you and me. So, we are going to escape into the forest now."
"..."
"Will you trust me this time too?"
Saying that, I extended my hand.
And the child took that hand without hesitation.
At that time, the nobles isolated in the forest due to the sudden wildfire were also in a state of chaos.
"There... doesn't it seem like the fire is receding a bit?"
"Oh, you're right? It definitely looks like the direction has changed?"
As the nobles murmured, looking at the direction of the fire, a knight who had gone to scout the situation returned.
"Your Majesty, the fire has moved. I think you can go this way."
However, Ajef's expression as he looked at the direction of the fire was not good.
"...I believe that women and children are over there."
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