Chapter 65
Under the deep cover of night, the elite soldiers had long since surrounded the manor on the outskirts of the city, forming an impenetrable barrier. Not even a bird could escape.
Having experienced the strange events of the previous day, they were naturally wary of acting rashly.
On this moonless, starless night, the forest outside the manor seemed even more dark and ominous, as if something lurked within, ready to leap out and devour anyone at any moment.
Despite steeling herself mentally, Tuskiyo still felt uneasy at the sight before her. But she knew there was no room for retreat now. If God insisted that the Crown Princess personally complete this trial, then for the Miki of everyone in the Kingdom, as well as herself, she would cast aside all distractions and give it her all.
Sitting atop her horse, Tsukiyo her grip tightening on the reins. Wakako rode beside her, her heart filled with worry.
An impenetrable forest… what secrets did it hold?
The three scouts responsible for tracking had already rejoined the ranks. Now, the entire Alpha team of mercenaries, along with the remaining fighting force from the Beta and Omega teams, were assembled here, awaiting their captain’s orders.
After a moment of silence, Hua Yumu raised his right hand slightly in the air.
“Advance,” he said succinctly.
The first squad of soldiers obeyed the command and marched into the forest. These mercenaries had passed countless tests and trials to earn their place. Not one of them lacked skill or ability. Their faces bore rare expressions of panic, unsure why they had lost their way in the forest.
Yet, in a matter of moments, the entire group found themselves back at their starting point. Their faces bore an uncommon look of confusion, uncertain how they had become so thoroughly turned around within the forest.
Exchanging puzzled glances, they confirmed their findings. “It’s exactly as the generals experienced before. No matter which direction we took, we only went in circles and couldn’t find a way out.”
The mercenaries then tried several times, dividing into different teams and attempting various approaches, but the results remained the same. Despite the repeated setbacks, it did not discourage them. This was a scenario they had anticipated.
Now, only one person remained who had not yet entered the forest: Crown Princess Tsukiyo.
Perhaps God intended for the Crown Princess to be the sole key to overcoming this trial. The true battle would be between the two princesses.
But could the ten-year-old Crown Princess Tsukiyo, facing an unknown number of hidden enemies, truly prevail?
The Queen’s orders were to let her take the risk; everyone else could only be spectators.
Hua Yumu spoke calmly, “Everyone.”
Following his command, the mercenaries shifted their formation.
“Square formation, defense only,” Hua Yumu said. He then glanced at Wakako, giving her a look that only they, as master and apprentice, could understand. He didn’t need to call her name; their years of experience working together as a team were enough for her to know he was speaking to her. “Protect the Crown Princess at all costs.”
Wakako nodded silently.
One hand on the reins, the other touching her arm guard, her fully armed body felt somewhat heavy at that moment. The wind blew her high ponytail slightly away, the tips of her hair brushing against her ear.
She felt no fear.
At the sound of the order, the mercenaries filed into the forest in single file, galloping forward with Tsukiyo safely encircled in the center. To prevent any accidents, Wakako and Liu Siruo flanked her, one holding Tsukiyo’s right hand while the other guided her horse from the left.
The forest wasn’t large, and though tracking wasn’t Wakako’s strong suit, it didn’t take long for her to identify the direction of the safe path.
She urged Tsukiyo’s horse towards it, but then she heard a trembling voice from her left:
“Master, Liu Siruo… she’s gone.”
Liu Siruo, who had been leading Tsukiyo’s horse from the other side, suddenly released her grip and vanished without a trace, so swiftly that Wakako hadn’t even noticed.
It wasn’t just Liu Siruo; everyone else around them had disappeared as well.
At first, the sound of horse hooves intertwined densely, but gradually diminished without them realizing. Then, the entire area became eerily empty. The figures of their companions scattered quickly like startled birds, moving farther and farther away, until only the two of them remained.
As expected, this was a place destined for Tsukiyo alone.
Fortunately, she wasn’t completely alone.
Wakako couldn’t be sure if God would allow her to stay by Tsukiyo’s side indefinitely. She whispered, “Hold onto me tightly. No matter what happens, don’t let go.”
The wind howled, and Tsukiyo’s voice was too soft to be heard over it. Wakako could only feel the small hand gripping hers even tighter.
The forest wasn’t large, and they soon emerged from the other side, finding themselves an endless expanse of barren land. Winter had just passed, and the ground was still bare, with nothing growing yet.
In the distance stood several small courtyards, presumably the abandoned manor. If the intelligence was accurate, their target—the enemy Kingdom’s Crown Princess—would be inside.
Upon seeing the manor, Tsukiyo eagerly wanted to rush towards it, but Wakako pulled her back forcefully, “Wait!”
She usually held back when interacting with Tsukiyo, but this time, she yanked the princess off her horse with no restraint.
The faint click of a gun being ignited was masked by the sudden explosion. Gunpowder erupted beside the horse’s hooves, startling it into rearing back and collapsing onto the ground. If Tsukiyo had still been mounted, she would have been thrown violently.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, but it was enough for Wakako to pinpoint the enemy’s location. Without hesitation, she reached for the longbow and quiver slung across her back, loosing an arrow into the distance.
“Whoosh—”
A direct hit. A figure tumbled from a tree.
Wakako didn’t hesitate. She spurred her horse forward, reaching the fallen enemy. By the time she arrived, the enemy was already dead. She scooped up the discarded firearm and handed it to Tsukiyo.
Tsukiyo understood the importance of weapons, but her voice trembled with fear as she held the cold barrel. “I don’t know how to use this.”
She had only handled the centuries-old firearms stored in the palace, never having used one herself.
“Tsukiyo, God might separate us. I can’t guarantee I’ll be with you all the time,” Wakako said after a moment of silence. “You must learn how to use this.”
Not every battle allowed for rest or preparation. To have secured a firearm was already a stroke of luck; if they didn’t make the most of it, they would only face a cruel fate.
Fear of the unknown welled up in Tsukiyo’s eyes, but she fought back the tears and nodded determinedly.
Their previous horse had fled in terror, so they now rode together on one. Heading toward the abandoned manor, they encountered no further obstacles, but the eerie calm only heightened their sense of anxiety.
Wakako’s arm remained tense, ready to defend against the next attack.
Finally, they reached the manor gates. The remnants of its former aristocratic grandeur were still visible, but the red paint was peeling in many places, resembling a decayed flower in the darkness of the night.
“Let’s dismount,” Wakako whispered, helping Tsukiyo down from the horse. She patted the horse’s flank, sending it ahead to scout the way.
The horse stepped over the threshold and entered the manor grounds without incident.
Still, Wakako held Tsukiyo back.
She drew another arrow the arrowhead brushing the edge of the gate. That’s when she noticed the faint scent of gunpowder in the air. There was just enough time to shout, “Get down!”
Another explosion rocked the area, sending dust and debris flying.
The two rolled in different directions. Fortunately, Tsukiyo had undergone training in recent days, and her movements were agile. She clutched the firearm to her chest, escaping unharmed.
Wakako mentally calculated. “Don’t worry,” she said, “They don’t have many shots left.”
After learning that the Eagle Kingdom possessed gunpowder, Mios hadn’t remained idle.
Gunpowder was made from saltpeter, and there was only one small saltpeter mine in the entire Eagle Kingdom. The Queen had long since ordered her people to calculate, based on the mine’s output and the speed of the craftsmen, how much gunpowder the Eagle Kingdom could realistically produce within a short timeframe.
The result of the calculations was a very small number.
Considering the previous ambushes, it was clear that the Eagle Kingdom’s supply of gunpowder was nearly depleted. Of course, there was one exception—that they had begun preparing for this trial many years in advance. This was highly unlikely; otherwise, they would have already won the war and wouldn’t have waited until now.
Wakako wasn’t skilled in calculations, but even she could deduce that the Eagle Kingdom was nearing its limit in terms of gunpowder reserves. This was the fundamental reason they dared to launch an all-out assault tonight.
She nimbly rolled to her feet, pulled Tsukiyo up, and rushed towards the manor gates. However, just as she was about to cross the threshold, an invisible barrier flung her back.
The gate was clearly open, so why couldn’t she enter?
“Ugh!”
Wakako hit the ground hard, and the impact was worse than the gunshot wound she had sustained to her left leg earlier. It felt as though her internal organs had shifted out of place, and blood slowly began to trickle from her mouth.
But Tsukiyo was already standing inside the manor gates, her eyes wide with fear. “Master!”
Wakako steadied her breathing and tried again, but the result was the same.
It seemed God wouldn’t allow her to proceed any further.
“You… go,” Wakako gasped, wanting to tell Tsukiyo something, but her mouth was full of blood, making it difficult to speak.
Blood dripped down her chin, staining the front of her black attire.
Tsukiyo understood the expectant look in her master’s eyes. Despite her fear and uncertainty, she knew she couldn’t falter now.
She wasn’t just Tsukiyo; she was also the Crown Princess.
Her master was bleeding for her at this very moment. Her two mothers worried and toiled tirelessly for her. And there were countless citizens she had never met… their ability to live in peace and prosperity on this continent depended on the outcome of this trial.
It was a heavy burden for a ten-year-old child to bear, but she had no choice.
She was born into royalty, and this was her destiny.
Tsukiyo took one last, lingering look at Wakako, then stepped resolutely into the manor grounds.
Wakako watched her small figure disappear into the distance, knowing that she had done all she could for tonight. She wiped the blood from her mouth, leaned against the large tree outside the manor, and half-closed her eyes.
Her senses and awareness gradually faded, delaying her perception of danger by a fraction of a second. When she opened her eyes again, an arrow was slowly drifting towards her, the fletching bearing the unique markings of the mercenaries—it was one of the arrows she had fired earlier.
Does God intend to end her life with her own arrow?
It was moving incredibly slowly, slow enough that Wakako could almost see it swaying in the wind, but she couldn’t move a muscle, not even a finger.
Until a flash of white entered her vision.
A hand, as soft as if it had no bones, gently caught the arrow.
