“―She really is faster than a horse.”
It seemed she wasn’t a woman who spoke nonsense, but still, to be that fast. Cheshire spoke more in disbelief than admiration.
“Is she really human? Her limbs were so thin.”
“It’s all muscle. And she exerts even more strength when hitting people.”
Even so, it’s strange. ―Buzz shook his head.
“Your Highness, please step aside a little.”
Penelope, activating a protective spell, spoke while surveying the formation. There were about forty knights and a hundred soldiers, but they remained vigilant.
Bang! A powerful pounding sound was heard from the front.
They could tell she had arrived at the front without seeing it. Cheshire spoke without much deliberation.
“Let’s go to the front as well.”
“What? Your Highness, maintaining formation and waiting here is―!”
Theo was flustered, but Cheshire ignored him and moved forward, leading his horse. He didn’t like repeating himself. As Cheshire moved, the knights reluctantly followed, forming a formation around him.
“Your Highness, the front is dangerous. We don’t know the situation yet, making it difficult to provide proper escort.”
“Your Highness, please wait a moment! The mountain path is treacherous, and we don’t know where enemies might appear. Moving like this could endanger your person.”
“You’re quite easily admitting your own dullness and incompetence.”
Cheshire waved his hand as if shooing away buzzing flies.
“Your duty is to enable me to do what I want. There’s no reason for me to be hindered just because you can’t accomplish that.”
The reason Cheshire was considered less capricious than the Emperor was simply because there were few things interesting enough to make him whimsical. A temperamental and capricious nature was a family trait.
Beyond the bushes, the sounds of battle became more vivid, the grunting of orcs, the clash of swords and axes, and the heavy breathing of people.
Cheshire clicked his tongue softly. Despite not having delayed much, it seemed like only the final act of the drama remained.
“What, what kind of woman is she, really?”
No one answered the question.
“Your, Your Highness!”
A guard who spotted Cheshire gaped. Cheshire put a finger to his lips, signaling silence, then leaned from his horse to leisurely observe the front.
At the end of his gaze, a lithe female knight was swinging a large sword towards an orc.
With a squelch― and a thud, the orc’s body flew.
As the orc she had been fighting lost consciousness, Sahara chased after another fleeing orc.
There weren’t many orcs around. The messenger had clearly said there were about thirty, and Sahara had run down and cut down four.
Seven orcs lay dead, which meant the rest had fled and disappeared.
Sahara deeply stabbed the back of an orc running ahead. Their thick skin and tough muscles meant a shallow cut wouldn’t kill them. She had to stab deeply and accurately.
Gurgle, gak, gak, gurgle! Stepping on the struggling orc’s shoulder, she pulled out her sword with force and thrust it back into the gushing entrails. With a shudder, the orc stopped breathing, and Sahara raised her head to look around. Orc blood splattered on her pale cheek, trickling down unpleasantly.
The escaped orcs were climbing the ridge. Even then, there were only three or four. Indeed, the numbers were insufficient. Before Sahara appeared, about ten soldiers had been lying on the ground, so it was too evenly matched to assume they had fled in surprise at the soldiers’ incompetence.
Was it indeed a trap? A lure? Had they all rushed to the rear?
Even while pondering, Sahara climbed the ridge following the orcs. Normally, she would have returned after confirming they were driven away, but the crown prince had ordered her to annihilate the enemy.
Whether it was a trap or not, if she kept following, she’d eventually find them.
Sahara caught another one and struck it with the flat of her claymore. Thud. As she struck it down, she suddenly turned her head towards a glimmering light that caught her eye.
“―?”
Sahara’s surprise was understandable. In the distance, just behind the orc corpses, Cheshire sat on horseback, watching her as if enjoying a spectacle.
Why is His Highness the Crown Prince there? Where are the others?
Cheshire was waving his hand and saying something. What was he saying… Behind? Sahara instinctively ducked as she felt the wind on her cheek.
Whoosh―! The axe of an orc she thought was unconscious passed over her head. Having easily avoided what could have been a fatal blow, she struck the orc’s axe-wielding wrist with her sword edge. The wrist and axe were severed in one stroke, flying off, and the orc collapsed with a terrible cry. The crown prince, who had warned her of the danger, still looked bewildered.
“―Ah.”
What had been dark was above her head. Suddenly, a large shadow loomed over her.
Boom. A massive boulder rolled towards her.
§ § § § §
Cheshire rushed over, expecting to find her crushed by the massive boulder, but she was nowhere to be found. It was fortunate that there was no body even after breaking the boulder and searching the area, but there were no other traces either. The members of the 128th Knights all insisted, ‘She’ll be back soon, so don’t wait,’ and led Cheshire back to the march.
Just as Cheshire was considering whether to return, Sahara came back. It was evening, with the sun setting.
Buzz, who was gathering firewood, was the first to greet her, looking like a ghost.
“Oh man, I thought you were a newly appeared monster.”
Buzz clutched his heart and said. Sahara was drenched in orc blood from head to toe.
“How far did you chase them?”
“Their base was just beyond the ridge.”
As she wiped the blood trickling down her forehead, Buzz handed her his shirt.
“Why, as a mere passerby, did you go all the way to their base?”
“His Highness the Crown Prince ordered me to annihilate them.”
To annihilate the orcs and return. ―That’s what he said, and that’s what she did. Sahara wiped her cheeks and lips with Buzz’s shirt. The blood kept flowing into her mouth, tasting bitter.
“I don’t think he meant it that way. ―Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…I think I sprained my wrist a bit.”
“Ha, why couldn’t you keep that promise?”
Didn’t he also say he hoped you’d return without a scratch? At Buzz’s reproach, Sahara frowned.
“Because His Highness the Crown Prince was out there.”
She was preoccupied with why he was out there in danger, which is why she didn’t dodge the boulder rolling from behind. Reflexively blocking the boulder might have strained her wrist, causing it to swell slightly.
“Unbelievable. Did you raid the orc’s base with that arm? ―Ah, first, go wash up. I’ll check if you’re hurt anywhere besides your wrist. There’s a valley down this way.”
“Yeah, bring me some clothes. I need to change.”
“Got it. Everyone’s already in their sleeping bags, so wash up comfortably.”
The members of the 128th Knights had all laid down before Sahara returned, claiming they wouldn’t do evening training. The crown prince’s escort, exhausted from battle and marching, collapsed faster than anyone. It seemed no one would wake until morning.
Sahara headed towards the sound of water. Her whole body felt sticky and stiff, and the smell of orc grease was overwhelming. Before reporting to the crown prince, she wanted to wash off the blood dripping from her hair.
A fairly wide valley appeared through the dark bushes. The sun had completely set, but the moon was bright enough that no lantern was needed.
Apart from the clear sound of water, there was no noise. After surveying the silent surroundings, Sahara shrugged off her robe and dipped it in the water. The black blood slowly spread in the water. The robe, already gray, was further darkened by the bloodstains.
She took off her shoes, turned them over, and removed her black tunic and pants. The fabric, soaked in blood, clung to her skin and peeled off with a squelch. Her legs, arms, and shoulders were stained with blood in places. Having been drenched in blood and running to rejoin the formation, her whole body was a mess of stains.
“…….”
Sahara glanced around once more, confirming the complete silence, and then untied the bandage knotted around her chest. It was tied tightly to prevent discomfort while running, but she had kept it tied for so long that untying it felt awkward.
As Sahara unwound the bandage, her white, voluptuous chest was revealed. The necklace she always wore, with two small beads, draped along the curve of her chest. Her blood-soaked hair fell over her rounded, firm breasts. Gathering her hair and tossing it over her shoulder, she dipped her hands and feet into the water.
“Sigh…”
As her blistered feet and swollen wrist, worn from running all day in blood-soaked shoes, submerged in the water, a sigh escaped her lips.
Since meeting the crown prince last night, her whole body had been tense. Of course, there was guilt over the disloyalty she had unknowingly committed against the crown prince, but there was also a small thrill in serving him directly. Sahara had annihilated the orc unit as the crown prince ordered, and she would report it.
“Will he praise me?”
She didn’t need any particular praise. She had always wanted to be loyal to the royal family and the empire. Just traveling with him was a dream come true.
Humming her favorite song softly, she stepped further into the water. The cold, clear water washed away the bloodstains clinging to her body.
When her thighs were fully submerged, she suddenly heard a rustling sound.
“―?”
Who could it be? She hoped it was just a passing wild animal, but along with the sound of footsteps crunching leaves, voices were heard.
“…Wasn’t she a complete monster? Is that even a woman? No way.”
“Why? Isn’t her face really pretty? Honestly, I almost fell for her when I first saw her… and if you undress her, her figure must be great too.”
“Pretty, my ass. Didn’t you see her beating orcs with a two-handed sword? Just grabbing her wrist would probably break your neck.”
“She scared me too. Didn’t she eat a human eyeball? She’s a complete lunatic. Is she a crow or what?”
Even without a subject, it was clear who they were talking about. It was the guards.
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