Chapter 5
Aura got up from the messy bed. Outside, it was already dawn.
Karl was fast asleep beside her. Without any sign of caution.
The blue dawn light made his face look pale. For a moment, he looked like the boy he once was.
Suddenly, the memory of earlier came back.
“Karl, don’t tell me… you still like me?”
“And if I do? What would that change?”
Aura whispered to Karl.
“…It would change a lot.”
She had planned to disappear like a mirage the moment he thought he had her.
To leave him with only the pain of having his dream turned into hatred.
She wanted to give him just that kind of wound and vanish forever.
“Now you want me to be your Empress?”
Aura whispered to Karl again.
“No. I won’t give you anything you want.”
Aura looked out the window. Snow was falling heavily.
…No luck at all.
Aura carefully put her feet on the floor.
“!”
A sharp pain spread through her lower body. Aura gave Karl a glare.
She hated how he could sleep so soundly after doing all that.
“Hoo…”
She took a deep breath, stood up, and put on some clothes.
They were thin indoor clothes, but she had no choice.
This was her only chance.
She reached under the sofa.
Her hand found a cold scalpel.
Aura stared at the shiny blade of the scalpel.
Are you going to kill someone with that? No, you never could, Aura.
You’re right, Karl.
Even when she stabbed Karl with a dagger, she had known it wouldn’t kill him.
That something so small wouldn’t be enough.
But I’m ready to die.
Aura gripped the scalpel tightly and left the room.
In front of the room stood one of Karl’s closest knights.
“Your Highness, is something wrong?”
“What’s your name?”
“Josh Garnet, ma’am.”
“Right, Josh.”
Aura suddenly pressed the scalpel to her own neck.
“Y-Your Highness?”
“Lower your voice. Say one more word, and I’ll stab myself.”
A thin line of blood flowed from her neck. Shock spread across Josh’s face.
“If I die because of you, Karl will be really happy.”
Josh shut his mouth with a face full of fear.
He raised his hand as a sign of obedience.
“Go get a horse. Right now.”
“Where would I find a horse—”
“Shut up.”
Aura pressed the scalpel deeper.
It looked like blood would gush out at any moment.
Josh quickly nodded.
“Take me to the stables. Use a path no one uses.”
Josh had no choice but to lead her down the knight-only stairs.
They somehow made it to the stables without anyone noticing.
It was only possible because it was so early in the morning.
Josh brought out a horse.
Aura motioned him toward the back gate of the palace.
Snow crunched under her steps.
“Open the gate.”
“Your Highness…”
“Now.”
Nothing could be more frustrating.
Josh let out a deep sigh, ran to the guard, and said something.
When the guard stepped aside, Josh pushed the gate open himself.
Creeeak—
The palace gate swung wide open.
Aura stared blankly at the world beyond it.
If she passed through that gate, she could get away from Karl.
And she would never come back.
“The horse.”
Josh handed her the reins.
Three golden buttons on his sleeve glinted.
Aura quickly ripped them off.
“…! Y-Your Highness?”
“I’m borrowing these, Josh.”
Josh was completely stunned.
Threatened, robbed—what kind of princess did such things?
Aura climbed onto the horse and rode through the gate.
“Close it.”
Josh obediently shut the gate.
“Don’t move from there until I disappear.”
He nodded.
Aura rode away.
Her figure vanished into the heavy snow.
The moment she was gone, Josh turned around and ran at full speed.
Soon after, he burst into the princess’s room.
Karl was still asleep.
Josh was shocked.
You didn’t even notice she left your side? You fell asleep that deeply?
But there was no time to be shocked.
“Your Majesty.”
At the sound of Josh’s voice, Karl opened his eyes immediately.
He reached beside him and sat up.
“Aura?”
“She left the palace.”
“…Damn.”
Karl pressed his forehead. His black eyes shone coldly between his thick, long fingers.
“Catch her. She must have gone to Ansena.”
“Yes, I’ll go right away.”
Josh ran out. Karl sat there in silence for a moment.
His back stung. He reached behind with his arm and touched it.
Several long scratches. The moment he realized what they were, Karl burst into a sharp laugh.
“Hah.”
Now he understood. Why she had spent the night with him. Why, even though she had trembled under him, she never told him to stop.
This rising emptiness and anger. She had tried so hard to give him this. Throwing herself in, foolishly.
And her plan… was very successful. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Karl’s insides were boiling uncontrollably.
‘Is this it? She couldn’t free herself, so she threw me away?’
He felt as if he could hear Aura’s voice.
‘Karl, can you stop now?’
Karl asked this question to himself.
And the answer was still the same.
‘No.’
Just because he was thrown away once, he had no thought of stopping here.
His men would catch her soon. When she came back… he would make her understand. Just what part of him she had touched.
Karl tried to get up from the bed but saw the heavy snowfall outside the window.
“Haa… Of all times.”
He frowned and dressed. He opened the wardrobe, took out two fur cloaks, and stepped outside.
He headed for the stables. The knights were just getting on their horses.
“Your Majesty?”
“I’m going too.”
“Your Majesty, it’s dangerous to leave the palace now.”
Theo, the chief aide, tried to stop him. Karl had only been emperor for a few days. It was a risky time to be away.
“Then you stay and take care of things.”
“Y-yes?”
Ignoring Theo, Karl mounted his horse and left the stables. The knights hurried to follow him.
By the time they left the palace, the snow had gotten thicker and blurred their sight. Karl asked Josh,
“What was the princess wearing?”
“Just regular indoor clothes.”
“…We must hurry.”
Karl drove his horse toward Ansena.
The snow stopped around morning. Aura’s clothes had been soaked all night in the snow. Still, Aura kept riding across the plain. Ansena wasn’t far now.
“Haa…”
She stopped for a moment and blew into her hands. Her hands were chapped, frozen, and numb.
By now, Karl would have figured everything out. He would’ve guessed she was going to Ansena.
‘Still, I have to check on the Xenia people. Even if I leave right after.’
Taking care of the people was a royal duty. Or maybe her last pride as a princess.
At least there was one good thing: Karl probably wouldn’t follow her himself. No emperor would leave the palace in such times.
Maybe Karl would just give up on her. Laugh once at the woman who threw herself at him to hurt him, then move on.
“…”
She suddenly felt sad. But she quickly shook her head. This wasn’t the time for useless feelings.
Soon, she arrived in Ansena.
A huge slum spread before her. The Xenia people sat around fires without homes. Some managed to sell things cleverly, but they only had shabby stalls.
But something felt strange.
‘There’s no sign of the mages.’
Xenia was the country with the most mages on the continent. Wherever Xenia people gathered, magic was always there.
Then it happened.
“P-please forgive me!”
“Give it up!”
A man was crouching, holding onto a loaf of bread. Men in blue cloaks tried to take it from him.
‘Those men in cloaks… must be patrol guards.’
The man clung desperately.
“M-my child is very sick. If she doesn’t eat anything today, she’ll die!”
“We feel for you, but if we consider everyone’s needs, order will fall apart. Let go!”
The patrol finally took the bread and returned it to the bread seller.
“Ugh… sob…”
The man fell and cried. The patrol turned away bitterly and left.
The man staggered into an alley. He picked up a glass bottle from the ground and smashed it hard against the wall.
Clang!
The bottle shattered, showing sharp edges.
“Fine. Whether I die this way or that way…”
He wiped his tears and turned around. Aura was blocking the entrance to the alley.
“W-what! Move. Do you want to die?”
The man swung the bottle. Aura didn’t even blink.
She threw a gold button onto the ground.
“You should feel ashamed.”
The man’s eyes widened. Gold. That could feed his whole family for a month.
“Feed your child. And the other hungry children too. Don’t forget the shame of today.”
“U-ugh… huu…”
The man collapsed. He held the gold button and cried on the ground.
The terrible sight crushed Aura’s heart.
He was probably just a normal father before Xenia fell. Three years of slavery had ruined everyone.
‘I need to meet the leader of the patrol. That’s the fastest way to understand the situation.’
Aura left the alley and looked around. She spotted some men in blue cloaks and quickly followed.
“Excuse me.”
The patrol turned around.
A noblewoman on a well-fed horse. But she was too thin and looked unwell. The men watched Aura with suspicion.
“Who are you?”
“I want to meet your leader.”
“Hah. And why would we take you to him? Get lost!”
One of them snapped at her. Maybe they were still tense because of the earlier incident.
Aura hesitated. It had been so long since she said these words that they felt awkward.
“I am Princess Aura of the Xenia royal family.”
The patrol’s faces changed to shock and awe. They finally recognized the princess.
“P-Princess!”
“Princess…!”
They tried to kneel. Aura raised a finger to her lips.
“Shh. Stand up.”
She didn’t want to cause a scene here. Especially not when the imperial army could come at any moment.
“Take me to your leader. Now.”
