The column advanced slowly along the ancient imperial road.
It was no longer merely a military expedition.
After the devastation of the last city, civilians from various backgrounds had joined the group: women, the elderly, children, and former adventurers who had nowhere else to go.
No one had been turned away.
Lusian had personally made sure of that.
The soldiers maintained a protective formation around the crowd, while priests moved among the civilians, distributing water, tending to wounds, and offering words of comfort.
The advance was slow.
But safe.
At least, as safe as traveling through territory that had begun to turn into a battlefield could be.
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
Some spoke about the city they had left behind.
Others discussed the monsters.
Some simply walked in silence, too exhausted to speak.
But there was one thing they all shared.
The feeling that they were moving toward something far greater than they could possibly understand.
Lusian rode to Elizabeth's right.
She had not said a single word since they departed.
Her posture remained impeccable.
Her back straight.
Her gaze fixed ahead.
The reins held firmly between her hands.
Too firmly.
Lusian glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
He said nothing.
He knew it was better to wait.
Finally, after several minutes of silence, Elizabeth spoke.
—Did you enjoy yourself last night, Lusian?
The question came with almost perfect calm.
Precisely because of that, it was dangerous.
Lusian kept his gaze forward.
—Elizabeth...
—You don't have to answer.
She smiled faintly.
There was no happiness in that smile.
—I already know enough.
Silence settled between them again.
The horses' hooves struck the road.
The sound of wagon wheels mixed with the voices of the civilians.
Everything continued normally.
Except between them.
Elizabeth lowered her voice slightly.
—Emily wanted me to know, didn't she?
Lusian did not answer.
That was enough.
Elizabeth breathed slowly.
—I understand.
Her fingers tightened around the reins again.
—You are my guardian knight.
She paused briefly.
—My protector.
This time, Lusian looked at her.
Elizabeth continued watching the road.
—And yet... you allowed someone else to take a place that should never have been moved.
Lusian remained silent for several seconds.
He had no answer that could fix that.
Finally, he spoke.
—Elizabeth... I'm sorry.
She did not look at him.
—I wasn't looking for it —Lusian continued—. But I also didn't know how to stop it in time.
Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment.
She didn't want to hear excuses.
And Lusian wasn't making any.
Somehow, that made it even harder.
—At least you're honest.
—I always have been with you.
Elizabeth let out a small laugh.
—That doesn't help either.
Elizabeth remained silent for several seconds.
Then she glanced at Lusian.
—Idiot.
—What?
—Nothing.
Lusian frowned.
—You haven't stopped saying "nothing" since we left.
—Then stop asking me.
—Are you angry with me?
Elizabeth looked at him.
—Yes.
Lusian lowered his head slightly.
—I'm sorry.
She sighed.
—I don't want you to apologize.
—Then what do you want?
Elizabeth looked forward again without saying anything more.
Lusian turned his gaze back to the road.
A few meters ahead, Alejandro walked beside Emily.
He had been watching her from the corner of his eye for several minutes.
Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer.
—What are you doing, Emily?
She continued walking.
—What do you mean?
—You know perfectly well what I mean.
Emily didn't answer.
Alejandro gritted his teeth.
—Why are you getting so close to him?
She continued walking as though the question were unimportant.
—It's none of your business.
Alejandro stopped.
—Of course it's my business!
Several nearby people turned their heads.
Emily stopped as well.
—Lower your voice.
—How do you expect me to lower it?
Alejandro stepped closer.
—Lusian isn't someone you can trust.
Emily watched him in silence.
—You know what happened between his family and mine. You know what I think of him. And yet you still follow him. You defend him. You even...
Alejandro swallowed.
—You even get close to him as if there were no consequences.
Emily remained completely still.
Then she spoke.
—Alejandro.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
—You're making this personal.
—Because it is!
Emily looked directly into his eyes.
—No.
One word.
But it was enough to stop him.
—This isn't a competition, Alejandro.
He frowned.
—Then what is it?
Emily breathed slowly.
—You've been doing the same thing for years.
—Doing what?
—Looking for a reason to confront Lusian.
Alejandro clenched his jaw.
—I have reasons.
—I know.
The answer came immediately.
Alejandro fell silent.
Emily lowered her voice slightly.
—I know what the Douglases did.
Her eyes softened.
—I know what they did to your family.
Alejandro looked away.
—Then you understand why I hate him.
—I understand why you hate the Douglases.
Alejandro looked back at her.
—It's the same thing.
—No.
Emily slowly shook her head.
—It isn't the same.
Alejandro remained silent.
—Lusian didn't kill your family —Emily continued—. You know that yourself.
—He's a Douglas.
—Yes.
—He carries their blood.
—Yes.
—Then why do you defend him?
Emily remained silent for several seconds.
—Because I know him.
Alejandro let out a bitter laugh.
—And I don't?
—I've known you since we were children.
That made him fall silent.
Emily took a step toward him.
—That's precisely why I know what you're doing.
—I'm not doing anything.
—Yes, you are.
She held his gaze.
—You're trying to turn Lusian into the enemy you need him to be.
Alejandro frowned.
—And what if he is?
Emily looked directly into his eyes.
—No.
One word.
Alejandro clenched his teeth.
—Then explain something to me.
Emily waited.
—You know what I think of him.
—Yes.
—You know what the Douglases did.
—Yes.
—And you know I don't trust Lusian.
Emily didn't answer.
Alejandro let out a bitter laugh.
—Then tell me why you stay with him.
Emily frowned slightly.
—What do you mean?
—You're a Heroine.
His voice began to crack.
—You have enough power to break that engagement.
Emily remained motionless.
—You're not a little girl anymore, forced to accept whatever other people decide. You can do it.
Alejandro took a step toward her.
—You could have done it a long time ago.
Emily lowered her gaze.
She had no simple answer.
Because Alejandro was right.
She could break the engagement now.
No one could force her.
Not even the blood oath.
But she hadn't.
—I don't want to.
Alejandro closed his eyes for a moment.
Those four words hurt more than any direct rejection could have.
—Why?
Emily raised her gaze.
—Because... I love him.
Alejandro stood completely still.
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
But he couldn't accept it.
—Even after everything he's done?
—What has he done?
—Kill!
The word came out far too loudly.
Several nearby people turned their heads.
Alejandro lowered his voice.
—You know just as well as I do.
Emily remained silent.
—The rumors keep growing —he continued—. Along the borders, they say he enjoys hunting people. That he enjoys watching them suffer and beg for their lives. That he kills without hesitation.
Emily pressed her lips together slightly.
—They're rumors.
—All of them?
Alejandro stared at her.
—That man enjoys killing, Emily.
She felt a knot tighten in her chest.
Because that was precisely what frightened her the most.
Not because she completely believed it.
But because, on some nights, when she saw Lusian return covered in blood, she had wondered the same thing.
What if one day he stops doing it out of necessity?
What if he starts doing it because he enjoys it?
Alejandro continued.
—What if he ends up becoming the same as his ancestors?
Emily closed her eyes.
For a moment, the image appeared in her mind.
Lusian.
Standing among corpses.
His sword covered in blood.
His eyes empty.
Emily opened her eyes.
—He's not like them.
Alejandro immediately replied.
—How can you be so sure?
Emily didn't answer.
Because she couldn't.
Alejandro saw her silence.
And for the first time, he realized that he had found a crack.
—You've thought about it too.
Emily raised her gaze.
—No.
—Yes.
Alejandro took another step.
—I've known you since we were children.
His voice became quieter.
—I know when you're lying.
Emily clenched her fists.
—I'm not lying.
—Then look at me and tell me you've never thought that he could become a monster.
Silence.
Emily couldn't answer immediately.
And that was enough.
Alejandro took a deep breath.
—You see? Even you know it.
Emily felt something inside her break.
—You don't understand.
—Then explain it to me.
—I can't.
—Why?
Emily lowered her gaze.
Because if Lusian ever crossed that line...
she would be the one who had to stop him.
Even if she didn't know how.
—Because I don't know what will happen tomorrow —she whispered.
Alejandro watched her.
For the first time, there was no anger in his eyes.
Only a small and dangerous hope.
—Then leave him.
Emily raised her head.
—What?
—Break the engagement.
Alejandro swallowed.
—You can do it now.
Emily looked at him for several seconds.
—Alejandro...
He looked away.
—You don't have to answer.
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
—I know you've never seen me that way.
Emily felt a weight in her chest.
—You're my friend.
Alejandro closed his eyes.
There it was.
The word he had heard all his life.
Friend.
—I know.
Emily took a step toward him.
—And I don't want to lose you.
Alejandro let out a small laugh.
—Neither do I.
But then he looked back toward Lusian.
The young man was riding several meters ahead, completely unaware of the conversation.
Alejandro clenched his fists.
—But I'm not going to stop watching him either.
Emily sighed.
—That won't change anything.
—Maybe.
His gaze hardened.
—But if he ever proves the rumors are true...
Emily froze.
Alejandro looked directly at her.
—If he ever becomes what everyone says he is...
A pause.
—Will you kill him?
Emily didn't answer.
Alejandro held her gaze.
—Because if you can't...
His voice became cold.
—I will.
Emily felt a shiver.
—Alejandro.
—I'm not threatening you.
He looked toward Lusian again.
—I'm promising you that I won't allow another Douglas to destroy the people I care about.
Emily remained silent.
Because that promise was precisely what frightened her the most.
She didn't know what would be worse.
Alejandro being right.
Or one day being the one who had to raise her sword against Lusian.
The column continued toward the imperial capital.
And neither of them spoke again.
Several meters away, Lusian continued riding beside Elizabeth.
Completely unaware of the war that was beginning to form behind him.