Volume 3 Chapter 16 Evasion Journey
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Puruun’s Perspective
”Ms. Puruun, aren’t you hungry?” Emperor Balmstra is making a pitiful sound.
”Well, I haven’t eaten anything since morning… but I’ve firmly told Ms. Catherine to absolutely not leave this house until I return. I know it must be tough for Your Majesty, but… where exactly are we?”
”We should reach the Duke Suicelma territory in about 2 more days on foot. If we can just make it to my uncle’s place… ah, I’m also thirsty.”
”Honestly, Your Majesty, you act like a child.”
”Haha. I pride myself on not being like this usually… but it seems I get a bit spoiled in front of you.”
Honestly.
I can’t believe you can say such sweet words so easily, but during this escape, Your Majesty has been joking and making light conversation like this all the time.
And I think this is a way to keep me from getting nervous.
Just then, Ms. Catherine returned.
”I’m sorry for the delay, Your Majesty. I didn’t get much, but I managed to get some water and bread.”
As she said this, Ms. Catherine took out a wooden water bottle and some hard bread from her bag.
”Thank you, Catherine. But you found this well.” The Emperor praised Ms. Catherine.
”This village is poor, but the residents seem to be getting by. I negotiated with a villager to get this. Ah, I paid properly, of course. However, since I’m not from this land, I might attract the pursuers. It seems the wanted posters from the imperial capital have already circulated, so let’s leave after sunset. So, Secretary, please eat quickly.”
Ugh.
Even so, this bread is really hard.
I had no choice but to swallow it down, softening it with saliva and water.
There’s still about an hour until sunset, and Ms. Catherine is going to recharge her magic, so I sit a bit away from the two of them, facing the wall.
Why, you ask?
Well, I can’t bear to watch the scene of the magic recharge that’s about to happen.
Ms. Catherine is a so-called succubus-type demon, and it’s quickest for her to absorb magic by contacting someone with magic, and among the 3 of us on the run, it’s obvious that the one with the most magic is His Majesty the Emperor.
Rather, I have almost no magic myself.
So inevitably, Ms. Catherine will have to get some magic from His Majesty the Emperor.
And when it comes to a succubus absorbing magic… it’s through bodily contact, right…?
I don’t have any special feelings for His Majesty the Emperor, so I don’t care what he does with other women, but in this situation where we have to face each other all the time while on the run, it’s really hard to look at that happening right in front of me.
But well… at first, it seemed like they might end up having sex right in front of me, so when I complained, they started to settle for just a kiss.
Still, it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t watch… ah.
If I had known it would turn out like this, I definitely wouldn’t have come along.
”Ms. Puruun. It’s done,” His Majesty the Emperor called out, and I turned back to the two of them, but… no, Ms. Catherine. Her eyes are still glazed over.
”Well then, let’s depart when you’re ready, Your Majesty. But Your Majesty… wouldn’t it be faster if you, not Ms. Catherine, directly manipulated the simple gate?”
Without missing a beat, Ms. Catherine shoots down my simple question.
”What are you saying, Secretary? This gate is dangerous if not used by someone highly trained! If anything happens while Your Majesty operates it… So, along with the precious magic granted by Your Majesty, I will handle it responsibly!”
I wonder about that…
Did that bear man really have such high training…?
As I was wondering, Ms. Catherine was muttering softly.
”…Just with saliva, the magic I can receive is limited, but if we could engage in acts of intimacy, we could move long distances much faster…”
Ah, I see.
I should stop butting in too much.
After using the simple gate a few times, we reached near the border of Duke Suicelma’s territory by dawn.
”Now, Ms. Puruun. Once we cross that ridge, we will be in my uncle’s domain. I believe at least a proper meal and bath await us,” the Emperor said with a smile as he climbed the slope, followed by me and Ms. Catherine.
We reached the ridge and looked around for a place to survey the area below.
The sun was already up, and I wanted to check from above which route we should take.
Ms. Catherine was checking the surroundings with the map she had.
Then we came out onto a slightly open ridge path, and I could see the Duke’s territory, but… wow.
As far as the eye could see, it was all forest.
Are we going to cut through this…?
Feeling a bit blue, Ms. Catherine raised her voice.
”Your Majesty! Look over there!! That… that smoke?”
”Hmm? That is… from Moniera,” the Emperor also checked the map for that location.
”Your Majesty, what is Moniera?” I asked, and Your Majesty answered me.
”Ah, Ms. Puruun. Moniera is the capital of this Duke’s territory. Still, that’s quite a large plume of smoke. Are they doing slash-and-burn farming?”
”What are you saying, Your Majesty? We won’t do slash-and-burn farming at this time! I have a bad feeling. We should hurry.” Ms. Catherine said with a serious face, but… I see. Maybe it’s about war or a forest fire?
”Well then, Catherine. Sorry to bother you when you’re tired, but I’ll use the gate a couple more times. This way…” Invited by Your Majesty, Ms. Catherine approached and started a keep kiss right there.
”Wha!?” I hurriedly turned around, but… come on.
Could you at least give me a heads-up first!?
* * *
We arrived at a high point about 2 kilometers east of Moniera through the simple gate.
And from that Moniera, thick black smoke was rising.
”Is this… a surprise attack from the spirit clan? Even so, I can’t believe the capital is being hit this hard. I wonder if my uncle is safe?” Your Majesty, the emperor, was also watching the scene in shock.
”Your Majesty. Please stay here with Your Majesty and the secretary. I will go scout.”
”Ah, Catherine, please. But be very careful.”
Suddenly, Ms. Catherine’s figure vanished.
”Well then, Ms. Puruun. If you stand here dozing off, you might get found. Let’s move deeper into the forest.” Following the weary His Majesty the Emperor, I also entered the woods.
”Still, Your Majesty. You said this is the front line, but I didn’t expect the fighting to reach the capital… I hope Duke is safe.”
”Yes, indeed. In my memory, the front with the spirit clan was about a hundred kilometers west of Moniera… Could it be that my elopement lowered the soldiers’ morale!? Oh, what should I do if that’s the case…”
”Calm down, Your Majesty. It’s too late for that. We must first understand the situation. Depending on it, we might have to change our escape route. Oh, maybe it would have been better to seek asylum on the Zerlant side…”
”…No. That would be a bad move, Ms. Puruun. If I entered Zerlant, the Imperial Army would attack Zerlant under the banner of reclaiming me,” His Majesty the Emperor said with an unusual seriousness.
After watching for a while, black smoke billowed up, but there were no sounds of bombardment or voices, and it seemed the battle itself had calmed down.
Eventually, close to evening, Ms. Catherine returned.
”Oh, Catherine. How was it?”
”Yes. It seems there was indeed a surprise attack by the spirit clan on Moniera. This happened about a week ago. In response, Duke Suicelma’s army engaged in a defensive battle, but 2 days ago, the defenses were breached, and the enemy invaded the town. Just when it seemed all was lost, the Imperial Army’s reinforcements appeared, and the spirit clan within Moniera were exterminated. Currently, they have retreated to about ten kilometers west of the town.”
”Ha. The reinforcements made it in time. That’s good,” I said, but Ms. Catherine looked sad and replied.
”However… it seems Duke Suicelma has been captured by the spirit clan.”
”What!? Is my uncle… safe?”
”I don’t know. I can’t see the enemy’s situation… but there are no records of anyone captured being rescued so far.”
”I see… Thank you for the reconnaissance, Catherine. So, whose army are the reinforcements?”
”…I heard it’s General Peacock.”
”What… why is the palace guard here…”
”Perhaps they were on the way to pursue Your Majesty.”
The emperor, upon hearing this, slumped down.
”Ha ha. Running away and lowering the morale of the troops, and now the pursuing army is helping the allies in crisis… what kind of novel is this…” It seemed the emperor was a bit teary-eyed.
”So, what shall we do, Your Majesty?”
”…It seems this is the end. Let’s surrender to Peacock and seek protection. I don’t want Ms. Puruun to suffer anymore…”
”But, Your Majesty… if you do that…” I could see Ms. Catherine was very shaken.
”Um, Your Majesty. Since we’re at it, why not struggle a bit more? It does seem like we’re unlucky… but it feels a bit too convenient… as you said, this isn’t a poorly written novel.”
”But Ms. Puruun… what can we do now that we can’t rely on my uncle…”
”I was also in the guard, so I understand a bit… but the palace guard soldiers, even if they have orders, I don’t think all of them would be hell-bent on eliminating Your Majesty. Besides, that General Peacock? They don’t even know Your Majesty’s location yet. We don’t have to hand over the dice to the enemy just yet, do we?”
”Ah, Ms. Puruun. You want me to find allies within the palace guard?”
”Yes. And if possible, I want to know the whereabouts of Duke Suicelma. They are our enemies, but they are still nearby. If we can use that simple gate wisely…”
”I see. There are still things we can do… That’s why Queen Asuka values you. I might genuinely fall for you.”
”Hey there, His Majesty the Emperor. Was all that confession just a bluff?”
”Hahaha! Thank you, Ms. Puruun. I’m starting to feel better. Now, Catherine, I’m sorry, but please investigate my uncle’s whereabouts. But don’t push yourself too hard. So, can I somehow sneak into Moniera with Ms. Puruun as a commoner?”
”If that’s the case… please consult this person. They are a collaborator from my Ninja Corps. They might not be able to do much, but they can help with food and shelter… I got that information from them earlier,” Catherine said while showing a piece of paper.
”Oh. If they are from the Ninja Corps, we can trust them. We’ve settled them in that area for situations like this…”
I see.
So that’s how they’ve been stealthily settled in the region for generations, collecting information.
Should I consider establishing a system like that in our country?
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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