The place where I and Perez arrived with the fresh air of the morning was a large stable on the outskirts of Lombardy.
It was the place where I had been with the twins and Louryl before.
When I and Perez arrived, many eyes caught on, including the nobles who had come and gone, and the employees working in the stables.
"There's going to be a rumor."
Although we announced our engagement, there were rumors people wondered about us who didn't get married in detail yet, so we intentionally took time to go out.
"Let's take a walk on a crowded road for now."
We first walked leisurely along the surrounding trails.
And I ate at a restaurant run by the stable and even ate dessert.
People looked at me and Perez from a distance, gossiping, and didn't come close to talk.
I felt like I was a celebrity.
"Tia."
Then Perez suddenly reached out.
His fingers brushed gently against my mouth.
"What, what is it?"
To be honest, I was surprised.
My heart pounded.
But Perez replied with a strange shrug.
"There's a crumb of cookie on your mouth."
"Well, then you can just say it...!"
As my voice went up, Perez glanced around, sneaking his finger over my lips.
And spoke in a low voice.
"We have an audience, so I have to show it properly."
However, the corners of his mouth are slightly raised up.
He's enjoying this situation.
I gave Perez a look and got up.
"Now that we've shown them enough, let's go horseback riding."
Perez also obediently followed me to the stable without a word.
"Here you are, Lady Florentia. Blanc is ready over there."
An employee caring for Lombardy's horse approached and politely informed.
I've already stepped outside Martha and slowly approached the white horse waiting for me.
"Hi, Blanc Long time no see."
The foal my father had given me for my birthday has grown up and become a horse.
Thanks to the owner who doesn't have a hobby of running horses, we were only going to see each other once in the season.
Blanc flickered lightly, as if answering, blinking his big, gentle eyes as if she knew I was her owner.
"That's a very good word."
Perez came up to the side and said, looking carefully at Blanc.
"I can't believe you don't run such a great horse."
"That's why I'm here to learn."
You should have time to learn how to ride a horse.
I half-shouted sarcastically at Perez, but I felt a little sorry when I saw Blanc's eyes that looked only at me.
"Let's go out to the plains a little bit."
Perez reached out to me saying so.
No matter how mild Blanc was, I had to get on Perez's horse together because it was too much to drive a horse by myself.
Blanc also followed us well without having to hold the reins separately.
Perez's horse was such a large horse that the meadow overlooking it had a different taste than usual.
It was the quietness that I felt after a long time.
I said, holding my hair fluttering in the wind with one hand.
"Perez, how's everything going?"
There was no answer behind my back.
But I could see that it was an unspoken affirmation.
"It's my job to bring the Brown family back into the aristocracy, but you know it's your job after that, right?"
In my previous life, Perez was able to get through more difficult things and achieve what he wanted.
Even if I don't check, I wonder if he's doing well on his own.
But the Brown family's work was too important for him.
"The timing is important. Everything will have to go as you planned."
I turned around saying that.
And I ran into the red eyes that were looking at me very closely.
"Why?"
Perez asked quietly.
"Why is it so important to you that I become the Crown Prince?"
He was not asking questions.
Perez seemed to be purely curious.
"Did you forget? I was the one who found you in the forest of the Imperial Palace."
I smiled and put my hand on Perez's cheek.
"Yes, that's right."
Perez smiled faintly at me, too.
And slowly lowered his head and kissed my forehead carefully.
I closed my eyes unconsciously to the warmth.
Oh, I'm going to get in trouble again.
I said, pulling myself back halfway quickly.
"Now it's time to get acquainted with Blanc."
That was when I tried to get off the horse.
"Wait."
Perez said, wrapped around my waist strongly.
"Perez?"
Something feels strange.
Perez's face glaring at the empty meadow, where nothing was visible to me.
"We have to get back to the stable."
Perez, who said so, turned around by pulling the reins of his horse strongly.
It was that moment.
Chilling and goosebumps along my back.
Is this the energy of mana that people say?
Sometimes when Perez lifted his sword, the feeling I can feel was getting stronger.
It was exactly focused at the direction Perez looked in.
"Damn it!"
Perez stomped hard into the horse's waist.
"Ugh!"
As the horse was speeding up, my body faltered greatly.
Slap!
Perez spanked Blanc as he ran out.
Surprised Blanc to speed up and run away alone.
Anyway, all this neighborhood was a meadow for horses, so I'll be able to find Blanc later.
If I can survive this crisis.
It was so powerful that I had such a fear in an instant.
"It's okay."
Perez said, tightening my waist with his arm.
"Are they strong?"
I asked Perez.
It was because I had never seen him so nervous.
"I can deal with it."
"If you're alone?"
Perez did not answer my question.
He gritted his teeth and tried to speed up the horse.
The sound of a scary running horse was getting closer.
We were so easily overtaken, riding on a horse between two people and now trying to speed up.
From atop a slightly higher ridge, they came into view.
Shiver.
I got goosebumps once again.
"It's them. Everyone's wearing black masks."
I spoke to Perez, who was driving a horse forward.
I said it as calmly as I could, but the end was a little shaky.
Shingg-!
At that time, the person who was running first drew the sword.
At the same time, the hostility has become more blatant.
It was that moment.
Perez, slightly winced, looked back for the first time.
And frowned silently.
Perez stared at the leading assassin for a few seconds.
Duk!
I could even hear Perez clenching his teeth.
"Perez?"
"Tia, curl up as much as you can."
Perez told me.
"Thinking you're hiding in my arms."
Suddenly Perez's voice became strangely calm.
As if he had made a decision.
I first made my body as small as possible as Perez told me to.
In the meantime, the assassins were closer.
But for a while, the distance between us and them has no longer narrowed.
Can't you speed up?
It didn't seem like that.
For a moment, it occurred to me that it gave Perez time to draw a sword.
Shiiing!
Fortunately, Perez pulled out the sword right away.
As soon as that happened, the distance began to narrow again.
Taktak! Taktak!
The sound of a horse slamming into the ground sounded louder.
Now they were just around the corner.
Whoo-!
Along with the vibrating noise, an aura sprang from Perez's sword.
With a short roar, Perez and the leading man's sword struck hard.
Clang!
I closed my eyes unconsciously at the loud noise.
And I thought.
Why the sword didn't cut off?
In front of Perez's sword coated with aura, the normal sword should be cut off.
When I opened my eyes with my head up, I could see why.
Whoo-.
The assassin's sword also had a blue aura.
"Crazy."
I can't believe Perez is dealing with an assassin with aura.
Just looking at it, the three that follow are far less than the leading man.
Because I didn't feel that great energy from them.
Clang! Clang!
Perez and the assassin's sword collided several more times.
Something's wrong.
Is that assassin is as powerful as Perez?
But at the same time, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was weird.
It was because the swords wielded by the assassin seemed to be sending warnings to Perez.
Then Perez told me.
"Now. Bend down."
I curled up quickly.
Whoosh!
I heard a chilling sound.
At the same time, something hot splashed on my cheek.
There was a strong smell of blood.
"Ugh."
Perez groaned briefly through the pain.
Did he got cut?
I stuttered and moved my hand.
The closer I got to Perez's back, the wet thing touched my hand.
"Blood?"
I muttered in disbelief.
The blood dripped down until I could feel it with my fingertips.
Clang! Clang!
The sword crash continued.
But Perez's offensive was getting weaker and weaker.
But then Perez's sword tip penetrated the assassin's gap and succeeded in cutting his leg.
"Ugh!"
A low and short groan broke out from the assassin.
And miraculously far away, Lombardy's knights were seen.
"Lady Florentia!"
"Lady Florentia!"
Finding me and Perez, they ran like crazy.
Then the assassins turned their horse's reins.
Dak! Dak!
The sound of their horse hooves, which were heard right next to them, were gradually faded away.
But I saw something strange.
Finally, an assassin who was turning his horse's head pulled something out of his arms.
It was a dagger.
Strangely dark is blue seen from the blade.
And the assassin put it straight down Perez's thigh.
"Urgh!"
The assassin then turned around as if he had done his duty.
At that moment, I agonized.
When you're stabbed, you shouldn't pull out the blade recklessly.
But my instinct was speaking.
Get the dagger out quickly.
I reached out and pulled it out.
I was in such a hurry that I felt a slight cut on the tip of my finger.
But I squeezed the handle even tighter so I wouldn't miss the dagger.
It could be proof.
"Lady Florentia! Your Highness the Second Prince!
The moment I joined Lombardy's knights, my forgotten breath burst out all at once.
"Ugh! Oh, oh!"
"Are you all right!"
Knights from the stables rushed to us.
I still answered with a breathtaking breath.
"I, I'm fine..."
Then Perez's body, which was holding me tightly, tilted in an instant.
"Perez!"
Perez had already lost his mind.
His face turned pale from bleeding, fell to the side without power.
Fortunately, I said as I saw Lombardy's knight hold Perez.
"We have to stop the bleeding as soon as possible...!"
I couldn't say more.
Suddenly, it seemed like the world was getting dark, and the view became very narrow.
"Lady Florentia!"
Like Perez, my body lost its balance and faltered.
I can't lose consciousness yet.
Somehow I opened my blurred eyes and checked my hand holding the dagger.
My finger that was cut while pulling out the sword was discolored black.
I squeezed the sword into the knight's hand and said it word by word.
"On the sword, on the sword... dark blue, poison..."
That was all I could say.
"Lady! Lady!"
Even the sound of the knight shouting loudly grew farther and farther away.
The memory unfolded like an afterimage in a consciousness that faded as if falling asleep.
The assassin's blue aura, who was on par with Perez's aura.