Chapter 34: A Trail of Light

Iris only came to her senses after Princess Amelia’s carriage disappeared over the horizon.

‘…She’s gone.’

It had been Iris who suggested that Amelia go to the capital.

So why did she feel this heavy weight in her chest?

What was it about?

Was it the disappointment of no longer receiving swordsmanship lessons?

Iris recalled Evrys’s face from the previous night.

When Evrys had questioned her.

It felt… strange, now that Iris thought about it.

The Evrys in Iris’s memory was someone who wasn’t good at hiding her emotions.

But the Evrys who questioned her last night… her face had been utterly bleak.

It was a familiar expression to Iris.

She realized it was the same expression she had seen in the mirror ever since she lost her mother.

Iris turned away from the window and entered her dressing room.

Passing by her neatly organized clothes.

She lifted a hand mirror.

Her reflection was pale.

‘What went wrong?’

Iris didn’t understand why she looked so pale.

As she stared at her reflection, a realization dawned on her.

Perhaps she hadn’t wanted Evrys to leave.

‘…Even now…’

The thought of chasing after Evrys briefly crossed Iris’s mind.

But then she remembered that she had been the one to encourage Evrys to leave.

Her duty as heir weighed heavily on her shoulders.

For the first time in her life, Iris resented being the heir to the Winterhoff Dukedom.

Her hair swayed violently as she moved abruptly.

Iris loosened her grip on the mirror.

She had been the one to push Evrys away.

How could she face her now?

‘…Evrys wouldn’t want me to follow her.’

‘Not when I’m still so weak.’

‘It’s better to train and grow stronger.’

‘So I’ll be ready when she seeks me out.’

Having rationalized her decision.

Iris headed towards the training grounds.

As she walked down the hallway.

She overheard the servants talking.

The news of Evrys seemed to have spread.

Iris walked on in silence.

The servants quieted down as she approached.

Looking at Iris’s face.

They recalled the atmosphere before Evrys arrived.

‘…The mansion was always quiet and austere…’

‘But now, there’s a chilling air about it.’

Hoping to avoid trouble.

They remained silent until Iris passed by.

Arriving at the training grounds.

Iris lifted her sword.

She began to replay the previous day’s sparring match in her head.

Inevitably, Evrys’s face came to mind.

Iris felt her grip tighten on the sword hilt.

She gritted her teeth.

Trying to focus on the movements.

But it was no use.

Evrys’s expressionless face.

Lunging at her with a sword.

It felt like an accusation.

‘You’re not good enough yet.’

‘You’re nowhere near ready to help me.’

‘…I wanted her to stay.’

‘Goodbye.’

‘…I know Evrys would never say those things.’

‘So why…?’

Iris dropped her sword.

She couldn’t concentrate.

The knights watching her held their breath.

They almost preferred it when she relentlessly trained without regard for her own well-being.

This unfamiliar, vulnerable side of their young mistress was unsettling.

They didn’t dare speak.

Retrieving her fallen sword.

Iris sensed the knights’ apprehension.

‘…It’s best to leave.’

“…I’ll be going now.”

She sheathed her sword and turned to leave.

She moved without direction.

Trying to calm her turbulent emotions.

Letting her feet guide her.

Without thinking.

She found herself at places Evrys frequented.

The library where Evrys devoured books.

The sitting room where they shared tea.

Evrys’s bedroom.

The kitchen.

Everywhere she went.

Traces of Evrys lingered.

Iris felt lost.

Dealing with monster hordes was simple.

Just cut them down.

But how did one deal with these confusing emotions?

Iris couldn’t find an answer.

Days passed, filled with unresolved turmoil.

Then Iris received a summons from the Duke.

As dawn broke, Iris headed to the mage tower.

She rode her horse.

Replaying her conversation with the Duke.

When she heard the news of Amelia and Evrys’s disappearance during the warp.

Iris had struggled to control her trembling hands.

She couldn’t afford to show weakness in front of the Duke.

After observing her for a moment.

The Duke had asked an unexpected question.

‘Do you want to go look for them?’

Iris hesitated.

Did she have the right?

Should she?

Could she even be of any help?

But her hesitation was fleeting.

She wanted to see Evrys again.

To talk to her.

To understand the source of her turmoil.

Upon hearing Iris’s affirmative answer.

The Duke gave a satisfied smile.

Then shared the information he had gathered.

Normally, Iris would have questioned his reaction.

But now, news of Evrys was all that mattered.

“He said near the capital…”

Iris’s thoughts were interrupted as the mage tower came into view.

‘The capital’s mage tower is the first place to check.’

After arriving in the capital via gate.

Iris purchased supplies and a map.

Thanks to the royal family’s pressure on the mages.

They knew Amelia and Evrys had landed somewhere near the capital.

But the search area was still vast.

So, Iris systematically eliminated areas that had already been searched.

She longed to find Evrys herself.

But she knew this was the most efficient approach.

Marking the map.

Iris left the city gates.

After much deliberation.

She had chosen her destination.

She wasn’t sure she would find them.

But the thought of seeing Evrys again consumed her.

As she took hold of the reins.

A sudden warmth emanated from her chest.

‘I don’t recall bringing any magical tools…’

She reached into her pocket.

Her fingers closed around a faintly glowing object.

Iris paused, trying to remember what it was.

Then it came to her.

‘When I went to the blessed land with Evrys…’

It was the object that had flown to her.

As she watched over a sleeping Evrys.

‘Why is it glowing now?’

She had retrieved it, sensing it wasn’t ordinary.

But this was unexpected.

As she felt the warmth emanating from the object.

A sense of familiarity washed over her.

She had felt this warmth before.

‘…The flames that burned beside me.’

‘When I wronged Evrys.’

It was the same kind of warmth.

Iris didn’t believe it was a coincidence.

She had a hunch.

A certainty that this object would guide her.

She released the object into the air.

It floated, defying gravity.

Then it began to drift away.

As if leading her somewhere.

Iris spurred her horse onward.

The object accelerated to match her pace.

Iris pushed herself and her horse to their limits.

Minimizing rest stops.

But her horse, having traveled tirelessly from the North, began to tire.

With all her supplies loaded on the horse.

Iris had no choice but to stop and rest in a nearby village.

As the sun rose, Iris continued to follow the glowing object.

Soon, she entered a dense, shadowy forest.

The thick trees forced her to slow down.

But she followed the object deeper into the forest.

Checking her map periodically to ensure she could find her way back.

She realized she was in uncharted territory.

So, she marked her path with her sword.

‘There’s a place like this near the capital?’

Soon, Iris spotted some debris.

A chill ran down her spine.

She hurried towards it.

It was the wreckage of a carriage.

Not shattered.

But sliced cleanly with a sword.

The wreckage pointed further into the forest.

Iris was certain she was on the right track.

‘This is definitely Evrys’s handiwork.’

The glowing object continued to lead her in the same direction.

Confirming her suspicion.

Suppressing her growing anxiety.

Iris cautiously proceeded.

She passed signs of recent human activity.

The forest grew darker.

Then a bright light erupted ahead.

Followed by a woman’s scream.

Iris quickly retrieved the glowing object.

And kicked her horse’s flanks.