Chapter 12

As soon as the next day arrived, before dawn had even broken, Edwin completely moved his residence to the Crown Princess’ Palace.

 

It was Ena who delivered the news.

 

“He’s incredibly fast.”

 

Ena expressed her admiration for Edwin’s decisiveness. However, Alice was flustered by the words that followed.

 

“I mean that you are fast, My Lady.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes. Didn’t you tell the Duke to come over right away? You must have liked him so much, yet you managed to hide it all this time. Why not go all the way and ask him to move into the room next door?”

 

Alice looked at Ena as if she were speechless.

 

“No, I never said anything like that.”

 

“Well, rumors are already spreading like wildfire through the palace.”

 

Alice’s blue eyes wandered through the air.

 

“Rumors spread like that?”

 

Suddenly, Alice felt a strong reluctance to enter her office. Many officials and palace attendants would be coming to the office to help with work, and there was no way they wouldn’t know the rumors circulating in the palace.

 

“Now that you’re up, you should get to work.”

 

As if sensing Alice’s internal conflict, Ena spoke while tidying the bedding.

 

“Can’t I just rest today?”

 

“Weren’t you the one who said you had to finish the work quickly because the coronation isn’t far off?”

 

As Ena said, the coronation was just a little over a week away.

 

“Sigh…”

 

Alice let out a heavy sigh that felt like it could collapse the ground beneath her and began to walk.

 

Upon entering the office, the officials who had arrived early greeted her.

 

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

 

“Yes, good morning.”

 

The greetings were the same as usual, but the looks they gave her were strangely different.

 

Soon, their gazes shifted elsewhere. Alice followed their eyes but quickly looked away.

 

‘Edwin is here!’

 

Originally, due to palace entry procedures, Edwin used to arrive slightly later than she did. But now that his residence had been moved into the Crown Prince’s Palace, early commutes had become possible.

 

“What is this?”

 

Her blue eyes widened at the variety of desserts and coffee placed on the desk.

 

“I ordered them because Your Highness looked very tired,” Edwin said.

 

Alice replied awkwardly to his words.

 

“Ah, thank you.”

 

At that, the intensity of the officials’ stares increased even further.

 

‘This is embarrassing…’

 

Alice was grateful for Edwin’s kindness, but she wanted to decline it in a place where people were watching…

 

“Gasp, it’s delicious.”

 

The taste of the apple pie she took a large bite of was fantastic. The refreshing tartness of the apple juice and the savory pastry blended into a sweet combination.

 

“I heard it’s apple season, so I specifically asked for desserts containing apples,” Edwin explained.

 

Alice forgot to even respond and began to eat the dessert diligently.

 

 

***

 

 

The coronation was now exactly one week away.

 

The preparation process was smooth, and Alice had become very accustomed to administrative affairs over the past few weeks, so most things were proceeding without a hitch.

 

Even the angle of the sunlight streaming through the office window bars was perfect, and Edwin’s face, working as he caught that light at a slant, was also perfect.

 

‘Everything is problem-free.’

 

Alice looked at the documents on her desk with a troubled expression once again.

 

Ena tilted her head at her expression.

 

“What are you worried about?”

 

“It’s too smooth.”

 

“Exactly. Isn’t that great? It’s amazing how everything can be so perfect without a single obstacle!”

 

Ena chirped in agreement, looking delighted. Alice shot a glance at her, who was smiling and chatting away without a care in the world.

 

“National affairs weren’t supposed to be this simple. No, there’s no way it’s like this. Something is strange…”

 

Alice rested her chin on her hand, thinking this was a matter that needed serious investigation. Up until now, official business had not been difficult to solve using her hands and Edwin’s power.

 

“Oh, stop complaining about being too comfortable and just worry about what you’re going to wear for the coronation.”

 

Despite Ena’s teasing, Alice remained lost in thought.

 

Could it really become this easy with Edwin’s help?

 

‘Well, I suppose it could…’

 

Considering Edwin’s influence in the world she had seen through her ability, winning his heart was practically equivalent to winning the whole world.

 

Alice stole a glance at Edwin.

 

He had delegated the affairs of the Duchy to the former Duke Esteban’s aide and other loyal retainers of the family and was currently focusing on helping her.

 

Moreover, since she was the one who told him to move into the Crown Princess’ Palace, it felt awkward to ask if he shouldn’t go back to the Duke’s castle to check on things.

 

“Your Highness, just in case, I looked through the other offices, and I found this.”

 

Richet, who had returned from the Emperor’s office, handed a document to Alice. The title looked familiar.

 

<Petition Regarding Monster Damage>

 

It was a petition from Millen Village, where the Pope was focusing its relief efforts. However, the date written on the petition was strange.

 

“Last winter? Is this document half a year old?”

 

It was now almost the end of summer. A sense of foreboding washed over her. Richet, seemingly recognizing the gravity of the situation, nodded with a serious face.

 

“Yes. This document was found in the office of Aide Paolo Artuman.”

 

“Paolo Artuman…”

 

Alice had heard that name somewhere.

 

“Wait, do you mean Marquis Artuman, who was the Emperor’s aide?”

 

“Yes. The report on monster damage was also found inside his desk drawer.”

 

As Alice read the additional report from Richet, her face hardened.

 

With such massive damage, how could this document have stayed in an aide’s drawer all this time?

 

‘I thought it was strange that Evan, the Pope himself, was personally leading relief efforts.’

 

It was clear that the damage hadn’t become massive overnight; rather, the situation had escalated to the point where even the Pope had to step in due to the aftermath of events that had been happening for half a year.

 

It was nonsensical to think the Emperor didn’t know.

 

On the contrary, for a matter this serious, the Emperor should have been leading the response personally.

 

“We need to call Paolo Artuman. I need to interrogate him thoroughly regarding this matter.”

 

Since she couldn’t pull a dead man out of a coffin to ask him about it, there was only one person who would know the details.

 

‘I knew it, I felt it was going too well.’

 

Alice pressed her forehead. It felt strange because things were too clean.

 

Given the Emperor’s personality, he wasn’t the type to handle public affairs so neatly.

 

Perhaps the Emperor had encouraged his aide to conceal troublesome matters, only processing things that could immediately boost his achievements and prestige.

 

Seeing as he ignored a report on monster damage, he was clearly trying to cover it up.

 

‘You did quite a bit of groundwork to avoid leaving any stains on your reign, didn’t you?’

 

Alice looked at the report and petition in her hands with a cynical gaze and let out a deep sigh.

 

In the meantime, Paolo Artuman, who had been caught by the knights, was dragged into the office.

 

“Hieee! P-please spare my life! Your Highness! No, Your Majesty!”

 

Paolo Artuman fell to his knees and began to beg frantically.

 

Alice corrected the title he used for her.

 

“I’m not the Empress yet.”

 

“Please save me! Your Majesty!”

 

He didn’t seem to be listening. Seeing the Marquis shedding tears while listing off his family members made Alice feel quite unpleasant.

 

After a while, perhaps realizing his pleas weren’t working, he changed his attitude.

 

“Are you going to kill even the remaining people! You are cold-hearted and cruel! Tyrant! Oppression! Dictator! You will be remembered as a wicked monarch for ages to come!”

 

One moment he was begging for his life while playing the victim, and the next he was suddenly venting his anger with tears streaming down his face. Alice found the spectacle so absurd that she just crossed her arms and watched.

 

“Sob sob, my poor Emperor!”

 

“Noisy.”

 

Edwin, who had been watching quietly, spoke. Immediately, the Marquis’s tears stopped.

 

Seeing the Marquis shut his mouth and go quiet in an instant, Alice felt a strange surge of irritation.

 

Was this man picking and choosing whom to blabber to?

 

“If I’m going to be called a tyrant anyway, I suppose being an undisputed, quintessential tyrant wouldn’t be so bad. That way, my name will certainly be left in the history books.”

 

Alice gave a look to Edwin. As if receiving a signal, he drew the sword from his waist.

 

The sharp blade reflected the sunlight, emitting a cold glint.

 

Alice didn’t actually intend to kill anyone here; she only meant to threaten him.

 

“Oh my!”

 

Richet and Ena, who let out exclamations, stood side by side watching the scene with surprised faces.

 

However, they didn’t seem to hide their amusement, as they weren’t covering their smiling mouths.

 

The only person trembling in fear was the Marquis.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

As Edwin approached, the Marquis looked as though he was about to faint. Fearing he might actually lose consciousness, Alice spoke quickly.

 

“If you want to live that badly, then speak, Marquis. Why were this petition and report sitting only in your drawer?”

 

The Marquis, shaking like an aspen leaf, confessed everything that had happened.

 

It was as Alice expected.

 

The Emperor had been leading the way in ignoring and hiding this issue.

 

“I need to send a letter to the Pope and gather information about the monsters.”

 

First, it was a priority to grasp the situation in Millen Village and the characteristics of the monsters.

 

The reply from the Pope arrived the next day. Her face hardened as she realized the situation was far more serious than she had thought.

 

“Even the damage report was falsified.”

 

The Pope’s report was completely different from the hidden one.

 

According to the report from the Pope, the scale of damage was much larger than expected, and recovery was urgent. Richet’s face also hardened significantly while looking at it.

 

‘As many as fifty dead and a hundred missing.’

 

In a small village, the number of people killed or missing due to monsters was enormous.

 

In other words, it was a number corresponding to a quarter of the village’s population.

 

The matter was incredibly grave, yet the report in the Marquis’s office stated there were only injuries, with no deaths or disappearances.

 

Alice looked at the Pope’s report once more as a sudden hypothesis crossed her mind.

 

‘Could it be…’

 

In the latter half of the original story, murder cases caused by unknown entities occurred in the capital.

 

And the timing of those events overlapped with when the villagers of Millen Village came to Edwin to petition.

 

“What would happen if the monsters entered the capital, Richet?”

 

At Alice’s question, Richet fell into deep thought with a cautious expression.

 

“If the monsters fall within the category of what humans can solve with force, it would be fortunate, but we wouldn’t be able to avoid great losses due to a prolonged war.”

 

“What if it’s ambiguous whether humans can even solve it?”

 

“If that’s the case…”

 

Richet’s face darkened.

 

Alice found her answer in that face. Perhaps the empire could collapse if this matter was ignored.

 

She had only first encountered the fact that monsters were invading the village when she learned that Evan was going out for relief work in Millen Village.

 

At that time, she had brushed it off, thinking it wasn’t something she, a mere puppet princess, could solve.

 

‘Now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to step in.’

 

Alice quickly looked for a solution.

 

In her vision, the version of Edwin who had taken the throne had wiped out Millen Village along with the entire forest where the monsters appeared.

 

‘That’s why even the villagers and the people captured by the monsters all died.’

 

When she saw it through her ability, she thought he had simply committed a massacre out of a twisted obsession with Michael, but that wasn’t it.

 

The Edwin in the original story might have known this fact.

 

It was a truly horrific solution. But if the survival of the empire was at stake, it was something that had to be considered.

 

Resentment toward the former Emperor, who had hidden this problem until it reached this point, surged within her.

 

“Then we must solve the monster issue first…” Richet muttered worriedly.

 

Alice looked at Edwin at her words but shook her head.

 

‘This time, Edwin’s power alone won’t be enough.’

 

According to the report, the monsters coming out of the forest had been increasing for some unknown reason.

 

‘I can’t keep making Edwin do the work of exterminating monsters forever.’

 

While using his help would be convenient, it couldn’t stop the monsters from causing damage to the village. A more fundamental solution was needed.

 

“The only way is to build a wall to prevent the monsters from invading the village,” Alice said.

 

The only method she could think of was to identify the geography of the area where the monsters were breeding and blockade it with a wall.

 

“Your Highness is right. However, it’s difficult because we don’t know exactly where the monsters are inhabiting,” Richet replied.

 

Alice spoke while looking at her.

 

“These monsters came from the Ainar Forest, but to know their habitat, we need an accurate geographical survey.”

 

Alice recalled the contents she had seen through her ability. There was an incident where Michael went to Millen Village alone to help the people and had his life threatened.

 

The important fact was that monsters could be handled with holy power, but the holy power of Evan and Michael alone was far from sufficient.

 

However, one fortunate point was that Alice knew the geography where the monsters appeared because she had seen it through her ability.

 

‘Even so, I think I need to check it personally and create a map.’

 

Although she had seen it through her ability, it was ultimately a description in text. There would be a difference from seeing it in person.

 

Alice looked at the worried officials and Richet and spoke carefully.

 

“I think I have to go.”

 

Once the coronation took place and she truly ascended the throne, she would be less able to go outside than she was now, so she had to settle this matter before then.

 

“You, Your Highness? It’s too dangerous!”

 

“Do monsters care who someone is, Your Highness? This is truly dangerous.”

 

Richet also agreed with Ena’s opinion. Alice spoke firmly to them as they watched her with concern.

 

“Since I’ve seen the monsters’ habitats through my ability, it will be much faster if I confirm it with my own eyes.”

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Edwin spoke. His face was as cold as ice, so he was surely about to oppose her decision as well.

 

Alice quickly forestalled him.

 

“And with Duke Esteban guarding my side, what would there be to worry about?”

 

“…Oh my.”

 

Everyone inside blushed and looked at Alice and Edwin. Edwin looked at Alice with a face that still hadn’t softened despite her words.

 

She ignored his gaze.

 

Once she solved this issue, there was another thing she had to do afterward.

 

‘After that, I must also expose the Emperor’s atrocities.’

 

She gritted her teeth. If he had solved this situation earlier, she wouldn’t have had to step in herself.

 

Having made her decision, Alice continued.

 

“I need to organize an investigation team now.”

 

At her words, the personnel for the investigation team to scout the monster habitats were immediately assembled.

 

Alice notified the Marquis, who was trembling on his knees on the office floor.

 

“The Marquis must also go to Millen Village with us.”

 

“Wha-?!”

 

“If you don’t want to, I can let you play, eat, and sleep comfortably for the rest of your life.”

 

She spoke with a smile.

 

“In prison.”

 

“I-I will go. Right away.”

 

 

***

 

 

Leaving the office, Alice smiled awkwardly at the people who had prepared for the journey to Millen Village. They were familiar faces.

 

“We meet again, Your Highness! Hahaha.”

 

Chester, on horseback, greeted her with a laugh.

 

“By any chance, did you bring that spirit stone as well?”

 

Alice wondered why he was asking, but she nodded. She had packed it just in case, as insurance and for emergencies.

 

That was the superficial reason to tell others, but the reality was different.

 

[If you don’t take me, I’m going to throw a tantrum!]

 

The previous evening.

 

The spirit, who had overheard the conversation about going on a long trip, threw a fit to be taken along as soon as Ena left the room.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Edwin approached, leading her horse. Alice also walked toward him. Then, with Edwin’s help, she hopped onto the horse.

 

“Haha, the mountain range is quite rugged; will you be alright?”

 

Chester, riding his horse alongside her, asked with concern.

 

“I heard we can’t travel by carriage, so there’s no other choice.”

 

This was because it was concluded that the road to Millen Village was too treacherous for a carriage and could only be traveled by horse.

 

As a result, she was also scheduled to travel on horseback.

 

“If it seems too difficult, how about riding with the Commander…”

 

Chester winked and looked at the Commander, Edwin, but Edwin didn’t even give him a glance.

 

Edwin was extremely on edge regarding her protection, fearing that Alice might be in danger during the long outing.

 

“We’ll arrive soon anyway.”

 

Alice replied lightly.

 

Since it wasn’t a long distance, they would arrive quickly if they went by horse.

 

Or so she thought.

 

“Ugh…”

 

After leaving the capital and climbing the mountain range for about an hour.

 

Alice had exhausted all her energy just trying to keep her balance on her wobbling body.

 

“It is difficult for someone who hasn’t been riding long to take on a new trail.”

 

Chester said, looking at Alice. She felt piqued by his ‘I told you so’ look, but she didn’t even have the strength to respond.

 

Then, Edwin rode his horse closer to Alice.

 

“Your Highness, if it is difficult, please ride with me.”

 

“…Hmm, shall I?”

 

Since she hated difficult things, Alice’s ears perked up at Edwin’s suggestion.

 

Perhaps because she was so exhausted, she didn’t care if she looked like someone without any pride at this moment.

 

‘Ah, I feel like I’m going to die.’

 

The problem was that her basic stamina had dropped significantly because she had been sitting and working in her office lately.

 

In the end, having accepted Edwin’s proposal, Alice entrusted her horse to another knight and climbed onto Edwin’s horse.

 

Because she had no strength in her body while climbing up, it ended up looking as if she were practically being carried onto the horse by Edwin.

 

“Ed, aren’t you tired? If you are, it’s okay for me to ride with someone else…”

 

Once seated in front of him, Alice realized the distance between them was too close as she caught the familiar scent of lemongrass, and her face turned red.

 

Embarrassed, she spoke using him as an excuse, but Edwin didn’t even bat an eyelid.

 

“I am not tired, so it is fine.”

 

He had a composed face that showed no signs of fatigue. Alice, left with nothing to say, had no choice but to head out riding with him.

 

However, her posture naturally became stiff, and as it did, her waist began to ache. Alice frowned and thought.

 

‘This is harder than riding alone.’

 

Alice stole a glance at Chester and mouthed a question.

 

“How much longer?”

 

“Half a day remains.”

 

Half a day?

 

Faced with reality, she immediately relaxed her body and leaned against Edwin.

 

As her body became comfortable, Alice drifted off to sleep just like that.

 

 

***

 

 

At the sound of murmuring voices, Alice tossed and turned with a groggy face. A nice scent had been present for a while.

 

“Are you awake?”

 

And a nice voice to boot.

 

Alice thought this was truly heaven. However, she immediately snapped her eyes open.

 

It was because she remembered where she had last been.

 

‘My goodness, did I fall asleep here?’

 

She wanted to find a hole to hide in, but since she would fall off the horse if she moved away, she had to stay put.

 

She was completely tucked into Edwin’s embrace.

 

Suddenly, Alice looked ahead.

 

She could see a village not far away.

 

“Is that Millen Village…”

 

“It is.”

 

It was Edwin who answered her murmur. Hearing his words, Alice squinted and looked at the village once more.

 

‘That’s the village?’

 

However, there was something strange for it to be a village where people lived.

 

Even though the sun had set, not a single house had its lights on.

 

‘Why are the lights out?’

 

It was still early evening to be turning off lights. She tilted her head in confusion. It wasn’t just her who felt that way, as Chester spoke up.

 

“It’s too early for lights-out; how strange.”

 

At his words, Edwin scanned the surroundings and said.

 

“There are many monsters around.”

 

His casual tone made Alice doubt if she had heard correctly. Who talks about monsters being numerous as if they were just talking about grass?

 

“Wow, is that so?”

 

Unlike Chester, who even whistled in amusement, she felt goosebumps break out all over her body. It was because she realized why the village lights were out.

 

‘They said monsters are sensitive to light.’

 

She recalled an old book written about monsters.

 

Thus, the villagers had intentionally turned off the lights, knowing the trait of monsters being drawn to light. Chester looked around with an interested face.

 

“Since I don’t see any monsters, they must not be in the immediate vicinity. Would it be alright if I go scout the area?”

 

“No.”

 

At Edwin’s sharp refusal, Chester looked disappointed.

 

Then, looking at Alice, Chester bowed his head and offered his thanks.

 

“I’m going to have the rare experience of encountering monsters in my life; thank you, Your Highness.”

 

“I don’t think it’s something to thank me for…”

 

[Monsters? What should I do! I’m scared!!]

 

The spirit suddenly began to throw a tantrum about not wanting to go to the village, causing Alice to ponder.

 

‘Should I just dump it?’

 

[No!! Don’t dump me!!]

 

While the spirit, having read her thoughts, was begging her not to throw it away, a soldier standing guard at the village entrance approached.

 

“Who are you?”

 

A man holding a bow asked, his guard fully up. Chester stepped forward and explained the group.

 

The man didn’t hide his joy at the news that they were from the Imperial Palace.

 

He introduced himself as Hubert, who ran a blacksmith shop rather than being a professionally trained soldier, and asked.

 

“When is the additional manpower coming?”

 

At those words, everyone except Hubert looked at Alice. Under the pouring gazes, she spoke.

 

“Once the investigation is over, people will come in the near future.”

 

“No! We’ve been waiting for over half a year, and you’re telling us to wait again?! Over a hundred villagers have died in the meantime!”

 

Voices filled with resentment turned into anger, and he eventually began to cry, his shoulders shaking. It was a silent cry, but tears were streaming through the palms covering his face.

 

Watching that scene, Alice sighed in pity.

 

“Haha, thanks to such an experience, you even got a chance to meet the Crown Princess herself; please calm down.”

 

Chester also seemed to pity him, as he patted the back of the sobbing Hubert while offering words that sounded like comfort if one listened closely.

 

‘Is he… rubbing salt in the wound right now?’

 

Alice debated whether she should get off the horse and stop Chester. To say something that clearly wouldn’t be comforting at all…

 

“D-did you say Her Highness has come?!”

 

Hubert’s tear-streaked face instantly brightened. Alice’s posture became awkward as she was about to dismount.

 

“I was disappointed thinking some low-level officials had come, but to think Her Highness is here! Oh, thank you.”

 

Hubert, who had quickly stopped crying, led them into the village. While walking, Alice asked questions about the timing and scale of the damage.

 

“Exactly when did the monsters first appear?”

 

“The first damage occurred a year ago, and the first discovery was roughly twenty years ago.”

 

“Are you sure you saw it? Was there no one who discovered it before then?”

 

“There was no one before that. The first person to see it was an old man who often saw things, so people didn’t believe him. Back then… there was no damage.”

 

As he continued, Hubert’s face darkened. One could also glimpse his fear and terror toward the unknown monsters.

 

“…I see.”

 

No matter how she thought about it, it was strange.

 

According to the old books, it takes at least twenty years for a monster to go from breeding to maturity.

 

Considering the growth period, it was a timeframe in which they shouldn’t be able to increase so exponentially.

 

As they entered, Millen Village felt like a ghost town due to the lack of light and the silence.

 

Despite it being summer, there was a chilly, eerie feeling in the air.

 

Hubert led them to a house and said.

 

“There are many empty houses since there are no people. This is the best among them, so please understand even if it isn’t to your liking during your stay.”

 

“That there are no people…”

 

“They’ve all become companions on the road to the afterlife.”

 

Hubert said with a bitter smile. When the expected answer came back, Alice closed her mouth with a face that said she shouldn’t have asked.

 

“Please don’t turn on any lights if it gets even slightly dark. Monsters might invade.”

 

Alice nodded at his explanation. In that case, they had no choice but to move during the day, meaning they had to wait through the night.

 

“Hubert, have you ever seen a monster yourself?”

 

When Alice caught Hubert as he was about to leave and asked, he nodded.

 

“Are there any other characteristics besides being sensitive to light?”

 

What she knew through her ability was only that monsters were sensitive to light and reacted to pure mana—for example, holy power.

 

To her question about other characteristics, Hubert hesitated for a moment before replying.

 

“Actually, I think the monsters are evolving.”

 

“Evolving?”

 

At her counter-question, the hesitant Hubert scratched his head and continued. Even as he spoke, he seemed unsure.

 

“I don’t know if it’s a natural trait of monsters, but they act like humans and move in groups.”

 

Alice was flustered. Information about monsters acting like humans and living in groups was new to her.

 

Edwin’s eyes also narrowed as he detected something strange in Hubert’s story.

 

“Aren’t monsters creatures that move independently? That’s what I’ve heard.”

 

As Chester spoke of the facts he knew with a confused face, Edwin put forward a hypothesis.

 

“Unless someone is intentionally making the monsters move, that is.”

 

“Intentionally…”

 

Who could possibly be moving the monsters on purpose?

 

Silence fell between them at the new speculation. However, even more shocking than group living was the fact mentioned earlier.

 

“Acting like humans, is that even possible?”

 

To Alice’s question, Edwin replied.

 

“Monsters are creatures that move strictly according to hierarchy, so it is possible if a higher predator appears and commands them.”

 

“But what kind of predator would make monsters act like humans…”

 

The idea that there was a higher predator for monsters, who have a clear hierarchy, was unheard of.

 

Except for myth-like legends related to the underworld.

 

As Alice made other guesses, an idea crossed her mind and she spoke.

 

“At the very least, it would be someone familiar with human behavior or habits. It could even be a human…”

 

“Are you saying a human is actually moving the monsters?”

 

“What kind of bastard…!”

 

Hubert, huffing in excitement, spoke as if he were ready to pull the bow in his hand right then.

 

“Then do we just have to eliminate that predator?”

 

Edwin flatly dismissed it with an expressionless face.

 

“If we do, there’s a high possibility that the monsters, now without constraints, will run even more wild.”

 

“How can that be…”

 

Alice, feeling troubled as she watched Hubert despair again, reflected on the contents of the report.

 

‘There was no mention of such things.’

 

Even in the report sent by the Pope, there were no such details. If they were acting like humans in this way, extermination would become much more difficult.

 

“…Building a wall alone might not solve the problem.”

 

But shouldn’t they try as much as they could?

 

Although she felt something was off about this, Alice decided to proceed with the plan she had set.

 

However, a lingering sense of unease remained.

 

The fact that even the characteristics of the monsters, which weren’t related to her or Edwin, were deviating from the original story.

 

 

***

 

 

The next morning.

 

Fortunately, the weather was clear, and bright light flooded the village.

 

As soon as dawn broke, Alice gathered with the people at the village hall to finalize the selection of personnel for the investigation of the monster-infested areas.

 

‘There are more volunteers than I expected.’

 

Since it was a life-threatening task, it wouldn’t have been easy for an ordinary person to volunteer for such an investigation.

 

However, fueled by the hope of escaping this weary situation, the villagers were stepping forward one after another.

 

Most of them were parents with children.

 

“Have you not considered moving to another village?”

 

Chester asked them, sounding puzzled. It was a question Alice had been harboring as well.

 

Her ears naturally perked up, waiting for the answer. At his question, the villagers shook their heads in unison.

 

“My wife is trapped in the forest.”

 

“My brother is there, too.”

 

“My daughter…”

 

To a man, they all said they couldn’t leave because their family members had been snatched away by the monsters.

 

“You said there are a hundred missing people, right?”

 

Alice’s face hardened solemnly. Almost every family in the village had someone—a child or a relative—trapped in the Ainar Forest, unable to come out.

 

While she was listening to Hubert provide a detailed status report, she turned her gaze toward a commotion breaking out nearby.

 

Marquis Artuman, seeing his name on the investigation list, was throwing a fit.

 

“Why must I go!! How dare you do this to me, a high nobleman!!”

 

As he protested, literally foaming at the mouth, Alice caught Edwin’s eye and gave him a subtle nod.

 

Seeing Edwin approach, the Marquis flinched and stepped back, his face instantly twisting into a sycophantic smile.

 

“Hehe, when should I prepare my gear?”

 

Alice spoke without even looking at him.

 

“The sooner, the better.”

 

“Hehe, of course, of course. Whatever you say.”

 

The other villagers watched the Marquis’s sudden change in attitude with utter disbelief.

 

Meanwhile, as Edwin looked over the list he received from Chester, his eyes hardened ominously. Pulling his gaze away from the paper, he spoke to Alice in a chilling tone.

 

“Your Highness, may I have a word with you in private for a moment?”

 

Aware of the eyes around them, Alice stepped out of the hall.

 

Edwin followed her, and they stood in silence on a deserted path.

 

Seeing Edwin standing there wordlessly holding the list, Alice shifted her gaze guiltily.

 

Eventually, it was she who spoke first.

 

“Is there a problem?”

 

In truth, she had a good guess as to why he had called her, and she wanted to avoid the confrontation, but she stubbornly played dumb.

 

Edwin’s eyes darkened as he looked at her.

 

“…”

 

There was no reply. Feeling a bit awkward, Alice fidgeted with her fingers.

 

After a moment of heavy silence, it was Edwin who broke it.

 

“Tell me right now that I misread this.”

 

Knowing exactly what he was referring to, she avoided his gaze.

 

However, she couldn’t help the tension; she swallowed hard before opening her mouth.

 

“No… you read it correctly.”

 

Edwin was pointing out that her name was written on the investigation list.

 

Upon hearing her answer, his gaze instantly turned murderous.

 

“You’re saying you’re going to participate in this investigation personally?”

 

Alice flinched at the sharp gaze demanding an answer, but she spoke up.

 

“I saw it through my powers. To shorten the investigation time, I must be part of the exploration team.”

 

Alice pressed her lips together in distress. The red eyes reflecting her were seething like hot lava.

 

In fact, since last night, she had been racking her brain to find a pretext to persuade Edwin.

 

Under his gaze, which felt hot enough to burn her skin, she spoke softly.

 

“Ed, if I don’t go, the Empire might fall.”

 

“I don’t see why that’s a reason for you to participate.”

 

It didn’t work at all.

 

‘This man, seriously.’

 

Alice realized she had forgotten one thing about Edwin’s indifferent face: he didn’t care what happened to anything else as long as she was safe.

 

The fact that he was a little bit crazy.

 

‘Do I have to bring up that story?’

 

While she was agonizing yesterday, she had reluctantly sought help.

 

From Chester Douglas.

 

Chester, having heard her situation, had given her advice while Edwin was away.

 

‘There is one way to persuade the Commander.’

 

Alice wasn’t sure if this advice would work on Edwin. But there was no other way. She couldn’t just sit by and watch the Empire collapse and their livelihood vanish.

 

“Then, Ed…”

 

Recalling Chester’s advice, she continued.

 

“If we can resolve this quickly and return to the Empire,”

 

Seeing Edwin’s face, which remained as cold as perennial snow, Alice lost her confidence and bit her lip.

 

Would this method really work?

 

His eyebrows flickered at her strange demeanor.

 

“If we can return.”

 

He repeated her words, prompting her for an answer. Her blue eyes, captured by his red ones, wandered toward the ground.

 

After much hesitation, her lips slowly parted.

 

“Will you stay by my side at the coronation ceremony?”

 

 

***

 

 

‘I can’t believe that actually worked.’

 

Returning to the hall, Alice looked at Chester, who had given her the advice.

 

This was the first time she had received practical help from him. Noticing her gaze, Chester gave her a playful wink.

 

With an awkward smile, she gave him a nod of gratitude.

 

‘He seemed like an absolute fortress…’

 

Edwin, who had seemed like a shield impenetrable by any words, had accepted her proposal. Under one condition.

 

The condition was that she must not leave his side even for an inch.

 

It wasn’t a difficult condition.

 

‘I don’t want to die either.’

 

Even if he hadn’t set that condition, she planned to stick to him like a leech from the start of the exploration.

 

She tilted her head at the unexpectedly smooth process.

 

‘Does the seat next to the Empress at the coronation mean that much to Edwin…?’

 

Caught up in her haste to pass the hurdle that was Edwin, she hadn’t given that point much thought.

 

When she asked him, he wouldn’t give her an answer, saying it was a secret, making it even more suspicious. Unable to let it go, she approached Chester and asked.

 

“Chester, I have something to ask about the advice you gave yesterday.”

 

“Haha, ask as many questions as you like.”

 

“What does the seat next to the throne at the coronation ceremony mean?”

 

“Isn’t it just a seat?”

 

Chester’s nonchalant attitude only confirmed Alice’s suspicion. There was definitely something more.

 

“It doesn’t seem like just a seat.”

 

“Doesn’t it just mean the Commander wanted to be with Your Highness that much?”

 

She couldn’t get through to him at all.

 

“I’d rather ask Marquis Artuman…”

 

Chester, overhearing her murmur, spoke.

 

“The Marquis has already packed his gear and left with some of the investigation members.”

 

“Already?”

 

He had made such a fuss about not going, yet he had surprisingly quick reflexes.

 

She had no choice but to give up on finding the meaning of the seat next to the throne. Solving the problem at hand was more important than such trivialities.

 

“What time does the sun set?”

 

“Around seven o’clock. Since it’s summer, the days are long, allowing for a long investigation.”

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

If they had to investigate at night with torches, their location would be exposed to the monsters, increasing the danger.

 

Therefore, the investigation was only scheduled to take place during the day.

 

“We have prepared weapons and armor, Your Highness.”

 

Alice looked over the weapons the knights had prepared.

 

Most were long-range weapons like guns and bows.

 

The arrows were also made of special materials, making them much stronger and sturdier than ordinary arrows.

 

“Don’t you use swords?”

 

To Chester’s question, Hubert answered.

 

“The monsters’ skin is tough, so it’s hard for a commoner’s strength to pierce it with a sword. And please make sure to carry this.”

 

Alice looked at the stone necklace Hubert handed her with a puzzled expression.

 

“This is a token that lets us know each other is human.”

 

 

***

 

 

When the sun was at its zenith, the rest of the investigation team set off on horseback.

 

Alice rode into the Ainar Forest next to Millen Village with Edwin.

 

In a time when summer greenery should have been in full bloom, the forest was filled with a chilly and eerie atmosphere.

 

There were almost no living plants.

 

“Was the forest always like this?”

 

“Because of the monsters, the forest has been completely ruined.”

 

Hubert let out a heavy sigh of lamentation.

 

“Do the monsters ruin the forest?”

 

“They drain the vitality of every living thing. So, you must never touch them with even your fingertips.”

 

Hearing that story made her think of one person. Edwin.

 

He too could drain the vitality of living creatures when he used magic and use it as power.

 

However, she had never seen him use that power directly.

 

[That’s right! You realized it now?! I told you he was a monster!!]

 

The spirit, who had read her mind, began to enthusiastically badmouth Edwin.

 

Alice let the spirit’s words go in one ear and out the other as she unfolded the map.

 

‘I heard monsters appear frequently in the gorge in the middle of the mountain range beyond Ainar Forest.’

 

Alice asked, “It’s true that the monsters were first spotted 20 years ago, right?”

 

Another member nodded.

 

“Why did they suddenly increase in number…”

 

Monsters were not originally creatures of this world, and the existing individuals were largely intellectually deficient, making them easy to deal with even if discovered.

 

‘Had they been hiding all this time before being first spotted 20 years ago?’

 

As she was making such a guess, one of the investigators shouted.

 

“There are footprints here!”

 

The dirt floor was stamped with footprints. Anyone could see they were human footprints.

 

“It could be a trail left by monsters.”

 

The investigator said.

 

“Do monsters wear shoes?”

 

Alice looked at him with a bewildered expression.

 

“Are you saying that monsters are actually trying to act like humans?”

 

“That’s right… it’s a grotesque and chilling thing.”

 

Killing humans and then trying to act like them. Alice looked at the footprints with a naturally furrowed brow.

 

Then she noticed a small difference.

 

“But the soles of these shoes are a bit different from ours.”

 

The soles of the shoes worn by her and the other members were engraved with a distinct X shape.

 

However, these were ordinary footprints.

 

“This is why we unified everyone’s shoes.”

 

“Is it possible they are the footprints of missing villagers?”

 

“That is correct.”

 

Alice felt her head starting to ache. Then how were they supposed to distinguish between monsters and villagers? It seemed bleak.

 

“I almost want to ask why the monsters are kidnapping villagers.”

 

“Since you said communication is possible, perhaps we can hear the reason.”

 

While she and Hubert were talking, Edwin, who had been riding in silence, offered a conjecture.

 

“They might have kidnapped them to perfect their humanization.”

 

“That might be the case…”

 

However, the question was not completely resolved.

 

Why would a monster want to wear a human skin? She just couldn’t understand it.

 

And if that were true, the situation was even worse.

 

‘People will be in even more danger.’

 

It would be horrific if monsters learned human characteristics through the people of Millen and emerged into the world.

 

No ordinary person would be able to distinguish between a monster and a human.

 

They couldn’t just slash every person’s flesh to see if they were monsters. There was a high chance of being killed by a monster in the process.

 

The faces of the investigators turned pale in an instant.

 

“Why, why would monsters want to become human?”

 

No one answered Hubert’s question. No one in the group could find an answer.