“No, wait a moment, Magnus. Are you saying we’re parting ways here like this?”

“Yes, there’s no reason for us to stay together.”

Magnus said calmly.

Seeing his behavior of turning away without hesitation in front of the Crown Prince, Drukan also glanced around cautiously before quietly following behind Magnus.

After all, he was employed by Serena, not by the empire.

“It doesn’t seem like a good choice to part ways here, Magnus.”

The one who spoke was Rosia, the Crown Princess and the one called the saintess. With a slightly furrowed brow, she also seemed to find this situation somewhat awkward.

“I know we might be uncomfortable, but wouldn’t it be better to travel together? I seem to be unaffected by this situation because I have the power of a saintess……”

“We’re fine here with Drukan.”

“Drukan?”

Rosia’s head tilted slightly.

Drukan bowed his head slightly in greeting. At this, Rosia’s eyes widened a bit.

“Ah, that mercenary from back then.”

“Yes. It’s been a while.”

“Um… is he a holy knight?”

Rosia asked with even wider eyes.

Her tilted head conveyed her puzzlement. As a saintess, she knew better that the other party wasn’t imbued with holy power.

“He is the contractor of the World Tree. It seems we’ll need to go to the World Tree to resolve this situation.”

The fact that the World Tree’s power was still alive meant that the World Tree was still intact.

As written in ancient books, if the World Tree could drive away darkness, they had no choice but to meet the World Tree here.

“So you’re saying you’re going to leave us behind? Do you know where the World Tree is?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then let’s go together.”

“I clearly said, Your Highness. When this matter is over…… I won’t see your face ever again.”

Magnus answered stoically.

As always, he didn’t particularly show any emotion, but everyone knew there was displeasure mixed in.

“…You know the situation was what it was. Please understand.”

“You’re asking for understanding from the wrong person.”

Magnus said calmly.

The Crown Prince sighed at his behavior of completely embracing Serena in his arms, not even letting her see their faces.

But truly separating here posed too many risks in various ways.

They didn’t know how long this dark state would continue, nor did they know the reason.

And there was no guarantee that there weren’t any dangerous beings even in a place like this.

The survivors needed to stay together anyway. Besides, it was too dark all around.

From the beginning, the Kelahinum ducal family was one that even the current Emperor couldn’t force.

Their loyalty changed moment by moment according to their will alone.

However, because their sword tip never pointed towards the imperial family and their power was great, the successive emperors had long tolerated their freedom.

In reality, there were times when the Kelahinum ducal family didn’t interfere in imperial affairs at all, and times when they didn’t respond to any calls except to act as gatekeepers.

But in any case, they showed up when the empire was in great danger and firmly protected against invading enemies right there.

There were many cases where they didn’t protect the imperial family when they judged that the Emperor wasn’t worthy of their loyalty.

Rather, it was less common for the Kelahinum ducal family to swear loyalty to the Emperor.

But they also knew that they were born and raised in this land and loved their empire.

Knowing that they would protect this land and the country where they stayed, even if they didn’t protect the Emperor’s neck, their somewhat arrogant and presumptuous attitude had been tolerated for a long time.

The Emperor, knowing the nature of the Kelahinum ducal family, had also enrolled the Crown Prince in the academy early, around the same time.

In fact, although the Crown Prince had become friends with him since the academy, it didn’t mean he had received his oath of loyalty.

He knew that if he declared he would turn his back like this, he couldn’t force him.

He also knew well that if he said it was an imperial order, the other party would resist even more.

So the Crown Prince decided to change his target.

“Duchess Kelahinum, I understand that you’re angry. But how about cooperating at least until this situation is resolved?”

The Crown Prince asked, addressing the back of Serena’s head, who had her face forcibly buried in Magnus’s chest.

Serena, who had been fidgeting, slightly opened her mouth.

“I’m not particularly angry. You could have done that. I don’t mind cooperating, but……”

Serena tilted her head.

Since she hadn’t really trusted the Crown Prince and Crown Princess from the beginning, Serena wasn’t shocked by them.

And upon careful consideration, she thought it was a rational action.

“But… if Magnus doesn’t want to, I’m a bit… if Magnus says it’s okay, then it’s fine.”

But that was it.

Serena knew well that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess weren’t particularly necessary for the journey.

Drukan would probably be the key.

Magnus was said to be strong, so he seemed essential for fighting, and Serena didn’t really want to be separated from Magnus.

So to be precise, she didn’t want to go against Magnus’s mood.

“That’s what she says, Your Highness.”

Magnus said with a very satisfied expression, nodding his head.

That’s when it happened.

“Ugh……”

A small voice that sounded like it was about to crawl away was heard.

The Crown Prince quickly reached out to take care of Rosia and stepped back a couple of steps from where the sound came from.

When they shifted their gaze to where the sound came from, the young boy who had been collapsed was groaning, holding his head.

It was the white-haired young boy they had first discovered.

Drukan strode over to him and carefully held the staggering boy.

“Are you alright?”

“Uh… hu, hwaah! Wh-Who are you…? Wh-What. Why is it so dark?”

The child was startled and jumped up when a face came right up to his nose.

Drukan, realizing that his face might be scary, stepped back a little.

“…He’s awake. Does this mean others might wake up too?”

The Crown Prince frowned.

“That might be the case, but……”

Magnus’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the child. Serena also slipped out of his arms and turned around.

“What’s your name?”

“I-I don’t know……”

The child opened his eyes wide at Drukan’s question and shook his head. His tearful expression showed that he was very frightened.

“Wh-Where is this…? Why am I here……”

“He might be a child from some noble family.”

“…He’s not in my memory.”

The Crown Prince, who had discerned the child in the darkness, shook his head.

Of course, he couldn’t be certain since he didn’t know all the children of noble families.

“I’m not sure either.”

Rosia said.

“For now, since there might be more people waking up, how about we stay around here for today, Magnus?”

“No.”

“……Why on earth not?”

“Serena will catch a cold.”

“……Aren’t you being overprotective? It’s not even that cold……”

The Crown Prince, who had been muttering, closed his mouth when he saw Magnus’s sharp gaze.

“Alright, then how about we rest in some building? There are plenty of buildings around here.”

After all, it’s not like there weren’t any buildings in the imperial palace.

Magnus frowned at the Crown Prince’s words. To be honest, he really didn’t want to travel together.

From the beginning, he couldn’t understand how someone who was going to become the Emperor of a country could be swayed by such emotions.

“Serena, I’m sorry. I thought it wouldn’t be you… but the evidence clearly pointed to you, and as royalty, I had no choice.”

Rosia stepped forward and spoke.

Her quiet voice, with slightly furrowed brows, clearly contained guilt.

“It’s okay, as I said, I think it could have happened……”

Serena answered.

“And I wasn’t really hurt.”

She also said honestly.

“About traveling together, I think you should talk to Magnus. Honestly, I don’t know anything and I’m close to being a burden.”

She said, shrugging her shoulders.

In reality, she couldn’t fight, didn’t have the power of a saintess, and didn’t have any power.

“So you do what’s comfortable for you too, Magnus.”

Serena said that and approached where Drukan was.

It was because he looked quite awkward dealing with the tearful child.

She crouched down next to Drukan.

“Hello.”

“Ah, hello…… But who……”

Tears immediately welled up in his clear red eyes on his tanned face.

“Call me Serena, what’s your name?”

“I-I don’t know…. I can’t remember anything……”

Serena stared blankly at the child. It was because he felt strangely familiar.

‘…He looks like a rabbit.’

Serena suddenly thought.