Suharto clicked his tongue. If someone asked him whether it was fortunate that the soldier survived, it would have been better if he had died. There was no help planned for those who couldn’t follow Suharto’s plan anyway.

It was problematic that Elena was occasionally stepping in to save the few soldiers who found themselves in danger.

Rudfelix wasn’t doing anything, so Suharto had expected all attention to be focused on himself. Fortunately, many hearts were being swayed toward Elena, who was trying to ensure that not even one person died.

“Wow.”

In contrast, Roina kept expressing admiration while looking at Elena but couldn’t do anything herself.

“Roina, go with those people.”

“What? But Your Highness told me not to leave your side……”

Roina looked puzzled when Suharto suddenly told her to go there after saying he would protect her. She wanted to stay by his side, believing that her safety in the cliff was all thanks to Suharto.

“We’ve reached the position where we need to climb the cliff, so I must go up. Don’t worry, you’ll be in a safe place.”

“I trust Your Highness.”

Roina smiled shyly and gave Suharto a trusting look.

“Instead of just trusting me, I wish you’d do something for once.”

Roina’s smiling lips froze at Suharto’s quiet mutter. His words were like a blunt arrow aimed at her. An arrow that wouldn’t kill even if it hit, but would cause a dull pain.

Roina looked back at Elena.

She was busy saving people beside Grand Duke Rudfelix Raion.

‘He was interested in Miss Elena.’

She had been trying to catch Suharto’s eye, but it wasn’t easy, while Elena drew his attention without doing anything.

‘It must be because of that woman’s abilities.’

Even now, she was continuously saving people.

It wasn’t just Suharto. While Roina was a shadow-like existence who didn’t need to be here, Elena was a person like light.

Roina turned around dejectedly and walked among the soldiers.

“Tsk.”

It was pathetic that she understood his words but had no will to do anything. Suharto looked at the cliff. Signals sent by mirror were telling him where to go.

“This is the last one.”

If he moved the soldiers according to the signals, they could climb the cliff and take a path where no boulders would roll down.

That was the result Suharto had discovered by consistently sending people to investigate.

At Suharto’s signal, the soldiers quickly moved to where boulders wouldn’t roll down. They were already at ease in the Crown Prince’s safe zones, which had been proven several times.

Even when the ground shook and a minor earthquake occurred, they absolutely did not leave their positions.

“Never leave your positions.”

Though the knight urged them, the initial tension was no longer visible.

Meanwhile, Rudfelix quietly observed the cliff above them. The sunlight reflected on the cliff above Suharto’s safe zone was gradually narrowing its range. The sun wasn’t moving that quickly, so how could the sunlight be diminishing! Rudfelix’s eyes narrowed, then suddenly widened.

“No……”

“Pardon? What did Your Highness just say?”

When the knight right beside him asked again, Rudfelix shouted.

“No. Step back.”

It was a warning resonating from his instincts. The knight flinched. Even the soldiers who had moved to safety turned to look at him.

“Fall back.”

Rudfelix had no time to consider that Suharto was the supreme commander.

He needed to pull the soldiers back quickly, as it was clear that rocks would roll down at any moment.

However, Suharto drove his horse ahead of Rudfelix and shouted to the soldiers.

“Don’t move.”

Suharto stared at Rudfelix as he issued another command.

“Move exactly as I tell you. That’s the only way to survive.”

“No. No.”

Rudfelix shook his head firmly. There wasn’t time to explain the situation to Suharto. As he urgently waved his hand, the knights in the middle became confused.

“Grand Duke, are you daring to disobey my orders? I said I would take all responsibility, but it seems your mind has suddenly changed?”

“We need to fall back right now. Right now.”

Rudfelix pressured Suharto to issue the order quickly, without time for proper courtesy.

“No.”

Suharto glared at him with a face full of confidence.

“That area is safe. So……”

Rumble…

Suharto looked down at the strong vibration beneath his feet.

The place where he stood should never have felt such a strong vibration. The spot where Suharto stood was supposed to be the safest place.

With anxious eyes, he slowly turned his head to look at the cliff.

“Fall back.”

While Suharto stood with blank eyes, Rudfelix shouted, trying desperately to save his soldiers. But the situation had already changed so rapidly that his orders couldn’t be properly conveyed.

“N-no way…… it can’t be.”

A soldier followed Suharto’s gaze upward. Then, as if unable to believe what he was seeing, he squeezed out words with a trembling voice.

Dozens of boulders were precariously wobbling above the deepest depression where the soldiers had gathered.

“U-ugh…”

Not only the soldiers but also Roina needed to escape quickly, but the soldiers were too afraid to leave their positions and could only stare.

“U-uahhh……”

Some soldiers, overcome with fear, abandoned their positions. Those who remained simply stared at the rocks, having lost their will.

“Dangerous.”

Elena looked around at the chaotic surroundings gripped by fear.

“Where’s Roina?”

She quickly searched for Roina, knowing she could avoid the disaster. That’s when Elena’s body froze completely. There was no one beside the frightened Roina. No soldiers, no knights, not even Suharto.

Even though they could survive by staying close to her, everyone had scattered in all directions, overcome by fear.

Rumble. People had spread to places they shouldn’t go, and the valley was rumbling. It was only a matter of time before the rocks would roll down.

“No choice.”

Elena pulled out all the paper she had on hand.

Paper she had prepared knowing Suharto would fail.

She had created paper that could function like magic formations by mixing magic and spells. She had ordered so many to be made that many researchers, including Fatie, were said to have collapsed from exhaustion.

Holding that paper, Elena closed her eyes.

A situation requiring significant mental energy. Elena took a deep breath and then dropped the papers.

The papers stuck to trees, the ground, and the soldiers’ spears, moving like living creatures. Tree stems came alive and the ground writhed according to Elena’s will.

Rolling boulders became lodged between the cliffs, and the soldiers’ spears moved on their own to block the movement of the rocks.

“Magic…… it’s magic.”

A soldier muttered in a daze. Something magical was happening. Not a single person was crushed by the rocks. The number of people escaping the threat of death increased, even if they were suspended in mid-air as tree stems wrapped around their waists.

“I’m alive.”

“I’m alive. Sob sob. I’m alive.”

The soldiers who had been moved to safety rejoiced with tears. Rudfelix turned his head toward Elena, his concern subsiding.

Her face, with eyes closed, was covered in cold sweat.

Since she was pouring all her mental energy into saving people, no one disturbed her. Rather, they stepped back to avoid interfering.

Rudfelix slowly turned his body while looking only at Elena. Then, sensing instinctive danger, he threw his head back.

“No.”

Rocks were wobbling above Elena.

“Elena!”

Rudfelix let out a scream-like shout and tried to run to her. But contrary to his wishes, his horse, frightened by the ominous vibrations, flailed its front legs.

Elena raised her head. Only after opening her eyes after saving the last soldier did she realize what was happening to her from Rudfelix’s urgent expression and the shaking vibrations.

“Rocks.”

She could use a practice paper, but she had used all her papers to save the soldiers and had none left.

‘Not enough.’

She didn’t want even a single soldier to die. As much as Rudfelix loved his territory, she wanted to cherish his people.

That was why she hadn’t saved a single sheet for herself.

The moment she would be crushed by the huge boulder, she would be smashed to the point where no form would remain.

“Haa.”

Where had Roina gone?

Elena turned her head to look at Rudfelix one last time. He had dismounted and run close, but it would be difficult for him to save her.

“I’m sorry.”

The last paper in her hand. It wasn’t meant to save lives. Because it contained a spell that could leave a will, Elena clutched it tightly and thought of her final words for Rudfelix.

‘From the moment I met you, my life became a series of unpredictable days. It was good to know what fate had in store, but at the same time, fate shackled me from doing anything. You broke the chains that bound me tightly and gave meaning to my life. Grand Duke Rudfelix. Alix…… The best thing I ever did in this world was loving you.’

Her last comfort was knowing that her confession contained in the paper would go directly to Rudfelix.

‘I love you.’

When Elena closed her eyes, Rudfelix’s arms wrapped around her. The tears that fell from her eyes bounced off his arm.

As she was embraced by Rudfelix and light emanated from his sword, Elena opened her eyes again.