“Ugh.”

Mokyeong’s face instantly contorted at the terrible stench that assaulted her nose.

She had smelled it several times before, but could never get used to it.

It was coming from her own body.

Perhaps because so much poisonous energy had accumulated in Roanne’s body, the stench was much stronger than it had been in Mokyeong’s original body.

‘This is always the problem after completing the Small Heavenly Circulation.’

In the past, whenever she circulated her energy carelessly in caves or deep in the mountains, she would confront wild beasts drawn by what they mistook for the stench of a rotting corpse.

Encountering such creatures while circulating her energy could cause her qi to spiral out of control and deviate. This was therefore the aspect of cultivating poison arts that Mokyeong detested most.

Fortunately, her warning not to approach the carriage appeared to have worked, as no one had interrupted her this time.

However, the sealed carriage had been left to ferment for three days, filling it with a foul odor.

‘Phew. It seems I must first find somewhere to bathe.’

The cold earth touched her bare feet as she stepped down from the carriage.

This alone was enough to make her realize how much her body had changed over the past three days.

Before, simply standing on both feet had made her feel unbearably heavy. Now, she could clearly feel the texture of the earth beneath her feet.

When she channeled a small amount of internal energy into her feet, her body felt as light as a feather, and she could walk without making a sound.

‘This is reasonably useful.’

Just then, the faint scent of water brushed past her nose.

There seemed to be a river nearby. Just as she was about to head in that direction, a low voice drifted toward her on the wind.

“……MacGilton is truly driving me insane. All she talks about from morning until night is money.”

Mokyeong’s footsteps naturally came to a stop.

The voice was soft and petulant, but now that some of Mokyeong’s internal energy had returned, she heard it as clearly as though the speaker were right beside her.

“Phew. Still, since the Princess Consort remains shut inside her carriage, the work has been less exhausting. Just imagine how troublesome it would have been if she had thrown tantrums throughout the journey simply because she was our mistress.”

“Yes, you are right. All I have to do is ride around and survey the surroundings, but you have far more menial work to handle, Gareth. It must be much harder for you.”

The man gently agreed with the woman’s complaints.

Following the voices, Mokyeong moved silently. Before long, she spotted a young brown-haired knight and a woman with long golden hair.

Judging by how closely their bodies were pressed together, there was no need to ask what they were doing in the middle of the night.

“How will you endure the journey to Oult when you are this delicate?”

“Ah! Oult! Just thinking about it is dreadful.”

When Gareth sighed, the knight hesitated briefly before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“If not for His Majesty’s orders, I would have taken you anywhere you wished.”

“Do you truly mean that, Brandon……?”

Gareth looked at him in apparent emotion before gently closing her eyes.

Brandon swallowed dryly, his jaw trembling before their lips finally met.

‘What a spectacle.’

Mokyeong watched them with indifference, shook her head, and was just about to turn away when—

“Perhaps this is actually an opportunity.”

At the maid’s suggestive remark, Mokyeong stopped again.

“An opportunity?”

“Yes. All the Princess Consort’s belongings are loaded into our carriage. Let us take anything valuable and run away.”

“W-What? Are you serious, Gareth?”

“Yes, I am serious. Are you not? You said you wanted to take me away somewhere!”

“I-I meant it too. But if word gets out later, there is no telling what might happen to my family.”

He was a knight who ran away with a maid while escorting the Princess Consort.

It was obvious how society would treat him.

Despite being blinded by a woman, it seemed that Brandon had not intended to throw away everything for her.

Gareth wrapped her arms around his neck and drew even closer.

“Then we simply need to make sure no one ever finds out.”

As Gareth’s face neared his, Brandon’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily.

She pressed herself more firmly against his chest and whispered into his ear.

“We will make it look like an accident. Listen carefully, Brandon. If we continue to Oult, we will all die anyway. It is the cursed Demon’s Land. His Majesty, your family, and your knight order sent you there because they do not care whether you live or die. We deserve to survive too.”

“Gareth…….”

“The road to Oult is treacherous. We could encounter magical beasts or bandits. It is the Princess Consort’s fault for attempting such a journey with only four knights. Is that not true? She should have brought at least an entire knight order.”

As the whisper burrowing into his ear gradually gained conviction, Brandon’s gaze began to waver. Though visibly conflicted, he still could not bring himself to release Gareth.

“Think carefully, Brandon.”

When Gareth kissed him once more, the hesitant man finally pulled her tightly into his arms.

Leaning against a tree some distance away, Mokyeong watched them with a crooked smile.

‘How thoughtful of them.’

She had already been wondering how to evade the watchful eyes and listening ears that had followed her from the Imperial Palace. She was extremely grateful that they had decided to create their own trouble.

There was nothing more she needed to hear.

Without hesitation, Mokyeong turned away and headed towards the river, the scent of water wafting on the breeze.

***

The following morning, before the dew had dried, the door of the Princess Consort’s carriage opened. It had been sealed tightly for more than three days.

The knights and maids, who were busy preparing for their departure, all stopped what they were doing.

After remaining secluded inside the carriage for over three days, the Princess Consort finally emerged.

“No……”

The eyes of those staring at her widened one after another.

“How……?”

She hadn’t seen a proper ray of sunlight for three days.

She had barely eaten or gone to the toilet, and had hardly been seen walking around. It would not have been surprising if her health had deteriorated further.

Yet, when the Princess Consort finally stepped out of the carriage, she looked completely different to how they had expected.

Her complexion had improved so dramatically that they collectively gasped, “How…?”

Her eyes were bright and clear, making it difficult to believe that she had spent several days confined to the carriage. Even her usually dull, sallow skin now glowed with a vitality it had never had before.

Above all, her gaze had changed.

The clouded eyes that had once darted nervously around her surroundings were now as clear and vivid as a newborn child’s.

It was as though someone had wiped away the layer of dust that had covered her for years. Everyone could only stare at her, their mouths hanging open in astonishment.

Mokyeong, however, paid no attention to the gazes fixed upon her.

Planting her feet firmly on the ground, she stretched her entire body. Still feeling the lingering effects of the Small Heavenly Circulation technique, she could feel her stiff muscles pulling painfully.

Mokyeong rolled her aching shoulders to loosen them. Only then did she notice everyone staring at her. She arched an indifferent eyebrow.

“Am I some spectacle for you to admire? Why are you all standing there staring? Someone fetch me fresh clothes. I need to change.”

Only then did Gareth and MacGilton regain their senses and hurry toward the luggage carriage.

While the two rummaged through the baggage compartment, Mokyeong glanced at Ruger and Cayeman, who were still standing in place.

“What are we having for breakfast? I am hungry. Make certain you do not skimp on the meat.”

Ruger instinctively began to move, only to flinch and stop herself.

Cayeman, standing beside her, did the same.

Subtle expressions simultaneously appeared on both their faces.

What was that?

They were deeply displeased that they had reacted so naturally to the Princess Consort’s command.

Frowning, Ruger examined Mokyeong again.

Something was undoubtedly amiss.

Just before they left the imperial palace, the two of them had slapped the Princess Consort three times on the Empress’s orders.

They had put enough force into the blows to leave marks for several days; they had not held back at all.

Any ordinary person would have burst into tears on the spot or at least shown fear when seeing them afterwards.

Yet the Princess Consort standing before them now showed not even the slightest trace of intimidation.

Instead, she gave her orders with such composure and confidence that she exuded a peculiar authority, compelling them to obey her without even realizing it.

‘She is nothing like the woman Her Majesty described.’

The Empress had always dismissed Roanne Oult as ‘useless and feeble’.

She described her as foolish, incapable of carrying out even the simplest command, and a coward who would cower at the slightest threat.

Although poison had little effect on Roanne, the Empress insisted that her body was frail. Even the slightest hardship was often enough to make the listless woman collapse.

Therefore, they had to ensure that she never forgot her fear.

All they needed to do was control her through violence, as one would discipline a domesticated animal.

Recalling these words, Ruger and Cayeman studied the woman before them once more.

Which part of her could be considered the ‘weak and foolish’ Princess Consort?