The Abandoned Princess, Yet She Is Loved - Chapter 58

Grace steadied herself, forcing strength into her trembling legs.

 

A bird that had been still suddenly spread its wings. The pure white energy extending from its wings sharpened like spears and shot toward the men.

 

The men swiftly moved their bodies, dodging the oncoming energy.

 

“Bring it out.”

 

One of the men spoke to the other. The second man nodded, reached into his coat, and threw something outward.

 

A handful of throwing stars flew toward the bird. The bird released another burst of white energy. Every throwing star that had been flying toward it was deflected.

 

“This isn’t easy. How did they catch it last time?”

 

“I heard there were more people back then.”

 

The man pulled out more throwing stars from his coat and hurled them again. The bird flapped wildly, defending itself once more.

 

“Damn it. This won’t do.”

 

He drew a spear from his back. It was the exact same spear Grace had seen in her dream.

 

“No, stop!”

 

Her ominous premonition was becoming reality. Grace let out a sharp cry.

 

The man charged at the bird with his spear. The bird fired energy from its beak and wings, and the man dodged skillfully, looking for an opening. The other man drew a longsword from his waist. The bird turned its head and attacked in his direction.

 

A fierce battle unfolded. The men dodged the bird’s attacks, and the bird didn’t give them any chance to strike. Grace’s heart burned with anxiety. Even the slightest mistake could mean the spear piercing through the bird. She was afraid the bird would collapse, bleeding.

 

“Capture that woman first. We don’t know if she’ll attack or defend without warning, and either way, we should bring her back and report to our lord.”

 

“Got it.”

 

The man with the spear spoke to the man with the sword. Pulling away from the bird, he turned and approached Grace.

 

Grace slowly backed away. There was no way to stop him. She had no idea where the strength that had blocked the dagger earlier had come from.

 

“Hhh…”

 

The man took something out of his coat. It looked like a round ring—something perfect for restraining wrists.

 

“Now, just come quietly.”

 

No. No…

 

Grace shook her head desperately. If she went with them, she had no idea what might happen to her.

 

No, I won’t. I can’t. Just as she was about to tightly shut her eyes while staring at the approaching man—

 

“Step back.”

 

A cold, chilling voice sliced through the air. Grace turned her head at the familiar voice.

 

“Frederick…?”

 

Frederick stood close by, sword in hand. Grace’s eyes widened. She hadn’t told anyone she was coming to the forest—how did he get here?

 

“Who the hell is that now?”

 

Both the man approaching Grace and the one fighting the bird turned their attention to Frederick.

 

“Another nuisance, huh?”

 

“I said step back.”

 

Frederick repeated. A blue aura rose from his entire body and enveloped the sword in his hand. The blade gleamed sharply, glowing a deep blue.

 

“What… what the hell!”

 

“He’s a Swordmaster. Damn it.”

 

The men’s voices revealed their unease. The man attacking the bird retreated and approached the others.

 

“Fr… Frederick.”

 

An overwhelming pressure radiated from Frederick. It was stronger than anything Grace had ever felt from him.

 

The men hesitated for a moment, then took up fighting stances. In the next moment, Frederick charged at them, sword in hand.

 

Grace stared in a daze as Frederick fought. His movements were too fast for her eyes to follow. It was like watching the wind itself move.

 

“No one in the empire is faster than His Grace the Duke,”

 

Dorota’s words suddenly came back to her. So this was what she had meant. He hadn’t moved like this during the sparring matches Grace had seen—she could never have imagined this level of speed.

 

The men tried to block Frederick’s sword, but they staggered and retreated. Then, for a brief moment, Grace saw him raise his sword high. The blue blade caught the sunlight filtering through the trees and sparkled.

 

And that was all.

 

In the blink of an eye, two heads fell to the ground. The headless bodies trembled, took a few steps, then collapsed to their knees and crumpled forward.

 

As Frederick, holding his bloodstained sword, approached her, Grace couldn’t say a word.

 

Frederick wasn’t human. He had transcended the limits of humanity.

 

“Why the hell did you come to the forest alone?!”

 

Frederick yelled. His eyes were blazing with anger.

 

“I told you! Not to go into the forest alone. It’s dangerous!”

 

“Frederick…”

 

“You’ve already had two close calls in the forest. So why?!”

 

Grace had no excuse. He had warned her from the beginning.

 

“I’m sorry… I went against your advice.”

 

Grace bit her lip. There was nothing she could say in her defense.

 

Frederick ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He stared off at the distant mountains and let out a long sigh.

 

“Ugh… seriously. I thought I was going to lose my mind when I couldn’t find you. The Marchioness said you weren’t doing well.”

 

“Yes…”

 

She must have gone to Frederick instead of returning to her own room, Grace realized.

 

“So I came right away, worried. But you weren’t in your room. You weren’t even seeing a doctor.”

 

Frederick’s hand, still gripping the sword, trembled.

 

“I thought maybe… and came into the forest. And then this.”

 

“…”

 

“I told you something bad could happen! Why are you always so reckless?!”

 

In Frederick’s anger, Grace realized just how much she had worried him. Her leaving the room without a word must have been a huge shock.

 

“I’m sorry. It was urgent. I didn’t think I had a choice.”

 

“Why? What happened?”

 

“I had to protect that bird.”

 

Grace turned to look at the bird as she spoke.

 

“Huh…? Where did it go?”

 

But the bird had vanished. Startled, Grace blinked rapidly.

 

“You mean the white bird?”

 

“You saw it too?”

 

“Of course I did. I was with you. I even saw it disappear into the forest just now.”

 

It must have slipped away while she was talking to Frederick. Grace let out a soft, disappointed sigh.

 

The bird had said some strange things, and now she had lost the chance to ask it anything.

 

“Why did you come to protect the bird in the first place?”

 

“I had a dream. I dreamed these men were going to harm it. I had a strong feeling that I had to stop it. Then I saw those men wandering through the village, so I dropped everything and came straight into the forest.”

 

Grace explained everything from the beginning. Even if Frederick thought she was crazy, she couldn’t hide it anymore.

 

“And when I found the bird in the forest, it spoke to me.”

 

“The bird… spoke?”

 

“Yes. It said I carried someone’s energy… and that it didn’t want to run away from humans. Something like that.”

 

“That’s hard to believe.”

 

Frederick sounded skeptical. Grace gave him an awkward smile. It was an unbelievable story, after all—no one would find it easy to accept.

 

“I have a question. Earlier, white energy was coming out of your body. It’s gone now, but do you know what that was?”

 

Frederick asked. Grace hesitated for a moment, then looked at him with determination.

 

“There’s something I need to tell you, Frederick. When we get back.”

 

It was going to be a long story.

 

 

“You’ve been having strange dreams… repeatedly?”

 

“Yes. Just when I start to forget them, I dream them again.”

 

“When did they start?”

 

“After the fox died. So…”

 

Grace explained in detail the dreams she had been having.

 

“Fire, water, earth, and wind…”

 

Frederick slowly repeated what she said.

 

“That sounds just like Armento.”

 

The contents of Grace’s dreams seemed to align perfectly with the four elemental powers of Armento.

 

“Armento?”

 

“Yes. But all four elements appearing at once and mixing together…”

 

“But I shouldn’t have any potential as an Armento. I heard it manifests in childhood.”

 

“I’m not saying you are an Armento. What I mean is…”