The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 48

Silence hung heavy as the expedition moved on. Santiago and Yulania were on the same horse as before, but the air between them was no longer warm. Santiago stared silently ahead, and Yulania, watching him, hesitated for a long time before finally biting her lip.

The awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere, formed after the encounter with the devil that widened the rift between them, did not easily dissipate. Santiago’s cold, wall-like silence prevented Yulania from daring to approach him any further.

Even the Macari Knights and the Hylon Knights cautiously kept their distance, sensing the strained atmosphere between the two. Even Diego, who followed closely behind, subtly watched them, gauging the mood.

As they ventured deeper into the land of the devils amidst that subtle tension, even the air felt thick and murky. The frozen black earth, the withered bushes, and the dreadful silence, as if hiding something, put her on edge.

“Halt!”

At Santiago’s short shout from the front, the devils hidden ahead revealed themselves. It wasn’t a large-scale attack, but the devils, scattered and hidden, rushed out all at once, making sharp noises.

The knights quickly drew their swords and responded. Santiago was the first to jump off his horse, swinging his sword with sharp movements. His sword cut through the air, and the devil soon screamed and fell. It was a familiar sight, repeated many times, but Yulania’s chest felt tight.

Each time a devil died, the Sacred Stone in her hand trembled slightly. And painful, despairing emotions flooded into Yulania’s heart.

‘Why is this happening? Where are these feelings coming from?’

She raised her trembling hand and gripped the Sacred Stone even tighter. Then, the light of the Sacred Stone gradually intensified, and the movements of the devils within its range noticeably slowed down.

Diego exclaimed in surprise.

“The Sacred Stone is weakening the devils’ power! We’ll be able to defeat them easily thanks to the Princess!”

Yulania found a glimmer of comfort in those words, but her heart broke again when she saw another devil writhing in agony and collapsing.

Santiago quickly cleared the area and coldly ordered.

“We move on. Everyone, reform the ranks.”

On the road that followed the brief battle, Yulania silently stared at the Sacred Stone. The golden light softly illuminated her fingertips, but the comfort it offered only confused her more.

The devils continued to attack, and each time, the Sacred Stone resonated with her heart, emitting a warm light. The more docile the devils became near her, the more violently unknown emotions swirled within Yulania.

‘Why do I pity them? They are beings that harm us.’

As the attacks continued, the confusion only deepened. She tried to deny the sympathy and sadness swirling in her mind and averted her gaze. The more she looked, the clearer it was that devils were beings that harmed people. Only she felt different.

But the light of the Sacred Stone, constantly resonating with the devils, etched the emotions she wanted to ignore even more vividly into her heart.

Even when the knights were busy fighting, even when they were moving cautiously, wary of them, Yulania couldn’t escape the confused emotions. The same was true during the short moments of rest. She stared at the Sacred Stone in the makeshift shelter.

“What are you suffering so much for?”

Then, Alban, who was beside her, glanced at her sideways and asked strangely.

“Sister, are you alright?”

Yulania quickly hid the Sacred Stone and smiled awkwardly.

“I just have a lot to think about.”

Alban glanced at the Sacred Stone in her hand before casually turning his gaze away.

“I don’t know what it is, but we’re going to the front lines soon, so don’t get too emotionally involved. Royalty doesn’t have that luxury.”

Yulania clenched the Sacred Stone again after hearing her brother’s words. Alban was right. She was a princess, and she couldn’t let her personal feelings interfere with the expedition.

But she was in pain every time the devils’ cries and surging emotions washed over her again.

The deeper they went into the land of the devils, the clearer and more intense the emotions the devils conveyed became. They were clearly conveying resentment and anger. Perhaps even past pain and injustice.

It was such a human emotion that Yulania was even more confused. And she even had a strange feeling that all of it was not unrelated to her.

Santiago seemed to be concerned as she was feeling down all day. As they rode on horseback, Santiago finally opened his mouth.

“Are you okay?”

It was a concise word filled with many things. Yulania hurriedly cleared her throat and replied.

“I’m fine. There’s no need to worry.”

Santiago closed his mouth at her cold words, but soon uttered a worried word.

“Tell me if it’s hard.”

The expedition continued without much progress between the two, and minor battles continued. Whether the claim that devils did not appear thanks to Yulania was merely a coincidence, attacks poured in with terrifying force as they approached the mountain.

And as they reached the foothills where it became difficult to move by horse, the sun was setting. Before entering the mountains in earnest, the expedition decided to set up camp for the first night.

The knights scattered to prepare for the camp, and Santiago spoke with difficulty in the tent he would use with Yulania.

“I couldn’t understand that you felt something from the devils.”

It was an unexpected remark, but she could sense that it was his way of reconciling. Yulania tried to suppress her awkward feelings and opened her mouth.

“Am I strange? I feel so strange about myself for feeling sympathy for them.”

Santiago sighed deeply and sat down beside her. When their shoulders slightly touched, she barely breathed.

“No, it’s okay whatever you feel. But, I want you to know that this place is more dangerous than you think. I’m sick and tired of devils, I’ve experienced them so much.”

Yulania looked at him only after hearing those words. Santiago’s eyes were filled with complex emotions.

“I know. I know, but that’s why I’m even more afraid. Their emotions are felt so clearly. It feels like I’m fighting a battle I shouldn’t be fighting.”

Santiago roughly washed his face with his dry hands at her words.

“Yulania, I don’t know what you’re feeling right now, but keep in mind that devils are targets to be eliminated. I considered it because it seemed like it would help in battle, but I didn’t bring you here to stop me.”

Yulania nodded silently. Thinking of the knights fighting the devils while shedding blood, she felt disgusted with herself for being like this. Not long ago, Santiago returned with such a big injury, and yet she had a paltry sympathy for the devils.

However, it was difficult to simply ignore the emotions that were directly conveyed to her heart. Especially since there was a feeling that it would give some kind of answer.

Yulania harbored a more fundamental question in her heart.

‘What exactly is the identity of the devils? Why are they conveying these emotions to me?’

She clenched the Sacred Stone even more strongly under the cold night sky and vowed. She hadn’t even found a clue yet, but she had to find it.

If she could unravel the relationship between her and the Sacred Stone, it seemed like it would even connect to the secrets of the kingdom.

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