A few days later.
In a corner of Ato City.
“You’re saying… Rozelite was pretending to be the Seventh Princess? That the real one has been in the palace this whole ti, not setting foot outside?”
Inside a tavern, Winnie gaped at Clayman’s words.
“It’s the truth.”
Clayman sat down directly.
“My uncle sent a flying ssage to the capital and confird it. The Seventh Princess has never left the palace. Just two months ago, she even attended her own birthday banquet, dancing with nurous noble youths. There were countless witnesses.”
“So… that child really was an impostor?!”
Winnie still found it hard to believe—this was too absurd.
She had seen the Seventh Princess before. Though years had passed, Rozelite’s two tear-shaped moles beneath her left eye were unforgettable, like a mark.
And if soone was impersonating her, why would they co all the way out here to the frontier?
She raised her cup and took a sip.
“So? What happened to her?”
“She escaped.”
Clayman frowned.
“Escaped?!”
Winnie’s voice spiked in volu.
“Keep your voice down,” Clayman snapped.
“I brought two hundred soldiers to capture her, but we weren’t her match. I could even feel she was holding back.”
“Holding back?”
“You could call it that. And… she used magic.”
“Magic?”
Winnie frowned.
“You know as well as I do—commoners almost never have the chance to learn magic. If she can use magic, that ans…”
“That her identity isn’t simple. Yes. This matter is far more complicated than I imagined.”
Clayman’s face grew darker as he spoke.
Because from beginning to end, this whole affair was too strange.
A mysterious girl appearing from nowhere in the forest, looking almost identical to the Seventh Princess, capable of magic, and even stronger than him. Facing hundreds of soldiers, she had not only fought calmly but even held back, escaping unhard. Hours had passed since the city was sealed, and still no trace of her had been found.
This was no longer sothing he could handle…
No—this wasn’t even sothing Ato City could handle.
After learning the full details, the city lord had imdiately written to the Noble Council, and advised the local lord to place the Alexander family’s entire territory on alert, issuing a warrant for the impostor.
If spotted, she was to be captured imdiately—but alive.
“This whole affair is partly your responsibility as well, since you’re the one who brought her into the city.”
Clayman glanced at the unconcerned Winnie.
“And yet here you are, still sitting here drinking with . You should know exactly why that is.”
“Go to hell.”
Winnie shot him a glare.
“Spare the crap. If not for that commission, you think I’d willingly co to this frozen dump?”
Clayman only chuckled and said nothing more.
Just as he was about to stand, a clamor of footsteps burst into the tavern.
Winnie turned her head.
“Hey! Winnie, you’re sure living easy in here. We’re freezing our asses off outside, and you’re sipping drinks!”
That obnoxious voice was unmistakably Kate. He pushed aside the curtain, appearing before her eyes.
Without ceremony, he grabbed Winnie’s drink and downed it.
Thud!
Winnie didn’t bother with words—her fist sank into his gut, doubling him over like a shrimp.
Right behind him, the tall figure of Thomas stepped inside. His eyes flicked briefly over Clayman before returning.
“That child—what happened to her?”
“That’s a long story. Let’s deal with the commission first.”
Winnie sighed.
“So, have you confird the S-rank monster’s trail?”
“Yes, we have.”
Thomas nodded.
“That monster is already dead.”
“What…”
“My guess? There’s a high chance it was killed by—demons, from beyond the Great Barrier.”
Demons?!
The mont the word was spoken, not only Winnie but even Clayman stiffened.
“The situation is complicated, but I’m nearly certain of its demonic origin.”
As Thomas spoke, another figure stepped out from behind him.
“Ugh, I’m beat.”
Chris rubbed her shoulder, walking past.
“Captain, you handle the explanation. I need to find a place to sleep.”
“Alright, rest well. We’ll take two days before heading back,” Thomas said.
When he turned back, both Winnie and Clayman were staring at him wide-eyed.
“So? Hurry up! Where did the demon co from?”
“Well, here’s what happened…”
Thomas left nothing out.
He would’ve had to report it to the Adventurer’s Guild, the Magic Association, and the Noble Council anyway. Better to practice now.
Before long, Winnie and Clayman knew everything.
“Never thought the Winged race could cross the Great Barrier…”
Clayman muttered, brows knitted, deep in thought.
“That’s just a theory. Maybe they didn’t cross directly, but exploited a weakness in the barrier,” Thomas replied casually.
“In any case, please ask the lord to use the flying-ssage device to inform the capital imdiately. The barrier’s maintenance can’t wait for us to return.”
“Understood.”
Clayman nodded and left at once.
This was Ato City, the frontier between humans and demons.
A hundred years ago, humans and demons had fought countless bloody battles on these snow-covered plains. Back then, even the snow ran red.
And now, demons appeared here again.
This was no trivial matter. It had to be reported to the capital at once.
After Clayman left, Thomas looked at Winnie curiously.
“What’s wrong? You seem distracted.”
“Nothing,” Winnie answered automatically.
“By the way, you still haven’t told about that child,” Thomas continued, pulling out a chair to sit where Clayman had been.
“And when we returned, we saw all the city gates sealed tight—entry only, no exit. What’s going on there?”
“Heh, now that’s a long story…”
…
…
anwhile…
A girl cloaked in a rough burlap cape trudged across the endless snowy plain.
After cresting several hills, she looked ahead into the rising dawn. There, at the horizon, she finally glimpsed a cluster of tents and low houses, crowded with people.
There were no walls—just scattered settlents across the plains, resembling a vast village.
The Labyrinth City, Flemont.
“At last… we’re here…”
Rozelite whispered. Suddenly, her knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground.
A tentacle tipped with an eye slipped from her collar.
“What’s wrong? Tired?”
Russell asked.
But soon he realized it wasn’t that simple.
Rozelite bit her lip, curling in on herself as if struck in the gut by an invisible fist. Her face went pale, cold sweat sliding down her temples. Both hands pressed desperately against her stomach, knuckles whitening as they dug into her clothes.
“You’re injured?”
Russell tensed. They hadn’t encountered enemies along the way. Could it be so kind of delayed attack?
Rozelite’s cheeks flushed faintly.
In a small voice, she muttered:
“I’m fine… it just… hurts in my stomach…”
“…Huh?!”
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