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I nodded at Dad's words, grumbling under my breath.
"I know that, but honestly, I'd rather he arrive late. Even better if the engagement ceremony gets canceled altogether."
The truth was, Enoch hadn't gone missing in the Kratyn Forest. At first, we too had truly believed in his disappearance. We had no choice but to believe it. Kratyn Forest was the place on the continent where the most frequent large-scale outbreaks of monsters occurred.
Every time one ventured deeper into the forest, monsters surged forth like waves between the towering trees.
I knew very well what a hellish moment that must have been, having often gone on subjugation missions to Kratyn myself.
Even if you swung your sword tirelessly, cutting down monster after monster until you could finally finish the extermination around the forest's perimeter, there was always that eerie sense, as if the monsters never truly left the forest. It was like pouring water into a cracked glass.
"Thank goodness Mother and Aunt Diana were able to recognize the signs Enoch had left beforehand."
The Gray's knight, who first delivered the news of his disappearance, had said that Enoch discovered a spring in Kratyn Forest from which monsters endlessly crawled out. He had leapt in to destroy it, and that was when his presence vanished.
The Gray's knight added that just before Enoch jumped in, he told him not to panic if he disappeared, because he would surely return alive and to spread the word that Enoch Gray had gone missing.
The scene he described of Enoch's final moment was eerily similar to when I had been sucked into that strange dimension along with Enoch while trying to destroy the swamp in the Carmedan Jungle.
His face, as he relayed Enoch's words, had been pale with fear. No matter how confidently Enoch had sworn he would come back alive, it was clear that knight himself wasn't convinced.
'I'll go! This is exactly the same as the Carmedan Jungle swamp! I'm the only one with experience escaping from that place!'
I had been ready to chase after Enoch straight into Kratyn Forest. But it was Mother and Aunt Diana who stopped me.
'If it were the Carmedan Jungle, that would be one thing… but in this empire, no one knows Kratyn Forest more thoroughly than I do. So, Cherrya, this time let me be the one to save my son.'
I could only let Aunt Diana go. Mother promised that she would stay by her side to protect her, so I shouldn't worry, and then the two of them went into Kratyn Forest together.
All my endless hesitation over whether to follow them turned out meaningless, because the two of them quickly recognized the signs Enoch had left and even found the letter he had written.
[Do not interfere. Starting from this eastern spring, I will destroy the cave behind the southern waterfall, the great tree to the west, and the cracked ground in the north before returning.]
The places mentioned in Enoch's letter were all sources of monster outbreaks, just like the swamp in the Carmedan Jungle.
He had declared that he would destroy the sources of monsters in the east, west, south, and north of Kratyn Forest, which meant nothing less than purifying the entire forest.
It was sheer madness.
Even Grandfather, a Sword Master, had destroyed the sources of monsters in Kratyn Forest, including the swamp in the Carmedan Jungle, several times. But after a while, the monsters would always return.
Of course, after Enoch and I destroyed the swamp in Carmedan Jungle, monsters had never reappeared there. But that had been nothing more than sheer luck.
'That lunatic! Just because he succeeded once, does he think he can succeed twice or even three times?'
Back then, I had naturally gone wild and tried to rush into Kratyn Forest. If Enoch was determined to destroy the sources of monsters, then of course I had to go with him.
But Dad and Kane grabbed onto my legs, clinging to me with all their strength, and I was stopped only when Mother's letter arrived with news of Enoch's success.
[Enoch destroyed the eastern spring and came out alive. I don't know how he did it, but there's no longer any trace of monster energy coming from it. Diana and I have decided to remain in Kratyn Forest to clean up the remaining monsters while Enoch destroys the sources.
If you're reading this letter, Cherry, I know you must be itching to jump in. But since the Empress is still in the imperial palace and the demon contractor has yet to reveal themselves, we cannot afford to draw attention here.
Please hold yourself back just a little longer, my dear. I promise to send your fiancé back in time for the engagement ceremony.]
Only after reading Mother's letter could I calm down and finish preparing for the ceremony.
Still, I could not understand Enoch Gray's actions.
If he wanted to destroy the monster sources in Kratyn Forest, just like we had done in Carmedan, then going with me, the one who had the same experience, would have been the fastest way.
So why hadn't he said a single word to me before leaving?
Enoch had claimed there was something he had to check on his own. But it felt like more than just verifying whether the monster sources could be destroyed or not.
Yet Grandfather and Mother had both been preoccupied, guarding the vacant Emblem and keeping a close watch on the Empress, who had started acting alongside the Crown Prince. Because of that, I had no choice but to leave those doubts unresolved and face the day of the ceremony.
"Only the cracked land in the north is left now, so he'll make it back in time for the ceremony. Don't worry."
"Can't you see that's exactly what I'm most afraid of right now?"
"I can see it all too well."
Dad chuckled, kissing my cheeks alternately as he laughed.
"I can also see how my daughter, who could easily run away if she wanted, is still sitting here quietly."
"……"
"If you truly don't want this, I can break off the engagement this very instant. Do you think I wouldn't dare?"
"…No."
I shook my head meekly. If I were to say, 'I don't want to be engaged to Enoch,' Dad would cancel today's ceremony without a moment's hesitation.
"That's why I'm so glad, Cherry, that you finally seem to understand why your mother has been working so hard to unite the Emblem and the Gray family."
"How could I not understand? I saw it with my own eyes."
Even now, whenever I remember the failed mission in the Lowes Mountains, I jolt awake in the middle of the night and gulp down cold water.
How could I possibly forget that disgraceful history, when the Emblem and the Gray Knights failed their mission simply because they fought among themselves?
Looking back now, I can only assume the Second Prince, suspected of wielding demonic power at the Empress's command, used that power to seize command of the Gray Knights.
In the end, we had all been played by the demons. We, who prided ourselves on being the two pillars of Lutinas, the strongest of knight orders.
"In the face of demons, the common enemy, we cannot allow the Emblem and the Gray family to keep pointing swords at each other."
"Hehe, since when did my Cherry grow up so much…?"
"How could I just sit back and watch the Empress drooling over the chance to swallow the Gray Knights whole?"
Why should I do anything to please the Empress? I'd sooner go through with an engagement to Enoch than let her get what she wants.
When Dad met my determined gaze head-on, he fell silent for a brief moment.
"…Anyway, I'll go change and head straight to the ceremony. Dad, please check if Enoch has arrived."
"…Alright."
Dad kissed my cheek once more before leaving the room.
Once I confirmed that Jessia's presence couldn't be sensed outside, I secretly changed into the Emblem Knight Commander's uniform I had prepared in advance.
Jessia would surely nag me to wear a dress, so I planned to use the excuse that I'd change before the ceremony itself.
Finally, I picked up the sword I had spent the entire restless night polishing. The familiar weight of the grip eased the storm inside me, just a little.
"Haa… please, don't come…"
Regardless of the necessity of this engagement, I prayed desperately that Enoch Gray would arrive late, as I took my first step forward.
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