A Hasty Escape
Crack. Drip. Drip. Drip.
This guy… no, this kid… what the hell is he?
“Can I have some of these snacks?”
A loud thump of footsteps announced his arrival alongside Ran, and he marched straight up to me with a question he hurled out before I could even blink.
“Uh… yeah. Sure, go ahead.”
“Oh! Thanks, big brother!”
How was I supposed to know I was the big brother here? The guy was clearly lost in his own little world.
“You can speak to me casually if you’d like.”
The one who introduced himself as Blanser, fingers still dusted with powdered sugar, was vigorously shaking his hand as if trying to dislodge the last grains.
“Casually? I’m only fourteen this year! And you’re fifteen, right? You should be the one who speaks casually!”
With crumbs flying from his mouth as he spoke…
At the very least, chew and swallow before talking. You’re spraying sugar everywhere.
“Puhihi! Hey, did you hear that? Fourteen years old with that face. Hahaha! Who do you think you’re fooling? If I were really fourteen, I’d be doing handstands the whole day!”
Wipe. Swipe.
While I was wiping the sugar dust off my face with a towel, Teraden doubled over laughing so hard his belly shook at the mere mention of fourteen years old.
Blanser’s reaction looked genuinely hurt, as if he couldn’t believe anyone would doubt his word.
Hard to blame him. No one could possibly believe Blanser was fourteen. Fourteen? That would make him the same age as Maru? Unless he was the same age as Jubern, but still…
Thump! Thump! Thump!
“It’s… it’s really fourteen! It’s so unfair, big brother!”
The way he kept pounding his chest and raising his neck veins suggested one more round of teasing might bring actual tears.
“Alright, alright. I get it. Teraden, you can stop now.”
Blanser had his head bowed like he was about to cry, and Teraden was clutching his belly and wheezing. Maru, probably scared by Blanser’s size, had hidden herself right behind me, whispering softly.
Sigh… Even I’m starting to feel a bit lost.
In the middle of all this chaos, Ran, who had been quietly watching us from the shadows, finally spoke after a long silence.
“You two seem to fit together surprisingly well. I hate to interrupt, but there’s an important matter I need to discuss. Please focus for just a moment.”
The details he shared were simple: the decision on our placement had been made at the recent noble assembly.
For our growth and protection, he explained, we would be enrolling at the National Academy, the empire’s premier educational institution. He asked politely for our opinions and added that we were free to decline if we wished.
But there was no reason to refuse.
I never wanted Maru to witness another injury.
“I… I’ll go to the National Academy. I don’t want to see anyone I care about get hurt anymore. As long as I can get stronger, I’ll go anywhere.”
“Great! If you’re going, I’m going too!”
“Then I’ll go with Oppa too!”
“Eh?! I want to go as well…”
At Blanser’s question of why not him, Ran offered a meaningful smile and let the words trail off with a hint of sympathy.
“How unfortunate. His Highness has opposed it, so Blanser-kun will unfortunately be unable to join us.”
The departure date was two days later, at the hour of mi, the day before the opening of the Gate. We would be leaving the Imperial Capital.
And Ran emphasized to Blanser that his mentor, the Grand Duke, would be absent during the mi hour to observe the event.
At the time, I had no idea what was behind that insistence.
Blanser muttered the words to himself, then let out a sly, sinister chuckle.
“Mentor absent during mi hour at the Gate… National Academy at the hour of mi… ehehehe…!”
What’s with that guy? Why does he look so scary when he laughs like that?
Ran watched Blanser’s expression with a strangely satisfied glint in his eyes, thinking to himself.
‘The student… the father… the son…’
* *
Around the time the hour of o arrived two days later.
Crow’s Duck, who had been staying at a separate palace with the same significance as Sungnyejeon, called out for Blanser.
“Blanser.”
“Yes, Master. Please, speak your wish.”
“How have the children of that clan been?”
Blanser simply bared his teeth in a wide smile at the question.
“They were great. It’s a shame, but once the Gate opens, we’ll be heading home. Prepare yourself well. It probably won’t take long. Got it?”
“Hehe. Yes! Understood, Master! I’ll be back soon!”
With Crow’s Duck’s light laugh still echoing, he left the palace.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Confirming that his master had truly gone, Blanser stuffed a large bundle with whatever he could find, left a single crumpled note on the round table, and slipped out of the palace quietly.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Big brothers! I’m leaving! Huahaha!”
* *
Around the time Blanser had just left the palace, at Sungnyejeon.
Each of us carried a small bundle on our backs as we waited at the entrance with Ran.
“Ugh…”
The time wasn’t long, but waiting in the cold had left Maru sniffling and wiping her runny nose on her sleeve repeatedly.
“Yikes. Maru, here, drink.”
“Oh… I’m fine, though. Hehe, thanks, Oppa.”
The departure time had come, but Ran still wasn’t moving. I wrapped my scarf around Maru and urged him on.
“Is there something you’ve forgotten, Lord Ran?”
“Hmm. No, it’s not that. I’m sorry, but please wait just a little longer. It seems we’re about to leave.”
Something was off. Ran frowned slightly and muttered to himself while scanning the surroundings.
“About to leave?”
Two days ago he was talking about Blanser…
The thought barely crossed my mind when familiar footsteps echoed from somewhere nearby.
Followed by a figure walking briskly toward us from the distance.
Thick, sun-kissed skin. Broad face. Muscles that twitched with unnatural energy despite the scars that didn’t match his apparent age.
“Huahaha! I’ve arrived, big brothers!”
It was you… wait, no, where on earth did he get so much stuff?
Maru, still not used to Blanser’s size, hid behind me and whispered.
“Maru thought an earthquake had hit.”
“I was waiting. Blanser.”
“What, you’re coming too? That’s interesting.”
“Haha! Lord Ran! Teraden! Long time no see!”
Blanser greeted us all with a bright smile after being warmly welcomed by Ran and Teraden. He then approached me and Maru to say hello.
“I’ve missed you, Haru. How have you been? And Maru, are you okay!”
“Yeah, good to see you.”
“Uh… yeah. Hello.”
“Everyone’s here now, so shall we head to the National Academy?”
“Wait. Lord Ran. There’s one more thing I need to discuss first. A very important one, actually.”
Blanser’s serious face halted Ran, and every eye turned to him.
“What is it?”
Ran asked in place of everyone else.
“We need to arrive at the National Academy as quickly as possible.”
Watching Blanser’s face grow increasingly uneasy and his fidgeting, Teraden couldn’t hold back his curiosity.
“Why all of a sudden? What’s the reason?”
“It’s… if I’m caught while sneaking out during my mentor’s absence, I’ll be killed. I have to get there before he notices. Please… help me.”
“…”
* *
Meanwhile, outside the Imperial Capital at the hostage camp.
“Oh! Your Highness! Please come quickly.”
The emperor, who had already prepared for the Gate opening, warmly welcomed Crow’s Duck as he arrived at the temporary seat.
After a casual reply, Crow’s Duck plopped down on the prepared cushion, sending a puff of dust flying.
He waved his hand in annoyance, then shot a glance toward Modeus, who sat alone in the distance, before turning to the emperor.
“Still, none of the protagonists have appeared on the stage. Where is Number Two?”
Flick. Flick.
Before the sound died, Wolhyang walked in from afar, stepping on dry reeds with perfect composure, as if gliding across ice.
Her curved shoes never sank into the uneven ground, moving with graceful ease.
“It’s a shame about Number Two, but I hope Number Three performs well in this Gate.”
“That guy has no idea what he’s dealing with. Number Two won’t even last.”
“Your Highness underestimates Number Three too much. After all, isn’t he also a descendant of the Seven Stars?”
At the emperor’s pointed question, Crow’s Duck furrowed his brow and answered bluntly.
“Seven Stars… That’s true, but whether his strength measures up to theirs… well, we’ll see soon enough. Let’s begin, Your Majesty.”
Following the emperor’s rise, he shouted at the two facing each other: Wolhyang and Modeus.
“Is everything ready?”
“….”
No reply.
Instead of answering, they simply checked their own condition for the fight ahead.
“Then let’s begin the Gate.”
The first move of the Gate was made by Modeus, who lightly opened his palm.
“Wolhyang. You might get hurt, so why don’t you give up the seat of Number Two now?”
“…Crazy fool.”
“It will be different this time.”
Modeus finished speaking, assumed his stance, and prepared to strike at any moment. Wolhyang simply waved her slender hand once, lightly.
An ice spear appeared in her palm, humming with icy energy.
She pointed the spear at Modeus but didn’t block it—instead, she received the strike directly.
“How fortunate. If Lord Ran weren’t here today, I wouldn’t have to hold back.”
After her short words, a chilly silence hung between them for a moment.
“Release.”
A short time later, Modeus, who had broken the silence, charged toward Wolhyang without hesitation.
