12. Stranded

I looked at Imperial Princess Bella.

The look that had been glaring at me as if to kill me was nowhere to be found, replaced only by a confusion she couldn't seem to understand.

But I didn't have the luxury to react to that look.

'Ah, I'm gonna die.'

I swallowed the pain internally and roughly wiped the blood from my mouth with my sleeve. I had avoided the explosion, but I couldn't completely avoid the shockwave. It felt like my insides were all jumbled up from the impact.

I took a deep breath for a moment. And I confirmed that my surroundings had turned completely red.

So it ends up like this, huh. I braced myself for the impending impact.

"Whew... Hold on tight."

At my words, Imperial Princess Bella stared at me as if asking what on earth I was talking about. At that moment, a deafening roar was heard.

Kugugugung-!

The ground around us collapsed, and dust rose up.

The ground where I was standing also began to collapse. I couldn't run away. I didn't have the energy for that anyway. There was only one thing I could do.

I scooped up the lying Imperial Princess Bella. At the same time, the ground collapsed completely, and Bella and I began to fall.

"Kyaaaack!"

A scream erupted from Bella's mouth. The sensation of my body floating in mid-air; not only Bella and I, but countless rocks and dirt were falling all around us.

'I'm going to die like this.'

I desperately looked around. Then, amidst the all-encompassing red, I saw a very small yellow marker.

I hugged Bella's waist tightly. At the same time, I twisted my body and did my best to move toward the yellow marker.

"Keuk...!"

Dirt and rocks grazed my body. I think I got ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cut somewhere, but I don't even have the luxury to worry about that right now.

As I got closer, I could see what the yellow marker was indicating. A tree branch growing in a space as huge as a sinkhole.

While holding Bella with one arm, I reached out and grabbed the branch.

"Whew...."

A brief moment of relief.

Udeudeuk-!

As soon as I grabbed it, the branch couldn't bear the weight and fell.

Udangtang-

"Keueuk...."

I put the pain ringing throughout my body behind me and looked around.

"Did we fall from there...?"

Under the broken branch, I could see a smooth slope, perhaps where water had once flowed. I guess we were lucky enough to slide down that, which is why we didn't get hurt too badly.

"Haa... Haa...."

I heard breathing from beside me.

Looking over, Imperial Princess Bella was panting, clutching her chest as if shocked. Looking closely, her face was quite flushed.

'She must have been very surprised.'

That's understandable. The ground suddenly exploded, and then we fell into a place like this.

The Imperial Princess steadied herself and soon spoke in a confused voice.

"Why... why did you save me?"

The Imperial Princess, who had been still, spoke. I felt bewilderment and confusion in that question.

Well, that's understandable. Everything must have been so sudden. Even though she had locked me in prison and tried to kill me, I suddenly appeared and struggled to save her.

It might be confusing from the Imperial Princess's perspective, but not for me.

'I'm telling you, if you're gone, the world is doomed!'

The Demon God will appear and destroy the world!

To stop the Demon God, I need Imperial Princess Bella, who properly suppresses the Demon God Cult. So I answered honestly.

"Because I can't do without you."

At those words, Imperial Princess Bella couldn't say anything. She just stood there and bowed her head.

I didn't care and looked around.

'Is this a cave...?'

It's dark, so I can't see well, but I can tell it's a fairly large space.

I looked up.

"It's high...."

It's not a height I could possibly climb back up.

Since the Imperial Princess is here, a rescue team will come, but no one knows how many days that will take. No, perhaps ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this entire area might be sealed off by the Demon God Cult.

'I don't know.'

Thinking about it more just gives me a headache. The important thing for now is how to survive here.

It was just as I was about to take a step to examine the surroundings a bit more.

"Don't try any funny business."

Imperial Princess Bella's voice echoed in the cave.

As I turned my head at the voice, the Imperial Princess, who had already returned to her usual cold face, was looking at me. But even so, I could clearly see her trembling red eyes.

"I'm essential? Ha! Is that something a traitor who betrayed the Empire and joined the Revolutionary Army should say?"

Bella pulled something from her waist. A sharp blade with luxurious decorations. Bella, holding a small dagger, said to me.

"Why, were you trying to beg for your life by saying sweet things like that to me? That won't work."

I sighed softly at the sight of Imperial Princess Bella glaring at me as if she had caught me red-handed.

'Yeah, even in the game, she doubted every single word and action of mine.'

No matter how much we became lovers—no, ever since we became lovers, she started doubting my actions more and more, and later, she even imprisoned me.

That temperament wouldn't just go away. But I didn't feel the need to refute her words or make excuses to convince her.

"Forget begging for my life, let's just rest for a bit. We have to survive and get out of here."

At my words, Bella frowned as if she were dumbfounded. Is it like, 'How dare you say this to me, the master of the Empire?'

"Keuk...."

I groaned as I tried to take a step. I must have gotten hurt when I fell, as a sharp pain was rising from my ribs.

I lifted my clothes to check, and my body was covered in large and small wounds, whether from debris or scrapes. My clothes were torn, and I was covered in blood; I looked a mess.

Bella must have seen my condition too, as she flinched and stiffened when she made eye contact with me.

'Yeah, you do have a conscience.'

Seeing Bella's eyes waver, I forcibly endured the pain and moved. It's getting late to stay here any longer. It's fine now, but it will get cold at night.

I passed the Imperial Princess and moved deeper into the cave. Then I looked back and said.

"Aren't you coming?"

"...Why should I listen to you?"

Haa. I sighed softly and walked on. If it really comes down to it, I'll have to drag her along. For now, exploration is the priority. As I walked a little deeper into the cave, I heard rustling footsteps behind me.

Yeah, it must be scary to be there alone.

Bella and I walked through the cave while maintaining a certain distance. All I could hear was the sound of dripping water and our respective breathing; nothing else could be heard.

How long had we walked?

The dark cave passage widened a bit, and a fairly large cavern appeared. There was a suitable hole in the corner of the cavern, so I headed there.

Fortunately, there were no wild animals in the hole, and the floor was relatively flat.

"Let's rest here for now."

When I spoke to the Imperial Princess, who was standing there blankly without coming in, she pouted and came inside.

I found a decent spot in the corner and sat down.

'Ah, damn. It's cold.'

My body is shivering. I thought the inside of the cave would be warmer, but it wasn't. It's better than the outside where the wind blows, but the air is basically cold.

"Fire."

At that moment, an orange flame appeared before my eyes.

Tarak, taradak.

Before I knew it, a small flame had appeared in the center of the hole.

"I used a magic stone as fuel, so it will last quite a while."

Imperial Princess Bella said that and then settled down in the spot opposite to me.

'Yeah, you do have a conscience.'

I saved her life and found a place to stay, so she should at least do this much.

I looked at Imperial Princess Bella for a moment and then moved my body closer to the fire.

My body was warm, and since I was tired, sleep came to me. I felt my eyelids getting heavier and slowly closed my eyes. The last thing I saw before closing my eyes was, for some reason, Imperial Princess Bella looking at me with a worried gaze.

'Worried?'

No way. She's an Imperial Princess who tries to kill me over and over again. Far from worrying about me, she might even try to kill me right now.

'Ah, then should I not fall asleep?'

I thought that, but my body was too exhausted. I surrendered myself to the drowsiness that was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠washing over me.

How long had I slept?

Rustle.

I hear the sound of something moving.

I woke up at that sound. I opened my eyes just a tiny bit. I couldn't see well because of the darkness, but the cave was dark, as if the fire Bella had started had gone out.

I closed my eyes again to let my eyes, which couldn't focus because I had just woken up, adjust.

Even then, the rustling sound still rang in my ears.

I carefully ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠opened my eyes at the footsteps that were getting closer. What I saw was Imperial Princess Bella. She was looking at me quietly. Right at my bedside, too.

She seemed to be looking at me while fiddling with something in her arms. I recalled the dagger the Imperial Princess had shown me before I fell asleep.

'Don't tell me she's debating whether to kill me or not?'

Cold sweat broke out on my body at that thought. Just as I was seriously considering whether I should get up and run away right now, Imperial Princess Bella's voice was heard.

"Why on earth am I doing this...?"

The Imperial Princess bit her lip as if she really couldn't understand, and bowed her head. Then, a moment later, she lifted her head and looked at me. I saw those red eyes, Imperial Princess Bella looking at me.

"Haeil, you are...."

Her gaze was wistful, but at the same time, it gave me goosebumps. Because that expression was all too familiar.

She was looking at me with that very expression she used to show right before she imprisoned me in the game.