Ray stood still for a few seconds.
The irritation on his face deepened by the second.
…Where the hell am I?
Trees.
Everywhere.
Thick, uneven, nothing like the carefully maintained gardens of the palace. The air felt different too—heavier, wilder.
This wasn't anywhere near the capital.
Ray let out a slow breath.
Which way should I go?
Just then—
Voices. Faint, but unmistakable.
Relief flickered across his face.
He moved toward the sound. Step by step.
The air grew heavier with each step.
…Too heavy.
Ray stopped.
Something felt wrong.
His instincts screamed at him to stay still—
But it was too late.
A blur shot out from the trees.
A mutated cat lunged straight at him.
Its fangs sank into his leg.
Pain exploded through him.
"Tch—!"
Ray's expression twisted.
Mana surged through his arm almost instantly.
An ice spear formed in his grasp—
and shot forward.
It pierced straight through the creature. Blood splattered across the ground.
The cat dropped.
Ray fell to his knees.
His vision blurred.
"Damn it…"
Gritting his teeth, he tore a strip from his jacket and tied it tightly around the wound.
The bleeding slowed.
Ray exhaled shakily, then glanced at the corpse.
…Mutated beasts. This dense.
His expression darkened.
There was only one place like this.
"…Barand."
The far edge of Eronger.
Ray pushed himself back to his feet.
His vision still swam, but he forced himself forward, following the distant voices.
Staying here until sunset—
wasn't an option.
After a while, the voices grew clearer.
He was getting close.
The pain in his leg worsened.
Ray could feel heat spread through his body, unnatural and suffocating.
His vision blurred further.
At this rate… I won't stay conscious for long.
Up ahead, behind a few bushes–
People.
Ray slowed, stopping just short of stepping into view.
He leaned against a tree, steadying himself.
There was no guarantee they'd help him.
Not here. Not in this condition.
If even one of them held a grudge against the imperial family…
Ray clenched his jaw.
No disguise. No backup.
Great.
He shut his eyes tightly.
…Why do I always get into such situations?
When he opened them—
Someone was already looking at him.
A man, standing still.
His entire body hidden beneath a robe.
Ray couldn't see his face.
The man started walking toward him.
Not alone.
A few others followed—just as silent, just as concealed.
Ray stiffened.
As the man stepped closer—
Cobalt blue hair.
Recognition hit instantly.
"…Kai."
Relief flickered across Ray's face—
then vanished under a wave of pain.
"Did you run away?"
Kai's voice was soft. Calm.
Ray met his gaze.
Cold eyes.
A gentle smile.
The contrast was unsettling.
"N-no," Ray said, his voice faltering despite himself. "Why would I run?"
Kai didn't respond immediately.
He simply looked at him.
That was answer enough.
…Yeah. That was not convincing.
"Really?" Kai said at last. "Then how are you in Barand… when you weren't supposed to leave the palace?"
Ray forced himself to stay upright.
"I was in the palace," he said. "There was an old magic circle in the garden. I must've triggered it—accidentally."
A pause.
Then—
"Is that so?"
Kai's smile didn't change.
"So a magic circle—something even a child would notice—went unseen by the gardener…"
He took a step closer.
"…and just happened to activate when you were nearby?"
Another step.
"And it sent you all the way to the farthest edge of the empire."
A faint tilt of his head.
"What an impressive series of coincidences."
The sarcasm in his voice weighed heavily.
The sarcasm in Kai's voice weighed heavily.
Ray said nothing.
He didn't have the strength to argue, nor did he have the strength to speak.
Kai's gaze shifted—then stilled.
"…What happened to your leg?"
Ray exhaled weakly, each breath heavier than the last.
"Mutated beast," he muttered. "Jumped at me."
Kai studied him in silence.
Pale. Unsteady. Burning up.
…Not the time.
Without another word, he stepped forward and draped a robe over Ray, concealing him completely.
Then—
he lifted him.
Ray froze for a second, clearly caught off guard.
That reaction earned the faintest hint of amusement.
So he can still look surprised.
"We'll talk later," Kai said softly.
Ray let out a quiet breath.
…Whatever.
He let himself lean against Kai's shoulder.
And then everything went dark.