“The war is imminent, isn’t it?”

My voice rang through the rough hoofbeats. We had opted for horses instead of a carriage to clear the supply route and hurry on our way back.

It was my idea, but Diello had naturally led me to the horse I was riding.

“It’s for your safety.”

As he said that, Diello seemed to lower his head slightly to talk to me.

“Your Ferro hasn’t been found yet?”

He slowly turned to look at me at my words as his scrutinizing gaze was directed at me. Maybe because we were close, his eyes seemed to waver a little.

“Are you waiting for the Ferro?”

Then, he asked me that.

At that, I hesitated without realizing it.

‘Well… I am waiting, but…’

“Diello, aren’t you waiting for her?”

I knew he didn’t want me to leave, but he had to marry the Ferro. He had to do so to survive, and it was already a fact that didn’t need to be discussed. However, the speed of the horse he was riding slowed down somewhat at my question.

Diello pursed his lips tightly and then nodded.

“Yes.”

‘I guess we’ll have to wait.’

Seeing he muttered softly as if he didn’t like it, I clasped his hand, which was holding the reins.

“For Diello’s safety, I wish the Ferro would come before the battle with Alors, but…”

Where on earth did she go?

I sighed briefly and continued.

“The Ferro will come, and even if you marry her, it doesn’t mean I won’t see you.”

Maybe the Ferro would understand… if it was a business relationship.

I let go of his hand.

“Once I settle down in the Daisy Forest, I’ll start a business related to Argenta.”

Then, we could see each other then.

As I said that, he nodded slightly.

Thud! Thud!

The sound of horseshoes was heard from afar.

“….?”

Then, Rick, who was on our side, looked ahead and made a strange sound with his mouth.

Whistle!

It was a strange sound, high and also low like a whistle and a flute, rang out, and from afar came a response in the same sound.

“It’s Argenta. But it’s not time for the regular report from the headquarters yet…”

Rick’s voice was filled with doubt. In an instant, a strange sense of tension began to spread.

At his words, Diello gestured.

“Find out what’s going on.”

The next moment, Rick sent a few informants forward. On our side, Diello and I began to prepare for battle in case of an emergency. Fortunately, it was really an informant who came from the other side, and soon, the clattering sound was replaced by the sound of horseshoes in unison.

Everyone had a look of utter defeat on their faces.

“What happened?”

I couldn’t wait for them and asked. The Argenta informant, who quickly approached us, bowed his head.

“My lord, Madam. I apologize.”

“….”

Diello and I locked eyes.

“As you ordered, we increased the security forces on the supply, but there was a raid.”

“The field commander?”

Diello’s voice suddenly turned cold. Maybe because I heard the voice from behind, but I felt a strange feeling in the back of my neck, even though I felt his familiar warmth.

“He managed to escape by rallying his troops as much as possible.”

“Casualties?”

“Fortunately, there were no fatalities, though there were some injuries. They said they broke our ships and kept chasing and stopping us.”

They tormented the already weakened opponent and let them go, and then tormented them again as if they were playing with a mouse. They played with Argenta on the sea, that was what they said.

The informant bowed his head with a troubled look on his face.

“And all the supplies were looted.”

“…Looted?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. They claimed to be pirates, but—”

I unconsciously accepted his words because it was something I had heard once.

“It was at sea, so they must have used their water abilities?”

“Yes? Yes.”

The informant looked surprised at my words, as if wondering how I knew.

I looked back at Diello.

“While we’re busy here, Alors seems to have moved to the sea as well.”

“….”

Diello narrowed his eyes.

I thought of him asking about the field commander. And suddenly, I thought of Roa, who had died. He was a commander who went berserk there while defending the Third Zone.

I felt sorry for him, who was not properly commemorated because of that principle. Roa probably never even saw me when he was alive. I guessed I was fond of each and every Argenta, maybe because they were the first people I’ve come to cherish like this since my possession.

I opened my mouth.

“You couldn’t help it if it was over the sea because of Alors’ water control ability.”

Diello narrowed his eyes.

“Even so―”

He was probably going to say that he had to take responsibility. His face, which had suddenly turned cold, seemed as if it would utter cruel words. A ruthless choice not only for the field commander but also for Diello himself, who cherished the Argenta.

“Diello melted the swamp.”

Hence, I interrupted him.

Diello looked back at me. His eyes, which used to sparkle like a shallow lake, seemed a bit darker today as though they were shaded by shadows.

“It’s my turn to stop them this time.”

I grabbed his hand, which was tightly holding the reins.

“You don’t want to give cruel orders either, do you?”

Right? When I tried to smile lightly on purpose, the hardened expression on his face crumbled.

“…Krua.”

And his gaze met mine with a gentle smile.

The field commander had already done his job well enough by protecting his troops. Supplies were limited, but people couldn’t come back once they were lost. The Alors raiders who drove the Argenta out of the sea by now must be in high spirits, thinking that no one can match them on the sea, on the water.

I couldn’t just leave them alone.

I thought of the knights who were drafted to escort the sea supply route. Of course, there were familiar faces and unfamiliar faces among them. Still, they were all Argenta.

“If we sail again, I’ll go with you.”

“Krua.”

At my words, Diello cautiously called my name.

“Do you plan to reveal your ability directly on the sea?”

His voice was filled with concern.

I looked back at the swamp. In front of the swamp, in front of the river, and before that, in the Fourth Zone, when I saved Redias and the Argenta…

I was grateful for the ability to save people. Of course, I wouldn’t back down on the sea.

The problem was….

“If you’re away for a long time, they might guess that Krua, who handles water, participated in the sea battle.”

Diello pointed out what I was thinking.

“Although we said we used the power of the source at the meeting, I don’t think the same excuse will work again.”

“That’s right.”

I agreed with him.

That meant there was only one way.

“Then, let’s disguise ourselves.”

A fake Krua would stay in Argenta’s mansion.

At my words, Diello’s eyes widened. Nira’s special technique was not only useful for hiding magical power. Just like he turned Rick and his men into mercenaries, he could also disguise one person as another. Naturally, it would be impossible to disguise someone as someone else exactly.

‘However, if we do it right, it might be possible…?’

I watched Vielle, who was wearing a purple wig and putting on my clothes.

“Vielle will become Krua Argenta while I’ll go to see the northwest supply myself.”

Disguised under Nira’s ability, she looked similar to me. So, if you looked at her from a distance, you would definitely be fooled. The face that I was most worried about was fine, too. Nira had developed Vielle’s somewhat cold image with a delicate brush, creating the face of a gorgeous villainess.

“It’s amazing…”

As we were looking in the mirror…

“Are you ready?”

Diello’s voice was heard from outside while we were changing clothes. Hearing his voice, I suddenly felt playful.

“Vielle, let down the curtains.”

“Yes?”

Vielle, who was putting on my gloves, widened her eyes and lowered the curtains around us as I ordered. Even though it wasn’t as good as the curtains in the Argenta’s mansion bedroom, it was enough to hide our figures and only reveal our silhouettes.

“Yes, come in.”

At my words, Diello opened the door. As I looked back at Vielle, I whispered to her.

“Shh.”

All Diello would see when he opened the door and came in were two silhouettes with similar shapes. I couldn’t help but smile at the joke.

—