TOPWL 47

“…What did you say?”

“As Wadiram mentioned before, the desert can hide one person easily,” Huyan said with a serious expression. Yudit realized that he was being sincere.

“…Why?”

“Because if you stay here, you’ll die.”

“…”

“You did mention that when someone ascends to the throne in Adanauer, all their siblings are killed, right?”

Yudit understood that Huyan was genuinely concerned for him, which softened the wound left by his earlier words.

“The prince is capable. Dying here would be a pointless death.”

“Hey, hey, hey.”

As the conversation continued, Huyan’s tone became rougher. Even Wadiram was startled and tried to stop Huyan. But strangely, Yudit wasn’t angry.

“I didn’t expect to hear this from the person who pointed a sword at my neck during our first meeting.”

“…I truly apologize for that back then.”

“I’m not blaming you now. It’s just surprising to get such an offer so soon after meeting you.”

Thinking about it, Yudit had already received two offers. One from Bashur, and one from Wadiram and Huyan. This might be a golden opportunity to save his life.

“Are you sure you can handle being the prince who’s despised in Adanauer? It’s not just dislike, it’s immense hatred.”

“Dahab is currently meeting with the emperor. We plan to reconnect and start exchanges. We can designate you as the person to bridge the gap between Herut and Adanauer.”

“…What?”

Yudit blinked in surprise at the unexpected words.

“We initially came to Adanauer with the intention of refusing diplomacy. But after experiencing your banquet, we’re leaning toward opening up. No one will oppose appointing you for this role.”

“I’m really grateful for that… but…”

“As the one bridging Adanauer and Herut, if you say you need to experience it firsthand in Herut, will His Majesty oppose it?”

Yudit thought for a moment before shaking his head. Though they might want to push Azil into the position, if Herut stood firm, it would be hard to oppose Azil. If the envoys strongly supported it, it was likely Yudit would be the one to take the role. He could really end up going to Herut. His heart beat in an unusual rhythm.

“And if we say you died from a sand monster on the way, it’ll be fine. Luckily, you look weak, and many Adanauers can’t endure the desert, so your death won’t seem suspicious.”

“Hey, isn’t that a bit too harsh…”

“We’ll say we couldn’t retrieve the body.”

“The desert changes its terrain dozens of times a day. Even if we tell them where you died, there’s no way to find a dead person in the desert.”

Once Huyan finished speaking, his words flowed without hesitation. And oddly enough, it sounded quite plausible.

“Did you make this offer because you felt guilty for pointing a sword at my neck back then?”

Yudit looked at Huyan’s eyes as he spoke.

“There’s a saying in Herut: ‘Life for life.’ If you die like this, I’ll carry the burden of a lifetime debt to you.”

“Are you so anxious that I might die at any moment? I may seem weak to you, but I’ve lived in the imperial palace for 18 years.”

Huyan hesitated before speaking.

“Your Highness… you have… consumed too much poison. It wouldn’t be strange if you collapsed any moment.”

Yudit wasn’t surprised by Huyan’s words. Seeing Yudit’s calm reaction, Huyan’s face contorted in concern.

“…You already knew.”

“It’s common for royals. You said you could sense energy, so I guess you can tell that too.”

It seemed Huyan was worried that someone he owed a debt to might die before he had a chance to repay it.

“While I truly appreciate the offer, I must decline.”

Huyan’s eyes widened in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected rejection.

“Do you have a reason?”

“There are three. First, all seven of your envoys would need to agree on this. I can’t put you all in such danger.”

“The envoys from Adanauer share a bond stronger than blood. If I told them I owe a debt to you, no one would object.”

“Second, Adanauer might use this as a justification to declare war on Herut.”

If Azil were to ascend the throne, war could be avoided, but if Reginald or Hiore became emperor, Yudit’s actions might be used against him. Despite this, neither Huyan nor Wadiram seemed worried at all.

“Do you know why the desert belongs to Herut?”

“…Ah.”

Herut was bordered by many nations, but no official wars had ever broken out. The desert, despite being surrounded by several countries, remained Herut’s.

“The reason the desert still belongs to Herut is that it doesn’t hold much appeal to outsiders. Besides, those who don’t know how to cross the desert are unlikely to fight well in a war.”

Yudit had assumed that Huyan was only thinking of returning the favor, but it turned out Huyan had considered much more in trying to bring Yudit with him.

“Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I think you should stop now. Someone’s coming.”

Wadiram interjected between them. Yudit, still caught up in the conversation, began to worry about who might have overheard.

“Did anyone hear our conversation just now?”

“We only spoke after confirming no one was nearby.”

“…I see.”

“I won’t force you to decide right away. But I’d appreciate it if you could make your decision before the envoys leave.”

“…Alright.”

As though nothing had happened, Huyan picked up a chair and began walking toward the banquet hall.

On the way to the warehouse, passing the banquet hall, Yudit finally noticed a servant coming up the stairs. The servant’s eyes widened when they saw the three unexpected figures, but quickly lowered their gaze. Yudit briefly wondered if the servant had heard them before remembering Huyan had sensed him from a distance and dismissed the thought.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

What he thought would be a simple task of moving chairs turned into moving all the tables and chairs with Wadiram and Huyan’s help, finishing just before noon.

“Come, take a short break.”

Wadiram collapsed on the table, gasping for breath. It made sense after six men’s work had been done by three. Yudit glanced at Huyan, who only seemed slightly sweaty but showed no signs of being exhausted.

“You all have incredible stamina.”

Yudit said in genuine admiration. As he stared at Yudit’s flushed cheeks, Huyan spoke.

“Your Highness should build up more stamina.”

“Hey, the prince is fine. Others would struggle just to keep up with us, but the prince managed it.”

“But in the desert, stamina is the most important. Whether you can take that step toward an oasis could mean the difference between life and death.”

Huyan seemed certain that Yudit would come to the desert with them.

“You’re already talking about the desert, even though the prince hasn’t decided yet.”

Wadiram teased Huyan. Normally, Huyan would be the one scolding or stopping Wadiram, so it was amusing to see the roles reversed. Yudit decided to change the subject.

“You’ve worked so hard this morning, let me buy you lunch. Let’s go together.”

After receiving permission from Dahab to go out, the two left first, and Yudit returned to his room to prepare for his outing. The preparations were simple: a brown wig and robe, and he was ready. After changing into outdoor shoes, Yudit left his room.

He headed for the maze garden. Yudit confidently walked through the maze garden, a place he had memorized from wandering there countless times as a child. After about 15 minutes, Yudit reached a dead end. It wasn’t a mistake. He crouched down and pushed through the bushes. A hole leading outside was revealed. Yudit bent down and crawled through the hole.