"Run, Princess! Enemies are closing in!"

Amid a forest of jagged stone pillars,

several figures in coarse hooded cloaks peered out anxiously.

"Surrender your weapons and you’ll be spared!"

"Yield now!"

...

Such shouts echoed relentlessly outside. A man knelt on one knee, pleading with a beautiful woman to flee.

"No. Absolutely not. If we leave now, they’ll never find us."

The woman in the rough cloak was Daisy.

Enemy taunts rose and fell outside, fraying her nerves.

Though Larry had drawn a contingent of royal troops elsewhere, the king’s forces hadn’t abandoned their search of Segao Highlands. They’d captured one of Daisy’s trusted aides—a man who’d grown careless after Larry’s diversion. Spotted during a supply run, he’d cracked under torture and betrayed Daisy’s location.

Now they were trapped.

The encirclement tightened. Her aide had urged Daisy to escape from the start, but she refused to budge.

"Even if the ones you wait for arrive now, seeing this situation—why would they still come to you?!" Her aide’s voice grew rough with frustration.

"If it’s *them*," Daisy shot back, "this wouldn’t be a trap at all!"

"And if they *don’t* come?!" Daisy’s own voice turned sharp. "Then I’ve reached my limit! Without them, I’ll never uncover the truth... or take revenge!"

"Princess..."

Her aide fell silent, stunned by her outburst.

Suddenly, the clamor outside—the shouts, the stomping boots—cut off.

An eerie silence descended, thick as a horror film’s climax.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what had happened.

Daisy, however, seemed to exhale.

"Let’s go. We’re leaving."

"Careful, Princess," her aide cautioned. "Let me scout ahead first."

Daisy hesitated. "Fine."

"No need. We’re coming in."

A voice cut through the stillness. Two stunning girls stepped into view.

Daisy’s breath hitched. She shook off her aide, rushed forward, and threw her arms around Mika. Hot tears streaked her cheeks as her voice trembled: "When I heard about that mission... I knew you’d come."

Mika gently stroked Daisy’s hair. "You’ve suffered enough, Daisy. It’s alright now. We’re here."

Alicia stood slightly apart, studying Daisy—the fallen princess stripped of all regality, her exhaustion and grime laid bare. Her frame had thinned; her once-luminous skin was dull. Even her clothes were filthy. *The girl who used to have a phobia of dirt...* Alicia sighed softly. "You’ve been through hell, haven’t you?"

"And you are...?" Daisy eyed Alicia with a trace of familiarity, certain they’d never met.

"Alicia. Aelis’s sister." Alicia’s smile was warm, practiced. "My brother and Mika have told me so much about you. You truly are remarkable."

Daisy blinked, then took Alicia’s offered hand. "H-hello. Where are Larry and Aelis?"

"Larry’s drawing troops away elsewhere—you must’ve heard the rumors about sightings of you."

"So that was Larry... He’s still so reliable." Daisy’s voice softened, a flicker of old affection in her eyes.

Alicia inwardly winced. *That man will never return your feelings.*

"It wasn’t enough," Alicia said lightly. "We still found you cornered."

Daisy shook her head. "No—the diversion *worked*. Our own carelessness led to this. Don’t blame Larry." She paused. "Alicia... may I call you that?"

"Of course! Anytime." Alicia beamed.

"Is your brother with Larry now?"

"No. He’s... occupied elsewhere."

Daisy frowned. "Strange. Those two are usually inseparable. I’d even wondered if they were..."

Alicia’s smile froze. *Oh no. Not this again.* She took a steadying breath. "Let me be absolutely, positively, *one-hundred-percent* clear: they are *not* what you think. Not at all."

Daisy recoiled slightly, nodding mutely.

"Good." Alicia’s smile returned, satisfied. "This isn’t safe for talking. Let’s move somewhere secure."

"And the soldiers outside...?"

"Taken care of." Seeing Daisy’s concern, Alicia added, "Just unconscious. They never confirmed your identity. No need to kill them."

Daisy relaxed. She studied Alicia anew. *She handled that so easily... Is she as strong as her brother?*

As they walked, Daisy whispered to Mika:

"When I mentioned Larry and Aelis... Alicia got so worked up. Is she *that* protective of her brother?"

"Not at all!" Mika shook her head. "Alicia’s lovely—nothing like her scheming brother. But... she’s Larry’s fiancée. They’re deeply in love. Though..." Mika tilted her head. "Why *was* she so upset? You only said they were close..."

"Never mind." Daisy didn’t want to taint Mika’s innocence. Larry having a fiancée was shock enough.

"I never heard him mention it."

"Neither did I. Larry rarely shares his past."

"True... We never truly reached his heart." A shadow crossed Daisy’s face.

Mika squeezed her hand. "I felt the same when I heard. But I’ve accepted it. There’s no competing with them. Larry and Alicia... they exist on another level."

"What do you mean?"

"It’s..." Mika searched for words. "Like how Larry and Aelis seemed untouchable to outsiders—always just out of reach. Alicia stands *beside* them. Truly. I doubted it too, at first. Just like I doubted Larry could be friends with someone like Aelis... until I saw it with my own eyes."

Daisy absorbed this. *So there’s someone else who stands that close to him... His fiancée. I never stood a chance.*

But she needed their power. An S Rank Adventurer could overthrow a regime like Danga’s without breaking a sweat.

If Larry was lost to her... she’d settle for the next best thing.

For her parents’ legacy. For the truth.

She’d sacrifice anything.