Ominous dark clouds of night feared them with their gapes and sweats. Nocturnal owls had been hooting around the woods of unknown darkness. The marching soldiers had aligned in a straight line while the blonde Princess and her certain female companion were striding horseback amid their position. Their eyes rolled around to see every inch of trees when the time would rustle. They instead ignored peering through the gloomy forest since the Princess on horseback could tackle in a lightning dash, although it was dark to give themselves an obvious sight.
"Oh, Your Highness has caught an envoy who caused these massacres."
Her sole female companion in an orange coat was a brownish-ponytail girl named Caroline who served under the Princess' order. Her cheerful aura shone around everyone as the Princess found her worthy companion—while the Princess herself gave a cold, yet elegant aura around her overlong, golden-braided hair. They were marching for a return to the Capital City of Dore. They had chained the young, spiky-haired man's hands and legs to lock his escape.
Caroline glared at the man in a brief second, "I wonder this wasted man might spread more disgraceful massacres around the nation… the world?"
The Princess puffed and replied, "I'm aware of the Envoy of Sin's existences around the world. But they don't deserve to exist in the first place… even for inadvertent excuses."
"How cautious you are, Your Highness! You seem to have a fair ideology."
"No matter what, I stand with justice for my blood, people, and nation."
The Princess planned for a heavy interrogation in front of the boy who claimed to be an "Envoy of Sloth". However, the boy went clueless around her indignant questions awhile ago. He stared down to the ground while marching for his questionable arrest by the hands of the Princess and her crew. His desperate eyes left displaying his lost cause.
What happened? Where am I? Who are these people?.... Based on their appearance, it looks like they are like some sort of Western people, the young man thought with anxious eyes.
He couldn't unshackle from his cramped extremities. The seal was tight, giving no space for his wrists and ankles to shake. A night dreaded him over his trembling joints. The men in orange coats, even the Princess and Caroline, heard the clunking noises from behind him.
Caroline glared and scolded at him, "Silence, you cursed man! You have a right to be silent—whether verbally or non-verbally. I'll make sure we'll give you a strenuous treatment… even more."
The Princess sighed over her exaggeration, "Silence, Caroline. Never get excited over your deserving role. I suggest keeping your stress within yourself will suffice for his interrogative treatment."
Caroline smiled and saluted back at her, "Don't worry, Your Highness… or should I say, Princess Sara. Your pride in the name of justice pleased me with all my heart and soul."
"Get over yourself, Caroline," she sighed. "Even though you're a special commander here, treat him respectfully—for now."
"I feel deeply touched."
Caroline thanked Princess Sara for her charming words. Her gleaming eyes inspired every faithful nerve. She desired their sympathy between them, although the Princess mindfully shoved it away. She wanted a piece of frigid silence to relieve her stress from her royal duty. Her silent puff dispersed out of her exhaust.
Meanwhile, the lost boy had no familiar touch. He was curious, yet his fright came to his mind. He harked back to his heartbeat, although he couldn't get it back on this peculiar surface. His thoughts clouded with bloodbath from his past sight. He clenched his fist to wear out his jittery reminiscence.
What on earth was happening? Compared to my world, this is far worse than I could ever have imagined. I supposed that every isekai story had a peaceful start, but for me, it looks like my expectations ruined it all.
His jaw-dropping realization became nothing to describe. His fearful eyes left him in despair. Nothing could resist since there was no probable room to escape.
He mumbled, giving no attention, "What am I going to do?"
"Eh?"
But Caroline heard it. Her glare narrowed more than typically. She turned her head away since his face could vex her urge.
"Eff~"
Abruptly, a needle flew and prickled to his shoulder. The boy whiffed by the sudden thrust on his shoulder. He felt itchy since the targeted part was at least painful.
The glamorous, feminine whispered into his mindful ears, Hey! Can you hear me? Before saying any single word, please don't. That needle on your shoulder serves as our cognitive communication. If you can respond to me, just think of any words you want to tell me.
What? Who are you?
Good. For now, trust what I said to you. This is your only way to escape from these orange coats through my help. Be grateful for me as I stumble onto you. For answering your question, my name is Lilith Rose and I am just like you—differently.
While marching his legs forward, he broke off his sweat to perceive his inner focus. He mindfully smiled since he got someone on his back, although he hoped if he wouldn't catch their attention.
Ok, then what's your plan?
Just run.
W–What?
Lilith's simple words puzzled his doubtful mind. It was impossible for him to run straightforwardly with no alternative to avoid from getting shot. He urged himself to scratch his head. But a single rule from her was not to interrupt any physical reaction regarding their cognitive chat, or else Princess Sara and Caroline would suspect his unusual, nonverbal language.
He reverted to their chat, Are you kidding me?! This is totally absurd. How am I supposed to run like a crazy prisoner trying to escape while leaving himself wide open to these prison guards with rifles on them?
Trust me. This is your only way to escape. I will give them a first shot, then you're in the open way.
Have you prepared your set-up already? Looks like I have to monitor whatever you might take a shot.
That's the spirit. Before that, I will remind you that the blonde lady over there has an immensely lightning ability. You cannot take her guts away from you unless there might be some sort of weakness you can find from your perception. Speaking of perception, I think you mind that over for this time. Just a tip~.
So that's why she suddenly appeared before I spotted her from far away for a second….
Huh?
Nevermind on that, what's your go-signal then?
He asked her for a verification before she would take a first shot. He needed it to ensure what her plan would show how the plan worked on her way for him. Without the proper planning, his dying chance could rise at the top of the cliff.
She explained, Okay, here's the deal. I'll cast the ice bullets around them for a surprise. Of course, I might make some rustling sound around these woods, but I only hope that the shadows can provide me some cover. Plus, I would expect that they will disperse their position to avoid much crowded casualties. In that situation, that will be your open path to escape. While running, just focus on your perception to counter the blonde Princess' dash… I suggest breaking those chains of yours from her incoming strike will do the trick. Then, the rest will be up to me.
Lilith sounded like a trustworthy angel who could give him a stairway to paradise. She had analyzed and prepared everything to work out his way from their fallacy. And now, the only way for him to escape was doing what she instructed in all said procedures.
He envisioned the plan first before going through the green light. He tapped his index finger to clear his anxious thoughts from supporting his fear. Although the context was mysterious, he shoved his concerns and proceeded for a prepared sign.
Lilith warned him, Are you ready? If you say "Ok!", then count to three seconds for a sprint.
Sure.
I'll take that as another word!... In 3���
He rolled his eyes throughout the marching soldiers, even Princess Sara and Caroline.
2…
He twitched his toes to give out his clouded mind.
1…
He faced every side of the woods to figure out which one it was.
Suddenly, the rustling sound caught their attention as the ice crack followed the flow—it was at his left side. There were dozens of sharp, glittering glass-like bits, flying on the top of the woods and aiming at the hesitant units in orange coats.
Princess Sara called, "Disperse!"
The riflemen followed her command as they scattered their position.
Caroline had her jaw dropped as the bits flew and hit toward the ready riflemen. Some of them got their chest while others had their heads shot. She looked at the shackled boy, but he was gone, escaping to the left side of the path.
She then found him, running slowly since the chains made him struggling on his way out.
Caroline gripped her flintlock and cackled, "Why are you running like that?! It seems that you choose the wrong side. Here… how about some shot on your miserable feet?"
She aimed and fired at his feet to paralyze his struggling hurry; however, the bullet instead went to the chain strings and cut it with her unlucky shot.
"Fuck!"
The boy laughed as he finally rushed with his unshackled feet to the woods. He granted himself a grateful escape to his free paradise.
But Princess Sara saw him escaping, so she whooshed in lightning steps directly at him.
There it is!
The boy caught his wary perception as he heard the predictable sound, so he turned his head behind and aimed his chain at her, or rather her blade, striking above his head. He extended his chained hands to her incoming blade while his face dashed away from her thrusting path.
And then it finally worked. Her sword unshackled the chain with her inadvertent hit. Princess Sara clicked her tongue as she fell down to the ground while seeing the boy with his perfect freedom.
Following by, the overlong amethyst-haired lady in bare sheer dress and black masquerade mask appeared in front of the struggling blonde lady. She gripped a single handful ball of black smoke and threw it to the ground, unleashing in front of her.
"Damn it!"
A ruinous big black smoke rose around the radius while the Princess coughed from it. She couldn't dash through the smoke, so she gripped her flintlock while standing up from the ground and trying to aim at him.
"At least, I need your single wound."
She shot at the retreating lady, and the bullet went straight to her rear shoulder.
"Argh!"
Meanwhile, Lilith got her right shoulder numbed with a pang. She palmed over it to block from its bleeding, but her running state didn't change as she granted the boy to escape.
Eventually, her plan to help the escaping boy had succeeded.