Only with Your Heart

Suddenly I glanced away from Exia's face and saw several knights of escort standing over her shoulder.

Can I call you knights... they were guys with an atmosphere somewhat like a bunch of rogues to observe from messy clothes and weapons in their hands. No matter how hard you look at it, you can't feel the sharp (pieces) of honesty that cloud chivalry, men with sharp eyes.

"So... what are you going to do with us... what?

Squeezing out his trembling voice, Chizuru asked a question he didn't want to know the answer to.

Exhia's expression gleams like a sudden victory.

"Come on, I don't know what to do"

But Exia doesn't look like she's lost.

"I can kill you here and give you the body. But then you'll have less fun. I still want you to die in front of him. In pain if possible......"

He had a mixed look of innocence and trance, like a child inquisitive of afternoon treats. I still wonder if Exia has touched her mind...... Because there are good reasons for that.

Then a man in a sharp black outfit with a glimpse, refraining behind Exia, takes a step forward.

Maybe the man who attacked Chizuru and Bal in the castle. Somewhere, I felt like I looked familiar. If so, it's a pretty good one.

The man in black softly ears something at Exia.

Exia let her eyes shine and let her snuggle twice.

"That's a good idea."

The blue eyes of the brutally cloudy Countess inexorably snarl a thousand cranes. With something in mind, I adorned my lips with a smile that seemed sincerely satisfied with that imagination.

"That's a good idea."

Exia repeated. A chill strikes a thousand cranes, like ice slipping down your spine.

"You choose. Protect the life of the Duke of Ruklov or protect your own life..."

Approaching that point, Exia has secretly unveiled a brutal plan to Thousand Cranes' ears so that Bal wouldn't hear her.

─ ─ If you clear your ears and close your eyes, I feel like I can hear you now, even in this distant and lonely prison.

The happiness we shared, the misery we crossed together, the future we promised from the bottom of our hearts. Everything is remembered as Ming Ming (Akane) and I can clearly feel your powerful arm.

I wasn't lost in Chizuru.

However, when I thought there was his suffering ahead of that answer, my chest hurt like it was ripped off.

It was in a gloomy forest.

After being walked for about two hours, holding his hands together by a fat rope and making sure that he was pulled by a horse, Chizuru and the others were finally set to face the army of knights headed by Luklov.

I'm not sure if this was a pre-designated place, or if it was shaped to meet each other on the road. Forcing the forcible army, Chizuru could think of nothing but moving his legs forward. Bal of the Pledge of Request was tied to a rope tougher than a thousand cranes, and he was even bitten by a monkey (sawdust), so he wouldn't even have had a chance to resist.

The victory is visible.

─ ─ It did not seem sane to see such a grandiose and dispassionate army confronting a rogue remnant group led by Exia.

I'm thirsty from teasing, and it hurts.

How much I would have hoped this moment would not come.

Thousands of cranes prayed that time would stop, surrounded by the dirty sweat of the men and the wild smell of the horses. I hoped that the decisive moment that Exhia planned would not be visited forever. But the more in a hurry, the more time passes in turbidity.

If you noticed, Ruklov was already right in front of you.

I wanted to go back to him so badly, and now, it's so painful to breathe.

Oh, Luklov.

Somehow, absolutely, we have to protect him.

Chizuru turned his face everywhere and looked for that sharp eyed man in black, but he didn't see it. Bad sign. I guess that guy's hiding somewhere in the woods already.

With an arrow shooting at Ruklov's heart.

If there was a way to save him, there was only one thing that Chizuru had to shield himself from.

Even though it was only for a few days, Ruklov's length, covered in clams (crunchy tears), seemed to have lost some weight. Short-cut black hair seemed to be gone for days, rough and disturbed, but instead it had given him the power of a wild lion.

I carry a sword, but not armor.

In other words, Ruklov prioritized mobility over his own safety. Quick, quick, so we can get Chizuru back.

But then, you can't snipe an arrow aimed at his life.

"In a good mood, Duke of Luklov! Is this what you're looking for?

Exhia's playful voice, which leaped (mostly) to the head, broke the silence between the two armies.

Horses on both sides are snorting roughly and stepping on the spot. The horse and the weapon made a ragged noise, but there was no one to talk to but Exia.

"Please look, this woman ran away from you after meeting this knight! By chance, we found it and captured it… and you dropped your father's neck because of a total misunderstanding."

Chizuru, standing next to Exia, was pushed on the back and pushed forward, not only telling her to try to elucidate if she could.

Baru, who is captured far away, has been bitten by monkeys and can't say anything, but Chizuru is free except with his hands tied. Chizuru can raise his voice and shout that such is a lie.

But.

But I'm sure, if you do that, Lucrov's life is in danger.

That man in black is setting up an arrow from somewhere. If you're a regular Luklov, you don't show this alarm to your enemies. But now he looked too defenseless.

Still... eyes staring at Chizuru to drown in the moment.

The hand holding the reins is gripped so tight that the joints become white. Several scratches were running around the cheeks.

Please, please, believe Exia's lies.

Cut me off as a traitor's ass light bitch such as Chizuru, and run away from here. And forget me, and be happy.

I knew it was impossible, but Chizuru couldn't help wishing for such a miracle.

"Why don't you say something, you mundane whore"

Soon after that, Exia grabbed Chizuru's collar.

Cough leaks out of my throat, forced all the way through my neck and spine. Exia whispered with a raw, warm breath as she leaned her lips against Thousand Cranes' ears.

"The man is on a big oak tree on his right. If we're going to do anything stupid... you know what I mean?

Indeed, the depressed and lush giant trees were forested to the right from the thousand cranes.

Ruklov does not keep it slight, but looks quietly at Chizuru.

Behind him was an army, but not so many as a great army. I guess it would be much more advantageous than the rogue army in Exia, but it was a mystery whether it was dominant enough to be annihilated in an instant.

I mean, if it's a fight, you can win. But it takes some time, that is.

There were tears in Chizuru's eyes.

"Yes... Lucroff"

Somehow, with only a few successful smiles, Chizuru squeezed out his voice.

"I... am tired of you now... He's younger and fresher. Please, leave us alone, you marry Lady Exia."

─ ─ Thousands of cranes will never forget the look Luklov gave them at this moment.

Don't hang up, don't hang up.

At the same time, however, his face was adorned with a gentle smile that showed some understanding. It's not anger, it's not sadness, just letting the compassionate affection of Thousand Cranes loose all over your body.

Chizuru remembered the illusion that the two souls had become one.

At a time like this. Chizuru hurt him with lies, and the two of them could be torn apart by fate like this and never be happy again...... at a time like this.

"Really."

And, Chizuru added.

Ruklov quickly reached for the sword behind him as he snorted small.

The sound of the hooves rocks the forest like a grunt, and the men with their swords thrust in as they raised their voices. The sky turned away, and the earth vibrated to tear.

In Chizuru's eyes, all of that reflected badly and slowly.

It was difficult for Chizuru, with her hands tied, to run like sewing through the war. Right next door the horse falls over and is about to be blown away by the shock. Still desperate to stand back, Chizuru ran.

Luklov.

Of all the confusion, it was easy to find him.

Chizuru could feel him.

And I think I could also read his crisis...

Ruklov was wielding a long, red and black wet sword, cutting enemies off from the horse. The men's eyes glowed to an unusual degree, screaming as creepy as a deceased crawling up from the abyss of hell.

"Luklov!"

When Chizuru screamed, Ruklov raised his face.

And Ruklov did what a knight should not do for the rest of his life. I let go of my sword. During the intense battle, the sound of Ruklov's sword falling to the ground was sucked in and not heard.

He stretched out his hands and lifted Chizuru up on his horse to gather the scattered sand.

"Chizuru..."

The cuddly Ruklov voice tickles Chizuru's ears.

If both hands were free, even Thousand Cranes held him back. But all Chizuru could do was look up at Ruklov and rinse his whole body against him.

Keep it up, here, I hope time stops.

As Chizuru raised his face, he could see something squeaky and tearful floating in Ruklov's eyes, which were closed all the time. Oh, Luklov. Luklov.

Chizuru also wanted to close his eyes and carve this moment into his chest.

But the bright light flashed at the edge of my vision, and I saw an arrow emitting in a straight line towards this one. On a large oak tree on your right. Exactly, from the same place Exia advised.

There was only one thing Chizuru could do.