**Note: This chapter is not NTR, but the scene could be seen as the start of one... No, definitely not.**

…

"P-Princess...!" Rico gasped as he moved to hug Princess Sophia while waving his staff. "La spiera irà sol ma! Flame Spear!"

In an instant, he cast the spell, hitting Axel squarely in the face.

"Hmm?"

Although it surprised him slightly, Axel remained unfazed thanks to his Overdrive buff, which enveloped him in a thin film of mana—effectively a mana barrier. As a result, half-hearted attacks like Rico's could barely touch him.

Rico's magic fell into that category; it didn't even ruffle Axel's clothes!

"Tsk!"

Realizing that his prized attack had no effect, Rico understood he had no chance of winning. However, he thought that since Axel was also human, there was still a chance to get Sophia to safety!

All he needed to do was keep attacking to block Axel's line of sight until they could create enough distance!

"Ah... Don't make me waste my energy more than this." Axel scoffed, not amused by Rico's efforts.

In a single step—his STR and AGI at their maximum of 2,500 points—he closed the distance between them. Without hesitation, his fist swung toward Rico's face.

To Rico, it looked as if a mountain was heading straight for him!

'No way I can block this...!'

Though he knew he couldn't fight, he held onto Sophia, bracing for the incoming fist of death... but the fist stopped just an inch from his face.

Only the wind pressure continued, sending his head swinging back violently. The force was so violent that it propelled his entire body a few meters away. His brain felt shaken, his vision spun, and his hearing became muddled, as if he were submerged in deep water.

The sudden change in air pressure caused his eardrums to explode!

With a shaken brain and fluid-filled semicircular canals, broken eardrums, and a bleeding nose, he felt various ailments hit him all at once, making him stagger and collapse to the ground.

This injury should have been enough to render someone unconscious—

"UGH!"

But Rico persevered through sheer willpower.

He opened his eyes wide, slowly crawling into an upright position despite the spinning world around him, and stared at Axel. The man's face became clearer as he approached.

Axel frowned; he couldn't believe was made to do something unnecessary. He walked closer, crouching in front of Rico, and glaring.

"I'm just taking her prisoner, not killing her... You'll see her again soon. But if you do anything foolish again, I'll make sure to kill you first." He warned.

"..."

Rico was paralyzed with fear.

Not only that, but he was also too dizzy to talk or chant. His staff had suddenly vanished, leaving him unable to cast even if he wanted to.

But forcing himself, he managed to utter a few syllables. "Pri... un..." urging Princess Sophia to run.

He glanced to the side, hoping she'd understand his message, but...

"Please take me away, handsome sir~!"

"...?"

Both Rico and Axel couldn't help but tilt their heads in confusion.

Suddenly, Sophia stopped resisting.

No, rather, she was offering herself as a prisoner without a hint of hesitation! She walked over to Axel, presenting her wrists together, as if waiting to be cuffed!

"No...!" Rico reached toward her, but his hands fell powerlessly.

His vision was darkening already. Given a few more seconds, he'd surely faint. But before that, he hoped to at least let Sophia—the woman he loved but couldn't have—escape...

Sophia turned to him slowly, her eyes clear and pure, a sincere smile gracing her lips—not a fake one, but genuine.

"Rico..." Her next words made him question his life choices. "I... found my soulmate! I'll be going with him. So please tell Father about my decision later~!"

It was love at first sight!

"...Huh?"

Rico and Axel muttered at the same time. Even Navi and Mimir, watching from the sidelines, could only stare in disbelief at the incomprehensible situation.

Everyone but Sophia was confused!

"W-Well, then, I'll be taking her," Axel muttered, snapping back to reality.

From the shop, he grabbed a pair of handcuffs and used them on the princess. But as he did, she responded to his earlier monologue directed at Rico.

"Yes, please! Take me away, my prince charming!"

"No, I don't mean it that way... I'm already married, technically, after all."

"Ah! As expected of the one I fell for! But don't worry, my love, I don't mind being even your 10th concubine~!"

"But I do mind..."

Axel turned to Rico, noticing the truly pained and confused expression on his face as he fainted. He was fortunate not to have heard her last few words; otherwise, he might've vomited blood from the shock!

Of course, Axel had no intention of keeping the princess for himself.

Considering their future relationship with the empire, starting with this event, marrying her wouldn't smooth things over. Instead, it would simply provoke the empire to retaliate.

In short, to Axel, this blind princess was nothing but a ticking time bomb.

"Anyway, shut up for now," Axel spat, his expression souring.

However, his attempt at intimidation didn't seem to work as intended.

"Ahh~..."

Sophia let out a soft sigh as she fell to the ground, trembling slightly as she lost strength in her legs. "That strong gaze... Looking at me as if I'm trash... Got me so fucking wet..."

"..."

That was information Axel didn't need to hear.

A moment later, he dropped a bottle of potion beside the injured Rico and moved around the carriages, taking everything except food and water for the remaining soldiers.

The quantity he left, if used sparingly among the 250 something remaining people, could last them about a week. But unfortunately, this was insufficient to either retreat to the empire or reach Axevaria.

Axel returned and lifted the princess as if she were a sack of potatoes, tossing her over his shoulder before taking off into the air, ignoring her squeals and heading straight west.

As they departed, something glowed in the skies to the east, the direction of the empire.

Figures soared through the air, riding what appeared to be small dragons—wyverns.

But upon arrival, what they saw made them grit their teeth.

The bloody aftermath.

Countless corpses lay scattered; bodies were barely left intact. A tragic scene from any perspective.

And finally... the missing signal source of the Sanctuary Pendant.

"Sophia...!"

This situation was far from over.

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