Published: January 4, 2026
“Buhihihiiiiinn!!”
After letting out a neigh so filled with agony that even I, a human, could clearly sense it, the horse suddenly collapsed at the knees and fell down.
Hearing the cry from my back, I immediately realized what was happening and jumped off just in time to avoid injury.
I landed lightly and quickly moved toward the horse.
The horse lying on the ground flailed its four legs weakly, and its face was deeply marked with exhaustion.
It was a kind of fatigue that went beyond the limit.
“...Apophis, ease its pain.”
I stretched out my hand and gave the order.
The ring glowed, concentrating its light into a transparent liquid that was absorbed into the horse’s mouth.
After a while, the pain disappeared from the horse’s face, and it passed away peacefully.
“Good work... thank you.”
I crouched down and gently closed the horse’s eyelids.
Then I stood up and looked around.
Before dawn on the highway, there was no sign of any other person.
Neither ahead nor behind, no one but me could be seen. It would have been easier if someone had happened to pass by, but it couldn’t be helped.
“For now, it’s on foot—hmm.”
Resolving myself, I tried to start walking again, but suddenly my legs wobbled.
I nearly collapsed to my knees too, but I quickly braced myself and stood firm.
I thought it was only natural, but I couldn’t afford to stop here.
“Apophis, once more (...).”
“——”
“It’s my own body; I know my Line (...). Do it.”
Apophis seemed worried about my body, but I rejected that and gave the order again.
There was no other way to interpret it; I commanded in a tone that left no room for objection.
After about a breath’s pause, the ring overflowed with light again, this time turning into a deep navy drop.
A single drop, floating in midair. I scooped it up with my palm and put it into my mouth.
Immediately, my eyes cleared more effectively than any strong black tea.
“All right... let’s go.”
Encouraging myself aloud, I started running at a light jog.
If I could reach the next town, I could probably get a horse somehow.
Just a little more endurance now.
After running for a while, on the horizon I saw a carriage stopped beside the highway.
Several men who looked like bodyguards surrounded the carriage.
Since I had gotten close enough to clearly see the details of the men, they could see me just as well.
Perhaps recognizing me, the men moved as if to report something toward the carriage.
At that moment, a woman got down from the carriage.
Seeing her, I immediately stopped running and halted a little in front of the carriage.
Then I faced her.
The woman bowed her head to me politely.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Your Majesty.”
“Cindy? Why are you here?”
The woman was familiar; her name was Cindy Alan.
Decades ago, when I was still a child, I met her at a party hosted by the then third prime minister. She was the stepdaughter of the merchant Pylon Alan.
Back then, she was also a child, but her intelligence and fearlessness left a strong impression on me, which eventually connected me to Pylon.
We had known each other since childhood—if we were commoners, we’d be childhood friends.
Yet here was Cindy, somehow waiting for me on the highway.
“If you continued at express speed, the calculation was that the horse would collapse around here.”
“I see.”
“Please get in. We have prepared fresh horses for a distance just enough to finish your conversation.”
“As sharp as ever.”
I praised Cindy and got into the carriage.
Once inside, I was a little surprised.
I had assumed no one else was there besides Cindy, but there were actually two men.
They were not just any men; both wore black blindfolds signaling their blindness.
Besides them, the carriage contained an armchair.
“Please, Your Majesty. I have brought skilled masseurs. Of course, they are both blind and deaf, so you can speak freely.”
“I see.”
Masseurs—blind people are known to be especially skilled at massage.
There’s a common misconception that they do it only because they have no other work, but the truth is that many blind people naturally have heightened tactile senses, allowing them to understand muscle conditions better than most, which leads to their skill.