TVGS 88

Chapter 88

“Sob, what do we do…?”

“There’s no way out.”

Hours later, we had all gathered in the center of the village.

Just a few hundred meters behind us, the monstrous flames licked the sky as though they would swallow the entire world.

“That’s Grandpa’s tree…”

A small child spoke sadly as they watched the tree at the village entrance burn.
The child’s mother hugged and soothed them softly.

The sight of the old tree being devoured by the massive fire made my chest ache as well.

I knew wildfires were terrifying, but seeing it destroy countless lives in the forest and turn the sky blood-red felt cruel.

Standing behind me, Alex murmured with a hollow expression.

“Are we… all going to die?”

At that moment, Heros returned, dragging Lucia and her group from the jail, tied together with ropes.

Their hair was dusted with black ash and soot stained their faces—it was clear Heros had barely managed to pull them out in time.

“Ugh… ughhhh…”

Lucia stared at the flames with a pale, empty face.

“Please… please, save me…”

“Don’t worry. You’re still useful,” I replied.

Lucia shrank back, looking at me as though I were a monster.

“Put these on the prisoners too,” I told the villagers, gesturing at the spare life vests we’d made earlier.

The villagers all wore the improvised neck-tube life vests too.

We had sewn together sleeping bags so they wouldn’t leak and attached straws to inflate them with air.

I took one from Heros and slipped it on as well.

Watching the prisoners being fitted with vests, I spoke.

“Normally, that fire would consume all of our lives.”

Despair filled the villagers’ faces.

Alex’s eyes were also dark with hopelessness.
He was standing on the edge of death, unable to even dream about becoming an imperial archer now.

I continued,

“But if someone could save you, how far would you go for them?”

Among the murmuring, one man shouted,

“I’d do anything! If only you’d save my wife and child… anything!”

“If we can just escape here, I’ll give up my house, my treasures, anything!”

“Please tell us what to do! How can we live?!”

The will to survive is strongest when death is at the door.

When I said this was their only chance at life, these innocent villagers wore the ridiculous vests without hesitation.

“Good. Remember that desperation.”

“Please, just save us!”

“Please!!”

I placed Biyo on my shoulder and stepped toward the flames.

“…My lady,” Heros said, his eyes dark as he looked at me.

He had opposed this plan fiercely when he learned why I had made the life vests, but I ordered him to follow.

If he truly wanted to stay by my side, he would obey this only way to save us both.

“Today, you saw nothing.”

I stopped and glanced sideways at those behind me.

“If you survive this fire, keeping your mouths shut shouldn’t be hard, right?”

My cold, villainess-like smile silenced them.

I planned to approach Etias without revealing myself, and especially the fact that I had a divine beast with me—it had to remain a secret.

“Ready?”

I looked at Biyo, marveling at the inventory system’s power.

So much water could fit in such a small space… incredible.

By now, the village reservoir must be completely dry.

“Biyo—”

Biyo chirped as if to say he was ready.

To avoid losing him in the current, I tied myself and Biyo together with a string.

“Then…”

Just as I was about to begin the plan—

…Trin—

From somewhere beyond the flames, I suddenly heard a voice call my name.

“That voice…”

I flinched in surprise, then shook my head.

No, it’s impossible. Etias wouldn’t be able to get through this fire.

I gripped Biyo tightly and used my fingers to open the inventory compartment full of water.

Whoooosh—

Like a dam bursting, an enormous torrent of water sprayed out from Biyo’s mouth in a wide fan.

Biyo faced the fire, and the pressure was so strong I was pushed backward as I held him.

“My lady.”

I felt Heros’ solid chest press against the back of my head as he steadied me.

But the relief lasted only a moment—the water pressure grew even stronger.

The torrent continued to flood toward the blazing forest that had threatened to consume us whole.

The fire was fierce, but the water was fiercer.

“Ugh…”

I heard Heros’ gritted voice as he tried to endure, but water was already rising to our ankles.

“Heros, just a little longer—ah!”

Finally, I lost my grip and let go of Biyo.

“My lady!”

All at once, a massive explosion of water erupted as Biyo unleashed everything at once, and we were swept away by the raging currents.

I must have made him drink too much water…

Thrashing my arms and legs in the torrent, I winced in pain.

My black wig slipped off instantly, and my real pink hair swirled through the water.

But this was the best option.

The inferno was too strong, and there was only one reservoir, so we had to be sure the fire was put out.

Ugh… I can’t… breathe…

As the last of the water left Biyo, he swam toward me.

He was a strong swimmer, like an axolotl.

I need to get to the surface.

I felt for my life vest, but it had been torn when I fell—it was just shredded fabric now.

Damn. I can’t swim… I’m doomed.

Just as I thought I was going to die—

I saw someone swimming rapidly toward me.

In the shimmering water before me was—

Etias.

Even as my consciousness blurred, my heart pounded with shock.

Why is he here? Shouldn’t he be in the capital, rebuilding the empire as emperor?

He grabbed me and began swimming to the surface.

Seconds later, I broke through the water, gasping for air.

I thought I was going to die for sure.

Biyo—still tied to me with the bead string—climbed onto my soaked back.

Relief washed over me as I looked at Etias, who was holding me against a tree as we floated.

His black hair was dripping wet, and his ocean-blue eyes were locked on me.

“…”

It had been a long time since we’d seen each other.

The last time had been in Cheongsa.

Back then, he had been a shabby official before the revolution, and I had been the glamorous Lady Ellemore.

But now I was dressed like an unremarkable villager, and Etias wore a luxurious uniform shirt.

We had changed so much it felt awkward.

What should I even say?

Etias’ face was stiff as he stared at me, as if something serious was on my face.

I didn’t know what to say first.

Should I mention the hearts? Thank him? Or…

My thoughts were a jumbled mess when suddenly his breath brushed close to me.