Rems River.
In the ancient Elven tongue, it is called ‘Ellaseles,’ meaning ‘the path that flows eternally.’
According to legend, it was the very first river to appear on the continent after the war of the ancient gods. For this reason, the old indigenous peoples regard it as a sacred river.
In truth, even without these legendary tales, it is an important place in its own right.
A massive river running through the heart of the northern continent, flowing westward into the sea. It serves as a waterway that passes through four nations: Lepent, the Southern Empire, Arian, and Lebanov.
In other words, nearly every ship bound for the north must pass through this river. It is truly worthy of being called the lifeblood of the north.
And at the crucial point of the Rems River, located between the Empire and the Republic, lies the Riverton Domain.
This was exactly where Glenn and his companions were headed.
“Ugh, Prince Glenn. How much farther do we have to go?”
Sophia, rubbing her eyes after dozing off in his arms, asked.
Glenn smiled gently as he replied.
“About two days from now. Feeling a bit restless?”
“Mm, just a little. I want to look outside, too.”
Normally, this would be dangerous in an ordinary carriage due to the shaking, but thankfully, this was a magic carriage. Different from the spatial magic carriage that Isabelle used.
It was a model that wasn’t cut off from the outside world, though it was just as expensive.
Stretching her body with a yawn, Sophia sat up, and Tessa, who was sitting opposite her, caught her before she could fall.
“Princess, did you get enough rest for your nap?”
“Mm! Hello, Sister Tessa.”
How many times does this child greet people in a single day? Even if she disappears from sight for just a moment, she greets them happily.
Watching Sophia, a smile never left Tessa’s lips.
“Is Sir Kyle still outside?”
“Yes… I’m sure he’s anxious.”
Most likely, he was smoking a pipe in the magical carriage. Tessa thought they should spend a bit more time together, but she quickly dismissed the idea.
It would be odd to meddle in someone else’s feelings.
“Wow, the sky is so beautiful!”
“Indeed.”
Sophia marveled at the scenery outside the window. It was no wonder—the sky had cleared beautifully after yesterday’s rain, revealing a particularly picturesque scene.
Clear, crisp clouds dotted a typically fine autumn afternoon.
Glenn suddenly recalled the day he parted with Isabelle.
***
Isabelle had lent the magic carriage to Sophia, knowing she was about to embark on a long journey. Considering its immense cost, it was no easy favor.
This showed how much she cared for Sophia and trusted Glenn.
Sophia had already been mentally prepared for this separation. Still, as the departure day approached, she cried and begged not to part with Isabelle.
Of course, it didn’t work.
“Listen carefully, Sophia. No matter who you meet in this world, there will come a day when you must part. Will you always throw a tantrum and cry like this when that happens?”
“But—”
“If you act like this now, Sister will be disappointed in you. Where there is a meeting, there will be a parting. And vice versa. Understand?”
These were words she had heard in her childhood, when she lost her birth mother. Her mother had cherished Isabelle more than anyone else.
“…I don’t know.”
Her eyes were swollen, lips trembling as she spoke, which was quite endearing. Isabelle chuckled softly and wiped away Sophia’s tears.
“It’s not like you won’t see her again. In just a little while, you’ll meet again. And you have to think about your mom and dad too, right?”
As her tone softened, big tears began welling up in Sophia’s large eyes.
“Okay.”
“Now, stop crying. What did Sister tell you to do?”
“To always cry out and stay graceful, yes.”
As she comforted Sophia, she glanced at Glenn.
“Sophia is still young. That means the prince must endure this hardship.”
“Hardship? It’s no hardship. Being with Princess Sophia is a joy.”
“…That’s fortunate. Anyway, may I entrust this child to you for a while?”
“Of course. I stake my name to guarantee Princess Sophia’s safety.”
He put his name on the line.
Isabelle was quietly surprised by that.
Men of the north rarely make promises under their own name. They must protect their word even at the cost of their lives.
Until now, Glenn had never once done so in conversation. Yet now, without hesitation, he staked his name.
Isabelle had recently learned this knowledge.
She had been studying the traditional culture and knowledge of the northern region bit by bit these days. She did not want to revisit the cultural clash she experienced during her duel with Count Raoul.
“Alright, I’ll trust you.”
She ran her hand over Sophia’s back once more before turning away with cool composure.
“Meetings are long; partings are short.”
That was Isabelle’s usual way of thinking.
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
While moving away, she looked back at Glenn and added a word.
“Birenti-Armosa.”
A Gypsy phrase.
“The meaning is probably, ‘Our paths will cross again.’”
It was a rather meaningful phrase.
“Farewell, Prince Glenn.”
As Glenn pondered the meaning, Isabelle resumed walking without waiting for a reply.
It meant she had said all she wanted to say and intended to leave.
A small chuckle escaped.
Was it just like her? Glenn smiled warmly and responded in kind.
She probably knew the meaning.
It was likely an Elven phrase he had heard once before.
“Gani Era Sherin Shar Era Shillian.”
May peace be with you, like the sunshine on a clear spring day.
“Farewell, Princess Isabelle.”
And so, Glenn and Isabelle parted with a brief farewell.
***
Glenn’s reverie was abruptly interrupted by Nedian’s voice.
“Master, a moment.”
As he stepped outside the carriage, the Lion Knights were busily moving about. At the edge of the forest, a large crowd could be seen.
At the same time, Nedian hurried over and explained the situation.
“They appear to be refugees.”
“Tsk.”
At the word ‘refugees,’ Glenn involuntarily clicked his tongue.
“What about ambushes?”
The road they were traveling was a forest path with sparse elm trees. It was the perfect terrain for an ambush if they wanted to.
“We sent Tristan to scout ahead.”
“If they make even the slightest mistake…”
Glenn cut off the sentence with a cold glare. There was no need to say more; everyone understood.
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Nedian, tense as ever, issued commands to the members. Watching the approaching column, Glenn furrowed his brows.
In this era, refugees were no different from bandits.
No, it was the same in his past life. Bandits disguised as refugees were quite common.
But Glenn’s thinking was more extreme. He believed half of these so-called refugees were already bandits.
Isn’t that too harsh? Not at all.
Those with nothing to lose and in desperation cannot be expected to have morals. Even the most upright and honest people can steal others’ possessions after three days of starvation.
It wasn’t a matter of good or evil. He wasn’t claiming morality was meaningless.
In desperate times, it was only natural to think of oneself and one’s family first.
At least, Glenn thought so. Therefore, he could understand them. But he would not tolerate them.
“The numbers are quite large. Shall we clear the way?”
As Nedian said, the refugee column was fairly long. Roughly estimated, between two to three hundred people.
In contrast, their combat personnel barely exceeded thirty. It was the combined number of the Lion Knights and the guards of Tessa and the Kyle family.
Among them were several who required protection: Tessa, Kyle, Sophia, of course, along with attendants and the merchant troupe belonging to Tessa’s family. At least a dozen.
“This is bad.”
It would be difficult to kill that many people quietly and without disturbance. The best course was to destroy the vanguard quickly and scatter them.
Glenn was already imagining the worst-case scenario.
“Can we manage a charge?”
If it were just him and the Lion Knights, they would have taken that approach, speeding forward with a charge.
“If it were just us, yes…”
Nedian’s gaze lingered on the magic carriage for a moment.
It was because of Sophia.
“…Alright. Let’s not provoke them unnecessarily. We’ll stop briefly and clear the way.”
At the same time, Glenn raised his right hand, sending a signal.
“All units, maximum alert. Escort the protected.”
The members confirmed the signal and formed ranks to disperse.
They all understood how dangerous the refugees could be. Glenn had warned them throughout their journey toward Arian.
In fact, dangerous situations had arisen several times due to refugees.
“Prince Glenn.”
A man with blue eyes and a faint scent of pipe tobacco approached.
“…Sir Kyle.”
He too seemed to sense the situation, his expression more rigid than usual.
“Refugees?”
“For now, yes.”
“Hm, that’s quite a number. Are you considering battle?”
A surprisingly candid question. Those without experience rarely imagined fighting refugees.
Glenn asked just in case.
“Have you had any encounters with refugees?”
“On the way to Arian, we met enemies disguised as refugees. One guard died, and two were injured.”
Anger flickered in Kyle’s eyes.
Good. There was no need for a lengthy explanation.
Glenn nodded.
“Then there’s no need for further explanation. Make sure your guards and attendants are alert.”
His stern gaze locked with Kyle’s.
To deliver a very strong warning.
“Never meet their eyes. And no matter how pitiful they seem, do not hand over a piece of bread or a single coin.”
It might seem harsh, but it was the best course. Glenn was confident in this, both in the current time and during the Riclang era.
“…Understood. Should I relay this to Tessa’s people as well?”
“That would be good. By the way, can you fight?”
At the question, Kyle chuckled.
“Ha, I’ve had three assassins sent after me. I can protect myself well enough, so don’t worry.”
He took out a dagger from his waist and spun it skillfully. It was clear he was no novice.
This man had lived quite a turbulent life.
Though sometimes unpleasant, he wasn’t entirely detestable.
“No, it’s not that I worry about you, but go and make sure Tessa and the others are safe.”
“…You leave me no room to refuse.”
After a while.
Several carriages pulled off to the side of the road.
And Glenn faced a large crowd.
Dirty clothes, worn-out faces. Typical refugees.
However,
at the head of the column, there were surprisingly several armed men.
Glenn instinctively gripped the hilt of his longsword tightly at his waist.