A year ago-
When Yasiris turned, being chased by something unknown...
"What...?
He's a human?"
cry! squeak!
Griffin repeatedly thrusts his head toward her for some mysterious reason, and a woman on his back looks at her curiously.
“I'm sorry for scaring you.
I didn't expect him to attack you so suddenly...
Hold on!”
Bang-!
The griffin, who was smelling Yasaris all over him, was hit on the back of the head and fell to the ground, scowling.
The scene was so funny that Yasiris suddenly felt all her tension go away, and she fell to the ground.
She had a severe headache as the last effects of her fever took hold.
Struggling to regulate her breathing, Yasaris tried to get up, but when her body wouldn't cooperate, she gave up and looked at the woman.
“Excuse me, but who... could you be?”
There was a reason for her uncertain tone.
First, the woman's robe was clearly made of very fine fabric.
Her delicate features, too refined for common people, and her casual way of speaking in an informal language made her identity even more suspicious.
At first, the idea of riding a griffin was ridiculous.
After all, griffins are known as untamable beasts.
"A transient traveler?
Well, my identity doesn't really matter."
The woman ignored it carelessly, looking at Yasiris curiously.
"But I'm curious about you.
This is the first time Ben has reacted this way."
“React this way…?”
“Yes, he would almost die to eat you.
He didn't act like that even when I gave him a special treat.”
Yasiris recoiled at the horrified words.
She thought about escaping again, but with her body in this state, escaping from the griffin was impossible.
Winning his master's favor seemed more realistic.
The idea had barely occurred to her when the words exploded in her head.
“Please help me.”
“Hmm?”
“Can you take me with you?”
Yasiris quickly assessed the situation.
If she could get this woman's help, not only would she be able to survive, but she might also be able to fake her death and escape.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Because she would have to live as a commoner if she succeeded in escaping, she did not bother to confirm her status.
Instead, I used polite language to this stranger, humbly and desperately asking for her help.
“If you help me, I will find a way to repay you.
I can give you everything I have.
So please...”
“Sorry, but I'm not interested in wealth.
I don't want to get involved with the nobles either.”
Yasiris was left speechless by the immediate rejection.
While the reason for the rejection was logical, she was surprised by the fact that the woman had recognized her as a noble and still had such an attitude.
Who is she?
As Yasiris struggled to find her words, the dark blue-haired woman shrugged.
“Besides, what makes you think you can trust me?
I could just kidnap you and sell you to a slave trader or throw you to Ben as a snack.”
“If you were that kind of person, you would have taken me with you right away.”
“What if I just pretend to be nice?”
“However, I still ask for your help.
Whatever kind of person you are, following you would be better than staying here.”
Yasiris's blue eyes met the woman's golden eyes, both searching each other's gaze, probing each other's intentions.
Munch-!
Mansh-!
In the ensuing lull, the griffin, which was lightly chewing on the hem of Yasaris' clothing, received a swift punch to the back of its head.
Wack-!
cry-!
"This damn thing...!
Anyway, what's your name?"
Yasiris, who was so focused on the woman that she didn't notice the griffin's behavior, hurriedly gathered her clothes.
She hesitated for a moment about whether to give a fake name, but something told her that lying might make the woman turn her back.
So she decided to reveal her true identity.
"Yasaris.
Yasaris Tinilath."
"Tinelath?
As in Tinelath Ozephia?"
Yasiris answered cautiously, watching the woman closely,
“Yes, I am the Empress, for now.”
The woman was clearly surprised, but it seemed to be more due to the name “Tinilath” than her being an empress.
As if to confirm Yasiris's suspicions, the woman's behavior remained unchanged even after she learned that she was the Empress.
Rather, her eyes sparkled with interest, and she looked at her impudently from top to bottom.
“Ah, that explains it...
What, did you kill your husband and run away or what?”
"What?"
Yasiris's mouth opened wide at the woman's outrageous comment.
But the woman continued, unaffected by her shock.
“The blood on your clothes is Tinilath’s, isn’t it?
Ben is acting dizzy, so he must be.”
Yasiris was once again surprised by the woman's words as she held the griffin's head tightly.
She wondered how the woman knew about Tinilath, something she was completely unaware of.
But now was not the time to ask questions.
“That's true, but I didn't do it.
And he's still alive.”
“That's a shame.”
“…It is a shame for the Emperor to be alive?”
Yasiris's confidence was shaken.
She began to wonder if it was wise to follow this dangerous woman, her uncertainty evident on her face.
The woman replied with a bright smile.
"I'm just kidding, relax.
I'm actually in favor of continuing the Tenilath bloodline for a long time.
I've always wanted to kidnap one and see what I can do."
"Understood."
“Is this a joke too?”
Yasiris couldn't force herself to smile and instead looked at the woman in confusion, who then laughed.
“Are you making it too complicated?
What I'm saying is that I'm going to kidnap you.
It looks like you're trying to escape, so I'm going to make it look like you're dead and take you with me.”
"Oh...!
Thank you!"
“But there is a condition.”
The woman raised her hand, stopping Yasiris's moment of joy.
She narrowed her golden eyes, sparkling with an almost smug brilliance.
"I mentioned that, didn't I?
I've always wanted to take Tenilath and see what I can do."
“But I don’t have Tinilath blood.”
“Right.
But he has the baby in your belly, right?”
Yasiris's eyes widened in shock.
"this… !!"
"In exchange for taking you and protecting you, I will take your child.
Don't even think about denying it.
I can see everything."
Yasiris opened and closed her mouth several times before clenching her jaw.
She wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach and struggled to stand.
“No, I can't give up my baby.”
“Why?
You don’t seem to love your husband, considering you ran away.”
“Because he is my baby.”
Yasaris offered no further explanation.
She didn't need that.
What motivates a mother to protect her child?
[You are the most precious thing I have, Yasiris.
One day, when you have a baby, you'll understand.
Although that day is still far away]
The warm sound echoed in her ears.
She wanted to reflect on the memory of her long-dead mother, but the situation was too urgent.
Yasiris began to carefully step back, staring at the woman.
“If you ask for my child, I will not go with you.”
“Hmm?”
“Why don't we go our separate ways?
I'll go my own way now, if you please—”
“It seems you are mistaken.”
The woman let out a light laugh and moved the griffin closer, closing the distance between them.
"Actually, you don't have a choice.
You said this was kidnapping, didn't you?
You know what that means, don't you?"
“You can't be serious!”
"Don't worry too much.
I'm not planning to do anything drastic to a newborn.
For the sake of a long-term experiment, I'll make sure the baby grows up well."
“Are you saying you're going to raise my child as some sort of test subject?!”
Yasiris shouted, her voice full of anger.
That kind of intensity would have made any normal person recoil, but it had no effect on the mysterious woman.
Instead, she looked at Yasiris with a face full of disbelief.
“What did you expect?
That I would help you escape the empire or hide without asking for anything in return?
You really don’t know how the world works, do you?”
“I said I would not give up my child.”
“And I told you, all I want is the Tinilath bloodline.”
“Then take something else—!”
"You."
Bang-
Yasiris did not understand what was happening for a moment.
She couldn't figure out why she suddenly fell to her knees or why she struggled to breathe.
"Don't make me repeat myself.
I said I'd take your baby."
The woman's voice, tinged with annoyance, came from above her.
Yasiris could not look up, pinned down by an invisible force, but she knew it was the woman's doing.
charm?
But there were no spells.
Her mind went blank, overwhelmed by a power she had never encountered before.
She finally understood why the woman was so confident – she was strong enough to stand up to even the Emperor.
But there was no way Yasiris could give up now.
The real reason she risked her life to escape Kazan was to protect her child.
“Please...”
Yasiris gathered the last remaining breath in her lungs, pleading desperately.
Her voice, mixed with frustration and despair, trembled faintly.
“Not...my baby.”
"You know, I should have mentioned this earlier.
Trying to gain my sympathy won't work…."
The woman's voice suddenly cut off, and the oppressive force surrounding Sisaris calmed down.
Yasiris gasped for breath, and looked up to see the woman with a strange expression.
"What is this?"
Confusion, doubt.
The woman stared intently at the blood seeping from Yasiris's bruised knees, as if she were stunned.
Her golden eyes looked at the wound for a moment, seeing something beyond comprehension, before they slowly rose.
She studied Yasiris's face, taking in every detail while Yasiris stood there, confused as to how to respond.
After what seemed like an eternity of silence, the woman raised an eyebrow and asked:
“Are you, by any chance, Lilia's daughter?”