TOPWL 263

The Empress’s troops in the lead tried to retreat too late. The people behind them kept pushing forward, so the soldiers at the front had to take the arrows. In an instant, nearly thirty men from the empress’s side became arrow shields. Three or four military doctors ran toward Yudit.

“We….”

“You’re Prince Yudit. We brought a stretcher. Please come inside immediately.”

“I don’t need a stretcher….”

Yudit tried to say he could walk on his own. At that moment, Shane’s head leaned heavily against Yudit’s back.

“……Shane?”

Shane didn’t answer. A cold sensation started from Yudit’s spine and wrapped around his entire body.

“Shane!”

Yudit couldn’t move because he was worried Shane might fall off the horse. He just shouted Shane’s name at the top of his lungs. Yudit’s face turned pale as he spoke to the doctors.

“Qu-quickly. No, move slowly so he doesn’t get hurt. Just, please do something….”

“Yes, we understand.”

The doctors skillfully set up the stretcher and laid Shane’s body on his side. Shane was placed on the stretcher with a sliding stolen content sound. That was when the numerous arrows stuck in Shane’s back became visible. Shane looked like a hedgehog, and Yudit’s heart sank at the sight. No matter how distracted he was, he should’ve expected this. He only escaped with a graze on his arm because someone else was blocking the arrows for him.

Yudit got off his horse and followed the doctors with unsteady steps. People were moving busily inside the tent. There weren’t many urgent patients, so three or four doctors could focus on a single person. A doctor ripped Shane’s coat with a knife and carefully cut the armor’s joints with scissors. Arrows that weren’t deeply embedded fell to the ground during the process.

“Bring the disinfectant and the hemostatic agent!”

“Get the bandages too, quickly!”

Yudit stared blankly at Shane amidst the shouting. Shane had lost consciousness and was frowning. Yudit bit his lip when he saw Shane’s pale complexion for the first time.

“I’ll help you with your treatment.”

A doctor approached Yudit with bandages, disinfectant, and a hemostatic agent. The clothes around Yudit’s arm were stained red where the arrow had grazed him. Yudit shook his head.

“It’s nothing. Go over there and check on Shane.”

The doctor knew Yudit was a prince. He hesitated between treating the prince and following the command. Suddenly, a voice spoke up from behind.

“You must receive treatment.”

Bagon was being treated by a doctor on the next bed. Yudit realized he hadn’t checked on Bagon yet, so he approached him.

“Bagon, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I was far in the front [unauthorized copy]and then moved to the back. They couldn’t fire arrows for a while after I attacked. Besides, I wore quite sturdy armor.”

Bagon tapped his loosened armor.

“Ah, this is….”

Yudit recognized Bagon’s armor. It was a handmade piece made of monster leather by the weapon shop owner they met before.

“It smells a bit, but it’s light and tough. It’s perfect for a war zone.”

“If only Shane had worn this too….”

“Now, now. Stop the regrets and get treated first. Shane is a guy with a long life line. Shane would also want Your Highness to be treated.”

“It’s just a graze.”

“A metal arrowhead grazed you. That’s the arm you use for your sword, so you must treat it as soon as possible.”

Yudit had no choice but to receive treatment because of Bagon’s words. He showed his wound to the doctor while he watched Shane’s back, which was still covered in arrows. It felt like he was making a fuss over nothing.

“Fortunately, the wound isn’t deep. The bleeding has already stopped. However, the wound might open up, so you shouldn’t use your arm for about a week.”

“I see. Thank you.”

The doctor gave a shy smile and started wrapping the bandage around Yudit’s arm. Yudit noticed the doctor’s boyish appearance and suddenly asked him a question.

“How old are you?”

“I’m seventeen.”

Yudit let out a low sigh. It meant he had dragged someone into war who hadn’t even been an adult for two years. He also remembered the doctor who died at the hands of the Empress’s men in the safe house. That man was also barely over twenty. Garen, Edmond, Darion, and Darius crossed Yudit’s mind. He wondered what happened to them. Yudit shook his head to escape the worst-case scenarios. He suddenly felt sick of everything.

“If I become the Emperor, I’ll make sure there’s no unnecessary bloodshed during my reign.”

“You’ll create a good world then,” Bagon said playfully. The painkillers had taken effect.

Yudit stood up and looked at Shane with a heavy heart.

“Where is Khalid? Is he hurt?”

“His Excellency is… in the tent at the eastern end. If you go outside and walk eighty, no, a hundred steps, you’ll find it. I don’t think he has visited the clinic.”

The doctor spoke with a stutter while he stood at stiff attention.

“I see. Thank you.”

“Someone went to inform him that Your Highness has arrived, so he might be on his way here.”

Yudit nodded and prepared to leave the tent. Just then, someone ran inside and screamed at the top of their lungs.

“The gates are open! The Empress’s army is coming!”

The sound of horns and the whistling of arrows filled the air outside. The sound of horse hooves and soldiers running grew closer.

“Protect the clinic! The Prince is inside!”

“Boil hot water and prepare bandages! Bring everything you can from the warehouse right now!”

The experienced doctors gave orders to the others. The panicked doctors calmed down and followed the instructions. A doctor saw Yudit near the entrance and blocked his path.

“Please don’t go outside if possible. It’s dangerous.”

“I understand. You should also change into armor, Sir.”

Yudit looked at the doctor’s light attire. The doctor shook his head.

“I’m wearing cloth armor underneath. Leather or iron armor is too heavy, so I can’t examine patients properly.”

“……I see.”

“Besides, the clinic is the safest place in the camp. In other words, if the army reaches this point, there’s no chance of survival even if I wear armor.”

“……What’s your name?”

“It’s Kindra.”

“I’ll remember it.”

The doctor bowed and left to organize the supplies from the warehouse. Yudit approached Shane. The latter still hadn’t regained consciousness. Yudit grabbed his hand. He flinched because Shane’s skin was as cold as a corpse. His grip on Shane’s hand tightened.

“Shane, you must live. You have to see the world I create.”

Shane had survived many life-and-death situations with Yudit. This gave Yudit hope that Shane might survive this time too.

“The…… is……!”

“From…… to……, only…… give up……!”

Voices, boots, and horse hooves swirled outside the tent. Yudit desperately wanted to open the tent and check the situation. It felt like the enemy could burst in with swords at any moment. Yudit’s nails clicked against the edge of his sword’s hilt. His anxiety must have reached Ru, because his stomach started to churn. Yudit bit his lip and stroked his stomach.

“Excuse me….”

Yudit turned around when he heard a voice. The young doctor he saw earlier handed Yudit a cup of warm water.

“It’s warm water. You looked so tense, so I thought…… I’m sorry if I’m overstepping.”

Yudit realized his body was soaked in cold sweat. He was losing his mind because of the chaos inside [unauthorized copy]and out. Yudit smiled slightly and took the cup. The doctor’s face brightened instantly.

“I-it’ll be fine. His Excellency is undefeated, and we have many soldiers, and we have new weapons too….”

The doctor was cute for trying to make Yudit feel better despite being nervous himself.

“Yes, you’re right.”

Yudit nodded. Right then, a loud horn sounded again. Yudit and the doctor both looked toward the sound. A soldier ran into the clinic shortly after and shouted.

“The Empress’s army is coming from the back too! We’re…… we’re surrounded!”