Extra S*ave Saves the Crown Prince Chapter 6

When I closed my eyes, I felt a droplet of water run down my cheek, but I ignored it. I imagined a familiar scene.

 

That place may have already been destroyed by the explosion, but I could only hope it was safe. A small building with white walls. A path paved with stones leading up to it.

 

The chapel at the edge of the cliff. Let’s go there.

 

A searing heat rose from beneath my feet and wrapped around my whole body. I felt Aunt Noah flinch, so I gripped her hand tighter. When the heat reached all the way to the top of my head, a smoky smell and wind came first.

 

When I opened my eyes, the chapel from my imagination was right there.

 

“Oh, God.”

 

Aunt muttered, seeking God without thinking. My breath was ragged, my heart pounding painfully. As expected, moving with another person was far more exhausting than doing it alone.

 

Boom!

 

At that moment, dirt flew up right beside the chapel. The sound followed after. As I clutched my ears and crouched down, the ground trembled.

 

“Sez!”

 

“…Aunt.”

 

“Get a hold of yourself!”

 

Aunt Noah was trying to stand on one leg.

 

“Stay here. I’ll go check on the priest.”

 

“No. I’m coming too.”

 

She was enduring the pain in her injured leg, her eyes filled with worry. That deep concern in her eyes felt awkward, so I looked away first. Then I slung her arm over my shoulder and helped her up. Maybe because I was out of it, I couldn’t feel her weight at all.

 

“Priest!”

 

As we approached the chapel, I saw the priest collapsed at the entrance. Seeing his large frame lying there made my chest ache.

 

“Wake up! Priest!”

 

Bang! Bang!

 

“Aaaaah!”

 

The screams and explosions continued. It felt like they would never stop until this salt island was completely gone. People in panic ran around, unable to find shelter anywhere. Quite a few had lost parts of their bodies.

 

“Priest! Wake up!”

 

Smack!

 

Aunt Noah, unable to take it anymore, slapped his cheek.

 

“Sez…?”

 

His blurry focus slowly returned. A thin stream of blood trickled down his forehead. It looked like his skin had been torn by shrapnel.

 

“Yes, it’s Sez. Priest, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“Ah… Sez… Thank goodness…”

 

“Priest. You said you trusted me, right?”

 

“No. Don’t do it.”

 

When I grabbed the priest’s thick wrist, Aunt Noah stopped me instead.

 

“This place is dangerous. We need to go somewhere safe.”

 

Boom!

 

Just then, dirt shot up right behind them. Clouds of dust swept over us like a storm, so we had to stay crouched for a while.

 

“Cough, cough. Both of you, keep your eyes tightly closed. Priest. Do not open your eyes, no matter what. Are you listening to me?”

 

The priest’s focus blurred again from the repeated explosions. He didn’t even utter his usual “Oh, God,” which meant he was almost out of his mind.

 

“Aunt. Please cover the priest’s eyes.”

 

“Sez. Don’t do it.”

 

“We can’t go far. The priest won’t know anyway, so it’ll be fine.”

 

“Seriously, you never listen!”

 

Aunt’s voice was choked with tears. I laced my fingers with Aunt Noah’s hand and grabbed Feren’s hand with my other. I didn’t know if they were shaking or if I was, so I squeezed even harder.

 

In this chaos, there was only one place I thought might be safe. I couldn’t explain it, but I felt like nothing could collapse there. Though I had experienced primal fear in that place, for some reason, it was the only place that came to mind.

 

The energy rising from my toes felt slower than usual. It was my first time moving with two people, so I bit my lip until it bled. The sounds of explosions and screams grew more distant in my ears.

 

A sharp pain shot through my chest with every heartbeat. I could barely breathe. It was as if someone was trying to twist my whole body with all their strength. All the more, I gripped the hands in mine tighter and tighter.

 

I felt the air change. Even opening my eyelids was heavy, so I barely managed to open my eyes. Letters carved all over the walls came into my blurry vision. The torches were completely out, but light was coming in, so it wasn’t dark.

 

The rock that was always blocking the way was now wide open like a door. Light from outside was streaming in. Thank goodness. We made it safely.

 

“Sez!”

 

I thought I heard the sound of waves, but my consciousness was fading. Everything went black.

 

＊ ＊ ＊ 

 

The front lines of the Sharkanian Empire, Enafolk. It used to be a peaceful rural village, but now it had become a battlefield running with blood. Monsters had begun to appear where a dimensional rift had opened.

 

Fortunately, there were steep rocky mountains on either side, serving as natural fortresses. The fortress built up between those mountains over the years was a spectacle visible from afar.

 

Creak.

 

A small gate into the fortress opened. The battle with the monsters was finally over, and it was to welcome back the survivors. Through the narrow gate, just wide enough for two grown men to pass, a blood-soaked figure entered.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Those inside the walls greeted their lord. The monsters had grotesque appearances, but their blood was as red as a human’s. The crown prince appeared, his whole body drenched in that red blood.

 

Blood dripped from the unsheathed sword in his hand. His golden eyes shone even more fiercely than usual. Wherever he passed, small streams of blood formed in his wake.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Arnik, who had been waiting, went to stand behind him. An attendant followed on the other side, holding a white cloth. The crown prince headed to his tent, accompanied by the attendant and Arnik.

 

The attendant removed the breastplate the crown prince was wearing. Even between the armor, hot blood dripped down. As the crown prince wiped his bloodstained hands with the white cloth, he signaled to Arnik with his eyes. It meant: speak.

 

“Your Highness. There is news from the commander.”

 

“You may leave.”

 

The attendant looked like he still had things to do, but he had no choice but to obey the order. The crown prince wiped the blood from his face with a new cloth. The white cloth was quickly stained red.

 

“They say the salt island exploded.”

 

His hand, which had been wiping his chin with the cloth, suddenly stopped.

 

The air in the tent instantly became sharp. The crown prince himself didn’t even raise an eyebrow, but the pressure alone made Arnik feel his body freeze.

 

“Continue.”

 

“We are still searching for the person you mentioned, but… there aren’t many survivors.”

 

At the word “survivors,” the crown prince closed his eyes for a moment. When he slowly opened them again, his breathing was slightly rougher.

 

The air in the tent grew rough as well. The dragon’s power flowing in his veins was palpable.

 

Arnik, caught off guard, staggered back a step as if pushed by the wind. Then he pulled himself together and stood straight again. Cold sweat trickled down his back.

 

This power was the greatest reassurance when on their side, but if it ever went out of control, everything could be devastated.

 

‘Who on earth is on the salt island?’

 

Arnik was curious, but he knew better than to ask aloud.

 

“Understood. Keep reporting.”

 

This meant to relay it to the commander. Luckily, it was a chance to leave this space.

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Arnik bowed deeply and left the tent at a measured pace. As soon as he exited, he made sure no one would come near for a while. Everyone knew enough about the crown prince’s power that just a word was enough to keep them away.

 

‘It was a face I’d never seen before.’

 

He remembered the expression with eyes tightly shut. It could have been an attempt to control his power, but it looked more like he was enduring something. Maybe he was mistaken, but it seemed the crown prince’s body was trembling ever so slightly.

 

“No way.”

 

He had never seen him tremble even before a giant monster. Instinctively, one would expect his spirit to falter, but the stronger the monster, the fiercer his gaze became.

 

Arnik decided he must have been mistaken out of fear and hurried to leave the area near the tent.

 

＊ ＊ ＊ 

 

I opened my eyes.

 

A canopy bed? Of course not. I saw a wooden ceiling. At least it wasn’t the cold stone wall of a cave, thank goodness.

 

“Sez! You’re awake!”

 

A large figure thudded over. It was Priest Feren. Looking him up and down, he didn’t seem hurt. Thank goodness.

 

“Noah, what about Aunt…?”

 

My voice was rough, as if scraped.

 

“She’s being treated. Fortunately, they say her leg will be fine once it heals.”

 

“Ah… thank goodness.”

 

“Sez, what about you? Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“My throat… is dry.”

 

“Water! I’ll get you some water.”

 

The priest hurriedly poured water and helped me drink. I tried to sit up, but my body felt impossibly heavy. Huh? Was water always this sweet?

 

“The salt… island?”

 

The priest’s expression darkened instantly. I saw his eyes redden in a flash.

 

“How such an explosion could happen… They’re still investigating. Oh, God.”

 

The screams from that hellish moment still seemed to ring in my ears, so I quickly changed the subject.

 

“Where… are we?”

 

“Ah, this is an inn at the port of Pikedore. Thankfully, some nearby fishing boats saw the smoke and came to help, so we were rescued. From that cave. Just a short walk out and it was right by the sea.”

 

At the word “from the cave,” he swallowed hard.

 

“Sez. You don’t know how worried I was when you didn’t wake up for three days. If anything had happened to you, I… Oh, God.”

 

“…I said I’d come get you.”

 

“Hm? What was that?”

 

“Ah, nothing.”

 

“Sez. It’s okay. Don’t cry.”

 

Huh? Why am I crying? I realized my eyes were hot. I didn’t know why, but the tears wouldn’t stop. I finally escaped as I had so desperately wished. Is that why I’m crying? But this wasn’t the way I wanted to escape. The screams from the explosion kept echoing in my ears.

 

‘I’ll come get you.’

 

And the clanking of chains and his voice overlapped in my mind. The only one who believed me about the explosion. I wish I could let him know I’m alive.

 

“Sez, can I give you a hug?”

 

Even without my answer, the priest hugged me with his thick arms. Being wrapped in his warmth made me choke up even more.

 

“I’m sorry. I truly apologize. I’m really sorry.”

 

“Sniff.”

 

“You did your best. God knows everything. Merciful God, please watch over this girl. The fault is mine, so please look after her. Please.”

 

From the priest’s voice, repeating his apologies, I realized he had figured out how I managed to get to that cave. I slowly raised my arms and patted the priest’s back. His words, telling me I did my best, kept echoing in my mind.

 

As in the Original Story <Blood-Soaked Moon>, the salt island exploded and in the end, I couldn’t stop it. My efforts were mocked as the grand flow continued unchanged. According to the novel, now the original female and male leads will meet through this incident and eventually fall in love. Never mind that their romance ends badly, I at least have to stop the ending where monsters overrun the empire.

 

But.

 

How am I supposed to stop that?

 

At this point, maybe it’s better not to know the future. In the end, I sobbed into the priest’s shoulder.