"Kya...!"
The carriage rocked violently, and the air outside was suddenly filled with shouts and the frantic din of combat.
Could they really be under attack?
The carriage bore the Royal Emblem, and they were supposed to be under the protection of the Kingdom's knights.
(A mere bandit wouldn't dream of striking a carriage like this... which means, could it be...!)
Emerald felt the chilling breath of a dark conspiracy—but a moment later, the carriage door was flung open from the outside, revealing a man drenched in blood.
"Eek...!"
"Ah, my apologies. I didn't mean to give you a fright."
A young man in armor splattered with blood spray offered her a broad, guileless grin.
How many years had it been since she had seen a smile so honest and free of hidden motives?
"W-Who are you...?"
"Forgive my late introduction. I am Brad Catreia, a knight of the Kingdom."
The young man announced his name.
Catreia... Emerald recognized the name immediately. They were one of the most prominent military houses in the Kingdom. Brad wiped a smear of blood from his armor with a cloth and tossed the rag out of the carriage.
"A few people tried to ambush the carriage just now... but we've driven them off without any trouble, so don't you worry. I’ll see you safely to the border as planned."
"I... I see. Thank you?"
Emerald wasn't quite sure if gratitude was the proper response in such a situation. Her expression remained strained.
"Um... who were the attackers?"
"Well, they might have been from the Empire. They probably intended to kill you and blame it on our Kingdom."
"............!"
"Ah, sorry. Forget I said that."
Realizing he had voiced a dangerous speculation he shouldn't have, Brad waved his hands dismissively.
"Um... they were probably just bandits. Or maybe some of our own nobles! Plenty of people in the Kingdom are itching for war with the Empire, after all!"
"I'm not sure that's a better explanation..."
"Ah... good point. My mistake."
Brad cleared his throat.
He was clearly the type of man who was utterly incapable of duplicity. Despite the grim circumstances, Emerald felt a bubble of laughter rise in her chest.
"I will pretend I didn't hear any of that."
"Phew, I’d appreciate that! My father would have my head otherwise!"
Brad laughed, thumping a fist against the breastplate of his armor.
"I promise you, Lady Emerald, you won't suffer a single scratch before we reach the border! Once you're back in the Empire, the pro-war faction—I mean, the attackers—won't have any reason to target you. You can rest easy!"
"Rest easy? I wonder... Is there even any point in me going back?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"With no one left waiting for me, should a useless burden like me even bother returning?"
Emerald found herself inadvertently pouring out her inner thoughts. Brad blinked in surprise, then let out a thoughtful hum.
"Lady Emerald, do you have any siblings?"
"What...?"
Confused by the sudden shift in the conversation, she answered regardless.
"I have two older brothers... but we've only exchanged letters. I haven't seen their faces in twenty years."
"Oh, then you're fine!"
Brad declared with total confidence, puffing out his chest.
"An older brother's job is to protect his sister. I'm certain they're waiting for you back home."
"...Do you really think so?"
"Absolutely. No matter how old he gets, a brother is always a brother. He is always thinking of his sister. When he's eating, when he's sleeping, in the bath, doing paperwork, or even while he's cutting down enemies on the battlefield. His head is always full of his sister. He'll even carry a handkerchief she embroidered for him everywhere he goes. That's just the kind of creature an 'older brother' is."
"I... I see..."
"So, go home with your head held high!"
"............"
Emerald fell silent.
She couldn't be quite as optimistic as he was, not with the weight of her son's death still heavy on her soul, but she felt her heart grow just a fraction lighter—perhaps by the weight of a single waterfowl's feather.
"...Thank you for your kindness."
"Don't mention it! Now then... let's get moving again!"
Emerald returned to the Empire without further incident. She never did discover the true identity of the people who had attacked her.
Stripped of her imperial status, Emerald reunited with her family and friends after two decades.
After spending time rekindling old ties, she eventually entered a convent. There, she spent her remaining days praying for the soul of her son and for the many victims who had lost their lives in the rebellion he instigated.