The scene felt familiar... only their positions had changed.
The Third Princess he had met at the banquet sat inside the carriage. She turned her head. "Get in."
"I..."
"Don't dawdle."
Her bold brows drew together, and she reached out and pulled Annan into the carriage.
"Just drive somewhere," she told the old coachman. Once the carriage had left the Council Chamber, she asked, "Uncle Branda stopped you?"
It took Annan a moment to realize that the uncle she meant was Duke Branda.
"That's how he is. He thinks like a merchant. He believes that if you keep things running long enough, everything will work out."
Annan stayed silent. He still didn't know why the Third Princess had brought him along.
"Annan, do you want to kill the Red Dragon Sorcerer?" she asked bluntly.
"It's not my decision." Annan's expression went back to the way it had been during the latter half of the council session.
"Because the cost isn't high enough yet."
"The Dimon Kingdom has lost a third of its territory, maybe half. That's still not enough?"
"It's enough for civilians, but not for nobles." The Third Princess looked Annan in the eye. "So we need to let the Red Dragon Sorcerer capture me."
"We don't even know where he—" Annan broke off. "You mean..."
"Are you afraid?" The Third Princess raised her chin.
The carriage stopped beside an empty garden near the Mage Tower.
The Third Princess jumped down and strode ahead. Only then did Annan notice how short her skirt was... not a frivolous sort of short, but one that let her move freely.
"Does it really have to come to this?"
"What are you hesitating for, hmm?" The Third Princess stopped and turned so suddenly that Annan nearly ran into her. "Which matters more, one