บท 12: Chapter 12- Approaching The Gallows.

"Huh?! What do you mean gone?! How can a Kingdom just disappear?!" I questioned, totally flabbergasted.

"It's The Barrenness. They have engulfed Aolenoa." My eyebrows joined each other. My hands were no longer resting on the arm of the chair, but were up in the air.

How? A loud sigh left my lips as I walked towards the dining table and pulled out a chair before falling onto it. This can't be! My entire plan of war revolved around reconquering Aolenoa. What would be the purpose of war if there was no country to fight for? My jaw closed on itself as I tightly clenched my eyes.

No, it's not too late. I have to think of something.

"What… exactly is The Barrenness?" I asked.

Desya looked up at me. Now, his eyes brazen enough to meet mine.

"The land cursed by the bodies and souls of the vengeful Higher Demons. When the Chosen One won the Great Battle of demons and humankind, he threw all the remaining corpses of the demons and Higher Demons into the desert.

Since they were powerful magical bodies, their mana continues. When we humans die, the creation of our mana dies along with us, so we decompose. But with powerful magical beings like Demons, their mana continues forever...so they never really die. They just regenerate.

Likely, The Chosen One tore the demons' bodies apart and scattered their soul so that they can't regenerate and wreak havoc again. Anyway, that means that along with the corpses, he banished their immortal souls there, too. As legends have said, He then cast an Imperial Spell, a deadly sandstorm that only allows things that have entered The Barrenness to enter the land and to prohibit the Demons from leaving the land and wreaking havoc again. However, the Demon's anger would never die down. Every 17 years, they would gain enough power to expand the land. And this year… they have taken Aolenoa." Desya explained, his head hanging from his neck.

Desya and Love looked defeated. It was as if this journey of us has ended way before it had begun. I bit my bottom lip. Come on, Mayang. Think! I didn't work off 15 years of my life getting a law degree to be dumbstruck by something like this. Think... Think.. Think- Ah!

"Then that just means only Aolenoans can leave and enter, right? Problem solved!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands.

Desya grimaced at my joyful experience. Whereas Love looked at me as if I've gone mad.

"Your Majesty, what are you joking about?" Desya growled.

"What do you not understand? It's a deadly sandstorm spell where demons are trapped. We can't enter there!" Desya spat.

My right index finger tapped the edge of my bottom lip after I stopped applauding.

"I mean… think about it. Aren't we Aolenoans? Haven't we touched the land of Aolenoa? Stay there for the majority of our lives? So wouldn't the sandstorm recognise us as Aolenoa too? Like a dog!" Cheerfully, I explained.

"A dog?" Love questioned.

"Yeah. like a dog. Okay, okay- I get your confusion. Hmm…" Now that I'm saying it out loud, I started to doubt my own theory.

God, maybe this was just a fool's attempt at optimistic thinking.

"The sandstorm is the dog, is what you're getting at. Just like a guard dog protecting a family, if that family invites people that smell exactly like them- The guard dog won't react." Desya summarised.

My eyes widened. Vehemently, I nodded. Good save, Desya! That wasn't really what I was thinking since I was just spit balling... but good save! Mentally, I thanked Desya profusely for saving my ass, for saying something foolish.

"So… Aolenoa is the family and we're the friends?" Love asked.

"Your majesty is really something. To think that you would consider our mana presence building up in Aolenoa over the years… You're truly impeccable." Desya complimented.

Again, I nodded and smiled as I pretended that what Desya was saying was what I meant. After years pretending I knew what I was doing during my school days, pretending to be aware and nodding had been second nature to me.

"We'll set for Aolenoa tomorrow then." Desya announced.

I continued nodding.

'Aolenoa.. tomorrow..' Desya's words repeated in my head.

My eyes popped out as I shook my head.

"T-Tomorrow?!" I yelled.

"Isn't that too early?"

Desya only smiled at me.

"Your Highness, you've enlightened us with your intelligence. What type of civilians would we be if we ignore and delay your wisdom?" He responded.

On God, I could've sworn foam frothed from my mouth. This wasn't what I meant; if Aolenoa really is covered by a deadly sandstorm and if I'm wrong, then we'll die! What if Aolenoa is really gone then? Oh God... why did I have to open my mouth and say all this dumb shit...

"Well, let's pack clothing and resources enough for two days. With me around, we can travel openly to Aolenoa. Love, please pack the clothes we bought in the evening." Desya suggested.

Love nodded her head, her eyes filled with excitement of a child's. Before realisation could set in, they were already talking about what they were going to do once they've reached Aolenoa.

"W-wait, guys- Don't you think this is too fast? I mean, what if I'm wrong? Guys? Guys?!" I yelled, but my worries fell on deaf ears.

I tried several times to cut in the conversation, but it was useless. Love and Desya were busy discussing what to bring for tomorrow's 'walk to the Gallows'.

The whole night, I tossed and turned in bed. Love and Desya had bought some clothes for me to wear and whilst Love thoughtlessly packed my new clothes into a wardrobe, I was busy worrying about our fate for tomorrow. In the end, I couldn't accept dying so soon.

What was this sandstorm anyway? Is it so strong it'd kill us? Will they trap us? Will the demons come out and kill us? What will happen to us?

Before I knew it, the sun was already rising. The same few questions plagued my mind. I pleaded with Desya to rethink this decision, but all he could say was 'It's your idea, Your Highness! Why would I have worries?'

Instead of begging Desya again, I asked him for a weapon; something I could use to defend myself. Though he was hesitant to give a sheltered royal a weapon, he eventually gave in and brought me to a local blacksmith. I knew that it's dumb to ask for a weapon when my enemy is a sandstorm, but at the very least, I'd like to be prepared for every scenario.

Desya brought me to a renown and reliable blacksmith's house. The blacksmith wasn't too happy to see us, but obliged with Desya's request. In his house, he led us to his basement, where rows and rows of carefully crafted weapons hung on the walls.

I pondered what weapon to get. At first, a beautiful black sword hanging on the wall caught my eye, so I tried to bring it down; but it was too heavy. Of course, swords aren't like how books describe it. Usually, female leads in manhwa or novels would easily pick up and swing a sword. But goddamn, the sword was heavy. At the very least, it was 20 kg. I hated the idea of not being able to wield a sword, but in the long run, carrying the heavy sword would only just be a burden to me. I placed the sword back where it belonged and looked around. I'm not particularly strong nor hold magic. If I were forced to fight, the sword wouldn't be the weapon that saves me, but kills me instead.

So what options do I have left? No- What type of weapon do I want instead? I closed my eyes and thought of the perfect weapon.

Something portable yet can carry big movements and carry fatal results. It also has to be able to pass as a common thing to own so that I don't raise any suspicions. It has to scream… 'Mayang'. I opened my eyes and scanned the room before bringing my index finger and thumb to my chin.

When at the corner of my eyes, something red caught my eyes. My feet carried me to that mysterious vassal hidden at the back of the store. Carefully, I brought it out of its hook.

Desya could see the stars in his Empress's eyes as she held onto that weapon. 'What an odd choice' he thought.

It was almost as if the weapon was calling to me. I eyed each and every detail of that weapon; its hilt was a black-coloured metal that was wrapped tightly in red leather that embraced each other as they extended for about 3 metres.

"A whip?" Desya asked.

I placed one hand on the hilt and the other gripped onto a part of the thong* an arm's length away.

"Pak!" The slap of the whip resounded in the shop.

A bubbly feeling grew in my stomach. Even the crackle of the whip was beautiful. The weapon's perfect! Not only can using a whip make it easy for me to fight from a distance but its light, portable and- I ran my hand across the rough, twisted end of the whip; it sure as hell would hurt. Desya watched as a devilish grin grew on his mistress's face. For some reason, he couldn't shake this unsettling feeling he got from her smile.

"Clop, clop, clop." I've never ridden horses before, but they sure are loud.

The loud clacking of their horseshoe against the gravelly path was irritatingly loud and distracting, but after a while, became background noise in our journey. After Desya had paid for my whip, he brought me back to his house where 3 horses awaited us. Apparently, he was able to rent out military horses due to his connections.

My face paled- God, just trying to mount the horse was difficult. I couldn't even reach its back once I slid my foot into the stirrup*. After long, gruelling minutes of watching me struggle, Desya gave in and placed me on top of the horse. At that moment, all I could think of was 'fuck my life.'

At my nearing old age of 27, I was carried like a baby and settled on top of a horse. What a great way to celebrate my maturity.

"Ugh…" I groaned.

The horse's saddle isn't comfortable at all. The first hour was fine but after the third hour, I realised that it could be possible that a human could grow calluses on their butt. Initially, I wanted to request for a break but then I saw their faces.

Love had a gloomy cloud cast on her face, and her fists were wrapped so tightly around the reins that her knuckles turned white. I could only imagine the thoughts going through her head as she travels to a land where her loved ones were slaughtered.

Before getting into bed last night, I heard Desya asking her outside our bedroom door if she was ready to return. I couldn't really hear her response, but judging from her melancholic smile when she entered our room, I'm sure she brushed off returning here as a simple matter. Sometimes, I just wished she would cry and ask for help. Seeing her act strongly pains me.

Desya, on the other hand, looked… normal. He has been staring straight into the distance yet, his eyes burned with determination that I haven't seen since I've arrived. That's when I realised; they want to arrive as soon as possible. The events there are bitter memories to them, but that was their homeland; where they grew up. My eyebrows knitted as they angled downwards. I couldn't help but chuckle.

Of course, out of everyone here, I would think of taking a break. After all, this isn't my land, my pain, my life. Living as Princess Hana and avenging Aolenoa is only a means to be happy for me but to them- it's justice, retribution, it's their everything.

'Pang!' My heart throbbed.

That's right, Mayang. Never forget who you truly are and what your duties are. No matter what, my existence in this world is to be Princess Hana; to be a ruler. If that entails not getting rest, then so be it.

My body was hunched forward, my head brushing against the mane of the majestic warhorse I was on. God, my ass hurts. My eyes were weak against fatigue as they threatened to close. We've been travelling for 18 hours with no breaks- I'm fucking exhausted. How far more do we-

"We're here." Desya's soft voice fought against the loud wind.

My body shot up as my eyes feasted at the scene in front of me.

The sun was rising and as beautiful as sunrises were; the calamity in front of it was even more beautiful.

A tall, grand fortress of grainy brownness flew around in front of us. Is this the Barrenness? Call me crazy for finding a, ultimately, possible reason for my death beautiful.

But there really was a sort of beauty in the destruction.