‘Rosaline, congratulations on winning,’ Ricardis’ smile seemed to say.
Rosaline remained silent, but she seemed to understand his message. One could tell by looking at the expression on her face, which slowly loosened from its previous rigidness. Emperor Laino finally comfortably spoke when he saw her face had become less fierce.
They spoke the formalities: ‘Blessing of Illavenia who calls upon the white night. I’m Rosaline Radwiell, Your Majesty… It was a great match. Celebrating the founding month…’ and so on.
The crowd cheered, and the soldiers surrounding the arena raised their swords to the sky. Amid the fluttering flower petals, the Emperor bestowed a sword on Rosaline. She knelt on one knee and held the sword with both hands.
“Under the eyes of Idelavhim, the Great One on the Highest. I can’t believe I have the opportunity to dedicate this win to His Majesty…”
***
Rosaline had been coached very well about what to do at this part.
[At this point, you can lower your voice as if you are choking up with tears…]
[What’s wrong with your voice?]
[…That voice… it sounds like someone is strangling you?]
Her deep, throaty voice suddenly turned into that of a strangled cat. Bewildered, Isserion had looked at Raymond beside him. The two held a serious discussion and finally agreed that it was okay if her voice sounded like someone was squeezing her throat as long as it was somewhat stuffy.
***
“It’s an honor for the old name of Radwiell and this humble Rosaline.”
[And at this point, try to tear up a little.]
[If you can’t cry…]
[Then don’t blink for a long time… it should work to make some tears…]
Tears didn’t flow, but her eyes glistened. The Emperor looked down with satisfaction.
“I-I…”
[Stammer once.]
[Why make mistakes in public?]
[… They’re necessary for certain circumstances, Rosaline…]
“Even if the scythe of death swings at me, I am willing to persevere. My dedication is the cornerstone for my win today. Even if thousands of hardships await me, I will keep fighting. Again and again, I will overcome the threat of death.”
[Make your lips quiver.]
“Beautiful Illavenia. The glory of Illavenia. The stronghold and the shield. Rosaline Radwiell: this is the name of the one who will become the most brilliant and sharpest sword of His Majesty the Emperor’s in the harshest places.”
[Close your eyes once, then open them. Look intense. Emphasize this.]
[How does one look intense?]
[Yes, that’s it! You’re good.]
At that time, Rosaline had been staring blankly.
The Emperor seemed deeply impressed by the intense eyes she was born with. It may be because the powerful weapon everyone praised was kneeling before him and pledging loyalty, but the Emperor was satisfied. He smoothed his hair back and stroked his beard before bursting into laughter.
“She is indeed a Radwiell!”
Rosaline rose and raised her sword high into the air.
“To the glory of Illavenia, the blessing of Idelavhim!”
Rosaline’s voice reverberated through the space. Her voice was steely and powerful but had a subtle softness and surprising sharpness. The audience stood up as if possessed by it.
Countless people cheered and shouted together as they rained flowers onto the arena.
“””To the glory of Illavenia, the blessing of Idelavhim!”””
At that moment, a sharp sound rang through the wind.
Screeech—
It was a familiar sound to Ricardis, Rosaline, and the Knights of the White Night. People searched for the source of the sound, and then a great shadow swept over their heads at high speed. The spectators looked up at the sky.
“Oh, over there!”
“It’s an eagle!”
When someone said that, the crowd grew even more raucous. An eagle flying high over the stadium performed stunts for the excited audience. It flew in circles and narrowly brushed against the heads of the spectators.
“””Wow!”””
A random mix of screams, cheers, or exclamations filled the arena. After stirring up the stadium’s energy, the eagle began to descend.
The eagle was also as famous as Rosaline, so the Frostlance Knights watched it without much vigilance. The eagle came to the center of the arena and flapped its wings slowly. Flap. Flap. One could hear the sound of the wind displaced by its giant wings. The bird of prey with shiny eyes slowly perched on Rosaline’s extended arm. The Emperor looked at the eagle and Rosaline with bewilderment.
“As the glory of Idelavhim stays with Your Majesty, Illavenia will live forever.”
He wasn’t sure about anyone else, but Ricardis noticed Rosaline was also perplexed. Perhaps someone had planned this surprise event involving Macaron, but her owner hadn’t known she would appear.
However, it was a thrilling sight for those who did not know the circumstances. The eagle was a messenger of Idelavhim. In the light of day, an eagle appeared while singing His glory. It was as if Idelavhim, high in the sky, had bent over the earth to examine the situation. Everyone who saw the eagle’s wings felt that the victor’s ceremonial words that Illavenia would last forever had gained infinite power.
People cheered, “To the glory of Illavenia, the blessing of Idelavhim!”
It was a sentence that exalted the name of Idelavhim and the empire’s glory. Even though the words came from a ‘demon’s’ mouth— those commonly persecuted for being ominous— everyone was drunk with passion as if they had forgotten what Rosaline was. The martial arts hall shook. Hundreds of voices echoed through the space, and something ignited deep inside people’s hearts. The Emperor also lost himself in the excitement as he gazed at each face in the crowd as if to memorize them.
Ricardis, standing a few steps away, looked at the crowd as their figures blurred into a mass of voices. His smiling face made it impossible to fathom the thoughts beneath his expression.
…This should be roughly enough, right?
The Emperor had been wary of Rosaline, who continued to grow beyond his control. In this situation, Rosaline needed to kneel and swear allegiance to him with many witnesses, even if it was just for show. Usually, people judge by what they see. The Emperor was a person who understood this well.
Through the shower of petals, Rosaline and Ricardis’ eyes met.
Rosaline glanced sideways at the Emperor, who looked pleased with the crowd. She gestured to her gifted sword, pointed at Ricardis, then raised her thumb.
Ricardis shook his head and laughed. Roughly translated, she was saying she would give him the glory. He couldn’t stop laughing when he saw her try to act discreetly and hide her actions. Rosaline tilted her head slightly, not understanding why Ricardis laughed so hard, but she smiled at the end.
The cheers rang out incessantly. Macaron flew up again and stirred up the venue. Rosaline traced the trajectory of her flight with her eyes but stopped her gaze at one point. She stared at the passage through which the Emperor had walked. The shady interior seemed cold as if the joy outside did not reach it.
Standing in the shadows was a man with sun-colored hair who successfully blended into the darkness. Rosaline did not recognize him for a moment; He was a familiar man, but with an expression as cold as ice, he looked unfamiliar.
Lovely Diech, sweet Diech. He didn’t look like himself. It was an unexpected scene. Why was he like that on this lovely cloudless day, at this beautiful moment when petals danced in the wind?
“To the glory of Illavenia!”
The more people cheered and threw flowers, the more frighteningly scrunched Diech’s face became. Tears fell from his sharp, frigid eyes. The golden eyes, which usually emitted warmth like the sun, seemed to harden in cold tears.
Why? Rosaline couldn’t ask because she was far away, but she still wouldn’t have asked even if she was next to him. Even so, she wondered.
Your Highness, why are you crying so miserably?
At that moment, their eyes met. Diech was not surprised at someone watching him and did not attempt to avoid her gaze. He just stared into Rosaline’s eyes.
***
Rosaline left the area where the flowers rained. The hallway leading to the waiting room was dark.
Over and over again, she reflected on the scene she had just witnessed. Seeing the usually brightly smiling Diech brought to his present crying made her feel sick.
Diech had been looking at his father, Emperor Laino, in the arena’s bubble of joy. Even if the Emperor’s face had looked different in his eyes, had the cheers of that stadium also sounded odd to him? What made him sad?
Rosaline was deep in thought as she walked. Come to think of it. She had also felt an inexplicable awkwardness when she faced the Emperor. It was a vague sense of rejection similar to when she first saw the Illavenian Imperial Castle. Aside from feeling that the Emperor was Ricardis’ enemy, Rosaline lacked a suitable reason to explain her unpleasant emotion.
Her feelings were usually clear-cut. If she liked something, she liked it. If she disliked something, she disliked it. She got mad when she was angry and overwhelmed when Ricardis looked pretty. Because of that, Rosaline judged herself as a rational being. However, this emotion she had never experienced confused her. Her thoughts became so complicated that she sighed deeply.
“Hehehe!”
A loud sound spread from the waiting room to the far end of the hallway. It was a delightful mix of laughter and screams. She was so lost in her thoughts that she wasn’t aware of it for a moment. Rosaline sprinted down the dark hallway and opened the door. Light burst forth.
“Sir Rosaline!”
Calyx, Raymond, Pardict, Lewon, Shuten, Nestor, Bastian, Claude. Leticia, Eberhard, and even Hessa. All the Knights of the White Night were present except for the person guarding Ricardis today. The giant knights filled the large waiting room.
