Rosaline smiled and answered, “Of course.”
Then she added that she recently also liked tarts and cakes with seasonal fruits. Calyx also replied with a smile that he understood, ending the lively day.
“You’re a good boy, Cal.”
Those words came out of his sister’s mouth, who was excitedly waving her clasped hands. It was a nostalgic sound that made his wounds heal in an instant, and at the same time, made them terribly sore.
***
Hah. Hah. Hah!
She felt like her heart would explode. Even while running, she could smell the blood flowing out from her body. Even without the piercing pain in her back, the smell of the blood was thick enough to be able to guess the depth of the wound.
‘That person didn’t see my face.’ It was raining, and she was thankful that she was wearing a cloak. It was a cloak with a plain pattern commonly used by knights. That alone won’t tell you the identity of the wearer. There was the sound of chasing from afar. There were goosebumps on the back of her neck, and she paled. However, she managed to shake her trembling body.
‘I have to keep sober to think. Don’t go back to the barracks. If I go back to the White Night to live, then he might be in danger. But I have to let him know. I have to let him know! Need to think, how to let him know!’
As she was running, she suddenly stepped into the open air. It was dark at night, so she couldn’t see the cliff covered by grass. She almost screamed, but she bit her lip and barely swallowed her scream. The taste of her blood lingered in her mouth. She floated in the darkness for an instant. Bang!
There was the sound of bones breaking. Her whole body was trembling before she realized she was in pain. Her head couldn’t turn because of the hard bump, a heavy death pressed down on her whole body, and sound and color gradually disappeared.
Soon her vision flickered.
***
Leaves dyed in darkness filled her vision. Rosaline took a deep breath. The cool evening air seeped deep into her lungs. She woke up from the dream, but the sensation of her body crumbling was still there. ‘Is it because the place where I am sitting now is very similar to the environment of that dream?’ Instead of the smell of blood, the fresh night air felt unfamiliar.
Rosaline looked around her. It was a dark night. On the tree in front of the balcony, she escorted Ricardis as usual near his room. She seemed to have fallen into a slumber as she had been escorting him earnestly for days and weeks.
Looking at Ricardis’ room, a candle flickered through the window. The length of the candle was not much different from before, which implied that not much time had passed. During that brief time, Rosaline had a long dream. It was someone’s memory.
The ‘her’ in the dream was running away. The pain she felt on her back made it clear that she was already hurt. She heard the sound of someone chasing ‘her’, and ‘she’ ran to her limit. The smell of the pouring rain, the wet soil, and the brushing grass and trees was very distinct. The pain she felt in her back and the landscape painted before her eyes felt no different from reality. It was as vivid as if she had experienced it.
‘It’ then realized.
‘Rosaline…’
It was the memory of ‘Rosaline’. She didn’t see anyone following ‘her’, but she could feel the palpating fear of the ‘she’ who was running away. ‘Black Moon assassin?’ No. Had it been an assassin, Rosaline would have picked up her sword rather than run away because that was also her duty as a knight. So she couldn’t understand anymore. Other than that, she didn’t know what ‘she’ feared.
The pounding heart. The shallow scratches appearing one by one from passing the branches. The moon covered by the rain clouds. In the dark, deep forest, like the inside of a monster’s jaws, the footsteps of an unknown person desperately chasing after her, trampling on and breaking branches.
Who the hell was it?
What the hell was it?
***
The appearance of the delegation leaving Tigard, the capital of Illavenia, was full of sorrow. Knights with shining armor and weapons. A herd of white horses passing by with their manes flying. The flags of the Knights of the White Night soared high in the sky. Amid that majestic and daunting feeling, Ricardis was riding in a splendid carriage.
Scattered in front of the delegation were flowers and colorful pieces of paper. Women leaned out the windows and threw handkerchiefs. There was such a loud cheer that it seemed as if someone had won a big battle and returned.
The people of Illavenia did not care about Ricardis’ frown. The atmosphere was more exciting than a festival. When Ricardis led the Knights of the White Night to go on an expedition, the people knew well that he always achieved good results wherever he went.
Everyone knew that the purpose of going to Balta was not for war but friendship. Even so, it would be an important and dangerous journey that was just as important as war.
The Black Moon. A group of filthy wild dogs running over the country of Idelavhim. Recently, frequent battles took place on the borders, and there was a lot of commotion among the people. At such a time, it is announced that the noble prince will go on a long and arduous road. How could anyone not say goodbye to his journey? There were crowds of people all along the way from the Imperial Castle to Tigard.
Ricardis frowned at the roaring shouts. It was very noisy and seemed uninteresting. Isserion sighed deeply next to him. They had been in this state ever since the 1st Prince Elpidio visited right before they left the Imperial Castle.
[It will be a long and dangerous journey. I will be waiting for you, and pray to Idelavhim for your safe return, Ricardis.]
Contrary to the blessings that came out of his mouth, Elpidio was smirking in a low voice. Ricardis understood his meaning better than anyone else, but he only smiled brightly.
[This little brother will work hard to deliver good news, Brother.]
‘I’ll try hard to find evidence that you and the Black Moon have been working together, and fuck you, you idiot.’ Whether Ricardis’ meaning was well conveyed, Elpidio’s smirking face stiffened. After that, the two brothers exchanged words with smiles several more times.
It was a dangerous road, just as Elpidio said, but the full-scale danger has not yet been revealed. The shouts of the people made him even calmer. A few fluttering pieces of paper stuck to Ricardis’ face. His expression grew even more ferocious. Isserion removed the piece of paper from his face.
“Oho, my Prince, do you feel hot?”
Isserion fanned Ricardis by waving his hands hard.
The delegation included Ricardis and the Knights of the White Night. There was also Count Falhas, also known as Knight Commander Starz, and the second son of Duke Brulite, the escort knight Kairo who acted as the Duke’s representative.
In addition to the Knights of the White Night, Ricardis selected several members of the Knights Order from the families supporting him to accompany him to the delegation. All of them were the forces that made up the 2nd Prince’s faction. But there was one person who was not part of their faction.
The 5th Prince Diech. It wasn’t planned, but at some point, his name was on the list. Formally, his visit was to have exchanges with Haqab, the 1st Prince of Balta.
If one had to classify Diech, one could say that he was the power of Elpidio. However, he was not greedy and had a gentle nature, and was never actively involved in the power struggle. He just lived quietly in the corner of the castle, drinking tea and reading books. It was clear that Elpidio brought Diech to the forefront of the messy power struggle involving the delegation. Of course, Diech didn’t follow him to get something substantial. It was highly likely Diech was just being used by Elpidio.
Although it is said Elpidio joined hands with the Black Moon, the alliance could never be built on solid trust. They will hide their sharp teeth for the benefit of each other. In this situation, it was highly likely that the mutual benefit was Ricardis’ death. And after they achieve the death of the 2nd Prince of Illavenia, it would be unknown who will eat whom.
There was no way there could be any trust in the tightrope relationship. As long as there is even a slight risk, Elpidio will never set foot in Balta. Therefore, he needed Diech, his disposable eyes, who doesn’t matter if he dies. It will also be a liaison with Haqab. He didn’t think Elpidio would let him go easily. However, he would be suspicious of the appearance of Diech in a delegation like this. Even if Diech was Elpidio’s person, there wasn’t much that Ricardis could do. ‘Just as it has been, just survive somehow.’ It was the first oath deeply embedded in Ricardis.
Ricardis took a deep breath and looked out the window. A few senior knights in the escort caught his eye. There was also a dark-haired knight sitting on her horse, looking at people with boredom. The sunlight was dazzling, so she slightly opened her eyes and had a handkerchief with a bunch of flowers on her head. Flying towards Ricardis was scraps of colorful paper, but he didn’t even pay any attention to it.
Ricardis laughed. Thanks to that ridiculous-looking knight, he survived many times. She got him out of crisis again and again.
[I will protect you, Your Highness. I will definitely protect you. Your Highness, I… Surely… Even if I have to give my life…]
Rosaline was like a flame, quietly holding herself. Ricardis saw a glimmer of sparks in her eyes. He knew that her vows were mere formal language and that she was not the kind that would soon fade away.
