***
***
“Victor was a bright and lively child. He always stood out because he excelled not only in swordsmanship, but in other aspects as well. All the knights admired his highness, even though he was younger than them.”
His ladle scraped the bottom of the pot.
“But he has also had many secrets.”
She looked at him quietly.
He suddenly looked much older.
His nostalgia seemed to have swallowed him like a tide.
He poured hot soup into her bowl.
“Enjoy your meal, Madame.”
She nodded and squatted in front of the campfire, saving her seat. After the knights got their food, the quickest ones got the best seats, closest to the fire.
Seventeen knights, Diederick, Victor, and herself.
They were returning home.
Two years in the Southern Kingdom, and another two years in the Eastern Kingdom. The Knights of Morte endured an excruciatingly long war.
To the point where not only Victor, but also his knights couldn’t fall asleep.
‘Will Victor get better when he arrives in his hometown? His illness obviously makes him anxious.’
She looked down at her soup bowl. Pleasant steam was wafting off of it, warming her face.
“Madame! Eat this too!”
A loaf of bread flew through the air at her. She caught it.
It seemed that Diederick had bought a food cart from the last village. The knights flocked around it.
“If you don’t come soon, we will eat it all!”
She put down her bowl and ran towards them at top speed. She was too hungry to be immersed in sentimentality for a long time.
***
“Wow…”
She couldn’t hide her admiration. In stark contrast, all the knights had a bitter attitude.
“Madame, do you like this? It’s Draca leather.”
“It’s not that common in other areas.”
She rolled her eyes. The odds and ends displayed on the stall were dazzling.
The last village they stopped at bordered the Morte estate. It was full of all kinds of specialties from the estate, which were sold to travelers.
Draca leather, a small drum decorated with feathers from all kinds of migratory birds, and a blanket made of thick wolf fur…
She looked at them with wide eyes, but most of the knights, who had spent their apprenticeship on the estate, showed no interest.
“Madame, these things are much cheaper on the estate. And where would you use the drum?”
“I can play.”
“You can play. It’s a drum.”
Carltz snorted.
She pouted.
Even though she didn’t know much about the world, she knew that items sold in these kinds of places were mostly rip offs. That didn’t mean she couldn’t take a look.
Victor wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“Do you want to go into town with me?”
“Victor, be honest. You’re not interested in anything either.”
She pointed out Victor’s tired face and uninterested expression.
He was born and raised on the estate, so she expected him to be a little excited, but his face reflected no emotion. He clearly wanted to wash up and put something in his mouth as soon as possible.
She smiled as she pushed Victor’s hand away.
“I’ll go and look around by myself. You should rest.”
“But-“
“Then I’ll take you.”
Sir Raoul, the large knight who favored axes, popped in. He laughed loudly.
“This is my first time coming to the Morte estate, so there are quite a few things I want to see. I will go with you.”
Victor struggled for a while, but eventually nodded his head.
Apparently, he desperately needed a break.
He grabbed her hand briefly and whispered.
“You must come back soon.”
“Don’t worry.”
When Victor beckoned, Raoul handed his axe to the knights in charge of supplies and rushed towards her.
He gave her a toothy smile.
“Today, Raul of Radan will escort the Madame..”
***
Amarion and Sir Raoul acted like countrymen on their first trip to a big city.
The merchants were mostly scammers who were good at ripping off customers, but they couldn’t actively solicit because Raoul’s appearance was so terrifying.
Sir Raoul enjoyed the tour more than she did, but did not buy anything.
“Aren’t you going to buy something?”
When asked, he answered coldly.
“I don’t buy anything expensive.”
‘He’s certainly a mercenary.’
She laughed.
He said he joined the Knights of Morte during the War of the Eastern Kingdoms that ended last year, so it was understandable that he still acted like a mercenary.
She eagerly looked around.
In the market, there were mercenary stalls, which sold monster parts, but also unusual foods and trinkets.
They bought some yakitori*, and headed to the outskirts of the market.
[*E/N: yakitori is skewered chicken. It’s usually padded with different fruits, and grilled over a charcoal fire.]
At the end of the stands, there was a stall that did not have a signboard.
Amarion and Sir Raoul stopped in front of it.
It looked like the stall only carried draca leather items, but in reality, it was much rarer.
“Isn’t this chimera leather?”
Sir Raoul asked in amazement.
On closer look, the leather was red, covered with glimmering scales. Four gigantic fangs sat on top of the leather pile.
It was obviously the skin of a chimera, a monster mixed with a lion and a snake.
The man sitting behind the stall nodded proudly.
“Yup. I almost died catching it.”
“It’s beautiful. Where the hell did you find it?”
“It was around the border of the Grand Duchy.”
Raoul frowned.
“Near the border… aren’t the Duke’s knights guarding it?”
The man raised his head and looked at Raoul. His gaze rested on the black lion crest stamped on Raoul’s pauldron.
“You must be a Knight of Morte. Do you serve the Grand Duke?”
“Yes.”
“Choose what you like. I’ll give it to you cheap.”
Chimera’s teeth were hard as steel, and it could repel fire. She picked up two fangs while Raoul picked up a pile of leather.
The man sold them at a pretty decent price, as promised. After they packed away their goods, the man looked at them intensely.
“You will have to hurry. When the owner is away, a flock of rats infest his nest.”
“The Grand Duke has been away from the estate for too long. His reputation has soared tremendously, but the rats do not know him. Go back safely.”
The man folded his arms and closed his eyes as if he was finished talking.
She frowned and turned to Raoul.
Raoul was looking at her with the same expression.
The next day, they finally reached the estate.
[Located at the northernmost tip of the Empire, the Morte Estate is the largest territory under the Emperor.
The Capital is far to the west, and the south, north, and east parts of the Empire are large enough to be their own territories.
Geographically, the north has many monsters because it is close to the Black Mountains and the wasteland below, but there is no major damage because the Knights of the area are strong.
Rather, the biggest problem is livestock dying from the cold, and the scarcity of fruit. Wheat grows well in the cool climate, and the territory’s income mainly comes from the precious gems mined…]
Minerals were also Amari’s main source of income. Of course, no precious jewels could be found, only iron and copper.
Anyway, it was amazing that Victor, who looked like a typical southerner, grew up in a similar environment to her.
‘Did he also grow up seeing miners with coal-stained noses?’
She secretly glanced at Victor.
Victor had been looking out his window all day.
It had been a long time since he had returned home, so he had a lot to think about.
But he did not forget to smile at her occasionally.
He seemed pretty happy about bringing her to the Morte estate.
“It gives me peace of mind to think that you will live in my castle.”
He grabbed her hand.
“Just the two of us…”
Victor smiled faintly.
It was such a beautiful smile. She didn’t think she could ever get used to seeing his face every day.
She hesitated and quickly changed the topic.
“Won’t you be busy? It’s been a while since you’ve been here.”
She had heard some of the bad rumors circulating the territory, and what the chimera hunter said yesterday tormented her thoughts.
‘What did he mean by rats? People? Monsters?’
No matter what happened, it wouldn’t really be strange, seeing as their lord, Victor, had been gone for so long.
But Victor smiled slowly.
“Well, if I don’t want to do the work, I don’t have to, do I? I have faith in my vassals.”
He caressed her hand gently, running his fingers over her knuckles, and kissed the calluses on them.
“Whatever happens, don’t worry. All you have to do is stay by my side.”
She frowned in uncertainty.
The northern wind gently blew against her back.
***
The Morte Castle was a beautiful place.
Tall walls encompassed the village, and the houses were like nothing Amarion had ever seen. Made out of solid stone, each house was topped with a white roof.
The main road was neatly paved with stones, and a canal ran through the land, giving everyone access to clean water.
Even though the walls were tall, you could still see the forest through the arrowslits* that were placed at even intervals.
[*E/N: An arrowslit is a narrow vertical hole in a wall through which an archer can launch arrows or a crossbowman can launch bolts.]
As the Grand Duke’s carriage rolled through the village, the young people standing on the side of the road cheered.
They threw white petals at their carriage and on the road in front of it. She could understand their reactions. If her lord had returned after saving the Empire, she, too, would celebrate.
But Victor seemed to be distracted by something else.
“…It’s strange.”
“Yes? What?”
“Nothing.”
Victor smiled softly and gestured to the coachman.
Their carriage increased its speed and quickly approached the inner fortress, where the Morte Castle was located.
***