Chapter 127: |
Leticia and Eberhard were in charge of night watch at the castle where Balta’s Prince Haqab and Princess Ganje stayed.
Leticia and Eberhard couldn’t understand why they had to stay up all night to guard that guy, so they took their complaints directly to Knight Commander Starz and got scolded. He asked if they could take responsibility if a war broke out, and naturally, their answer was negative.
They nodded. We’ll do our best to guard the Prince. Knight Commander Starz put cookies in Leticia and Eberhard’s hands and let them go. The two made strange faces as they left the Knight Commander’s office.
“…”
“… He seems to be treating us like Sir Rosaline?”
It bothered them that everyone carried snacks these days. Leticia and Eberhard called these compliment snacks. Either way, it was only proper to enjoy them since they’d received them.
Leticia’s was a macadamia cookie, and Eberhard’s was a cookie with chunks of cheese. They exchanged half their cookies, ate them amicably, and put the rest in Hessa’s mouth when they ran into him. Hessa, carrying a lot of luggage, quickly had his cheeks stuffed like a squirrel.
The two who came to Haqab’s castle relieved a pair of lesser knights of the Spindrift Order. Knights drawn from various Imperial Orders took their post here and there.
Even late at night, the maids of the castle still roamed around. They were in a similar situation, so they lightly greeted each other as they passed by. The maids secretly peeked at Eberhard while squealing. Eberhard pretended to act noble and impressive by flexing his arms. Leticia squinted because she didn’t want to see it.
“Did you see that, Leticia?”
“Yeah… Your stupid appearance…”
Eberhard gasped. He’d grown a lot lately but still looked like a country bumpkin and an idiot. She couldn’t figure out what they liked about this guy.
“Excuse me…Leticia. What kind of man do you like?”
“A man who never asks questions like that.”
Eberhard was dumbfounded. But in an instant, his mood changed. The sharp air right before a battle surrounded him. Leticia, noticing the abnormality, widened her vision. Something bothered her.
“Leticia.”
“I know.”
The quiet chirping of bugs stopped. Two birds frightened by something suddenly flew up and crossed over their heads.
“Number three, major escort point!” Eberhard screamed and drew his sword.
At the same time, five assassins poured from the trees. Perhaps realizing they could not avoid the knights, they rushed toward Leticia and Eberhard.
Leticia roared to inform the other soldiers and knights guarding a distance away.
“Number three, major escort point! Five—no,” Her eyes moved quickly. “Two intruders inside!”
The moment she finished speaking, an assassin swung a short sword. Leticia breathed in and stomped down on the floor.
Thud!
With her feet firmly planted on the floor, a tightly coiled power moved from her entire body into her sword. She then unleashed a destructive force that could shatter even a stone— more than enough to sever the man’s arm and destroy his weapon. Blood splattered all over Leticia’s face.
“Aagh!”
Leticia kicked the man with the dismembered arm off his feet, grabbed an assassin’s hair as he tried to throw a knife at Eberhard, and smashed his face against the wall. Eberhard, who had quickly neutralized one of them, thanked her with a glance.
Leticia gnashed her teeth. How dare they make my first actual battle in defense of Haqab. These useless punks…
Heavy attacks loaded with emotion rained down on the assassins.
Whoo!
An unusual sound came from the sword she wielded. Leticia’s attack scattered the assassins like fallen leaves in the wind.
Even if some long-ranged projectiles came flying by, like an esper, she immediately noticed them, knocked them down, and changed flexibly depending on the situation. The solid foundation of skill unique to the Imperial Knights also shone through, making finding gaps in their defense difficult.
By the time other escorts came to their aid, the assassins already laid defeated.
Eberhard brushed his disheveled hair away. His attitude of kicking the wriggling assassins was casual. The knights who came to support them trembled. They were also lesser knights, but they felt strangely intimidated.
Leticia captured the two living assassins while they stared. She smiled slightly and greeted the knights who came to her aid.
“Thank you for your hard work. It’s our first time meeting. I’m Leticia, a lesser knight of the Knights of the White Night.”
With a bloodstained face, she held out her similarly bloody hands carefreely.
***
The Imperial Palace was upended. A foreign royal family faced the threat of assassination the night before. Fortunately or unfortunately, there were no casualties thanks to the 2nd Prince Ricardis, who had increased the number of escort troops in advance with the cooperation of the Imperial Knights. Moreover, since two lesser knights of the White Night Order were the ones who caught the assassins this time, it was only natural that peoples’ evaluation of Ricardis went up a notch.
Five assassins had died on the spot. Two were captured but committed suicide by biting their tongues during torture. The reason behind their attack was still undetermined. The incident only hinted that someone wanted to kill Balta’s successor.
Prince Haqab tried to wrap up the issue with a generous attitude even though it was a matter of his safety. He briefly mentioned that he only wanted a result that made everyone happy since they were all there to celebrate the founding of Illavenia.
But everyone knew Haqab wasn’t gullibly responding while being pressured by the higher-ups. He was a sharpened weapon in its sheath. An unfinished sword cannot enter its scabbard. As such, you could not believe that Haqab had not prepared for everything.
Even those who desperately wanted Haqab’s death to the point of sending assassins into the night hunkered down. It was as if they had finally realized they were rocking a beehive.
Ricardis ran wild, questioning if Haqab’s people had any suspicions. He also called the assassins’ employers idiots. He cursed that they would never have thought of such a foolish plan if they were human.
Haqab looked at the visiting Ricardis with wet eyes. Impressed, moved, delighted. Those eyes seemed to ask: You even spared your own bodyguards to protect me?
“Prince Ricardis, for me…”
Hearing Haqab’s sincerely trembling voice, Ricardis had to clamp his mouth shut very firmly, not letting the foul language escape.
At the point where his mood had taken a downturn, listening to Haqab’s gratitude right after he had shaken Rosaline’s resolve with all sorts of tricks made Ricardis increasingly furious. He knew in his head that Haqab must not suffer in Illavenia, but he couldn’t help but secretly wish the assassins had succeeded.
Haqab, thrilled by this cross-border friendship, hugged Ricardis. He even kissed both cheeks. Ricardis looked back on his life, contemplating that he had never felt so murderous in his 25 years of living.
Of course, his face confronting Haqab was as calm as ever. Haqab gently stroked Ricardis’ hand, inviting him to eat with him. Ricardis smiled brightly.
“A guest who came to the Empire almost got into trouble. I’m grateful for your consideration in glossing over this incident for the sake of the festival; however, I need to reorganize everything so that this does not happen again. That’s why I have much business to return to urgently, Prince Haqab. Please invite me to dinner next time. You must have been very shocked, but I hope you take care of yourself and welcome me with a smile next we meet.”
“You work so hard for me… I impose on you too much. Of course, Prince Ricardis.”
Haqab held Ricardis’s hands tightly and peered closely at him. Ricardis’ face was as handsome and beautiful as usual. He could glean no ripples from his cool-headed behavior.
Haqab has kept tabs on Ricardis since the Illavenian delegation’s visit to Balta. Without having to dig too far, the fact that Ricardis was heavily protective of Rosaline was evident from his actions. It was too much for just a subordinate.
He didn’t know if it was the actions of safeguarding a sharp sword or something entirely different, but the facts didn’t change.
If Haqab could take Rosaline away through marriage, Ricardis wouldn’t be able to smile like this. Had he heard nothing from her?
Oh, dear… Can I hope?
Haqab’s smile deepened. Putting Rosaline aside, he also wanted to see this man shake. It was a bit disappointing.
Then Ricardis exclaimed. He searched his pockets and took out a pouch with delicate embroidery.
“Looks like you lost this in the commotion, Prince. My knight picked it up.”
He passed the pouch over, and Haqab could feel a small pile of metal rolling around through the single layer of fabric. Haqab quickly recognized its true identity.
Oh, dear… Isn’t this…
Opening the bag, he found his necklace as expected. The token of the marriage proposal he had given to Rosaline lay shattered horribly. Haqab laughed dumbfoundedly.