“Master!”
Romnor, who had been sitting at his desk for a while, opened his eyes at the butler’s urgent voice. Now nearing seventy, he often dozed off without realizing it. Yet he had no sleep at dawn. At such times, he felt his age anew. He missed the days when he was confident he would never lose the vigor and health of youth, even as his friends aged and flaunted their old age.
“Are you unwell?”
The butler delayed his urgent report to first check Romnor’s complexion.
“No. I just couldn’t sleep last night.”
“Worries?”
“Is there ever a day that there aren’t any? What’s the matter?”
“Governor Ruenmus has personally come to the mansion.”
Romnor briefly searched his memory. Forgetting trivial things was common, but it was rare for him to forget such an important appointment.
“Did I have a prior arrangement with the governor?”
As his memory became hazy, memories of the past grew clearer. The moment he first got his seat on the council, becoming a councilor, married, had a daughter, and lost his wife, all remained vivid like yesterday.
Young people live carving out the future, while the old live reminiscing about the past. This was exactly his situation. His old friends would sarcastically say, ‘Youth is always glorified in retrospect.’
“No, there was no appointment. He suddenly arrived.”
“Ha, Ruenmus? This is unusual. Is he in the drawing room?”
“I took him there for now, but should I turn him away?”
“That’s not something that is possible. Offer him some tea and tell him to wait a moment. It wouldn’t look good if I showed up too quickly.”
“I intended to do that, but he insisted on bringing you quickly without even having tea.”
“So urgent? Hmm, I’ll be there soon.”
Romnor put on an overcoat, grabbed his cane, and went to the drawing room. Even with a cane, his knee pain was unavoidable. But before opening the drawing room door, he folded his cane and changed his expression to one that showed no pain, only a smile. As he expected, Ruenmus couldn’t sit still and was pacing near the bookshelf.
“Councilor Romnor. You haven’t attended the Council of Elders in such a long time that I’ve almost forgetten your face.”
Ruenmus, with neatly combed blond hair, was nearly fifty but still full of youthful vigor. Deep wrinkles showed more experience than his age, and the well-defined muscles under his clothes indicated he hadn’t neglected his physical training. His neck and face bore many scars from injuries in the war ten years ago.
During Ruenmus’s five-year tenure as governor, Carnelock had significantly recovered from the aftermath of the war. However, Romnor didn’t quite like him. He resembled his own ambitious younger self.
“The Council of Elders isn’t as powerful as it used to be… Do I need to join the old men desperately trying to prove they’re not dead?”
The main reason was his painful legs, but Romnor pretended it was for political reasons.
Ruenmus laughed.
“Of course not. You always speak straightforwardly, Councilor.”
Romnor slowly sat down, supporting himself with the chair.
‘Can’t tell if he means it or is just letting it slide. I don’t like him.’
He placed his hand on his cane before speaking.
“What brings the governor here personally?”
“A serious matter has arisen, and I seek your help. These days, the situation is chaotic, and bad things keep happening. Frankly, I have no one around me I can trust.”
“Can you trust me? Even if you could, do you think I could dare be of help to the governor?”
“If a former governor during Carnelock’s golden age says such things, I fear for my retirement.”
“What’s the use of power when old? My greed has led me to build a two-story luxury mansion at this age.”
“Emphasizing ‘two stories’ sounds like an insult to all fifty councilors.”
“Including the three governors. Governor Ruenmus, along with Nondolin and Narbeni, living such luxurious lives wouldn’t look good to the citizens of Rock.”
“I’ll take it to heart.”
Ruenmus continued to smile gently.
‘He’s hiding ulterior motives. He didn’t come here to hear this; saying more will only make me look pathetic.’
Romnor sighed quietly and asked,
“Could you please get to the point? I tire quickly from sitting long in front of people these days. Besides, I left a book I was reading, and I’m too curious about what happens next.”
“You’ll soon find this more intriguing.”
Ruenmus continued, his voice confident yet tinged with concern.
“Late last evening, a dispatch arrived at the council. There have been several urgent messages recently, but this is the first time in centuries that one has been executed according to the ancient manual.”
“A centuries-old manual? Does such a thing exist?”
“It’s from the southern village of Leofio in Carnelock. Did you know that Leofio was established to prepare for possible invasions from the Sky Mountains?”
“I might have heard that.”
“I searched for records on it as well. In the event of an invasion, Leofio’s dispatches are to be marked with a yellow flag and sealed in yellow envelopes. This time, one of those has arrived.”
Romnor was taken aback.
“It must have been a pratical joke, right?”
“I thought so too. The letter is quite interesting. The captain of the Wolf Knights of Aranthia himself stated, ‘An army threatening Carnelock will descend from the Sky Mountains, and I will come to Rock soon.’”
Romnor fiddled with the orb at the end of his cane.
“Well, that’s…”
Romnor managed to utter a few words but couldn’t continue. Ruenmus spoke again.
“You met the knight Quain Wolf five years ago, correct?”
It was at a meeting where leaders of various countries gathered to discuss post-war issues. Despite the presence of many prominent figures, Quain and Queen Sanadiel stood out.
“I thought there couldn’t be another man like Captain Derick in this world, but Captain Quain was his equal. Considering he was just over thirty at the time, he was more than that.”
“I agree. But Quain said then that he was no longer the captain of the Wolf Knights. He just called himself a Guardian Knight.”
“Is that so? I don’t remember well.”
“He once said in private that it was tiresome to explain to everyone he met, so he just kept the title of captain. So, at that time, the Wolf Knights had no captain.”
Ruenmus never minced words. Even now, he spoke directly to the point.
“If this dispatch is true, this captain could be one of two things. Either he is an imposter claiming to be Captain Wolf, or he is a newly appointed captain. But according to information from less than a year ago, the Wolf Knights still had no designated captain. It’s a country that keeps its internal affairs very secretive, so this information could be inaccurate.”
“Setting aside the captain issue, what is this enemy descending from the Sky Mountains?”
“To discuss that, we held an emergency state meeting this morning. However, the councilors’ opinions were so divided that it was impossible to reach a conclusion. You know how it is; once councilors start arguing, not even a dragon could stop them. So, after consulting with the other two govenors, we decided to bring in Councilor Romnor, who is like the chairman of the Council of Elders.”
“What about the law stating that senior councilors should not interfere with the council?”
“It’s not interference. It’s providing advice to the council, which is your original duty. Moreover, I attached the condition that the governor personally requested it. I’ll take responsibility for any minor issues.”
Ruenmus, always clear and decisive in his speech, had a gleam in his eyes. He shrugged with a gentle smile.
“So, have you forgotten that book you were so curious about?”
Romnor burst into laughter.
“Alright. When should I go?”
“I plan to start the day after tomorrow in the morning. I will inform the council tomorrow that I have invited Councilor Romnor.”
“I didn’t know I was someone who needed advance notice to appear.”
“The councilors of Rock will heed your words more than those of us three govenors.”
‘So, you intend to manipulate me.’
Romnor swallowed the words rising to his throat. Once Ruenmus finished his business, he left the mansion without hesitation.
Romnor sipped the tea the butler brought late, deep in thought.
“I’ll go to the council the day after tomorrow.”
“Shall I prepare your clothing?”
The butler asked.
“When one gets old, the only thing left to show off is clothes. Pay attention to it.”
“Yes, Master. I’ll also prepare the carriage in advance tomorrow.”
The tea in the cup had gone cold, and he did not enjoy cold tea.
“An enemy from the Sky Mountains? It would be good if this ends with the dismissal of Leofio’s administrator on charges of false reporting.”
☆ ☆ ☆
Two days later, as soon as the meeting Romnor attended started, the councilors fiercely expressed their opinions. The debate began with whether reacting to a false report would damage the council’s prestige and if it was true, it would be a significant problem. There were also hasty suggestions like mobilizing the army immediately or calling the Dragon Knights. Some even proposed the foolish idea of summoning the reporting administrator for direct interrogation.
By evening, an urgent dispatch arrived from ‘Anbaldi.’ The letter carried by the dispatch rider was also in a yellow envelope. The writing was so hasty that the scribe broke into a cold sweat trying to decipher it.
“The captain of the Aranthia Wolf Knights came to the Anbaldi administration office and demanded that the army be assembled and stationed at the southern defense wall. Soldiers who resisted were pinned to the wall by strange sorcery, and I was held by the collar by a man with white wings and hung on the wall for half an hour.”
The scribe paused briefly, unsure if he was reading correctly, then continued.
“Unable to withstand the threats, I am sending this dispatch. Captain Wolf ordered me to note in the letter that he threatened me. Another guard of Captain Wolf is currently standing beside me, watching the contents of the letter, and his eyes seem to be burning with fire. Anbaldi’s administrator, Tarkir.”
Governor Ruenmus remarked in disbelief,
“An administrator handling an important military stronghold like Anbaldi doesn’t even know proper reporting format?”
The young govenor, Nondolin, sitting next to Ruenmus, laughed and said,
“We should add a poetry literature course to the curriculum for future administrators.”
Snickers came from various parts of the council. Narbeni, the second female govenor in Carnelock’s history, waved her hand dismissively and said,
“Whoever this man claiming to be Captain Wolf is, he seems eager to announce his arrival in Rock. If he were an imposter, he wouldn’t be doing that. It feels genuine yet also suspicious, doesn’t it?”
Everyone agreed with her.
A high-ranking councilor seated at the back shouted,
“If he’s coming here anyway, why not hold the meeting after he arrives?”
“That would be too late.”
Ruenmus continued in a louder voice.
“We need to decide within the council how we will deal with him when we face him. If he is an imposter, we can just punish him, but if he’s genuine, do you want Carnelock’s council to appear disorganized before him?”
After Ruenmus’s speech, the horn signaling lunchtime sounded. The councilors, who kept to the lunchtime schedule even in the midst of a war, left their seats.
The three govenors dined with Romnor under a large tree in the garden.
Romnor spoke frankly,
“It’s an interesting issue, but there’s nothing for me to do in this meeting.”
“Not at all. Your presence has brought more order to the proceedings.”
Nondolin said. He always smiled, making it impossible to read his true feelings.
Narbeni, who was elegantly cutting meat beside him, said,
“By tomorrow, we should converge on one or two opinions.”
Narbeni’s smile was beautiful, but Romnor found it difficult to face. She was charming with men and never spoke harshly to them.
Rumors had it that several councilors had changed their policies after spending a night in her bedroom. It might have been a falsehood to discredit her, but Romnor, who knew her from her younger days, couldn’t easily dismiss such rumors.
Narbeni had a great desire for power since Romnor’s days as a govenor. Having been treated like a princess from a young age, she was also very vain and loved to flaunt luxurious items.
She was a woman who found happiness in dominating men. Despite being nearly forty, her skin was remarkably smooth, showing almost no wrinkles, thanks to her meticulous care. Her ample bosom created an attractive curve even under loose councilor robes, making her look youthful. Her waist was slim, and her slightly exposed legs appeared smooth as glass.
Five years ago, at a gathering of representatives from various countries, Narbeni flaunted her beauty to the fullest. She adorned herself with every jewel she owned, behaving almost like the queen of Carnelock. Because of her, a modest dinner almost turned into a lavish party. Every man there had their eyes on her.
Narbeni once joked that if she weren’t a councilor of Rock, she’d seduce the most handsome man there and become his wife. Romnor knew who she directed that joke at and knew she acted on it. The target was Quain.
Unintentionally, Romnor witnessed her trying to seduce Quain from behind a window. The temptation was so strong that any man would find it irresistible. Rejecting it seemed almost sinful. However, Quain responded calmly,
“I am not someone who drinks poison just because it smells fragrant.”
Quain politely bowed and left. Narbeni stood there, stunned, as if something impossible had happened. For a while, Romnor thought Quain either couldn’t be with women or preferred men.
Narbeni’s humiliation didn’t end there. Despite her dazzling attire and impressive jewelry, she lost her luster next to Queen Sanadiel’s serene beauty. It wasn’t a large party with many women, just a meeting with only the two women, which made the comparison immediate.
The queen wore no adornments other than a small crown but seemed to shine always. When Ruenmus joked that if Aranthia had no gold, Carnelock would gladly use its treasury to gift her jewels, she replied, ‘Forget the heavy gold; send your country’s best wine. I’ll judge your joke’s value by that.’ Her response brought laughter to the room. Of course, Ruenmus gifted his treasured wine the very next day.
With such events, it was clear why Narbeni harbored strong hostility towards Aranthia.
‘Has she matured a bit since becoming a govenor? No, a person’s nature doesn’t change over time.’
Even now, Narbeni was giving Romnor innocent, girlish looks over the meal. She knew precisely what kind of gaze would win over a man. Her long, neatly combed blonde hair draped over her slightly exposed white shoulder, and her skin reflected the sunlight like a jewel.
‘She’s still so beautiful. Those rumors about her drinking children’s blood to prevent aging might be true after all.’
Avoiding her gaze, Romnor asked,
“What does Captain Derick say about this?”
“He doesn’t seem very concerned. Captain Derick believes that after meeting the man in person, he can easily discern the truth, and acting then won’t be too late. He refrains from further comments.”
Nondolin replied.
Ruenmus sipped some milk and then lowered his voice slightly,
“Captain Derick’s recent behavior is suspicious.”
“Do you think he has a woman?”
Narbeni asked with a laugh, but Ruenmus shook his head seriously.
“If only it were that! But… hmm, never mind. I’ll keep an eye on it and let you know.”
Romnor remained silent and just finished his meal. Eating while deep in troubling thoughts seemed likely to affect his digestion.
The meeting continued in the same vein the next day, but fortunately, the discussion proceeded more calmly the day after. The council quickly debated how to respond to the man claiming to be Captain Wolf.
Throughout this process, Romnor did nothing. Nevertheless, Ruenmus praised him, saying the matter was resolved quickly thanks to him.
On his way back, Romnor met with members of the Council of Elders, sharing old stories over a drink before heading home alone. Though the butler had brought the carriage, he chose to walk. Sometimes he wanted to take a walk alone. Thanks to the alcohol, his legs didn’t hurt today.
Suddenly, he found himself beside the building of the Dragon Knights.
“Hmm, why am I here…?”
Romnor muttered to himself and stopped walking.
The garden in the back of the Dragon Knights’ building was as well-kept as the council’s garden, but unlike the bustling council garden, it was rarely frequented. He used to come here occasionally when he was exhausted from work and wanted solitude. The damp smell of grass rekindled memories of those times.
During his tenure as governor, he could hear the cries of dragons and the shouts of the lively knights. Although he could still sometimes hear the knights’ voices, the liveliness was gone, and the dragon’s cries were absent.
Passing knights greeted him respectfully as they walked by. As he returned their greetings, Ruenmus’s words suddenly came to mind.
‘Suspicious of Captain Derick? Considering the effort he put into protecting Carnelock, it’s you who’s suspicious for doubting him.’
Romnor sat on a bench to rest for a while. In the center of the garden, where fallen petals were blown by the wind, he delved into old memories.
There was a girl dancing against the backdrop of those flowers. This flowerbed in the center of the garden was a place Romnor had created for his daughter when she turned twenty.
At that time, many men in the Dragon Knights had sworn to become her Guardian Knight, so it wasn’t difficult to arrange such a nice spot.
She danced in the flowerbed as a gift to her father. It was also the best gift she could give him. The image of his mature daughter smiling with her hands neatly clasped after finishing the dance amidst the wind-blown petals was touching for a father.
‘Look, my daughter. The gift heaven has given to Carnelock is not just dragons.’
No one contradicted Romnor’s proud words. But the early-blooming flower withered too soon. Whenever he came to this garden, he thought of his daughter, and the sorrow of losing her returned.
Romnor rose again and walked through the garden. He looked for Captain Derick just in case, but he wasn’t there.
“He went out with a guest.”
The officer replied politely.
“Did he mention where?”
“I don’t know.”
“And who is this guest?”
“That, I’m not sure either…”
Romnor scolded the officer for not knowing, considering he should be aware of even a single person with a cold if it concerned the Dragon Knights. But after turning away, he regretted it.
‘What right do I have now to scold the young?’
He walked to the wide open space where dragons used to nest. The meticulous attention once paid to every wire of the fence was no longer visible. Though there were no broken parts due to Captain Derick’s thorough management, it was sad to see the place where dragons should be without dragons.
When the dragon that used to acquire knowledge about humans here spoke of his daughter’s fate, it felt like the sky was falling. As the sorrow resurfaced, Romnor clenched the wire fence.
‘Why do I purposely come to places that dredge up past pain? Let’s go back. Whether Captain Wolf or the Queen of Aranthia comes, what can I do now? Let’s rest. Let’s rest.’
As he turned to leave, he noticed a young man standing not far away. The disheveled blond hair and travel-worn cloak stirred a part of his memory. The appearance of the young man standing there overlapped strangely with a young man he had seen over twenty years ago.
‘Who is that?’
Perhaps because he was thinking about old times, memories from twenty years ago came to mind easily.
☆ ☆ ☆
Over twenty years ago, while serving as governor, Romnor liked to meet and talk with the dragon ‘Vuharol’ at least once a week. One day, right in this spot, he discovered a young blond man who looked like a vagabond. He was about to scold him for being in a sacred place, but the bright, clear eyes staring intently at the dragon stretching in the open space stopped him.
Romnor approached him and asked.
“Whose family are you from that you dare come here and observe the dragon without permission?”
The bold young man grinned and replied,
“If there is someone who claims ownership of Carnelock’s Guardian Dragon, I’ll get their permission right away.”
A dragon is not the property of Carnelock…
Romnor liked the way this young man spoke, boldly mentioning a taboo that even councilors wouldn’t dare utter. So he asked again,
“But this land belongs to the Dragon Knights. Did you get permission from the owner of this land?”
“If the proper order is to get permission from every owner of the land I tread, first, you should let me meet those owners. If they don’t even let me see the officer, how can I meet anyone from the Dragon Knights to get permission?”
Romnor found this amusing and continued,
“Alright, let’s say that’s true. Why are you here to see the dragon? Surely, you’re not just trying to pass off illegal activity as something innocent by making up stories?”
“While I do have a curiosity about a creature I’ve never seen, I actually have business with the dragon.”
“What is it?”
“I want a ride.”
Romnor burst into laughter. It had been a long time since he’d lost his laughter due to the daily sorrow from his daughter’s tragedy.
The audacious young man showed up at Romnor’s mansion fifteen days later and made a bold request that no one dared to make.
“I’ve come to marry your daughter, Dalia, governor Romnor.”
Coincidentally, many prominent suitors were gathered at the mansion to propose to Dalia. Due to the sheer number of suitors, Romnor had summoned them all on the same day to deal with them efficiently.
The young man, whose background was unknown, seemed to ignore everyone else and only addressed Romnor. The other suitors laughed, not taking him seriously, while Romnor, pressing his throbbing head, responded,
“That’s a rather extreme request. Should I permit it?”
“Permit? What strange talk, governor. What permission? I’ve come to make a declaration.”
The young man pounded his chest as he spoke.
One of the suitors couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped forward.
“Kid, who are you to speak to the governor like that? Do you think you have the right to stand here?”
The other suitors laughed heartily at his words, but the young man didn’t back down.
“And what right do you have to be here?”
“I am Enelsar, the only son of Enelor, who served as governor for ten years and is now a councilor in the Council of Elders. I’ve been training as a knight in the Dragon Knights for two years. If I don’t have the right to be here, who does? Go ahead and tell me with that loud mouth of yours!”
The boldness of Enelsar made the blond young man point at him incredulously.
“Governor Romnor, did you let such a person be a suitor?”
Enelsar glared daggers at him while Romnor, with a tired expression, asked,
“What do you mean?”
“A man who has nothing to his name but his father’s title—do you really think he’s suitable to be Dalia’s husband?”
Enelsar drew his sword.
“You bastard, I’ll cut out that oily tongue of yours right here.”
The blond young man, unfazed by the drawn sword, shouted back,
“Go ahead! I wonder what your father Enelor will say when my severed tongue is twitching and bleeding on the floor of the governor’s mansion.”
Everyone’s jaws dropped. Enelsar looked to Romnor for support, but Romnor had no intention of taking sides, though he wouldn’t allow anyone to draw a sword in his mansion.
Romnor stopped him with a look. Enelsar, considering it a humiliation to sheathe his sword without using it, couldn’t easily obey.
Watching this, the young man finally added,
“You needed permission to propose and now you need permission to swing your sword?”
“You bastard!”
Romnor thought there would surely be blood and tried to intervene, but a knight standing at the back acted faster, restraining Enelsar.
“This is not the place to draw a sword, Enelsar. Put it away.”
Deradul Machi, the man who would one day become Captain of the Dragon Knights.
Enelsar, ultimately, sheathed his sword at Deradul’s words.
Romnor, grateful for his intervention, spoke.
“You seem to be the only sane person standing here, Deradul. Could you help sort this out?”
At that moment, the blond young man frowned and spoke.
“Wait a minute! Deradul, are you here to propose to Dalia as well?”
Deradul chuckled.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You bastard, that’s not fair!”
Deradul enjoyed watching the blond youth’s indignant expression for a moment before shaking his head.
“I’m just kidding. The governor asked me to come as a guard. I had a feeling something like this might happen.”
Romnor, listening to the exchange, asked,
“Do you two know each other?”
“A week ago, this guy came to the Knights demanding to be taken on a dragon ride.”
Not only Romnor, but the expressions of all the suitors present turned sour. They were already shocked and displeased that this unknown youth was acquainted with Deradul of the Dragon Knights. And now, hearing he wanted to ride a dragon, they looked as if they’d just bitten into a whole lemon.
Deradul shrugged and addressed everyone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I think we all deserve to know why this young man believes he has the right to propose to Lady Dalia. Don’t you agree, governor Romnor?”
Romnor, indeed curious about the source of this young man’s boldness, replied,
“Speak up.”
“Well…”
To everyone’s surprise, the young man responded shyly.
“Because Dalia said she likes me.”
One man burst into laughter, spitting as he did, and the others joined in. One even forgot his noble composure and banged the wall as he laughed.
Despite blushing, the young man did not lower his head or look away. He never diverted his gaze from the person he was speaking to.
“Dalia said she likes me, and I like Dalia.”
Ignoring the laughter, he continued. However, his words were drowned out by the laughter. Romnor shot a fierce look at the suitors, silencing them naturally. The young man continued, unaffected.
“We talked for a long time. I’ve been here only for two weeks, but I’ve talked with Dalia more than anyone here. Maybe even more than you, governor!”
Romnor felt an odd sensation as if the young man was getting closer, and he slightly leaned back.
“Did you know Dalia wants to keep a rabbit? Do you know her favorite novel? Do you know the songs and poems she likes? I do. Dalia can’t cook, but I can. I promised to teach her. Dalia rides horses well; I don’t. She promised to teach me. I like Dalia, and Dalia likes me. That’s it.”
The young man finished his story as if daring anyone to argue.
“Do you, Councilor, have the confidence to interfere between us?”
One suitor could not hold back and shouted,
“Get out now. Do you think marriage is child’s play?”
The others hurled insults too. Their language was so harsh that even Deradul couldn’t calm them. But the young man and Romnor ignored them.
Romnor sighed and spoke.
“So that’s why Dalia turned the kitchen into a mess trying to bake cookies she never made before…”
Romnor then gently asked the young man, who was still staring at him intently,
“What is your occupation?”
“I’m a farmer.”
The suitors, now convinced he wasn’t worth their time, folded their arms and turned away. But the young man didn’t avoid Romnor’s gaze.
“Where are you from?”
Romnor’s voice softened.
“From Lurun, a village in the Kingdom of Camort.”
The young man answered without hesitation.
“What is your name?”
Romnor asked one last question, and the young man replied.
“Emil Noi.”
☆ ☆ ☆
The young man standing there looked so much like the twenty-year-old Emil that Romnor thought Emil had returned. He stood there with a vacant gaze, staring inside the wire fence. Romnor, leaning on his cane, slowly approached, intending to ask about the past. Then, suddenly, he changed his mind and cleared his throat loudly.
The young man turned his gaze, slightly startled, and when he saw Romnor, he gave a faint smile.
“Who are you to stand here without permission?”
Romnor said loudly, but his voice, rough with phlegm, cracked.
‘I’ve become an old man who can’t even yell properly.’
The young man bowed respectfully and said,
“I am a traveler wishing to visit this sacred place, once a dragon’s nest. Since no one stopped me, I didn’t realize I needed permission.”
“This land belongs to the Dragon Knights. Did you get their permission?”
“Unfortunately, they don’t regard this place as the holy ground it once was. They don’t mind my presence here. So, the ones I need permission from are not the Dragon Knights but the spirits of the dragons who died here.”
Although the sharpness of the young man who had yelled at him twenty years ago was gone, his steady gaze was unchanged.
Romnor asked in a trembling voice,
“Are you, by any chance, from Camort?”
The young man pondered for a while before shaking his head.
“I’m from Aranthia.”
“Ah, I see.”
Romnor felt disappointed, or perhaps it was relief about some unknown truth better left undiscovered.
The young man continued with a gentle smile,
“But my hometown is Camort.”
Romnor quickly asked, startled,
“From Lurun, by any chance?”
The young man widened his eyes.
“How do you know that?”
Romnor felt as if his heart had stopped. He staggered and nearly fell, grabbing the wire fence to steady himself.
The young man quickly approached and supported him.
“Are you alright, sir?”
“I, I’m fine. I just needed to confirm something… I must go now.”
“Let me help you.”
“No, I’ll manage.”
Romnor leaned on his cane with trembling hands and took a few unsteady steps. When he looked back, the young man was still watching him with concern. Romnor hesitated for a moment before forcing out a question.
“May I ask your name?”
“Kassel.”
The young man replied politely.
“Thank you.”
Romnor hurriedly turned and walked away.
His hands didn’t stop shaking until he reached home. Although it wasn’t a short distance, today the way home felt endlessly long. Even though he walked almost running, forgetting the pain in his knees, it felt like the house kept moving further away.
Just then, a commercial carriage passed him slowly. The lantern hanging on the side was off, indicating the carriage was returning home after a day’s work. Nevertheless, Romnor urgently gestured to the driver.
“Isn’t that you, Councilor?”
Fortunately, the driver recognized him. He gently reined in the horses and stopped the carriage, giving Romnor an awkward smile.
“What should I do? I’m on my way home now.”
“Sorry. It’s urgent…”
Romnor spoke with a stern face, his voice trembling as if he were guilty of a crime.
“I’ll pay you whatever you want.”
“Pay? If it’s about money, I should start by repaying you for buying this carriage.”
The driver jumped down from the carriage and opened the door for Romnor.
“Get in. I can go home later.”
Romnor struggled to get inside and sit down.
“Should I take you to your mansion?”
The driver asked after closing the door and climbing back up.
“Quickly.”
“Sure.”
The driver answered cheerfully and drove quickly.
Rock had better roads than any country or city on the continent. But because they were going so fast, the wheels bounced and the carriage shook violently. The driver asked several times if Romnor was okay, and each time Romnor replied to just keep going.
“Rock has been unsettled lately. You’ve heard about all the disappearances, right? My wife insists I don’t stay out late, like a mother fretting over a child sent on an errand.”
The driver went on about his wife for quite a while, perhaps trying to calm the anxious councilor. But Romnor didn’t listen. Not that he could hear well over the noise of the carriage anyway.
The carriage quickly arrived at the mansion. The guards, wondering why there was a carriage at this late hour, blocked the path but promptly opened the gates upon seeing Romnor inside. As soon as the carriage stopped, Romnor jumped out without even thanking the driver.
“What’s the matter…”
The startled butler ran out.
“Pay the driver generously.”
Romnor dismissed the butler with those words and hurried to his bedroom.
It was an age where he forgot everything. But for some reason, painful memories never faded and came back vividly when touched. Even now, he hurried, fearing he would forget the name ‘Kassel.’ Afraid of forgetting the young man’s face, he didn’t listen to the driver or look at anyone else.
Romnor opened the jewelry box hidden in the deepest part of his bedroom. Inside were three of his most precious items. One was a wedding ring, another a diary filled with memories of his wife, and the last was a letter from his daughter. With trembling hands, Romnor carefully picked up the worn-out letter, read too often despite his caution.
‘You won’t believe it, Dad. I’ve had a baby.’
Romnor didn’t notice the tears falling onto the floor.
‘I named him Kassel after Emil’s favorite adventurer. He’s a sweet child who looks just like his father…’
–TL Notes–
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