Kassel had talked so much about his experiences in Camort that he could continue the story effortlessly, without much preparation. Thanks to this, he could relax even while eating, and Irine was able to interact with him more comfortably.
In the spacious dining room, only the low voice of Kassel resonated, accompanied only by the clinking of cutlery, the sound of wine being sipped, the chewing of food, and the soft footsteps of the maidservants carrying food.
In the middle of his story, Sheyden and Tanya quietly appeared and sat down. Sheyden briefly greeted Quain and Irine, and Tanya showed a barely noticeable nod. Despite condensing the story a lot, it was only by evening that it came to an end.
“I feel like Jaymer’s role was somewhat exaggerated,” Irine commented.
“Not at all. In the absence of my friends, Jaymer protected me with all his might, as if he were my blood brother,” Kassel replied.
Irine looked at Jay with an expression suggesting she found him adorable. Jay, for his part, continued to tear at his bread, listening to the others as if it were someone else’s story.
Quain, listening intently, finished a glass of wine and said,
“So this is how you seduced my disciples – with stories. Now I understand. The guys who deal with swords all day could easily fall for such interesting tales.”
“That’s right. There’s never a dull moment with him around.”
Sheyden’s serious response made it hard to tell if he was joking or not. If Irine hadn’t stifled a laugh, one might have thought he was serious.
“There is no exaggeration in Kassel’s words. Rather, his own role is too understated,” Sheyden added.
Jaymer agreed,
“Kassel, you talked as if you were terrified of Black and couldn’t do anything, but from what I saw from afar… Oh, what was it? You shouted commands. It even seemed like you were in charge. Suvel and, who was it… the guy I stabbed in the stomach.”
“That was Billy.”
“Ah, right. That person. He was cautious of you too.”
In this situation, anything Kassel would say could come off as boasting, so he chose to remain silent. He didn’t like being seen that way by the two masters.
Quain, having cleared the tableware, turned to Kassel,
“I must return to Her Majesty’s side, so discuss the rest with Irine and Sheyden. And Master Tanya, since you’re here, if you’re not in a hurry, could you stay a bit longer and help us?”
“I came for that very reason,” Tanya replied curtly.
“The circumstances being what they are, it’ll be difficult to have leisurely conversations with you for a while, Kassel. So, what you spoke of yesterday to His Majesty will naturally be kept,” Quain said.
“Yes. And right now, the urgent matter is not me, but Black…”
Kassel replied, standing up.
“I’m also working on a strategy. Your help will be needed. It might become the test I assign you,” Quain said, tapping Irine on the shoulder and whispering something in her ear. After she nodded, Quain walked away quickly. Irine then turned back to Kassel.
“Quain said there will be a simple party with the entire Wolf Knights tonight. I won’t give specific instructions for your behavior there. Just handle it yourself.”
She leaned back in her chair and whistled sharply.
“I’ve been sitting too long. Need to move around. Jaymer, come with me.”
Irine left the dining room with Jaymer, simply saying, “See you later,” to Kassel. Kassel was left bewildered, fingers raised, by the last few sentences that wrapped up the lengthy story like a storm.
“Didn’t she just say that was a test?”
‘I thought that was a test earlier.’
“Don’t worry about it. But both of you left without saying what really needed to be said. There’s a brief meeting with the royal ministers before the Wolf Knights’ party. They already know you’ve been appointed as the captain,”
Sheyden said as he rinsed his mouth with water.
“They know too much about that issue.”
Kassel glanced at the maids carrying the dishes as he spoke.
“Ah, don’t worry about it. Those who can’t keep their mouths shut wouldn’t be here. In terms of experience or status, these maids are ‘higher-ups’ compared to the Wolf Knights.”
Hearing this, a maid laughed out loud as she carried out the dishes. Sheyden also smiled and handed Kassel a notebook. It was handwritten with drawings included.
“What’s this?”
“Didn’t you ask for it earlier? It’s the swordsmanship training status of all members of the Wolf Knights. I’ve also included some simple personal details for reference.”
“Thanks. This is what I needed. I met three of them earlier and already started mixing up their names. There’s a knight named Sildire who stood out because she seemed like… she resembled Azwin.”
“You probably feel like she resembles her because she’s a girl. She’s not only in her teenage years but also recently started having that time of the month, so she’s a bit sensitive. Bear with her. She keeps saying she doesn’t want to have kids so get rid of it, but what can I do? This is something the women should handle among themselves, but Azwin and ‘Malra’ are too busy with their own matters to bother…”
Sheyden trailed off. Kassel found the profiles of the two female knights named Sildire and Malra. Their origins, names, personalities, and behaviors were briefly written, and their swordsmanship features and training contents were detailed.
“Is the knight named Malra Wolf black?”
Kassel pointed to the part labeled ‘darked skinned’ and asked. He had heard of it but never seen a person with black skin.
“You might not know, but Aranthia trades with lands across the western sea. People from there generally have darker or black skin compared to us.”
Kassel felt anew how vast the world was, seeing Sheyden speak so nonchalantly.
“Malra entered here without a test after meeting a Wolf Knight at the port. She was very skilled from the beginning, so if anything, her progress is slower. She’s originally more interested in studying the history of Acrand, so she’s not too keen on swordsmanship training… You’ll probably find it easy to talk with her.”
Just by skimming, Kassel could see how detailed Sheyden’s analysis of the Wolves was. Such work could only be done with affection and interest in the subjects being observed.
“Sheyden, you really love this place.”
At Kassel’s words, Sheyden grinned broadly. Since coming here, Kassel felt he had seen his smile much more often. In contrast, since entering Nadium, Tanya had shown no expression other than her impassive face. Kassel was increasingly feeling depressed, not knowing whether it was his fault or just her personality. He knew he shouldn’t face the Wolf Knights with such a mood, but he couldn’t help it.
☆ ☆ ☆
Tanya asked Sheyden a lot about the Queen’s castle, about Nadium, and about the politics of Aranthia, and Sheyden kindly answered each time. Whenever he didn’t know something, he honestly said so, and when he knew, he explained in detail. Sheyden’s demeanor was like that of a kind teacher.
Kassel listened to the conversation of the two people while memorizing the names of the Wolves written in the notebook and reading through their swordsmanship records.
As he was almost finished with the notebook, a maid entered. The maids here all wore almost the same outfit and had similar hairstyles, but they were all so beautiful that Kassel found his eyes stolen every time he saw them. Although they seemed to be doing menial tasks, Sheyden had explained that the amount of work they actually did was extraordinary and they never neglected their studies.
“Probably half the people sitting in the library are off-duty maids.”
Just then, a maid who had entered the dining room spoke politely to Sheyden.
“Her Majesty has summoned you.”
“A Council of Elders meeting, I presume?”
Sheyden replied just as politely.
“Yes. She has asked for everyone present here to come.”
“Me too?”
Tanya asked, a bit surprised. The maid just nodded her head.
Sheyden immediately got up from his seat.
“Let’s go, Kassel. Master Tanya too.”
Kassel closed his notebook and asked.
“Will we be speaking with the royal ministers?”
“They’re called ministers, but they’re actually members of the Council of Elders. They’re not people who manage national affairs like the ministers we saw in Camort. The practical workers mostly move on the direct orders or personal judgment of the Queen. The ministers are their advisors. But keep in mind, they’re people who worry about the future of Aranthia more than anyone, so there might be some friction with you.”
Just hearing about a little friction was scary at the moment.
“But being an advisor to Her Majesty means they must hold quite a bit of power, right?”
“It depends on how you define power. It’s a bit complicated to explain.”
Sheyden seemed about to explain but then ended the explanation there. The three of them left the annex and walked across the corridor. The other two didn’t seem to mind the silence at all, but Kassel thought he had to strike up a conversation somehow. Especially with Tanya.
“By the way, what kind of political system does Lutia have, Master Tanya? There’s nothing known about it externally, so I’ve always been curious.”
“Lutia is not a political group. There are only masters and disciples.”
Tanya answered briefly. It was an answer that left no room for further questions.
“Oh… I see.”
Kassel thought he had asked a pointless question and closed his mouth.
The path from the annex to the Council building was as beautifully made as a natural trail. If he had been alone, he would have taken 10 minutes for every 10 steps, admiring the view, and he would have been happy even without speaking. But now, it wasn’t particularly enjoyable, nor could he enjoy it.
‘Why is this so uncomfortable?’
Just yesterday, he had expected that by this time, he would be painfully thinking and worrying about the issues with the Wolf Knights and the promise to the Queen. But actually, even on the way to meet the ministers, he was only worried about not being able to have a conversation with Tanya.
The door to the meeting room opened, and Sheyden entered first. Kassel took a deep breath and tried to relax his tense mind.
‘Let’s just think about the Council of Elders now. If I keep the mindset I had when dealing with the ministers in Normant, who were desperate to catch me, I should be able to convince the Council of Elders who are showing me a favorable attitude easily.’
He had just managed to gather his thoughts when someone tapped his shoulder. His tension shattered completely. A young woman who looked like a maid pointed over his shoulder with her thumb and spoke.
“Hey, could you help me carry this tray? It’s drinks for the meeting room.”
“What?”
Sheyden had already entered the meeting room and was out of sight.
“I have business inside…”
“I have business in there too. So we can just carry the tray in together.”
Kassel was flustered. He worried that entering with a tray full of glasses for ‘a meeting to acknowledge his position as the captain’ might not look right.
“I guess I will.”
Kassel agreed. It was just a few steps back to pick up the tray, nothing difficult. Tanya stood by the door, still expressionless, waiting for him.
The maid pointed to one of the two large trays on the side of the corridor, each holding about twenty glasses.
“Just need to carry this one.”
“This one?”
Kassel carefully lifted it, mindful not to spill the sloshing drinks.
“You’re here because of the Captain Wolf appointment issue, right?”
The maid guessed it right away. The maids here were too well-informed about the secrets of the knights and politics. Surely only a few maids who had carried food earlier knew that Kassel was the captain, but this woman seemed vaguely familiar.
“That’s right.”
“I’m Selina. Nice to meet you for the first time.”
‘If it’s the first time, then she’s not one of the maids from earlier. Did those maids talk to their colleagues in secret? So much for being tight-lipped…’
Kassel greeted her as well.
“I’m Kassel. Nice to meet you.”
“But why are you so tense going in there? Are you heading into battle?”
Selina, with brown hair tied back and wearing a white cap, had thick eyebrows and a confident smile.
“Did I look that way?”
“If you go in with that mindset, won’t the Council of Elders eat you alive?”
Selina effortlessly lifted the tray Kassel was struggling to balance, holding it with one hand while casually resting the other on her hip.
“Eaten alive?”
The conversation between Sheyden and someone who appeared to be a Council Minister could be faintly heard through the open door.
“It’s been a while, Sheyden Wolf. Did things go well in Camort?”
“Yes. If you’ve read the report I submitted, you should know the general story.”
“Wasn’t that report too brief?”
Selina whispered to Kassel with a faint smile.
“The people in there, those old men, don’t care whether you become the captain or not. It has no bearing on their interests.”
“What do you mean?”
Kassel turned to look at Selina, still standing outside the door.
Sheyden’s voice continued from inside.
“The Camort royal family will also send direct news. It’s unreasonable to expect a detailed report within half a day.”
Selina continued in a hushed tone.
“If it was a knightly order directly operated by the royal family, then who becomes the captain would shift the center of power, and ordinary royal ministers would be sensitive to such changes. But these old men here are different. Whether you become Captain Wolf or not, it makes no change to their interests or power.”
Selina raised the tray high with one hand and sidled up next to Kassel. She burst into a tickling laugh, continuing her speech.
“Even though they’re called Council of Elders, they’re just old men who farm during their downtime. Think about it, Kassel. These people will never show worry about their interests decreasing because of you or expect to gain from you. Does that make it easier to talk to them? Not at all!”
Kassel was taken aback by the riddle-like words thrown at him by Selina. He looked at Tanya, still standing by the door, as if seeking help, but she remained expressionless.
The meeting was already underway, even though Kassel hadn’t entered yet. It seemed the Council of Elders were mainly asking Sheyden about the parts missing from the report, all of which Kassel was already aware of.
The ministers were sharp in their questioning. From their perspective, Kassel’s involvement was unnatural and illogical, and several decisions he had made were deemed excessively risky.
“See? It’s already started. Listen carefully.”
Selina chuckled again near Kassel’s ear before stepping back.
“These old men will talk solely about existing laws and rules. An orator who uses logic as a shield without emotion is not persuaded by anything other than the same logic. You’re walking into a battle with that mindset? Against grandfathers who are much more eloquent than you? You’ll get sliced up.”
Selina said teasingly as she passed Tanya and entered the room. She didn’t forget to thank Tanya for holding the door open, and even carrying the heavy tray, her steps were light.
Kassel followed. No matter how carefully he walked, the drinks kept spilling over the tray. He thanked Tanya as he entered the meeting room, and she quietly closed the door behind them.
“As per the report, you are the one chosen as the captain by the White Wolves’ authority. But there are some points I find hard to accept. May I ask about them?”
A long-bearded Council Minister addressed Kassel as soon as he saw him.
Interestingly, the meeting room was a large space with one wall open. White silk curtains hung on the open wall, with the garden visible between them.
The garden used a mountain of black rocks as its backdrop. There was a part where the mountain seemed to merge with the castle, and this appeared to be that very spot. A stream flowed along the rock, creating a pond within the garden. It was a beautiful place, so serene one could spend a whole day relaxing there with just a packed lunch.
Through the silk curtains, the silhouette of a tall woman sitting was visible. As Kassel and Tanya entered, the woman, who had been bowing her head, lifted it.
The Council of Elders, who were talking with Sheyden, all turned to look at Kassel. Tanya, standing quietly against the wall behind him, was ignored by everyone.
The long-bearded minister continued.
“According to my understanding, the White Wolves have the right to choose their captain, and it only requires Her Majesty’s approval, independent of any external influence. I’ve looked into it, and indeed, the law regarding the appointment of the Wolf Knights’ captain seems to be just that. Is that correct?”
Kassel hesitated, wondering if he was supposed to answer, but Sheyden quickly responded.
“I don’t know much about the law. My friends and I just did what we wanted to do. Fortunately, it seems we didn’t violate any established rules.”
The Queen, visible only as a silhouette behind the curtain, remained silent, observing the room. Selina, who had brought the tray, quickly distributed the drinks to the ministers and then took the tray from Kassel, who was still awkwardly holding it. She then offered a drink to Kassel first.
“Drink this. It will clear your mind.”
Selina spoke in a low, distinct tone that wouldn’t disturb the quiet atmosphere of the meeting. Kassel took a small glass while Sheyden spoke. The clear orange liquid contained a round piece of fruit. He drank without much thought, only to realize it was alcohol. The tartness made him squint one eye reflexively, but it tasted good.
Another minister took up the conversation following Sheyden’s response.
“There’s no deviation from the established rules. But until now, the captain of the Wolf Knights has always been selected from within their ranks. The Wolf Knights were initially appointed by the royal family and had Her Majesty’s approval. Within that framework, there was no need for additional procedures regardless of who was chosen as captain. We understand that this rule, allowing the White Wolves to appoint a captain solely with their authority, has such implications.”
‘I see, that makes sense.’
Kassel, who had only heard about the Wolf Knights’ rules through his friends, nodded in realization upon hearing this new perspective.
“Do you think it’s acceptable for someone from outside, and not even a member of the Wolf Knights, to become a captain?”
Sheyden frowned.
“The Wolves have their own rules.”
“So, you think this isn’t our concern? The captain of the Wolf Knights sometimes represents the royal family and even acts as Her Majesty’s delegate. They even meet foreign emissaries and negotiate with the High Lords of the outer gates on our behalf.”
Another minister interjected, to which Sheyden shot a stern look and said,
“If you insist on drawing a line, then I must say the royal family has no right to interfere in this matter! The White Wolves don’t get involved in the royal family’s opinions and move only on Her Majesty’s command.”
“The separation isn’t as clear-cut as you think, Sheyden Wolf,” said the minister with the longest beard, speaking slowly.
They were not angry. Nor were they excited. Compared to the squabbles among the nobles involving the Red Rose Count and the Black Lion Count, and the ministers of Camort, this seemed almost too calm, almost indifferent.
Kassel glanced at Selina, who had been distributing drinks. She had already finished and was standing with the empty tray at the side, watching Kassel.
“If we’re speaking strictly legally, I don’t have much to say…”
Kassel began in a low tone. At some point, he found himself not trying to read the ministers’ moods or fight them, but instead, he was watching Selina. He wasn’t even paying attention to the Queen behind the curtain.
“Still, I would like to defend myself. Do I need to request permission to speak?”
“Speak up. Everyone standing here has the right to speak.”
“Thank you. My name is Kassel, son of Emil Noi, a wheat farmer in Camort. My grandfather and his grandfather before him farmed the same land. In other words, I’m not someone whose lineage entitles me to any prestigious position in Aranthia.”
“The Wolf Knights do not question one’s origins.”
Kassel closed his eyes and nodded, organizing the thoughts he had been mulling over in his head.
“I’m satisfied with not being questioned about my origins. There’s no precedent, but it’s not against the rules.”
Kassel continued with a smile.
“It’s alright if you don’t recognize me as your captain.”
Sheyden seemed more surprised than the ministers, who also showed a bit of shock.
“I don’t have to be a Wolf Knight. I came to Aranthia. I came to Nadium. And I have met Her Majesty.”
Kassel bowed deeply to the Queen behind the curtain. Their second meeting, but it felt like the first.
‘Is that why? Is it because she’s behind the curtain? I feel no particular emotion?’
Kassel kept speaking.
“I am satisfied with just that. I hope there will be no more arguments over this matter.”
Selina was about to tell Kassel to carry the tray when he discarded all the arguments he had prepared. Just like Irine, the Council of Elders here, too, were people who loved Aranthia more than anyone else. Kassel realized he couldn’t win against them with mere logic, so he chose not to fight.
“So what now? Are you trying to waste the efforts Sheyden made to prove your worth?”
One of the previously silent ministers spoke with a rough voice that barely came out. From his words, Kassel realized his judgment was correct. If they had intended to dismiss him, they would have done so immediately after his expression of willingness to step down. They would have said, ‘If you don’t want it, then leave!’ But instead, they showed concern for Sheyden’s position.
‘Ah, I was considering battling these people.’
Kassel glanced at Selina and then turned to the Council of Elders.
“To Sheyden, I am indeed the captain.”
Kassel lightly tapped his chest as he continued.
“I know nothing of Aranthian laws. Only one thing I’m sure of – the rule that’s akin to a truth taught to me by my friends, the White Wolves. Wolves decide their leader themselves…”
Kassel put down his glass and stood next to Sheyden.
“If the Wolves do not call me captain, then this nation does not need a Captain Wolf. It’s said that in the most peaceful times, there is no Captain Wolf, right?”
The long-bearded minister slowly nodded.
“That is true.”
“Then that’s settled. I will not become Captain Wolf. However, if through the Wolves I am to become one, I will need your assistance. I wish we could start discussing the great danger looming outside the Gold Gate. The threat of beings arisen from death, invading our land.”
Silence fell in the room for a moment. Only the sound of water flowing in the curtained garden entered, like pleasant music. Kassel quietly excused himself and stepped back, like Tanya.
One of the Council of Elders spoke up.
“We are already preparing to discuss the issue at the Gold Gate with Master Quain. Had you been recognized as captain here, you would have joined that meeting, but it seems not to be the case now. Sheyden, Kassel, and Master Tanya, let’s conclude this meeting.”
The three of them bowed and left the meeting room. Just before exiting, Kassel turned to look at the curtains where the Queen was. He could faintly see the silhouette slowly rising from the chair and moving away. The Queen showed no reaction to Kassel. There was none of the warmth she had shown by the lake yesterday.
Kassel was about to bow to the Queen but instead greeted Selina. She waved back, holding the tray behind her with one hand and waving with the other. The ministers thought Selina was greeting them again and nodded.
“Why did you say that?”
Sheyden asked as soon as they stepped out of the meeting room. His voice was low, near the door, but it did not hide his anger.
“I had no choice. Right now, the threat outside the Gold Gate, Black, is more important than me becoming the captain!”
Kassel felt a surge of anger too, his well-considered response not being acknowledged by Sheyden.
Sheyden, undeterred, continued.
“The security at the Gold Gate is more thorough than ever. Even if Welch is resurrected from the dead, he can’t breach the gate’s defenses. If there’s no significant news by tomorrow, I plan to lead a few members of the Wolf Knights there myself. It’s already a decided matter. You didn’t need to yield your time in the meeting for this. It was a good and important opportunity.”
“It was already decided?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“You needed to focus on becoming the captain.”
“No, my focus should be on what’s happening at the Gold Gate!”
Kassel asked Tanya somewhat impulsively.
“Was my response not good enough?”
“I’m probably not the best person to ask…”
Tanya hesitated a bit before responding to Kassel’s sudden question.
“I just thought it might have been an opportunity to hear the kind of eloquent speech that Sheyden mentioned, the one that defeated the ministers of Normant.”
‘It sounds like she’s disappointed for not hearing it.’
Kassel found himself resenting Selina for leading him into such a conversation.
Sheyden, walking ahead on his own, said,
“Well, it’s done. The part where you said you’ll be recognized directly by the Wolf Knights could be seen as drawing a line for the ministers not to interfere in our decision.”
“Where are you going?”
As Sheyden walked away with wide strides, Kassel asked.
“To rest.”
Sheyden said and left. His broad back was telling Kassel not to follow. Kassel stopped walking and spoke to Tanya, who was following him.
“I think I disappointed Sheyden.”
“Maybe you did,” Tanya quietly continued.
“But I thought you did well.”
“Did well? In the meeting?”
“Yes.”
“What? Didn’t you just say I didn’t do well?”
“What? The eloquent speech? I just thought I’d get to see it, I didn’t say it was bad.”
Tanya’s eyes were uneven, one eyelid slightly swollen, but her pupils shone brightly. She continued,
“You didn’t just defeat the Council of Elders with words; you persuaded them to your side. Or rather, it was almost cruel. Now, if they don’t help, they’ll seem like they don’t love Aranthia.”
“I didn’t plan it that thoroughly.”
Kassel said, sounding almost like an excuse.
“If you didn’t plan it, that’s even more frightening.”
Tanya turned and walked away. Kassel couldn’t even ask where she was going. The briefly friendly expression on Tanya’s face quickly turned to an icy coldness.
“I ended up leaving things half-said again.”
Kassel muttered, looking down the now empty corridor.
“Wait, where am I again…?”
Feeling alone and pathetic for not even remembering which direction he had come from, Kassel looked up at the white ceiling and mumbled to himself.
“The Queen said she’d treat our second meeting like our first, as if she’d do something grand, but in the end, she did nothing.”
“Is that so?”
A woman’s voice suddenly came from behind, startling Kassel.
“Selina!”
“What are you doing all alone? Are you not going to the party where they’re serving food?”
Selina stood, holding the tray like a mighty weapon over her shoulder, with her other hand on her hip, looking slantedly confident. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity like a cat that had just spotted a piece of fish.
“I heard there’s a party for the knights this evening.”
Kassel tried to sound unsurprised, but it didn’t quite work.
Selina gestured with her head and said,
“Don’t know where the party is, right? I’ll show you.”
She walked with strides as large as Sheyden’s.
“What are you doing? Hurry up.”
She urged from ahead, sparing Kassel the need for further contemplation.
–TL Notes–
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