Chapter 52
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Chapter 52
"All of it is festival-related paperwork for the Vice-Commander. Budget proposals, planning documents, requests, surveys...."
"A festival?"
"The Summer Sun Festival. Less than a month away."
The Summer Sun Festival was the most universal celebration across the continent. A massive four-day festival spanning from June 20th to 22nd, commemorating the year's longest day. Since today was May 22nd, there truly wasn't even a month left. Because the Vice-Commander oversaw most administrative duties at the Changtian Knights, his squire Baraha Islaf had become equally swamped.
"So Agenka holds a large-scale festival too, it seems."
"You didn't know? The Knight Order leads a grand festival celebration throughout Agenka's city. People from various nations even come specifically for it. There's also a Changtian Knights parade in the middle of the festival. The Masters' parade is quite a spectacle."
Baraha Islaf, who had been explaining with a smile, suddenly wore an expression as if remembering something. He asked Echinacea.
"I never properly congratulated you before when you became a squire due to your health issues. When do you have time?"
"Ah...."
I had completely forgotten. The problem was that I was leaving for a long-term mission tomorrow morning. If it took a month, I'd only return around the festival. I felt sorry for declining Baraha Islaf's congratulations twice.
"Would today be possible?"
"I have too much work today. What about another day? I'm free tomorrow or the day after."
Baraha Islaf looked down at the documents and sighed before asking again. I wore an awkward expression.
"Well, I'm leaving for a long-term mission with the Commander starting tomorrow. It might take about a month."
"...With the Commander? I heard he was going on that mission alone."
"Oh, he suddenly asked me yesterday if I'd accompany him. Since I'm his squire, I naturally accepted."
"So you're going on a long-term mission together, just the two of you?"
Baraha Islaf's expression became peculiar. I looked up at him with confusion.
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"...No, it's nothing."
Baraha Islaf's workload had increased because of Yurien de Harden Kirie's long-term mission. With the Commander absent for an extended period, the Vice-Commander's duties multiplied, and consequently, Baraha Islaf's work as his squire increased as well. Though Yurien de Harden Kirie had handled as much as possible before departing, an absence inevitably left gaps.
So his work increased because of the Commander, preventing him from visiting Echinacea Loaz, yet she was accompanying the Commander on his long-term mission at his request.
It was inevitable that Baraha Islaf suddenly recalled the incident at the Stable. The way he had reflexively retreated from Yurien de Harden Kirie's gaze. And when the Vice-Commander called for him through Yurien de Harden Kirie, he went only to be asked why he'd arrived so quickly. Then, recalling how Yurien de Harden Kirie had embraced Echinacea Loaz right after emerging from the Nodule, his brow furrowed. Suspicion became certainty, which spawned further suspicion.
'Could my workload increasing like this truly be a coincidence?'
"Senior?"
"Hm? Sorry, I was thinking of something else for a moment."
I quickly dismissed the thought at his question. Then I rapidly offered a different proposal.
"Echinacea, you'll have time once you return from the mission, right?"
"Yes, probably."
"You might return right around the Summer Sun Festival. Would you spare me half a day then?"
He made the request with a rueful smile. Feeling sorry for constantly declining, I nodded readily.
"Yes, I'll see you then. And I'll treat you to a meal. I've learned so much about a squire's duties thanks to you, so I should pay."
"Hmm. Well, we'll see about that then. Have a safe trip, Echinacea."
Baraha Islaf bid farewell with a meaningful smile. I returned his greeting and sought out Fatima, heading to the Second Year Female Dormitory. After telling Fatima I'd be away from club meetings for a while, it was already evening when I returned. I had dinner with Alice Winterbell and packed late into the night.
I packed travel leather clothes as a precaution, but most of my luggage consisted of dresses and accessories. Thinking about staying with Yurien de Harden Kirie continuously, I simply couldn't abandon the appearance of 'noble lady Echinacea Loaz'. Naturally, the amount of luggage was no joke.
I had borrowed a magical bag from Nicole earlier for this reason. The magical bag, which normally functioned as five regular bags, was also the reason Nicole created such chaos in her room with various odds and ends whenever she returned to the Loaz Estate. Thanks to it, I could fit all my luggage into a single bag.
With preparations complete, the next morning arrived.
May 23rd—squire Echinacea Loaz departed on a long-term secret mission, following Lord Yurien de Harden Kirie.
Act 6. That Which Does Not Break and That Which Draws Near
Echinacea Loaz and Yurien de Harden Kirie boarded the mana train. The train, powered by magic using mana as its fuel source, was the fastest means of transportation connecting the continent. The ticket Yurien de Harden Kirie had reserved was for the first-class cabin—a small compartment with two elongated sofas facing each other across a table.
They entered the compartment, placed their luggage in the overhead racks, and sat across from each other. An awkward silence settled between them. Echinacea Loaz averted her gaze from Yurien de Harden Kirie across from her and turned to look out the window.
A bell rang as the train departed, and the landscape beyond the glass began to move. The vibrations from the swaying train transmitted from the walls through her body. The train left Agenka Station and began crossing the plains. She gazed blankly at the desolate scenery with nothing particularly worth seeing. Then, noticing that Yurien de Harden Kirie was unusually quiet, she glanced sideways at him.
He reclined against the sofa with his arms crossed, eyes closed. His long eyelashes cast shadows across his pale skin. His silver hair, which had slipped down, gleamed brilliantly as it caught the sunlight streaming through the window. He looked like a painting—serene and still.
'Has he fallen asleep?'
The tension drained from Echinacea Loaz's body. Even when she adjusted her posture, Yurien de Harden Kirie didn't stir. She leaned back comfortably against the sofa, crossed her legs, rested her elbow on her knee, and gazed at him across from her with her chin propped in her hand.
With those striking azure eyes hidden beneath his eyelids, he looked less like a living person and more like a sculpture meticulously crafted by a master artisan. The faint trembling of the train and the sound of their breathing filled the space between them. As she quietly observed him, her heart began to beat faster.
A fleeting moment colored by emotion. Echinacea Loaz gazed at him endlessly, found herself wanting to touch him, then remembered that she shouldn't, and soon fell into a tangle of complicated thoughts.
The Emperor, the 2nd Prince whom the Emperor cherished and supported, the Crown Prince—the eldest son who received backing from both maternal and paternal relatives—their rivalry, and the 3rd Prince, Yurien de Harden Kirie, who was the object of suspicion for them all. The Crown Prince's final gambit: the engagement with the Diasant Princess. A situation as tight as a noose.
Suddenly, she recalled their first reunion in front of the Fountain. At that time, Yurien de Harden Kirie had asked her—the one he called Vice-Commander—to call him by his name. And when he spoke his own name, he omitted his family name.
'The Imperial Family name... If he could remove it, would he want to?'
A life where he lost his mother at birth and was despised by his father because of it. A life where he became a thorn in his brothers' sides and was forced to make choices.
Born into an ordinary household as the beloved daughter of a devoted couple, Echinacea Loaz couldn't even fathom what such a life would be like. Somehow, one side of her chest began to ache.
'I thought he was someone born into light, someone purely noble.'
What she knew of Yurien de Harden Kirie was surely only a tiny fragment of who he truly was. She wanted to know more about him. How he had lived, what dreams he harbored. What he liked, what he disliked, what he longed for.
'After this mission ends and we return, will he become engaged?'
For the sake of Loaz, he needed to become engaged. She knew that. And yet, she wished he wouldn't. She didn't want to imagine Yurien de Harden Kirie becoming engaged to the Diasant Princess.
Then what should she do?
She didn't know. If it were her own problem, perhaps, but this was his problem. She had no right to interfere in his affairs. No matter how much she wanted to. The relationship between Echinacea Loaz and Yurien de Harden Kirie was nothing more than that of Squire and Lord.
'If we had a different relationship, I could tell him not to become engaged. I could suggest that we overcome your situation together through other means, that we try together. He probably doesn't care about the safety of my house, but in any case, I can protect Loaz, so I wish I could tell you to do as your heart desires. If he and I were lovers...'
The word "lovers," which had surfaced unbidden, triggered an unexpected fantasy. Echinacea Loaz touched her cheeks with her hands to check if they were flushed, then hurriedly pulled out a mirror to verify. Fortunately, her face hadn't turned red. She released a sigh of relief and looked up to find those blue eyes staring directly at her.
"Oh, when did you wake up...?"
"I never slept."
Yurien de Harden Kirie answered quietly. Echinacea Loaz barely managed to calm her startled heart. While she put the mirror away and retightened the tension she had released, Yurien de Harden Kirie continued to gaze at her steadily. Finding it unbearable, Echinacea Loaz blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"Lord, where is our destination?"
"A small village in the Criola Region in the eastern part of the Empire. We'll disembark at Criola Station at night, then travel again by carriage. It seems we'll sleep in the carriage. We should arrive near our destination by morning."
He explained calmly. It was a region within the Empire, but one she didn't know well. Echinacea Loaz hesitated before asking another question.
"Can you tell me the details of the mission now?"
Yurien de Harden Kirie didn't answer immediately. He drew in a long breath and released it slowly. His lips parted and then closed again, his eyes downcast.
'He's tense... Why?'
While Echinacea Loaz pondered this, he seemed to have gathered his thoughts. He slowly opened his mouth.
"You know about Elgiosha, don't you."
"...Yes."
Echinacea Loaz tried not to show her surprise. Shortly after Yurien de Harden Kirie's engagement incident had erupted, she recalled the past events she had organized on paper. The healing sword Elgiosha had been discovered only after the Saint was murdered. Yurien de Harden Kirie continued.
"The purpose of this mission is to recover Elgiosha and to rescue Elgiosha's owner."
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org