Knock knock.
The man put the black stone he was holding back into his bosom.
“Do you think I’m here just to indulge you in your childish behavior? If you had just done as I said from the beginning, things wouldn’t have dragged on like this.”
The man continued speaking in the same voice without changing the pitch.
“Those who opposed and spit on me back then.”
His eyes were shining sharply inside the robes he had pulled down.
“Why don’t you try to play with your mouths again? I wonder what you’ll say.”
“...”
“...”
Everyone else shut their mouths like idiots at his words.
The man scoffed as if it was funny and warned.
“Things are going according to plan, so don’t worry. You just do as I say—”
The man emphasized each word with emphasis.
“Shut your mouth. Quietly. Just wait.”
“...”
“...”
Silence fell.
No one could say anything to the man.
“Then, I’m busy.”
With a wave of his hand, the figures surrounding him disappeared in an instant.
Below where their figures had been, there were circular magic balls.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The woman who had been waiting behind him like a stone statue approached.
“The trash who only care about your own interests are talking nonchalantly.”
“I don’t really care. It’s not like it’s been a day or two.”
The man returned to his indifferent tone.
The man turned his body and headed in the opposite direction of the magic balls before speaking again.
“There’s something else that’s bothering me more.”
The woman immediately lowered her head and asked the man.
“Just give me the order, my lord.”
“Grand Duchess Karina Colesberg.”
The man recalled the image of Karina he had seen at the hostage crisis.
An interested smile appeared on his lips.
“Find out about that woman.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The woman followed the order mechanically without expressing any questions.
With that conversation, the two people disappeared.
The remaining candle burned itself to the ground, and the fire went out without a trace.
Only the eerie silence remained in the huge cave, just as it had been at the beginning.
At the same time.
It was pitch-black midnight, with not a single ray of light shining through the clouds.
A crow flew in through the prison bars.
Then it quickly climbed onto the bed where Mikhail was sitting.
Mikhail buried his head in his clasped hands.
“Why are you here?”
It was Max, who had turned into a crow and had come to Mikhail’s cell.
Mikhail raised his head and asked,
“How is Karina?”
Max made a sullen expression.
“Why are you asking me that? If you’re curious, why don’t you just go and see for yourself?”
The fact that he was locked up in this prison didn’t matter to Mikhail.
“You can easily get out of this place if you want to.”
Max glanced around the cell.
“I just... I feel like punishing myself a little.”
Mikhail lowered his head again and said in a gloomy voice.
Max snorted at that.
“You’re not into self-torture, are you?”
Mikhail glared at Max with his face scrunched up.
Max, feeling goosebumps, flapped his wings to get away from Mikhail and jumped down from the bed. He then quickly ran to a spot far away in front of the bars.
“If you’re going to come back like this, transformed into a crow, why did you come to the northern mission?”
Max frowned as if he felt wronged by his question.
“Then I'm just going to see someone who’s locked up in the Grand Duke’s prison? They won’t let me in?”
Mikhail ignored him.
“Karina’s condition.”
Max opened his mouth at the pressure to speak.
“I haven’t heard that the Grand Duchess has woken up yet.”
“...”
Mikhail showed his impatience at the news that Karina had not yet come to her senses.
“It’s strange. I used the elixir I brought from the Magic Tower, but why hasn’t she come to her senses yet? It’s already been three days.”
Mikhail muttered as he spoke to Max.
“You. Go to the Magic Tower and make some more elixir.”
“Huh?”
Even without that, Max was already feeling bad for using the precious elixir on the Grand Duchess, and now he was telling him to make more.
Max felt like he was going to explode with anger at Mikhail’s ridiculous remark.
However, he held it in and explained the reasons why he couldn’t do it, one by one.
Otherwise, he would have to suffer until he could make it.
“It doesn’t seem to be a problem with the elixir. According to the doctor who examined the Grand Duchess, her wounds are healing well without any aggravation, and her physical condition has also recovered a lot.”
“Did you hear it correctly?”
“Yes. Even though there was nothing wrong, I heard the Grand Duke interrogating the doctor, asking why she wasn’t waking up. And you already know very well that it doesn’t make sense that there’s something wrong with her body after using the elixir.”
“...”
Since it was true, Mikhail didn’t say anything.
“The doctor said we should wait until tomorrow.”
“Haa, right now, I guess we have no choice but to wait...”
Mikhail let out a deep sigh.
Max, who had been staring at Mikhail’s serious appearance, blurted out.
“Why are you acting so strangely? If someone saw you, they’d think you were a lover.”
Max had meant to tell him to come to his senses, but the word “lover” remained clear to Mikhail.
“...Lover?”
“That’s right, I didn’t warn you not to get too close to the Grand Duchess. I told you to keep your distance in advance...”
Mikhail didn’t hear Max’s nagging that continued.
“Yeah. I’ll confess to Karina when she wakes up.”
“...Yes?”
The nagging stopped abruptly.
“What kind of confession?”
“...”
Instead of answering, Mikhail blushed slightly.
“...!?”
Max was horrified at the sight.
“This is crazy...!”
He barely managed to hold back the crazy sound that came out naturally.
“...Even if you’re crazy, be crazy nicely!”
It seemed like Max couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Wouldn’t she be really flustered if I confessed right after she woke up? After she wakes up and recovers a bit, I’ll see what happens...”
Mikhail muttered, ignoring Max’s words.
He really thought that he was a crazy bastard.
Max touched his forehead.
‘This guy is my boss!’
If only he could, he would grab him by the hair and drag him to the magic tower.
Max thought that it would be good for his mental health to quickly report the matter and escape from this place.
“Hoooo.”
Max, who had summoned up deep patience from within, hurriedly brought up the main topic of why he came to Mikhail.
“Yes. As you may already know, the escapees who committed the hostage crisis this time. It seems that they are related to the ones we are looking for.”
“They are related to this incident?”
Mikhail’s eyes widened.
“Yes. At the scene of the hostage crisis, we found traces of black magic. While I was investigating on my own, I confirmed that their traces were still present throughout the northern forest. It is believed that the reason for the recent increase in monster appearances across the board is because of them.”
Mikhail’s eyes turned gloomy after hearing Max’s report.
“So. You’re saying those damned guys were the ones who hurt Karina?”
Mikhail’s sharp air rose.
“...”
Max felt like something was off with the conversation.
However, in conclusion, it wasn’t completely wrong, so he chose to keep his mouth shut without correcting him.
“Max. There’s something I need you to do.”
Something didn’t feel right.
“No. I’m sorry, but I’m busy with work and have to go back to the tower...”
“It’s an order.”
However, Max’s refusal was ignored by Mikhail’s one word.
Max swallowed a curse inwardly.
Bam.
Hasten entered the inn room on the second floor where Selena was.
“What happened? Did it really happen?”
Selena asked as soon as he returned.
Hasten answered, shaking off the sleet from his clothes.
“Yes.”
“...!”
Selena jumped up from her seat.
“Thank goodness I’m not late. There’s still some left.”
He took out a letter from his arms and shook it.
“Ah...”
Selena stared blankly at the letter in his hand with a blank expression, her shoulders drooping.
“There really was one...”
“...”
Selena took a deep breath and exhaled, then took out the letter in his hand and opened it.
Selena’s expression darkened as she checked the contents.
Her fingers holding the letter were trembling slightly.
Hasten placed a hand on Selena’s shoulder.
“...!”
Selena suddenly raised her head as he gripped her shoulder as if to pull her to her senses.
Selena, who had been making a bitter expression when she met Hasten’s eyes, changed her expression.
“You’ve worked hard. It must be cold, so warm up a little.”
Selena smiled as if nothing had happened and sat Hasten down in front of the warm stove.
Then she handed him some warm tea.
Hasten sipped the tea and warmed himself up, then opened his mouth.
“These days, everyone is talking about the Grand Duchess.”
Since they worked in information-related work, they were aware of rumors and issues among the people every day.
“If you listen to the details, it makes sense. She risked her life to threaten escaped prisoners to save commoners who were taken hostage.”
Selena smiled and answered.
“A noble who risks her life for others... I thought that was something that only happened in history books, but there really is one.”
Hasten muttered bitterly.
Selena stared at Hasten.
Feeling his gaze, Hasten asked.
“What? If you have something to say, say it.”
“No. I think you’ve seen the Grand Duchess again.”
“...”
Hasten couldn’t refute Selena’s whispered words.
Hasten, who was hesitating, said, “I don’t know, I don’t know,” and ruffled his hair before answering.
“You’re right. It would have been nice if we had at least one noble like that around us back then... I just had that thought.”
“...”
Selena opened her eyes wide in surprise at Hasten’s words.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“I didn’t expect to hear that from your own mouth.”
“Do you think I don’t think that way?”
Hasten grumbled with a sullen expression, perhaps feeling embarrassed.
Selena snickered at the sight.
“I’m thinking of asking the Grand Duchess for a deal.”
“A deal?”
Selena nodded.
Hasten still looked reluctant, but he didn’t object like before.
“Do you really have to?”
“Yes.”
It was a concise answer, but his voice was full of strength.
Hasten hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Don’t expect too much. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll be disappointed.”
It was a word of concern in his own way.
“I will.”
Selena answered with a smile.
Then she looked out the window.
“I hope the Grand Duchess wakes up safely.”
Outside the window, sleet was falling.
Inside a huge and dark cave that felt eerie.
A single candle in the center was burning.
Around it, faint outlines were forming in the faint light.
Men wearing black robes pulled down deep were standing in a large circle.
“Did you retrieve that?”
One of them spoke.
Then, someone standing across from him quickly extended his hand.
A pitch-black stone appeared in his palm.
A few people let out sighs of relief.
“To do something like this before such an important event. I don’t know how you manage your subordinates.”
“What if this had caused any disruption to our plans?”
“That would never happen.”
The man holding the black stone replied.
Even so, their discontent did not subside.
“If only the North had noticed our movements because of this...!”
“Didn’t the Crown Prince ask for the cooperation of the magic tower to conduct an investigation into the demons?”
“If by any chance this gets out...”
As if they had been waiting, complaints poured out.
“Everyone shut up.”
The man holding the black stone spoke coldly.
“...What?”
“That...such an insolent...!”
A single candle in the center was burning.
Around it, faint outlines were forming in the faint light.
Men wearing black robes pulled down deep were standing in a large circle.
“Did you retrieve that?”
One of them spoke.
Then, someone standing across from him quickly extended his hand.
A pitch-black stone appeared in his palm.
A few people let out sighs of relief.
“To do something like this before such an important event. I don’t know how you manage your subordinates.”
“What if this had caused any disruption to our plans?”
“That would never happen.”
The man holding the black stone replied.
Even so, their discontent did not subside.
“If only the North had noticed our movements because of this...!”
“Didn’t the Crown Prince ask for the cooperation of the magic tower to conduct an investigation into the demons?”
“If by any chance this gets out...”
As if they had been waiting, complaints poured out.
“Everyone shut up.”
The man holding the black stone spoke coldly.
“...What?”
“That...such an insolent...!”
The man put the black stone he was holding back into his bosom.
“Do you think I’m here just to indulge you in your childish behavior? If you had just done as I said from the beginning, things wouldn’t have dragged on like this.”
The man continued speaking in the same voice without changing the pitch.
“Those who opposed and spit on me back then.”
His eyes were shining sharply inside the robes he had pulled down.
“Why don’t you try to play with your mouths again? I wonder what you’ll say.”
“...”
“...”
Everyone else shut their mouths like idiots at his words.
The man scoffed as if it was funny and warned.
“Things are going according to plan, so don’t worry. You just do as I say—”
The man emphasized each word with emphasis.
“Shut your mouth. Quietly. Just wait.”
“...”
“...”
Silence fell.
No one could say anything to the man.
“Then, I’m busy.”
With a wave of his hand, the figures surrounding him disappeared in an instant.
Below where their figures had been, there were circular magic balls.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The woman who had been waiting behind him like a stone statue approached.
“The trash who only care about your own interests are talking nonchalantly.”
“I don’t really care. It’s not like it’s been a day or two.”
The man returned to his indifferent tone.
The man turned his body and headed in the opposite direction of the magic balls before speaking again.
“There’s something else that’s bothering me more.”
The woman immediately lowered her head and asked the man.
“Just give me the order, my lord.”
“Grand Duchess Karina Colesberg.”
The man recalled the image of Karina he had seen at the hostage crisis.
An interested smile appeared on his lips.
“Find out about that woman.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The woman followed the order mechanically without expressing any questions.
With that conversation, the two people disappeared.
The remaining candle burned itself to the ground, and the fire went out without a trace.
Only the eerie silence remained in the huge cave, just as it had been at the beginning.
***
At the same time.
It was pitch-black midnight, with not a single ray of light shining through the clouds.
A crow flew in through the prison bars.
Then it quickly climbed onto the bed where Mikhail was sitting.
Mikhail buried his head in his clasped hands.
“Why are you here?”
It was Max, who had turned into a crow and had come to Mikhail’s cell.
Mikhail raised his head and asked,
“How is Karina?”
Max made a sullen expression.
“Why are you asking me that? If you’re curious, why don’t you just go and see for yourself?”
The fact that he was locked up in this prison didn’t matter to Mikhail.
“You can easily get out of this place if you want to.”
Max glanced around the cell.
“I just... I feel like punishing myself a little.”
Mikhail lowered his head again and said in a gloomy voice.
Max snorted at that.
“You’re not into self-torture, are you?”
Mikhail glared at Max with his face scrunched up.
Max, feeling goosebumps, flapped his wings to get away from Mikhail and jumped down from the bed. He then quickly ran to a spot far away in front of the bars.
“If you’re going to come back like this, transformed into a crow, why did you come to the northern mission?”
Max frowned as if he felt wronged by his question.
“Then I'm just going to see someone who’s locked up in the Grand Duke’s prison? They won’t let me in?”
Mikhail ignored him.
“Karina’s condition.”
Max opened his mouth at the pressure to speak.
“I haven’t heard that the Grand Duchess has woken up yet.”
“...”
Mikhail showed his impatience at the news that Karina had not yet come to her senses.
“It’s strange. I used the elixir I brought from the Magic Tower, but why hasn’t she come to her senses yet? It’s already been three days.”
Mikhail muttered as he spoke to Max.
“You. Go to the Magic Tower and make some more elixir.”
“Huh?”
Even without that, Max was already feeling bad for using the precious elixir on the Grand Duchess, and now he was telling him to make more.
Max felt like he was going to explode with anger at Mikhail’s ridiculous remark.
However, he held it in and explained the reasons why he couldn’t do it, one by one.
Otherwise, he would have to suffer until he could make it.
“It doesn’t seem to be a problem with the elixir. According to the doctor who examined the Grand Duchess, her wounds are healing well without any aggravation, and her physical condition has also recovered a lot.”
“Did you hear it correctly?”
“Yes. Even though there was nothing wrong, I heard the Grand Duke interrogating the doctor, asking why she wasn’t waking up. And you already know very well that it doesn’t make sense that there’s something wrong with her body after using the elixir.”
“...”
Since it was true, Mikhail didn’t say anything.
“The doctor said we should wait until tomorrow.”
“Haa, right now, I guess we have no choice but to wait...”
Mikhail let out a deep sigh.
Max, who had been staring at Mikhail’s serious appearance, blurted out.
“Why are you acting so strangely? If someone saw you, they’d think you were a lover.”
Max had meant to tell him to come to his senses, but the word “lover” remained clear to Mikhail.
“...Lover?”
“That’s right, I didn’t warn you not to get too close to the Grand Duchess. I told you to keep your distance in advance...”
Mikhail didn’t hear Max’s nagging that continued.
“Yeah. I’ll confess to Karina when she wakes up.”
“...Yes?”
The nagging stopped abruptly.
“What kind of confession?”
“...”
Instead of answering, Mikhail blushed slightly.
“...!?”
Max was horrified at the sight.
“This is crazy...!”
He barely managed to hold back the crazy sound that came out naturally.
“...Even if you’re crazy, be crazy nicely!”
It seemed like Max couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Wouldn’t she be really flustered if I confessed right after she woke up? After she wakes up and recovers a bit, I’ll see what happens...”
Mikhail muttered, ignoring Max’s words.
He really thought that he was a crazy bastard.
Max touched his forehead.
‘This guy is my boss!’
If only he could, he would grab him by the hair and drag him to the magic tower.
Max thought that it would be good for his mental health to quickly report the matter and escape from this place.
“Hoooo.”
Max, who had summoned up deep patience from within, hurriedly brought up the main topic of why he came to Mikhail.
“Yes. As you may already know, the escapees who committed the hostage crisis this time. It seems that they are related to the ones we are looking for.”
“They are related to this incident?”
Mikhail’s eyes widened.
“Yes. At the scene of the hostage crisis, we found traces of black magic. While I was investigating on my own, I confirmed that their traces were still present throughout the northern forest. It is believed that the reason for the recent increase in monster appearances across the board is because of them.”
Mikhail’s eyes turned gloomy after hearing Max’s report.
“So. You’re saying those damned guys were the ones who hurt Karina?”
Mikhail’s sharp air rose.
“...”
Max felt like something was off with the conversation.
However, in conclusion, it wasn’t completely wrong, so he chose to keep his mouth shut without correcting him.
“Max. There’s something I need you to do.”
Something didn’t feel right.
“No. I’m sorry, but I’m busy with work and have to go back to the tower...”
“It’s an order.”
However, Max’s refusal was ignored by Mikhail’s one word.
Max swallowed a curse inwardly.
***
Bam.
Hasten entered the inn room on the second floor where Selena was.
“What happened? Did it really happen?”
Selena asked as soon as he returned.
Hasten answered, shaking off the sleet from his clothes.
“Yes.”
“...!”
Selena jumped up from her seat.
“Thank goodness I’m not late. There’s still some left.”
He took out a letter from his arms and shook it.
“Ah...”
Selena stared blankly at the letter in his hand with a blank expression, her shoulders drooping.
“There really was one...”
“...”
Selena took a deep breath and exhaled, then took out the letter in his hand and opened it.
Selena’s expression darkened as she checked the contents.
Her fingers holding the letter were trembling slightly.
Hasten placed a hand on Selena’s shoulder.
“...!”
Selena suddenly raised her head as he gripped her shoulder as if to pull her to her senses.
Selena, who had been making a bitter expression when she met Hasten’s eyes, changed her expression.
“You’ve worked hard. It must be cold, so warm up a little.”
Selena smiled as if nothing had happened and sat Hasten down in front of the warm stove.
Then she handed him some warm tea.
Hasten sipped the tea and warmed himself up, then opened his mouth.
“These days, everyone is talking about the Grand Duchess.”
Since they worked in information-related work, they were aware of rumors and issues among the people every day.
“If you listen to the details, it makes sense. She risked her life to threaten escaped prisoners to save commoners who were taken hostage.”
Selena smiled and answered.
“A noble who risks her life for others... I thought that was something that only happened in history books, but there really is one.”
Hasten muttered bitterly.
Selena stared at Hasten.
Feeling his gaze, Hasten asked.
“What? If you have something to say, say it.”
“No. I think you’ve seen the Grand Duchess again.”
“...”
Hasten couldn’t refute Selena’s whispered words.
Hasten, who was hesitating, said, “I don’t know, I don’t know,” and ruffled his hair before answering.
“You’re right. It would have been nice if we had at least one noble like that around us back then... I just had that thought.”
“...”
Selena opened her eyes wide in surprise at Hasten’s words.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“I didn’t expect to hear that from your own mouth.”
“Do you think I don’t think that way?”
Hasten grumbled with a sullen expression, perhaps feeling embarrassed.
Selena snickered at the sight.
“I’m thinking of asking the Grand Duchess for a deal.”
“A deal?”
Selena nodded.
Hasten still looked reluctant, but he didn’t object like before.
“Do you really have to?”
“Yes.”
It was a concise answer, but his voice was full of strength.
Hasten hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Don’t expect too much. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll be disappointed.”
It was a word of concern in his own way.
“I will.”
Selena answered with a smile.
Then she looked out the window.
“I hope the Grand Duchess wakes up safely.”
Outside the window, sleet was falling.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment