I had to go back to the bedroom because Callius carried me and put me to bed.
As soon as I lay down in bed, I scrambled to explain the Kavala message to Brentian.
"Viscount Creep, did you happen to see the message from Empress Kavala? I received it too, and I was taken aback. Here's what happened..."
But Brentian's expression was different from what I expected.
I thought he was going to sharpen his blade and corner me, but he looked somewhat embarrassed and avoided my gaze.
“...Things must have gotten messed up. First, get yourself together.”
What's going on? I thought you were definitely going to question me.
“Doesn’t this need any explanation?”
I found myself crying without realizing it.
“Are you saying that you can’t trust anything I say anymore?”
Then Brentian shrugged his shoulders and waved both hands.
“That’s not it!”
Callius glared at him sharply.
I was worried that if Callius rebuked Brentian, he would end up looking even more unfriendly to Brentian.
But Brentian looked into Callius's eyes, his face suddenly turned bright red, and unlike his usually cynical and logical self, he explained in a more flustered manner than before.
“So, it’s not that I don’t believe the Princess, but I now know that the Princess isn’t in league with Empress Kavala. So... yes.”
“...!”
Brentian muttered, avoiding my surprised gaze.
"Actually, when I first saw that message, I was suspicious of the Princess. But at the time, I didn't know you were under the curse of Empress Kavala. If you were in cahoots with Empress Kavala, why would she want to kill you?"
He bowed his head to me and apologized.
“I have misunderstood you, Your Highness.”
“Viscount Creep...”
I felt like I had solved a huge problem.
My heart felt light, as if a stone that had been weighing on my mind had been lifted.
Finally, Brentian trusts me.
Even if it wasn't for others, it was quite nerve-wracking for him, Callius's closest confidant, to be suspected.
'It feels like I haven't done anything, but things have turned out well without me even trying!'
As I made a moved expression, Brentian started fidgeting for some reason and then said.
“Don’t look at me like that. If you like me that much... Ah, I can’t stand it anymore. Please, please take care of yourself.”
And then he suddenly left.
Looking at his back, Callius shook his head.
“He's running away.”
“Run away?”
“Because he probably feels like hiding in a mouse hole.”
"why?"
“...”
Callius just looked at me without saying anything.
"Why?"
I tilted my head and asked again.
Callius shook his head, his expression the same as when he wept tears of relief at the thought that I wouldn't have to leave Ronheim.
“...That guy is just a bad guy!”
He emphasized once more, his voice sounding slightly choked up.
"He's a really bad guy. That's all you need to know. If something makes you angry, take it out on him. He'll probably appreciate it."
"Yes?"
What on earth are you talking about?
'Is this a Ronheim joke?'
I just laughed.
My expression was a little distorted because I was weak, but it was the best I could do.
Callius sat next to me and looked at my face with concern.
“Can you stand it?”
The question was whether I could withstand the curse.
I smiled, hoping he would be reassured.
“Don’t worry. Like I said, I feel better than ever.”
I know that what makes curses so powerful is fear and anxiety.
The power of Kavala lies in exploiting human fears and anxieties.
To show my strong will, I grabbed the back of Callius' hand, which was leaning against the bed.
"I won't let Kavala, of all things, control me. My only fear was that I wouldn't be able to endure the cold of Ronheim and would have to leave."
Callius turned his hand over and took mine.
His hands were very warm and cozy.
It felt like the cold that had been scaring me was melting away.
"Promise me you won't let me leave Ronheim, Callius. Then I will endure this curse."
Callius held my hand firmly with unwavering strength and spoke.
“I swear. With everything I have.”
He whispered.
“Also, I will definitely lift that curse.”
His eyes, as warm as the sun, illuminated my frozen heart.
Callius, who had been temporarily detained by the disturbance caused by Brentian, mounted his horse again to seek a sacrifice.
Beside him were Hawick, the commander of the knights, and Mainz, who had come out to see him off.
"I asked the nomads who stopped by the village to trade, and they said they saw the sky cows heading toward the eastern mountains. It seems they're preparing for hibernation."
The Sky Cow is a small, but pure-blooded animal with divine power flowing through it. It is considered an auspicious animal in Ronheim and has been offered as a sacrifice during rituals since ancient times.
Because it resembles a cow and has a white body, it is also called a white cow. However, in Ronheim, there was a custom of not hunting sky cows unless they were to be offered as sacrifices.
Gentle and herd-living, the sky cow is not a difficult animal to hunt.
But the sky cow heading towards the eastern mountain range is a different story.
The eastern mountain range, with its many rocky peaks, had many steep cliffs that were difficult for a person to climb barehanded.
They migrate to the eastern mountains in the fall to feed on the protein-rich grass called piom that grows in the crevices of the cliffs.
Chasing the sky cows climbing that dizzying cliff was no easy task.
A path that even professional hunters risk their lives on.
Mainz looked up at Callius, who was on horseback, with a dark expression.
“Are you okay?”
Callius nodded firmly.
“He who would take the life of another to save another cannot tremble in fear of his own life.”
“If you say something like that...”
When Mainz frowned, Callius smiled softly as if to reassure him.
"Don't worry. I have snow cats, too. They're good at climbing cliffs."
As Callius whistled, the snow cats that had been hiding somewhere came out like full tigers and rubbed their heads against Callius' feet on the stirrups.
Mainz knew that he could not break Callius's will.
All he can do is pray for his safe return.
As Mainz retreated, Callius and Hawick rode their horses toward the gates.
The soldiers opened the closed gate.
But then, the black sheep that Lhasa had given them jumped out into the middle of the city gate.
“Wow!”
The soldiers made threats to scare the sheep away, but the sheep just stared at them and didn't move.
Someone tried to push the black sheep's rear end, but the sheep strangely did not move.
It was the same even if several soldiers clung to him.
It was a strange thing.
That little lamb can withstand the strength of several soldiers.
Anyway, Callius had a long way to go.
“Leave it.”
It was when Callius moved his horse to repel the soldiers and move next to the black sheep.
“Meeeee!”
The sheep bleated for a long time, then started to move its motionless feet and headed out of the gate with a proud air as if it were leading the way.
“...?”
When Callius didn't move, the sheep turned around and cried again.
“Meeeeeee!”
It really felt like the sheep was telling him to follow it.
Callius had no choice but to follow the black sheep out of the gate.
It continued to lead the way, making sure that Callius was following it.
“My lord.”
Hawick also looked at Callius in confusion.
Callius was also dumbfounded.
“It seems like we’re going in the same direction, so let’s follow.”
“Yes... I understand.”
So suddenly, Callius, Hawick, and the three snow cats formed a procession following the little lamb and advanced forward.
The black sheep led Callius and his party somewhere without hesitation, as if he knew where to go.
Callius, who was silently following the sheep, absentmindedly remembered that there was an altar set up in the direction the sheep was going.
'I must be mistaken.'
Hr thought so, but the sheep's behavior was unusual.
“My lord, how long do you intend to follow him?”
When the destination and direction began to change, Howick asked.
As the two slowed down for a moment, the sheep turned around and stared at them as if asking why they were not coming quickly.
It was a strange thing.
As soon as I lay down in bed, I scrambled to explain the Kavala message to Brentian.
"Viscount Creep, did you happen to see the message from Empress Kavala? I received it too, and I was taken aback. Here's what happened..."
But Brentian's expression was different from what I expected.
I thought he was going to sharpen his blade and corner me, but he looked somewhat embarrassed and avoided my gaze.
“...Things must have gotten messed up. First, get yourself together.”
What's going on? I thought you were definitely going to question me.
“Doesn’t this need any explanation?”
I found myself crying without realizing it.
“Are you saying that you can’t trust anything I say anymore?”
Then Brentian shrugged his shoulders and waved both hands.
“That’s not it!”
Callius glared at him sharply.
I was worried that if Callius rebuked Brentian, he would end up looking even more unfriendly to Brentian.
But Brentian looked into Callius's eyes, his face suddenly turned bright red, and unlike his usually cynical and logical self, he explained in a more flustered manner than before.
“So, it’s not that I don’t believe the Princess, but I now know that the Princess isn’t in league with Empress Kavala. So... yes.”
“...!”
Brentian muttered, avoiding my surprised gaze.
"Actually, when I first saw that message, I was suspicious of the Princess. But at the time, I didn't know you were under the curse of Empress Kavala. If you were in cahoots with Empress Kavala, why would she want to kill you?"
He bowed his head to me and apologized.
“I have misunderstood you, Your Highness.”
“Viscount Creep...”
I felt like I had solved a huge problem.
My heart felt light, as if a stone that had been weighing on my mind had been lifted.
Finally, Brentian trusts me.
Even if it wasn't for others, it was quite nerve-wracking for him, Callius's closest confidant, to be suspected.
'It feels like I haven't done anything, but things have turned out well without me even trying!'
As I made a moved expression, Brentian started fidgeting for some reason and then said.
“Don’t look at me like that. If you like me that much... Ah, I can’t stand it anymore. Please, please take care of yourself.”
And then he suddenly left.
Looking at his back, Callius shook his head.
“He's running away.”
“Run away?”
“Because he probably feels like hiding in a mouse hole.”
"why?"
“...”
Callius just looked at me without saying anything.
"Why?"
I tilted my head and asked again.
Callius shook his head, his expression the same as when he wept tears of relief at the thought that I wouldn't have to leave Ronheim.
“...That guy is just a bad guy!”
He emphasized once more, his voice sounding slightly choked up.
"He's a really bad guy. That's all you need to know. If something makes you angry, take it out on him. He'll probably appreciate it."
"Yes?"
What on earth are you talking about?
'Is this a Ronheim joke?'
I just laughed.
My expression was a little distorted because I was weak, but it was the best I could do.
Callius sat next to me and looked at my face with concern.
“Can you stand it?”
The question was whether I could withstand the curse.
I smiled, hoping he would be reassured.
“Don’t worry. Like I said, I feel better than ever.”
I know that what makes curses so powerful is fear and anxiety.
The power of Kavala lies in exploiting human fears and anxieties.
To show my strong will, I grabbed the back of Callius' hand, which was leaning against the bed.
"I won't let Kavala, of all things, control me. My only fear was that I wouldn't be able to endure the cold of Ronheim and would have to leave."
Callius turned his hand over and took mine.
His hands were very warm and cozy.
It felt like the cold that had been scaring me was melting away.
"Promise me you won't let me leave Ronheim, Callius. Then I will endure this curse."
Callius held my hand firmly with unwavering strength and spoke.
“I swear. With everything I have.”
He whispered.
“Also, I will definitely lift that curse.”
His eyes, as warm as the sun, illuminated my frozen heart.
***
Callius, who had been temporarily detained by the disturbance caused by Brentian, mounted his horse again to seek a sacrifice.
Beside him were Hawick, the commander of the knights, and Mainz, who had come out to see him off.
"I asked the nomads who stopped by the village to trade, and they said they saw the sky cows heading toward the eastern mountains. It seems they're preparing for hibernation."
The Sky Cow is a small, but pure-blooded animal with divine power flowing through it. It is considered an auspicious animal in Ronheim and has been offered as a sacrifice during rituals since ancient times.
Because it resembles a cow and has a white body, it is also called a white cow. However, in Ronheim, there was a custom of not hunting sky cows unless they were to be offered as sacrifices.
Gentle and herd-living, the sky cow is not a difficult animal to hunt.
But the sky cow heading towards the eastern mountain range is a different story.
The eastern mountain range, with its many rocky peaks, had many steep cliffs that were difficult for a person to climb barehanded.
They migrate to the eastern mountains in the fall to feed on the protein-rich grass called piom that grows in the crevices of the cliffs.
Chasing the sky cows climbing that dizzying cliff was no easy task.
A path that even professional hunters risk their lives on.
Mainz looked up at Callius, who was on horseback, with a dark expression.
“Are you okay?”
Callius nodded firmly.
“He who would take the life of another to save another cannot tremble in fear of his own life.”
“If you say something like that...”
When Mainz frowned, Callius smiled softly as if to reassure him.
"Don't worry. I have snow cats, too. They're good at climbing cliffs."
As Callius whistled, the snow cats that had been hiding somewhere came out like full tigers and rubbed their heads against Callius' feet on the stirrups.
Mainz knew that he could not break Callius's will.
All he can do is pray for his safe return.
As Mainz retreated, Callius and Hawick rode their horses toward the gates.
The soldiers opened the closed gate.
But then, the black sheep that Lhasa had given them jumped out into the middle of the city gate.
“Wow!”
The soldiers made threats to scare the sheep away, but the sheep just stared at them and didn't move.
Someone tried to push the black sheep's rear end, but the sheep strangely did not move.
It was the same even if several soldiers clung to him.
It was a strange thing.
That little lamb can withstand the strength of several soldiers.
Anyway, Callius had a long way to go.
“Leave it.”
It was when Callius moved his horse to repel the soldiers and move next to the black sheep.
“Meeeee!”
The sheep bleated for a long time, then started to move its motionless feet and headed out of the gate with a proud air as if it were leading the way.
“...?”
When Callius didn't move, the sheep turned around and cried again.
“Meeeeeee!”
It really felt like the sheep was telling him to follow it.
Callius had no choice but to follow the black sheep out of the gate.
It continued to lead the way, making sure that Callius was following it.
“My lord.”
Hawick also looked at Callius in confusion.
Callius was also dumbfounded.
“It seems like we’re going in the same direction, so let’s follow.”
“Yes... I understand.”
So suddenly, Callius, Hawick, and the three snow cats formed a procession following the little lamb and advanced forward.
The black sheep led Callius and his party somewhere without hesitation, as if he knew where to go.
Callius, who was silently following the sheep, absentmindedly remembered that there was an altar set up in the direction the sheep was going.
'I must be mistaken.'
Hr thought so, but the sheep's behavior was unusual.
“My lord, how long do you intend to follow him?”
When the destination and direction began to change, Howick asked.
As the two slowed down for a moment, the sheep turned around and stared at them as if asking why they were not coming quickly.
It was a strange thing.
Comments
Post a Comment