Chapter 18

Chapter 18

‘My hand! My hand…!’

The carpenter holding the wood freaked out and looked at his hand.

‘…You’re fine.’

But the carpenter panicked for another reason. The wood he was holding was split into four pieces.

‘Even the gap was exactly 3cm. Indeed, such incredible swordsmanship…’ The carpenter murmured blankly, coughed, and blurted out unintelligibly.

‘B-but still, it won’t do if you cut the piece like this.’

‘You didn’t tell me whether to cut it horizontally or vertically.’

‘….’

‘I don’t even know which way to cut nor how short 3cm is supposed to be.’

So Lerine held out her sword. The target was the woods in the cart.

‘That’s why, don’t leave the work to the guys who were clueless.’

Tuduk-! Tuuk-!

‘They, only, know, to do, this much.’

Tuk-! Tuduk-! Tuk-!

‘I get it! Gah, put it down.’

Tuk-! Tuduk-!

‘Do you understand now?’

The carpenters gazed at the four pieces of wood in bewilderment. The gap was exactly 3cm. As the carpenters who exchanged glances slowly retreated, Lerine’s calm voice rang.

‘Where are you going? We are not done with the payment. ’

‘What do you mean by payment?’

‘The price of wood is a separate matter. You should also know that the guys here are working overtime. Of course, everything they’ve done so far should be compensated as overtime pay.’

Huh? The carpenters rolled up their sleeves to argue.

‘No, we haven’t talked about this at all…!’

‘You should be clear about that. Which one of us brought up about 3cm first?’

The carpenters, who had been speechless for a moment, refuted.

‘What if I can’t accept it?!’

Lerine smiled coldly.

‘Then let’s make a bet.’

Ginnon, who was interested in hearing the story, asked.

“What was the bet?”

“How fast and consistent can you cut the wood.’

“What’s the result?”

“Well, they’re knights.”

It was a fight that they had no choice but to win.

“If Lerine is determined, she’ll accomplish it no matter what.”

‘You should be ready for it. I’ll make sure the guys who worked for a price cut will get their pay.’

Signus laughed as he recalled Lerine, who asked him to give the carpenters’ salaries to the knights.

“The Marquis says she is too weak to walk.”

“Are you talking about Lady Yeronimo?”

Signus, who confirmed with his eyes, continued to speak.

“Can you believe it? Someone who was so weak that she fainted after a few steps, managed to walk in a matter of three weeks? She even threatened my aide to delay her trip to the palace.”

“If it was a threat, he must’ve been caught.”

The fact that he sent people to Yeronimo residence right when she came back alive.

“I heard you can tell that much by being tactful.”

“…Normally, people just let it go.”

Even more if it was someone who just came back to life.

Ginnon’s brown eyes reached the smiling Signus. His smile did not seem cynical. Without a doubt he was in a good mood, so Ginnon asked,

“Is she the right one?”

Signus’ eyes are bent to half-moon.

“We’ll see.”

***

“Do you understand? Don’t answer when strangers talk to you. No, don’t even look at them.”

Not long after I woke up, I was lying in the carriage listening to Ulysse’s nagging. I didn’t remember when I fell asleep. I was just looking at Signus, who was playing with my hair, saying that his hands were bored.

When I woke up, there was no sign of Signus. Instead, Anna and Ulysse were in the carriage.

“If someone gives you something to eat, you must say no. Even if they give you a gift, reject all of them.”

I looked at Ulysse with a serious face. All I’ve heard so far was ‘to not do this and that’.

“What else is there?”

Anna answered Ulysse’s question, “You can’t follow strangers.”

“Yes! That’s right!” Ulysse exclaimed with menacing looks.

“Scream when someone asks you to go somewhere. Don’t allow anyone to talk to you for a second, it’s all a trick.”

I listened to the obvious nagging with a grain of salt, but then I had to doubt my ears.

“If he gives you a letter, tear it up, and if he comes to see you, splash tea on his face.”

Let’s say tearing up a letter was tolerable. But splashing tea on a person’s face?

When I was looking at him like he was crazy, Ulysse said, “Of course. It’s going to be hard for you to do that.”

No. It’s hard to accept that a guy who came up with such an idea is a good doctor.

“But the capital is a very dangerous place. There are a lot of people approaching us with impure intentions. It’s not bad to be overly suspicious here.”

“…”

“What’s wrong?’

Come to think of it, I didn’t really see Ulysse while I was in the palace back then. I heard he was too busy treating people or confining himself in the library so he didn’t really care about socializing.

When a workaholic guy like him said something like that…I guess he had experience of tearing up a letter and splashing tea on someone.

There would be countless people who envied him, who was smart and had a bright future. Just like the guy I saw at our mansion.

‘It’s really concerning.’

It was even more so because I didn’t know what kind of people were around Ulysse. I couldn’t afford to care about anything else in this situation, but he was this body’s brother after all.

‘Let’s take a look at Ulysse’s connections.’

I’ll stay here during the festival. There’s nothing to do anyway.

Ulysse, who kept explaining the danger without knowing what I was thinking, said with a serious face.

“Don’t hesitate, Navian. You must steel yourself to face it. When someone approaches, scream at the top of your lungs or splash the tea, just do whatever you want.”

I was dumbfounded and mumbled.

“Do whatever I want?”

“Just do it first and you’ll see.”

“What if they yell at me?”

What if I get caught and spend the rest of my life in prison? Besides, why would anyone scream and throw away a precious tea?

“Don’t worry about the aftermath. I’m confident I can fix it.”

His smiling face was uselessly bright. Then I asked because he was so suspicious.

“Have you tried it?”

“…That can’t be true.” He quickly backed away.

Those were the words and actions of the guilty. Ulysse must have had a history of swearing at someone who came for him, tearing up the letters, splashing tea, and cleaning up the aftermath.

“Don’t you trust me?” Seeing his pure and innocent smile made me even more convinced. I was about to scream so people could confiscate this dangerous man’s medical license right away, but then I heard the coach’s voice.

“We’ve arrived at the palace.”

We stopped by the Imperial Palace before going to the capital’s mansion because of my request. Because I wanted to see the palace with my own eyes.

I saw an ivory colored palace bathed in the sun. It’s been more than a year, but it feels like it’s just been a few months.

‘I miss this place.’

I feel like I was dreaming because there was no trace of it being attacked. I thought I’d swing my sword at the training ground right now. Patrolling the capital, escorting nobles, running around looking for my knight commander, who had gone to fool around.

A walk around the streets at dawn with Signus and Ayaran who came to visit. I didn’t doubt I’d live like that for the rest of my life.

Ulysse approached me, who was looking at the Imperial Palace with a complicated feeling.

“Can you come here for a second? There’s a place I want to show you.”

I know this place inside out, but I leaned my upper body to show my sincerity.

“Do you see the building right next to the garden? The white building on the left was connected to the Imperial Palace.”

Ah. I see what he’s trying to say.

“That’s the castle of the Imperial Palace. That’s where we’ll be staying soon.”

The missing first prince had returned. It meant the empire festival was going to be held.

The Imperial Palace Castle would be open for two months during the festival. The castle, where only the invited nobles could stay, was a place for socialization for young nobles.

“It’s nice to be invited to the castle, so you can be proud. It’s an honorable place. It’s a valuable opportunity for nobles to get acquainted with people and expand their connections.”

He smiled pleasantly.

“You’ll be there in a few days.”

Soon after, Anna’s voice was heard, “It’s like a dream to be here with my lady.”

“So do I. I always imagined what to do if Navian was healthy. I wanted to show her the Imperial Palace but then riding the carriage was too much to handle for her.”

“But it’s already been achieved, isn’t it?”

I asked after listening to their conversation.

“Do you two like this place?”

Anna nodded and Ulysse replied with a smile.

“In the Imperial Palace, various incidents happen every day. So I like it. It is a place where countless people’s history lives.”

I opened my mouth when I saw the white palace bathed in the sun.

“Me, too.”

The Imperial Palace. Avita.

I loved this empire where people I care about lived. So I wanted to protect it. Even if I was worried about the people I left behind, or if it was a reckless decision. I feel like I would be forever missing this place.

If I go back to one year ago, I’ll make the same choice.

“I like this place.”

***

[Li.]

I opened my eyes to the familiar voice, then I saw a familiar handsome face. I immediately realized that the golden eyes were bent into a half-moon.

I must be dreaming again.

That dazzling face was familiar, but there was no glint of coldness, nor the eyes that forsaken courtesy. Moreover, if I looked at the black hair that is long enough to reach that shoulder, I must be right.

He was the old Signus.

[Are you tired? Take a good rest today.]

That’s right. This is my friend.

While I was deeply touched by the friendly golden eyes that meet my eyes, a cool voice passed through my head.

It’s all crap. You’re mistaken. I am this kind of bastard from the start.

I came to my senses as if I had been hit by cold water. If I had to choose between Signus who said nasty things or Signus in the dream, I would choose Signus in the dream without a hitch.

‘…By the way.’

I rolled my eyes and saw Signus. It was just like before, but something was off.

Should I say that it feels a little out of place?

Even if it was a dream, I looked at Signus with a slightly distrustful look. His smile was so blinding.

Was it just my feeling?

I looked at him and wondered, but then I heard a low voice.

[What’s wrong? Are you sick?]

I shook my head. It must be just my feeling.

[Really?]

Signus smiled brightly.

[Then take it off.]