Chapter 103

“Oh my God!”

The soldier who belatedly grasped the situation was greatly astonished. He ran frantically, thinking that he had to tell others about this right away. In his haste he twisted his foot and almost fell forward, but he managed to avoid an accident.

The soldier climbed onto the watchtower where the emergency bell was hung and held the rope attached to the bell with a strong hand. Then he pulled on the line with all his might.

Ding-ding-ding-

The faded emergency bell swayed slowly from side to side and made a low ringing. It was a bell that had never been rung once since it was installed here a hundred years ago.

The village that had fallen asleep in the darkness soon awakened. They saw a faint light leaking through the dark windows. But soon, the doors opened one by one and people poured out. What was going on, they looked puzzled.

The soldier gritted his teeth. His palms tingle as it got scratched by the thick rope, but he didn’t care and continued to pull on the rope. Please, he hoped someone soon recognizes what is about to happen.

After pulling the rope several more times, the soldier turned his head and looked outside the borders of the village. The group that seemed to be very far away was suddenly right around the corner.

Fires of various colors began to burn here and there. As a result, the group’s appearance that has been shrouded in darkness was revealed.

An innumerable number of cavalrymen. And the infantry followed them. The flag fluttering in the wind had ancient characters depicting the eyes of a beast. It symbolizes a northern nation known for being ferocious and savage, rooted in the barren land.

Whiip, whiipp. With the sound of the wind being cut, thousands of lit arrows flew. The pitch-black sky turned red and brightened as if it had become a bright day for a moment.

‘It’s already too late.’

The soldier took a deep breath and swallowed a gulp. A light of despair fell in his eyes, filled with fear.

At that very moment, unaware that a sharp arrow was flying straight through his throat.

* * *

A royal castle built in the center of the capital of Velicia. Inside the castle, there was a garden boasting an enormous scale.

A garden full of colorful flowers and green trees throughout the four seasons. A young man stood alone in the middle of the garden.

“…….”

He was a man with a handsome appearance. At first glance, the clothes and accessories he was wearing looked simple and modest, but upon closer inspection, they were all expensive items.

His posture, standing with his chest out and back straight, was impeccable. He didn’t have to worry about what other people’s eyes looked like, but he’d been forced to do so since he was a kid. So it became a habit.

It was clear that he was a person of high status. And yet, for some reason, he was wandering the garden alone, without a single companion. His fine black hair flowed down his straight forehead.

The man who was slowly walking, looking around him suddenly stopped. He looked at the ranunculus in full bloom in front of him. A flower with hundreds of overlapping orange petals, as if dyed by the setting sun. The ranunculus in full bloom under the sunlight was showing the peak of splendor.

‘I think it’s a greedy flower. This ranunculus flower.’

It seemed that a familiar voice came through the fragments of time that had flowed away.

‘It looks so pretty, and even the name is noble. Ranunculus. How can it be so difficult to write and pronounce?’

Once, there was a woman who spent most of her day in this garden. She is madly engrossed in her studies of flowers and plants. The woman struggles to acquire more knowledge.

‘Oh. However, unlike the pretty appearance, ranunculus is a toxic plant. Of course, you shouldn’t ingest it, and they say that just touching it can cause skin irritation.’

Said the woman who had been babbling with a pouty face, and a slightly serious expression on. It was as if she was nagging an ignorant child.

‘So, Your Highness, you can’t touch it recklessly. Understand?’

The man, who was about to reach his hand out to touch the flowers without much thought, hesitated when the woman spoke her next words. Then, he remembered grumbling, saying, ‘Do you think I’m a fool?’. She only smiled and added.

‘Just in case.’

The man smiled and pulled his hand.

‘I thought it was arrogant of you to act like you knew better.’

A bitter smile spread across his lips.

What was the point of admitting that she was right now? The person who needed to know that fact was no longer by his side.

“Bernard.”

A friendly voice called him from behind. While recalling his memories, he didn’t realize someone was approaching and looked back with a little surprised face. Someone very familiar to him was standing in the distance, looking at him.

“Brother.”

Bernard bowed lightly to Siorn. Siorn raised his right hand slightly and accepted his greeting.

“What is Brother doing here?”

Bernard asked Siorn, who was walking towards him at a leisurely pace. Siorn just shrugged his shoulders.

“I feel stuffy after being buried in piles of paperwork all day. I came out because I wanted to get some fresh air.”

“In this garden?”

“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t come to this garden?”

As Bernard asked with a surprised face, Siorn raised his eyebrows and asked back. Bernard shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s not like that, but for some reason this place doesn’t suit you very well.”

“No matter how it is, Bernard, it’s better than you.”

Siorn laughed softly.

“I wouldn’t say anything if I had seen you at the training ground or gambling hall. I couldn’t have imagined you walking leisurely in a flower field like this. Those who asserted that you were the best playboy in Velicia should have witnessed this.”

“…… I just wanted to get some fresh air too.”

Siorn’s joke made Bernard excuse himself with an embarrassed face. Yes. Because everyone can feel that way once in a while. Siorn smiled and walked over.

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