Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Being able to rest in a while was sweet.

Max, holding a coffee cup leisurely, was sitting on a sofa in the Vice Commander’s office. It was comfortable enough to look like a leather sofa.

Things seemed to be going well on their own.

Perfect weather, fragrant coffee, absence of the Commander, work to be done in 10 minutes. It was perfect.

Knock, knock.

Oops. It was the day the macarons he ordered came.

Max put his cup of coffee on the armrest of the sofa. He spoke in a soft voice.

“Yes, yes. Come on in.”

Creak.

“…Oh?”

Wait. Was it alcohol, not coffee? At this hour, at this place, this was not the person he was supposed to see.

Max blinked his brown eyes several times. However, nothing had changed except that things had become clearer.

“Good morning! Long time no see.”

The red-haired girl, Leasis, smiled happily. She had her red hair neatly tied and was wearing a black dress like before. There were also some changes: she was not wearing a white apron but a green apron unique to the Liduré staff, and on top of it was holding a tray filled with delicious macarons.

Max felt embarrassment before pleasure. He stared blankly and a brave voice rang.

“Excuse me. Can I come in?”

“Ah… Yes yes.”

As soon as he answered, Leasis strode in. She chattered, putting the tray on the desk.

“Surprised, huh? I was surprised too. I guess there really is a connection.”

“…What?”

“Max-nim is a regular customer of Liduré.”

What. What? What the hell is going on here? She grinned at the embarrassed Max, who was speechless.

“I’m Leasis, and I’ll be doing the delivery for Liduré for a while.”

She had started working.

“Good to see you!”

It felt kind of ominous. Max smiled awkwardly.

*

“Well, bye!”

Thud.

Coming out of the hallway, Leasis’ legs were trembling slightly. She took a deep breath and looked at the Vice Commander’s door.

It was a monotonous brown door. How hard it had been to knock on this door. She felt the beat of her heart ringing to her ears.

Leasis tightened her grip on the tray. She did not meet Hizen on the way, and did not know whether to feel fortunate or displeased about it. It was hard for her to face someone who did not like her.

No one was familiar with hate. That was also the case for Leasis. She had endured all kinds of abuse and hatred while living as a maid and a servant, but being hated was still painful.

Leasis had managed to comprehend more than half of Hizen’s personality since their first meeting. He was a beautiful but difficult man. The more difficult he seemed, the more beautiful he was. An expression full of hostility, cold eyes, and terrifying speech. She only met him once, but he sometimes appeared in her dreams. On that day, it was like a nightmare. She had found the conversation very shocking at that time.

But even though Leasis was surprised, she did not hate Hizen. He was rather on her good side. There were few things she could like in her life, but one of them was Hizen. It was also the biggest one. She had been fond of Hizen even before meeting Neren.

For a long time, she had been reading, dreaming and admiring Hizen as a protagonist. It was affection she had accumulated for a long time. Although their first meeting was a mess, her feelings did not collapse easily. Moreover, she felt regretful rather than displeased because it was her own fault.

Her heart would undoubtedly be revealed by her actions. Leasis worked really hard while settling in at Liduré. She knew the secret passages, but did not sneak again in the Imperial Palace. She tried to create a chance to meet Hizen again with her own hands. As a result, she managed in a short period of time to obtain one of the important roles, the delivery to the Imperial Palace.

She looked around the hallway. She was looking forward to seeing Hizen. If she had a chance, she wanted to apologize properly once again. Of course, no one was there.

The empty corridor was unusually quiet. The darkness reminded her of the past she wanted to forget, a dark time when even a small hope was a luxury. She had always been alone. The only things that were with her were old broomsticks, a yellowish discolored mop, sour mold, and dust that stained the lungs.

Neren had saved her from there, but he was not in this world anymore. Today, she missed him even more. She lowered her eyes slightly, remembering the day when he gave her a name.

[Leasis! Isn’t that awesome?]

[What? Leasis?]

[You’re a nameless maid. Your name is Leasis from now on! Did you see it in the book? The legend who turned the Harknon Empire upside down.]

[Hmm… Neren-nim. I’m sorry to interrupt, but… wouldn’t that name be a little too much for me?]

After a long winter, would snowflakes in the spring shine like this? Silver hair symbolizing nobility, silver eyes, white and neat teeth. She lowered her head as she thought her eyes would turn cold if she continued to look at him.

It was a voice filled with confidence that gently touched her weak shoulders.

[What are you talking about? That name is perfect for my maid. You can be stronger than Hizen.]

[Leasis.]

[Yes?]

[Please, with Hizen’s teaching…]

Neren’s smile was brighter than the sun.

[Protect the people.]

Leasis promised him. It was no different from Neren’s last will.

She could not give up like this. If Hizen took a step back, she would take two steps closer. If he took two steps back, she would take three steps closer. She wanted to show him her skills and become his sword.

Her red eyes sparkled with determination.

Leasis gave strength to the hand holding the silver platter. The round tray was slightly distorted, but she did not notice it.

Her sleek body like a cheetah quickly reached the door of Liduré. She opened the antique green door.

Along with the bell, she could feel the unique savory smell of the bakery. The employees of Liduré welcomed her with big smiles.

“Welcome, Leasis. Good job.”

“Did it go well?”

“Yes, I’ve had a good trip!”

Leasis moved with discipline like an experienced soldier. As she moved her arm slightly, her silver tray settled in a pile of trays stacked up on one side.

Next to them were fresh macarons. Leasis approached the counter with long steps and put on white gloves. Hundreds of macarons soon piled up on the wrapper.

The people in Liduré clapped their hands. It was an unbelievable scene.

“That’s amazing!”

“Thank you very much.”

Leasis approached her next job with a good smile. There was a pile of eggs in the back of the store.

“Leasis, Noona!”

“Setchen!”

They were now close enough to call each other by their names. Setchen clung to her with his golden eyes twinkling.

The store staff laughed awkwardly. No matter how much they looked at it, they could not get used to it.

“You went to the Imperial Palace today! How did it go? Did you get Count Dratius-nim’ autograph?”

“I’m sorry about that. The Count-nim wasn’t in the Vice Commander’s office.”

“Tsk.”

“Don’t worry, Setchen. I’ll definitely get your autograph. Trust me.”

She comforted Setchen by hugging him tightly. He smelled the sweet and savory scent of the bakery.

When she buried her face in his soft blonde hair, Setchen got surprised.

Setchen tried to avoid her by pulling her back. It was not that he hated her, but still, it became weird when she was this close to his face. His heart fluttered uncontrollably. It was similar to when he got sick in a carriage, but not the same. It was the first time he felt this.

“Stop it. It tickles.”

Setchen rubbed his red face with both hands. Leasis gently raised her head.

Her red eyes were finely colored with the skylight. The glass window, which revealed the capital landscape, shone beautifully. Today, the sky was clear and its color was a little bit lighter than Hizen’s eyes.

Looking up at the sky reminded her of Hizen. It was not a good memory, but she still thought about him. Maybe it was because his eyes were as beautiful as the high sky.

Setchen muttered in a slightly soft voice.

“Tsk… Why didn’t you search the Imperial Palace to find him?”

“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

There was no need to be afraid. Leasis faced the sky with a clear face.

“Because I want it to be fair.”

*

After completing his mission, Hizen arrived at the Imperial Palace. It was a later-than-expected return. The only thing that welcomed him was a burnt-out night. Hizen, who left his horse in the stable, dusted off his uniform a few times. The black uniform quickly cleared up.

He skillfully headed somewhere. The Imperial Palace looked like a maze, but it was a very familiar place to him.

People’s admiration lingered whenever he passed by. Everyone, from the noblemen to the employees of the Imperial Family, stared at him with faces full of yearning.

The number of noble young ladies handing him handkerchiefs could not be counted by hands. However, Hizen was not impressed. They were as meaningless as air to him.

He stopped in a remote, abandoned place inside the Imperial Palace. Sitting under the eaves, he closed his eyes. His long eyelashes fell down to form a mysterious shade.

He was a little tired. Hizen muttered quietly and crossed his legs. Even in the dark, he was shining like the master of the night. His fine features and his delicate eyelashes were revealed between blond strands of hair that were shaken by the wind. Bandages were tied up on his hands and arms.

“Are you here?”

Hizen only opened his eyes that he had closed without answering. Max looked happier than usual. He was glad to see the Commander after a long time.

“Commander-nim, we’re done with the training!”

“That’s good.”

A cool gaze. Max asked awkwardly in the chilly mood in front of the grim reaper.

“Why… do you?”

“I didn’t know you had the bad habit of deceiving your superior.”

The color disappeared from Max’s face. As expected, even if the ghosts could be tricked, Hizen could not. He coughed and tilted his head.

“Well… I’m sorry. The members of the Imperial Knights are not feeling well these days…”

It was an embarrassing situation. Not long ago, the Imperial Knights were sent to subdue a monster. The poisonous monster ‘Numa’ had caused considerable damage to them.

Of course, the Imperial Elite Knights, who were trained to develop a resistance to poison, were fine. However, the knights of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions of Imperial Knights, who had a weak resistance to poison, were worried.

The situation, worsening, was exceptionally reported to Max, as Hizen had left the Imperial Palace. After much consideration, Max chose to let them rest instead of train.

“Only the sick knights from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions are allowed to rest, and the Imperial Elite Knights are still training.”

For Max, the situation was a little unfair. Except for the Imperial Elite Knights, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Divisions of Imperial Knights were not under Hizen’s jurisdiction. It was purely because of the Emperor that he took charge of them.

The Emperor was always lurking after Hizen. He greatly appreciated his outstanding abilities, and entrusted him with the training command of all the Imperial Knights once every three months.

Originally, Max had nothing to do with this. However, Hizen’s top secret mission was delayed, forcing someone to act on his behalf. Of course, Max was the only one who could handle it.

“I’m sorry.”

“You. You know what?”

“What?”

“Numa’s poison decomposes on its own 72 hours after body contact.”

Embarrassed, Max was speechless. A mysterious smile appeared on Hizen’s face.

“Say it clearly. If you want to punish them, I’ll roll them on the floor.”

“Yes!”

Hizen closed his eyes and rubbed his stiff shoulders. His beautiful face showed a bit of tiredness.

The night wind made the tip of his nose cold. Max sighed while looking at Hizen’s outfit. He was only wearing a thin uniform. Max was worried that the young Commander, who was even younger than him, might catch a cold.

“Why don’t you wear a cloak?”

“It’s annoying.”

Hizen had always hated cumbersome things. He was disgusted by baggages, as the only thing he needed was two swords. He said, shaking the mud off of his black boots.

“Let’s get down to business.”

“Here you are.”

Max took two small letters out of his arms as if he had been waiting. Hizen grabbed them between his index and middle fingers.

One was a white letter bearing the emblem of the Duke of Armada, and the other was a black letter from the Imperial Family. Hizen frowned as he identified the senders.

“Of all people I don’t want to hear about… You’re too generous.”

“I don’t think it will be a big deal.”

“Of course.”

Hizen, who snorted, first opened the letter from the Duke of Armada. He muttered as he quickly skimmed through the contents.

“It’s a new mission.”

In the head of the trusted Commander, a strategy to succeed the new operation would have already been devised. Max took a stand waiting for his order.

The second letter was then opened.

“Hah. Are they trying to use us to escort the Princess?”

Hizen took a piece of paper out of his arms. The familiar flame pattern on the outside revealed it to be a magic scroll of fire.

He activated it and a hot magic circle was carved on the floor. Hizen threw the black letter in it like trash. Max saddened.

“Well, if you burn it…”

Who would be responsible of Princess Ashley! It did not augure anything good.

The youngest member of the Imperial Family, Ashley von Berba. People expressed that seeing her beauty made space and time stop. But it was nothing but appearance. The moment she opened her mouth, everyone near her was shocked.

In those cherished lips, curses were basic, and only words from a vicious evil woman came out. Her fine hands that had not worked once seemed to only exist for torture. Whenever she was bored, she would slap a maid’s cheeks and pull her hair. In the middle of winter, it was common for her to rip the clothes of the maids and throw them out of the palace.

The number of maids who fled the Imperial Palace due to Princess Ashley had already exceeded three digits this year.

The Emperor of the Great Harknon Empire was also embarrassed in front of his daughter, who had turned out like this.

His children were everything for him in this world. However, her great stronghold collapsed in front of Hizen. Princess Ashley fell in love at first sight with him many years ago. She tried everything to win his heart.

She had said she would pack a homemade lunch box for him, so she had stormed the imperial kitchen and had made a fire. The 10 million yards of the finest silk purchased so far were all mops, making holes in the palace’s monthly budget.

Upon learning of it, Hizen had said.

[Princess Ashley. As the head of the Imperial Elite Knights, I am responsible for the safety of the Imperial Family and for solving problems. I can’t let you go, even if you’re a princess.]

[C-Count-nim…]

[If you cause any further difficulties, I will punish you fairly.]

It was the first time they saw Princess Ashley dumbfounded and mute. That day, she cried her eyes out, creating even a small wrinkle on the Emperor’s forehead. Of course, her maids secretly cheered.

The Emperor was frustrated, but he could not help it. Count Dratius, the Sword of the Empire and the head of one of the three major families. No matter how high his status as the Emperor was, he could not treat him recklessly.

The incident pacified a bit the temper of Princess Ashley, but it was only temporary. She occasionally used her position as a means to satisfy her self-interest.

A small flame rose with a crackling sound. In the fire, the letter from the Imperial Family embellished with a silver bird was half burned. Max became quite depressed.

“There’s going to be a big fuss in the Imperial Palace from now on.”

“If she causes a stir, I will deal with her myself.”

The fire quickly died down. Looking at the burnt ashes, Hizen slowly rose from his seat, putting the remaining letter in his arms.

He was as determined as a man about to face a tremendous enemy.

“Max.”

“Yes, Commander-nim.”

“Is it ready?”

“If you’re talking about that…”

“Yes… that.”

Would people guess the existence of that childlike taste hidden in that perfect appearance? Max said, holding back his laughter.

“I’m afraid it’s all gone.”

“…I see.”

Disappointed, Hizen’s eyelashes trembled. He stood up pretending to be as fine as possible.

“Well, Commander-nim. I have something to tell you.”

“Is it urgent?”

“No, not really…”

“Tell me next time.”

Max, left alone, scratched his face. He was going to tell him about the red-haired girl, but the timing was bad.

“Well… it’s going to be okay. I don’t think they’ll ever run into each other.”

Let’s not make a mess. Max murmured and stretched.

He had not anticipated the upcoming mishaps.