episode_0060

Sharp.

Radial, in the process of washing up to leave the bathroom.

She splashed her face with cold water several times.

By now, it should have been cold enough to feel the chill, but she was not aware of how cold it was.

Yesterday’s incident.

And the helpless past self that resurfaced because of it.

Nevertheless, she had to remember it clearly.

Even if it tore at her heart, she had to remember it vividly.

Thud. Thud.

Tears welled up in Radial’s eyes as she looked back on the past with a heavy heart, mixing with the cold water in the basin.

Thinking back on that time still felt like her heart would break.

But now, it was not too late.

“This time… I will definitely not be late. My lord.”

Yes. Now, she absolutely cannot be late.

– Make sure to deliver this message to Mark.

Last night.

The one request Radial received from Karsein was precisely that.

Rustle.

Radial washed her tear-streaked face with cold water again.

It was time to break free from that dreadful past.

– Knock, knock.

“Radial? What’s wrong?”

Currently, Radial had lost significant function in one arm and could no longer wield Tsuvaihender as before.

But even though she could still use her uncomfortable arm for paperwork, Mark constantly discouraged her.

So now, Mark was handling the work in the office on her behalf.

“I came to talk to you about something, Mark.”

“…About my lord from yesterday?”

“Yes.”

He seemed to have caught on somewhat.

But there was something to be cautious about here.

– Realize the truth but do not act on it. He’s the type to act immediately once he knows the truth, isn’t he?

It was crucial not to let Mark hear the truth of that day and act on it.

“Never mind. I’ve decided not to dwell on it anymore. Shouldn’t I just take care of my lord as his trainee?”

It might have been impossible in the past, but now it was possible.

Having faced her past head-on, Radial was not going to be late anymore.

“The one who banished me that day was not my lord, but Teo Ramstair. Mark.”

“…What?”

“Teo Ramstair received a request to expel my lord from the slums. The one who requested it was Lady Emma.”

“A request to expel him… from Lady Emma? Wait, what… what does all this mean…”

As Mark was confused, Radial delivered a painful blow.

“This is the letter my lord sent on that day. I couldn’t say anything, and I couldn’t show you the contents because I was afraid you might act on it.”

A neatly folded letter.

The letter that had been read dozens of times since Shaden handed it over was now passed from Radial’s hand to Mark’s.

“This is…”

Mark’s eyes began to flicker.

The letter contained a heavy story that crushed the dreams of a boy aspiring to greatness.

He could have soared. If this intervention hadn’t happened.

With ample potential, he could have wielded a sword and conquered the empire.

But those wings…

Were trampled by dirty and despicable schemes.

As Mark read the letter, Radial began to reveal the truth of that day to him.

***

“It’s time for him to come… Why isn’t he here?”

By this time, he should have come to see her.

No. He should have already been here.

Radial had waited, holding Tsuvaihender like a staff.

But when he didn’t show up even after waiting for an hour, Radial took action.

“My lord is said to be treated very poorly at the Marquis’s residence. If that’s the case…”

He might be spending lonely hours.

Radial went to the Marquis’s residence and questioned the maids passing by, but they all either didn’t know or didn’t want to answer.

What more could she gain by asking here? Just as she was about to turn back…

Two people called out to her.

“Are you Director Radial? You’ve been asking the maids around.”

“Yes, that’s correct, but…”

One steward and a skilled head physician.

The two of them knew the whereabouts of Karsein.

“If it’s my lord Karsein, he’s already headed towards the training grounds.”

“He usually headed towards the main gate when going to the training grounds… but this time, he turned towards the back.”

“What?!”

Towards the back. But there was only a forest there.

“…You seem clueless. This is dangerous.”

“It’s urgent. You go ahead. We’ll inform the lady separately. Go!”

“Thank you, Heron. Shayden!”

Hurrying back towards the training grounds, Shayden quickly gave her a horse to ride, and Radial swiftly tracked Karsein’s footsteps.

She couldn’t ride a horse from the edge of the forest. But footprints began to appear.

“Torch…! It’s my lord!”

Through the dense bushes where people rarely tread, Karsein’s footprints, made using the method she taught him, began to emerge.

However, as Radial followed those tracks without slowing down, she…

“You filthy commoner!!”

She saw Karsein about to be struck by Teo Ramstair’s sword.

In that brief moment, Radial’s mind was clouded like muddy water.

He was approaching from the side.

She could draw her sword to fend off the attack, but she was too late.

Tsuvaihender couldn’t deliver a swift sword strike like that.

Even if she tried to throw the sword to subdue Teo Ramstair, she would be too late.

Before she could reach out her arm, Teo’s sword would reach my lord first.

What if she threw the sword?

No. No matter how much she threw Tsuvaihender, it would be impossible to reach…!

No matter what she did, she was too late.

No matter what she tried, she couldn’t reach him.

At that moment, her sword, which she had never dared to face so recklessly before, felt like heavy shackles holding her two legs.

“…Yes. Faster.”

She had to run faster.

There was only one thing she could do.

She had to run at full speed, dropping her sword and throwing herself at maximum velocity.

There was no other way but to wrap herself around my lord and take Teo’s blow in his place.

– Clang!

…

…

“So… you took the blow instead of my lord?”

“Yes.”

Mark staggered, his head spinning.

He was too shocked to even speak.

But it wasn’t over yet.

There was still more to the story after the event that Mark needed to hear.

“That letter…”

…

…

It was the same time as today’s training session.

The time when she woke up after wandering through the visions and looked up at the ceiling.

“What is this nonsense? My lord… can no longer come to the training grounds?”

It wasn’t Karsein who couldn’t set foot in the training grounds, but Teo Ramstair. No, he should have faced various serious charges, including noble treason.

But.

“The trial revealed that my lord attempted to strike down the Director and four others with a sword infused with mana.”

“While my lord’s mana was indeed present on the sword, the excessive bloodshed was irrefutable evidence.”

“Only his blood was found at the scene. Upon analysis, it was a perfect match with two other individuals’ blood.”

“And also…”

The reporters brought up one trial story after another.

Radial meticulously explained what trials had taken place while she was asleep after the surgery.

And she understood.

Even if Karsein, as the only witness, stated that he did not harm her and accused Teo Ramstair, it would not be easy to overturn the outcome.

They had manipulated the evidence skillfully.

They had already covered their tracks and erased their evidence, while highlighting anything that could incriminate Karsein.

Thoroughly inciting the knights, manipulating public opinion.

Criticism of Carcine was not going to change the situation just because a few people spoke out.

Everyone already firmly believed in this verdict.

Carcine Vagrand was labeled as a heinous criminal who betrayed his master and peers in the training grounds.

“…I understand. Everyone, please leave.”

He needed time to think.

He had to calmly plan his next move.

He had to rack his brain to find a solution, even if it meant struggling to do so.

So, he dismissed them all.

But even after saying that, someone opened the door again.

“I told you all to leave!”

“…I’m sorry. As the Duke’s physician, I cannot refuse to see a patient, even if the master orders me not to.”

“Shayden…?”

“And raising your voice like that is not good for the patient.”

As Shayden nonchalantly sat down on the chair in front of the bed, Radiel responded in an uncharacteristically annoyed tone.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood for treatment right now.”

“I understand.”

“If you know, then why are you here…!”

“Shh. Take this.”

“What?”

“This is a letter that the Duke asked me to deliver to you.”

…!

As their eyes met again, Shayden nodded slightly.

Radiel immediately opened the letter.

[ Hello, Radiel. I apologize for greeting you in this way. ]

[ I must have caused you a lot of pain by sacrificing myself… ]

[ I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. ]

Below that were truly heartbreaking contents.

Within the Duke’s estate, Carcine was seen as a liar who could not be trusted with any statement.

Even if he raised his voice at a maid, he would be accused of violence against an innocent person.

No one believed him.

No one listened to his testimony.

Everything was a lie.

Carcine’s statements were all blatant lies, and they all ended in sophistry.

Even if someone tried to help, they would end up being deceived by Carcine.

Even if there were doubts, once a biased opinion was formed, it would not disappear.

Although the process of defending himself had been detailed until now, it was still handled the same way.

Certainly, with just the testimony of the victim, the entrenched bias could not be overturned.

And…

When reading the last paragraph, it felt like his heart was being torn apart.

[ I want to write more, but Emma might notice. I’ll write as quickly as possible. ]

[ Even if you try to help me… it probably won’t work. ]

[ If I try to correct things and say it wasn’t my fault, I’ll become someone who even deceived my master. ]

[ So, don’t help me. Just in case. Emma might retaliate against you again. ]

[ A maid was chased away like that in the past… Radiel, you’re a knight, you can’t be chased away. ]

[ It’s better for me to become a reckless outlaw who wields a sword. ]

[ If I hear that you’ve been chased away, it will be even harder for me. Radiel. ]

[ I’m sorry. It’s all my fault, so if you can’t do that, just curse me and forget about me. ]

[ I don’t think I can take any more. Thank you for caring for me all this time. Radiel. ]

[ I’m sorry. Truly, I’m sorry. ]

“…”

“That’s why I couldn’t help you directly, and why I couldn’t tell you this truth.”

Radiel brought up all the truths of that day.

Mark, who had been listening, was now pale, his eyes wide with shock.

‘If those were perjuries, and if Radiel and the Duke’s words are true…’

Although everything was conveyed from Radiel’s perspective, the things that had not been understood until now were finally resolved.

But even though they were resolved, it didn’t feel relieving.

It felt stifling and heavy.

His breath caught in his throat, and anger surged within him.

The problem was not just the bias.

It was his helplessness and ignorance.

That alone meant he had committed a great sin.

Suppressed freedom.

False accusations.

Artificial manipulation.

And…

-At this point, can’t you just admit it? Isn’t Theo Kyeong someone who lies like you?

-It’s strange that such a request was made in the Duke’s estate. But, Theo Kyeong accepted it? Don’t falsely accuse a serious person! You fool!

Even his rights were taken away.

Due to the statement of a young lady who intervened during the trial, the wings of the boy who was about to soar with his last chance were broken.

-Ring!

▶Mark Redeltine’s doubts have been resolved!◀

▶The intimacy between the two has been equalized!◀

[ Mark Redeltine, Radiel Grufain ]

[ Intimacy: 65% ]

***

On the fourth day since Carcine stayed in the training grounds.

After his mother, his sister Arina also visited him there.

But for some reason, she didn’t seem to be in a good mood.

When Claire asked for the reason.

“…I brought the items Carcine needed, but he seemed to dislike them even more.”

That was her response.

Arina went to support Carcine with the items he needed for his activities in the training grounds, but he seemed to dislike them?

Claire had doubts about this and asked again.

“Carine is officially a trainee. During the induction period, he is taking tests to qualify as a squire.”

“What? Then…!”

“It would be much easier to become a target. He is already receiving negative attention due to the trial back then, and there are those who want to retaliate with malicious acts under the guise of an initiation ceremony.”

Upon Arina’s immediate explanation, Claire could somewhat understand.

As Carcine had been accused of attacking the leader of the Radiel at that time, his reputation was already tarnished, and now, as a trainee during the induction period, he was being suspected of misconduct due to the items he received from Arina.

“Phew. I knew Carcine’s reputation was bad, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. I got so angry that I ended up saying things that would make me even more upset…”

She almost fell into a retaliatory trap.

Arina said it would have been better if she hadn’t helped Carcine at all.

Arina sighed and confided in this way.

“I understand what you mean.”

But to Claire, it sounded completely different.

‘So, in short, are these things bothering Carcine?’

How dare someone pick on my sister for no reason.

‘Try picking on just one. I’ll just hand you over to the gallows.’

It was nothing short of scratching Claire’s nerves.