episode_0190

So, the two men set out to find Tia again.

Luck finally came to them, who had been making fruitless trips every time.

By chance, Bin Carlos was fortunately staying in Deseo.

He was the teacher who had taught Tia swordsmanship, a legendary swordsman.

Surprisingly, Teacher-nim Bin was completely unaware of what had happened.

“I’ve been so busy, you see.”

He said he hadn’t heard any news because he was busy recruiting mercenaries and training soldiers.

He said the last time he saw Tia was when she returned from Deseo after saving Dienvus.

“Well… Teacher-nim, what happened after that is…”

Joseph, with difficulty, opened his mouth and revealed the ‘truth’.

A short while passed.

Teacher-nim Bin, after hearing everything, closed his eyes.

A deep sigh escaped his wrinkled lips.

“Tia… my only disciple, was the Prince’s daughter?”

“That’s right.”

“Albert from the upper village was the Prince… Haah—.”

Teacher-nim Bin spoke as if he finally understood.

“Yes. He certainly had a different aura. Albert introduced himself as an adventurer, but he had an air of nobility. He spoke cleverly and had wise eyes, unlike a country bumpkin. I thought he was a fallen noble in disguise. To think he was actually a ‘Prince’.”

“I wasn’t in Brisdon at the time, so I didn’t know. It seems he certainly wasn’t an ordinary person.”

“Can’t you tell by looking at Tia, Joseph?”

The old teacher lightly gripped his sword.

“That child is a genius. I’ve met countless people, but never one so clever. A brilliant sun. Watching her skills grow daily was dazzling. That’s why I accepted her as a disciple. I became curious about what kind of ultimate swordsmanship she would create.”

“There’s no doubt. I saw it with my own eyes too.”

Robert nodded in profound agreement.

He was one of the few people who had witnessed Tia’s swordsmanship up close.

Her skill was by no means perfect. It wasn’t even enough to contend with the world’s renowned swordsmen.

However, despite the disadvantage of being a girl, her skill was enough to overwhelm Alan, a squire.

She was truly a once-in-a-millennium prodigy.

Perhaps if Tia had been born a boy… I dare say, wouldn’t the tide of this war have changed?

“So, Tia is here, in Deseo?”

“That’s right.”

“We should go meet her. No, rather, we should go ‘escort’ my disciple. Haha.”

The three men immediately began their investigation.

First, they searched for the surname ‘Anshier’.

As expected, they couldn’t find anyone. Not a single person.

They concluded that Tia had likely changed her surname, given the many incidents associated with that name.

Next, they gathered all individuals named ‘Tia’.

The name Tia was more common than expected. Especially in Deseo.

Perhaps the Prince had deliberately given his daughter the common girl’s name ‘Tia’.

Cases of older age. Cases of long residency in Deseo. Cases of being married, and so on.

They systematically eliminated unnecessary conditions.

Continuing to narrow the scope, they finally succeeded in narrowing down the list to about 10 people.

Now, all that remained was to visit them in person and confirm.

The three men traveled around Deseo, meeting the ten maidens named ‘Tia’.

But none of them were the Tia they were looking for.

“This has become troublesome.”

Robert drew a line through the last candidate, his eyes reflecting an ominous thought—that she might not even be in Deseo by now.

Eventually, as he was helplessly scanning the list of ‘Tias’, a particularly unusual name caught Joseph’s eye.

“Tia… Tia Modaless…”

He kept frowning, as if experiencing a strange sense of déjà vu every time he read the word ‘Modaless’.

But in the end, unable to recall anything, his expression became ambiguous.

“Hmm…”

“Joseph. What’s wrong?”

“Tomorrow, let’s try visiting this Tia. I have a feeling about her.”

“Tia Modaless?”

Teacher-nim Bin also tilted his head.

Modaless. It was a name they all felt they had heard before. But they couldn’t remember whose it was.

It wasn’t a difficult surname to pronounce, and while it sounded like someone in commerce, it didn’t convey a clear meaning.

As soon as dawn broke, the three men went to the address.

The place where Tia Modaless lived was a very shabby inn.

“…Is this it?”

“That’s right.”

Such inns were common in Deseo’s slums.

Waste didn’t drain properly, so there was always a terrible stench, and the door leading inside was so rotten it rattled terribly.

“No vacant rooms— Ah, no! Customers, what, what brings you to such a humble place….”

When three swordsmen of imposing stature entered, the bored innkeeper was startled.

“Innkeeper. You look very tired; how about you take a good nap?”

Joseph laid down five gold coins.

It was a warning not to concern himself with whatever might happen here.

The innkeeper, with a tense expression, nodded and pocketed the gold coins.

Creak— Creak—.

They walked silently down the dark hallway.

It was like a rabbit hole. It was so narrow that the tall Robert had to duck his head slightly, and the light didn’t penetrate properly, making everything blurry.

Various sounds could be heard from each room.

The sound of men and women fighting. The sound of men drinking heavily and carousing. The sound of a baby crying. And even the sound of prostitutes uttering vulgar moans.

Past such a chaotic scene, the place where the three men arrived was.

A small room located in the furthest corner.

“…”

That room was unusual.

Unlike the dirty and noisy rooms they had passed so far, the area in front of the door was very quiet and clean.

There was even a flowerpot with red flowers blooming.

To cultivate flowers in such a muddy place.

A girl who claimed to be of humble status, yet whose character was more noble than any aristocrat.

Looking at the flowers, Robert felt a strange sense of familiarity.

The three men exchanged glances in silence for a moment.

Joseph placed his hand on the door.

Knock knock knock.

Then, from inside, the sound of a fork being placed on a plate was heard.

A moment later, the occupant who approached the door asked.

“Who is it?”

The moment they heard the clear, pure voice of the girl, the three men realized.

It was Tia’s voice, unforgettable.

As they all froze, speechless, filled with inexpressible tension and joy.

Clank.

The door cracked open slightly. A woman appeared.

Red hair flowing down to her chest. Transparent and clear ruby eyes.

A slender girl in simple attire, elegantly wearing a soft white silk dress.

The one they knew well.

It was unmistakably ‘Tia’.

“Ah…”

The girl who had opened the door and raised her head also recognized the three men at once.

One was her uncle, who had left Brisdon.

One was her swordsmanship teacher.

And another was the Knight-nim who had taught her about aristocratic life.

Because they were all unforgettable people, Tia’s eyes widened.

“Uncle Joseph?! Teacher-nim… and… Robert-nim?”

“Tia. So you were here.”

“What’s going on? Is this… a dream…? Robert-nim passed away…”

As if her legs had given out from shock, Tia gripped the door tightly and swayed.

Robert quickly grabbed the doorknob and said.

“It’s not a dream, Tia. I’m alive.”

“Ah…”

Tia threw herself into Robert’s arms.

He gently stroked the girl’s hair and said.

“You were alive too. That’s a huge relief.”

“I’m so happy… so happy to see you again…”

Tia’s small body was trembling.

It seemed like sobs of joy and ecstasy, but there was also a sense of unease.

Why this reunion had to happen now, here.

And Tia was confused, not knowing why these three men had come looking for her.

“I apologize for interrupting your joyful reunion, but.”

Joseph asked.

“Tia. Do you, by any chance, have ‘that ring’?”

“…Huh? ‘That ring’?”

“Didn’t Ritsu ever mention a ruby ring?”

“Ritsu…”

As she spoke that name, Tia’s eyes momentarily clouded.

She was silent for a moment, then soon shook her head.

“I’m not sure. I do have a ruby ring, but…”

As she spoke, Tia revealed her right hand, which had been hidden behind the door.

“…!”

On her slender, pale ring finger, a ruby ring sparkled and shone.

A jewel far too beautiful and noble for a girl living in this humble, old inn to wear.

The moment they saw the red radiance symbolizing a king.

The three men unconsciously felt their heads grow heavy.

Thud!

First, Joseph dropped to his knees with a thud and cried out.

“Bow your heads!”

Then, Teacher-nim Bin and Robert also knelt on one knee in unison and bowed their heads.

“Oh…? Um, excuse me…?”

To a bewildered Tia, Joseph spoke in a solemn voice she had never heard from him before.

“Tia Kin Lord Likne. Princess of the Likne Crown Prince, Lord of Deseo, Protector of Tsarlak, Dragonez, and Nord, Supreme Arbiter of the Central Sea Continent Alliance, and the Ruler of a million people. We, Joseph, Carlos, and Robert, have arrived for your coronation.”

Before long, the inn fell silent.

Everyone had opened their doors and was watching them.

Large knights kneeling, not daring to raise their heads.

Standing before them, a girl could only ask blankly.

“…What does that… mean?”

“Princess Tia, as the daughter of Prince Likne, you are rightfully qualified to inherit the lordship of Deseo.”

“What? I’m the Prince’s daughter? What are you talking about… Uncle, you know. I’m…”

“Yes. ‘Albert Anshier’ is the pseudonym of Crown Prince Karl Kin Lord Likne. And the ring you possess, Princess, is the sole proof of the Likne bloodline.”

Tia looked down at her finger.

“This…? This is… my ‘wedding ring’…”

‘Wedding’.

The moment they heard that word, the three men opened their eyes.

They all vaguely felt it.

That Tia, whom they had met after a long time, was very different from their memories.

The girl who had always had a cheerful voice, been lively, and loved to play pranks.

Now seemed strangely calm and cautious, like a maiden ready for marriage.

She used to always wear a shirt with a belt and short pants, moving about like a boy.

Now, she wore a long indoor dress that covered her ankles, like any ordinary woman.

They could understand those changes as maturity.

But there was the strangest and greatest suspicion, tugging strongly at the back of their minds.

In front of the one destined to be king, Robert presumptuously dared to raise his head.

“…!”

The dress Tia was wearing had no waist-cinching corset.

That meant one thing.

It was a dress worn by pregnant women to hide a bulging belly.

And that ominous suspicion.

By a man appearing behind Tia….

“W-What’s going on, dear?”

…was realized in the worst possible way.