Chapter 47: Stars Are Always By Your Side

The journey to the capital was uneventful.

“Ah, yah.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you have anything more to say?”

“…No, I don’t.”

Except for the times when we got off the carriage to rest, and I was relentlessly pestered by Erka.

…The reason I ended up being pestered like this was because of Kyle.

As we traveled together, Erka seemed to have developed some interest in the Empire, as she had recently started singing Empire songs everywhere.

This led to her pressuring me every day after training.

“It’s only fair that since I’m teaching you martial arts, you should teach me the Empire’s language in return.”

She had a point.

What goes around should come around.

But the thought of dealing with the aftermath terrified me, so I kept brushing her off with, “Later!” and avoided her demands.

“How many times have you dodged me after saying you’d teach me?!”

Then she would get angry, swinging her arms around wildly.

But still, no.

Despite my firm refusal, Erka would puff up her cheeks, stomp her feet, and storm off.

I felt bad watching her retreating figure, but I thought she’d give up.

I let out a sigh of relief. But a few days later…

“Your Highness!!”

Erka came charging at me with a devilish expression.

Her icy gaze pierced through me, making the air feel frozen.

What’s going on?

What’s happening?

In moments of panic, it’s best to act calm.

I forced a composed expression and asked her, “What’s the matter, Erka?”

“Was that what it meant?”

“What do you mean? What are you… Oh.”

“‘Oh’? Did you just say ‘oh’?”

I was in trouble.

I tried to come up with an excuse, but the meaningful reaction I had already given sealed my fate.

In an instant, my body was subdued by her hands.

“Ahhh, please spare me!”

“Judging by your reaction, you knew about it. Didn’t you say you were a fine warrior?”

“Well, you see…”

“So, in the Bellot territory, I was singing about how short I am, wasn’t I?!”

Crash!

In a bizarre scene that seemed to defy the laws of physics, her face flushed with shame as she lifted me up in the cramped carriage space and hurled me outside.

“How dare you mock me?!”

“I’m sorry!”

This was the exact situation I wanted to avoid. 

How did she figure out the truth?

I saw Kyle, who was casually grazing the horses, glancing over at us.

When our eyes met, he quickly pretended to be busy.

Was it you?

“Criminals shouldn’t glare at the whistleblower. Look at me.”

Her eyes were sharp.

I heard that because I refused to teach her the Empire’s language, she started asking around and learning bits and pieces from others.

That’s probably how she found out.

“Today, I’ll teach you some manners.”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

She knew exactly how to hit someone where it hurt.

She kept hitting the same spot.

It hurt so much I thought I’d lose consciousness!

“Kyu kyu kyu.”

Meanwhile, the turtle, oblivious to its owner’s dire situation, was busy playing with the storm hex beside it.

Who does it take after to be so clueless?

Both the human and the spirit were equally oblivious, making me want to explode.

“Still not tired? I can hear your eyeballs rolling.”

“No, I’m not!”

“What do you mean no? Pick up your shield. You need some proper training today.”

Damn it, this is how it always ends up.

My body won’t be in good shape today.

The sight of the Empire’s prince being beaten up by a small girl from a foreign tribe might have seemed strange to Count Dave, but he didn’t say anything.

Perhaps because he knew he was in a disadvantageous position, as Duke Bellot had promised to intervene immediately once Kenneth met with the princess and the misunderstanding was cleared.

So, the journey to the capital was uneventful.

Except for the bruises all over my body.

*

The 1st Princess’s palace was located in the northern district of the capital.

Rontania, the greatest city on the continent with its vast area, had distinctly different atmospheres and factions depending on the district.

The northern district, dominated by merchants and craftsmen, was the center of Princess Kaela’s influence, while the southern district, centered around nobles and knights, was the stronghold of Prince Kaela’s faction.

Before heading to the northern district to meet Princess Kaela, I considered stopping by the imperial palace to check on the Emperor’s condition, but Count Dave quickly stopped me.

“The imperial palace is already under the 1st Prince’s control. It’s better not to go. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

His expression was serious.

He probably didn’t want to take any risks.

If I were to enter their den and get attacked, Duke BelLot would have no choice but to suspect them.

Of course, I had no intention of sticking my head into their open jaws.

I just wanted to show some courtesy since there were eyes watching.

After that, I headed straight to the northern district where the 1st Princess’s palace was located. 

To strengthen my alliance with Saka’s people.

The princess’s palace had significantly tighter security compared to when I left the capital.

It was a reflection of the uneasy atmosphere in the capital. 

I glanced at the guards and followed Count Dave.

As if it had been arranged beforehand, the guards at the princess’s office door immediately stepped aside when Count Dave appeared.

Except for one.

“You can’t enter while armed.”

The soldiers blocked Erka, who was following me. 

She looked at me, confused.

“Why are they acting like this?”

I thought she might throw a fit, but her reaction wasn’t too extreme, which was a relief.

“It seems you can’t enter while carrying weapons.”

She shrank back, not understanding, but when she realized the reason, she stepped forward indignantly.

“Are you telling me to leave Long Legs here in this strange place?”

…Long Legs? 

She clung to her greatsword like a stuffed animal, refusing to let go.

I knew she was fond of her weapon, but to this extent?

“It’s just for a little while, while we talk.”

I looked at her with a strange expression, and she rebelled.

“How pathetic! A swordsman and their sword are inseparable. My companion and partner, always one body! So, it must always be by my side!”

You were fine leaving it in the cargo hold when it was too cramped to sleep in the carriage, weren’t you? 

If I said that, she’d get mad.

If Erka was going to be like this, there was no other way.

“Then wait here for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

“No! I was entrusted with the task of escorting you by several chieftains. I can’t leave your side!”

Then what are we supposed to do?

The soldiers blocking the way, Erka making a fuss, and me watching.

I sighed unintentionally. What are we doing in someone else’s yard?

The commotion in the quiet princess’s palace must have spread.

“What is this disturbance in the solemn palace?”

The noise eventually brought the owner of the place.

*

“Count Dave, I’ve returned after completing my duties in the north.”

“Good work.”

With the princess’s permission, he stepped forward.

A place where outsiders were not allowed without an appointment, the desk piled with documents, the princess’s gaze turned towards us.

Her gaze had a certain intensity, making it clear where she was looking. 

Not at Count Dave, but at me.

Ugh, I feel self-conscious for no reason.

Thanks to her permission, Erka was able to enter the palace without having her weapon confiscated.

The moment I met her eyes outside, countless thoughts crossed my mind. Erka would never know.

Look, she’s just smiling, thinking she got her way.

Regardless, Kaela, who seemed uninterested in our situation, gestured lightly, and a space was quickly created in the office.

As the busy maids set teacups on the table, she invited us to sit.

I sat down without hesitation.

And then, an uncomfortable silence.

Her expression seemed to say that I had left the capital as if I would never return, but now I was back with confident steps. 

She looked at me as if it were strange.

Well, I never said I wouldn’t return. 

I always left the possibility open, didn’t I?

Feeling awkward, I glanced at her expression again. 

It was blank. Was it just my insecurity?

Kaela was the one who broke the silence.

“It’s good to see you returned safely. Did you resolve the matter with the foreign girl?”

“Yes, fortunately, we were able to resolve it quickly.”

She didn’t even flinch when she saw the small foreign girl sitting behind me, supposedly guarding me.

Did she judge her as no threat based on her appearance? 

That’s a dangerous prejudice.

She then asked about the recent events in the north. 

She probably already knew most of the situation through Count Dave.

“The capital is in chaos. Honestly, if the plains’ issues were resolved, the foreign lands would be safer. Why did you return to the Empire?”

Her words weren’t accusatory or scolding. 

They were just a skillful lead-in to the current issues.

I immediately took out the documents from my pocket and handed them to her.

The suspected work of dark mages. 

As she received the documents, she pursed her lips and began scanning through them.

She wasn’t trying to understand the content but to quickly grasp the situation. 

After a few minutes, she finished reading and looked at me.

“These are quite unbelievable. Dark magic, controlling people’s minds… Honestly, it sounds absurd.”

She was right.

Even I found it hard to believe until I saw the infection with my own eyes.

Most citizens in the capital, living peaceful lives, only knew dark mages from fairy tales or legends.

But even if the content was hard to believe, something that could lend weight to the claim changed the story. 

The seal bearing her emblem.

Perhaps she had some inkling about this. 

She seemed lost in thought for a moment, her eyes hesitant.

But it wasn’t the calculating look of someone weighing practical benefits, like whether the foreigners would oppose her or if Bellot would side with her. 

It was an emotional look, filled with something.

As much as she needed my help, I also intended to help her. 

But I needed to clear up some doubts.

“When I was in the plains, I heard a message.”

“A message?”

What could it be? 

There’s no one in the plains who would exchange messages with her. 

Unless…

Kaela’s heart began to race.

“Mother asked me to tell you something. She said she was sorry.”

And as expected, her eyes widened.

“She’s dead. How could she have asked you to deliver a message?”

She tried to reject the thought with rational judgment.

How could I convince her? 

Suddenly, the humming melody and the last words my mother told me came to mind.

000 00000.

At the time, I dismissed it as distorted, but now I could vaguely understand what it meant.

Siela, Rami, Novoso?

“Siela Raminovoso.”

Kaela closed her eyes.

Once, she had wished that woman was her mother. 

Kaela, jealous of the child she would have in the distant future, would throw tantrums, and the woman would often say:

“The stars are always by your side, Siela Raminovoso.”

‘This is our secret. Don’t tell anyone, okay?’

‘Hehe, yes, Kaela.’

It was a code word between her and me. 

The lyrics of the song she would sing to me every night when I couldn’t sleep.

Now she had no choice but to believe.

She let go of her wariness and faced her half-brother seriously.

But then she worried.

She had never been kind to Kenneth, and now that she needed his help, would it seem like she was trying to win him over?

She felt pathetic and sorry for Kenneth.

So, she decided to tell him her story.

Not to win him over, but to unburden her long-held feelings.