Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Sisters, Not Your Average Lot
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...This feels like it's turning into a bigger deal than expected.
Watching people start to gather one by one from the crack of dawn, Sion muttered to himself.
According to the first arrivals, some had joined from the villa, others at the city gates, and the rest were prepared to link up outside the royal castle.
Six royal knights in total, plus the royal castle guards—that was treatment on par with escorting royalty. Sion barely held back the urge to applaud.
"Young Lord, it's been a while."
Leading the escort was Vice Commander Schumacher, the number two of the Royal Knights Order, making another appearance.
"Indeed, it has.
Vice Commander Schumacher."
"I hope you've been well."
"Quite well, thank you.
I heard you received a personal commendation from His Majesty the King for the slave market incident."
"You even knew about that?
What an honor."
Of course he knew. Connections in the Royal Knights Order were crucial.
Especially if the person was a senior knight!
"Still, I didn't expect the vice commander himself to come."
"Truth be told, I asked His Majesty for this assignment.
It's related to the barbarians, and since you've met me before, I told him I'd be the right man for the job if you were going."
"Related to the barbarians, you say..."
"The vice commander's originally from the northern territories."
The answer came from behind.
Sion turned around with a puzzled 'Hm?' expression, only to find a woman wearing an incredibly luxurious silk hood standing there.
"Princess Vanessa?"
"Why so surprised?
Did I show up somewhere I'm not allowed, Vice Commander?"
"Of course not.
No place in the royal castle is off-limits to Your Highness."
Princess Vanessa, hearing Vice Commander Schumacher's reply, gazed at Sion with a gentle smile.
She'd been the one startled until now, but seeing Sion react the same way to her presence was amusing. A laugh kept threatening to bubble up.
Her lips tingled, so she opened her mouth to dispel the urge.
"I figured I should at least see you off.
No complaints about that, right, Young Lord Sion Klauzen?"
"Of course not.
It's just..."
Sion glanced back.
The group preparing to depart for the north since dawn.
Lily, Kim Yu-hyun, Risikida, and Trisha.
Three of them didn't seem to grasp the gravity of the situation.
Lily at least had sharp instincts for reading the room, and Kim Yu-hyun had met Princess Vanessa once before, which was fortunate. But this was Trisha's first time in such company.
...
Look at her now.
Good thing she was bowing her head, or the fury and irritation etched on her face would have been visible.
If that showed, she'd be hauled off for royal insult before they knew it.
Come to think of it, there wasn't any weird tension between him and Princess Vanessa.
It was just the standard noble-princess exchange of greetings. Sion had no idea why Trisha was reacting so sharply.
Why the sour face from Trisha?
*Why the hell is Sion bowing to her!*
To Trisha, Sion was a man who never needed to bow to anyone.
The women around him alone could overrun a decent territory, and if he used everything at his disposal, founding a kingdom wouldn't be out of reach.
The greatest man alive—that was Young Lord Sion Klauzen in Trisha's eyes.
By contrast, this Vanessa was just lucky with her parentage. Nothing more.
The thought of such a woman—a princess with noble blood and nothing else—receiving Sion's bow twisted Trisha's guts.
"Young Lord Sion.
I see an unfamiliar face."
Sion nearly yelped at Princess Vanessa's words.
She'd zeroed in on it like a ghost, and of all people, it was Trisha.
A woman with zero interest in etiquette, fixated only on those she desired—like a blazing flame.
Sion shot Trisha a glance, praying she wouldn't cause a scene.
Things could turn awkward in an instant, and he'd be the one taking the hit.
"...Yes, Your Highness.
Her name's Trisha. She's an apprentice knight under Knight Risikida Amstel."
"Hmm.
Knight Amstel without a squire did seem odd."
"For reference, she's not from a knight's family—she's a commoner from the territory."
"Oh?
A commoner as a squire?"
The princess took a step toward Trisha.
Sion had hoped they'd never cross paths, but things were veering weird again. He felt like screaming his lungs out.
"Nice to meet you, Trisha.
This must be your first official outing to the north.
I wish you the best."
Princess Vanessa hesitated a moment before slowly extending her hand.
She was granting the traditional royal greeting—a kiss on the back of the hand.
This wasn't just any royal; she was direct blood of the king.
Even regular knights, let alone royal ones, only got this once at investiture. For an apprentice knight, it was beyond generous—practically unheard of.
...
But Trisha just stared at the proffered hand with cold, hardened eyes.
The proper response was to kneel and perform the gesture immediately.
Vice Commander Schumacher shot her a look that screamed *Get on with the etiquette already!*
*...Should I just burn her to ash?*
*The flames inside me are roaring,* was Trisha's inner thought.
Not some dramatic dragon nonsense—her stigmata were truly blazing within.
*Turn this arrogant weirdo making strange demands into cinders,* it whispered.
*Yeah, just torch her.*
She could overlook this affront to herself.
But forcing Sion to kneel? Unforgivable.
You. Must. Die.
With that, Trisha grabbed Vanessa's hand, intent on igniting the flames.
If Sion knew her thoughts, he'd scream, *I wasn't forced—I bowed first, you pyromaniac!*
*...Huh?*
Then Trisha noticed Sion behind Vanessa gesturing wildly at her.
She didn't catch everything, but the throat-slitting motion suggested even he secretly wanted her dead.
That thought instantly lifted her mood.
It felt like an invisible bond with Sion—they understood each other without words.
*Don't worry, Sion.
I'll erase this arrogant bitch from existence without a trace.*
Trisha nodded slightly, as if to say *trust me*.
Since it was their first meeting, she'd at least make it quick and painless—basic courtesy.
Meanwhile, Sion's gut twisted as Trisha's eyes gleamed with murderous fervor.
He'd gestured *Do something stupid and we're all dead!*, but she'd clearly misinterpreted it.
Desperate, he mimed kissing his own hand.
Then he clenched a fist and shook it at her.
*Do as you're told, or else.* This time, she flinched and side-eyed him, getting the message.
*Please!
Keep it simple!
I'm begging you, you black flame dragon!
Don't screw this up!*
Nothing hurt more than shredding his hard-won trump card himself.
Of course, if asked if the pain meant he'd hesitate to shred it—no.
Blocking the path to survival brought tears, but what choice was there?
Chuck it.
...
Trisha let out a groan and bit her lip.
Moments later, she awkwardly but properly kissed the back of Vanessa's hand.
*Thanks, you pyromaniac fire dragon.*
Sion, feeling ten years younger, quickly separated the princess and Trisha with a smile.
Vanessa's safety mattered, but there was an even bigger reason.
"More importantly, Your Highness.
How's the investigation into the palace raid accomplices coming along?"
With the others at a distance, Sion spoke up. Vanessa's face hardened as she shook her head.
"We interrogated Count Sefer Kashugar and everyone from House Kashugar.
We even questioned the fairy caught by that Kim Yu-hyun fellow, but they all claim ignorance or clammed up.
We've barely uncovered anything."
"...I see."
Sefer Kashugar knowing nothing was expected—he'd been perfectly framed by Sion.
*There has to be more.*
Helen and the Haynes Merchant Guild had helped, but that alone wasn't enough.
Someone in the palace must have covertly shielded the radical fairies. The uncertainty frustrated Sion.
*...Or maybe it wasn't human after all.*
Celestials had tried assassinating him; one could be disguised as human in the palace.
In the novel, Vanessa had fallen for a sudden celestial seduction, disabling the palace magic arrays and causing chaos.
He had to consider every angle, so after a pause, Sion spoke.
"Best to keep investigating, Your Highness.
If any threads remain, it's a serious issue."
"I have no idea who's trying to shake this kingdom or from where.
I'll handle it as best I can—you focus on the north."
"No need to tell me twice."
Sion's grin drew a playful scold from Princess Vanessa. *What a rascal.*
Heading to a barbarian-infested hellhole, and he acted so breezy.
*Or maybe he's just pretending to be carefree.*
Hiding any concern to spare her guilt, perhaps.
The thought made her chest ache pointlessly.
Everyone had fawned over Prince Erader, her brother—loyalty, worry, all those emotions.
She'd watched from the sidelines without jealousy, but envy had crept in.
She wanted someone who trusted and followed her like that.
Ideally, a tall, sturdy retainer she could lean on now and then.
*You don't realize yet that you're that person, that retainer, to me.*
With a soft smile, Princess Vanessa decided that was enough and released Sion.
Lingering longer risked derailing their pre-dawn departure to avoid attention.
A princess lingering outside too long was trouble waiting to happen.
"My escorts will have my head if I stay much longer."
"You came out at dawn—it's only natural."
"True.
Can't overwork the retainers.
With that in mind, stay safe.
Sion Klauzen."
"You as well, Your Highness.
It won't be long, though."
"Sounds like you're confident."
"Spot on."
Vanessa couldn't help but beam at that.
He seemed to know everything, exuding unshakable confidence. It was strangely reassuring.
*Fuck!
Just go back to the castle already!
Get in the carriage and catch up on sleep!*
Sion's inner monologue, alas, was anything but poetic.
―
Clatter—
Thud!
"Urk."
The road was rough, jolting the carriage hard.
Sion, dozing off enthusiastically, lightly smacked his head against the wall.
Rubbing it, he thought *Not too bad—back to sleep?* and closed his eyes.
Lily's scornful glare stopped him cold.
"You little punk!
Quit sleeping already!"
"Gah!"
Grabbed by the hair and spun like a top, Sion checked his locks once Lily let go—and paled.
Over ten strands yanked out!
Hair needs constant care when it's thick; at his age, this was too much loss already.
"Lily!
Everything else is fine, but please—not the hair.
One grip from those hands and a bunch of comrades sacrifice themselves!"
"Shut up and stop sleeping.
How can you spend nearly two weeks in a carriage just snoozing?
What, heading to a cold place so you're hibernating?"
"No work to do, so might as well sleep."
"That's hibernation!"
Lily's tirade didn't faze Sion.
For the two-week trip north, his job was sitting quietly in the carriage, easing the burden on their escorts.
Especially since they were Vice Commander Schumacher's royal knights and castle guards.
No point risking his image with antics.
*Once we meet the northern barbarians—and especially those strong big sisters—sleep will be a luxury.*
Such an ominous premonition struck Sion.
And sadly, grim forebodings are never wrong.
"Young Lord Sion Klauzen."
Vice Commander Schumacher's voice from outside jolted him. In five seconds flat, Sion fixed his clothes, smoothed his hair, cleared his throat, and spoke—like a guy who'd napped shotgun on a long drive insisting *I wasn't sleeping*.
"Yes, Vice Commander Schumacher."
"We'll reach the last noble territory in Hispania soon."
"Meaning..."
"Yes.
By tomorrow morning, we'll enter barbarian lands."
Finally, arriving at that jewel of a world brimming with pretty white trash.
―――――――Author's Note―――――――
Heard there's a handy SKIP button sometimes, so I tried it.
Royal Castle―(SKIP)―North
Welcome to the savage lands, stranger.
Hit that recommend button on your way out...