The Black Land
The Eastern Grand Duchy stretched across the empire like a golden carpet, the kind of land that made your heart swell with wonder. Back in those harvest months, the fields should have shimmered under the sun, wheat swaying like silk in the breeze, ready for the scythe. Instead, everything was ruined.
“Aaah…”
The earth had turned pitch black.
“How can the land that should be golden be so utterly pitch-black!” cried the farmers. “Everything the wheat was rotten!”
“Not just the wheat—every crop sown in that soil was ruined!”
“An entire year’s harvest… and next year’s food supply…”
Farmers and gentry alike wailed as they stared at the blackened fields, their voices rising in despair.
“An evil omen!”
“The empire is doomed!”
“This is surely the Empress’s tyranny!”
“Aigoo, heaven itself is furious!”
They had pinned the entire disaster on Her Majesty, already plotting how to extract favor and influence from her weakened state. The Eastern Grand Duchy’s faction set off for the imperial palace at once.
“Her Majesty has revealed that many innocent commoners were among those she dismissed,” one noble declared. “Their grudges have surely poisoned the empire’s fertile soil!”
“It is no more than the curse of the families she wronged!”
“I would even venture that the Empress’s own curse stems from the same source—those who died unjustly in the early days of her rule. Heh-heh.”
Behind the Grand Duke’s deputy, a chorus of voices rose as one.
Accusations poured out that were little more than open defiance, daring to point fingers at the Empress herself.
They must think she is utterly beneath contempt. My fist tightened of its own accord.
While rage boiled inside me, Seriel remained utterly impassive, letting their shouts run their course. Only after silence finally settled did she speak, a long moment later.
“Your words are correct.”
“…!”
“Evidence of heaven’s wrath in the East is proof that the Grand Duke’s offenses have gone too far. Heh-heh!”
“The Imperial Knights are to proceed at once to the Eastern Grand Duchy and find the cause of heaven’s anger, then eliminate it.”
“!!!”
Their words had no power over Seriel.
They had dared to speak of the heavens as if she were no more than a commoner, and she alone could swallow them without flinching.
The flustered Grand Duke’s deputy shot to his feet and bowed.
“This matter occurred in the East, so the Eastern Knights should handle it. The Imperial Knights are still dealing with the threat of the Black Knight lurking somewhere. I humbly beg you to withdraw the order!”
“The Black Knight is under the purview of the Imperial Guard. Rest assured, Your Majesty, that its safety is not at stake.”
“Ho-however…”
As his voice faltered, another duke rose and bowed as well.
“Her Majesty, the Continental Grand Knight Tournament is mere days away, along with the first ball for the Princesses. Moving the Imperial Knights at such a time would be like punching a hole in Adelina’s defenses yourself.”
“Exactly!”
“Reconsider, Your Majesty!”
“Withdraw the order!”
Nobles who had been roaring just moments ago all lowered their heads in supplication.
Seeing every one of them bow, Seriel gave a slow nod without emotion.
“Upon reflection, there is reason in what they say.”
“…!”
“Therefore, I issue this second command.”
As she paused, the sound of nobles swallowing hard filled the air.
“The Captain of the Imperial Guard, Ricarton, is to travel east, assess the situation, and eliminate its cause.”
Catch those useless bastards who make me angry and kill them for me.
“If the Imperial Guard cannot resolve it, then their judgment was wrong, and I shall dispatch the Imperial Knights.”
Even if you cannot handle it, it is not your fault—take your time and come back.
It does not matter if you cannot handle it.
I can send the Imperial Knights to crush them.
“The Imperial Guard is to return before the Princesses’ ball begins.”
If Ricarton fails to return safely within the deadline, I shall use that as pretext for revenge on the East. Your safety is guaranteed under my name.
Seriel had spoken those words to me.
“I accept your command, Your Majesty.”
***
I boarded the train bound for the East.
The train had been completed only recently. It linked the richest Eastern Grand Duchy first, and rails were already spreading across the continent in sequence. Though slower than the ones from Earth—thanks to the magic woven into it—it shook and rattled without a hint of discomfort.
As Empress’s representative, I received the same treatment as Her Majesty herself.
The premium compartment—two rooms in total—was almost entirely rented out. Only I used it.
It was larger than a commoner’s house, complete with its own bedroom, living room, bathroom with tub, and even a kitchen and servants’ lounge.
‘Come to think of it, I’ve never taken a single vacation since I started traveling.’
Nabbed at five years old and sixteen years old now, I had never once enjoyed a proper vacation. The best I could manage was a day or two of rest, and even that had been limited to staying in Adelina or visiting Uncle Rubelion’s place.
Of course, there had never been any opportunity to actually use it.
After Seriel fell under the curse and grew weak, I could no longer leave her side.
‘Finish this quickly and take some time off.’
I’ll quickly dispose of the Black Land issue and then rest.
The Empire Knights Captain would be stationed at Seriel’s side instead of me now, so I should be even safer.
With time on the train, my thoughts wandered.
Suddenly it occurred to me that the Black Land might be connected to the Black Knight. Could the creature be here in the East right now?
What was the Black Knight’s true purpose?
‘Why did it appear in the Four Seasons Garden? And why didn’t it harm Seriel?’
Many had guessed, but no convincing answer had emerged.
‘…When we meet next, I’ll find out.’
I pushed thoughts of the creature aside and buried myself in the massive bed.
This bed was even better than the one in my room…
…
It took a full week by train to reach the Eastern Grand Duchy. The stops added time, but even without them the train was simply slow. A flying carriage would have covered the distance in two or three days.
“Welcome to Kalhaten.”
The station was crowded with Eastern Knights in blue armor waiting to greet me.
“I am Oberton, Captain of the Eastern Knights.”
A full captain-level knight. Of course—since I was the Empress’s representative, the Grand Duke himself would have been justified in coming out.
“Thank you for the welcome. I will escort you straight to the Grand Duke’s residence.”
“No need. Before that, I would like to see the land first.”
“Very well.”
We rode a luxurious carriage for an hour and arrived at the spot. The moment my feet touched the ground, I unconsciously held my breath.
It was pitch black.
As though a demon had swept through, the horizon was entirely charcoal.
The sightless scarecrows stood alone and forlorn, their fluttering rags heartbreakingly pathetic.
“The western farms of Kalhaten were ten percent ruined at the time of your report, but now it has spread to twenty percent.”
Oberton spoke in a tired voice. The other knights murmured in quiet despair.
“There are a lot of monsters.”
Wild boars and wolves roamed the fields, dozens at least, more if you counted every shadow.
“Yes. With human footsteps absent, monster sightings have increased. What are you waiting for?! Eliminate them at once!”
“Yes!”
The Eastern Knights drew their swords and charged after the order.
Slash! Slash!
While they hunted, I examined the soil.
I scooped up a handful and rubbed it. The dirt crumbled like ash.
‘Just like volcanic earth.’
I remembered the blackened lands of my homeland. But no flame-type magic lingered.
…Wait.
‘It’s not magic at all…’
I closed my eyes and focused on the faint energy emanating from the ground. It felt alien, something I knew intimately.
‘A curse.’
The same energy that clung to Seriel.
I had no divine power myself, but having held her all this time, I knew it well.
‘It might be connected to the Black Knight as well.’
Could the Black Knight be hiding here?
Even though I had only wanted a proper vacation, it seemed I would have to work after all.
“It is a curse,” I said, rising.
Oberton nodded gravely.
“Yes. The commoners are terrified, believing it to be a divine curse.”
“No. It is truly a curse.”
“…Really?”
“Summon the priests at once.”
***
The owner of the Eastern Grand Duke’s residence was in an extremely foul mood.
His face was etched with deep wrinkles from chewing snacks to keep up appearances.
“How dare a commoner treat me as second-rate?”
The fact that a commoner had replaced the Empress in her place already soured his mood. The report that the commoner had gone straight to inspect the land first made his teeth grind.
He should have rushed to greet the Eastern landowner the moment he set foot on the soil.
“Commoners can’t even manage basic etiquette.”
“Tsk tsk. Ten years serving the Empress and you still can’t obey basic law?”
“Blood will out.”
“Clearly the Empress faction has gone mad to even consider granting noble titles to such a man.”
Nobles seated before the Grand Duke added their voices one by one, watching his reaction.
In the East, he was already almost a king.
Fortunately, the Grand Duke’s mood seemed to soften a little at the gossip. The nobles grew bolder, continuing their accusations against the Empress and the Imperial Guard Captain.
While they were still chewing snacks and insulting Ricarton, a knight entered.
“Your Grace. The Imperial Guard Captain has ordered the priests to be gathered.”
The mere fact that he had summoned priests irritated the Grand Duke. Even if he overlooked the commoner, summoning priests over a simple curse on crops was absurd.
“He said the land is cursed and requires divine power.”
“Ha!”
Divine power was, by definition, the holy force bestowed by the gods as payment for following divine will. Healing the injured or sick was simply service in the name of the gods. Where would a priest come from to waste divine power on crops alone?
And if they could not resolve it even after borrowing divine power, the problem would only worsen. The church would be displeased, potentially disrupting all events within the duchy.
“The Empress is cursed, and now even the Imperial Guard Captain has lost his mind.”
“Isn’t the commoner cursed as well? Everything in the world seems cursed these days.”
“Hahaha!”
“That’s the best news. One more reason for Her Majesty to be attacked.”
It was actually good news.
This was an opportunity to ally with the church.
I could ride on the church’s back to pressure the Empress? Just the thought made him smile.
‘This is my chance. My chance to turn my daughter into a crown princess.’
A full hour passed before the corner of the Grand Duke’s mouth curved into a sinister smile.
“The land has recovered its original color!”
The faces of the nobles present froze as another knight reported.
“…What?”
The Grand Duke’s small eyes widened.
“Truly a curse?”
“N-no.”
“A curse on the land itself, not a person?”
“How is that even possible…!”
“Yes. The priests who felt divine power at work have reported the fact to the church. High priests and bishops have begun purification rituals throughout the duchy!”
An hour later.
“Every inch of land has been purified!!”
“Waaah—!!”
The knights and servants were celebrating, but…
“…”
The nobles’ faces were grim as though they had been chewing sand.
KRRRACK!!
The Grand Duke slammed his thick fist on the table.
“A curse! A curse! A curse! Why didn’t anyone think of that simple idea?!!”
“…”
The nobles fell silent.
They had all thought the same thing.
They had simply laughed it off as impossible.
“You useless bastards!”
Wududuk! Wuduk!
The Grand Duke chewed snacks with a furious expression.
‘He’s finished.’
The nobles inwardly chewed the Grand Duke.