Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: First Birthday in 6 Years
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Lena approached Rubid, who was snooping around her for no apparent reason, and spoke.
“I’d like to throw your exact words from before right back at you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Rubid scowled at the incomprehensible remark. But instead of snapping at him like he had done to her before—“What, you think we’re friends or something?”—Lena simply smiled faintly. For the past few days, ever since they’d been assigned to Iura’s knight order and left the imperial palace, Rubid had been hovering around her. He seemed somehow uncomfortable and anxious, almost as if he were begging her to let him stay by her side. And yet, with his pride so sky-high, he’d yell at the slightest thing she said, which was incredibly annoying. This time was no different. As Lena just stood there smiling without a word, Rubid grumbled irritably.
“Where’s that guy?”
“What guy? You should say ‘His Highness the Eastern Duke.’”
“Ha, a mutt like you talking about... Why? What!”
When Lena stared at him pointedly, Rubid shouted preemptively, as if his own foot had been stepped on. He was always like this. At first, she’d wondered what his deal was, but now she had a rough idea of the reason. Upon closer inspection, Rubid was wary of his brother and constantly watching him.
‘Such a pain...’
Lena was genuinely annoyed by Rubid, who had come to her to yap while avoiding his brother. Moreover, her suspicions about him were spot on. Rubid was uncomfortable around Iura. Irritated. On edge. And being this close to him for such a long time was a first since their childhood. With no one like Marquis Lubel or Clavis to act as a go-between in the midst of all this, he was nearly going insane. So, with no other choice, he was rubbing up against Lena. Finally unable to take it, she asked lightly.
“You’re not close with your brother?”
“What?”
As expected, Rubid’s face twisted at the mere mention of Iura. Then he spat out spitefully.
“What about you? You close with your dad?”
Look who’s talking. Lena felt a pang of irritation but maturely ignored it. She walked past him and sat down in the open field beyond the checkpoint. They had some time while changing horses and restocking supplies, so she planned to rest until called. But Rubid didn’t leave and just stood there. He looked both annoying and pathetic. With no other choice, Lena beckoned him over.
“If you’ve got nothing to do, come sit.”
“On the bare ground?”
“Should I lay out a handkerchief for you, then?”
At her retort, Rubid bristled and strode over before plopping down on the grass. He really was an easy one. For all his grumbling, Rubid listened surprisingly well. He felt a bit like a little brother. She didn’t particularly want to admit it, but they’d grown somewhat close during the journey here.
“Lin passed through two days ago, they say. So he’s probably already at the barrier by now.”
The barrier was the frontline right up against the western border region. It had been built five years ago. And it was still under constant construction even now. The North was endlessly piling it up to block the sudden rifts and the wraiths pouring out from them. At Lena’s words, Rubid bared his fangs and sneered triumphantly.
“Pretending otherwise, but you were pretty anxious, huh?”
“Anxious about what?”
“The East hasn’t even established a single achievement yet. Sure, he snagged the first spoils of war, but the emperor didn’t send him for gold or whatever, so he must be desperate. That’s why he’s charging ahead alone like that.”
Rubid’s interpretation was quite malicious. He believed Lin had raced off to the West alone to claim the first merits for himself.
“Well, I don’t know.”
But Lena could only dodge without any real rebuttal. She had a feeling that wasn’t it, but she couldn’t think of any other reason. On top of that, she was a bit shocked that Lin had left without saying a word to her, either.
‘If that’s how it is, then he shouldn’t have said anything at all.’
Possibilities, he’d said. Various possibilities were precious, he’d said. Lena grumbled inwardly, then belatedly snapped out of it and shook her head vigorously. Rubid stared at her like she was crazy, but she kept shaking her head for a while to dispel the unwelcome thoughts.
‘This makes it seem like I’m upset.’
She was upset. Lena knew it but desperately denied it. Then she deliberately changed the subject.
“But really, you’re not close with your brother?”
“Ah, why do you care?”
“Just curious. I’ve never seen you two talk.”
As Lena said, the Plenus brothers hadn’t exchanged a single word the whole way here. As the head of the urgently dispatched knight order, Iura had plenty to discuss with his knights—and he’d even spoken a few words to Lena already. But he never spoke directly to his own brother, Rubid. He didn’t even make excuses for it, and when there were messages to relay, he sent subordinates to do it. Watching this over the past few days, Lena thought Iura was surprisingly cold.
“The Eastern Duke seems more rational than I expected.”
Why only with you? Lena swallowed those trailing words. But Rubid seemed to have caught on already, his expression turning fierce again. It wasn’t empty flattery— the Iura she’d met truly was a rational man. When she’d first been assigned to his knight order, she’d been inwardly worried. She remembered the time he’d glared at her before. It wasn’t frightening, but she didn’t want to deal with constant emotional drain. Plus, it was true that she’d caused damage to the North, so she hadn’t expected him to treat her kindly. But contrary to her assumptions, Iura treated her without any emotion, appropriately for his position as the South Duke’s proxy.
—This is the first time we’ve spoken directly.
—I expect your cooperation going forward, Lady Lena.
—I’ve heard you were a key figure in the War of Silence. Any experience dealing with snakes and beasts?
Lena recalled Iura speaking in an utterly businesslike manner. He had a touch of chilliness, but it was the level of firmness needed in a leader.
“Don’t know, damn it. We’re not close.”
Rubid finally spilled it in irritation, even though she hadn’t pressed that hard. He was already in a confused state from what he’d seen in the tomb. In his childhood, the biggest reason Rubid had turned his back on Iura was because his brother had stabbed him. From then on, he’d feared Iura and hidden that fear by hating him. But revisiting his memories in the tomb, he’d realized it was a misunderstanding. And right after, he’d been kicked by his brother. In front of the emperor and everyone, utterly humiliated. So Rubid was still at a loss for how to think of Iura.
“What about you?”
“My father? You mean are we close?”
“No, not that. You’ve got a little brother too, that little punk.”
The unexpected words flustered Lena. Her next thought was that he sure talked a lot. Her little brother had always been so chatty and noisy as a kid. Then she thought the question was odd. Close with her little brother? A little brother wasn’t someone you described as “close” to. To Lena, her little brother was someone to look after. Carry him when he cried, play with him when he was bored. Annoying—really annoying... Lena recalled the gift she’d received through Uni. A bookmark scented with lavender, her favorite. Enji probably thought of her as a truly petty, wicked big sister. And yet, he’d sent the gift anyway because they were each other’s only one in the world. Her one and only little brother, her one and only big sister. Suddenly, the word “possibilities” came back to mind. Possibilities granted to those with the same feelings. Should she tie up those possibilities she’d ignored due to lack of time, using what little time she had left? The thought crossed her mind.
“Hey, I asked you a question.”
“...I’m in the middle of some important thinking right now.”
“So what? Just answer.”
“Probably close.”
Prodded by Rubid’s nagging, Lena answered as if giving in.
“We were close.”
Then she smiled with a sigh. In two days, it would be Lena’s birthday. Her little brother had reminded her of the one she’d completely forgotten. Scented with lavender. She’d hated birthdays coming around ever since that day six years ago, but this time felt different. And in two days, she’d probably meet him. Lena looked forward to that day ahead with a joyful heart.
*** Ping! Along with a fierce gust of wind came a slashing strike of absurd proportions, slicing across the canyon. With a thunderous roar, the steep cliffside crumbled. Several people tumbled down along with the rock face. Miserable screams echoed, and right after, the wraiths surrounding the knight order melted away like snow.
“Tch.”
A short click of the tongue came from beside Lena. It was Rubid. He was irritated with pointless feelings of inferiority after seeing the slash his brother had unleashed. The wraiths had ambushed Iura’s knight order. This was already the third time. As they drew closer to the western border region, they were being attacked with increasing frequency. And those attacking them weren’t ordinary wraiths, but ones controlled by heretics. It seemed the West’s heretics weren’t pleased about Iura joining forces with the border troops.
‘Even they won’t be safe if wraiths pour out from the rifts.’
Did that mean they preferred wraiths over an imperial duke? Lena thought it plausible as she watched Iura’s exploits. The West had been devoured by wraiths and become a heretic stronghold. It was only natural they wouldn’t welcome the terrifying Northern Duke approaching.
‘Did Lin get ambushed too?’
Lena suddenly grew worried. The path to the barrier was treacherous and steep. One misstep and you’d plummet dizzyingly far—terrain extremely vulnerable to ambushes. Unless you could sweep enemies away in one strike like Iura, it’d be hard to avoid struggle.
‘He’ll be fine.’
It was Lin, after all. A kind but strong person. No need to worry about someone like that.
“Check for any remnants.”
As the wraiths melted away, Iura ordered his knights. They rode up the steep cliff path, returning shortly with a black-furred cloak. An unpleasant cloak adorned with an animal skull.
“Followers of the Crows.”
Iura remarked indifferently upon seeing the crude animal mask. At his words, Lena recalled.
‘Come to think of it, this is the Crows’ home turf.’
The Crows. The only heretic group officially designated as an imperial criminal among the many. He’d earned the nickname from wearing a pitch-black crow mask. Everything else about him was unknown. Not even whether he acted alone or with a group. He was rarely sighted, always alone, yet commanded eerily large numbers of wraiths, leading to speculation that multiple people hid inside the crow mask. Though she’d never seen him herself, she knew his infamy well, so Lena worried a bit more about Lin, who’d gone ahead. But the pounding in her chest now wasn’t just from worry. Beyond the valley, the barrier of the western border came into view. They’d finally arrived. Lena had reached the place where Lin was, right on schedule. And today was Lena’s birthday.
. . . In front of the barrier’s gate, Lena hurriedly smoothed her hair. She was covered in dust from riding, hoping she didn’t look too disheveled.
“Has the Eastern Duke arrived?”
Iura, passing through the gate, immediately asked after Lin. But the guarding soldiers hesitated to answer. They stepped aside knowingly, and through them emerged knights in black uniforms. Eastern Knights. Sensing the odd atmosphere, Lena immediately questioned the Eastern Knights.
“Lin—no, His Highness?”
“We were ambushed by the Crows on the road today.”
One knight said in a low voice.
“It was the dead of night. Wraiths lying in wait targeted His Highness, and he fell from the cliff.”
Lena’s heart sank. Seeing her face pale, the knight continued with difficulty.
“We followed right after, but we couldn’t reach the base of the cliff until dawn the next day. And all we found there was this...”
The knight held out a black cloth as he spoke. It was a cloak. A torn, bloodstained cloak. Part of Eastern Duke Rig-nan Aiterner’s. Lena stared at it in a daze. Something felt wrong. No, today was always meant to be such a day. Today was Lena’s birthday.