The Knight in Uniform and the Suspicious Temple Visit
I stayed up almost all night, completely absorbed in searching for a solution.
My eyes grew gritty from poring over the notebook where I’d scribbled down the original story’s plot. I ran every possible scenario I could think of through mental simulations.
However, my firm determination to save Everett—no matter who he might turn out to be—had softened a little under the weight of a mere commoner’s realistic circumstances.
‘It would be too troublesome if the future changes too drastically. Maybe I should let the incident itself happen and focus on reducing the severity of his punishment.’
House arrest at worst, or simply dismissal.
I pressed gently on my eyelids, slowly untangling the knots in my mind.
It wasn’t the most satisfying conclusion, but it was the best I could come up with.
‘They say the flap of a butterfly’s wings can cause a tsunami. I have to avoid the danger of my trivial actions shaking up someone else’s fate.’
Stories across many genres were full of cases where people tried to change the future out of greed and ended up causing harm.
From my perspective, having the same future as the original story arrive was problematic, but welcoming too many variables in the days ahead wasn’t exactly desirable either.
‘I’ll reduce every uncertain risk as much as possible.’
To do that, I needed information. Detailed information that only insiders would know.
‘Relying solely on the original story isn’t enough. The information at this point in time is too vague.’
All through the early morning, I devised various methods and filled my notebook to the margins.
At the very end, on top of the plans I’d scribbled like doodles, I wrote Kyle’s name.
‘So this is how it all connects.’
For now, I planned to join the Blue Hawk as Kyle had suggested.
‘If I belong to the Blue Hawk, I should be able to hear information about the Emperor’s surroundings first.’
If the method I’d come up with succeeded, it looked like the best possible approach.
For the time being, at least.
“I should get some sleep first and think about it again with a clear head.”
Just like spotting typos in a report after setting it aside for a while, something new might jump out at me.
Maybe because I’d used my brain so much, I felt even worse than I usually did after pulling an all-nighter at work.
I hid the notebook carefully again, calculated how much time I had left before heading to the office, and fell into a short nap.
It was the kind of sleep that felt like I’d barely closed my eyes, but when I woke up I felt slightly better.
By about an ant’s tear’s worth.
‘I really have to go to bed early tonight.’
While washing my face with cold water to wake myself up, I stared at my haggard reflection in the mirror and made a firm promise.
Still, once I actually got to work and started my tasks, my rock-bottom condition began to recover little by little.
It wasn’t because I was the type of person who loved going to work and doing my job—like a certain square-pants sponge who lives under the sea.
It was because I had plans with Everett after work.
Thanks to perfect timing, it felt like a reward for completing the early stages of the “Save the Knight Mission” I’d brainstormed last night while rubbing my sleepy eyes.
‘I want to leave early so badly.’
I glanced at the clock every five minutes, praying for time to pass faster.
And whenever I wasn’t looking at the clock, I worked like a madwoman.
I absolutely did not want to work overtime.
‘A triumph for humanity.’
Having finished today’s workload at breakneck speed, I slipped out of the Treasury building the moment quitting time arrived.
‘Farewell, everyone. I’m stepping away from my yoke and shackles for a moment to go find my happiness.’
Luckily, Connie was unusually busy today and didn’t notice me heading in a different direction than usual.
Only after I’d walked far enough that the Treasury building was no longer visible did I finally let go of my tension.
‘If she’d caught me, she would’ve teased me for two whole months.’
Even when she’d found out through leading questions that I’d eaten the couple’s set meal with Everett, Connie had teased me nonstop for an entire month.
Every lunch hour she’d say things like, “Shall we go eat the couple’s set at the cafeteria even though it doesn’t exist?”
‘If she ever found out I was dating inside the imperial palace…’
She might whisper Everett’s name in my ear with every single step I took.
She could recite every essential date spot for workplace romance at every place my feet touched.
‘She totally seems like the type who would.’
Even if not a full month, three or four days would be more than enough.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I glanced around carefully to make sure Connie wasn’t lurking nearby, then headed cautiously toward the Summer Rose Garden.
‘Good thing Connie’s hair color stands out so much.’
When I arrived at the palace-side entrance to the Summer Rose Garden like last time, Everett was already waiting.
‘Looks like Everett just got here too.’
His glossy black hair was slightly disheveled, as if he’d rushed over.
“Lord Lohas.”
Everett had been so lost in thought that he didn’t notice me until I’d walked quite close.
When I deliberately called out louder, he finally turned toward me.
‘Whoa.’
Only then did the outfit Everett was wearing register.
“Is that the Imperial Guard uniform?”
When I asked with sparkling eyes, Everett subtly avoided my gaze and answered.
“I was going to change before coming, but I ran out of time.”
The knight order’s formal uniform was only worn for ceremonies and wasn’t something they put on often.
That was probably why Everett looked embarrassed, like someone who’d shown up to a casual gathering in a three-piece suit while everyone else was in jeans and t-shirts.
“It looks amazing on you, though.”
‘I would’ve been disappointed if you had changed.’
I poured on the praise, revealing about seventy percent of my sincerity, and Everett’s cheeks took on a faint blush.
A handsome man in uniform looking shy? My sleep-deprived, gritty eyes suddenly felt moist and my vision seemed to sharpen.
‘If they designed it this well, they should make everyone wear it every day.’
At least as an employee welfare measure.
It was a shame there were no cameras around.
‘Maybe I should ask around the Magic Tower. I wonder if there’s an artifact with similar functions.’
If there wasn’t an artifact that worked like a camera, could one be made? While I was pondering that, I must have been staring at Everett too intently without realizing it.
His face grew redder and redder.
‘Oops.’
I quickly grabbed Everett’s hand as he tried to discreetly step back, unable to endure my heated gaze any longer.
‘I won’t bite.’
That was roughly the meaning I tried to convey.
I smiled at Everett as innocently as I possibly could.
But it didn’t seem to have much effect.
His face remained flushed.
“Did something happen today?”
I pretended not to notice his reddened face and asked a light question to ease the tension.
As the conversation flowed into everyday topics, Everett’s complexion gradually returned to normal.
“Nothing in particular… Wait, actually, there was the Grand Prayer Assembly, so I stopped by the old temple.”
He’d been about to say nothing special had happened like before, but when he saw my eyes sharpen, he hastily added the explanation.
He must have remembered what happened at the tearoom last time.
‘I let it slide once. For you.’
“The old temple? Doesn’t the Grand Prayer Assembly take place at the Grand Temple in the southern part of the capital?”
The old temple was still technically a holy site, but it was practically in ruins.
‘Before the earthquake destroyed the old temple, it used to be the main temple, so the Grand Prayer Assembly was held there. But that was roughly three hundred years ago.’
“The Grand Prayer Assembly was held at the Grand Temple this time too. The High Priest simply dragged in some outdated old tradition.”
Everett’s brows furrowed, as if there were complicated internal circumstances involved.
‘Outdated old tradition?’
Now that he mentioned it, I seemed to recall that until about a hundred or so years ago, they would perform part of the ceremony at the old temple under the pretext of inheriting orthodox traditions before moving to the Grand Temple.
‘So that’s what he meant.’
After searching my memory, I whispered softly to Everett.
“Lord Lohas, is it okay for you to be here?”
The “part of the ceremony” he referred to involved the Emperor—who was called the beloved child of the chief god and the largest fragment of divinity—personally lighting the sacred flame on the holy relic at the site of the old temple and carrying it to the Grand Temple.
And he had to walk the entire distance on foot, which took four hours at a saint’s pace.
The Grand Prayer Assembly at the Grand Temple only began around the time the Emperor arrived after walking diligently from the old temple.
‘Unless the Emperor is secretly a master of light footwork from a martial arts novel, he should have just arrived at the Grand Temple. If Everett came from there, that means he followed the Emperor.’
I glanced up at the still-bright sky.
“Lord Lohas, you came after finishing work, right?”
‘Don’t tell me you’re slacking off?’
When my subtly suspicious gaze landed on him, Everett flinched.
As if he had something to hide.