Episode 113

“All right! If everyone’s ready, let’s get moving!”

“Nothing left behind, right? Water and food supplies?”

“We brought an extra carriage fully loaded. The higher we go, the heavier the snowfall will be. We won’t be able to pick up speed, so aside from nighttime breaks, we’ll have to keep going nonstop.”

“Good. We can’t afford to be late. Let’s get going.”

Romandro tightened his coat against the cold and urged the coachmen forward. The market official had managed to gather surprisingly skilled men in just a few hours. The coachmen looked sturdy, and the horses gleamed with well-kept coats.

A silent bribe, hoping for some leniency given their situation.

“Ian, where’s Hasha? He’s not here.”

“Hasha? Who’s that?”

“You saw him earlier—the dog.”

“…A dog?”

Romandro tilted his head at Beric’s words. Come to think of it, he’d only seen Hasha sitting with Beric but never heard him speak. Ian ordered the carriage door closed and added quietly,

“I’ll explain everything on the way. There are too many ears and eyes here.”

“Ah, right. That makes sense.”

“Look, he’s coming.”

Beric chuckled softly as he spotted Hasha bounding down the hill in the distance, clutching a family photo in his mouth, panting as if worried he was late.

“He’s here. Let’s get moving.”

“Understood. Coachmen, mount up!”

“Let’s start slowly with the lead carriage!”

Hasha barely managed to climb inside the open carriage door and nestled into Ian’s arms. The procession of carriages slowly made its way through the still unsettled streets. Villagers gathered on either side, waving lightly.

Tap tap tap!

“Safe travels!”

“Farewell, noble sir!”

“Please, come back soon!”

Even the market official followed alongside, bowing deeply until the very end. Ian sent a silent warning with his eyes to keep things discreet, then drew the curtain closed.

Click.

Romandro sat opposite Hasha, unable to hide his tension.

“Afraid of animals, are you?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then why did you pull your neck in like that?”

Romandro swallowed nervously and forced a laugh. Even if it wasn’t fear, he clearly felt uneasy. Hasha tucked his panting tongue back in and gracefully offered a greeting.

“Pleasure to meet you. I am Hasha, of the Tokuntai.”

“…Ah, sorry. Honestly, I thought you were just magic users and that I was hearing things. You know, those with heightened senses sometimes act a bit crazy—no offense. Ahem.”

Romandro confessed as soon as he heard Hasha’s voice. Then, hesitating, he reached out and took Hasha’s front paw—just like Ian had done earlier.

“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Romandro, an advisor to the royal palace.”

Inside the moving carriage, Ian shared the events of the previous night: the tragedy that began with Wesley’s atrocities, the massacre of the Astanians, and the mysterious bandits.

Romandro listened quietly, frowning.

“Necromancy? A few years ago, the Magic Department gathered necromancers from various races.”

“Was that an official decision?”

“As far as I know, it was approved by the council. Either way, there was no reason to ban it outright.”

Undead armies summoned through necromancy were incredibly useful in war. Morally questionable, perhaps, but not problematic politically. Of course, there were political motives behind it.

“If a powerful force arises to unify the disputed territories, that’s a threat to Bariel. Pretending to seek peace while maintaining balance is far better for overall control. I don’t know what Wesley was thinking, but from the empire’s perspective, it wasn’t a bad move.”

Ian pondered deeply.

Still, Wesley was a magician before a politician. As someone who worships mysterious powers, he must have known how dangerous it was to break taboos.

“What could drive him to go that far?”

It wasn’t a rebellion.

Ian’s historical knowledge contained no record of undead involvement. As his brow furrowed in thought, Hasha rested his chin on his knee.

“There’s still plenty of time before we reach the capital,” he said.

“Isn’t it too soon to shake off last night’s exhaustion?”

Ian understood Hasha’s meaning and simply patted his head.

---

Clatter.

The carriage’s movement softened. Ian, who had been sitting upright trying to rest, noticed the change and opened his eyes. The road had changed. Inside the warm carriage, Romandro, Beric, and Hasha were all leaning back, fast asleep.

“The road’s been paved.”

Pulling back the curtain, Ian involuntarily took a deep breath. A feeling welled up from deep within his chest. The capital of Bariel loomed in the distance, majestic and imposing.

Though viewed from a high vantage point, the city stretched so vast it seemed endless—far beyond anything like Bratz, a border town.

“It was late spring when we crossed the great desert. We’ve passed four seasons and returned.”

It was strange. Ian’s personal time had only moved forward four seasons, but the world’s time had leapt over a hundred years.

He took in the cityscape and recalled life at the palace. Though it ended tragically, it wasn’t all misery for three years. A smile crept onto his lips without him realizing it.

“…Ian?”

“Beric, look. That’s the capital.”

“Whoa! Finally!”

Beric shook off his daze and stood up. After ten long days of relentless travel, save for nights, they had reached their destination.

“We’re here? Oh, we should arrive within a couple of hours.”

Romandro, his hair still mussed, pressed his face to the window. Soon, he would see his wife and child. Excitement radiated from him.

“Coachman! Please hurry! My back’s killing me!”

Beric’s plea made the coachman crack his whip harder. Ian, too, felt a rare flutter of excitement.

This was his hometown—the place where he was born, raised, and died—the place that held the meaning of his life. Among countless buildings, he immediately spotted the royal palace.

“The palace.”

The palace from a hundred years ago still stood dignified and splendid, as if holding up the very center of the world.

“We’re passing through the city walls!”

“Wow!”

As they passed beneath the massive walls, Hasha and Beric leaned out the windows, gazing upward. The towering gates opened and closed repeatedly, their height impossible to gauge.

Romandro puffed up his chest and explained to the group one by one.

“That’s the power of magic. Things impossible by human strength alone. Thanks to it, life in the capital is more prosperous. Because of that, the capital collects slightly higher taxes than other territories.”

“Unbelievable.”

Beric’s reaction was like a child seeing new technology for the first time. Many others poked their heads out of the carriages, just like Beric and Hasha. Most were probably entering the capital for the first time.

“Sir Romandro! They’re asking for your identification!”

“Oh, right. Here it is!”

“Thank you.”

Romandro’s advisor ID made the entry process much smoother. They entered the city faster than the others, and the carriages picked up speed again.

“Beric, do you see that road over there?”

“Where? The golden road?”

“That’s reserved for the royal family. Be careful not to stray onto it. And that’s the skyway where aerial messengers fly.”

“Whoa! There’s a glowing line in the sky!”

“A magical skyway. Also, when you’re up high, be careful not to throw things or cause trouble.”

“Am I a kid?”

“I say that because you’re worse than one. Beric, remember what I told you on the way up?”

“Yes, sir. Don’t touch anything with your hands except the bread at mealtime.”

“And in the capital, it’s polite to greet others with a smile when you make eye contact. If you need to ask something or pass by, start with a polite greeting like ‘Dear sir’ or ‘Good morning.’”

“Geez, so strict.”

“Commoners are exempt, but anyone with some standing should observe these manners. When you receive your viscount title, you’ll have to maintain your dignity, and so will your guard.”

Beric grimaced as Romandro’s crash course in etiquette continued nonstop. It was as if his ears were about to bleed, but Romandro showed no sign of stopping.

“Are we heading straight to the palace?”

Ian asked, and Romandro, who had been rattling off instructions, paused. He looked out the window, then called to the coachman.

“Coachman! Turn toward my residence!”

By protocol, they should have reported to their superior immediately upon entering the capital, but after nearly two weeks of harsh winter travel, everyone was in rough shape.

Not just physically, but their clothing and cleanliness were far from palace standards.

“Good thing we arrived in the morning. Let’s freshen up and rest a bit, then head in this afternoon.”

“That sounds best. You should see your wife, too.”

“Heh. It’s not really like that, ahem.”

Romandro’s knees began to tremble at Ian’s words. How long had it been since he last saw the wife he dreamed of, even in his sleep? His home was in a high-end residential area not far from the palace.

“From here on, be especially mindful of your behavior. This is where palace officials live.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Okay~!”

“Okay, you little rascal!”

“…Understood.”

When Romandro shot him a glare that looked like he was about to give him a sharp knock on the head, Beric reluctantly corrected his answer. His face clearly showed how annoyed he was, but there was nothing he could do.

Screeeech!

“We’ve arrived, Lord Romandro.”

“Ah, good work.”

Romandro quickly climbed down from the carriage and stepped into the yard. It wasn’t large, but it was spacious enough—a perfect home for newlyweds.

“Vivianna!”

Romandro’s voice cracked as he called his wife’s name. From inside, footsteps approached, and soon a servant appeared to greet him.

“My goodness! Lord Romandro! You’ve returned!”

“Oh, yes. Where’s Vivianna?”

“She’s inside. Just a moment! Madam! Lord Romandro is here! Please come out quickly!”

At the servant’s call, a woman in her early thirties hurried out, carefully cradling her swollen belly.

“Honey!”

“Vivianna!”

The wife embraced her husband warmly. Romandro gently patted her back as she broke down in tears, and he quietly wept alongside her.

“Ian! Should I help unload the luggage?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

While the attendants took care of the carriage, Romandro and his wife held each other tightly, whispering words of love. Once their emotions settled, Romandro wiped his eyes and called Ian and Beric over.

“Ian! Beric! Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Vivianna.”

“Hello, esteemed Viscount, and honorable knights. I’m Vivianna. I’ve heard so much about you through letters. Thank you for being kind to my husband.”

As she extended her hand, Ian kissed the back of it and nodded respectfully.

“You’re too kind. I’ve received much help from Lord Romandro myself.”

“Please, come inside! I’ve prepared the rooms since I heard you’d be staying here for a while.”

“Thank you, madam. Oh, by the way, we have one more member in our party now.”

“Oh! A dog! How wonderful.”

“I should tell you about our two-week journey as well.”

“Please, come in. Mini! Bring some warm tea.”

“Yes, right away!”

As Romandro began to lead the two inside, he gestured to his men who were unloading a box of documents.

“You’ve all worked hard. Go home and rest well. I’ll be in touch.”

“Lord Romandro! What should we do with these?”

“Leave them as they are. We have to go to the palace this afternoon anyway.”

“Understood. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Good job, everyone!”

Romandro smiled, urging his men to hurry home, then stepped inside himself. He thought he had half a day to relax before the afternoon.

Completely forgetting that the regular palace social gathering, attended by Prince Marib and Prince Gale, was scheduled for today.