Episode 201
Chapter 66. Vanessa Olson (1)
They spent the day visiting Tikan’s finest restaurants, enjoyed tea time at an amazing tearoom, and at night, went up to the island’s highest floor to take in the night view.
Up until then, Vanessa had kept her true feelings hidden, maintaining the dignified facade of an elegant elderly lady.
On the table appeared the final treats of the day.
“These are cookies made from figs, green grapes, and walnuts. They’re called Littra Cookies. I’m trying them for the first time myself, but I hear there’s always a long line in front of the third-floor tearoom just to get these.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“Still, most people end up leaving without getting any.”
“Hmm, thanks to a generous donation, I get to enjoy them comfortably. I doubt the powerful figures of Tikan would ever stand in line at that tearoom.”
“No, ever since I started escorting you, Agent Jette has been standing in line the whole time. Luckily, it was the very last cookie.”
Vanessa chuckled softly and bit into the cookie. The crisp sound of it breaking in her mouth was oddly satisfying.
A cool night breeze swept past the table. The cookie’s flavor seemed to delight her, as a smile lingered on Vanessa’s lips for a while.
Jin waited quietly, letting her savor the moment. When the last cookie was gone, he looked her straight in the eyes and said,
“At this point, I can’t hold back my curiosity any longer, Vanessa Olson.”
Vanessa was using an alias in Tikan.
Yet, she showed no sign of surprise even when Jin spoke her real name. As always, her expression remained composed and confident.
“There was a strong scent of dragons at the mansion. I suppose they must have told them my name. What is it you want to know, Jin Runcandel?”
Her expression stayed the same, but her tone shifted. The gentle, humble old lady was gone, replaced by the deep, sharp gaze typical of the strongest warriors.
“Did your father send you to test me? But you act as if you’re just out on a picnic with your grandson. I wonder if I’m mistaken.”
“No, I investigated thoroughly. Sir Siron sent me a letter, telling me to meet you. The peaceful time I enjoyed recently… was just a fleeting whim. Seeing you brought back memories.”
Jin breathed a silent sigh of relief. Until now, he hadn’t completely ruled out the possibility that Vanessa Olson had no connection to Siron.
“You don’t seem surprised at all.”
“I am surprised. It’s just that I’ve never once heard of a warrior like Vanessa Olson until now.”
“The world is vast, Jin Runcandel. That’s why someone like you exists. Swordsmanship, magic, spiritual energy…”
“Your father must trust you deeply.”
“Siron would entrust his back to you.”
That statement startled Jin. Siron Runcandel, the Radiant Knight—his father. The idea of him trusting someone else with his back was unimaginable.
“…I heard among the dragons, you were called the Terror of the Ante Mountains.”
“I remember my days as the Black Knight far more than that childish nickname.”
Jin’s eyes widened.
‘I had no idea what kind of relationship she had with my father, but she was the former Black Knight…!’
Vanessa Olson.
Before she made a name for herself in Inse, she was the Black Knight of the Runcandel family, standing by Siron’s side. Always clad in black helmet and armor, silently following him.
‘I’ve heard the former Black Knights were the strongest in the family’s history. Among them, those who fought alongside my father to subdue the Black Sea were especially formidable.’
Vanessa Olson was one of them.
How she came to be the Black Knight while slaying dragons in the Ante Mountains, what feats she accomplished after becoming the Black Knight, how many enemies she cut down alongside Siron—
Jin couldn’t know all the details right away. But he could understand the immense power she possessed.
And suddenly, a thought struck him.
‘The reason my father handed over the Black Knights to Joshua was because they weren’t truly the strongest. The retired former Black Knights are likely still loyal to my father, just like Vanessa Olson.’
That had to be it. Meeting Vanessa made him certain.
‘If that’s the case, those Black Knights could one day become my allies.’
Or they could be the ones to cut him down—if he disappointed Siron and proved unfit to lead the family.
Quickly gathering his thoughts, Jin knelt on one knee.
“I pay my respects to the great sword devoted to the family by Runcandel’s prospective heir.”
It was tradition for even the prospective heir to show respect first to a retired Black Knight.
Among the Runcandel heirs and elders, many were not enshrined in the ‘Spirit Shrine,’ but Black Knights’ names were always engraved there unless they committed treason-level crimes.
“You’re not a bad sort.”
“Apologies for the delayed greeting.”
“Gather your weapons and inform the gatekeeper of the Tikan transit portal that we’re heading to the Kingdom of Shuteron. I will punish you there.”
Punish?
Jin wanted to ask again, but instead silently returned to the mansion to collect his weapons.
As soon as the gate opened, his companions’ anxious faces came into view.
“Master! Everyone was worried you might be harmed by that person.”
“Young master, it’s nothing serious, right? I was shocked when I heard from Quikantel. Why would such a renowned recluse suddenly come looking for you…”
“Quikantel was so alarmed, saying it could be a disaster. I couldn’t even transform into a cat to stay near you. Vanessa, or whatever her name is—what on earth is she?”
Kashimir, Gilly, and Murakan spoke in turn.
“She’s not just Vanessa, she was a former Black Knight, Lady Vanessa. Murakan, you were right to listen to Quikantel. She smelled like dragons and recognized it immediately. And yes, she was sent by my father… and, well… she said she came to punish me.”
“W-what!?”
“So that’s why she suddenly disappeared from the Ante Mountains one day—because she became a Runcandel Black Knight. But punishment? What does that mean?”
“I thought it was a test too, but hearing ‘punishment’ threw me off. We don’t have much time; we need to head to the Kingdom of Shuteron. Sir Kashimir, please prepare the transit portal.”
“Master, are you sure? Vanessa Olson is certainly an extraordinary person, but being a former Black Knight is just a title, isn’t it? Did she show you any token from Siron?”
“No, she didn’t.”
“Why are you acting so simple-minded? You’re going to trust that woman’s word and follow her all the way to Shuteron alone?”
“Sometimes you have to be simple to stay simple. Of course, there’s a chance Lady Vanessa isn’t really a Black Knight. But if it’s true—if she really came on my father’s orders to punish me—then showing doubt or refusal would be the end of it.”
Jin wasn’t foolishly agreeing to go to Shuteron. If he delayed to verify Vanessa’s identity, he might face not just punishment, but something far worse.
Above all, in the worst case, there was at least one option for escape.
“Unless she’s the strongest former Black Knight in history, there’s no other explanation for her formidable martial prowess.”
“Haah, that may be true, but punishment? What could the young master have done wrong…? Being born a Runcandel and impersonating Ziphl? Pretending to be part of the special task force? Keeping in contact with Miss Luna? Or meeting Miss Yona?”
“…That’s quite a list already, Strawberry Pie.”
“Damn it! Ah, sorry. Anyway, the young master’s crimes are many. I said it myself, but it’s hard to guess which one is the real cause.”
Murakan patted Gilly’s back and shook his head.
“But still, even with Runcandel’s intelligence, how could they know all that?”
“Right? At least the impersonation part is unlikely. Unless one of us is a spy reporting the young master’s movements to Runcandel!”
When Enya spoke loudly, Kashimir’s eyes flickered. His face quickly paled, like a thief caught red-handed.
Jin suppressed a smile at Kashimir’s reaction.
“Sir Kashimir probably didn’t report all that. Even if he did, it wouldn’t be a big problem. There must be another reason my father wants to punish me.”
He wanted to reassure Kashimir that it was okay, that he had nothing to feel guilty about, but he held back, understanding his position. Kashimir bore no responsibility.
“Everyone, don’t worry so much. If it were a serious crime, my father wouldn’t have sent someone like this. He’d have had me killed quietly or summoned to the Black Sea for direct interrogation. Maybe the word ‘punishment’ is just a formality.”
“Hmm, if it’s a formal punishment, it could also be a reward. Like when he overlooked the incident with Yona and the poison wine, and accepted the Black Light Armor.”
“Anyway, we shouldn’t keep Lady Vanessa waiting. I’ll head back upstairs. Let me know as soon as the transit portal is ready.”
As soon as they arrived in the Kingdom of Shuteron, they secured a carriage.
Vanessa herself drove it for three days straight, and the two finally reached the ‘Tolkar Wasteland.’
A barren land of dry grass and rocks. Vanessa had chosen this place for a very specific reason.
“If it’s here, you can unleash your full strength without worry, Jin Runcandel.”
Vanessa said as she untied the horses from the carriage. Once the horses galloped off into the wilderness, only the two of them remained.
“So, this punishment… is it a duel with Lady Vanessa?”
“Something like that. Have you thought about what crime you’ve committed on the way here?”
Facing Vanessa’s silent gaze, Jin had spent the past three days agonizing over the reason for his punishment. But he couldn’t come to a conclusion.
“I don’t know.”
“I appreciate your honesty. Though it’s that very honesty that’s landed you in trouble. Your crime is this: spreading unproven rumors.”
“Unproven rumors…?”
“Do you really think you can face Sir Siron in single combat?”
Ah…!
—I’m finally ready to duel my father, Lord Kashimir.
—Oh, Prince Jin. Is that true?
—I was killed ten thousand times by the warrior brothers before I realized it.
He remembered the words he’d spoken to Kashimir at the drinking party after the compass heist.
‘No way… I actually told my father that exactly as it was…!?’
For a moment, he recalled how pale he’d gone when Enya mentioned a ‘spy.’ He never imagined it would come to this.
Ssshhh…!
Vanessa slowly drew her sword.
“The way to claim innocence is simple and clear: prove it with all your might, and take responsibility for it. For the arrogant words you yourself spoke.”
“And if I fail to prove it?”
Vanessa’s expression remained unreadable as she answered.
“What do you think the penalty for insulting Siron Runcandel will be? From what I’ve seen, the minimum is death.”