A King is Born on the Road

Iris quietly closed the door so that Madeleine wouldn’t be woken up. Then she showed Hayer the nameplate and asked.

“Do you know what’s wrong with this? And is yours like this, too?”

Iris held up the nameplate.

She thought it was shining in the light, so she took it to a candle, but it didn’t look like a jewel like before.

Iris tilted her head and went into the empty room next to it. The unfurnished room had a window shaped like Iris’s.

When Iris brought the nameplate to the moonlight, it looked like it was decorated with jewels like before. Iris turned around, and Hayer looked surprised.

Even the priests of small temples could make the nameplate that Luwan people use to prove themselves, so any Luwan could get a nameplate from the temple.

However, some nameplates can be made by bishops and above, and among them, only the archbishops knew how to make nameplates for royalty.

Hayer stared at Iris’s nameplate, shining as if it were studded with jewels.

Usually, the higher the succession rank, the more splendid the nameplate would be inlaid with jewels. But looking at it like this, it was a meaningless fake. It was supposed to shine in the moonlight like that from the beginning.

Iris opened her mouth, as if she had the same thought.

“When the nameplate was being made, the bishop asked me. If I would like to have jewels put in it. There was no need for that.”

“You didn’t intentionally put jewels in it, it was supposed to look like this. Is this the same for other royals?”

Hayer, who was muttering like that, said lamentably.

“Ah, even this requires a sage to know exactly what is what.”

Iris agreed with the statement.

Soon after, Hayer also took out his nameplate and reflected it on the moon, and smiled. His nameplate also looked like it was studded with jewels. They just look different.

Iris’s nameplate appeared to be purple and blue jewels used in the Lepos family’s coat of arms. However, his nameplate looked red mixed with orange, even though it would have used the same pigment as Iris.

“…Yours is pretty, but mine is ominous.”

“It’s not ominous.”

“Doesn’t it look like blood?”

Hayer said and handed over the nameplate, and Iris took it and reflected it on the moon and said.

“No, it’s like a flame.”

Hayer laughed at her words. A flame. Strangely, listening to Iris’s words, it felt nice.

Hayer said.

“It suddenly looks fine with a good interpretation.”

“Really?”

In Hayer’s eyes, Iris seemed to hate long nights, perhaps because she was a northerner.

She loved the long days and the lights. There seemed to be a bit of fear of the darkness itself, but above all, she hated being restricted in her movements in the darkness.

Hayer muttered to himself.

“You like light. Even though you could find your way without a flame.”

“As long as I don’t get scared at the moment.”

“You came to find me even when you were scared. When we parted in the Traitor’s Labyrinth.”

“That’s…”

Iris was silent for a moment, and then went on.

“Because it’s you.”

Iris looked up at him.

“Because I had to find you.”

“If it were someone else, you would have found them.”

Hayer said unenthusiastically.

“It’s not me, I know that you would have found me even if I were your enemy.”

“…That’s not what I mean.”

“Then?”

When Hayer asked back, Iris spoke with a little more strength.

“I ran because it was you.”

“So, why did you run to find me even though it was dark and difficult?”

“……”

“It was somehow touching.”

When Hayer teased her, Iris looked at him with a sidelong scowl and muttered.

“I guess you weren’t very moved.”

“Huh?”

“I understand.”

Hayer paused at Iris’s words, and then took a step towards her and said.

“It was very moving.”

“It doesn’t look like it.”

“As soon as I heard your footsteps, I got goosebumps all over my body.”

“Hmm…”

At Iris’s reaction, Hayer hastily began to describe how moved he was. Only then did the corners of Iris’s mouth go up, and Hayer was also relieved.

He was a person who hated being emotionally swayed by others. That was why he joked in front of a serious situation and changed the subject in front of a story that would deepen. But now he felt like he was going to make Iris upset by acting that way.

Hayer, who made Iris smile with a little more charm, said.

“Since there is no sage, shall we ask the archbishop? What this is.”

“Ah.”

Iris also agreed to ask the archbishop. However, the problem was that the archbishop of the temple in the capital was one of the strong bases of support for King Eswa and was unlikely to tell the truth properly.

Hayer read her expression and said.

“Isn’t there another one in the Quill territory?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

There were two archbishops in Luwan. In fact, only one archbishop was recognized for all the duties of an archbishop, but another archbishop was appointed in case the archbishop died suddenly due to a natural disaster.

The archbishop was in the Quill territory on the northern border of Luwan, one of the great noble families. Fortunately, Quill was one of three families who considered Iris a legitimate heir. It was likely that they would be affected.

Hayer continued.

“By the way, I think it will be a little difficult to go to Siere for the time being. The diplomatic situation is worse than I thought. As with the royal family, if we lead the Knights, I think they’ll take it as a suggestion to start a war right away.”

“Hm…”

Iris was lost in thought for a moment. Then she opened her mouth.

“Then, let’s get permission.”

“You won’t be given permission…”

“I’ll write a letter. Knowing about the monsters.”

Hayer paused at Iris’s words.

She went on.

“Is there a reliable courier in Asheri?”

“Where would Asheri be without a reliable courier?”

Hayer replied.

It was as he said. All the best couriers on the continent were in Asheri.

Iris said.

“Then I should write a letter to be sent through Asheri.”

“Yes. I will fully comply.”

“And… since I have to bring a lady-in-waiting, I’ll have to write a lot of letters.”

“I see.”

Hayer nodded.

After that conversation, Iris told Hayer in front of the bedroom door.

“Now I’m really going. You have to go for the Knights’ early morning training anyway, right?”

“That’s right, but.”

Hayer looked distrustfully at Madeleine, who was still asleep in her bedroom. However, Iris felt sorry for him escorting her in front of her bedroom door, so he had no choice but to say goodbye and left the east building.