Shadowless Night

“Balta is chaotic. I heard that Prince Haqab is preparing to go to Illavenia to celebrate our founding day — this is what Miss Chloe has asked me to deliver.”

“…Well, then the news should be correct. That bastard…”

Ricardis rubbed his forehead. He didn’t want to know what Haqab was thinking, but that didn’t mean he didn’t wonder.

“I have sent a gift to His Highness Prince Elpidio, and he should get it tomorrow. It seems more than adequate to scare him. Perhaps Your Highness has played too dirty…”

Isserion kicked Lewon’s leg.

“Because Your Highness has never been so active to attack like this before.”

Ricardis swallowed a laugh.

“When a person you are used to not doing anything does something, they will be scarier than someone who attacks all the time because nobody knows what they’re thinking.”

Lewon also reported some of the work he had done and some information he had learned after completing that errand. Ricardis furrowed his eyebrows and touched his forehead.

“The most painful thing is that I have now come to know even the hidden preferences of people I don’t care about… What’s the word again… skepticism? Yes, my skepticism that I’m really hearing this is too deep.”

“…Yes, well… My apologies. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, they say that knowledge is power… and that knowing too much will bring worries. Now I understand the meaning of that saying.”

Ricardis looked tired. He hadn't slept properly for weeks, and the consequences was evident on his face. Lewon hesitated and opened his mouth.

“May I dare to say something, Your Highness?”

“No.”

Lewon frowned. Even if Ricardis usually answered quickly, this is just too fast.

“… Don’t people normally let the other party ask?”

“Usually, such a request is followed by something that offends the listener. And I feel like I know what you’re going to say. Does your sentence begin with Sir Rosaline?”

“You are correct. So, can I ask?”

“That’s why I said no.”

Lewon's face was full of dissatisfaction. Ricardis seemed to know exactly what he wanted to ask: ‘Why are you going this far for Rosaline?’ It is impossible to understand why they would take this risk for the sake of a single escort knight.

It may seem heartless, but Lewon thought it would be more beneficial to throw Rosaline to the dogs. As they were members of the same Knights of the White Night, Lewon didn't dislike Rosaline. However, Lewon considered Ricardis as his top priority. If Ricardis' actions to protect Rosaline put him at risk, Lewon could throw Rosaline away without hesitation. However, Ricardis wouldn’t let him speak a word of this, so he couldn’t even discuss it.

“Lewon.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Ricardis propped his chin on his hand and closed his eyes as if tired.

“What am I fighting for?”

It was an essential question, but Lewon didn't answer. He was one of the few people who knew that Ricardis would never sit on the throne. Instead of answering, Lewon bit his lip. How could he dare tell him they’re just fighting this meaningless fight to survive.

But Ricardis already knew the answer that Lewon couldn't speak. Ricardis slowly opened his eyes.

“Do you think a person can be strong enough for the sake of something precious, Lewon?” 

Lewon bit his lip and nodded his head. Ricardis furrowed his eyebrows then smiled. 

“Yeah, I think so too.”

***

In the early morning, Diech visited Elpidio’s Quartz Castle. Elpidio's servant was waiting in front of the castle gate. He greeted Diech with a handkerchief on his forehead, the cloth already soaked in blood. Just by looking at it, you could tell whose work it was. Even so, the servant acted as if he did not suffer any injuries and was faithful only to the task of guiding visitors.

“***! ***! *****!”

Already he could hear a great deal of swearing just standing outside the drawing room. ‘Where the hell does a prince of the Empire learn such obscene swear words?’ Diech sighed.

He already knew who Elpidio was swearing at: his half-brother Ricardis. They say that the delegation stuck its nose up at the Diamond Castle [E/N: the Emperor lives in the Diamond Castle, so the delegation is acting arrogantly toward him]. Of course, Elpidio was actually the one saying this. 

Diech blinked at the servant, and the door opened. The drawing room was a mess. Diech saw papers and books scattered on the floor as if someone had torn apart the room, and on the sofa were upside-down vases lodged into the cushions. As soon as there was a sign of the door opening, Elpidio, a mess himself, looked back. His shoulders were going up and down rapidly.

“Brother,” Diech greeted.

Elpidio sat down loudly on the sofa with rough movements.

"Sit down.”

"What's going on?"

Elpidio burst out laughing like a madman.

“Diech, I often get confused about whether you are innocent or stupid. You even seem a bit silly this time. If it had been someone else who said that, this would have flown to their face."

Elpidio tapped the upside-down vase next to him.

"My apologies.”

Diech sat across from Elpidio. Since his return, it was the first time Elpidio summoned him after Diech had immediately reported that there was no antidote to retrieve. Fortunately, events had proven that the presence of a mage offsets the power of Fragment, so Diech did not receive any punishment from Elpidio. Still, he had no choice but to be cautious because he had nothing new to share.

"Since the age of eleven, I've always wondered, ‘What happened to that child?’"

Elpidio took a pipe from his bedside table and placed it in his mouth while looking around with a smirk. Diech got up and lit his pipe.

Elpidio took a deep breath in then exhaled the smoke, allowing it to spread throughout the room. Diech twitched his nose. It wasn't something he saw very often. Elpidio's eyes, wet with anger, gradually calmed down. It seemed to be a drug recently banned in Illavenia.

“Stop it, Brother. It's not good for your body."

Elpidio wrinkled his forehead and smiled. It was a slow expression.

"There’s a good boy, Diech.”

Meaning, ‘A fool who doesn’t even know anything.’ Elpidio meant it to be a good thing. Elpidio slowly exhaled the smoke. Just as the heady smell filled the room, Elpidio opened his mouth again.

“Ricardis sent a present. The sender wasn't written down, but I'm sure it's from him. There was no address written on it, but since it was sent to Quartz Castle, it must be for me.”

"Ah, did Ricard-”

When Diech was about to say something, Elpidio hurriedly raised his index finger to stop him.

“No ‘Did Ricardis send a good gift?’ from you, Diech. I think I'd be really pissed off if you spit it out, so you'd better shut up.”

Diech shut his mouth.

“The Black Moon suddenly cut off contact, so I’m in trouble.”

"I'm sorry to hear that, Brother."

“I reached out to some guilds in Illavenia as soon as possible, but most of them begged me to leave them alone… Useless bastards…”

When the Black Moon didn't lend a hand, Elpidio used the Illavenia Assassination Guild as soon as possible. But clearly, the Knights of the White Night, who even thwarted the Black Moon, should be able to stop such third-rate assassins.

“In the morning, the castle cook opened the package and fainted. There was a body buried in it. I found out that it belonged to that guild by the tattoos on his corpse.”

It was only then that Diech realized the identity of the ‘gift' Ricardis had sent. Seeing his eyes flutter, Elpidio smiled.

“It makes me feel better when you look like that.”

Killing an assassin is not hard. However, it was almost impossible to place the body in the Quartz Castle without catching anyone's attention. Quartz Castle is the second most heavily guarded after the Diamond Castle, where the Emperor of Illavenia lived.

But it was not Ricardis' accomplishment of the nearly impossible feat that surprised Diech. Ricardis was a passive person. If someone sends him an assassin, he will just deal with it and block it. Although the power he gained from his achievements on the battlefield was intimidating, he never physically attempted to attack Elpidio, even when his younger sister Princess Setistia died.

But now, for the first time, he has returned the arrow that had flown his way. No matter how untraceable the sword or how powerful the weapon was, this was the first time Ricardis pointed the blade at Elpidio.

For this reason, Elpidio had a more excited look than usual. It was a situation in which anyone’s head could fly off without notice.

Why? Why did Ricardis, holding his breath for over ten years, finally retaliate this day? Is it because he gained strength from the successful mission? Thinking that everything was ready, did he start a counterattack? No. Although he received many congratulations for his delegate work, Ricardis has had numerous achievements before this. Then why?

“Rosaline Radwiell.”

Diech shuddered and looked up. Elpidio was looking at him intently.

“The great hero who came back from the dead. I think she has something to do with Ricardis' behavior…”

Elpidio looked around again, frowning. Diech got up quickly and grabbed the ashtray lying on the floor.

"Hold it as it is," Elpidio ordered as Diech was about to put the ashtray on the table. 

Diech did not frown, and he serenely carried out his orders. Elpidio tapped the pipe on the ashtray Diech held. The ashes flew, and the heat scorched Diech’s skin.