Shadowless Night

‘One shot per person… Do I stun them or break their legs…’

With bloody thoughts in mind, Rosaline measured the distance as the men came closer. The vendor’s face turned pale. On this fine night, the future of this woman was clear.

More than ten men surrounded Rosaline in a wide arc.

“Look, lady…” 

Before one of them could speak up threateningly… 

“You there, wait just a sec.”

…From afar, someone spoke to the crowd surrounding Rosaline. The men looked back. Rosaline also turned to look at the man who interrupted this dire situation. It was a man with a deep hood, just like herself.

Rosaline mulled over the hooded man’s voice. ‘Where have I heard…’

“She’s part of my party.”

The men snorted while the hooded man slowly walked toward them.

“Is there any reason we should quietly go back just because she’s with you?”

The hooded man stopped in front of the one who looked like the group’s leader. The hooded man also wore a mask, which covered from his eyes to his nose.

“Yes.”

The hooded man’s voice sank low and heavy but was as cool as ice. It was then that Rosaline identified him. His voice was the same, but the atmosphere was so different from usual that she didn’t recognize him for a while.

“It would be good for you too.”

Seeing the colorful patterns engraved on the mask, the men trembled and took a few steps back. They felt that nothing good would happen if they touched this man with the black triangular snake mask.

It was the pattern of the Black Serpent, the great hand that ruled the western black market. Since the man wore a mask with that pattern, he had something to do with the Black Serpent. If they touched him, the Black Serpent would surely spill their blood.

The men urgently put away their swords.

“O- Oh dear, we didn’t even realize that it’s a precious person… since the streets are so dark. Hehehe… I always suggest we hang up a few more lanterns, but… the people say it’d be hard to differentiate this place from other streets then…”

“Is there any reason I should keep looking at your faces?”

The men shook their heads and slowly moved away.

Rosaline looked at him blankly. The masked man took something out of his pocket and set it down on the vendor’s stall: the one who sold potions that made people happy. The vendor had quietly watched everything this whole time.

“Report to the owner of this card. The street rats make me feel so… uncomfortable.”

The masked man gave the vendor a card with a black snake drawn on it and also dropped an expensive-looking jewel in his hand. The merchant startled, cherishing it in his arms, and disappeared around the corner of the alley, leaving his stall behind.

The gift was in exchange for catching the thugs who disappeared, but Rosaline didn’t notice. The masked man slowly came and stopped in front of Rosaline. Hesitating for a moment, he gently grabbed Rosaline’s hand. Despite the sudden contact, Rosaline was not surprised and just stared at him. His large hands had burns, but they were warm. Rosaline’s body slowly relaxed with the warmth. She strangely thought she wouldn’t have let go of this hand even if she hadn’t known the masked man’s identity.

The two walked down the alley without a word while holding hands. Half-collapsed shacks and shops with dark interiors lined the sides of the street. Rosaline felt dark gazes in this space aimed at her, then at the masked man.

Dark night. Dark alley. Drop, drop… The sound of water dripping somewhere. The smell of mold. The gazes around her…

Rosaline trembled at the sudden goosebumps climbing up her spine. Her breathing was ragged, and her nerves began to twitch. Only the thud of their footsteps sounded and followed them in this darkness.

‘Are those gazes from the men from earlier?’ Rosaline was alert and focused on the sounds trickling from the alleyways, but she could only hear the two of them walking. Rosaline used her magic to strengthen her hearing. People whispered in dozens of spaces where small candles fluttered. 

‘Those two. That man. An old customer. Who is the woman he is touching?’ 

Rosaline could hear people whispering in her ears. She couldn’t understand whole sentences because of the overlapping words, but the vague language directed toward her was harsh. As Rosaline continued to look around, the masked man gently whispered.

“Don’t worry.”

Unlike before, when his voice was like frost, it was now warm and friendly. As if knowing what was wrong with Rosaline, the masked man held her hand tighter. It didn’t hurt.

“No one is chasing us anymore,” the masked man grinned. “No one can threaten you.”

It was a kind, gentle voice. Rosaline felt the strange sensation slowly tightening within her loosen. Her nerves, which had bristled like thorns, and her heartbeat, which had grown wild, slowly settled. The masked man’s lips slightly twitched as Rosaline nodded her head.

Raising the hand not holding Rosaline’s, the masked man gently stroked her cheek. He wasn’t a stranger, and there was nothing dangerous about him, so Rosaline accepted the touch quietly. The man smiled as if he was in trouble and walked again.

As if the masked man knew the area well, he quickly got them out of the complicated street Rosaline had been wandering around for a long time. The two were at the end of a dark alley just before a brightly lit street.

They stopped for a while at the intersection between light and dark. A step away, the festival lights that Rosaline looked for were shining brightly. The man took off his mask. His golden eyes, submerged in the darkness until now, regained their original light.

“We have to split up here because I have work to do. Will you keep it a secret that we met here today?”

Rosaline thought about bringing up the topic of meeting Diech before Ricardis scolded her. But as Diech said those words, Rosaline felt it was a pity. Diech laughed as if he had roughly guessed what Rosaline was thinking.

“I lost my way, so this has to be a secret because it’s embarrassing.”

As another lost person, Rosaline learned that she was in a shameful situation.

“All right. It’s a secret.”

Diech shut his mouth for a moment and thought over something. He soon realized something was strange and asked her in a skeptical voice.

“But why were you there?”

He was the kind of person who always called her by name. Seeing him calling her ‘you’ from the first meeting until now, it seemed that he didn’t want to reveal his identity. His Highness Ricardis also used nicknames for the knights today, and he himself pretended to be a Young Master. Rosaline believed that Diech was the same and was careful not to reveal his name and identity.

“I tried to go to the plaza by asking people so I could meet my group. I guess I’m lost too.” She grinned.

“There is nothing more pointless than asking drunk people for directions during a festival. In any case, you were in the opposite direction. If you follow this road, you will come straight to the plaza,” Diech quickly added words, seemingly uneasy. “… If someone speaks to you, don’t follow them, don’t look at them, and go straight to the plaza.”

It was a warning that she often heard from the superior knights, Ricardis, and Isserion. Rosaline nodded her head, listening through one ear and letting it out through the other ear. He quickly added words to her blunt rejection.

“Let’s eat delicious things when we meet again.”

“Okay.”

‘Almost forgot!’ Ignoring Diech’s anxious gaze, Rosaline diligently rummaged through her bag. Diech’s gaze turned downward following Rosaline’s movements. Candy in glass jars, a white lace veil worn by women at festivals, a hunting noose, wooden daggers for children, and even leftover bread. It seemed like she enjoyed the festival too much.

Rosaline pulled out the white lace veil from among them.

“Here you go. It’s a present.”

Diech opened his eyes wide and looked at the white veil, then carefully accepted her gift.

“I think it will suit you well.”

Diech fiddled with his earlobe and frowned a little. He seemed to be holding back joy, but he also seemed uncomfortable. It wasn’t the usual reaction when given a gift. ‘Maybe he doesn’t like it?’

“Why are you giving this to me?”

Rosaline rolled her eyes and answered with a question.

“I… think it will suit you?”

Because there was no particular reason, she repeated what she had said earlier.

“Do you give presents to anyone if it suits them?”

Rosaline gave him a gift, but he just questioned her instead. What’s more, Diech didn’t smile as usual and had a solemn expression. Rosaline became perplexed. ‘Uh… Why am I giving him a present? …If it suits them well, do I give it to someone else…? It’s not like that…’

“Because I like you?”

If you like someone, you can give or receive a gift. Rosaline nodded her head. Diech pretended not to hear her answer. He just contemplatively looked down at the white veil. ‘Wasn’t this the answer you were hoping for?’

“I…” Diech said in a whisper. “I’m glad you came back safely.”

It’s too late to say it now, a few dozen minutes after they met, and it’s a deviation from the conversation, so it was even more ridiculous, but Rosaline didn’t care, she only smiled.

“I’m glad to see you’re safe too!”

Diech looked at her and buried his face in the lace veil. Like a tired man leaning against a bed.

T/N: I knew it was Diech from the moment it said “burnt hand”. Remember that his castle was burned when he was little when his mother died and he had to jump to survive? That aside, I don’t hate Diech despite thinking he was only kind to Rosaline to get something in the first few chapters he appeared. I don’t hate him so author-nim pls don’t make him do anything that’d make me hate him ;__; What a sweet and poor guy