Shadowless Night

Bong—

They heard a bell ringing through the sky from a distance. It was a beautiful sound, which ironically symbolized a place where those with dozens of serpents in their belly lived. The Temple was right in front of them.

Dong!

Rosaline leaped to her feet like a cat scorched by fire.

From the inside of the carriage, something collided with the wall. The huge carriage shook like it was in the middle of an earthquake, and Rosaline felt a sharp pain in her head.

Rosaline clutched her head and whined, so Ricardis hurriedly rubbed the crown of her head.

Outside, Starz knocked on the carriage window and asked what was happening. Ricardis frowned. He was concerned that if he said something stupid like Rosaline had hit her head against the carriage’s ceiling, it would damage her honor and prestige. To be blunt, the person in question was living without knowing that she had a reputation, but that was a different matter.

Rosaline knelt on the floor, resting her head on Ricardis’ thigh while groaning for a long time. Ricardis rubbed Rosaline’s head and lifted her face to wipe away the tears. The warmth of his hand eased Rosaline’s pain a little.

“Why did you get up all of a sudden?”

Why? As Rosaline listened to his question, she pondered. The moment she heard the bell, her body moved on its own. She wanted to run away, to get out. Just like when the carriage swayed earlier, her heartbeat continued to fluctuate. Rosaline lowered her head again, resting it on Ricardis’ lap. She held his leg tightly.

At Rosaline’s unexpected ill-temper, Ricardis… felt embarrassed. He then gently stroked her head again. Rosaline closed her eyes at the warmth that rushed through her body from her head.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

The gentle voice touched her heart and softly comforted her. Her heart, shaken by the bell’s sound, quietly calmed down.

***

They arrived. The Temple was as splendid as Golden Stone castle. 

[Come, come. Please, visit us just once.]

The 2nd Prince, who never came no matter how much they prayed, had his visit greeted by priests and holy knights running out excitedly. 

“We see the blessing of Illavenia that calls upon the white night.”

“Blessings to you. I’m only here to meet High Priest Laheansi, so you don’t have to mind me.”

“Since a noble person has come, let us guide you…”

“I don’t need it. Go away. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. I can get there with my eyes closed.”

The old priest showed tears. They were thrilled, saying they had always believed that His Highness, the 2nd Prince, did not keep his physical distance away from them and that his heart was always with those who served in the holy Great Temple. 

‘Really, how could they interpret it that way?’ Ricardis shuddered.

Not minding the many people who wanted to cling to him, Ricardis went his own way. Some chased after him, wanting to get a word in. Fortunately, they were all blocked by a network of escort Knights of the White Night.

Rosaline followed Ricardis at the rear of the group. She turned around because of the eyes that stabbed into the back of her head. The young priest, who met her eyes, frowned like he was looking at something dirty.

Rosaline looked around the crowd of people dressed in white. Thousands of them looked at Rosaline, and all had the same disgust on their faces. It’s like a space filled with hundreds of masks of twisted faces.

Rosaline felt all alone in this place. It felt like a spider slowly crawled up her scalp and down the back of her neck. This hostility, which she had felt not in a long time, was not unfamiliar.

When Rosaline regained her senses, Ricardis was in front of her, and Raymond looked at her questioningly. Rosaline had paused for a moment, then followed with a quick pace.

But as she was about to pass through the arched doors…

Clang!

A sharp metallic sound rang out. Ricardis followed the sound and turned around. Two paladins guarding the entrance had crossed their spears, blocking Rosaline’s way. Rosaline stood still, just blinking her eyes, closing and opening them.

She mumbled, bit her lips, moved her gaze upwards, then bent over to enter under the crossed spears. Rosalie kept her eyes focused on her task, panicking the paladins into adjusting their spears as they looked down at her. 

“…What are you doing?”

The paladins looked back in amazement at the frosty voice.

The 2nd Prince Ricardis was known for being blunt but not easily angered. But what about now? His gaze remained unblinking, and his stiff jaw muscles occasionally twitched. Anyone could tell that he was enraged.

Rosaline bent even further. Taking advantage of the paladins’ surprise, she started crawling on her hands and knees on the floor. As the paladins regained their senses, they moved their spears to block her. Rosaline clicked her tongue a little in disappointment.

Nine out of ten people would silently and cautiously leave when denied entrance. The other option was to ask what was going on. The paladins broke out in a cold sweat at Rosaline’s bizarre behavior and her unpredicted reactions. ‘Have you got no pride? Why are you crawling?’

“I’m asking you what you are doing right now.”

The paladins looked at each other and stuttered.

“According to Temple law, it is stated that demons cannot pass through the gate of blessing.”

Ricardis touched his forehead for a moment, gently closing his eyes. There were a lot of wrinkles on his forehead. His mouth twitched, and he mumbled something…

“Look here… @#$^&##…”

It was a series of insults. Vulgar swear words only used by those who traversed the back alleys managed to break through Ricardis’ rational filter. The paladins stiffened at the rare sight of the 2nd Prince cursing with his own mouth.

Rosaline watched the situation with her stomach and chin still on the floor.

“Did your great Idelavhim say so?”

“T- This has been going on for hundreds of years…”

“Did my merciful Idelavhim say so?!”

Ricardis looked at the holy knights standing before them, chewing on each word.

“Idelavhim, a light to the world that blesses the earth and makes people rich by bearing fruit on our soil. I’m asking you now if that Idelavhim has spoken directly to you. Did he say, ‘demons are ominous, do not let them step into my temple?’”

“T- That…”

“Did you say it is the law of the Temple? The law of the Temple that began at the birth of Illavenia? It is glorious and sublime because it voices the will of the High Idelavhim. However, in each era, the great Emperors have slightly different interpretations of His words. So what do they actually mean?”

Ricardis walked towards the paladin.

“Idelavhim, the One Who Illuminates All Things, tells us that even those with humility will never know when we will die. So with this humble head…”

Ricardis slapped the paladin in the head. It didn’t hurt, but it was enough to make one feel bad.

“…Know that there is an eternal will, but there is no eternal law. Then, the first thing you should follow is the words of His Majesty the Emperor, who best understands the will of Idelavhim during his mortal life. And since His Majesty, the Emperor recognized Sir Rosaline as my escort knight, not a demon, and let her stay… You are now arguing with my escort knight, who has been recognized by His Majesty the Emperor.”

The paladins were so frozen that they could not utter a word. They faced not the kind of pressure that would come from a noble prince but one that would come from a beast. His white skin looked carved from ice, and his beautiful eyes were piercing enough to make them shiver. Ricardis ground his teeth and grabbed one of the two spears.

“A spear pointed at my person is the same as a spear pointed at me.”

The unlucky paladin, caught by Ricardis, tried to pull back his spear. But its firm place in Ricardis’ hand didn’t allow it to budge.

The knight’s face turned red. He spent his time studying and praying. His strength was no match for the 2nd Prince who had tasted the battlefield.

Ricardis looked into the man’s eyes, clutched the spear, and slammed it into his chest. As the knight received the weapon back roughly, he bowed his head and took a step back.

Rosaline looked at him, then quickly passed by those who blocked her and stood behind Ricardis. The ugly, disgusted faces had disappeared. As Rosaline finally breathed lightly, Ricardis held her wrist softly. He brushed off Rosaline’s dirty uniform.

“Sir, are you okay?”

Ricardis lowered his posture and looked at her worriedly with his young filed with affection. Rosaline nodded slightly, and Ricardis smiled, trying to soften his expression.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes.”

Ricardis’ touch and friendly gaze released the feelings tightly packed inside her. 

‘His Highness is still the best.’ Rosaline looked at the paladins, who still seemed reluctant, and grinned like a villain. Ricardis could relieve his mood a little by looking at her like that.

As they walked down the long hallway, Rosaline was alternately comforted by Starz, Raymond, Shuten, Bastian, and even Isserion. They each said their words, then put a small cookie in her mouth. Rosaline moved her mouth sullenly and busily.

The high priests lived separately in their respective annexes within the Temple. The wing where Laheansi stayed was small compared to other high-ranking priests’, but it was splendid and beautiful. Rosaline looked around with her mouth wide open. Ricardis clicked his tongue.

“People who are called the priests are really…”

A young priest was already waiting outside. Rosaline recognized his face too. It was one of the people standing on the podium during the Shadowless Night festival.