TSF 05

Chapter 5

“Ah…… I was told it was all right for me to take a walk.”

‘How did I not sense her presence?’

It was strange.

His senses were usually even sharper after an attack.

Karion relaxed the tension between his brows.

“It is rather early.”

“I usually wake up early.”

Without another word, Karion turned around and walked away. Rea quickly followed him.

“Your Highness!”

Just as she was about to catch up with him, he suddenly stopped and turned around, and the two of them nearly collided.

Karion quickly caught Rea by the wrist as she stumbled backward.

Once she regained her balance, an awkward silence settled between them for a moment.

Karion released her and asked,

“……I heard there are two princesses in Zephyros. Which one are you?”

“I am the only Princess of Zephyros.”

“That is not what I heard.”

“There is only me now.”

The information Karion knew about the Kingdom of Zephyros was several years old.

‘What happened in the meantime?’

“I need to take this walk alone right now. I would appreciate it if you could give me some space.”

“……Yes. I won’t disturb you.”

After she left the inner courtyard, Karion turned around.

He looked down at his hand, then slowly clenched and opened it.

What had that feeling been?

The moment he grabbed her wrist, a refreshing energy had spread throughout his body, making it easier to breathe.

Had that strange sensation merely been his imagination?

Karion forcefully suppressed the urge to chase after Rea and grab her wrist again.

The delegation from the Kingdom of Zephyros arrived at the Echo Fortress in Poema, one of the garrisons in the northeastern region of the Empire.

They quietly entered the fortress accompanied by the Commander-in-Chief’s personal guards, who had come out to escort them from a great distance away.

Only a few members of the delegation were taken to the residence to meet Rea.

“Princess!”

“Penny!”

The two embraced each other, sharing the joy of their reunion.

“You worked hard, Penny. It’s your first time coming this far after leaving the kingdom, isn’t it?”

“Is my hardship what matters? You’re the one doing this for the first time.”

“Hm? Ah…… That’s true. It’s my first time too.”

“Are you all right? You came all the way here alone. Nothing dangerous happened to you, did it?”

“I’m perfectly healthy, and I’ve been doing well here. I left a letter saying there was nothing to worry about.”

“One little letter doesn’t make everything all right. I was worried sick the entire way here.”

Rea comforted Penny as she poured out her complaints, then turned toward Kasim.

Seeing him looking as though he had aged ten years in the meantime, Rea felt sorry.

Kasim let out a deep sigh before speaking.

“I can only thank the gods that I get to see you safe and sound, Princess. If you find me unpleasant to look at, please ask His Majesty to remove me from your service. I would rather step down in disgrace than commit the disloyal act of failing to protect you.”

“What are you talking about? You are the sword and shield of our royal family and our kingdom. Do you know how much I trust and rely on you? I did what I did because I trusted you.”

“I am truly relieved to hear that you at least realize you caused quite a stir.”

Rea smiled brightly and linked her arm through Kasim’s, just as she had when she was young.

Kasim tried to maintain his stern expression, but his face had already softened.

“Princess. Did you take care of the important matter that required you to come to Poema first?”

“Ah, about that…….”

Rea smiled awkwardly before answering.

“It’s still in progress. I’m sorry for acting on my own.”

“His Majesty has entrusted the entire mission of this delegation to you, Princess. We are merely here to follow your orders.”

If not for Rea, the Kingdom of Zephyros would have been destroyed in a miserable manner.

So Kasim had no complaints whatsoever about Rea being the head of the delegation carrying out a mission that held the kingdom’s fate in its hands.

“Kasim. I need your help with something.”

“Just give me your orders.”

“Request an audience with His Highness the Imperial Prince and arrange a meeting. But I will go alone.”

Karion headed toward the conference room with only three of his closest aides.

Since the Zephyros delegation had requested an audience, he had to meet them at least once.

But today would be the first and last time.

“As soon as the audience is over, assign a few soldiers to escort the entire delegation to the capital.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The moment Karion opened the conference room door and stepped inside, he stopped.

Swoosh—

A gentle breeze brushed against his face.

He felt a sense of déjà vu.

He had definitely experienced something similar recently.

Just as before, he turned his head in the direction of the wind.

Karion’s brows twitched.

The person standing where his gaze landed was the Princess of Zephyros.

She had been sitting alone at the table and now stood.

“Your Highness. The King of Zephyros has entrusted the entire mission of this delegation to me. I am the delegation.”

Karion stared at her with an uncomfortable expression before walking over and taking the seat opposite her.

His adjutant Cedric, intelligence officer Orbin, and Captain of the Royal Guard Luke entered with him and stood at appropriate distances around the room.

“I have only one thing to say to the head of the Zephyros delegation. I will assign an escort to ensure that you arrive safely at the imperial capital.”

“Will Your Highness be accompanying us?”

“I will not.”

Karion answered immediately. He did not want to give that princess any room to misinterpret his intentions.

“Do you truly mean that you will have nothing to do with the Kingdom of Zephyros as it goes to offer its flag to His Majesty the Emperor?”

“I have already made my intentions clear to the Princess, and I have no intention of changing them.”

“The Kingdom of Zephyros has symbolic value. Our becoming a vassal state would complete the glorious Empire. If Your Highness acts as the mediator, it will become a great achievement for you. Surely you know that.”

“I have made myself clear. Earning achievements is of no interest to me.”

“Then tell me exactly. Are you saying that you would rather give up such an achievement than marry me?”

Karion flinched for a moment at the force in Rea’s voice.

But……

He had no intention of earning achievements.

He did not want the Emperor’s favor, nor did he want to attract attention.

Karion had no attachment whatsoever to his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast, either.

He had accepted the position only because he knew that if he had nothing in his hands, people from every direction would rush to tear him apart.

That was what it meant to be one of the Emperor’s five sons when the succession had not yet been firmly decided.

All he had to do was answer, ‘Yes.’

It was the best way to end this tiresome battle of nerves.

Yet even though he knew that, the words would not come out.

He could not shake the memory of the moment he had encountered her in the inner courtyard at dawn.

What had that strange sensation been?

Would he understand it if he grabbed her arm again?

“……It has nothing to do with marriage.”

Rea thought his words made no sense.

‘He really doesn’t want to earn achievements? If he’s not interested in power, then why don’t his words match his actions? He’ll do the job well anyway.’

Ten years later, the future she knew of the Empire’s northeastern region was one of stable administration, unlike the southwestern region, which had suffered several rebellions.

In the Northeast, the Commander-in-Chief was an object of awe, regardless of the eccentric nicknames outsiders gave him.

That was why Enoch, who eventually became Emperor, killed him.

There were signs that the Commander’s reputation might threaten the Emperor’s authority.

“You simply don’t want to earn achievements…… How careless and selfish.”

“Huh.”

The three men standing behind the Imperial Prince unconsciously let out startled breaths.

“If Your Highness has an achievement within easy reach and refuses it, does that make you proud? Is it simply self-satisfaction?”

“Princess.”

“If I join hands with another Imperial Prince, that prince will gain as much as you lose. And it won’t be just you who loses. The people who serve you will lose as well. A Commander-in-Chief of the Northeast isn’t alone, is he? You need to think about the people whose fates are tied to yours.”

Karion spoke in a cold voice.

“You have no fear, Princess.”

“They say there are three things that are worst in a person who stands above others. First, a coward. Second, someone who refuses to listen to honest advice.”

Bang!

Karion slammed his hand down on the table and stood up.

He stormed out of the conference room, and Cedric quickly followed him.

Orbin watched him leave and thought,

‘How strange. His Highness actually responded so emotionally.’

Rea let out a deep sigh and pressed both hands to her forehead.

Her disheveled hair slipped between her fingers.

‘Haa. I came here to persuade him, but I only made him angrier.’

“May I ask you one question?”

Rea raised her head and looked toward the particularly large man.

Luke asked without thinking,

“You said there are three worst things. What’s the third?”

“Ah…… I don’t know. I just said the first things that came to mind. Should I have thought of another one too……?”

Orbin looked utterly dumbfounded, then could not hold back a chuckle.

“Can I ask something too? Does His Highness have a lover?”

“He has no such thing.”

Orbin was about to say something with his lips to Luke, who had answered so readily, but then simply closed his mouth.

“Ah! Then does he perhaps like men?”

“Absolutely not!”

Orbin answered with a deeply serious expression.