OKOBORE HIME

TO

ENTAKU NO KISHI

The Leftover Princess and the

Knights of the Round

Book V: The Imperial Prince’s Decision

Story by: Rinne Ishida

Art by: Ichiko Okiya

Translated by: CrystalHikari

iii

Translator’s notes:

The Japanese honorifics were kept in the translation

of the dialogues of the characters to show the respect or

adoration of the characters. Footnotes were provided

upon the first appearance of the honorific in the chapter

to explain it.

Thoughts are signified by italics.

Romanization of the name of Shelan

The spelling of “Shelan” was used to show in writing

the request Shelan made about her name. Instead of using

Xie Lan which looks more Chinese, the more western

“Shelan”

iv

v

vi

vii

- 8 -

Chapter IV:

The Black Dragon’s Whereabouts

Leti’s knights – Duke, Craig, and Astrid, sat around a

table staring at four white envelopes placed on it.

It was just last night when the attempted kidnapping of

Her Royal Highness, First Princess Leticia, happened. News

about the incident only needed a moment to spread around

the Royal Castle.

The princess was called out to the garden by a message

disguised as a love letter. There were no leads as to who was

behind it, so naturally, the anger of everyone was directed at

Her Highness’s three knights who left her side.

“His Royal Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince

Friedhelm, His Royal Highness Prince Guido, and the

Commander of the Royal Chivalric Order, take your pick.”

The contents of the envelopes were the same. Leti’s

knights were being called to report by the senders. What

would happen after that was also clear. They would be

reprimanded for being too full of themselves just because

they were selected to be the future Knights of the Round

which ended up in exposing Leti to danger and that they

should think again on what their responsibilities were.

- 9 -

“I guess, I could no longer escape this fate. I shall face

His Majesty,” said Craig as he took the envelope from the

king. “Who would have thought my first conversation with

His Majesty after twenty years would be like this,” he sighed.

“I will face Commander and get scolded. I’m sure I would

have been called personally anyway,” said Astrid and took the

envelope from Johannes.

“Then I will face Their Highnesses,” said Duke taking the

two remaining envelopes.

They had successfully divided the invitations for scolding.

“We are supposed to be protecting Her Highness, and yet

we are being called away to be reprimanded. It does not feel

right.”

Astrid surprisingly said something sensible.

“Of course, we will take turns. Though Her Highness is

currently heavily protected that it would still be all right even

if the three of us go at the same time.”

There were so many guards around Leti for her

protection, but this situation was nothing short of being a

house arrest for her.

“Your Highness, Princess Shelan has come to visit.”

“Please let her in.”

- 10 -

When Shelan entered the room, Leti asked the maids to

leave them alone.

Leti’s house arrest, under the guise of protection, started

the next morning after the incident. She was on her way to

join the regular morning meeting when His Majesty ordered

her to stay in her room. They did not know who was behind

the kidnapping, so she should not go around yet.

Leti, of course, was against it. She worked hard in

improving the opinion people had about her; they were now

seeing her worth despite being the Leftover Princess. But if

they found out that that she was being afraid of getting

kidnapped, then all of her hard work would be for nothing.

“How are you feeling Leti,” asked Shelan. “There are so

many people outside. The maid introduced them to me one

by one that it took quite some time until I reach you.”

“I wonder what are the Knights of the Round, people of

military affairs, doing here,” sarcastically commented Leti.

There were currently three Knights of the Round outside

her room.

The members of the Knights of the Round are not always

around the king. There are some members who were nobles

and became knights in name only. They are normally living in

their own estates and only attends formal functions in the

castle.

- 11 -

In the present Round, there are only five members staying

in the castle. His Majesty assigned three out of the five for

Leti’s protection.

“Protecting the heir is also one of His Majesty’s important

jobs.”

For Shelan, Leti probably looked like a helpless princess

who could not protect herself. He probably felt relieved when

he saw the strict security outside her room.

“Oh well, I guess my job for now is to stay put and be

protected.”

“I am a willing to be conversation partner anytime, so

please call me whenever you need one,” volunteered Shelan

and then continued in a low voice, “I have something to tell

you about last night.”

Leti prepared herself to listen to what Shelan was about to

say. He probably remembered something about the

kidnapping, which he forgot to tell her, when they were

disturbed by a knock on the door.

“Your Highness, His Highness Prince Friedhelm has...”

“I’m coming in. Here’s the minutes of the morning

meeting,” said Friedhelm cutting the maid and entered Leti’s

room without waiting for her permission.

Shelan immediately stood up when he saw Friedhelm

enter.

- 12 -

“Good day, Prince Friedhelm. How do you do,” smiled

Shelan.

“Why, Princess Shelan, please excuse my rudeness.”

“Please excuse me. You seem to have something

important to talk about.”

“Oh no, there is no need to leave. I am glad you are here.

If you do not mind, please stay.”

Shelan, unsure why he asked to stay, returned to his seat

as Friedhelm requested.

“The attempted kidnapping of Leti was raised in today’s

meeting. I have already read the detailed report from the

Order about this, but I still have some questions.”

“I will answer your questions if I can,” said Leti.

Johannes came to Leti last night to ask details about what

happened. The report of the Order was based solely on her

testimony.

“First, where were Princess Shelan and Leonhardt last

night?”

“Last night, Shelan felt sick because of the carriage ride.

They arrived at the marquis’s home, but returned

immediately. I asked Astrid to be their guard on their way

back.”

“That was written in the report. What I find strange is

that no one saw Princess Shelan and Leonhardt. I doubt there

- 13 -

was not even a person who did not notice the arrival of the

carriage and that the princess was feeling sick.”

“They might have just missed the carriage.”

Leti focused her mind. Fooling Friedhelm was an

impossible feat, but she had to accomplish it.

“Next, I have not seen Leonhardt since last night. His

class in the Knight Academy was also cancelled due to

personal reasons. Where is he now?”

“He went somewhere saying he found some peculiar

research materials. It is nothing new about him.”

Friedhelm nodded, indeed Leonhardt had a penchant of

suddenly going on journeys to satisfy his curiosity. Each of

his questions were being answered one by one, the answers

were nothing unusual.

“Third, you are not stupid. I do not think you would go

alone to meet some secret admirer sending a suspicious

note.”

“I was already getting bored of the duel commotion. As

you see, I am already repenting on my foolish action of going

out alone.”

Friedhelm thought that Leti was definitely not sorry for

her actions, but decided not to touch on that topic and went

straight to his next point.

- 14 -

“There was no name found in the letter, but you had an

idea who it was from or something was done for you to know

who the sender was. That is the reason why you went alone.”

Leti did not look away from Friedhelm’s searching and

certain eyes. A slight hint of discomposure would mean

admitting he was right.

“Fourth, Princess Shelan came back to the castle

wounded. The wounds were said to be due to falling down

the stairs. Such an incident would have caused quite an

uproar, but none saw it. Again.”

Most of Shelan’s wounds were now hidden by his clothes

and shoes. Leti ordered the maids to keep this a secret, but

someone probably thought it was not that important and

leaked it out.

“Now, Leticia, let me ask you one last time. Where is

Leonhardt?”

“I already told you, he found some unusual research

materials and went off to check it.”

Friedhelm nodded at Leti’s answer. He knew Leti would

not falter with this kind of attack.

“Then let me ask someone else. Princess Shelan, did

something happen last night on your way to the ball?”

Friedhelm changed his tactics. Instead of interrogating the

steadfast Leti, he decided to ask the delicately looking Shelan.

- 15 -

“You were together with Leonhardt in the carriage last

night, were you not?

“Y... Yes, I was.”

“Did you get attacked on your way?”

Friedhelm, without any hesitation, directly asked Shelan.

“Do not interrogate her. She already told Johannes

everything she could last night!”

Leti asked Shelan to keep Leonhardt’s kidnapping a

secret. She also instructed him how to answer if he was asked

about it. But Friedhelm’s questions were leading. He might

slip and reveal their secret.

“Please, Princess Shelan. Tell me what happened last

night. I am deeply worried about my brother.”

Shelan cast down his eyes when Friedhelm said he was

worried about his brother and softy said, “Last night, I...”

“Shelan,” stopped Leti.

“No, Leti. I will say it. Last night, I...”

Friedhelm smiled at his victory. See, that was easy.

Shelan shouted, “I was so improper! I asked Prince

Leonhardt for a kiss and then...”

Friedhelm was waiting for Shelan to say that Leonhardt

was kidnapped. He heard something he did not expect.

“Pardon?”

“I am sorry Prince Friedhelm. I asked something

improper for a lady and it surprised Prince Leonhardt!”

- 16 -

“I see?”

“Prince Leonhardt went down the carriage and I ran after

him. I tumbled down while I was running after him and then

this morning, he left a note saying he will go out on a journey

for his research. I did not expect things would turn out like

this,” revealed Shelan as he covered his face, shaking in

embarrassment.

Friedhelm unconsciously looked at Leti.

Leti faced Friedhelm and nodded gravely. I will gladly go

along with this lie Shelan made!

“I could not possibly expose the humiliation of a family,

could I? He was surprised by Shelan’s approach and then ran

away! What would people think?”

Leti added a lie to Shelan’s to make it more plausible.

The truth Shelan revealed was so shocking, Friedhelm did

not doubt it, besides he did not think the innocent-looking

Shelan could tell a lie.

“I am now truly worried about Leonhardt.”

“Me too.”

Friedhelm agreed at Leti’s request to keep what he learned

a secret and left the minutes of the meeting on the table. He

stood up and let out an exhausted sigh as he left the room.

Once the door was shut, Shelan giggled.

Leti followed and soon the two of them were laughing.

“My heart was pounding,” commented Shelan.

- 17 -

“Mine too,” agreed Leti.

“That was the first time I came up with a lie. Was that all

right? I remember you did not want anyone to know about

Prince Leonhardt being kidnapped.”

“Yes, it is all right. The truth you came up with was

splendid.”

Shelan smiled, relieved and happy he did the right thing.

Leti was glad that she was able to keep Leonhardt’s

situation a secret to Friedhelm, with the help of Shelan. She

then remembered that Shelan was about to say something

before Friedhelm came.

“What was it you were going to tell me?”

“It is about Hei Zhao.”

Hei Zhao cooperated with the kidnapping of Leonhardt.

Shelan last saw Hei Zhao on the wagon carriage they rode

together with the kidnappers. To prevent suspicions about his

disappearance, Shelan let out the information that he sent Hei

Zhao to buy some art pieces with black dragons on them.

“The national treasure sword I brought with me from

Ling is gone.”

“The black sword where the Black Dragon is sealed?”

“Yes. Hei Zhao can easily take it. Only he could have

taken it.”

What was Hei Zhao’s purpose in taking the sword of the

Black Dragon and cooperating with Leonhardt’s kidnapping.?

- 18 -

“Why did this happen? I am sorry for being a

disappointing master.”

Hei Zhao’s actions were shrouded in mystery, but Leti

noticed one possibility that Shelan probably had not even

considered. Should I tell him? But this is just my hypothesis. I cannot

just give Shelan false hopes.

Leti thought for a while and decided to tell Shelan about

it, but she would only say the facts.

“Shelan, think as if you are the person behind Leon’s

kidnapping.”

“As if I am the one behind the kidnapping?”

“Yes. Think about this. You want to kidnap Leon;

however, he is a prince and is therefore well-protected. What

would you do?”

“I will gather information. That will be my first step if

there is something I want to do.”

Shelan thought what information he would need.

Knowing the number of the guards and the places

Leonhardt normally goes to would highly increase the success

of the plan.

“A spy will be needed too.”

“Then who would you ask to be the spy? It should be

someone trusted enough by the prince to allow his presence

near him.”

- 19 -

“To get their cooperation I could threaten them if I know

any of their weaknesses, or pay them out if they are having

trouble with money.”

“I would do the same. What I am trying to say is that the

kidnappers could have had something in their possession and

used it to make a deal with Hei Zhao.”

No one would easily agree if they were asked to help with

a prince’s kidnapping. There has to be something that would

induce them to cooperate.

“The rumour about Princess Shelan collecting art pieces

with a black dragon design was spread across Solvelle’s

nobles. Anyone would think that the servant, Hei Zhao, was

thinking the same as his master.”

Shelan raised up his head in realisation. “Hei Zhao agreed

to cooperate in the kidnapping of Prince Leonhardt in

exchange for an art piece with a black dragon!”

“Probably, they initially planned to tell you about the

deal.”

The kidnappers told Hei Zhao that they had an artefact

his master wanted; in exchange for that, they wanted their

cooperation about something. Hei Zhao then decided on his

own to accept the deal without consulting it with Shelan and

took the Black Sword.

“Hei Zhao’s purpose is no different with mine?”

- 20 -

To search for the missing Black Dragon and bring it

home. What Hei Zhao tried to do was also what Shelan was

trying to do.

“Then why did he have to betray me? If Hei Zhao

advised me to cooperate with the kidnappers in order to get

the Black Dragon, I would have followed him. He knows that

about me more than anyone else.”

That was the most incomprehensible part of this mystery

– why did Hei Zhao betrayed Shelan?

“For example,” started Leti as she carefully selected her

words. “He wanted to find the dragon and bring it home for

his own credit, leaving you behind. But even that possibility

seems strange.”

“Strange? Why is it?”

“The ship bound for Ling would leave the Port of Ország

in ten months. If he were to betray you, some time before the

ship leaves would have been the best time.”

If Hei Zhao betrayed Shelan early on, there was a

possibility for Solvelle to help Shelan and capture him. He

could have just let Shelan find the Black Dragon then take it

and get back to Ling first. Or better yet, he could have

betrayed Shelan when they have landed back on Ling. That

way Solvelle could no longer interfere.

“I feel that it was too early for a betrayal.”

- 21 -

“I also agree. He could have betrayed me even after the

kidnapping.”

This was everything Leti could say about this matter.

Shelan would have to think about the rest on his own.

Maybe he thought that if he betrayed Shelan now, Shelan would be

a victim.

Leti did not know why Hei Zhao needed to get the Black

Dragon alone. But she was sure that there would have been

no problem even if he betrayed Shelan after getting the

dragon.

The present situation now was probably the reason why

he had to do it in this order.

Everyone was pitying Shelan who was betrayed by his

servant. They would not consider Shelan to be the one at

fault since it was Hei Zhao who betrayed him.

But if the sequence was reversed, Shelan would be the

one considered bad instead of Hei Zhao because the order

came from him.

Hei Zhao betrayed Shelan, but he still cares for him.

But that was all in her head, something she came up with

so she could not force herself to tell Shelan something she

just imagined.

- 22 -

Later that evening, Leti was checking the Order’s list of

stolen goods. She was able to get her hands on the list

through Craig. She could not help but appreciate the fact the

Craig was Johannes’s past superior officer.

Personal connections and making them owe debts of gratitude will

always be useful in the future.

Maybe it was about time for her to get a knight that

would widen her connections with the nobles.

“Was it useful, Your Highness,” asked Craig.

“It was. Things are getting connected now.”

The persons behind Leti’s attempted kidnapping were

also the ones who kidnapped Leonhardt.

The Order was searching for the perpetrators without any

clues, so there was hardly any progress in their investigation.

Leti, however, have some.

“Some noble under the Eulenburg came into possession

of a decorative plate from the east. This was not a legally

imported good, but smuggled.”

Leti covered up her own investigation by telling Johannes

she was searching for an artwork with a black dragon which

used to be under Shelan’s possession. She made this request

to find out what did Hei Zhao wanted to get in exchange of

betraying Shelan. If she successfully found it, tracing the

people behind the incident would be easy.

- 23 -

“The decorative plate’s design is flower drawn in a rare

scarlet pigment. A black dragon is drawn on it as well. This is

most likely it.”

She was not sure if this was the dragon Shelan was

searching for, but Hei Zhao seemed to believe it was what

they were searching for and wanted to get it.

“But how are we going to know who bought it, Your

Highness? Trading of stolen goods do not have records who

bought what and who sold which.”

Craig was a former knight of the Royal Chivalric Order

stationed for a long time at the country’s borders. His

enemies were not only other countries trying to wage war on

the kingdom; he also faced smugglers who tried to bring out

their stolen goods and had experience in cracking them down.

But even if they managed to capture a seller of stolen

goods, they could never find out where did they get the item

or where they were supposed to deliver it. It was just a tiring

job.

“I think I should tell you about this. The royal family

always had a connection to smugglers.”

“Meaning the country tolerates the trade of stolen

goods?”

“It seems to be that way ever since and I plan to keep it

the same even during my time.”

- 24 -

Treasures filled with history lay inside Solvelle’s treasury.

From time to time, due to some reasons, these treasures get

out in the market.

“Trouble would always ensue when these royal treasures

get out and are possessed by someone. They could go and

declare themselves as descendants of the Knight King and

use the treasure as a proof. Since the item is real, it could

serve as the evidence needed to confirm their false identities.”

To prevent that from happening, the royal family keeps

connection with the smugglers via an agent. The agent

normally turns a blind eye on what the smugglers do, but

when a royal treasure comes out to the market, the agent will

buy it back.

The smugglers probably have their suspicions about the

real identity of this person who only buys treasures of the

royal family, no matter how expensive it is, but decide to

overlook it as he is a good customer.

“I will ask the agent to investigate who bought the plate

with the scarlet flower. I thought I would never use this

connection, but I guess it has its uses.”

“And so the Royal Family is an enemy of the Order after

all.”

Leti, with a face of composure, ignored what Craig said

and changed the topic. “How about my request to get the

support of the neutral faction? Is there any progress?”

- 25 -

“I cannot say the numbers are enough to be called a

division, but there are enough members to infiltrate a

mansion. Here is the list of the members.”

The names written in the list Craig created were knights

of the Order that were not under Friedhelm or Guido’s

faction. They were willing to cooperate with Leti and could

be trusted to keep secrets.

But there was one name Leti found to be questionable.

“Wait, there is a name under Friedhelm’s faction in this

list.”

“Ah, he was my contemporary in the Academy. I can

guarantee you, he is willing to help Your Highness regardless

of the factions.”

If Craig says so, then it was safe to believe it. Leti changed

the map of political relationship inside her mind to follow

this new information.

“I have heard the same thing from Duke before. Are

contemporaries or schoolmates that special?”

“Well, generally speaking, they are friends who became

special because they shared the joys and pains during those

times.”

“Personally speaking?”

“Shared secrets closes the distance.”

- 26 -

Craig’s vague answer was probably enough for someone

like Duke who had the experience to understand it. But for

Leti, it was still unclear how they could be considered special.

“The windowsill of the third window from the east on the

second floor of the dormitory in the Knight Academy is

crooked. It looks like it is locked, but actually, it is not. Back

then, I reproached some of my friends who were going out

that night without any permission. We ended up fighting and

the crooked windowsill was proof of it. Since then, that

window had been used by students to escape into the night,

and is still probably being used till now if it never got fixed.”

Craig now was a man of calm and composure, but he

used to have that youthful vigour during his younger days.

Leti remembered this about him and knew that she would

rather not ask the details of that fight causing a crooked

windowsill.

“Whenever we get to meet each other, we would always

say ‘I wonder if that window is now fixed,’ and ‘The younger

ones probably did not know that we did that.’”

It was just a simple secret, but it strengthened their bonds.

After hearing Craig’s story, Leti felt like she understood a

little why schoolmates were special.

- 27 -

Duke came to report after Craig left, as if they exchanged

places.

“I’ve got nothing to report about my investigation about

any threats for Your Highness. I also asked around if there

were any messages left to the maids or any love letters given to

the knights of the Order, but there wasn’t any.”

Duke asked around for anything, any messages or letters

specifically addressed for no one. But he found none.

“I see contacting me has become difficult already.”

“If I were the kidnappers, I also wouldn’t dare make a

move now. I’d wait first and see how things will go.”

Leti wanted the kidnappers to make a move as soon as

possible, but due to the strict security around her, their

movements were being restricted. She needed someone who

could move freely, could have contact with both her and the

kidnappers, and keep everything a secret.

I will have to prepare that someone.

There was only one who could perform this role.

“I know I am asking you to do something dangerous, but

can you do it?”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

Shelan was eager to perform the role Leti asked of him,

saying it was an important part. Leti asked him to be the

intermediary between her and the kidnappers.

- 28 -

Leti chose Astrid to be Shelan’s guard. She thought that

the combination of these two young lads would make them

look more vulnerable, and therefore easier to approach.

All that was left was for Shelan and Astrid to put up a

small performance.

Shelan had to make the public believe that he was a

princess obsessed with finding artworks with a black dragon.

If he successfully plays this part, the kidnappers would

definitely approach him and make an offer to him to return

the black sword Hei Zhao took and give him the decorated

plate.

The stage for their little performance was the town

around the castle.

“Wow! It is so lively around here.”

“Please be careful and do not go too far. But I can still

find you, Shelan-sama1, even if you get lost. You are easy to

find.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. If I go somewhere high, I only need to search

where many people are paying attention to and I could easily

find you.”

Shelan and Astrid were walking down the main street of

the castle town. Shelan was wearing traditional Ling clothes

1 Sama: An honorific used to refer to someone of high rank or is adored.

- 29 -

to stand out more among the crowd and gain more attention.

His face was covered with a veil, but the long black hair

peeking through it together with the fine quality of the veil

and the red coat he wore were enough to identify him as

some high-ranking, foreign young lady who came to visit the

town in secret.

“Astrid, were you not Leti’s knight? Is it all right for you

to be my guard? Was there no one else who could have taken

this duty?”

Leti’s knight was with Shelan. He was worried that this

would look like an obvious trap for the kidnappers because

Astrid was Leti’s knight.

Astrid assured him there was nothing to worry about.

“I am a knight of the Order. Guarding the visiting

princess is part of my duty so it is not strange at all.”

“Being a knight of the Order and being Leti’s knight are

different, right?”

“The knights of the Order or Royal Knights are knights

tasked to protect His Majesty, His Majesty’s children and

citizens. They are different to the Honorary Knights, knights

who have sworn their loyalty to someone.”

Shelan somehow understood the difference Astrid

explained.

“Would you mind if I ask you why did you decide to be

Leti’s knight?”

- 30 -

“I wanted to protect Her Highness.”

“But you could still protect her even if you were just a

Royal Knight. She is a daughter of His Majesty.”

Astrid had not thought of this until Shelan told him, but

that was not all of his reasons.

“Because there are things I cannot do if I am not near

Her Highness.”

“Near her?”

“Some time before I became Her Highness’s knight, I was

tasked to be a temporary knight to Her Highness. During that

time, I noticed there were some things that only I could do,

but I could not do them immediately because I am not by

Her Highness’s side. Aside from that, I wanted to be the

person Her Highness relies on the most.”

He could have just stayed as a Royal Knight and gazed at

Leti from afar, keeping her as her anchor so he would not

stray from his path.

But Astrid chose to be near her. There were things he

could do just by being near her. Besides, if he was not nearby,

Leti could not ask for him in an instant.

“There are things you cannot be if you are not near,”

contemplated Shelan.

“But I am far away from Highness most of the time right

now because I was ordered to gain more experience as a

human.”

- 31 -

Shelan noticed the earnest light in Astrid’s eyes as he

laughed. Leti was probably drawn to him because of his

straightness.

“Thank you for sharing. I now have an idea on what I

want to do.”

Astrid cocked his head, wondering what did he do to

deserve the thank you.

“Astrid, the rumour might take some time until it reaches

our targets, but let us do our best so we can return to Leti as

soon as possible.”

“Yes, Shelan-sama!”

Three days after Astrid and Shelan started going around

town, Guido and the third son of Lord Eulenburg, Marlitz,

came to visit Leti in her room.

They brought with them an item inside a box carried

carefully by a maid. Inside the box was the artwork Leti

promised before to see with Shelan.

“Thank you very much for bringing it here. I am sorry for

the trouble,” thanked Shelan.

Guido replied with his diplomatic smile, “It is no trouble,

Princess Shelan. I wanted to at least offer you some

- 32 -

entertainment. There is not much activity you could do here

while keeping Leticia company.”

Leti could not go outside due to the present situation.

When she asked Guido if he could bring to her room the

artwork he promised, he immediately agreed and fulfilled her

request. Several artworks were spread across the room and

the four of them, Leti, Shelan, Guido and Marlitz looked at

them.

“Please have a look, Princess Shelan,” invited Marlitz.

“This is a tapestry of a dragon. The twill weaving technique

used in making this is long gone and this is one of the few

pieces that had survived.”

“Why, this is a magnificent tapestry. The stitches are so

detailed.”

Shelan was a prince of Ling; he had an eye for artworks.

He new where should he be amazed and what should be

praised. He acted as a princess with deep knowledge about

the arts.

“I have seen similar tapestries in Ling, but the vividness

of this is one is far superior. I feel like the dragon will come

out of it anytime.”

While Shelan and Marlitz where busy checking at the art

pieces, Leti stayed at a distance and only looked at them.

Showing her disinterest about this would make Shelan’s

curiosity leave a deeper impression to Marlitz.

- 33 -

“Leticia, are you not interested,” asked Guido.

Leti shook her head. “I can appreciate the paintings, but I

am not particularly interested in the others.”

If Duke were here, he would say Leti’s tastes in paintings

were bad. He told her once he could not understand what she

saw in the painting of the Lion King Alexander with the

skeleton and blood-stained crown, wearing a red cape with a

wall of scarlet and orange flames. For Leti, she just

appreciated the painting technique of the painter, Gotthard

Ernst. During Alexander’s time, the trend in painting

portraits was to paint the person based on their impression.

“I have a book to return to Leonhardt. When will he

return?”

Guido asked Leti after confirming that Marlitz was not

paying them any attention. He was referring to the random

book he took with him as an excuse when he came to warn

them about the Eulenburgs.

“I have no idea, but I hope he comes home soon.”

Leti answered vaguely, but like Friedhelm, she did not

expect Guido to believe her. He probably already knew what

really happened.

“Ten days. If he does not come home after ten days, I will

no longer stay still.”

Leti repeated Guido’s warning in a whisper, “Ten days.”

- 34 -

Guido was not able to stop the reckless action of the

Eulenburgs, the faction he headed. The only thing he could

do was to prepare for the investigation his political enemy,

the Lauensteins, would do.

“Wait for ten days. I will definitely do something about

this.”

But even she said so, there was still nothing from the

kidnappers. The only thing Leti could do now was to keep

her agitation and irritation in check as she waited for them to

make their move.

Five days after Shelan and Astrid started their visits to the

town, their efforts finally bore fruit.

On this day, Astrid confirmed that they were being

followed. He noticed that the same person was behind them

at a certain distance for some time.

“Shelan-sama, please keep looking forward and listen to

me calmly. We are being followed. I am not sure if he is just a

thief targeting the princess’s possession, or...”

“One of the kidnappers wishing to contact Leti through

me. I hope we could lure him.”

“We should act like we have not noticed so they would

lower their guard. Let us proceed as planned.”

- 35 -

However, the presence of the man following them

vanished along the way.

Astrid judged that the man was probably just a thief

checking on their target. He felt disappointed about this when

someone from a shop called their attention.

“Excuse me, young knight. Did the young lady drop

something?”

“Dropped something? May I know what it is?”

“A kind person left a brooch here, saying a young lady

with long black hair dropped it. He said that you might pass

by here again on your way home.”

Astrid took the cloth pouch and checked that it really

contained a brooch. He passed it on to Shelan for him to

check.

Shelan gulped when he saw the brooch. “Thank you very

much! This is very important for me!”

“Be careful next time! Expensive items like that easily end

up in pawnshops and you cannot get it back anymore.”

“I will!”

Shelan desperately kept a smile on his face as he thanked

again the shopkeeper.

When they have walked a certain distance, Shelan revealed

to Astrid what the brooch signified.

“Astrid, this is Prince Leonhardt’s!”

- 36 -

Astrid looked at it and saw something. “There is

something engraved at the back.”

Three numerals were engraved at the back of the brooch.

“Do you have any idea what it is?”

Astrid thought for a moment and answered, “Yes. This is

a map code used by the Order. The first number is for the

street, next is the number for the corner and last if it is a right

or left turn. A Royal Knight is cooperating with them.”

“There are knights in the Order under the Lauensteins and

Eulenburgs. The only one we could consider on our side is the

commander.”

Astrid remembered Leti telling him about this before.

“They probably wrote this when they saw me guarding

Shelan-sama. They knew I could understand the message,”

murmured Astrid.

The problem was what to do from here. He could go to

the indicated place now with Shelan or go there alone. He

could also go back first to the castle, ask for Leti’s order and

call for support.

“Let us go. They cannot move without me.”

Shelan cleared Astrid’s hesitation.

“I am quite strong, but I have not much experience in

protecting people. Shelan-sama, you might get hurt. Will it be

all right?”

“Of course. I am a man; I can fight.”

- 37 -

Shelan may not look like it, but he was able to escape

from the kidnappers, rode a horse and fought against the men

that went after him using a hair accessory. He is not as weak

as he looked like.

“Please do not stray far from me,” said Astrid.

Astrid headed to the indicated place, all the while staying

alert of their surroundings.

People were dwindling as they reach the place directed by

the numbers and took the final turn.

“A letter?”

A letter was stuck in the wall at the end of the street.

Shelan took it and read what was written inside.

“If you do not want Prince Leonhardt to get hurt,”

started Shelan, but those words were enough to choke him

because of misery and frustration. He wanted to look down.

But I’ve decided not to do that anymore!

He had to do what he could do now. He read the letter

quickly and gave it to Astrid. It would be safer if he was the

one to hold on to it.

“Please be careful not to lose the letter.”

“I will. Someone is behind us. Please do not look back.”

Astrid knew they were being watched. The presence he

sensed before was now back behind them.

I can catch him if I were alone, but I cannot leave Shelan-sama. I

guess the best thing to do now is to go back to the castle first.

- 38 -

The person watching them was only there to check if they

got the letter. Astrid told himself, Patience, Astrid. Patience.

After Leti read the threat letter, she passed it to Duke

saying he could read it.

After Duke read it, he passed it to Craig.

“If you do not want Prince Leonhardt to get hurt, write a

copy of the attached letter.”

The threat requested Leti to write this message, ‘I want to

marry Willard. To do that, I will make Leonhardt the king and

would like to request for Duke Northruth’s assistance.’

They could now see the objective of the kidnappers based

on the content of the threat.

“They thought this well. They knew threatening me to

surrender my right to the throne would not be enough. They

thought about the possibility that I even if I promised them I

would do as they wished, I could take back what I said when

Leonhardt is already safe and say that I was only forced to

surrender my right.”

That was what exactly would have happened if they did

not come up with this. The kidnappers wanted to make

evidences, proof that Leti was giving up the crown.

“They are still checking the waters. They want to see if I

would follow their request that is why the content of the

- 39 -

letter is still not that specific. The next one would be about

something that could not be easily taken back.”

The kidnappers would probably request something more

concrete, like agreeing that Mount Gran is a territory of

Northruth.

“They want to make an evidence to prove me as a woman

who sold national territory because of personal reasons. Even

if I do not abdicate my right to the throne, if they have that

evidence, they could ask me to go down saying I am not fit to

rule.”

They could say that the letter written by Leti selling a part

of the country was given by someone close to her who felt

concerned about the kingdom’s future if someone like her

would rule. This little performance would be enough to cover

up the mystery where they got the letter.

“This sample letter looks a lot like Your Highness’s

handwriting,” commented Astrid.

“It is a well-thought out threat. They want to say that

there is no escaping it because they know my handwriting and

I cannot say that I did not write the letter.”

But there were fine details that could not be replicated by

someone else. If compared closely, differences could be

found. That was why they wanted a letter written by Leti.

“What’ll you do? Willard hasn’t reported about that yet,

has he?”

- 40 -

Leti nodded at Duke’s question.

They could not make any move until Willard had

contacted them.

“We need more time. I will do as they say.”

They were anxious, but so were the kidnappers as well.

Will this kidnapping and threat work? They went to such

lengths to get a Leonhardt for their hostage, but does he

really have value?

Anxiety, at times, could push things to go too far.

“We need to provide the kidnappers something to calm

them down. We shall let them believe that the princess will

follow whatever they say.”

“Getting back those letters will be tough job. I’m not sure

if we can get those back before they are exposed,” said Duke.

“I will take care about getting back those letters. I have a

plan.”

Leti asked the maid to get her letter set containing the

paper and ink she normally uses in writing her letters.

She took two sheets of paper, completely aligned the

edges, and wrote with her usual elegant and feminine script

the message about selling her country the kidnappers

requested. After she finished writing, she folded the sheet,

edge to edge.

- 41 -

Shelan once again went out to deliver the letter Leti

wrote. As written in the threat letter, Astrid was the only one

with him as a guard.

The two of them went to the street instructed to them

and threw the letter over the wall at the end of the street.

“How will they contact us again,” wondered Astrid.

“They are being careful not to get traced. I think the only

thing we can do now is continue walking around so that it

will be easier for them to approach us.”

Shelan went out again to the castle town the next day, but

no one approached them. They were starting to get worried

when they found that the next letter was sent to Astrid.

“I found this in my room in the Order’s lodging house. A

lot of people can come in and out so I think we cannot find

the person who left it even if we ask all the knights.”

“So they have decided that Shelan will be the one to

deliver my letters, and their replies will be received by Astrid.

Well, I agree that sending their replies via Astrid will be easier

instead of waiting to catch Shelan.”

Leti read the second threat letter from Astrid. As she

expected, this one requested her to write that she

acknowledges Mount Gran as Northruth’s territory.

While Leti was writing the letter the kidnappers requested,

good news came.

- 42 -

“Hello, Your Highness. I have brought what you have

asked. With this, I have paid my debt about the duel.”

Willard came to see Leti under the guise of having some

business with Duke. He gave to Leti a piece of folded paper.

“Are you not going to ask how much it cost?”

“I knew the price would be quite sum since they know

who they were dealing with. You may send the bill later as

usual.”

Willard is the eldest son of Earl Orlandi. Their family is

descended from one of the original twelve Knights of the

Round of the first king of Solvelle, King Christian. Since

then, they have performed a certain role for the royal family.

“Thank you for taking the job, agent. You may leave.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

Willard Orlandi is the present agent of the royal family

who makes deals with the smugglers of stolen goods.

“I can now make my move,” smiled Leti.

They no longer needed to buy time.

Aside from the letter the kidnappers requested her to

write, Leti sat down to write another missive.

I can no longer take this. I will do everything to get out of the castle, so let us discuss things personally.

- 43 -

Leti had obediently followed all of the requests of the

kidnappers up until now. If they thought her to be the dumb

princess who wanted to get Leonhardt back without even

investigating who they were, then they would agree with her

request.

Shelan went again to town to deliver the second letter the

kidnappers requested and Leti’s request to meet them.

Three days later, Astrid received their reply.

“Princess Leticia and Princess Shelan, come to the ruins

of the mirror stone in the West Forest on the night after

tomorrow. Come alone.”

Just as Leti predicted, the kidnappers agreed to the

request of the stupid princess. They would have never

thought that Leti, who had followed all of their requests to

make evidences, would lay a trap for them.

“Shelan, you do not need to come. The kidnappers are

not interested in the Princess of Ling. The negotiation will

still proceed even if you are not there.”

“No, I will go. You need someone to protect you.”

Shelan’s determination to protect Leti in place of

Leonhardt was strong. He would come with her no matter

what.

- 44 -

“Besides, I am sure Hei Zhao is with them. I want to talk

with him.”

“Then promise me, if it gets dangerous, run away alone.”

Leti was strong. As long as she had the powers of the

Knight King, getting wounded was something she could not

easily do. Going alone without Shelan would be safer for her

because she had more freedom, but after knowing Shelan’s

strong determination, she agreed.

If I had trained Black Hands better, I could have asked it stay in

Shelan’s shadow to protect him.

That creature needed a master pulling its reins; she could

not let it out freely. Maybe someone like Astrid who had ways

to counter it could handle Black Hands, but definitely not

Shelan.

“Leti, how are you going to escape from the castle?”

“That is the problem.”

Leti was currently under a strict house arrest. There were

guards outside her room and even in the garden. Escaping

her room would be no easy feat.

“I guess I have to sneak out from the window at night.”

Using the darkness of the night could help cover her

escape. Besides, Leti had the Sword of Black Darkness and

had night vision – walking into the night was not a problem

for her.

- 45 -

But Duke, who was listening to their conversation, said

that it was impossible.

“They have fire lit up in the garden all night and guards

stationed there.”

“How about forcing the way out the corridor?”

“A war between the new and old Knights of the Round?

If Your Highness would take responsibility for it, then we

would do our best. But even if we successfully get past them,

reinforcements would soon come after us.”

Their allies were their enemies now in this situation.

Bow about saying I have some business that I really need to go out

and then lose my guards? I cannot come up with any idea, thought a

frustrated Leti.

Leti and Shelan were thinking hard on how to escape

when Duke came up with a suggestion.

“This isn’t really a plan, but more of a trick.”

“That is fine. Tell us.”

“There are many blonde maids in the castle, right?”

Leti understood what Duke was suggesting. She was

sceptical whether it would work or not, but that was the

soundest idea they had.

They decided to go along with Duke’s idea.

- 46 -

Duke and Craig, together with three of the present

Knights of the Round looked at the blonde maid entering

Leti’s room carrying some flowers.

“I’m bored. I was expecting a second attack would

come.”

“Hey, that’s close to treason. You might end up facing

His Majesty’s wrath than getting your second attack.”

The three Knights of the Round assigned as Leti’s guards

were known for their skills. However, Duke was dismayed at

them, they were just bloodthirsty old men.

“Duke, I know you’re bored too. Why don’t we judge

who is the prettiest maid that would pass by?”

They were not only bloodthirsty; they were hot-blooded

as well. Duke prevented himself from saying that they were

acting like students in the Academy.

“I do not think that is a good idea.”

“Come on, boy, tell us at least what your type is. Craig,

you know something?”

“He seemed to have changed his tastes now to beautiful

strong-willed ladies. But I personally think ladies are not all

about their appearances, it is their inner character that makes

them shine.”

“Ah, that’s enough. You’re just straight-laced as before!”

The present Knights of the Round paid more attention at

the latter half of Craig’s statement and forgot about the other.

- 47 -

Duke was busy hiding his discomposure. Why does he

know? No, He’s got it wrong. He’s just toying with me!

Duke was telling himself that Craig did not mean anything

by what he said when the door connecting to Leti’s room

opened.

“I will bring it immediately, Your Highness.”

The knights’ eyes all turned to look at the door when they

heard the youthful voice of the maid.

The maid was bowing facing the room when one of the

flowers she was holding fell on the floor.

“Ah, let me,” offered Duke as he quickly kneeled down to

pick up the flower and gave it to the maid.

“Ah, Duke-sama, I... ah...Thank you very much,” quickly

said the maid as she accepted the flower from Duke and ran

out of the room hiding her face.

The Knights of the Round quietly watched the scene.

They now had the perfect weapon to use in teasing the young

knight.

“Being a lady-killer sure is tough, huh, Duke?”

“What is your name? How about we go out for lunch

together? You should have asked her those questions!”

“That’s going too fast, I say. But, Duke, because of your

unnecessarily big height, we did not even get a glimpse of the

maid’s face! Let’s start the competition on the next maid that

will pass by.”

- 48 -

Duke ignored the Knights of the Round who were

enjoying teasing him and subtly looked at Craig.

Craig was silent, but his eyes clearly showed he was

greatly amused.

“Wow! Your Highness, I have never seen such a beautiful

maid!”

Leti ignored the rejoicing Astrid as she received her

change of clothes outside of the castle walls. She had to

change to the simple dress she usually wore on her incognito

walks out of the maid uniform because a maid uniform would

stand out more outside the castle.

“I see it went well. I fell like a child who pulled off a

successful prank,” said Shelan.

Leti nodded at his comment.

Duke’s little trick to get Leti out of her room was for her

to disguise as a maid. To keep her face hidden from her

guards, she had to act like a maid who had a crush on Duke.

Leti was not confident about her acting skills, but since she

was not stopped, it was safe to say she was successful.

“Now, we go as planned. Astrid, go there and meet up

with Craig. Once you are done, send back Black Hands to

me.”

“Yes, Your Highness! Please be careful.”

- 49 -

“I will. Shelan, let us go. Do you have any weapon with

you?”

“Yes, Astrid lent me some of his knives.”

It was late afternoon now. If they head now for the West

Forest, they would reach the mirror stone ruins by sunset.

Leti and Shelan were soon off to meet the kidnappers.

Deep inside the forest, west from the capital lies the

mirror stone ruins.

They were standing by the entrance of the ruins created

by a precipice and Shelan did not understand why it was

called “mirror stone” and not simply “stone”.

His question was answered as they went inside and the

interiors were lit up by their lamp. He could not help his

amazement with what he saw.

“When was this structure made, Leti? Where did they

learn this kind of technique?”

The road they were walking on looked like it was carved

in a wall of rock; Shelan thought it was created like using a

round mould to carve out from a soft clay. The texture was

also smooth like a mirror.

“Even if it was carved out and then grinded, achieving

this uniformity is impossible.”

- 50 -

“Did you like it? This is Leon’s favourite. He always says

there is definitely something that was lost somewhere along

the history of the world.”

Leti traced the wall with her fingers and thought if she

could recreate it. This road was most probably created, not by

a technique lost in history, but by magic.

“Watch your step. The floor is not as smooth as the walls

due to deterioration over time.”

There was only one path in the ruins and they could not

get lost. There was a spacious room at the end of this path

and they only had to walk in further.

“Hei Zhao,” called Shelan. He was taking the lead and

held the lamp when he saw someone in front of them.

Hei Zhao politely bowed and greeted them. He was

carrying something long and wrapped in a cloth. It was most

likely the Black Sword.

“Prince Leonhardt is not here. The only ones there are

people planning to capture you.”

“Oh, you are already coming back to Shelan after

betraying him? That was quick.”

“I was not really interested in the kidnapping itself,” said

Hei Zhao, a clear statement that he only wanted to betray

Shelan.

- 51 -

The past Shelan would have been hurt by Hei Zhao’s

words and just ended with him depressed. But not this

Shelan; he faced Hei Zhao directly.

“Are you switching your loyalty to Li Fei Ani’ue2?”

Hei Zhao was surprised at Shelan’s words.

“I hope I am right since Li Fei Ani’ue is the only one I

could think of. I remember you had the same sword master.”

Li Fei is the second prince of the Empire of Ling and is

one of the strongest candidate to be the emperor among the

many imperial children.

He was level-headed, compassionate, and magnanimous.

He also excelled both in academics and martial arts. Shelan

had always felt he was not his brother because of the disparity

between them.

“But never mind. To whom you changed your loyalties to

does not matter, whether it is to Li Fri Ani’ue or to someone

else.”

What was important was Hei Zhao and himself.

“I had been depending on our relationship as foster3

brothers. I did not do anything as your master. I did not have

2 Ani’ue: An honorific used to refer to one’s older brother. More formal

and old-fashioned than the usual Onii-san 3 “Foster brothers” here meant they shared the same wet nurse. “Milk

brothers” was the other term I found but decided to use foster since it sounded more common to me.

- 52 -

it in me and did not do anything to make you want to follow

me. Hei Zhao, I finally understood what you were trying to

tell me all this time after you we were gone.”

Be shrewder. Have an opinion. Pull yourself together.

These were words Hei Zhao kept on telling Shelan, but he

just let them pass, believing that he could not do those things.

He had lived his life by simply going with the flow. He was

not betrayed by Hei Zhao; he let Hei Zhao down.

“Leti, please stay behind me.”

“Shelan,” worriedly asked Leti.

“Hei Zhao, I may no longer be your master now, but I

have been for a long time, and I want to take responsibility. If

you will not let us pass, I will have to use force to make way

for Leti,” warned Shelan as he held a knife, the ones Astrid

lent him, on each of his hand.

What did Hei Zhao think when he saw such a determined

Shelan ready to face him?

“I wanted to present the decorated plate, the reward for

my cooperation, and this sword to Prince Li Fei. I did not

find you to be deserving of this achievement enough to

guarantee the inheritance of the crown. That was why I

thought of getting it for myself, bring it back home and give it

to Prince Li Fei, who I thought is worthy of the crown.”

Hei Zhao then smiled, a smile mocking himself.

- 53 -

“But it was all for naught. The moment I saw the dragon

on the plate, I knew I made the wrong decision. The dragon

only had three claws.”

In the East, the number of claws on each foot of a dragon

was different based on the dragon’s divinity.

The dragon with high status and strong divine powers had

five claws. This was the dragon that symbolised the emperor.

“Was it fake?”

“I think they were not trying to deceive me. Anyone from

Ling would know that the dragon used as the symbol of the

emperor had five claws, and any other would have three, but

not the people here. It is not a common knowledge for them.

I was stupid for forgetting that fact and did not investigate

about it first.”

In the end, both Shelan and Hei Zhao still had nothing

about the Black Dragon.

“Please, go ahead, Shelan-sama. I am not someone

worthy for you to kill.”

“I also thought I am not worthy to kill you. That was

why, for the first time in my life, I decided to change myself.”

Shelan slipped back the knives up his sleeves and sharply

glared at Hei Zhao.

“Let us go, Leti.”

“Are you sure about this?”

- 54 -

“Yes. I do not want to make a mistake. Right now, our

first priority is to save Prince Leonhardt.”

He clearly parted ways with Hei Zhao here. Shelan told

himself repeatedly that this was the right thing for him to do.

As Leti and Shelan went further into the ruins, they

reached a wide room filled with tombstones. The mirror

stone ruins were a cemetery once.

“I am sorry to have you waiting,” said Leti.

There were already six men in the room.

Leti confidently took a step forward to signal the start of

their negotiation. “Who is the negotiator?”

“I am,” said the man who took a step forward.

Leti carefully examined the men behind this kidnapping.

The negotiator is clearly their strategist. The other five behind him

are the fighters. Shelan said there were around ten people when they were

kidnapped, so there is probably around seven to eight men left guarding

Leon.

Leti found the situation good for them and took a step

closer to the negotiator.

“We have come here alone, just as you have requested.”

Leti truly wanted to say that they had most likely

confirmed that she and Shelan came alone the moment they

- 55 -

entered the West Forest, but she stopped herself from doing

so and instead showed them a worried expression.

“Let me confirm things first. Leon is safe, is he not? Did

you bring him with you?”

“We are treating him kindly. He is waiting somewhere

close by. Once our negotiation is finished, we shall return him

to you.”

“I shall believe your words then. So, what is it you want?

Money? Status? Honour? I am willing to hear you out to a

certain extent.”

Leti was not going to be passive about this negotiation.

She would be the one to take the lead.

“What we want is for your abdication of your right to the

throne. We need three letters for proof. After you have

written the last one, our deal is closed. We would immediately

return Prince Leonhardt to you, safe and sound. Now, let us

blindfold you and bring you somewhere else to write those

letters.”

“Wait. I can believe that he is safe, but I am not sure if

you will truly give Leon back. Give me some assurance that

you will not go back on your word.”

The negotiator gave Leti empty assurances, and Leti took

their words and threw it back at them. This exchange kept on

repeating until the kidnappers started doubting whether Leti

truly wanted to get Leonhardt back. Even after the negotiator

- 56 -

said they would transfer to somewhere Leti could write the

letter, Leti continued on dragging their conversation.

“Your Highness, please stop this at once. If you continue

on acting that way, we cannot guarantee the safety of Princess

Shelan. And of course, yours, Your Highness.”

The kidnappers were now threatening them. They may be

here to negotiate, but this was truly a threat. Leti found it

surprising that they kept up with the banter for this long.

Leti showed them her hesitation and said that she did not

want that to happen, all the while waiting for a sign.

Is it here yet? Hurry up. Please be safe!

Leti had to buy them some more time, so she kept her

anxiety in check, and purposely looked somewhere else.

“Oh, is someone there,” said Leti as she looked at

somewhere empty.

The kidnappers and Shelan followed Leti’s gaze.

“Isn’t it just your imagination?”

“No, I really saw something there. It looked like a hand.

A small one like that of a child’s.”

“Leti, is this not,” said Shelan as he looked around

looking scared. He understood what Leti wished to do and

provided support.

“Right, this is a cemetery. It is not surprising if the souls

roaming this place is just as many as the tombstones we see.”

- 57 -

“Your Highness! Scaring us this way will not change our

demands!”

The negotiator was calm and collected, but for a moment,

he doubted that there could be something lurking in the

shadows. That was the moment Leti needed. As long as she

had successfully planted the seed of doubt that ghosts might

be present among them, then she had already won this

negotiation.

“Oh, I am sorry. We were in the middle of a negotiation.”

As Leti brought back their conversation to the

negotiation, she used the Sword of Gale Winds and made a

wind blow.

Wind was not supposed to flow inside the ruins, but a

cool breeze caressed everyone who was inside.

“Wind?”

“This wind feels creepy. Where did it come from,”

wondered Leti, putting emphasis in the word ‘creepy.’

“Oh, I can hear footsteps.”

“Enough of your games.”

“No, I can really hear them.”

Leti felt her body tense. The Sword of Black Darkness

was telling her to be careful.

Something was coming in the dark.

It is here!

- 58 -

Leti could not help the smile that crept out of her face

when the sign she was waiting for had finally arrived.

“Why are you smili...” he was not able to finish his

question.

They heard a thud, an odd sound of a footstep.

One of the kidnappers looked at the others, asking them

to say it was just their imagination.

“Don’t worry. It’s just Hei Zhao outside.”

But the footsteps sounded like it was wet and did not

come from a pair of feet. The strange sound was like

someone crawling on mud and it was becoming louder and

louder.

Everyone was staring intently at the corridor connecting

to the room they were in. The faltering light of the lamp

stirred up the fear in the room.

Then, the footsteps stopped.

The air was charged. The whole room was engulfed in a

complete silence, that even a heartbeat could be heard.

The stifling silence continued for some time. Someone

was about to say it was just their imagination, when they

heard the sound of the wall being pounded.

Everyone looked at the direction of the sound, but there

was nothing there.

- 59 -

Shelan took in a sharp breath. The sound reached Leti’s

ears.

There was a hand print on the wall, and there was

supposedly no one there. The fact that this was a cemetery

made this unbelievable phenomenon believable.

Then the same sound echoed throughout the room,

coming from somewhere else. And then another one. And

another. Every time the sound was heard, there was a

handprint left behind.

Soon, they started to notice the shorter intervals in

between the sounds.

There was not only one. There were several something

making these sounds.

“A m-m-monster,” whispered one of the men.

As if on cue, the sound became louder and the handprints

increased.

This monster will come and kill us!

One man could no longer keep in his fear and shrieked, “I

don’t want to get killed!”

This served as a signal for all the kidnappers and they ran

away to the corridor, screaming.

Leti calmly watched them dart out and pulled Shelan

closer to her.

- 60 -

“Do not worry. I think I just scared them too much.”

“Leti! This...is...”

“By my pet. I ordered it to go all out and scare the

kidnappers, but even though I knew about it, it still made me

shudder.” But it was not just out of fear, she was also elated.

This was the sign she was waiting for. This was sent by

Astrid to say that they have successfully saved Leonhardt.

“We should go as well. I am sure that Craig and the

others have done well.”

Leti did not plan to negotiate seriously with the

kidnappers in the first place. She requested Willard, the royal

family’s connection to the smugglers, to investigate who

recently bought an art piece of a black dragon and then keep

watch for their movements.

They were able to find where Leonhardt was being kept

hostage earlier this afternoon. They found it just at the right

moment. In order to lessen the men guarding Leonhardt, Leti

decided to be the bait and went to the ruins.

The men who were lured by Leti’s bait were the strategist

who took the lead in the kidnapping and five strong-looking

men. Based on Shelan’s information that there were around

ten or some men who kidnapped them, it was safe to say she

was successful in drawing at least half of the men.

Leti then asked Craig and Astrid to secure the base of the

kidnappers now that they were short of hands. They received

- 61 -

cooperation from the neutrals Craig gathered up. They all

swore to keep this kidnapping a secret in order to keep the

current political balance.

She then let Black Hands stay inside Astrid’s shadow and

asked him to send her pet back once they have successfully

saved Leonhardt.

Leti and Shelan were about to leave when Hei Zhao came

running at them.

“Shelan-sama!”

“Hei Zhao?”

“They came running towards the entrance and cried that

there was a monster and...”

Hei Zhao brought up his lamp higher and was taken

aback with what he saw – walls covered by back handprints.

Leti understood his expression. She found the scene

downright creepy when she first saw it.

“Let us go out as well before we get killed by the

monster,” said Leti.

“Shelan-sama, please take this sword. You need it to

protect yourself.”

Hei Zhao offered Shelan a sword wrapped in white cloth.

“Why,” asked a confused Shelan.

“You gave up on him as your master, but that was it.”

- 62 -

Leti told Shelan what Hei Zhao felt. She saw how much

Hei Zhao worried about Shelan, she needed no longer to hide

it from him.

“He still worries about you and does not want to cause

you trouble. Those feelings are still there. He did decide to

change the master he was going to serve, but he could not

completely cut himself from you.”

Duke was the same. He chose Leti to be his master

instead of Friedhelm, but still kept the same friendship he had

with the prince.

Hei Zhao may have chosen Shelan’s older brother to be

his master, but he was not denying Shelan. He still was

someone Hei Zhao wishes to protect.

“But I am still a traitor. Please, Shelan-sama, keep the

sword at hand.”

“...All right,” agreed Shelan.

Shelan seemed like he wanted to say something, but

decided this was not the place and time for it. They should

better focus on getting out of the ruins first. He untied the

white cloth and took out the Black Sword. However, right

after that, Shelan found himself knocked to the wall.

“Shelan!”

“Shelan-sama!”

Shelan was still at a lost about what happened. He held on

to the sword and groaned in pain.

- 63 -

Black Hands was coming out from the darkness of Leti’s

shadow beyond her control and it was going to Shelan.

Colour drained from Hei Zhao’s face as he ran towards

Shelan to protect him.

Why? Why is it attacking Shelan?

Leti decided to release Black Hands and use it for their

signal because she was certain it would follow her orders. She

did not expect this to happen. She, who made this wrong

decision, was the root of this trouble.

“Your Highness!”

Astrid’s call made Leti decide between two choices: to

seal Black Hands back into the Sword of Black Darkness or

order Astrid to purify and eliminate it using the Sword of

White Light.

But if it would not stop when she says no, then she was

left with no choice but to eliminate it.

“Astrid, purify that immediately!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Astrid also saw how Black Hands was trying to assault

Shelan. There was no point in hesitating. He called forth the

Sword of White Light sleeping inside his body and held on it.

“This is faster.”

Astrid threw the slightly glimmering sword towards Black

Hands. The purification powers of the Sword of White Light

exploded the moment it touched it.

- 64 -

- 65 -

The room was filled with white light and they could not

help but shut their eyes.

They heard something break and soon a part of the

ceiling was falling.

“Shelan!”

“Your Highness!”

The broken part of the ceiling fell between Leti and

Shelan, separating the two of them.

Bright white light, falling debris, and the rising cloud of

dust. When all these settled down, the cause behind the fallen

ceiling was up in the sky, lit by the moonlight.

“...Black Dragon?”

Shelan’s words passed by Leti’s ears – she was

dumbfounded.

Up in the sky was something huge enough to break the

ceiling of the ruins. It had a long, black body with a beard,

mane, and scales. It also had five claws.

Leti knew the form of the five claws of the dragon that

appeared so suddenly.

“...Black Hands,” Astrid whispered.

Shelan and Astrid came to two different conclusions upon

seeing the mysterious creature up in the sky.

“Half a year ago, Black Hands was summoned by the

magic circle curse of Earl Borel.”

- 66 -

And half a year ago, the black dragon sealed inside the

sword from Ling suddenly disappeared.

Their times matched.

“But why did it become like that,” asked Leti.

“Black Hands was extremely contaminated by impurities.

I am currently using all of my powers to clean off all of

them.”

Black Dragon might have been summoned by the magic

circle curse together with the impurities. It was completely

soiled by those impurities that it changed its appearance and

became Black Hands.

Leti still could not believe it, but it was the closest to the

truth she could think of.

“So you were the Black Dragon?”

Leti asked as she reached out her hand to Black Dragon.

It went down and lowered its face to Leti. The deep, black

eyes of the dragon made Leti feel like she was being sucked

into their depths.

Leti gently touched the dragon’s face. The connection

made her somewhat understand Black Dragon’s or Black

Hands’ feelings.

“You did not want to go home, so you attacked the Black

Sword, did you? You were not attacking Shelan.”

To show its agreement, the Black Dragon nuzzled up to

Leti’s hand. It looked like it was asking for more.

- 67 -

“But you have to go back. This is not your home,” said

Leti as she looked at the Black Sword in Shelan’s hands.

“You met someone with nostalgic powers in the place

where you were summoned. I know staying beside someone

with ancient powers was comfortable, but we cannot stay like

this forever. I may have powers, but I am human. I cannot

live as long as you.”

Leti was a human blessed with the powers of the Knight

King. She was not a god.

“What will you do when I go? There would be some time

before the next Knight King is born. You do not want to

cause trouble to the people here, do you?”

The dragon let out a soft cry at Leti’s soft admonishment.

“Shelan, take out the sword. I will seal it back.”

“Y-yes!”

Shelan agreed to Leti’s request even though he was still

clueless at what was happening.

Leti took the sword Shelan brought out of the sheath.

“You should return because you have a home. The next

Knight King may not have the luxury to handle you, but I will

tell the one after him. I will tell him to meet you. We will see

each other again. You do not have to be lonely.”

Leti felt the dragon nod when she told it there was no

need to be lonely. She smiled at the dragon one last time and

let her power flow into the Black Sword.

- 68 -

This sword feels similar to Black Darkness. I see there might just be

other swords out there with ancient powers aside from the Swords of

Promise.

Leti used the Knight King’s power in order to seal Black

Dragon into the Black Sword, just like how she sealed Black

Hands into the Sword of Black Darkness. Black Dragon

shook and then slowly turned into a mist being sucked into

the Black Sword.

Once the seal was over, a black dragon could once again

be seen inside the blade of the Black Sword. It was just like

what Shelan said, the dragon looked like it was trapped inside

amber.

“Imperial Prince of the Ling Empire, I return this sword

to you.”

“Leti, what was that?”

“It is a long story that started half a year ago.”

For Shelan, what happened was like this. Numerous black

hands came after him out of nowhere, and then after a

blinding light, the Black Dragon he was searching for

suddenly appeared.

“I will explain everything to you, but can we go and see

my brother first?”

“Of course!”

Upon hearing Shelan’s agreement, Leti ran outside.

- 69 -

“Leon! I am so glad you are safe.”

Leti embraced Leonhardt upon seeing he was safe.

Shelan’s heart warmed upon seeing their emotional

reunion. This is what I wanted to see.

When his eyes met Leonhardt’s, he also ran towards them

and celebrated the prince’s safe return.

“I am so glad you are safe, Prince Leonhardt.”

“Thank you! And to you too, Hei Zhao. Ane’ue4 just got

to save me first.”

Shelan looked at Hei Zhao when he heard Leonhardt’s

words.

“He promised to save me once the negotiation failed. It

had been a long time since my heart fluttered because of

reasons other than books, you know? But it was still Ane’ue

who made my heart throb, hahaha,” laughed Leonhardt.

“I am not sure what he wanted to accomplish, but I hope

you forgive him.”

Shelan did not know that there was such a promise

between Hei Zhao and Leonhardt because he firmly believed

that Hei Zhao truly cooperated with the kidnapping.

4 Ane’ue: An honorific used to refer to one’s older sister. More formal

and old-fashioned than the usual Onee-san

- 70 -

“Shelan, you decide whether we shall try Hei Zhao for his

crime.”

It was true that Hei Zhao cooperated with Leonhardt’s

kidnapping.

It was also true that Hei Zhao tried to save Leonhardt.

Leti left the decision to Shelan.

The Shelan now no longer had to turn to Hei Zhao and

ask for advice on what he should do. He was thinking by

himself and came up with a decision all on his own.

“Hei Zhao cooperated with the kidnapping. That is a fact,

and as punishment for your crime, you shall leave Solvelle

this instant and shall never set your feet into her lands again.”

Banishment from Solvelle may seem like a light

punishment, but it was the most Shelan could do.

“Will this be fine, Leti?”

“You may forgive him if you want to. Astrid told me

some time before they went out to save Leon that a map of

the ruins was sent to the Order’s camp.”

“But if Hei Zhao did not give any information to the

kidnappers, then maybe the kidnapping would have not

succeeded.”

Shelan told himself that this was the right decision.

“Hei Zhao, take this.”

Shelan gave the Black Sword to Hei Zhao, who was

silently accepting his punishment.

- 71 -

“I leave this to you. Bring it back safely to Ling.”

“But,” protested Hei Zhao.

“I do not mind if you give the credits to Li Fei Ani’ue. I

also think that will be for the best.”

Not a month had passed since Hei Zhao betrayed Shelan,

but he thought the prince had changed so much. Unlike

before, his eyes now held a strong determination.

“Hei Zhao, I have decided to change. I will think by

myself and walk on my own feet. I want to be someone like

Leti. I finally have a goal.”

This seemed late, but Shelan thought it was better late

than never. He would start now.

“I will stay here in Solvelle. I will stay by Leti’s side until

her coronation and learn many things. I am certain there is

much for me to learn here.”

Shelan firmly said his resolve to stay in Solvelle.

“After a few years, I will return to Ling. When that time

comes, I want you to reconsider.”

Hei Zhao stayed by Shelan’s side since they were little. He

became Hei Zhao’s master because of a simple connection.

But Hei Zhao did not find Shelan worthy to be his master

and chose Li Fei, Shelan’s older brother.

“I shall be someone worthy to be your master until we

meet again; if you find me suitable, I wish for you to return. I

- 72 -

want to build our relationship based on our choices – that we

chose each other.”

“Shelan-sama…”

“I leave Ling to you. If you find my sister, tell her to live

as she wants.”

Hei Zhao silently nodded at Shelan’s request.

He had always wanted Shelan to have his own opinion

and think for himself because those were the traits he wished

for his master.

He changed the moment I left him. I might have been the hindering

his growth all this time.

He might have been preventing Shelan from going out of

his shell because of his desire to protect him.

I wonder how I look right now.

To hide his conflicting emotions, Hei Zhao deeply bowed

his head.

Leti was now back in the royal palace, and as planned, she

would let the kidnappers go in order to preserve the current

political status. But the kidnappers might have thought of

other ideas why she would keep their identities a secret.

“Her Highness is scared those letters will be exposed, that is why

Her Highness would let us go.”

- 73 -

They would plan to expose that letter to drag Leti down

before they get convicted.

Leti could see through their plan.

“How will you retrieve those letters? What is your plan?

Shouldn’t we tell the truth about the kidnapping to explain

the existence of those letters?”

Duke suggested for them to say that they made their

move before thinking, but Leti clearly said that they would do

no such thing.

“They did not leave anything we could use as evidence

about Leonhardt’s kidnapping. It would be too much trouble

if they end up using my words about the kidnapping as self-

staged in order to get the letters back.”

The kidnappers kept Leonhardt at an abandoned mansion

in the outskirts of the capital. They were at least not that

stupid to bring him into their own mansion.

Leti at first wanted to capture at least one of the

kidnappers, but since they prioritized securing Leonhardt,

they ended up letting all of them go. Now, all they had left

about the kidnapping was Leonhardt and Shelan’s testimony.

“There is no need to worry. I will be the one to get it

myself.”

Just as Leti said, the letters to Duke Northruth which she

was made to write was exposed the following day.

- 74 -

When the morning meeting was about to end, one of the

nobles under the Guido faction stood up. He was known to

be quite a firm believer.

“We received these letters from someone close to Her

Highness. There are two letters and the person tasked to send

these to Duke Northruth became concerned and decided to

bring it to me. Based on the contents of these letters, I raise

my opposition to Her Highness’s inheritance of the throne.”

The two letters were written in Leti’s hand. The paper and

the ink of the pen were the ones she preferred to use. Anyone

who had encountered her handwritten documents could

easily see that the letters were personally written by Leti.

“Does Your Highness have anything to say about this?

Did you truly write these, Your Highness?”

“No, I did not write those,” calmly refuted Leti.

But, of course, they would not stop with that. Their

interrogation worsened.

“Giving Mount Gran to Duke Northruth in exchange for

protection to give the right to the throne to Prince Leonhardt

is preposterous!”

“As I have said, I did not write those letters.”

“But this is clearly Your Highness’s penmanship!”

It was an absolute evidence. Even the members of the

neutral faction were starting to doubt. That was when Guido

- 75 -

spoke after he had examined the letters that were passed on

for examination.

“The folds are strange.”

The members of the Guido faction were already strongly

urging Leti to abdicate her right to the throne, but were

silenced by Guido’s words.

“Your Highness, what do you mean folds?”

“Leticia always folds her letters avoiding the lines she had

written. That is why the edges of the paper are never

aligned.”

Guido folded the papers again to return it to the

envelope. The edges were completely aligned.

“Oh, so that is what that meant. I have always thought

you were just folding it haphazardly. You also do that, don’t

you, Guido?”

Friedhelm’s affirmation cemented Guido’s words. They

were people who frequently receive Leti’s handwritten

messages after all.

“B, but Prince Guido, that is not enough. It could only be

just a coincidence.”

“That is not all. Check carefully. If we are going to believe

the dates written in these letters, then the second letter was

written two weeks after the first one.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Exchanging letters with Duke

Northruth would take around that much time.”

- 76 -

Considering the distance between the two countries, the

time between the dates of the letters were nothing out of the

ordinary.

Guido was asked what was strange about it, so he held up

the second letter.

“Traces of the first letter could be found here in the

second letter. This is an evidence that this second letter was

written right after the first one.”

Indeed, there were traces of the pen on the second letter.

“Did Leticia not write any letter for two weeks? Did she

not use her favorite letter set?”

Leti as the heir apparent was busy and needs to write

several letters to be sent every day. It was impossible for her

to use the paper with traces of a letter written two weeks past.

“We need to investigate who made someone copy Leti’s

penmanship to write these letters. This might be connected to

the attempted kidnapping case.”

Everyone was dumbfounded at Guido’s instruction.

With such a definite evidence, Leti was now the victim.

The attempted kidnapping that happened a few days ago and

now, the faked letters. These incidents were all targeting Leti.

Even a child could deduce that someone was making their

move to bring her down.

I guess my lenient house arrest would now become a complete

confinement to my room.

- 77 -

Leti gave up on her freedom when she realised she fell on

her own trap.

After the morning meeting, Leti was called by the king

and told her to have more guards and do not go out of her

room unless truly necessary. She understood it was for her

safety, but she could not help the headache she felt when she

received the proclamation of her confinement to her room.

An annoyed Leti came out of the meeting room with the

present Knights of the Round following her. She saw Guido

outside the room. He probably was waiting for her.

“Thank you Prince Guido.”

“For what?”

“For clearing up the false accusations.”

The Knights of the Round would think Leti was just

thanking Guido, but her thanks had a deeper meaning.

This “once in a lifetime letter trick” Leti used was

something Guido taught her.

“I only pointed out the obvious. If I did not, someone

else would have done it.”

Guido understood what Leti meant and guised his reply

as well, that she did not have to thank him for it.

The true meaning behind this difficult exchange between

difficult siblings was something only they could understand

because it was truly a difficult thing.

- 78 -

A month had passed since the attempted kidnapping case

and falsified letters, but there was no progress at all. Nothing

else happened during that time, so Leti’s complete house

arrest was changed to a more lenient one. Leonhardt, who

was said to be out on a scholarly trip, also came back during

that period.

The Royal Castle was slowly going back to norm.

During one of those days, Solvelle came to welcome

Shelan’s older brother.

“It’s quite a shame, huh, Leonhardt? If Princess Shelan

did not reject you, you should be meeting your new older

brother now,” teased Friedhelm who was standing beside

Leonhardt in one of the halls of the castle.

“Listen,” started Leonhardt but Friedhelm did not relent

in his teasing.

“You could have had a lively conversation about your

wedding preparations. When will it be? Where will we live?

There are many things to decide.”

“Just to make things clear, Princess Shelan and I never

came close to that kind of relationship.”

“Oh, right! You were surprised and ran away. Can you

even call yourself a man?”

- 79 -

“I will marry my old books, so it does not matter!”

Princess Shelan of the Empire of Ling left Solvelle ten

days ago. She was heading to the next country to broaden her

horizon while searching for other beautiful art pieces with a

black dragon theme. There were some rumours about her

relationship with Leonhardt, but there was no progress at all.

– This was their cover story for Shelan.

“And next, we have Prince Shelan’s older brother. Oh,

they look alike, but not really. He is a boy.”

As if coming in exchange with the Ling Princess,

Solvelle’s visitor now was the Ling Prince.

Shelan’s brother left the Eastern continent with her, but

due to the long journey by the sea, he fell ill and had stayed in

the harbour town of Ország this past month to recover.

The prince with the same jet-black hair and onyx eyes as

his sister was welcomed by Leti and was being introduced to

Solvelle’s princes who were present to welcome him.

“May I introduce to you Solvelle’s First Prince Friedhelm

and Third Prince Leonhardt.”

Leti and Shelan’s eyes looked at two princes who were

talking about stupid things a while ago.

Friedhelm and Leonhardt stopped their chatter and

greeted their visitor politely.

“I am Xien Lang Liu Wan Zhong, the Eight Prince of the

Ling Empire. I have heard that Prince Leonhardt is a great

- 80 -

scholar. If you do not mind, I hope you can teach me much

about your country.”

“I am glad to have a scholarly friend. Please, call me

Leon.”

“Then please, following my sister’s lead, call me Shelan. I

think it will be easier to pronounce.”

“So you are also Shelan! I see, I see. Nice to meet you,

friend!”

Leonhardt and his new friend turned again to Leti;

Shelan’s face was serious, as if firming up his resolve.

“Princess Leticia, would you please make me your

knight?”

Leti was not the only one surprised at Shelan’s request.

Friedhelm and Leonhardt were as well.

“A fortune-telling has led me here; that this where I could

find what I was looking for. I am looking for something that

could change my fate, and I believe it is you. I knew it from

the first moment I met you.”

“Love at first knight,” mumbled Friedhelm.

Leti ignored him and instead faced the prince who just

said something that could be taken differently. In a soothing

voice, as if pacifying a child asked him, “Do you know what it

means to be my knight?”

- 81 -

- 82 -

“Yes. I do know what it means, that is why I asked. If I

become your knight, I can stay with you unconditionally. I

wanted that status. I wish to learn about many things beside

you.

Of course, I know I am asking too much. But I am a

prince of Ling, if you make me your knight, your reputation

as the next queen will become better. Consider this an

exchange for making me your knight.”

“It is too much. Ling is not just a small country like

Northruth. Majority of the vast land of the Eastern Continent

is under her rule. Are you saying the prince of such an empire

is allowed to bow down to another country’s princess?”

This was on a much larger scale than making the vice-

commander of the Royal Chivalric Order her knight.

Shelan’s name was too grand to be just a knight by name.

“No, I am not. I am sure my country will not allow it. But

it will take two years for this news to reach Ling and for them

to send their protests to Solvelle. Please ascend the throne

within that time. Once I have seen you crowned, I shall yield

in to my country’s call and go home. After that, I shall truly

only be a useless knight in name, but until then I wish to learn

things right beside you.”

Even if diplomatic problems happen between Solvelle

and Ling, resolution would take time.

- 83 -

The imperial prince took that to his advantage and wished

to be Leti’s knight for a limited time – two years.

“I see you have studied quite a lot about Solvelle’s

knights. You have even prepared a crafty escape route. I am

truly amazed,” sighed Leti. The sigh also meant she was

admitting her defeat.

“Well then, I shall ascend the throne in two years. And in

exchange for what I will get for making you my knight, let us

study about being a monarch together until you return to

Ling.”

“All right!”

Black Hands, or rather, Black Dragon left and went home

to Ling, but in exchange for that, Leti got a new knight.

The imperial prince of Ling will become one of Leti’s

knights.

This story spread across Solvelle like wildfire. Everyone

wanted to ask what did Leti do to get such a prestigious

person to be her knight.

Leti simply ignored the curious stares directed at her and

continued walking to the north of the Royal Castle.

“What will you do with the knighting? Will you follow

Solvelle’s tradition,” asked Duke.

- 84 -

Leti thought about it as they walked.

The responsibility of taking care of their guest was given

to Leonhardt, everything else was still undecided.

“Shelan is an imperial prince. We could not possibly ask

the prince of Ling to kneel down before me and swear to

protect me with his life. I plan to let him serve an honorary

role, someone who would stand as witness in my coronation

as a part of his study.”

Shelan would truly be just an “honorary knight”.

His job was not to protect Leti, but to learn with her.

“The season to enjoy the roses are almost coming to

end.”

Leti was heading to the rose garden at the north of the

castle.

A sudden gust of wind blew across the garden where

almost half of the flowers had already fallen. It was almost a

sad sight.

“Why did you come here?”

“I wanted to have a secret conversation with you.”

Leti went to a place where roses were still in bloom and

turned around to face Duke, her face slightly angry.

“You and Shelan were secretly investigating about

Matthias, were you not? If you wanted to know something,

you could have just asked me.”

- 85 -

Duke did not expect Leti would bring up this topic. He

was dumbstruck for a moment. He was careful not to let Leti

know about him investigating about it, but it seems he was

not able to escape Leti’s keen powers of observation. Or

maybe he did but his cheeky junior have acted as Leti’s spy.

“Well, I...”

“You were in the Borders Camp when that incident

happened. I understand you being curious after knowing

about it. What do want to know?”

“Well, why did he die?”

“Ah, unfortunately, I also do not know about that.”

A person directly involved in the incident was already

saying she did not know, Duke knew he should give up. No

matter how much he researched, he did not get any answers,

only more questions.

“I also have a question. Why did you get interested about

Matthias’s incident now?”

“Ah...I...”

Matthias’s accident happened five years ago. If Duke

heard about this incident after he came back from the

Borders, then he should have become interested about this

four years ago. So why now?

Duke thought for a moment and decided to be honest.

“When Your Highness was down with fever, you called

me ‘Matthias’.”

- 86 -

“When I had a fever? I do not remember it.”

“I didn’t know about that incident that time, so I asked

Will.”

“Then you heard about that strange incident, and became

curious about it.”

Duke became interested about Matthias not because his

death was peculiar, but because of something else. However,

he did not find the need to correct that.

“Hey, what was Matthias-sama like?”

“Did Willard not tell you?”

“He said he was intelligent, skilled with the sword, and

sociable. But...”

He had a hidden ambitiousness. That was what Willard

told him.

“Duke, think about it; I called him when I had a fever. Do

you actually think it was a good thing I called him during that

time?”

“Is that so?”

“Now that I think about it, I think his eyes when he looks

at me scared me a little. Maybe it was because he was thinking

of killing me.”

“Will told me you were close.”

“It only looked like that. Matthias only had his eyes on my

position and prestige, while I thought his ambitiousness

would save me so I ignored those scary eyes.”

- 87 -

Leti and Matthias were frequently seen to be together,

sharing a conversing in the rose garden, but their eyes never

actually met.

“I wonder, if we actually met after I have accepted my

fate, then maybe...”

Duke did not feel like he wanted to hear what Leti was

about to say. He could not look straight at Leti. But listening

to his master was a part of his job. He could just forget about

it later if he did not like what she said.

“We could have had a different relationship. We could

have learned about being a ruler together and helped each

other in improving ourselves. We could be like those

schoolmates or classmates you talked about.”

Leti’s words were not what Duke expected. After hearing

what his master said, he was relieved and remembered that

she was this kind of person.

“Matthias-sama is a person of the past. Forget about him.

You now have Shelan-sama.”

“Shelan?”

The Eighth Prince of the Ling Empire. On his first visit,

he imposed himself to be a wife to Leti. On his second visit,

he obligated Leti to make him her knight. This was the reason

why Duke’s suggestion to treat Shelan as Matthias’s

replacement did not seem natural to her.

- 88 -

“You will be learning together with Shelan the ways of a

wise and excellent ruler. You will argue sometimes, and

sometimes cheer each other up. That is exactly what a

schoolmate is. I am sure these two years will be memorable

for Your Highness.”

Leti nodded after thinking for sometime, “I guess you are

right.”

Duke, who had a first-hand experience of having

schoolmates, said so. He was most likely right about this.

“He is three years younger, but it is not much of a

difference. You can consider him to be the same age.”

Duke recommended Leti to treat him as someone of the

same age, but Leti shook her head.

“Three years younger was the age of his sister. The Prince

Shelan is supposedly the same age as me.”

Duke knows how wide and accurate Leti’s knowledge

about the royalties and nobles is. But he could just not believe

Shelan’s age.

“Seventeen! He looks even younger than Astrid!”

“Well, the people from the east are said to be young-

looking.”

“There is a limit to how young they could look.”

Duke was shocked for a moment. He thought Shelan was

fourteen years old, so he found him to be a good boy –

innocent and obedient. It was a mystery to him then, as to

- 89 -

why Hei Zhao was that desperate in improving someone so

young, but he now understood why. His master was not that

young.

“I now understand why Hei Zhao was worried about

him.”

“I agree, but I think he is starting to change. We should

better go back. In the end, we did not talk about any secrets.”

“Then shall we tell secrets?”

“Secrets, hmmm, I have one. Remember that time when

Willard and Hannes were arguing and I took Willard’s place

in the duel?”

“Ah, yes. Was there any secret there?

“Hannes is a skilled swordsman. He could have easily

evaded my attack with minimum movements.”

“But he did not evade it completely and that made

Shelan-sama stop the duel and declare Your Highness as the

winner.”

“He evaded it completely. My rapier did not even touch

him. I used my power of wind to cut the collar of his coat.”

Leti freely exposed the foul play she did during the duel.

Duke was surprised, but Leti just smiled confidently.

“I am not a knight, but a queen. Being fair and square is

not my job.”

Duke let out a deep sigh upon knowing such a secret.

“How about you? Do you have anything?”

- 90 -

Duke thought of what he could share, something that Leti

did not know. He came up with a few like Friedhelm’s evil

deeds during his days in the Knight Academy or Willard’s

possible lover. But those were not his secrets; they were

someone else’s. He thought again if he had his own. After

some time, he found one.

“I think I have.”

“Really? What is it?”

Duke bent down and whispered to Leti’s ear, “I have

someone I like.”

Leti’s golden eyelashes fluttered once, then twice. She did

not expect Duke would tell her something of this nature.

“But it’s still a maybe. I need to be a better man before I

admit it.”

Leti was still in shock.

Duke pointed to her the roses above them and said, “This

is a secret, Your Highness.”

“Of course,” Leti finally regained her tongue. “Your love

looks like it will be difficult. Who needs conditions in order

to admit their feelings?”

“Will’s lover said in her poem, go back home and

rummage the cupboard when admitting a blooming love.”

Leti sighed at Duke’s cryptic message and did not ask

anything else about it.

- 91 -

Duke knew Leti would not further ask anything that was

why he was able to say it to her.

“I will comfort you if you get heartbroken.”

Duke was about to tell Leti she should keep her word,

when a maid came rushing at them.

“Your Highness! A visitor from Northruth has arrived!”

Leti showed herself to the panting maid.

“I was not expecting any visitors from Northruth. Did the

visitor specifically sked for me?”

“Yes. Duke Northruth has arrived and is asking for Your

Highness.”

An unexpected visit by Duke Northruth himself. This was

clearly something urgent.

Leti, without even telling Duke they were going, started

walking that was almost close to running towards the castle.

- 92 -

Epilogue

The visitor from the Dukedom of Northruth was a young

man with silver hair and strong purple eyes. August Karlzen

Northruth, the present ruler of Northruth brought with him

two letters.

“Long time no see, Princess Leticia. That’s quite some

strict security you have there.”

“It is just my usual entourage. Putting that aside, does

your visit mean things in Northruth have already calmed

down? That is quite fast.”

Three months ago, Northruth fell victim to wildfires

caused by the heatwaves. Duke Northruth who had been

busy then dealing with the calamity said that he would visit

Solvelle when things have calmed down. However, things

could have not settled down this quickly.

“I received a troublesome invitation and have come here

to discuss it with you.”

Duke Northruth was looking at Shelan, who was clearly

not a knight, but a lad who came from another kingdom.

Shelan knew from Duke Northruth’s words and searching

gaze what kind of conversation they would have, so he

- 93 -

excused himself to Leti. “I see you will be talking about

something serious. Let me leave you two alone.”

“Thank you for the consideration. I will. see you later.”

“Do not mention it,” bid Shelan and he left the room.

“That was?”

“A prince from the Ling Empire who came to visit. I will

introduce you later. Well, where is this invitation?”

Duke Northruth laid on the table the two letters he

brought with him; one was already opened.

“An invitation to Kielf Empire’s National Foundation

Festival. The invitation is from Valery Kiriakov.”

Duke Northruth slid the letters across the table to Leti.

In front of the envelope was Duke Northruth’s name, and

at the back was Valery’s.

The contents of the letter were nothing out of the

ordinary. It was just a letter politely inviting them to go and

join Kielf in celebrating their Foundation Day and they only

need to send their reply to it.

But Leti noticed something unusual in the ordinary letter.

“This was not written by General Kiriakov.”

“It is natural to have someone else write these kinds of

invitations.”

“But the signature is always signed by the sender.”

During the tri-party conference they held for the

evacuation of Mount Gran, they made an extremely detailed

- 94 -

agreement and it was signed by Leti, Duke Northruth, and

Valery as representatives of their country. They immediately

remembered each other’s signatures, that Leti even thought

of signing the documents in their stead because of their

reluctance in the negotiation.

This was the reason why Leti immediately felt something

strange in the “Valery Kiriakov” signed at the end of the

letter.

Is falsifying letters in trend right now?

Leti sighed as she recalled what she just did recently.

“Kielf’s messenger was the one who brought the letter to

me and then I forcibly took the one addressed for you and

said I will be the one to deliver it.”

“Being forceful as usual. So, this is the one for me.”

Leti called a maid to have the letter opened. It was exactly

similar to the one Duke Northruth received – an invitation

and a signature not by Valery.

“As you know, Valery Kiriakov left to go back to Kielf in

the middle of our meetings and never came back. I do not

know what happened and what he did when he came back to

the capital,” said Duke Northruth

Valery Kiriakov asked Leti to grant asylum to the Fourth

Prince of Kielf when they were in Mount Gran. She was not

sure if this invitation was connected to his request.

- 95 -

Leti sighed again. This was indeed a troublesome

invitation.

“What’ll you do, Princess? Will you go the Foundation

Festival?”

What was happening in the Kielf Empire said to be at the

brink of civil war? What was the reason behind this letter?

Only the sender of the letters probably knew the answers

to these questions.

“I will go. I believe General Kiriakov is someone I should

at least visit and ask how he was doing.”

“I agree. He is someone we can freely exchange sarcasm

with.”

They received an invitation from Valery for Kielf’s

Foundation Festival, but he was not the one who signed it.

So, who did?