127 – 131
Through the carriage window, the orange sunset shines in.
Devian, asleep in the carriage seat.
Sweat beads on his forehead, so I carefully wipe it away with a handkerchief.
He seems so busy lately.
Always in meetings at the palace or meeting someone outside, he appears occupied, and it pains me to see him like that.
I’m sorry… for not being of help.
When I rule this vast empire, he is like my compass.
In a dark night.
Just like the North Star shining brightly in a lost forest, showing the way in the darkness.
He always guides me on the path to take.
Not being able to help him in this urgent situation feels truly heartbreaking.
“Ugh…”
It feels so desolate to hear him groan in pain in his sleep these days.
Was I just that kind of person?
-Creak.
Mary, sticking her head out of the carriage window, asks, “Are you feeling peaceful, brother?”
“Don’t be so sure. I only slept for two hours today.”
As I wipe his sweat with a handkerchief and speak, Mary raises both hands and sighs.
“Tsk. I’m a newlywed. Leaving my husband behind and coming this far.”
Mary’s blunt words.
“If it weren’t for being with you, I’d quit!”
Mary raising her fist appears charming.
To think such a delicate girl fights so well.
Having seen Mary fight in a previous tournament, I honestly find it hard to believe.
Seeing her petite frame surrounded by dozens of adult men, wielding a wooden sword…
If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, it would have been hard to believe.
“But how much further do we have to go?”
In response to my question, Mary takes out a map from her bosom and says, “An hour or two? Shouldn’t we arrive by then?”
I nod at her words.
“Until then. Let Davian sleep soundly.”
Mary chuckles at my words.
“Sister, do you really like brother that much?”
At her words, my face blushes slightly, but I nod subtly.
“Yes. I love him.”
At my small yet firm declaration, Mary chuckles.
“hehehe?”
Mary’s mischievous face emerges.
“Sister, do you know? When brother first married you, he was really scared of you?”
I find Mary’s words puzzling.
Davian scared of me?
I ask, puzzled by Mary’s incomprehensible words, “Does he have a reason to be scared of me? He’s the one who has it all, after all.”
Mary chuckles at my words.
“hahahaha! Actually, you know the maids in the palace? Do you know why he borrowed them?”
I ponder her words for a moment.
There was a time before the wedding when I tried to leave with my family for Rome.
Perhaps he did it to prevent me from doing something foolish?
Davian’s soldiers are mostly men.
I know they face difficulties in monitoring ladies, hence the need for female attendants.
“Well, isn’t it impossible for men to follow women around all day?”
Especially when bathing or changing clothes. They guard from outside.
If it’s the same woman, she sometimes follows along under the pretext of helping with the calligraphy to change clothes or assist with bathing.
“Phew… Done! At that time, Oppa borrowed my maid, fearing that Unni might poison him.”
His words leave me dumbfounded.
Back when we were drinking tea together. Poisoning him was the last thing on my mind, wasn’t it?
Before marriage.
When he was planning our wedding.
There was a time when I found the idea of marrying him more dreadful than death.
It feels like a long time ago. In reality, it’s a story that hasn’t even been a year.
I once invited him for a meal to subtly deter his intentions of marrying me.
I might have joked about poisoning the food to show him I wasn’t easy to handle.
But he casually ate the food…
[If I were to die, my soldiers might run amok. Would you be able to handle that chaos?]
He said this.
As if his death would mean the end of Rome.
Despite saying that, he trembled behind my back.
It makes me think he’s quite devilish.
He’s wise, kind, and tender-hearted.
Always doing the right thing, but if blood must be shed on his path, the one who will mourn at his back is none other than Devian.
As tough as steel, yet more tender than anyone.
“He may seem infinitely strong, but his heart is gentle.”
I say this while wiping the sweat off lovable Devian.
***
Near the solemn ground of the Golden Knights, soldiers from the Golden Knights and the Grand Duchy secretly observe a meeting place.
The Grand Duke and the Emperor descend from a splendid carriage.
Although it’s quite a distance, with magic binoculars, one can see far-off places at a glance.
In his eyes, he witnesses the meeting between the Grand Duke and William.
“They’ve indeed made contact.”
As a spy from Nicaea, tasked with monitoring the movements of the Golden Knights and the Grand Duke.
Disguised as an ordinary shepherd, the spy watches them closely.
“It seems the Grand Duke and William have cleared up any misunderstandings.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Monitoring the movements of the Grand Duke and William from Nicaea is crucial.
Currently, the most feared division among the Empire’s forces in Nicaea is the Golden Knights and the Giant Corps.
Their military prowess, which has come to Nicaea’s aid whenever the Babylon Empire attacked, has instilled fear in the hearts of many.
“But we outnumber them by far.”
Moreover, if Nicaea were to secure key points before direct confrontation, it would pose a significant headache for the Empire.
Having seen the Grand Duke, the Emperor, William, and Princess Mary enter the carriage shortly after, the spy takes out paper and a small pen from his bosom and begins writing a report on the grass.
“Now… where will the Golden Knights head to?”
Entering Duopol via the shortcut or taking the longer route to Erenia or Bochemia seems likely.
After the summit, if the Golden Knights head north, they’ll likely go to Erenia or Bochemia, and if they head east, they’ll go to Duopol. Writing this in the report and raising the flag is almost too easy, perhaps.
William descends from the carriage in no time.
“Well, where are we headed?”
Observing the imposing figure of William, he swallows hard.
Knowing that he is aware that he and the Golden Knights’ whereabouts will have a significant impact on the war, the spy watches them intently…
“Hmm?”
The next scene unfolds in a way the spy did not anticipate.
As William clenches his fists and shouts loudly…
The Golden Knights begin to remove their armor.
And the soldiers of the Grand Duchy tie their hands…
“Why? Why are they doing that?”
Seeing them marching like criminals, the spy can’t help but be taken aback.
“Could it be… they’re being arrested? The Golden Knights?”
With that thought in mind, the spy closely watches the situation.
Having witnessed them being dragged towards Rome, the spy tears up the report he had written and hurriedly pulls out a new piece of paper from his pocket to jot something down.
“The Golden Knights… being arrested.”
Most, including himself, likely never thought such a situation would arise.
Arresting the heroes of the nation. Is the Grand Duke out of his mind?
The spy believes this crucial news must be swiftly conveyed to Byzantium, the capital of Nicaea.
***
He watches as William and the Golden Knights are arrested and taken to the prison in Rome.
The sight of numerous Imperial citizens in front of the prison, watching in confusion, fills him with satisfaction.
The reaction is just as I expected.
If the hero of the nation, William, and the Golden Knights are imprisoned, I anticipated that the Imperial citizens would be unsettled.
If Johannes learns of this fact, he will surely be delighted, won’t he?
With such thoughts, he joyfully watches them being locked up.
In order to detain all the members of the Golden Knights, among the prisoners already in Roman custody, those with lighter charges were pardoned, and the heavier offenders were transferred to different regions.
Now, with only intelligence agents stationed in the prison, it should suffice.
“For now, this part is wrapped up.”
“But… we’re not planning to keep them rotting in the prison, right?”
Theodora asks anxiously, and I nod in response.
“No. They have work to do soon. Until then, let them be.”
Who would ridicule the Golden Knights, the finest force, like that?
Still, it’s their first time being imprisoned. I should inform the intelligence department beforehand to allow them to enjoy wine and meat to their heart’s content.
Theodora nods in reassurance at my words.
“I trust you.”
At that moment.
“Your Grace!, Your Grace! Urgent report!”
A messenger arrives and hands me a paper, which I unseal and unfold.
“Oh…”
It seems my warning sent to Eren and Bohemia had some effect, as they have mobilized a larger army than expected.
It’s all 60,000.
When combined with the 10,000 I sent, it adds up to a total of 70,000.
It may fall short of 130,000 troops, but I feel that this should be enough to withstand easily.
Hope is starting to appear one by one.
The situation in Dupol isn’t great, but as long as Eren and Bohemi don’t fall, the advantage lies with us.
“What news do you have that’s making you smile like that?”
As if curious, Theodora asks and I hand her the letter.
“Oh? Is this good news?”
“It’s good news. It means Eren and Bohemi aren’t falling right away.”
Thinking that Adriah’s naval landing operation will be effective, I don’t feel too bad.
Soon, the ships of the Allied Kingdom will arrive at the Grand Duchy.
In other words, it can now be seen as the time to slowly pass the treaty of alliance with the Allied Kingdom through the council.
The Imperial factions are urgent, mostly in favor, but the neutral factions seem to be in deep contemplation.
First, the passage is certain…
“Thank goodness. I’m glad to hear good news.”
As Theodora smiles and speaks, for a moment, I too feel a flutter of excitement.