SOTBW - 114

As the dawn light began to dye the sky a pale blue, Daniel rose and glanced around. More than twenty knights were sprawled out in the narrow lounge. They were all completely passed out from the alcohol they had consumed the previous night, and even when Daniel tried to shake them awake, they didn’t stir.

Daniel sat down briefly, staring at his fellow knights. He hoped that all of them would return safely from the expedition. It would be a bit sad if a few were dead and gone by the time they returned to the Order. Having spent many years as a knight in Romsoa, he had already bid farewell to many people, but hearing of someone’s death always left him in a somber mood. He no longer cried like a child at partings, but death meant that one could never again drink and laugh as they had today.

While staring at a comrade who was drooling in his sleep, Daniel chuckled softly. He ruffled his comrade’s hair, then quietly got up. The loud snoring made it unnecessary for him to even try to silence his footsteps.

Leaving the lounge, Daniel went to his room to pack up the things he had prepared. He had to leave for the northern gate of the Noctis Fortress before the sun fully rose. As he exited the dormitory, a servant approached with a horse, as if waiting for him. Daniel gave the servant a tip, then secured his pack tightly on the horse’s side before mounting the saddle. As he passed through the main gate, soldiers who had just finished their duties in the field were visible.

Daniel directed his horse toward the cathedral. It was still early, and the inside of the cathedral was empty. After tying the reins to a post, Daniel removed his scarf and sat in any chair available. The priests were preparing the candles, allowing those who visited the cathedral to pray and light them.

Sitting there as though taking a short rest, Daniel looked up at the star nailed to the cross. It had been a long time since he last visited a cathedral. Ever since leaving the Duchy of Luamars, he hadn’t even come near a cathedral, let alone recite prayers.

Daniel no longer believed in God. People thought that the god Sylin protected the world, but if there truly were a god, it would not have only watched people’s suffering. Yet, Daniel had once believed in God desperately. He had prayed to Sylin every day, hoping to meet the person who had given him life.

He had prayed to Sylin, asking that he be allowed to call that person “mother” just once, or that he be allowed to apologize to them for leaving him behind. He had asked that he be allowed to see their face from afar, understanding fully why they had left him.

The person who gave birth to Daniel had been a wandering knight. She had been the daughter of a noble family that had fallen into ruin long ago, and to earn money, she became a black knight, wandering from place to place. One day, the knight arrived at the Duchy of Luamars and asked to be hired. The Duke of Luamars agreed without hesitation. The reason was simple: the knight was beautiful.

The Duke had tried to win the knight’s affection, but the knight politely rejected his advances, saying that she could not betray the Duchess. However, the Duke refused to give up, and that night, he raped the knight. Not only did he trample on the knight’s honor, but he also imprisoned her in a high tower and treated her as his mistress.

The knight’s belly slowly swelled as her freedom was taken away. When the Duchess heard that the wandering knight was pregnant, she was furious, but eventually made a promise with the Duke. If the knight gave birth to a son, the child would be claimed as hers.

The Duchess had been pregnant seven times, but all her pregnancies had ended in miscarriage or stillbirth, and if it became known that she could no longer conceive, she could be divorced.

Unfortunately, the wandering knight gave birth to a son. The child was exactly like the Duke.

The knight, upon giving birth, screamed to be set free, but taking advantage of the moment when the guards were lax, she threw herself from the tower. However, the knight was only slightly injured and did not die.

When the Duke learned of the knight’s suicide attempt, he was troubled for a while. Could it be that, despite being an immoral Duke, he could not bear to see the knight die? Or had he perhaps truly loved her?

Realizing that he could no longer keep the knight by his side, the Duke opened the tower door. The knight, regaining her freedom, left the shadows and flew away like a bird. She never returned to the Duchy of Luamars.

Later, the Duchess miraculously gave birth to a daughter. It was around this time that Daniel discovered the secret of his birth. Not understanding why the Duchess had begun to treat him coldly, Daniel became spoiled and asked his nurse about it. The nurse, who had loved him like her own son, revealed the ugly truth that the family had hidden.

Unable to forgive his existence and his father, Daniel gave up on preparing to be the heir and came to Noctis. His family had begged him not to go, but Daniel exposed everything about how he was born and calmly left the Duchy. And here he was now.

“But why do you worry about me like that? I’m not a child anymore.”

Daniel bitterly smiled as he recalled Najane’s words.

The commander must have been worried that one day your wings would be clipped. He was afraid you would give up on life and be dragged along, that you would end up like that wandering knight… But how could I say such things? What right do I have to say that, being born the way I was?

The fortunate thing was that Maximón was gradually changing for the better.

Leaning back in his chair, Daniel let out a long sigh. Just then, someone holding a candle sat down next to him. As Daniel was removing his scarf from the chair beside him, he was surprised to see the person’s face.

“…Belshua?”

“Were you praying?”

Belshua quietly asked, gazing at the cross.

Daniel chuckled softly and followed Belshua’s gaze.

“No. What prayer? Where’s Jacob?”

“He’s writing the report.”

“He’s such a diligent guy.”

“When are we leaving?”

“In a little while. We should get going soon. By the way, did you come to see me off? I’m kind of touched.”

“…Go back to the Duchy of Luamars, Daniel.”

Belshua spoke in a low voice. As Daniel was about to get up, he turned and looked at Belshua with a dark expression. Belshua knew Daniel’s circumstances, but he looked down and spoke again, more resolutely.

“Go back to the Luamars family, or if you can’t forgive your father, live like the woman who gave birth to you—wandering.”

“Belshua.”

“Don’t come back.”

“Hey.”

“I’m saying this for your sake. If you think of me at all, never come back to Noctis.”

When Maximón and Najane’s relationship had once soured, Belshua had told Daniel and Jacob to leave the place. Daniel had asked why, but Belshua never told him.

From the start, Belshua had been a peculiar person. As the second son of a common merchant, he knew everything and sometimes acted like an old soul. He was rigid and cold but was a good knight trusted by Maximón. Occasionally, he would stare off into the distance with sorrow, but everyone at Noctis had their own miserable past.

Because they were of similar age, Daniel, Jacob, and Belshua quickly became close. Daniel thought of Belshua as a good friend. Yet, sometimes Belshua felt like someone else, as if there were another Belshua hidden within the one he knew.

At first, Daniel had tried to find out what Belshua was hiding and how much he knew. But every time he brought it up, Belshua would avoid the conversation, and since it felt awkward to pry between friends, Daniel gave up.

However, if he was being honest, he was hurt every time Belshua spoke like this. What was he hiding that he couldn’t share? Why was he always trying to push Daniel and Jacob away?

Daniel had many things he wanted to say, but since he was about to leave on an expedition, he didn’t want to argue with Belshua. So, he suppressed his feelings as much as he could and spoke.

“If I don’t come back, you…”

Daniel asked, his voice tinged with a hint of resentment.

“Are you going to keep fighting alone?”

“Daniel.”

“I don’t know what burden you’re carrying, but without loyalty, I’d be a corpse, so no matter what happens, I’ll return here.”

Wrapping his scarf around his neck, Daniel stood up. A gust of wind blew through the cathedral, extinguishing all the candles the priests had carefully lit. The cathedral was dimly illuminated by the light of dawn. Belshua stared at the heroes in the stained glass, then silently got up.

Daniel, who had reached the door of the cathedral first, waved to Belshua.

“I’m going. Don’t fight with Jacob and get along well. Najane keeps having bad thoughts if you leave him alone, so don’t forget to make him laugh. And Amelia too. She looks like she’s been struggling lately. Talk to her if you see her. Anyway, I’m really going now!”

With no need for a formal farewell, Daniel left with a carefree wave. But Belshua walked to the entrance of the cathedral to watch him leave. Daniel bounded down the small stairs and quickly mounted his horse.

When Daniel saw Belshua outside the cathedral, he smiled. They didn’t say words of parting, either wishing each other a safe journey or a safe stay. As Daniel gazed at Belshua, he suddenly cracked the whip. The horse, startled, neighed loudly and galloped forward. In the direction the horse ran, soldiers with the flag of Noctis Fortress were faintly visible.

The sound of the hooves quickly faded away as Daniel’s figure became a small dot in the distance. Belshua, standing motionless, stared after Daniel until he disappeared from view. Then, turning back into the cathedral, he noticed that the candles had all gone out. The priests were hurriedly relighting them.

Belshua’s gaze lingered on the newly lit candles before moving to the stained glass.

Inside the colored glass, there were faces of the heroes who had possessed the holy relics.

Rakhshu had disappeared to create the final barrier. Villar had sacrificed himself to become an unbreakable shield. Sylin had been reborn, and Rene and Reje, after living such difficult lives, had decided never to be reborn as humans and became a pair of trees. Mackanon founded the Astien Empire to meet his beloved sister again, but in the end, the one he was waiting for was bound by fate to someone else and never returned to the imperial palace. And Brighton…

Brighton had not yet appeared on the stage.

Belshua looked up at the hero holding the shield.

“Please take care of Lady Emaydis, Mahilen. After I’m gone, make sure she doesn’t cry too much... You know what I mean?”

As the cathedral slowly grew brighter with the light of the candles, the soft morning sunlight gently spread across the intricate stained glass. Belshua stared at the sparkling colored glass as if he were blind, then turned away.

He always chose to ask for the hardest requests, just like now.

At that moment, a trumpet sounded from afar. It was the sound of the expedition led by Daniel leaving Noctis. Belshua stood for a moment in the bustling streets, offering a prayer.

This time, may everything go as it should.

May Emaydis not cry again…