WTSP - 50

I countered with a doubtful expression, “That incident... which one...?”

“It was the incident where assassins who infiltrated the Imperial Palace tried to assassinate His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Assassins tried to kill His Majesty?”

I raised my voice without realizing it. They tried to assassinate Serdel? It was obvious that the higher one climbed, the more enemies one would have, but hearing about an attempt to assassinate the Emperor of a country made my heart beat rapidly.

Cloden continued in a calm voice, “At the time, I was a newly joined trainee knight, so I followed Sir Harpin on every schedule. As the Emperor’s direct knight, he was always with His Majesty. Sir Harpin protected His Majesty without panicking even during the assassins’ surprise attack. I, on the other hand, was just trembling, not knowing what to do.”

“Here are your three juices. Please enjoy. We even ground the ice, so they’ll be very refreshing.”

Just as the story was reaching its climax, the shop owner placed three glasses of juice in the center of the table.

Cloden paused his story at his appearance, and as soon as he was out of sight again, he continued.

I tightly gripped the glass, which was covered in small water droplets. A chilling coldness that seemed to freeze me to the bone pierced my palm.

“...However, it was not an easy task for Sir Harpin alone to fend off trained professional assassins. Despite such a crisis, I froze and couldn’t move. I wouldn’t have felt wronged even if His Majesty had struck me down on the spot.”

Lena covered her mouth with her hand, her eyebrows lowered. Her voice conveyed deep empathy for Cloden’s story.

“Oh my, Sir Knight. You must have been so scared...”

“While I, foolishly, could do nothing, His Majesty plunged his sword into the heart of an assassin who was aiming for Sir Harpin from behind. And then, he immediately checked on Sir Harpin’s condition.”

Cloden was lost in reminiscence, as if recalling a scene from a distant past.

“A person in such a lofty position as the Emperor was relieved about the life of a mere subordinate. I had never seen him show any emotion during the days I had followed him, but at that moment, he wore a pained expression.”

Harpin’s eyelids slowly lifted as he recalled that time, revealing his clear eyes.

“It was then that I understood why Sir Harpin followed and served His Majesty so devotedly. He was a lord worthy of such loyalty.”

Cloden smiled silently as he concluded his story.

There were some who believed that a great cause was necessary to establish faith.

But I believed that even very small and ordinary actions could completely change someone’s life, just as a butterfly’s wings could cause a storm in a faraway place.

A warmth welled up in a corner of my heart, and I wrapped both hands around the glass.

So Serdel had that side to him too. A warm ability to inspire others.

Taking a sip of my apple juice, I silently turned to look at the quiet Lena.

“I understand now why Sir Cloden gave up his title and devoted himself to the Knights Order. Lena, perhaps... are you... crying right now? Aren’t you?”

I looked at Lena with a bewildered expression.

She was trembling, her face hidden in her hands. Shaking her head, Lena answered with a tearful voice.

Cloden was startled and searched his pockets for a handkerchief. But perhaps he had left it behind, as he soon wore a troubled expression. I could sense his helplessness and confusion at Lena’s sudden tears.

“Sniff, sob... I’m not, crying.”

“No, anyone can see you’re crying. What’s wrong? Here, Lena! Don’t cry, look at me. Huh?”

“Did I perhaps say something wrong... Lady Lena? Are you alright?”

I quickly took out a silk handkerchief from my pocket and wiped Lena’s tear-stained cheeks. It didn’t even take thirty seconds for the soft fabric to become damp.

Our faces were filled with confusion as we watched Lena sob, so overcome with emotion that she was hiccupping. As Lena’s crying didn’t easily stop, Cloden looked restless, as if he were the one who had done something wrong.

After crying for quite a while, she bowed her head deeply, saying she was sorry. Her eyes and cheeks were flushed red, as if she had applied blusher.

“I’m sorry, sob... As I was listening to the knight’s story, I became overwhelmed with emotion without realizing it... I don’t know why, sniff. Really, why am I like this?”

A smile unintentionally formed on my face at her appearance. I wiped Lena’s tears and shrugged.

“Oh dear, our Lena, how can you be so emotional? If you’re going to live in this harsh world, there will be many more difficult things ahead.”

“I apologize. It seems I made Lady Lena cry with my unnecessary story...”

Cloden, his lips twitching with an awkward expression, patted Lena’s hand. She rubbed her reddened eyes, the tips of her ears also flushed.

‘No matter how I look at them, these two really suit each other.’

As someone who had perfectly paired up countless couples back in the Taereung Training Center, I was certain.

It might seem nosy, but if I left them like this, it was obvious they would just keep missing each other’s feelings and making no progress.

I put down my half-empty juice glass and slowly rose from my seat.

Should I give them about thirty minutes alone? If it was too obvious, the other person might feel burdened, so just creating a small opportunity should be enough.

“Your Highness, is there somewhere you would like to go? Let’s settle the bill here and move together.”

“Ah, no. Do you see that bookstore over there, Sir Cloden? I’ve wanted to go there since earlier. It’s been catching my eye. Sir, why don’t you stay here with Lena and finish your juice? I’ll be right back.”

I tend to enjoy reading. I added an unnecessary remark and gently stroked Lena’s cheek. Lena still had a flushed face and wide, rabbit-like eyes.

“Let’s go together, Your Highness! I’m completely fine now. I’m so sorry for causing you worry.”

“No, Lena. Just rest here a little longer with Sir Cloden. I just suddenly feel like browsing some books. If you’re really worried, come find me at the bookstore in ten minutes.”

“I am afraid that would be difficult. I cannot leave Your Highness alone in an unfamiliar place.”

Cloden and Lena showed unease at my sudden suggestion. They seemed worried that something might happen.

It wasn’t wrong, but the distance to the bookstore from here was literally just across the way. If I wanted to, I could rush over there in ten seconds.

“Your Highness, if you wish to look inside, I will accompany you.”

“Sir Cloden, it’s a really short distance.”

“That is true, but...”

Cloden confirmed the location of the bookstore. He didn’t seem completely convinced, but he nodded slightly as if he had no choice.

“I’ll be right back. Just stay here for a moment.”

I gave them a faint smile and walked towards the bookstore I had pointed out.

Looking closer, the bookstore sign only had a large drawing of a book and no name written on it.

Opening the wooden door, an old hinge creaked in my ear.

The musty smell unique to old bookstores stimulated my nose. The not-so-large interior was filled with wooden bookshelves.

“Hello? Is anyone here?”

Fortunately or unfortunately, there wasn’t a single customer inside.

‘......At least nothing will happen.’

Having a sense of caution for leaving Cloden behind, I felt my guard slightly relax as I stepped inside.

“Ah, hello. I’ll just take a look around.”

As I entered, there was an old woman who seemed to be the owner, so I gave a brief greeting and immediately headed to any bookshelf that caught my eye.

I scanned the bookshelves and books that showed the passage of time.

With the books packed so tightly, I didn’t know where to start looking. In the first place, it wasn’t like I had come to the bookstore because there was a book I really wanted to read.

‘It feels like a space that’s at least a hundred years old. It’s exactly the kind of old bookstore I imagined.’

Without much thought, I took out a book at eye level and looked at the cover. The book was titled <The Crimson Rose>.

This book also looked very old, and whether it was already faded or something else, the author’s name wasn’t written even when I examined the spine.

A book with only the title written without any embellishment.

I turned the cover with my fingertips and opened the first page. Old book dust slowly rose up, eventually irritating my throat and causing me to cough.

‘I think I know why there are no customers. Managing books like this...’

Since I had already opened it, I blinked and read the letters written on the yellowed paper.

<The Crimson Rose> seemed to be a collection of short stories. Among them, the first story caught my eye.

< The Tragedy of the Jermier Family >

Molder Jermier, the head of the Jermier family, had three wives.

He was a man famous for his ruthless and cold personality.

He couldn’t stand boredom and harbored a near-insane madness.

His first wife, Prua, came from a wealthy and noble family and even bore him a son to inherit the family, but she never received love from Molder in her entire life.

He had no interest in the beautiful and devoted Prua.

“Oh, is there truly no one to alleviate my boredom?”

Molder took another woman as his wife.

Bringing a commoner woman into a noble family!

Everyone in the family was furious, but Molder didn’t care.

Molder spent some time with his second wife, Rosalyn. But Rosalyn’s charm quickly faded and ran out.

Molder became bored again.

Living day by day could be so tedious. He detested acting according to providence.

“This won’t do. I need something to stimulate my interest.”

So Molder recruited another wife. He widely spread this news throughout his estate.

Oh! The opportunity to become the mistress of the great and mighty Jermier family.

Dozens of women, holding only a newsletter in their hands, rushed to the mansion.

“Boring, boring... Not you either, and you, tsk. Definitely not.”

Molder sent back more than twenty ‘wife candidates’.

And finally, the last candidate appeared. A woman with wavy, blue hair that seemed to have descended from the sky.

“I will keep you entertained forever, Molder.”

How dare she utter the name of the great Jermier family head so casually! And she was just the youngest daughter of an insignificant baronial family. Everyone whispered and pointed fingers at her.

“My name is Allure, dear Molder.”

Allure performed a splendid sword dance on the spot. And that night, she conceived his son.

Everyone cried out in unison.

This is truly madness! The Lord of the House must have been bewitched!

Prua, who had loved Molder devotedly, died lonely.

Raising her child alone, she longed for her heartless husband until the day she died.

It wasn’t Molder who had gone mad, but Prua.

The woman ended her own life by throwing herself into the mansion’s lake on a dark night.

The boy, left alone without a mother, cried and went to Molder, clutching his trouser leg. But the obtuse head of the family shouted at the child.

“Why are you so weak? How can you inherit my family like that?”

The boy endured and endured, thinking of his mother who had slowly drowned in the water.

The year he came of age, the boy stained his sword with the blood of Allure and his son. The boy threw the bloodied sword into the center of the lake.

“The boy’s name was Tragedy...”

Reading the last line aloud, I lifted my head with trembling eyes and muttered to myself.

This is, surely...