Shadowless Night

“Oh, dear. I didn’t even realize I had lost it. Thank you for your close consideration, Prince. Who is the knight that picked it up?”

“Sir Raymond, a senior knight.”

“If it’s Raymond…”

“He was the first person you greeted on my last visit.”

Ah, that man. The one who slobbered on my cheek, puckering his lips everywhere to make me look ugly when we exchanged greetings. The guy couldn’t have picked up the necklace he gave to Rosaline, but Haqab couldn’t question it. Haqab lightly breathed through his nose and cleared his emotions with a smile. It was unfortunate, but he had never expected Rosaline to come around so quickly.

Of course, I’m not one to give up quickly as well.

His was an indomitable will that wouldn’t break after being rejected once or twice. However, to use the hands of another man to return the destroyed token he gave during his proposal… He was very slightly hurt. Haqab smiled brightly.

“I can’t thank you enough. Just in time too…”

He rummaged through his pockets as he spoke. In his hand was rested a cheap blue pendant. The moment he saw it, Ricardis’ gaze hardened even more.

“I also have Sir Raymond’s lost property. I’m glad I found the time to give it back. Can you pass it along with my words of thanks to Sir Raymond? Thank you for recovering an important object with the emblem of Balta’s royal family. I want to repay you, so please come visit me sometime.”

Haqab pressed the pendant into Ricardis’ hand, and their eyes met closely.

“Please.”

***

Chloe was drinking black tea in an office without its owner. Noticing some movements getting closer, it seemed that the castle’s owner had returned. However, the footsteps sounded very hurried, as if being chased by someone or something.

Bang!

The door opened. Chloe’s eyes widened as she looked toward the door. Would the air in the northernmost part of Lagos be as cold as the storm that just blew in? Ricardis, who opened the door himself without the aid of an attendant, had a chilly look on his face. About to open the door, the servant floundered embarrassingly with his hand in the air.

Ricardis unbuttoned the top three of his buttons angrily. His chest, exposed through the open collar, rose and fell rapidly. Ricardis inhaled and exhaled slowly to relieve his anger, but he couldn’t maintain that pace for long and started breathing quickly again. He roughly ran a hand through his hair as he frowned.

Isserion, who entered after him, hovered around Ricardis worriedly. Ricardis spent about five minutes with one hand on his hip and one hand covering his eyes before opening his mouth.

“Isserion.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Kruck, kruck, there was a grinding sound.

“Please tell me that Haqab is just as pissed off as I am right now.”

Isserion recalled Haqab’s face, which had had a leisurely smile.

He seemed much calmer than Ricardis— as if he hadn’t noticed the provocation. However, Isserion nodded while on the verge of shedding tears.

“Haqab risked stepping into another country to approach Sir Rosaline, but his endeavor crashed under his nose. And it was because of Ricardis, of all people, whom Sir Rosaline cherishes the most! He must be heartbroken, Your Highness! How great your smile was when you handed over the broken necklace! I would’ve rolled on the floor in disgrace if it had been me!”

Isserion cawed desperately, still with one hand on his waist and the other covering his eyes, Ricardis… Huff, puff, breathed

in anger.

“Okay, somehow I feel…”

Ricardis suddenly changed his pace, grabbed a cushion from the sofa, and threw it against the wall. Chloe had never thought soft fibers could make such a loud, destructive sound. In any case, despite Isserion’s desperate protests, Ricardis’ mood did not seem to improve. In the meantime, his meticulousness in throwing things against the wall to minimize the damage was incredible.

Chloe let Ricardis rage and stirred her tea while watching him still on fire. The tea quickly turned cloudy from the milk. Even after she’d added four sugar cubes, Ricardis had barely stopped throwing things.

“You look bad. What’s going on, Chloe?” Ricardis, who leaned back on the sofa with his legs crossed, was full of wildness, unlike usual.

Chloe shrugged and pushed a paper to him.

“You asked me to find out the list of nobles involved in the Haqab assassination plot, Your Highness.”

“Yes, those useless idiots. You either stay still or do it properly if you insist; they’re fools who can’t do anything. They will fail in whatever they do. Such poor lives. I hope they die alone in a remote place without causing harm to others.”

The insults were more venomous than usual.

“Other than that, I brought you good news, so stop being angry.”

“I’m looking forward to this something that you call ‘good news’,” Ricardis uttered without emotion.

His face stiffened when he saw Chloe’s meaningful smile. Even her docile appearance did not hide her viciousness. He felt a bit chilly.

“Don’t.”

Despite Ricardis’ words, Chloe did not erase her smile.

“Sir Rosaline’s dress is finished. And my God. It’s very, very… stunning.”

Ricardis’ hand twitched. Chloe blinked and captured the scene.

“Come to think of it. It looks like she— Sir Rosaline— doesn’t have a partner yet.”

“… Stop speaking in a roundabout way.

Chloe rose with a smile. “Well, I’ve told you all the good news.”

She maintained her smile, lightly bent her knees, and bowed. As she stepped to leave the room, she suddenly looked back to Ricardis.

“Oops.”

Ricardis nervously touched the teacup and shuddered at her parting words. The tea spilled over the rim. The gazes of Chloe and Ricardis collided. Her eyes were slyly curved.

“Come to think of it. It seems that Sir Rosaline’s dress happens to be white…”

Ricardis raised his hands. It felt like his ears were getting hot. Only the Imperial family and their partners were allowed to use white at the ball that celebrated National Founding Day. So Chloe was saying that the making of her dress had considered that she would be a partner of the Imperial family.

“Stop harassing me and leave.”

“Yes~, oh right. Sir Nestor doesn’t have a partner, does he? After inquiring about Sir Rosaline’s plans, I heard he went to the florist. How romantic.”

“Damn it, you should have said that first!”

Ricardis quickly passed Chloe.

“Sir Nestor goes with a bouquet, but what does Your Highness have with him? Empty hands?”

At Chloe’s words, Ricardis hurriedly stopped and checked his reflection in the mirror.

“It’s alright. I have my face.”

“What?”

He disappeared, leaving an absurd remark behind him. Chloe’s eyes were wide open, and she laughed.

“He’s cute too.”

Isserion looked at her with a fed-up expression and hurried out after Ricardis.

***

Nestor Sihorge stood still, forgetting his purpose momentarily, just like the onlookers around him.

Using his running skills, Hessa ran up a tree to climb it. His movements were light and seemingly unaffected by gravity. The boy, who had ascended above human height, thumped his feet against the tree in two or three steps. Then using a tree branch as a stepping stone, he angled his body downward instantly and used his momentum to throw his weight to deliver a heavy attack. The tiny figure spun and drew a sharp sword to swing in the air.

Rosaline dodged his attack with a slight movement of her foot, taking half a step back. The boy’s wooden sword sliced through the air and lodged in the ground. Hessa let go of his sword and rolled forward. And before his back and hips touched the floor, he bounced off with his shoulders and arms. The kick toward Rosaline was as sharp as a blade.

Thud. Rosaline blocked the fierce kick with her hand. The boy flipped back in a somersault. The onlookers could not help but admire his agility, and Nestor, who had forgotten his purpose in being there, clapped.

Hearing the voices of people, Hessa looked around. Their surroundings had filled with both apprentice and lesser knights. Focused on the fight, he hadn’t even noticed the presence of the onlookers. Hessa stroked his hair awkwardly as if he had thrown away his skillful hands that dealt with Rosaline’s hair every day.

When Rosaline gently swept his hair away, his face became even brighter. The wind blew and tossed the boy’s hair even more, and Hessa closed his eyes, feeling the tickling of his hair and Rosaline’s touch.

[Hessa, good morning.]

The morning two days after being used by Haqab, Rosaline greeted Hessa as usual. Hessa stood still by the door and wept. The boy received no punishment for the unforgivable act of deceiving his immediate superior by listening to the words said by the visiting royalty of another country and the main enemy of Rosaline and Ricardis: the 2nd Prince of Illavenia and the owner of the Knights of the White Night.

You should expect punishment when you do something wrong. When the familiar formula routinely applied to the boy was destroyed, all that remained was confusion. Aside from the fact that Rosaline would no longer pat him on the head, he quaked at the crossroads of being abandoned…

But Rosaline completely shook off his anxiety and greeted him bluntly. When Hessa only shed tears, she wiped his tears with a handkerchief. Shruk, shruk, it was a rough gesture as if wiping a window, but he was so glad.