novelraw Chapter 181: Childhood Friends – Bad Fate
Chapter 181: Childhood Friends – Bad Fate
181. Childhood Friends – Bad Fate
The inside of the carriage was quiet.
On the way to the Guidan marquessate, Princes Athon and Elzeor were reading books.
The only sound was the rustling of turning pages, and neither prince spoke. It was only after the carriage stopped that they began to talk.
“What do you think Margrave Guidan is up to?”
This question came from Elzeor, the younger brother, as he tucked his book under his seat.
Athon did the same, placing his book in the carriage cupboard and shrugging. “Who knows.”
Margrave Harvey Guidan had refused to marry off his daughter, using her mental state as an excuse. Yet, he shamelessly held a banquet to celebrate the recovery of his wife.
The two princes stepped out of the carriage.
After tidying their clothes, they entered the Guidan estate, curious about the margrave’s intentions.“Hahaha! So many people gathered here! Nice to see you all!”
Elzeor shouted, his frivolous smile easing the tension among the nobles. He lightly greeted the margrave’s wife, who was visibly taken aback by the unexpected visitors.
At that moment,
“Brother.”
An exceptionally beautiful woman appeared.
However, it wasn’t just her looks that caught the princes’ attention; it was her striking blonde hair and gleaming golden eyes.
Despite the downfall, these features still symbolized the great empire.
The two black-haired princes approached as if entranced. Ignoring the nobles trying to greet them, they walked straight towards the ancient royalty.
“We greet the ‘Guardian’ of the Lognum Mountains.”
Viscount Bocali bowed. Although he was an important figure as the father-in-law of Count Ogleton, Elzeor de Lognum was insistent on clarifying.
“Who is this lady beside you? It would be an honor to be introduced.”
“...This is my...”
“I am Lena de Yeriel. Nice to meet you, Princes Athon and Elzeor de Lognum.”
Lena gave a slight bow, keeping her back straight and her legs still, a formal greeting from one royal to another in a foreign land.
Athon de Lognum’s eyebrows raised.
“Did you say Lena de Yeriel? From the Kingdom of Conrad? I heard you had passed away...”
“Are you disappointed?”
A daring retort.
Prince Athon de Lognum gestured apologetically, indicating he meant no offense.
“Of course not. I’m pleased to see the noble princess in good health. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Athon de Lognum, and this is my younger brother, Elzeor de Lognum.”
After the royal courtesies were exchanged, Prince Athon turned to Viscount Bocali.
“May I have a moment alone with the princess?”
Although he spoke politely, the meaning was clear: this is not your place, please leave.
Viscount Bokali hesitated. While he wished to step back, he was reluctant to leave the delicate princess alone. However, as the princess released his hand, there was no need to ponder further. Viscount Bokali respectfully bowed, thanking her for the escort, and left.
The three then sat at a nearby table. Before the drinks arrived, Elzeor asked,
“What brings the princess to the Kingdom of the Right?”
“I’m on a journey.”
Lena replied briefly. Noticing Elzeor’s impatience, she recognized she had the upper hand and addressed Athon.
“I’m delighted by your warm welcome.”
“The pleasure is mine. When did you arrive? If you had informed us, we would have sent knights to the border.”
“Such hospitality is too much for a wandering royal. But thank you. I won’t forget your kindness.”
Lena reached out. It seemed she was reaching for Athon, but she grasped a wine glass instead. She then proposed a toast to Elzeor, shaking the atmosphere.
There wasn’t a particular reason.
She simply felt it would be beneficial.
“Have you considered visiting the royal palace? If you do, I would be honored to guide you.”
“Are you inviting me? I’m honored, Prince Elzeor. However...”
Lena trailed off. After maintaining silence long enough to convey regret, she spoke in a sorrowful tone.
“It would be difficult.”
Before Elzeor could ask why, she preempted him.
“Instead, could you describe it to me? What is Nevis Royal Palace like? I’ve heard it’s grand and luxurious, with more metal used in its construction than any other building on the continent.”
“Haha, indeed. So much brass was used in its construction that the continent ran out of it. In fact, the coins in circulation at the time weren’t made of copper as they are now. They were brass. But as brass became scarce due to the palace construction, the Tatian family, who was responsible for minting at the time, resorted to making copper coins. This event led to the Tatian family losing their minting rights, which they had desperately tried to keep even after the fall of the Arcaea Empire.”
Athon de Lognum cleared his throat, signaling his talkative brother to stop, but Elzeor continued.
A tiny crack.
Lena smiled faintly. Her heart urged her to exploit that crack.
What would happen? The thought was fascinating, almost suffocatingly so.
A shadow fell over Lena’s eyes. “You are very knowledgeable, Prince Elzeor. You must have read a lot. I’m envious...” she said, shyly closing her mouth for the next round.
“Lena.”
Her brother appeared. Lena, suddenly innocent as a guilty child, quickly stood upright while Leo bowed.
“I apologize if my sister has caused any trouble. Lena, let’s go. It’s quite late.”
“Your sister? Then you are...”
“Just a wandering guest. I don’t wish to sully your ears with my dishonorable name, Your Highnesses.”
Lena rose. “It was an honor to meet you, Prince Athon.” She bowed to only one prince, then winked at Elzeor, adding a secret touch.
This is fun.
Even to her brother, she feigned innocence. “I didn’t say anything. Really.” The thrill of lying to her brother and the guilt pushed her forward. The ancient royal blood breathed softly within her.
“...Elzeor.”
“Yes, brother.”
“Get a grip.”
“...On what?”
Athon de Lognum took a deep breath. Thinking his face had been clawed by a monster, he rubbed it with both hands and opened his eyes wide.
“Look over there.”
Prince Athon pointed. Leo and Lena stood with Margrave Guidan on the second-floor stairs, which Athon noted.
“I see what Margrave Guidan is thinking. He’s brought in some thorny fruit from somewhere.”
“Still, it’s quite attractive, isn’t it?”
“...Elzeor. Come here. Closer.”
Prince Athon, still unsettled by his brother's demeanor, grabbed Elzeor by the neck.
“I never imagined a woman could come between us. You can have her. I won’t interfere. But our agreement must be honored.”
The House of Lognum. Appointed by the Arcaea Empire to be the guardians of the southwestern mountains.
Confused by the schemes of their ancient benefactors, Prince Elzeor de Lognum came to his senses. “You can let go now,” he said, reassuring his brother.
The two princes left the Guidan estate without much ceremony. Now that they understood the margrave’s intentions, there was no reason to stay.
Just before getting into the carriage, Prince Elzeor de Lognum turned back. Looking at the Guidan mansion, he smiled cruelly.
“She will be a duchess. As the rightful heir of the Conrad Kingdom, she will present the kingdom to me. Brother, we no longer need to hold back our spears.”
Prince Athon nodded.
Acknowledging that they now had a justification to attack the Kingdom of Conrad, he offered advice as the ‘shield’ of their partnership.
“But first, we must capture that enchantress.”
*
After securing a pledge of cooperation from the Norangdeu tribe, Rev was on his way to find the next barbarian tribe.
The Norangdeu tribe, known for their polyandry, had a unique custom where the entire tribe gathered for a festival at the end of the month and went fishing on the sea.
The festival’s timing was different from what Rev knew, so he almost missed the essence of the village, but luck was on his side.
Arriving on the day of the festival, Rev successfully negotiated amidst the vibrant celebration. The female chieftain was quite taken with him, appreciating his sturdy build, and made an offer that blurred the lines between seduction and threat, leading to a wild night.
“Phew.”
And then came the guilt.
As Rev rode his horse on his journey, he couldn’t decide whether to be happy or sad about his newfound prowess in {Bedroom Techniques}. He felt a pang of guilt towards Lena, whom he had vowed to remain friends with.
“Damn it,” Rev muttered as he headed northwest. On the way over the Lognum Mountains, he encountered a man.
An unusual peddler, but notable even if he wasn’t a peddler.
No, it wasn’t the man himself but the raptor he had with him that caught attention.
“Haha. Isn’t he cute? He’s been my friend for half my life.”
It was a ‘Sinis.’
Sinis was a type of eagle. A large bird with feathers, wings, and legs, fitting the description of an eagle.
However, the main difference from the eagles Minseo knew was its head. From just before the neck, covered with short, pointed fur like a hyena’s, to the sharply curved beak, it was all covered in hard bone.
Its bright orange color made it more fearsome than cute, but the peddler, who introduced himself as ‘Cesar,’ affectionately stroked its ash-gray feathers.
“Is it a male?”
“Yes. See the red tips on his wings and tail? Only males have them. Females don’t have such markings. Go on, Sinis. Which way?”
The peddler, who named the species conveniently, released Sinis.
The eagle flew far, circled the mountain once, and returned to its master. The peddler determined their direction based on that, and Rev trusted him.
During the eagle’s circling, it briefly hovered in a specific direction. There had to be a village that way. Last time it was a regular village, but this time it was rugged terrain, likely a barbarian settlement.
Rev remembered a few barbarian tribes’ locations but decided to follow him. It was on his way northwest, and visiting one more wouldn’t hurt.
The journey was longer than expected, requiring an overnight stay in the mountains. They arrived at a village, indeed a barbarian settlement. Rev cleared his throat, straightened his neck and posture, and tried to enter with a dignified air...
“Brudanni!”
The peddler, Cesar, shouted.
The young man guarding the gate clapped his hands happily.
“Haha. It’s been a while. Uh... I’m sorry. I forgot your name. Could you remind me?”
“Uh, I forgot your name too, so we’re even. I’m Hatu. What was your name again?”
“Oh, right. Hatu. You were the one who wanted to trade that shabby piece of leather for a bracelet. You’ve grown. I’m Cesar.”
“Oh! You remember?”
“Of course~ I remember you begged for it to give to your girlfriend. So, how did it go?”
The young man grinned, patting his shoulders.
“We got married. Had a son last year.”
“Oh my- I haven’t even married yet, and this kid’s already an adult. So, what’s this village? Built it new?”
“Yes. A couple of years ago, we split into two because of the growing population. Come in. You’ll probably know quite a few people. Is he with you?”
“Yeah, he’s with me, but why he’s here...”
“I’m here to see the chieftain.”
Rev spoke up. The peddler’s friendly interaction with the young tribesman caused a moment of confusion, but he quickly regained his composure. He arrogantly lifted his head and ordered the young man to make way.
‘What’s this young knight up to?’
The peddler looked at Rev in astonishment, making him blush. It was easier to deal with the straightforward and respectful barbarians, but he still felt embarrassed in front of so-called civilized people.
And that embarrassment soon peaked.
“I... will be your general.”
Who decided that?
The startled peddler pursed his lips into an ‘O,’ marking the beginning of an ill-fated relationship with Rev.
Even later, after pledging allegiance, he would often tease Rev, saying, “Boss, did you know you tilt your head up whenever you try to look cool?” becoming Rev’s somewhat sarcastic subordinate.
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