Chapter 178. Childhood Friend – The Incident That Could Not Be Prevented
A modest home in the early dawn. Three people sat around a small dining table, making noise with their utensils.
“Brother. Did Mr. Druin bring the lumber yesterday?”
“Not yet. He’s supposed to deliver it tomorrow, so today let’s finish what we’re supposed to hand over to Mr. Brown.”
“What about sister-in-law?”
“She could hardly sleep because she has to nurse the baby every couple of hours.”
The two young men talked as they filled their stomachs. Their mother, while serving side dishes to her sons, was lost in thought.
“How have you been lately, Mom? Didn’t you say you were going to serve some princess?”
“…”
“Mom?”
‘Marissa’ raised her head. She looked complexedly at her second son, who had grown robust, and her first son, who had just gotten married and recently had a daughter.
“Yeah… she’s a fine lady.”
A resentful one. She didn’t reveal her true feelings.
After finishing their meal, the sons hurried off to work. The sawmill was extremely busy with the arrival of winter, and after preparing breakfast for her sleeping daughter-in-law at her eldest son’s house, Marissa headed to the lord’s castle.
It had already been seven years since they had settled in the Guidan estate after moving from the right kingdom. Marissa exchanged nods with the guard and entered the castle, heading towards the maid’s quarters.
She greeted the head maid and changed her clothes. Before going to work, she stood by the warm fireplace with her fellow maids to warm up from the early winter cold.
The castle is cold.
Despite the wood-finished floors and the carpets laid here and there, the stone castle always felt chilly.
Still, the Guidan lord’s castle was better off. Because the Guidan estate was a lumber community, the chief steward ensured the maids had plenty of firewood, which was unheard of in other regions.
One by one, the maids left to attend to their duties, and Marissa lingered by the fireplace a while longer. The master she served wouldn’t be awake yet, so she had some time.
She fetched hot water from the kitchen, gathered a washcloth and perfume to bathe her lovely but resentful mistress, and headed to the princess’s room.
As expected, the princess was still asleep. She seemed to be having a good dream, smiling at the corners of her mouth, and it looked like she was about to wake up as she snuggled her fluffy cotton pillow.
A light cough would be enough, but Marissa waited. A mere maid couldn’t dare wake a royal.
“Jeoi ga… Tiaan i meongcheong… Um?”
The princess opened her eyes. She squinted at Marissa, then suddenly sat up and made a slight bow, only to awkwardly laugh.
“Hehe… Good morning.”
“Yes. Good morning, Your Highness.”
Marissa bathed the princess.
She soaked the washcloth in the perfumed water, removed the princess’s nightgown, and scrubbed her fair skin. The princess sat quietly in the chair, her head deeply bowed.
At first, Marissa didn’t understand why she acted this way—as if she were embarrassed or unaccustomed to being bathed by someone else.
Now, she thought she understood.
Marissa asked,
“How would you like your hair done today?”
“Hmm… Please braid it like last time.”
She always asked for the same braid when asked.
Marissa knew that the princess only asked because it was the only hairstyle she knew.
Marissa carefully gathered strands of the princess’s hair, small enough to fit between three fingers.
She started near the right temple and worked her way around to the left nape. The braided hair circled her head diagonally, with the unbraided hair flowing naturally.
She then dressed the princess in Guidan lady-in-waiting attire. Of course, it was with the marchioness’s permission, and the princess, donned in the light, fluttery dress, went to see the marchioness.
Marchioness Sierra taught the princess something daily, usually basic ‘etiquette.’
“After receiving a greeting, please consider the other person’s comfort. If you don’t tell them to be informal, they might feel uneasy.”
“What should I say to them?”
“You don’t necessarily need to say anything. Usually, you inquire about the health of their spouse while helping them up, but if possible, ask after someone less obvious.”
“What if I don’t know them?”
“You should know them. Understanding the relationships of the people you meet is fundamental.”
Marissa watched the sternly warning marchioness and the princess, who found the lessons amusing, with mixed feelings.
Carrying the book the marchioness had given her to read, the princess moved, and Marissa followed.
“Ugh. What kind of writing is this…”
The writing was so strange it was hard to read. Marissa realized the princess only knew very simple, commoners’ writing.
“That means ‘slave.’”
“Ah? Thank you… no, thank you. Then what is this next to it?”
“…that’s a particle.”
“What’s a particle?”
Marissa realized the princess didn’t just know simple writing, so she briefly explained particles.
“Ah, now I understand. I’ll read it. Please check if I’m right.”
How much could she have understood from the brief explanation? Marissa didn’t expect much.
“The Orun Kingdom had many mines and was called the… the furnace of the empire. What’s a furnace? Anyway, the barbaric lands of the Orun Kingdom captured and enslaved many people to work in the mines. Is that correct?”
She seemed pretty shocked. Marisa was amazed by the swift understanding of a simple explanation, even though there were more mistakes than correct points, and proceeded to correct them.
“Ugh… it’s difficult.” – Scribble, scribble. The princess’s small hands moved busily over the scroll.
But it didn’t last long. When lunchtime arrived, they had to eat, and upon returning, the princess started dozing off at the desk.
Eventually, she began to indicate that she wanted to sleep in bed. And she did.
“…”
Marisa watched the sleeping princess with a troubled look. With a sigh, she carefully covered her with a blanket. Yesterday, she had heard the names of the prince and princess who had come to the lord’s castle.
Their identities, which she learned for security reasons, were shockingly… the ones her husband had served. Her husband never came back. The last time was more than ten years ago when he went to the royal palace, and only after much searching did she find out that the prince and princess had escaped to the Orun Kingdom.
Marisa stepped out. Steeling her heart, she went straight to the prince. The prince was poring over a large map with his bodyguard ‘Lev’ at a table.
“Prince Leo de Yeriel.”
She wondered if it was a futile question. “I am the wife of Bart. He was a Royal Guard… Do you know where my husband… is?”
She didn’t have the courage to ask if he was still alive.
* * *
Silence fell. Leo and Lev, who had been recalling the map from the previous childhood friend episode, looked at each other. As the prince was the one being asked, Leo opened his mouth.
“Are you referring to Sir Bart?”
“Yes! Ah, I’m sorry. Yes, that’s right. Do you know where he is… even his grave…”
Faced with the tearful woman, Leo didn’t know what to do. Realizing that he hadn’t even known Bart was married, he was overwhelmed with guilt but also unsure of how to respond.
Bart is alive. Still. Before we even arrived at Guidan’s territory, he had already killed the grandson of Duke Tertan. Now, he’s fleeing by boat along the Irotasi River. Should he say he’s alive?
From a logical standpoint, Leo should not know of Bart’s survival. If he revealed Bart was alive, questions about how he knew, ‘where is he now’, and ‘why hasn’t he returned,’ for example, would arise and overwhelm him.
However… “Sir Bart is alive.”
“Is that, is that true? Did he come with you? Why hasn’t he… I’m sorry. There must have been a good reason. Then where is he? Does he know I’m here?”
“No. He did not accompany me. We parted ways long ago. He did his utmost to save me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Marisa looked at the prince with sharp eyes, warning him with her sight not to spout nonsense about how Bart lives within his heart or some rubbish, or else she might explode even if it was the prince.
“I conveyed it. I stayed in Conrad Kingdom for quite a while. I met Sir Bart there, too.”
Thankfully, Lev stepped in.
“I know where Sir Bart is now. It’s an incredible coincidence. We were just lamenting how to relay the news of Prince Leo’s survival to him. The only concern is…”
Lev trailed off. They had considered bringing Sir Bart here. However, having gone to Orville to fetch Prince Leo, there hadn’t been time to intercept Bart on his rampage against Tartan Palace.
To be frank, if it wasn’t for Prince Leo, appeasing that slightly unhinged knight would have been impossible.
“Sir Bart is being pursued. Sending just anyone might get them killed, as he might mistake them for pursuers. That’s why we haven’t-”
“So, where is my husband?”
Marisa cut off Lev’s explanation. Her impatience palpable as she asked for Bart’s location, almost reproachfully cutting through Lev’s lengthy explanation.
Lev provided his location. He was hiding in a dilapidated warehouse on one side of Noyar Harbor, sometimes going out to sea, and advised to wait there for him to return—incidentally revealing secrets that would have Bart jumping out of his skin if he heard them.
“Take this with you. It will serve as proof of my survival.”
Leo handed over a necklace. Marisa accepted it with a complicated expression. Should she really give this to her husband? She resented him for abandoning their family out of loyalty.
Yet, she missed him so much it drove her crazy. She feared he might leave again if she handed it over.
“… Thank you.”
Marisa reluctantly accepted the necklace and left early. She immediately thought of packing and heading to Noyar Harbor, but it was a mere intention. She was preoccupied by her daughter-in-law, who had just given birth. It was impossible to abandon the business her sons had painstakingly built over the years (the sawmill).
She had considered leaving alone, but in the end, she informed her sons that their father was alive. The second son, who was unmarried, departed with the necklace.
A resentful father
To fetch Lord Bart.
* * *
After that, peaceful days continued for a while.
Lev and Leo had nothing special to do until Marquis Harvey Guidan arrived. So, they recalled the locations of the barbarian villages, drew them on a map, and often sparred in swordsmanship.
Lev was stronger.
There was no doubt about this. Leo couldn’t even comprehend Lev’s movements, which were enhanced by the scenario reward {Swordsmanship.5v: Forte-style}.
Lev tried to teach him Forte family swordsmanship, but it was clear that Prince Leo had no talent for swordsmanship. The fact that he made no progress despite lacking any finesse was evident.
Still, Leo de Yeriel, with the {Swordsmanship.4v: Jakob-style} skill, and Lev were good practice partners for each other. The knights of the Guidan Marquisate couldn’t match them.
“Brother Lev. Try this. I made it…”
“Is this an experiment?”
“No, it isn’t!”
The first snow fell.
Lena, Leo, and Lev, wrapped tightly in their clothes, came out to the yard to watch the snow.
Lena, who had learned cooking from the Marchioness, handed out some simply baked cookies. True to her skill, the cookies were beautifully shaped and not broken.
“Is there none for me?”
“Brother, just eat this.”
“…”
There were some broken ones. Leo, receiving a crumbled cookie, showed a hurt expression.
Snicker.
Lev couldn’t help but laugh.
It was very amusing to him how well he understood Leo’s feelings. Without realizing it, he pinched Lena’s cheek.
The soft, squishy cheek of his younger sister… made him happy.
“Ouch! What are you doing!”
Lena blushed. “How dare you pinch a princess’s cheek!” She pretended to be angry, but Lev was flustered.
For a moment, he thought he was Lena’s brother. His memories were mixed up, and with his sister Lena in front of him, he made a mistake.
Lev said,
“I’m a barbarian, so your titles mean nothing to me. Besides, Leo and I are friends. Aren’t we?”
He lightly evaded, looking at Leo, who was staring at him with a strange look.
“What? Are you upset that I pinched your sister’s cheek? If she’s your sister, she’s also my sister.”
Through the gently falling first snow, Leo smiled faintly. He realized something and spoke.
“Pinching cheeks was your habit.”
Among the habits entangled with the three Leos, he realized where the habit of pinching Lena came from.
It was a habit that originated from Lev’s hand, which hesitated to pinch his childhood friend Leah, who wanted to be a priestess.
Lev remained silent. Rubbing his thumb with his middle and index fingers, he turned his head far to the northwest.
“Brother Lev only sees me as a younger sister…”
– Neigh!
At that moment, carriages arrived at the front gate.
Seeing the familiar faces of the maids who got off, it was clear that Marquis Harvey Guidan had arrived, but it wasn’t the marquis who alighted.
It was Harriet Guidan.
The bedraggled, disheveled Lady staggered. With empty eyes, she muttered, “Palace… Please…” as she passed by Leo and the others.
“What’s wrong with her?”
The Leos couldn’t answer.
