Chapter 24 :

***

When the young Crown Prince entered the vast manor of Mordawin Monastery with his attendants, hundreds of citizens scattered flower petals along the roadside.

Gareth raised one hand as though responding to their welcome.

The citizens’ cheers grew even louder.

It was a ritual that had been repeated tiresomely for several days, but he somehow did not grow tired of it.

He lifted his chin even higher and rode his horse triumphantly.

Once they passed through the crowded city streets packed with people, a wide courtyard and a magnificent temple came into view.

He stopped the knight order in front of a building that appeared to be a prayer hall.

“You must have had a difficult journey coming all this way.”

A moment later, a man dressed in a pure-white monk’s robe walked forward.

Gareth studied him carefully from atop his horse.

He was a man with a face as sharp as an arrowhead and pale silver hair tinged with blue.

He soon realized that this young monk was not human.

His complexion was strangely pale, and the tips of his ears rose to a point.

He was probably a half-elf or quarter-elf.

It was not strange.

In the northeastern region of the old Osiria Kingdom, mixed-bloods with elf or dwarf blood could be found without difficulty.

Gareth suppressed his instinctive disgust toward a race different from his own and asked in a dignified tone,

“Are you the abbot of this place?”

“That is correct, noble Crown Prince. My name is Basilis, and I have been entrusted with the task of managing this monastery.”

The man showed a gentle smile.

“I sincerely welcome you to Mordawin.”

“This land is the place where my ancestor, Great Emperor Darian, won his first victory against the North, and the sacred place where he received the revelation of his mission to unify the Ten Kingdoms. I, too, am sincerely pleased to have come here.”

Gareth swiftly dismounted and spoke with the arrogant tone unique to the imperial family.

“In accordance with imperial tradition, I wish to receive blessings in the names of the saints, so pray that God’s grace may dwell upon the future of me and my sister.”

“I shall gladly obey.”

The abbot replied respectfully, then added carefully,

“For now, how about going to my residence today and relieving the fatigue of your journey? A grand banquet has been prepared for several days in order to receive Your Highness.”

Gareth hesitated for a moment.

Originally, they were supposed to stay in the lodgings for pilgrims.

Staying at the abbot’s residence could be seen as a political request.

Gareth glanced back at Varkas, who stood behind him like a shadow.

Perhaps because he did not want to draw people’s attention, Varkas had half-covered his face with a long, draping hood.

Varkas slowly looked around the monastery as though carefully considering the matter, then nodded after a long while.

“Do as Your Highness sees fit.”

“Good. Then we shall stay at the abbot’s residence tonight.”

Once he gave his permission, the waiting servants descended the stairs in perfect order to receive the guests.

Gareth handed them the reins and spoke to Varkas.

“Take good care of Ayla. This is her first time coming this far, so everything must feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable.”

Varkas, who had been patting his horse, gave a light nod.

Gareth frowned slightly.

If only he would show my sister even as much care as he shows his horse.

Grumbling inwardly, Gareth followed the monks.

Then, suddenly, a splendid carriage at the edge of the open ground intruded into his sight.

He glared at the carriage window, over which thick curtains had been drawn, and furrowed his brow.

Whether she was now keeping herself in check or had finally learned her place, Thalia Roem Ghirta had stayed shut inside that carriage throughout the entire journey and had not shown herself.

He had been firmly prepared to twist that slender neck if she tried even the slightest trick, so it almost felt empty.

‘It would be good if she stayed quiet like this...’

But there was no way Thalia Roem Ghirta would do that.

Was she not a woman who had followed along with filthy schemes in mind from the start?

No one could know when, where, or what kind of trouble she would cause.

Gareth, who had been staring hard at the carriage, shouted fiercely toward Varkas.

“And make sure you tell that wench clearly. Tell her to stay quiet as a dead mouse and not appear before my eyes, just as she has until now.”

Varkas’s eyes narrowed faintly.

It seemed he did not like Gareth openly revealing his hostility toward his half-sister.

Come to think of it, he had once uncharacteristically nagged him to be careful with his words and actions for the sake of his reputation.

Gareth snorted openly and turned around.

Who among the people of the Empire did not know that the Crown Prince wanted to tear apart his father’s bastard child?

What was the point of keeping quiet?

He lifted his chin high and followed the priests to the large mansion prepared behind the main hall.

The abbot’s residence was as splendid as the annex prepared in the imperial palace.

At the thought that he would be able to spend at least tonight comfortably, a satisfied smile naturally appeared on his lips.

He followed the monks into the magnificent hall.

The abbot guided him to the most splendid room in the mansion.

Gareth looked around the fairly spacious bedroom as though evaluating it.

As it seemed to be the room usually used by the abbot, paintings depicting scripture hung here and there, and a prayer book and theological texts lay on the desk.

The decorations were not to his taste, but other than that, it was decent enough to pass.

He casually threw off his cloak, which smelled of horse, and gave orders to the servants waiting by the door.

“I want to wash first. Prepare a large tub filled with clean water, large enough for me to stretch out my legs.”

Once the servants scattered, he sat in a chair by the window and jerked his chin toward the pages who had followed him.

At the silent order, the two boys promptly began removing his armor.

Gareth left his body to them and picked up the wineglass on the shelf.

A quick-witted servant immediately filled the glass.

He leaned against the back of the chair and took a sip of the chilled wine.

The thick liquid flowed down his throat, and an intense aroma spread through his mouth.

Savoring the strong taste lingering on the tip of his tongue, he let out a languid groan.

It seemed he could look forward to the banquet.

The wine prepared by the monastery suited even his tongue, which was accustomed to all kinds of rare liquor.

‘It seems holy-site business is quite profitable.’

He looked out over the monastery’s vast manor through the window and twisted his lips.

High-ranking priests often enjoyed wealth no less than most nobles.

The abbot of this place, too, must have been living a life as luxurious as a great noble.

Freed from the heavy armor, Gareth stripped off his sweat-soaked clothes and sank with a splash into the bathwater the monks had prepared.

The servants immediately scrubbed his body with soft brushes.

He leaned his head against the wall of the tub and sipped the remaining wine.

How long had he been lounging there?

A little vitality returned to his body, which had been exhausted by half a day of horseback riding.

He stepped out of the tub and dressed in the summer evening clothes the servants had prepared.

Then, after putting on a velvet gown with minimal decoration, he left the room under the guidance of the monks.

“The meal has been prepared in the hall directly downstairs.”

The monk holding a lamp spoke carefully as he descended the marble stairs covered with a soft carpet.

Gareth merely gave a slight nod with an indifferent face.

A ruler had to speak as little as possible.

He knew all too well how much silence could accomplish.

After all, he had a man like the embodiment of silence at his side.

Gareth found Varkas standing tall at the entrance of the hall, as though waiting for him, and furrowed his brow.

Whenever he saw him, a strange hostility always raised its head.

That was so even though Varkas had never once defied him.

Was it because of this man’s unique presence?

Or because he almost never revealed what he was thinking?

Gareth had watched him since childhood, but Varkas always felt like a stranger he needed to be wary of.

That made him even more uneasy.

Was it truly all right to entrust his other half to this man?

“Where is Ayla?”

“Her Highness is resting in the dormitory building used by the priestesses. She said she was tired and would not attend the banquet.”

“She must be exhausted after camping for several days.”

“I have prepared and sent medicine to aid her recovery, so there is no need for you to worry greatly.”

At the dry reply, Gareth frowned.

He knew this man at least treated his sister more gently.

Despite being a man in his prime, Varkas Raedgo Siarkan acted as though women were burdensome to deal with.

He was so cutting toward women who approached him that even Gareth, watching from the side, felt a shiver.

At least he allowed Ayla to stay beside him, so perhaps Gareth should consider that fortunate.

However, Gareth simply could not look favorably upon his lukewarm attitude.

He was going to possess the most precious treasure in the Empire, yet he showed not the slightest trace of gratitude for it.

Gareth snapped in a somewhat sharp tone,

“Ayla is your fiancée. Should you not be showing her a little more care?”