The side chamber. A facility where the king or emperor handles daily affairs.
Various people had already gathered there to discuss matters. When the princess entered, everyone stopped their discussions and greeted her, bowing respectfully.
“Greetings to Her Highness, the First Princess.”
Among them were familiar faces and unfamiliar ones. However, the fact that they were present in such a place was a clear symbol of power.
They must all be individuals of great standing. Indeed, they only slightly bowed their heads to the princess, unlike Lady Kisea, who showed more deference.
“Empress Mother. How have you been?”
“Sir Xerox. Your appearance…”
Soon, some noticed the Empress and approached to greet her. My gaze, however, drifted elsewhere.
A person, yet no longer a person. The face of the corpse laid to one side was unmistakably someone I knew.
‘Prince Edmund, the Third Prince.’
And the unknown woman who had clung to him in death.
Their bodies showed no signs of damage. It seemed they had died from poison. It hadn’t been long since I last saw them alive, and seeing them like this now was unsettling.
“No, no! Your Highness…!”
Perhaps having regained her senses on the way, the bound knight screamed. Tears streamed down her face. The knight called Xerox, after a brief conversation with the Empress, glanced at the knight and shook his head.
“Your Highness, please open your eyes. Your Highness!”
No matter how much one calls out to those who have already departed, there is no response. They have already left. To a place unknown to us. A place not even the gods can promise.
The Three Divine Gods promise the well-being of this world through Divine Power. Nemi promises abundance, Elysia safety, and Hilrae healing. Yet none of them speak of the afterlife.
Death lies beyond the realm of the goddesses. Naturally, what comes after death is not within their promise. Does such a place truly exist?
“According to the law, the Third Prince and his consort should have been tried and executed. But it seems they knew their fate was sealed. They chose to end their own lives.”
“Captain Xerox…! If you had intervened, their lives could have been…”
The knight, unable to continue, likely knew. Even if someone could have extended a hand to save them, there was no reason to do so.
The loyal servant begged and pleaded, knowing it was futile, seeking anyone who might have the power to save them. The master, turning away from such loyalty, sought a quick and easy death.
I never thought I’d see the once-mighty prince like this. If someone had told me, when I last met him, that he would die like this, I wouldn’t have believed it.
Roka seemed to share similar thoughts, remaining silent. The child simply turned her head away.
Lady Kisea once again knocked out the knight who was screaming. The knight called Xerox glanced at Lady Kisea.
‘Her eyes…’
Only when she looked directly at me did I notice. There was no light in her eyes. No reflection, so she must be blind.
“One is Her Highness, the Princess. Who are the other two?”
He seemed to have sensed the three of us with the most magical energy—the Princess, Roka, and Lady Kisea.
An old man approached and stood beside us. His eyes sparkled as he looked at our group.
“Aren’t you that child from back then? Hoho, kids these days are different from our time. You’ve grown so much in just a few days.”
“Old man, the treasure keeper.”
“Not just in size, but in skill too. To think you’d reach Master level at such a young age. But Inseok, did you sell the Moonlight Blade to a junk shop? Why are you holding something like that?”
So, he knew Roka. They must have met when Roka went to the imperial archives without me.
Roka didn’t seem to dislike him, but the atmosphere wasn’t exactly warm.
Nor was it particularly friendly. She remained silent, so I stepped in, smiling, and pulled out the Moonlight Stone.
“Well, the Moonlight Blade has already melted into this…”
“No, it shouldn’t melt so easily. What did you do to it? It’s completely ruined now. It won’t be easy to make another blade…”
Startled, he examined the Moonlight Stone and shook his head.
“At least, there’s no one in this imperial palace who can repair this. I’ve entrusted weapon crafting to Whedon, the best blacksmith in the capital, but even his skills are just average. Bringing this to him would only ruin it further.”
“I plan to seek out Sir Urban for repairs. Do you think he could do it?”
“Urban? That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”
The old man pondered for a moment. The captain called Xerox respectfully greeted the old man.
“Master Geher. Do you know them?”
“One I know personally, the other I’ve heard of. Queen Kisea, who became a Master but still works as a mercenary, must be you.”
“No, saying that makes me sound like a money-crazed person.”
Lady Kisea retorted. The old man called Geher responded.
“Whatever. More importantly, why are you here? Since when have you been on the Princess’s side?”
“Starting today.”
“Quite the honest lady. Well, anyway…”
He pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Sir Urban… He could definitely do it. Urban was a great craftsman. He could forge and refine steel to create fine swords. A true craftsman doesn’t discriminate materials. I realized that after meeting him.”
“You have a lot of experience.”
“No, you can’t keep talking like this.”
Just as I was about to ask more, Roka tugged my sleeve and shook her head.
For the first time in a while, I saw fear in the child’s eyes.
“It won’t end. The conversation will never end. If you keep talking, we might be here listening until tomorrow.”
“Look at this kid. An old man with nothing to do and bored, just unpacking some stories. Inseok, who else can you hear such life stories from?”
“Master Geher. Can we see His Majesty soon?”
Finally, the Empress spoke. She seemed eager to leave the side of the two corpses. What relationship Prince Edmund and she had, as an outsider, I do not know.
But judging by the complexity in her eyes, I cautiously guess they didn’t hate each other intensely.
Enough. Calculating grievances with the dead is as meaningless as it gets.
Whether they were close or in conflict, those grievances no longer matter. Death is like that. There’s little the living can do for those already gone.
“Mother, please wait a moment.”
The old man called Geher closed his mouth and nodded. The Princess, unaware she was being referred to, stood dazedly, looking at the corpses.
“Let’s give His Highness a little more time. The big matter is over. The report can wait a bit longer. There are other discussions happening inside anyway.”
“But this time, once it passes, it won’t come back. It’s best to cut it off now. It will be a great lesson for His Highness.”
*
“Edmund…”
If you ask if it’s sad, not really. But if you ask if it’s relieving, not that either.
Ardein stood dazed for a moment, looking at those who were once alive. Now, they can no longer communicate. No more fights, no more reconciliations. Death has erected a wall that forever separates them.
“Did you leave like that?”
The countless words of resentment swirling in her mouth gradually subsided. In the end, she couldn’t spit them out. They’re already dead. Digging up grievances now is like slapping a dead man’s face. Not a metaphor, but literally.
“…Pathetic.”
Suicide? Suicide? Yes, he took poison and left comfortably. But what about the knight left behind? Now branded a traitor, she’ll never see the sunlight again.
The princess sighed and stood up. She had vented all her resentment. It wasn’t bone-deep hatred that would make her dismember the corpses. If not, there was little else she could do. They’re already dead.
Only a slight regret remained. If she had reached out before their relationship deteriorated…
When she still held power, prestige, and seniority. When Edmund still respected her, if she had acted as an elder should, perhaps it wouldn’t have come to this.
It wasn’t a deep regret. And no one knows if it would have truly made a difference. The princess gave one last glance and finally looked around. Then she was startled.
“Are you done now?”
It seemed not, yet everyone was glancing at her. At Geher’s question, she silently nodded. Soon, the old man gestured in a direction as he walked.
“Follow me. There seems to be a guest, so you’ll have to wait a bit.”
