Chapter 65: Farewell
Tap tap, tap tap, tap tap… hiss—
A towering white beast came to a halt in front of me, its breath sweeping through my long hair like a gentle wind.
Victoria dismounted from the beast.
Her crystal-embedded high heels clicked crisply against the ground as her delicate, snow lotus-like calves came into full view.
It was then that I noticed the fish-tail dress she was wearing. A long tear had ripped up to her thigh on the right side of the hem, turning the luxurious fabric into a whimsical flag flapping in the breeze, completely ruining the elegance of the expensive gown.
However, even in this tattered state, as Victoria walked gracefully towards me, her slightly disheveled hair dancing in the wind and her beautiful face calm as a still lake, her golden eyes sparkled with a clarity like spring water. It was a different kind of beauty that struck deep into the hearts of everyone in the street, including mine.
In an instant, I recalled the scenes of her arrival.
It must have been a gala of light songs and graceful dances, where the crowd was cultured and polite, and glasses clinked gently. The Queen Ethanbel was surrounded by nobles, chatting merrily amidst the elegant melodies, until her stern Head Maid leaned in to whisper something. Only then did that stunning face pause for a moment, and without hesitation, she placed down her cup, nodded to the crowd, and strode out of the venue, tearing her fish-tail dress in the process. Ignoring her guards’ protests, she galloped onto the beast, riding out of the royal palace with no one but herself.
And now she was standing in front of me.
“Leaving already? You didn’t even tell me,” she said, extending her hand to smooth a few stray strands of hair off my forehead, her voice as melodic as a spring stream, with a hint of complaint in her tone.
“I…”
I stared at her slightly labored breaths, unsure of what to say.
“Don’t want to tell me?”
“No, it’s not that. I just thought… I didn’t want to bother you. You must be very busy… with a lot of things to handle—”
“What could be more important than this?”
“Um…”
I scratched my nose, listening to the bustling voices around us, feeling a bit uneasy as I glanced around, avoiding Victoria’s gaze.
She wasn’t even afraid of being overheard…
“I heard Sharman say you’re going to Silgaya?”
“Uh… yeah…” I replied softly.
Upon hearing this, Her Majesty fell silent for a moment.
I waited a while, seeing she wasn’t saying anything, and with a sneak peek, I caught her staring at me. I quickly turned my head away, hands behind my back, tiptoeing and then stomping down hard, kicking aside a loose stone.
Why is this happening…
Why do I suddenly feel this inexplicable surge of guilt…
This guilt feels strange, like… when I secretly did bad things as a kid behind my mother’s back and got caught?
Why am I feeling this way…
“The situation over there isn’t peaceful,” Victoria suddenly spoke again.
“…I know.”
“Old Granny Claire lives near Woodward Forest, are you worried about her?”
“Yeah…”
She remembered, huh…
I only mentioned it once…
“Then just go.”
“Wait…”
I lifted my head in surprise.
How straightforward…
I thought she was going to say something about Angel… Huh? What’s her plan…
I looked at Victoria, slightly puzzled, as she turned towards the horned horse and pulled out a square brocade box from the saddlebag, opening it to retrieve something inside… it looked like a short sword.
“When my teacher left the palace, he left me this short sword for protection,” Victoria explained, her fingers deftly twirling the sword in her hand before gripping the hilt firmly. As she performed these graceful movements, she walked back towards me, offering the short sword.
“I don’t need it, so I’m giving it to you.”
I instinctively took it.
The short sword was about forty centimeters long, with a wooden hilt wrapped in black leather. The cross-guard was bent at an odd angle, cleverly designed to protect the hand, and the hilt was carved with a head that resembled a serpent, with blue gems embedded in its gaping mouth. The overall design was exquisite.
I examined the short sword closely, then gripped the hilt. With a swift motion, I drew the blade, which glimmered like jade, catching a cold gleam in the sunlight.
“This sword is called ‘Dragon Claw.’ Its blade is forged from the claw of a dragon, and the leather of the hilt and sheath is made from dragon belly skin. Although it’s not as hard as a Moon Crystal, it is far more resilient than regular steel. Dragon remains won’t melt easily in Sin Fire, and my teacher has used it to slay countless heretics. It should be enough for your self-defense.”
Dragon remains…
Dragon Claw.
I sheathed the short sword in its black dragon leather sheath and looked up, about to say “thank you,” but instead saw Victoria reaching for her snowy white neck, feeling for a stunning silver gemstone necklace.
“This necklace was a gift from my father on my thirteenth birthday during a banquet. It has nine blue sapphires, each one unique and of the highest purity. Each sapphire has its own history and story. The meaning of sapphire is truth and sincerity, and my father told me that he hoped I would someday give it to a loyal and devoted lover.”
As she spoke, she placed the necklace around my neck.
“Now, I’m giving it to you as a farewell gift.”
“I…”
“If you dare to say no or take it off for any other reason, don’t expect to leave smoothly.”
“Um…”
My cheeks puffed up slightly.
What the heck…
Is she threatening me? So uncouth…
As I thought this, I couldn’t help but lower my head, gently feeling the necklace already resting against my neck, catching a whiff of its residual fragrance. A warm and sticky feeling blossomed in my chest.
“Mm…”
I didn’t dare to meet her eyes and nodded slightly.
“Put your hand down; let me see,” Victoria said softly.
I pouted.
If you tell me to put it down, then I’ll put it down…
But before I knew it, both hands were behind my back, tightly clutching the short sword, my fingers tracing the uneven patterns of the dragon leather sheath, my heart thumping like a drum.
After a moment, I couldn’t resist glancing up at her face, just a peek.
I saw Victoria’s bright smile.
“It’s very fitting for you.”
That smile was like flowers blooming everywhere, clear water flowing toward blossoming fields, pure and captivating. Even the nearby knights, who had been eavesdropping, turned crimson and awkwardly looked away.
“Let’s go,” she said, gently patting my head. “I need to head back too.”
After her words, I began to hear faint hoofbeats and the roars of beasts at the street’s end.
I looked up to see Rect riding a towering horned horse, accompanied by several members of the Sword of Kanli, rushing towards us.
They were coming to find the suddenly absent Queen.
“Well, I’m off,” I said, looking into her eyes.
“Be careful.”
“Yeah.”
“When you come back, let’s make that dinner like we did that day.”
“Sure.”
Victoria didn’t say anything more, decisively turned around, leaped onto the beast, and galloped down the street.
Under the scorching sun, Rect waved goodbye to me from afar.
I stood there, watching the silhouette of Queen Ethanbel fade away, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss as I gently touched the cold short sword in my hand, carefully securing it at my left side.
The sapphire necklace hanging in front of my chest sparkled brightly.
Soon after, the horned horse convoy resumed its march, the sound of “rumbling” resonating, as they passed through the long street, rounded the grand square, and dashed past the open city gates, disappearing into the vast fields.
“Quack—”
In the blue sky, a black raven soared, winging its way past towering city walls, leaving behind the ancient city with a thousand-year history, chasing after the departing convoy, flying towards the distant south.
