《A King is Born on the Road》 CH 1 Prologue Is morality influenced by law? Iris Lepos, Queen of Luwan, was now lost in meaningless thoughts to forget her fear. The war that took place on this continent was on its way to the final chapter. It was a war triggered by religion. It was the five ethnic groups of the two countries, Luwan and Siere, that were involved in this war. There are two countries and five separate ethnic groups because even if the kings of the two countries claimed the borders, they could not control all the land. The Kahif people of the central desert, the Kawat people in the mountainous south, and the people of the northern alpine region, overlapping the two countries, could not be ruled by either king. Everyone served their own gods. However, the Luwans, who did not allow paganism, sometimes mocked and killed the pagans who entered the land of Luwan in search of a way to live. When the Luwans killed the pagans in Luwan, there were many people who did not even consider it a sin because there was no law to punish them. Born and raised in such a country, Iris¡¯s husband, Sid Lepos, despised the people of the three lands that he could not control. He asserted that no pagans were needed in this war, and as a result, Luwan lost the war. The land of Luwan was covered with pagans. In the royal castle from where everyone fled, the king¡¯s office. The queen, who always sat on the right side of the king, moved to the empty throne. Although her learning was late and she still did not know the world, she was certain that someone should protect the throne. It was because she thought that there should be someone to face the head of the enemy country, whether it was to negotiate or surrender. Only then will this war end. Her red skirt swayed to and fro in the cool winter wind while waiting for the enemy. In the empire, the king and the moon were inseparable. Therefore, the king¡¯s office had windows facing the moon. There, Iris was thinking that if there had been a decree punishing those who killed pagans, Luwan would not have been so disastrously defeated. Then she heard footsteps. In the maze-like royal castle, the king¡¯s space was laid down within a corridor, where the loud sound of footsteps reverberated. The king would sit in the office and learn to gauge the weight of the footsteps. But Iris had never been raised as an heir to the throne, so she hadn¡¯t learned such things, and all she could do was keep her shaking hands on her lap. Who could it be? Is it the head of the enemy country? Or is it the desert people who are known for their brutality? Iris had never met any of the people of the three lands who considered themselves neither Luwan nor Siere. So she thought of them as just barbarians, but she hoped for them to be more gentlemanly, the generals of the enemy country. In front of Iris, there were knights who were from Luwan. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Iris sighed in relief as she relaxed. Although she didn¡¯t know their faces, she recognized the blue waves of the Knights of Tejas painted on their sword sheaths. For a very long time, they have waged a long war with bizarre beings in the farthest land that humans can enter. Everyone knew that they were indispensable to Luwan, but Iris, who has lived in the royal castle for more than six years, did not hear any praise, to the extent that she knew none of their faces. Even so, she could recognize only one. He was the younger brother of Sid Lepos, the king who fled to save his own life, and the commander of the Knights of Tejas, Hayer Asheri. Iris Lepos was the hidden child of Princess Celios, whom the king forbade from giving birth to. She grew up in a convent from birth until she was 19 years old and married the heir to the throne without a choice, but in the meantime, she had her first love. Iris was taken out of the convent and first met Hayer when she arrived in the capital. When Hayer was ten years old, it turned out that his mother, who was the queen, actually had the second son from her paramour, not from the king. His father was outraged, and in the end, Hayer took over the queen¡¯s family name, Asheri. Since then, Hayer has risked his life on the southern border to protect Luwan, so as to not be killed by the king. Hayer, who had come to the capital for a while to attend the wedding of the next king and queen, was always smiling in Iris¡¯s memory with a beautiful face that made one feel awe. Then, Iris was captivated by him. She grew up in a cold place, so she couldn¡¯t help but be enchanted by the sun-like smile. Six years after that day, her first love came into the office with his subordinates without anyone¡¯s permission, smelling of blood. To Iris, the 25-year-old bloodstained Hayer Asheri was more attractive than she remembered. From the beautifully shaped forehead to the perfectly sculpted nose bridge, philtrum, lips, and jawline; he was excellent artistry. The lines were as beautiful as Mother Nature, neutralising the excessive masculinity of the hard eyebrow bones and fierce eyes. Hayer, putting his bloody sword in its sheath, asked the unexpected person sitting on the throne. ¡°Where is the king?¡± ¡°He¡­ ran away.¡± In response to Iris¡¯s trembling answer, the knights spat out swear words and took out their anger in their own ways. Iris trembled with fear at the barbaric actions. Hayer stared at Iris silently, unlike his men who quickly showed their anger, and then asked. ¡°Why are you here? Was my brother so cruel that he ran away from his wife?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯d stay.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Someone¡­ has to be here.¡± The Knights of Tejas, who had been acting violently at her answer earlier, became quiet. Hayer, who had been lost in thought for a while, broke the silence again. ¡°Can Your Majesty find the North Gate?¡± ¡°North¡­ Gate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t the royals have a map of the world in their heads? Your Majesty the Queen is in fact a member of the Lepos family, so do you have it?¡± Hayer¡¯s subordinates, who were focusing on his words, turned to Iris. Iris, who was intimidated by their fierce and strong eyes, lowered her head. She swallowed the blood in her mouth as she clenched her teeth. Then she looked up at the moon slowly passing by. As Hayer said, the people of the Lepos family, especially those close to the throne, had a map of the world in their heads. They were born with the ability to find their way out of the middle of a desert, just as migratory birds know the way they travel. Iris was the same, so she nodded. Then, one of the knights, who regained his colour, said to Iris. ¡°You have to go to the North Gate right now.¡± ¡°What will happen if I go to the North Gate?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a boundary between the living and the dead? The heads of the living can¡¯t think of a way to save Luwan, so let¡¯s borrow the heads of the dead.¡± Iris did not judge whether they were right or wrong. She didn¡¯t even wonder what the odds were. There was no choice. It was the only way. ¡°I see. Then I should go.¡± Said Iris, rising from the throne. The long dress that dragged to the floor was soaked in the rich blood that the knights brought in. Iris was also tall, but the knights were all so big that it felt like she was standing alone. She left the king¡¯s office with the Knights of Tejas. Those who escaped took all the horses from the royal stable, but fortunately, one pitiful horse remained. Iris got on the horse and left the royal castle for the first time since she got married. afterword this is where i¡¯ll add any additional notes from the story!! as well as my own comments about the chapter since, like everyone else, i¡¯m interested in the novel all i can say now is buckle up and enjoy the ride, i hope you like it as much as i do! as always, no reposts (especially with yeondam novels). CH 2 Now there was no place in Luwan that was not dangerous. Enemies coming from the north and the east waged large and small battles all over the land of Luwan. Wherever there was a village, where there was drinking water, the bodies of the Luwans were piled up. What it was like to lose the war, Iris only knew after leaving the royal castle. She saw the annihilated people waiting to be buried, and saw the snow piled up in the place where people died. The Knights of Tejas were small in number, but fortunately they were strong. They encountered countless enemies, but they never retreated. However, injured in frequent battles, the group lost their lives one by one as they entered the northern alpine region, where snow had not melted for thousands of years. The horses became food one by one, and most of them began to walk along the way. The winter nights in the alpine region were infinitely long. It was so cold and boring to walk down that road that they would rather have met an enemy. Hayer, the leader, created a game to overcome the boredom. It was a game called, ¡®If so-and-so became king, would Luwan be ruined?¡¯ Since the only thing that could move was the mouth, anyone who could speak participated. In the game, the knights took turns seating the royals, as well as the eight great noble families and three pagan races. Iris was originally not talkative and kept her mouth shut to conserve her stamina, but the knights were absorbed in the game and chattering nonstop. Annamaria, a commoner knight, thrust her sword in the mouth of a monster in the shape of a snake that ran in front of Iris. Then she glanced at the arm where the venom touched and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to assume that you¡¯re in power now?¡± At the words, Hencke, who was tearing a long cloth from his clothes and handing it to Annamaria, scolded her. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the main character come out at the end? Anyway, you¡¯re very impatient.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t eat when I was young!¡± ¡°How long are you going to use that excuse?¡± The two, who had been fighting as long as their physical strength remained throughout the trip, began to argue again. While Annamaria tied the arm that made contact with the venom tightly with the cloth that Hencke handed her, Hayer said. ¡°All right, let¡¯s say I became a king. How did I become king?¡± At that, Annamaria shouted. ¡°When you turned 20, you would have rebelled as you said!¡± ¡°The power of the Knights of Tejas alone would not be enough?¡± Hayer¡¯s words were answered by Hencke. ¡°Asheri, the captain¡¯s family, would have helped.¡± In the middle of the story that began again, there were overlapping parts every time. Hayer glanced at Iris and said in a playful voice. ¡°The king and queen must have been executed again this time.¡± The fact that someone else became king was based on the premise that the current king was brought down. Iris knew that, but she was choked up after hearing the same thing over and over again, so she couldn¡¯t hold it in this time and muttered. ¡°¡­¡­I die every time.¡± When Iris complained for the first time, the three surviving knights burst into laughter at the same time. Annamaria said. ¡°I was waiting for you to get angry.¡± ¡°Me too. If it was Annamaria, she would have been angry and packed a punch a long time ago, asking why we were killing her.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not wrong.¡± Annamaria shrugged her shoulders. They continued to speak on the assumption that Hayer had become king. ¡°Asheri, who was looking at the situation of both countries at the border, would have betrayed Siere again this time.¡± ¡°To make matters worse, even the Kahifs of the desert appear.¡± ¡°Since you were already stationed on the prairie, how about retreating and getting help from the Dirfone family?¡± ¡°You know how fast the Kahifs are. They¡¯ll catch up.¡± Iris learned much more from the three-month journey than the 25 years of her life in the convent and as queen. Annamaria, who was aware of her death, said cheerfully while they were chatting excitedly. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go separately.¡± The three of them also stopped at the words. Annamaria seemed to have foreseen that her arm, which had touched the venom, would soon take her life. Then Annamaria said to Hencke, who had dragged his broken leg all the way here. ¡°You can¡¯t even walk anymore, either. Come on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t lie. There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll outlive me.¡± Hencke accepted her words with a sad expression on his face. ¡°I thought I hid it well.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fool me.¡± Annamaria, who argued like that and laughed loudly at Hencke, eventually came to Iris and Hayer, and said to Hayer. ¡°See you next time in the world where I¡¯m the leader, captain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, but the others will oppose it.¡± ¡°If the captain says yes, everyone will follow.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s still a world where everyone follows the commander¡¯s words.¡± Annamaria replied to Hencke¡¯s comment, ¡°Huh? You¡¯re right, aren¡¯t you?¡± and he nodded. Hayer turned away without saying goodbye, leaving behind two of his best friends. Iris has now adapted, to some extent, to the peculiar custom of the Knights of Tejas, who part with jokes and smiles in the face of death. It was the only consideration that a person leaving could do. The people of the Knights of Tejas boasted that they were stubborn and had high self-esteem, and that they were not afraid even in the moment of death. The two remaining people walked up the snowy mountain, where it reached from their feet to their knees. * * * For more than three days since then, nothing has come out except for the alpine snows. She heard that there are ethnic groups living only here in the alpine region, but Iris did not meet a single one of them while coming here. In the face of the terrible cold, she constantly wanted to choose the sweet death she saw in front of her eyes. The world was much wider than the one Iris Lepos had in her head. She feared that her ignorance had driven all the Knights of Tejas to death. As the night fell, Hayer dug out the snow and pitched a tent. Because they couldn¡¯t afford to talk to each other in extreme circumstances, they fell asleep randomly tangled with each other even when the other knights were still alive, and even now, the two of them slept right next to each other. With the terrible schedule and constant death, Iris felt as if her insides and outsides were being torn apart. The goal was still clear, but it seemed impossible. As heat began to boil in her body, Hayer, who was sleeping on his back, got up. Then he took off his thick coat he was wearing and put it on Iris. Iris, who didn¡¯t want to lift a finger in the cold and pain, quietly accepted his actions. Her body melted a little, and Iris, who came to her senses and raised her head, froze again. Hayer¡¯s upper body, which had been exposed, was covered with serious wounds. Hayer smiled to reassure her, and asked in a friendly voice. ¡°What kind of stories do you like?¡± Iris looked Hayer in the eye at his sudden question. Knowing that he didn¡¯t want to talk about the wounds, Iris considered an answer for a long time and then opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It was a boring life. Iris knew that when she was dying, she had no joke to give like the knights. Hayer said in an upset voice. ¡°No wonder. You¡¯ve survived so far with that poor body because you don¡¯t have any jokes to tell when you die, right?¡± His mischievous words were absurd, and Iris narrowed her eyes and let out a sigh. Seeing her eyes like that, Hayer burst into laughter. He laughed so loudly that the atmosphere felt bright, and Iris somehow laughed too. She spoke to Hayer, dazed with a high fever. ¡°It was nice to see you smiling like that. When we first met.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I grew up in a cold place, but after seeing someone smiling warmly, I couldn¡¯t help but¡­¡± Hayer crossed his arms at her words, and said with a very serious face. ¡°If I had known earlier, I would have held your hand and ran away with you before you had to marry my brother, which is a pity.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± When Iris was embarrassed by his joke, instead of being funny, Hayer stopped making jokes about it. afterword and he in fact did just that in their next life¡­ so real of them!! CH 3 Then Iris listened keenly to the whistles. It was night, but the moonlight spread over the snow, so the visibility was not that bad. But Iris heard the cries of the beasts, who had not yet come into view. Hayer would have heard it before her, but he asked regardless. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If I become king, will I be able to flee from the prairies of the Kahifs, and also arrive at the Dirfone family and join them?¡± At his words, Iris recalled the route she had drawn in her head many times throughout the trip. Iris shook her head when she thought that the Kahifs, who were said to be 1.5 times faster than the Luwans, were chasing them. ¡°You¡¯ll be caught before then.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hayer went out of the tent first, and lifted Iris up with his strength. ¡°Then there¡¯s only one answer.¡± ¡°What answer? I know for sure that Luwan will lose the war no matter what is done.¡± ¡°You just have to reverse all of this in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­How?¡± ¡°The eight noble families of Luwan, who fought over the legitimacy of the throne, came to an agreement because you were married to Sid Lepos. The three great noble families who said that you should be king withdrew their claim with the marriage.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Without that marriage, the premise that the noble families agreed on Sid Lepos¡¯s accession to the throne would be overturned.¡± That is why it was said that she should not marry Sid Lepos. Iris grabbed Hayer¡¯s arm as he tried to go towards the monsters. ¡°I have two questions.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re from the Asheri family. It should be safe there, but why are you going to the North Gate with this cost? How did you know about the North Gate in the first place?¡± Hayer did not answer her questions. He immediately ran to where he could hear the breathing of the monsters. He was strong, so it didn¡¯t seem difficult to deal with the monsters alone, but it was difficult to prevent them from attacking Iris. In the three months leading up to this point, Iris learned from Hayer the spear techniques used by royalty. However, she was unable to wield a spear properly due to her lack of strength. Still, Iris raised her spear to protect herself even for a moment, knowing that Hayer¡¯s movements were limited because of her. She moved the spear in the snowfield with her trembling hands from the weight and fear. The monsters also hesitated a little in front of her, thinking that she was a beast, and that the length of the spear was a part of Iris. In the midst of her short jabs, Hayer ran to a tree growing alone in the midst of a horribly snowy plain. A huge tree that would have grown well for a thousand years and was covered in blue. It was a sacred tree. In the two countries, five lands, as many religions as lands were divided, but all of these religions were based on the same roots. It was said that ¡®Tilla,¡¯ the god of all things, planted five sacred trees on this continent, which was covered with evil monsters, creating a land for humans to settle in. Luwan believes that Tilla decides the king by looking at the qualities of their successors through the moon, while Siere argues that the king themself is Tilla¡¯s reincarnation. On top of that, Kawat, the mountain people, believes that the god died and protecting the sacred tree is human practice. Kahif, a desert nation, believes that the desert god killed the goddess and became the only god. There were many sects, including ethnic groups that spread widely in the alpine region that created and followed their own scriptures, but no one had any disagreement about protecting the sacred tree. It was shortly after Iris felt at some point that the monsters were retreating. The ground vibrated with a loud noise. The sacred tree had fallen down. Iris asked Hayer, who was standing in front of the cut-off tree, with a stunned face. ¡°What are you doing? Are you crazy?¡± Iris ran frantically to Hayer. And she covered her mouth with her hand. Just like the diagonal line where the tree was cut off, Hayer¡¯s shirt was bleeding with the same wound. Hayer didn¡¯t look surprised at all. Only then did Iris know where the wounds she had seen earlier came from. Hayer opened the medicine box he usually carried around and swallowed the medicine, as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. In the meantime, the monsters surrounding the two completely withdrew. When you cut down the sacred tree, the monsters retreat. At that time, Iris knew why the number of monsters was rapidly decreasing in the south. The reason why Hayer failed to attempt the rebellion when he was 20 years old that Annamaria mentioned. He was already dying, long ago. Hayer couldn¡¯t bear the growing wound and sat against the stump of the cut tree. Then he pulled out a handful of flowers and placed them on the wound. Then the wound slowly stopped bleeding. Hayer said. ¡°I know the cure, but it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°A lunatic¡­ who cuts down the sacred tree?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Hayer laughed. Iris only knew now that he had also been constantly seduced by death. He had come to suppress that desire, to only bring Iris to the North Gate. Iris murmured. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t think of a joke. I¡¯m a boring person.¡± ¡°Oh, I know.¡± Iris glared at his mischievous reply, and Hayer laughed. He went on. ¡°My subordinates are hard to deal with. Everyone has their own voice. If you thought you couldn¡¯t find the way, you would have lied so that you couldn¡¯t go, but for you to have gone this far, you must have seen something while guarding the throne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°As much as the fact that you¡¯re a boring person.¡± Hayer looked at Iris¡¯s face with mischief and continued. ¡°I know you¡¯re someone who¡¯ll keep walking. That fact alone is enough for you to be surprising and fun.¡± Iris stared at Hayer. During the three months of repeated fighting and marching, how much she knew of him, only one fact was clear. If she had met him in a better environment than this, she would have loved Hayer Asheri so much to the point where she couldn¡¯t take care of herself. The man who smiles well, is always relaxed, likes to set up jokes at the moment of his death. Iris wanted to let him go with a smile, gritting her teeth in pain, so she tried to joke for the first time in her life. She knelt down in front of Hayer for a moment and looked at him, saying something that could never be more than a joke. ¡°You are ugly.¡± Hayer, who made a strange face for a moment at her words, burst into laughter. When he laughed, Iris got up and walked past him without saying goodbye, as the other knights have done. Then she heard his voice calling her from behind. ¡°Iris.¡± Iris turned to his voice. Hayer still leaned on the stump, and opened his mouth with his back to Iris. ¡°If something changes beyond the North Gate.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t love me then. Never.¡± Hayer was speaking in a soft voice, speaking more terrible words than the terrible wind blowing here. Iris, who had been speechless for a while, asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hayer. What is the reason?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Since when did you know that I love you? Why, did you know but didn¡¯t respond?¡± He had already lowered his head. In order to not cry, Iris clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into the flesh. Why on earth? Was that such a big deal to say that it broke the rules of saying goodbye in jest? Or was it just between the Knights of Tejas? Iris was about to collapse on the spot, but she beat her chest with a trembling fist. Because this journey is not yet over, she violently killed her feelings. afterword good old angst CH 4 In a state of incomprehension, Iris moved forward. Regardless of Hayer¡¯s last words, she knew that Hayer, who knew so well what would happen if he cut the tree, believed in her and sacrificed himself. Hayer, who she watched all the way here, was really ridiculously strong. The fact that he died was as unbelievable as the fact that he had obtained an immortal body. For everyone who knew Hayer, perhaps his death was a joke. Although Iris was not injured because she did not participate in the battle, she, who grew up in the north in the first place, was much more resistant to the cold than other knights from the south. Even so, she was not strong enough to walk in this condition for hours. She knew well that she would not have stood here if she had not sacrificed the entire Knights of Tejas. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t make the sacrifice in vain because of her aching heart. Her fever was so high that she fell right away. The long walk froze the blood flow of her feet in her boots and made her legs numb. Still, she could walk. The moment she accepted that she had lost everything, she finally felt joy. She knew the way. She knew from birth what this world looked like, how far the sea was, and how far the land was. It wasn¡¯t until she was 25 and was nearing the end of her motherland, that she was about to discover the only part of what she had that was superior to others. At this moment of using it, she had reached the point of Nirvana, borrowing the religion of the Kawat people in the mountainous region, and she was so immersed she did not even feel pain, and finally arrived at the North Gate at the end of the mountain. Alone in the white snow field, she saw a wooden door with one of the two doors open. She knew she was going to run out of breath, but she grabbed onto her life with her eyes wide open. ¡°Not yet. Don¡¯t die yet.¡± Even if this meant nothing, even if Luwan would still be occupied by the enemy, Iris moved on. That was the only thing she could do. Iris Lepos took just one step over the wooden door. When she achieved her goal, she fell down on the snow. Strangely, the moment Iris crossed the North Gate, the wind that was so rough stopped, as if the world itself had stopped. The world became silent as if everything had disappeared. Looking at the sky now, there was a full moon in Luwan, which had not risen for a while. Iris looked at the full moon for the first time in her life. ¡°Beautiful.¡± All she could see was the sky. And the stars in the sky were moving so fast that they could not be seen. Amidst the movement of so many stars, Iris felt something was changing. Iris was relieved and cried. The tears she had been holding back ran down the corners of her eyes. After a while, she lay on the snowy field and breathed out her last breath of life. * * * Iris gulped down her exhaled breath. Then she looked around in surprise. ¡°What, what happened?¡± It was not the snowy field she stood in, but the convent where she stayed in until her nineteenth birthday. She was holding a straw broom that she used on nights of cleaning duty to sweep the snow and chase sleep, and was wearing a black veil on her head with a white coif. The convent at the entrance of the northern alpine region had long winters and heavy snow. The twenty nuns, like Iris, who grew up trapped in the convent for their own reasons, took turns to sweep the snow on long winter nights. Iris, who had been standing in the middle of the hallway for a while, was surprised by the sound of the alarm clock in the hallway, signalling 12 o¡¯clock. She took a step and went to check the calendar by the alarm clock. Today was her 19th birthday. Upon confirming that she had returned six years ago, Iris ran frantically to the convent¡¯s door. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a boundary between the living and the dead? The heads of the living can¡¯t think of a way to save Luwan, so let¡¯s borrow the heads of the dead.¡± Hencke¡¯s words came to mind. It didn¡¯t take long to realise that the price of crossing the North Gate was going back to six years ago. Iris couldn¡¯t breathe and sat down, overflowing with complicated emotions. Compared to the extreme cold just before, it felt hot here. After grasping the situation, tears poured out, longing for the people she was with. Iris couldn¡¯t cry once, because the Knights of Tejas hated the terrible, sad farewells. As she drew all the people she lost one by one, the face of Heyer Asheri remained at the end. ¡°If something changes beyond the North Gate. Don¡¯t love me then. Never.¡± Iris shook her head hard so that she wouldn¡¯t think of Hayer¡¯s words. Still, there was nothing she could do about the feeling of being stabbed in the chest. Anyway, if she¡¯s back six years, is he alive? Iris wanted to run to the place where the Knights of Tejas were, but it was impossible to go to the southern end even if she left this place where the nuns could not open the door at will. Out of frustration, Iris took off her veil and held it in her hand. Her black hair fluttered in the wind. At least once a year, nuns would cut each other¡¯s hair, but until that time, they could grow it to any limit. White snow will be piled up to the horizon beyond the convent. Iris, who had just followed the map in her head to the northern end of the land, felt that the convent was too narrow to breathe in for a moment. As she looked at the convent door and thought, someone tapped her back lightly. Sister Agatha, who was her age, stood there. She seemed to have woken up a moment ago and found her through the window. Her eyes were half closed. Agatha greeted her with her hands together and gestured for a reason why she wasn¡¯t wearing the veil. Iris said. ¡°It¡¯s stuffy.¡± It was only after saying so liberally that a deeper thought came out. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here.¡± What happened to the world? Why did she come back here? Agatha looked perplexed at Iris¡¯s words, which were agonized with frustration. Then she looked around and whispered to Iris. ¡°God must be watching.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± What was the result of her husband Sid Lepos¡¯s rejection of pagans? Luwan was defeated, and the arrogant Sieres, who believed their king was the god, Tilla, took over the land. Now that Iris had seen it, she could not live in fear of God¡¯s gaze. Iris crossed the North Gate because of the sacrifices of the Knights of Tejas. Throughout the journey to the end of the world, the Knights of Tejas saved Iris¡¯s strength, and she was finally able to cross the North Gate. Agatha, who was puzzled that Iris, who was quiet like a person without a care, showed her presence today. She approached Iris and talked to her again. ¡°You don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here, do you?¡± It was the first time Agatha had spoken such a long sentence. Six years ago, Iris really knew nothing, so she nodded as if she didn¡¯t know. Agatha checked the surroundings again, picked up a branch, and began to write on the snow. ¡°This is His Majesty the former King.¡± Iris nodded, and Agatha drew a line under it and said, ¡°His Majesty had only one daughter under him. She¡¯s your mother, Her Highness Celios.¡± Agatha, the daughter of an aristocratic family, was expelled from society and trapped here because of her fianc¨¦, who had decided to run away in search of love. ¡°The former king thought he needed a son to inherit the throne, and he passed on his inheritance to his nephew, Eswa Lepos. But the sages confirmed that Eswa Lepos was not legitimate, but born from a mistress.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± She thought Agatha was quiet because she didn¡¯t talk during her lifetime, but she wasn¡¯t at all. Agatha was excited to be able to explain to someone who didn¡¯t know anything about society from the beginning. Agatha continued. ¡°So, isn¡¯t the enemy of the king Celios? That¡¯s the question that¡¯s starting to arise. You¡¯re her only child. So maybe, this is my opinion, but your mother hid you here in case the current king would hurt you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris nodded and smiled faintly. However, she had already entered the royal castle and returned after six years of living there, and knew that her mother was never a person to hide her daughter because she was worried about her. On the day Iris met her for the first time in 19 years, her mother¡¯s eyes proved that. afterword sorry if the text is too hard to read i¡¯ll try to change the size and maybe the font as well next chapter, since i¡¯m just using the theme¡¯s default atm! CH 5 In the past, Celios was disappointed that her daughter had learned nothing, and had completely abandoned her expectations of her. However, Agatha was also a person whose parents put her in a convent solely because they were ashamed of their daughter, who could not win the heart of her fianc¨¦. She was immersed in the thought that there were parents in the world who loved their children, but she didn¡¯t want to force herself to break Agatha¡¯s fantasy. Iris opened her mouth for Agatha. ¡°Tell me more about the social world.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Agatha rejoiced and asked again, and soon began to talk about the capital¡¯s society. Agatha¡¯s story, with her having the pleasure of talking, continued all night. ¡°That¡¯s why the unmarried man who is drawing the most attention in the diplomatic society now is Sid Lepos, the eldest son of His Majesty.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The name of her husband, who she lived together with for six years, was mentioned, but Iris was able to smile as if she did not know. In fact, he was her husband, but he always had many lovers and he didn¡¯t even meet Iris for six years except in external circumstances. Even if they meet again, it would be unfamiliar, like someone she didn¡¯t know at all. The number of times they slept together could be counted on five fingers over the past six years, so the two of them never had a child. In any case, Iris pretended not to know for Agatha, who liked to talk, although she would know better than Agatha, who had never been in the center of society. After adapting to returning to six years ago to some extent, she managed to say what she was afraid to ask. ¡°The Knights of Tejas¡­¡­ How is it?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean the knights led by Lord Hayer? Well, maybe they¡¯ll have to stay on the border for the rest of their lives? Because they¡¯re firmly out of His Majesty¡¯s sight.¡± Agatha began the story of the once-great-scandal, ¡®Hayer Asheri¡¯s lineage.¡¯ ¡°King Eswa is almost certain that Hayer may not be his son, but what can he do? When he was found to be illegitimate, he killed all the sages. In the end, even if he knew that he was not his child in his eyes and mind, it became a situation where he could not be thrown out of the family at will. That¡¯s why he kicked him out of the capital.¡± Iris nodded. And asked back. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s still alive, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Of course. Without the sages, Lord Hayer is still His Majesty¡¯s second son. If he died at the border, a national funeral would be held.¡± At Agatha¡¯s words, Iris was relieved. As soon as she covered her face with her hands and laughed, Agatha asked with wide eyes. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°No¡­ sorry.¡± Iris tried to stop laughing, but she couldn¡¯t. She was happy that he was alive, and it was funny how her heart was nervous about not loving him. Her mind was mixed up. The Knights took her to the North Gate to try to save Luwan, but it was pathetic that she, who returned alive, was full of such personal feelings. * * * Early in the morning on her birthday. Iris did not sleep. She was recalling the memories of the morning of her nineteenth birthday. She had no intention of repeating those six years. As far as Iris knew, it was the Knights of Tejas who struggled the most for Luwan. She met Hayer in the capital and clearly remembered the day she fell in love at first sight. It was a strong memory. Based on the memories of that day, she was going to find a way to save Hayer Asheri. However, it was impossible to run out of the convent and go to the capital alone right now. The fastest way to get to the capital was a merchant road built by merchants for hundreds of years. The risk varies depending on which merchant you meet, and there were famous bandits who demanded a seat tax at each corner of the road. ¡®Although there is a possibility that I can save his life if I pay the seat tax on the merchant road¡­¡¯ If you deviate from that road, you will find a real lawless zone. She didn¡¯t know what, where, or who she would face. Furthermore, Hayer is stationed at the southern end, so it takes at least one armed knight to get there. So she needed help. Iris didn¡¯t have much opportunity. She planned a way to get to the south in time for Hayer¡¯s departure from the garrison. The guest who arrived today was going to play an important role. A few hours later in the morning. At the glance from the head nun, who came to her solitary cell, Iris wore a veil and followed. In front of the door of the visiting room that she was led to, she saw a woman and dozens of guards. Only then did Iris realize that she really had come back in time. It¡¯s her second time experiencing the exact same thing. Now she knows very well who the guest is. It was her mother, Celios Lepos. Celios¡¯s colourful clothes were exactly as she remembered them. The fact that she wore clothes made out of bright red silk meant that she didn¡¯t care if she stood out. It also meant that she could mobilize enough troops to protect herself. The collar was lined with white fur, which was tanned with advanced technology at a glance. Celios, who sat in the visitor¡¯s room, said, as Iris greeted her silently. ¡°Are you unable to speak?¡± Iris experienced the same situation before turning back time after passing through the North Gate. At that time, Celios didn¡¯t like Iris, and even hated her. Because even if she lived in a convent where everything was cut off, she had an immature expectation that any of her daughters would have an outstanding temperament. Iris knew that her mother was a person who judged only by ¡®necessary¡¯ and ¡®unnecessary.¡¯ In any case, now that Iris needed help from her mother, she couldn¡¯t let Celios classify her as an ¡®unnecessary¡¯ human being. Iris answered calmly. ¡°Because you¡¯ve come to a place of silence.¡± Celios laughed at the unabashed answer. ¡°You do look like me. Your father too, of course. Your father has cherished me since I was very young.¡± She didn¡¯t even ask questions about her father, but Celios was telling a series of stories about how difficult it was to travel a long way. Iris wondered if the convent¡¯s taboo of keeping silent rather made people want to speak more. Celios said. ¡°But since you¡¯re my daughter, you know how to use a spear, right?¡± She never cared about her turning nineteen, but now she asked this to take her for granted? Iris was dumbfounded. In her previous life, she answered that she couldn¡¯t use it, but not now, having spent three months with the Knights of Tejas. Iris answered. ¡°I know a little bit.¡± The head nun, who accompanied her, said with surprised eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve never raised a weapon in a sacred space.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Celios frowned at the remark. But Iris went on without much consideration. ¡°But I can do it.¡± From Celios¡¯s point of view, she was the first daughter she had seen in 19 years since she was sent away from the royal castle as soon as she gave birth. Celios took it for granted to get Iris out for her own life, so she had no guilt at all. The Celios whom Iris knew, that is to say, her mother, was the most royal-like person Iris ever knew, in both a good and bad way. The personal achievement of Celios Lepos was felt only in her name, which will go down in history. She knew how to send her love for her child or her lover, who became the father of Iris, behind her achievement. ¡°It¡¯s too early to handle a spear.¡­ You look weak.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not healthy.¡± ¡°Even before I had you, the king gave me poison that I used for contraception. It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re not healthy.¡± She understood. Iris now understood why, despite being born in a cold place and being strong against the cold, she often got sick. Celios said, scanning Iris¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re pretty, but is there any other quality that is as useless to royalty as beauty?¡± Iris noticed Celios¡¯s reaction now was different from the one she knew six years ago. She was showing interest in her that didn¡¯t exist back then. afterword testing the medium font size this chapter! might keep it for future chapters as well¡­ we will see CH 6 Iris continued. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Six years ago, Celios checked Iris as if she were a slave, and as soon as she knew that she was a fool who couldn¡¯t do anything, she left. So still, Iris didn¡¯t know why Celios was here. Celios answered Iris¡¯s question. ¡°The great noble families are divided into two. Five families think that Sid Lepos, the eldest son of the king, should be king, and the other three think that you and I, my daughter, are the enemy.¡± Hearing that, Iris burst out laughing. Good grief. Now she realized why her mother came to see her. Celios thought that there was a very slight chance that her daughter would become king. No, even if there was no possibility, she seemed to want her to at least fight fiercely for the throne, prove herself, and raise the honour of her mother. Six years ago, at the first reunion only Iris remembered, after a few words of conversation, she left because she thought there was no hope for her daughter, but not this time. Celios continued. ¡°From Sid¡¯s point of view, there will be no easier answer than marrying you. Anyway, if a child is born between you two, that child will have legitimacy that no one can fault with. It would be easy to reach an agreement between the eight families.¡± An agreement of the eight families. The words put strength into Iris¡¯s grasp. A major premise that Hayer said should be overturned. The agreement lowered the vigilance of all families, causing Luwan to be pushed out of absolute power after the war. So the first thing Iris had to do was avoid this marriage. * * * After a moment, a young soldier outside the convent rushed in. ¡°His Highness Sid Lepos is coming!¡± Celios, who received the news that the king¡¯s eldest son was coming, said. ¡°He seems to be coming to propose.¡± As Celios said, Sid¡¯s purpose was to propose. Iris told Celios. ¡°If I follow him right now, I won¡¯t be able to avoid getting married. After I get married, the possibility of me sitting on the throne will disappear.¡± Her daughter was unexpectedly well aware of the situation. Celios said, wondering. ¡°Of course it is. It would be almost impossible to refuse the proposal of the king¡¯s first son.¡± ¡°Lend me your clothes.¡± Celios then immediately opened one of her boxes of clothes without asking why. Then she chose a dress from there and let Iris change. The dress Celios chose was of dark wine-colored silk. The cape worn on top of it was of high quality, with about two-thirds of the fabric embroidered with gold and green threads. On top of that, a gold bracelet was placed on top of the modest dress and fixed to the forearm. After a while, Celios saw Iris dressed as an aristocratic woman, and laughed regardless of the urgency of the situation. It was better when she was dressed as a nun. Now she was obviously the daughter of Celios Lepos. Iris looked at the expressions of the people around her and took notice of them. Rather, she laughed at how ridiculous the situation was, which surprised even Celios, who was known for her boldness. What is she going to do now? Celios was watching, and Iris returned with an old and worn shawl she used in the convent. And the maids surrounding her reached out in surprise as she carefully wrapped it around her head. ¡°My lady!¡± Iris didn¡¯t care and completely covered her face with it. Celios couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut at the unbelievable scene. Only pagans covered their faces with cloth like that. Of course, there were often cases where pagans from neighbouring countries and nobles from Luwan got married. At that time, the pagans converted, and until they were completely converted, they covered their faces with anything so that God could not see them. Iris had seen a pagan priest several times in her life, so she had copied them. Luwan was a pagan-exclusive country to the extent that there was no law punishing the killing of a pagan. Therefore, in the eyes of those who have been faithful since birth, it was unimaginable to disguise themselves as pagans, no matter how important their lives were. Celios said, disappointed by her daughter¡¯s behaviour. ¡°You¡¯re a lunatic.¡± Iris, who had been raised in a convent, was still exclusive to pagans. Iris¡¯s white hand, covering her face and posing as a sinner, was shaking. She was also afraid of angering her god. But she remembered that Luwan had died because of the exclusion of pagans. And she also knew that Luwan survived at least because Hayer broke the taboo and cut down the sacred tree. When the cloth was wrapped around, Sid Lepos, the nephew of Celios¡¯s fifth cousin, the king¡¯s son, and the eldest son, entered the convent. Sid Lepos got off his horse and walked towards Celios with an air of self-confidence. And politely bowed with the air of a knight. ¡°Aunt.¡± Even though the shawl covering her face made it so that she couldn¡¯t see, Iris remembered this man. However, considering that they had lived as a couple for six years, there actually was no significant memory worth mentioning. In Sid¡¯s face, she saw the face of his brother, Hayer. However, above all, there were parts that resembled Iris so much that the distance of sixth cousin felt too close. The black hair characteristic of the royal family¡ªthe Lepos family¡ªthe cold white skin, and the dark blue eyes that gave off an icy crystal-like aura were the same. On top of that, the slim-looking face line was also similar. Somehow, that resemblance sometimes offended Iris. Fortunately, Sid was also forced to marry out of necessity, and showed no interest in her. ¡°Welcome.¡± Celios greeted him in a manner that was neither particularly unpleasant nor welcoming. Sid Lepos opened his mouth with a subtle smile. ¡°Aunt said she would come here, so I came here to see if I could finally see her.¡± ¡¶t/n: ¡°her¡± as in Iris¡· ¡°Oh, no. My daughter isn¡¯t here.¡± When an unexpected answer came back, Sid narrowed his eyes for a moment. Celios became angry whenever she talked about the need to consider her daughter¡¯s succession to the throne, citing legitimacy. Still, it would not be possible anyway, so she had just run this long way from the capital, thinking that everything would be sorted out if she solved it by marriage. But now lied that her daughter isn¡¯t here. Sid¡¯s suspicions began to return, that Celios still had a desire to put her daughter on the throne. ¡°Aunt, it is not right to lie in such a reverent place.¡± ¡°Did your father teach you to denounce the words of an adult as lies?¡± ¡°Do not insult His Majesty.¡± ¡°You insulted me first.¡± At Celios¡¯s words, Sid smiled and gestured to search the convent. Then many soldiers, incomparable to Celios¡¯s party, began to search the convent. While they were searching, Sid walked freely among Celios¡¯s group and checked each and every face. Then eventually, a pagan woman came into his view. Celios said, as Sid looked down at her as if he were looking at a bug. ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude since she¡¯s a lady from a noble family from Siere.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t like the fact that a pagan was in the convent, but the Luwans were rather tolerant of conversion compared to being cruel to pagans. Of course, it would be the same rejection even with conversion, but those who loved their nobility like Sid wanted to show their generosity to the world. In any case, Sid was displeased with the pagan who covered her face and did not want to go near her. Meanwhile, the soldiers who scoured the convent returned empty-handed. Celios said. ¡°As I just said, a lady from a noble family was brought here because she wanted to convert to marry my friend¡¯s son. We can¡¯t let a pagan into a war, can we?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sid¡¯s gaze turned back to the pagan. It doesn¡¯t make sense. Celios was the essence of an arrogant royal. There should be no direct participation in the harsh work of converting pagans. So that pagan woman should be Celios¡¯s daughter. In Luwan, there were only lunatics who would cover their head and pretend to be pagan. Celios¡¯s daughter grew up only in a convent, so even more, she couldn¡¯t have done such a disgusting thing. But¡­ ¡®Why is that woman suspicious?¡¯ afterword and here he is¡­ the scummiest man on earth! CH 7 Sid, who was displeased with being in the same space as the pagan, said ¡°I can¡¯t believe my aunt is trying so hard to convert pagans.¡± ¡°So what if you don¡¯t believe me? It¡¯s the truth.¡± There was a sarcastic tone in Celios¡¯s voice. Sid, who was somewhat certain by the way she spoke, drew his sword. The jewellery on the sheath and the blade of the knife rubbed together, and you could hear the unpleasant sound that scratches your ears. The sword soon touched Iris¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Show your face, pagan.¡± She could hear the nervous breathing of the maids around her. Iris recalled the pagan priest who came to the convent. The priests bombarded the kneeling pagan priest with constant questions. Then she only repeated the answer that the pagan god did not exist. Iris said politely. ¡°There is no pagan god.¡± Sid frowned at her answer. ¡°That is not an answer to my orders.¡± ¡°There is no pagan god.¡± ¡°Crazy bitch. I said, show your face.¡± ¡°There is no pagan god.¡± The people around her who didn¡¯t know what to say made faces of surprise. The reason why a pagan does not show their face is because they are a sinner, and denying the pagan god was a process of cleansing their sin. Therefore, in order for a pagan to show their face, the questioner had to admit that the pagan had converted and that their sins were gone. And now the role had to be played by Sid Lepos, who told her to show her face. If he acknowledged the pagan¡¯s conversion, Iris would be forced to unfasten the cloth covering her face. However, for Sid, who grew up as a royal and only believed in the god of Luwan, it was close to taboo to admit that the sins of a pagan had disappeared. ¡°I will never forgive a damn pagan. I can cut your throat and check it out. Eyes and face. Who does that face look like?¡± ¡°There is no pagan god.¡± Seeing her daughter answering like that, Celios laughed unconsciously. Pretending to be a pagan is something only an uneducated fool would do. But apart from that, her daughter was quite clever. There was also a pulpit. Sid Lepos, the king¡¯s heir and eldest son, was even feeling chills at the woman¡¯s reply in front of him. This must be a pagan woman. But what if it¡¯s not? What if this is the hidden daughter of Aunt Celios, posing as a pagan priest? Sid wanted to check the girl¡¯s face right away and break the taboo. This taboo was pushing Sid into a strange emotion. However, if she was Celios¡¯s friend, she was likely to be of a fairly decent family, and if he touched a son¡¯s bride, it could have been quite an affair. He knew it was better not to touch this woman now. However, he didn¡¯t know why such a strong curiosity was trying to dominate him. Is it because of that sweet voice? Sid eventually held the woman¡¯s face over the old shawl Iris wore on her face. He could tell she was a great beauty just by the lines of her face that he could touch. Celios spoke as his hand moved in a travesty. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± In the end, Sid let go. And got on the horse to return to the capital. * * * Celios¡¯s and Sid¡¯s group headed to the capital. Thanks to Iris posing as a pagan, she was able to sit alone in an empty carriage and head to the capital. The security was so tight that she doubted whether it would be possible to get out in the middle of it. There was nothing she could believe in but the sunlight felt over the frayed shawl. But she had no choice but to risk her life. It may not be a grandiose idea to save Luwan, but if she endured it now, she wouldn¡¯t live a meaningless life without much difference whether she lived until the age of 25 or died. She pricked her ears and focused on finding the way. In the three months before crossing the North Gate, she knew that the map in her head alone could not properly grasp the scale of the real world. And by riding a horse for three months and constantly walking in the middle, she was able to make some adjustments. On the week after leaving the convent, with three days left before reaching the capital, she had made up her mind to escape. As the short sun on a winter night passed and the tents were set up for rest, Celios summoned Iris to her tent. Celios said when Iris came in. ¡°Stop pretending to be dirty now.¡± Iris undid the shawl that she was wearing at her mother¡¯s words. Then she went to the chair that the maid pulled out and sat down. The dinner table, which was so colourful and rich that it was hard to believe that it was a meal for people who were travelling for a long time, began to be set up. Iris inadvertently tried to hit the bell on the table, but stopped. She belatedly realized the six years she spent as queen was engraved in her body. Regardless of her relationship with her husband, whether as a host or as a guest, she was always the highest-ranking woman in Luwan, so she played a leading role in all dining venues. It had been her role for a while to ring the bell to tell the servants to leave. Celios opened her mouth as she saw her daughter¡¯s hand touch the bell and then fall. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve become a king already?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know the etiquette because I only ate among the nuns.¡± Celios, who didn¡¯t know what kind of meal they had at the convent, was displeased but didn¡¯t inquire further. Even during the meal, Iris was under great pressure to lead the conversation, but she desperately kept her mouth shut. It¡¯s only been a week since she went through the North Gate and returned to six years ago, so it felt difficult for Iris to suppress her attitude as a queen. Celios opened her mouth as she continued her meal with wine. ¡°Is it okay if it¡¯s early in the morning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is there a place you can go even if you run away? This is a meadow, and it¡¯s a place where you don¡¯t know when predators will appear and attack.¡± ¡°After avoiding those beasts, I will go to Her Majesty¡¯s family, Asheri.¡± ¡°¡­Asheri?¡± Celios narrowed her eyes. She naturally didn¡¯t get along with the current king and his wife. At least it would be better than the king who had been poisoning her for a long time so that she could not have children, but it was about the same with the queen. Asheri, the queen¡¯s family, believed that Sid Lepos, the eldest son of the queen, would naturally become the next king, but Celios began to insist on her daughter¡¯s legitimacy, so they could not get along well. She couldn¡¯t figure out what her daughter was going to do with the Asheri family. She thought she had some great plan, but the only thing she could do was run away to Asheri where Sid would stop by to say hello to his grandfather. Disappointed, Celios scolded Iris. ¡°Say something that makes sense. How can they be on your side?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Celios was bewildered, but she was intrigued by her daughter, who was strangely calm in the midst of it. At the end of the meal, the guard knight closest to Celios entered. ¡°You have to leave now.¡± Celios turned to the guard knight. Iris knew the guard was her father. This is because her father, Peter Wick, was tearing up to the point where it was hard to pretend not to know. In the end, Iris asked first. ¡°You¡¯re my father, aren¡¯t you?¡± Peter flinched when Iris cut out the introduction and asked straightforwardly. Perhaps he is not good at lying, but his ears turned red in an instant and he spoke in a rigid voice. ¡°I-I can¡¯t say yes or no.¡± ¡°If not, what happens?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it could be your misunderstanding.¡± Indeed, he was a man who couldn¡¯t lie. Peter didn¡¯t know what to do with his daughter, embarrassing as he was with Celios. He wanted to know how she lived, and he wanted to tell her how much he cried when he sent the child out of the castle. But he handed the spear right over, with only the sad expectation that Iris would resent him. ¡°This is the lightest spear made out of wood I¡¯ve ever used.¡± Iris took the spear. As he said, it was relatively light, and a spear you could fold three times. Iris, who took the spear, bid farewell softly. ¡°¡­See you again. It may be the last time.¡± At the words, tears fell from Peter Wick¡¯s eyes, who was trying his best to hide that he was the father to his daughter whom he finally met. afterword peter wick has got to be one of the silliest names i¡¯ve ever heard of CH 8 Peter Wick took out his handkerchief, and Iris looked back at Celios urgently. Because the gentleman¡¯s handkerchief was for women. But Celios, far from tears, was still unhappy that she had chosen the Asheri family, and only had an expression of displeasure toward them. When Peter wiped away his tears with his handkerchief, Celios noticed him and said incredulously. ¡°They say that you cry a lot more when you get older.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m experiencing it five years earlier, Your Highness.¡± Celios had a disapproving expression on her face, but she soon let it go because it was the sensitivity that she didn¡¯t have that she had loved from this man by her side. Iris smiled, rather because she had learned from the Knights of Tejas how to smile even in the face of death. It was hidden by the shawl, so it wouldn¡¯t have been visible, but it became something of a ritual of her own. * * * Sid was looking at his hand. The sensation of the face that he touched through the cloth did not disappear from his hand. Perhaps because of the cloth, the energy left in his hand was cold. If she was Celios¡¯s daughter, Iris, she was more likely to have black hair and blue eyes. Unlike the second brother, Hayer, she inherited the blood of the Lepos family. He chose this marriage solely for the purpose of political union. It was, in his opinion, a great sacrifice. However, after seeing the woman presumed to be Iris, fortunately, he felt that this marriage would not be that dry. As soon as she returned to the capital, if she called the bishop to forgive her pagan sins, then she would be able to remove the cloth covering her face without shame. Originally, if he spent one more day on the road to the capital, he was going to stop by his mother¡¯s family, Asheri. But now, he had a greater desire to go back to the capital and check that woman¡¯s face than to stop by and say hello. Unfortunately, if he does so, he¡¯ll be scolded when he gets back to the royal castle, so of course he can¡¯t really skip Asheri and go home. Asheri, located on the border, was a family that always had to be managed carefully, not knowing when they would collude with their neighbouring country, Siere. Although his mother, the queen, hid her infidelity and caused a huge stir by raising Hayer like the king¡¯s biological child, they failed to dismiss her only with suspicion because she was a person who was a nuisance. Sid always thought, frankly, that it would have been better for his mother to be justly punished. That would have punished Hayer Asheri, who always made it impossible to relax. There was a commotion outside the tent as he was drinking from his cup and thinking. After a while, his maid rushed in. ¡°Y-Your Highness! The pagan lady is gone!¡± ¡°What?¡± What nonsense is this? Sid jumped out of his seat and left the tent. ¡°How did she disappear when the pagan¡¯s carriage was being kept watched?¡± Then a guard said in a cold sweat. ¡°Princess Celios said she wanted to pray together to wash away the sins of the poor pagan¡­¡± Sid kicked the guard hard. He beat the guard who fell on the floor until he was relieved of his anger, and told his men. ¡°What are you doing?! How long has it been since the girl ran from here alone? Find her quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Sid¡¯s guards hastily scattered. * * * Iris began to walk in the meadows, believing in her invisible map. The strong wind made loud sounds against the brown, dry grass that barely held out with its roots. The noise was erasing the sound of Iris¡¯s footsteps. She breathed the hot air in. She could smell the dry winter meadows. It was winter. Even for Iris, who lived in the northern part of the country at the entrance of the alpine region, it felt strangely cold even though the temperature was higher. Perhaps it was because there were few trees growing in this place, she thought, and the wind felt strong because of that. On the way to this point, Iris didn¡¯t feel very bored. How could it be boring to traverse endless land for a week after living in a confined convent space in the northern lands? She thought that she would like to go on a long trip again. Open your eyes wide and look at the world clearly, so that the coldness of the air turns into warmth, and that warmth becomes cold again. Her ambition was to prove that the world was flowing endlessly, looking at the rocks that the waves had carved and the wind had pierced. Iris started running when she felt that she would no longer be detected by the sound of her footsteps. She fell unexpectedly several times on the tangled grass, but she got back up and ran. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have gone far, so hurry up and find her!¡± Soon after, shouts looking for her came from behind. They seemed to have caught up earlier than expected. She heard a hound barking. Iris forcibly pulled up her stamina that had fallen to the bottom. Out of breath, the shawl that she threw off flew away. She decided not to think about whether the place she was looking for was close or about the dust. In the end, thinking is also an act, so she didn¡¯t want to use her energy on it. As she ran, she finally noticed the sound of water in her ears. She had arrived. Iris ran onto the ice of the river, which was frozen, as expected. The search party arrived at the river and stopped at the thickness of the ice that seemed to break at any moment. Sid, who arrived a step late, looked at Iris standing on the thin ice that was broken here and there. ¡°Please come back, Miss Iris Lepos.¡± Sid spoke softly, but Iris remained motionless. Sid had his men explode the firecrackers he had brought, and the firecrackers exploded, brightening his vision. At that moment, Sid¡¯s eyes saw Iris¡¯s face. As expected, she was a typical Lepos beauty. The long end of her eyes gave off an alluring atmosphere, and her lips were thin and exceptionally red. It was a beauty that he had seen many times in the portraits hung in the royal castle, but he felt unfamiliar with her withered face, perhaps because the background was odd. Well, there won¡¯t be a portrait of a Lepos woman against the backdrop of the prairie. Iris rolled up her hair firmly in the wind. It was the way the nuns hid their hair in the veil. ¡°You¡¯d better come on your own feet. That will give you the bare minimum of courtesy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to intimidate me.¡± Iris¡¯s clear voice cut through the wind. ¡°The wicked first prince.¡± Sid Lepos is a despicable man who abandoned the throne and fled. Iris¡¯s image of him was clear. Sid fled to Asheri, his mother¡¯s family, which had a manor on the border. Asheri was already in collusion with the enemy country, Siere, so it was no different to committing an act of treason. However, humans probably did not seem to be judged on their sense of justice until misfortune befell them. Sid¡¯s expression twisted in anger at being called wicked. ¡°Catch her.¡± ¡°The ice is too thin, Your Highness.¡± Sid looked at his subordinates, as if he were ordering what to do with just his face. Eventually, a soldier sent a hound on the ice. Iris took out the spear she received from her parents and opened it completely. It was a spear about her height. Iris kept her range with the spear to keep the hounds away. Sid narrowed his eyes at the sight. What she used was the royal spear technique. Among the royalty of his own age, Sid had only seen two people who could use that style. It was himself and Hayer. ¡°The royal spear technique¡­ Where did she learn that?¡± The captain of the knights Sid had brought had muttered. It was no wonder he was surprised. Even for Sid, Iris Lepos was a woman full of oddities. Then, the ice broke where Iris was standing. When the crack went to where it was, the hound barked and hurriedly returned to land with its survival instinct. Meanwhile, Iris folded the spear she had and completely broke the ice. Immediately, she fell into the water, and under the ice she was seen drifting along. ¡°Damn it!¡± Sid gritted his teeth. afterword GIRLBOSS IRISSSS slayed absolutely show-stopping and incredible that¡¯s my girl!! CH 9 Even with the torches and the moon, the night was dark, so they couldn¡¯t figure out how far she had drifted away. ¡°¡­The temperature is too low. If you fall into the water here, you won¡¯t survive.¡± Even at the words of the knight, Sid Lepos ordered the soldiers to jump in. The hound, which escaped from the ice, was killed on the spot. Soldiers from the relatively warm capital suffered frostbite, and one died, but in the end, Iris was not found. A knight came to Sid, who was drinking to calm his anger. ¡°Your Highness! It¡¯s the full moon! The full moon has risen!¡± At that, Sid hurriedly put down his glass and went out of the tent. It was as the knight said. As the clouds covering the moon passed, a huge full moon began to illuminate the world. The Knight Commander said. ¡°In any case, it seems Miss Iris is dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The full moon indicated that the would-be king had appeared. So Sid realized now that the Knight Commander was saying that the competitor has disappeared. He soon felt his rage dissipate, and he was certain that the moon was giving him a sign tonight that he would become king. However, the sensitivity unique to the Lepos family that he had still kept him from thinking that Iris was dead. * * * To the south of Luwan is Kawat, a mountainous area, and the southern border past it was the border with forbidden land that humans could not enter. At the border, Hayer Asheri, along with the Knights of Tejas, whom he was the commander of, continued a battle to the point where he forgot whose last name he had and who he was. Originally living in the forbidden land, strange beings that could only be called monsters were rushing across the border into the Kawat Forest. The Kawats, who did not regard themselves as Luwans, were initially wary of the Knights of Tejas, which consisted of nobles among the Luwans, but now accepted that only they could save them. Throughout the year of their stay in Kawat, the Knights of Tejas were all covered in blood as if they had been bathed in red rain. Returning to the village where the Kawats lived sparsely, the Knights poured water that the villagers brought into the square to wipe off the blood. After returning to the accommodation, taking off the dirty clothes and taking a proper bath, hot steam rose from the bodies of all members of the Tejas Knights. Pushed away by Hayer¡¯s left arm, Hencke sat with one arm on his chair and asked Hayer, who was drinking beer. ¡°Hasn¡¯t the number of monsters decreased after the sacred tree was cut?¡± Hayer¡¯s right-hand man, Annamaria, said at the words. ¡°Really. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen those two-legged guys lately.¡± Everyone in the Knights let out a sigh of relief at the words ¡®two-legged guys.¡¯ Among all the strange beasts, they were the worst of the worst. Walking on two legs meant being able to use both hands. Being able to use both hands, and has learned to use tools. Is it evolving in a short time, or is it the fear of throwing a rock that can be held in one hand? Naturally, humans felt temperamentally afraid of beings that resembled themselves. After talking on both sides like that, Hencke said to Hayer, who was chuckling. ¡°Captain, you said you had to go to the capital? Don¡¯t you have to go quickly?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to get out of here. But I don¡¯t know if you guys can be without me.¡± ¡°¡­Come to think of it, we can¡¯t. Don¡¯t go.¡± Hayer only raised his eyebrows in answer and gulped down his beer. Then the door to the accommodation opened and the villagers said. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? Eat first!¡± The Kawats were coming in with whole lamb roasts. Seeing that they prepared a meal that was like a feast, the amount of monsters had decreased, and it seemed they could survive. Hayer rose as the surroundings became noisy. Annamaria, who was laughing and chatting with the villagers, glanced at him and motioned with a gesture. ¡°Bring him a meal.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Starting to move, Dylan took a plate and began to pick out things that suited Hayer¡¯s taste. Annamaria asked Hencke, who had already started eating. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in a good mood these days.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it. He¡¯s risking his life to defend the border here, but no one in the capital pays him tribute.¡± He continued, spooning the food into his mouth. ¡°I hope we can go and sweep it when it stabilizes here.¡± ¡°¡­You were born into a decent family, weren¡¯t you? Is it okay to dream of treason?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you because it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Well¡­ right.¡± Annamaria soon turned her attention to the food, casually passing it over. * * * Dylan knocked on the door of the Knight Commander¡¯s Office. ¡°Captain, I brought you a meal. Shall I go in?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± In response to Hayer¡¯s reply, Dylan packed his meal and entered the room. As Dylan expected, Hayer was frowning at the pain in his shoulder. A mythical god-like body, and a scar on his left shoulder that looked as if it had been axed like a tree. Dylan pouted his lips and put the meal in front of Hayer. ¡°The wound is getting bigger and bigger, Captain.¡± ¡°I know because I have eyes too.¡± ¡°Ask His Majesty for replacement troops. Stop being stubborn. Now, Captain, you should be in a place like a villa where you can recuperate, not on this battlefield.¡± Dylan nagged and took a white powder painkiller out of Hayer¡¯s baggage. Hayer just laughed it off and didn¡¯t answer, so Dylan grabbed the wooden barrel containing painkillers and said. ¡°If you keep laughing like that, I won¡¯t give you this. I¡¯m going to throw it away.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be going to the capital the day after tomorrow anyway, so I can go get it again.¡± Dylan pursed his lips because he didn¡¯t like it, and had no choice but to apply a powdery painkiller to Hayer¡¯s wound. The open wound didn¡¯t heal at all. Even though others would faint and could never wake up, Hayer continued eating without making much noise. ¡°You just don¡¯t want to go and get involved in a political fight, do you?¡± When Dylan interrupted, Hayer retorted. ¡°It¡¯s comfortable here. I don¡¯t want to live in discomfort because I don¡¯t know how much longer I will live.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t die of this wound.¡± ¡°Kid.¡± Hayer stopped eating and looked at the boy. ¡°It was two months ago when I got this wound. The wound that seemed to have been scratched by a branch opened up this much in the meantime. Even doctors don¡¯t know why. This is not better.¡± Dylan bit his lip at his calm resignation. It was so unfair that he couldn¡¯t bear it. However, Hayer, who was indifferent to everything in the world and had no obsession, was calm. Dylan, who was right next to him, was the only one who knew that his wound had deepened like this. It¡¯s probably been a long time since everyone has forgotten about it and thought that it¡¯s been healed since it was a scratch. Dylan said curtly. ¡°You should at least tell the knights.¡± ¡°Those guys look brazen, but they whine more than they look. If I really feel like dying, I can tell them on the day.¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to be shocked.¡± ¡°What do you know? I¡¯d be dead. And how many days will those simple guys be sad?¡± 13 year old Dylan tied the bandage tightly, thinking that his role had been switched with that of an adult¡¯s. Then, after Hayer got dressed again under Dylan¡¯s care, the door burst open without a knock. ¡°Captain! Captain!¡± As Hayer turned his head at those words, Annamaria, who opened the door, said. ¡°The full moon is up! Finally! As expected! That moon acknowledged the captain!¡± The words made Dylan cry and turn away. Hayer smiled and stroked the back of Dylan¡¯s head, then followed Annamaria out as if nothing had happened. As she said, there was a full moon in the sky. The moon has never been full since King Eswa took the throne. In Luwan, the full moon meant the king. Therefore, Eswa¡¯s inferiority complex was bound to grow, and today¡¯s full moon felt like a sign to accept a new king. CH 10 Hayer searched his pockets and asked Ato, the leader of the Kawat warriors fighting with the Knights. ¡°Do you have a cigarette?¡± ¡°Why do you remove the flea¡¯s liver every time?¡± ¡¶t/n: saying when you take something that isn¡¯t there/take money from the poor¡· While complaining, Ato handed over a cigarette and lent him a lighter, saying, ¡°Even I, who lived a lot longer than you, can hardly remember the full moon. I always look at a moon that¡¯s a little less full. Isn¡¯t it the first time that a full moon appeared in Luwan after the death of the late king?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time.¡± ¡°The fact that the full moon has risen now means that a new king has appeared somewhere in Luwan.¡± Ato said that while looking at Hayer. Ato also did not regard himself as a Luwan like any other Kawat, but he was confident that he would change his mind if Hayer became king. Hayer laughed when he heard the excitement that Ato had hidden in his voice. ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°Ah, why didn¡¯t you answer so well? Yes, maybe the captain is not of the king¡¯s blood. But isn¡¯t it true that the queen gave birth to you?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m my father¡¯s real son, I have an older brother. How am I supposed to covet the throne when the enemy exists?¡± Eswa, who grew up believing that he was his father, had a great sense of inferiority in his bloodline. When he had a hunch that his second son was not his own child, his inferiority complex became stronger and he wanted to find and kill Hayer right away. If one day a sage came over from another country and revealed the truth, it was clear that the king would take everything Hayer had and execute him at any time. Both the Knights and the Kawats thought Hayer¡¯s lack of greed for the throne was due to his lineage. They all found it more interesting to look at Hayer than the full moon. As if white milk had hardened, eyes first went to the clean skin and healthy and beautiful body, and when he kept his mouth closed, eyes went to his elegant and dignified face. Hayer looked up at the moon, and was moved by the hearts of those who expected him to become king, and asked Dylan, who was clenching his fists to somehow hold back tears. ¡°Kid, was the last time the moon was full 25 years ago?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Hayer laughed silently at the curt reply, then looked at the moon more calmly than anyone else here. Then the maid came running with his coat. ¡°Augh, it¡¯s January, January!¡± ¡¶t/n: pointing out how cold it is bc it¡¯s january?¡· ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Hayer wasn¡¯t very cold, but he had no choice but to bundle up in his coat because his servants and subordinates looked so worried. Recognizing his desire to have a drink, he poured alcohol into the cup that Ato brought and said. ¡°That moon is for the captain. You¡¯ll see. It will definitely be so.¡± He was sure, and Hayer put the drink in his mouth one more time and looked up at the sky without answering. The cold white full moon was mysterious. Hayer, who was looking at the moon like that, headed straight to the stable. Dylan asked as he ran with his saddle in his hand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To the Asheri family.¡± ¡°Wh-what brings you there¡­ Ah!¡± Dylan¡¯s face lit up. ¡°You¡¯re going to get treatment!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The fact that the full moon has risen means that a person who will become the king has appeared. Hayer saw the moon and saw hope that he might become king. Dylan believed so. Dylan hopped excitedly and said. ¡°This is a revelation. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a way!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain!¡± While Dylan was replying, Hayer immediately speeded up and his horse started to gallop. Dylan waved and shouted to Hayer, who was moving away. ¡°Buy me something delicious!¡± As if he could hear the child¡¯s words, and just looking at his back from afar, he could feel that Hayer burst into laughter. * * * As soon as Iris fell into the ice, she tried to come to her senses. She knew it was over if she fainted here. Originally, she was raised in a convent that was so cold and had no heating, and the memory of the harsh cold she experienced on the way to the North Gate had an effect on her body. She covered her head with her hands so that she wouldn¡¯t get swept away by the waves, so her arms were bruised and bleeding all over. It was not long before she reached the shore. It was helpful that she had been practicing holding her breath for a week and increasing her lung capacity. Nevertheless, she was short of breath, so her mind was far away. With the strong wind blowing, Iris suffered from the uncontrollable cold. But she couldn¡¯t rest and moved toward her destination. The wind seemed to scratch her whole body, but she couldn¡¯t help it. After walking for hours, the sun rose. It was as if the ground was pulling her body with all its might. Iris, who had been holding out, eventually collapsed on the spot. Was it an impossible escape? As Iris was thinking, warmth touched her. When she opened her eyes, a fox with white fur was licking Iris¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, the white fox¡­¡± The white fox was a symbol of the Asheri family. Iris realized that she had safely arrived at the estate of the Asheri family. The white fox must have liked people very much. It licked her face for the first time, so excited that it even dug into her arms to share its warmth. Thanks to the warmth of the animal, Iris barely came to her senses and sat up. ¡°Thank you.¡± Whether it knew whether Iris was saying hello or not, the white fox shook its wet fur from hugging her wet body. At that time, a relaxed footstep was heard, and a 70-year-old man showed up. ¡°Who are you? You seem to be from the Lepos family, but¡­¡± Iris looked at the old man with the white fox in her arms. He was 70-year-old Ritero Asheri, the head of the Asheri family. The white fox became the symbol of the Asheri family because of the cunning tendencies of the people of this family. As far as Iris remembers, the Asheri family, which was located at the border even after the war began, did not take Luwan¡¯s side or Siere¡¯s side for a while. When Luwan asked to send troops, they whined that Siere was nearby and they would perish the moment they sent troops. Then, the moment Luwan felt defeated, Siere pushed Luwan. They hid their claws for a perfect victory. These were the people who would unconditionally stick to the winning side, and among them, Ritero Asheri, the head of the house, was a person who clearly retained the clever family¡¯s tendency. Iris stared blankly at Ritero Asheri. By this time, the real power of the Asheri family was already being transferred to Ritero¡¯s eldest son, Flodin Asheri. The current Ritero Asheri was only able to move as his son wanted. The eldest daughter, Peonia Lepos, was the queen, so he could ask for some help there, but she lost her remaining power as soon as there was that rumour after she gave birth to Hayer. In fact, Luwan¡¯s nobility did not value education very much. In such an atmosphere, the Asheri family was the only family that allowed internal successors to study until just before they died. Iris thought it would have been education that the Asheri family, who once produced traitors and were completely ostracized, realized would be needed to survive. The old man asked again when Iris only stared at Ritero and didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Are you uncomfortable with anything?¡± She thought that it was only fitting for the head of the Asheri family, who was called a white fox, to greet an intruder who suddenly appeared in the middle of the night with the utmost respect just because she appeared to be a member of the Lepos family. Iris opened her mouth. ¡°My name is Iris Lepos.¡± ¡°A name I¡¯ve never heard of¡­ Ah.¡± Ritero smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the daughter of Princess Celios.¡± Iris was sure, perhaps, that the old man knew who she was the moment he saw her. Nevertheless, when she saw the side of the snake pretending not to know, Hayer Asheri suddenly came to mind. He also had something like this. She could see where that tendency came from. Ritero motioned to the butler, who was following right next to him, and soon the butler had the servants bring blankets and start a fire. afterword hopefully you can see the faint orange glow (check Asheri) on the map! it shows where iris currently is!! CH 11 After a while, Iris¡¯s body was wrapped in a blanket, and a furnace was placed in front of her. Seeing that she had not been brought into the house, it seemed that Ritero was about to go through the process of confirming who she was. Iris, who deliberately entered the center of the typhoon, asked while pretending not to know. ¡°Why are you staying here?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the annex?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I was originally going to ask the head of the family for help, but¡­ You two are a bit too much.¡± Iris made a look of discontent on purpose. It was a clear-cut alienation. However, Ritero¡ªwho was the head of Asheri¡ªand called the white fox for a long time among them, smiled kindly. ¡°Young people naturally don¡¯t know what to do. It¡¯s probably because they didn¡¯t get taught.¡± ¡°No way, there are rumors about how passionate the Asheri family is about their children¡¯s education.¡± ¡°Apart from the passage of time, what else would this old man regret?¡± Ritero said, and had a table placed between them. He was about to serve her tea. Iris knew it meant listening to more of her story. Iris, who was looking at the garden, pointed to a fountain modeled after the goddess of alchemy in the distance. ¡°What a beautiful fountain.¡± That fountain was brought here after finding it with difficulty in the garden of Ritero¡¯s house when he was young. Ritero smiled silently. In the meantime, all the white foxes with dazzling white fur and dark red eyes in the garden ran towards the two, perhaps because of the warmth. Ritero asked Iris, who was not surprised at all, but stroking the fox sitting on her lap. ¡°He seems to like it.¡± ¡°Because this kid likes me.¡± ¡°Would you like to feed him?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ritero spoke and gestured, and the servants who were taking care of the foxes ran to him. And when the skinned lemmings piled up in the barrel, Ritero said. ¡°You can cut it and serve it.¡± Usually, at this rate, the nobles would scream and run away. Iris used to be like that. And it was quickly regarded as disrespect for the Asheri family. Knowing that, Iris immediately reached out to the servant, took the knife, and cut the meat in half. ¡°Come and see.¡± Blood dripped from Iris¡¯s white, beautiful hands. One of the foxes, who had been faltering since she was a stranger, approached and took the meat from her hand and moved away. ¡°This kid is the most fearless.¡± ¡°He¡¯s called Con.¡± ¡°Con.¡± Con perked up his ears, as if he knew she was calling his name. Iris lifted the remaining half and threw it to Con, and Ritero laughed as she kept feeding the rest only to Con. ¡°You have to distribute it evenly.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make you weak if you stay inside the fence? They have to compete among themselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re hungry, they¡¯ll rush in and take it. Don¡¯t you have to be hungry to appreciate the hand that feeds you?¡± Your children don¡¯t know how to be grateful. Ritero, who had settled on the ground, noticed the meaning in Iris¡¯s words, but only smiled as if he didn¡¯t know. After filling his stomach, Con ran to Iris and licked the blood on her hands, and the rest of the foxes ran to the servants, as if they were asking for food. Con, who had a full stomach, rubbed his head in Iris¡¯s hand, and followed the others when the group set off again. Ritero said. ¡°Con was Hayer¡¯s child.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± When Hayer¡¯s name came up, Iris briefly thought of him. She remembered the man who was smiling until the last minute. Maybe he could have everything in the world. Leaving Hayer on the snowy field at the northern end where no one would go remained in her mind. She couldn¡¯t erase this loneliness until she saw his living face. Ritero said. ¡°Did you come to Asheri on purpose?¡± ¡°Yes. To get help from the head.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He nodded slowly and got up. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come a long way, I¡¯ll prepare a room for you. I¡¯ll give you a nice room in the annex.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Iris rose up after Ritero. * * * The Asheri¡¯s annex, located on the border with Siere, was a mixture of cultural assets of the two countries. Ritero, who was walking ahead at a slow pace, said. ¡°I don¡¯t think my grandson deserved that.¡± The question was, why did she make things so complicated when it would¡¯ve been simple if she married Sid Lepos? Iris stopped and said. ¡°My lord.¡± Hearing her tone, Ritero motioned. Then the butler left the key to him, bid farewell, and disappeared. Iris continued in the corridor where only the two of them were left. ¡°It is only natural that the Asheri family supports the first prince.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But is it true that the head thinks the same way?¡± Ritero narrowed his eyes at her question and stared at Iris. Iris continued. ¡°He is the first grandson you have, so I know you love him exceptionally. But.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ritero didn¡¯t open his mouth so that she could say everything. Iris went on, alert, not to be swayed by the foxy old man. ¡°The question is whether that lowly Sid Lepos can break this situation.¡± At her words, Ritero pretended to think for a moment. It was clear that he was pretending to be worried, even though he must have already organized it in his head. It wasn¡¯t that Luwan suddenly went to ruins. Six years ago, it was already crumbling and collapsing everywhere. It was the families on the border, like the Asheri, that felt the weakening of national power the most. The first thing you would have felt was that there were more people fleeing from Luwan to Siere than those who fled from Siere to Luwan. Ritero asked. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with Sid?¡± ¡°He seemed too closed off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I already see no way for Luwan to survive without the pagans. But he would never be one to join hands with a pagan.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± Ritero agreed. ¡°Therefore¡­¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯d better go to bed now. This old man is not energetic enough to stand in one place for a long time and talk like young people.¡± He deliberately interrupted the conversation. Then he turned around and said in front of the room he was about to give. ¡°Come to think of it, this room doesn¡¯t get much sunlight.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the third floor. I¡¯ll give you a room in the south.¡± He took the lead on the stairs to the third floor. Iris looked back at the room she was almost about to get. It was a dark room piled up with baggage. It was clearly used as a warehouse. The new room on the third floor was not very good, but it was well-lit and tidy. There was also a separate room for the maid to stay on one side so that the room owner could call the maid even at dawn. During the conversation, it was conveyed in the state of the room that the hospitality was raised from an uninvited guest to a guest. She looked around the room and rang the bell, and a maid appeared from the adjoined room. ¡°Hello, my name is Annie, my lady¡­ Oh my gosh, why are you so wet!¡± ¡°Bath¡­¡± While saying that, Iris suddenly fell down, feeling like her body¡¯s muscles broke. ¡°Ah, my lady!¡± The maid, Annie, came running. When she grabbed Iris¡¯s arm to support her, she freaked out. ¡°Y-your body is a ball of fire, my lady!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve survived, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? Are you talking nonsense because you have a fever?¡± What a foul-mouthed maid¡­ Annie called the servants while Iris was thinking. Soon a servant carried Iris on his back and took her to the bathroom where the water began to heat up. CH 12 Iris was proud to have grown up in the north. She was overconfident that this much would be okay because she had three months of experience of wandering around in the north. However, she had never stepped out of the convent until she was 19, and she was originally weak because Celios digested the poison given by the king during her pregnancy. With the help of the servants, she was washed with warm water and laid down in a room full of firewood in the fireplace, but she already had a severe high fever. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s strange that a guest suddenly came in, but she¡¯s also a sick person.¡± ¡°I know. Her body looks weak, but how could she get so wet with such confidence¡­¡± She could hear what they were saying next to her very well. Is it okay to be so mean in front of a person? Iris was resentful, but she had no choice but to take it calmly because she was so warm. In any case, she survived and got here. The way she came was not really a road. Sid would come along the road that had been made, so he would not arrive at the Asheri estate until lunchtime today. Iris knew how Ritero would react when Sid would come to greet at the annex. Having heard of the Asheri family from Hayer, she could speculate to some degree. Unless Sid asks his grandfather if he has seen Iris, Ritero won¡¯t talk about her visit. But if Sid asks about her, it¡¯s obvious he won¡¯t hide it. Six years ago, before crossing the North Gate, when Iris was forcibly dragged by Sid¡¯s hands from the convent and headed to the capital, she stayed with the Asheri family. However, at that time, she clearly remembered staying in the main building, not the annex. At that time, they had a luncheon and listened to the report. Hayer Asheri will arrive by evening. It seemed that the message he sent had arrived. Sid didn¡¯t like his brother, so he left for the capital immediately, even though he could have met Hayer after another day¡¯s stay. Iris met Hayer a month later, while preparing for the wedding. Iris wanted to stay as alert as possible, but the fever kept her from lifting a finger until Sid arrived. Then, when she heard the sound of a horse¡¯s hooves, she got up and looked out of the window. Sid was just stopping in front of the annex to greet his grandfather. Iris took a hot breath and went into the adjoined room with the maid. Annie asked, puzzled. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Can you hide me?¡± ¡°¡­Hide you?¡± While Annie was asking back, the butler¡¯s voice was heard outside. ¡°Master Sid is here, please come out to say hello.¡± At that, Annie looked at Iris with eyes full of suspicion. Iris said to her disbelieving gaze. ¡°Right, you don¡¯t have to hide me. Instead¡­ Can you tell the head one thing?¡± ¡°Ah, really¡­¡± It was clear Annie didn¡¯t want to overdo anything, but she was weak and asked Iris curtly, whose face was white as if she were about to die. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tell him Lord Hayer is sick.¡± ¡°¡­Is that possible?¡± Annie put on an absurd look. He did look strong, as if all the diseases in the world could be avoided. Iris continued. ¡°You can check it out in a day. You can hand me back to Sid after that, so just give me this. I can cure it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My life is at stake.¡± Annie looked at her with narrowed eyes, then covered her with a blanket and said, ¡°Stay here for now.¡± Iris nodded and wrapped herself in the blanket. Her body was cold and hot. It was a fever to the point of delirium. ¡°¡­have to live.¡± Iris murmured to herself. She burned her will to live somehow, but it was really not easy. From now on, she had no choice but to leave it to fate. * * * Asheri¡¯s maid, Annie, was in a very uncomfortable state. She started working as a maid at the age of 13, and by the time she turned 20, she had a firm rule. Never, no matter what, never intervene in the problems that arise in the owner¡¯s family. Therefore, she had no desire to listen to Iris. It was because it was obvious that she would only get hurt if she intervened for no reason. ¡°Ahh, gosh.¡± In the end, however, Annie moved toward Ritero Asheri. It was because of the lady who said her life was at stake with a dying face. With such a coy face, her eyes resembled a deer¡¯s. She was putting her head in the lion¡¯s mouth because of a noble lady who she didn¡¯t even know, and she felt numb for some reason. Annie eventually ran to Ritero, who was walking slowly to greet his grandson. ¡°Master, that¡­¡± Since the servants rarely talked to him first, Ritero motioned for her to come closer to him, knowing that there was a message from Iris. Annie said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she meant, but she says Master Hayer is sick. She knows the cure.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ritero did not reply, nod or shake his head. However, as soon as he whispered to the butler in charge, it seemed that he was trying to send a message to Hayer to check. After the delivery, Annie pressed her chest with both hands because her heart was beating fast. Even if it was a person she was seeing for the first time, she had no choice but to help because her life was at stake anyway. Then she ran to the door to greet with the other servants. * * * Iris, who was left in the adjoined room, touched her forehead with her hand. Her hands were hot and her forehead was hot, so she couldn¡¯t tell if her body was hot or not. After the greeting, it was time to return to the main building and start the luncheon, but seeing that no one barged in, it seemed to have passed safely. Iris shivered in the unheated adjoined room until the afternoon, and then withstood it for another hour at 4pm, when Sid was sure to have left after the luncheon. It was a fever that made it painful to even take one step. Iris managed to get to the fireplace and collapsed on the carpet. She thought she¡¯d really die this time. ¡®What will happen if I die in Asheri?¡¯ She tried to figure it out, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to lift a finger, so she didn¡¯t have the strength to think with her head. It was when she was praying that if she was born again, she would be born with a strong body like iron, no matter what, like Hayer Asheri. Her body felt light, and she heard a low voice. ¡°No matter how uninvited she is, why did you leave the guest on the floor?¡± ¡°Are you throwing it away? She came on her own feet.¡± ¡°What if this lady dies?¡± Ah. A familiar voice. Iris opened her eyes desperately. A man as beautiful as the sun slowly flowed into her field of vision. A man, who is younger than the 25-year-old she remembers, and whose expression is confident because Luwan has not yet been on the defensive. Her first love that she was with only once in her life. Hayer Asheri was here. Hayer put Iris in a chair for a moment, then lifted the bed and moved it to the fireplace. After putting her back on the bed, he made all the servants leave. Iris looked at Hayer, breathing as if she was about to break. He bent down towards the bed with one hand. Hayer said in a rather cold voice. ¡°Do you know about my injury?¡± He had orange eyes that made the viewer feel refreshed, but he was also a man with such a strong energy that if he frowned, the atmosphere around him would suddenly sink. Iris tried to adapt to him, the fact that she was a strange woman he met for the first time. He knew that someone he had never met knew his biggest weakness, so he couldn¡¯t greet her as warmly as he did in her memories. Even though she knew it in her head, her affection flowed into her heart and she couldn¡¯t control her expression at will. Iris had no choice but to harden her face until it looked artificial. Then, she groaned in agony and closed her eyes. She tried to talk about the North Gate, but no sound came out of her mouth. It was something that she noticed shortly after the regression. Perhaps even if she knew about the future, she could not divulge it to others. afterword AND THEY FINALLY MET THE CROWD GOES WILDDDDD I LOVE THEM SM CH 13 Iris just nodded once and barely opened her mouth. ¡°Open the window¡­¡± It was too hot because of the heat all over her body. At Iris¡¯s words, Hayer looked at the window for a moment before telling her. ¡°The maids said that it would be better to be hot because it¡¯s a cold.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That¡¯s what Iris also thought, but it was hard to bear because it was so hot right now. At last, as she staggered out of bed and was about to stumble down, Hayer grabbed her arm quickly and said, supporting her. ¡°You¡¯re really stubborn, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I said it was hot.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± Hayer rang the bell while he held Iris¡¯s arm as she tried to get to the window. Iris tried to pull her arm away from him, but Hayer looked at the door for a moment and didn¡¯t even notice that she was straining. Hayer said to the maid who came out of the adjoined room immediately. ¡°Can you bring me some cold water?¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± It was not until the maid replied and left right away that Hayer found Iris struggling, and he let go. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me to let you go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I pulled.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t pull.¡± ¡°I pulled as hard as I could.¡± Iris glared at him with an unfair heart, and Hayer reluctantly replied. ¡°All right, all right, don¡¯t try too hard and sit down. I¡¯ll open the window and give you cold water. Okay?¡± Even if he could have lived longer than he originally had, she didn¡¯t like Hayer¡¯s attitude of soothing her like he would a child. The grown-up man she had been with for three months was nowhere in the world now. When the maid brought cold water, Iris took the glass with both hands. And after taking a sip, she felt the emotion that had risen for a moment subsided a little. She seemed to feel more sensitive because she was sick. Then again, it was shocking that Hayer had been injured for such a long time. Even Annamaria and Hencke, who were proud to be Hayer¡¯s right and left arms, did not know that their leader was suffering from severe pain. It was as if he hadn¡¯t told anyone about his pain. However, since a woman he had never seen before knew about the injury, he was very gentlemanly just by not pulling out his sword and not threatening her immediately. On the other hand, she also had a self-deprecating thought that she might not be worth threatening because she looked so insignificant. Iris emptied her glass in an instant. She realized that she was thirsty only after she started drinking water. Iris, who quenched her thirst, said. ¡°I can¡¯t say how I know, but I can be sure that I know the cure.¡± Hayer was lost in thought for a moment at the words. He didn¡¯t seem to readily believe Iris. Iris thought he might not want to have too much hope. Hayer said. ¡°It looks like you need a price.¡± Iris nodded and he asked. ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± ¡°If you take me to the place where the Knights of Tejas are without Sid Lepos knowing, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°How can I take you secretly when my brother knows you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°¡­He knows?¡± Iris asked blankly, and Hayer tilted his head to one side. ¡°Have you ever been lost?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Found a lost item?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If Miss Iris doesn¡¯t get lost and can always find what she wants, that means my brother can too. When I played tag with my brother when I was young, he used to beat me so easily.¡± ¡°Then now¡­¡± ¡°My brother is in the main building.¡± Iris sighed at the words. She risked her life to get here in one day. At her sigh, Hayer said. ¡°In any case, if you don¡¯t want to get married, I can protect you. But not marrying my brother means being a competitor, and Sid will spare no time and effort to smear his competitor.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± That¡¯s what Iris, who had been Sid¡¯s wife for six years, knew. He was cruel, cold. Iris nodded. ¡°Okay. Just promise me that you¡¯ll help me avoid getting married, which I don¡¯t want.¡± Hayer readily replied to her remark. ¡°I will.¡± Hayer showed her how to detox it in front of the North Gate, so she knew for sure. It was a wild flower that grew like a parasitic plant right next to the sacred tree. Now that she thought about it, she thought maybe the flower was not parasitic on the sacred tree, but was purifying the poison. Iris, who had lived as a queen for more than six years and managed the flower decorations in the royal palace, had no flowers she didn¡¯t know about. The flower was also a wild flower, but Iris knew of it. However, it did not grow naturally in Luwan, so in order to obtain it, one had to go to a port city where foreign cultural assets came in. As she thought, Hayer said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to go together with the Knights of Tejas for the time being.¡± At his words, Iris smiled unconsciously. Her heart was pounding at the thought of meeting the other Knights again. Of course they don¡¯t know her themselves, but¡­ Iris asked, trying to hide her excitement. ¡°Where are the Knights of Tejas?¡± ¡°They left later than I did, so they¡¯re probably in the capital.¡± ¡°¡­Did you come all the way here from the south alone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± How many military commanders in Luwan can run this distant land alone? She was sure she could count three on her fingers at most. Iris was excited at the thought of meeting the Tejas Knights, and then collapsed again due to her fever. While visiting the North Gate, the Knights imagined many powerful people sitting on the throne. However, all of that happened on a pre-established premise. She thought it was, in fact, complete nonsense for her to become king. Of course, she had never learned anything like royal studies. What use would knowing many flower names be when you become a king? She wasn¡¯t strong in arms (fighting), and she wasn¡¯t particularly broad-minded. ¡°My subordinates are hard to deal with. Everyone has their own voice. If you thought you couldn¡¯t find the way, you would have lied so that you couldn¡¯t go, but for you to have gone this far, you must have seen something while guarding the throne.¡± ¡°As much as the fact that you¡¯re a boring person. I know you¡¯re someone who¡¯ll keep walking. That fact alone is enough for you to be surprising and fun.¡± Iris recalled Hayer¡¯s words. As he said, she was confident of being able to keep walking on. There was definitely an intention of protecting Luwan. It stemmed not from patriotism, but from guilt for once sitting in the queen¡¯s seat and being unable to do anything. After crossing the North Gate and arriving here, Iris was continuing the game of finding a way to prevent Luwan¡¯s terrible defeat by putting some of the most powerful players on the throne. Iris had a lot to ask of Hayer and she had a lot of things to say, but after closing her eyes for a moment, she lost consciousness because she didn¡¯t have the strength to open them again. Hayer was flustered by Iris, who collapsed during the conversation to the extent that the word ¡®suddenly¡¯ wasn¡¯t awkward, and immediately called the doctor. The doctor said it was better to keep the room warm and leave it as it is, since it isn¡¯t clear when she will wake up because she was in a very weak state. Like a person who had to do something, Iris had sat with her body strained, even when her fever was boiling. Her white face was red from the fever, so even a child could recognize that she was sick, but he thought she was okay because she was so tough. After all, when he heard from Sid¡¯s men, it seemed that she jumped into the icy water with that fluttering body and came out alive. It¡¯s too strange to be considered normal. After the doctor left, Hayer, too, was about to leave the room when he heard Iris¡¯s distressed voice. ¡°Hayer¡­¡± Hayer paused at the sound of his name being called. In Luwan, it was natural to call each other by first names without honorific titles. However, Iris and himself were not close to each other. afterword im just gonna keep saying how much i love them in each afterword LOL CH 14 ¡°Do we know each other?¡± Hayer bent down for a moment and examined her face, but it couldn¡¯t be. He was originally good at memorizing faces, and Iris had a unique energy that was hard to forget even if he met her once. When Hayer came out of the bedroom with doubts, Ritero Asheri, the head of the family, approached him leisurely with his hands behind his back. ¡°What did you talk about?¡± His maternal grandfather¡¯s first greeting showed that he had an impressive view of Iris. Since Ritero was a very reserved person, he rarely showed such obvious interest. As soon as he came out of the room, Hayer held the white fox at his feet and said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to want to marry my brother.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡± ¡°She looked nervous. As if something that must be done is at hand.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Ritero nodded. It seemed the same to him. Ritero said. ¡°She¡¯s a girl with a big wall. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good fit for your brother.¡± ¡¶t/n: big wall as in hard to read/get close to, or something along those lines¡· ¡°Are you saying that she doesn¡¯t suit him because she has a big wall?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I mean.¡± As Ritero turned around, Hayer strode out, stroking the white fox, Con. From the king¡¯s point of view, Hayer may not resemble him, but to Ritero, no matter who the father was, both of his grandchildren were children that resembled his daughter. In addition, both children were Asheri, born with many unique personalities. Ritero judged Iris to be bold and brilliant. He looked back at Hayer, who was following him and being beaten by his white fox¡¯s tail for not coming home often. He was still young, and there were times when Hayer still looked ridiculous, but he was a man who enjoyed taking the right path. Until a rebellion, the world would try to suppress his rebellious temperament, Ritero thought. The problem was, Iris lying there looked like Hayer in that way, too. Iris was impressive to Ritero, but he didn¡¯t want to approve of meeting his grandchildren. When the two men went outside, Sid Lepos¡¯s horse approached in the distance. Ritero moved to his room because he didn¡¯t want to side with anyone in his grandchildren¡¯s quarrel. In the dry winter, sleet fell for the first time in a while, and began to cling to the fields and clothes one by one. Sid got off his horse and faced his brother. ¡°I think this has given you guys enough time to talk, so I¡¯ll take Miss Iris back.¡± At his brother¡¯s words, Hayer stood with his hands behind his back. Sid stopped coming closer at the action. Hayer stood there, thinking about what to say. Hayer had enough force to fear no one in Luwan, but his opponent was on the move with 30 knights, including himself and one of the top three knights. It was impossible to win a fight. However, there was no reason for Sid to choose to lose power significantly in an armed clash with Hayer. After a brief confrontation like that, Hayer opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want you to take Miss Iris.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Hm. Because I fell in love at first sight?¡± Hayer¡¯s nonchalant reply made Sid¡¯s face wrinkle. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°We just talked about this and that, and she fits me so well.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say something like that, get out of here.¡± ¡°No, Sid.¡± Hayer said as he unsheathed his sword. ¡°When arguing over a woman, it¡¯s a procedure to have a confrontation.¡± Sid looked incredulously at Hayer¡¯s words. But he wasn¡¯t wrong. If you had a fight over someone you love, it was legal to apply for a duel and fight each other. Sid said. ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten that I have the right to use a fill-in, have you?¡± ¡°If you use a fill-in, you¡¯ll only lose your men.¡± Hayer¡¯s words were not even bluff, let alone a tone that showed confidence. It was only logical, since winning a duel was so natural for him. He couldn¡¯t back down right away because of his pride, so he gritted his teeth and said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of whim this is, but eventually Miss Iris will marry me. For political reasons or whatever. There will be many reasons.¡± ¡°All right. But for now, if you don¡¯t intend to duel with me, leave.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Sid glared at him, clicked his tongue, and gestured to his men to back off. Of course, there had to be a way to rush in, knock Hayer down, and take Iris. However, if he did, he would be recorded in the history books as a trashy person who dragged a group into beating up his younger brother. To leave a dirty name in history, for both the royals and the great nobility, was a terrible thing to dream of. Sid mounted his horse and looked up. Iris woke up and was coming out to the balcony. From the side, Hayer looked up at the balcony and clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯re stubborn. Don¡¯t breathe in the cold air.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­¡± ¡°Drink water, something cold.¡± Hayer went up the stairs to finish nagging, and Sid met Iris¡¯s eyes from the balcony. It was miraculous that she had survived swimming in the icy water. Sid thought Iris had a strong body despite what it looked like. * * * Iris sighed at the burning heat of her body. It was so hot that she wanted to fall asleep on the balcony, but even Asheri¡¯s doctor insisted that the cold wind would not be good. As for Hayer, he felt resentful for his lack of care for others while being injured himself, but if he kept pursuing sweetness like this for a short time, in the long run, she would only spend more time lying in bed, so he blamed her for being impatient. She stood there for a moment to get some cold air before Hayer came up. When she saw Sid near the garden of the annex, he didn¡¯t look good. Iris has already noticed a huge change in Sid¡¯s position. In the past, since he met Iris, he had never faced anything that could damage his pride. As soon as he married Iris, all eight of the great noble families, who were preparing to cling to Sid¡¯s legitimacy, agreed that he would ascend the throne, so right after the marriage, his half-brother Hayer was the only rival. However, Hayer¡¯s injury became more and more serious, and he couldn¡¯t increase his own power much, let alone rebel, so there was no one in the world to scare Sid. Iris did not know whether hurting his pride would be poison or medicine for the character Sid Lepos. The more she thought about it, the more absurd she felt as she wondered how she could not know so much about Sid even after living as a couple for six years. But, apart from absurdity, it was also a relief. In any case, that man wants to marry her only to be a king comfortably, and there was no emotion mixed in the slightest. Emotions were always soggy and sticky, and it was difficult to remove neatly. While she was thinking, she inadvertently made eye contact with Sid. His face was distorted. Then Annie, the maid who greeted her first, grabbed her arm and raised her up. ¡°You¡¯re driving me crazy, really! You must have been impatient to die!¡± Iris hurriedly tried to get up at her touch, but her legs gave out and she collapsed. Even though she was small, Iris was quite tall, so Annie was flustered and called Hayer. ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Only then did Hayer come, bend down, and hold out his hand. Iris put her hand over his and gave her permission, and Hayer picked her up. Hayer, who put Iris back in bed, said. ¡°We leave in three days. In the meantime, if you¡¯re not well enough to ride a horse, I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°Then you won¡¯t know the cure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Miss Iris knows how to cure it right now.¡± ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t trust me, why would you take me?¡± When Iris asked and expressed her doubts, Hayer, who was crossing his arms, shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, I hate this marriage.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think my bed will be comfortable if I let my brother have an unhappy marriage.¡± 19 years old. He was much more unruly than the Hayer Iris knew. afterword waiting for hayer to fall head over heels for iris and waiting for sid to kindly fuck off like bro that¡¯s ur cousin idc how distant u two are it¡¯s fucking weird and the fact that they look so similar to each other¡­ icky icky CH 15 That didn¡¯t mean that he felt like a stranger to the Hayer she knew. Iris nodded and said. ¡°Then, thank you for that. At most¡­ I¡¯ll be fine in three days. Enough to get to the port city.¡± ¡°The port city?¡± ¡°I want to go to Everhart.¡± Everhart was the largest port city in Luwan, just south of the capital. Traders say, ¡®The religion of the region where merchants touch is their religion.¡¯ As the saying goes, Everhart was almost the only area on Luwan¡¯s land where pagans could roam freely. It was a place where many merchant ships came in, to the point where it was said that what could not be obtained there could not be obtained anywhere in Luwan. However, as much money came and went, security was not so good. Most of the merchants passing through Everhart traveled in upper rank units, and hired mercenaries to always fiercely protect their property. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go to Everhart.¡± Hayer nodded. If she wakes up after sleeping like she¡¯s dead for three days, she¡¯ll be able to at least get to Everhart. Relieved, Iris asked. ¡°But Sid¡­ How did you make Sid give up and go?¡± At Iris¡¯s words, Hayer said casually. ¡°I said we would have to duel if he wanted to take Miss Iris.¡± ¡°Duel?¡± ¡°Yes. A duel.¡± ¡°Duel¡­ Pardon?¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened. She belatedly realized what the reason would be for a duel in this situation. It was clear that he was referring to a duel between rivals. ¡°H-how can you make such an excuse?¡± ¡°At that time, that was the only way I could think of. Isn¡¯t it okay since I avoided it anyway?¡± Hayer looked as if it didn¡¯t matter if he told some lies. Iris couldn¡¯t think of any other way. But somehow, it felt like her hot face was getting hotter. It would have been easy if she had some kind of relationship with him to the extent that he could lie about being romantically involved, but he wasn¡¯t like that with Iris. She kept thinking of the strong, reliable man who had been with her for three months, and his rejection lingered in her ears. Every time that happened, her heart ached. Iris tried to smile and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. You avoided it, so it¡¯s okay. Thank you. Then, really, I¡¯ll sleep without being stubborn.¡± Iris¡¯s words did not make Hayer look less suspicious, but he decided to trust her and leave for now. * * * Three days was a long time to do nothing. Iris managed to come to her senses after sleeping for a full day and a half. When she woke up, she felt quite well. It was thanks to Annie, who was next to her and took pity on her, that she healed so well. After getting out of bed, she thanked Ritero for helping her. Ritero asked to play chess together if she was bored, and Iris readily agreed, as she enjoyed playing games quite a lot at many social events during her six years of being queen. Iris then played chess with Ritero in the drawing room with a fireplace on the first floor until Hayer was ready to leave. Iris said. ¡°¡­I lost again.¡± ¡°I guess this old man has a lot of luck today.¡± Iris looked curiously at Ritero, who was speaking leisurely. Iris didn¡¯t win a single round against Ritero. But perhaps even if she won, she was confident that Ritero would remain with that attitude. ¡°Why can¡¯t I win?¡± When Iris asked, Ritero laughed out loud. Then he beckoned the butler to clear the chessboard and said. ¡°I don¡¯t think Miss Iris has been in the convent all this time.¡± Iris was taken aback by those words, and Ritero continued. ¡°For me, 19 years is a short time, but for Miss Iris, it would have been a lifetime. There must have been a lot of things that you couldn¡¯t explain in words in the meantime.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s besides the point, my lord.¡± Iris¡¯s words made Ritero burst into laughter again. And he said with a face as if he were looking at his grandson. ¡°The point remains the same. I¡¯ve lived longer than Miss Iris, and I¡¯ve seen many games during that time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you know more than I do.¡± Iris soon shook her head, thinking of the game Hayer had devised during the three months. ¡°¡­I think Lord Hayer was greatly influenced by the head.¡± To know a lot of information. Iris has now realized once again that the game Hayer led all the way to the North Gate wasn¡¯t just to kill time. He was probably convinced that they would have another chance when he arrived at the North Gate. No, it¡¯s clear that his guess was crazy there, if not certain. Hayer wanted someone who crossed the North Gate to have a banner of victory, even if it wasn¡¯t necessarily him. Iris gently closed and opened her eyes, recalling Hayer¡¯s last moments. Ritero looked pleased, as if he liked the fact that his grandson was influenced by him. ¡°He seems like a troublemaker, but he¡¯s surprisingly deep inside.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, the only people who saw it were those reckless subordinates.¡± With that said, the two started playing chess again. Just then, Hayer entered the drawing room. ¡°Are we going?¡± ¡°Can we go after this round?¡± When Iris asked, Hayer lowered his head to check the position of the sun outside the window and answered. ¡°Sure.¡± Then he approached the chessboard to check it out and laughed. ¡°There¡¯s a big difference in skills between you and my maternal grandfather. You didn¡¯t win a single game, did you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Iris eyed him with a scowl at his teasing. Hayer pretended to be scared, then brought a chair and sat down next to her. After looking at the chessboard with his hand resting on his chin for a while, it ended with Ritero¡¯s victory. Iris didn¡¯t want to reveal it, so she kept her mouth shut in anger before bowing. ¡°¡­It was fun. Thank you for your time.¡± ¡°The young lady had a hard time playing with this grandfather.¡± Hayer said at the end of their exchange. ¡°I left your clothes in your bedroom, so you can take them out and wear them.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Iris said and left the drawing room. After she left, Hayer began to play chess while he waited, which had been reset by his maternal grandfather and the butler. Hayer asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go easy on her?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°No matter who you play chess with, you always watch it. You only win one game out of two.¡± Ritero knew he was good at chess anyway, so when he played chess with guests, he would always let it go as Hayer said. The only one he didn¡¯t let go of during chess was his grandson, Hayer. In front of his grandson, Ritero said, revealing his inner feelings. ¡°I don¡¯t play chess only for the purpose of winning, and isn¡¯t Miss Iris the same?¡± ¡°Not at all? She looked really angry when she lost?¡± ¡°Right. And yet she sat there again after losing for two days straight.¡± Hayer paused at Ritero¡¯s words. Ritero said, moving a chess piece. ¡°If it felt like I was watching the game, there must be a reason for that. But with Miss Iris there is no reason to do so. There is no need to do it because it is an act without a reason.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°At the end of the day, that¡¯s who gets to know the most.¡± Hayer, who was nodding to Ritero¡¯s words, asked. ¡°¡­But why don¡¯t you let me go even if I get angry?¡± In an instant, the victory or defeat of chess was decided. Ritero answered his grandson¡¯s question playfully. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny seeing how you get emotional?¡± ¡°Ah, Grandpa!¡± ¡°Look, how fun it is.¡± Ritero said and laughed while Hayer gritted his teeth, saying he would win next time. After a while, when Hayer stood up at the news that Iris was ready, Ritero asked the question that he had not been able to ask for the three days of his grandson¡¯s stay. ¡°Did you really get hurt?¡± Then Hayer replied casually. ¡°I¡¯ve met someone who knows the cure, so it¡¯ll be solved soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ritero nodded and said, leaving with his hands behind his back without saying goodbye. ¡°Don¡¯t let this old man hold a funeral for his grandson.¡± After that was said, Hayer looked at his maternal grandfather¡¯s back as he left. CH 16 Iris stared at the clothes in the room. It was a light leather combat suit. She changed her clothes with the help of the maid, and went to find the spear she had hidden for a while under the bed. But it was empty. ¡°Annie, did you happen to see my baggage down here?¡± ¡°Ah, the young master took it.¡± It was natural that it was taken away since she was hiding a weapon in someone else¡¯s house. Iris nodded and said to Annie, who grew fond of her over the past few days and had a sad expression on her face. ¡°Thank you. You are my lifesaver. I¡¯ll never forget you.¡± ¡°Ahh, this life saving thing again¡­ Please pay me back a lot.¡± Iris smiled and nodded at Annie¡¯s mischievous remark. Overall, there was always this playful atmosphere in the annex of the Asheri family. Iris knew, however, that the atmosphere of the main building was distinctly different from this place. Flodin Asheri, the eldest son of Ritero Asheri, did not fulfill his duty to protect the border throughout the war, and at the end of the war, he completely fell into the enemy¡¯s hands and dealt a heavy blow to Luwan. Of course, the Asheri family was not the only problem. If you think about it now, many people in Luwan were already dying, and the number of slaves increased. The increase in slaves meant that more and more people were sold and couldn¡¯t pay off their debts, so Luwan was already in a state where the small citizens, who had to be firmly rooted, began to crumble. Therefore, Iris needed to check the situation in the port city of Everhart right now. Annie hesitated for a moment before saying to her. ¡°Then, can you buy me a handkerchief when you go to Everhart?¡± ¡°Which one? What color?¡± ¡°Yellow! I want it to be as exotic as possible.¡± Iris nodded. And when Annie tried to hand over the money, she waved her hand and said, ¡°What? I¡¯ll bring it as a gift.¡± ¡°Then¡­ please.¡± Iris recalled that she would not have answered like this in the past. Originally, she didn¡¯t know she had the money she had received. It was not until some time after she became a queen that she noticed that fact. When she went to the capital and was issued a new plaque that proved her royalty through the archbishop, she could borrow a lot of money from anywhere in Luwan. From the point of view of lending, if you lend money to the royal family, the royal family will pay you back, so one would lend it without difficulty. There was also the wealth Iris received just because she was a ¡®royal.¡¯ No one told her these facts, so Iris had to live an embarrassing life because she had no money for quite a while. After promising Annie a present, Iris saw Hayer¡¯s horse. As soon as she saw the white spotted horse pulled by the stablekeeper, she ran hurriedly. It was clear. It was the horse that remained until the end of the royal castle, which she rode to head to the North Gate. ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± Six years later, he would be old and poorly managed, but now he looked strong enough to run anywhere in the world. It was the horse that stayed with her for three months. Iris couldn¡¯t help but to be proud to know this horse well. What he would like six years later, this horse still liked her, and quickly showed loyalty to Iris. The stablekeeper said curiously. ¡°He¡¯s gentle, but he¡¯s not the type to open his heart¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this guy act like he¡¯s met his lifelong owner.¡± ¡°Sounds like a very good horse.¡± The stablekeeper nodded with a proud look at her words. ¡°You noticed. Yes, that¡¯s a very good horse. His size is as small as a mustang, but his endurance is the best among many horses in Asheri.¡± She knew. As they moved north, the temperature dropped more and more, and even when the horses of the Knights of Tejas collapsed one by one and weren¡¯t able to go forward, he showed no sign of weakness. He took Iris to the end with a tough attitude. Since they had no choice but to feed on one or two horses, Iris had not given it a name in order to not give it more affection. But now it was different. Iris asked. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this horse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Rane.¡± ¡°Rane.¡± Iris nodded and hugged the horse. ¡°It was Rane, you.¡± Hayer felt a little perplexed at Iris¡¯s affectionate reunion with the horse, and whispered to the stablekeeper. ¡°They must have loved each other in their past life.¡± ¡°Phew. Become a grown-up soon, young man.¡± ¡°How much older do you get than this?¡± Hayer grumbled and mounted the horse that was pulled together. And said to Iris. ¡°The road from Asheri to the capital is quite good, but is this more convenient than a carriage?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°What time?¡± Iris paused at Hayer¡¯s retort. She opened her mouth. ¡°¡­My lord¡¯s injury.¡± ¡°You can just call me by my name. We¡¯ll go far, so stay close.¡± ¡°Then¡­ you too.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Hayer smiled, then his horse started running. There were two guards carrying the baggage. Iris headed to the capital with them. * * * It took another three days to ride from Asheri to the capital. The capital was surrounded by a huge river called the ¡®Moon River.¡¯ Originally, it was a place where snow would fall once every few years, and the temperature exceeded 10 degrees in February. To enter the capital, one had to cross the wide river, but this long river only had one bridge. As a result, there were several ships that only carried cargo and people on both sides. Iris soon got on board with the horse. The sky was like a river, and the river was like a sky. The view was so clear that she seemed to be able to see the ends of the world. Iris took in a breath of the water, and saw the castle of the Everhart family in the far south. Hayer, who appeared from behind, waved his hand in front of her eyes and said after making an appearance. ¡°Everhart is a very strict place with a lot of money coming and going. It¡¯s better to prepare your mind.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Iris only heard about Everhart, but she didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of atmosphere it was. The Everhart family served as a safe for merchants to properly exchange the numerous currency that flowed to the port, and stored the gold of the merchants. When merchants entrusted their gold to Everhart, it was assumed that Luwan was in a stable state, but when Luwan began to stagger, merchants rushed to recover the gold. As Everhart stumbled like that, Luwan collapsed at once. In the ¡®Game to Save Luwan¡¯ that was played on the way to the North Gate, the first things the knights tried to defend were the Everhart and the Hall families. The Hall family was the family that grew most of the wheat distributed in Luwan, and being enemies of Everhart, were just east of the Everhart Estate. Under the influence of the game, Iris also felt the pressure to protect those two families first. After a while, the ship reached the entrance of the capital. Even here in the outskirts of the capital, the road was made of solid stone, and the weather was much milder than at the convent Iris had left. But the stench of the capital, mixed with the air, stung her nose. It was a terrible smell that she had never smelled in the winter of the frozen northern land. In places other than the capital, no matter how tramp one was, they at least had a hut to lie in, but that was not the case here. In the capital where there were buildings and roads, the vagrants were lying on the roads and sleeping without mats. Iris told Hayer. ¡°First, I have to go to the temple and get the nameplate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told the Knights to go to the temple.¡± Iris nodded at Hayer¡¯s reply. In Iris¡¯s eyes, he was a person who didn¡¯t need to read others minds, as he was quite quick-witted and tended to notice what others wanted in advance. Maybe it¡¯s because he resembles his maternal grandfather, Iris thought. They moved slowly on horseback, avoiding the carriages passing through the open road to the temple. Iris entered the temple, where she often visited when she lived as a queen. The temple consists of three buildings, and in the largest building in the middle, there was a huge statue of the god, Tilla. The statue is still a mysterious relic that no one knows who or how it was made, and it made any faithful religious person on the continent want to come to this temple at least once before they die. Iris bowed to Tilla¡¯s statue, put her hands together, and prayed. But for some reason, Hayer stood outside, and did not enter the temple building. afterword tbh idk if the horse is called Lane or Rane¡­ Lane just sounds silly and the horse actually likes rain so creative liberty! CH 17 When Iris came out of the temple, Hayer¡¯s face, which was always relaxed and mischievous, was overlaid with a bitter expression for the first time. He cut down the sacred tree that Tilla planted to save humans from monsters. That was only known to very few people in the Knights of Tejas. If the people of Luwan found out that he had cut the sacred tree, Hayer would be excommunicated forever, and it would be a more terrible punishment than being executed. Even for a hero who crossed the forbidden land and stopped the monsters that almost flocked to Luwan, it remained unchanged. Hayer grew up as royalty, and yet chose to cut the tree, even though he would have known it better than anyone else. In that sense, Iris thought he was a pragmatic person, and more than that, she thought he was a person with a sense of justice that felt almost childish. When Iris didn¡¯t say anything to him who didn¡¯t enter the temple, Hayer asked back, rather puzzled. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask? Why didn¡¯t I enter the temple after coming all the way here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Iris wanted to comfort Hayer. It was painful not being able to enter the temple, enough to make that playful man bitter. Iris said. ¡°It¡¯s not like God is in there. There¡¯s a statue.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You must have your own way of greeting God.¡± Saying that, Iris tried to smile a little. Hayer, however, did not smile, but looked at her for a moment and then turned away. Iris looked at his back and wondered if her comforting words had gone wrong and hurt him. With that concern, she involuntarily let out a deep sigh, and Hayer looked back as if he had heard it. ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± Iris tried to excuse her sigh, but Hayer opened his mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Iris asked back, but Hayer turned away without answering any more. * * * The day the sacred tree was cut down. Hayer spent a long time kneeling under the tree and praying. He was baptized exactly one year after birth, just like any child of a noble family in Luwan. Since then, until the day of cutting down the sacred tree, he would visit the temple once a month and pray under any circumstances. Problems that began in forbidden land were clearly growing, and some of the mountain peoples lost their lives to the monsters. During a battle around the sacred tree, one of his subordinates wounded the sacred tree, giving Hayer an important realization. At the same time, Hayer and several of the most outstanding knights in the Knights of Tejas felt the monsters stop. Then he couldn¡¯t help but notice. The sacred tree no longer serves to block monsters. Rather, the role was reversed, and it was playing a role in raising the spirits of the monsters. As soon as he noticed it, Hayer had no choice but to decide to cut down the sacred tree. Is there any other way? It was the only thing that saved countless people. He cut off the sacred tree after a long prayer, and though he didn¡¯t know at the time, there was a scar on Hayer¡¯s back. It was a small wound, like being pricked by a rose thorn. Hayer tended to heal quickly from all wounds, but not this one. No matter what medicine he used, it only grew bigger and bigger. He accepted that it was a ¡®curse¡¯ that Tilla placed on him. He thought God would never forgive him. It was a sadness at a depth that was different from that of a human being excommunicated. ¡°You must have your own way of greeting God.¡± Hayer recalled Iris¡¯s voice to him, who was suppressing his sadness in front of the temple. Those cold eyes that looked at him. He hasn¡¯t entered the temple since he cut down the sacred tree. This is because he thought that Tilla, the god of creation, would think that he had cut down the gift they gave to humanity. So he had never dreamed that he would hear such comforting words from those icy eyes. While he was thinking about it, Iris entered the building on the right side of the temple to receive the nameplate. It was a place where believers were made new nameplates suitable for their status. Perhaps Iris had a nameplate, but it belonged to a nun belonging to a convent, so she would now be making a new nameplate proving the existence of a princess. While waiting for her, Hayer met with the Tejas Knights, who entered the temple. ¡°Captain!¡± Annamaria and Hencke ran to him excitedly. Seeing his subordinates being happy to see him made him laugh. * * * While Iris was talking to the bishop, a new nameplate was being created. The nameplate is made of wood that grows well in Luwan. One could be identified according to the nameplate¡¯s appearance, and the nuns carried black and gray colored nameplates. The new nameplate Iris received this time was plated. ¡°Princess, would you like to see some jewels?¡± The bishop asked. In the Lepos family and the noble families, there were times when the closer one was to succession, the more splendidly decorated they were with jewels. But Iris shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± There was no need for jewels since her succession to the throne had not yet been determined. Iris hung the gold string on the nameplate and lifted it with both hands. It was a splendid and beautiful thing. Her new nameplate felt unusually heavy. The nameplate she had as a queen overlapped. When she packed her nameplate and went outside, she saw the Knights of Tejas gathered and making a lot of noise. As soon as she saw the knights who she had lost one by one on their way to the North Gate, Iris bit her lip, fearing that tears would come out without her knowledge. But if a woman they saw for the first time suddenly cried, it would be too absurd for them. As she held back her tears, Hayer¡¯s right-hand, Annamaria, whispered to Hencke, his left-hand. ¡°Why is she like that? Does she have a bad impression of us?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, aren¡¯t most impressions okay except for yours?¡± ¡°Hey, you punk. Bring it on.¡± ¡°I can deal with you.¡± Just as they did when they first met, Annamaria and Hencke continued to bicker without a break. However, she¡¯s never seen a real fight between them after saying all that. Rather, the camaraderie between the two was so affectionate that she doubted that they might be in love at first. Although it¡¯s completely subsided now. As the second son of an aristocratic family, Hencke, who learned how to greet the royal family, got down on one knee and greeted her. ¡°I am Hencke Haywin, the son of Dale Haywin and vice-captain of the Knights of Tejas.¡± ¡°I am Iris Lepos, daughter of Celios Lepos.¡± After the two greeted each other, Iris asked Hencke, who stood up, to shake hands. He smiled and they shook hands. Annamaria said. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink since everyone is in the capital!¡± Then Hayer sighed and said. ¡°You¡¯re going to crash another bar. Drink moderately.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to drink moderately either, Captain!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never broken anything.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t break it to break it, either. It was broken because a weak object was brought.¡± Annamaria grumbled and went to the bar she often went to when she came to the capital. Hearing the words ¡®crashing the bar,¡¯ Iris followed after her, and the owner of the bar was rather excited and forgot to put on his shoes when he ran outside. Perhaps the Knights of Tejas had raised their sales quite a bit. afterword iris never gets drunk so hayer will instead bc my man drinks every damn day!! CH 18 The next morning. Iris woke up to the sound of swearing outside the window. It was loud enough that it woke up her tired body that was deeply asleep moments ago. When she pulled back the curtains a bit and looked out, three rugged men were threatening a merchant. Eventually, she couldn¡¯t sleep any longer and was about to get up, but she heard a thump from where she was, and Annamaria, who was sleeping on the other floor, was walking towards them. Hencke followed right behind. ¡°Anne, hold it in.¡± ¡°Hold it in? Hold it in? I woke up in the middle of my sleep, how can I hold it in?!¡± Then, she alternately punched the three thugs who threatened the merchant. Even though she remembered how many enemies the two of them had easily killed on their way to the North Gate, seeing it again made her body tingle in fear. The three thugs couldn¡¯t even scream before they fell on the floor. Hencke was pretending to stop her, but if you look closely, he was encouraging her from the side. Annamaria spat at the fallen thugs and turned around, leaving them alive as if she was benevolent. ¡°Let¡¯s live quietly, quietly.¡± Hencke said, and returned to the building with Annamaria. Iris was convinced that if the Knights of Tejas had stayed in the capital instead of being stationed in the forbidden land, their notoriety would have grown in an instant. After everyone got up, Iris came out to get into the carriage, and Annamaria, who had been struggling with sleeping in the morning, was waiting as a guard and companion. Annamaria was about a hand taller than Iris, and her body itself was large. Later, Annamaria got down on one knee in front of Iris and greeted her like Henrique did the day before. ¡°I am Annamaria of the Knights of Tejas.¡± There was a moment of silence. Annamaria, who was completely unaware of the etiquette of the aristocracy, greeted her like Henrique did after seeing and learning from him. Annamaria raised her head slightly, wondering if something was wrong. Iris opened her mouth slowly at the look of her eyes. ¡°I think shaking hands will be enough between people of the same sex.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°In the north, yes, Dame Annamaria. In the case of the same sex, you only have to bend your knee to your Lord.¡± Perhaps Annamaria was embarrassed by her words, as she got up quickly and said, taking Iris¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°Thank you for telling me right away. I almost do this every time. I don¡¯t have anyone to greet¡­ Ah, no wonder. That¡¯s why the captain entrusted me as the guard, huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­ ah.¡± Iris also nodded, knowing what it meant. Hayer must have known that Annamaria was not familiar with manners, but he seemed to think that her superior would make his subordinate less uncomfortable by pointing out and explaining. Annamaria said. ¡°Unlike me and Hencke, the captain has a delicate part.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Annamaria nodded, Iris tilted her head slightly in reply and followed her to the carriage. Iris looked at Annamaria¡¯s back with an inexplicably complex face. After a moment, they got into the carriage together and headed to the port of Everhart. Iris was a quiet person, but she knew that Annamaria, the always talkative Tejas Knight, was very uncomfortable with silence. She felt sorry for Annamaria, who desperately kept her mouth shut to be polite, so Iris eventually spoke first. ¡°To get to the forbidden land, you have to meet the mountainous Kawat people. What about them? What kind of people are they?¡± When she threw out a subject that she could talk about excitedly, Annamaria¡¯s expression brightened and she said, ¡°I¡¯m actually from a very poor area so¡­ From the first time I followed the Knights across the Kawat people¡¯s home, my heart moved a little toward them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Making a living is important, but things like religion were actually a very low priority to me.¡± There were people like this. Iris nodded in wonder, and Annamaria continued. ¡°In fact, when we first went to Kawat, there were a lot of complaints from the Kawat people. Especially about the Luwan royal family. Uh, sorry.¡± When Annamaria realized that Iris was a member of the royal family, she shook her head, saying it was okay. Then Annamaria continued with relief. ¡°It¡¯s a mountainous area, so they¡¯re not in a situation where they can farm, but they keep telling them to build it, and if they don¡¯t pay taxes, they¡¯ll kill them all.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°But the damage the monsters did was so serious that as we stopped it, they gradually opened up. To be honest, I quite liked the beliefs of the Kawat people.¡± ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°As you know, the Kawats already believe that the god of all things disappeared¡­ Don¡¯t they, the people, have a doctrine that they should live with the heart of God, help each other, and protect our sacred trees?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°But, in the words of the captain, it was surprisingly nice to see them living a simple life and praying faithfully.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the Kawats and our Knights came to respect each other.¡± Iris nodded. She firmly believed that Tilla was the god of all things and the only god. Therefore, the Kawat¡¯s terrible idea of the disappearance of the god was unacceptable even once she had returned through the passage of time. But in this life, Iris had the idea that she had to accept it. Sid Lepos, the king who couldn¡¯t accept it, made Luwan suffocate after failing to scream in the war. She closed her eyes and thought for a moment about the Kawat doctrine. However, it has not yet been accepted, so she swept it away from her sinking heart. ¡°¡­To think Tilla has disappeared.¡± Annamaria smiled and chuckled at Iris¡¯s painful words to herself. ¡°Why is the princess struggling to accept it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Iris thought for a moment and went on. ¡°Because the areas where we live are next to each other.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of resources to be wary of each other and fight.¡± It was an economic issue. Annamaria nodded in agreement with her words and said. ¡°Like Everhart and Hall, right? ¡°Yes, I heard that the two families are also on very bad terms.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. It¡¯s terrible to see people with jobs that belong to the other. When a farmer enters Everhart, or a merchant enters Hall, they beat each other up, whether they die or not.¡± Annamaria said, as if it were pathetic. Iris sighed, already worried about whether there was a way to improve their relationship. Moments later, a carriage with two people arrived at the port of Everhart. Iris, who got off the carriage, blinked at the scene she saw for the first time in her life. There was a huge market in the harbor of Everhart. It is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day without closing, so you can get all the things in the world. There was an abundance of strange or familiar smells of spices, and foreigners spat out unknown words and passed by Iris mercilessly. After being pushed around like that, Iris managed to enter the Everhart Gold Exchange. There, she confirmed the amount of gold she would inherit from the gold Celios inherited and deposited in the Everhart safe. Annamaria¡¯s mouth dropped when she checked the number with Iris. ¡°Wow, is the princess rich?¡± The amount Iris could own with her bloodline alone was quite large. But Iris knew again from the money she received that the Lepos family was on the verge of bankruptcy. The Lepos family borrowed a huge amount of money from Everhart, and the debt was growing. Half of Iris¡¯s inheritance was also mortgaged. Iris returned to the market with the documents she received from the gold exchange office for silver. Iris, who was looking for a flower shop in the market, first found a handkerchief shop and asked Annamaria. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of buying a handkerchief, do you need one too, Dame?¡± ¡°Handkerchiefs? Aren¡¯t those things only carried around by nobles?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was asked to buy it as a gift for a maid of the Asheri family.¡± After hearing Iris¡¯s words, Annamaria burst into laughter. ¡°Your Highness is the only princess in the world who runs errands for a maid.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Annamaria¡¯s words were not wrong, so Iris stood up and also burst into laughter. Iris bought a handkerchief for the maid, Annie, with the yellow color she wanted and lined with blue pigment sold on a remote island. Annamaria liked the handkerchief she chose, so she bought two of the same and gave one to her as a present. Annamaria said with a happy expression on her face. ¡°I like it. Thank you.¡± Iris smiled silently at Annamaria¡¯s gratitude, and then asked her. ¡°Hayer¡­ What kind of things does he like?¡± CH 19 ¡°The captain grew up preciously, so he just likes things that look expensive.¡± ¡°How about this one?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfect.¡± Annamaria nodded. Iris bought one more handkerchief for Hayer and went to find a flower shop. It was not easy to find a flower shop because it was such a large and crowded market. It was not until Iris¡¯s weak legs and feet began to throb, that the two found a flower shop. Luckily, Iris found the light purple wild flowers growing under the tree at the flower shop. When Iris bought all the wild flowers in the store, Annamaria asked, puzzled. ¡°I guess you like this flower?¡± ¡°Yes. Very much.¡± She couldn¡¯t say it was a flower for healing Hayer. Annamaria began to talk about her favourite flowers after hearing Iris¡¯s words. Iris wasn¡¯t usually the type to have long conversations, but Annamaria¡¯s excited expression while she talked seemed to make her (Iris) happy. * * * The Knights of Tejas, who came to the capital, were drunk every day. At first, Iris thought Hayer would hold back, but since the Knights arrived, he kept drinking, just like his subordinates. Hayer rented everything with his own money, from the bar on the first floor, to the second and third floors where the accommodation was, and he was drinking day and night even while Iris was in Everhart. Iris hid the precious wild flowers and went down to the first floor to call Hayer for treatment. And for the first time in her life, she made a loud noise at the shocking scene she saw. ¡°Sir Haywin!¡± Iris¡¯s shout surprised Hencke Haywin, and he let go of the bar owner who he grabbed by the collar. Hencke said. ¡°He was cooking stew with meat from the leftovers of another customer¡­¡± In fact, even Iris thought it was worth being grabbed by the collar. She had to press down the momentary disgust. When he released the owner, Hencke said. ¡°You¡¯re what I want to throw into that pot, but you barely lived because the princess saw.¡± ¡°Th-thank you, Sir! I will never forget this grace!¡± The bar owner knelt down and sobbed. Iris sighed at the fact that Hencke, who was considered relatively gentlemanly in the Knights, was not much different from the other wild and unruly knights once he started drinking. Roughly speaking, The Knights of Tejas were even more so (wild) than other knights, since they were stationed on the border with nothing and spent the rest of their time drinking. They seemed to be having fun because they could come to the capital and get good alcohol and good meat. Iris passed through the noisy, unpleasant-smelling Knights and headed for the table closest to the wall. In the middle of the long table, in full view of the whole bar, Hayer was drinking. ¡°Hayer, stop and come to¡­¡± That¡¯s how she called him, but Hayer was drunk and their surroundings was loud, so he couldn¡¯t hear her voice. Iris had no choice but to raise her voice a little and called him again. ¡°Hayer, come to the bedroom.¡± She said that, but for a moment, the bar that was so noisy was quiet. Iris looked around the bar, puzzled. She didn¡¯t understand why it became quiet, and she didn¡¯t know why everyone was looking at her. As she looked at the knights with her long, pensive eyes, as if to explain to them, Hayer covered her vision with his hand and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Iris replied and followed Hayer to the stairs. When they went up to the third floor where the two of them were sleeping, she stopped belatedly and covered her mouth with both hands. ¡°What should I do¡­¡± At her startled voice, Hayer looked back at Iris. On the contrary, he was covering his mouth with his hand to suppress his laughter. Her head was filled with the thought of treating Hayer, but she now realized that telling someone of the opposite sex to go to the bedroom in the middle of a bar would raise doubts. Iris, who was blushing, hurriedly turned to the stairs and said. ¡°I¡¯ll come back after I explain.¡± Her feet almost twisted as she spoke, so Hayer grabbed her wrist to keep her from falling and asked. ¡°What are you going to say?¡± ¡°That¡­ Ah¡­¡± In hindsight, the question of what to explain was a problem. It¡¯s a secret that Hayer was injured in the first place, so she can¡¯t honestly say that she¡¯s treating him. Iris asked, perplexed. ¡°¡­What can I explain?¡± Hayer opened the door to the room and said when she asked. ¡°Why would you explain?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for that purpose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± Iris was choked up by Hayer¡¯s mischievous question and slapped him on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t try to tease me if you know why I called you.¡± ¡°Sorry. Drunk.¡± Hayer said and entered the bedroom. Iris decided to explain next time, so for now she pointed to the bed and said. ¡°Lie down now. You¡¯d better take off your top.¡± Hayer seemed to be holding back his laughter at her words again, so Iris sighed and covered her face with her hands once more. The more she spoke, the stranger she felt. Saying nothing, Hayer took off his shirt without hesitation and fell flat on the bed. As he was about to fall asleep, Iris said. ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep.¡± At her words, Hayer turned to Iris. He looked at her with his face half buried in the bed. When his moonlight melted orange eyes stared at her, Iris unknowingly met his gaze. In Iris¡¯s opinion, the prettiest part of Hayer¡¯s face was his forehead and the corners of his mouth. These two parts, which seemed to be made of soft arcs, made both his deep, rough-looking eyes and jawline look less rough. However, when his hair was down like that and covered his forehead, it seemed that only the manly part was left of him. Even the corners of his mouth, which she thought were pretty, were shut flat, making it feel that way more. She thought maybe it was because he wasn¡¯t laughing. His golden hair that was tousled from drunkenness and those long eyelashes aroused a possessive desire that made others want to take him right away. During the three months she accompanied Hayer to the North Gate, she grew to love him more and more. She became fond of every aspect of him, even the occasional embarrassing parts later seemed sweet, as if she had been sprayed with a love potion. Even so, it was the first time she felt the same way now, perhaps because of the situation. Therefore¡­ it wasn¡¯t like that then, but now she wanted to touch him a little bit. ¡°Say¡­ Are you always this good at listening?¡± Hayer replied when Iris asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very obedient.¡± Seeing that she didn¡¯t even hate that answer, which was clearly meant to be teasing, Iris thought that she must have been on something. In any case, her heart fluttered whenever Hayer just looked at her, and she couldn¡¯t do anything at all. Iris said, avoiding his gaze. ¡°¡­You can just sleep. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Why did you change your mind? You acted like you¡¯d scold me if I slept.¡± ¡°Looking at it that way, I can¡¯t say anything.¡± Hayer closed his eyes when she said it. And as expected, he fell asleep after a short while because of the alcohol, so she could only hear the sound of his breathing. Iris finally looked at Hayer¡¯s left shoulder, where the wound was open. The red scar continued to the place where the wing bone was, and the wound looked like it was expected to worsen. The poison of the sacred tree would slowly wrap around Hayer¡¯s back later, eroding his shoulders, arms, and waist, pushing Hayer into pain. That didn¡¯t mean he looked okay now either. It was a terrible wound. Iris couldn¡¯t figure out how he could smile and even worry about others with this wound. He was a man who tolerated pain too well. Iris mixed an ointment well with the flowers she bought at the market today. Then she began to apply it carefully over Hayer¡¯s wound. Just looking at the wound that had been sloppily stitched with thread made her heart ache. The flowers detoxified the poison and seemed to have an analgesic effect at the same time. Perhaps that¡¯s why Hayer¡¯s forehead, which had been wrinkled since he fell asleep, became more and more relaxed. afterword ahhh i was sad i didn¡¯t get to see either of them drunk last chapter but this chapter!! was!! so!! cute!! iris¡¯s easily misinterpreted words and hayer¡¯s teasing made me so giddy when they entered the bedroom it felt so warm and cozy i love them aaaa waiting for the tension build up between the two it¡¯s either going to be an angry confession or the softest most tender confession i¡¯ll ever see idk what i want more CH 20 She thought once wouldn¡¯t be enough, so she bought enough flowers to the point where Annamaria freaked out. If these flowers seemed to be lacking, she would have to somehow hang on to Hayer to prevent him from returning to the border. Anyhow, since he himself said he was obedient, she was going to push the cause. She was worried that she¡¯d wake him up in the middle of his sleep, and she didn¡¯t want to hurt him even more by pressing the wound that looked painful, so after applying the medicine in such a nervous state, Iris¡¯s fingertips froze with tension. She carefully covered the wound with cotton cloth that stayed stuck on. Iris, who had finished her work, talked to him unconsciously, as if she was relieved. ¡°You sleep like a child.¡± She said, and carefully put her hand on his head. Would it be okay to pet his hair? Iris, who was wavering, swept her hand through Hayer¡¯s hair. Soft hair ran through her fingers. It felt good, so Iris couldn¡¯t stop and swept it a few more times. After patting him like so, she tucked the arm of his shirt in, put it on him roughly, then covered him tightly with a blanket, and left the room. After Iris left, Hayer looked up. He rose to his feet and then sat on the bed, muttering. He put his hand on the shoulder that Iris had treated. In fact, Hayer still didn¡¯t believe that Iris knew the cure. Rather than having useless expectations that could be abandoned, he thought it was better not to expect anything in the first place. He didn¡¯t know what Iris was thinking or what she was doing after she left, but his back felt cool. He didn¡¯t know if it was just his feeling, but the pain he felt after taking the strong medicine seemed to have disappeared a little. Frankly, he intended to stay with this wound forever. Because he thought this was a curse from God, he had accepted that he could not escape by any means. In any case, Iris¡¯s efforts were appreciated. For some reason, he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d hurt him. In fact, it never even occurred to him that she might have tried to hurt him. Hayer, who thought so, brushed back his hair with his hand, concerned that Iris¡¯s touch would remain on his head for a while. Hayer covered his face, troubled by the heat remaining in his body. Iris didn¡¯t know, but her clumsiness at dealing with men still remained in this bedroom, tormenting his night. * * * The day before, Iris was so tired when she fell asleep, and when she woke up, she went down to the first floor for breakfast and noticed that everyone in the Knights was avoiding her eyes. Even Annamaria, whom she thought she became very close to yesterday, was the same. Iris sat next to Annamaria, carrying the small plate of breakfast prepared by the bar owner. ¡°Why are you avoiding my eyes?¡± When Iris asked, Annamaria reluctantly told her. ¡°That¡­ With our captain, so¡­ go to bed¡­¡± Iris shook her head in surprise at Annamaria¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not! The princess called our captain into the bedroom¡­ You did!¡± Iris paused at Annamaria¡¯s words, then asked again. ¡°So¡­ I took the innocent Hayer?¡± All the Knights nodded in agreement at her words. Iris asked because she was so dumbfounded. ¡°What on earth are you thinking?¡± ¡°B-but since the princess is so beautiful, if she made up her mind¡­¡± ¡°¡­What if I make up my mind?¡± ¡°You could have everything¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She had no idea what they were imagining. Iris thought there was a slight error in their impression of her and Hayer that the people of this Order saw. One of the knights sniffed and whimpered. ¡°Princess, don¡¯t abandon our poor captain¡­¡± ¡°¡­Abandon him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a weak-hearted person even on the outside¡­¡± She said. ¡°So¡­ Hayer and I¡­ Are you worried that I¡¯ll throw him away after playing with him?¡± The Knights nodded at her words. Iris said, finding it ridiculous. ¡°I was in a convent until a few days ago. What are you talking about?¡± It was clear that they were mistaking the image of them and making it seem cuter than it actually was, but then again, they were singing, dancing, and draining alcohol as if they were going to smash the bar the previous day. Iris picked up the spoon and began to eat with bewilderment. She couldn¡¯t say anything. Throughout the three months she headed to the North Gate, Hayer clearly knew that Iris had grown more and more fond of him. Nevertheless, there was only one mission in his eyes: to save Luwan until the last minute. While Iris respected the mission, she honestly also resented it. Would it have been different if things were better? Iris used to have such a question, even at moments of wandering between life and death. She didn¡¯t think so. Iris laughed scornfully, thinking of the man named Hayer Asheri. Perhaps even if he has a loved one, he would put his mission above them. That¡¯s the kind of man Iris had seen in those three months. The clever man may have already noticed that the situation was chaotic. Because the first to notice the chaotic situation was the Asheri family on the border. So he definitely won¡¯t try anything like love until he¡¯s sure that Luwan is stable. Hayer was that kind of person. Thinking like that made the misunderstanding of the Knights more unfair and upsetting. Maybe she could¡¯ve asked him to go to the bedroom for a drink, or maybe she wanted to play chess! Despite thinking that, she thought she still wouldn¡¯t be able to explain herself, but then she heard Hayer, who had come down before she knew it. Hencke said. ¡°In the middle of drinking¡­ You played chess?¡± ¡°There was an unfinished game from the Asheri family. We finished that game.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, and then I¡­ My body was heated up, but the princess, who had just come out of the convent, was horrified to even imagine such a thing¡­¡± ¡°Hayer! What are you talking about?!¡± Iris raised her voice again. Hayer, who glanced at her, continued. ¡°¡­But I didn¡¯t give up and kept pestering the princess. Then I got hit, and the pain seemed to be beckoning me to the underworld, so I eventually resigned.¡± ¡°Was the captain being a bad guy?¡± ¡°Not a bad guy.¡± Annamaria slammed the table and stood up. ¡°Guys! The captain was a crazy bastard!¡± ¡°¡­So you were a crazy son of a¡­¡± Whatever Hayer said or didn¡¯t say, all the Knights of Tejas were swearing at Hayer about how he could flirt until he got hit. Iris was blinking with embarrassment. Hayer probably thought he¡¯d rather be treated like a playboy than let Iris hear something she didn¡¯t want to hear. She stared at Hayer, who was constantly being scolded here and there and was tired. She just thought she didn¡¯t want him to be hurt for long. afterword they were calling hayer ??? (gaesaekki) at the end which basically means son of a bitch/crazy bastard LMAO you get it¡­ also hayer going insane just bc iris was petting him im going crazy bonkers like wdym ur body was heating up at iris¡¯s touch omg u want her so bad CH 21 After the commotion was over, the group began to organize their belongings to move to the garrison. She didn¡¯t have much baggage in the first place, and since Hayer had paid the people working at the accommodation to take care of Iris¡¯s belongings, she had nothing to do. When she came out to the hallway, Hayer seemed to have finished preparing for departure early, so she greeted him. ¡°Thank you for earlier.¡± Then Hayer said, pretending to hit his ears with his hands as if water had entered his ears. ¡°I think I got cursed at a lot. I still feel like I¡¯m being cursed at.¡± ¡°Is the hierarchy not that strong?¡± Iris asked. The Knights of Tejas she had seen were close to each other, but it was questionable because the top and bottom were usually extremely clear in groups. Hayer said at her words. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Hayer said as Iris paused in doubt. ¡°It¡¯s a different matter from ranking. If I¡¯m the one who¡¯s trying to hurt you, wouldn¡¯t I be in trouble?¡± ¡°But when they thought I might be playing with you, everyone was just worried?¡± ¡°If you played with me, how much can it hurt? Of course, my heart will be seriously hurt.¡± Hayer pretended to be heartbroken, in an exaggerated way, and laughed. Iris recalled that perhaps because of the characteristics of the Tejas Knights, there was no need to worry about it while traveling a long distance with a group she didn¡¯t know well for three months. Just as she was thinking so, Dylan rushed up to the floor where they were. ¡°Captain, we have a visitor.¡± It was unlikely that a guest who visited a temporary accommodation brought good news. Hayer said to Iris. ¡°Stay here for now.¡± He said that and went out of the accommodation. When Iris went to the window and looked out with an uneasy expression, Dylan tilted his head and followed her. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re worried about?¡± ¡°I thought it might be dangerous.¡± ¡°For the captain? Aye, that never happens. How strong the captain is.¡± ¡°But he is hurt.¡± Dylan¡¯s eyes widened when he heard Iris¡¯s words, as he was the only one who took care of Hayer and was aware of the injury. ¡°Does the princess know too?¡± ¡°Yes. Only the two of us know, probably.¡± As soon as Iris said that, Dylan¡¯s lips trembled, and tears began to drip from his big eyes. It would have been burdensome for an adult, not this 13-year-old, to hold the secret all by himself of Hayer dying. Iris, aware of Dylan¡¯s pressure, gently stroked the child¡¯s head. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± ¡°I tried my best¡­ I tried my best to apply the medicine, but the wound¡­ It¡¯s only getting bigger¡­¡± There was a person in front of him who understood his thoughts, so Dylan could barely continue his words with the accumulated sorrow. In the meantime, the conversation outside ended and Hayer came up to the third floor. He asked, alternating between looking at the weeping Dylan and the soothing Iris. ¡°Did you make the kid cry in a minute?¡± Iris glared at Hayer¡¯s words, while Dylan pointed and shouted. ¡°Captain, don¡¯t cover up what you did!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You¡¯re so nice to me usually?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in being nice to you! You¡¯re rotten on the inside!¡± ¡°I¡¯m rotten inside? You¡¯re probably upset with me.¡± Hayer was unhappy, but the two were apparently giving him a hint that he was wrong. ¡°Is today the day where it¡¯s my fault no matter what I do?¡± Hayer grumbled and walked over, hugging Dylan with one arm and patting him on the back. And when he asked Iris with a blink why he was crying, she pointed at Hayer¡¯s wound. Only then did Hayer understand the situation and nodded with an ¡®ah.¡¯ Then he said to Iris, holding Dylan with one hand and soothing him until he stopped crying. ¡°They were sent by Sid.¡± She was expecting it to be as such. Iris asked. ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Hayer was embarrassed, then answered. ¡°They said we could never get married. The whole royal family is against it.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°In Sid¡¯s eyes, it seems like we are running away for love.¡± Iris, who thought about Hayer¡¯s absurd words over and over, soon decided to look at her current situation objectively. When she cooled her head and thought about it carefully, it was not unreasonable to see it as an escape of love, considering that she was trying to avoid marriage unconditionally and that she was protected by Hayer at the same time as treating him. In any case, when they (the royal family) were opposed to something they (Iris and Hayer) had never planned, both of them had a ridiculous look on their faces. Hayer told Dylan, distracted by the boy¡¯s crying, who had never cried so much before. ¡°I¡¯ve found a cure and am getting treatment, so don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It may feel slow, but I¡¯m recovering.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Dylan looked at Iris. She smiled, too. Dylan¡¯s expression slowly brightened. Then he asked Iris. ¡°Did the princess join our party because she knows the cure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t know that and just thought you two were running away in love. I¡¯m sorry for the misunderstanding.¡± After saying so, Dylan quickly felt better and went back to the others. Iris grabbed Hayer, who was about to go out with him. She squeezed as hard as she could, and noticing the effort she was exerting, Hayer stopped and looked back. Iris said. ¡°After the wound heals, a lot will change.¡± Hayer responded to her words with a smile. And as he was about to leave, Iris stopped him again and said. ¡°There will be a lot to consider.¡± ¡°Iris.¡± As if it was difficult for Hayer to say anything that wasn¡¯t a joke, he rubbed the back of his neck and continued. ¡°Don¡¯t give me too much hope. Even if I have plans to make for the future, I want to do it after confirming my recovery.¡± Iris nodded, knowing he didn¡¯t want to talk about his injury. She didn¡¯t mean to forcefully bring up a topic he didn¡¯t like. ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t say any more.¡± The conversation between the two ended there, and the rest of the party was ready to leave. They headed to the direction of Everhart, where Iris went yesterday, since the nearest road to the south was through Everhart, and through Hall¡¯s wheat fields. As they headed south, it felt like the temperature was rising little by little. Iris saw a huge plain when she passed the noisy Everhart territory and entered the Hall family¡¯s territory with wheat fields. There were plains on the way from the convent to the capital through Asheri, but they were not suitable for farming. However, when she entered the Hall family¡¯s territory, she felt the land come to life. While Iris couldn¡¯t take her eyes off it, a rider carrying the Hall family flag ran from across to them. Soon the rider stopped and got off his horse, then got down on one knee. ¡°I have come under the order of Lord Sandra Hall, the head of the Hall family.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Hencke led the horse to the front of the Knights. Then the rider replied. ¡°Our Lord asks Princess Iris to leave the territory of the Hall family.¡± ¡°What nonsense is that? Wasn¡¯t this a road that anyone could use?¡± ¡°This is something our Lord understands. It (the reason) was not given.¡± The most embarrassed in this situation was Iris. She asked the rider. ¡°You didn¡¯t get the reason?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Even when she asked the rider, it was not a situation where she could get an answer. Annamaria asked Hayer. ¡°Shall we strike the Hall family?¡± afterword garrison is just like, an army post or station! and since i¡¯m canadian you¡¯ll probably see a mix of american and british spelling so sorry about that¡­ CH 22 Hencke scolded her in a whisper for daring to say such a thing. ¡°What do you mean strike? Is the Lord¡¯s territory that she controls a joke?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know because I haven¡¯t tried it. Besides, you haven¡¯t done it either.¡± ¡°Still, I learned what it¡¯s like to play a battle with internal affairs.¡± Hencke grumbled. Iris, accustomed to turning a blind eye to the two quarreling, said to Hayer. ¡°Were the Halls unhappy with my appearance as a threat to Sid¡¯s legitimacy?¡± ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t know they wouldn¡¯t let you in.¡± Iris nodded sympathetically to Hayer¡¯s words. Hayer told the Knights. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go see the family head.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± In any case, there seemed to be a hierarchy. Hayer didn¡¯t have a commanding tone, but no one in the Knights expressed doubts and they remained still. Feeling that it was all her fault that the Knights were not welcome, Iris bit her lip as she watched Hayer leave. Iris apologized to the Knights, who were tied up in the middle of the road because of her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, because of me.¡± Then Annamaria said. ¡°That¡¯s all right. The monsters are going a little further north anyway.¡± She said that and laughed. The laughter was hearty, but Iris was somewhat confused whether it was a joke or a reproach. She thought maybe it was both. Following the Knights of Tejas like this was bound to be a hindrance to them. Iris was rather slow, and she was not fit or healthy due to her mother, who was constantly exposed to poison while pregnant. Still, she was confident in gritting her teeth and enduring it. As they stopped on the road, dark clouds began to form in the sky. Dylan looked up at the sky and said. ¡°It¡¯s going to rain soon.¡± The prediction was not wrong. As the rain fell from the sky, the eyes of the Knights turned to Iris. Knowing they were worried about their weakness (Iris), Iris couldn¡¯t raise her head due to shame. * * * Meanwhile, Hayer followed the rider to meet the head of the Hall family. Drops of rain began to fall along the way. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have thought much about whether it would rain or not, but today he was worried about Iris. The Tejas Knights were monsters who could fly around without catching a cold even if they were immersed in ice water for several days, but that was not the case for Iris. To Hayer, she looked like a grass flower whose petals would fall even at the slightest bit of heavy rain, and he was sure that it would be the same for the other Knights. The Hall family¡¯s mansion was so large and beautiful that it was not a waste of the word ¡®mansion.¡¯ If the Everhart family¡¯s castle stood sternly like a warden over the port where large sums of money came and went, the Hall family¡¯s mansion seemed to be a product of the abundance of overflowing food. Hayer moved to a villa-style log cabin where Sandra was. As he entered, the smell of raw grain flour wafted through the air, likely coming from the mill. It was a pleasant smell. Sandra, who was discussing this year¡¯s weather with the older farmers of the estate, looked back at Hayer. Hayer greeted with a hand on one chest. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Hayer Asheri, the captain of the Knights of Tejas, the son of Eswa Lepos and Peonia Asheri.¡± ¡°I told you not to step on my estate, but to turn around and leave.¡± When Sandra spoke in a cold tone, Hayer replied. ¡°I know the Hall territory is a place that doesn¡¯t drive out guests that have been in the rain.¡± ¡°I support His Highness Sid Lepos. I cannot welcome the princess who promised to marry and then ran away from His Highness, and the Lord who seduced and encouraged her.¡± ¡°What do you mean encouraging¡­¡± Hayer knew Sid would adapt and dramatize the situation to his liking. Well, it¡¯s always been a thing for Sid to slander others for his own benefit since he was young. Thanks to that, his parents always knew Hayer as something like a preliminary killer beyond a troublemaker. Hayer often thought that if it weren¡¯t for his maternal grandfather, Ritero, he might have grown up as they thought. Hayer said. ¡°My brother and Iris never promised to get married.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. How long have they been talking about marriage between the two?¡± ¡°Iris has lived in a convent her whole life, and she was never informed that she would be getting married.¡± ¡°Marriage is a promise between families. You should just follow the family¡¯s decision. Why are you so stubborn and causing a disturbance?¡± There was no noble on this continent who would understand the pursuit of love in marriage. There are very few cases where people gave up everything for love, but the result has never been successful. To all the nobles of Luwan, the current situation Iris was in was nothing more than a selfish child who knew nothing and made an immature choice. Hayer was aware of that. In fact, while Iris was avoiding marriage by helping and giving him the slightest hope of knowing the cure, the truth was that Hayer found that it didn¡¯t quite make sense in his head. There was no answer except for the hypothesis that she wanted to be king herself, but it seemed even more absurd for Iris to become king. As the two were confronting each other, it began to rain heavily outside. Hayer said. ¡°Princess Iris is waiting in the heavy rain.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°If the princess falls ill and dies in the rain on the Hall family territory, how will it be recorded in history?¡± ¡°¡­It will remain as a family that left a guest in the rain and killed her.¡± Sandra muttered and gestured reluctantly to the rider. Soon the rider saluted her and ran out again to pick up the party. Sandra wrapped up the meeting and returned to the mansion with Hayer. ¡°Only while it rains. I will kick you out the moment it stops, so know that.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink while you¡¯re here.¡± In any case, the Hall family was a family that loved to serve guests and took pride in it. The food is always plentiful and all kinds of ingredients are available, so they get satisfaction from showing off by serving delicious food. Sandra of the Hall family also did not seem to want to treat the guests poorly, even if they happened to be an unwanted guest. She took Hayer to a spacious party hall where all the knights could enter, and immediately took out the rice wine and began to serve it. * * * Iris wore the black raincoat she brought and stroked the back of Rane¡¯s neck, the horse she had ridden from Asheri. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like the rain.¡± Rane seemed to want to run excitedly on top of the quagmire, energized after the heavy rain. While Iris was barely calming down her horse, the rider appeared and conveyed the head¡¯s permission of inviting her to the Hall family estate only to shelter her from the rain. Then, all the Knights cheered with excitement. Dylan said when Iris was puzzled by the way they liked it. ¡°The hospitality of the Hall family is famous for being great. Was it three years ago? Just once, it rained so hard like today while I was passing by the manor, and the head invited me to eat a lot of delicious and good food that made my stomach explode.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris was curious to know how great it was. She was worried that they wouldn¡¯t invite her because they were reluctant to do so, but it was over with. Upon arriving at the mansion, Sandra¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Iris drenched in the rain, and immediately allowed her to use her own bathroom. Iris said embarrassingly as she was pushed back into Sandra¡¯s bathroom. ¡°Other knights¡­?¡± ¡°I know because I invited them, but they were people who could drink and sleep without any problem even if they shook off the rain. But the princess isn¡¯t like that, are you? Wash yourself in warm water and come out. It would be better for the princess to eat and take medicine before going to bed, rather than partying.¡± ¡°¡­I want to see that great Hall family party, too?¡± Iris said, unsure if she was really trying to alienate her, but Sandra scolded her. ¡°The party will continue even after you wake up.¡± At her words, Iris had no choice but to go into the bathroom and warm herself up first. Compared to the size of the mansion, the family head¡¯s bathroom was surprisingly simple. When she filled the wooden bathtub with warm water and took a bath, she felt as if the scent of wood was on her body. afterword hayer and everyone else being worried about iris <333 although i¡¯m sure some/a lot probably do see her as a burden but we ignore that! also i know this novel seems pretty slow but trust me it¡¯s very much needed (the war is in 3 years, after all) and there are plenty of giggle-worthy moments between FL and ML!! CH 23 It was a beautiful mansion. Never in her life had Iris seen a mansion so beautiful even in the rain. After taking a bath, she went out to the room Sandra gave her, and saw the meal. The wine served as an appetizer was a fragrant fruit wine. After taking a sip of the pleasant drink and putting it down, the meal continued, as if it had been known in advance that guests would come. When she thought it was over, the food came out again, and when she thought her stomach might explode and die, Sandra appeared in her room to check the guest¡¯s condition. Sandra said. ¡°If I had known in advance that there would be guests, I would have prepared more¡­ That¡¯s not all. Please don¡¯t rate it like this because it¡¯s the princess who suddenly appeared.¡± ¡°You¡¯re preparing more than this?¡± ¡°Am I preparing more? This is something I didn¡¯t prepare for at all.¡± From Sandra¡¯s words, Iris could see how proud the Hall family were in inviting guests and throwing parties. When Iris was queen, Sandra never visited the royal castle, which was not too far away. On the contrary, Sandra invited her to the Hall mansion, but Iris didn¡¯t go either. Iris couldn¡¯t get rid of the thought that if she had accepted Sandra¡¯s invitation just once, the relationship between the Lepos family and Hall family would have improved. Sandra checked the bowl Iris had emptied as best she could, and looked quite satisfied. ¡°Still, you eat better than you look.¡± ¡°The food was delicious, so I ate more than usual.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case.¡± Sandra gestured to the servant, and soon a piece of meat was placed on the table, with hot butter sizzling on the skin. Sandra said, sharpening her knife, while Iris, who had already eaten to the limit, was embarrassed. ¡°No matter how full you are, you should eat this. Just put it in your mouth. You¡¯ll be confused about what¡¯s butter and what¡¯s meat.¡± Iris didn¡¯t think she would be able to eat any more food, but she was lucky enough to be invited because of the rain, so she held back to please Sandra as much as possible. Sandra, with a careful expression on her face, cut the meat so that it felt full in your mouth for each bite. While focusing like so, Iris casually looked at her prosthetic hand, then shifted her gaze back to the meat. Sandra said, putting the meat on the plate. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a left hand since I was very young.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris nodded. It was something she already knew. She took a deep breath of the meat on her plate, then picked it up with a fork and put it in her mouth. She was so full that she thought she wouldn¡¯t taste it, but it was more delicious than she thought. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± Sandra said happily when Iris admired. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Can I have a little more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re eating well.¡± As expected, Sandra was very satisfied with the guest giving out her plate again even though she was full. Iris took another piece of meat that melted in her mouth, leaving only the juices. It was a great dish to be proud of. After eating like that, Sandra left for the party hall to fully check the condition of the Knights and make sure that no one was less full. * * * Sandra was very generous to the Knights of Tejas. There was only one reason. ¡°You eat well.¡± It was because everyone ate well. The Knights of Tejas quickly devoured the ingredients in the Hall family¡¯s mansion. The mansion had a huge field and raised countless livestock of each type, so it was possible to produce them quickly. Sandra said to Hayer with a satisfied expression. ¡°Even the princess ate quite well, didn¡¯t she? I thought she¡¯d eat a bite and nibble.¡± At her words, Hayer thought Iris must have had a hard time eating more than enough food. In any case, the Knights of Tejas were at their wits¡¯ end because they were so happy with the food Sandra served them. As the Knights looked full, Sandra stopped serving food. In Hayer¡¯s eyes, it felt like the farm was crushing the Knights. After filling his stomach with rare food, Hayer returned to his room. Looking out the window, he saw that the rain wasn¡¯t going to stop soon. Hayer prepared to take a bath, thinking that if he does well, they would be able to stay here tomorrow as well. At that time, Dylan, who was preparing his bath, asked sullenly. ¡°You were lying, right?¡± Hayer smiled at Dylan¡¯s words. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lie, about knowing the cure.¡± Dylan¡¯s crying voice made Hayer look in the mirror. No difference was felt before Iris started the treatment. Dylan, who checked his back every day, would know better than Hayer. ¡°Why, I look so much better.¡± ¡°I know better than you do, Captain.¡± There was a sense of sadness in Dylan¡¯s voice. Hayer didn¡¯t have much hope from the beginning, but it was a pity to see Dylan sad. He still felt guilty about Tilla, the god of all things, and thought it was nothing to be pleased about, being too easily forgiven after cutting the sacred tree. ¡°With how old the wound is, can it be cured so soon? Wait patiently. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll get better.¡± Hayer soothed him, and Dylan held back his sorrow and nodded like an adult. * * * Iris followed the butler to the Hall family¡¯s patio for a moment to digest what she had eaten. Since it rains so often, logs are woven and tents can be placed on them. The logs, where tents were placed out for the guests, were nicely intertwined with rattan. Iris covered the raindrops falling through the tent with her hands, then recalled Sandra¡¯s prosthetic hand. She recalled the game on her way to the North Gate. Sandra¡¯s name came up once. * * * ¡°Sandra Hall. Let¡¯s talk about the head of the Hall family.¡± When Hayer said so, Hencke explained. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the competition for being the successor of the Hall family complicated?¡± ¡°It was.¡± ¡°The son-in-law¡­¡± Iris asked, as Hencke murmured his words. ¡°Why? What happened?¡± When she asked, Hencke explained. ¡°The previous head of the Hall family only had two daughters. Like His Majesty the former King.¡± Iris nodded at his words. Just as the former king handed over the throne to his nephew because he only had one daughter, the Hall family seemed to have no son. Hencke continued. ¡°The rift between the Everhart and Hall family is old. Then, as the situation happened to be like this, the eldest daughter of the Hall family and the second son of the Everhart family signed a marriage agreement, and the agreement was concluded for the young man to come to the Hall family and become the head of the household.¡± ¡°Yes. But?¡± Iris forgot about the cold and curiosity twinkled in her eyes. Annamaria suddenly interrupted and said. ¡°But the eldest daughter, who stayed with the Everhart family for a while, fell in love with a servant and ran away.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± As Iris nodded, Hencke continued. ¡°So the Everhart family went into an uproar. What are you going to do now that the marriage is broken?¡­ Eventually, the Hall family decided to marry their second daughter, Sandra Hall, to the second son of the Everhart family. But that¡¯s when a problem arose. On the first night, the second son was hacked to death with a knife.¡± Iris flinched and looked at Hencke. Hencke found it interesting that she was scared, so he set the mood even more and continued to talk. ¡°A culprit actually appeared. Wouldn¡¯t it be the person who was in the same room that day?¡± ¡°Was the family head the culprit?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that again.¡± Hencke shook his head and continued. ¡°The bride was out of her mind and couldn¡¯t say anything for about a week. And in the meantime, those who checked the scene of the murder noticed that a left-handed person stabbed the second son with a knife. Left-handed people are rare, so they thought they could find the culprit quickly. But of all things¡­¡± ¡°Of all things?¡± ¡°Sandra Hall doesn¡¯t have a left hand. When they questioned her later, she said she¡¯s never had one since she was a kid. In other words, she has been hiding it with gloves all her life because she is the daughter of an aristocratic family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The culprit was only found out later. He was the eldest son of Everhart. It turned out that he had a crush on Sandra, so after a quarrel with his brother, the murder took place¡­¡± ¡°I think Sandra Hall is the culprit¡­¡± Everyone looked back at Iris when she said to herself. Hayer asked when Iris paused and closed her mouth. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°A left-handed person was the culprit, but a woman without a left hand wasn¡¯t the suspect.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°If it were me, I would have cut off my left hand as soon as I committed the crime. Surely Sandra would have been executed because they had a bad relationship with each other, so it¡¯s better than losing your life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The party paused, including Hayer. And it wasn¡¯t long before Annamaria muttered. ¡°¡­That makes sense.¡± afterword iris my smart lil pookie CH 24 Iris slipped out of the memory. In the end, Sandra became the family head, and the eldest son of Everhart was now in prison. She heard that the Everhart family head had a new bride who was 30 years younger than himself, and the new bride was now raising the 3-year-old heir of the family. Iris reflected on the memory for a moment, and then, after finishing preparing, headed back to Hayer¡¯s room. She thought that Hayer didn¡¯t drink so much today, as he was looking out at the rain from the window without falling asleep. The air was damp, but the smell mixed with the forest refreshed her. Iris said. ¡°Let¡¯s continue the treatment.¡± ¡°Personally?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris thought that if Hayer found out about the cure, he would soon leave her behind. She went on. ¡°I need someone to protect me. There should be a secret.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hayer said and took off his shirt. Iris began to apply the medicine on Hayer¡¯s back as he sat on a chair. So far, the wound has not healed much, so she was nervous. After reading Iris¡¯s face, who kept her mouth shut, Hayer said. ¡°It¡¯s the same even with the treatment, but it seems to have a good pain relief effect. It¡¯s really easy to live on these days.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Really.¡± With Hayer¡¯s strong conviction, Iris finally felt a little relieved. After seeing the hope of the cure, Iris¡¯s eyes lingered on Hayer¡¯s back. It was more awe-inspiring than beautiful. It may have been innate, but her fingers felt numb from the muscles carved on his body that were made only after superhuman efforts. His body smelled of cologne mixed with the remedy Iris used. Hayer always used cologne, and the subtle floral scent would make the surroundings feel good. The soft scent served to relieve people¡¯s tension about Hayer. After finishing the treatment, Iris said. ¡°It smells nice.¡± ¡°Can you give me your hand for a second?¡± Iris held out a hand at his words, and Hayer placed his wrist over hers. Until now, she had only touched his back while treating him, so the moment their pulses touched, the tension in her whole body awoke in an instant. After sharing his cologne like that, Hayer put down the book he was reading and got up. Then, with his hands behind his back, he leaned down and inhaled the scent from her. Iris closed her eyes unknowingly the moment he approached, then opened them again. At one point, Hayer straightened himself away from her. Iris smelled the scent on her wrist. It didn¡¯t seem like a good fit for her. ¡°It¡¯s the same scent, but it feels less good on me.¡± Hayer replied with a laugh at her words. ¡°This is the cologne I chose. It should suit me more, so don¡¯t feel wronged.¡± Iris smiled and nodded at Hayer¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± After saying that, she bid farewell and went back to her room. As soon as Iris was out of sight from Hayer, who waved goodbye until she left, she stopped in the hallway and looked at her wrist. It felt like even his pulse and firmness remained on her wrist. * * * The door closed, and Hayer was looking at his wrist, where Iris¡¯s wrist had touched. It¡¯s rubbish to think like this after he acted like a seducer first, but Iris Lepos was a bit of a strange woman to him. She was a woman who seemed to have a lot of unsolved problems. What was clear was that Iris sensed that Luwan was in danger. It was really a novelty. When Hayer cut down the tree, he could sense that something was starting to go wrong with the whole continent. Is it really only here, in the place where these sacred trees are located, that these indescribable bizarre beings are running amok? He recalled the mountain people, the Kawats, looking at him with anxious eyes. ¡°If the monsters are at this level wherever there are sacred trees, it won¡¯t be long before the continent will be covered with monsters.¡± When there was no hope, he had resigned himself with the heart that he would just watch and accept this huge invasion of the world. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be alive that long anyway. But if his wound heals. If that was the case, then he had no reason to wait and see. If his wound healed, he intended to challenge for the throne. Hayer resembled his mother in every way, so the king raised him with visible discrimination. When he turned 15 years old, the royal family was overturned by the possibility that he might not be the king¡¯s legitimate son. Hayer now admitted to some extent that he is not the king¡¯s son. It was hard to accept that he had lived thinking he was the king¡¯s son all along, but then suddenly became someone who was born out of his mother¡¯s affair with his father who was a stranger. He thought that he might have been preparing for treason by now, had it not been for this unexpected injury. In fact, he was almost certain. Then he got hurt, faced with strange monsters, and most of his original goals became blurred. He briefly thought of his older brother, Sid Lepos. And Iris Lepos, who refused to marry him. By refusing the throne that way, although unlikely, Iris has regained her right to challenge for the throne. If you think about the stories of nobles who refused to marry, which had been rare in history so far, all of them were escapes of love. However, it wasn¡¯t that Iris had a lover of a thousand years. Hayer knew that she seemed to like him, but if the two of them were close enough to escape together, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. Is she really after the throne if it¡¯s not for love? Without any support base? That¡¯s impossible. He¡¯s sure Iris herself knows. Still, there was one thing in the odds, assuming that all successors died suddenly and she ascended the throne. Iris Lepos becomes king, and he thought about whether she could save this continent, which might be overrun by monsters at any time. What can she really do? Doubtful, but honestly, his brother Sid Lepos didn¡¯t seem to make much of a difference. Neither is fit for the throne. In his eyes, neither side could save the continent or Luwan. But when he thought of Iris Lepos, there was a voice that always followed him. ¡°You must have your own way of greeting God.¡± Come to think of it, she¡¯s at least someone who can embrace others. It was too much to compare her with Sid. After thinking so, Hayer finished reading the book and got ready to go to bed. Hayer, who took a sip of water and headed to bed to go to sleep, stopped for a moment. He looked back at his belongings. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He has been taking strong medicine ever since the wound got worse. At first, the medicine was so strong that he talked nonsense like a drunk person after taking it, but these days, he developed a tolerance for it. Maybe he should find stronger medicine, but he couldn¡¯t help but think that he would end up with a life where he couldn¡¯t do anything without them. Whenever he was sick, he would take out the medicine at any time. Hayer didn¡¯t want to get his hopes up, and he unconsciously focused on his wound with the medicine case out. Just in case, because he really didn¡¯t know. However, the more the effect of the medicine wears off, the more painful the wound becomes. The thought that one day this wound would tear his body apart haunted him. For Dylan, he pretended to be aloof from death, but he knew he hadn¡¯t fully accepted it. How long has he been fighting monsters and defending the land of Luwan? He recalled the eyes of the Kawats, who looked at him as if he were the greatest person in the world. They believed that Tilla, the god of Luwan, was dead, and from now on they had to do the work of protecting the sacred trees, which was something Hayer still couldn¡¯t believe. However, on a night when pain and guilt came together, the words of a Kawat warrior, who was fighting monsters with the Knights of Tejas, would sometimes comfort him. ¡°Captain, you saved many people by breaking your taboo. We believe that the god Tilla no longer exists, but if she does, she would be proud of the captain who helped save people.¡± afterword wow he shared his cologne with her i¡¯m blushing CH 25 Iris stayed up almost all night awake. The smell of cologne disappeared quickly, but the moment where their wrists touched was not easily erased from her head. She tried to think it was a meaningless action, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Even on their way to the North Gate, he acted sweetly as if he were trying to win her heart, but then he flatly refused her heart. Since returning from the North Gate, Iris has spent a lot of time pondering why he refused her heart only at the last moment. Before reaching the North Gate, she thought that maybe he became sulky and would then run away. But it couldn¡¯t be. He was never such a mean man to hold people¡¯s hearts hostage. Based on the Hayer Iris knew, this was the most likely one. Because he knew she loved him. Maybe he tried to love her, too. Did Hayer Asheri think at the last moment that effort alone cannot create love? The more she thought about it, the more the pain increased. In the end, knowing in advance that her love would only leave a scar, Hayer seemed to have pushed himself away so resolutely. In any case, she couldn¡¯t afford to be engrossed in unanswered private feelings now. First, the relationship between Everhart and Hall had to be unravelled. They continued to growl at each other in this state, and three years later, when Luwan¡¯s economy seriously deteriorated, Everhart¡¯s monumental tower collapsed without relying on anything. At the time, if they had interacted with the Hall family right next to them and exchanged some help, it wouldn¡¯t have collapsed like this all at once. Already on bad terms, they had a problem with the second son of the Everhart family, who they were trying to bring as a son-in-law, and the gap between the two families became so wide that it could no longer be crossed. Iris thought about it all night, but no answer came. * * * When she woke up the next morning, the rain had stopped for a while, and the miraculously bright sun was shining over the vast plain. The Hall family estate was in the middle of a remarkably beautiful plain. Looking beyond the trees planted around the mansion, there was a landscape that made you wonder if this place is heaven, and who could offer a better alternative. the most fertile land in Luwan. The mildest weather. Adequate fresh water. Based on the natural resources of cloth, the lord and farmers, who know farming as their calling, have cultivated this land together. Right after the war, this was the place that the Sieres tried to occupy before the capital. The people of the Hall territory, who have a strong attachment to the land, fought for their lives, but failed to overcome the wave-like power of Siere, who prepared for war for a long time. At the time of Luwan¡¯s fall, from the mouths of the Knights of Tejas, who came to the capital from the south through the Hall territory, she heard how ruined the territory had become. ¡°Hall had already become a military town. The surrendered farmers were enslaved and were growing food for Siere¡¯s army. Those who rebelled were executed on the spot.¡± At the memory, Iris shut her eyes tightly. Can knowing nothing be an excuse? Does it make sense that she, the queen, did not know that this beautiful land was burned and that the farmers who fed the entirety of Luwan died? It can¡¯t be. She should have known. There must have been something she could¡¯ve done. While blaming herself like that, the rain gradually stopped. Iris thought Sandra would soon let her go, so she began to get ready to go. After some preparation, she went to greet Sandra, and it turned out that she was already out at the mess hall. When Iris went to the mess hall, the knights had already finished their meals and went out for training, and Sandra said, tired of waiting for her. ¡°You¡¯re late for the meal after I did my best to welcome uninvited guests.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m going to leave right away because it stopped raining¡­¡± Sandra frowned at her excuse. ¡°No matter what, if my guest skips their meal and I send them out, it will be my fault. Are you asking me to be a host who sent a guest away without breakfast?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I was short-sighted.¡± Iris sat down in the seat the servant pulled out before Sandra could become more angry. The Hall family¡¯s breakfast was utopia itself, full of milk and honey. Honey, milk, and food made her feel lively; a rich savory taste remained in her mouth even after swallowing. Over breakfast, Sandra continued to offer the wine she made this year. Growing up in the north, Iris was used to drinking hard liquor to warm herself up. Perhaps that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t get drunk easily even if she drank a lot of alcohol. She just didn¡¯t enjoy drinking alcohol. Iris gulped down the drink Sandra kept on offering. Sandra is a person who likes the guests to empty all the food she prepared, so she thought it would be the same with alcohol. Sandra, who kept offering her drinks, stood up for a moment. ¡°Wait and see.¡± As she went out into the hallway, her agent and her relative¡¯s brother, Dane Hall, walked along and asked. ¡°Still short on alcohol?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like. Where does all the alcohol go in that body¡­¡­¡± Sandra¡¯s face was full of satisfaction. The day before, she thought Iris ate well despite her size, but today it was more than just that. She was pleasantly drunk, so she returned to the mess hall with something to brag about. Sandra had all the dishes cleaned up from the meal, and then laid out a map on the table with tea and ¡®some refreshments¡¯ based on her standards. ¡°These are farmlands centered on our Hall Territory.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Look at this. Each region has a different seed that grows well. I do research every day. I think about the fertility of the land, and plant something different every quarter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m amazing.¡± Iris saw Sandra¡¯s confident face. Iris knew that Sandra wasn¡¯t just showing off the map in front of her. It was to test how much Iris of the Lepos family could read the map. Sandra had a map of the entire granary area, which takes three to four days to tour, even on Luwan¡¯s famous horse, which can travel 160 kilometers a day if desired. Iris carefully examined each small vial of grain or dried fruit, which Sandra placed on the huge map, one by one. Just as the Tejas Knights felt honored in protecting Luwan, Sandra felt honored in cultivating this land. Envying her honor, it strangely overwhelmed Iris. Iris, who was listening to Sandra¡¯s story with concentration while checking the map, opened her mouth, which had been repeating compliments that she was great. ¡°Just a moment¡­¡± Then she examined her clothes and pulled out a long thread from the seams. Then she wrapped it around both index fingers and checked the ratio of the reservoir. On her way to find the North Gate, she realized how important it was to scale the map in her head to the real world. If she had known the distance more accurately, if she had estimated how long it would take, the trip would have been easier. Iris opened her mouth. ¡°I think the size of the reservoir is different. The depth of the water.¡± What she said made Dane angry first. ¡°This is a map I made only two years ago. So are you saying that the Hall family¡¯s measurement is wrong?¡± The map in her head wasn¡¯t clear. Most of the time, it was blurry, and she had to rely on her senses. However, when she had an almost accurate map in front of her, the blurry outlines were enhanced and it became clear at once. Iris pretended not to hear Dane, and said to Sandra. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± CH 26 ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sandra thought for a moment, then had Dane summon her vassals. After a while, the vassals stationed near the mansion gathered at the mess hall. Iris thought that the people gathered and fighting loudly with each other over such an uncertain issue was the power that grew the food to be sent to the entirety of Luwan, which has non-fertile land. What¡¯s clear was that if this granary here dies, the entirety of Luwan would starve to death. Knowing that, the Hall family had no choice but to be cautious. Sandra, who finished the meeting with her vassals, returned to Iris and said. ¡°This reservoir is in danger of flooding if heavy rain falls, so we are building a bank around the reservoir. So if the reservoir is shrinking due to something like landslides, we should check even if it¡¯s doubtful. However, it seems that there will be heavy rain for a while following yesterday, and we have to evacuate the residents, so we will have to check after the heavy rain.¡± When she said that, Hayer, who was at the door of the mess hall, said. ¡°I think I can go.¡± ¡°Will you be okay?¡± ¡°Of course. You fed me and sheltered me from the rain.¡± Hayer said and looked at Iris. She also rose up. Sandra beckoned at her agent, Dane Hall, who still looked unhappy, to follow. Dane had an expression that wasn¡¯t quite right, but he followed at Hayer¡¯s words. * * * Due to the unexpected schedule, Hayer left three soldiers to survey the reservoir and arranged for the rest of the Knights of Tejas to help prepare for the ensuing downpour. Sandra was grateful for the unexpected hand and served food again until their stomachs exploded before having the work done. Fortunately, it was the right order for the Knights of Tejas. After a while, Iris put on her raincoat and ran with Hayer and Dane in the direction of the reservoir. Iris knew that Rane, her horse from Asheri, especially liked to run through the wet land. Excited, Rane ran energetically ahead of Hayer and Dane¡¯s horses. ¡°You have to go slowly¡­ Why don¡¯t you stop her?¡± When Dane asked Hayer, who looked laid-back, he shrugged. ¡°What am I supposed to say?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better catch up before we get any further away.¡± Hayer spoke and urged his horse forward, and Dane ran after him, bewildered and resentful. Iris closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again as the damp wind brushed through her dark hair. In the blink of an eye, they traveled a long distance, but the scenery of Mother Nature, which felt endless, did not change. It was an endless plain. The sky was still cloudy, and the boundaries between the clouds had disappeared. ¡°When Luwan is safe, let¡¯s go to the end of the world.¡± Rane galloped with more excitement as if it understood Iris. * * * After riding for five hours without stopping, they reached the reservoir. Iris fed her panting horse water and looked at the reservoir. The huge reservoir, which stretched between the woods and the hills, was dangerously deep due to yesterday¡¯s rain. Farmers within the vicinity had evacuated overnight due to the news of the danger of flooding. Hayer had his soldiers improve where the reservoir was expected to be reduced, marked by Iris. Meanwhile, Iris walked up the hill with Dane, who was watching her like a spy. Dane continued to grumble. ¡°Safety is important, of course. However, it still applies to the people of the Lepos family, no matter how much they know the land better than the Halls.¡± He was grumbling so much next to Iris that her patience, which was like a mountain, was slowly running out, and she couldn¡¯t stand it and replied. ¡°If the Halls are the farmers, the Leposes are the cooks. It covers the same area, but it¡¯s actually a completely different field.¡± ¡°The Hall family is also good at cooking.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll look for another example, so please wait.¡± Hayer was walking along with Iris and Dane a couple of steps away, telling his men to take measurements. He was already tired of Dane¡¯s grumbling and was just following a few steps behind, but Iris did not. At first, he only saw her cold-looking face the whole time, and thought she was just a person with little emotional change. But after a few days, it wasn¡¯t like that at all. She was often angry, happy, and upset. It just didn¡¯t show very well. Hayer has suppressed himself for a long time so as not to feel those feelings. It was a characteristic of the Asheri family, and a survival method created by living half of his life as the son of the king and the other half as the son of the queen¡¯s affair. The three of them went quite deep, where they could not feel a trace of a human being, and there they found a mound of dirt spilled over a fallen tree. ¡°¡­It seems clear that the mountain¡¯s soil has been washed away by this heavy rain. It looks like a part of the reservoir has been filled because of a landslide.¡± Dane said, as if he acknowledged it. Then, Iris walked over and brushed off the soil covering the base of the tree with her bare hands and said. ¡°There are signs of logging.¡± Dane¡¯s eyes widened and he approached. Then he checked the bottom and said, ¡°The wood here is of low quality, so we leave it as it is. Who on earth came all the way here and cut down this tree?¡± ¡°Someone who has the intention of deliberately causing a landslide.¡± ¡°A landslide¡­ Why?¡± ¡°What happens if the size of the reservoir reduces?¡± ¡°We should open the floodgates more often.¡± ¡°What if you open the floodgates often?¡± ¡°The river overflows more. Of course, it¡¯s never a bad thing if you¡¯re prepared for flooding. But this granary doesn¡¯t take advantage of flooding because it rains enough.¡± ¡°What kind of people take advantage of flooding?¡± Then, as a member of the Hall family, Dane, who knew everything about farming, said. ¡°I know that the Sieres usually do.¡± Iris groaned unconsciously at Dane¡¯s words. She knew that two years later, the Sieres would cut off trade. And not long after, a serious economic crisis broke out, and the war began a year after that. In the large and small battles that followed over the next three years, Luwan slowly collapsed. Shortly after the war began, the war started with occupying the granary, so it was surprising that it (Luwan/the war) had lasted three years. Hayer, who was checking the base of another tree from afar, also jumped up at the word Siere. The base of the tree he checked also had cut marks from an axe. Hayer asked Dane. ¡°Are there any Sieres here?¡± ¡°W-well. As you know, the Hall territory is attached to Everhart. Everhart is a place where all kinds of foreigners come and go, so there is no way to check each and every one of them even if they enter this territory. They are Sieres in the first place, so if they keep their mouth shut, you won¡¯t be able to tell them apart from the Luwans¡­¡± Hayer said to the contemplative Dane with a rare hardened expression on his face. ¡°Go right back. You have to check something.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I understand.¡± Dane went down the mountain first, and Hayer said to Iris. ¡°Let¡¯s go down now too.¡± She wanted to check more, but the sky was raining like it was about to pour again. Iris nodded and followed Hayer down the mountain. The slippery downhill was much more dangerous and time consuming than the uphill. Hayer kept looking at Iris, who had been confined in a convent all this time, and seemed to have been bothered by her steps, as he said. ¡°You walk like a northerner.¡± ¡°What is walking like a northerner like?¡± ¡°They walk as if they were walking downhill on a snowy road.¡± Iris paused at Hayer¡¯s words. On the snowy road as she went to find the North Gate, Iris fell beyond count, and each time the Tejas Knights stuck right next to her and taught her how to walk. From the direction of the feet to how to apply force. Iris turned away so as not to be overwhelmed by useless thoughts or emotions. ¡°If the Sieres are here, why did they come?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer was silent for a moment, and then he opened his mouth again. ¡°It¡¯s probably because they have plans to take this place.¡± Iris turned her head in surprise at his words. afterword my smart munchkins (holds them gently) CH 27 Hayer smiled and said, probably thinking he was being overly honest. ¡°Just kidding. No way. There seems to be a definite plan to move here in the future.¡± Iris thought what Hayer had just said was not a joke, but rather an answer from a terribly realistic point of view. She didn¡¯t expect Hayer to draw a conclusion so soon. Iris stopped walking and asked him. ¡°You think there could be a war?¡± ¡°No.¡± Hayer knew Iris didn¡¯t like to avoid this conversation, so he answered her face to face. ¡°I think the Sieres may no longer be able to live in Siere.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk when we build more trust.¡± After Hayer said that, he didn¡¯t talk about the topic anymore. As expected, the size of the newly measured reservoir was clearly reduced. As with the circumference, but above all, the difference in depth was severe. Dane could not contain his anger after confirming the reality revealed by the numbers. ¡°Who would do such a thing¡­¡± He gnashed his teeth as if he were going to kill the one who touched the reservoir at any moment, and later turned to Iris. Until now, the Hall family had naturally considered the current king¡¯s legitimate son, Sid Lepos, as the next heir to the throne. Preference for Sid Lepos wasn¡¯t the issue. The children of the Hall family were educated to weigh practicality, whether in a broad or narrow sense. It was believed that that was the power that cultivated this land. For them, Iris Lepos, who had been raised in a convent her whole life, was not an option from the beginning. Of course, the Halls also believed in Tilla devoutly, and in some ways more fervently than the other people of the region. However, the religious learning and practical learning such as farming were recognized as completely separate. So at first, they declared that Iris Lepos, the princess who refused to marry, could not be admitted to the territory. Sandra as well as Dane had no hesitation in this decision. However, Iris Lepos, whom they actually met and communicated with, was a far cry from the person they expected. She didn¡¯t carelessly look at the ground. She didn¡¯t talk only about the map. She ran all the way to the place herself and was checking the reservoir with her own eyes. She was as close to a royal that the Halls wanted. As soon as Dane realized that, he immediately bent down on one knee. ¡°I was ignorant. I¡¯m sorry, Princess.¡± Then Iris said in a voice that was neither strong nor weak. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you, so get up. I also admire your pride in your family.¡± Dane, who bowed his head, could not hide the slight rise in the corners of his mouth when he heard her answer. She was better than any royal Dane had ever seen, and would benefit the Hall family. There will be a day when people realize their eyes are so wrong, he thought. ¡°Thank you.¡± Dane bowed his head once more. * * * The party rode their horses back to the Hall family¡¯s mansion. Sandra, who heard everything from Dane, ordered all her soldiers and vassals to find the Siere. Hayer said. ¡°The Knights of Tejas will also join the search.¡± Sandra shook her head at the words. ¡°Today¡¯s indebted work alone is overflowing.¡± ¡°This is not for the Hall family.¡± Hayer went on calmly. ¡°It¡¯s for the whole of Luwan.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. The appearance of a spy from a neighboring country in Luwan¡¯s most important granary may mean a war that befalls Luwan. Sandra replied. ¡°The Lord is right. Then please.¡± Soon after, the rain poured, and the Knights of Tejas, the servants of the Hall family, and their soldiers disappeared into it. Iris wanted to go with them, but she couldn¡¯t because she was already exhausted from going to the reservoir. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t help but know that if she walked around in that rain, she would suffer from a serious illness. She sighed deeply, feeling very inconvenienced by her feeble body. If only King Eswa hadn¡¯t poisoned her mother when she had her. Even so, she could have had a healthy body at least as good as Celios¡¯s. Sandra, who was struggling to calm her anger over the incident on her land, said to Iris, who was looking out the window with a face that said she wanted to run out at once. ¡°You¡¯d better have a glass of wine and get some rest.¡± ¡°Everyone is busy searching, so how¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying to drink enough to relax.¡± Sandra scolded and, as usual, hurriedly walked towards the wine cellar. She soon headed for a rack wedged in the corner of the storage. Sandra, who pulled it out of the wedge and loosened the layers of chain, took out a bottle of dusty wine from it. Dane, who followed her, asked because he was nervous for no reason. ¡°Th-that¡­ Are you taking that out?¡± ¡°She said that the circumference and depth of the reservoir have changed. Without measuring it again, it would have been impossible to predict the flooding of the reservoir. That princess saved the people of my land. She should be treated this much.¡± Sandra said and wiped the dust off the bottle herself. It was such a precious alcohol that she didn¡¯t even let others touch it. She went out with the bottle of wine and placed it between Iris and herself. Iris paused when she saw the name on the wine label. [6 years with Eswa] Six years after King Eswa Lepos was enthroned, was a year that adults never left out when explaining the words ¡®heat wave.¡¯ Although Luwan is located in an area where the term ¡®heat wave¡¯ is not used, it seems that it was exceptionally hot that year. And the wine that came out that year was exceptionally delicious and fragrant, so many people looked for it. Though Iris had been drinking quite a bit, she wasn¡¯t a big drinker, but refusing that wine didn¡¯t seem to be polite to all the grapes in the world. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too precious for an uninvited guest like me?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to be sarcastic for being cruel at first, stop it. Because I still don¡¯t support the princess. This is just a reward for helping our fiefdom.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris nodded. She didn¡¯t get drunk very much, and she didn¡¯t like alcohol that much, but she was happy to see Sandra¡¯s goodwill, so she just accepted the wine that the head poured herself. The newly brought out wine was a good wine that had a strong honey scent, and the scent of burning wood left at the tip of the tongue exhilarated people. Iris took a sip and smiled. After sharing a good drink, Iris returned to her bedroom. She looked out the window, feeling a little more intoxicated than usual, perhaps because she had ridden a long way. She was worried if they could find a Siere in this vast land, who was not even distinguishable by appearance. * * * There were people searching in the rain, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so she dragged a chair to the window and sat down with her head against the wall all night. No one came back during dawn, and it was not until morning that some searchers returned empty-handed. In the end, humans were also animals, and since they couldn¡¯t do anything if they didn¡¯t get enough sleep, they collapsed and fell asleep as soon as they returned. However, among those who returned like that, none were the Knights of Tejas. Through that image, Iris realized how much training the Tejas Knights went through. In Luwan, there were many knights with names and many without names. Among them, the Tejas Knights belonged to an order that was not very famous, despite its leader being a royal. However, Iris was sure that they would fight the best if she looked at their skills alone. A full day passed there. On the second day of the search, around sunset. ¡°Found him!¡± A voice was heard from afar. Iris opened the window and saw the Knights of Tejas. She got up quickly and ran outside. CH 28 The Tejas Knight, who ran to the door, said to Sandra Hall, who came out at the sound of the shouting. ¡°The captain will bring him here soon. What¡¯s this crafty fellow doing hiding in the mountains? The captain asked us to completely surround the area where the reservoir is, and that was right.¡± Iris waited for the party with a mixture of half relief and half fear. After a while, a party, including Hayer, came running from afar. Soon, a soldier picked up the Siere and threw him on the floor. The Siere, with his whole body bounded, rolled on the floor with a whoosh. Hayer, who then got off the horse, greeted Sandra and said. ¡°I¡¯m going to take over after a short chat with the Hall family. What do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Tejas Knights who caught the spy, so do as you please.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t kill him, but give him back.¡± ¡°Of course. What do you see me as?¡± Sandra beckoned her soldiers, and they dragged the spy and disappeared somewhere. Sandra looked around at the Knights of Tejas gathering in front of her mansion with an expression that contained many unspoken words. She seemed to have mixed feelings, but the words that came out of her mouth were the words of the head, as usual. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a meal, so it¡¯s better to fill your stomach first.¡± * * * After setting foot in the Hall estate, Iris has reached the point of suffering from eating too much every day. When the searchers left, Sandra wanted to relax with alcohol, so when they returned safely, almost all the guests were served alcohol until they collapsed on the floor. The Knights of Tejas were basically people who drank as if they were only living today, so no one refused and drank. Iris drank some and went back to her room, then stopped from the influence of the alcohol, leaning against the wall, and heard a voice from behind. ¡°It¡¯s a bad habit of the Hall family. Feed it, put it to sleep, and repeat, so it can¡¯t go out.¡± Iris turned around to see Hayer standing there. Iris asked with a distressed expression. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, I really feel trapped here¡­ If I have a hangover tomorrow morning, they¡¯ll use it as an excuse and tell me to go to sleep, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll have to see the head get upset to get out of here.¡± Iris sighed at Hayer¡¯s words. Then, she forced the alcohol out and stood upright. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy when we leave tomorrow.¡± Hayer laughed at her words, and then asked Iris, as if he were talking about daily life. ¡°I think it¡¯s too late to ask. Why don¡¯t you want to get married?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I should have asked at first.¡± Iris hesitated at his sudden question. She looked around, then dragged Hayer into her room. Hayer said as he followed her into the room. ¡°If I keep coming into your bedroom like this, or if you call me to my bedroom, my subordinates will misunderstand greatly.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you? I¡¯m already the only bad guy among my subordinates. If I get caught coming out of your bedroom at night, my subordinates will scold me very much.¡± The person who grumbled like that looked comfortable as if he had entered his own room, and it was actually Iris who was nervous. Hayer put firewood in the dimming fireplace, and then put his hand on Iris¡¯s bed. Knowing that the blanket had completely cooled, Hayer picked up the metal bowl used to heat the bed with long tongs and put it in the bed. Iris felt that his behavior, somehow, was more provoking than gratifying. So she asked without realizing it. ¡°Do you like me?¡± Hayer looked back. Then, looking at the metal bowl again, he raised his body and answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± Rather, when asked back like that, Iris¡¯s stomach ached, as if she had swallowed something spicy. She knew Hayer wasn¡¯t the type to answer firmly in the first place. It was the same as saying no. Iris bit her lip, and Hayer hand-checked that the blanket was warm and placed the metal bowl on the fireplace again. Then he said, dragging a chair and putting it next to the bed. ¡°You can lie down and talk. You haven¡¯t slept more than the searchers have for two days.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I naturally get along with the maids quickly.¡± Hayer replied jokingly. Iris, as he said, was so terribly tired that she couldn¡¯t refuse and went under the covers and laid down. When she went under the sufficiently heated blanket, it felt like heaven. ¡°Good¡­¡± Hayer laughed cheerfully at her words. Then went back to business. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to get married?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°How did you know about my wound?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not going to answer anything, then let¡¯s change the question.¡± Hayer asked Iris, who pretended to be asleep and closed her eyes. ¡°Are you greedy for the throne?¡± Iris opened her eyes wide at his words. And without realizing it, she sat her upper body up. Hayer met her eyes and asked again. ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re avoiding the position of queen to be king.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Iris answered, as if making excuses. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯ve never thought about that. In the first place¡­ it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°¡­Why doesn¡¯t it make sense?¡± Iris answered his question, tucking her hair behind her ear. ¡°Mother¡­ Princess Celios said that when she was pregnant with me, she ingested a lot of poison that was harmful to the fetus. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not very healthy.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯m tired, and I don¡¯t have much knowledge. The idea is ridiculous.¡± Hayer replied to her remarks. ¡°So far, there are only two or three kings of Luwan who are called sage kings.* There are actually two, and one is debatable.¡± At his words, Iris lifted her head and looked at Hayer. He went on. ¡°The rest were either mediocre, incompetent, or tyrannical. Well, there must have been an incompetent tyrant like my father.¡± At Hayer¡¯s calm criticism of the current king, Iris was silent as she had nothing to say at the moment. As Iris was silent, Hayer opened his mouth again. ¡°I mean, it wasn¡¯t good people who sat on the throne anyway, it was people who decided to sit on the throne.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris Lepos, do you have any intention of becoming king?¡± Then, Iris still replied firmly. ¡°There is none.¡± ¡°There is none.¡± ¡¶t/n: hayer is just repeating what iris said, obviously, but it looks a little awkward in written format¡· Hayer crossed his arms and looked at Iris with interest. Iris looked into his eyes and continued. ¡°But really, if someone worse than me wants to sit on the throne, then¡­ I think that I¡¯ll want to become the king.¡± ¡°Are you referring to my brother by ¡®someone worse than me¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say no.¡± Hayer¡¯s lips curled up while saying that. Since the other person asked straightforwardly, she asked with eyes that didn¡¯t hesitate and felt even solemn. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Just like you. Completely. If it¡¯s just someone who¡¯s worse than me, I¡¯ll push them out and sit there. But maybe.¡± ¡°¡­Maybe?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to do before that. It won¡¯t be easy, and the throne must come after that.¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s later.¡± Hayer said with a smile. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later.¡± He said good night to Iris and quietly left the room. Iris thought for a moment about what Hayer wanted to do. Whatever it was, it didn¡¯t seem like it would benefit him. afterword gdi hayer u had one job to say yes!! also tried smth new with the top part idk if i¡¯ll keep it lol *sage king/???? means like highest level of perfection of a human being/highest evaluation a monarch can receive (they are noble, virtuous, and wise) CH 29 As Hayer left the bedroom and passed through the hallway, Annamaria, who was waiting, followed. ¡°Are you going to the Siere?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They¡¯re already waiting.¡± The two soon entered the underground dungeon of the Hall family, where Sandra had imprisoned the Siere. Any great aristocratic family would have set up a prison like this. The ones who died the most in the dungeons of great aristocratic families were the second sons, who were rivals of the eldest son to become the head. Hayer, who spent his childhood as the king¡¯s second son, recalled memories he wanted to forget every time he entered an underground dungeon. ¡°You deceived the king.¡± ¡°You will never get out of here.¡± His older brother¡¯s voice shook his head, flickering like the embers of a cloudy day. Hayer shook off his thoughts by shaking his hair, as if it were cumbersome. Hayer soon found the Siere lying on one side in a dungeon cell. The Siere, already beaten and tortured by Sandra, was beaten by Hencke for no reason this time. ¡°Captain, this bastard must have come to another country and hasn¡¯t learned the Luwan language yet. Does this make sense?¡± ¡°You beat him because he can¡¯t speak the Luwan language?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t answer¡­¡± Hencke grumbled and left the cellar. Most people in the Asheri family knew how to speak some Siere. The same was true of Hayer, who was kicked out of the royal palace and raised in Asheri midway through his childhood. ¡¶t/n: couldn¡¯t find a suitable name for the languages the two nations speak so¡­ we¡¯ll stick to Siere and Luwan lol. Luwanese? Luwanian?? idk¡· He spoke in the language of that country to the Siere covered in so much blood that he couldn¡¯t even open his eyes. ¡°You will die anyway, so I have no intention of making you a secret.¡± ¡°¡­You speak Siere.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± At Hayer¡¯s question, the Siere gritted his teeth. Hayer nodded in understanding and sat down in front of him. The Siere tried to pull out Hayer¡¯s sword with his remaining strength, but Hayer grabbed his arm and he stopped. It was a terrible strength. The Siere felt as if he had been bitten by an alligator, and his face turned white. He was more afraid of this overwhelming difference in power he felt now than when he was being cursed at and tortured by Hencke. He was not taking any defensive posture even with the enemy right in front of him. It was because there was no reason to do so, and in a short time, the Siere found out that his bones were numb. Hayer gently lowered his arm and pulled a handkerchief out of his inner pocket. Then, as a parent would do to a child, he wiped the blood off the Siere¡¯s face and soothed him. ¡°Or you can convert.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do such a thing. Since my family¡­ is at stake. I¡¯d rather die here, Sir, you won¡¯t get anything.¡± ¡°Are the monsters rampaging?¡± The Siere, who had been adamant that he would never open his mouth, hesitated. His face quickly turned to contemplation, and the light in his eyes disappeared. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The south of Luwan was the same. I had to retreat gradually, though I was proud that my knights were stronger than any other knights on this continent. I came to think that not only the south of Luwan, but also the places where the other four sacred trees are located may be similar.¡± ¡°Can¡­ Can you help?¡± The Siere¡¯s body began to tremble. ¡°It¡¯s as the Lord said. The monsters are gradually expanding their power even in Siere. It¡¯s not just one or two, and they¡¯re¡­ They¡¯re killing humans intelligently.¡± ¡°So? Are you thinking of moving to Luwan? Are you going to make this country a land of Siere¡¯s?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Hayer nodded at the expected answer. Annamaria and Hencke¡¯s expressions, who were listening from behind, hardened. After getting enough information, Hayer got up. And after cutting the Siere¡¯s throat so quickly that he was not even aware of his own death, he spoke to the head that had fallen to the floor without even closing his eyes again. ¡°Thank you. It was helpful.¡± After saying that, he got up and left the cellar, and Hencke followed and said. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Leaving Hencke¡¯s answer behind, Hayer left the dungeon. With the Siere¡¯s story, Hayer¡¯s prediction, which he had hoped would be wrong, was correct to some extent. The five sacred trees no longer served as a deterrent to monsters. On the contrary, it played a role in boosting the spirits of monsters with the strange energy that had been accumulated while blocking them thus far. There was no one on this continent who could decide to cut down a sacred tree. In order to cut down a sacred tree in the first place, you must enter the land covered with monsters. In addition, you had to embrace all the curses and cut down the sacred trees in that land. Hayer eventually realized that it was his job. He must cut down all the remaining four sacred trees himself. To do that, Iris¡¯s medication had to work. It was clear that if the curses of the other sacred trees were added to his body as it is now, he would collapse and die even if he cut only two trees. * * * Iris was listening to Hayer¡¯s footsteps passing through the hallway without entering a room. When Hayer¡¯s footsteps returned after a while, she could also smell the scent of blood. She vaguely realized from the smell that the Siere must have died. Hayer got enough information he wanted, and he seemed to have learned something he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Iris Lepos. Do you intend to become king?¡± Ever since she returned from the North Gate, her mind has always been focused on one thing, that Luwan would not be covered with Sieres. Because she thought it was the only way to escape the guilt of doing nothing as a queen. As long as the result was met, it didn¡¯t matter who sat on the throne. It was fine whether it was herself or Hayer. But¡­ Iris, who was trying to sleep again, muttered, covering her face with her hands. ¡°No, why do I have to lose sleep because of that man?¡± Ever since meeting Hayer, he has been digging into Iris¡¯s head every night. She almost suspected that he was doing it on purpose. Iris pulled the blanket up again, and went to sleep with the remaining warmth. The next morning, Sandra offered food and drinks, but the Tejas Knights could not delay their schedule any longer and looked at Iris. Everyone seemed to be not good at refusing, so Iris had no choice but to say farewell to Sandra. ¡°I think we really have to go today. We¡¯ve been very indebted to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Sandra said in disbelief, her eyes wider than ever. ¡°What kind of guest leaves without breakfast?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± ¡°Now, are you ignoring the sincerity of the head who prepared breakfast?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll eat and go. I¡¯m going to eat.¡± Sandra was angry that she would not have breakfast, as Hayer said, and Iris was finally able to leave the mansion after breakfast. The Knights of Tejas usually used to get food for a certain period of time here in this territory, but this time Sandra just gave away a huge amount of food in return for helping the territory. Iris couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut at the enormous amount of food the Knights of Tejas were loading into the wagon. ¡°I can eat it for a year.¡± At Iris¡¯s words, the knights glanced at her and soon burst out laughing. ¡°A year? This is the amount you eat in three months.¡± The food to be eaten for three months was so much that each wagon was full of bags, and the knights had to set off with one bag on each horse. Hencke said. ¡°When you go to the south now, you¡¯ll be in the middle of monsters until this food runs out.¡± Iris nodded. The war she knew will begin three years from now, but now she knows that it had actually been prepared long before that. The Knights of Tejas fighting the monsters at the southern end was probably not much different from a war. She left the Hall family with her party, hoping that the capture of Siere¡¯s spy would affect the war even a little later. When she looked out of the carriage window, Sandra was still watching the carriage moving away. Iris hesitated, then spoke to Sandra in what was probably the loudest voice in her life. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again!¡± Sandra conveyed something to Dane at her words. Dane then shouted on behalf of the head, who had to protect her honor. ¡°Let¡¯s do it! It¡¯s a pleasure!¡± Iris burst into laughter at Dane¡¯s words. CH 30 The seemingly endless granary area ended, and the wasteland continued until it reached the mountainous area. In terms of climate or soil, it wouldn¡¯t make much difference, but it felt that it made a big difference whether the Hall family was managing or not. The party set up tents in the middle of a boring dirt road with no hill and decided to stay overnight. Iris asked Annamaria, who was acting as a supervisor and urging her subordinates to set up the tents. ¡°The desert must be more desolate than this, right?¡± ¡°No sh¡­ Ah, oh. You¡¯ve never been to the desert, have you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mysterious when you look at it for a short moment, but it¡¯s a place where you think it¡¯s the land of death if you look at it for a long time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The Knights of Tejas seemed to have been to the desert once, but everyone didn¡¯t want to talk about it, as if the memory was terrible. But they told Iris over and over again that it was not a place to enter on horseback. When the tents were finished being set up, it was already late at night, and Iris was sitting by the campfire outside for a while, looking at the night sky. It was a night where it seemed like the stars were about to pour down like rain. As she sat and counted the stars for a while, a guard ran frantically. ¡°Captain!¡± Hayer first checked the news from the guard, and Iris got up with a hunch that something was wrong. Hayer, who checked the writing on the cloth given by the guard, said to Iris. ¡°The wedding has been scheduled.¡± ¡°What?¡± Iris ran and checked the cloth, and there was a letter from the capital. Annamaria, who checked the letter together next to her, said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it rather good? If the bride doesn¡¯t show up at the wedding on May 1st, it¡¯s over.¡± Iris, whose heart skipped a beat for a moment, was a little relieved by the words, but then started to get nervous again at Hayer¡¯s words. ¡°The fact that they gave such an exact date must mean that they have something planned.¡± He said, and wrote a letter back. It was a letter to Iris¡¯s mother, Celios Lepos, asking about the exact situation. In Luwan, falcons were usually raised to be used as messenger birds. The falcons of Luwan were small and clever, and the Luwans were good at teaching and raising falcons. The falcon returned to the capital. Iris kept her eyes on the falcon until it disappeared. After a while, she asked Hayer. ¡°Are you familiar with Sid?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°¡­Not a good person.¡± Hayer smiled at her words. ¡°I know.¡± Seeing his strange smile, Iris unknowingly clenched her fist and asked. ¡°¡­Did he use violence against you, too?¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t brothers grow up fighting?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a four-year age difference.¡± ¡°That was fine. I grew up quickly.¡± Hayer tried to pass it off as if it were a trivial matter, but when he realized that Iris was overly concerned, he looked perplexed. Eventually he went on. ¡°It wasn¡¯t much. As I said, I was big from a very early age.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer burst into laughter. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± ¡°Hayer is a man who tells silly jokes all day and never says things that he doesn¡¯t want to talk about even if he dies soon.¡± ¡°You want to hear stories I don¡¯t want to tell.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very bad habit.¡± Hayer said that and, without further explanation, gestured toward the tent. He was friendly and gentle with women, but it was not above the responsibility of a captain. He was absolute within the Knights of Tejas, and Iris had no choice but to obey Hayer¡¯s orders. She reluctantly returned to the tent. Hayer thought it was best not to recall memories he didn¡¯t want to recall. What he hated the most was his father, followed by his brother, and the third was his mother. * * * The moon loved the king of Luwan. In other words, what the moon does not love is not the king, so the king pursues the moon. In the 25 years since the reign of King Eswa, a full moon has never risen. It always stopped at the quarter moon and the lower waning moon, and returned to the half moon again. Then, not long ago, a full moon appeared around the time Sid, the eldest son, went to meet Iris Lepos as his wife. In the middle of the capital of Luwan, the royal family and the nobles remained firm from the moment the full moon rose. The fact that the moon was full when his son Sid strengthened his position meant that the moon did not love the current king. This was inevitably considered a religious issue for the Luwans, who believed that the god Tilla determined the king through the moon. [King Eswa hands over his seat to his son and steps down from the throne] Not too long ago, such words were written on the square in the middle of the capital. The culprit was immediately found and executed, but there was no way to calm the noisy citizens of the capital. At the time of his accession, King Eswa Lepos, a fifteen-year-old boy, sat reclined on the throne as if he was a man of great age. He looked at the king¡¯s office window in the direction of the moon. ¡°How can you be so cruel?¡± Eswa blamed Tilla with his icy blue eyes. After the death of the previous king and the accession of Eswa Lepos, the full moon did not rise. The sages looking for the cause soon found out that Eswa Lepos was born in the belly of a mistress, not as a legitimate child. Even upon hearing the news, his cousin and the late king¡¯s daughter, Celios Lepos, revealed that she had a child hidden from him. Eswa feared that something like this might happen, so as soon as the former king died, Celios was confined to the east wing of the royal palace. Nevertheless, she secretly gave birth to the child. Eswa remembered Celios¡¯s eyes shining with joy at that time. When it was revealed at the same time that Eswa was not a legitimate child and that Celios had a hidden child, the eight noble families of Luwan were divided into two. Still, there were those who said that the current king¡ªEswa¡¯s¡ªlegitimate son, should be the first heir to the throne, and those who said that Celios¡¯s child, the former king¡¯s descendant, should be the first to be succeeded to the throne. The former was called the White Heron because it was centered on the Hall family with the egret as its crest, and the latter was called the Black Swan because it was centered on the elders of the Everhart family who used the black bird in their crest. In this situation, Eswa¡¯s inferiority complex was bound to grow gradually. Eswa could not relieve his anger even though he killed all the sages who said he was the son of a mistress. The pain at that time is still piled up, but the moon, which has never been full since he took the throne, is now full. It was obvious how it would be written in history books. A king who sits on the throne without the qualifications of a king The king who was not loved by Tilla. As Eswa¡¯s resentment against Tilla grew, the corridor around the king¡¯s office became noisy. King Eswa learned to distinguish these sounds from the time the former king decided to pass the throne to his nephew. After a while, it was Sid Lepos who entered, the eldest son who made him feel ashamed. Sid greeted the king and opened his mouth. ¡°Winter is getting longer. It¡¯s time to revise the overall tax rate, Your Majesty.¡± King Eswa clicked his tongue at Sid¡¯s words. The bride he went to find ran away, but Sid became confident because of the full moon that day. There was no doubt that the moon rose for him. Sid continued. ¡°Hasn¡¯t the full moon that you¡¯ve been waiting for so long risen? It¡¯s time to let the citizens know that our royal family is in the care of God Tilla. In other words, it is time to open the hearts of citizens by reducing the tax rate.¡± His son is a grandchild of the old fox, Ritero Asheri, and has a resemblance to his wife. It did not mean that he was ignorant to Sid¡¯s words that meant ¡®The full moon, which had not risen throughout the reign of King Eswa, only rose when I inherited the throne.¡¯ He was deliberately raking his father now. It was a signal to step down from the throne and give it to him. The king could still carry a spear and shield into battle. He was able to speak again without fear. With such a man¡¯s desire, the throne was still a pity to give to his own children. However, when his son came out like this, his judgment twisted. ¡°What proof is there that the full moon is for you?¡± Eswa retorted with a sneer. afterword whole royal family fucking sucks besides iris and hayer bye CH 31 ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it obvious? Who else is eligible to succeed the throne besides me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s Hayer.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even your son.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a doubt, not a certainty. Unless the sages prove it.¡± Sid¡¯s expression crumpled at King Eswa¡¯s words. King Eswa pretended to yield to Sid¡¯s requests when he was upset, dragging Hayer in front of the weeping queen and sending him to the dungeon to starve him to death, but now he said that it was unclear unless it was confirmed by the sages. King Eswa finally spoke slowly as he looked at his son, who could not hide his expression. ¡°And Celios¡¯s daughter. Did you say her name was Iris?¡± Sid laughed at the remark. ¡°She is a woman who lived in a convent until she was 19. What would she know about being king? As soon as you put such an ignorant woman on the throne, there will be no one who does not know that Luwan will be ruined.¡± ¡°As I said before, there is no guarantee that the full moon is for you.¡± Sid¡¯s face was completely distorted by his words. In that moment of anger, he remembered Iris Lepos standing on the ice. That cold and beautiful face made his whole body tingle whenever he thought of it. He wanted to see that gaze again, those eyes that were afraid but suppressed the fear as hard as she could. Sid left the office and headed to the west wing where he was staying. Entering the room, he saw the women brought by his men waiting in the waiting room. All were women who looked like Iris. Sid was going to choose one of them, a substitute, and set them up for the wedding. * * * Sid examined the faces of the commoner women who were dragged in without knowing why and were trembling with fear. Still, it was worthwhile to search the capital. One of the five looked quite like Iris. Perhaps even Celios, who had abandoned her daughter for 19 years, would not recognize her, Sid thought. Sid said. ¡°Leave this girl behind and lock the rest in the dungeon. Don¡¯t let anyone speak until May 1st.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After greeting him, his guards took the other four and disappeared. Sid checked the face of the remaining one. There was nothing to say. Looking at her face, it was clear that she was the illegitimate daughter of someone from the Lepos family. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Madeleine.¡± ¡°Whose daughter are you?¡± ¡°My¡­ I know my father is a royal.¡± When asked exactly, she was the illegitimate daughter of his uncle, Kernin Lepos. Can there be a more perfect substitute than this? Sid was satisfied, but he didn¡¯t intend to end it here. This illegitimate child was only a precautionary measure, and on May 1st, he intended to somehow set Iris herself up at the wedding hall. Right now, Iris was on the run with Hayer. So if Hayer let Iris go, the rest would be easily solved. Sid left right after hiring a tutor to educate Iris¡¯s substitute, Madeleine. The last place he arrived was the basement of the west wing. There were rats everywhere, and the floor was cold even in summer. When the door opened, he saw the queen, Peonia Lepos, sitting in a rocking chair and knitting. ¡°Your Majesty the Queen.¡± Peonia was still knitting, as if she couldn¡¯t hear. She saw before her eyes the son that was suspected to have been born from infidelity suffering terrible hardships instead of her, and asked the king to divorce her, but even that failed. King Eswa effectively confined the queen in the basement of the west wing where there was no light. The queen then had two children there, but both miscarried. After that, somehow, her perception of the world reduced significantly, so she couldn¡¯t hear sounds well and couldn¡¯t focus on anything. ¡°Mother.¡± When Sid called again, Queen Peonia looked up. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Now she answered back. Sid said. ¡°It¡¯s very unfortunate¡­ It seems that the council of elders is again saying that Hayer should be detained in the dungeon.¡± Queen Peonia¡¯s hands stopped at his words. Sid put down the paper that he brought and said. ¡°What to do? That man ran off with the woman I was going to marry.¡± ¡°Sid, he¡¯s¡­ That child can¡¯t anymore. I can¡¯t stand it any longer.¡± Queen Peonia¡¯s hands and voice trembled. ¡°I¡¯d rather kill him¡­¡± Little Hayer¡¯s screams reverberated in her mind. Queen Peonia covered her ears with her hands and trembled all over. Sid said, putting a quill pen in his mother¡¯s hand. ¡°So write it down. Bring my woman back. He listens to his mother very well, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Then¡­ will you forgive him?¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Peonia, relieved, hurriedly picked up her pen and began to write a letter to Hayer. It was a letter screaming to bring back the woman who will marry his brother. * * * Since entering the mountainous area, Iris has had to climb the mountain with the knights. However, the terrain was so rough that Iris couldn¡¯t keep up with the speed of the knights at all. Feeling apologetic and depressed, she saw the knights stop and make a bet. There was a lot of noise and a bit of swearing, and then someone came running to Iris because he came last. ¡°Hello, Princess! My name is Camille! I¡¯ll carry you on my back!¡± ¡°What? W-wait¡­ what?¡± While Iris was perplexed, Camille, a freckled boy, was already in a forklift position. Annamaria spoke cheerfully when Iris was taken aback by the lack of explanation. ¡°Isn¡¯t this all training, too? From now on, we will take turns training to carry the princess on our back.¡± ¡°That¡­ am I a thing?¡± Hayer calmly responded to the rebuttal she barely managed to utter over her embarrassment. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could think of it that way temporarily.¡± ¡°Hayer!¡± ¡°Now, allude to yourself. I am a thing, I am a fragile transport, so the carrier must be careful.¡± Perhaps it was a measure to make the existence of Iris, who is a burden, feel like a ¡®fun burden¡¯ at least. Camille stood up and said as Iris reluctantly sat on the forklift. ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s a failure, Captain. It¡¯s so light that I can¡¯t really train¡­ Argh!¡± Annamaria sat on and said. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go, you punk!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Camille did not refuse and rose. Camille started running even after picking up two people. Iris was surprised that even this boy, who is still an apprentice, had such strength. Annamaria, feeling uncomfortable from the lack of space, soon got down from the lift to help her subordinates, who were staggering under the weight of a great deal of food. Iris was uncomfortable at first, but soon adjusted to sitting. Sitting on Camille¡¯s back as they climbed the cliff, she looked at the setting sun in the distance. ¡°The sunset is pretty.¡± ¡°Is that so! I want to see it too! Please describe it!¡± Iris burst into laughter at Camille¡¯s energetic voice. While talking about this and that and looking at the scenery, Iris moved comfortably into the middle of the mountain. Perhaps they heard rumors that they were passing by, but there was no beast in sight despite it being said that there were many. Perhaps this place has already come under the jurisdiction of the Knights of Tejas. When the party arrived near the forbidden land, the Kawats welcomed the Knights of Tejas warmly. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Oh wow, you brought a lot, too. Enough to feed us all.¡± The welcoming voices were smeared with affection. Iris was amazed at how those who believed in Tilla and those who believed that the god had died harmonized so casually. In her head, she thought she should compromise with the pagan people and ask for help, but it got caught in her heart and was not accepted. However, when she actually met pagans like this, her worries felt meaningless. The faces of the Kawats who found Iris brightened, and soon poked at Hayer and said. ¡°Whew, no matter what, how could you bring a lady here to marry? What a pain.¡± ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t know women like this¡­¡± As they were nagging, Annamaria shouted. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m hungry! Give me something to eat!¡± ¡°Aigoo, they¡¯re going crazy saying they¡¯re hungry as soon as they get here.¡± As if seeing a mischievous daughter, the villagers diligently started cooking after receiving food. Iris watched the scene happily and headed to the quarters where the Tejas Knights were stationed to unpack. afterword sid is such a weirdo and creepy i hate him so much so icky ew ew ew he¡¯s fucking crazy bro that¡¯s ur cousin idc how distant you two are or how it was common back then that¡¯s a hard no!! pls go back to being disinterested like in the past CH 32 It was a wooden house that was built with logs in two months. Iris went inside thinking it was a prettier house than she thought. Then a cold-looking butler, brought by Hayer, greeted her. ¡°Welcome, Princess. My name is Woods, the butler.¡± He was more of a warrior than a butler. He probably lost a leg and seemed to be acting as a butler. The five servants Woods brought out were also not very welcoming to Iris. Not knowing that she was treating Hayer¡¯s injury, Iris¡¯s presence seemed to feel more than foreign and unnecessary. In fact, it was the same with the other knights. Only a few knights, including Annamaria and Hencke, were polite only because Iris was a princess. After Iris unpacked, Woods handed her a broom and said, ¡°You did not come here as a princess, but just a member of the Knights. Start by cleaning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± Woods meant it with the intention of overpowering her limits, but Iris regarded it as reasonable and took the broom. * * * When a monster appeared, a trumpet sounded at the border of the forbidden land. However, monsters have strangely not appeared lately, and this year, the trumpet hasn¡¯t sounded even once. Although it bothered him that there was so little news, Hayer was able to take care of the condition of his subordinates throughout the day thanks to the leeway. Among those he took care of was Iris. Iris, who had just come to the mountainous area, was busier than anyone he knew. As Woods said, she seemed to think that she should play the role of the youngest member of the Knights. Iris wasn¡¯t quick to act, but she was by no means lazy. First, she cleared up the weeds in front of the lodging, which had never been touched since the presence of the Tejas Knights. That alone gave the garrison a very clean atmosphere. Hayer approached Iris, who was gathering weeds and burning them. ¡°You don¡¯t have to work this hard.¡± ¡°I want to be of help.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re already doing my treatment.¡± ¡°Other people don¡¯t know that. I don¡¯t want to be a person who gets by without doing anything in the eyes of others.¡± Iris spoke decisively and then pushed the weeds into the fire with a stick. It was right after all the weeds were burned. For the first time since they came to the garrison, the trumpet sounded. The gap between peace and war was narrower than expected. The two were in a relationship that could be flipped in each other¡¯s direction at any time. The trumpet continued to sound in a way that was ominous even for those who did not know the signal. ¡°It¡¯s a walking monster!¡± The name seemed to be of great notoriety to the Kawats and the Knights of Tejas. And the moment she looked up, Iris knew why the name scared everyone so much. What was called a walking monster was a strange being with two long legs. It looked as huge as the trees around it, and its face was not visible. The ground shook with every step. It was different from the beast-like monsters she saw on the way to find the North Gate. The mere sight of it took her breath away. Iris felt as if she was stunned by the fact that the Knights of Tejas had fought such an existence until now. The fact that he became weaker after cutting down the sacred tree¡­¡­ Iris, whose thoughts drifted, drew in a sharp breath and looked back at Hayer. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to do before that. It won¡¯t be easy, and the throne must come after that.¡± The moment Hayer¡¯s voice came to mind, her heart ached. He already knew that the monsters weakened the moment he cut down the sacred tree, and there were still four sacred trees left on the continent. ¡°I think the Sieres may no longer be able to live in Siere.¡± Now she understood what he meant then. It meant that monsters may be pouring out around the other four sacred trees. If that¡¯s the case, maybe the cause of the war was that the Sieres went to Luwan in search of a place to live to escape the monsters. So Hayer was going to cut all four remaining sacred trees, which was the cause. ¡°Princess!¡± The moment Iris heard a voice calling her from behind, she realized the danger and swung the spear she was holding, unfolding it. At that moment, the spear was lodged into the face of a monster that was about the size of Hayer. She forgot that the knights were fighting and hesitated to look back. Iris lacked strength, so she drove the spear into the monster¡¯s head with trembling hands. The monster stopped moving, stood for a while with the end of the spear stuck, and then collapsed on its side. The reason why the Lepos family was so good at spearmanship was because they had an unrivaled ability to determine distance. They could find what they wanted without looking, and know the way without going. Ironically, when war broke out, it was advantageous for fighting, for recognizing inferiority, and for fleeing. Iris remembered before crossing the North Gate that the reason why Sid abandoned the royal castle and ran away was because of that ability. Iris was born with that ability stronger than any other lineage of the Lepos family that exists today. She had hardly met any other Lepos family member so far, but she realized at that moment, when the knights who saw her and Hayer, who was already standing behind the monster, that it was engraved in her bones. Since ancient times, the king of Luwan has been made on a road. They grew up to be kings in the process of constantly using their abilities to wander around the world. Hayer walked over and pulled the spear out of the monster¡¯s face. Iris asked him. ¡°What can I do?¡± In Iris¡¯s head, the proposition was established that while she was here, she must follow Hayer, the leader. In response to her question, Hayer returned the spear and said. ¡°While you protect yourself, tell us the location of the monsters. We don¡¯t know where or what it will come from.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Hayer soon ran to the largest of the walking monsters pouring out. It looked like a bunch of long-grown vines twisted together, wet as if it had risen from the sea, and smelled fishy. An archer shot his bow in line with Hayer¡¯s movement, and he jumped onto the monster, using it as a stepping stone. Although the appearance was unsettling, Iris decided to carry out the leader¡¯s order. ¡°Dame Annamaria! North!¡± At her words, Annamaria quickly shot her bow northward, then shouted in a playful tone. ¡°Please say left! Because it¡¯s confusing!¡± ¡°Now I¡¯ll say front and back, right and left! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t apologize on the battlefield!¡± She shouted and ran north. The mountains seemed clear, but suddenly the air became humid like water and rain poured down. The fog completely obscured her view, and Hayer was completely invisible. The terrible battle took half a day to finish. It was a battle that even had the energetic Knights of Tejas sit down and gasp. Iris saw that the giant walking monster had stopped in place at some point. The grotesque thing stood there and stopped breathing, leaning between the trees. Hayer glided down the monster¡¯s body. The rubble that tumbled down below told them what kind of fight Hayer was fighting up there. Iris looked around the place where the battle ended. And it was absurd, so she laughed and mumbled without realizing it. ¡°It¡¯s terrible.¡± The rest of the knights understood the reason for Iris¡¯s exhausted laugh, so everyone burst into laughter. Annamaria, who ran all the way north to catch the monster and returned, said to Iris. ¡°It¡¯s strange. The princess is strangely like a Knight of Tejas.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Should I say that you know us too well?¡± It was natural. Since there was a time they have been together. Seeing Annamaria rubbing her arms for some reason, Iris smiled just to avoid answering. CH 33 Hayer¡¯s boot, Dylan, pointed to Iris¡¯s spear and asked. ¡¶t/n: ??/boot is a young man working under a Lord¡· ¡°Do you want me to wipe it off?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s better to take care of your own weapons.¡± Dylan said and handed over one of the tattered towels he always carried with him. Iris received it and wiped the spear clean. It looked like wood at first glance, but there was black flesh* on the tip of the spear. The floor was covered in blood mixed with rainwater. ¡¶t/n: *black flesh from the monster¡· Then, Hayer approached, and Iris unknowingly avoided his gaze. Her emotions became complicated when she thought Hayer was trying to cut down all four remaining sacred trees. With just one curse on his body now, he was suppressing constant pain with terrible drugs. However, he was thinking the absurd idea of putting four more curses on his body. But it wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t understand. Indeed, who, on this continent, could have the heart to cut down the sacred tree? Iris thought that maybe there never had been such a hero, and there never will be one. * * * Hayer was a quick-witted person, so he immediately noticed that Iris was avoiding him. Even after taking a bath and spending the night at the accommodation, she didn¡¯t talk to him. She wanted to keep pretending not to know, but Iris was applying the homemade ointment on Hayer at regular intervals, so she couldn¡¯t avoid the obligation today. Iris came out into the hallway with a candle from the small room that Woods, the butler, was very displeased about but reluctantly gave. All the people who moved around all day, fought, and trained at night fell asleep, and only the servants were walking around late into the night to organize the things scattered by the knights here and there. Iris knocked on Hayer¡¯s door, trying to pretend that nothing was wrong while under the servants¡¯ gazes. ¡°Hayer.¡± At the sound of her call, Hayer opened the door. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Unlike usual, Iris did not make eye contact with Hayer. Hayer, who normally doesn¡¯t speak directly, fiddled with his earlobe and took off his shirt, then headed to a chair. ¡°Are you going to start right away?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hayer sat down in his chair at her short, blunt answer. And when Iris touched his back without saying she would start, he couldn¡¯t help but look back at her. ¡°If I made you angry, I¡¯ll reflect on myself.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you tell me why you¡¯re angry, it will help me reflect better.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Iris shut her mouth and looked at the ointment instead. Hayer tilted his head and somehow made eye contact with her, who lowered her gaze. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Iris thought for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°I know what caused your wound.¡± At her words, Hayer stopped all movement. Iris continued calmly. ¡°It¡¯s because you cut the sacred tree.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer stared intently at Iris as she confessed. Then he took a step closer to her and opened his mouth. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I knew that you were hurt in the first place. I said I knew the cure, so it¡¯s not surprising to know how you got hurt.¡± At Iris¡¯s words, Hayer pondered for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Come to think of it, that¡¯s also true.¡± Hayer sighed and turned his head to the direction where the rain was still pelting the window. ¡°The one who had been in a convent all her life stayed in the same space*, even though she knew that I had cut the sacred tree. To be honest, I was feeling guilty.¡± ¡¶t/n: *stayed in the same space as hayer¡· In fact, words could not describe Iris¡¯s shock when she saw Hayer cutting the sacred tree at the North Gate. It was something she had never imagined in her life. However, she knew that Hayer had endured the actions that she had never imagined for the sake of the people of this continent. ¡°I know you did it out of necessity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer unconsciously smiled faintly at her words. He was more relieved than he thought that there was a person in the world who recognized that. Seeing Hayer¡¯s smile, Iris soon got to the point in a rather heavy voice. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is your dream to cut down all the sacred trees and die?¡± Hayer froze, unable to answer the completely unexpected question that caught him off guard. Iris continued. ¡°I guess you never had a future.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, there are people like that.¡± Hayer blinked with a stunned face at Iris¡¯s words. Then he asked in a rather bewildered manner. ¡°How much do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t know most of the time. The question whether you intended to cut down all the sacred trees came to mind in the battle earlier.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hayer nodded and then laughed. ¡°This is how I treat myself. Do you think I¡¯ll die?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already hurt like this, do you feel optimistic?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. I¡¯ve also thought about the very negative part.¡± Hayer crossed his arms and continued in a playful tone. ¡°I wonder how far the curse for cutting down the trees will go.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Does it end with me? I was wondering if the curse would spread elsewhere if I didn¡¯t die.¡± It seemed like he was trying to cover it up as a joke, but she could feel the tremor in his strong eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± When Iris frowned and asked back, Hayer continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, so I¡¯m just wondering in case.¡± ¡°What would you do if it really is like that?¡± ¡°Well. Then I can¡¯t¡­ Wow. Is it like this?¡± When Iris unconsciously hit his arm on the uninjured side, Hayer yelped. He tried to act cute, but it only ignited Iris¡¯s anger. She said. ¡°Look, you¡¯re the one who cut down the tree for the sake of your subordinates. You seem loyal, but on the other hand, you think too little of your life. You then¡­¡± ¡°¡­Then?¡± Iris, who was angry, blurted out her words. Then. She wanted to talk about Hayer, who took her to the North Gate, so she closed her eyes, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t get it out of her mouth. While she was at such a loss, the corners of Hayer¡¯s eyes that were looking at her, were absurdly crinkled with laughter. ¡°¡­Why are you laughing?¡± To laugh in front of an angry person made her feel like a fool. When Iris asked tearfully, Hayer replied. ¡°Because I¡¯m pretty when I smile. I was wondering if it would help you relieve your anger.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get really angry if you keep joking around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Relieve your anger. I am a person who values my life.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Hayer nodded, still smiling. It certainly wasn¡¯t a joke to say that his smile was pretty. His brightly smiling face with crinkled eyes was really, really like the sun. Even in the northern lands, even when her toes were frostbitten, Iris felt like she was facing the sun when she saw Hayer¡¯s smile. Hayer took a deep breath and said. ¡°Then, we can celebrate to our heart¡¯s content that the Kawat monsters have been faltering thanks to the sacred tree being cut.¡± ¡°Are you sure it has been faltering?¡± ¡°Yes, if you ask the knights, they¡¯ll be excited to tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask them at the drinking party.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris said and looked at Hayer¡¯s back. Iris, who was looking at his wound that was hardly healing, opened her mouth. ¡°Could it be that the wound doesn¡¯t heal because you don¡¯t rest too much?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°You trained and fought every day without a chance to let the wound heal. Try not to do anything for about ten days.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Judging from Hayer¡¯s dubious reply, he seemed to have no intention of doing so. Iris had no intention of blaming the impatience in his heart of thinking that he should cut the trees, either. However, it was also clear that this should not be the case. It rained heavily throughout the day, and he often rushed into the rain quickly even after applying medicine. After Iris applied the medicine, Hayer took a sip of his drink and offered it to Iris. Iris took a sip of Hayer¡¯s favourite drink and told him. afterword indirect kiss at the end or what¡­ anyway sorry for all the t/n¡¯s there was a lot of vague stuff i felt needed to be cleared up lol also took way longer translating this chapter i was too busy grinning like a fool (and dialogue is one of the harder things to translate imo) CH 34 ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± She felt like he had to get drunk, so he could skip the early morning training tomorrow and get about nine hours of long sleep. He was a very light sleeper. She didn¡¯t know whether it was like this before he saw the rampaging monsters or a new habit. What was clear was that he always looked like he was being chased by something. Hayer couldn¡¯t refuse the drink a woman offered him, and emptied the glass of hard liquor one after another as she poured it. Iris smiled without realizing it. ¡°You¡¯re very weak to women.¡± ¡°You¡¯re heartless to men.¡± Iris laughed softly at his lamentation. It was strong enough to make even a huge beast fall. Iris was also used to hard liquor, but this level of hard liquor was difficult to drink without mixing water with it. As she continued to pour such liquor, Hayer quickly got drunk and gripped the table, feeling dizzy. ¡°¡­A woman I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Iris handed him another glass. Hayer said, receiving the glass again. ¡°I understand why you were angry that dying was my dream.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I had to kill myself, but I was afraid I couldn¡¯t do it.¡± He grumbled and downed the drink Iris had given him back into his mouth. Iris thought that the more drunk Hayer was, the sharper his unique mischief felt. His voice gradually lowered, and there was no tone that made the other person feel better. But Iris didn¡¯t hate the way he was drunk. It was also the fact that his body was leisurely standing in front of her eyes. He probably would have looked like that if there was any other woman that wasn¡¯t herself, but it wasn¡¯t bad because she was the one who was here right now. ¡°Go to bed, then.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Hayer dismissed her with the remaining courtesy in his body and headed to bed. Iris, who was about to leave the room, paused, and then returned to his bed and sat down. Iris lifted Hayer¡¯s arm, who unconsciously frowned. And like when he shared the cologne, he gently rubbed their wrists and she then said. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be bothersome if you can¡¯t sleep.¡± She said that, and as she rose to leave the room, Hayer grabbed Iris by the arm. Iris looked back at him. Hayer¡¯s hand had no strength, but had enough for her to not pull her arm out. Hayer pulled her towards him. When Iris obediently came towards him, Hayer finally came to his senses and opened his mouth. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hit me for being so playful?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Only then did Iris come to her senses by the lack of laughter in his voice. She tried to pull out her arm, but Hayer wouldn¡¯t let go. Or maybe he didn¡¯t notice she was trying to pull it out. So she had to tell him to let go, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. Iris wished he had pulled her a little more. The messenger¡¯s voice was heard outside. ¡°Captain!¡± Iris made an embarrassed expression at the call. ¡°He¡¯s drunk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just that the messenger is here.¡± After he got up with that answer, he burst into laughter at the dizziness. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been so drunk.¡± ¡°Have you ever been that drunk?¡± Hayer answered with a smile and opened the door. When the messenger noticed Hayer, who was drunk, and Iris, who was with him in the room, he hesitantly stepped back. ¡°S-sorry. I¡¯m in a hurry¡­ Oh, then tomorrow, I¡¯ll do it. N-no. This is urgent.¡± The messenger was talking gibberish, then closed his eyes tightly and held out a letter to Hayer. Hayer, realizing it was a letter from his mother, stood still. He opened the letter with a sigh. We are sinners. Hayer has heard it from his mother so many times. Therefore, he lived many of his childhood days apologizing. He carelessly crumpled the stiff cloth on which the letter was written. It seemed his intoxication had increased. Hayer gestured to the messenger to go. Iris, who was watching from the side, asked. ¡°What letter is it?¡± ¡°This is a letter from Her Majesty the Queen. She¡¯s asking me to return you to my brother, as if she thought I had stolen his lover.¡± He said, and laid down on the bed as if he didn¡¯t have the stamina to care about anything else anymore. He buried his face in the pillow and murmured. ¡°Did you expect that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That I¡¯ll get a letter that will make me depressed. My mother is a very sad person¡­ and it¡¯s contagious. I don¡¯t even have time to be depressed because I drank too much¡­¡± He muttered and closed his eyes as they were, without refusing. Iris went on to ask. ¡°Contagious depression?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hayer?¡± Perhaps he drank too much, as Hayer fell asleep without talking further. Iris felt a bit sorry for the late drinking, and carefully took out the letter from his hand to check it. [We are sinners.] The handwriting, which was written with great force, caught her eye. Iris folded the letter carefully and put it with his belongings. And without realizing it, she put her hand on Hayer¡¯s back, who was sleeping deeply, and stroked the wound. He accepted to some extent that the curse of cutting the tree was in his body. And because of the curse, he did not set foot in the temple, thinking of Tilla¡¯s hatred. Iris gently put her hand on Hayer¡¯s wound and thought. The fact that the power of the monsters weakened from cutting down the sacred tree means that the sacred tree can no longer block the monsters. Tilla planted sacred trees to prevent the monsters, in order to create the land for humans to live on. After all, it was Tilla¡¯s will to stop the monsters, so how could the goddess hate this man? She caressed Hayer¡¯s wound and prayed to Tilla that he would no longer hurt. Nothing has been done in the last 19 years. She prayed for a long time and recited the scriptures, as if she were memorizing them. ¡°There is no way Tilla hates you.¡± She continued with a smile. ¡°Above all, there aren¡¯t many women in the world who don¡¯t like you.¡± He said that depression is contagious when he is with the queen. She didn¡¯t know much about it because she didn¡¯t know the queen, but she can see that when she¡¯s with this man, the jokes and her way of speaking are gradually becoming more similar. * * * It was the first time for even the Knights of Tejas to see Hayer not waking up at dawn, despite being with him for a long time. ¡°What happened? I can¡¯t believe the captain¡¯s not getting up.¡± ¡°Is he sick?¡± ¡°Pff, the captain?¡± ¡°W-was the monster poisonous?¡± The concerns of the Knights of Tejas were spreading so quickly that Iris eventually showed an empty bottle of alcohol and honestly confessed her mistake. ¡°I¡­ probed him to drink. A lot. Until this bottle is empty¡­¡± Her words made the Knights soon burst into laughter. ¡°Hey! Princess Iris finally knocked the captain down!¡± ¡°I knew it was going to happen eventually.¡± She thought she would hear a loud noise for making the captain drunk, but it was rather fun and they laughed to death without a fuss. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± ¡°Of course, when else will you see the fallen captain?¡± The Knights were busy taking the opportunity to tease anyone, whether it was the captain or anyone else. It seemed to be a separate matter from respect for the leader. Iris, who was relieved by the pleasant response of the Knights, rushed before the Knights that flocked to Hayer¡¯s room. Hayer was hiding his wound. That¡¯s why she had to enter the room first and check Hayer¡¯s condition. Fortunately, Hayer was lying down facing the ceiling and sleeping soundly. The Knights, who were quietly watching the sleeping angelic face, carefully checked to see that he was still breathing. And as soon as they realized that he was breathing normally, they burst into laughter again. Hencke said to Iris. ¡°The more I see her, the more amazing the princess is. I¡¯ve never seen anyone in this world who could defeat our captain like this!¡± ¡°What do you mean defeat¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the only defeat after becoming an adult.¡± Hencke said so with a big grin. Seeing that everyone looked happy, Iris also smiled for some reason. Then, along the way, she let out a small sigh of relief that he hadn¡¯t been caught. Among the Knights of Tejas that are here every day, only one boot knew that Hayer was hurt. No one else knew. ¡®¡­That man will be in big trouble if he gets caught.¡¯ Thinking so, she looked back at Hayer, still asleep. afterword me in despair when the mtl was making no sense also i need to look for a better font for those letters lol but i¡¯m so lazy CH 35 Hayer woke up in the morning and was feeling an unfamiliar freshness. Usually, the day after a battle, there was pain in the muscles and wound. Then he would blow away the pain with early morning training. But today, there was little to no pain from the moment he opened his eyes. ¡°¡­¡­¡± When he sat up, he remembered how Iris made him drink a bottle of liquor the day before. At that time, he drank whatever he was given, thinking that she must have been very angry with him, but now that he thought about it, it seemed that the purpose was to keep him asleep so that he could not participate in training. In any case, she seemed calm and indifferent on the outside, but in fact, she was a very thoughtful woman on the inside. It was a ridiculous idea, but it certainly made him feel refreshed. Hayer found his mother¡¯s letter on the dresser after getting out of bed. Iris must have left it behind. [Your brother is very angry, so what should I do? Hurry and return your brother¡¯s lover.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer suddenly burst out laughing in spite of himself. He grew up giving everything to his brother since he was very young. Everyone said Sid would be the next king. It was a given from the day he was born. In fact, Hayer thought Sid¡¯s life was better than that of a king. Because the successor had no sense of duty nor failure, only hope and qualification. Hayer envied Sid, who was forgiven for everything. There was a staircase between him and himself that he could never climb. Little Hayer often prayed at Tilla¡¯s temple to let Sid fall if it was impossible for him to climb. But was it because of that bad heart? Tilla rolled Hayer down the stairs from the spot he knew. Hayer recalled the moment, at the age of ten, when he was convinced that he wasn¡¯t his father¡¯s real son. He entered the maze in front of the castle where the Lepos checked their ability. The inside had a plaque with the names of the Lepos people, but Hayer could not find his, nor could he get out. In other words, it was proof to himself that he had no blood from the Lepos family. After that incident, a very long meeting was held on how he would be treated. Then, he was deprived of the surname Lepos and received the surname of his mother¡¯s family, Asheri. [Hurry and return your brother¡¯s lover.] He read the words for a moment, then tossed the letter into the fireplace. It was ridiculous that his brother thought of using his mother, so he only laughed. He didn¡¯t think he would have grown up because he had been out of town for too long. After he received this letter, he was rather repulsed. He looked at the slowly burning letter and inadvertently shifted his gaze to his wrist. ¡°It¡¯ll be bothersome if you can¡¯t sleep.¡± He laughed at the fact that Iris cared so much about it. Turns out it was in the world. Someone who can climb up the stairs higher than that Sid Lepos. Perhaps someone born of a deeper Lepos family bloodline than him. In terms of personality, she is a remarkable woman who is incomparable to his brother. He remembered the maze where he had lost his way. Sid got out of the maze in exactly three days. It was an average amount of time, similar to the Lepos family¡¯s heirs in history. Sid couldn¡¯t accept that he was ¡®average.¡¯ It¡¯s average, of course, but some people took even longer than that. That being said, there are also geniuses who have risen that extremely long time to the average level. He wanted to be that genius. So he entered the maze again and again. However, it was about three or four hours at most that speeded up. It was pointless. Rather, he only proved repeatedly that he was not a genius. But there was no comparison, so he was satisfied with that. If Iris gets through the maze quickly, his eyes may roll over as he falls. And if she becomes king¡­ Hayer was smiling unknowingly when the bedroom door burst open. Dylan, who found Hayer awake in front of him, was blinking bewilderedly. ¡°You¡¯re awake already?¡± ¡°Already?¡± When he looked up at the sun, it was already past 2pm. Dylan said. ¡°It¡¯s all for the captain! Since you haven¡¯t rested properly since your injury, the princess just put you to sleep.¡± ¡°Is this a break? I drank too much and passed out.¡± ¡°To be honest, I was told this and that about the captain.¡± ¡°It must be either Annamaria or Hencke.¡± ¡°Yes, one of the two.¡± Dylan nodded back. Hayer messed up Dylan¡¯s hair in a way that was both ridiculous and cute, and left the bedroom. * * * Heading to the training ground, Hayer asked Ato, the captain of the Kawat soldiers who were facing him. ¡°Ato, have our knights been training properly?¡± ¡°Yes, they have. Everyone wants you to wake up. You know? Dame Annamaria is overly passionate, and Sir Hencke is like an old man.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my right and left arms.¡± ¡°Yes. Looking back, I think it¡¯s all the captain¡¯s fault.¡± Ato used to be so blunt, but he became more playful after working with the Knights of Tejas. Before Hayer could ask further, Ato said. ¡°The princess of Luwan went to the Kawat shrine.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Hayer paused and looked back at Ato. No, why did the princess of Luwan go to the Kawat¡¯s shrine and not Tilla? ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everyone tried to dissuade Luwan¡¯s princess from entering the shrine, but¡­ The reason is so obvious.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°She¡¯s curious.¡± Hayer burst out laughing at Ato¡¯s response to the impossible troublemaker. Surprised at his reaction, Ato said. ¡°She seems to be having fun, the princess of Luwan.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an interesting person.¡± ¡°Maybe you find her especially interesting.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Where there is laughter, there is always love. Whether it¡¯s love for a lover, family love, or friendship.¡± After Ato said that, he bowed in the Kawat style by covering his forehead and then left. Being left by himself, Hayer grumbled. ¡°At any rate, the Kawats are good at saying nonsense out of the blue.¡± Hayer was troubled at the crossroads between the training ground and the village shrine where Iris was said to be. But it wasn¡¯t that big of a worry. Training is something you can see every day, and the knights will realize the importance of the leader only when they are trained by Annamaria and Hencke. ¡°Please know how precious I am.¡± Hayer spoke toward the training ground, then laughed, and headed toward the shrine with his hands behind his back. The sight of a nun and princess who believed in the god Tilla and was in the shrine of those who believed that Tilla had died naturally intrigued him more. afterword was contemplating if i should put ¡°attracted his interest more¡± instead at the end there tbh so pick whatever suits you better anyway this chapter was sm easier to edit LOL stan ato my guy knows what¡¯s up fr!! CH 36 Iris woke up early in the morning and, as soon as she opened her eyes, she checked whether Hayer was still sleeping. Hayer didn¡¯t even toss and turn even though the Knights went out training loudly. He was a person who slept beautifully without any sleeping habits. When all the Knights went out, instantly only the servants and butler Woods, who didn¡¯t like her very much, remained in the accommodation. ¡°I have to clean up today, but it¡¯s a hassle with the princess here.¡± As Woods said without hesitation, Iris had no choice but to leave the accommodation and wander around. In any case, she planned to stay here and go to the Kawat village for about a day. Luwan absolutely needed the power of the Kawats. And fortunately, thanks to the help of Hayer and the Knights, they had a little favour towards Luwan. Originally, the Kawats considered themselves as Kawat people, not Luwan people, no matter how much the area belonged to the country of Luwan on the map. Iris thought of the distrust as natural. For religious reasons, the Luwans did not treat the pagans who entered their land as human beings. The Kawat village was not far from the training ground. The Kawats had a doctrine that in the place where God had left them, they should work to protect the sacred tree to ascend to nirvana. That¡¯s why the sacred tree was valued more to them than other religions on the continent, even the Luwans, who believed in the god Tilla. Sometimes, among the priests of Luwan, they would wrongly say that what the Kawats believed in is wood. Standing at the entrance of the village, it seemed clear that the Kawats valued trees. Large and small trees were growing here and there, and houses were built either by avoiding or surrounding the trees. Some of the houses felt dangerous to Iris. They were houses that looked like they would collapse if the trees grew any more. But they would be much more aware of the dangers than she. Iris wondered if the Kawats accepted the danger. At the entrance of the village, she hesitated whether to go inside or not. Then the Kawat children who were playing under the tree came running. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°What are you doing here!¡± ¡°What are you watching?¡± Six children asked at the same time, so Iris was a little distracted before opening her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about whether I can go in.¡± ¡°Go in!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you go in?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you go in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a squirrel!¡± The conversation was not easy. It was especially difficult for Iris to blend in with this situation, as she never had a conversation with a child in her life. She thought about what to say to the children so that they wouldn¡¯t be disappointed, but a girl grabbed Iris¡¯s arm and pulled her. ¡°I¡¯ll show you something fun!¡± ¡°Something fun?¡± Crossing the village without hesitation, she became a person who entered the pagan village without fail. She thought that maybe she was the first Lepos to enter a pagan village. The girl dragged Iris and took her somewhere. Then, she stilled and pointed to the sky. ¡°The sky is square!¡± At the child¡¯s words, Iris looked up. By chance, the branches of two trees overlapped, trapping the sky in a square shape. Iris had never seen anyone so amused by such trivial things in her life. Iris said, looking up at the square sky. ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡± ¡°Right? Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± ¡°Yes. The sky is amazing, but you¡¯re also amazing for finding something like this.¡± The girl smiled shyly at her words. Thanks to the square sky, Iris was able to relax, forgetting that she had entered a pagan village. Then the girl shouted. ¡°Sister! Come here!¡± ¡°What are you doing¡­ Oh dear.¡± The girl¡¯s older sister recognized Iris and hurriedly hid her sister behind her back. Soon after, she checked where Iris was standing and asked in a panic. ¡°No, did the Princess of Luwan come all this way?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes. One thing led to another.¡± ¡°By any chance¡­ Are you, uh, crazy?¡± The girl¡¯s sister, Freya, who had been picking and choosing her words, eventually uttered her thoughts. Iris laughed and shook her head. ¡°Probably not.¡± Then the girl shouted in a confident voice. ¡°I brought her! She was thinking about whether to come in from there or not! I wanted to show her something amazing!¡± ¡°Gosh, stay still.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to stay still!¡± After the girl said that, she laughed and ran to her friends. Freya said, covering her head with her hands. ¡°She¡¯s the youngest, and in between, I have four younger siblings. I¡¯m going crazy for the rest of my life because of this.¡± ¡°Are there six siblings?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what happened.¡± Freya glanced at her basket. Then she sighed and picked up something like inflated dough in it, as if she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Ah, since I saw you again, how can I not give it to you?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bread made of barley.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡± Iris was amazed and immediately took a bite of the barley bread. There was honey in it. ¡°Wow. Oh my gosh.¡± As Iris admired it, Freya said with the same confident expression the girl had earlier. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, right? Honey is so common here, so we put honey in everything, whether it¡¯s a meal or a snack. We¡¯re used to it, but it¡¯ll be especially tasty for those who¡¯ve never tried it before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious, really¡­ Moreover, how did you recognize me?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Freya couldn¡¯t answer right away, fiddling with the basket. This time it was the same shy face the girl had earlier. ¡°Umm, because. The Knights of Tejas.¡± ¡°¡­Do you have a lover?¡± ¡°Ahh, what do you mean by lover? I just¨C got to¨C know someone. That¡¯s it, well.¡± Iris hesitated for a long time at Freya¡¯s prim words, but eventually she couldn¡¯t hold it in. ¡°Can you tell me? How did you meet, things like that.¡± ¡°What are you going to do when you hear it?¡± ¡°I wonder. How people meet and fall in love.¡± ¡°So! I¡¯m not in love!¡± Freya¡¯s face grew red and her voice rose, and then she continued. ¡°Anyway, there are adults who are building the shrine. Let¡¯s talk as we go.¡± Although there is no woman of the same age in the neighbourhood to share this story with, it was also a difficult story to share with the villagers in the first place. All the villagers held favour toward the Tejas Knights, so they accepted their love affair for now, but it was clear that they would not allow love counselling. Iris followed Freya and listened to her love story. Freya was in love with a man named Don of the Knights of Tejas. Iris fell in love with the story of the two people who were sweeter than the honey she was eating. Freya, who was talking so happily, soon sighed. It was because she was aware of the reality. ¡°But anyway¡­ it won¡¯t work for us.¡± ¡°Why¡­ ah.¡± Iris, who recalled that she was a pagan, nodded. Still, as they walked along the street and talked together, even though she was a Kawat, she didn¡¯t seem to be much different from herself except for her slightly different way of speaking. The two soon arrived in front of the shrine. The villagers who were building the shrine in front of her welcomed Freya. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just come? What did you even bake bread for?¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you.¡± Freya put down her basket and put on the apron she had prepared. ¡°I made too many and brought it. You know, we have a lot of kids in our house, so whatever we make, it¡¯s a lot.¡± Freya said and took the paint. Then she stepped up on a ladder and started painting trees on one wall of the shrine. According to Hayer, there were about eight Kawat villages in the mountains. They were all initially wary of the fact that Luwan¡¯s knights had come this far, but not now. Those who fled as the village became a mess by the monsters, regained their homeland with the help of the Tejas Knights and were in the process of restoring them one by one. The Kawats used specially chosen trees in their construction. In addition to not cutting down trees recklessly, the original shape was preserved as much as possible when used as building materials. It was to minimize the part of the tree that was thrown away. And it was Freya¡¯s job to paint murals on unruly wooden walls. Iris murmured, looking up at the wall. ¡°Incredible.¡± Freya smiled happily at the remark. ¡°Yes, I am incredible.¡± Freya was a great painter. She slowly filled the wall, and Iris was staring at Freya¡¯s painting, losing track of time. Then someone appeared where they were. It was Don, who had fallen in love with Freya. afterword this chapter is def a skim but dw they¡¯ll head to the royal palace very very soon, also i¡¯ll just add the next button when i add the next chapter so it feels less like a scam lol CH 37 As soon as he saw Iris, he bowed down in surprise. ¡°You were here, Princess.¡± ¡°Are you here to see Freya?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Don hesitated to answer. It seemed difficult to say that he loved a pagan woman in front of a pagan shrine and Luwan¡¯s princess. Iris said. ¡°I will keep it a secret from everyone.¡± ¡°If so, then¡­ Yes. I¡¯m here to see Freya.¡± Don answered and approached the wall where Freya was painting the mural. ¡°F-Freya.¡± Don stuttered without realizing, his mouth flapping. Freya, who didn¡¯t know that Don had come because she had climbed quite high on the ladder, looked back belatedly. She found Don and hurried down the ladder. ¡°Don¡­¡± ¡°Freya¡­¡± With their hands clasped together, the two were quickly left in their own world. Iris looked at them proudly, as if she had brought them together. Then, another member of the Knights came to the place. It was Hayer and Ato. ¡°¡­Don?¡± Hayer narrowed his eyes when he found the unexpected figure in front of the shrine. Don, who held hands with Freya and exchanged glances that said they loved each other, looked back at Hayer in surprise. ¡°C-Captain!¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s¡­¡± Hayer saw the hands that Freya and Don held onto tightly. He was probably in such a state of panic that he forgot to let go of her hand. He knew that the future of the two would be a thorny road without having to say the words himself. So he decided not to ask questions about their relationship. But if he missed training, there would be a punishment. ¡°What about training?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s lunch time!¡± Freya, who was wide-eyed at Don¡¯s answer, asked. ¡°Did you come to see me during mealtime?¡± ¡°I can come see Freya¡­ I don¡¯t mind starving. No! I can starve!¡± Hayer approached Don at his excited words and patted him on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t be a burden.¡± ¡°W-was I being a burden?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s burdensome even for me, who¡¯s a stranger. I can¡¯t believe you said you can starve.¡± Hayer clicked his tongue and said politely to Freya. ¡°He¡¯s this kind of guy, but please take good care of him.¡± ¡°N-no, I will!¡± Freya hurriedly lowered her head. Hayer smiled lightly and took a few steps back so that the two could spend time. Then he came back to Iris. ¡°The princess of Luwan is at the Kawat shrine.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for you, Captain?¡± ¡°How can you treat me the same way? I¡¯ve been stationed in the mountains for years, and I¡¯m the one who came in to protect the people here when they fled from the monsters. That¡¯s a good reason to come into this town.¡± Iris burst into laughter at Hayer¡¯s exaggerated expression, while speaking confidently. Hayer laughed as well, feeling glad that he made her laugh out loud. However, as soon as he looked up at the mural of the shrine, both his exaggerated and cheerful expression disappeared. ¡°Everything is being built. It was completely broken.¡± Iris wondered why the smile had disappeared from the corners of his mouth. Although he has long been stationed here and has become favorable to the Kawats, he thought that he had not become accustomed to the religion of the people here. Freya, who was restless about the fact that Don was starving, asked Iris. ¡°I heard Don came here without having lunch, so we¡¯re going to have a meal from our Kawats. Would you like to come with us?¡± Come to think of it, Iris also starved all day. It was because the butler warned her to go out, so she couldn¡¯t eat. However, she wondered if it would be tactless to have a meal with lovers. Freya said with a bitter face, as if she knew Iris¡¯s feelings. ¡°Because the villagers don¡¯t like the fact that I fell in love with a pagan. If it¡¯s just the two of us eating alone, you¡¯ll definitely hear bad things.¡± At Freya¡¯s words, Iris realized that she was a pagan to the people of this village. As much as they were reluctant to marry a pagan, Iris thought they would be the same. ¡¶t/n: Luwans being reluctant to marry a pagan, Kawats are also the same¡· ¡°Ah. I see. Then I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Freya continued with a jump of joy. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a meal with Don.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Although Iris had said that as if she were an inclusive person, she actually didn¡¯t really fully understand Freya. Love with a pagan. Iris still couldn¡¯t understand that far. It was just that she didn¡¯t want to get involved because it was someone else¡¯s business. She asked, turning to Hayer. ¡°What are you going to do, Hayer?¡± ¡°I have a hangover to get over. Whose fault is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Embarrassed, Iris touched her neck without any reason, and turned around to follow Freya. Hayer, who laughed at her funny expression, soon looked inside the shrine. Unlike the temple of the god Tilla, the Kawat¡¯s shrine was filled with the names of the Kawats who passed away. They tied fabrics with red thread and had names written on it, and when a person entered the shrine, it was only to write a new name. Since many people have died after the monsters appeared, villagers have extended red threads to write down the names of the dead. Just by looking at the distance from the knot to the end of the thread tied to the heavy bell handle of the shrine door, it showed that there were many deaths in this small village. Hayer bent down to grab the end of the thread, but he took his hand off, thinking it was not polite. Then Ato, who came with him, said. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Shake the bell and the souls of those who passed away will protect the village.¡± ¡°We protected the village, Ato.¡± ¡°Who is it that called the captain here to protect the village?¡± Heyer laughed at Ato¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s true again.¡± ¡°It may be unfair, but everyone in the village is grateful to the ancestors who sent the captain here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that you at least recognize my injustice.¡± Ato laughed cheerfully this time at Hayer¡¯s answer. Hayer reached out again and shook the bell. Then, he heard a heavy sound different from Luwan¡¯s bell, which gave a light feeling. As the bell moved, the threads of the entire shrine swayed, and the fabrics tied there rustled. It was a scene that made him stare blankly. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°We tend to value beauty.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He touched the thread with his other hand holding the bell. Ato asked, feeling that Hayer¡¯s behavior was strange. ¡°Why are you like that?¡± ¡°Is it true that the monsters disappeared after the sacred tree was cut?¡± Ato was one of the few people who knew that Hayer had cut the tree. He nodded. ¡°Yes. It certainly is. While you were visiting the Asheri family, few monsters appeared.¡± ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it clear that the sacred tree is giving power to the monsters instead?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ato.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Then is Tilla really dead?¡± Ato felt goosebumps rising from his back at Hayer¡¯s words. Hayer had the face of a person who was about to make a big decision, instead of the mischievous face he always had. Originally, the religious gods of this continent were relatively human, so they were immortal, but not immortal. They did not hesitate to be killed, to be resurrected, to become a human being, and then to become a god again. However, Tilla was different for the people of Luwan. She was the god of all things, omnipotent and immortal. Hayer seemed to have been in agony from the moment he cut down the sacred tree, Tilla¡¯s greatest gift. ¡°¡­I believe so, but the captain shouldn¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re going to become the king of Luwan.¡± He could no longer tell whether the sound in his ears was the sound of the wind or the sound of the fabrics. Maybe it was the sound of leaves brushing against each other. Ato had never seen a man as beautiful as Hayer Asheri in his life. He¡¯s never seen anyone so strong. Born and raised as the king¡¯s son, he was cheerful and mischievous in everything, but he never lost his elegance. Like the desert and alpine peoples, the Kawats were an extremely closed group. They accepted Luwan¡¯s Knights of Tejas and opened their hearts. He thought he could call himself a Luwan if Hayer Asheri became king. If only one person, Hayer Asheri, becomes king. afterword omg tilla is referred to as she that¡¯s so real CH 38 ¡°The Kawats don¡¯t like the Leposes. Actually, they hate them. There is no reason for a Lepos to be king.¡± At Ato¡¯s words, Hayer sighed heavily and smiled. ¡°Ask for my opinion, too.¡± ¡°Is there anyone who doesn¡¯t want to sit on the throne?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hayer answered and looked back at himself for a moment. When he was young and jealous of his brother, he wanted to become the heir to the throne, but his desire to become the king completely disappeared from the time he cut down the sacred tree. Along with atonement for the god Tilla, the sense of duty to cut down the remaining four sacred trees quickly grew. He was no longer a royal, and will go down in history as a member of the Asheri family. A man who was born from the queen¡¯s infidelity, but was raised as a prince and deceived the king. What the people of Luwan¡¯s royal and noble families feared the most was to leave a bad name in the history books. Hayer has been looking for a way to wipe out that infamy all his life. Instead of spouting out his complicated innermost thoughts, Hayer said to Ato. ¡°First off, I¡¯ll have to check where the other sacred trees are. Are there any monsters?¡± ¡°If the monsters are coming over from the forbidden land even where there are other sacred trees¡­¡± ¡°Must cut them. All four trees.¡± Ato nodded at Hayer¡¯s words, and then got down on one knee and said. ¡°Take me with you.¡± ¡°We also need someone to protect Kawat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. This place, it¡¯s really going to be okay.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Captain, you have sufficiently guarded the Kawats. You raised many Kawats to be warriors. They have enough power to protect the village from monsters.¡± At Ato¡¯s firm words, Hayer sighed like he had no choice. ¡°I will go to the desert sooner or later. Be prepared.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Ato bowed his head. Hayer looked at his oath, and turned to the shrine again. Hayer Asheri thought, perhaps, deep down in his own heart, that he also wanted his name tied to that red thread after he died. * * * Honey was good as a snack, but it was a little difficult for Iris to eat honey in all foods. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that it was bad. In the first place, Iris used to eat two or three times as much food as she could normally eat at Sandra¡¯s mansion to be polite. Therefore, she ate the food as deliciously as possible for Freya, who prepared it. Unlike herself, Don ate the honey happily and deliciously out of love. Iris thought that if she gave him a stone, he would probably chew it without realizing it. She picked up the cheese drizzled with a lot of honey on it. This place is not suitable for agriculture, so most of them were engaged in livestock farming. So meat was very common, and cheese was also easy to get. Iris took a bite of the cheese, cut the meat, and put it in her mouth. Although the food culture is different, Freya¡¯s food skills were still great. ¡°¡­How can it be so delicious?¡± Freya was delighted by Iris¡¯s self-talk. ¡°Does it taste good?¡± ¡°I think Freya is good at anything she does with her hands.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way it is.¡± She spoke with pride. Then, she smiled with a face that showed a little bit of the hardships of life. ¡°Well, even so, these are skills that I gained from feeding, sleeping, and playing with my five younger siblings.¡± Don, who was listening to her, said to Freya as if he had made up his mind. ¡°Freya, let¡¯s go to the capital together.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. It would be a waste to let your skills rot in a place like this.¡± ¡°¡­A place like this?¡± Freya¡¯s speech became cold, but Don nodded without feeling anything amiss. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re only using your abilities to raise your younger siblings here.¡± ¡°Only?¡± It was the beginning of a fight. ¡­Or just getting scolded one-sidedly. Iris gave a signal by putting down the spoon a little harshly, and then Don blinked and looked at the two women alternately. Freya looked at Don as if she had nothing to say, but Don was just desperate. His mind seemed to be filled with only a sense of duty to take the pagan woman and protect her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Freya said, and quickly left the restaurant. Iris, knowing she had gone out to quell her anger, spoke instead. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Then Don said with a big smile without any sense. ¡°My hometown is an area called Weissol, near the Asheri family. It¡¯s a beautiful place! It¡¯s not big, but there¡¯s a really nice river¡­¡± Fortunately, Don realized in the middle of talking and jumped out of his seat, so it seems that he wasn¡¯t a very tactless person. ¡°D-did I make a slip of the tongue? How much? Did I make a big one?¡± ¡°It was a bit harsh to say ¡®only¡¯ to the person who was in charge of taking care of her younger siblings all her life.¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± Don sat down, clutching his head. Iris was surprised that Don actually thought he was wrong for what he said. That, too, belonged to the Knights of Tejas, and was an impossible idea if he had not worked with the Kawats for a long time. Of course, Luwans normally rarely fall in love with pagans in the first place, but they would have thought that just deciding to take pagans to Luwan would be a great blessing. Don asked Iris with a face as if he were about to cry. ¡°W-what should I do? How can I apologize?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know? It¡¯s a marvel that you¡¯re in love with a pagan. You should know Freya¡¯s heart better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± Don nodded. And this time, he said it in a different sense. ¡°I think I¡¯ve been with the Knights of Tejas, who have no sense at all, for too long. My wits have perished.¡± ¡°Hayer is not tactless.¡± ¡°The captain¡­¡± Don continued, scratching the back of his head. ¡°To be honest, isn¡¯t there something insidious about it? P-please keep this a secret!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t reveal his thoughts much, everyone tried to guess what the captain was thinking at first, but now everyone has given up.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Since joining the Knights, everyone has a desire to rise to the rank of captain. Sometimes¡­ Honestly, I always feel like the captain is a lonely person, so the position feels very difficult.¡± There was affection in Don¡¯s voice when he said that. Iris nodded in understanding. Soon Don said. ¡°Flower! I¡¯ll go get some flowers! Wait, please hold onto Freya, Princess!¡± ¡°I will.¡± When Iris nodded, Don ran out with a slightly relieved face. After a while, Freya, who had calmed her anger to some extent, returned and found that there was no Don, and asked Iris. ¡°Where did Don go?¡± ¡°He went to get some flowers to relieve Freya¡¯s anger.¡± ¡°Iris, did you tell him why I was upset?¡± Iris nodded at the words, and Freya sat back in her chair and said. ¡°It¡¯s reassuring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± ¡°Is this how it feels to have a same-sex friend my age?¡± Iris paused at Freya¡¯s words. Then Freya waved her hands urgently and said. ¡°I-I know! You don¡¯t consider us as the royal family, and you don¡¯t dare speak to the average Luwan. But this is Kawat¡­¡± ¡°Freya.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I just felt the same reassurance as Freya.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± A smile slowly spread across Freya¡¯s face at Iris¡¯s unique bluntness but friendly answer. While the two were talking, Don appeared with flowers. Don apologized sincerely to Freya. After that, he held out the flowers with both his hands and said. ¡°I-I! I¡¯m okay with being a son-in-law who lives with his wife¡¯s family! If only Freya would accept it!¡± ¡°¡­Don, you¡¯re all good, but you¡¯re always too extreme.¡± ¡°S-sorry. That¡¯s why the captain said it was burdensome¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a little too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Looking at the reconciliation between the two, Iris smiled and felt like she was about to cry. Although the two were lovely, it made her heart ache at the thought of not knowing how difficult the situation they would go through would be in the future. Iris pondered for a while what it was like to love a pagan. afterword this chapter was so sweet i¡¯m so happy iris made a new girl friend CH 39 The Knights of Tejas had been based in the mountainous region for some time, searching near the forbidden land. Hayer asked Iris to think about where the monsters were, but she couldn¡¯t see monsters crossing the boundary anymore. Iris looked up at the gigantic ¡®walking monster¡¯ that had died leaning against a tree and was becoming a part of nature. Hayer, the Knights, and even the Kawats guessed that the huge walking monster was probably the leader of the other monsters. Iris agreed with that to some extent. After staying there for more than a month and no monsters appeared, Hayer decided that it would be enough without the entire Tejas Knights stationed there. Taking into consideration the skills and friendships of all the Knights, he divided them into those who would remain in the garrison and those who would follow him. And it was time to set out to cut down the sacred tree in the desert. A telegram came flying from the capital. It was a letter from Iris¡¯s mother, Celios Lepos. Hayer sighed deeply after reading the letter. As he turned around, he ran into Iris, who knew that it was related to her and appeared like a ghost, making him flinch and step back. ¡°¡­I¡¯m a person who is very sensitive.¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± ¡°Her Highness Celios sent you a letter. If you don¡¯t show up, my brother¡¯s going to set up a substitute for the wedding.¡± At the word substitute, Iris sounded nonsensical as she said. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s going to work?¡± ¡°As you may know, there is no sage in the land of Luwan to confirm the paternity. Few people have met the real Iris Lepos.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer unintentionally brought his hand to Iris¡¯s hair, which was like a jewel made along the night sky, and stopped. In that state, he continued to speak. ¡°Even if you find an illegitimate child of the Lepos family, it won¡¯t be easy to prove that she¡¯s Iris Lepos. Do you have the nameplate?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For now, I think we should go to the capital before the substitute strikes.¡± Hayer took the nameplate she carried. It was a delicate and beautiful nameplate carved from hawthorn, just like the royal family¡¯s coat of arms. This was the pride of the royal family, and it was also something Hayer stole. Hayer said. ¡°It¡¯s enough for now, but you can¡¯t be sure. When Sid is dirty, he is very dirty.¡± That was what Iris agreed with. Hayer continued speaking to Iris, who nodded. ¡°Be careful not to lose it.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Hayer returned the nameplate, and stepped back with his hands behind his back. ¡°Then, let¡¯s head straight to the capital.¡± ¡°Are you going with me too?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t go to your brother¡¯s wedding, you¡¯ll be kicked out of the Asheri family.¡± Iris smiled bitterly at his words. Hayer read her expression as concern, and leaned down toward Iris, still with his hands behind his back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll let you run away the day before the wedding.¡± ¡°For what reason¡­?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? My brother knows that I fell in love with you at first sight. You¡¯re running away with me in an escape of love.¡± Hating the mischievousness on Hayer¡¯s face when he said that, Iris pressed his face with both hands and pushed him away. In response to Iris¡¯s actions, Hayer leaned back and pretended to be pushed. He said it like a joke, but it wasn¡¯t really wrong. This could be an escape of love. Iris asked with a deep sigh. ¡°In the end¡­ I couldn¡¯t cure you. Are you still all right?¡± ¡°Can I be honest with you?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not all right?¡± When Iris guessed and asked back anxiously, Hayer shook his head quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, but I personally like that you¡¯re running away from Sid like this.¡± ¡°What? You like it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? No one in his life has ever broken what Sid Lepos wants. You¡¯re almost the first. You¡¯re making me very happy.¡± Iris burst into laughter at Hayer¡¯s sincere words and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m glad it seems to have an advantage.¡± ¡°In addition, it¡¯s not to the point of recovery, but the wound isn¡¯t getting bigger here, right? It definitely works.¡± Hayer added an optimistic note. ¡°Even if running away is not feasible, there¡¯s another way.¡± ¡°What way?¡± ¡°I request for a duel.¡± Hayer¡¯s tone and expression did not change at all, so she thought a positive story would continue this time. But it wasn¡¯t at all. Iris¡¯s face immediately stiffened, but Hayer continued as if he were talking about something trivial. ¡°If I challenged him to a duel, Sid would never come forward. Instead, someone from the Royal Knights will be appointed as a fill-in.¡± The largest and strongest knights in Luwan were by far the Royal Knights, led by King Eswa¡¯s younger brother. There were a huge number of people, but the captain and vice-captain¡¯s skills were amazing. The Royal Knights moved only under the orders of the King, and his direct descendant. Of course, Iris was confident that Hayer was strong, and that he would win no matter who he fought with in the Royal Knights. However, the duel was accompanied by weapons, so it was impossible to know what situation would happen at any moment. Iris didn¡¯t want to think that far, so she turned with a rather firm tone. ¡°I¡¯ll pack my things. Let¡¯s get going.¡± From the words she spat out, and was not good at putting on airs, it was clear that she didn¡¯t want to hear the word ¡®duel.¡¯ So Hayer no longer brought up the topic of dueling. * * * Iris had quite a knack for packing, moving from the convent to the mountains here. And she didn¡¯t even have that much baggage in the first place. Meanwhile, Don, a member of the Knights of Tejas, eventually decided to stay in the Kawat village for Freya. Don and Freya visited Iris before she left the garrison after getting ready to leave. Don told her. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the princess, I would have been abandoned by Freya. Thank you.¡± ¡°You would have reconciled in a minute. Since the relationship between you two is so tight.¡± The corners of Don¡¯s mouth reached his ears at Iris¡¯s answer. Next to him, Freya sighed shyly at the expression of his joy that couldn¡¯t be hidden. Then she handed Iris the honey-filled bread. ¡°Eat on your way.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Iris hugged the bag, feeling warm. When she was about to return to the Knights of Tejas after saying her last goodbye, Freya ran to Iris, as if she had something left to say. Over the past month or more, Iris has talked a lot with Freya. The most memorable thing when she left this place was Freya. Maybe that¡¯s why she ran to talk. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris answered, and Freya said. ¡°I¡¯ll go one day too, the capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t like it here, but because I want to learn more. I¡¯m going to test my skills.¡± Iris replied with a smile at her words. ¡°I see. I also want to test my skills someday, after hearing Freya¡¯s words.¡± Iris continued. ¡°Both of us will have a lot to say when we meet again.¡± ¡°There will be a lot. When we meet then¡­¡± It was a life-threatening matter for a pagan to enter the land of Luwan. It might be difficult to meet again alive. Still, Iris said with a smile. ¡°Should we, like the Knights of Tejas, replace greetings with jokes?¡± Freya grinned at her words. ¡°It¡¯s a strange tradition no matter how much I think about it.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s do it our way, saying hello.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris¡¯s eyes crinkled as she smiled, waving her hand. ¡°See you again.¡± She thought it was different from when the Knights of Tejas said their last goodbyes. Because they really will meet again. Thinking so, Iris waved at Freya, who was waving back at her. afterword fucking loved the duel part CH 40 As the two climbed into the carriage, about five of Hayer¡¯s men guarded the carriage. From October to March is the most rainy season for Luwan. As a result, even while the carriage was moving, it would rain constantly, causing the carriage to stop. After escaping the mud and having it run again, the wheels were stuck in place and stopped repeatedly. On top of that, the two decided not to go out and slept in the carriage because there was no right way to put up a tent in this empty field. Iris tried to stay awake for as long as possible, but Hayer threw his head back and fell asleep as soon as he found out that they were to spend the night in the carriage. Iris looked at Hayer¡¯s face, who was fast asleep. It was surprising that he fell asleep like that to the loud sound of rain. She was a little scared because it was raining too much. When she looked out the window through the curtain, her vision was completely blocked and she couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead. Only the sound of rain knocking on the ceiling filled the carriage. Iris began to feel anxious that the carriage might be flooded at this rate. Hayer, who had just woken from his slumber, spoke to Iris, who was looking out the window. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris was delighted that he was awake. She hated being awake alone and feeling anxious. Hayer continued. ¡°When you get to the capital, you¡¯ll need an answer as to why you ran away to the Knights of Tejas with me.¡± ¡°Answer¡­ that¡¯s true too.¡± ¡°What would you like to do? The escape of love, or the one where you were forced to be drawn to me?¡± ¡°The latter makes you a bad person. Of course I¡¯ll go with the former.¡± Hayer smiled at Iris¡¯s choice, which felt so resolute and even cold. Then he got up and moved to Iris¡¯s side. Iris looked at Hayer in surprise. ¡°What¨C what are you doing?¡± Then, Hayer said in a rather serious tone. ¡°Iris, you didn¡¯t just run away for love. You ran away while abandoning the position of queen. Then shouldn¡¯t it be somewhat persuasive?¡± Iris understood what Hayer was saying. But there was something wrong. His face already had enough persuasive power to convince a woman to abandon her throne and choose to flee for love. Iris said. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°The people of Luwan are rough. If they don¡¯t like it, they¡¯ll pick you out loudly. But on the other hand, if there¡¯s a story they like, they¡¯ll be on your side.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It would be better to make up a story. Something sweet.¡± ¡°¡­I was only in a convent. I don¡¯t know anything. Tell me.¡± ¡°Do you know me? I¡¯ve lived my whole life watching dark knights or monsters.¡± Hayer grumbled, and he grabbed Iris by the wrist without hesitation. And when he locked their fingers together, Iris blinked at Hayer in bewilderment. Hayer, who briefly watched her long eyelashes move, said. ¡°We have to hold hands to deceive.¡± ¡°¡­We can just pretend.¡± ¡°If we hold hands for the first time in front of Sid later, it will look very awkward.¡± It was like that. Reluctantly, Iris clasped her hand with Hayer¡¯s, and put it on her thigh. Even though the back of Hayer¡¯s hand was facing the ground, the heat strangely rose from her fingertips to her cheeks. Hayer said, holding her hand. ¡°If we¡¯re a couple, we shouldn¡¯t feel awkward looking at each other.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not awkward, are we?¡± Was it awkward? She thought they had gotten close. Iris was slightly hurt and looked at Hayer. He was already looking at her, and their eyes met. Oddly enough, she felt more ashamed to face him than to hold his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t love me.¡± Iris remembered Hayer¡¯s voice that remained in her mind. She averted her gaze before long. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t look.¡± ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t awkward?¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t think of a reason why she shouldn¡¯t love him, no matter how much she thought about it. No, she came up with one that she could easily think of. He may have felt unable to love her forever. Maybe that¡¯s why he told her to give up before she got hurt. He is an altruistic man, but love is not at his disposal. Rather, he might have refused in advance because he was altruistic. Those bright orange eyes left scars every time they touched her heart. ¡°Is it because we¡¯re holding hands?¡± Hayer seemed to be looking for a reason why she avoided his gaze and was melancholic. He slowly let go of her hand and said, brushing Iris¡¯s hair that had slipped down. ¡°If you¡¯re not that good at acting, let¡¯s just say you were forcibly dragged.¡± Meanwhile, Iris, who wasn¡¯t prepared for Hayer¡¯s joke, burst into laughter without realizing it. Then she hit Hayer¡¯s arm with her fist so that it didn¡¯t hurt. Hayer pretended to be hurt and said. ¡°Everyone would hate me terribly if they found out that I cut down the sacred tree. If you¡¯re worried that I¡¯m going to be a bad person, you don¡¯t have to consider that part.¡± ¡°If you say that, it bothers me more.¡± ¡°I said that to bother you on purpose.¡± Iris let Hayer go at his words. While they were talking, a subordinate outside knocked on the window and said. ¡°Captain, the water is slowly rising. I think you should give up the carriage and ride a horse.¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± Hayer clicked his tongue. The rest of the party was trained to the extent that it didn¡¯t matter if it rained or snowed, but Iris wasn¡¯t. Hayer said as took off his jacket and handed it to Iris. ¡°Wear it.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°This kind of weather is fine. You¡¯re the problem. You can catch a cold, but would you mind not getting a worse disease?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get sick.¡± ¡°Will you?¡± Hayer said, fastening the buttons on his jacket that Iris wore. After a moment, two people got out of the carriage. Hayer put Iris on the horse first, and then he got on as well. * * * It was a night with nothing in sight. They were running aimlessly with a compass, but it was difficult to grasp the terrain. Fortunately, Iris showed them the way, and they arrived at the farmhouse in the Hall family estate before sunrise. They managed to escape the rain by entering the warehouse where farming tools were stored. Everything was wet, and there was no fire. The subordinates who entered the warehouse together said. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the princess, we would have wandered through the field until the sun rose!¡± ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡± Iris smiled with difficulty and nodded as the subordinates said each word. Hayer glanced at Iris, whose lips turned blue from the cold, and told his men. ¡°The princess needs to rest, so put up a tent for her.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± While his men pitched tents at the order, Hayer headed to the farmhouse that had lent the warehouse. And asked politely. ¡°Could I borrow a pair of dry clothes?¡± For an average peasant, an average knight was a fearful creature. It was because at some point, they could get offended and stab without stopping. Fortunately, Hayer was charming, optimistic, and even had a boyish vibe, so the peasant couple who opened the door was not too wary. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think there will be clothes that big¡­¡± The husband of the couple checked Hayer¡¯s height and said. It seemed that it would not be enough to put the clothes of both the couple together to make clothes suitable for a man who was taller and bigger than the door. Hayer shook his head and said. ¡°There is a woman in the party, so we¡¯re going to borrow her clothes.¡± Hayer looked inside the house, hoping Iris could sleep in there. However, the farmhouse was built of logs and had no separate rooms. There was no fireplace, and there were children, which made the warehouse look better. ¡®This is a serious problem.¡¯ Hayer sighed quietly, unnoticeable. afterword wow happy 40 chapters! am i like 60 chapters ahead? yes but it doesn¡¯t matter!! i loved this chaper when i first read it lol i got so giddy at the eye contact and hand holding btw since i can¡¯t keep it to myself anymore their first night starts on chapter 94 hehehhehehahshs hayer is so down bad for iris CH 41 While the wife of the couple went to get dry clothes, the couple¡¯s children ran out and looked up at Hayer curiously. Hayer brushed off his wet hands and patted the children¡¯s heads. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping? If you stay awake, the monster from the south will come to eat you.¡± ¡°Hey, where¡¯s the monster? I¡¯ve never seen it before!¡± Hayer said at the words of the child who looked about eight years old. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean that you should see it. You¡¯ll be surprised when you see it. There¡¯s nothing so scary in the world. If it stands in front of you, you¡¯ll run away trembling.¡± ¡°Are you scared even though you¡¯re that big?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything in the world. I was just afraid of the monster that eats children who don¡¯t sleep at night.¡± Hayer¡¯s serious words made the children ponder and they rushed into their blankets urgently, laying down. Hayer chuckled silently with the children¡¯s father. In the meantime, the children¡¯s mother brought dry clothes. Hayer took a gold coin from his inner pocket and placed it on the bureau by the door. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the cost for giving your clothes and storehouse here.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the coin placed there. With that one gold coin used by the nobles, they could buy 20 sets of clothes that they just gave away. ¡°Too many, Knight!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how happy our party was to see this house lit up.¡± After Hayer said that, he motioned to the children who still couldn¡¯t fall asleep immediately out of curiosity to close their eyes, then bid the couple farewell and left. He immediately returned to the warehouse where Iris was located, and went into the tent. ¡°Iris, your body is a bit¡­ you don¡¯t look good.¡± Because the warehouse and the house were quite far away, Iris¡¯s face had gone white in the meantime. Hayer was disconcerted and first handed Iris dry clothes. ¡°Change into this.¡± Iris nodded at his words. However, perhaps because her body temperature dropped too much, her movement was too slow, and even stopped halfway through. Finally, Hayer said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± At his words, Iris grabbed her robe with her hand. Raindrops dripped down her hair. Hayer, who knew Iris was wary, but could not leave her breathless with struggle, untied the strings of her robe. When Iris tried to push his hand away unwittingly, Hayer grabbed her hand. No matter what he said now, he couldn¡¯t alleviate her fears, so Hayer shut his mouth and undressed Iris as quickly as possible. He wanted to just tear off the rain-soaked clothes that clung to her body, but he suppressed the urge as much as he could in case Iris discovered it. Iris escaped from the cold that seemed to freeze her heart only after taking off her wet and heavy clothes. Hayer dressed her immediately in dry clothes. As he focused his gaze toward her shoulder as much as he could, Iris gradually let her guard down. The clothes borrowed from the farmhouse were long dresses made of linen. It had been worn for a long time, but it was a garment that showed traces of careful management. Hayer, who had long interacted with the Kawats, was aware of how expensive clothes were for those who were not aristocrats. Still, the fact that they had one set of cleanly maintained clothes showed that the residents of the Hall territory were much better off than the people of the rest of the country. The clothes were big on Iris, but she looked much better than when she was wearing wet clothes. Hayer sat a little away from Iris, who said nothing in embarrassment and shame, and spoke to her. ¡°I¡¯ve had that thought before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Maybe my father is a slave.¡± At Hayer¡¯s sudden words, Iris raised her head, which kept dropping. But Hayer went on regardless. ¡°My father tortured me in front of my mother to find out who she met, but my mother never spoke up.¡± ¡°¡­You were tortured?¡± ¡°Well, I was ten years old at most, so it wasn¡¯t as bad as it sounds.¡± Hayer waved his hand once as if it were a trivial story and moved on to the next story. ¡°She could have said it anyway. I think it must have been one of the two since she kept her mouth shut that far. To protect me, or to protect that man.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In conclusion, thanks to him, I was able to at least become an Asheri, so I don¡¯t blame him.¡± Hayer¡¯s words gradually brought Iris back to her senses. After being able to grasp the situation to some extent, she realized that Hayer had been trying to light a fire with flint since earlier. The fire never seemed to light, but the straw caught fire, as if the wick had dried up due to the continuous lingering fire. Hayer lit a candle with the straw and then extinguished the straw. Although it was a small fire, Iris¡¯s mind also stabilized as there was a place to get some warmth. The color of her lips, which had been so blue like she was about to die, also returned little by little. Hayer laughed at Iris. ¡°You often overcome the danger of freezing to death this year.¡± Iris paused at his words, as if he knew she had crossed the North Gate. But she smiled as soon as she realized that it was referring to when she had fallen into the water on her way to the Asheri family estate. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Much better.¡± After answering that, Iris belatedly adjusted her clothes, recalling that Hayer had changed them for her. Fortunately, Hayer said nothing about changing clothes, or taking them off. ¡°Thank you.¡± Hayer nodded at Iris¡¯s words. Then he stood up and said. ¡°Then take a rest.¡± After Hayer went out of the tent, Iris laid down on the straw and slept. * * * The straw was more cozy than she expected. Waking up in the morning, Iris found that her health was not as bad as she thought. There were needles in her flesh, so it felt like pricks every time she moved, but it was not unbearable. As Iris removed the tangled straw from her hair, she slowly remembered that Hayer had changed her clothes the day before. She was trying to quickly forget when she heard a voice outside. ¡°Can I open up the tent?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m up.¡± After she gave her permission, Hayer pulled up the tent. After making eye contact with him, she suddenly remembered Hayer talking about his father. Iris abruptly asked unknowingly. ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You think your biological father is a slave.¡± Her words made Hayer chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m not worried. It can¡¯t be. My mother had a richer childhood in the Asheri family than a royal princess. And the Asheri family doesn¡¯t even have slaves. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any chance that my mother can meet a slave.¡± ¡°Is no one going to guess?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Hayer smiled and shook his head. There seemed to be nothing in particular that came to mind. Iris nodded, thinking that though he was smiling, he didn¡¯t mean it. He said he was tortured at the age of ten. He spoke lightly, but considering Hayer¡¯s usual personality, which rarely shares about his pain, it might have been much harsher than he says. Her heart throbbed. But Iris now knew that Hayer hated to talk about such misery. Instead of worrying, she decided to joke around. ¡°You¡¯re not teasing for some reason.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Clothes¡­ you changed them.¡± Hayer involuntarily closed his mouth at her words. And said with a very troubled expression. ¡°I was planning on not talking about it until the day I died.¡± afterword NAURRR THEY¡¯RE SO CUTE (head in hands)(despair) CH 42 ¡°¡­Did you?¡± Iris looked down in bewilderment. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡­ thought you¡¯d tease me as soon as I woke up.¡± Hayer laughed at her stammering words, crossed his arms, and looked down at Iris as he asked. ¡°What on earth did you think I was going to make fun of?¡± ¡°Just¡­ that¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Even if I tease you, it¡¯s right that you tease me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see how pathetic I was because you were sick. I kept making mistakes trying to somehow not see your body¡­¡± Hayer stopped talking. Then he swallowed his saliva without realizing it and said. ¡°¡­I did, at any rate.¡± ¡°What did you do? And why are you swallowing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can do this much, Sister.¡± ¡¶t/n: calling her ¡®Sister¡¯ because she was a nun¡· ¡°W-what is this much?¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened. Hayer rubbed his face with one hand in response to that expression. ¡°I have a lot of jokes I want to tell, but I won¡¯t because I think you¡¯ll kill me if I do even one.¡± ¡°I hoped you didn¡¯t even say you had a joke.¡± ¡°You must have forgotten, you¡¯re the one who brought this up. Didn¡¯t I say I was going to keep my mouth shut until I lay in the grave?¡± ¡°They say, ¡®If you¡¯re going to tease me one day, tease me quickly¡¯.¡± ¡°Ah, I looked like someone who would make fun of a sick person for changing clothes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I look a little¡­ light.¡± Hayer was frustrated by Iris¡¯s words because she didn¡¯t want to lose the argument. ¡°I¡¯m heavy then. Fantastic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the weight, but because I saw it a lot, your body¡­¡± Iris, who accidentally said that, covered her mouth with both hands. She couldn¡¯t believe she said something that could make fun of herself right in front of Hayer. Hayer¡¯s expression became strange, and then, as if he had let it slide for now, he said. ¡°I¡¯ll go out and prepare for departure, so rest a bit.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Iris nodded and Hayer left the warehouse. After getting ready for departure, the party headed for the capital again on horseback. Hayer and Iris rode on the same horse as the day before, as the carriage was still in a bad place where it could not move. It had rained so heavily the day before and it was dark, so even riding the same horse like this did not feel uncomfortable. However, as the morning came, the view widened, and there was something to be nervous about compared to the day before, so both young people¡¯s bodies were tense. Iris patted the horse¡¯s back and said, pretending not to know. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s heavy, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer also pretended to be indifferent and started the horse into a gallop. * * * Hayer looked up at the clear sky and thought for a moment about his biological father. He had no information whatsoever. If there was a sage, he would have asked, but in fact, he didn¡¯t want to know in detail, so he thought it was fortunate that there was no sage. The Asheri family was located on the border, and the family itself was relatively ethnic. So there was a possibility that his father was a Siere. No, it was high. Hayer laughed incredulously. A Siere who stopped by the Asheri family would have been a merchant with a high probability. A merchant was better. If his father is a Siere aristocrat in such a bad situation with the neighboring country¡­ Hayer sighed. At the time his mother had confidence, the relationship with Siere wasn¡¯t so bad. There were times when the Asheri family invited the nobles of Siere and treated them warmly. It was then, but it¡¯s different now. * * * It was later than expected, but they safely crossed Hall and Everhart and reached the capital. Everyone¡¯s clothes were covered in muddy water because they ran on the mud for a few days. Hayer decided that it would be impossible to enter the palace as it is. Hayer changed his mind immediately after checking Iris in dirty peasant clothes. ¡°¡­If you go into the palace like this, Her Highness Celios will try to kill me.¡± At his words, Iris also checked her clothes. It was definitely a mess. She asked. ¡°Are you going to a lodging?¡± ¡°Close to here¡­ I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Home?¡± ¡°Well, the Knights of Tejas had no place to stay in the capital, so I saved it.¡± ¡°It must cost a lot of money.¡± ¡°Yes. But well, the temple supports me a lot.¡± He might have wanted to say something about the contradiction of ¡®cutting down the sacred tree while receiving the support of the temple¡¯, but fortunately, he swallowed the words, as if he recognized the surroundings. They soon arrived at Hayer¡¯s house in the capital. The Knights of Tejas were all on the southern border, so there was no one except for three soldiers left for management purposes. The capital was formed towards the sea. Since the waves were calm, buildings were built close to the sea. Hayer¡¯s house was one of them. The beach where his house was located was covered with pure white sand, and there was a completely different atmosphere from the outskirts of the capital. Laughter was heard, and there was no stench. The place used as a base for the Knights was a splendid and beautiful building. It had an architectural style that was not found in the northern land where Iris lived, made of white paint on plaster. A square-shaped corridor was arranged around the garden. Iris entered the courtyard and looked around. ¡°You have such a nice house, but you¡¯re not using it?¡± ¡°Is it nice¡­?¡± Hayer looked around the corridor with disapproving eyes, not liking the house very much. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. It¡¯s not good. Because I wanted to get a place for all the Knights of Tejas to enter and rest in.¡± ¡°Really, the entire Knights of Tejas¡­¡± Iris stopped talking without realizing it, then immediately continued. ¡°Everyone can come in and rest.¡± Having a place in the capital for the entire Knights to be stationed, it was inevitable that someday, at least, it would seem that they had treason in mind. In addition, this place was so attached to the sea that it was difficult to easily identify even if the Knights were hiding. ¡°Yes.¡± Hayer responded calmly, knowing exactly why she had stopped talking. Soon after, Hayer said, as if he was relaxed. ¡°The royal family is already paying a lot of attention. If all our Knights come here, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll be stationed all at once. If I do that, the royal family will drag me right away and behead me, or I will be locked in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She had heard of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. A place where you can¡¯t get out once you¡¯re trapped. The maze where only the people of the Lepos family can find their way through. She was relieved to hear that it would be difficult to commit treason under the watchful eye of the royal family, but at the same time she was worried. To get to the royal palace directly, Iris used a bathroom and took a bath. She couldn¡¯t be so happy to take a bath while warming up in a nice bathtub after a long time. As she was taking a long bath, Hayer said outside. ¡°I hung your change of clothes on the door. There¡¯s no one in the hallway, so take it out and put it on.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After Iris said that, she washed herself, wrapped herself in a towel, and headed to the door. What Hayer hung on the door was a gorgeous dress that would not be insufficient to wear in the royal palace. It must have been borrowed from her mother, Celios, or ordered in advance before coming to the capital. Iris wore a glossy, dark green dress over her body. Iris said to herself while wearing the white stockings prepared together. ¡°¡­You take care of women¡¯s clothes very meticulously.¡± She wondered why he knew so much about women¡¯s clothes. She heard there were only knights around. Iris pursed her lips into a pout. In fact, Iris thought it made no sense that he didn¡¯t have a woman around him. Still, remembering her time as queen before crossing the North Gate, she had never heard of a rumor that Hayer was dating a woman. As far as Iris knew, Hayer was always a wanderer, and a knight who seemed to devote his soul to only one sword. afterword dw iris he¡¯s gonna devote himself to you too!! btw Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth has many name variations (eg. maze of traitors, traitor¡¯s maze etc.) i just chose what i thought sounded coolest lol CH 43 When Iris came out, Hayer beckoned her to come closer. Hayer opened a jewellery box and said as she approached. ¡°It¡¯s said that it¡¯s high society the moment you step foot in the palace. It¡¯s your first time showing your face in high society, so you¡¯ll have to wear something nice. I don¡¯t know if this is good, but¡­¡± High society from the moment one sets foot in the royal palace. The words made Iris laugh unknowingly. That was right. Iris stepped into the royal palace without knowing anything by Sid, and the first impression she made at that time continued until the war broke out and high society became obsolete. Iris then made her own efforts, but it was impossible to change the underlying impression. Iris asked Hayer after blowing back her memories. ¡°Is it something belonging to Her Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡­ they were no longer used, so the Asheri family handed down almost everything to me.¡± Hayer looked at the jewellery after he spoke. They were all shiny and beautiful things. Hayer, who was going to pick out the jewels, said. ¡°I have absolutely no idea what¡¯s what. They¡¯re all similar in my eyes.¡± ¡°How about this?¡± Iris chose a necklace made of crystal clear diamonds and gold earrings. She has always thought that gold goes very well with green. After Hayer put the necklace on Iris, he took one step away and checked. ¡°They all looked similar when they were in the box, but they¡¯re different when you look at them like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful not to lose it.¡± ¡°You can lose it. I don¡¯t even know what it is.¡± He really didn¡¯t seem interested in women¡¯s jewellery or dresses at all. Looking at that side, there were times when she wondered if there really were no women around. After finishing such a long dress, the two took out a carriage from Hayer¡¯s new house and headed for the royal palace. * * * Celios Lepos was informed that her daughter, Iris, was coming to the palace with Hayer Asheri. She was seriously worried that Iris, who lived only in a convent, might come wearing something like a straw mat without knowing anything. It was the first time Iris appeared in society. The news that Celios¡¯s daughter was about to arrive was causing a commotion. Celios¡¯s eyes were sharp as she watched the carriage with Iris and Hayer entering the palace. In fact, Hayer was not a very reliable escort for Iris in society. He was only good on the surface and was extremely far from sensible. It turned out that he was a young man born of an affair, but his reputation so far was not so bad because he had a mother from the Asheri family and was well-known as a knight. But with this incident, he completely destroyed the trust that had been restored to some extent. Stealing the woman who¡¯s going to marry your brother. It was unbelievable. Soon after, a woman in a green dress and a man with the formality of a Knight Commander got off the carriage. Celios, like the people who were openly watching them on the balcony of the palace or were strolling through the garden, stared down at them. Celios, like any royal family, regarded her child as a means to her honor. She didn¡¯t know what kind of person her daughter was yet, but she just hoped she at least wasn¡¯t frightened by such stares. Fortunately, Iris, who got out of the carriage and was escorted by Hayer, was heading to the door with a calm expression on her face. Celios knew she was worrying for nothing when her daughter entered the palace with a cold look on her face. Iris Lepos wasn¡¯t too weak in a fight. Celios looked down at Iris with satisfaction, and saw a woman rising by the lake in the garden. A woman of similar size to Iris, with black hair. It was Madeleine, the illegitimate daughter of Kernin Lepos. She appeared in the palace as a substitute for Iris, but when Iris appeared, she seemed confused because she did not know the way she should behave. ¡°Run away, come on.¡± Celios murmured. It was natural. Now that Iris has appeared, Madeleine was no longer needed. Even from Sid¡¯s point of view, it was not good to be caught saving a substitute, so there was a high possibility that he would keep her mouth shut. Madeleine, as if aware of the fact, was moving hastily. Then Sid¡¯s men were seen surrounding Madeleine. ¡°Oh my.¡± As Celios spoke to herself, Peter Wick, Iris¡¯s father and Celios¡¯s escort knight, was watching nervously from the sidelines and said. ¡°Can I go and see?¡± Celios glanced at Peter at his words. In any case, her lover was weak-minded in everything and tended to be good at empathizing with others. Seeing a woman Iris¡¯s age who looked particularly similar to her reminded him of his daughter. When Celios motioned to go, Peter rushed down urgently to save the poor substitute common woman. Celios looked down at Peter¡¯s confrontation with Sid¡¯s men, who were little ruffians. She didn¡¯t really like Madeleine just because she was Kernin Lepos¡¯s daughter. Kernin was cruel and a single-minded individual. Celios felt reluctant to inherit that blood. ¡°¡­What?¡± At that moment, Celios narrowed her eyes. No matter how many ruffians there were, it was impossible to fight and win against Peter, a brilliant knight. Even though they should have known that, they didn¡¯t back down and rushed to drag Madeleine away. Celios, who had been looking at that image for a while, guessed something shortly after. She went down the stairs with her maids. When the princess appeared, the ruffians faltered and withdrew. Celios asked Madeleine, who was shaking and crying behind Peter. ¡°Did you have Sid¡¯s child?¡± Madeleine raised her head at the question. Her eyelids were quivering. As expected, she didn¡¯t like the face that resembled Kernin very much. Celios laughed. She was an indifferent person, but she couldn¡¯t be indifferent to trying to kill a woman pregnant with her child. Sid¡¯s ruffians seemed uneasy, and they eventually rushed in with their eyes closed. However, a swing of Peter Wick¡¯s sword had them flung far away. Then, two royal knights approached from afar. They thanked Peter and Celios for not being too late. ¡°Thank you. From now on, we will protect Miss Madeleine.¡± ¡°¡­Please do so.¡± Celios answered and looked down at Madeleine, who was holding on to the hem of her skirt. She knew enough from her lifetime that a woman with children should not be looked down on in particular. Madeleine¡¯s child with Sid was sure to complicate the whole situation. A sigh came out by itself. * * * Iris, who had lived as queen, was used to people staring at her. She was also accustomed to not being focused on, because she always sat on the left side of the king. She was well aware of the tendencies of the Lepos family. They basically dismissed warmth as weakness. Therefore, she knew that it was best to completely ignore the gazes directed at her. Iris walked to the king¡¯s office with a cold expression. Hayer, who was standing next to her, darted his eyes around and asked Iris. ¡°How do you know the direction to the office?¡± ¡°Are you asking me?¡± Returning to the royal palace where she had been living for six years, a familiar sharp answer came out. When Iris flinched in surprise after she replied like that, Hayer smiled reassuringly. Then he took her hand and wrapped it around his arm. Iris¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly as her hand wrapped around his arm. The muscles of the arm she touched were hard and like the stump of a huge tree. ¡°¡­It¡¯s quite big. Overall.¡± Hayer burst out laughing at Iris¡¯s words. Since it was not a place where there was a lot of laughter, people¡¯s eyes were drawn to them as soon as they heard the laughter. But Hayer didn¡¯t care about it ¡®in the least.¡¯ It had no effect on the natural smiley face. However, it was different in front of the hallway where King Eswa¡¯s office was located. Hayer stopped in front of the hallway where he met his adoptive father, and was looking at the floor as if he were lost in thought for a moment. She suddenly remembered that he was tortured at the age of ten. Maybe it¡¯s because of that memory. Iris glanced at him, then stomped on his foot with the toe of her shoe. When Hayer looked up at Iris at the sudden action, she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to say hello, not you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m the main character now.¡± Iris hoped that her scolding would free him from his bad memories for a moment. afterword posting as if i don¡¯t have 3 tests today el oh el CH 44 Fortunately, Hayer soon regained his smile at Iris¡¯s scolding. He looked at Iris¡¯s shoe on top of his foot and said. ¡°There¡¯s also a big difference in shoe size.¡± ¡°How big are your feet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the right size for me.¡± ¡°The height difference is not that much¡­¡± ¡°You must think you¡¯re really tall.¡± Hayer¡¯s words gave Iris strength as she stomped on his foot. Hayer exaggeratedly trembled, and even pretended to limp as he walked. They soon arrived at the office door. Meppo Behad, the vice-captain of the Royal Knights guarding the door, said. ¡°This is where His Majesty the King resides. Be quiet, please.¡± Hayer faced Meppo at his cold words. If one had to pick the three strongest knights in the land of Luwan now, one would say Hayer Asheri, Kernin Lepos, and Meppo Behad. When he stood in front of Meppo, there was a chill in the corners of Hayer¡¯s eyes, which were bent with laughter. It was human nature that famous military commanders wanted to compete with each other at least once. Meppo was about half a span shorter than Hayer, but she could feel the competitive desire in his strong eyes. Iris had never seen Hayer look like he was trying to pin someone down like that. She felt, perhaps, that Meppo was one of the few competitors in Hayer¡¯s world. Hayer looked very strong just by looking at his appearance, but from Hayer¡¯s attitude, it seemed that the results wouldn¡¯t be known until they were put together. Meanwhile, the office door opened. While Hayer waited outside, Iris walked inside. King Eswa was leaning back with one hand on his temple, with Royal Knights Commander Kernin Lepos standing to his right, and Sid Lepos to his left. Iris greeted them, but King Eswa, who had his throne high up on the stairs, was just staring at her silently. When Eswa did not open his mouth for a long time, Sid, who thought it was time for him to speak instead, opened his mouth. ¡°Do you think this makes sense? Running away with my brother?¡± However, no matter what Sid said next to him, Iris was looking at Eswa in front of her. Sid pointed at her again and said to Eswa. ¡°Your Majesty, that guy Hayer resembles his father whose face he doesn¡¯t even know. He resembles the guy who has no guilt for stealing someone else¡¯s lover.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris Lepos was the woman I chose first.¡± A ¡®chosen¡¯ woman. Iris kept her mouth shut. He was exactly as Iris remembered. You have to have everything you want to get rid of your temper. It didn¡¯t matter if it was a wild animal or a person. Eswa, who was looking down at Iris with a grave face, opened his mouth. ¡°You grew up well.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°Marrying Sid was a favor I did for you.¡± Eswa continued, clicking his tongue as if he were looking at a foolish child. ¡°Sid is the one who will sit here when I die. Then you¡¯ll be queen. Why did you run away with someone you didn¡¯t even know before you had the chance to become the highest woman in Luwan?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to be queen.¡± Her words silenced the office for a moment. Iris said, turning to Sid. ¡°Did you hear that? I have no intention of becoming the queen. So take someone else to the seat.¡± Sid made eye contact with Iris when she said that. He chuckled at Iris¡¯s spirit. It came back to mind. She ran away from him and stood on thin ice. He originally felt uncomfortable with the Lepos family¡¯s face, which resembled his. But not now. Ever since that day, he¡¯s been looking for a face like Iris¡¯s. But the more he looked, the more he felt that it wasn¡¯t her. Sid turned to his father, and luckily Eswa sided with his son. ¡°We cannot leave a scandal in history from the royal family where a younger brother steals his older brother¡¯s bride. Iris, I forgive you for your childish behaviour. It¡¯s an order, so have a marriage with Sid.¡± Iris felt like she was going to vomit within the short time of listening to Eswa. The end of this marriage was so vain, so empty. As she thought she should run away, Sid told Eswa. ¡°After running away once, there is no law saying not to run away again. The crimes committed by those two are clear, so we¡¯d better lock them up at least until the wedding.¡± At Sid¡¯s words, Iris glared at him. ¡°I refused to get married from the beginning, how can that be a crime?¡± Because she was right, Sid remained silent and only frowned. If there were no other eyes here, they would accuse her of refusing to marry as a crime, but there were quite a few people outside the corridor and in the office. When it got very noisy inside, Hayer, who had been standing outside the office the whole time, stood at the door and greeted Eswa. ¡°Your Majesty, I am Hayer Asheri, the leader of the Knights of Tejas.¡± Instead of answering, Eswa clicked his tongue. It was Hayer Asheri who did not resemble himself at all and continued to pretend to be his son for more than 10 years. Even if the queen had an affair, he wouldn¡¯t have been so angry if Hayer hadn¡¯t been such an outstanding talent in every way. The queen met another man because Eswa had a mistress first. He enjoyed holding his mistress before the queen¡¯s eyes and humiliating her. One day, the queen stopped being ashamed of such an appearance. It was his mistake that he did not recognize it, even though Celios was making the same relieved expression. At that time, both women were pregnant, laughing at his lineage. Even though Sid and Hayer were both children from the queen¡¯s stomach, everything was significantly different. Hayer had already surpassed Sid¡¯s swordsmanship skills as a child, had far more knights pledging allegiance to the boy, and also had a beautiful face. His lineage had to be the best in the world. However, looking at Hayer Asheri, Eswa was overcome by an unbearable sense of inferiority. Eswa always thought that if there was only one sage, he would have cut off his head immediately. But he slaughtered all the sages, and no sages were found anywhere in the land of Luwan. The only proof that Hayer was not a royal now was that he got lost in the maze. However, not everyone in the Lepos family was good at finding their way. Even Eswa was slower to find the way compared to previous kings. Therefore, Hayer¡¯s name could not be erased from the royal family just by getting lost in the maze. ¡°Asheri.¡± Eswa called Hayer ¡®Asheri,¡¯ an ostracism that he could at least do. Hayer politely got down on one knee and said to Eswa. ¡°I love Princess Iris Lepos.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eswa paused and eventually straightened up. ¡°So please allow me to fight a duel.¡± Eswa¡¯s mouth formed a faint smile that could not be seen. Duel. A duel. Sid is not as good at swordsmanship as Hayer, so of course he will use a fill-in. However, there were many knights in the Royal Order that were as good as Hayer. If he was lucky, he might have a chance to end the life of Hayer Asheri, using this duel as an excuse. Iris¡¯s eyes were wide open, perhaps taken aback by Hayer¡¯s unexpected answer. However, Hayer did not look back at Iris, but kept his eyes on the floor. Hayer, who fixed his gaze on the floor, seemed to be afraid of himself. Eswa felt satisfied with the appearance, so he decided to do Hayer a special favor. ¡°Fine.¡± Sid sighed at the permission. He looked at his uncle, Kernin. No matter how much Kernin was the captain of the Royal Knights, Sid could not make him a fill-in for the duel. If he did that, Kernin might come swinging his sword and look down on him. In the end, the answer was Meppo, who was the vice-captain and his training partner since childhood. ¡°The battle will be fought by Sir Meppo Behad.¡± When his name was called, Meppo appeared toward the door and answered Sid. ¡°I will win without fail, Your Highness.¡± afterword things r getting so intense my buttcheeks r clenched fr!! also made the text fully white instead of the default but idk if it¡¯s better lol CH 45 The suffocating greeting is over. Leaving the office, Iris argued with Hayer. ¡°I told you no duels!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t give you a choice. It was my decision.¡± ¡°Hayer!¡± Iris knew how strong he was, having already seen Hayer fighting the monsters. But he was not in perfect shape now. With such a big wound, she didn¡¯t see a chance of winning against Meppo, one of Luwan¡¯s best knights. Iris asked with a sigh. ¡°Why? Because you want to beat Sid? What on earth are you¡­¡± Iris, who was about to yell if he felt inferior to that guy and thought he was not good enough, shut her mouth, thinking there might be someone listening. Then Hayer said. ¡°I think you hate it too much. This marriage.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be unhappy. So this is just my wish.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Iris was speechless and couldn¡¯t speak any more. By nature, was being a good man the thing that made a witness crumble like this? Iris was going to say something more, but just brushed past him. Hayer just stood there, as if he knew by intuition that he shouldn¡¯t follow. * * * She came to the royal palace even though she knew she would fall into a complicated situation to prove that she was Iris Lepos. Iris, who was angry at Hayer, entered the building where her mother, Celios, stayed. After going through all the fuss, Celios sat in a long horizontal chair, welcoming Iris. ¡°Come and sit down here. There are many people who need to be introduced.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Before crossing the North Gate, Celios felt sorry for Iris and even erased the idea of her own child from her head, so the two never drank tea alone without other guests. In particular, it was the first time today that the two of them were drinking tea while ¡®introducing somebody.¡¯ Iris carefully sat down in the same chair as Celios. Soon a tea table was set up in front of the two. Subsequently, representatives from the great noble families came in to greet them. Iris continued her greetings in a quiet and relaxed manner. Then Celios¡¯s maid came and whispered something, and Celios looked surprised. Then she said, checking the menu on the table. ¡°What in the world is going on, the representative of the Hall family is coming. You know, the Hall family was supporting Sid, and they were angry that you had run away. But it¡¯s strange to come here.¡± Then Iris asked. ¡°Are you referring to Dane Hall, a relative of Sandra Hall?¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve met before.¡± ¡°What?¡± Celios thought that her daughter should make great efforts to get Sid¡¯s supporters on her side. Among them, the most difficult and important, was the Hall family. However, the representative of the Hall family came to greet Iris. Celios couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Soon after, Iris smiled as Dane Hall entered the drawing room. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Have you been comfortable?¡± Dane Hall, the representative of the Hall family and Sandra Hall¡¯s relative, smiled brightly upon seeing Iris. Celios was surprised that Iris had destroyed the animosity of the Hall family while on the run. Looking back at Peter, he had already shed tears of pride for his daughter. Iris chatted with Dane happily and exchanged how they were doing. Celios considered the Hall family, which holds Luwan¡¯s food supply, very important. She stood up, so proud of her daughter. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m a little tired. You young people can talk amongst yourselves.¡± She said that and left her seat. After Celios left, Iris asked Dane. ¡°You look like you have something to say. Is that right?¡± ¡°D-did it look like that?¡± ¡°Honestly, yes.¡± Dane sighed when Iris answered. Then he looked around and said to Iris, ¡°I know you¡¯re complicated by the marriage problem. So by no means am I saying this for any reason or purpose. I just want you to consider it after the schedule is over.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dane got to the point while Iris was thinking about what he was in such a hurry to say. After hearing it, it was indeed a long story. ¡°By any chance¡­ is there any way you can make sure that Ruben Everhart, the eldest son of the Everhart family, is still alive in the Everhart family¡¯s dungeon?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Our Lord is someone who seems to lack nothing but¡­ In fact, she¡¯s really curious about the current situation of Ruben Everhart, who has been a friend since she was young.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Ruben Everhart¡­¡± Iris recalled the memory of when she was heading for the North Gate. ¡°The culprit was only found out later. He was the eldest son of Everhart. It turned out that he had a crush on Sandra, so after a quarrel with his brother, the murder took place¡­¡± He was the eldest son of the Everhart family, who was said to have killed the second son of the Everhart family, whom Sandra was trying to marry. It was natural that it would be strange to find out the current status of the person who killed her husband-to-be on their first marriage night. That¡¯s why she came here asking for a favour. But Iris was rather pleased with this request. She was the one who hoped the relationship between the Halls and the Everharts would improve. Therefore, it was natural to be glad if there was anything worth exchanging. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± Dane¡¯s expression brightened when Iris nodded. ¡°Thank you! By the way, you really seem like you¡¯ve been a royal all your life.¡± Iris looked down at her skirt as Dane said in wonder. Then Hayer, who prepared this outfit, came to mind, and she bit her lip unconsciously. Dane said what her expression worried about. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing to worry about. Lord Hayer is one of the strongest knights in the land of Luwan.¡± ¡°But the Royal Knights are also strong.¡± ¡°That¡­ is true.¡± Dane nodded in agreement. Iris tried to put her mind at ease, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounds. She kept feeling anxious that a major injury would be added to Hayer. * * * Each great noble family had its own strength. It was like holding food like the Hall family, or having a huge port like the Everhart family, which had a great influence on commerce. Among them, the most terrifying force was the Asheri family on the border. There was a danger of not knowing when they might join hands with the enemy because they were located on the border and had frequent exchanges. Therefore, no matter how much a king he was, he could not look down on the great noble families. As a result, politics was important to the great noble families. It was natural to want to hold hands with the heir who would become king if possible. As Iris headed to the North Gate in the past, she learned more and more about it. Sid was undoubtedly the most likely successor to the king in the eyes of most of the great noble families today. However, the fact that the representative of the Hall family came to Iris meant that he saw some possibility in her as well. Celios confided her anticipations to Iris. ¡°The Halls seem to have some expectations for you?¡± Iris responded with a smile. In her eyes, her mother was a very transparent person. After Dane left, Iris finished the day after greeting more guests. After greeting so many people, her arms were all sore. She loosened her tight muscles by kneading her weak arms with her fist. At the end of the hectic day, worries about Hayer filled her head again. Perhaps because of her anger, Hayer did not show up. She wondered if she should go to him first, but she stopped because her complicated thoughts about him jumping into danger have not yet been sorted out. Iris, who is still not good at establishing a relationship between people, was at a loss about what to do. In the midst of all this trouble, she had a question. Iris asked Celios. ¡°Where is Hayer staying?¡± ¡°You mean Hayer? Doesn¡¯t that man have a place to stay? An old bar. Anyway, there are too many knights who are like that.¡± ¡°¡­There is no space for Hayer in the royal palace?¡± Iris¡¯s voice sank. afterword ¡°i don¡¯t want you to be unhappy¡± he cares about her so much my poor heart can¡¯t take this CH 46 Celios replied in bewilderment. ¡°He is not the king¡¯s son. There is no family in this palace who would be openly close to him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That goes for you too. I know you had no choice but to get Hayer¡¯s help. But it has to end here.¡± Iris retraced her memory. Come to think of it, Hayer had never come to the royal palace before the North Gate, from the day Iris got married to the day the war broke out. Hayer was like a floating weed of the royal palace. There was no place, no one to root him in. Celios said, grabbing Iris, who was about to leave. ¡°Even if you have feelings for Hayer, it¡¯s better to set them aside. He¡¯s attractive, I understand. Yes, fine as a lover. But that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the end, his lineage will be an obstacle going forward.¡± Iris stared at her mother, and said to her. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any pleasure to become Luwan¡¯s king.¡± ¡°¡­Are you crazy?¡± Celios was born as the king¡¯s only legitimate heir, but was deprived of the throne by her cousin because she was a daughter. It was a miracle that Iris had a chance because the reputation for the current king has fallen, and as a child of a mistress, his lineage has been questioned. Her daughter could sit on the throne she didn¡¯t have. It was the seed of ambition that would make Celios¡¯s unfulfilled dream come true. But you aren¡¯t happy to be king? When Celios was bewildered, Iris continued. ¡°Everything is a mess in Luwan right now. How much does the royal family owe Everhart?¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t know. The royal family doesn¡¯t have to pay their debts.¡± You don¡¯t think so. Iris burst into laughter. This self-righteousness eventually helped drive Everhart into bankruptcy, which had previously led to Luwan¡¯s collapse. Iris knew Celios would not easily let her out of the east building. As such, Celios¡¯s ambition to establish herself was a great agent. ¡°I have my own thoughts.¡± ¡°What are the thoughts of someone who grew up in a convent all her life?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m in love?¡± Iris raised her voice on purpose. Iris knew that all the creatures that walked on two legs in the royal palace were against those who raised their voices. Nevertheless, she raised her voice now. She thought these words were worth hearing in that way. ¡°If we start a war with Siere, Asheri will join hands with the enemy immediately.¡± Celios paused at Iris¡¯s firm words. Iris continued. ¡°At that time, Hayer will play an important role in winning the hearts of the Asheri family. Don¡¯t you know that? This is for Luwan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Just as Sid tried to marry me, whom he didn¡¯t even know.¡± She didn¡¯t know if anyone else had heard it. If you look around and check the reactions, you will be caught having fear in your heart, just pretending to speak without hesitation and being confident. * * * Dane Hall, deputy of the Hall family¡¯s head Sandra Hall, sensed the nobles and royalty listening to the voices of the mother and daughter fighting in the drawing room of the east wing. The prejudice against Iris Lepos was also strongly held by Dane. Therefore, he definitely understood the feelings of those who were surprised by her existence. Iris, whom Dane Hall met, was not only born with the ability of the Lepos family, but also had political savvy. She was as good as Sid Lepos, who learned royal studies at an early age. Of course, for the most part, Iris still had nothing to call a foundation, and he thought that rebellious period would eventually end and she would simply tie the couple¡¯s knot with Sid by the great war. But there was a clear difference from when he didn¡¯t care about her at all. Dane thought it was luck that Iris stayed with the Hall family early on. If she hadn¡¯t, he would have been surprised by the person Iris Lepos like everyone else today. It was less than half a day after the rumor spread that it was not because of love that she joined hands with Hayer. And the rumor had a strange effect on high society that Iris or Dane had not expected. Until now, no noble or royal women have found any reason to approach the king¡¯s troubled son, Hayer Asheri. However, through Iris¡¯s words today, there was a justification for approaching Hayer. He was able to take on the role of conciliating the Asheri family so that they would not go over to the enemy country. This was a good cause, given the half-mad queen confined in a small room, and the poor relationship between the Asheri family and the royal family. * * * Iris eventually stayed up all night because she was worried about Hayer, who did not come to the east building. How many nights did she stay up because of that man? Fortunately, there was going to be a nice luncheon today at the royal palace. Hayer will also be there, so she thought they were going to have a proper conversation again. Iris got up early in the morning and started dressing up with Celios¡¯s strong insistence that her daughter should not be looked down upon at the luncheon. With her hair down, Celios wore a new custom-made gown. It was a sky blue gown with the bodice in a darker blue. Her long black hair, which was always down, was put up with a wig to make it longer and richer. It felt like a strain to her shoulders. Not wanting to arrive too early, Iris checked the location for the luncheon on the balcony overlooking the back garden. Then she saw Hayer standing under a large flower tree in her field of vision. A noblewoman stood in front of him. The noblewoman giggled. It was obvious that Hayer had told a joke. Iris thought in her head that she should stop looking down at those two people, but she couldn¡¯t stop looking at them. When the petals fell and stuck on to the woman¡¯s hair, she could see Hayer taking them out and handing them to her. ¡°¡­Not wanting me to misunderstand, isn¡¯t he a real bad guy?¡± Iris was talking to herself when she heard a clash behind her. ¡°Exactly!¡± Surprised by the sound, Iris turned around and her expression brightened. It was Annie, a maid from the Asheri family who helped Iris before. Iris asked. ¡°Annie! When did you get here? How did you get in here?¡± ¡°I guess the head was worried when he heard that Young Master Hayer was coming to the capital. The Asheri family sent their servants.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Knowing that Hayer¡¯s position in the royal palace was small, he seemed to send many servants to show the prestige of the Asheri family. Annie said. ¡°The young master told me to go up here. If there¡¯s anything I can help you with, I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do for me¡­ ah, the handkerchief.¡± Iris hurried to find her bag. She had very little baggage, and everything she had always fit in this knee-high bag here. Iris soon took out a yellow handkerchief decorated with blue pigments from inside the bag that was arranged to make things easier to find. ¡°You told me to buy you a handkerchief when I go to Everhart. What do you think of the one I picked?¡± ¡°Wow! So pretty!¡± Annie¡¯s expression was bright as she fortunately liked the yellow handkerchief. Iris let out a sigh of relief and then told her. ¡°At Asheri¡¯s mansion, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have already been dragged away by Sid and married without my heart¡¯s consent.¡± ¡°What I did was a bit of a hassle.¡± Iris smiled and nodded as Annie spoke smugly. Annie really liked the handkerchief as she checked it around, put it in her pocket, and said. ¡°By the way, the princess is right. I don¡¯t think the young master should make the women around him doubt him like that. Bad¡­¡± Annie closed her mouth while inadvertently following Iris to say ¡®bad guy.¡¯ Then Iris grumbled. ¡°Who cares if it¡¯s just us?¡± ¡°Right? He¡¯s a bad guy, a bad guy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Iris nodded in agreement again. afterword LMFAO THEY ARE SO SILLY CH 47 In the meantime, it was time to appear at the luncheon, and Iris went down the stairs. At the luncheon, she and Celios chatted with people, and in the middle she walked off in search of Hayer. Then, Sid blocked her by standing in front of her. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Iris narrowed her eyes at the unexpected person. Since the report of the duel came out, she thought he wouldn¡¯t even want to see her at all. But for some reason, he looked like he was trying to have a serious conversation. It was something that the Sid Iris knew wouldn¡¯t do. Sid led her under the flower tree where Hayer was having a conversation earlier. Perhaps this was a place where young men and women usually meet. Sid opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumor.¡± ¡°¡­Rumor?¡± Sid started the conversation as if they knew each other, so when Iris asked back and went along with it, Sid paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°You seem to care about the relationship with the Asheri family.¡± His words made Iris laugh incredulously. The quarrel that took place the previous day seemed to have spread throughout the palace less than a day later. She wanted that, but she didn¡¯t know the rumor would spread this fast. Iris replied. ¡°Considering the situation, I can¡¯t help but feel that way.¡± Sid laughed at her pointed answer, as if it was cute. ¡°Yes, she is wiser than I thought.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So even more, I think someone like you should be the queen.¡± Sid looked down at Iris¡¯s cold eyes. The coolness in those eyes was beautiful. It looked like a white bird standing in the snow. Iris opened her mouth. ¡°Then the contrary. Did you think I was stupid last time, so you tried to drag me so recklessly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sid wanted to melt the cold woman. He was uneasy because he had never felt anything like this before. He went on quickly. ¡°The approach was wrong at first. I admit it.¡± ¡°Acknowledgement is not enough.¡± ¡°Not enough? I have the first line of succession to the throne. And now I admit what I did to you was wrong.¡± In fact, it was a move that surprised even Sid himself. Now he was so interested in Iris that he thought he wanted to put her in the position of queen, even if he had to coax her. The gown with a straight square collar that revealed her neck looked perfect on her. He had a desire to control that pale, soft-looking body as he pleased. If they ever got married, he was going to make sure that she would stop looking at him like that forever. Of course, Sid liked that look in her eyes, but he knew he would get tired of it when it cooled. But it didn¡¯t matter. His brief desire was important. Iris, however, knew all too well about Sid¡¯s selfish nature. She had no intention of being swayed by what he said. ¡°Fine. I appreciate that you admitted it. But I have no intention of marrying you.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better decide now. What are you going to do if Hayer loses in the duel?¡± If Hayer loses the duel, it will mean that he¡¯s been seriously injured, so Iris has only been worried about that. But as Sid says now, it was clear by then that the treatment towards her would be seriously bad. He suddenly grabbed Iris by the chin. When she tried to jerk away from the rude action, he also grabbed her arm with his other hand. ¡°By then, you won¡¯t be able to leave your bedroom door without my orders until you die. You won¡¯t be able to meet anyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Who would want a great role with the queen who lived in a convent all her life? Besides, you don¡¯t have any support, do you?¡± ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°When that time comes, me taking you will be the only joy in your life.¡± When Iris tried to pull out her arm, Sid tightened his grip as if to crush it. At that moment, Sid¡¯s arm was grabbed. When the two turned around at the same time, Hayer was standing there. He tightened his grip on Sid¡¯s arm, and Sid frowned at the grip, releasing Iris¡¯s arm. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°What?¡± Iris felt her hair stand on end at Hayer¡¯s voice. It was a menacing voice and face that seemed to weigh down on the other person. When seeing Meppo Behad, he had a similar expression. However, there was such a difference for the reason that it seemed to be something comical. ¡°Hayer.¡± ¡°Want me to let you go?¡± He asked mockingly. Sid felt an anger as if his head was being turned upside down by his half-brother¡¯s act of suppressing his pride with force. He immediately motioned for his guards to come. In an instant, he was surrounded by the Royal Knights, but Hayer did not react to it. In that situation, when a knight tried to grab Hayer by the shoulder, Iris said. ¡°He was trying to protect me.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I felt threatened, so you protected me, Lord Hayer.¡± When the princess said that, the knights had no choice but to falter, no matter what Sid¡¯s order was. In fact, many of them saw Hayer¡¯s other hand touching his sword. Iris didn¡¯t know, but if she hadn¡¯t stepped up, some of their arms would have already been cut here. Deep down, they were grateful to Iris. Hayer slowly let go of Sid, but grabbed his arm again when Sid tried to punch him right away. Hayer said. ¡°Don¡¯t be pathetic. Brother can¡¯t touch me. You probably won¡¯t be able to cut a single hair even when I¡¯m sleeping.¡± After he said that, he gave way for Iris to move first. As she walked, he too followed her steps back towards the luncheon venue. Iris, who had been walking for a while, said. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was no answer, so Iris looked up and saw him gritting his teeth. It seemed that it was too hard to calm down his anger that he didn¡¯t even hear her voice. Iris stopped and carefully placed her fingertips on his chin as he clenched his teeth. Hayer startled at her hand¡¯s touch and looked at Iris in surprise. ¡°Relax. These are teeth that you¡¯ll have to use for the rest of your life¡­¡± Hayer, who was so angry, smiled at her words and closed his eyes tightly. Hayer laughed, and Iris said with a serious expression. ¡°This is not a joke.¡± ¡°Can I just laugh it off and say it¡¯s not a joke?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°Then I seemed to have laughed at what you said, so please keep that in mind.¡± Saying that, Hayer held out his hand to ask for the arm Sid had grabbed earlier. Iris hesitantly gave him her hand, and Hayer rolled up her sleeve. The arm Sid had clutched was bruised in an instant. ¡°¡­That crazy bastard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just that I bruise easily.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what that guy said earlier? Everything he said, he¡¯s a whole other ruffian. A piece of crap. I didn¡¯t grow up like that, but what¡¯s wrong with that guy who was born in the same boat?¡± ¡¶t/n: *born from the same mother¡· Iris murmured very quietly as Hayer grumbled. ¡°There must be a problem with the paternity, well¡­¡± Hayer, who was about to get angry again at her words, closed his eyes again. Then he covered his mouth with his hand and desperately held back his laughter. ¡°Please, tell me it¡¯s a joke this time so I can laugh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, it¡¯s true. And it¡¯s not my problem, you laugh unnecessarily. How can you smile so well even to a woman you don¡¯t know?¡± Iris, who said that without realizing it, stopped talking. Hayer tilted his head and asked what she was talking about. ¡°Did I smile at a woman I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it earlier.¡± ¡°Ah. Maybe in front of the carriage¡­¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Then at the gate?¡± ¡°¡­How many people did you smile at today?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Every time I moved today, women talked to me, saying they wanted to get along with the Asheri family. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me¡­¡± Hayer, who was replying like that, said his words clearly because he thought he did something wrong, seeing as Iris got stiffer and stiffer. afterword 1.) i can¡¯t i hate sid SO bad and 2.) hayer is such a puppy i love him please!! they are so black cat and golden retriever coded CH 48 He went on. ¡°Only courtesy was received.¡± ¡°Courtesy to the Asheri family?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Courtesy to yourself?¡± ¡°No, it was just courtesy to the Asheri family.¡± Hayer said flatly. Of course, he was quick-witted and knew that every woman who approached him talking about the Asheri family was interested in his sexual appeal. But he thought he would get hit by Iris if he revealed that. No, that¡¯s right. He¡¯s just worried about her hand hurting, not himself. What was more distressing was to see her upset face. ¡­Now that he thought about it, he wondered why it was so painful to see her be upset. Iris said. ¡°Anyway. It¡¯s not the time to be dating.¡± ¡°Wow, really. When was I dating again?¡± ¡°The duel is just around the corner. Are you feeling okay? What if you lose? What if you get hurt?¡± ¡°I just heard what Sid said. Even if I have to give up an arm, I won¡¯t lose. If I lose and think that someone is living with that kind of treatment, I won¡¯t be able to live in my right mind.¡± There was confidence in what he said. It was just amazing how he didn¡¯t feel any tension when he was going to deal with a knight that was said to be in the same top three fingers as himself with such a big injury. ¡¶t/n: sounds kinda funny, but a reference to the top 3 knights listed on one¡¯s fingers¡· She was lost in her worries, but when she came to her senses, Hayer was wrapping his handkerchief around Iris¡¯s wrist. He said. ¡°I applied the painkiller I always carry around, so it won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I applied painkillers?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so wounded.¡± ¡°Are you and I the same? In spite of being a crow-tit.¡± ¡¶t/n: here they say ??/baepsae, which is a bird & refers to being a try hard, silver spoon, or used in a certain idiom to refer to people who ruin themselves by trying to imitate people who are better than them.¡· ¡°¡­Crow-tit? Did you say I¡¯m a crow-tit just now?¡± ¡°I blundered. Really, I made such a big mistake. It hurts to say this to someone who is just a crow-tit.¡± As Iris raised her hand in anger to give him a smack, Hayer took her hand and said. ¡°With the other hand. This arm is injured¡­ Ah. Wow.¡± When Iris raised her opposite hand and smacked his arm as if she had been waiting, Hayer pretended to be in pain. After going back and forth between worrying about Hayer and being dumbfounded and angry, Iris returned to the luncheon table. Rosen, who sat next to Iris and was her second cousin, said. ¡°How is it? How is it to date Lord Hayer?¡± Iris turned to look at Rosen. Having never been in a relationship, she didn¡¯t know what to say, so she kept her mouth shut. Then the other women at the table spoke. ¡°Of course it would be nice. It¡¯s fun just looking at the face.¡± ¡°Is it all about the face? Of course, you have to do well at night.¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened at the words of the woman sitting opposite from her. She (the woman) may be close to the rest, but she only said hello to herself once, and she says something like this? No. Even if you¡¯ve seen someone many times, you¡¯re still saying this? While she was in shock, the women at the table said things without thinking. ¡°Of course it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Unexpectedly, there are times when such a gentleman is stiff in bed.¡± ¡°It reminds me of my ex-lover. So we broke up, but¡­¡± Iris couldn¡¯t adjust to the atmosphere and was just blinking. Rosen said a word from the side. ¡°What are you saying in front of the lady from a convent?¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± It wasn¡¯t until later that Iris realized that maybe they were having this conversation to embarrass herself. She was the first, so to speak, newcomer to this palace. It was clear that they wanted to suppress her. However, Iris did not intend to be suppressed, nor did she intend to suppress it. After all, it was only for a short time that she would be embarrassed and teased because she was a newcomer in society. In the end, the rank was quickly established. Iris took a sip of tea from her cup, set it down, and told Rosen. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Let¡¯s hear it. Maybe there¡¯s something I can say to help you later.¡± She said, looking one by one at the people who brought up bed stories. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Honestly. She thought they would stop talking about this. On the contrary, stories broke out as if they had been waiting. ¡°That¡¯s why that actor has so much confidence in dealing with¡­¡± ¡°Ah, that was the source of confidence.¡± ¡°If you could only sleep with one of these two knights, who would you sleep with?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just me¡­¡± Iris tried to pretend nothing was wrong, but the outpouring of talk was so explicit that it made her dizzy. The corners of her mouth hurt from smiling indifferently. She even memorized the faces of the participants, vowing that she would never join this table again. Of course, it was true that they tried to step on the spirit of the newcomers at first, but they were also a group of people who actually enjoyed obscenities. As soon as they knew Iris wasn¡¯t a person to be easily discouraged, the group members just blossomed into stories that they found interesting. The luncheon was finally over, so Iris was trying to run away, but Rosen grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She thought she made a mistake, so she turned around and Rosen said. ¡°It¡¯s a must.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Next time, tell me about Lord Hayer.¡± ¡°Rosen!¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll talk about everything!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a problem and come to consult with me.¡± Then another member of the group next to her spoke. ¡°I will definitely make you open your mouth!¡± Gosh, these people. Iris¡¯s face flushed and she quickly turned to the east building. Indeed, she didn¡¯t intend to join that group again. It¡¯s ridiculous, but thanks to that, she forgot for a moment about tomorrow¡¯s duel. Of course, Hayer¡¯s boast that he would win unconditionally was of little relief. Iris thought it was wrong to sleep soundly tonight. Since meeting Hayer, fatigue has really accumulated day after day. * * * On the day of the duel. Iris looked at her hands, which were as blue as a corpse. ¡°Are the clothes small? I don¡¯t think my blood is circulating.¡± Annie, the maid who stayed in the east building and took care of her, said to Iris as she talked to herself. ¡°It¡¯s not small. It¡¯s because you¡¯re nervous.¡± It was as she said. Iris was feeling the coldness, as if ice was starting to freeze her with tension from the depths of her heart. Her tension was evident from her steps out of the east building. Thinking this shouldn¡¯t be the case, Iris stopped and took a deep breath. He will win. He will win. He has to win. This had never happened before crossing the North Gate. Since she did not avoid marriage in the first place, Hayer continued to stay at the Knights of Tejas garrison on the southern border. What if she hastened Hayer¡¯s death? If she had been a more tactful person, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen such a high-risk escape. Blaming herself, she headed to the tournament arena where the duel was to take place. In Luwan, a duel begins with jousting, and when one falls off the horse, a sword fight begins. A duel also had personal honour at stake, but it was also one of the few things enjoyed in Luwan. It was a duel between Hayer Asheri and Meppo Behad, who are said to be the strongest in Luwan. It even involved a fight between brothers over a woman. Word about the duel quickly spread throughout the capital, and all the nobles who could come came flocking. Among the citizens of the capital, those who could afford it also bought seats and came in. After checking the two knights, the onlookers immediately found the princess, who had split the brothers into a fight. Iris hardened her expression at the pouring attention. ¡°Is that the princess?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re a man, you¡¯ll want to fight at least once.¡± ¡°Just looking at how they fight, that princess is no ordinary wicked woman.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun when one of them dies!¡± The noisy voices made Iris¡¯s expression stiffen. Originally, the people of Luwan were far from good. When the weak fall, they get excited to jump in and beat them up; if they think they are different from them, they have no guilt in criticizing them and inflicting violence. Luwan, which she decided to protect, was a country of such people. Iris gripped her skirt tightly. She wanted to abandon everything right away and leave to a place where there were no humans. afterword iris is so valid i honestly wouldn¡¯t bother w these ppl like¡­ anyway the irrational part of me wants a hayer and iris victory smooch to happen but i know it won¡¯t CH 49 The chatter was offensive, so the Royal Knights went and punched. A fight broke out between the citizens and the Royal Knights. There were many citizens, but most of them backed down because they did not want to get entangled with the nobles, so some of the citizens who punched were dragged out. Since non-nobles were not imprisoned in the dungeon of the royal palace, they beat them up and kicked them out of the royal palace. After that, the spectators became quiet, but soon after when the duel began, they started shouting again in excitement. ¡°Kill! Kill him!¡± ¡°Hayer Asheri!¡± ¡°Meppo, Meppo!¡± The lances of the two knights made an unpleasant sound as they dragged on the stone floor. The spear techniques used by the two knights were completely different. Hayer used the royal technique of wielding the spear to secure distance, while Meppo used a stabbing-oriented technique. Iris noticed that Hayer was at a significant disadvantage in this fight. Hayer, unlike the people of the Lepos family, is unable to find a way or grasp the distance. So for him to use the royal technique, he couldn¡¯t use any of the advantages. There was not much difference from fighting with your eyes closed. However, Hayer seemed to have some kind of thought and was unable to let go of the spear. Meppo couldn¡¯t have missed that loophole, and poked the spear right into Hayer¡¯s gap. The tip of the spear narrowly grazed Heyer¡¯s cheek, and blood trickled down. Onlookers were extremely excited from the moment they saw the blood. ¡°Meppo Behad!¡± ¡°Meppo! Kill him!¡± Onlookers chanted Meppo¡¯s name. Seeing this, Sid found some composure and smiled leisurely. And said to Iris. ¡°Iris, why don¡¯t you give your lover some cheer? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll see him again after today.¡± The onlookers burst into laughter at Sid¡¯s words. Iris shouted at Hayer when he said she could cheer. ¡°Get off your horse, Hayer!¡± The moment he heard her voice, Meppo pierced Hayer¡¯s heart with the spear. However, he had already jumped off his horse and rolled on the floor before Iris had finished speaking. Meppo clicked his tongue and turned around. Hayer raised his sword this time. Meppo knew Hayer¡¯s spear skills would bring him to his death. He couldn¡¯t give up the spearmanship because he was unyielding, and Meppo was not satisfied that his opponent was fighting blindfolded in this duel of honor. But it was a kick that he didn¡¯t point out because it was his choice. Meppo, who turned his horse from afar, whipped his horse toward Hayer. At that moment, Hayer raised the sword with one hand that ordinary people could not hold with both hands. When he swung it in one big turn, the horse¡¯s leg fell over and Meppo fell to the ground. Since it was a duel of knights, Hayer stood and waited until Meppo got up from the ground and took his sword out. Thus, the full-fledged battle between the two knights with swords began. The onlookers clenched their sweaty fists at the scene that could not be seen anywhere else in the world. Every time the swords collided, the earth¡¯s axis shook. Then, due to Hayer¡¯s inhumane strength, the sword flew from Meppo¡¯s hand. Hayer gestured for a new sword, but Meppo clenched his fist instead and charged. Hayer did not refuse, and threw down his sword and accepted the brawl. The excitement of the spectators was at its peak. The fight to the death made the blood boil. ¡°Hayer!¡± ¡°Well done!¡± ¡°Ah, I can die now that I¡¯ve seen this!¡± The victory or defeat was going over to Hayer. It was because the strength he had was not something humans could produce by training. Meppo was reeling from a previous impact and got up. Still, the moment he gritted his teeth and attacked again, Hayer lifted him up and threw him against the stone wall of the arena. Meppo flew away, hitting his head against the wall, and passed out. It was Hayer Asheri¡¯s victory. ¡°Asheri! Asheri!¡± Everyone in the arena shouted Hayer Asheri¡¯s name. The Royal Knights immediately called a doctor to check Meppo¡¯s condition. Sid banged his fist on the table. He was also born strong enough to crack the wooden table, but a difference was felt from Hayer where he wouldn¡¯t even have to try. Sid, who was about to enter a fit of rage, looked down at Hayer¡¯s shoulder, which was slightly exposed as the button was torn off by Meppo. You wouldn¡¯t be able to see it from the front, but you could see the wound from where he and King Eswa were. ¡°Can you see it?¡± Sid carefully asked if he had noticed the wound too. Eswa replied. ¡°There was an injury.¡± Why are you hurt? Sid¡¯s questions about the injury temporarily relieved him of the terrible fact that he had lost the duel. As soon as the duel was over, Hayer staggered, then came to his senses and walked toward the servants. The water urgently handed over by the servants was poured from above his head. He had a fever all over his body. Every muscle felt alive. His subordinate grinned, understanding Hayer¡¯s feelings. ¡°Did you have that much fun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Indeed, Meppo was the best knight in Luwan. Hayer thought that Meppo¡¯s martial arts itself was better than his, although he only won by a difference in strength. Iris was seen standing in the distance as Hayer was cooling down. She couldn¡¯t approach Hayer and was staring at his wounds with a blank face. From the beginning, Hayer thought Iris was overly fond of him. It¡¯s their first time seeing each other, but it¡¯s like they knew each other. Her eyes, which were always cold, wavered only when she saw him. What should he think of this? Oddly enough, however, he often heard a voice in his mind telling him that he had to take a step away from her. Why? He always knew his weaknesses and strengths. He¡¯s never been ignorant of how he felt. Strangely, however, whenever he just looked at her, it felt like someone was pulling him from behind, telling him not to approach her. ¡°Get off your horse, Hayer!¡± He heard her voice. For him, royal spearsmanship had no merit. So he had to quickly throw away the spear and pick up the sword. His head knew he should, but his body refused. He hated King Eswa. Nevertheless, on the other hand, there was a desire to be recognized. But the moment Iris told him to get off his horse, he strangely escaped that desire for recognition. For a moment, her voice sounded like it belonged to a goddess to him. Like an order that should never be refused. As if she was the lord who he swore to as a knight. * * * Sid angrily threw the glass he was drinking towards the tournament grounds. The spectators laughed at the sound of the glass breaking on the floor. Then again, where in the world would there be a man who lost his woman and be okay? Even after the duel, Iris did not approach Hayer willingly. It was because of the tradition of dueling over a woman¡¯s love. The victor could ask the woman for a wish. The wish was almost one hundred percent a marriage proposal. It would be nice if the person you loved won the duel, but there were times when it wasn¡¯t. The wish was not necessarily granted since it was a ¡®request,¡¯ but it was practically impossible to refuse in front of numerous spectators, especially for aristocratic women. A duel was a violent form of trial. It was a duel in which the winner was absolutely right. Since Sid Lepos accepted the duel, Hayer was no longer the villain who stole his brother¡¯s woman. Hayer strode over when his eyes met hers. And he was looking straight into Iris¡¯s eyes. Hayer asked. ¡°Shall I propose?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t like it because I¡¯m still angry. I told you not to do it because it¡¯s dangerous, the duel.¡± Due to the heated duel, the tournament venue was almost filled with screaming cheers, so it was thought that no one would hear the conversation between the two. However, everyone in there had their ears open toward the two of them. They couldn¡¯t help but want to hear. Hayer continued. ¡°When will your anger go away?¡± ¡°Not today.¡± ¡°Then I will propose to you then.¡± ¡°Why not now?¡± When Iris asked, Hayer replied with a smile. ¡°If I propose to you here, you won¡¯t be able to refuse even if you want to.¡± He¡¯s good at making excuses. Without proposing, he just found a way out that Iris wouldn¡¯t be ashamed of. Iris laughed, and the cheers in the arena didn¡¯t subside easily. Both the 25-year-old Hayer and 19-year-old Hayer knew all too deeply that he had no intention of marrying her. Still, he is alive, and she has escaped her marriage to Sid. Although she didn¡¯t know how this would affect Luwan in the future. Iris soon smiled as if she had forgiven everything, and hugged Hayer¡¯s neck. Hayer also hugged Iris at her action to show off to the spectators. afterword oh my god this chapter was so good with us being able to see hayer¡¯s feelings more clearly (and him technically calling iris a GODDESS), with the duel (even if it was obvious who would win), and the giggle-worthy end there omg im kicking my feet CH 50 Meppo, who lost the duel, woke up late that night. He tried to get up, but his whole body was tied to the bed. Meppo¡¯s little brother said, looking down. ¡°You can¡¯t move because you hurt your head!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ okay, I won¡¯t move.¡± It was sad that he lost the duel, but he had no choice but to be treated in such a barbaric way. Meppo looked up at the ceiling in a sad state. At the last moment, Hayer relaxed his arm that threw Meppo. He threw him lightly. He let it slide, so to speak. If he was determined, if he had made up his mind to kill when he threw Meppo, he would have died with all his bones in his body crushed. Hayer Asheri had such terrifying strength. Lying in bed, he had no choice but to think. Now, in Luwan, he himself is missing in the ¡®Knights in the Top Three Fingers.¡¯ There are only two fingers left. The loser of the duel will not be beaten no matter how strong the force is. It was nice, three fingers. It looked cool¡­ While Meppo was depressed, he breathed a sigh of relief that Hayer did not kill him. An ordinary knight would have made a fuss to nullify the duel, saying he let himself go. However, for Meppo, who lost his parents early and had to take care of his two younger siblings, being alive felt like a gift from God. In any case, he was worried about whether he could continue working for the Royal Knights. Having lost the duel, Sid Lepos will try to slaughter him when he sees him. To be a knight is to vow absolute obedience to your lord, but Meppo could not suppress all his dissatisfaction with his next lord. While he was thinking that, the leader of the Royal Knights, Kernin Lepos, entered Meppo¡¯s room. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Captain. I lost¡­¡± ¡°That bastard Sid, I think he was trying to kill my illegitimate daughter. He made her have a child.¡± What sort of appalling noise is this? Meppo¡¯s eyes widened. First, he was surprised for two reasons. One was because Sid, who he originally thought was a promiscuous man, was more promiscuous than he thought, and the other was because Kernin, who was his superior but was not much different from Sid, was talking about his illegitimate daughter as if she were a child he cared for very much. Kernin wasn¡¯t that affectionate to his own children either. The bastard, the illegitimate daughter, he had no interest in them and even disliked them. So this wasn¡¯t an interest. He just found a reason to push Sid Lepos out of the race for succession someday. Meppo knew that the breakup of Sid¡¯s marriage with Iris would have a tremendous impact on Sid¡¯s position in the future. For the time being, the three great noble families who see Iris as the legitimate line of descent will no longer support Sid. That means Sid is no longer the perfect heir to the throne, and Kernin also has a chance. From the moment his older brother, King Eswa, was revealed to be the son of a mistress, he had thought of that position as his own. To lose the throne to a bastard. How can something so disgusting happen? Kernin asked. ¡°How strong is Hayer?¡± ¡°That¡­ The captain will be stronger.¡± These were not empty words. It¡¯s because there won¡¯t be a one-on-one match in the first place, but Hayer, who just had his 19th birthday, lacked experience. No, actually, it was a certain kind of experience. Hayer wasn¡¯t experienced with cutting people. The main task of the Royal Knights was to protect the royal family. Therefore, they often stained their swords with human blood. However, on the contrary, Hayer did not want to kill people when facing them because he dealt with monsters, or he tried to minimize the pain even if he killed them. Conversely, Kernin attacked to kill his opponent from the first to the last sword. If the two were to fight right now, Hayer would surely die by Kernin¡¯s sword. Kernin said, looking down at Meppo. ¡°You didn¡¯t attack his left shoulder.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. It looked injured.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just like you.¡± That was never a compliment. He¡¯s going to die now¡­ Meppo resented Hayer for not killing him for a moment because the future was visible, but as soon as he recalled the faces of his two younger siblings again, all that resentment disappeared. Kernin was about to leave, but stopped and asked Meppo again. ¡°How did Iris Lepos look?¡± ¡°She¡­¡± Meppo recalled the duel. She shouted clearly to get off the horse. Meppo said. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem impotent, and she certainly didn¡¯t look like someone to take lightly.¡± Kernin had no answer. He had no interest in Iris Lepos from the beginning. But¡­ Then he went on. ¡°I don¡¯t think she wanted to accept the marriage proposal from that bastard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He thought it would be necessary to discuss it, but Meppo decided not to be honest. We need to eat and live. ¡°It looked like it to me too.¡± ¡°Indeed. Unless you¡¯re crazy, I wouldn¡¯t try to marry a man who doesn¡¯t even know who his father is.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, Captain. Are there really no rumours about who Lord Hayer¡¯s biological father is?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± As long as Kernin was interested in the throne, he couldn¡¯t help but be interested in who Hayer¡¯s biological father was. It was hard to deny that Hayer Asheri was the most likely candidate to succeed to the throne other than Sid and Kernin. Until a sage confirms Hayer¡¯s biological father. Meppo said. ¡°Captain, I think you need a sage to get to the position safely. I¡¯ll try¡­¡± While saying he would go find it, Meppo sighed when he found that his body was tied to the bed. Either way, he lost. He felt depressed for a while. * * * Iris woke up to the voice of her mother, Celios. ¡°Iris, get up now. We have to prepare for the luncheon.¡± ¡°¡­Did we have an appointment?¡± When Iris asked, unable to fully open her eyes, Celios excitedly said. ¡°It¡¯s the day after the duel. What do you need an appointment for? We can just eat in the garden, and if there¡¯s someone we like, we can bring them to the table.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many days in life when you become the main character like today.¡± She seemed happy that she was the main character, but it was true that Iris needed a meeting in the royal palace, so she got up. When Iris casually rubbed her arm, Annie came and dragged her to the chair and sat her down. Then she pressed her shoulder and said. ¡°Your shoulder muscles are very tense.¡± Annie rubbed something like a rolling pin on her shoulder to loosen it up, but it didn¡¯t heal easily. Iris sighed and muttered, feeling pathetic. ¡°Why does it hurt so much when I didn¡¯t even fight the duel¡­?¡± ¡°You were nervous of course! You were nervous when you saw it from afar. Of course, you didn¡¯t think our young master would lose, but that¡¯s how a human feels, right?¡± Iris nodded as she listened to Annie talking next to her. When she came outside, the luncheon table was already set up. To her, her mother was a good learner. Of course, it was very far from being personally good, but it was showing what it was like to focus only on what you wanted to get. Iris sat down and looked for the people who she had to greet in the royal palace one by one. All of them were necessary to keep Luwan alive. Acting politically without appearing overly political was too difficult for her, who had lived in isolation for most of her life. If it were in the north, there would still be a snowstorm, but spring was already sprouting in the garden facing the east wing. When dessert and tea were served on the table, Celios¡¯s selection of people appeared from then on. Iris sighed when she saw the group of women approaching. ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean? I called them because I thought you were having fun at the party.¡± Where on earth did that expression look like she was having fun? Celios tended to judge other people¡¯s feelings at her own discretion, as she lived her whole life in a position where she did not have to be self-conscious of others. Is it just a feeling? In everything in the world, Celios put her opinion first. Iris looked wearily at Rosen Lepos¡¯s group, who had been enjoying the lewd talk at the last party, as they approached the table. afterword oh hell¡­ im gonna hate next chapter so bad ugh celios and those stupid ladies are so annoying nooo i hope hayer comes in to save her (which satisfies the ladies and their weird delusions too so killing two birds with one stone!) CH 51 ¡°Iris!¡± ¡°I enjoyed the duel yesterday. I¡¯ve never been so nervous in my life!¡± Fortunately, because Celios was there, no one started talking about sleeping from the beginning. Iris was relieved on one hand, but at the same time worried about how to get out of here or send them away. In any case, Celios¡¯s executive ability was great. It was just yesterday that the duel was won, but she prepared a tea time to welcome an unspecified number of guests today. Celios, who knew most of the people walking around the palace, quickly set up another table and left, but Iris was left behind to Rosen¡¯s group. As expected, as soon as Celios left, the question came up. ¡°So where did you sleep last night?¡± ¡°How can you ask me that again?¡± ¡°No, did I ask you anything special? Where did you sleep?¡± It started. Iris let out a low sigh and pointed her hand to the east building room where she stayed. ¡°There.¡± ¡°My goodness, oh dear.¡± It sounded like a voice of pity for some reason, and one of the noblewomen in the group said. ¡°It¡¯s a bit weird to call a lover where your mother is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. That¡¯s for me to take care of.¡± Iris tried to restrain herself, but the opponent did not back down. ¡°No! You can¡¯t possibly do it. Lord Hayer has a house on the outskirts of the capital, and Miss Iris is staying here in the east building¡­¡± ¡°Even the house on the outskirts of the capital is used by knights, so isn¡¯t it smelly? Seriously, where do you meet!¡± The talking here and there at the same time made her dizzy. Iris was originally a person who felt exhaustion from speaking. She felt dizzy trying to focus on everyone¡¯s words, thinking she was in a situation where she had to answer. Then the woman sitting diagonally from her asked. ¡°So when will he propose?¡± Iris paused at that question. Where there was the duel, there was no marriage proposal. So it wasn¡¯t a perfect duel. Celios at the other table could hear what was being said. ¡°Absolutely not. With someone who doesn¡¯t even know who my daughter is? I know he¡¯s strong. But if it doesn¡¯t work, it doesn¡¯t work.¡± Celios was making excuses for her daughter¡¯s failure to receive a proposal. In any case, Celios was right about today¡¯s luncheon. If you were just in the room doing nothing, people who talked enough about the fight the day before would have started to talk about why there was no proposal. Iris looked down at her tea and was lost in thought. Is there any reason to meet with Hayer now? She was with him in the name of avoiding marriage. But now that the marriage was over, there was no justification to go around with Hayer. If she doesn¡¯t ask to meet him, he won¡¯t come looking for her. Because it was a completely one-sided feeling. ¡°The sort of relationship I have with Hayer¡­¡± Tired of people¡¯s questions, she was going to honestly say that she had nothing to do with Hayer. She heard a voice next to her. ¡°What kind of relationship?¡± Hayer was leaning toward Iris and asking. Iris looked up at Hayer and asked with surprised eyes. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see how you¡¯re spending your first day out of an unwanted marriage. It¡¯s all thanks to me.¡± Hayer said that, then wrapped Iris¡¯s head in his hand, turned it toward him, and said, looking into her eyes. ¡°Your lashes are stuck, can I remove them?¡± Iris closed her eyes on impulse, and Hayer removed the lashes near her tear ducts. The eldest of the group who was watching it said. ¡°If you don¡¯t have a place to stay together, I¡¯ll lend you my villa. After all, neither the place where your mother lives or the house where the Knights stay in will be romantic.¡± Hayer smiled, moderately aware of the atmosphere of the gathering. Then he asked Iris. ¡°Shall we take a walk in the royal palace?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my tea yet.¡± When Iris showed him the teacup as if she had just received it, the group of people at the same table gave her a look. It was a glance to go on a date quickly. Iris got up as if she had been waiting, wanting to get away from this table. In the meantime, Hayer gulped down the tea Iris left behind. Iris asked, her eyes round. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I heard you had tea left?¡± Then he picked up cookies in his handkerchief, wrapped them, and gestured to go. Iris, abashed, crossed her arms and said. ¡°Go, then.¡± When she said so, Hayer smiled and headed to the carriage. Following him, Iris looked back at the table and greeted them, and the mouths of the people in the gathering moved. She couldn¡¯t read it, but it was clear that it would be lewd talk. Hayer, who looked back when Iris sighed, figured it out. ¡°They say my butt is pretty. Of course they¡¯re talking about my butt.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s noisy.¡± ¡°That makes me proud.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Iris slapped him on the arm. Hayer said he would not do it anymore, closed his mouth, and held out a cookie wrapped in a handkerchief. After getting out of there for a while, Iris said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thankful for, but can you take me to your room for a minute?¡± At his words, Iris looked at Hayer. Now that she¡¯s checked, he was struggling for the first time since she saw him. It was like a flu. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Iris asked urgently. ¡°The whole body.¡± The aftereffects of the duel the previous day had not subsided. After all, he had a duel with an opponent who couldn¡¯t let his guard down even for a moment, so it was no wonder that his body was so sore here and there. Iris hurriedly ran around the building so as not to be caught entering her room by that group gathering. ¡°Why are you here when it¡¯s so difficult? Can you move?¡± ¡°The duel I fought for you is over, but it would look strange if I didn¡¯t visit you the next day.¡± ¡°I can just go find you if my body is fine.¡± Hayer furrowed his brows at Iris¡¯s words and scolded her. ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s about letting the man come.¡± It was a duel done solely out of a favour, but Hayer was paying the utmost attention to the people¡¯s eyes toward Iris. Iris asked, trying hard to ignore her tickling heart. ¡°Do you want me to massage you? Annie gave me a massage with a rolling pin earlier.¡± At her words, Hayer glanced at Iris¡¯s arm and said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be satisfactory.¡± ¡°¡­Still, it¡¯s better than not doing it.¡± ¡°Then, please take this arm.¡± Iris looked at him as if she wanted to be helpful, so Hayer threw his arm out like throwing a toy to a child. Iris used her strength to massage Hayer¡¯s arm, and perhaps because of her hard work, it felt satisfactory to Hayer. Hayer brought a cookie to Iris¡¯s mouth, who was moving slowly but diligently in her own way. Iris, who inadvertently took a bite, paused. Hayer said after Iris put the remaining cookie in her mouth. ¡°The Knights will be delighted if I bring you.¡± Iris munched on the cookie that suddenly came into her mouth. And when she casually turned to where Sid was staying, he was looking out, as expected. Hayer seemed to have done it knowing that his brother was watching him. The two people cautiously entered the room where Iris was staying. Iris said, pointing to her bed. ¡°You can lie down.¡± However, Hayer pointed his chin at the sofa, as if a woman¡¯s bed was burdensome. ¡°That will do.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s too small for you.¡± Iris grabbed Hayer by the collar as he tried to go to the sofa and laid him back on the bed. Iris opened the bag containing her belongings to treat him while he was here. Iris said as she prepared for the treatment. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m not getting married, so you don¡¯t have to hide me anymore.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to be with you anymore¡­¡± Hayer paused at Iris¡¯s words as she said that. Is that so? He rubbed the nape of his neck in bewilderment. He fought the duel to keep Iris from getting married, which she hated. But after that, he never thought about it. Was there no reason for us to go around together? Hayer was feeling the aftereffects of using up 10 days of energy at once for the previous day. Meppo Behad was that much of a difficult opponent. And he was a man who had to be in Luwan. In any case, he was so distracted that he couldn¡¯t figure out what to say to her right away. Marriage proposal. Do I have to propose to be with you? No¡­ why am I trying to be with you? afterword the first person pronouns threw me off at the end lol but OMG THIS CHAPTER NAURRR IM KICKING MY FEET CH 52 Iris, unaware of Hayer¡¯s confusion, considered it as affirmation since he, who was always sly, didn¡¯t speak. She went on. ¡°I guess you thought so too. But¡­¡± ¡°Ah. Wound. You have to continue treating the wound.¡± Hayer said, putting his hand on his left shoulder. ¡°You certainly aren¡¯t stopping my treatment just because I won the duel and you avoided marriage, are you?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± Iris nodded belatedly. ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s fun hanging out with you.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fun. Thanks to you, didn¡¯t I surpass Sir Meppo? I¡¯ll never forget it.¡± ¡°How anxious the people¡¯s hearts were to watch¡­¡± Hayer paused at her words. The spectators there, both nobles and ordinary citizens, were all cheering excitedly. He didn¡¯t think there were people who were anxious about getting hurt. Well, she told him not to fight in the first place because she was afraid he would get hurt¡­ While Hayer was thinking, Iris said. ¡°When your body recovers, please go to Everhart with me.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take you anywhere.¡± ¡°When can we go to Everhart?¡± ¡°We can go right away.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll go right away. I was almost out of medicine, so I¡¯ll have to buy new ones.¡± Iris took out her medicine. In fact, she wanted to talk about the schedule after that, too. There were so many places she wanted to say let¡¯s go together to. But at the same time, she thought there would be an end to this meeting someday. She smiled for now to lighten up this moment. Then she checked Hayer¡¯s wound. The injury still showed no improvement. Hayer only said that it seems to be progressing, and that it has a pain-relieving effect. There was no change that Iris could actually see with her eyes. Iris thought it would be nice if that wound could be transferred to herself even a little bit. She slowly applied the medicine to Hayer¡¯s shoulder. Originally, his body was very strong, but his swollen muscles after the duel the previous day were so big that his body looked even more inhuman. Iris said, removing her hand from the wound. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Hair, do you want to touch it?¡± Iris paused and asked back. ¡°Pardon?¡± Hayer gestured with his chin at the wall at her words. There was a mirror where Hayer pointed. She must have been staring at his hair without realizing it. Iris¡¯s fingertips trembled when she realized that he was looking at her expression in that mirror. ¡°Iris?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris.¡± It was only after Hayer called out her name twice that Iris looked at him. Hayer took her hand and brought it to his head. ¡°You can touch it if you want to.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can even propose to you if you want.¡± His words startled Iris and she came to her senses. ¡°You would propose?¡± ¡°Ever since the day of the duel, your expression has been strange¡­¡± Hayer turned and sat down, looking at Iris, and continued. ¡°I was wondering if it bothered you that I didn¡¯t propose to you in front of the people.¡± ¡°If it bothers me? You¡¯re proposing to me because of that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡± Hayer shrugged his shoulders. Then he crossed his arms and continued. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if I propose to you. If I do, your mother, Lord Kernin, and the king will go crazy, and that¡¯s the problem.¡± Iris kept her mouth shut. ¡°If I care about you, I¡¯m a bastard who doesn¡¯t even know the face of my biological father, and doesn¡¯t know who¡¯s the jerk I should hit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It was something that adults used to say when I was young.¡± Hayer continued. ¡°On the contrary, those who care about you or say that you are close to the throne, will object because you are too precious, because you are a woman with a noble lineage that does not suit me.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Iris laughed despondently. Hayer also forgot that feelings like love would be the reason for marriage. Isn¡¯t he also someone who grew up in the royal palace as the second son of the king? Love is probably not the main reason for marriage. Love is probably the main reason¡­ Iris, who had been thinking to herself like that, paused. ¡°Don¡¯t love me then. Never.¡± Love wouldn¡¯t be the main reason for marriage, but he told her not to love him. Hayer stood up as her expression changed rapidly, unreadable and complex. Then he grabbed Iris¡¯s faltering arm. Iris was lost in her memories, unaware that Hayer was holding her. Maybe the 25-year-old Hayer had a lover who he really, really loved to death. So there was a possibility that he told Iris not to love him because it was not her. But to the extent that a person who likes jokes leaves like that instead of joking. Joke. A joke. He was originally a man who left jokes. Iris sat down, covering her neck with both hands in a feeling of incomprehensible frustration. Why on earth did you leave such a comment? I have to cross the North Gate alone. I can¡¯t do anything. I¡¯ve lived like a bird in a cage in only two places, a convent and a royal palace, all my life. If you open the door to a bird in a cage, how far can it go? For three months, the Knights of Tejas had taught her how to fly, but her wings may have already deteriorated. Why did I cross the North Gate? Let¡¯s run together one more time. If we had run out of breath to the North Gate, we might have both crossed it somehow. After crossing the North Gate, she had trouble sleeping almost every day. Her mind always thought of Hayer because of insomnia, but that wasn¡¯t all. When she closed her eyes, she saw countless Luwans¡¯ heads rolling on the snow. She saw their faces. She remembered the people she couldn¡¯t protect, frozen with a frightened look on their faces. They appeared in Iris¡¯s dreams every day. On their way to the North Gate, the Knights of Tejas were brave people who were afraid of nothing, but no one escaped the nightmares in their head. Not out of fear. They are not so weak that they have nightmares out of fear. The nightmares of the Knights of Tejas came from a sense of guilt that they couldn¡¯t keep. But what about herself? Those faces frighten her just by closing her eyes. If they were alive, they certainly would have hated the incompetent, weak, pathetic queen. Why did I, who was nothing, cross the North Gate. Every day, she was trampled under a rocky weight. Knowing that Iris¡¯s mental state was wavering, Hayer first got dressed and then hugged her. Then he pressed her small head tightly against him with his hand. She would fall into a deeper sleep when she covered herself with a heavy blanket. For similar reasons, Iris calmed down a bit. It wasn¡¯t until a while later that Iris noticed Hayer was hugging her tightly, and she asked him. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m holding you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess you should explain.¡± He said that and gently stroked Iris¡¯s back. And when he patted her back as if to soothe a child, Iris burst into laughter and smiled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but I think I did it, so I¡¯m taking responsibility.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After she seemed to have somewhat calmed down, Hayer bent down deeply and asked, looking Iris in the eyes. ¡°Do you believe in something like love?¡± ¡°¡­Do you not believe it?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t really believe it.¡± Iris¡¯s clear blue eyes widened at his absurd words. She couldn¡¯t believe that someone who receives love wherever he goes in the world doesn¡¯t believe in love. Hayer laughed when Iris made a sympathetic face, wondering if it was because of his bad childhood. ¡°Do you feel sorry?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a reason. It¡¯s just that love seems so meaningless.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What do you think? Do you believe me?¡± Iris, who was hesitating at Hayer¡¯s question, nodded. ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can give you my life too.¡± Hayer paused at her words. It was because, in his eyes, Iris seemed to be thinking of someone. afterword tears were shed in this chapter im so glad the author delved deeper into iris¡¯s pain from her last life¡­ hayer comforting her (albeit it was his fault /hj) ugh the hug was so tende CH 53 ¡°Oh, who¡¯s the lucky guy?¡± ¡°Hm. Well.¡± ¡°Is it someone I know?¡± ¡°Someone you know, but have never met.¡± Saying that, Iris looked up at Hayer again. She wondered if he was joking when he told her not to love him, but it didn¡¯t seem like it. Because it wasn¡¯t funny. Hayer must have prepared a lifetime of jokes to throw at the moment of death. He meant it. Iris reversed what she¡¯d assumed he¡¯d said because he never had feelings for her. Hayer Asheri, 19, is a man who doesn¡¯t believe in love. Hayer Asheri, 25, was a man who left a joke-like will not to love him at the moment of his death. Iris wanted to talk to her 25-year-old first love even for a day. Iris said to Hayer. ¡°Grow up quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such a thing in my life.¡± ¡°Not the stature.¡± ¡°There are times when I¡¯m a little childish.¡± Hayer nodded in agreement. Despite being so relaxed, Hayer wouldn¡¯t let Iris go out of his arms for a while. It seemed to bother him a lot that she stumbled. He carefully helped Iris to her bed for a moment. Then he lay down next to her and said. ¡°I hope you never let another man fall for you again. It was fun during the duel, but my body hurts so much.¡± Iris, who was listening to his scolding, collapsed on the bed tiredly and said. ¡°Sid never fell for me in the first place.¡± ¡°Maybe. It seems to me that¡­ well, what would I know about my older brother?¡± Hayer shrugged his shoulders as he said so. Then he turned to Iris and said. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about unlucky blokes.¡± His words made Iris laugh softly. Hayer laughed along and said. ¡°You know your nose crinkles a little when you¡¯re really having fun?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Only when it¡¯s really fun.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be obvious when I fake a smile. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You said, there may be a day when the Sieres won¡¯t be able to live in Siere. I want to prepare for that day.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a great person, but it¡¯s true that there¡¯s more to being a royal.¡± Because Hayer nodded and listened well, Iris was able to confide in him a little bit of her insecurities. * * * ¡°Someone you know, but have never met.¡± As soon as Iris said that, Hayer barely managed to control the strength in his hands, without realizing it. Someone else? He figured Iris might have liked him to some degree in any case. No wonder, since the affectionate look in her eyes was easy to recognize. It was like that when she met the Knights of Tejas, and when she met him. He thought that her feelings were permeated through her affectionate eyes, making the viewer feel it. The Tejas Knights were like a disorderly flock of crows when Hayer first joined them. All kinds of poor people who wandered around the world gathered because he said he would see only their skills without any status, past¡ªnothing. Aside from Annamaria, whose village was burned at the hands of a lord, there was no story that was not heartbreaking when they started unravelling it. They quickly accepted Iris into the Knights. They also knew that Iris showed strangely affectionate feelings toward them. So he was sure that her eyes showed romantic interest. Hayer was embarrassed by the fact that it might not be. He didn¡¯t crave her love, but¡­ While thinking so, Hayer briefly opened his eyes. Then he covered his mouth with one hand. He saw Iris¡¯s face right in front of him, sleeping soundly. When he looked out the window, the sun had already set and the white moon was shining. ¡°¡­I¡¯m crazy, I am.¡± When Hayer tried to get up, Iris¡¯s hand, which was overlapped on his arm, moved and held it tightly. Hayer eventually couldn¡¯t take her hand off and returned to bed and laid down. ¡°¡­I will be in a lot of trouble if you do this.¡± He tried to wriggle a little to get her hand out, but it didn¡¯t come off easily. In fact, there¡¯s nothing that¡¯s easy in the world if you try to take it out, but this was very difficult. After barely managing to pull her hand out, he hurriedly got dressed. It didn¡¯t matter if he fell asleep here, but it may not be good for Iris¡¯s reputation. After getting ready to go out, he looked at Iris and saw that she was deeply asleep with a comfortable face. ¡°You¡¯re sleeping well.¡± Hayer was fascinated by Iris, who slept like that while he was so frantic next to her, and after he gently swept her hair, he left the bedroom. Passing through the hallway, muffling the sound of footsteps, he encountered Celios walking from the opposite side and froze. ¡°Lord Hayer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt. Nothing really happened.¡± Hayer immediately bowed his head and said that, but Celios had a firm expression. She said. ¡°Follow me this way.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hayer followed Celios into a nearby drawing room. Celios opened her mouth. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My daughter may end up fighting for the throne, and is meeting someone like you who doesn¡¯t even know whose son he is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer was perplexed. Of course, he was used to hearing it because he heard it so much since he was young, but now something was different. It was strangely unpleasant. Celios continued. ¡°Give up. Don¡¯t hang out with her. At least, try again after finding out who your father is.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Personally, now that the marriage between Iris and Sid has been settled, I would like you to leave for the post of the Knights of Tejas in the south.¡± Hayer was staring blankly at Celios Lepos when she said that. Iris said very little about her mother. It would have been surprising if the abandoned child met her mother for the first time in 19 years. Parenthood was a very vague concept to Hayer, since his mother had been half out of her mind since he was about ten, and he didn¡¯t know who his father was. However, Hencke of the Knights of Tejas greatly sympathized as soon as he heard about Iris¡¯s mother, Celios Lepos. ¡°My parents are just like that. If I had to choose between living in disgrace or dying honorably, my parents would push me down the cliff to die honorably.¡± And after being pushed off the cliff and swept into the sea, it was Hencke who miraculously survived and joined the Knights of Tejas. Hencke¡¯s explanation made it relatively easy for Hayer to figure out his aunt. Celios continued. ¡°In the first place, my daughter is an ambitious child. Even if she¡¯s into playing house with you now, she¡¯ll eventually meet a decent man.¡± ¡°Aunt, there are not many decent men like me in Luwan. Of course, I don¡¯t know my father¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t answer in jest.¡± ¡°Iris doesn¡¯t like me.¡± It¡¯s a shocking fact that he found out today. Hayer continued. ¡°Iris likes someone else I know but never met.¡± ¡°But why are you in Iris¡¯s room¡­ Ah.¡± As if Celios accepted it, she said in a ridiculous way. ¡°Where did the guy who grew up in a convent get so cheeky?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know why people kept thinking that Iris dragged him into bed and played with him at will. The Knights of Tejas did the same, and Celios seemed to expect it as soon as she heard it. No, isn¡¯t it more likely that a convent-raised guy would get ripped off rather than the other way around? He didn¡¯t know why on earth they gave this perception. Of course, it¡¯s because Iris is beautiful, as the Knights say. Before Hayer could give a firm explanation, Celios nodded as if she understood now. ¡°For some reason, Iris seems to get along with the kids who are particularly fond of dirty talk. Yes, you have to have a common ground in order to become friends.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the friends who paired with her at noon earlier, Iris doesn¡¯t like them. Not even friends.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anyone like Iris who shows their true feelings in their eyes? Please pay more attention, Aunt.¡± When Hayer said that, Celios sighed. ¡°Wait. So, you¡¯re saying my daughter doesn¡¯t like you, and she¡¯s not attracted to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why did I keep hold of you now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my question.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll give you a place to stay, so you can sleep.¡± Celios spoke coyly and disappeared. Heyer found the whole situation absurd and stood there laughing for a while. afterword celios ur such a hag stop projecting ur wishes onto ur kid ur a shitty mom! anyway hayer u do crave iris and her love stop denying it u buffoon xoxo CH 54 When Iris woke up the next morning, she moved her body around in wonder. It was the first morning since she had crossed the North Gate that she had slept so well with no headache or even the slightest bit of fatigue. ¡°How did I fall asleep¡­?¡± She remembered falling asleep while talking to Hayer, but she couldn¡¯t remember the moment she fell asleep. ¡®When did Hayer go?¡¯ Iris left the room, trying to recall the night before. Then, she saw Hayer leaning on the railing of the stairs on the first floor. ¡°Hayer.¡± Hayer looked up at the sound of him being called. Then he grumbled as he climbed the stairs. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask to go to Everhart today? You¡¯re not ready at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What should I do¡­ Do you know why I slept so well?¡± At Iris¡¯s half-asleep words, Hayer asked again, puzzled. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± ¡°Since the day I came out of the convent, I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep, but yesterday I slept really well for the first time. I was wondering what happened¡­ I haven¡¯t had enough sleep in a while.¡± She was asking Hayer why she had slept well, talking nonsense. Hayer, who learned that she hadn¡¯t slept well for the first time, furrowed his brows without realizing it. ¡°We just fell asleep while talking together. I woke up in the middle and left.¡± ¡°¡­Together? To¡ªtogether?¡± ¡°Yes. Face to face. I almost couldn¡¯t leave because you were tightly holding on to me with your hand.¡± When Hayer took her hand and even reenacted it, Iris blushed with embarrassment. She sighed deeply and turned around and said. ¡°Please wait in the carriage. I¡¯ll be out shortly.¡± Iris quickly returned to her bedroom. Hayer looked at her back with a smile and stood on the stairs, waiting for Iris to get ready to go out. Then, looking back at her room, he murmured. ¡°What on earth do you mean you can¡¯t sleep well?¡± For Hayer, who always sleeps so deeply that he feels refreshed when he wakes up, it was a concern that she couldn¡¯t sleep well. Fortunately, Iris was soon ready to go out. After a while, a carriage with two people came out of the royal palace. Passing through the streets of the capital, Iris could see that her and Hayer¡¯s story was being talked about everywhere, even if they didn¡¯t want to listen. The passing children were fighting with each other over who should play the role of Hayer Asheri. ¡°I¡¯m Hayer Asheri!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re Meppo Behad!¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny, you¡¯re both Sid Lepos.¡± Hayer, who was sitting in the carriage and listening to the same thing, murmured. ¡°It¡¯s a response I¡¯ve never received even when I was risking my life to stop the monsters.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Iris also nodded, feeling the contradiction. Then she burst into laughter and covered her face with her hands and said. ¡°No one wants to play Sid.¡± ¡°The man who lost the woman he was going to marry to his younger brother and sent his proxy to the duel? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll play that role even if I¡¯m seven years old.¡± Iris nodded in agreement with Hayer¡¯s words. And asked him. ¡°Does your body seem fine after a day?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very good.¡± ¡°I really like it too. For the first time in a while.¡± ¡°If I helped you sleep, let¡¯s do it next time. I¡¯ll sleep without moving.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it if I really can¡¯t sleep.¡± Iris answered seriously. Her sound sleep yesterday was so sweet that she was taking Hayer¡¯s teasing seriously. Hayer, who had no idea that she was suffering from insomnia to such an extent, became perplexed and asked. ¡°Have you been sleeping that badly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to sleep well in a while. It might sound like an excuse for someone who woke up late, but¡­¡± Iris was ashamed to speak, thinking what a big deal it was that she couldn¡¯t sleep, but Hayer was listening intently to her the whole time. For him, ¡®sleeping well¡¯ seemed to be a very important thing. Meanwhile, the carriage entered Everhart. Iris has been checking the sky since reaching Everhart. It was because she wished it would rain. When it rains in Everhart¡¯s large market, a spectacular view unfolds. It was while opening the tents that each merchant had. Merchants from various countries set up unique tents reflecting their culture and made umbrellas for passers-by. Everhart¡¯s market was the only place in Luwan, which was extremely closed to religion, where any religion and culture could be mixed. By the time Iris and Hayer got off, the sky was already dark. Iris entered the market thinking it might rain soon. When she entered the flower shop, the florist treated Iris with all her heart, as if she had remembered her as the guest buying many of the same flowers before. In particular, while wrapping the flowers, they served snacks made in their own country and they were very sweet and delicious. There was a strong fruity aroma. When she bought the flowers and went outside, Hayer beckoned to her. ¡°Iris, come here.¡± When Iris went to where she was beckoned to at Hayer¡¯s words, there was a circus billboard. Iris said in wonder. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before. I¡¯ve only heard of it.¡± ¡°Although performers are sometimes called to the palace, I¡¯ve never seen a mobile circus like this before. Shall we go later?¡± Iris nodded at his words. Iris had never been to a place where there was no problem even if she didn¡¯t go, except for ¡®places to go,¡¯ such as a theatre or boating. Somehow, it felt like she was on a date with Hayer, so she was excited. Hayer said. ¡°Then let¡¯s quickly go to Everhart Street first.¡± ¡¶t/n: street, road, avenue, etc. idk which one¡· ¡°Yes.¡± Iris nodded and followed Hayer. Having never seen a circus before, she looked around the circus tent several times out of curiosity. Hayer asked Iris as they headed to Everhart Street. ¡°So, what brings you to Everhart Street?¡± ¡°Ah. Dane came to see me. He wondered if I could know the news about Everhart¡¯s eldest son, an old friend of Sandra Hall¡¯s.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Hayer continued with a click of his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m not very close with the people in that house.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not cursing because he died early, but the second son of that family was really human trash.¡± As if having a bad memory, Hayer followed Iris with a disapproving look on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± For Iris, Hayer¡¯s companionship was reassuring, so there was no reason to refuse. Not long after they entered Everhart Castle, the head, Eggers Everhart, appeared. He seemed uncomfortable with Iris¡¯s visit, who was getting closer to the throne, and Hayer, who he didn¡¯t know when he would turn everything over. Eggers Everhart was a man in his mid-sixties with a strict impression, and though the glasses neutralized the strict look, he made the people around him nervous. Eggers Everhart, who was skinny, walked up to the two and asked. ¡°Why are you two here?¡± Everhart was a trading city where gold was deposited and its value could be written down and used as currency. As befits the head of a place like that, Eggers was calculatung things as soon as they appeared. From the beginning, he was of the faction that didn¡¯t care which side became king, Sid or Iris. But in any case, when he had to choose between the two, he thought Iris was the right choice. It was not for any particular reason. They were very sensitive to the rise and fall in gold prices, and it seemed that the day Sid was born was the day when gold prices were lowest. On the contrary, the gold on the day Iris was born was a medium price. Iris said, facing the mysterious gaze of Eggers. ¡°I¡¯m here to meet Ruben Everhart.¡± ¡°¡­The princess wants Ruben?¡± There was no point of contact between Ruben Everhart and Iris Lepos, so it was natural for Eggers to be curious. Iris brought out the words she had prepared. ¡°As you know, didn¡¯t the royal family borrow a lot of money from Everhart?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If I were to become king, I would have to pay back all the money¡­ To be honest, this doesn¡¯t seem like money that can be repaid in a year or two. I¡¯ll have to pay it back by maintaining a friendly relationship with Everhart for a long time. So, firstly, I came to greet the future successor candidate of the Everhart family in advance.¡± Hayer was amazed to see how thoroughly Iris made it up. Usually, she seemed like a person who was far from a liar, but when it became necessary, she lied skillfully. It was to the point where he was slightly concerned that he shouldn¡¯t trust Iris this much. afterword i hope they have enough time for their circus date LOL (they do) CH 55 Then Eggers Everhart said. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really, this is the first time.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Eggers Everhart took a deep breath and asked Iris if he could hold her hand. When Iris agreed, Eggers said, holding her hand in both hands. ¡°Until now¡­ no one in the royal family has offered to pay back the money they borrowed from Everhart.¡± The words made Iris¡¯s brows furrow. ¡°No one?¡± ¡°Yes. So when the princess said this, it really brought tears to my eyes. Really, really, we will wholeheartedly support the princess from now on.¡± Hayer burst into laughter at the appearance of Eggers Everhart, who appeared with a fierce face and changed his attitude when Iris said she was planning to repay the debt. Iris, on the other hand, was very shocked that no one in the royal family had ever tried to repay Everhart¡¯s debts. Eggers Everhart immediately took the party into Everhart¡¯s castle. But as soon as Iris was about to walk, Hayer suddenly hugged her body. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Eggers turned around and said. ¡°You are Sir Hayer Asheri, indeed. I see you¡¯ve noticed.¡± When Eggers pressed down on a brick, a huge iron mace bounced in front of them, swinging in a semicircle. Eggers first checked the position of the mace and said, crossing the aisle. ¡°My family has so many precious things¡­ to catch the intruders¡­¡± Eggers stopped talking. Hayer was holding the mace and blocking it with his hand, as if he didn¡¯t like Iris dangerously passing through the place where the mace was. It was a tremendous strength. Eggers had never thought that was possible before. He reflected on the fact that he had been prepared only for ordinary enemies so far. There were monsters like Hayer Asheri in this world. He summoned the two people into the drawing room, thinking that other measures should be taken. While sharing tea lightly, a boy who looked no more than three years old ran into the drawing room. Eggers said, hugging the boy. ¡°My youngest son. He will succeed Everhart.¡± Hayer¡¯s eyes widened. That would be the case, even though the child was young, he looked too young. Iris kept her composure and opened her mouth as if she had expected it. ¡°I know you have more children.¡± ¡°I had two sons and one daughter. As you know, the daughter became a member of a different family, and the eldest son is imprisoned for killing the second son. So what can I do? I saw a new child to succeed the family.¡± Hayer looked at Iris as if he had a lot to say. But she was calm, like someone who already knew a three-year-old would pop out. Iris greeted Eggers¡¯s young son politely. The child also showed the best courtesy he could show at that age. A moment later, when the child was gone, she said to Eggers. ¡°Can I talk to your eldest son, Ruben Everhart?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Eggers shuddered, as if he was offended by the mere mention. ¡°Before he was my son, he was my son¡¯s murderer. I¡¯ll never let him inherit this family. He won¡¯t be able to get out of that cell until he¡¯s a corpse, no, until the corpse disappears.¡± Hayer felt uncomfortable whenever the word ¡®underground prison¡¯ was repeated, so he forcefully bit his teeth together. Iris paused for a moment at Eggers¡¯s anger. And spoke to him in a quiet voice. ¡°I fully understand the head¡¯s anger.¡± ¡°How do you understand? The feeling of sending my child first. How¡­ how do you know that terrible feeling!¡± ¡°I said it wrong. I don¡¯t understand, but¡­¡± Iris paused for a moment and then went on. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She apologized sincerely, and Eggers nodded slowly. Iris spoke again. ¡°But I would like to meet Ruben Everhart. As you may know, the royal family¡¯s finances are extremely unstable right now. Of course, I know your young son will be a great family head, but the question is whether he is helping the head now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Everhart a family with a lot of obligations as well as a lot of possessions? Someday you¡¯ll have to find a place to rely on.¡± Eggers let out a low sigh at Iris¡¯s words. Persuasion took a long time. Iris went on to tell Eggers the need for a place to turn to, and eventually Eggers was persuaded by her words at some point. Eggers said. ¡°All right. But as I get older, I feel a lot of burden when I retract what I say.¡± Hayer, who had been fed up with the absurd situation throughout the whole time, said. ¡°If so, please put a condition on it.¡± ¡°Condition?¡± ¡°Yes. If we meet the condition, please allow us to meet with Ruben Everhart then.¡± Eggers was a quick-witted, rule-loving man. Therefore, he liked this simple sequence of fulfilling the conditions and getting what he wanted. Eggers, who pondered carefully about Hayer¡¯s proposal, said. ¡°If it¡¯s a condition, there is one.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± When Iris asked with delight, Eggers replied. ¡°There are gold coins left behind by the ancestors in this house. But no one has ever been able to find the gold coins because the previous head passed away without telling anyone where it was. I sent a lot of men, but they couldn¡¯t find it. Some didn¡¯t even come back alive. If you find the treasure, I will let you meet my eldest son.¡± On Eggers¡¯s terms, the two agreed to do so without hesitation. There were many differences between Iris and Hayer, but they were similar in that they were competitive. Before finding the gold coins of the predecessors, Iris was lost in thought. Meanwhile, Eggers asked Hayer. ¡°Really, can Miss Iris find things easily?¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen so far, it¡¯s better than anyone else in Luwan.¡± At those words, a little anticipation spread across Eggers¡¯s face. After a while, Eggers trusted Iris, a member of the Lepos family, and brought her a map of the castle where the Everhart family lived. Iris checked the map calmly, then opened her mouth as if she was sure of something. ¡°I think there¡¯s another space in the study.¡± ¡°The study?¡± Eggers was horrified when Iris said that there was another space in the place where he spent a lot of time. Iris immediately moved to the study, dragged a ladder, and began to take out the books from the bookshelf to the floor. Iris, who was exhausted from taking out the books with such little stamina, found a book that didn¡¯t fall out and pulled it again with force. Iris left the study and headed for Hayer when it didn¡¯t fall out. ¡°Hayer.¡± When Hayer, who was searching elsewhere in the house, turned around at the feeling of his collar being pulled, Iris motioned for him to follow. Hayer walked after her and said mischievously. ¡°Why are you quietly taking me away as if you were going to assassinate me in a place no one knows?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been caught, trying to assassinate you.¡± Hayer burst into laughter when Iris muttered to herself like that. On the other hand, Iris, whose heart was pounding as she watched the mace earlier, was nervous. She turned her head a little to show her frown and then walked into the study. Hayer followed her into the study and clicked his tongue at the sight of the mountain she made out of books. Iris climbed up the ladder and pulled the book that didn¡¯t fall out. ¡°This won¡¯t come out.¡± Hayer went up the steps. He pulled the book gently forward. The end of the book was connected to a long iron rod. Iris looked around the study and said. ¡°There will be a few more like this.¡± Iris said, looking back at the enormous amount of books still on the shelf. ¡°So I think I¡¯ll have to empty the bookshelves completely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that I followed you.¡± Hayer said, then pulled out a chair and pointed his chin at Iris. ¡°You sit down. I¡¯ll do the rest.¡± Hayer began to take out all the other books in the study. Eventually, when he took out all the books and pulled the five books that didn¡¯t fall off easily, there was a clicking sound from the corner of the study. These books seemed to have been the secret device of the safe. Iris said as she walked towards it. ¡°It¡¯s open.¡± And it was when she was just about to reach the safe. Iris¡¯s feet sunk under all of a sudden. afterword omg the mystery vibes were immaculate this chapter anyway 10 more chapters until our first kiss !! CH 56 She closed her eyes in surprise at the feeling of her body floating, but when she opened them again, her arm was caught in Hayer¡¯s firm grasp. Iris¡¯s body swayed in the air. Hayer, who grabbed her by the arm, unknowingly uttered a curse. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Hayer pulled her body and asked. Iris was so startled that she stumbled, breathing heavily. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Thanks to Hayer, Iris climbed back up and groaned softly at the pain felt in her body. It seemed like something was wrong with her muscles or bones from being caught in the sudden fall. Hayer checked her wrist. When Iris shrank at the moment his hand touched her, Hayer¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°I¡¯ll go down and see if it¡¯s safe. Stay here.¡± ¡°Yes. If it gets dangerous, I¡¯ll call the others.¡± Hayer nodded, and first looked alternately at the opening and the hole where Iris almost fell. Then he put a lamp with a handle under the hole and checked it, then got up again and said. ¡°Not this way.¡± ¡°What is there?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± There were only bones, let alone gold. It was probably a thief. Or the missing man that Eggers talked about. Even if Iris was lucky to find the secret device and open the safe, as she had just done, she would have died in a trap set right in front of her. Hayer was once again annoyed at the oddities of such a home. And after checking the entrance to the safe that was first opened, he went inside. While he was checking inside, he heard Iris¡¯s voice outside the entrance. ¡°I¨C Hayer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When he answered, Iris asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you at least sing a song for me?¡± ¡°Ah, you think I might have fallen into a trap again?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Iris¡¯s answer was full of embarrassment and anxiety. Hayer burst into laughter, brought to tears in the safe. In any case, there were times when Iris made him laugh out of the blue. He hummed, and Iris said nothing more, apparently satisfied. Then he heard her talking to herself. ¡°¡­Your voice is nice.¡± Her words made him feel ticklish without any reason, so Hayer fiddled with his warm ears. When he reached the end, there was a wall, and when he pushed it, it moved a little. It seemed like a door, not a wall. It was a weight that would require three strong men to open it, but it was enough for Hayer alone. He pushed hard on the door, and he heard a thud from behind him. ¡°Hayer?¡± Iris called out to him, anxious when the humming stopped. ¡°You can come in now. Wait.¡± Hayer returned to Iris as soon as he answered. The open entrance was an underground space about Hayer¡¯s height. Frightened by the height, Iris hesitated, and he stretched out his arm. ¡°Sit down and give me your legs first.¡± As Iris sat down, Hayer cradled her legs in one arm and supported her body with the other. He hardly seemed to feel her weight. Hayer said, gently lowering Iris. ¡°Be careful. Call me if you need help.¡± Iris nodded at his words. The two of them walked towards the open door. Iris found the broken metal attached to the doorframe and told him. ¡°There must have been another lock.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°This¡­ did you cut it off by force?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why it was heavy.¡± Hayer said nonchalantly. Iris suddenly thought that Hayer must have been scary to the monsters in the south. Moments later, Hayer opened the door completely, revealing a long staircase down. Hayer went down the stairs first, and then called Iris from inside a little while later. ¡°It¡¯s amazing?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Iris asked back in a curious voice, and followed Hayer down the stairs. Hayer lit a torch inside, so it was quite bright inside. Iris¡¯s mouth opened automatically as she descended the stairs. ¡°Oh my gosh¡­¡± There was an enormous amount of gold coins lying on the bottom of the safe. Looking back on the memories of living as a queen, it was the first time she had seen anything like this. Iris blinked and cautiously descended the stairs. ¡°Wow.¡± Hayer was seen lying on top of the money. It seemed like he wanted to try it once. Iris laughed at Hayer. ¡°Is it fun?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite comfortable, gold coin bed.¡± Iris, who was listening to Hayer say that, also sat next to him and said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s really more comfortable than I thought.¡± ¡°Then, before returning it, let¡¯s do everything you want to do with gold coins.¡± ¡°Hmm. Shall we throw it?¡± ¡°Very violent and good.¡± The two of them joked and laughed on the gold coins they found for a while, then left the safe to report to the head. * * * When they went out of the study and announced that they had found the gold coins, Eggers Everhart ran into the study in surprise. A huge amount of gold coins poured out of the safe. In addition to gold coins, there were many treasures worth high prices if auctioned. Eggers Everhart was overjoyed and said to the pair. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to find it for real. What no one has found in the meantime, how!¡± Then Iris said. ¡°I¡¯m very glad if the power of the Lepos family was helpful.¡± ¡°Still, I can¡¯t just let it go. It is polite to pay this kind of tribute to the person who found the item.¡± Eggers took out a wad of gold coins for each of them. Perhaps he was overjoyed to find the safe, but it was a lot of money that was burdensome. Eggers said that if they find the lost money, they will receive this much in return, so the two decided to receive the money for now. The place where they received it was a family that kept gold, so they kept the gold and received a certificate on the spot. After fulfilling the condition, Eggers had no choice but to show them his eldest son. In fact, he was still reluctant, but the gold coins that Iris found now were large enough to purify that reluctance. Eventually, Eggers handed the key to the dungeon to the two of them and said. ¡°Then go ahead. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve entered the dungeon that I don¡¯t know if he can speak¡­¡± Having said that, Eggers disappeared to check the gold coins again. He seemed to really enjoy counting and calculating his gold coins. Iris stood with Hayer in front of the dungeon. Hayer took the key, taking the lead and said. ¡°The head of the Everhart family seems to be someone who doesn¡¯t trust people at all. You¡¯d better be careful because you don¡¯t know when or where something will appear.¡± The memory of the mace from the entrance of the castle seemed to have had a great influence on the impression of the Everhart family. It was equally shocking to Iris, so she nodded and pulled closer to Hayer. The door to the dungeon opened. The two of them headed in cautiously. Iris noticed Hayer, who was walking in the lead as if to protect her, was more nervous than usual. All she¡¯s seen so far was him acting like a sly fox, so it was unfamiliar. Iris was also nervous. The underground prison was immensely large and long. No wonder, Everhart was full of thieves no matter how many they caught. As thieves stole goods, money, and even people, the knights of the family were also playing the role of vigilantes. Iris felt fear in this dark, damp underground space. There was a terrible smell that she had never smelled before. She could see the eyes of the prisoners on both sides, but not being able to see the sun, although not as much as plants, seemed to make people die. The eyes seen through the bars were all melancholic. ¡°Did he say it was the innermost part?¡± Iris asked. ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, Hayer didn¡¯t answer. afterword honestly after reading farther ahead and coming back to these chapters to post¡­ the development in hayer¡¯s feelings for iris and his general clinginess towards her is astounding lmao CH 57 Iris tapped Hayer¡¯s arm again. ¡°Hayer?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When Hayer came to his senses and turned around, Iris asked anxiously. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Ah, thinking about my childhood for a moment¡­¡± Hayer smiled faintly, as if telling her not to worry. ¡°This is where the second sons are usually confined, but in this case, the eldest son somehow came in.¡± Iris had heard such a thing before. When the eldest son, the successors of the family, often feel competitive with the second son, they are framed and imprisoned in a dungeon. Then, after the eldest son dies, there have often been cases in history where the second son from the dungeon succeeds the family. But now, Hayer¡¯s words were not a story from history, but a story from his own childhood. His words were joking, but in a lower voice than usual, and there was a lack of energy. Concerned, Iris stared at Hayer. Perhaps because the torch was flickering, Hayer¡¯s orange eyes looked unusually bright, and not necessarily human. She thought for a moment and asked Hayer. ¡°Do you want me to hold your hand?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re scared¡­¡± For Iris, it was a big-hearted proposal. This is because she has held hands to pretend to be on good terms in front of others, but she has never held out first. The tension in Hayer, who had been stiff throughout, vanished. He seemed to be holding back his laughter, but eventually ended up laughing out loud. At the sound of the laughter that could not be heard in a dungeon, all the prisoners who had their heads against the wall looked back at him. The prisoners thought about saying something to Hayer, but stopped. Hayer was, by all means, a man who seemed more horrific to meet in a dungeon. Hayer reached out and clasped Iris¡¯s hand. He noticed that Iris¡¯s hand, which held his hand tightly, sometimes twitched. She seemed afraid of the darkness of this dungeon. Scared herself, she held his hand tightly for Hayer, who was incomparably taller than she. Ever since she held his hand, Hayer¡¯s bad memories have disappeared. All his attention was turned to the hand he was holding. It was soft. He inadvertently tried to squeeze her hand, but remembered how she had almost fallen from the trap in front of the safe earlier. Since it was an injured hand, Hayer reluctantly let go of Iris¡¯s hand, fearing that he would accidentally squeeze it. However, he thought she would be upset if he let go of her hand at all, so he pulled her hand to hold his pocket. Hayer looked at her and said. ¡°I want to hold hands, but I think it¡¯s dangerous because there¡¯s not much vision. So at least hold onto my clothes. Because I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look so scared anymore¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Hayer continued to walk with the torch, shuddering. Iris grasped his pocket in her hand. After holding it, she was able to rely on it. Hayer continued to check Iris and where her feet were treading. He was a man who looked like he would never care about anything, and he acted like that, but he was very delicate on the inside. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d like such an evaluation, but not only Iris but also the Knights of Tejas thought that way. Hayer said, taking his last steps. ¡°When I see a prisoner, I do this. I¡¯ll keep getting on their nerves annoyingly. You are to be a good person.¡± ¡°Hmm, does it actually work?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about prisons on the ground, but this prison doesn¡¯t get sunlight in it, so it¡¯s damp all year round. If you give it a feeling like the sun, it will surely be conciliatory.¡± ¡°The sun¡­ you look like the sun.¡± Hayer looked at Iris, at the murmur that was close to talking to herself. The royal family of Luwan, the people of the Lepos family, should be the moon. They had to be people like the moon. Having hair like the night sky and blue eyes that was like the cold moon was considered the most ¡®Lepos.¡¯ However, Hayer was the complete opposite from the day he was born. Sandy hair and orange eyes. Perhaps from the very day he exhibited those characteristics, people might have guessed that he might not be from the Lepos family. Strangely, however, he didn¡¯t hate Iris¡¯s words now, ¡®like the sun.¡¯ Originally, it was one of the words he hated most, but it was nice if she said so. It was strange. Perhaps because he was sure that she was a good person to him, he felt that Iris had spoken of the sun in a good way. After a while, the two arrived at the innermost part of the dungeon. By that time, she was somewhat adapted to the terrible stench that emanated from the entrance to the dungeon. As soon as she stood there, Iris spotted Ruben Everhart in the prison, and talked to him. ¡°Ruben Everhart.¡± At her call, Ruben Everhart, seated in a chair in the corner of the dungeon, turned to the two. Iris greeted him first. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Iris Lepos, daughter of Celios Lepos.¡± Ruben seemed to hesitate at her words. To him, who spent seven years in the dungeon, she was the hidden child of Celios Lepos whom he did not know about. The first thing Iris thought of when she made eye contact with Ruben was that he had a different look than ordinary prisoners. While ordinary prisoners were afraid or depressed because they have been here for too long, Ruben¡¯s eyes were so clear that it was no exaggeration to say ¡®sharp.¡¯ Iris thought maybe it was prejudice, since she believed that Ruben Everhart was not a murderer. In any case, it seemed to her now that Ruben did not accept the sin, nor was he complacent here. Hayer greeted him. ¡°I am Hayer Asheri, son of Peonia Asheri and the leader of the Knights of Tejas.¡± ¡°¡­I am Ruben Everhart, son of Eggers Everhart.¡± Ruben looked alternately between the princess, who seemed unlikely to visit him, and Hayer, who was embroiled in a scandal for being born from the queen¡¯s infidelity, not long before he was imprisoned. Hayer spoke again in an awkward manner to pick a fight. ¡°Ah, prison life isn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are the meals good? I¡¯ve been in a dungeon too, and the most embarrassing thing at the time was the trashy food.¡± ¡°¡­How long have you been in a dungeon?¡± Iris was looking towards Hayer. It was the first time she heard that Hayer was imprisoned in a dungeon. If he was actually in a dungeon, it was likely when it was certain that Hayer was not the king¡¯s son. It was clear, then, that Hayer was imprisoned at a very young age. Meanwhile, Hayer replied with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders. ¡°Still, I was there for about half a year.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t pretend to know.¡± ¡°I mean, I was quite young though. You¡¯re all grown up, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°But however much you were a prisoner!¡± ¡°Then should I call the prisoner better than this?¡± Ruben¡¯s face, which looked comfortable, became redder and redder as Hayer teased him. He seemed to be starting to get angry. Iris prepared to play the opposite role, as Hayer had initially planned, as he gently nudged Ruben¡¯s temper. She asked Ruben. ¡°Shall I hit him instead?¡± She had no idea of Ruben¡¯s character yet, so she was worried about how he would turn out after saying that. Fortunately, Ruben was a gentleman to a lady. ¡°Really? Then step on his foot.¡± ¡°I will.¡± At the same time as Iris answered, she stomped on Hayer¡¯s foot. Hayer pretended to be hurt and grabbed a bar. Then he grumbled to Iris. ¡°I fought a duel for you, but you¡¯re hurting me like this by siding with a man you¡¯ve never seen before?¡± ¡°Because you fought a duel for me, I¡¯m paying attention to make you come to your senses.¡± ¡°You showed grace.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Ruben spoke to Iris. ¡°He also loses against your word, Lord Hayer.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Iris replied calmly. afterword they are literally the sun and moon im in love CH 58 As Hayer assured, Ruben quickly opened up to the two of them, thanks to him (Hayer) getting on his nerves from the side. In some cases, Iris had a conversation with Ruben and took his side, and in others, Ruben¡¯s heart felt more at ease thanks to Hayer¡¯s quarrels and mischief. Ruben asked. ¡°But how did you get here? My father would never have let you in.¡± ¡°Iris was looking for hidden gold coins.¡± Hayer took out the gold reward certificate he received from Eggers earlier and held it up. Ruben said in amazement. ¡°You two have no idea how much time was spent trying to find those gold coins. Everhart people aside, there were a lot of thieves. Although, most of them were killed from traps everywhere.¡± Hayer was appalled at the thought that Iris¡¯s life might have been in danger if she hadn¡¯t noticed that there was a treasure in the study. He thought nonchalantly that he should be more mindful of her safety. Ruben continued. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re from the Lepos family. You found that right away.¡± Hayer replied to that remark. ¡°It wasn¡¯t because it was the Lepos family that knew the location, but it was Miss Iris¡¯s personal ability to find out how to open the safe.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so? You¡¯re amazing.¡± Iris felt embarrassed as they alternately took turns throwing compliments in front of her. Unaccustomed to compliments, she quickly cut off the conversation between the two and opened her mouth. ¡°Ruben, I want you to¡­¡± There was no follow-up. This was because the expression Eggers made when he thought of his second son who was murdered also appeared on Ruben¡¯s face. It was an expression as if the sky that had been believed to exist in the same place forever had collapsed. Hayer was watching Iris, wondering what she was going to talk about. She spoke again with difficulty. ¡°I don¡¯t think you would have killed your brother.¡± Ruben¡¯s eyes widened at her words. ¡°What nonsense is that! I did kill him.¡± Ruben¡¯s eyes, which had been friendly to Iris the whole time, changed as if they were on fire. He came up to the bars in an instant, clutching the bars in his hands, and growling like a beast. There was iron in his voice. ¡°I have a different thought. That¡¯s right, I killed him. That day, I¡­!¡± Hayer said to Ruben, who stood close enough to pose a threat to Iris. ¡°Back off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Right now.¡± Ruben, suppressed by Hayer¡¯s momentum, struggled back from the bars. Iris swept away her pounding heart of surprise and fear and opened her mouth again. ¡°Just, you can guess, can¡¯t you? Maybe that day, the person in the same bedroom as your brother was the culprit. Wasn¡¯t Sandra Hall the first to be suspected of murder?¡± Ruben rushed back to the bars at those words. But instead of Iris, he grabbed Hayer by the collar, who followed her as an escort. Hayer was not at all taken aback by such a violent touch. It was out of conviction that Ruben, who was on the verge of withering away due to his long prison life, could not harm him in the slightest, with the bars between them. Rather, it was Iris who was taken aback. The incident involving Sandra Hall, Leon Everhart, and Ruben Everhart was a widespread rumour that even the Kawats knew about. He thought it was just that Ruben killed his brother, but when he heard Iris, she had a point. He was lost in thought, and then again spoke to Ruben, who was slightly threatening him. ¡°Ruben, how can you get agitated just by a name being mentioned like this?¡± ¡°Get lost, right now.¡± Iris was watching the two of them from the side. Hayer, who felt no threat even after seeing Ruben¡¯s hideous appearance, was amazing, and Ruben, who was not weighed down by Hayer¡¯s strong energy, was also a wonder. But in any case, it was Ruben¡¯s mistake to get agitated here. Iris said cautiously. ¡°Hayer is right. If you get agitated just by the mention of a name, you have no choice but to be more suspicious. Calm down, Ruben Everhart.¡± She said, separating the two of them. Ruben and Hayer glanced at Iris, then each took a step back as if they could not help it. Basically, both of them learned manners and thought that they should not fight in front of a lady, but at the same time, they considered Iris¡¯s status as a princess. After a while, Ruben said. ¡°¡­Again, Sandra has nothing to do with this.¡± ¡°Ruben.¡± Iris continued, looking at Ruben. ¡°We came because Sandra asked us to.¡± ¡°¡­Sandra asked?¡± ¡°Yes. She was wondering how her childhood friend was doing.¡± Iris had no choice but to notice instinctively. Ruben had Sandra in mind. The moment Sandra¡¯s name was mentioned, Ruben got agitated, and after learning that she had sent these visitors to meet him, he had a soft look on his face, as if he were on a cloud. Iris continued. ¡°So please tell us.¡± ¡°We have nothing to talk about. Just¡­¡± ¡°Ruben, I¡¯m not on your side.¡± Ruben raised his head again at her words. Iris continued. ¡°I will take Sandra¡¯s side. In any circumstance.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Iris¡¯s words that she would side with Sandra were a necessary premise for Ruben now. Iris recognized it, so Ruben nodded once and then looked at her with a friendly gaze. In any case, Hayer¡¯s method of initiating one person to be annoying and the other to act like an understanding person, worked well. Ruben seemed to have some trust in Iris. He asked, standing in front of the bars. ¡°How is Sandra doing? She¡¯s still a loud guy, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s noisy, but I couldn¡¯t stay long because I was afraid of overeating since she gave me so much food to eat.¡± Ruben burst into laughter at Iris¡¯s answer. ¡°Exactly as I remember.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Sandra has always been like that. When we had an exchange and we visited the Hall family, they always gave us mountains of food. As you can see, aren¡¯t the Everharts very skinny? Perhaps that¡¯s why, when I was eating all that food diligently, she would sit next to me and feel proud, like seeing a stray dog filling its stomach.¡± Iris nodded as she recalled Sandra¡¯s face, who was satisfied when she saw her eating. Then Hayer, who played the role of ¡®inducing irritation,¡¯ asked. ¡°I heard you two are childhood friends.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s just a friend.¡± Ruben Everhart lifted his gaze at Hayer¡¯s words. ¡°¡­We¡¯re friends. Not now, but. Do you think friendship between the opposite sex is impossible?¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯s quite possible. I learned from watching two of our Knights.¡± Iris quickly noticed that Hayer was referring to Annamaria and Hencke of the Knights of Tejas. Iris asked carefully. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now, but¡­ the two of them really, really have nothing like that. You don¡¯t feel like it?¡± ¡°Annamaria has a man she likes.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Ah. Was it a secret?¡± Hayer paused. Having revealed Annamaria¡¯s secret without realizing it, he continued to talk. ¡°But the look in Annamaria¡¯s eyes completely changes when she sees him. Iris will notice right away.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ like seeing a prey you can¡¯t miss¡­¡± ¡­What do you mean? Is it right that she likes him? afterword my fav thing while translating is listening to music n then imagining if the lyrics suits iris and hayer lol CH 59 Iris was puzzled, and Hayer continued. ¡°But as you know, isn¡¯t Annamaria a commoner? The man she likes is a second son, but he¡¯s from a noble family. She gave up early because she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d get permission.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But it would be different if she had a permanent residence someday. When I become lord, I will be able to confer a title to my vassals.¡± ¡°Ah, so¡­¡± Iris murmured, recalling Annamaria before passing through the North Gate. In the past, Annamaria said Hayer should have rebelled and defeated the king at the age of 20. If a lord occupied a large area of land in the Luwan, he could distribute the land to his vassals and give them the status of nobility. However, already in the land of Luwan, the nobles took as much land as they could, and the rest was just wasteland that was of no use for anything, or long grassed areas where large trees couldn¡¯t grow. In the first place, it was almost impossible for the nobles to expand to new territory, as only the Hall family had fertile land in Luwan. From Annamaria¡¯s view, Hayer seemed to have thought that if the new territory could not be expanded, he would take the country with treason. Iris said. ¡°I wonder, what kind of person Dame Annamaria likes.¡± ¡°Ask Annamaria later. She¡¯ll be excited to tell you.¡± ¡°I really must ask.¡± Iris was talking like that, and then she turned to Ruben. Even Ruben, who was bored in the dungeon the whole time, had a shine in his eyes. He opened his mouth. ¡°For a commoner knight to fall in love with a noble. That is tragic and beautiful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if love is beautiful, but he was handsome. Those green eyes¡­¡± ¡°Ah, maybe he¡¯s from Dirpone!¡± He seemed to be a person whose name came to mind just by saying green eyes and handsome. The name that Ruben thought of was correct, and Hayer nodded. Ruben said. ¡°Ah, I understand if it¡¯s him. I saw him for a second, and Sandra was really amazed. It was a wonder that there was such a pretty man in the world. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed, but there was nothing I could do as a friend¡­¡± Ruben, who couldn¡¯t resist the love story after a long time, covered his mouth with both hands. Iris and Hayer were looking at him at the same time. Hayer told Iris. ¡°Honestly, isn¡¯t it deception to insist that it¡¯s friendship despite being jealous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s deception.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a liar, Ruben Everhart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m disappointed.¡± Ruben was taken aback by what the two exchanged, and looked at both sides alternately. Iris saw Ruben¡¯s expression change from moment to moment, and was convinced that it would be strange if he didn¡¯t love Sandra. For a moment, Iris was completely distracted by Annamaria¡¯s love story, but she immediately returned to reality. She thought she¡¯d ask Annamaria later when she saw her. She said to Ruben. ¡°So Ruben, did you kill your brother because you loved Sandra?¡± ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped. Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Ruben nodded helplessly. Then Hayer said. ¡°You two must have been very close since you were young.¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡°What kind of games did you play the most?¡± ¡°We probably¡­ I think we went around picking a lot of fruit from trees. As you¡¯ve seen, the Hall family¡¯s mansion is full of fruit trees. All day long, we used to bet on who would get all kinds of fruit first.¡± ¡°I see. You climbed trees when you were children, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course. Since I was young, I used to compete with Sandra in climbing trees.¡± ¡°Who won? What¡¯s the best record?¡± ¡°Sandra always won. The best record is¡­ don¡¯t be surprised. Sandra once climbed a tree in 58 seconds and then got down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Was there a big difference from you then?¡± ¡°I remember being competitive at that time, and coming down a little over a minute.¡± Ruben was happy just to recall the memories. Hayer listened to the stories and asked. ¡°Until when did you play like that?¡± ¡°Well, I think Sandra won until she was about 12 years old. After that, of course, I let her win.¡± ¡°At the age of twelve, she was fast enough to beat you.¡± ¡°She was.¡± ¡°With one arm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s amazing.¡± Ruben only then realized that the man who had been irritating from the beginning did not bring up the story of his childhood for fun. Ruben said thoughtfully. ¡°Sa-Sandra¡­ she was an athletic child. The trees¡­¡± It was no use trying to make excuses. Of course, it was true that Sandra was good at climbing trees. But when asked if it was enough to be able to beat a boy her age with one hand, it wasn¡¯t. Hayer looked at his left hand and said. ¡°Even I don¡¯t think I can climb trees fast without one hand.¡± ¡°I¡­ had a late start. How could we start together? I lost because I started climbing very late.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say that when you said it took 58 seconds.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I can understand that, by saying that, Sandra Hall¡ªthe head¡ªhad both hands at that time.¡± Ruben¡¯s eyes began to shake. He knelt down right in front of the two. ¡°Please. Please keep it a secret. Please¡­¡± ¡°Left hand, who cut it?¡± ¡°I¡­ I did.¡± Ruben¡¯s shoulders trembled. * * * Sandra couldn¡¯t sleep well ahead of her marriage to Ruben¡¯s brother, Leon. It wasn¡¯t that she slept much, but after a week, she had no choice but to wake up several times in the middle after she decided to kill someone, especially the brother of her precious friend. As soon as she opened her eyes, she took out the dagger she had hidden under the sheets. She¡¯s never killed a person with her own hands. She clasped the handle of the dagger in her hands and pretended to thrust it into the air. Will I be able to do it well? To be honest, there was so much difference in physique with Leon that she wasn¡¯t confident. She was hiding her dagger under the sheet again when a shout was heard from outside. Sandra went out to the balcony and found about 30 soldiers training in the distant training ground. The training ground was quite far away, but she could hear their shouts from here. Everhart was a trading city, so they had no choice but to raise a vigilante like this. There were some women in the vigilante group. Among the men, there were differences in physique. Maybe they know swordsmanship well enough to overcome the differences in physique. When Sandra turned around and returned to the bedroom, there was a maid from Everhart when she came in. She spoke to her. ¡°My lady, the young master asked to have a meal with you¡­¡± Sandra nodded without saying anything. She wore a dress with dozens of ribbons and then put on stockings. Sandra fastened a garter belt on her thigh, and the maid weaved the stocking and garter belt. The shoes were shiny, new high-heeled brown shoes. When working on the territory of the Hall family, she had never worn such fine clothes, but Leon bought her several of them. It was all his taste, and his taste was very uncomfortable and dangerous. The heels were so thin that she was already nervous that she might fall. When she finished dressing and getting her hair done, the maid straightened Sandra¡¯s skirt and led the way to the dining room. afterword kill him sandra kill him!! CH 60 trigger warnings: sexual assault, physical abuse When she entered the dining room on the first floor, Ruben had arrived first. Ruben, who was leaning back with one arm on the back of the chair, looked at her. Sandra sat down in front of her old friend, feeling ashamed of her dress with half her chest exposed. The table was long, and the two were sitting far apart. So the distance between the two was far, and there was no reason to make eye contact with each other. Still, Sandra glanced at Ruben. But Ruben wasn¡¯t looking at her at all. Sandra, who hesitated, spoke to him. ¡°Ruben, I have a question.¡± Then Ruben answered firmly. ¡°Since you¡¯ll be my brother¡¯s partner soon, it¡¯d be better to have some formalities with each other.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Sandra murmured and nodded. Sandra looked down at the meal served in front of her and spoke to him again. ¡°What should I do if a stranger bigger than me breaks in? I say I should hold a weapon, even a small knife.¡± ¡°¡­There won¡¯t be any intruders while you¡¯re at Everhart.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, to me, you can also feel like an assailant.¡± At Sandra¡¯s rebuttal, Ruben, who had been trying to keep his distance, smiled without realizing it. Then he answered calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t know right now. I¡¯ll think about it later and let you know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use later.¡± Sandra grumbled, but she liked the kindness to think about it and let her know. After a while, Leon came into the dining room. Before he sat down, he picked up a heap of meat and ripped it off. Leon sat down and put his hand on Sandra¡¯s shoulder. Sandra slapped Leon¡¯s hand as his hand rubbed her back. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of eating a meal.¡± ¡°All newlyweds are like this. No, in the first place, Sandra. Your sister promised to marry me and then ran off with another man. Now I¡¯m marrying a woman I don¡¯t even want. Don¡¯t you feel sympathy for me?¡± Sandra gritted her teeth at Leon¡¯s words. Ran away? Her sister? Her body was trembling from holding back the desire to stab Leon to death at any moment. She pretended to be all right, but on the inside she was disgusted. He killed her sister, Sandra¡¯s sister. She came here and found out about it through a maid. Sandra¡¯s sister quarrelled with Leon, who was harassing the maid, and in the process, Leon killed her. He even damaged her reputation by saying that she fell for another man and ran away. Sandra never meant to leave him alone. If Ruben is informed of this, he will probably challenge his brother to a duel right away. He was a man who would be able to do so. But she didn¡¯t want to. She didn¡¯t want to involve her beloved friend in this. And most of all, she wanted to kill Leon with her own hands. * * * Time passed, and only Leon and Sandra remained in the bridal chamber. Sandra didn¡¯t remember anything about how the wedding went. She just remembered the dagger she had hidden. In the suffocating silence, Sandra thought that she would rather stop breathing so that she didn¡¯t have to do anything. It felt like a hidden cold sword was piercing her heart. However, when she thought of her sister¡¯s face and her always sunshine-like appearance, anger and courage erupted from her heart. Leon, who sat on the bed, said, with a sinister look in his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it off? Slowly. Or I can take it off.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Before Sandra could say to wait, Leon threw her onto the bed. Sandra stared blankly into the air and waited for the right timing. Leon¡¯s hand groped her chest and pulled her silk nightgown over her belly button. Sandra persevered with disgust. After waiting for the right timing, she quickly took out the dagger that she had hung on the garter belt behind her thigh. But before that, Leon¡¯s hand grabbed her arm. Leon threw the dagger and slapped Sandra in the face. ¡°Argh!¡± Sandra screamed and collapsed on the bed. Leon chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re stupid. Did you think I¡¯d be fooled if you were so nervous and trembling and pretending to be calm?¡± He seemed to have known Sandra had hidden the dagger from the start. Sandra¡¯s hands trembled. But it wasn¡¯t the time to just tremble. In the end, you have to kill the target of interest. As Sandra reached out for her dagger, Leon grabbed her thigh and pulled her. Leon, who was born strong, began beating Sandra, as if her defiance was amusing. Sandra, who had been slouching for a while, turned her head slightly. Her figure was reflected in the window at eye level. It was a mess. She slowly raised her upper body. She was more angry than scared. As if her whole body was covered with anger, as if she had fallen into a pit full of anger. The anger made her forget the pain. When Leon threw another punch, Sandra got up and dodged it. Then she ran to the dagger before Leon and picked it up. Only then did Leon say, a little taken aback that Sandra did not give up. ¡°Put that down.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Sandra said and swung her dagger without hesitation. As soon as Leon tried to grab her, Sandra cut his arm with the dagger. In an instant, the flesh opened and blood gushed out. Leon screamed in pain. Then the door burst open. Ruben came in with a hard face after hearing the quarrel outside. ¡°Leon, what have you done?¡± Leon, who thought he was right, grabbed his bleeding arm and shouted at him. ¡°Brother, this girl is holding a knife¡­!¡± Sandra turned her battered face and looked at Ruben. She was relieved to see her friend¡¯s face. Even though she knew this trash was his little brother, somehow, just seeing him made her feel at ease. She stabbed Leon deeply in the side with her dagger. ¡°Sand¡­¡± At that moment, Sandra and Ruben¡¯s eyes met again. Sandra pulled out her dagger and stepped back. Then Leon fell to the floor. Ruben ran to see if Leon was alive, but he was already dead. Sandra, who was relieved by his desperate reaction to confirming his brother¡¯s death, slumped down. Ruben rushed to help Sandra, who had fallen. And then he put her on the bed. Then a maid entered the bedroom. She brought a wet towel and wiped the blood off Sandra¡¯s hands. A close friend killed his brother. Ruben stood there blankly, unable to accept the whole situation. Then the maid turned to Ruben and said. ¡°My lady is not to blame.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I encouraged my lady. She knew that I had been badly hurt by Leon. I said something stupid. As I talked, I ended up telling what happened to my lady¡¯s older sister¡­ It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s because my lady was so nice to me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So my lady really, really did nothing wrong.¡± Ruben, who finally grasped the situation, took a deep breath. Then he said to Sandra, who had been lying on the bed. ¡°Cut off your left hand.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re left-handed, so you¡¯ll be identified soon. So just cut off your left hand. Run away.¡± For someone who saw his brother¡¯s death right in front of his eyes, he was too calm. Sandra asked. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m out of my mind.¡± Ruben nodded. ¡°Really, I¡¯m out of my mind. I knew Leon was a piece of trash¡­ I, knowingly, put my friend in danger. It¡¯s my fault, now¡­¡± ¡°Ruben!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than dying. Cutting off a wrist is fine. The son of the Everhart family is dead. Then you think you¡¯re the only problem? Now the relationship between our two families is over. There may be a war.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sandra, this is for the Hall family. If we don¡¯t do this, hundreds or thousands more may die.¡± Ruben persuaded, and Sandra didn¡¯t think for too long. She closed her eyes tightly and nodded. Ruben hurriedly picked her up and rushed out of the mansion. She was given a strong pill, and he cut off her left hand himself. The maid of the Everhart family stood next to him. A few days later, while searching for Sandra, Ruben learned how to use his left hand. Soon after, he became the murderer of his brother. afterword free him my man did no wrong!! CH 61 As he listened to Ruben¡¯s story, Hayer felt exhausted. So when he looked at Iris, she nodded and was just listening to Ruben. Ruben said. ¡°In the first place, I should have killed him. Then Sandra wouldn¡¯t have to kill him.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Sandra just did what I was supposed to do. So I¡¯m rather grateful, and it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯m here.¡± Iris was still listening to Ruben and Sandra¡¯s story. After the whole story, Iris said. ¡°Does Eggers Everhart know about what Leon Everhart did?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡­ I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Leon ruined his reputation, and I killed him. If you know that, you¡¯ll have a son whose honour has been tarnished, and a son who killed his brother. I thought it was better not to know.¡± Then Hayer, who had been watching him quietly, said in a low voice. ¡°Hiding the truth is not a good thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°The longer you drag it on, the worse it gets.¡± Ruben lowered his head at Hayer¡¯s words. He nodded at once. Iris continued. ¡°Let¡¯s break out of prison.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Hayer flinched when a sudden extreme conclusion came out while talking about revealing the truth to the head. Caught off guard, he looked at Iris, but she looked calm as she said the words. ¡°I¡¯ll do it if I can. You can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± Iris went on firmly. Hayer thought for a moment before opening his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. We¡¯ll move you to the Hall family together.¡± ¡°I-I¡­ Sandra¡¯s getting married by now¡­¡± Ruben uttered gibberish, unable to make a decision in front of an option he had never thought of before. Iris shook her head. ¡°Not at all. Sandra said she would never do anything like love.¡± Hayer asked in wonder at the remark. ¡°When did you two even talk about such deep things?¡± ¡°When we drank together.¡± ¡°Ah, on a day when you ate quite a lot.¡± ¡°¡­Do you think it¡¯s a topic to point out to others that you¡¯ve been drinking too much?¡± Iris scolded him, but Hayer¡¯s shoulders shook as he laughed, as if it was just fun teasing her no matter what. Then, still with a smile on his face, he asked Ruben. ¡°Anyway, are you going to do it? Escaping from prison.¡± ¡°I¡­ can I do it? No. And then the rest of it¡­ what about you two? If you two go and I disappear, my father will blame you two.¡± ¡°The head will know in advance. About the escape.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m going to tell him about the escape beforehand.¡± At Iris¡¯s unexpected words, the two men looked at her. * * * Eggers Everhart returned to the drawing room at the request of Iris, who returned from prison. The wealth she discovered was enormous. It¡¯s far short of the royal debt, but it¡¯s clear that out of all the royals Eggers had ever seen, she had been the most helpful to Everhart. Eggers asked Iris in a much more friendly tone than when they had first met. ¡°Did you have a good trip?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°What of Lord Hayer?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still in front of the dungeon.¡± ¡°Still?¡± While Eggers was puzzled, Iris spoke again. ¡°I have something to tell you, my lord.¡± Iris took a sip of her tea and calmed herself down. She felt her whole body stiffen at Sandra and Ruben¡¯s story. The two sacrificed themselves for each other and the values they each pursued. The relationship between the Everhart and the Hall family was supposed to be much worse off than this. However, those two prevented it. Now she knows that. Therefore, it was time for Iris to think about her own values. Ruben considered his father¡¯s honour, but Iris had a duty to prevent defeat. She said to Eggers. ¡°Just now, in the dungeon, I heard about why Ruben killed his brother.¡± ¡°Yes, it was because he loved the woman who would become his sister-in-law.¡± There was a clear anger in Eggers¡¯ voice as he answered. ¡°No. That wasn¡¯t it.¡± Iris shook her head. She put down the teacup and looked at Eggers with clear eyes. Eggers Everhart was the man who had been leading Everhart for a long time. However, at this moment, he felt a chill running down his spine, as if he was looking into a tiger¡¯s face from Iris¡¯s face, who was staring at him. Iris continued. ¡°Ruben, on the contrary, killed Leon Everhart for the honour of the Everhart family.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Leon Everhart murdered Candace Hall, the eldest daughter of the Hall family. Ruben Everhart, who knew about it, murdered Leon Everhart.¡± ¡°¡­Nonsense.¡± Eggers¡¯ hands trembled. He tried to control his emotions in front of the princess, but it was difficult for him to remain calm about what his child had to do. Eggers said, banging his fist hard on the table. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. No way!¡± ¡°Even if you deny it, it actually happened.¡± ¡°Do you have any witnesses?¡± ¡°Sandra Hall, Ruben Everhart, and a maid who was there that day¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± The maid, who had a conversation with Iris beforehand and accepted everything, raised her hand and stepped out. It¡¯s true that she spoke with the maid beforehand, but she didn¡¯t promise to testify like this. Perhaps now this was her momentary choice. When she spoke to Iris, she said she would only be a witness in case, but she couldn¡¯t resist and revealed everything. She didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity for Leon Everhart¡¯s reputation to fall to the bottom. ¡°It¡¯s me. I saw it. Master Leon¡­ no, Leon Everhart murdering Lady Candace Hall. And¡­ and me.¡± The maid¡¯s fists trembled. ¡°He tried to drag me in and get drunk. Lady Candace was killed by Leon Everhart while trying to protect me. After that, Lady Sandra tried to protect me.¡± The maid¡¯s voice trembled. It was the same with her that she had to keep her mouth shut for the relationship between the two families. She could feel the anger that had been embracing everything for a long time. Eggers Everhart, who had been listening for a long time, managed to calm his shaking. Then he took out a cigarette and got up. After a while, Eggers put the cigarette in his mouth, took a handful of gold coins from his drawer, and threw them to the maid. ¡°Take this, and leave.¡± ¡°My lord¡­¡± ¡°You are the cause of my son¡¯s death, so I cannot keep you here. Leave now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ this is not a price to ask you to keep your mouth shut. So there is no need to keep secrets about my son. Feel free to say whatever, I won¡¯t get involved.¡± The maid took the gold and stood there for a while, then nodded. Eggers lit the cigarette, staring blankly into space, and asked Iris. ¡°Why are you telling me that now?¡± Iris looked at him with a wary expression and opened her mouth quietly. ¡°Ruben Everhart has 28 years left on his sentence, but I think he¡¯s already paid enough for his sins.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going to let him escape.¡± ¡°¡­Ruben?¡± ¡°Yes. The eldest son of the head.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°However, I don¡¯t think the wound will heal even if I pull out the nail stuck in the head¡¯s heart. So, even if he escapes from prison, I¡¯d like to get the head¡¯s permission before that.¡± Eggers was silent and just stood there so the cigarette could burn. He knew how much his eldest son loved Sandra. However, it was also true that he did not want to take a woman from the Hall family, whom he was not on good terms with, as the wife of his eldest son who would become the head of the family. That was it. He didn¡¯t know that that reluctance would cause him to lose both sons¡­ Eggers Everhart barely took an inhale of the cigarette that had almost burned out before he could smoke properly. Then he said to Iris. ¡°How can I allow him to break out of prison? I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But if Ruben disappears from the dungeon, I would think the princess wasn¡¯t involved in it and had nothing to do with it.¡± It was permission. afterword everyone but leon ATE! omg 5 more chapters until the kiss (4 for the tension build-up)!! CH 62 Iris was excited, but continued calmly. ¡°We are going to the Hall family.¡± ¡°Yes. That, too, would be a move that had nothing to do with my son.¡± Iris nodded. ¡°May I ask how the relationship with the Hall family will change in the future?¡± At Iris¡¯s question, Eggers thought for a moment. As the maid said, it was a matter of children¡¯s fraternity. Maybe he didn¡¯t even know that he had been thinking that Ruben wasn¡¯t the one who killed his second son. Iris said Ruben had paid enough for his crime. In Eggers¡¯s eyes, she was a clever person. For the sentence given by a judge, she did not seem like someone to arbitrarily say enough was enough. Therefore, if Ruben really covered up the person who killed his brother, the reason would be because he was worried about the relationship with the real culprit¡¯s family, although there would also be love. As Eggers suffered before sorrow and reason, Iris continued. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The situation in Luwan is unstable, and it is not strange that a war breaks out. No one in the royal family is paying attention to the situation, and the Sieres continue to enter the land of Luwan through the port of Everhart.¡± At Iris¡¯s words, Eggers took out a new cigarette and lit it. And he was silent until he burned it all. Everhart had already judged that the odds of Siere going to war were more than half. In preparation for the war against Siere, Iris was correct in saying that they should not be hostile to the Hall family. ¡°Do you smoke?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. You¡¯ll have a lot of sit-ins among smokers in the future¡­¡± Eggers said, and took one of his cigarette boxes out of another drawer. On the wooden box, there was a nice carving engraved on it. He handed it to Iris. ¡°It¡¯s a gift. It¡¯s good to learn.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Someday you will find it to be of use.¡± If one day she¡¯s going to be king. Iris will convince countless men. Eggers was saying it would be good to get used to alcohol and cigarettes for that time. Eggers said. ¡°Then go.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°I will see you next time.¡± Iris nodded and left with the cigarette box. The maid who testified also followed her. The maid said. ¡°Are you going to the Hall family with Master Ruben?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go there. It¡¯s a nice place. Although they serve too much food.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat that much¡­ I¡¯ll have to try.¡± So the two women walked down the hallway and talked. Iris returned to the entrance to the underground prison. And said to Hayer, who was waiting. ¡°He refused, but he said it wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with me if he escaped.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hayer nodded, knowing that it meant permission, because he was used to the Asheris who spoke in such a roundabout way. ¡°Then shall we go and get Ruben out of prison?¡± Hayer¡¯s idea of Ruben¡¯s escape was very, very simple. It was to beat all the prisoners confined in the prison until they lost consciousness and get him out in return. * * * The guard, who was informed by Eggers, secretly lent Hayer the key. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat for a while.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Hayer, who took the key, moved into the dungeon. Then he entered the cell and beat all the witnesses and prisoners until they fainted. Although Hayer was rather large, the prisoners trapped here were also formidable. However, Hayer beat a bandit leader over two metres tall without much effort. The prisoners watched the fight, knowing the future that was about to befall them. Hayer, who knocked everyone out like that, finally opened the door to where Ruben Everhart was. Then, after removing his shackles, he lifted him up with one arm. Ruben Everhart had goosebumps all over his body at the screams he heard from afar. Hayer Asheri was a monster. ¡°L-Lord Hayer, I can walk on my own¡­¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ The Lord is right.¡± The legs that had been tied for seven years did not move easily. Even though he thought he had been diligently walking around the narrow cell every day, his leg muscles seemed to have frozen. After a while, Ruben escaped from the dungeon. It was the first time in seven years. The sunset of the outside world, brighter than when all the torches were lit, was beautiful. Ruben smiled when he spotted the maid in the carriage first. ¡°Everyone escapes together.¡± ¡°Come quickly and sit down. You should go see Lady Sandra!¡± ¡°Lady. She¡¯s the head.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going to see Lord Sandra.¡± Tears welled up in the eyes of the two people who said that. Soon a carriage with four people departed for the Hall family. Hayer handed Ruben the clothes he had bought at Everhart when they rested from the carriage for a while. Hayer, who came out briefly while Ruben was changing his clothes in the tent, spotted a huge wagon passing by. And he was happy to find Iris. ¡°Iris, the moving circus is heading towards the Hall family.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caught in a complicated situation, the two couldn¡¯t see the circus. Fortunately, the route was the same, so the two arrived at the Hall family and made an appointment to see the circus. And shortly thereafter, the Hall family¡¯s mansion came into view. * * * Sandra Hall saw the wagon of the moving circus running in the distance. Now, the busiest time in farming was slowly coming. That¡¯s why Sandra was looking for ways to energize the farmers. One of them was the mobile circus. As expected, farmers rushed out cheering as the circus tent unfolded. It was when Sandra returned to the mansion, satisfied with the farmers¡¯ reaction. She spotted a carriage speeding up from afar. She was still receiving reports that the carriage with Iris and Hayer was on the way. Sandra went out to greet the carriage, vowing that today, with Iris, she would work on a masterpiece until one of them collapsed. Hayer got out of the carriage first and escorted Iris. Iris greeted Sandra warmly first. ¡°Nice to see you again, Lord Sandra.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you come often?¡± Iris, who stopped by relatively recently to come often, took it as a joke and smiled. Sandra liked Iris. Regardless of her support for the next kingship, it was just nice to see her. In addition, the reservoir incident also helped the Hall¡¯s territory, so she had no choice but to be pleased. Sandra continued. ¡°The mobile circus is here. If you have time, let¡¯s go see it together.¡± Then Hayer, who was standing one step away, said. ¡°Well. Why don¡¯t you go see it with someone else?¡± ¡°Why, do you want to go see it together?¡± Sandra asked, tilting her head. ¡°No, I think the head would want to go see it with someone else.¡± Iris answered with a faint smile. ¡°Who am I to see the circus with?¡± While Sandra was wondering, another man got out of the carriage. Sandra, who was wondering if there were any more guests to come, froze on the spot when she saw the face of the man who got off the carriage. ¡°Sandra.¡± From far away, she heard a voice she had long missed. ¡°Long time no see, Sandra.¡± Ruben Everhart. My childhood friend. My first love. And my last love. Sandra was so startled that she couldn¡¯t move. Ruben approached her first and greeted her with a bright smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say hello?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I was the one who asked to be formal. Should I call you Hall Family Head? Hmm. Or we¡¯ll just keep talking, like when we were kids¡­¡± Sandra couldn¡¯t respond to anything Ruben said. Her eyes were reddening and her breath was shaking, but she still couldn¡¯t answer or move. Ruben chose his words for a moment before opening his mouth. ¡°Sandra, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I came to you, only now¡­¡± Sandra finally burst into tears, and Ruben hugged her tightly in his arms. Sandra cried bitterly for a long time, then began to beat Ruben with her fists. ¡°Hey, you crazy bastard! For seven years¡­ it¡¯s been seven years¡­ what friend in the world makes me wait seven years!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Ruben apologized and patted Sandra. Sandra wept in his arms for a long time. Until all seven years of waiting was released. afterword NAURR THIS CHAPTER HAD ME IN TEARS IM SUCH A SUCKER FOR CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS OMG THIS IS INCREDIBLE CH 63 As Hayer predicted, Sandra didn¡¯t have time to go to the circus with Iris. What was really surprising is¡­ ¡°¡­The Hall family head didn¡¯t serve a single meal.¡± Sandra wasn¡¯t even in the mood to serve a meal. Hayer was dumbfounded, watching Ruben and Sandra, who were busy talking and laughing in the garden. Iris said to Hayer with a smile. ¡°Be prepared, when you wake up tomorrow, she¡¯ll probably feed you what you couldn¡¯t eat today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ scary.¡± Hayer said with a shiver. Sandra hired the maid from the Everhart family to the Hall mansion. The maid came here to repay Sandra for her free work of killing Leon, but it was an unlikely plan for the Hall family, which values compensation as much as one worked. She provided Ruben a hiding place. Iris, who watched everything, took a deep breath with a proud face, and said to Hayer. ¡°Well, then now¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go see the circus.¡± ¡°Us two?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hayer said and raised his hand. Iris was puzzled, but belatedly realized that he was going to look at her injured arm from looking for the safe. She held out her hand, and Hayer checked her condition. Fortunately, her condition seemed to be almost better, but Hayer was vigilant and took her to the Hall family¡¯s doctor to check her arm, and received an answer that it was okay. Moving to the venue where the circus was held, they were attracting people¡¯s attention by exploding firecrackers here and there for publicity or juggling something like bottles on fire. Hayer had obtained two tickets from a performer who sells circus tickets. ¡°They said that this is the best ticket, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s really good. I¡¯ve never been to anything like this either.¡± Iris was surprised to receive the ticket and her expression brightened. Paper was very rare in Luwan, and paper was limited to books and letters used by nobles and above, so circus tickets were not paper either. The ticket was a wooden board cut very thin like paper, and the seat number was written on it. The two went into the circus tent in search of seats. Circus members dressed up in patterns similar to tents were running around here and there. Iris was about to sit down, when an entertainer approached and held out his hand. Iris put her hand on it for a moment and then removed it in surprise. At some point, a rose appeared in the entertainer¡¯s hand. While Iris was wide-eyed, the entertainer gave her the rose and left. Iris asked Hayer. ¡°Did you see that? From his hand¡­ a flower came out of his hand.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Iris was curious, but Hayer kept turning his head and coughing strangely. It seemed that he had burst into laughter. Iris asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny. When I come into a crowded tent, I keep coughing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. When all the knights were sleeping in the tent before¡­¡± Iris paused and shut up. She accidentally talked about the time when she went to the North Gate. Hayer asked, tilting his head. ¡°Did we sleep together?¡± ¡°¡­No, if that happens, you¡¯ll only sleep well.¡± ¡°I sleep well. I¡¯ll fall asleep as soon as I put my head¡­ Yes, I¡¯m sorry. I laughed because it was cute.¡± When Hayer confessed, Iris asked, looking down at the flower. ¡°What¡¯s cute?¡± ¡°Just. It¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°A strange person¡­¡± ¡°Why do you ask as if you didn¡¯t know?¡± Hayer said, and checked with his hand to see if the seat Iris would sit on was clean. It was a clean enough seat. The seat was the third of the five stairs centered around the stage. Iris was surprised that the huge luggage box on the circus wagon turned into a seat when the tent was set up. For her, who had been thinking about stopping the war ever since she crossed the North Gate, this new experience¡ªthough not necessary¡ªwas enjoyable. Hayer looked closely at the person who came in with something to eat and said. ¡°Would you like to stay for a minute? I¡¯ll bring something to eat.¡± ¡°Ah, come to think of it¡­¡± She laughed again when she remembered that Sandra hadn¡¯t served a meal. The two looked at each other and laughed. Hayer said. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s an experience I¡¯ll never have again in my life. It¡¯s a rare experience many times more than a circus.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Hayer got up, still smiling, and went to ask the person holding the food where he had got it. Meanwhile, as he walked away, Iris let out a deep sigh. Even if she didn¡¯t want to be nervous, her body became tense. This was a date. Everyone would think so, Iris thought. She pressed down on her chest to calm the tremors. After a while, Hayer returned with a drink and said. ¡°I asked where they got their food from, and they asked who buys food from the Hall family¡¯s territory?¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t buy food?¡± ¡°Just sit down.¡± He said and handed Iris the juice he had brought. Iris smiled at the fresh lemon scent. ¡°Did you drink alcohol?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you want some?¡± ¡°No¡­ Ah, come to think of it, I got a box of cigarettes from Eggers.¡± ¡°Why a cigarette box?¡± ¡°Just, I heard you¡¯ll have to talk to a lot of people who smoke.¡± ¡°Ahhh.¡± Hayer understood and nodded. Iris also vaguely understood, but didn¡¯t think it would come true. Soon after, the two immediately understood the question of who buys food in the Hall family¡¯s territory. Visitors came in one by one, all with food in their hands. And as soon as they saw that the two were empty-handed, food was delivered here and there. ¡°How can you not bring any food?¡± ¡°People from the capital.¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Then, they even taught them how to eat while looking at the two ¡®poor capital people who don¡¯t know how to taste.¡¯ ¡°Look closely, Young Master. It¡¯s called a sandwich.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Hayer deftly pretended to see anything for the first time and adjusted to it. Iris was dumbfounded, but Hayer was very sly and ate food from people. ¡°Ah, try it. Ah.¡± When a middle-aged farmer couple in the back seat offered food, Hayer casually took a bite of it and admired it. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious, right? It will be delicious. Gosh, poor capital people¡­¡± On Iris¡¯s lap, there was enough food to almost fill a picnic basket. The middle-aged woman turned to her and said. ¡°Well chosen, a very sturdy one.¡± ¡°¡­Sturdy?¡± When Iris didn¡¯t understand and asked back, the middle-aged woman pointed her chin at Hayer. ¡°Very simply, winter will feel light.¡± ¡¶t/n: winter will be good/fine¡· ¡°¡­Winter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be any pests!¡± Insect damage to humans¡­ will it happen? Iris realized a little later that the Hall family spoke of people as crops. She still couldn¡¯t figure out what was meant by pests¡­ After a while, the circus began. When the lights briefly went out for the opening, Hayer moved closer to Iris. Iris flinched slightly at the feeling of their arms touching, while Hayer told her not to be surprised. ¡°There was no need to be surprised that Lord Sandra served an excessive amount of food to her guests. She must have been an ordinary person in this town.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Iris relaxed and laughed. ¡°It really is. I really didn¡¯t know.¡± As the two laughed and talked like that, the lights came on again. The lights in the venue pointed to the trapeze. Two circus performers were swinging on both sides and crossed. ¡°Wow!¡± Cheers erupted in the circus tent as the performers jumped onto each other¡¯s swings. Iris couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the figures easily either. After watching the circus for a while, she looked toward Hayer. ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hayer, who was staring at Iris, asked back. Iris paused, blinked, and asked. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hayer, belatedly realizing that he had been staring at Iris, fiddled with his ear, and answered honestly. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been worried about you getting hurt at Everhart.¡± He seemed very concerned about Iris¡¯s safety as she searched for the safe in Everhart and moved through the prisoner-filled dungeon. She felt grateful to Hayer for protecting her wherever she went without saying anything. afterword i squealed like a pig at the end i KNEW he wouldn¡¯t have paid attention to the circus at all i knew his eyes would¡¯ve been glued to her bc he was mesmerized (he didn¡¯t say that but i like being delusional) CH 64 In the meantime, their hands were full of food from all sides. Iris said, looking down at the food. ¡°You should have told me, if you were worried.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to escort because it¡¯s a dangerous place.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Hayer laughed. ¡°How can you stop me from having such interesting sightseeing? It¡¯s a very different view from when I only saw monsters every day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be positive.¡± Hayer said with a smile as Iris chuckled. ¡°If there¡¯s a place you want to go, go wherever. I¡¯ll follow you.¡± He said that and turned his head to the performance again. The words that he just said did not seem to mean much, but Iris paused for a moment as she heard them. ¡°If there¡¯s a place you want to go, go wherever. I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Follow you anywhere. Iris knew Hayer well. He was a man with a lot of work to do to keep himself bound. She remembered the sacred trees, the monsters, and the Knights waiting for him. Liar. Iris looked down at the potato on her lap, her head in a state of confusion. She liked the feeling of holding a round potato that had just been steamed. Iris, who had turned her attention elsewhere, looked at Hayer again. Hayer asked, leaning toward Iris with his eyes trained straight ahead. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± She had a lot to say, but there was nothing she could say. After thinking for a while, Iris opened her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s good. I need someone to go with me wherever I want to go.¡± Hayer nodded slightly, as if telling her to continue. Iris continued while looking at Hayer¡¯s orange eyes. ¡°If you think marriage doesn¡¯t need love, why don¡¯t you marry me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Iris¡¯s tone was extremely businesslike. It was because she hoped that Hayer would listen to her to the point that even if she made a business proposal, he would think that it would be more thrilling than that. Iris continued. ¡°After going to Everhart, I thought that we can match what we both want.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°If you marry me, you will be recognized as a royal that¡¯s no longer controversial. And I want a strong escort. Just like you today.¡± Hayer rearranged her words. ¡°So my lineage will be purified, and you¡¯ll be able to go wherever you want.¡± He was smiling, but he didn¡¯t look so happy. Iris said with a smile at once, because she didn¡¯t mean to offend him. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can say no. I won¡¯t be upset.¡± She said that first, as if she had no intention of spoiling the mood, and Hayer immediately followed her with a soft smile. Then he said in a serious tone soon after. ¡°Marriage is something I should be grateful for. You¡¯re not supposed to say that. No matter what, I should propose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a marriage that we do because we need each other, but is this also called a proposal?¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s not a proposal?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s close to an offer.¡± Hayer laughed a little heartily this time at Iris¡¯s answer. Then he told her. ¡°Let¡¯s finish watching the circus for now. Whether it¡¯s a marriage proposal or a business proposal, I¡¯ll do it again.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to me.¡± Hayer answered quite emphatically, then looked back toward the stage. Iris no longer saw the circus. A bitter smile came out. He would propose again. That was just an Asherian approach to rejection, she was convinced. When the entertainer made people laugh with jokes, Iris tried to laugh as well. But the laughter didn¡¯t come out so easily. When the two came out of the circus tent after the performance, Hayer was holding a basket of food only from the people of the Hall territory. The farmers of the territory sent the two people of the capital off with expressions of concern because they were unable to feed them. Returning to the Hall mansion, the two got out of the carriage and found Sandra pacing restlessly in front of the mansion door. Sandra said urgently. ¡°Do you think this makes sense? A guest arrives and they starve? It¡¯s not enough to repay your kindness! This is a disgrace to the Hall family.¡± At Sandra¡¯s anticipated words, Iris hastened to say. ¡°Don¡¯t be ashamed. The farmers have already given us so much food?¡± ¡°The farmers do what the lord has to do¡­¡± Hayer said as Sandra was dizzy with shock. ¡°Then let¡¯s have a drink from now on.¡± ¡°¡­Now? That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Sandra withdrew, perhaps thinking it shouldn¡¯t be the case. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t take care of the meal, but it seemed a waste to spend less time with Ruben to drink with guests. Iris said with a smile. ¡°We received a lot of food today, so it¡¯s okay. I¡¯d rather have breakfast tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯ll prepare for a surprise.¡± ¡°Normal is enough¡­¡± ¡°No. You have to show it properly. What kind of family is our Hall family?¡± Sandra nodded determinedly and assured. The two nodded reluctantly. It was late, so the two went to Ruben in the garden to say good night. He was sitting in an armchair most of the day because it was still difficult to walk for long periods of time. Hayer said to Ruben. ¡°Do you want me to move you?¡± Ruben sighed deeply for a moment as if he was ashamed, but he nodded helplessly. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Hayer picked up Ruben and asked Sandra. ¡°Where is the head¡¯s bedroom?¡± ¡°Why are you putting Ruben in m-my bedroom?¡± When Sandra shouted in embarrassment, Hayer replied lightly. ¡°I¡¯m asking you two to talk about something else you haven¡¯t talked about yet.¡± ¡°¡­The third room on the right on the third floor.¡± As soon as Sandra finished speaking, Hayer strode up the stairs. Then he went into Sandra¡¯s bedroom and threw Ruben on her bed. When Hayer waved his hand and left, Sandra grabbed Iris, who was about to leave. ¡°Let¡ªlet¡¯s talk together! The three of us!¡± ¡°The three of us?¡± They were anxious to be together, but it seemed embarrassing to be alone in the bedroom. Sandra dragged Iris along and placed another chair between Ruben on the bed and her chair. As she forced Iris to sit down, she looked at them with a puzzled expression. In the awkward silence, Ruben hit the bed as if he had remembered. ¡°Ah, games! How about playing a game?¡± ¡°Ah, a game is good. What should we do?¡± ¡°How about chess?¡± ¡°Chess is good.¡± The three of them were playing chess. Iris was bewildered and wondering how to get out of this uncomfortable place, but Hayer reappeared through the open door. Hayer strode in, grabbed Iris¡¯s hand, and wordlessly dragged her out of the bedroom. Sandra followed and said something she didn¡¯t mean. ¡°Why did you take her? We¡¯re having a good time.¡± Hayer said without looking back. ¡°You two have fun. I¡¯ll take someone to play with me.¡± ¡°Ah, really¡­¡± Sandra pretended to be regretful until the end and went back to her bedroom. She locked the door as soon as she entered the bedroom. Ruben, lying in bed, flinched as Sandra locked the door. He asked, blinking his eyes. ¡°Sa-Sandra? The door¡­ why did you lock it?¡± ¡°¡­Just.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ sounds good.¡± Ruben cleared his throat and said bravely. ¡°Well, Sandra.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I heard that you¡­ didn¡¯t meet anyone. If there were¡­ I would not have escaped from prison and would have prayed for you to be happy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking, is what I heard correct?¡± Sandra sat in front of Ruben before he could speak again. Then she grabbed him by the collar and shouted. ¡°I would have waited for you even if you came out of prison 50 years later!¡± Ruben¡¯s ears turned red at her words. He asked back cautiously. ¡°¡­51 years?¡± ¡°I would wait!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ruben replied and laughed. Then he tapped his thigh to come toward him. Sandra said cautiously. ¡°Your legs aren¡¯t moving very well yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not moving, it doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s weak.¡± When Sandra examined Ruben¡¯s thighs, it was clear that he was having trouble walking because he was stiff, and not weak at all. ¡°As soon as you get up, you¡¯ll be a good farmer.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not bad if it¡¯s not a good harvest.¡± Satisfied, Sandra felt and measured various parts of Ruben¡¯s body, then nodded. It was a pass. afterword sandra fr groped her man to see if he had farmer potential LMAO anyway iris and hayer have me giggling so bad (pls read the chapters in order guys idk how accurate the viewership thing is but but c62 had so much for no reason LOL) CH 65 Iris followed Hayer to the annex where the two bedrooms were located. When the rainy season ended, the sky was as dry as ever. It was a starry sky, so different from where she came before. After leaving the circus tent, some discomfort lingered between the two who walked slowly. To change the mood, Hayer turned to talk about Sandra and Ruben. Then he laughed when he realized that the lights in the room were off. ¡°It¡¯s wrong to treat us to breakfast tomorrow.¡± ¡°Are you worried that they¡¯ll come out early to prepare for it?¡± Iris said, following Hayer and looking back. Then she muttered as if she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather go to bed early?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think they turned off the lights because they were embarrassed.¡± Iris, who finally understood the hidden meaning of Hayer¡¯s words, nodded. However, she still mumbled in an unconvinced tone. ¡°Still¡­¡± When Iris wasn¡¯t convinced, Hayer asked her. ¡°Which part is so strange?¡± ¡°They¡¯re tired, both of them.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s more¡­ Wait, do you think it¡¯s tiring to sleep with the love you haven¡¯t seen in seven years?¡± Hayer glanced at Iris with a look on his face, as if asking how she could say something so unromantic. Of course, he was not a huge romantic, but it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t understand the bond and emotional exchange between Sandra and Ruben. The two were madly in love with each other, and all with their eyes, they were frequently sending signals that they had waited for today to come where they could hold hands. Iris, who he thought was a much more romantic person than himself, gave a negative answer again. ¡°Won¡¯t you get tired no matter how much you love them?¡± It was as if she had already married someone she didn¡¯t love, and had been married while sharing a couple of boring nights a year. In Hayer¡¯s view, Iris sometimes felt overly realistic and pessimistic. She was determined to work hard to improve Luwan, but also felt gloomy, as if she were seeing a country that would eventually end up ruined. She was a strange, complicated woman. Indeed, with her affectionate eyes looking at him since they first met, Hayer vaguely thought that she would like him. But didn¡¯t she answer that she had someone else in mind that Hayer knew but had never met? When he guessed who it was in many ways, the only ones who met the conditions she said after coming out of the convent and going with the Knights of Tejas were only priests. A famous priest stopped by the convent, he thought dimly. It doesn¡¯t matter who you love, it seems that you have the heart to get yourself married. Hayer¡¯s mood strangely sank. While talking about Sandra and Ruben, the two arrived in front of Iris¡¯s bedroom. When Iris opened the bedroom door, there were fruits and drinks in front of her. Iris laughed. ¡°Even if the family head doesn¡¯t move, there¡¯s food everywhere.¡± She said as she walked toward the table. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be like this if there was a heaven? No one starves, and if there¡¯s something to eat, we share it with each other.¡± ¡°Your heaven is quite small.¡± ¡°What is your heaven like?¡± When Iris asked, Hayer pondered for a moment and replied. ¡°Hmm¡­ I hope it¡¯s a place where books by my favourite authors are always published until the final volume.¡± His answer made Iris laugh. ¡°That¡¯s also small.¡± ¡°When did I say mine wasn¡¯t small?¡± Hayer grumbled, embarrassed. The conversation temporarily broke any remaining discomfort left between the two. Meanwhile, Hayer gulped down a glass of clear alcohol on the table. Then, with a rare serious face, he opened his mouth as he looked down at the empty glass. ¡°When I return to the palace, I think I¡¯ll have to visit my mother.¡± Iris tilted her head at his words. Hayer continued, facing her. ¡°At the very least, shouldn¡¯t we check that my father is not a criminal or a slave? To get married.¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at his words. Hayer asked, finding it odd. ¡°I told you I¡¯d propose to you again. Why are you so surprised like it¡¯s your first time hearing it?¡± ¡°Really¡­ I didn¡¯t know you were going to do it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­I thought it was an Asheri-style rejection.¡± When Iris couldn¡¯t find anything else to say and replied, Hayer was taken aback, then laughed at how ridiculous it was. It seems that she was not a person who gave him much trust. Hayer didn¡¯t know why, but he felt wronged, because he had a lot of trust in Iris. Somehow, it seems that it was because she thought he had been noticeably uncomfortable with her for a while and thought she had been rejected. He had become a man who unintentionally rejected a woman¡¯s marriage proposal. Anyway, fortunately, the misunderstanding was resolved, and the corners of Iris¡¯s lips were softly rising. She was someone with a clear sense of purpose. Even in a marriage that has nothing to do with love, she is so happy when her goal is met. Looking at her like that, he thought of Iris¡¯s negative words earlier. Wouldn¡¯t you get tired no matter how much you love them and wouldn¡¯t sleep with them. ¡­If you¡¯re skeptical about love even if you love, are you trying to block it from happening at all? A life of chastity¡­ He never thought about it, but if he had to¡­ For him, who suffered from his mother¡¯s extramarital affair, ¡®having an affair¡¯ in life was an option to fall into the fire pit of hell. ¡°It¡¯s good for me to take care of myself, but I¡¯d like you to do it too. It¡¯s lonely if I do it alone.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t sleep and would get tired. If I love you, but you don¡¯t love me, you¡¯ll be more tired.¡± Iris paused at his words. He said first, and his face as he licked his lips, seemed somewhat hurt. Iris pondered for a moment and asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired? Things like that. Considering the date you can get pregnant, it¡¯s inconvenient to see each other after a few months¡­ Let¡¯s finish it quickly¡­ It feels awkward¡­¡± ¡°No, why are you so pessimistic? Have you ever had a wrong marriage?¡± ¡°No! There isn¡¯t. I don¡¯t have any.¡± Iris was startled and denied two more times in a row. Hayer speculated that the convent had instilled in her the negatives of everything sexual. Otherwise, how could it be this negative? While he thought so, Iris said to herself. ¡°Kissing¡­ sounds good. However.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will be really good.¡± Hayer felt like his mouth was dry for some reason, so he poured another glass of alcohol and gulped it down. Are you saying you don¡¯t want to, or are you asking me to come and kiss you? He couldn¡¯t read her thoughts at all. It was strange. He thought it was the specialty of the Asheri family to be able to read other people¡¯s reactions more easily. Until now, he had lived by making good use of such specialties. But he didn¡¯t know why this woman was constantly embarrassing him, bewildering him, and making him hesitate. Iris asked, looking at his lips. ¡°¡­Would that be good?¡± She thought it would be nice to do one thing, whether it was negative or expected about married life. How is he supposed to react to someone with those eyes asking if kissing is good? Are you asking me to play the role of talking like a friend of the same sex? Or is it just curiosity¡ªor is it temptation? Hayer approached Iris after deciding that he would stop if she didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be different for each person?¡± As he got closer, Iris had to raise her head to look up at Hayer, who was noticeably taller. When Hayer got close enough with a single stride, Iris said. ¡°Anyway¡­ if we really intend to get married, at least a kiss¡­ Can¡¯t we?¡± Even though she expressed her consent, Hayer paused for a moment. Marriage. Kiss. He chewed those words that remained sweet in his mouth until they tasted bitter. ¡°Give up. Don¡¯t hang out with her. At least, try again after finding out who your father is.¡± He thought he didn¡¯t care at all, but it suddenly came to mind like this. ¡°Personally, now that the marriage between Iris and Sid has been settled, I would like you to leave for the post of the Knights of Tejas in the south.¡± It was very familiar to be told to leave now that it¡¯s settled. It was a typical Hayer Asheri life. Hayer thought that Celios Lepos had neatly outlined the control device in his chest that, from the day he first saw Iris, she pulled from the other side whenever he tried to be attracted to her. afterword IM SCREAMING RIPPING MY HAIR OUT LET THEM BE HAPPY THE TENSION IM ON THE FLOOR IM GASPING FOR AIRRR CH 66 ¡¶note: when iris mentions ¡®sleep¡¯ i kept it ambiguous bc the word can mean sleep literally or in the sexual sense, wasn¡¯t sure what she meant but judging from hayer¡¯s reaction¡­¡· Iris bit her lower lip and continued to stare at him. Hayer said to Iris, wondering if the heat would subside if he went to a brighter place. ¡°The moon is very bright.¡± ¡°I know.¡± As Iris walked along, Hayer picked up a cushion from a chair and placed it on the window sill. Then he sat Iris on it. Iris sat there, looking up at the moonlight. Hayer thought her forehead, nose, and chin were like cascades of milk. During all those days of her treatment, he desperately suppressed his sexual desire for Iris. He did then. Because it was a treatment. Of course, there were times when Iris stroked his body more than therapeutically, and he felt like he was losing his reason from the back of his head, but he suppressed himself because he thought it was all just his mood. But today he didn¡¯t have to. Because she wanted it. Hayer said. ¡°The moonlight suits you well.¡± At that, Iris, who was looking out the window, turned her head and looked at Hayer. Hayer leaned over and brought his lips close to her. He called her name when he got closer. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She seemed to notice the nervousness in the voice calling her name now. He saw her looking at him with a slightly surprised gaze. Hayer grabbed the window sill with one hand, and with his other hand, he hugged her waist to keep her from falling behind the window sill. Then he kissed the corner of Iris¡¯s mouth briefly. Iris¡¯s chest rose and fell, as if she was too nervous to breathe. Perhaps relieved by the short kiss that seemed to be greeting her, her breathing calmed down again. But when he didn¡¯t fall back, Iris raised her head with a puzzled face. She tilted her head for a moment and greeted him in an uncertain voice. ¡°Well¡­ sleep?¡± Hayer took hold of the hand she was waving as she greeted him. Then, he put the clasped hand on Iris¡¯s thigh. His palm rested on her thigh, but Hayer¡¯s hand was so large that he could grasp her thigh with their intertwined fingers. ¡°Hayer?¡± Iris¡¯s voice trembled. Hayer sighed and kissed her neck before falling back. He hoped the next time she healed him, she¡¯d beat him up and knock him out, or give him a drink like last time. In his sober state, he had no confidence to withstand the touch of her hands that tended his wound closely, or the breath on his shoulder. Hayer used the large hand that covered Iris¡¯s to wrap around the back of her thigh once and then let go. After that, he arranged Iris¡¯s rolled up skirt as she closed her eyes tightly at his actions, and went down. Then, Iris¡¯s hand that had inadvertently grabbed his collar, fell. Iris blinked innocently and opened her mouth. ¡°Not yet¡­ they may not be sleeping. Sandra, Ruben.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯re awake¡­¡± Her talk to herself disturbed Hayer¡¯s reason. He smiled desperately like a gentleman, and lowered Iris from the window sill. And after waving good night, he went to his room. Heat rose all over his body. * * * After Hayer left, Iris remained in her spot and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m in trouble¡­¡± The lips that touched the corners of her mouth made her tremble, and she couldn¡¯t even imagine if it would be possible to go any further. She thought she¡¯d be used to it since she¡¯s been married for six years, but why are all these senses so new? Iris sighed with concern. At the same time, she remembered Hayer¡¯s heavy breathing. The body heat from Hayer remained on her thigh. Hayer Asheri was always able to joke around and relax, but today he didn¡¯t seem to be able to afford it at all. He seemed to have used all his mental strength to suppress himself. Whatever his mind was, it was clear that he was about to go crazy when he touched her body. She didn¡¯t hate it. Iris thought she wanted to reach out a little more and break his self-control. ¡°You told me not to love you.¡± She smiled faintly. Hayer probably wouldn¡¯t have said anything bad to her, so it would hurt less to follow his advice. Even so. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± He died after cutting the sacred tree, and she was standing in time six years ago. ¡°¡­So maybe I¡¯ll do what I want.¡± She decided to open up the heart that 25-year-old Hayer Asheri had bolted in his will. If she wanted to love, she was going to love. She thought it was her own responsibility to make her own choices and handle the pain. She didn¡¯t want to be a coward who didn¡¯t even start because she was scared to fail in love. * * * Iris didn¡¯t get a good night¡¯s sleep again today. This time it wasn¡¯t really a different concern, it was only because of Hayer Asheri. ¡°Why can¡¯t I sleep¡­¡± Iris blamed Hayer and walked back to the window. She thought the Hall territory was beautiful even when it rained, but now that it entered May, it was more than a first impression. All kinds of flowers were blooming in the garden, and the sound of insects were heard. She looked out the window for a while, and came out as soon as the morning sun came up. She was bored in the bedroom, so she was looking forward to breakfast today. Iris, who came out like that, heard a shocking report. ¡°Sandra¡­ the head didn¡¯t wake up?¡± The news was that Sandra didn¡¯t wake up. The chef said, fidgety. ¡°Still, we¡¯ve prepared a lot of good ingredients. Just say what you want to eat! I¡¯ll make everything for you!¡± It was a shock. How much fun they had to talk about at night, and they couldn¡¯t get up until the morning! Iris stood there with a shocked face, and Hayer entered the dining room with a yawn. Even calling it the previous day¡¯s kiss, or not, made Iris very nervous because of the complicated behaviour. However, Hayer said to the chef, rubbing his eyebrow bone with a casual expression and sleepy eyes. ¡°Can you do that for me? What was it?¡± ¡°Ah, the potato bread you ate yesterday?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you read my mind, but that¡¯s it.¡± Upon Hayer¡¯s request, the chef went back. He sat down in a chair and asked Iris. ¡°Why are you standing there looking so shocked?¡± ¡°Breakfast¡­¡± Hayer nodded in understanding. And he went on. ¡°But what can you do? The two like each other so much.¡± Sandra woke up while Hayer was eating a fine meal centered on the potato bread he ordered. Embarrassed, she brought all the food in the kitchen. Thanks to Ruben getting up a little later, all four were able to get together before breakfast was over. Ruben was really happy that he was leaving the dungeon and eating this food, which made the onlookers feel both sad and happy. After the meal, Iris and Hayer finished preparing for departure. Ruben, who was only able to get around a little now, the maid who came with them yesterday, and Sandra all came out to see the two off. Sandra told Iris. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I greeted you properly, but thank you very, very much.¡± ¡°You greeted me properly, and I understood how you felt.¡± ¡°Iris.¡± Sandra held her hand tightly and continued. ¡°Tell me anything I can do for you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Iris pretended to think before opening her mouth again. ¡°I think the Hall family territory is the most important land in Luwan.¡± At her words, Sandra tilted her head slightly and looked at Iris. She went on. ¡°If there is a war, the enemy will be the first to occupy this place. And if the Hall family is taken over, the war¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll end with Luwan¡¯s defeat.¡± Sandra nodded in agreement. Sandra, who worked hard all day for her fief and the people of the territory, couldn¡¯t help but know the existence of the Sieres who continue to hide in the territory of the Hall family. She had already judged that the time had passed to avoid the war between Luwan and Siere. And the fact that Iris was thinking that far gave Sandra support beyond words. Iris continued. ¡°So that is my request.¡± ¡°The Hall family, you mean to develop military force.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris nodded. Sandra asked again with a broad grin. ¡°Other than that, is there anything you really want? At least, please support me as the heir to the throne.¡± ¡°No. I know how important family support is. So you have to choose the person best suited for the throne. It¡¯s not something that can be done by my request.¡± Sandra nodded at her words. At first, the idea of Iris Lepos was wrong, but now Sandra could boast that she knew her well. She was clear. Her clear and firm definitions reassured those around her. Iris spoke again. ¡°Hmm, if I have any other request, I¡¯d like you to make some compromise with the Everhart family.¡± Sandra laughed at the remark. ¡°The eldest son of the family escaped from prison and is here, in any case. It can¡¯t be the same as before.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris thought it would be nice to have the ability to see the future. She couldn¡¯t tell if today¡¯s change was positive or negative. afterword me in shambles bc we didn¡¯t get to see iris and hayer get frisky but just that snippet gave me butterflies hayer barely holding back n all oml im weak!! CH 67 After a while, the carriage started. Parting with good people was always full of regrets. A little regret remained on the faces of Iris and Hayer in the carriage. Sandra gave them tarts full of strawberries to eat on the way, so the two took them out and shared it when they were hungry. It was the best strawberry dish Iris had ever eaten, with its large size and rich flavour of strawberries and unique scent, the cooking method was excellent. The two were sitting in the carriage that moved nonstop without a moment¡¯s rest, eager to let Ruben Everhart meet Sandra Hall as soon as possible. After that, it was hard to sit in the carriage for a long time to go back to the capital. In addition, Iris¡¯s eyes, which had been unable to sleep again the previous day, kept bothering Hayer. But to Iris, who was trying hard not to look tired somehow, Hayer asked. ¡°Shall we take a short walk? To look around the market.¡± Iris nodded as if she had been waiting for his suggestion. Thus, the two got off at the Everhart Market for a short walk. After walking through this market, they intended to ride the carriage again from the opposite side. They were just entering the market when it suddenly began to rain. The merchants moved busily and began to spread their tents. Iris looked up at the tents that quickly became an umbrella and couldn¡¯t contain her admiration. The tents emblazoned with all kinds of patterns from all over the world were dyed in colours unique to their own country. Iris stared up at the tents for a while, distracted. And Hayer stood a step back, watching her look up at the tents like that. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Iris murmured and moved on. Hayer walked behind her, looking at the colours of the tents melting into her eyes. Then at some point, people flocked, and in an instant, she disappeared into the crowd. Hayer, who had been watching her all along, rushed over and grabbed Iris¡¯s hand. Iris¡¯s eyes were wide open, perhaps surprised to separate from Hayer for a moment. Iris asked, seeing the hand Hayer held one step later with those surprised eyes. ¡°How did you find me so quickly?¡± Right. It was only after she asked such a question that Hayer realized that he had been following Iris with his eyes, not paying any attention to the market. From the first day he met her, Hayer thought that Iris was constantly within his gaze. Then one day, he was looking for the place where she was with his eyes. He knows it bothers Iris to keep looking at where she is, so he avoids eye contact¡­ ¡°I was watching. Continuously.¡± He answered frankly. Iris looked into his eyes. ¡°Are you afraid I might lose my way?¡± Hayer shook his head at the remark. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll lose you.¡± Is it because the goods will get wet from the sudden rain or because of the repairs of the merchants running around? He didn¡¯t know what he was answering, and he was muttering like that. It was amazing. Has he ever seen anything good in his life for this long? He didn¡¯t remember very well. Just, she was marvellous to him. Hayer said, holding her hand tightly. ¡°Hold it and go. Don¡¯t lose it again.¡± Iris looked a little dazed, then nodded and followed him. ¡°Don¡¯t lose me.¡± She added, and Hayer smiled and nodded. Then he answered quietly. ¡°You can find it quickly if you lose it, but not me.¡± When Iris looked at Hayer again, he gazed at Iris again. ¡°You have to watch it for a long time, if you don¡¯t want to lose it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± ¡°So if I¡¯m looking at you, ah, I¡¯m afraid of losing you, so I¡¯ll just do it.¡± Iris blinked at his answer, nodding slowly. Exiting the market, they got back into the carriage and left Everhart. Having travelled to and from the capital often, she has now somewhat adapted to the stench felt upon entering the capital. However, what was still difficult to adapt to was the number of street dwellers that increased exponentially from the moment they entered the capital. Iris thought she would have a lot of chances to go to Everhart Street for the time being. With no financial knowledge, she didn¡¯t know Luwan¡¯s finances properly. But as a Luwan living in this country, she felt certain that the economy was collapsing. The bankruptcy of the Everhart family had to be prevented. It was as important a goal for her as not to lose the Hall fief. When they returned to the royal palace, roses were blooming all over. Hayer said after taking her to the front of the east building. ¡°I will go see my mother.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for coming with me. And¡­ do you want me to come with you this time?¡± Hayer¡¯s expression was not bright, but he shook his head at her question. And asked jokingly. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯m scared of seeing my mother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re scared, but your steps do look heavy.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hayer nodded, and continued. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll go by myself though. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen each other.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Among the mountains of food Sandra gave them, Iris found a peach and handed it to him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s definitely better than going empty-handed.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± After receiving Iris¡¯s worried farewell, Hayer moved to the basement of the west building where his mother, Peonia Lepos, stayed. * * * Standing in front of the basement of the west building, he took a few deep breaths to catch himself. Then he opened the door and entered the place where his mother stayed. ¡°Mother.¡± At his words, Peonia turned around. It¡¯s been so long that Hayer couldn¡¯t think of what to say to his mother. He couldn¡¯t say anything now, which he usually did well. Hayer put down the peach Iris gave him on Peonia¡¯s table. ¡°Please eat.¡± Peonia stared blankly at Hayer¡¯s face, then ran frantically to hug her son. Hayer patted Peonia on the back, feeling a little sorry for coming after two or three years. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He¡¯ll come often¡ªhe didn¡¯t say those same empty words. Because that¡¯s impossible. He couldn¡¯t bear to let go of Peonia, who couldn¡¯t fall away from his arms, and stood there. After a while, Hayer put Peonia back in her chair, and he took a chair opposite of her. Then he started to peel the peach he brought with a dagger. Peonia, who was staring at the peach, said. ¡°I like peaches.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Peonia nodded. ¡°I ate a lot when I was young.¡± Did you know that? Even though he knew it couldn¡¯t be, Hayer briefly had such a question. She was a woman who knows a lot of things she shouldn¡¯t know. He soon left the peach and handed it to Peonia. Peonia took a bite of the peach and looked happy. Hayer wiped the peach juice off his hands, and unconsciously smiled at Peona¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you smile, Mother.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Peonia asked back and ate the peach again. Hayer, who was watching his mother eat, picked up another peach and began to peel it. When Peonia finished eating one, Hayer, who handed her another, asked. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Sure. Of course.¡± ¡°Who is my father?¡± When someone else asked this, Peonia kept her mouth shut and gave no answer. There were even times when she just screamed like a lunatic. There¡¯s no such thing as another man, she screamed until her throat was hoarse. However, when her son asked the same question for the first time, she was eating the peach with a relatively calm face. Hayer wiped the juice from Peonia¡¯s hands after eating the second peach with a handkerchief. Peonia, who was watching her sweet son¡¯s behaviour, opened her mouth. ¡°You look like your father.¡± Hayer paused at her words. Then, he wiped the juice off his hands again and asked. ¡°In what way?¡± In response to her son¡¯s question, Peonia tapped Hayer¡¯s forehead and nose with her clean hands. ¡°Your forehead and eyes. Maybe you¡¯ll recognize each other right away when you meet. That man is my father, that man is my son.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°He¡¯s very strong, very¡­¡± Peonia¡¯s mouth trembled as she remembered that someone. Originally, he knew that there was a separate biological father, but he felt complicated when he heard it from his mother. Hayer, who was looking at his mother who thought of his biological father, asked. ¡°What is his name?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What is my father¡¯s name?¡± CH 68 ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Who is it that you can¡¯t tell me?¡± No matter how many times he questioned her, Peonia did not answer, so Hayer eventually decided to change the direction of the question. ¡°Can you tell me where you met?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Peonia looked rather cheerful, perhaps even wanting to say it herself because she couldn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°We met at home.¡± ¡°¡­At Asheri?¡± It was the least desired answer. The fact that they met at Asheri, located on the border, meant that there was a high possibility that his father was from Siere. Hayer sighed, and Peonia continued. ¡°I was fifteen.¡± Fifteen? Hayer paused. At fifteen, it was three years before his mother got married. Peonia slowly recalled the memory of that time. ¡°I fed him. Came into my house like a cat.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Is it right that she¡¯s talking about his father? It sounds like something completely different. While Hayer was doubtful, Peonia continued to speak. ¡°Because Eswa lied.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Came here without knowing, and was dying. So¡­¡± Not at all, it didn¡¯t connect. Hayer eventually gave up understanding and picked up another peach that Peonia had her eyes on. ¡°Are you going to eat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you today because it¡¯s been a while, but you shouldn¡¯t eat too much at once.¡± Peonia smiled at his nagging. ¡°You say the same thing as your father.¡± In conclusion, Hayer was convinced that he and his father were very much alike. You¡¯ll notice the moment you see it, Peonia had repeatedly said. Peonia said this and that, whether it was a cat or a lie, but it was impossible to pick out what was really related to his father. The only thing that is certain is that he resembled his father, but he still thought it was a good thing that he met his mother for the first time in a long time. Because Peonia looked happy eating peaches. Peonia ate the peach satisfactorily and fell asleep warmly under the blanket her son had covered her with. Hayer got up after confirming that his mother was asleep. * * * After hearing his mother¡¯s story that he couldn¡¯t understand the context of, he was exhausted. The sun had already set and the sky was dark. He went to the east building, and Celios, who was making tricky demands for the servant who changed the flowers in the vase, spotted Hayer. ¡°You see each other often.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back out.¡± Hayer said, and as he went up the stairs, Celios said. ¡°Is it okay to go in and out of a place where a woman your age is staying in the middle of the night like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°I told you, but if you¡¯re thinking of doing useless tricks, you¡¯d better give up. Iris won¡¯t marry you who doesn¡¯t even know your roots.¡± Hayer, who had already heard such words, kept going up the stairs and met Iris, who was standing in the hallway. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Judging from Iris¡¯s rapidly stiffening expression, she must have heard what Celios just said. She stood still in her spot with a nonsensical look on her face. She asked Hayer. ¡°My mother told you that¡­ Have you already experienced that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She said that I will never marry you.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hayer pretended to be unconcerned, but inside he was very troubled by the situation. He¡¯s had this conversation before, but he didn¡¯t know if he could admit it honestly. Hayer continued, scratching the nape of his neck. ¡°She did, but I don¡¯t really care what others say.¡± ¡°Why are you staying still?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not wrong, is it? ¡°What isn¡¯t wrong with that?!¡± As Iris raised her voice, the east building, where conversations were heard here and there, became quiet. The people in the east building knew that this was the second time Iris had raised her voice. The first was when she wanted outsiders to know that the reason for meeting Hayer was to build a bond so that the Asheri family would not go over to the enemy country. And the second was now. Iris wanted to let Hayer Asheri know that his paternal lineage did not matter to her. Celios, who heard her voice, rushed up the stairs. ¡°Iris, what is the fuss?¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Iris continued with a resolute expression. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of my own matters.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good thing to call a man to your room at night, stay out with him, and walk around like that?¡± ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s a good thing. Hayer is an unbeatable knight in Luwan, and he¡¯s escorting me. Where is the problem?¡± Iris continued. ¡°Again, let me make my own decisions.¡± ¡°Marry Hayer Asheri and you will never be king.¡± ¡°When did I say I wanted to be?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you go around like that because you want to be?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not the reason.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about wanting to be a king. It¡¯s because you have to. You are the legitimate successor of the Lepos family. You can aim for the throne with your lineage, but why are you kicking that gift away?¡± As the two began to fight, Hayer was in the middle with a stumped expression. Should he stop them or side with Iris? He was usually quick-witted, but in this situation, he was worried because he didn¡¯t know what to do, and he saw Celios¡¯s guard Peter Wick glaring at him from afar. Hayer already knew from the rumour that he might be Iris¡¯s father. And the look in his eyes convinced him that the rumour was not nonsense. Peter Wick had the look of a father who would give a warning to the man his daughter had brought in first. Peter Wick was a former knight of the Royal Knights. With his skills, he could have reached the position of leader if he wanted to, but he didn¡¯t. It was certain among the knights that it was because he had to guard the king when he reached the position of leader. It was clear what Peter Wick wanted to guard, so he refused the position of leader. The target was of course Celios Lepos, and Peter left the Knights in accordance with the tradition of the Royal Knights. It was the year Kernin Lepos, who joined later than him, became the leader. Hayer tried to appeal to Peter Wick, at least as a fellow knight, that he was a good man, but Peter Wick seemed to be a man with the concept of ¡®any man who approaches his daughter is a thief.¡¯ In Hayer¡¯s view, he thought that Sid Lepos was the only husband who could be understood by the couple. Of course, even that will not be enough now. Hayer thought so, and looked around the east building for a moment. And he laughed without realizing it. They were the servants of the east building, and two maids who followed Celios were listening to their quarrel. The two were talking to each other, glancing at each other, and then ran out of the east building to spread the fight. The reason why the mother and daughter are fighting now is because Celios believes that her daughter is not lacking for the throne. To put it the other way around, Iris Lepos was talking out loud that she didn¡¯t have enough justification and qualification to challenge the throne. Of course, it¡¯s not a lie to actually fight over yourself. Hayer watched the mother and daughter still arguing with each other in loud voices. Celios was originally a royal who grew up in an extremely political environment, so it was natural, but it was strange for Iris to think and act the same. Iris already seemed to know how quickly rumours circulated within the palace. To the extent that she can use it to convey what she wants to say. Hayer, who was standing in the noisy fight, finally met his subordinate entering the east building. It was Hencke of the Knights of Tejas. Hayer looked at him and sneaked down the stairs, and Hencke, who heard the fight from above, asked with his eyes wide open. ¡°Are you getting married?¡± ¡°Well. I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°How can you not know¡­? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was this bad as a groom.¡± ¡°Then, did you know how good a wandering groom could be?¡± Hencke continued to speak to Hayer, who sighed self-deprecatingly. ¡°Where are you calling to go to?¡± At Hayer¡¯s order, a small elite of the Knights arrived in the capital. Hayer has yet to tell them why, but there was some speculation that he would be going on a very dangerous mission. CH 69 Rumours spread quickly in the royal palace that Celios was opposed to Iris and Hayer¡¯s marriage, and that Iris was likely to challenge the throne. The rumour reached Sid Lepos, the king¡¯s eldest son, who had never imagined that Iris would be his rival. And he was now facing a more serious problem than that of Iris Lepos, who doesn¡¯t seem to be much of a competitor. It was because a woman with his own child was standing in front of his eyes. Madeleine Lepos, Kernin Lepos¡¯s daughter, was standing in the middle of Sid¡¯s office, crying sadly. Kernin, who brought his illegitimate daughter, was staring at Sid with a sad look. ¡°My daughter is pregnant with your child. You knew that, but you tried to hurt Madeleine?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know. Is there any proof that the child is my child in the first place?¡± Sid tried to get away with it with a straight face. He knew it wouldn¡¯t work against Kernin, but he thought he should try. However, he received Kernin¡¯s more than expected shouts. ¡°I can prove it right away by bringing even a sage. My daughter swore to Tilla that the child in her stomach is yours! Can you swear to Tilla that this child is not yours!¡± His tiger-like rant made him feel chills. But he wasn¡¯t that easy either. ¡°What if that child is mine? What does that change? Even so, she is a daughter with no honour.¡± ¡°Even if this child is illegitimate, the fact that you touched my daughter remains unchanged.¡± Kernin said. ¡°If you continue to avoid it and do not marry this child, you¡¯ll be tried by facing a duel with me. You defamed my daughter.¡± ¡°Uncle!¡± ¡°Your subordinate Meppo is still bedridden, so he can¡¯t fight the duel. Who can you appoint as your fill-in right now?¡± Sid gnashed his teeth at his words. However, even with such anger, as Kerrnin said, there was no knight in Luwan who could deal with him one-on-one except for Meppo. Kernin Lepos said, looking down at Sid. ¡°When I think about living in a country where you are king, I think it would be better to die and go to Tilla¡¯s side. How can a man who tries to kill a woman with his child be a good king!¡± It was obvious why Kernin brought Madeleine, a daughter he had never been interested in, to push her to marry him. Because Kernin himself wants to be king. At the same time, it is to talk about a good king. Sid was disgusted by Kernin¡¯s desire. The throne was given to him. Sid grew up knowing and learning that way from the moment he had his first memory of life when he was very young. He never took it seriously for a moment that there was a rival for his throne. In particular, among them, Iris Lepos¡ªan ignorant fool who grew up in a convent all this time and knows nothing¡ªis not a threat to him in the slightest. But his uncle¡­ His uncle, Kernin Lepos, had the face of a traitor. Sitting at the head of the Royal Knights who were to protect the royal family, he looked as if he would not obey anyone¡¯s orders. He was a man who would wield a sword to seize the throne at any time if he had a justification. ¡°First¡­ yes, I understand.¡± Sid, who always had a hard time with such an uncle, told Kernin Lepos to avoid it right now. ¡°I¡¯ll do as uncle says. It¡¯s my child, so I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°Yes. You thought it out very well.¡± Today, Kernin left with his illegitimate daughter after satisfactorily saying that, having planned to catch his weak point first. Sid¡¯s breathing became rough with anger. He had to get out of this situation. If he marries Kernin¡¯s illegitimate daughter, King Eswa will surely be furious. Eswa himself was born in the belly of a mistress, so he was a person who was severely obsessed with bloodline in return. Iris Lepos was the only one that caught his eye so far. But she¡¯s an illegitimate daughter. She was also an illegitimate daughter with his younger brother, whom Eswa did not like very much. It was clear that the road would run wild. After thinking for a while, Sid found his own method along the way. It was intended to endanger both Iris Lepos and Kernin Lepos at the same time. He ran straight to the king¡¯s office. * * * Sid Lepos immediately headed to the drawing room attached to the king¡¯s bedroom. He sat on the sofa, waiting for his father, and looked around the space that would one day be his. Flamboyant and luxurious furnishings were changed according to their taste whenever the paramour they loved changed. At the news of his son¡¯s arrival, the king rose from his bedroom with a click of his tongue. Since his son went to the convent to pick up his bride, the royal palace has been noisy all the time, and there has been no peaceful day. King Eswa walked out into the drawing room with a tired look on his face. Sid hastened to say, before his father showed his displeasure. ¡°Have Iris Lepos and Lord Kernin ever been tested as a Lepos?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Iris Lepos was Sid¡¯s own match for marriage. When she was appointed queen, such a test was not necessary. On top of that, Kernin Lepos also had no reason to be tested because he had never been a candidate for the throne. Sid continued. ¡°You must test them both in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth.¡± ¡°The Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Neither Sid nor Eswa had ever entered the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. The Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth was a complex place where even the previous kings, who were known to be powerful in the Lepos family, lost their way for a long time. In addition, it was dangerous because it was a place to confine those who committed treason or heinous crimes. Sid said, pointing to the sky. ¡°The full moon has risen, father. That means that someone, born strong enough to be the king, can enter the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth and come out.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Father, you have to confirm who was born with the qualifications of a king. Isn¡¯t that what Tilla wants?¡± Sid knew about the fear of his father, King Eswa. He had been in fear since the full moon. The thought that one day the real beloved king whom the moon loves might appear. There was an inherent fear that the king might overthrow him, who was still too young to step down from the throne yet. It wasn¡¯t that the fear was unrealistic. If a new person appeared, who all the great noble families supported more than the current king, Eswa had no choice but to give up the throne. The royal family wouldn¡¯t be overwhelmed if it was just one great noble family that joined together, but if the eight families joined together, even the royal family could not move. King Eswa pretended to accept his son¡¯s suggestion carefully. But maybe, in fact, that¡¯s exactly what he¡¯s been hoping for all this time. He would be satisfied with just sending Kernin Lepos, but he thought it would be better to send Iris Lepos with him as well because there is not enough justification. The girl who made Celios Lepos look like she succeeded in revenge in front of him. They won¡¯t be able to escape the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. Tilla could not have given them the ability that was not given to himself. If those two people were trapped in the maze, there would be nothing happier than this. It was so easy to get rid of the competitors. Without further delay, King Eswa summoned the representatives and ministers of the eight families. * * * Representatives from the eight noble families gathered in the king¡¯s office. Eight families were spread throughout Luwan, and their representatives lived in the capital. They were mainly the younger brothers or second sons of the family head. Dane Hall was also just attending the meeting as a relative of Sandra Hall and a representative of the Hall family. Eswa opened his mouth deliberately with modesty. ¡°I think the fact that the full moon has risen proves it. In Luwan, a better king than me raised his head.¡± At his unexpected words, the representatives¡¯ eyes were all on Eswa. Eswa continued. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so? I¡¯m here for Luwan¡­ Yes, if there is a better king for this land, I am always willing to give up this throne.¡± Until now, Eswa has always been on his own and was lazy. Usually just drunk or held by mistresses. Since there were few meetings like this, in fact, there was little gathering of representatives from the eight families in the first place. He was an incompetent and dishonest king. It was only when it was first revealed that the queen had been raising another man¡¯s child without the king¡¯s knowledge that he garnered the sympathy of the Luwan people for a very short time, but that was it. His brutal torture and imprisonment of the child left a particularly bad impression on those with children. It was because Hayer was too young at the time. In any case, Eswa finally seemed to have the mindset he should have had from the beginning of his reign, like it was finally time to die. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The representatives of the eight families exchanged glances with each other. afterword here we go,, this arc won¡¯t get dragged out for too long dw guys CH 70 ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± As befits a city full of merchants, Everhart¡¯s representative quickly finished the calculation. He was dressed in rich silk. Also, the Asheri family representative at the border acted like a fox as always. ¡°Currently, Luwan is in a precarious position, both in terms of economy and security. At times like this, I believe that His Majesty¡¯s presence on the throne can make a longer-term plan. Of course, the fact that the full moon has risen is not negligible¡­¡± At the words of Asheri¡¯s representative, the other seven family representatives clicked their tongues inwardly, Anyway, that Asheri family was not called the White Fox for nothing. Put your foot on here, put your foot on there. Asheri didn¡¯t even hide that they had put it all over the place now. They can turn over their oath at any time like turning the palm of their hand, revealing that the oath to Luwan is the same. Still, in Dane¡¯s view, the representatives were generally positive that a candidate for the throne had appeared. Even though each of them were representatives of a great noble family that was like a kingdom, they all wanted to do anything if they could bring down Eswa, the current king, from the throne as soon as possible. As such, Eswa was a king who made even the most noble family uneasy. With the exception of the Asheri family, who always did not confirm their answers, King Eswa confirmed that everyone had responded positively and quietly continued. ¡°So I¡¯m going to test these two new candidates for the throne.¡± Several of the representatives mouthed, ¡®Two?¡¯ and asked the other representatives. Of course, there were two that came into people¡¯s minds Iris Lepos. Sid Lepos. But what came out of the king¡¯s mouth was another name. ¡°My son Sid Lepos has already tested his ability in the King¡¯s Labyrinth several times as a child. Unlike Hayer, he actively utilized the Lepos family¡¯s abilities and quickly escaped the maze. Now I think Iris Lepos and Kernin Lepos should also have their ability tested.¡± And King Eswa continued his speech solemnly. ¡°In the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth.¡± Of course. There were looks of astonishment among the representatives, no matter who they were. No one knew exactly what the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth was, but everyone knew that it was a maze on a different level from the King¡¯s Labyrinth without having to go in. It was different in scale and in degree of difficulty. No matter how talented a member of the Lepos family was, they were apt to get lost in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. Still, they could figure out the way to some extent, so it took them more than a decade to get out of there. But it took three or four months to get out very quickly, almost as soon as they entered. Claiming such a labyrinth as if it were on the same level as the King¡¯s Labyrinth, and talking about pushing two candidates in. If they were really ridiculously gifted, and escaped in three or four months, King Eswa would already have a plan. Obviously, something will be done. Apart from the savagery of King Eswa, on the other hand, the representatives had some agreement with the plan. The full moon means that the real king has appeared. The desire to know who the king is will be the same for all who live in the land of Luwan, not just for the representatives of the great noble families. ¡°All right.¡± The representative for the militant Dirpone family said. Then, in a hurry, the representatives of the rest of the families added a word to signify their agreement with Eswa¡¯s idea. The meeting ended by an overwhelming vote difference. Seven to one. All agreed except for the Asheri family, who abstained. At this meeting, it was decided to send Iris Lepos and Kernin Lepos into the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth and test them. * * * The news quickly spread to Iris Lepos, who stayed in the east building, and Hayer, who was staying at his house on the outskirts of the capital. Hayer laughed at the news of the ¡®Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth Test¡¯ delivered by the messenger. It was none other than Iris Lepos who told him this news now. Celios Lepos and Peter Wick made a fuss over their opposition to the marriage, so the two had been exchanging opinions with each other through messages for a while. Hayer¡¯s goal, as always, was to cut down the sacred tree, so he asked Iris to know the exact location of the sacred tree. Iris found the sacred tree closest to his current location. At the southern end of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. In the desert that spread across the two countries, it was a place close to the border with Siere. Hayer first contacted Iris like this. Then the answer came back from Iris. Seeing her clear handwriting made him smile for some reason. Hayer was thinking that he wanted to be with Iris as soon as possible. Travelling with her has always been fun. The two decided that entering the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth was the best course of action, but it was not a place where they could enter freely because they wanted to. Then, as if by a twist of fate, King Eswa just in time declared that he would test Iris and push her into the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. Thanks to that, Hayer, whose will to go through the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth and to cut down the sacred tree in the desert became even clearer, came out to the courtyard of his house. Originally, the Knights were not allowed to be stationed in his house. It was because the king feared that Hayer would revolt. So Hayer has so far avoided bringing a large number of knights together in this house. But not today. He was responsible for escorting Iris Lepos, who would be tested for her ability as a member of the Lepos family, to the entrance to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. It was legal to gather here today. All the Knights of Tejas were standing in a corridor. Hayer was standing in the middle of the corridor, the far end of the courtyard, looking at them. He bought this house every morning to do this, and now he can use it like this once. There was affection in Hayer¡¯s gaze as he looked at his subordinates, and pride was felt in the faces of the knights standing with their hands behind their backs. Hayer said. ¡°With the help of our Knights of Tejas, it has been reported that there are no more monsters crossing the forbidden land in the mountains.¡± After saying that, he moved into the courtyard. To calm his emotions, he paused for a moment and then opened his mouth again. ¡°As everyone expected, I cut the sacred tree with my own hands.¡± As expected, no one in the Knights was surprised by his words. It was because the knights remembered the time they, led by Annamaria, heard a sound like earth shaking one day. The sacred tree, which seemed to last forever, fell down and was losing its light, and Hayer was kneeling down in front of it and apologizing. No one had seen him cut the sacred tree, but many in the Knights had guessed his painful decision to cut Tilla¡¯s sacred tree. Hayer soon took off his shirt. At that moment, complex emotions that could not be sorted were mixed in the eyes of all the Knights. Their feelings were not all the same. In particular, Annamaria and Hencke, who considered themselves Hayer¡¯s closest aides, were angry that the leader had hidden from them the deep-cut wound that stretched to his shoulders and back. Unable to hold back their anger, the two¡¯s faces turned red and blue. Hayer continued. ¡°This is a wound that was made the moment the sacred tree fell to the ground. Maybe Tilla has cursed me forever. So I¡¯ve been hiding this from everyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But this curse was left only on me, and we defeated the monsters. And Tilla sent me Princess Iris, who has a cure.¡± Hayer continued in a voice that made even the listener feel confident. ¡°So I came to regard this not as a curse, but as a quench for Tillla to make me stronger.¡± But his words were mixed with lies. Still waiting for Hayer, Dylan closed his eyes for a moment because he wanted to avoid the lie. What cure? So far, his wound has shown no improvement. Dylan still had to live with the fear that Hayer might one day collapse and die because of that wound. While Hayer was talking to the Knights, Dylan¡¯s gaze saw two people just entering Hayer¡¯s house. It was Iris Lepos and Peter Wick, who came with her to escort her. Dylan wondered what Iris was thinking now. Maybe she¡¯s also afraid that the wound won¡¯t heal. Dylan thought, perhaps, she too had a fear of uncertainty about the treatment outcome. I was just holding it back. Even if my heart is broken and the fear that a precious person might leave comes like a wave, I¡¯ll just suppress it¡­ afterword me realizing hayer is just going through it the whole damn novel with his wounds but that won¡¯t stop him from being horny (jokes..!) CH 71 Iris felt her mouth go dry as she watched Hayer calmly lying to his subordinates. She wanted to know why God couldn¡¯t heal him, why Tilla gave such an ordeal to this righteous man who wanted to cut down the sacred tree even though he knew the pain he had to suffer for the people of this continent. Hayer¡¯s words that he knew the cure worked well for those who heard it for the first time, even though he made the hearts of those who knew the truth sink. The expression of the Knights, which had been dark, slowly returned to their true colours. ¡°Tilla has allowed me to cut down the sacred tree for Luwan, and furthermore for the people of this continent.¡± And their blood was getting hotter and hotter. ¡°I will go to the desert, and if the sacred tree there is also giving power to the monsters, I will cut the sacred tree again. If you¡¯re afraid of Tilla, you can leave anytime. If you think God didn¡¯t mean to test me, but cursed me out of hatred, then feel free to leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± For a moment the Knights were silent. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± No one moved for a while. Then Annamaria walked over to Hayer and said, with a clang between her sword and armor. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you, but I¡¯m a little angry. How could you keep such a big wound a secret from me, your right-hand man?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that in the future. Because I¡¯m upset.¡± Annamaria grumbled and went back to her position. After that, no one complained, and no one left. Instead, they were giving Hayer a look of trust, more than loyalty. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you anywhere, Captain!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask questions, just go your way, and we¡¯ll all follow you.¡± Hayer smiled and went back to the Knights. And after the noisy Knights were quiet, he said to Hencke. ¡°Hencke Haywin, I¡¯ll leave you as vice-captain.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± Hencke answered politely. Hayer then said to Annamaria. ¡°Annamaria List, I¡¯ll leave you as the marshal.¡± Annamaria¡¯s lips twitched with excitement at the words. She bowed her head. ¡°Yes. Please leave it to me.¡± Finally, Hayer spoke to Ato, the Kawat captain. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you as the vice-marshal.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Captain. I will devote my life to carrying it out.¡± The vice-captain was in charge of the administrative part of the Knights. It was the marshal¡¯s job to command the Knights as the commander¡¯s right-hand during battle and take charge of the training of his subordinates. Both Hencke and Annamaria liked this arrangement very much because they were well aware of their own tendencies. Ato, who took the position of vice-marshal without forming a separate Kawat unit, also accepted his position happily. In that part, Iris knew that a big change had taken place in her life before the North Gate, which she had seen before. According to Hencke and Annamaria during their journey to the North Gate, it was after the war that they became vice-captain and marshal. Until then, they seemed to have just stayed in Kawat and focused on defeating monsters. And their going to the desert was something they had never done in their previous lives. Iris followed Hayer, who disbanded the Knights, in uneasiness. ¡°Will the Knights of Tejas be all right in the desert?¡± ¡°It may be a little difficult to fight monsters, but it should be enough to get to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is it okay to enter the labyrinth with me?¡± Iris asked anxiously. Iris had heard of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth in the game of saving Luwan during her journey with the Knights of Tejas. It wasn¡¯t often. Hayer did not bring up the labyrinth often, as he was bitter that he wasn¡¯t born with the ability to navigate. ¡°The Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth is the most complicated maze in the world, where only those born of the Lepos family can find their way.¡± ¡°In that maze, you don¡¯t grow old, you don¡¯t starve, you don¡¯t sleep. In such a space, traitors are being punished. Maybe Sid Lepos hid there. Because no one will find him.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t find my way in it, I may never come out.¡± At her words, Hayer paused for a moment. After a short pause, he asked Iris. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to try it out? How much of your ability do you possess?¡± At his question, Iris paused. It was a voice in her mind. The desire to navigate this world with the ability to find one¡¯s own path. Iris nodded to Hayer¡¯s question, who seemed to know how she felt. ¡°Try it out¡­ I want to, of course.¡± ¡°I was informed of a report through the messenger* that you enter the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, and just three months later, Kernin Lepos will also enter the labyrinth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The three strongest knights in Luwan that Iris and many people in Luwan know about. One of them was Hayer, and the other two belonged to the Royal Knights. Meppo Behad, who fought Hayer last time, and Kernin Lepos. Not only them, but the rest of the Royal Knights were strong. The scariest thing was that the Royal Knights were not well known as to why they were so strong. In fact, there were no survivors left where they passed, so it is not clear who belongs to the Royal Knights. If you run into Kernin Lepos and the Royal Knights in that maze¡­ Iris didn¡¯t even want to imagine the situation at that time. Iris heard that the only thing that could find its way in the maze would be the king and their legitimate child. If you¡¯re going alone, getting lost is your responsibility, but it was a journey with Hayer. Iris asked, overwhelmed by the fear of that fact. ¡°I¡¯m not the king¡¯s legitimate child, can I find the way?¡± At her words, Hayer narrowed his eyes, which was rare. ¡°Iris, I¡¯ve watched my brother for a long time.¡± Hayer said firmly, this time without mixing jokes. ¡°You were born with a much stronger ability of the Lepos family than Sid Lepos.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you get out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth safely, your ability will be tantamount to a king or a king¡¯s legitimate child.¡± Listening to Hayer, Iris remembered Luwan, which was in ruins when she was queen. She was running around trying not to see that terrible and painful scene again, but she honestly wasn¡¯t confident. In any case, as Hayer said, if she returns alive from this maze, she would climb one of the big steps to the throne. Or maybe Hayer Asheri will. Is this right? Iris couldn¡¯t be sure of anything. In addition, there was growing anxiety in her mind that Hayer¡¯s treatment for the wound might have been wrong. If her treatment had done nothing to help, perhaps when Hayer cut the second tree, he might be killed on the spot. Just like he did in the north. She was overcome with fear. ¡°You will find your way for sure.¡± Nevertheless, Iris nodded at Hayer¡¯s words. He was prepared to die. So she was going to do that too. The fear of what hasn¡¯t happened yet is kept out of sight somewhere in her heart. A week after that. On the eve of Iris¡¯s departure, the Knights of Tejas were ready to head to the desert. * * * The day before leaving for the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, a grand party was held in the royal palace. King Eswa wanted to publicize that Iris Lepos was leaving for the maze. Fortunately for him, the people of the capital were originally very interested in the rulers and liked to talk. Above all, they were all eagerly awaiting a new king. Citizens cheered for Iris, who constantly caused interest, from the duel¡ªwhich was the best thing in their lives not long ago¡ªto entering the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth that no one had entered for decades. After the party, King Eswa approached the Knights of Tejas, who were ready to leave the royal palace. King Eswa said to Iris. ¡°It is said that after twenty years of wandering in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, the traitors will swear eternal loyalty to the Lepos family.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°As proof that you found your way in the maze, bring out a traitor. They will be your eternal loyalist.¡± After the king¡¯s words, the citizens cheered again. The cheers that King Eswa had never felt in his life were directed at Iris Lepos. And Eswa was still discontented with the whole situation. afterword bro is discontented as if he could¡¯ve just said no like be serious messenger*: it¡¯s technically translated as like¡­ messenger/carrier bird administrator? manager? someone in charge of something basically, but i decided to leave it as messenger because anything else sounded awkward lol CH 72 After the farewell of Iris and the Knights of Tejas, who were leaving for the desert, King Eswa went up to the tower. There were Sid Lepos, a son who thought he was already king, and Madeleine, the daughter of Kernin Lepos. Despite inheriting royal blood, Madeleine, who was born as an illegitimate daughter and lost her mother early, has lived on the streets for a long time. Then, with Sid¡¯s child, she was dizzy and almost collapsed from looking down at people from this high place. Sid pointed to Iris, who was on Rane, an exceptionally small horse that could be distinguished even from above. ¡°You¡¯re going to be that woman now, Madeleine.¡± Madeleine looked down at Iris Lepos with blank eyes. It was also seen from the tower that she was embarrassed by the farewell of the citizens. Nevertheless, she was trying to answer the farewell with her own sincerity. Even though she was watching from such a high place, she could feel how warm and how upright she was. Sid, who was glowering at her, continued. ¡°Your father Kernin will use you and throw you away soon, but not me. I didn¡¯t know at first, but now my child in your stomach has grown this much. I¡¯ll take the responsibility as the father of this child.¡± ¡°Prince¡­¡± ¡°Iris Lepos will never get out of that maze. No one has come out for decades. So then, you will become Iris Lepos.¡± Sid planned to head to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth only when Iris could not get out of the maze. Then, pretending to enter the maze and rescue Iris, he was going to have Madeleine play the part of Iris Lepos. After that, even if Iris comes out of the maze a few years later, he thought it would be enough to treat her like a lunatic. But the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth was too difficult to even think about. Madeleine nodded for now, thinking of the child in her belly. She wanted to save her own life, and she didn¡¯t want to make this child live on the streets like herself. Madeleine once again looked at the woman she was supposed to resemble. Then, as if she had fallen in love at first sight, she was looking at Iris with a stunned face. She was hoping, deep down, that Iris Lepos would not die. The future that Sid promised she would get after she died didn¡¯t look beautiful either. * * * After leaving the capital, the Knights of Tejas ran for three days toward the Kahif Desert, southeast of the capital. There was no village on the way, so everyone pitched tents and slept in it. However, even if it was a tent, it was made of several layers of tanning leather, so to Iris, it looked better than most houses in the north. Perhaps because she had nothing to do in the tent, Iris remembered what happened in the convent from time to time. Since she had only used tallow in the convent, she was shocked when she first learned that a night was lit by wax candles. The wax candle night was a little longer than the night she spent conserving the tallow in the oil lamp. Iris could not erase the idea that she had been living less time than those who grew up with wax candles. When the sun went down, the children who ran out of tallow just spent time crouching down because they had nothing to do or could do, but the children who had wax candles would have done something useful in the future at that time. That time must have accumulated for 19 years, so Iris, before crossing the North Gate, did not have the confidence to keep up with the brilliant children her age. Then, six years later, she walked on the line of time once again. Iris returned to the undefeated Luwan and was grateful every day for the chance she had been given, even if it was the size of a needlehole. But even after six years of rewinding, Hayer was still one of those brilliant and enviable children who spent wax candle nights to Iris. Most of the time he spent drinking at night when he had time, but sometimes he sat at an angle in a chair that was made easy to lean on and read a book. Iris read almost nothing but books about theology in the convent, so she couldn¡¯t enjoy reading. Therefore, she always wondered what Hayer was reading with so much interest. As Iris, who had finished treatment in Hayer¡¯s tent, was looking at his library for a while, Hayer also calmly examined the books he carried. Then he handed over a book tightly wrapped in dark red silk that he was reading. ¡°If it¡¯s hard to choose, read this. It¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ve never read a novel before.¡± Iris accepted the book quickly. Hayer laughed as she began to read carefully from the first chapter, trying to understand all the hidden meanings as if she were reading a scripture. ¡°You can read in a more relaxed way.¡± ¡°Relaxed?¡± ¡°I read to enjoy it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Joy. Iris had little thought about her enjoyment. In the first place, joy was not a very encouraged feeling in the convent. Not to mention, the most ¡®joyous¡¯ moment in her life was when she met Hayer Asheri. Where the convent where Iris was, how precious was the sun to the people of the north? People in the northern lands used to buy objects depicting the sun even at unreasonable prices. In particular, sunstone, which is found very rarely in quartz veins, was the favourite gemstone of the people in the northern land because its light resembles the sun. For Iris, Hayer was a blazing hot spot beyond a person who gave warmth. It was a beautiful sun that she could look at even if she was blind. Iris found it more interesting to stare at Hayer quietly than anything else, but she thought he would be offended, so she decided to read the book he recommended instead. It was the story of an adventurer. Iris flipped through the pages and unknowingly laughed softly at a funny scene. Finally, she realized that there was something interesting in the world besides Hayer¡¯s face. While reading so busily, Iris looked up when she realized that Hayer¡¯s gaze was fixed on her. Iris opened her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re looking at me again.¡± Hayer also belatedly realized and apologized. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s become a habit, and we¡¯re heading to a dangerous place again anyway, so I keep watching.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t stare at you that hard even though I was curious.¡¯ While Iris hid her disgruntled innermost thoughts, Hayer turned. ¡°Your hair, isn¡¯t it uncomfortable? Do you want me to tie it for you?¡± When Hayer pretended to tie his hair, Iris asked curiously. ¡°¡­Can you tie it up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been a wanderer all my life, I know all kinds of knots.¡± Hayer said, and came back after getting some thread from outside. Iris was taken aback, but Hayer sat behind her, casually sweeping her hair gently, and began to braid her long hair delicately. Iris closed her eyes tightly because she was unfamiliar with the touch of others. She was used to the hands of maids, but she¡¯s never seen a man¡¯s hands this big. Hayer elaborately braided her black hair in pigtails with fingers long enough to hold Iris¡¯s small head. Then he cut the thread in two, and skillfully knotted them on both sides. Iris looked in the mirror and murmured with round eyes. ¡°You must have done it often.¡± ¡°As I said, I know it well because I¡¯m a wanderer.¡± Iris thought Hayer would have played with the hair of the women he had met so far, but she didn¡¯t dare say it. In fact, she wondered the whole time what kind of 19 years he would have lived. He was virtually kicked out of the royal palace and began his wandering life, and how he became the leader of the Knights of Tejas. But Hayer told her little about his life. Iris suppressed her curiosity and looked in the mirror quietly. The hair of the same weight felt light. Hayer gently brushed her hair with his fingertips. Then the tip of his finger stroked the nape of her neck, and Iris¡¯s body shivered. Iris, who wrapped her hand around the nape of her neck as if she were defending herself, looked at Hayer with a discontented expression. Iris obviously thought Hayer was wrong to make her heart flutter even though he didn¡¯t like her. But there was also dissatisfaction in his eyes. ¡®What did I do for you to make such a face?¡¯ Iris thought, but Hayer opened his mouth with a slightly wronged face. ¡°You touch my wound, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for therapeutic purposes.¡± ¡°You stroke.¡± Iris paused at the words that seemed to barely come out, forcing herself to hold back other things she wanted to say. Hayer continued with a slightly distressed look. ¡°Didn¡¯t you do it first?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris blinked in a belated panic. Hayer continued with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m a man too, Miss Iris Lepos. It seems you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You just need to know.¡± Hayer seemed more distressed than she thought, and it seemed somewhat difficult just to talk about it. He gulped down water. Iris said in an apologetic tone. ¡°I¡¯ll go, I think I¡¯ll have to pay attention to see if the desert people are approaching.¡± Hayer nodded, and Iris returned to her tent. The image of Hayer rubbing his neck with a crumpled expression while drinking water remained as an afterimage in front of her eyes. ¡°¡­Tell me earlier if it¡¯s so.¡± She mumbled reproachfully, and hurried back to her tent. And she fiddled with her hair that Hayer had braided. afterword the neck caress im blushing!! CH 73 Three more days after entering the desert, Iris and the others arrived in front of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. As Hayer initially predicted, the Knights of Tejas struggled just by moving in the desert. If they meet desert people known for being strong, victory could not be guaranteed. There was not even a guarantee of meeting only once. Iris looked up at the entrance to the labyrinth, where mossy boulders piled up like cliffs. Fortunately, the entrance was easy to find. There was a huge stone gate that could be seen from afar. The labyrinth was scheduled to be entered by Iris and Hayer alone. It was because it was so complicated that if the party was lost, they might not be able to find them forever. Hayer turned around and said to the vice-captain, Hencke. ¡°Take charge of the Knights. I¡¯ll come back after cutting the sacred tree.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± ¡°And when Lord Kernin comes in three months¡­¡± Hayer was lost in thought for a moment. Kernin Lepos, the head of the Royal Knights and younger brother of the reigning King Eswa. It was because of his power that he could not just ignore him, who had been greedy for the throne ever since it was revealed that his brother was the son of a mistress. Even though Sid Lepos was in his own stable position as the king¡¯s legitimate child, the reason why he tried to marry Iris and solidify his position was probably because of Kernin Lepos. Hayer decided, and went on. ¡°Don¡¯t strain and just let him in. He¡¯ll come in no matter how you block it.¡± Kernin Lepos was a fearless man. In addition, he was greedy for the throne, so he was sure to jump into the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth without hesitation to prove himself. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see it too, myself.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, the Knights unknowingly swallowed. And in the end, Annamaria was the first to reveal her honest feelings. ¡°We can¡¯t see that! Please fight in front of our eyes! Please!¡± ¡°In fact, Marshal Annamaria is right¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a knight¡¯s duty to show others an interesting duel! I think!¡± Starting with Annamaria, the Knights of Tejas expressed their honest feelings. Iris first thought it was a joke out of concern for Hayer, but then she realized that they were really just claiming ¡®because it looks fun¡¯ and ¡®because I want to see another duel between the strongest knights in Luwan.¡¯ They were people Iris couldn¡¯t understand. When she thought of the crowd who came to see Meppo and Hayer¡¯s duel, she thought that might be the general tendency of the Luwan people. Hayer looked at Iris. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly.¡± Then Ato, vice-marshal of the Knights of Tejas and a Kawat, went on firmly. ¡°We will continue to wait.¡± Hayer crossed his arms and tilted his head to one side. Then he said with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you not to wait.¡± Hencke added a few words. ¡°Unconditionally, I¡¯ll wait until you come out.¡± All the Knights said they would wait, so Iris said to Hayer, envious. ¡°You¡¯re very popular.¡± ¡°Iris, this maze requires you to find your way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°They believe in you too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m popular.¡± Ato sighed as if he was forced to listen and was loyal enough to accept the words. That made the Knights of Tejas laugh once more. In the meantime, the Knights opened the heavy stone gate that was blocking the maze. There was a dark path in front of the door. Iris and Hayer entered the path. ¡°Close the door.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, the stone door slowly closed. From then on, the ground where Hayer and Iris stood began to move. * * * Iris stumbled and immediately grabbed Hayer¡¯s arm. The ground they were stepping on moved, and the place where the two arrived was in the maze. Mossy rocks as seen from the outside formed a high wall and lined both sides. Hayer said, looking up at the wall. ¡°Shall we go up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Iris shook her head. ¡°If you could go up and find something, there would be a traitor who got out of here.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Hayer nodded. As Iris said, not a single traitor has escaped from this labyrinth since it was created. Hayer, who was following Iris as she started walking, said in a serious voice. ¡°I know for sure.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t find my way at all. I don¡¯t have that kind of ability.¡± Iris answered his words, turning to Hayer. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief?¡± ¡°The moment we lose each other, if you rashly find your way and move, I can¡¯t find you. So if you separate from me, don¡¯t move. We¡¯re in one place. I will go find you.¡± Only after entering this Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth did Iris grasp what a terrible maze it was, and she continued firmly. ¡°I won¡¯t go out even if it takes a lifetime. I¡¯ll definitely go find you, so wait for me.¡± Hayer¡¯s gaze reached Iris as he looked around the maze with his arms crossed. And for some reason, he nodded with a pleasant smile. ¡°It¡¯s not intentional, but it¡¯s touching.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°That there¡¯s someone who will come looking for me.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Iris recalled Don, a member of the Knights of Tejas, located in Freya¡¯s Kawat village. ¡°I feel like the captain is a lonely person, so the position feels very difficult.¡± Iris, too, often thought there were times where Hayer seemed like a really lonely person. As the two continued to walk, joking around, a loud vibration was felt from the ground. As Iris looked down at her feet, the distance between her feet and the wall was getting closer. The walls, no, the ground was moving. Or they¡¯re both moving. The maze moved slowly and stopped after the direction of the path changed. Hayer spoke in a tone of astonishment. ¡°It was a moving maze. This is why one can¡¯t find their way.¡± The maze was wide, moving, and because of the huge wall¡¯s shade, the sun set in an instant. It seemed natural that even the most daring traitor could not hold out if they came in here. ¡°I¡¯m not really hungry. I can¡¯t even sleep.¡± Iris was already having a hard time finding composure and staying calm, to the extent that Hayer cared and kept talking. How long and empty were the sleepless nights? Iris said in a nervous voice, feeling as if the night had returned. ¡°Did you bring the candle?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Do you want to light it?¡± Iris nodded. Hayer intended to save the fire for the long schedule, but he noticed the frustrated expression on her face and lit it with a flint. In an instant, a calm fire illuminated their surroundings. A small fire that was nothing bright, was this huge in the dark. Iris asked in a slightly sincere voice. ¡°Would it be better to walk a little longer?¡± ¡°You are the captain here, so all you have to do is give orders.¡± Hayer answered and moved on with the candle firmly fixed in an ornate lantern. No matter how much they walked, the road never ended. It was a maze so huge that it was hard to grasp the scale, as well as the complexity. After walking for half a day, the two met a crossroads. Iris entered the path to the left, and Hayer followed her in. Then he turned around and said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious what¡¯s on the other side?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Iris immediately grabbed Hayer by the arm and walked along with him. And it was when they returned to the crossroads. The two of them froze at the same time, standing in place for a while without a word. It was because though they thought they had come back quite a bit, they couldn¡¯t see a fork in the road. ¡°¡­If the fork is gone, does that mean there¡¯s no going back?¡± Hayer muttered despondently and hurriedly grabbed Iris¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon me.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t walk away on your own.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t followed me, I would have gotten lost on my own.¡± Hayer said horrifyingly and walked close behind Iris. After passing the forked road, the two finally escaped the barrier. For those who walked in a space of only stone and moss, the soil became a huge haven. Hayer stomped on the dirt and said. ¡°I never knew I liked dirt roads this much.¡± From Hayer¡¯s point of view, where it was impossible to find a way, it occurred to him that traitors would not want to go back to that maze if they encountered a village with soil and trees like this while wandering that stone road. He thought they¡¯d give up going out. Looking around, the walls were erected radially, and there was a round plain in the middle. And there was a village. Iris blinked and muttered. ¡°There was a village inside the maze?¡± The two people walked toward the village in a bewildered state. CH 74 They entered the village, but there was no one in sight. Hayer, unable to contain his curiosity, opened the door of the house in front of him, and stepped back in surprise. Iris¡¯s body began to tremble, wondering what the fearless man was surprised to see. However, after taking a quick look inside the house, it occurred to her that it was just that each person was afraid of something different. ¡°¡­A puppy?¡± There was a puppy made of mud in front of her. When Iris peered further into the door, there were people. Inside the house, there was a couple who looked about five or six years older than Iris and Hayer. On the chair between them was a child made of mud, and the couple was stroking the head, as if the mud were their real child. Hayer said, appalled by this strange atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything so strange.¡± Iris was dumbfounded by the words and stared at Hayer ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as strange as the monsters you¡¯re dealing with.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hayer belatedly realized and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true, when I first saw a walking monster, I thought it was very strange. I must have gotten used to it after seeing it for so long.¡± Iris thought about whether that was something to get used to, when she heard a voice from behind. ¡°Uh?¡± As the two turned around almost at the same time, a boy of about ten years old, startled by the intruders, dropped firewood from his arms. Hayer hurriedly opened his bag and took out a bundle of paper. It was a torn up book with the part about traitors in history. Iris muttered in disbelief at the extravagant behaviour. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you ripped the book and brought it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too heavy to bring everything.¡± ¡°Asheri must have a lot of money.¡± ¡°Yes, they have a lot. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Hayer asked casually, and flipped through the book pages. He soon found what he needed. [Cadella¡¯s Treason] [Cadella, an 11-year-old boy, lunged at the king with a knife] [The parents who raised the traitor were executed before the child] [The boy Cadella is punished by being put in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth] ¡°I think it¡¯s him. He came in here 60 years ago.¡± Hayer quickly reached out and grabbed Cadella¡¯s arm while he was speaking. It was because the boy was holding Hayer¡¯s wrist with a sharp stone. Hayer grabbed the boy¡¯s arm that held the stone and lifted him up with one hand. When Hayer, who was twice as tall, raised his hand, Cadella dangled. ¡°Let me go! Noona*, tell him to release me!¡± ¡°What 71-year-old would call someone a noona?¡± Hayer said and shook Cadella jokingly. Cadella said, struggling. ¡°It¡¯s mine! Everything that comes into this town is mine! You can¡¯t go out again! Do you understand?¡± Iris said after seeing Cadella shouting, hitting with his other hand and kicking, and Hayer blocking him leisurely with one hand, as if he were playing. ¡°I thought the traitor would be a little stronger.¡± Hayer replied to the remark. ¡°Of course he¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look strong?¡± ¡°Getting close to the king and wielding a knife means breaking through the most capable guard in the country.¡± ¡°This kid?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Iris still didn¡¯t believe it, Cadella said. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by appearances. I¡¯m actually incredibly strong.¡± When he said so with his own mouth, Iris nodded with an ¡®ah.¡¯ After that brief explanation, Cadella struggled again. ¡°Let go of me! I will bite you!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Cadella bit the hand he saw close by. Hayer couldn¡¯t bear to hit the child¡¯s face and was bitten once, then he pried open his teeth with the strength of his fingers and covered his mouth. At last, in a quiet state, Hayer muttered. ¡°I think he¡¯s a sorcerer*. Or the leader of a strange religion.¡± ¡°Is sorcery possible?¡± ¡°I heard it was a long time ago.¡± Hayer replied and let Cadella go. Then he found the history book he brought back. ¡°Hmm. There could be a sage here.¡± ¡°A sage¡­ His Majesty executed all of them.¡± Hayer gave Iris the history book, watching over Cadella, who was kicking him wildly. Iris checked, and sure enough, there was a sage on the list of traitors. ¡°If there¡¯s a sage, we¡¯ll be able to ask about the sacred tree.¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Iris paused and looked at him. Hayer laughed when he realized her intentions. ¡°Are you worried about finding out who my father is?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± ¡°Is it okay to marry a man who doesn¡¯t even know whose son he is?¡± When Hayer asked playfully, Iris answered firmly. ¡°I¡¯ve never considered it important.¡± Hayer paused at Iris¡¯s words. It was as she said. Hayer, too, knew Iris wouldn¡¯t care about that. After hearing it like that, he felt strangely relieved. Hayer said with a smile. ¡°Actually, I want to know, biological father. I think it would be painful if King Eswa was my father.¡± Saying that, Hayer let go of Cadella, who stopped kicking meaninglessly. Then the boy said. ¡°Does this guy have a heart of a traitor too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Anyhow, Lepos person, noona¡­ No, you.¡± Cadella revised the title, recalling that he was 71. Iris nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you royalty? Then do you know the way out?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Iris, who was talking like that, suddenly stumbled. Hayer embraced Iris urgently. ¡°Damn it.¡± Hayer noticed that the little sorcerer had done a trick on them. Cadella said to Hayer, who glowered at him. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re from the Lepos family¡­ It¡¯s just the magic I did earlier is working now!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You walked the same way, are you strong?¡± Cadella looked at Hayer with wonder. Hayer glared at Cadella, picked up Iris, and staggered to the entrance of the village. Then Cadella hurriedly blocked it. ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do anything. I promise. Please go with me.¡± Hayer clicked his tongue at Cadella¡¯s words. Then he had no choice but to lay Iris down on the spot and wrapped her in the blanket he brought. He (Cadella) needed Iris, but he thought he might kill her. Therefore, he thought he should leave this place even more. However, no matter how old he was at 71, he begged in the form of a child, so he couldn¡¯t do that at all. * * * Iris had a long dream and came to her senses first. When she raised her upper body with a headache, she heard a thud from the side. When Iris turned around, Cadella was kicking Hayer wildly. ¡°Damn you! Damn you!¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to die.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t die. This guy is really strong. More than anyone I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Cadella said and kicked Hayer again. ¡°Unlucky jerk!¡± When he slowly stopped, she wondered if he was tired from kicking like that or if he just felt better. Iris forcibly dragged herself to Hayer¡¯s side and asked. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he getting up?¡± ¡°I cast a much stronger spell than yours.¡± ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think this guy will die.¡± At Cadella¡¯s words, Iris brought her ear to his nose. She heard him breathing normally. Iris said with relief. ¡°You¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine? If you got hit like this, even an elephant would have died!¡± ¡°You said he wouldn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cadella paused, sniffed for no reason, and sat down beside her. ¡°I hate adult men. Because I can¡¯t become one.¡± Iris nodded her head once, thinking that Cadella was very upset. Iris stared at Hayer, who was asleep with one hand on his chest and his head turned slightly, and she said. ¡°But you didn¡¯t step on his face.¡± ¡°Because he didn¡¯t hit me in the face either.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t even hit you.¡± ¡°That made me feel worse. I look young, but I¡¯m 71 years old!¡± ¡°¡­Even if it¡¯s a 71-year-old¡¯s face, wouldn¡¯t it not be possible to hit?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris was right. Cadella paused and soon said, acting differently. ¡°Anyway, when the wandering traitors arrive in this town, I show them hallucinations. Then they become happy. The maximum sentence is 170 years. In the meantime, you live happily in my hallucinations and then you die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job.¡± ¡°D-do you think so?¡± Cadella looked at Iris with sparkling eyes. Iris nodded. ¡°Yes. I think so.¡± Then, Cadella jumped up and down with excitement as if he had waited for this moment. ¡°I¡¯m sure all the traitors who came in here will. There¡¯s nothing to do but reflect on yourself all day. Lepos, I¡¯m gonna be a really good subordinate. Take me out. Pick me!¡± Iris stared at Cadella. Then she opened her mouth. ¡°If you go out, the hallucinations of the people here will go away, right? The couple earlier will also lose their child.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what should you do?¡± For a moment, Cadella¡¯s movement stopped. afterword noona: honorific title a man uses when referring to a woman older than him sorcerer/sorcery: word used also means magic, black arts, illusion(?) etc. CH 75 As Cadella hesitated and dilly dallied, Hayer raised himself up with a groan. Cadella, who had beaten him to his heart¡¯s content while he was asleep, hid behind Iris¡¯s back in fear. Hayer looked at his aching body, as if he had broken something and said, glancing towards Cadella. ¡°The old man is strong.¡± ¡°You rude jerk!¡± ¡°Thank you for letting me live, though.¡± After saying that, he looked at Iris and asked. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Okay. And, he wants me to take him out?¡± ¡°The captain decides.¡± Iris muttered, feeling burdened at Hayer¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s not easy being a captain.¡± ¡°However, it has the advantage that your subordinates have no choice but to listen even if they insist.¡± ¡°The Knights of Tejas won¡¯t accept you if you go too far, right?¡± ¡°I believe it¡¯s all an affectionate look.¡± Cadella, who had never heard a joke in here, was secretly giggling next to her as if Hayer was funny. Then, when he met Hayer¡¯s eyes, he looked serious as if he had never laughed. Iris, who was in charge as the captain, was pondering for a while. ¡°If I take you out, I think people here will suffer from hallucinations. Just as he wouldn¡¯t let us go, they were also held by this child.¡± At the words, Cadella¡¯s eyes widened and he looked at Iris. Iris continued. ¡°If you decided to raise it, you should take responsibility.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not raising it! It¡¯s just¡­ If you leave here, you¡¯re just wandering around again, right? You¡¯ll never come back to where you left once. That¡¯s why I let you live happily here!¡± Hayer thought they were both right, but he was leaning more toward Iris rather than the aggressive enthusiast. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying that you should keep making them happy if you held them so that they wouldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m going out. I have to get out!¡± When Hayer, who Cadella thought was dangerous, tried to grab him, Cadella went behind Iris and brought a weapon to her neck. Iris raised her hands, but as the drug effects had not completely disappeared, she could not give it any strength. Cadella said to Hayer. ¡°Go back.¡± When Hayer turned around, it was the beginning of the maze. All three people here knew that the path would change if they entered this place. Cadella¡¯s weapon stabbed Iris in the neck. ¡°Go back!¡± ¡°If you kill Iris anyway, neither I nor you can get out of here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. If you¡¯re not going to take me, no one can go out.¡± Cadella stabbed the weapon forcefully, and blood began to flow from Iris¡¯s neck. Hayer said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to disappear.¡± ¡°Stop. Please.¡± It was not a threat. The weapon was already deep enough to die if you were unlucky. Hayer realized that Cadella really intended to kill Iris. He eventually stepped into the maze and joked to Iris. ¡°Come find me. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± The knife was stabbing so deeply that Iris couldn¡¯t voice not to go. Knowing everything she wanted to say, Hayer went on, pretending not to know. ¡°I¡¯ll stay in one place. I¡¯m a very obedient person, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Saying that, he waved his hand once and disappeared into the maze. Cadella removed the blade and said to Iris, who collapsed. ¡°You have to take me out.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will obey Lepos forever. So take me out please. Please¡­¡± Iris slowly closed her eyes. There was no strength in her body. Iris mumbled. ¡°Candle¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said let¡¯s use all the candles.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°There are no candles¡­¡± When Iris suffered from the darkness, Hayer took out all the candles he brought and used them. Therefore, there were not many candles left in his bag now. Iris knew the way of this maze, but not Hayer. It was him, not herself, who would feel uneasy here. Hayer was still guarding her as usual, so she just forgot. Iris thought Hayer was a complicated person. So did the Knights. Hayer Asheri brought all sorts of excuses to his sense of justice. However, both the members of the Knights and she knew the truth inside. He was a nice, good man. * * * It was still the beginning of the maze when Iris opened her eyes again. Cadella covered the wound on her neck with a clean cloth he had obtained from somewhere, and the time was slowly approaching sunrise. Still surrounded by barriers and covered in shadows, but the world was incomparably brighter than when it was between barriers. Iris, who turned to the village, unknowingly let out a sigh. There was a commotion in the village. People who woke up from hallucinations ran around the village in search of a child¡¯s hallucination that had not been there from the beginning, and a man who realized that he had lost his arm screamed in phantom pain. They hung themselves to die, but only struggled and did not die. Seeing that, Iris knew why Cadella stabbed her with confidence. He knew that no matter how deep he stabbed her, Iris would not die. Cadella walked up to Iris and said. ¡°If you leave me behind, I won¡¯t do it anymore, sorcery. Let those people just be crazy like that.¡± Iris, who was looking at Cadella with wide eyes and a tired face, opened her dry lips. ¡°You have no loyalty whatsoever, you. What do you believe in?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, from now on!¡± ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°What¡ªwhat is it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you cast a spell on this entire village for the remaining 170 years?¡± At Iris¡¯s words, Cadella looked up at her. Iris continued. ¡°If that works, I¡¯ll take you out of here.¡± Cadella closed his eyes for a moment and was lost in thought. After a while, he opened his pocket and said. ¡°This is a hallucinogenic flower.¡± Cadella, who showed Iris the seeds in his hand, continued. ¡°If I plant these flowers all over here, I can do that. The weather doesn¡¯t change here. If l don¡¯t manage it, this whole maze will probably become a hallucinatory space.¡± ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°Cool?¡± Cadella laughed like a child, as if the remark was funny. Iris asked. ¡°How long does it take to grow?¡± ¡°It will take half a year to grow, get seeds, and grow again. In addition, this flower can only be planted with my hands, and only with my hands can I get the seeds. It¡¯s my family¡¯s ability.¡± ¡°Then do it. I¡¯ll find Hayer, and return.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The words of return were like words of leave, so Cadella had no answer. ¡°I will definitely come back.¡± Nervous, Iris added hastily. Then after a long time, Cadella opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Then swear.¡± ¡°Swear?¡± ¡°Swear to Tilla.¡± Iris answered without hesitation to those words. ¡°I swear.¡± Even after hearing that, Cadella looked completely disbelieving of her. He couldn¡¯t tell her to go, so he just stood staring at the floor. Iris hesitated for a moment, then took out her nameplate she always carried. ¡°Have this.¡± ¡°What¡ªwhat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come back and find you.¡± Cadella¡¯s eyes widened at the nameplate she held out. ¡°Are you crazy? How can you trust me?¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t trust you. You left my party alone.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°You were doing a good job, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I hate you, but I promise myself. I promised you, so I¡¯ll find you.¡± Cadella gripped the nameplate with both hands and stared at Iris. Then he burst into laughter shortly afterwards. ¡°You¡¯re a strangely trustworthy person.¡± Then, looking at the nameplate, he said. ¡°Truly, it¡¯s Lepos.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Iris Lepos.¡± ¡°Really.¡± Cadella held the nameplate and laughed. And said to Iris. ¡°Iris, your ancestor, Jan Lepos, was a really, really dog-like bastard. He tried to hallucinate the whole of Luwan with my family¡¯s ability and make them work until they died.¡± Iris opened her eyes wide in surprise at the unexpected words. ¡°So I killed him. His younger brother was a good person, though. I am satisfied with that person as king.¡± Iris, who was listening quietly, smiled in vain. ¡°The bad thing was the king.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cadella murmured lonesomely. ¡°Traitors aren¡¯t necessarily bad.¡± His voice left an afterimage in her head. Iris asked, raising her head and looking around the maze. ¡°Do you know what to do to get rid of this maze?¡± ¡°You must be king. This place was created by the king¡¯s order, and can only be destroyed by the king¡¯s order.¡± Iris closed her eyes, then opened them again and said. ¡°Who will be the king?¡± ¡°The king¡¯s son.¡± ¡°The king¡¯s son now is not the kind of person to listen to that.¡± ¡°Or a traitor.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll have to ask a traitor.¡± Cadella¡¯s expression broke at Iris¡¯s calm reply, and soon laughed out loud. And then he ran back to the village. Looking at Cadella¡¯s back, Iris walked to the maze. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s lonely, but she thought he laughs a lot even when something trivial is said. afterword updates will be slowed down as i plan on picking up another project or two soon-ish, so kbr can¡¯t be my only priority now lol CH 76 Iris ran through the maze. She still lacked stamina, so she repeatedly ran and then took a break, but she didn¡¯t stop. Even when the night came, Iris ran, so the night was no longer boring. The vibration of the ground felt when the wall moved was rather a wave of enlightenment that helped find the way. If there was moonlight, she relied on the light, and if the moonlight was hidden by the clouds, she walked with her hand on the wall. She knew the way, so she wasn¡¯t afraid. Rather, Iris was feeling the joy of finding her way. Just as Hayer had a hobby of tying knots, Iris thought she would have a hobby of untying them. After running so ceaselessly, Iris finally escaped the maze and found the same basin as Cadella¡¯s once again. However, this time, there was only one house that was beautifully built on the large land. Iris didn¡¯t have time, so she was going to pass it. But then the map in her head moved. Iris stood still, closed her eyes, and grasped the flow of the maze. It¡¯s been a month. By discovering this basin, all the roads fell into place. She thought about Cadella¡¯s space where she started from and the distance she travelled based on this basin here. There were six entrances into the maze, and this basin was one of them. If Iris was right, if she enters the third exit clockwise from the one she came out of, she could meet Hayer, who left a day earlier than her. Not today, but two days later. Therefore, Iris had to stay here for two days. She then looked around the house and climbed up the ladder to see if anyone was there. It seemed that the house was made by cutting down all the trees here, and it had twenty floors. When she reached the twentieth floor, she finally saw the barrier. A well-made window was leaning against the wall. There were no people on the nineteenth floor below, so Iris knocked on the door on the twentieth floor. After a moment, the door opened and an old man walked out of it. The gray-haired old man looked at Iris with relaxed eyes. ¡°Welcome. How long has it been since we had a visitor?¡± The old man who came out of the house was relaxed in his actions and words. The face had a deep trace of age, but the body did not. Even the walking posture was upright. The old man said to Iris, who had a firm expression. ¡°That¡¯s great, just in time. I don¡¯t know if this is fate. Lady, I¡¯ll be 170 years old in a few days. Then I¡¯ll let you stay in this house. It¡¯s not easy to find such a nice house¡­¡± The old man who was talking so pleasantly stopped talking. Iris was staring at the old man from beginning to end without saying a word. Her gaze was like a beast running through the darkness. Dark blue eyes were shining like the moon of the night with black hair. The old man asked a question quietly. ¡°Are you from the Lepos family?¡± Iris nodded. Since then, the old man became less talkative. The old man, who had lived in the maze for 170 years, knew that he could finally find peace this spring. ¡°There are some Lepos people in here.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the Lepos people get out even though they were weak?¡± ¡°Yes. This is a complicated place.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The old man looked Iris in the eyes. Then he said with a smile. ¡°You know, I won¡¯t leave here. You can¡¯t imagine how I¡¯ve been waiting for death. As I atone for that long time¡­¡± ¡°I never asked.¡± Iris continued rather strangely. ¡°Do you want to go out with me?¡± ¡°So what I just meant was¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask, but I thought about you going with me.¡± The old man paused at her words. Iris continued. ¡°I intend to stay here for two days. I have to find my lost party, and I have to take the person I met a month ago.¡± Iris said that and sat on the railing. And asked, looking down at the wall. ¡°Did you make it yourself?¡± ¡°I did. Did it take about 100 years? It took long enough to cut down trees, grow trees, and re-plant trees. It¡¯s such a solid, beautiful house.¡± It was a great house, as he said. All of the wood was not just used, but was carved to the level of a work of art and then fitted together. Iris asked. ¡°Why did you rebel? The child I met last time said it was because the king was bad.¡± ¡°I just wanted to be king.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That was it. Most of them do.¡± The old man¡¯s name was Tamati Sepate. Sepate was originally one of the great noble families of Luwan, and he said he made great contributions to the war as a young man. Of the family members who revolted with the old man, he said that only he had entered this place, and the rest of his family would have died. The old man said. ¡°I was the oldest in the family. So I should have stopped the young ones when they said I should be king. But I didn¡¯t. Because I wanted to be king.¡± This maze suppresses treason. If you didn¡¯t want to wander for 170 years, you shouldn¡¯t commit treason. Iris just listened to Tamati. She watched the sun creeping over the barrier. Iris asked, pointing her chin at a spear. ¡°Do you know how to use a spear?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Two days are long, so let¡¯s spar.¡± Tamati laughed when Iris told the person who had been waiting for 170 years that two days were long. The 20-story house was built by Tamati, but its height helped Iris. Iris retreated as far as she could avoid when Tamati jabbed at her with the spear. Tamati stabbed the spear again at Iris, who was staggering at the end of the railing. Tamati attacked, and Iris struggled to dodge, block, or cut him. Blood dripped from her arms and waist that had been grazed by the spear. You don¡¯t die here. The fact made the fight violent. Iris ran into the house and threw whatever she could find. Tamati easily grabbed the object with one hand and crushed it as it was. As Iris laughed unknowingly, Tamati asked. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°This?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t all games in which you don¡¯t risk your life meant to be fun?¡± Tamati also laughed at Iris¡¯s words. He was feeling like a parent lion raising a lion cub now. Tamati leaped several steps at Iris¡¯s level and attacked, and in no time, Iris¡¯s body was covered in blood. One ear was cut off, and her left arm was fractured when she fell. However, Iris held the spear with one hand. Tamati admired the grit. The very words of ¡®a game where you don¡¯t risk your life¡¯ itself was something that people who had just entered this place would reject in their hearts, even if it was understood in their heads. Iris was just naturally born not to fear death. The fight continued until sunset, and Iris, lost in the darkness, eventually lost her senses and fell 20 floors down. And that¡¯s how the game ended. afterword iris is actually so fucking cool and this chapter really highlights her badass nature, and it¡¯s so nice to see her own strength (her grit & perseverance) being shown i love my power couple CH 77 It was two days later in the morning when Iris came to her senses. The reason she knew that two days had passed was because the map in her head had changed to two days later, not that she felt the time. When Iris touched her ear, it was attached properly as if it had never been cut off. Her arm was also back to normal. There was no death here, no change in the body. Iris found out here why her stamina didn¡¯t improve even though she walked so hard. She shook her head to shake off her bewilderment when Tamati approached, carrying a large load in a bag made of woven twine. ¡°I tried to wake you up, but you did it. Let¡¯s go. The day to depart has come.¡± ¡°What about my ear?¡± ¡°If you stick the cut one on, it sticks on itself.¡± Unlike the first time they met, Tamati used honorifics with Iris. Iris thought that if she found Cadella, she would have to force him to use honorifics too. Iris got up quickly, and without much thought, she walked toward the maze and said to Tamati. ¡°You could just keep wandering and die.¡± ¡°How fun would that be? Doing nothing is terrible.¡± Indeed. That was a part Iris quite agreed with. The two headed for the maze, and went inside without hesitation. When Tamati turned around, he saw another basin beyond the maze in an instant. Iris asked. ¡°Is it a waste to throw away? You made it for 100 years.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve had enough of it.¡± Tamati continued with a chuckle. ¡°I want to get out of this maze even for a day. If I¡¯m lucky, I¡¯d like to die for the princess. If so, it would be an absolute honour for my family.¡± ¡°You said they¡¯re all dead?¡± ¡°Yes, the dead will be honoured.¡± Talking like that, the two moved on. As she got closer to the expected place, Iris¡¯s pace accelerated. Hayer has been waiting alone for over a month. But the closer she got, the less certain she was that Hayer was there. The maze was overly complex, large, and changed shape every day. It is difficult to locate Hayer, but even if she did, it is difficult to find the route considering the variables that change the maze every day. Could it be that he left his position? Iris ran hastily and turned at the fork. It must be on this road. Hayer is on this road¡­ ¡°¡­Nothing.¡± Then she ran until the next forked road, but she still couldn¡¯t see Hayer. Not even a trace of Hayer¡¯s passing by was felt. As Iris looked at the wall, Tamati said. ¡°Even if a trace is left on the wall, it disappears in a day.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. There has to be. Tamati, the maze moves once a day, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Tamati answered back and said to Iris pitifully. ¡°It¡¯s terrible to wait a month on a stone path with nothing. A month must have felt like ten years. By now, they should be moving somewhere in search of a basin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris was speechless. No way. It couldn¡¯t be. Hayer said he would definitely stay in his place. He asked her to find him. He was not a man to be moved by fear. Iris sat on the stone floor and remembered what she had thought wrong. Undoubtedly she knew the way. She thought she figured out how the maze was moving¡­ Thinking so, Iris recalled the first day she entered the maze. The ground moved at the entrance, and the maze moved once more during the day. Once more. Iris raised her head and asked Tamati. ¡°By any chance, when a person enters the maze, does it move twice a day?¡± Tamati retraced his memories at the remark. ¡°The last time a person came in was more than 40 years ago¡­¡± ¡°How did you know that a person came in?¡± ¡°¡­Because the road moved twice.¡± Tamati spoke belatedly and knelt down with a darkened face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m having a hard time remembering¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. It¡¯s my job to find the way.¡± Iris said emphatically. Then, slowly, she drew the path in her head again. Since she had been thinking only about where Hayer was, she was able to think of where he was in her head faster than she expected. She figured out the path that included variables there. It was a month long way to go. ¡°¡­It will take another month.¡± ¡°I will be your companion. I will also teach you how to use the spear.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Iris took a deep breath and started walking again. Walking after her, Tamati said anxiously. ¡°When you are tired, you can take a break.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not okay. As an adult¡­¡± ¡°Tamati.¡± Iris looked back at Tamati and said. ¡°I am an adult too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will decide. Because I am the leader here.¡± Saying that, Iris turned around and walked away. At that moment, Tamati¡¯s heart trembled and he almost fell to the ground. This woman of the Lepos family stubbornly refused to fall apart even for a moment. The stranger whom he met after a long time was strong. Even outside the maze, Tamati¡¯s heart would pound when he met a strong person. Is there anyone else who is so welcoming? So the two started walking again. * * * A month was a long time. Tamati watched with delight as the young Iris grew. Of course, the body was not growing, but technical proficiency had developed. Her steps became faster, and she gradually began to read Tamati¡¯s movements when they sparred with spears in the middle. She still found the spear heavy, but she also learned how to distribute the weight. A long, boring month. Tamati knew there would be nothing where she targeted. It was impossible to stay alone in a place where there was nothing for this long time. He thought if he stayed there, he would have already gone mad. Above all, he didn¡¯t believe Iris could find her way, even if she was a royal. Not all royals can find their way, and this was a maze that even they found difficult. Tamati himself was able to end this boring life happily, but he was worried about Iris, who had to live in the future. * * * Hayer stayed on the road where there was nothing. Since he had nothing to do, he kept recalling memories of the past. Those were memories that he didn¡¯t want to recall at all. ¡°Here again.¡± As a child, Hayer thought he would never get lost. Since all the adults around him said that, he naturally thought he would be able to find his way. On the day Sid came out of the maze after wandering for three days, Hayer vowed to come out of the maze before his brother. However, no matter how much he ran, he couldn¡¯t get out of the maze. Eventually, he got lost and had no choice but to wait for someone to come find him in the maze. It was his father, Eswa Lepos, who came to pick up Hayer after 15 days. At that time, he felt relieved when he saw his father from afar. Hayer, who ran frantically, clasped his father¡¯s collar. He wanted to say he was glad he came to find him, but Eswa Lepos¡¯s expression made him scared. Hayer lay on the hard stone floor in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth and looked up at the sky. The maze near the royal palace was so simple that it couldn¡¯t be compared to this maze here. It was difficult because he was 10 years old, but he should be able to get out of the maze by himself now. But not here. 170 years. Hayer stared at the passing clouds. He wasn¡¯t sure Iris could find him. He thought it would be nice if he could get out of this maze and stay in a place like the village he saw last time, but he couldn¡¯t move because he didn¡¯t know when Iris would come to get him. Even after a short trip with Iris, he could see how complicated this maze was. He knew he could never get out of it without the whole structure in his head. In the first place, he didn¡¯t even pass the maze test that was simpler than this. He raised his sword and looked at the wall, then cut through the weak-looking part at once. Then the pile of stones collapsed. It was repeated, repeated, and repeated again. The wall collapsed, but it was restored. But if you cut it faster¡­ Hayer thought and broke the wall faster and faster. Then the maze began to roar as if it were frightened. He raised his sword again. He thought he could do it enough. He realized that his sword was stronger than this maze. So he tried to cut it again, but he stopped. He couldn¡¯t cut it. What if Iris is behind this wall? If the wall collapses like a domino, and even hurts her. Hayer put the sword back into the scabbard. ¡°If you separate from me, don¡¯t move. We¡¯re in one place. I will go find you. I won¡¯t go out even if it takes a lifetime. I¡¯ll definitely go find you, so wait for me.¡± Even if it takes a lifetime, she said. Hayer thought of her eyes. A cold gaze mixed with fear and robustness. He remembered her beauty and strength. So he decided to wait. He was going to trust her. afterword they make me go so crazy arghhh CH 78 It was hard work to be on a bare stone floor. However, Hayer felt less tired because he had made the decision that he could get out of this maze on his own. When he got bored, he walked as far as he was allowed to, and when he got tired of that, he would lie down and gaze at the sky¡ªthe only thing to see. Then he fell asleep, and when he woke up again, he walked around the same place and looked at the sky. Being there, he realized that the sky was actually constantly moving. Without a pause, the world changed and time passed. He liked it when it rained, and he also liked the clear night sky full of stars. He also learned that stars move every day. Waiting in one place every night to observe the moving stars became more and more his favourite pastime. Hayer didn¡¯t know the map of the world, but he understood the passage of time by looking at the stars. He was able to even calculate a little bit of where this place was in the world. He thought he might not be able to put the world in his head like the Lepos people, but he could get to know the world through the sky and through a map. As if it felt less painful when trapped inside a wall that could be broken, when he recognized that he could have the ability like those of Lepos, he felt his inferiority complex towards his older brother in his heart disappear. He thought a lot on the spot for more than two months. It feels like a contradiction, but the process was rather a process of making various thoughts disappear. Hayer thought about the throne while looking at the stars, or the passing moon. The closest thing to the throne now was Sid Lepos, the current king¡¯s heir, followed by Iris Lepos, the previous king¡¯s heir. The third was the current king¡¯s younger brother, Kernin Lepos. Then there was conviction. He was increasingly feeling himself drifting away from the throne. He cut down the sacred tree. Cutting down the sacred tree was more a sin than setting fire to Luwan¡¯s Great Temple and burning down all the holy things in it. It was clear that the priests, as well as the great noble families, would all denounce him themselves. If it¡¯s not himself. If so, he thought Iris Lepos should sit on the throne. Thinking that way, he slowly smiled unconsciously. The whole time he was isolated here, he was thinking of only one person. How can it be like this, not getting tired of it, to the point where he¡¯s surprised. Only thinking of one person. It was when he was laughing at the absurdity of the fact. Hayer bristled at the feeling of hearing footsteps. He heard nothing, when he was thinking. He heard a sound again. ¡°Hayer!¡± It seemed to be a voice he would never forget until the day he died. ¡°You¡¯re running well.¡± It seems your running skills have improved. He thought so. This knight, who had all his keen five senses, could recognize that she must have been running around a lot. Her statement that she would not go out even if it took her a lifetime was true. ¡°Hayer Asheri!¡± Hayer turned around and saw Iris Lepos running from the far end of the road he had been on for two months. He strode towards her. This time, he ran as Iris began to slow down from running out of stamina. Hayer ran over and hugged Iris tightly. She also began to cry in his arms from all the pent-up feelings. He stroked Iris¡¯s hair as she cried in his arms. ¡°Truly, you found me.¡± * * * Tamati felt his heart beating when his companion, Iris, started running. He¡¯s lived too, too long. He was old enough to have experienced almost every emotion in the world. On the contrary, however, there were so many feelings that he hadn¡¯t felt since long ago. In particular, the freshness of youth was so long ago that it was touching and thrilling just to watch it. In the end, Iris Lepos found the person who she entered the maze together with. Not wanting to disturb the reunion of the two young people, Tamati stood there and nodded happily. ¡°It is indeed a face worth spending two months searching for.¡± He was struck with admiration. He was a golden man. As if born from the lake of gods, he overflowed with vitality and beauty, making even the surroundings beautiful. Hayer laughed out loud when Iris couldn¡¯t stop crying even after comforting her for a while. ¡°You came to find me well, what are you so sad about?¡± At his words, Iris barely moved her lips. Hayer, who brought his ear close because he couldn¡¯t hear her voice that was choked up, roughly understood and nodded. ¡°You were afraid you couldn¡¯t find me?¡± Iris nodded at the remark. Then Hayer said. ¡°But if you focus, you can find where I am.¡± ¡°The road keeps moving¡­¡± ¡°Ah, you were worried because the road was moving.¡± Hayer nodded. At that sight, Tamati realized that Hayer Asheri was soothing Iris¡¯s crying with a sound mind, even composure, not as if he had waited for two months. No way. Tamati reached for the wall. He could feel the vibration of the walls crying in pain. Tamati was also a good swordsman, so he once tried to cut down this wall. However, he knew it was impossible with his own power, and after many years of trying, he gave up. Apparently, Hayer also tried it. Unlike himself, of course, he could enter this maze with a weapon and use that weapon. On the contrary, however, he was able to sharpen his weapons and spirit in an area with other resources, but that man was only standing in the middle of this empty road. Would he have been so relaxed if he knew the walls wouldn¡¯t break? No way. Tamati, as a fellow soldier, was convinced that Hayer might have waited for Iris without breaking the wall, even though he could. He was waiting for her to find him. Tamati felt the corners of his mouth rise without realizing it. The two of them thought of each other as someone suitable for the throne. * * * After a while, Iris stopped crying. She asked Hayer. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get afraid at night because there were no candles?¡± ¡°Are you afraid of the night?¡± Hayer asked, smiling involuntarily. Iris said embarrassingly. ¡°The night is too long¡­¡± ¡°It was rather fun. It was the first time I realized that the sky is different every day.¡± After saying so, Hayer greeted Tamati. ¡°You¡¯ve been her companion unceasingly.¡± ¡°The princess became my companion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Hayer Asheri.¡± ¡°Tamati Sepate.¡± At that, Hayer paused. At the same time, Tamati said in surprise. ¡°A warrior like this is born in the Asheri family!¡± ¡°I never thought I would meet someone from the Sepate family.¡± He thought he was reluctant because he was from a traitorous family, but Hayer continued. ¡°I heard you made a lot of contributions in the war.¡± On the contrary, it was a look of respect. 170 years had passed, even if he was a traitor, he would have been just a historical figure to this young man. Tamati spoke with great pride after 170 years. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the leader of the Knights of Tejas.¡± Then the old man rejoiced. ¡°Do you mean Tejas Claudius?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard you are close friends.¡± ¡°Of course. He was my best friend. He left the battlefield when he was young, but I¡¯m still alive and doing this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you the scabbard.¡± Hayer answered politely and showed the blue wave drawn on his scabbard. Tamati, who had lost a lot of his sight, looked happy after seeing the scabbard with the pattern his friend used to mark on his objects up close. Then there were words that would make him happier that followed. ¡°And, although it¡¯s not standard, I learn how to use Sepate¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± While they were meeting for the first time, they exchanged greetings and followed Iris. afterword ugh love them pls get lovey dovey soon CH 79 Fortunately, Cadella was not far away. This abnormal maze brought them back to the village where Cadella was in just two days. As soon as they entered the village, Cadella, who was diligently wandering around, found the three people just in time. ¡°Iris!¡± Cadella came running with a bright face. ¡°Why did you get here so soon? I thought it would take longer!¡± ¡°Is it fast?¡± When Iris asked back with a smile, Tamati said. ¡°Two months is a short time in this maze.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. Grandfather lived here for a long time, too?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve lived 170 years.¡± There was a strong consensus among the people in the maze, so they quickly became friends with each other and talked openly. However, Cadella still didn¡¯t like Hayer, so he ran and punched him once, ran away, and hit him again repeatedly. Hayer didn¡¯t get hurt anyway, and he wasn¡¯t much of a threat, so he left it alone. Then Cadella said, holding him in one arm and panting from exhaustion. ¡°Why don¡¯t I show you around town?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll hold my breath if I fall under a spell.¡± ¡°Ah, it looks like you¡¯ll be influenced by magic when you enter the village, right?¡± ¡°¡­You should have kept it a secret.¡± Then Hayer said without malice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m easily affected by the magic anyway.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a monster.¡± ¡°Your body didn¡¯t grow up, but your head didn¡¯t seem to either.¡± ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯ll kill you no matter what.¡± Cadella threatened but did not say anything about Hayer lifting him and moving him, probably because his legs hurt. The four people moved to where Cadella told them to go. Soon they arrived on one side of the village and looked at the flower garden blooming from afar. The village was being covered with purple flowers. Cadella said. ¡°I¡¯m going to cover the whole village with these flowers. Then all the villagers will be happy inside with the flowers.¡± Then Hayer asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you tie them up in a smaller space? They wouldn¡¯t know because of hallucinations anyway.¡± ¡°He has a serious disregard for life. That¡¯s so pitiful.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know you¡¯re tied up, so what¡¯s so pitiful about it?¡± ¡°When space narrows, imagination is limited.¡± Cadella, who was talking like that, looked gloomy for a moment. Then eventually, he looked up and said to Iris. ¡°Can I do that?¡± ¡°¡­You won¡¯t know that you¡¯re tied up?¡± Not knowing exactly what hallucinations were, Iris agreed with Hayer for the time being. It was when Cadella, who couldn¡¯t wait to follow the party, was sighing as if there was no choice. A roar was heard in the maze. When Iris looked up with a startle, Hayer put down Cadella and said to Tamati. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Tamati picked them up, one in each arm, and ran toward the wall. Iris asked in surprise. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Someone is coming, Princess.¡± While saying that, Tamati held the two tightly with his arms so that they could not move. Meanwhile, Hayer stood in the middle of the village with his sword drawn. Iris¡¯s eyes widened at the shadow that gradually lengthened. ¡°Hayer!¡± The wall was collapsing towards them. As the sun was in the middle of the sky, a short shadow slowly swept over Hayer. Then the huge wall fell on the village with a sound that shook the whole world. Iris stopped shaking. It was because she could hear Tamati talking. ¡°I¡­ In fact, he can actually break down the walls.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was as Tamati said. Hayer¡¯s sword destroyed the wall. Hayer, covered in stone dust, brushed his hair with one hand. Then, he trudged along and lifted the fallen villagers one by one. Cadella ran frantically and said. ¡°There are seven people!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have two.¡± Hayer, who was saying that, found the two people who were caught in a stone gap and died, and covered Cadella¡¯s eyes with his hands as he ran over. Then Cadella said. ¡°I¡¯m not a child!¡± ¡°Still, you raised¡­ They¡¯re the ones you used to take care of.¡± ¡°Even if they die, I¡¯m responsible for it.¡± Hayer reluctantly pulled back at Cadella¡¯s words. Then Cadella saw the two dead under the stones. And muttered in a bewildered voice. ¡°Someone is dead.¡± ¡°The labyrinth is broken.¡± Tamati, who was protecting Iris, murmured. Hayer knew that there was only one person in the land of Luwan who could break through the maze. Hayer said to Iris. ¡°The Royal Knights are on their way. Let¡¯s hurry and go to where the sacred tree is.¡± Iris looked at the collapsed wall and asked Hayer in a slightly dazed voice. ¡°Can you break the walls?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why¡­?¡± ¡°I was afraid something like this would happen. I was afraid you were behind the wall.¡± Hayer gestured at the collapsed wall and continued, looking at Iris again. ¡°If I wait, you¡¯ll come to find me, so there¡¯s no reason to take such a risk.¡± ¡°How do you trust me?¡± Hayer laughed at her quivering voice. ¡°Anyone who has met you would know that you are trustworthy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris felt at a loss for words. She remembered the time when Hayer led the Knights of Tejas and went with her to the North Gate. ¡°My subordinates are hard to deal with. Everyone has their own voice. If you thought you couldn¡¯t find the way, you would have lied so that you couldn¡¯t go, but for you to have gone this far, you must have seen something while guarding the throne.¡± He believed in her even then. And sacrificed himself. She felt like she was going to cry again, but bit her lip and pressed it tightly. Then nodded. Then Tamati rushed to Cadella, and Iris turned around. A traitor who had escaped the hallucinations was trying to stone Cadella. Cadella looked up at the traitor and spoke in a voice full of loss. ¡°I helped you¡­¡± In the end, however, the stone hit his head, and blood flowed from Cadella¡¯s head. Then the traitors shouted at the place where the maze had been breached. ¡°Freedom!¡± Already, other traitors were staggering over the broken wall. Thanks to Cadella¡¯s hallucination, they all seemed unaware that such a long time had passed. However, they seemed to be aware of Cadella¡¯s hallucinations. Cadella believed that since he killed the king himself to prevent his evil deeds, the other traitors would have had some good intentions for their treason. However, society was more complicated than the idea of a boy who stopped aging at the age of eleven, and most of them were traitors who were only driven by their desires. The traitor who attacked Cadella also ran towards the wall. Hayer said. ¡°They¡¯re all going to die.¡± When Iris turned at those words, Hayer said. ¡°Looks like Kernin Lepos arrived ahead of schedule.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Iris understood and nodded. Before Iris crossed the North Gate, he, who once coveted the throne, resigned and quit as leader of the Royal Knights when Iris married Sid and the eight great noble families eventually agreed to put him on the throne. Sid would always grumble that if the war hadn¡¯t started, he would surely have committed treason. That¡¯s what Iris thought too. It was because she always heard that Kernin Lepos was preparing for treason. Even Iris knew how greedy he was for the throne. If encountered here, even in a situation where death has become possible, Kernin Lepos will try to punish his competitor without hesitation. Iris thought for a moment before saying to Hayer. ¡°Help me if I collapse.¡± ¡°¡­Why would you collapse?¡± ¡°And please go through the left door.¡± Instead of answering, Iris said that and immediately ran to the place where the flowers Cadella planted were. Then, holding her breath, she tore the petals Cadella had planted, and spread them evenly in front of the two remaining doors after the walls collapsed and the other doors were in shambles. As soon as she was about to collapse when she took a breath, Hayer ran and picked Iris up. He said to Tamati, who held Cadella in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s the role of a porter.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say it¡¯s the role of a knight.¡± Hayer laughed at Tamati¡¯s reply. The two of them each carried one of their companions in their arms and headed for the door on the left. CH 80 * * * The traitors were running towards the wall that collapsed. The traitor who hit Cadella on the head with a stone felt sweet even in the scorching sun. The kid kept putting themselves to sleep. How much more they could do in the future¡­ The traitor was running, conceited and buoyed up with dreams. The traitor, who was running as if only joy remained in the future, was pierced by a flying spear and stopped. Soon after, the Royal Knights appeared. Kernin Lepos of the Royal Knights dismounted and approached the traitor. Kernin, who turned 40 this year, had Lepos¡¯s signature black hair, and green eyes. He opened his eyes wide and asked, looking down at the dying traitor. ¡°Was there a princess?¡± A princess? Come to think of it, there was a woman there who looked like a Lepos person. Kernin checked his expression, pulled out his spear, and then mounted his horse and started riding again. He was followed by the rest of the Royal Knights. Running over the collapsed wall, they arrived in a village. The village was empty. In front of the two doors, Kernin saw the footprints left on the petals and strode to the door on the left. As he stepped on the petals and was about to enter the door, he heard a thud behind him. Kernin turned around to see several of the Knights¡¯ men lying down. Meppo Behad, the vice-captain who has yet to fully recover from his injuries after the duel with Hayer, said. ¡°There seems to be something wrong with that flower.¡± ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Meppo replied and ordered the Knights to gather the petals. While collecting petals, most of the Knights fell into hallucinations, but two of the three current strongest knights in Luwan, including Hayer, did not. When Meppo Behad gathered all the petals, Kernin strode right to the door. ¡°Ca-Captain¡­ no.¡± Meppo panicked for a moment when he saw the fallen knights, and then entered the door following his superior, forced to leave his men behind. * * * ¡°Can we walk like this?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, the two of us have no idea where to go.¡± They couldn¡¯t tell at all whether they were moving away from where they started or getting closer. Eventually, the two put their ears to the wall and listened to the sound, and stopped after deciding that they were not moving. Fortunately, Hayer had plenty of medicine, painkillers, and white cloth to apply quickly to an injury, so he was able to treat Cadella¡¯s wound informally. Shortly afterwards, Cadella opened his eyes and raised his upper body. Then he touched his head and said. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it getting better?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because you got hurt while the maze was broken.¡± Cadella nodded at Tamati¡¯s words and smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s only for a moment, but we¡¯re outside.¡± ¡°That¡­ come to think of it, yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty young, too. Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± Cadella, who rose from the ground, grumbled. Both Tamati¡¯s clothes and Hayer¡¯s clothes were all laid and covered on Iris. Hayer rebuked him. ¡°You¡¯re all grown up at eleven, you punk.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t grow up, you punk!¡± ¡°Ah, I know you¡¯re older than me, but it doesn¡¯t feel good.¡± As soon as Cadella got up, he began to punch Hayer energetically. Hayer grumbled, leaving Cadella like that. ¡°Thanks to you, I will get better.¡± ¡°Looking at it, you probably didn¡¯t get hit much when you grew up, so get hit now.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, there¡¯s no one who¡¯s grown up beaten as much as me.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Cadella paused for a moment, looked at him, and then raised his fist again and said. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Hayer chuckled in response to the remark. ¡°Then, who dares to hit me?¡± ¡°Damn you, die, die.¡± Cadella beat him to death, but Hayer thought he was joking and was playing with him. Tamati was smiling happily as he looked at his grandchildren, and Cadella pulled his clothes recklessly, revealing Hayer¡¯s shoulder wound. Tamati asked. ¡°What is that wound?¡± ¡°Ah, this.¡± Cadella, who saw the wound, stopped, and Hayer answered, adjusting his clothes. ¡°I¡¯m saying this because we all have to go to the same place and carry out anyway, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­But?¡± Cadella asked back. Hayer wondered if he could tell these two traitors here. But soon the answer came out. He intends to cut four more sacred trees in the future anyway. It was impossible to hide from people forever. From the time he first cut down the sacred tree, he was somewhat accepting that he would go down in history as a villain. Hayer opened his mouth. ¡°I cut the sacred tree.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There was a reason.¡± ¡°Wow, this kid. Kill it and you¡¯ll be commuted.¡± Hayer explained as Cadella looked at him with complete disbelief. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. Rather than blocking the monsters, the sacred tree is actually adding strength to them.¡± Neither Tamati nor Cadella could keep their mouths shut for a while at his words. They wondered how the world had changed so much while they were in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. After a while, Tamati opened his mouth. ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve heard of it from Tejas.¡± At those words, the two turned to Tamati. He went on. ¡°Tejas was worried one day when he saw the sacred tree. He said that someday this tree will reach its limit.¡± Hayer soon understood what he said and sighed. Since Cardella couldn¡¯t quite understand it, the two of them had to take turns explaining it step by step, as if to a child. * * * Iris was lost in a hallucination. It was a dark road with nothing in sight. ¡°This is a dream. It¡¯s a hallucination.¡± Iris said to herself and moved on. She couldn¡¯t see anything. She felt the wall with her hand and continued walking. It was a deep forest. Helen Lepos, the founder of the Lepos family, was blind. Iris thought maybe she was looking through her world. Iris, who was urgently searching for the way through touch, stopped. She closed her eyes and inhaled the smell of grass in the world. It was a forest. Iris knew that the tree she touched was a sacred tree. Holy energy rippled through her hands. ¡°Ah¡­¡± She looked up in admiration, then paused. A monster was passing around the sacred tree. It was still out of sight, but she could feel it. Numerous types of monsters passed by. Among them was the walking monster that she saw with the Knights of Tejas. It was peaceful. Iris caressed the sacred tree. Then, as the energy she touched gradually changed, she sat down under the tree. ¡°You¡¯re exhausted.¡± The sacred tree was slowly getting tired. Following it, the energy that touched her hand grew tired. Then she heard the sound of a monster roaring. Iris promised in a powerful voice. ¡°I will help you. Somehow. I will help.¡± Then, she remembered the scriptures she had read enough to memorize in the convent. She recited the scriptures to the sacred tree. Like the moon and the earth. Look down from above. Look up from below. Everything can be seen there. While saying that, she looked at the ground. ¡°Root¡­ was it the root?¡± Iris groped the ground. Soft petals touched her hand. It is said that this flower is a medicine that heals the wounds left on the body from cutting the sacred tree. It was when she reached into the soil to feel the roots. Something lifted her up. Terrified, Iris grabbed the moving floor with her hands. It was a tree. And when she thought she was as high as a tree. A voice was heard. ¡°Help me.¡± ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Find me, child of Lepos. This tree can no longer protect us¡­¡± * * * At that moment, Iris opened her eyes. As she breathed heavily, Hayer, who had been playing with Cadella, rushed to her. ¡°Iris?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris.¡± Iris was out of her mind, so she couldn¡¯t say anything. Cadella came running in surprise. ¡°Why? Was it a bad hallucination? I couldn¡¯t control it because I also fainted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris, why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± As the two people alternately urged, Tamati approached with a click of his tongue. ¡°Leave her alone. She looks surprised. Shouldn¡¯t there be time to calm down? Anyway, young people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not young.¡± ¡°I¡¯m young.¡± Hayer and Cadella, who answered so, backed down at Tamati¡¯s gaze. Cadella said as he climbed on Hayer¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s because you surprised me.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Hayer took it in moderation, and gently squeezed Iris¡¯s trembling hand. The warmth of his hand brought Iris back to her senses a little faster. She looked towards Hayer, and after calming down for a while, she managed to open her mouth. ¡°I may have misunderstood the cure.¡± CH 81 ¡°I think I had to use the roots¡­¡± She was gibbering to herself as if she had not escaped shock. At the same time, however, her face gradually brightened with excitement as she trembled. Iris was clearly convinced that the hallucination she saw had answers. Cadella, who was listening to Iris¡¯s mumble, asked again. ¡°What kind of hallucination was that?¡± Tamati asked, as if it was strange that Cadella had no idea. ¡°Cadella, even though it¡¯s the purple flowers that induces hallucinations, isn¡¯t the hallucination yours? Can¡¯t you control it yourself even if you¡¯re in danger?¡± ¡°I can do it with one or two people. But I can¡¯t with many people¡­ Plus, when I¡¯m on the verge of death, I can¡¯t control my hallucinations. So what¡¯s that hallucination? I¡¯m so curious about what I can¡¯t control.¡± Iris, who had been thinking about how to explain in words to Cadella for a while, opened her mouth. ¡°There was a talking monster.¡± ¡°Talking monster?¡± ¡°Yes. The monster asked for help. It wants me to find it. The sacred tree can no longer protect us, it said.¡± ¡°Help me. Find me, child of Lepos. This tree can no longer protect us¡­¡± Iris recalled what the monster had told her. The monster possessed sufficient intellectual ability and seemed capable of conversing with humans. But that voice, begging for help, sounded so sad. At Iris¡¯s words, Tamati and Cadella nodded, thinking it was an interesting dream. ¡°You had a really strange dream.¡± Cadella agreed with Tamati¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve never imagined that a monster can talk, but having the sacred tree protect them is a really strange dream.¡± There are different religious groups within the continent. However, there was something all those religions believed in the same way. The god Tilla gifted the sacred tree to humans in order to ward off monsters. So it was very strange and creative nonsense that the monster said, on the contrary, that the sacred tree would protect it. In other words, it was a story about the river being salty and the sea being bland. So the two thought Iris had ¡®just a little bit of an unusual dream,¡¯ and said that, but Hayer was different. He remembered the first time he encountered a walking demon. At that time, all the members of the Knights were looking up at the monster in astonishment. Huge things were often awe-inspiring. What the members felt at that moment may have been awe, Hayer thought. Having had such an experience, Hayer took Iris¡¯s words much more seriously. ¡°Iris, could you tell me where the talking monster is?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Iris, who answered so, pondered for a moment. She slowly closed her eyes and tried to recall the tree she saw in the hallucination in as much detail as possible. The tree was very big. She was lifted higher than any other tree in the forest by the sacred tree. The place was obviously a tree, and at the same time part of that monster. Iris carefully recalled the memory and drew a large circle on the floor with her finger. ¡°If this is the continent, it¡¯s here, in the southeast.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that where the capital of Siere is located?¡± As Tamati spoke in a bewildered voice, Hayer also muttered. ¡°Unlike other places, it is also a place where two sacred trees are adjacent.¡± His words quieted the party of three for a moment. Tamati said with a complicated sigh. ¡°The place where two sacred trees are adjacent¡­ the damage from the monsters may be worse.¡± Hayer replied to Tamati¡¯s words. ¡°To avoid the damage of the monsters, the Sieres may be willing to go to war.¡± Tamati let out a groan at Hayer¡¯s words. He spent all his youth on the battlefield. Both Tamati and those around him always had the same opinion about war. No matter how greedy you are, it¡¯s better not to go to war if possible. After a while, Iris stood up. ¡°The door to the sacred tree is nearby. Let¡¯s move quickly.¡± At that, Hayer rose up with Cadella hanging. As he was carried on his back, Cadella asked. ¡°Are we really going to cut down the sacred tree? I¡¯ve lived for a long time, but I don¡¯t understand. What if we get cursed?¡± Hayer replied at the remark. ¡°I¡¯ll cut it, and I¡¯ll take the curse.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cadella rested his head on his back and asked stealthily. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°How can I not be scared?¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s too scary?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just do it before I get scared.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have to do it.¡± Iris looked back at Hayer, who said so. Tamati whispered softly to her. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate for the princess, but he¡¯s a relatively useful man.¡± Iris smiled softly at the joke, affection, and sincere words. Before long, the four of them stood at a fork in the road. Iris said, stepping to one side. ¡°This is the last one.¡± ¡°What is the last?¡± When Cadella asked, Iris replied. ¡°If you pass here, you will go outside.¡± After wandering in the maze for many days, Iris¡¯s words made everyone tense and catch their breath. As Iris entered the path she had chosen, her vision gradually blurred halfway through, and then completely blacked out. The four did not talk to each other. They just walked forward before they felt scared. While walking like that, Hayer said. ¡°There¡¯s a wall.¡± At his words, the party stopped, and Hayer went first and pushed the door as hard as he could. At that moment, the door fell out and light poured in. Cadella was the first to jump off Hayer¡¯s back and walk outside. ¡°It¡¯s the outside.¡± Cadella looked around and ran frantically to feel the desert sand in front of him. Then he smiled brightly and looked back at the party. ¡°There¡¯s sand!¡± The rest of the group also came out one by one and faced the sun, which seemed to dry the whole body. Cadella ran barefoot across the hot sand. ¡°It¡¯s hot! It¡¯s really hot, really! Really hot! Hey, you punk! Take off your shoes and step on it!¡± Hayer was dumbfounded by the sound of Cadella running around happily. When he took off his boots and stepped barefoot on the sand, the dry sand contained enough desert heat even though the sun was passing. Tamati, who watched the two running around on the hot sand with their feet, said. ¡°They¡¯re young.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I came out thanks to the princess.¡± ¡°Thanks to me¡­¡± ¡°I, in 170 years¡ªstone, rocks, sky, and trees¡­ I¡¯m looking at none of that.¡± Tamati was admiring the vast desert as if it were the most beautiful scenery in the world. Iris smiled without replying. Cadella, who was running around excitedly, shouted at Hayer that his feet were hot. Eventually, Hayer¡¯s arm lifted him and he put on his shoes again. Iris said. ¡°If you¡¯re done playing, let¡¯s go now.¡± Then Hayer said politely. ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± ¡°Captain! How far do we have to go? Is there water? I want to see a place with a lot of water. Hayer said that where there is the sacred tree in the desert, there is an oasis!¡± Then Iris replied. ¡°It won¡¯t be very far.¡± ¡°I see it over there.¡± Tamati squinted his eyes and said as Hayer gestured somewhere in the distance. ¡°You must be seeing something.¡± ¡°If you were 20 years younger, you would have seen it.¡± ¡°Bastard, you mischievous boy.¡± Tamati responded like that to Hayer¡¯s prank and laughed heartily. Cadella was the first to start running to the oasis, and Tamati also followed Cadella. Hayer returned to the tottering Iris and asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°I can carry you on my back.¡± Iris thought for a moment when she heard that. For her, who grew up in the north, the desert was too hot to bear. She felt like she had a fever. When Iris hesitated, Hayer eventually pulled her onto his back and started running to the oasis. Iris rested her head against his back, wondering whether it was the desert wind, Hayer¡¯s neck, or herself that was hot. CH 82 * * * It was after the sun had completely set when the four of them arrived in front of the oasis. Everyone in the party just stared at the only tree standing in the middle of the desert, admiring it for a while. In the desert covered with night, the sacred tree that glowed with holy energy grew with countless twigs. The water of the oasis where the sacred tree was located was cold and clear. Covered in sand, they entered the oasis, washed themselves, and drank water. Tamati and Cadella, who were only in the maze the whole time, enjoyed this time as if they were in heaven. After spending such a pleasant time, Iris approached the flowers blooming under the tree. The flowers seemed to have continued to bloom to purify the tired sacred tree. But even this flower was not enough now. With her hands, Iris carefully dug up the soil to keep the flower¡¯s roots as intact as possible. And packed the flowers. The four enjoyed the freedom of leaving the maze for a moment. Then Hayer raised his head and looked somewhere. ¡°The monsters¡­ are moving.¡± Hayer was looking in the direction of the Siere border. Cadella watched, his vision swaying in the hot heat, then sat down with his hands over his mouth. ¡°What is th-that¡­!¡± At Cadella¡¯s words, both Iris and Tamati looked in that direction. A large, white, termite-like hill1 was slowly moving away toward the Siere border. It wasn¡¯t the only one. They were made here and there without knowing the cause and were moving around like a herd of animals. Iris looked at the strange figures and opened her mouth heavily. ¡°As expected, monsters continued to appear here as well.¡± Hayer nodded at her words. ¡°It¡¯s a desert, so it seems that few people have seen the monsters because there are few people living here.¡± From here, it looks like they were going to go over to Siere, but they certainly didn¡¯t know when or which would come this way. There was no time to lose. Hayer Asheri drew his sword and slowly approached the tree. He gritted his teeth when the pain of his injury came to mind. He decided to cut down the sacred tree quickly before the memory and pain could control his actions to cut it. And the moment he was about to cut the sacred tree, Tamati put his hand on Hayer¡¯s shoulder. When Hayer turned around, Tamati said in a discreet voice. ¡°I will do it.¡± Then all three looked toward Tamati. Hayer shook his head as if it were nonsense. ¡°This is my job.¡± ¡°I want to do it.¡± ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know, but Milord¡¯s body won¡¯t be able to bear this wound.¡± This one was no joke. Hayer was sincerely warning that this wound would hurt the body. Then Tamati said in a low voice. ¡°I saw it when I came out. I cannot cross this desert again with this body.¡± ¡°Why not? That can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°I know my body. I have only a few days left in my life. Besides, if you get injured further here, will you be able to lead this party back across the vast desert?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer could not immediately answer. It was because Tamati was right. This was a desert near the border of Siere. The best way to cross the desert from here again, of course, was to re-enter that maze and exit on the other side. He wasn¡¯t afraid to enter the maze. It may take a long time, but he was confident that Iris would find the way. But inside were the Royal Knights, and Kernin Lepos, who also considered Hayer and Iris as strong competitors. Hayer, who barely managed to win against a single Meppo, was not confident of winning if the entire Royal Knights rushed at him. So in fact, Tamati was right from the start. Hayer had to take Iris and Cadella across the desert again. And if he gets more injured here, he will be a burden, let alone a guard. Tamati continued in a tone of genuine joy. ¡°What a delight this is! Could there be greater glory in a traitor¡¯s life? I had a happy time with the person who may be the king of Luwan, and I can sacrifice my life for this continent.¡± At the ambiguous words of Tamati, who did not say who the ¡®person who may be the king of Luwan¡¯ was, Iris asked in a trembling voice. ¡°But then, even more so than when you were in the labyrinth¡­ It¡¯s short, life¡­ if you were in that maze, you might have lived longer¡­¡± Tamati laughed cheerfully at her words. ¡°Princess, wasn¡¯t that labyrinth a punishment for traitors? Everyone must have been like that, but for me too, life in that maze was a punishment. I wasn¡¯t happy even for a single day.¡± Tamati spoke as an old man, with the faces of two young people and a child who were looking sadly at him. ¡°But what do you think? I was so happy every day when the four of us were together. Before I died, I saw this desert again, and I saw an oasis and a sacred tree. This is a gift from Tilla to me. I don¡¯t know why you gave a gift to someone like me.¡± After convincing the young people like that, Tamati looked at Iris. ¡°Your Highness, grant me a glorious death.¡± Hayer shook his head as to disapprove of Tamati¡¯s words. It was short, but Tamati was a good adult and a knight to Hayer. They shared a lot of jokes, and it seemed like they laughed a lot. Iris looked at Hayer¡¯s shaky eyes, but also at Tammati¡¯s unyielding eyes. He was not sacrificing. He was just chasing his own glory. And Iris always respected his choice first. She hid the pain in her heart and nodded. ¡°I allow you, Lord Tamati Sepate.¡± ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡± He bowed his head and reached out his hand to Hayer to borrow his sword. ¡°If I die after wielding the sword with that sentence, there will be no regrets. No, there may be some lingering feelings, but I think it can be something to talk about when meeting Tejas.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it one thing you can do for me? You are a distant junior of my best friend.¡± At Tamati¡¯s persuasion, Hayer eventually held out the sword with a trembling hand. Tamati stood under the sacred tree with the sword and looked back at the three young children. Cadella was about to faint from crying. Tamati originally thought to himself that tears increase when one gets older. Hayer, who was used to losing his comrades in battle, but was not used to losing them through sacrifice, was slowly gathering his mind. Iris¡­ Iris Lepos was looking at Tamati. It was like looking at a subordinate going to war. The gaze made the knight, Tamati Sepate, glorious. Iris, who might be used to death and parting, was trying hard not to reveal those feelings. She recognized that Tamati, who had lived as a traitor for a long time, wanted honor the most right now. Tamati drew the sword and raised it. Hayer, who had been controlling his emotions for a while, said with difficulty. ¡°Isn¡¯t the sword too heavy for an old man?¡± ¡°Do you know how to stay young forever?¡± Hayer closed his eyes for a moment at Tamati¡¯s words, then smiled as hard as he could and replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be quite young for a while.¡± Tamati laughed at Hayer¡¯s answer. He knew at that moment that sharing jokes in the face of death remained a tradition of the Tejas Knights. His dear friend seemed to be standing here. Tejas asked to part ways with a smile, saying ¡®this life won¡¯t be the end of our relationship anyway¡¯, even when he saw his colleagues lose themselves and even when he lost them. That was Tejas Claudius¡¯s way. Tamati murmured. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Tejas.¡± In fact, he had no face to see his friend. When he was young, he sought justice so much, but when he got older, he rebelled against power. So, taking this opportunity, Tamati hoped to have the face to see his friend. Tamati drew the sword. And for the first time in a really long time, he swung a single blow and cut down the tree. At the same time, the sacred tree fell and blood dripped on Tamati¡¯s clothes. Then he collapsed on the spot. ¡°Tamati!¡± Cadella ran to check Tamati¡¯s breathing. He died, and Cadella burst into tears again. In the distance, the monsters Cadella had spotted, slowly moving in all directions, stopped in place. When the sacred tree stopped, the monsters stopped too. CH 83 The three of them sat near the tree for a while, and each endured a difficult time in their own way. Hayer got up immediately, as if sitting still made him feel more depressed. Then he buried Tamati by digging the ground while sprinkling the water of the oasis. Meanwhile, Iris collected enough flowers under the sacred tree and put them in her baggage. Watching the two people from a distance, each doing their own thing while weighed down by heavy emotions, Cadella¡ªwho has lived the longest among the three¡ªthought that the two were unexpectedly similar. After Tamati¡¯s burial, Hayer, who had risen, felt a presence and gestured to be quiet to the two. It wasn¡¯t until a while later that they began to see a herd of camels running from afar. Hayer carefully identified the people approaching that were creating dust. Then he smiled in relief and opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a group of silk merchants.¡± It wasn¡¯t until a little after he spoke that they saw the group of merchants holding a flag generously made of fine silk from afar. They were approaching the oasis. Iris murmured. ¡°How can you see¡­?¡± Then Cadella said. ¡°Right? Iris, you didn¡¯t see either?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We are normal.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± When Iris agreed, Hayer laughed from behind. It was the first laugh since Tamati left. Upon arriving at the oasis, the group of merchants found the sacred tree lying on the floor and froze. ¡°Sa-sacred tree! Why is the sacred tree¡­?¡± Hayer said calmly as the group of merchants approached with gibberish. ¡°Merchants of Siere. I am an Asheri, and I have just arrived after being informed that the sacred tree has been cut.¡± ¡°Asheri! I always owe you a lot.¡± The merchant said and scanned the party with his eyes. The party who came to check that the sacred tree was cut down was too simple. Hayer hastily excused himself. ¡°Here, the princess of the Lepos family had to accompany me to pass through that maze, and this person who looks like a child¡­¡± Hayer made some excuses and looked down, hesitating because there was no excuse for this child. At that time, the powder that Cadella had was sprinkled on the person who seemed to be the leading merchant. Then the merchant, who frowned for a moment, opened his mouth in hallucination. ¡°Ah! Aren¡¯t you Mr. Cadella?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my, if you¡¯re Mr. Cadella, a group like us isn¡¯t even a fist to you.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. You know it well.¡± Cadella nodded confidently. Hayer and Iris almost burst into laughter, but desperately held back and wrinkled their faces. Fortunately, thanks to Cadella¡¯s hallucinations and the Asheri family¡¯s influence on those travelling to and from the border, the three were able to ride on the merchant group¡¯s wagon. In return, they had to listen to Cadella¡¯s boasting every day. * * * The trip with the group of merchants was relatively stable. Basically, because the mercenaries the merchants were employing were desert peoples, they could easily pass through the desert. The desert people were strong and mighty, but above all, they were extremely relaxed when they met the same desert people. Thanks to this, they were able to break up nicely without conflict, shaking hands and sharing some money. During the fifteen days leading to the capital on a camel-drawn wagon, the merchant group encountered the desert people three times. If they had passed through the maze and moved to the sacred tree with the Tejas Knights, they might not have had a chance. The Knights of Tejas may be far stronger in terms of strength, but the natural circumstance of fighting was too disadvantageous. While crossing the desert for such a long time, they talked about many things with the people of the merchant group. Fortunately, the merchant people spoke Luwan¡¯s language relatively fluently, so there was no difficulty in communicating. In particular, the fact that Iris was a good drinker has been greatly favoured by the merchant women who like to drink. ¡°Where does all this alcohol go in that small body?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fascinating¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the liquor in the north is strong.¡± After Iris said that, she checked outside the tent for a moment. In the meantime, Hayer was learning the language of the desert people by talking to the mercenaries he had become close to as if they were old friends. Being sociable, he learned to smoke unique to the desert people, shared drinks, and quickly laughed and chatted like an old friend. After staring at him for a while, Iris turned to the merchant women again. At the same time they were spending time drinking, they were continuing their usual moves from the wagon. The merchant women¡¯s embroidery skills were great. In an instant, beautiful scenes were embroidered on the empty silk. Iris looked at those embroideries and asked insinuatingly. ¡°What is the atmosphere like in the capital of Siere? I don¡¯t know because I¡¯ve never been there.¡± ¡°Ah, at Siere? It¡¯s the opposite atmosphere from Luwan there. Luwan is¡­ it smells bad, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Iris nodded in agreement, and the merchant woman continued. ¡°Siere is very clean from the street, and the clothes are much better. I¡¯m going to Luwan because there¡¯s Everhart Port, but it¡¯s not a country that I have to go that far.¡± When she said that, another merchant woman next to her hit her on the arm. ¡°You, in the presence of a royal¡­¡± ¡°Ah, why! If you¡¯re a royal, you should look at the situation even more. Maybe you¡¯ll become the king.¡± While talking like that, the merchant woman, who had been quietly embellishing things since before, spoke up, as if she thought she had only talked about Siere¡¯s good points. ¡°But I heard that something like an unknown beast often comes out these days.¡± ¡°A beast?¡± ¡°Yes, a strange beast that I¡¯ve never seen before bites people in the capital.¡± Iris paused at the merchant woman¡¯s words. She asked back. ¡°Can you tell me what the beast looks like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different from person to person, so I can¡¯t gather opinions.¡± ¡°What I heard was that something like a tree trunk drags people around?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s a big dog with teeth like a wild beast.¡± It was felt from their conversation that monsters were pouring into Siere¡¯s capital. Iris felt a shiver down her spine. It was clear that the two sacred trees near the capital of Siere were causing problems. Iris said. ¡°Come to think of it, I think I also saw a monster on the border of Siere.¡± The merchant women stopped at her words. Then one asked. ¡°By any chance¡­ did something that looked like a termite mound move?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± The merchant woman clapped, and a woman of Celios¡¯s age covered her mouth with her hands. When she stiffened and wept in an instant, the merchant woman next to Iris explained for her. ¡°Well, the son of this family came back alone from the desert in a state of distraught¡­ The termite mound kept on biting people.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Everyone asked if he was bitten by a termite, but no matter how much they tried to fix him, wouldn¡¯t he insist that the termite mound bit him? So¡­ they thought it was insistence.¡± In other words, it wasn¡¯t a story of insistence. Iris nodded. She understood both that the termite mound bit, and that such a thing could not have happened. It was when the atmosphere was briefly subdued by the conversation of monsters. When Iris closed her eyes for a moment and was lost in thought, a merchant woman opened the tent slightly, looked at Hayer, and smacked Iris on the arm. ¡°Gosh, well done by the way, well done.¡± ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a handsome man in my life. But you made him fall in love, so good job!¡± ¡°What! Not at all.¡± Iris, with her eyes wide, waved her hands. Whether she denied it or not, the merchant women chatted among themselves. ¡°Did you see that knight¡¯s eyes all the way here? His eyes were so fixed on the princess¡­¡± The merchant woman, who was surprised that she met someone who saw the monster that bit her son and was alive, immediately got involved in the conversation. ¡°I really thought that was falling in love.¡± Iris was taken aback by the merchant women¡¯s words and stammered, not knowing what to say. She wanted to say it wasn¡¯t like that, but there was no way to explain it because they were guessing everything from the ¡®look in the eyes.¡¯ afterword hayer being so obviously and hopelessly in love with iris as always¡­ bro is not slick at all!!! love the merchant women they¡¯re so sweet even if they¡¯re only here for ~2 chaps CH 84 After passing time drinking like that, Hayer came into the tent when the sun completely set. ¡°Iris, the carrier bird is here. They¡¯re near here now, so they say they¡¯ll arrive here in about two days.¡± It seems that the carrier bird that was borrowed from the merchants met with the Tejas Knights and returned. The merchant women sighed at once when he said they had to part soon. ¡°Now, why do all the fun go to Luwan¡­?¡± Hayer laughed at such an honest statement and asked. ¡°I guess I made it fun for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you¡¯re fun, it¡¯s the face that¡¯s fun, the face.¡± The merchant women responded with laughter at what one person said. Hayer left the tent after acting charmingly, as if to let them see his face as much as they wanted. Iris laughed dumbfoundedly, and the merchant woman sitting next to her said. ¡°You have to control that well¡ªwon¡¯t your heart rot away?¡± ¡°That is to say, I¡¯m not controlling that man¡­¡± Iris¡¯s words were cut off again by the merchant women¡¯s chatter. She thought she should explain more, but she finally decided to stop because the merchant women looked so happy. At night, merchants shared tents between women and men. Several people fell asleep in a crowded tent, so there were not many opportunities for treatment, and only Iris and Hayer remained. Then, the two climbed into an empty wagon to avoid the eyes of others. Iris asked. ¡°What about Cadella?¡± ¡°He¡¯s sleeping excitedly in the little kids¡¯ tent.¡± There were also some children with the merchants, and Cadella would pout and said he would not play with them because he was an adult, but played with them as if he couldn¡¯t win. The merchant children were also very happy to have someone to play with. Iris said. ¡°Let¡¯s start quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t have much time¡­¡± Hayer, who was unbuttoning his shirt, paused. After putting the children to bed and secretly getting on a wagon at night and undressing, he thought it was a perfect conversation and atmosphere to misunderstand. Iris soon must have realized it too, and she blushed and said. ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t see anything. Because it¡¯s dark.¡± ¡°¡­When did I ever tell you not to see?¡± Hayer was rather dumbfounded, and Iris continued blushing. After passing through the maze, the two felt a little different awkwardness from before. Both were in a hectic state. They couldn¡¯t afford to reflect on their emotions in the process of losing, finding, and meeting each other. In it, rather, everything was much easier than outside. In a place completely cut off from the world, there was nothing to care about from the outside. Therefore, Hayer found that he was able to act more freely with Iris when he was in the maze. Hayer took off his shirt, and Iris began to treat his shoulder. Hayer said. ¡°It smells bitter.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Hayer wondered why she could not smell such a strong bitter scent. It was so strong that he felt dizzy. Iris, who was applying the medicine so meticulously, said. ¡°I feel a little sad at the thought of parting ways with the merchants. It was fun.¡± ¡°When will we not see each other again? The merchants are the people who keep going from one side to the other anyway.¡± ¡°Hmm. Will we?¡± Iris let out a low sigh, unable to hide her sorrow completely. Then she said to Hayer. ¡°Hayer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you die.¡± Her words made Hayer laugh, as if he wasn¡¯t worried about anything. It felt like deception for a person with such a big wound on his back¡ªwhose goal was to rush into danger that only increased the wound¡ªto smile like that, as if everything would be safe. Iris slapped Hayer on the back because he felt a bit detestable. It was when the treatment was just finished. They heard merchants passing by outside. There were people outside, so Hayer and Iris could not go out and sat in the wagon, fearing they may cause a misunderstanding. They thought everyone was asleep, but not at all. It was so noisy, and then someone burst open the curtain. It was one of the merchant women Iris was talking to earlier. She stood there, blinking her eyes, as if she was surprised to find Hayer with his top off and Iris with her startled eyes. Hayer, who opened his mouth first, calmly asked. ¡°I would be very grateful if you could close the curtain again¡­¡± ¡°No! You don¡¯t have to close it. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Iris, whose face turned red, hurried out of the wagon. Then the merchant, who had the curtain pulled back, clapped her hands and went into the tent with Iris. Iris said with a bright red face. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything, but¡­ please keep it a secret if possible.¡± ¡°Why? Are you two really running away for love?¡± ¡°No, we legally¡­ know each other.¡± ¡°What is a legal acquaintance?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying either¡­¡± Iris mumbled with her face flushed, and the merchant burst into laughter again. * * * Two days after that. The Knights of Tejas soon arrived. With some distance away, neither the merchants nor the Knights of Tejas had stopped. As soon as the merchant group¡¯s wagon¡¯s curtain opened, a child jumped down from there first. It was Cadella. ¡°When will the traitor get off?¡± ¡°Will he be taller than our captain?¡± ¡°Gee, the bigger it is, the more useful it will be. Since he is the youngest, I have to pamper him.¡± ¡°What do you mean pamper? The old youngest should take care of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m finally going to escape from being the youngest!¡± They completely ignored Cadella¡¯s presence and waited for Iris and Hayer to get out of the wagon. Soon the two got out of the wagon and exchanged sincere greetings with their close merchant friends. However, no matter how long they waited, no one who seemed to be a traitor got out of the wagon. ¡°That person passing by! It¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°That tattoo! Ah, desert people¡­¡± King Eswa told them to bring one witness as proof that they had been to the maze. However, after bidding farewell and parting with the merchants, what remained with them was a child who seemed like he was about to wither. ¡°Ah, that can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Did you pick up a kid from somewhere? You two are nice.¡± ¡°Where and how do you pick up people?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just saying it because it doesn¡¯t seem like it at all.¡± The mysteriously small traitor ran towards the Knights of Tejas. Following Cadella, Iris and Hayer soon arrived. Hayer said to the Knights of Tejas, pointing his chin at Cadella. ¡°Since he¡¯s 71 years old, take care of him in your own way. Iris brought him out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth.¡± ¡°Yes, I am 71. Hayer is wrong because he¡¯s rude, but you should consider me an adult and respect me.¡± Cadella said, as if he would put in the first button well this time. But Annamaria grabbed Cadella by the neck and lifted him up. Cadella said, struggling. ¡°All of these knights lift people up. What the hell is the reason!¡± ¡°Well¡­ anyway, you picked up something cute. It¡¯s fine as long as it¡¯s cute.¡± Hencke added a word to Annamaria¡¯s compromise. ¡°Of course, it would have been better if you had brought an ordinary dog or cat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not cute, you bastards!¡± Cadella ran and stepped on the feet of knights who were making fun of him from all sides. Of course, the Knights could avoid getting stepped on with their level of training, but the child seemed excited and they didn¡¯t feel any weight, so they let it go without avoiding it. afterword 10 more chapters and we¡¯ll finally get the hayer-iris moment¡­ im getting so giddy just thinking about it!! CH 85 Annamaria asked Iris. ¡°By the way, did you really go to the maze? The souvenir is too small to be seen.¡± Hayer said with a chuckle. ¡°She couldn¡¯t help it. He kept saying he¡¯ll follow her.¡± ¡°Aha. Well, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy to leave a child alone.¡± Annamaria nodded her head in understanding. Meanwhile, Cadella was walking around the Knights and spraying powder to create hallucinations. But no one budged. Because everyone is too strong, a small amount of powder does not work. Eventually, only Iris, who was weak, became a little tired, so Hayer told Cadella to stop. Hencke turned to Iris and said. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Haywin.¡± ¡°Really, you did it. You got out of that maze safely. Congratulations.¡± Iris smiled at his words. ¡°Yes. Indeed¡­ that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Woah¡­ really¡­ wow, wow!¡± ¡°Wooooo!¡± The rest of the Knights, who were glancing at Iris, also cheered at once. Congratulations on passing the difficult test. * * * Iris and Hayer, who spent a long time in the stone maze and sand desert, were quite tired. The Knights of Tejas brought an enormous amount of food as they came to pick up two people, plus one traitor. It seems that Sandra, who had been worried all along since Iris went to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, sent a huge amount of food and good alcohol to the Knights as soon as she heard that she had come out. As a result, they moved through the desert during the day and spent a row of noisy nights eating and drinking at night. Iris was a person who didn¡¯t fit in very well with the noisy atmosphere, but on the contrary, Cadella ran around everywhere, wondering what to do because it was so nice outside, and poked at the Knights every day, asking if he seemed to have grown taller. And Hayer¡­ Iris was lost in thought as she returned to her tent, leaving the noisy drinking party behind. The Knights set up a tent so that she could have her own space for the first time in a long while. However, human beings are strange animals that don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with them. She came into the tent to avoid the noisy place, but she felt lonely being alone. Compared to the time when she crowded into a tent with the merchant women and talked about this and that, being alone again made her feel uncomfortable and lonely. Iris lay in the tent to forget the lonely time and reflected on what had happened in the maze one by one. Then Hayer¡¯s face came to mind. With the same goal the whole time, moving along the same path. Having gained so much freedom, she didn¡¯t know what to do. * * * Crossing the now-boring desert to the end, the Knights of Tejas returned to the capital. Iris did not have the stamina to go to the castle after the long desert trip, and Hayer also needed to be prepared when he met his father, so the first night they returned, all gathered at Hayer¡¯s house in the capital. Hayer returned to his bedroom after drinking the good drink Sandra sent him today. Returning home, he realized that he had been to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, where even the heirs to the throne were afraid of getting lost. He followed because he didn¡¯t know how scary it was, but it was amazing that Iris followed through even though she knew what it was like inside. Anyhow, the important thing was that she got out of the maze. Maybe in a little while, Kernin Lepos will be out of the maze too, but that¡¯s a different situation. Because the maze will be completely destroyed. Hayer couldn¡¯t help but think that they had been lucky enough to meet a traitor like Tamati, or even Cadella. He has a good heart, except for the fact that he¡¯s a 71-year-old whining like a child. He tried to sleep, but he couldn¡¯t sleep and eventually got up. Sitting in bed, he murmured incredulously. ¡°¡­Did I also get insomnia?¡± Hayer, who lived without knowing the sense of ¡®I can¡¯t sleep,¡¯ made an absurd expression. He laid on his back again and tried to sleep. After lying down like that¡­ he opened his eyes again. Then, with a deep sigh, he slowly headed to the room where Iris was sleeping. As expected, the lights were on, so he tapped on the corridor window. Iris opened the window. Then, she smiled as if she was glad to see Hayer standing in front of her. ¡°Are you bored because you¡¯re alone too?¡± ¡°Ah, so¡­¡± Hayer slapped his thigh, as if he had finally understood the reason for his insomnia. He went on. ¡°It feels so strange. No one snores, no stench. I can¡¯t sleep because I miss it.¡± Iris was dumbfounded by Hayer, who missed things that couldn¡¯t be missed, and burst into laughter. Hayer, who was staring at her, asked. ¡°Are you sleeping well?¡± Iris shook her head at those words. Then she asked Hayer. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your back hurt?¡± The window was just high enough for Iris to rest her elbows on it, and Hayer had to bend down a lot to talk to her. Hayer got ready to go inside with both hands, and soon jumped over the window and went inside. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Hayer pointed at the bed with his chin when Iris asked. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of putting you to sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± ¡°When you think that way, what if you think that I¡¯m still the captain and I¡¯m ordering you to sleep?¡± Iris laughed dumbfoundedly at Hayer¡¯s persuasion, then nodded as if she couldn¡¯t help it. Iris¡¯s eyes were full of fatigue, but she could not sleep. As she lay down on the bed, Hayer knelt down beside the bed. ¡°I had so much time in the maze, didn¡¯t I? So I thought about why you can¡¯t sleep deeply.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ what was the reason?¡± ¡°I think you worry too much.¡± At his words, Iris thought for a moment and then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Iris closed her eyes. When she closed her eyes, the snowfield where the Luwans were dead would come to mind. But Hayer was right in front of her, so she couldn¡¯t see any of those things. It was a strange thing. Feeling at ease, Iris closed her eyes and dozed off, then opened them. When she closed her eyes and opened them, she felt very good with Hayer right in front of her. She really was sleepy because he was next to her. She opened her eyes again, closed them, and it was really time to go to sleep. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Iris opened her eyes at the sound of Hayer¡¯s voice. When she got up and looked toward Hayer, Hayer put a hand on his left shoulder, rubbed it gently, and then began to take off his shirt. Seeing his exposed shoulders, Iris covered her mouth with both hands. ¡°Ah¡­¡± At the end of the wound, a hard scab was formed from recovery. Hayer turned to Iris and sat down beside her, finding that she was already crying. ¡°Iris, are you crying?¡± ¡°The wound¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s starting to heal.¡± Iris, who couldn¡¯t speak properly because she was crying, nodded that it was correct when Hayer connected the latter part. Iris hugged Hayer¡¯s neck. Iris was trying to stop her tears somehow, as if she didn¡¯t want to show it. Then asked Hayer, who was patting her on the back. ¡°Why are you so¡­ your reaction is small? Don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯re recovering?¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that¡­¡± Hayer shook his head quickly and sighed heavily, covering his face with his hands. Then he soon began to laugh with relief. ¡°Thank God¡­¡± Even as he muttered like that, Hayer realized that he was in a state where he had gone through a lot. The first thought that came to mind when he saw the wound heal was that ¡®Iris must be relieved¡¯. She was blaming herself for thinking she was wrong. Rather than dying from the wound, he was more afraid to let Iris down. And after that thought¡­ ¡°¡­Wow, I¡¯m alive, am I?¡± It occurred to him. His talk to himself made Iris cry and eventually burst into laughter. She covered her tear-stained face with her tear-stained hands, crying and laughing, not knowing which to do. Iris wiped away the tears with her hands and said in a cheerful voice. ¡°Quickly show it to Dylan. He was really, really worried.¡± ¡°Do you want to go with me? That kid¡¯s reaction would be big, so it¡¯s going to be fun.¡± ¡°I want to go.¡± Iris nodded. And to show that the wound was recovering, the two visited Dylan¡¯s room, the boot who always treated Hayer¡¯s wound until Iris took care of it. Dylan, who came out of the room at the sound of a knock on the door, rubbed his eyes with his hands. ¡°Wh-what are you doing at this hour?¡± Hayer said to Dylan, who was taken aback by the leader¡¯s behaviour late at night. ¡°It¡¯s starting to heal, the wound.¡± Hayer and Iris were relatively calm and unresponsive. Dylan screamed in surprise, and eventually all the knights got up. And no one complained about getting woken up today. afterword LMFAO this chapter had so many comments on kkp so i was wondering what happened like did they fuck??? BUT THIS IS A GREAT ALTERNATIVE IM SO GLAD THE WOUND IS MAKING PROGRESS!! hayer being more scared of disappointing iris than actually dying from the wound oh my heart CH 86 * * * At the bonfire surrounded by the Knights of Tejas, vice-captain Hencke Haywin shouted, raising a glass. ¡°Cheers to commemorate the captain gaining immortality!¡± ¡°How can you misrepresent this so wrongly, you bastard?¡± No matter what Hayer said next to him, the excited knights toasted until their glasses broke. The drinking party was noisy and late at night. Hayer raised his hand and touched the wound on his shoulder again. He let out a sigh of relief when the hard scab still touched his finger. ¡°Ah, I lived¡­¡± His subordinates burst into laughter when he talked to himself with sincerity. Hayer, who was laughing along with them, gradually stopped laughing and muttered while looking at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m alive.¡± The leader¡¯s words made the knights quiet for a while. Ato, the vice-marshal Kawat, raised his glass. ¡°Let¡¯s toast to our departed comrades.¡± The knights clashed their glasses once again. Only death remained in the mountain village where the monsters trampled on, and there were many experiences of losing comrades. Hayer had the names of his subordinates who had left first engraved in his head one by one. They were names he will never forget until he dies. Even before the wound healed, he had no regrets about cutting the sacred tree. He just regretted not cutting it sooner. Shortly after, Hayer quickly stood up from his elated subordinates. Seeing him get up, Iris got up together and followed Hayer and asked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Temple. It¡¯s a thank you, so I¡¯d like to say hello.¡± ¡°Can I come with you?¡± Hayer motioned for her to take the lead, as if asking for something natural. The capital was at the end of the summer while the two returned from wandering the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth and desert. Summer in Luwan was dry, both in the north and south. Therefore, it is better to prepare an umbrella in advance if you feel the damp air when you breathe in on a summer day. The air was damp today. Hayer packed an umbrella for Iris. The Great Temple was on top of a low hill. After each of them rode up the hill with their horses and arrived at the Great Temple, Hayer stood in front of the temple. There was a considerable distance from where he stood to the statue of Tilla, the pride of Luwan¡¯s Great Temple. Hayer stepped into a building that he had not been able to enter for a long time. The Great Temple, like many buildings in the royal palace, has windows made according to the movement of the moon. When the full moon rises, this temple was able to show its best beauty. Iris was staring at Hayer walking into the central fa?ade. He strode forward and knelt before Tilla¡¯s statue. Then he put his hands together and began to pray to Tilla. She thought he had come to say thank you since he was freed from the curse. From a distance, however, he was praying for forgiveness, not thanks. Why? Iris, who had doubts about Hayer¡¯s back, stepped towards him. As she got closer, Iris¡¯s thoughts became more firm. Feeling her approach, Hayer lifted his head, looked at the statue, and opened his mouth. ¡°If Tilla exists, why can¡¯t the sacred trees protect the continent anymore?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If God really exists¡­ why do you let those grotesque things kill us?¡± Iris looked at Hayer muttering like that and pretended to think about it. Iris, who had been like that for a while, came next to him and whispered very quietly with her hands together. ¡°That must be why you were sent.¡± At her voice, Hayer was absent-minded for a moment, then laughed lowly. The people of Luwan thought that God would surely protect them. On the contrary, it was the Kawat people¡¯s idea that God would no longer protect the sacred tree, and that they should protect it. Now, Iris¡¯s words were close to what the Kawats thought. To say that you have to save it yourself. Soon Hayer said with a smile. ¡°You are always flexible with religion.¡± He was born a prince of Luwan and was baptized here in this temple after a year, and learned to always thank Tilla. He still loves Tilla, but he never thought God would protect this land. In Hayer¡¯s world, the Luwan people¡¯s faith no longer worked. If the sacred tree is left unattended, monsters may come rushing up at any moment. Already, the Sieres have met monsters in the capital. The distance between the two sacred trees and the capital was close, but the distance to the forbidden land was quite far. But the fact that there is a monster that appeared beyond that land, through the forest, and even into the capital is¡­ There were times when Hayer had a pessimistic thought that even if he cut the tree now, it might be too late. However, he thought that if Iris were put in this situation, she would make a firm decision. If there is only one answer, Iris Lepos does not worry. She¡¯ll be leaving for Siere right away. Hayer got up and said to Iris. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to go to Siere.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iris nodded. ¡°You¡¯re going after all.¡± Hayer laughed at her anxious voice. ¡°If you were the captain, you would have asked to go anyway, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s, well.¡± ¡°Will you be my guide?¡± Iris nodded at Hayer¡¯s words. Then she looked worried. Cross the border. The border of a neighbouring country that knows that it will cause a war in the not too distant future. It¡¯s okay because merchants are people who go to and from both sides during the war, but the two were particularly members of the royal family, so it would be even more difficult to cross the border. He thought he would have to get help from the Asheri family on the border or Everhart, which has a port. If they chose to use the port, they had to make a long voyage around the continent. It would be difficult to cross the border, so it was already far behind that. But this time, there was no choice. It was a must-do. It was highly likely that Siere was covered with monsters, and the Sieres poured into Luwan in search of a place to live. Therefore, first of all, it had to remain a place where people could live. They returned home from the temple, thinking about this and that, and fell asleep for a while. It was morning when they woke up. Iris and Hayer were ready to go to the royal palace. * * * Sid Lepos was informed that Iris had escaped from the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth faster than planned. Originally, he intended to swap Iris for Madeleine¡ªwho looked like her¡ªif she disappeared in the maze. However, she came out too soon that everything failed. He went on a rampage, unable to contain his anger, and then approached Madeleine, who was trembling at one side of the office, and vented his anger. ¡°I taught you well enough. But why do you still have no confidence, no pride? My uncle is not like that, so is the mother who gave birth to you the problem?¡± Madeleine couldn¡¯t answer anything and just stared at the floor. Sid continued. ¡°Then the kid in your stomach is obvious too. They¡¯ll be born trash like you.¡± Madeleine put her hands together and closed her eyes tightly. She wanted to live. Can she? Will this child be born safely¡­ When she thought so, she heard a trumpet outside. Sid looked out the window and saw the Knights of Tejas approaching across the side road in the huge garden of the royal palace. Madeleine was the first to find just one of them, Iris. She was still passing through the palace with a beautiful face and indifferent eyes. Throughout her time in the maze, Madeleine tried to be like Iris. Hearing about her, she tried to like the things she liked, and dislike the things she didn¡¯t like. After trying so hard, she stopped feeling like Iris was a stranger. Madeleine unwittingly walked toward the window. And thought she wanted to be Iris Lepos. * * * Cadella, wearing a hood, was a witness that Iris Lepos had returned safely from the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, and had entered the royal palace with the Knights of Tejas. The boy looked around, worrying that there might be an executioner to execute him in the middle of the royal garden. He couldn¡¯t see anything, but he still wasn¡¯t relieved. As Cadella continued to sigh deeply, Annamaria, the marshal of the Knights of Tejas, scolded him. ¡°Why do you sigh so much? Like a guy who carries all the hardships in the world.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m a traitor¡­ I thought that the only time I would enter the royal palace would be when the executioner cuts my throat.¡± ¡°Puff out your chest. I¡¯m also a commoner, but I enter confidently.¡± ¡°You should stop being so confident¡­¡± ¡°And if anyone says something to you, cast a spell. I¡¯ve never seen you actually do it, but you can do it, right?¡± ¡°I can! These bastards don¡¯t believe me because I left them without showing my strength.¡± Cadella grumbled. In the meantime, the party got closer to where the king was standing. King Eswa came out to the garden to greet them. Hayer dismounted first, escorting Iris, and she dismounted as well. King Eswa said. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Iris walked towards the place where King Eswa was. She must have felt the stares of royalty and nobles paying attention to her, but she didn¡¯t care. Iris Lepos passed the test to prove she was eligible to succeed the throne. They didn¡¯t know what her intentions were, but she was showing off the fact with an arrogant look and posture. Iris was a person who knew exactly how to behave in the royal palace. With the completion of the test, she has risen to the fore among the contenders for the throne. King Eswa, of course, was thinking the same thing. So he was even afraid that he might lose the throne to his niece. Nevertheless, he welcomed Iris proudly like his own child on the outside. CH 87 ¡°You¡¯ve been there.¡± King Eswa watched Iris¡¯s party dismounting their horses to be polite to the king. Looking at the enormous size of the Royal Knights, the Knights of Tejas seemed to be only a small crew. King Eswa, who regained his composure at that fact, asked. ¡°I have no doubt that you have been to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. If you¡¯re the king of Luwan, you must earn the trust of the citizens of Luwan. Do you have any proof that you¡¯ve been to the labyrinth?¡± Hayer, who considered the current king to be incompetent, almost burst into laughter for a moment, but the Asheri pretend not to hear anything, and so he erased his laughter. ¡¶t/n: what it means here is that the Asheris act normal/indifferent, so he, as an Asheri, stopped himself from laughing¡· Soon Cadella, who was next to him, got off the horse. As the child stepped forward, King Eswa made a strange expression. Hayer said from behind. ¡°He is Cadella, the illusionist.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Hencke, who heard Annamaria muttering to herself, winked at her to shut up. The two began to fight again with their eyes. * * * Since there was a record of ¡®Cadella¡¯s Treason¡¯ in the history books, from then on, they had to start comparing the ¡®Cadella¡¯ that Iris brought from the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth with the ¡®Cadella¡¯ in history. However, when historians in the royal palace tried to take Cadella away, Cadella ran away and hid behind Annamaria and Hencke. ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± When he came to the royal palace, he didn¡¯t seem to trust anyone but the people he was with. Hencke had no choice but to say to Annamaria. ¡°Let the loser raise him.¡± ¡°Ah, please¡­¡± After the two prayed desperately to each other, they played rock-paper-scissors. There, Hencke sighed and said to Cadella. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to respect the elderly.¡± Hencke grumbled and picked up Cadella. And disappeared along with the historian. Meanwhile, King Eswa saw the expression of his cousin, Celios. Seeing her child¡¯s glory in front of her eyes, she had a confident look on her face. The glory of the child was the glory of the parents. Luwan¡¯s people took it for granted that a child¡¯s achievements were attributed to the ability of the parents who gave birth to that child. King Eswa remembered Sid Lepos, his son who lost the duel not too long ago. And he saw Hayer, the victor. Compared to that sun-like man, Sid felt terrible. King Eswa said to Hayer. ¡°My son.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer, for once, failed to control his facial expression. Before long, he understood why Eswa called him ¡®son.¡¯ The two who entered the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth were Iris and Hayer. And it was the two of them who got out of there. Jealous of Celios¡¯s delight in Iris¡¯s achievements, King Eswa was now treating Hayer as a son. Hayer, who was always good at hiding his emotions, gritted his teeth because he couldn¡¯t do it this time. However, he soon regained his smile and approached King Eswa, who was waiting with open arms. ¡°Father.¡± Hayer recalled Eswa Lepos when he was ten years old. Eswa, who was much more energetic than now, poured hatred on Hayer for a long time. Hayer sometimes wondered why Eswa was so persistent in bothering him. He¡¯d rather kill him coolly, or put him in a dungeon and forget. Why did you spend your own time doing something that was neither of those things? Hayer thought that King Eswa, who hugged him and patted him on the back too much, was not as big as he remembered, and was even weak. The giant Eswa Lepos that the ten-year-old Hayer remembered was no longer there. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡¯ Hayer thought so. After growing up, he saw that Eswa Lepos was nothing special. Hayer laughed at the fact, but Eswa seemed to have dimly realized why his son was laughing. Seeing him shudder for fear that his son might kill him. * * * The verification of Cadella was not over, but a party welcoming Iris and the Knights of Tejas began right away in the royal garden. As the summer was coming to an end, it was a little hot and the temperature was incredibly moderate in the evening. The party attendees, who had been rigid at the start, slowly relaxed as the temperature became moderate and began to drink. ¡°Tell me about the maze!¡± ¡°How was it?¡± Thanks to this, both Hayer and Iris had to suffer from questions from all sides. Before they knew it, Hayer was taken by the men and Iris by the women, and sat at their respective tables. Iris was not drunk from the beginning of the evening thanks to her strong alcohol tolerance, but the people at the table with her were all drunk and laughing and asking her questions about the maze. Everyone lost interest in Iris¡¯s way of speaking, where she recited the truth without any exaggeration. So the topic changed in the middle. ¡°So. What are you going to do with Sir Hayer? Marriage? Just enjoy?¡± Iris answered the question from a noblewoman at the table. ¡°We are talking in a positive way.¡± When talking about the maze, people who were bored no matter how much it was explained, couldn¡¯t like this answer about Hayer. At first, she thought they liked love stories, but when she thought about it more, it wasn¡¯t. What people want to hear is a fantastic story, not reality. However, Iris and Hayer¡¯s marriage was intertwined with infatuation, so it seemed entertaining from the beginning that it aroused interest. And most of all, seeing Hayer smiling and talking in the other group, that man himself was a fantastic being. His story was so interesting. * * * Madeleine struggled to escape the people¡¯s eyes. Sid Lepos was becoming more and more violent. Initially, Sid forced her to resemble Iris, in order to swap Madeleine for Iris. But now she was just considered a mistress, hoping that the mistress would look just like Iris and behave just like her. Madeleine was sure Sid Lepos had his heart on Iris, though he never admitted it. The day passed when she trained harshly all day and cried at the beating that fell on the way. Madeleine knew the baby in her womb was struggling, so she decided to run away. She struggled out onto the balcony, feverish. And from there, she climbed down on the rope she barely got and landed in the garden. She thought it was impossible to just run away. And she recalled Peter Wick, Celios¡¯s escort knight who protected her from being beaten to death by the ruffians from Sid last time. Possibly Iris¡¯s father. Madeleine felt she should ask Peter Wick for help, perhaps because she heard the rumour from Sid. It was time for Madeleine, who ran frantically, to think about how to get into the east building. A maid came running with wide eyes. ¡°Your Highness! Why are you here? Your hair is a mess.¡± Madeleine looked back at the maid who called her ¡®Your Highness.¡¯ When she thought about it after being puzzled, it seemed that she had mistaken herself for Iris. Madeleine said in a trembling voice. ¡°Alcohol¡­ I must have drunk too much.¡± ¡°Gosh, I see.¡± The maid hastened to help Madeleine. Soon the two entered Iris¡¯s bedroom. Madeleine covered her face with the blanket, fearing that she would recognize her face under the candlelight, which was not recognizable in the dark, and said. ¡°Light¡­ can you turn it off?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re dizzy from the light! Why did you drink so much?¡± ¡°They kept giving me¡­¡± ¡°I knew this would happen one day. You don¡¯t worry about drinking too much. You are someone who is still weak.¡± Madeleine glanced at the royal maid. Hearing her voice, she was the maid whom Madeline had heard talking outside when she was in Sid¡¯s bedroom. The frightened reactions of the maids when dealing with Sid, there was not a shred of it in this maid here. Just by looking at her genuinely concerned attitude, she could tell how Iris would normally treat her. Madeleine closed her eyes briefly under the warm blanket. She has never felt this kind of peace in her life. When Madeleine checked the time, it was already 11 o¡¯clock. Now past 12 o¡¯clock, all the maids in the east building will change shifts, including the maid who knows she¡¯s here. Then she thought no one would know that she came in. Madeleine prayed that Iris would not know she had entered here. And how long has it been? Hearing a voice outside, Madeleine rushed into the closet and hid. Then the door opened and Iris entered. She was staggering as if she was drunk, and Hayer was helping her in. CH 88 Hayer sat Iris in front of the table for now, and her head was tilted from the alcohol. She murmured tiredly. ¡°Why are they giving me so much alcohol¡­¡± ¡°The main character is supposed to be drunk at times like this. It¡¯s this much because you drink so well.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you drink that much too?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get drunk easily either. Except when someone orders you to drink a bottle of hard liquor at once.¡± When she was scolded like that, Iris averted her gaze in embarrassment. Moonlight was spilling down Iris¡¯s face. Hidden in the closet, Madeleine stared at Iris¡¯s face that sparkled in the moonlight, and was enraptured. Her eyes contained both the arrogance of a powerful person and the curiosity of a traveller. She was beautiful. Absolutely. Then Hayer said. ¡°It won¡¯t be dangerous, so don¡¯t be alarmed. Both.¡± After saying that, Hayer headed to the closet. Madeleine, who realized she had been caught, closed her eyes tightly. Soon after, the door opened, but there was no hand to force her out, so Madeleine looked up. And stared at the man looking down at her. Hayer recognized that she was pregnant and held out his hand in a gentle manner. ¡°Be careful when you come out. Slowly.¡± Seeing him up close, he was brilliant. ¡­It was just that kind of face that reminded her of that. * * * Iris and Hayer looked at Madeleine, who was drinking tea, staring at the two of them. Madeleine shivered and honestly confessed, from whose bastard daughter she was to having Sid¡¯s child, and that he tried to swap her for Iris. After some of her story was over, Hayer opened his mouth. ¡°You have a similar face, but you have a completely different personality, Sir Kernin.¡± Madeleine raised her head at Hayer¡¯s words. Iris noticed Madeleine¡¯s anxious eyes and asked Hayer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can the two of us talk?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to ask me that.¡± Hayer also noticed that Madeleine was uncomfortable with his presence, so he got up as soon as Iris asked. Iris said goodbye to him. ¡°Go in with care.¡± ¡°Good night. And Miss Madeleine.¡± Hayer greeted them in a gentlemanly manner and left Iris¡¯s room. But without moving any further, he stood in front of Iris¡¯s door, looking back toward the door. He didn¡¯t have enough trust to just go. While he was standing in front of the door like that, Hencke, vice-captain of the Knights of Tejas, approached. ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear to anyone that the sorcerer kid is the real traitor, Cadella, but the royal family continues to complain. Are they trying to drag it on?¡± ¡°Of course they are.¡± The king would want to deny Iris having been to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, so there was nothing strange about it. But if you wait, the right answer will eventually come out. Then Iris will remain a strong candidate for succession to the throne in the heads of the Luwan people. And¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s lucky, won¡¯t my brother¡¯s succession rank be pushed back?¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Hencke shook his head in disbelief. ¡°It will be difficult to reverse the order.¡± ¡°Anyway, it could be until the second time. Even if Sir Kernin returns, he will not be ranked higher than Iris.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we in a good line? At this rate¡­¡± ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We¡¯re on the captain¡¯s line.¡± At Hencke¡¯s words, Hayer glanced at him. Hencke continued. ¡°You went to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth as well, Captain.¡± ¡°I was just following Iris.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you encountered Sir Kernin? When the Sir broke the wall.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°If Sir Kernin is acknowledged to have escaped the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, so can you, Captain.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hayer responded lukewarmly, and Hencke continued another update. But Hayer¡¯s attention was on the room. He was wondering what was going on inside. * * * Iris was staring at the wound on Madeleine¡¯s arm. Looking back, Sid seemed to have treated his mistresses that way even when he was married to her. The appearance of Sid¡¯s mistresses has always been the opposite of Iris¡¯s. Their hair and eyes were brightly coloured. Several times she has seen his mistresses smirking and leaving the bedroom. Sid seemed to have deliberately wanted to show Iris his mistress, but she didn¡¯t think it was enviable. He was always abusive to his mistresses, so there were times when bruises could be seen through the hems of their clothes. Madeleine, more or less genuine, opened her mouth. ¡°C-can you hide me for a short time?¡± ¡°Hide you?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll really only take a short time! Baby¡­ just until the baby is born. There¡¯s not much time left. About four and a half months¡­¡± At Madeleine¡¯s request, Iris did not respond for a moment. Well, even if it was forced, it¡¯s true that she joined Sid¡¯s plan. When Madeleine resigned herself to the idea that she would be kicked out immediately, Iris opened her mouth. ¡°How about not hiding?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need my own lady-in-waiting soon, anyway. There was originally one person I was going to bring, but I think up to two people will be fine.¡± ¡°H-how can I do that! I¡¯m an illegitimate child¡­¡± ¡°The king is also a bastard.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why is my lady-in-waiting an illegitimate daughter?¡± Madeleine¡¯s trembling stopped at Iris¡¯s firm eyes. How in the world can this¡­ Is there anyone who can make the person next to you feel relieved? Iris Lepos was the kind of woman who made you think that when you were together, even if bad things happened, the results would be fine. Madeleine let out a shaky breath and nodded after a brief thought. Then Iris said. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s tell this to the Royal Chamberlain tomorrow. Then, where to sleep tonight¡­¡± Because of the security she felt in this room, Madeleine pointed urgently to the balcony, not wanting to leave. ¡°Maybe over th-there!¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about? A person with a child should sleep in a bed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Never!¡± Seeing Madeleine¡¯s reaction, Iris thought that even if she insisted, she would only make her uncomfortable. Eventually, she moved and glued the sofa together with Madeleine, allowing her to sleep, and she lay in bed. Madeleine lay down on the sofa and said. ¡°Like this¡­ shouldn¡¯t you not trust me¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. So don¡¯t worry and go to sleep.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Madeleine answered in a daze. Then she quickly went and extinguished the candle instead, and lied down on the sofa again. When she slept in Sid¡¯s bedroom, she slept in a very nice bed. Nevertheless, compared to the sofa here, it felt like sleeping on a chunk of ice. Can I trust you? A lady-in-waiting¡­ isn¡¯t that a high position? Sid frequently spat out the word ¡®trash¡¯ to Madeleine. That kind of person is a lady-in-waiting. Then, what if Iris is also treated like trash? Madeleine was worried about one thing or another, but perhaps because she was relieved, she was drifting off to sleep. When she was half asleep, Madeleine saw something glimmering in Iris¡¯s bag. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Iris turned around, Madeleine pointed to the nameplate. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± For talking to herself, Madeleine quickly went and took it out, and it was Iris¡¯s nameplate. ¡°Ehh?¡± It clearly shone until a moment ago, but there was no light on the nameplate, which was hidden by her shadow. Madeleine, who was puzzled, stood up with it. The nameplate that touched the moonlight that she was turning her back on began to shine again. It was because of the pigment applied to the holes in the wooden nameplate. When it touched the moonlight, it looked like it contained jewels. Both Madeleine and Iris were staring at it blankly. Iris asked. ¡°Did Sid¡¯s jewellery look like this when it reflected on the moon?¡± ¡°Well, there are a lot of jewels embedded in his nameplate from the beginning¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Madeleine, you sleep first. I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Yes, what?¡± ¡°I heard you have four and a half months left until you give birth? If you don¡¯t go to bed early, your baby will be tired too.¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± Madeleine answered and lay down on the sofa obediently. After that, tired Madeleine fell asleep as soon as she laid her head down, and Iris put a gown over her nightgown. She immediately opened the door to send a message to Hayer, but stopped in surprise. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± Standing at the door, Hayer, who was reading a book he obtained from the library of the east building, looked at her. Then he lifted the book he was holding and said. ¡°I was told not to take it outside. I¡¯m going to read it all and leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Iris looked at the book once and looked back at Madeleine, who was sleeping soundly. ¡°¡­Do you really think Madeleine will harm me?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate your opponent. It is said that predators do their best even when catching rabbits.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll use that much power.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Humans made their own judgement without asking the beast.¡± Hayer replied like that, but he looked embarrassed because he knew Iris¡¯s intentions. Iris was dumbfounded that Hayer was waiting in front of her because he was worried about her, but she didn¡¯t hate it. afterword hayer just can¡¯t leave her alone my cute nerdy munchkin im going to devour them CH 89 Iris quietly closed the door so that Madeleine wouldn¡¯t be woken up. Then she showed Hayer the nameplate and asked. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s wrong with this? And is yours like this, too?¡± Iris held up the nameplate. She thought it was shining in the light, so she took it to a candle, but it didn¡¯t look like a jewel like before. Iris tilted her head and went into the empty room next to it. The unfurnished room had a window shaped like Iris¡¯s. When Iris brought the nameplate to the moonlight, it looked like it was decorated with jewels like before. Iris turned around, and Hayer looked surprised. Even the priests of small temples could make the nameplate that Luwan people use to prove themselves, so any Luwan could get a nameplate from the temple. However, some nameplates can be made by bishops and above, and among them, only the archbishops knew how to make nameplates for royalty. Hayer stared at Iris¡¯s nameplate, shining as if it were studded with jewels. Usually, the higher the succession rank, the more splendid the nameplate would be inlaid with jewels. But looking at it like this, it was a meaningless fake. It was supposed to shine in the moonlight like that from the beginning. Iris opened her mouth, as if she had the same thought. ¡°When the nameplate was being made, the bishop asked me. If I would like to have jewels put in it. There was no need for that.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t intentionally put jewels in it, it was supposed to look like this. Is this the same for other royals?¡± Hayer, who was muttering like that, said lamentably. ¡°Ah, even this requires a sage to know exactly what is what.¡± Iris agreed with the statement. Soon after, Hayer also took out his nameplate and reflected it on the moon, and smiled. His nameplate also looked like it was studded with jewels. They just look different. Iris¡¯s nameplate appeared to be purple and blue jewels used in the Lepos family¡¯s coat of arms. However, his nameplate looked red mixed with orange, even though it would have used the same pigment as Iris. ¡°¡­Yours is pretty, but mine is ominous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ominous.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like blood?¡± Hayer said and handed over the nameplate, and Iris took it and reflected it on the moon and said. ¡°No, it¡¯s like a flame.¡± Hayer laughed at her words. A flame. Strangely, listening to Iris¡¯s words, it felt nice. Hayer said. ¡°It suddenly looks fine with a good interpretation.¡± ¡°Really?¡± In Hayer¡¯s eyes, Iris seemed to hate long nights, perhaps because she was a northerner. She loved the long days and the lights. There seemed to be a bit of fear of the darkness itself, but above all, she hated being restricted in her movements in the darkness. Hayer muttered to himself. ¡°You like light. Even though you could find your way without a flame.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t get scared at the moment.¡± ¡°You came to find me even when you were scared. When we parted in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Iris was silent for a moment, and then went on. ¡°Because it¡¯s you.¡± Iris looked up at him. ¡°Because I had to find you.¡± ¡°If it were someone else, you would have found them.¡± Hayer said unenthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s not me, I know that you would have found me even if I were your enemy.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± ¡°Then?¡± When Hayer asked back, Iris spoke with a little more strength. ¡°I ran because it was you.¡± ¡°So, why did you run to find me even though it was dark and difficult?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It was somehow touching.¡± When Hayer teased her, Iris looked at him with a sidelong scowl and muttered. ¡°I guess you weren¡¯t very moved.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Hayer paused at Iris¡¯s words, and then took a step towards her and said. ¡°It was very moving.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± ¡°As soon as I heard your footsteps, I got goosebumps all over my body.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At Iris¡¯s reaction, Hayer hastily began to describe how moved he was. Only then did the corners of Iris¡¯s mouth go up, and Hayer was also relieved. He was a person who hated being emotionally swayed by others. That was why he joked in front of a serious situation and changed the subject in front of a story that would deepen. But now he felt like he was going to make Iris upset by acting that way. Hayer, who made Iris smile with a little more charm, said. ¡°Since there is no sage, shall we ask the archbishop? What this is.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Iris also agreed to ask the archbishop. However, the problem was that the archbishop of the temple in the capital was one of the strong bases of support for King Eswa and was unlikely to tell the truth properly. Hayer read her expression and said. ¡°Isn¡¯t there another one in the Quill territory?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± There were two archbishops in Luwan. In fact, only one archbishop was recognized for all the duties of an archbishop, but another archbishop was appointed in case the archbishop died suddenly due to a natural disaster. The archbishop was in the Quill territory on the northern border of Luwan, one of the great noble families. Fortunately, Quill was one of three families who considered Iris a legitimate heir. It was likely that they would be affected. Hayer continued. ¡°By the way, I think it will be a little difficult to go to Siere for the time being. The diplomatic situation is worse than I thought. As with the royal family, if we lead the Knights, I think they¡¯ll take it as a suggestion to start a war right away.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Iris was lost in thought for a moment. Then she opened her mouth. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get permission.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be given permission¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write a letter. Knowing about the monsters.¡± Hayer paused at Iris¡¯s words. She went on. ¡°Is there a reliable courier in Asheri?¡± ¡°Where would Asheri be without a reliable courier?¡± Hayer replied. It was as he said. All the best couriers on the continent were in Asheri. Iris said. ¡°Then I should write a letter to be sent through Asheri.¡± ¡°Yes. I will fully comply.¡± ¡°And¡­ since I have to bring a lady-in-waiting, I¡¯ll have to write a lot of letters.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hayer nodded. After that conversation, Iris told Hayer in front of the bedroom door. ¡°Now I¡¯m really going. You have to go for the Knights¡¯ early morning training anyway, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but.¡± Hayer looked distrustfully at Madeleine, who was still asleep in her bedroom. However, Iris felt sorry for him escorting her in front of her bedroom door, so he had no choice but to say goodbye and left the east building. CH 90 Iris took a deep breath to quell her anger, and then wrote the letter again. In the middle of writing that, her anger had her burst into tears. Luwan and Siere have spent a long time with borders attached. Although they have rarely been on good terms, the two countries have had many cultural exchanges. Since the accession of King Eswa, exchanges have been almost cut off, but before that, people naturally came and went from both countries. And yet, how could the King of Siere be so cruel? Iris finished the letter and put down the pen. She was putting so much strength with her whole body that she broke out in a cold sweat. She caught her breath again and put the letter in a jewel-studded box. * * * Hayer, who brought in a reliable carrier that Iris wanted, opened his mouth when he found Madeleine fidgeting restlessly at the door. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Then Madeleine replied with undue surprise. ¡°Th-the princess is writing a letter, but it¡¯s taking longer than expected. She didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood from the moment she chose the letter paper¡­¡± Hayer nodded, as if he could guess. Madeleine seemed to be very worried, seeing as she came here after braiding only one of her pigtails. Hayer was still wary of her, but he smiled and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll make her feel better, so get ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Madeleine finally went back to finish dressing up with relief. Hayer knocked on the door after she left. ¡°Iris.¡± Soon after, Iris¡¯s reply came back. ¡°Come in, Hayer.¡± With that permission, Hayer went inside. When he came in, Iris had just covered a box containing the letter. Hayer asked. ¡°Who did you work so hard to send it to?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris?¡± When Hayer, who guessed that the princess had another big plan that was hard to predict, waited for an answer, Iris replied. ¡°To Carl Lassor.¡± ¡°The King of Siere.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You can get the fastest and most perfect answer.¡± ¡°I think you must have been a very big beast in your previous life. For that reason, you¡¯re going to be this bold.¡± Leaving behind all the words available for this situation, Hayer¡¯s choice was a joke about being a beast and the expression ¡®bold.¡¯ Iris liked both of them. Hayer sealed the box with a wax candle and called for the courier he had brought. ¡°Edwin.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± A young man with a cheerful voice answered at the door. He appeared so suddenly that Iris took a step back in surprise. As Hayer beckoned, Edwin politely bowed at the door and went inside. Then he bent down on one knee between the two. ¡°What should I deliver to where?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult this time.¡± Hayer paused, and Iris sighed and asked with a heavy heart. ¡°It¡¯s life-threatening, so how about going with a group of people?¡± Then Edwin replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s a possibility that you¡¯ll get caught if you go around in groups. If it¡¯s a dangerous mission, it¡¯s better to go alone.¡± Edwin¡¯s voice was so bright that Iris¡¯s heart grew heavier and heavier. Iris picked up the box, and Hayer took it instead and said. ¡°Edwin has sworn to sacrifice his life for me, so he only listens to my orders. I will hand it over.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Iris nodded. Perhaps, if this letter was safely delivered to the King of Siere, Edwin would introduce himself as ¡®Hayer Asheri¡¯s Courier.¡¯ Iris asked Hayer. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to read the letter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Hayer went on without much ado. ¡°Because we know that what we want is the same.¡± After saying so, Hayer ordered Edwin. ¡°Deliver this letter to Carl Lassor, King of Siere.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± Edwin was unfazed by Hayer¡¯s order and took the box. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, Young Master. Princess.¡± ¡°Travel expenses. What should I do with your travel expenses?¡± ¡°The young master has already given me enough¡­ You can give me more.¡± Hayer laughed as Edwin spoke playfully, and Iris sighed in bewilderment. A letter should be delivered to the king of a neighbouring country that is currently in poor relations. It was a difficult task for ordinary people, where even three or four lives were not enough. Even in the face of such a situation, like Hayer, his subordinates were all sly. Iris took the Luwan gold out of her gold coin pouch and asked, handing it over. ¡°Is Luwan¡¯s gold coin okay?¡± ¡°Of course. If you meet a merchant while passing by, you can change it. By the way, you¡¯re giving me so much, so I¡¯m going to eat all of Siere¡¯s specialties.¡± Edwin said with a happy look, bid farewell to the two, and disappeared. It was so fast that Iris asked Hayer some time after Edwin had left. ¡°Did he go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since he left.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a funny guy. When he returns after delivering the letter to the King of Siere, he will probably unravel ten bizarre episodes.¡± The fact that she was sending a letter to the King of Siere was very surprising, but he was relaxed even after having a courier¡ªwho didn¡¯t seem to care at a glance¡ªrun a life-threatening errand. Iris said, putting her hand to her forehead. ¡°Will it be okay¡­?¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°First, I thought that the courier is more¡­¡± ¡°Because that fellow is not as rough as our knights?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because horses and camels have a hard time with rough appearances. And he¡¯s not strong, but he¡¯s very quick, and he¡¯s good at preemptive attacks before anyone attacks him. He¡¯s good at disguising and acting as well, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris felt a little relieved when Hayer praised him that much. Hayer asked as he looked at Iris¡¯s outfit. ¡°By the way, are there any social events or something?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to introduce Madeleine as my lady-in-waiting.¡± Hayer sighed at her remark and said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you. I¡¯d like to see Sid¡¯s face when he encounters Miss Madeleine.¡± ¡°Do it.¡± After talking like that, when Iris tried to leave immediately, Hayer stopped her. ¡°Are you going right away?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Iris looked up and blinked, and Hayer pondered, then leaned back a little to check her face. ¡°I¡¯ll fix your hair.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Because she was so focused on writing the letter, her hair was tousled, and there were wrinkles on her skirt, which she had clutched to suppress her anger. Hayer carefully checked her flowing hair, arranging it with skillful hands. He was staring too much, and Iris¡¯s pupils shook slightly. ¡°Is it that messy?¡± ¡°Not because it¡¯s a mess, but because I¡¯m a perfectionist.¡± He answered so, but Iris glanced into the mirror and found that her hair was very messy to go to social events, if not for everyday life. It was because she was thinking about it while tilting her highly decorated head around. ¡°You seem far from a perfectionist.¡± Hayer replied with a smile at Iris¡¯s words. ¡°Then do you want to make a mess of yourself?¡± ¡°That would be comfortable. Rather than blaming myself on you.¡± ¡°Then do whatever you want. Not in my eyes.¡± Hayer answered politely, and asked, pointing his chin at Iris¡¯s skirt. ¡°Why are your clothes wrinkled?¡± ¡°I was nervous while writing the letter.¡± ¡°Indeed. Writing a letter to the King of Siere is something I could never do because I¡¯d be nervous.¡± Iris, who was listening to Hayer, looked down at her skirt again. ¡°Will I be able to smooth it out?¡± ¡°Do you have a brooch or something?¡± ¡°Ah, shall I?¡± Iris nodded and opened the closet door. Inside, she found a brooch delicately made with a ribbon shaped into a flower. Hayer took it and knelt on the floor. However, Iris said when he stopped, unable to put his hand on her skirt right away. ¡°You can touch it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­Did I say something strange again?¡± ¡°It sounds a bit strange, but not as much as when you yelled at me to go to the bedroom in the bar.¡± Iris slapped Hayer on the shoulder, embarrassed by his teasing. Hayer covered his face and laughed at her action. He put his hand right inside the skirt after getting permission. Iris was surprised by his behaviour, but did not stop him, and Hayer¡¯s hand did not touch her skin. He kept his hand on the inside of the skirt so that the needle of the brooch did not pierce her body, and it didn¡¯t seem like he intended to do anything more. The brooch was fixed where it looked as natural as possible. After staring at it for a moment, Iris opened her mouth. ¡°Was this a¡­ necessary act?¡± She asked, thinking it was a random question, but Hayer got up and answered. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Iris lifted her head and looked up at him. Hayer avoided her gaze, and Iris knew that the always relaxed man had lost the composure to even face her. afterword ÎÒµÄÂèѽ HE WANTS HER SO BADDDDDD (this fits more in the next few chapters tbh) CH 91 Iris looked down at her skirt. His hand had never touched her flesh, but it felt hot near where the brooch was attached. Abashed, Iris said in a mumble. ¡°¡­It¡¯s all right.¡± Today, her mood was completely subdued by the anger she gained from writing a letter to the King of Siere. Having focused so much on it, she now wants to spend all her time for herself. What would you do if you were given that time? There was only one answer that came to mind right now. She wanted to know everything Hayer wanted. She wanted to allow him to do what he wanted, right here and now. She suppressed her desire and spoke with composure. ¡°I¡¯ve got to leave. Madeleine must have almost finished getting ready.¡± ¡°Ah, you should.¡± Hayer said with a sigh, and soon smiled cheerfully as usual. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡± Without Iris having time to keep up, Hayer quickly aligned himself. Iris spoke again, feeling a bit irritated with Hayer. ¡°Hayer, if¡­¡± ¡°Yes, if.¡± ¡°Now, if you could do whatever you want¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If I let you¡­ what are you going to do?¡± Hayer furrowed his brows, as if not fully understanding her question. After provoking him, Iris was belatedly frightened to see his face. What if it¡¯s nothing to him? What if it¡¯s just a fleeting impulse? Not for her¡­ Iris shook her head quickly before Hayer could understand what she was saying. ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Just then, Madeleine knocked. ¡°Princess, I think you should go now.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯ll be right out.¡± Iris answered and hurried to the door. Without knowing Hayer¡¯s answer or expression, she walked into the garden as if running away with Madeleine. She pressed her hand over her thumping heart. She wanted Hayer to forget everything she had just said on a whim. * * * Hayer remained in place for a while after Iris left. He was of the sort that belonged to the clever side, and therefore he could understand what Iris had said immediately. However, he only understood what she said, not all of her hidden intentions. ¡°If I let you¡­ what are you going to do?¡± His mother emphasized to her young son that he should live like a sinner, and he grew up knowing that. So, if he had a desire, whether it was sexual or materialistic, he would throw it all away somewhere in his heart. But what I want to do. If you have permission to do what you want to do, not what you have to do¡­ Hayer smiled frivolously. There were countless things to do. What he wanted to do, if he had to choose one right now, was to kiss Iris. He kissed her on the lips once, but no more than that. In the urges and desires within him, the importance of the act of ¡®kissing¡¯ increased. Because she¡¯s curious. Because she said it would be nice. Strangely, the things she wanted, the things she liked, have become more and more important in his life. Indeed, it was incomprehensible. After clearing his mind, he walked to the garden. * * * Fortunately, the complex thoughts in Iris¡¯s head were quickly cleared up thanks to Madeleine, who was overly anxious next to her. Just before Madeleine went out into the garden, she stopped and grabbed Iris¡¯s arm and said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it. I¡¯d only be a nuisance if I went out¡­¡± ¡°Why are you bothered? You said you learned all the manners while copying me. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± Madeleine seemed to have a lot to worry about, but right now she couldn¡¯t think of a way to survive and protect her child except to follow Iris to the party and show her face. So in the end, she had no choice but to follow Iris into the garden. There was always a large number of nobles roaming around in the palace. It was their routine to go boating along the river, or the capital. Iris headed to her table where no one was seated yet. Those who waited for her to call looked at Madeleine and frowned for various reasons. Madeleine¡¯s hands trembled as she felt that people were looking at her. Then Iris covered her hand with her own. Madeleine¡¯s tremor stopped because her action was surprisingly supportive. Only then did Madeleine start drinking tea slowly. The nobles quickly identified Madeleine. The news that she accompanied Iris as a maidservant quickly spread throughout the royal palace. Sid, who was tired of Madeleine¡¯s disappearance, appeared in the garden frantically at the news. As soon as he spotted Madeleine, he took a deep breath and sat down at the table with the two of them. Then he asked Iris, glaring at her. ¡°Why did you choose that girl who was wandering around the street as your lady-in-waiting?¡± In response to his question, Iris turned to Sid and said. ¡°This is a young lady with the grandchild of His Majesty the King. Isn¡¯t it enough to be a lady-in-waiting?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to be held back by such a lowly thing as a child?¡± Madeleine flinched at Sid¡¯s words. Iris put down her glass, looked at Sid, and said. ¡°Will you say the same in front of Lord Kernin?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so dissatisfying about choosing my lady-in-waiting.¡± Sid clenched his fist. Iris¡¯s return meant that the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth wasn¡¯t as complex as he thought. If Kernin Lepos also returned alive, he would surely try to marry his illegitimate daughter. His marriage to Madeleine, who lived on the street, was a damage of honour and a narrowing of Sid¡¯s position. Sid glared at Madeleine as if to kill her, and she dropped her head. At that moment, Hayer plopped down in the seat next to him. Then he calmly asked Sid. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Having a family reunion?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt and get lost.¡± Hayer burst into laughter at Sid¡¯s words. ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t listen to my brother¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Ah, some of the Royal Knights are in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. There¡¯s no one to pull me out by force.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Although the elite of the Royal Knights remained in the royal palace, they were not strong enough to pull Hayer out. Sid glared at Hayer Asheri, who was looking at him with a grin. Why didn¡¯t his father execute that bastard earlier? Hayer himself may not have known anything else, but it was true that he had deceived the king for a long time. Everything would have been easy if he had been killed earlier. In the first place, his marriage to Iris wouldn¡¯t be interrupted. He needed a way to punish Hayer Asheri legally. But he, who had no interest in his younger brother until now, couldn¡¯t come up with a way. He had already attached spies to Hayer a few times, but he found out early and decapitated all of them, so no one returned to Sid. His stomach became stuffy. His mind was busy trying to think of a way to deal with Hayer and Madeleine. Then Roman, one of the Knights of the Tejas, ran to their spot. ¡°Captain, Princess. They just finished verifying the traitor you brought from the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth¡­ they are even proceeding with a trial on the spot.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Iris asked, and the knight went on. ¡°I heard that the punishment for Cadella was not over, so a trial for that¡­¡± ¡°Unbeknownst to us?¡± Hayer asked back, and the knight nodded. ¡°Yes. If I hadn¡¯t been there at the request of the princess, I wouldn¡¯t have known there was a trial.¡± As soon as the words were finished, Hayer and Iris hurriedly rose from their seats. Hayer said to Roman. ¡°Protect Miss Madeleine.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± After Roman answered politely, Hayer and Iris ran frantically. Sid clicked his tongue at the sight because it was ridiculous. ¡°Are they children?¡± After spitting out that, he picked up his teacup again. * * * Cadella, the illusionist who came out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, was shocked that the place where he stood was the king¡¯s office. Iris and Hayer were so far from authoritative that he had forgotten what the royalty and the king were like. The king¡¯s office was huge and splendid. The office, decorated with all kinds of beautiful objects, had no place to stop the eyes. Cadella always wondered why the king wanted to have more when he had so much. Then King Eswa came out of the bedroom. And said to Cadella. ¡°It is an honour to take it in. How can a traitor come to the king¡¯s office?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± How childish and cocky. Cadella looked at King Eswa and thought, but he kept his mouth shut. Then King Eswa took out a golden spoon from a beautiful cabinet. Then he waved at Cadella and said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this.¡± What is this madman saying? Cadella made a face, but King Eswa continued. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want, I will give some more. If not, the rest of your life will end in a dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, to a dungeon? As Cadella glared, King Eswa held out the spoon and said. ¡°Work for me.¡± This. Is this a story you¡¯ve heard before? Cadella burst out laughing at the disgust that rose from inside. At any rate, he feels it again¡­ He did not regret committing treason or stabbing the king to death. afterword THE KING IS SO STUPID NO FUCKING WAYYY SO IS SID LIKE FATHER LIKE SON FOR REAL!! also my god the beginning wow their tension is gonna be the death of me wowowow they should follow through w/ their desires just saying!! CH 92 Originally, the king intended to assassinate Cadella quietly. Because he didn¡¯t want to admit that Iris Lepos had escaped the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth safely. If the witness dies, the proof that she has been to the maze will disappear. However, it was difficult since the Knights of Tejas, who anticipated the king¡¯s thoughts of killing, took turns protecting Cadella. This young child, Cadella, was so skinny that he would die if he ate one wrong food. He was a fragile boy that would die with just one hit. Then, in the process of verifying Cadella, the king saw. Cadella instantly made flowers bloom and butterflies fly in an empty place. Purple snow fell, and white flowers bloomed on the blue soil, even the leaves. Cadella was an illusionist who enjoyed showing people beautiful things. When historians who were verifying him themselves admired it, they smiled proudly. Watching that, King Eswa thought of countless ways to utilize this ability. ¡°Work for me.¡± Of course, King Eswa thought that Cadella would be delighted with this proposal. However, the boy, who lived a long and boring life, burst into laughter at the king¡¯s proposal. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°I entered the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth because of a king like you. It¡¯s funny that nothing has changed.¡± Cadella was smiling, but his eyes were wide open as if he were about to shed tears of blood. King Eswa said. ¡°It¡¯s different from when you committed treason. I¡¯m not trying to squeeze the labor of my beloved Luwan citizens.¡± ¡°Then what is it? Why does the king want me to help him?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± King Eswa patted Cadella¡¯s head as if he were dealing with a child and took him somewhere. Cadella was led away in a terrible mood by the fearsome-looking king¡¯s escort, but he clenched his hand hard to protect his pride at a minimum. King Eswa made him look down the window without saying anything about it, as if to please Cadella. ¡°I want the citizens of Luwan to be free from their suffering.¡± ¡°¡­Suffering?¡± ¡°Many Luwan people are suffering. I hope that every citizen of Luwan will believe in me and rely on me.¡± ¡°¡­So, to put it mildly, you want me to brainwash them into liking you?¡± Cadella immediately understood the meaning of King Eswa. Eswa was not only reluctant to hand over the throne to Iris, Hayer, and his brother. He had no intention of handing over the throne to his son either. Until he dies himself. The previous king, who said that he would rather use magic to make people less tired and draw more labor, was better. This man dreamed of making the entirety of the Luwan people lose their will and make them love only the king. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Cadella refused without hesitation, and King Eswa showed patience once again. ¡°As I said, this is not a choice. I¡¯m just doing you a favor. The moment you turn this down, you¡¯ll be locked up in the dungeon¡­¡± Before he could finish, Cadella rushed to jump down the tower. Hating both the dungeon and brainwashing the Luwan people, he chose the third option. However, his arms were tied, so it took time to climb up the railing. Before he could eventually jump, the king¡¯s guards quickly caught Cadella. Cadella cried out. ¡°Just kill me! Why don¡¯t you kill me! You can grind me to death, so stop saving me now!¡± Cadella¡¯s screaming mouth was gagged, and King Eswa sighed. ¡°Prepare for the trial right away. I¡¯ll say that now.¡± Cadella, who was subdued, glared at King Eswa. King Eswa looked down at Cadella and said. ¡°You look younger than Hayer back then, you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s strong, but you don¡¯t look like that, so it¡¯s going to be hard to hold out. You will change your mind soon.¡± Then, Cadella was sent straight to the court. * * * Without a word of defense, the trial began. Cadella was so dumbfounded that he couldn¡¯t even cry. After barely getting out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, he never thought he¡¯d be tried again like this. Cadella recalled the trial he had received decades ago after killing the king. It was better then. At that time, the king¡¯s brother who lost his brother was desperately defending Cadella. What¡¯s annoying is that he, Ardi Lepos, promised to pick him up but didn¡¯t keep it. Until his descendant came and saved him 60 years later. Cadella thought that if he wasn¡¯t going to say a word during the trial, he might as well just take a nap and wake up. At least you don¡¯t have to listen to things you don¡¯t want to hear. When he slowly closed his eyes. Hayer¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be such a crybaby.¡± When he opened his eyes, Hayer checked Cadella¡¯s condition and removed the gag. Cadella grumbled. ¡°I thought it would be Iris if someone came to save me.¡± ¡°Iris is over there.¡± When Cadella turned around, Iris was standing in the middle of the courtroom. Cadella asked. ¡°What is Iris doing over there?¡± ¡°She said she¡¯d defend you¡­¡± Hayer, who turned around while saying so, stopped talking. Iris was holding her folding spear open. And said to the judge. ¡°What happens when you take out a weapon in the royal court?¡± ¡°The trial is interrupted, Princess.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m glad the law is not different from what I know.¡± ¡°Instead, since you have taken out your weapon, we have no choice but to detain the princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that¡¯s the same as what I know.¡± Cadella paused at the sight of Iris, who stopped the trial recklessly, and called Hayer. ¡°Hayer?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hayer!¡± ¡°Huh. Uh¡­¡± ¡°Is it because Iris is detained?¡± Hayer looked at the boy and nodded at Cadella¡¯s words. Then he rose in a hurry, and ran to Iris, surrounded by the judge¡¯s guards. ¡°Iris.¡± When he called, Iris turned around and said. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I just took out my weapon. I didn¡¯t swing it.¡± It was just as she calmly said. The judge could not impose strong sanctions on her, a royal. The judge said. ¡°I hope Princess Iris Lepos will reflect on herself where she stays for a week.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Iris apologized politely and looked back at Hayer. He sighed and covered his forehead. Iris felt a little embarrassed because she looked like a troublemaker. * * * Once the trial was suspended, Hayer alone had to find a way to save Cadella because Iris couldn¡¯t get out of the room. Without exaggeration, he was literally alone. Hayer muttered as he looked at the restless Knights of Tejas. ¡°¡­A brain, I should have recruited one.¡± Then Annamaria said. ¡°I thought the captain would be the only one who used his head.¡± ¡°I knew at least one of you would try something called learning.¡± ¡°Excuse me? Are you not good at seeing people?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw it wrong. Now that I look at it, there is nothing to deny. There is no need.¡± Hayer sighed deeply after speaking. Iris would be living a rather stuffy but comfortable life in her room with the help of her servants and maids. Anyway, because of that, Hayer was actually searching the entire library alone, looking for a way to defend Cadella in court. Iris bought time for this reason. Hayer thought he should have been investigated and Iris should have searched the royal library. But Hayer was a disciplined knight. If he had taken out a weapon in the courtroom, he would have been thrown behind bars. He still had a psychological problem of faltering in front of a prison. Even though he could break through most prisons by force now. It was not without the code of law in Luwan, but many accidents in the world were not clear in black and white. Even if the whole scene was painted, each interpretation would be different, but there was no such evidence. In that case, Luwan¡¯s trial left the judgement to the individual opinions of the judge at that time. Being a judge was just the role of the eldest adult in a family, and there were many times when opinions differed from those of the younger ones. In order to find a way to defend Cadella, even if it was only one line, Hayer has been checking the history books since the year Cadella was born all night. After reading it once, he checked with his subordinates to see if he missed anything, but even if everyone put their heads together, the pages couldn¡¯t be turned. Inevitably, Hayer had no choice but to read with concentration so that he wouldn¡¯t miss a single letter even when he looked at it once. There were more than ten books until Cadella killed the king and a new king ascended the throne. ¡°This damn country keeps track of everything, even useless things!¡± Annamaria eventually couldn¡¯t resist and threw the book away with a shout. Even if it was a copy, both the paper and the book were of such high quality that Hencke hurriedly picked it up. ¡°You always say you couldn¡¯t eat because you were poor, but why did you throw away this precious book?¡± ¡°I used to be poor, but I¡¯m not now!¡± Hayer continued to turn over the pages while his subordinates were fighting next to him, and would have been more uncomfortable without it. ¡°Ah.¡± Then, when he found something and exclaimed, his subordinates¡¯ eyes turned to Hayer. afterword honestly this is so fun i¡¯m glad they also focus on side characters and don¡¯t cast them aside that much!! although the novel was tagged as a rofan it feels more like an fantasy adventure with a slowburn romance subplot (my fav combo btw all my fav physical books are like this) CH 93 As soon as Hayer found the necessary information, he immediately took the book and ran to the dungeon where Cadella was being held. His subordinates, who knew he had bad memories of the dungeon, followed him, but rather stopped when they saw Hayer going inside without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Hencke said to Annamaria. ¡°Is the captain okay with going in and out of prison now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how much of a hurry he¡¯s in.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He can break down a prison if it¡¯s for the person he loves.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Even if it¡¯s not for someone he loves, he can just destroy a prison cell.¡± Annamaria acknowledged Hencke¡¯s words and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true, too.¡± ¡°Do the two love each other?¡± Annamaria answered Hencke¡¯s words in bewilderment, as if she were wondering what he was talking about. ¡°I don¡¯t know about love, man. They go in and out of each other¡¯s rooms like that. It¡¯s a wonder that they haven¡¯t had a child yet.¡± ¡°They must have been good at contraception. They have a lot of work to do ahead.¡± ¡°Ah, of course. They¡¯re both people with a plan.¡± Treatment could be done during the day, but since the two of them were in and out of the bedroom at night, the Tejas Knights didn¡¯t even think about other reasons. No one thought that there hadn¡¯t been a proper kiss yet. While his subordinates were talking, Hayer went into the dungeon, threatened the jailer to get the key, and headed to Cadella. Cadella¡¯s arms, eyes, and mouth were all blocked because they didn¡¯t know how the magic worked. As soon as Hayer released them all, Cadella cried. ¡°Bad¡­ the bad guy is the king!¡± Cadella shouted with relief as soon as he saw Hayer. Hayer replied with a smile. ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Now. There are no strongest guys in the Royal Knights right now, Hayer! Kill the king now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but there¡¯s too much work to do to turn Luwan upside down right now.¡± Hayer said regretfully and patted the frightened Cadella on the back to soothe him. Then he asked, holding out the book. ¡°Rather than that, read this part.¡± Cadella glanced at Hayer¡¯s thrusted hand. Then he looked at Hayer again and said. ¡°How am I supposed to read this?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Hayer hastily apologized. Cadella is from a slum where just reading is difficult, and most of Hayer¡¯s history books consisted of words that are never used in daily life. Hayer said. ¡°It says that Ardi Lepos, who ascended the throne immediately after you killed the former king, made a promise with you.¡± ¡°Promise? Coming to find me?¡± ¡°Did you know that?¡± Cadella nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes. Ardi Lepos said he¡¯d pick me up. He said he would definitely come to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, find me, and get me out. But he didn¡¯t come. What a liar.¡± ¡°He probably couldn¡¯t make it. He died of fever a year later.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± To the stiffened Cadella, Hayer read the history book. [King Ardi abolished all the corrupt practices left by the previous king in a year.] [King Ardi reduced his sleep and meals.] [King Ardi had a fever and wanted to be sent to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, but those who were concerned about the king did not accept.] [On the last day of his life, King Ardi ordered his children to take Cadella, the traitor, out of the labyrinth and recognize him, because he was a traitor and vassal that dethroned the wicked king.] ¡°But it was not heard. There is no guarantee that a good king is a good father.¡± Cadella was staring at the unreadable book. Then he said, fiddling over the letters. ¡°¡­I thought he forgot, again.¡± As Cadella reminisced, Hayer asked a question to him. ¡°How was it? Did he seem like a person to forget?¡± ¡°No. I thought he was someone who would never forget it.¡± Cadella murmured like that, then ran his hand over his teary eyes. ¡°But come to think of it, he did seem like a person with a short lifespan.¡± ¡°People die early if they overdo it.¡± ¡°I know! I told Ardi Lepos about it before I entered the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, but he didn¡¯t even pretend to hear it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem with this. Rather, as a public figure¡­¡± Hayer, who was in a hurry and was about to take the book right away, stopped his haste when he saw Cadella was still looking at the letters. Cadella asked. ¡°How much does this book cost?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you a copy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cadella nodded and hugged the book tightly. Then he smiled and said. ¡°You¡¯ve been cursed at for 60 years for no reason, Ardi Lepos.¡± ¡°No. If you don¡¯t keep your promise, you should get cursed at.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Cadella nodded. Hayer, who was watching Cadella for a while, said. ¡°But you have long hair.¡± ¡°¡­Has my hair grown?¡± ¡°Yeah. Compared to when you were in the maze.¡± ¡°My hair grew!¡± ¡°You grew up.¡± ¡°After 60 years! Well, then I¡¯ll be taller, right? Right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll grow a lot more than now.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Cadella hugged Hayer excitedly and jumped around. Hayer frolicked with him together, as if playing with the child, then picked up the gag again and said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Yes. Okay. I really believe you this time.¡± Cadella answered excitedly, and said, looking at the restraints lying on the floor again. ¡°I heard you used this?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Was I this small?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling awful these days.¡± ¡°Rather, it gets better with time. Humans are animals of adaptation.¡± Hayer responded lightly and said, looking into Cadella¡¯s eyes to give him a sense of confidence. ¡°Wait a few more days. I¡¯ll figure it out within that.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Hayer laughed at Cadella¡¯s unhesitant answer. ¡°Aren¡¯t you trusting people too much?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t trust people. I trust Iris. I trust you a little bit too.¡± ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t know, but Iris is trustworthy.¡± Hayer agreed with a smile and came out of prison after redoing the things he had released. Hayer headed straight to the east building where Iris was. The royal family was not punished unless they committed a fairly serious crime. The punishment of not coming out of the room for a week, which was received from the judge for taking out a weapon in the courtroom, was slowly coming to an end. Hayer leaned against the railing, facing Iris¡¯s door guarded by the Royal Knights. The Royal Knights were conscious of Hayer resting there and watching them casually. Hayer asked leisurely. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then loosen your fist.¡± Hayer continued, as the two royal knights did not budge at the words. ¡°Are you going to punch me if I attack you guys? No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re going to use a sword right away. Then you shouldn¡¯t be clenching your fists. It takes time to open your fist, and lifting it also takes strength.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t teach you? That¡¯s dreadful.¡± At his words, they gulped as if their saliva was salty, and then one of them slowly loosened his fist. * * * After spending time like that, it was a week ago when Iris¡¯s detention began. As soon as it was time, Hayer said to the knight who was blocking his way. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°It has not yet been approved¡­¡± Ignoring the knight saying so, Hayer knocked on the door. Soon Iris came and opened the door. ¡°It¡¯s already over¡­ Hayer?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± When Hayer spoke, Iris nodded and brought him inside. Iris was relieved to see the book in his hand. ¡°You found something, huh.¡± ¡°Yes. Here.¡± Hayer opened the book and pointed to Ardi Lepos¡¯s will. After reading it, Iris muttered in a bitter voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t keep your promise. No one.¡± ¡°You kept it. It took 60 years.¡± ¡°Hm, yes.¡± Iris smiled and continued. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°Right away? Not for a trial?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not a trial, it¡¯s a matter of promises made by the Lepos family.¡± Iris said and went out with the book, and Hayer followed her in a daze. The two royal knights, who had been harassed by Hayer for hours, looked dumbfoundedly at his back, fidgeting in fear that Iris might be in danger. * * * Iris arrived in front of the king¡¯s office with the history record. It was late, and moonlight was pouring in through the window. Iris said to Hayer, waiting at the door of the office until the king came. ¡°Do you want to do it? Because you found it.¡± ¡°No. You are the descendant of the Lepos family, so you should do it.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Iris nodded with an apologetic expression. After a while, the king arrived at the office. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Then Iris greeted politely and answered. ¡°There is a record that the great king, Ardi Lepos, considers Cadella not a traitor, but a meritorious subject.¡± At her words, King Eswa glowered at Iris for a moment in silence. Eswa¡¯s servant went and took Iris¡¯s book and handed it to King Eswa. King Eswa read ¡®The Will of Ardi Lepos¡¯ and replied in a deliberately relaxed voice. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Release Cadella and call him a meritorious subject, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°But the thoughts of 60 years ago and the thoughts of now can¡¯t be the same, correct?¡± At the words of King Eswa, Hayer, standing in front of the door, clicked his tongue. After a moment¡¯s thought, Iris continued. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I think too. One¡¯s thoughts will change.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s just a liar¡¯s excuse not to keep a promise made 60 years ago just because 60 years have passed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± King Eswa looked down at Iris at the bottom of the stairs. Iris thought for a moment and closed her eyes, then slowly opened them again. Then she spoke in a voice that sounded strong, as if she had made up her mind. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am the daughter of Celios Lepos, and the legitimate line of descent of King Ardi.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So it is right for me to keep this promise.¡± The legitimate line of descent of King Ardi. When the words King Eswa hated the most came out of her mouth, he saw. The pure white moon, which had been hidden by the clouds, illuminated the legitimate descendant. King Eswa¡¯s eyes, which were always detached, and the corners of his mouth both trembled with anger. afterword iris is so fucking cool she ate and devoured also hencke and annamaria talking abt hayer n iris in the beginning got me LOLLL CH 94 Hayer had complicated feelings towards King Eswa. He hated King Eswa, and he was pathetic. It was because Eswa Lepos fit that lousy expression of ¡®incompetent tyrant¡¯ perfectly. At the same time, however, he also felt a guilt that could not be completely washed away by King Eswa. It¡¯s not that big, but it¡¯s engraved very small somewhere in his heart, so there were times when that tingling bothered him. He was the son of his mother¡¯s affair, and Eswa Lepos regarded Hayer as his son without knowing the fact. Of course, he was not a loving father, and his favouritism towards his eldest son was obvious. Still, the fact that he deceived his father, who thought he was his own son, was the reason for the scars left on Hayer. But the scars were small, and the hatred was much greater. Therefore, Hayer was delighted to see Iris, who revealed herself to be the legitimate descendant. In the gaze of Eswa Lepos looking down at Iris, a strong murderous intention appeared. He looked like he wanted to strangle her at any moment. Eswa Lepos opened his mouth. ¡°You are the legitimate line of descent. Yes, you should be.¡± He expressed his jealousy of Iris, who is less than half his age, in his eyes and in his tone. ¡°Good for you. It¡¯s envious. Yes, Ardi Lepos¡¯s¡­ if there is a promise from the Lepos family, you should keep it.¡± He spoke sarcastically. Iris was just observing his un-adult-like attitude. King Eswa avoided answering for a while to take Cadella, even though he knew he had no justification. Iris stood and waited for King Eswa to return from evading. She did not back down, and he could not think of any cause, so King Eswa said reluctantly. ¡°Take the traitor.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Iris even wanted to get him as a meritorious subject, but she was satisfied for now that Cadella was released safely. As soon as she bid farewell and left the office, she told Hayer. ¡°I¡¯m picking up Cadella.¡± ¡°There is no need to be in such a hurry.¡± Hayer spoke leisurely, but Iris could not afford to. The two immediately entered the dungeon and brought Cadella out. Hayer said as he left the dungeon, holding the squalid Cadella in one arm. ¡°Now you¡¯re legally free.¡± ¡°Am I a free man now? Really?¡± Cadella asked again as if he couldn¡¯t believe it, then asked while looking at Iris. ¡°Then what should I do freely from now on?¡± ¡°Well. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Captain, please decide for me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a captain outside the maze. You have to decide.¡± ¡°Really? Hmm¡­¡± Cadella pondered and opened his mouth. ¡°First, I want to wash up and eat a lot of delicious food!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice that what you want is simple.¡± Hayer said, and left Cadella to Hencke, the vice-captain who was waiting outside with a bright expression. ¡°Take him to my house and feed him to his heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain. Let¡¯s go, Cadella.¡± ¡°Hencke, I want meat!¡± ¡°What meat? Just say it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ any meat!¡± Cadella, who didn¡¯t know exactly what kind of meat was in the world, blindly shouted meat and followed Hencke. Iris staggered from her spot, exhausted as soon as Cadella was out of sight. Surprised, Hayer quickly grabbed her arm. Iris¡¯s tense arm trembled. Hayer immediately held her. Iris couldn¡¯t refuse because she didn¡¯t have the strength to walk any more, so she put her arm around Hayer¡¯s neck and said. ¡°Aren¡¯t I pathetic?¡± ¡°No. You are brave.¡± He answered firmly, and took Iris to the east building. He set Iris down on the bed in her room. Then he seemed about to leave, but after much consideration, he dragged a chair and returned to her side. Iris asked. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± Iris nodded when Hayer spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± Because she had been locked in this room for a week, the two had not been able to see each other. It was a wonder why a week was such a long time, but it was not a very short time because they were together every day and then separated. Hayer took too long, and Iris eventually urged him. ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hayer sat with his arms crossed, leaned back in his chair, and opened his mouth. ¡°Since I put Cadella in a safe place for now, I¡¯m asking this question because I can afford to¡­¡± Iris tilted her head at his words, and Hayer continued. ¡°Do you remember what you asked?¡± ¡°Which¡­?¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened after asking back. ¡°Now, if you could do whatever you want¡­ if I let you¡­ what are you going to do?¡± Recalling the provocation she had made, she quickly sat up on the bed. Hayer opened his mouth, facing Iris. ¡°Now that it came to you, what kind of question is that?¡± ¡°What¡ªwhat?¡± ¡°If you allow me to do what I want to do, of course I will.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Blinking in embarrassment, Iris asked carefully. ¡°¡­What do you want to do?¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t let me, don¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you.¡± Hayer seemed to be talking provokingly, so she didn¡¯t want to lose and said that without thinking. Shortly thereafter, Hayer stood up when Iris was about to take back what she had just said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it as permission.¡± ¡°Permission¡­¡± Hayer¡¯s lips touched Iris¡¯s as she was about to say she won¡¯t do it and cancel it. He seemed to be fully aware that he had surprised her, and so he seemed to be waiting for her reaction for a moment while their lips were touching. Still, after Iris didn¡¯t move for a while, he slowly parted his lips, then hers as well, and began to kiss her a little more intensely. It wasn¡¯t the kind of kiss that touched the corner of the mouth like last time. Iris forgot to push him away, and was hurriedly clutching Hayer¡¯s arms with both hands. On a quiet moonlit night, the sound of friction was heard. ¡®Is kissing supposed to be such a stimulating thing?¡¯ Iris felt as if the heat from her lips was winding around her fingertips and spreading all over her body. The smell of cologne from him was pleasant, and the sensation of his rough fingertips was cool and strange. The kiss, it was dizzyingly good. And it was much longer than expected. Hayer¡¯s lips, which she kissed until she felt like her lips were swollen, fell away. Iris saw a red stain on his lips that had been applied from hers. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But just staring at it, she had no intention of wiping it off. As it is, she wanted her traces to be engraved on him. Is kissing supposed to be like this? Is it like a key to the desire to possess that has been suppressed? Iris became afraid of not being able to handle her own fluttering heart just from being kissed, but Hayer seemed unable to even think of such complicated thoughts. He grabbed Iris¡¯s thigh with one hand, pulled her towards him, and whispered softly in her ear. ¡°How far will you go? Permission.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°There is a lot I want to do.¡± He seemed to be trying to make a joke. However, it didn¡¯t sound like a joke at all, perhaps because he had to share his attention to suppressing his body¡¯s excitement. Iris thought a kiss was enough, but she didn¡¯t want to get away from him either. The married life before the North Gate¡­ was really terrible. Solely to give birth to an heir. It was a time where Iris and Sid had no need to proceed without that reason. It was just painful and suffocating, but she had no choice but to do it because it was something she had to do. But, strangely, this man seemed to be hoping for it. Why? Why do you want that pain and suffocation? Is it because you like being touched like this? After much consideration, Iris opened her mouth. ¡°Try it.¡± I¡¯ll endure it. That¡¯s what Iris thought. She decided to leave it up to him if he wanted to. As soon as the words fell from Iris, Hayer picked her up and sat down on the bed, placing Iris on his lap. Then he first took off the stockings she was wearing. Iris felt the strangeness of her clothes being dragged down by his hand. She recalled her old memories and covered her chest with her arms as if she were defending herself. Then Hayer asked, bewildered by the action. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to see?¡± ¡°What are you going to do when you see it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even touch?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t like it.¡± Feeling hurt and bad. She¡¯s experienced everything. When Iris refused so firmly, Hayer immediately gave up and nodded. ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t if you don¡¯t like it. Fortunately, there are many places I like even if it¡¯s not the chest.¡± ¡°What do you like¡­¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Hayer replied to those round eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡± afterword genuinely felt so many butterflies this chapter EEEEK kicking the sheets rolling around in bed look at how far my babies have come CH 95 ¡°Take your hands off.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say no to everything, why did you say you would allow it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to do such a strange thing.¡± ¡°I was crazy and strange. I accept it.¡± ¡°You have to self-reflect.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it. Then I have to fix it.¡± It was when Hayer said that and pulled Iris¡¯s body closer to him. With a knock on the door, Edwin¡¯s voice was heard, the courier who had left to deliver the letter to the King of Siere. ¡°Captain, are you here?¡± ¡°Busy.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes! I¡¯ll wait without disturbing you.¡± At Edwin¡¯s nonchalant reply, Iris blushed and pushed Hayer away, arranging her clothes. ¡°Not busy. Do come in.¡± ¡°We¡¯re busy.¡± ¡°Then we¡­ They¡¯ll know we¡¯re doing this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°How can you not worry?¡± ¡°They already know we¡¯ve been doing this for a long time. It¡¯s deeply misunderstood.¡± Iris¡¯s eyes widened at Hayer¡¯s nonchalant reply. ¡°Who is misunderstanding?¡± ¡°The Knights of Tejas. And the people in the east building¡­ I said no at first, but it seems like they don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been in a convent all my life?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the really interesting part. You might think I seduced you, but everyone thought you were playing around with me without a heart. It was no use explaining.¡± ¡°Why¡­ why? No matter how I look at it, you seem to be brandishing me¡­ even now.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that I¡¯m brandishing, but I understand your feelings of injustice. But what should I do if you look like this?¡± At Hayer¡¯s words, Iris asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°What do I look like?¡± ¡°You just heard it. It looks like you¡¯re going to play with my heart and throw it away.¡± ¡°How did that come about¡­?¡± Whether Iris was frustrated or not, Hayer seemed to have no qualms about the role of being played with and abandoned. Shocked, Iris eventually pushed Hayer away. Then Hayer sighed, pulled her clothes back on, and removed his hands from her nightgown. As Iris tried to hurry out, Hayer grabbed her by the shoulder in her thin nightgown, turned her around, and put her back on the bed. ¡°I will go.¡± ¡°Ah. Then¡­¡± Iris pointed to Hayer¡¯s mouth, her words trailing off. Then Hayer glanced in the mirror. Realizing that the cosmetics applied to Iris¡¯s lips had gotten on his own, he ran one hand over his lips. After that, to cool off the heat, he stood in front of the door, took several deep breaths, and left the room. * * * When Hayer came out sooner than expected, the courier Edwin tilted his head in puzzlement. ¡°Why are you coming out already?¡± ¡°Iris kicked me out.¡± ¡°¡­Did you not do it properly, by any chance? That can happen.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take care of it. More than that, have you already been there?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Fortunately, the King of Siere was outside the capital and close to the desert. That¡¯s why I met him¡­¡± Edwin handed over the letter with an awkward expression. What Iris sent was good letter paper in a jewelled box, but what returned was an ordinary one. Hayer clicked his tongue, and Edwin joined in. ¡°No manners, zero.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to deliver another letter, so take a break.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± When Edwin said goodbye and left, Hayer came into the room with the letter. Hayer handed the letter to Iris, who had been tidying her disheveled hair. Iris also checked the ordinary letter paper and looked somewhat reluctant, but as the fate of the country was at stake, she had no choice but to open the seal. She beckoned to see it together, so Hayer sat next to her, checked the letter, and laughed. Hayer, who checked the letter, murmured. ¡°He¡¯s already asked Luwan for help in Siere.¡± ¡°After rejecting it, the leader of the Knights Tejas, who is said to have driven out the monsters, sent a letter saying he was visiting Siere, so it¡¯s not unreasonable to not trust it.¡± Iris was staring at the letter with a serious expression. It was around March of the following year that Siere started the war. There is only about a year and a half left. Her mind became more complicated than before she sent the letter. The King of Siere, Karl Lassor, may not have been trying to start a war from the beginning. Perhaps it was a great justification, to ask the King of Luwan for help and be rejected. Even so, the fact that he brutally killed the people of Luwan and took over this land remained unchanged. Hayer leaned down and said, looking into Iris¡¯s burning eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so angry. You¡¯re a person who doesn¡¯t want to show your emotions.¡± ¡°¡­Did I?¡± ¡°You wrote a letter to someone you hate so much. On such a nice letter paper. To save more people.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hayer continued, looking at the poor letter paper sent by the King of Siere. ¡°You truly are an amazing and fun person.¡± At his words, Iris dropped the letter without realizing it. ¡°I know you¡¯re someone who¡¯ll keep walking. That fact alone is enough for you to be amazing and fun.¡± On the way to the North Gate, Hayer, who was dying after cutting down the sacred tree, said so to Iris. ¡°Don¡¯t love me then. Never.¡± When she heard what Hayer told her once again, she remembered the words that he said after that. I won¡¯t listen to what you say. Never, I won¡¯t listen. Iris thought, and gently embraced Hayer, who picked up the letter. Hayer perplexedly bent over and asked. ¡°Do you like being told that you¡¯re fun too?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ isn¡¯t that a great compliment from the Knights of Tejas?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Hayer replied, shrugging his shoulders. Iris let him go, and spoke seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll have to write a letter to send back to the King of Siere.¡± Iris was troubled, and Hayer had the same worry. However, no answer came, so Iris sighed deeply and said. ¡°I¡¯ll go to bed for now, and I¡¯ll think about it more tomorrow.¡± ¡°Shall we do that?¡± Hayer said and stood up. And as he was about to leave after making her bed, Iris grabbed his arm and said. ¡°By the way¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Never mind.¡± Iris said and let go of his arm. Hayer casually looked into the mirror. There was a man who was blinded by lust, who couldn¡¯t do it even if he tried to be good. The colleague next to him was thinking of a cause, but it was pathetic that he had not completely escaped her soft skin left on his hands. What¡¯s more pathetic than that, of course, is that he couldn¡¯t even hide it. While Hayer clicked his tongue, Iris, who was worried, raised her head and looked up and said. ¡°If we¡¯re going to get married, it doesn¡¯t matter when we sleep¡­ right?¡± ¡°As for marriage¡­¡± ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t care who your father is. Just, I think it¡¯s reasonable for us to get married to each other. I don¡¯t want to get embroiled in marriage with another man because of my lineage again. It¡¯s just¡­ that¡¯s all.¡± Hayer had noticed Iris¡¯s reluctance to sleep with someone, beyond her complete lack of expectations. As if she was expecting a kiss and considered it important, seeing Hayer¡¯s body heated up, she was also suppressing her negative mind and asking this. Iris asked. ¡°¡­What you want, right?¡± Instead of answering the question, Hayer ran a hand through Iris¡¯s hair and kissed her. And still enjoying the kiss, he untied the ribbon of Iris¡¯s nightgown that hugged her neck. Is it okay to do this? His head was complicated, but he couldn¡¯t do it. He wanted to play it out if there was anything she wanted. He was still thinking only of Iris¡¯s satisfaction. He thought in his head whether he was such a good guy. Or was it like waiting for a master to obey? It wasn¡¯t either, by any stretch of the imagination. It¡¯s just that, until now, she¡¯s always been right for him. He didn¡¯t know if this was yearning, love, or camaraderie, but Hayer Asheri wanted to make Iris Lepos¡¯s wish come true as much as possible. If she wanted to be king, he would let her be king, and if she wanted to be his wife, he would let her be too. Whatever she wanted, he wanted to make it happen. It was only after he had been convinced of that that he let go of the instincts he had been holding back. afterword u guys don¡¯t understand i¡¯m screaming giggling crying kicking my feet curling my toes gripping the sheets folding inside HOLY COW!! CH 96 Iris closed her eyes tightly. Hayer always smelled good, but the closer he got, the stronger she felt it. Iris murmured. ¡°¡­How?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why do you always smell good?¡± ¡°Because I always wear cologne?¡± ¡°Even in dangerous situations, even when death is ahead.¡± ¡°Do you mean inside the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth?¡± ¡°Not then¡­¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Iris?¡± Iris, who had no way to talk about Hayer Asheri before crossing the North Gate, made something up. ¡°¡­I must have confused you with someone else.¡± Then Hayer murmured with a laugh. ¡°Ah, another man.¡± ¡°I said it was someone else.¡± ¡°Were they a woman?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed that she shouldn¡¯t have gone into such a state of misunderstanding. Hayer spoke again as she struggled to explain how the other man was himself six years later. ¡°The man I know, but have never met before?¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s dead, that man.¡± She wondered if this would work, but Hayer murmured. ¡°I can¡¯t win any more.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t win?¡± ¡°There are bad memories with the living, but only good memories are kept with the dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It will be hard to win.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m saying it¡¯s going to be hard, not that I can¡¯t win.¡± Hayer continued with a smile. ¡°Because I think I¡¯m pretty good.¡± A smile spread across Iris¡¯s face, who had froze because she was sorry for making a misunderstanding. Unlike the Hayer Asheri in her memory, this cheerful man in front of her didn¡¯t seem to say anything about not loving him. Iris thought Hayer would forever hide that feeling with kindness, even if he didn¡¯t love her. A man who will act out love so as to not get hurt. That¡¯s sad, but on the other hand, she thought that was enough. Hayer pulled down the shoulder strap on Iris¡¯s nightgown. And kissed her shoulder. Iris, who had never considered foreplay, was embarrassed by the unexpectedly prolonged kisses. As far as she knew, sleeping with someone was supposed to be over by now, but it hasn¡¯t even started yet. At first, it was a kiss that felt like a greeting, kissing the back of the hand. However, rather than adjusting to the tense state of her body, on the contrary, she became more and more sensitive to the kisses. ¡°Why¡­ do you keep kissing me?¡± Then Hayer met Iris¡¯s eyes. And said what he was going to do, continuing to kiss the inside of her wrist. ¡°Because you said kissing would be nice.¡± The breath that touched the inside of her wrist was warm, and it began to get hotter. She couldn¡¯t tell if her body was hot or if his breath was getting hot. Iris eventually couldn¡¯t bear the heat that warmed her to her toes and pulled her wrist out of his hand, placing it on her bosom. Then she thought he would stop, but Hayer put his arms on both sides of her body and leaned over, beginning to kiss her hand placed on her chest. He seemed to have noticed that the more they kissed, the more her reaction changed. Or he already knew. Hayer got up for a moment and took off his coat. Then, he grabbed her tense leg with his hand. He rubbed his fingers against Iris¡¯s ankle soothingly and said. ¡°So don¡¯t hate it.¡± Iris, whose eyes were half-closed because she was distracted, opened her eyes and looked at Hayer¡¯s face. He thought Iris was reluctant to sleep together, so he was acting too gently. However, no matter how gently he tried to act, the weight of his muscular body, which looked slim overall but was thick, was heavy. He was a man with extremely masculine characteristics. He didn¡¯t even notice if she was trying to pull away unless he was watching it with his own eyes. It was the same in bed, in emotional relationships. Iris closed her eyes again when his fingers, which had been delicately running along the inside of her ankle, touched the inside of her thigh. She thought her breathing was too loud, so she covered her mouth with both hands. Then, at some point, she didn¡¯t even have the attention to cover her mouth, so she grabbed Hayer¡¯s shoulders with her hands as he held her. The fact that the wound under her hands was diminishing briefly returned her sanity. But soon, even that faint thread was lost, and fell into a place where only instincts were. It hurt, but strangely wasn¡¯t suffocating. The only thing that can be called suffocating is that the fire in her body was swirling in a whirlpool, but couldn¡¯t be let out. Then at some point, even the whirlpool was let out, and after that, she couldn¡¯t think of anything. * * * Iris Lepos was usually one of those people who couldn¡¯t sleep very deeply. There were many cases where she could hardly sleep, and even if she did, there were more days where she was plagued by nightmares all night long. But not today. It was unclear whether she was even asleep. Could this strange man have knocked her out? Early in the morning, Iris opened her eyes and looked back on what she had done yesterday. Hayer seemed to want it, so she thought she wanted to listen to him. So, until she caught the man trying to leave, his will was clear. However, from then on, it was unclear whose will he was moving on. Apparently, six years of marriage and all that night pre-knowledge didn¡¯t help really, at all. When she looked to her side, Hayer was sleeping soundly. Iris got out of bed cautiously, fearing Hayer would wake up. Thinking of how she must have looked to Hayer all night, she was not confident of making eye contact with him again. She found and wore the clothes Hayer had neatly arranged while she blacked out. And as she was about to leave the room, a hand from behind covered her hand holding the doorknob. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Iris couldn¡¯t raise her head and responded to Hayer¡¯s lowered sleepy voice. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t look at you. I¡¯m embarrassed. I¡¯ll go out and come back.¡± ¡°What are you embarrassed of?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ just¡­ anyway¡­¡± As she tried to run away by saying that, she began to worry that the sounds might have flowed out of the bedroom last night. She eventually gave up going out and quickly started talking to forget her shame. ¡°I have a lot of work to do today. Most of all, I have to write a new letter. What would be good? If I write¡­.¡± Iris, who was diligently talking to herself, glanced at Hayer belatedly. He was looking at her with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed with a serious expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Iris asked, and Hayer asked back. ¡°Are you going to pretend that nothing happened?¡± ¡°¡­If possible.¡± ¡°Are you the only one who can¡¯t get out of this?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Does he really have to say that conversation? Iris let out a sigh. Then Hayer pushed his pretty face forward and said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an example.¡± ¡°What kind of example?¡± Then Hayer opened his index finger and said. ¡°It¡¯s really bad, so let¡¯s keep from seeing each other for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then he opened his middle finger and said. ¡°Well, what if it¡¯s only for occasional needs?¡± Then he opened his ring finger and said. ¡°Now, again. No, tonight or tomorrow?¡± Perhaps he thought he had no conscience now, but Hayer put it back one day, looking around. Iris sighed again and covered her face with one hand. Then she touched his ring finger with her other hand and said. ¡°Tomorrow is early. I don¡¯t have stamina. And next time more¡­ lightly?¡± ¡°More than this?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean more than this?¡° ¡°No. Sorry. I can do it. I have to. I¡¯m not some kind of slave to sexual desire.¡± Hayer said that like he promised to himself, and then smiled with the corners of his mouth raised, as if he was very satisfied with her answer anyway. Fortunately, with the choice of views evened out, Hayer no longer talked about last night. Iris was relieved by Hayer¡¯s tendency not to force herself to dig into stories she did not want. The problem was, Hayer didn¡¯t ask, but when she tried to recall the contents of the letter to be sent back to the King of Siere, she kept thinking of Hayer from last night. The large body that covered her view, the arms that lifted her lightly, the beautiful eyes that reassured her who couldn¡¯t speak and trembled in the middle of it, the voice that became rough from suppressing himself, the tendons that bulged¡­ Eventually, Iris came to her senses and said to Hayer. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªget out.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t concentrate at all because of you.¡± ¡°I stayed quiet.¡± ¡°I keep thinking about it even when you¡¯re quiet.¡± She didn¡¯t know she was such a weak person. Iris blamed herself. But honestly, on the other hand, she also thought it was because Heyer Asheri was a bad man who clouded a woman¡¯s concentration with temptation. So she blamed him a little too. Fortunately, Hayer realized in what sense he had disturbed Iris, and got up. ¡°You have to work hard for justice, so I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The last words seemed to be teasing. Seeing Hayer leaving the room, covering his mouth with his hand to hold back his laughter. CH 97 Only after Hayer left did Iris escape some temptation. Really, he was a man who was so sexually attractive. Iris slapped herself on the cheek to get a grip. ¡°Let¡¯s concentrate.¡± After muttering like that, she began to wonder if there was any way to change the King of Siere¡¯s mind again. The best education Iris received in her life was a conversation she had with the Knights of Tejas before crossing the North Gate. Habitually, when she needed something, she slowly recalled the conversation she had with them. Iris, who had shaken off the temptation and pondered for a long time, thought of a trivial story that might not be meaningful. It was about pomegranates. When one of the knights said that the leader liked pomegranates, Hayer replied. ¡°I did. But I couldn¡¯t get pomegranates after I turned twenty.¡± And at that time, Iris also thought that the only time she had eaten expensive pomegranates in Luwan was the year she was nineteen. Pomegranates did not grow at all in Luwan, so it had to be brought in from Siere, so of course it could not be eaten after the war began. However, not being able to eat it long before the war began may mean that pomegranates have not been grown since then. Why couldn¡¯t it be cultivated? Iris left the room for a while after pondering. * * * Hayer was standing outside the east building when he noticed Iris coming out, looking troubled. She was lost in thought, and didn¡¯t even feel him looking at her. As Hayer was staring towards Iris as she walked to the library, Edwin, who was talking, called. ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry. What were you saying?¡± Iris said she was distracted. Fortunately, she seemed to have regained her concentration after he left, but Hayer did not. Even without Iris in front of him, he was so distracted that he couldn¡¯t come back. It wasn¡¯t that hot, but the heat didn¡¯t cool down, so Hayer sighed deeply and received a letter handed over by Edwin again. ¡°The King of Siere said that this letter must be delivered separately when no one is around.¡± ¡°¡­To me? Why?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t add anything else.¡± Hayer was suspicious and accepted Edwin¡¯s letter. The seal wax symbolizing the King of the Siere was stamped on the seal. Hayer brought the wax close to his nose, smelled it, and furrowed his brows. ¡°He used a good fragrance too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big deal. Even though the princess wrote such a nice letter, he sent a random reply, and the letter for the leader¡­¡± Edwin¡¯s charming eyes widened as he said that. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it!¡± ¡°Are they trying to steal me away?¡± ¡°Yes! Is there anything else?¡± Hayer Asheri was the best commander in Luwan, with the exception of the Royal Knights. Among them, he defeated Meppo Behad, the vice-captain of the Royal Knights, and rose to become the best knight. Carl Lassor, the King of Siere, has been a great military commander since ancient times. Unlike Luwan, where the great noble families each built their own powerful forces, Siere boasted a strong royal power with the centralized system. It was possible because the King of Siere had subjugated all the noble families of Siere. Power was the only thing served by the King of Siere, who believed himself to be the reincarnation of Tilla. Military force. Strong enough to subdue everything in the world. So it was not surprising to send a letter of courtship to Hayer Asheri. Edwin grabbed Hayer by the arm. ¡°Are you going to go?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even opened the letter yet, man.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going, you have to take me with you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Hayer answered half-heartedly, Edwin grabbed his arm again. Hayer then replied with more weight. ¡°Then will I leave my subordinates alone?¡± ¡°I know it can¡¯t be, but I still wanted to hear it for sure.¡± Edwin said so and let go of his arm. The loyalty that Luwan¡¯s knights swore was a promise that they would give their lives to the king in the end. However, Hayer was fed up with the King of Luwan. He had no intention of sacrificing his life to such a king. It was the same with other knights. Loyalty and vows have long since become ridiculous. Nevertheless, Hayer remembered Iris¡¯s eyes, which turned cold whenever she talked about the King of Siere. The King of Siere made Iris, who was always calm, even in front of the King of Luwan or Sid Lepos¡ªwho she was forced to marry¡ªexpress and show her anger. If she was so reluctant, Hayer had no reason to be kind to the king either. Hayer tore open the wax. Inside the envelope was a thick letter-paper folded in half, but there was nothing written in it. Instead, it contained minerals that produced the same colour as the sun. ¡°Isn¡¯t it sunstone?¡± It looked like a mineral called sunstone. Hayer checked the first stone around and muttered. ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be very valuable.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t sunstone a very expensive mineral?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Edwin¡¯s eyes widened as Hayer showed them up close. The translucent mineral contained metallic impurities such as iron ore inside. The forms of the impurities vary widely, and if the shape looks like something, the price soars indefinitely, both in Luwan and Siere. However, in the sunstone Hayer showed, a clear shape of the sun was formed. It was a priceless object, and it was a precious mineral that even a king could not easily obtain. Edwin said as Hayer looked troubled. ¡°It¡¯s for sure. He¡¯s trying to tempt you, to come to Siere.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to return it back.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not even what the captain asked for, so why don¡¯t you just pack it in?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about being in debt.¡± Hayer said, putting the sunstone in his inner pocket. It felt strange. ¡°Is it just me who thinks it¡¯s hot?¡± ¡°You think so? That¡¯s what it looks like, because it¡¯s not a real heat-generating object.¡± Hayer nodded. And said to Edwin. ¡°Well done. Now I¡¯ll go ask Iris what she¡¯s looking for.¡± ¡°Yes, please call me back when you need me.¡± Edwin bid farewell and left. * * * Iris arrived at the royal palace library and headed to the bookshelf where books on crops were stored. However, there were no books about pomegranates in the royal library, which was said to have all kinds of books. It was because pomegranates were not grown in Luwan. If so, it seemed like the only person she could seek help from was Sandra Hall, the head of the Hall family, who knew of crops the best in the world. Fortunately, there was Dane Hall in the royal palace right now; Sandra Hall¡¯s right-hand man and representative. She was about to go visit Dane Hall when someone popped into the library. It was Sid Lepos. As Iris scowled at him with a book in her hand, Sid opened his mouth. ¡°You visit the royal palace library a lot.¡± ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°If you run around like that, can anyone make you king?¡± Sid continued, taking Iris¡¯s book with force and checking it. ¡°What is this¡­ why did my father become king? It¡¯s because the former king had no son.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re repeating what I already know.¡± Sid narrowed his eyes in response to Iris¡¯s answer. ¡°So, no matter how much you run around, there will be a strong opposition in the end.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Iris tilted her head at an angle and looked over Sid and said. ¡°People¡¯s thoughts can change.¡± ¡°Why would they change?¡± ¡°Well. Because they¡¯re dissatisfied with the son?¡± Sid clicked his tongue at Iris¡¯s sarcastic remark. However, Sid, who approached closer to her, had a smirk on his face. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°I must marry you.¡± ¡°You lost the duel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m backing off now.¡± Sid continued. ¡°But if there¡¯s a problem with Hayer Asheri, the person who participated in the duel, it could reverse the outcome.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with Hayer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and it¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°What¡¯s weird?¡± ¡°The sacred tree on the southern border where Hayer was also collapsed. The sacred tree of the desert where you were also died. Is it a coincidence?¡± Cutting down the sacred tree was certainly a matter of concern for the royal family. It was clear that the Luwans would turn their backs. Iris hid her palpitating heart and answered coolly. ¡°Of course it¡¯s a coincidence.¡± ¡°Even now, I can hold Hayer accountable for failing to keep the sacred tree. My father hates Hayer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Hayer and the Knights of Tejas defend the southern border and yet you say that?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you¡¯ll see. That jackass will be executed before your eyes someday.¡± When he spoke and turned around, Iris couldn¡¯t resist throwing the fan in her hand at him. Sid picked up the fan that hit his back and fell on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡± afterword sid hurry up and die challenge go?! CH 98 When Sid turned around, Hayer, who was checking between the bookshelves, spotted the two. He alternately looked at the fan in Sid¡¯s hand and Iris, who was subsiding her anger and trying not to reveal it by digging her fingernails into the back of her white hand, then held out his hand to Sid. ¡°Thank you for picking it up.¡± ¡°I believe it was given to me.¡± ¡°No way. She¡¯s going to be my wife, so she wouldn¡¯t have given a fan to another man. I wonder if she hit you with that.¡± At his words, Iris looked up at Hayer. The words that she might have hit him or that she would be his wife made her pause, so she didn¡¯t know which part to talk about first. As Hayer reached out again to ask for it, Sid gritted his teeth and said. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Will Iris marry you? With her good lineage, with you who doesn¡¯t even know who your father is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we can figure out gradually.¡± Hayer said, then walked over and held out his arm to Iris. He asked as Iris wrapped her hand around his arm in a daze. ¡°Are you saving that fan?¡± ¡°Would I have thrown it if I cherished it?¡± ¡°Ah, indeed. It¡¯s dirty, so I¡¯ll buy you a new one, let¡¯s go.¡± Saying that, Hayer strode forward. Iris looked back at Sid, walking along with Hayer dazedly. She thought Sid would be angry, but his eyes were full of doubt. His eyes asked if she would really marry a man whose lineage was unknown. Sid didn¡¯t seem to believe that the two would get married, because the fact itself was absurd. In any case, after leaving the library, Iris asked Hayer. ¡°Are we really getting married?¡± ¡°You said it didn¡¯t matter who my father was?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡± Iris nodded absently. It was too easy, it bothered her. ¡°¡­do it. Do it?¡± She held her tongue, and Hayer paused, cleared his throat, and said again. ¡°I want to do it. Really. From the bottom of my heart.¡± Iris burst into laughter when he corrected it right away. Then she nodded. Anyway, they had to go to Siere, but she knew that if two unmarried people continued to stay together, they wouldn¡¯t hear good things. After talking like that, the two stopped. And Hayer asked. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Ah. Madeleine brought some medicine to the library, so I took it.¡± ¡°¡­You took medicine? Are you sick?¡± When Hayer¡¯s eyes widened and he asked, Iris blinked and shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m sick¡­ I¡¯m not in good physical shape. I feel a bit achy.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Seeing Hayer¡¯s shocked face, Iris hurriedly said. ¡°My stamina is the problem, I don¡¯t have any other sore spots.¡± ¡°Is it okay to walk? Do you want me to carry you on my back?¡± ¡°Other people will see.¡± Iris, who shook her head and refused, turned around. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Sir Dane now. I need to ask him something.¡± When she refused to depend on him, Hayer grudgingly replied. ¡°Yes, I also need something, so I¡¯ll go home.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± After spending the night together, Iris felt very sad to hear that Hayer was going to his house outside the capital. So she slowly let go of him, and Hayer noticed and smiled. Hayer grabbed Iris¡¯s hand again, kissed her, took her to the east building, and left the palace. Iris, who was disappointed, welcomed Agatha, who had just arrived at the east building and was a friend at the convent she had asked for the second lady-in-waiting position. ¡°Agatha!¡± ¡°Princess!¡± As soon as Agatha saw Iris, she ran to her, her eyes twinkling. Iris said with a smile. ¡°Did you come right after you received the letter?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± ¡°Just call me by my name comfortably, as a friend. Like before.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ shall I?¡± Agatha¡¯s expression looked so happy when she answered. Iris thought she was a necessary person to establish herself in the royal palace. The center of high society within the palace was definitely Iris¡¯s mother, Celios Lepos. With her mother still in control of society, it would be quite difficult for Iris to marry Hayer. This was because Celios, who had power, was strongly opposed. Even if it wasn¡¯t, she wanted to have more leeway in the social world she had to deal with anyway. And fortunately, she was able to find a lady-in-waiting who was knowledgeable about high society and had strong aspirations. Iris said. ¡°Umm, as soon as you arrive, I have a favor to ask you first.¡± She continued with an apologetic look. ¡°Will you prepare a party for me?¡± ¡°Party? Ah, a party to celebrate your trip to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth?¡± She had been in the convent the whole time, so she didn¡¯t know how she knew this, but for Iris, it was comfortable because there was no need to explain it. Iris nodded. ¡°As large as possible.¡± ¡°Large. Very large.¡± Agatha¡¯s face looked happy as she repeated the words. Iris smiled because she seemed to have found her aptitude. Iris first confirmed the budget Agatha could spend. Originally, the wealth she received from the royal family was large, but she decided not to touch it and to use the gold coins received from the Everhart family. It was such a large sum of money that it could never be used up with a few parties. In any case, she had to throw a party to ensure her name and whereabouts in this palace. Fortunately, Agatha disappeared immediately to prepare for the party, jumping with joy as soon as she checked the budget. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Hayer immediately headed for his house on the outskirts of the capital. There were two things that had to be done. One is to get jewellery to formally propose to Iris again. This was perfectly natural from Hayer¡¯s point of view. The second, a bit cautiously, was to find out about his father, whom Iris said she didn¡¯t need. If his father was a merchant of Siere or a slave of Luwan, he had to keep his mouth shut to prevent the fact from leaking. The best situation, he hated to admit, was when his father was Kernin Lepos. There may be a fight between the brothers, but at least the lineage will be certain. ¡¶t/n: absolutely NOT we do not need another #related moment¡· But that didn¡¯t seem very likely. To do so, he did not possess the traits of a Lepos family member. Even if he wasn¡¯t from the Lepos family, it would be a great relief if it was someone who was wandering around the palace, especially from a great noble family¡­ Thinking so, he arrived home. With the king watching, the Knights of Tejas could not all be stationed in the house. Some still remain on the southern border, while others have been sent out to take care of the capital¡¯s trashy security if they have nothing to do. As soon as the order was received, the people of the Tejas Knights, who liked to fight, were excitedly going out to the streets and beating up the ruffians. Just as earthworms thinned the ground to make good soil, the Knights of Tejas believed that they would thin out the capital. Hayer beat up the ruffians and inspected the empty house. As expected, Cadella was lying on the bed and sleeping coolly. ¡°Cadella.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Cadella, stop sleeping and wake up.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cadella, who had been sleeping happily, opened his eyes. Then he looked around and smiled. ¡°Right, it¡¯s not the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth anymore, is it?¡± ¡°Did you dream about being in the labyrinth again?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep dreaming for a while.¡± Cadella said so and jumped off the bed. Then ran towards the window in the direction of the corridor where Hayer was leaning against and asked. ¡°What are you here for?¡± ¡°I came to my house, what do you think I¡¯m doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this because you don¡¯t come often, you bastard.¡± Hayer laughed merrily at Cadella¡¯s words and said. ¡°Did you find anything to do from now on?¡± ¡°Not yet. I really don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t have anyone to take care of anymore. People keep trying to take care of me because I look like a child.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a good thing.¡± One way or another, the Knights of Tejas adored Cadella. It¡¯s just a little¡­ Cadella muttered under his breath. ¡°¡­I feel like I¡¯ve become a pet kept by the Tejas Knights.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a human being, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Hayer said, though he fully agreed with Cadella. Cadella grumbled. ¡°Even the nameplate that the knights put on my door is also like a dog house for some reason.¡± ¡°Take it off.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, you can¡¯t reach it.¡± When Hayer nodded, Cadella threw another punch. He wasn¡¯t kidding, but Hayer fully understood how he felt about being teased. And that fact made Cadella even angrier. Cadella, who was punching like that as a greeting, asked. ¡°But didn¡¯t you really come here because you had something to say to me?¡± ¡°Ah, there is. I have something to ask.¡± Hayer nodded and continued. ¡°My mother¡¯s mind is a little chaotic.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°But I heard that hallucinogens can help such people sometimes. I was looking for it.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Only my mother knows who my father is. But I can¡¯t communicate with her. Could your hallucinogen possibly make a conversation work?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t tried it, but I¡¯ll try it now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really bad for you, is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad. Not at all. Rather, it¡¯s good for you after a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Hayer nodded at Cadella¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then, to the royal palace.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cadella, who was bored, excitedly said as he packed his things. ¡°If this works well, it could be helpful to others as well.¡± ¡°You surprisingly like to help people.¡± ¡°It feels good.¡± ¡°Not everyone feels joy in helping others.¡± Knowing that Hayer¡¯s words were a compliment, Cadella laughed without realizing it, then quickly wrinkled his face and said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it from a young man!¡± ¡°I see, old man.¡± ¡°Carry this old man on your back because it¡¯s too troublesome to walk, young bastard.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll carry you on my back.¡± Hayer was fundamentally a person who lost unconditionally to women, the elderly, and children, and Cadella was both an old man and a child. Hayer picked up Cadella, who came running with his baggage. And headed to the horse. By the way, Cadella was a child on the outside now, but in about four years, he would be a young man on the outside, even if he was an old man on the inside. ¡®Then do I have to lose?¡¯ Is that necessary? ¡®But he¡¯s an old man¡­¡¯ Hayer was confused, but he delayed his decision to go and think about it for now. afterword LMFAO HAYER AND CADELLA ARE SO FUCKING FUNNY HELPP hayer wanting to propose to iris properly too ugh screw pure lineage being related would be the worse thing eve CH 99 Iris entrusted Agatha with the party, and headed to the place with the king¡¯s representatives. The first building at the entrance to the palace was where the king¡¯s representatives were. The king¡¯s representatives lived in townhouses outside the royal palace, but they used to enter the royal palace and gather in this building to commute. Iris walked into it and found Dane Hall, the representative of the Hall family. As she was walking, she stepped back, startled by a woman wearing a black cloak that passed by. She recognized Iris, greeted her politely, and disappeared. She was a member of the Quill family, one of the great noble families. Even though she knew they were originally highly religious, Iris couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at how they passed by so silently. All eight great noble families had very distinct colours. Iris looked at the characteristics with a curious mind and found Dane Hall in the courtyard. ¡°Sir Dane!¡± ¡°Ah, Princess.¡± Dane was happy and brushed the dirt off his hands. She thought he was touching the soil because he was someone from the Hall family. Iris asked. ¡°What were you doing?¡± ¡°People in the Hall family can¡¯t leave a land without planting anything. I planted garlic.¡± ¡°Oh, garlic in the royal palace¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It will grow very nicely. The soil is perfect for garlic.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Although abashed, Iris smiled and nodded as he looked happy. Dane said proudly. ¡°I¡¯ll raise it well and give it to the princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also looking forward to it. What wonderful garlic it will grow into.¡± She didn¡¯t know when Dane Hall disliked her, but after breaking the boundaries, he kept talking about crops. Dane paused after talking about all the garlic in the world for a while. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was talking to myself.¡± Then Iris shook her head. ¡°It is lucky for Luwan that the Hall family who are in charge of Luwan¡¯s food is so proud of their farming.¡± Dane laughed a beat later at her words. ¡°You are kind.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll stop talking about garlic here. How may I help you?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯d like to ask about pomegranates.¡± ¡°Pomegranates? I don¡¯t know exactly about pomegranates, but I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡± ¡°If pomegranates are not well cultivated, what is the reason?¡± ¡°Hmm. In Siere, pomegranates are usually harvested just before the rainy season. Well, Siere is not a country with a lot of rain, but it¡¯s not wrong to say it¡¯s a rainy season. There¡¯s nothing good about getting rained on. Especially if the pomegranate flowers rot in the previous year, the pomegranate will not be good the following year.¡± ¡°Even if you give it fertilizer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about pomegranates either. I heard that pomegranates are not very good for fruit when the fruits are opened and fertilized.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris nodded and asked again. ¡°A flower rotting disease?¡± ¡°Yes. It looks as if it¡¯s suffered from cold damage, but it¡¯s a disease caused by high humidity during the dry season. If the Hall family also has the disease in apples, they burn it all for the next year, even if it¡¯s a waste.¡± ¡°Is it contagious?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. I¡¯ll give you a related book if you need it. There are plenty of records and books on flower rotting diseases in the Hall family.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then I¡¯ll request it.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess. When it comes to agriculture, feel free to talk to me.¡± Iris nodded. It¡¯s not polite to just leave now that she came, so she had a cup of tea with Dane afterwards. In the meantime, she was able to learn how many kinds of apples were growing in the land of Luwan. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Agatha knew better than anyone else how important this party she was in charge of was. ¡°You have to do your best no matter what.¡± Iris has successfully been to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. Before Kernin Lepos came out of the maze, Iris had to show how difficult it was. There may be many ways to show it, but there was nothing like a party to imprint the scale of the achievement in people¡¯s heads most easily. Agatha, who was happily choosing a dress for Iris to wear, recalled the hell she had been in until a few days ago. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ In the convent, she gave up her lingering attachment to the world as much as she could. A splendid party she will never go to, a feast of beautiful dresses and stringed instruments. Young marriageable peers smiling brightly. The beautiful sky at the moment of sunset, the enchanting paradise that can¡¯t be expressed with any fabric¡­ If you let go of your lingering attachment to the world, a more beautiful spirit is achieved¡­ completed¡­ ¡°Sister Agatha.¡± Agatha, who was always silent and praying quietly at the words of the priest, turned around. The priest had an envelope in his hand. It was strange. That seal was definitely used in the royal palace, but why did it come to a convent tucked away in the corner? The priest continued while she pondered. ¡°There is a letter addressed to Sister Agatha¡­¡± Then give it to me quickly, you priest blo¡­ke. The priest said anxiously as Agatha thought and nodded silently. ¡°However, I am worried that this letter will cause unnecessary shock to Sister Agatha, who has let go of her worldly desires¡­ Si-Sister Agatha?¡± The words to give it up reached the tip of her throat, but she held it in and gave him a look. It was not intended to be a threat, but the priest hurriedly handed it over to Agatha. As soon as Agatha received the envelope, she gently stroked the seal with her hand. A crest printed with a soft force. Just looking at this, she could feel that it was a letter treated with care. [Sister Agatha. Iris Lepos, the princess of Luwan and the daughter of Celios Lepos, delivers this letter.] Her heart was beating like it was going to explode just by the greeting. Break away from the world? She¡¯s never forgotten for a moment. Even now, her playboy fianc¨¦ must be enjoying the escape with the woman he loves freely. Her parents would be bragging about defending their honour by kicking their daughter out. Rubbish! If I hold power, I¡¯ll kick all of you out of society! While wishing so, what arrived for her was a letter that made her futile dreams come true. [I don¡¯t know much about society. I don¡¯t belong to anyone¡¯s faction in society, so I need someone to form my own faction.] If Agatha could make any wish come true one day, she would wish for one thing. ¡®I¡¯ll form a faction in the social world. A strong, overwhelming faction that no one can surpass.¡¯ God was always on her side. Agatha remembered Iris at the door of the convent, taking off her coif and veil and looking out into the world one day. Now she knew what she was thinking. It was a matter of space. This place was too small for her with a map of the whole world. Iris needed more space. She immediately took off her coif and veil. And when she ran outside, there was a knight holding a sword engraved with the coat of arms of the Royal Knights. ¡°I am a Royal Knight, River Kitasha. The princess told me to wait because she would leave right away, so I made preparations.¡± Kitasha, a territory in the northeast of Luwan, located on the same latitude as the Quill territory in the northwest, was one of the eight great noble families that kept many of the original historical books. Agatha asked. ¡°At the request of Iris, you came all the way here?¡± It was natural for the Royal Knights to accept Iris¡¯s request, but it was curious that they sent him this far, even though her position was not yet solid. Then River Kitasha said with an embarrassed expression. ¡°Actually, while the princess was bringing Sister Agatha, she also gave me travel expenses to visit Kitasha. I was just on my way.¡± Then, his ears turned red from embarrassment, and he showed her the small bag he carried. ¡°When I went to Kitasha, my parents gave me pickled fish that I liked when I was young. I think they still think I¡¯m a child.¡± His face was cute when he said that. Agatha almost fell in love with the first man she met as soon as she came out of the convent, but fortunately she calmed herself down. Soon, she travelled a long way to the capital with a party led by River Kitasha. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ When Agatha was immersed in memories from a few days ago that felt like distant memories, Iris came into the dressing room. There was some dirt on her clothes, which made her wonder what she was doing. Iris said bashfully as Agatha brushed off the dirt. ¡°Looked at garlic.¡± ¡°Garlic?¡± ¡°Yes, garlic. Ah, are you already planning a dress?¡± Iris asked, but paused when she found the enormous amount of data Agatha had written down in a short time. Agatha, on the other hand, looked at Iris with a satisfied expression. Agatha has always liked beautiful things. So she liked Iris the most in the convent. Because she was more beautiful than anything else in it. When she thought about it after the escape, she was able to stay in the convent because there was this dazzling thing in it. Iris¡¯s eyes widened when she checked the budget. ¡°I think my outfit is too expensive for the party.¡± ¡°You have to choose and focus. You should definitely spend a lot on pretty things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean¡­¡± ¡°Trust me. I know about parties.¡± Agatha was adamant. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Hayer returned to the palace with Cadella. He took Cadella to the basement of the west wing where his mother, Peonia, was. Peonia was engrossed in knitting today as well. Hayer wondered what Peonia was making by knitting like that every day, but he had never seen a proper finished product. Cadella glanced at Peonia, who was absorbed in knitting without looking back even when Hayer came in, and asked Hayer. ¡°Does she even listen when you call her?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Not always.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cadella nodded and patted Hayer on the back and said. ¡°You¡¯re having a hard time in many ways too.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± After Hayer¡¯s nonchalant reply, he walked over to Peonia. ¡°Mother.¡± Peonia looked up when her son called. CH 100 Hayer explained to his mother, who was looking at her son with empty eyes. ¡°Mother, if magic is used skillfully, you may be able to clear your mind for a while.¡± Peonia tilted her head at his words. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You may feel a little dizzy.¡± Peonia was just nodding whether she understood or not. Hayer, who was explaining it carefully as if he were doing it to a child, gathered his mother¡¯s messy hair and started brushing it after receiving a comb from the maid. While Peonia was dozing off as if the comb made her drowsy, Cadella tried to cast a spell. He used a hallucinogen similar to the amount he used on Iris, but Peonia was only a little tired and did not go into a complete hallucination. Cadella grumbled at Hayer. ¡°I just realized it now, but Iris is very unhealthy.¡± ¡°More than my mother who lives here in confinement?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. She must be born like that.¡± Hayer, who was told that she was not healthy because of the poison used by King Eswa while she was in the womb, narrowed his eyes, not knowing that it was that serious. Meanwhile, Peonia seemed to be slowly losing her consciousness, and stumbled. Hayer hurriedly helped his mother to the bed and laid her down. Then he looked at his mother for a while, who was sleeping soundly. ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s nice to see you sleep with such a comfortable face even if it fails.¡± Cadella, who was watching Hayer muttering like that, asked. ¡°Should I just let her sleep a little longer?¡± ¡°No, but I should know about my father.¡± Cadella nodded at Hayer¡¯s words and asked again. ¡°Did you say she first met your father when she was fifteen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then she¡¯ll have to go back to being fifteen.¡± Shortly after Cadella said that, an uneasy look permeated Peonia¡¯s face. Hayer asked. ¡°Mother, have you met my father?¡± Then Peonia slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Oh¡­ yes, I did.¡± ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ That day, the Asheri family mansion. On the balcony of Peonia¡¯s bedroom was a tall, blood-stained boy of her age. Peonia, who was about to fall asleep, spotted the boy and froze. The boy used the last of his strength to come in, shut the door, and put his hand over her mouth. The blood from the boy¡¯s body stained Peonia¡¯s white nightgown. The boy breathed as if he was about to die. Peonia¡¯s fear slowly subsided from the moment she made eye contact with the boy. His bright orange eyes were shaking with guilt. Peonia pushed the boy¡¯s hand away slowly. As she guessed, the boy still had strength, but he removed his hand as Peonia did. Then, he took a sharp folding knife from his waistband and handed it to Peonia. ¡°If I look dangerous, protect yourself.¡± The boy said so, and fell unconscious in her arms. Peonia trembled all over, but she could not leave the boy alone. As soon as he came in, her mouth was kept shut, so no one should notice. Lifting up the plain black shirt the boy was wearing, she saw a serious cut on his waist. It was such a wound that it would not be strange for ordinary people to die instantly. Peonia breathed out another trembling breath. She already knew where the boy had fled from and ended up here. Peonia was a member of the Asheri family, who loved peace at best and was good at walking a tightrope at worst. She knew that if this boy died right now, there would be no peace in Luwan. She tore the sheet with the knife and tied the boy¡¯s wound tightly. In Peonia¡¯s judgement, this midnight intruder had to be saved. Her memories passed quickly from the first meeting. Then, years later, she remembered when the boy became a man and they reunited. She found out she was pregnant and told the man she wanted to leave. ¡°If this is your child, you die. Don¡¯t talk nonsense when you don¡¯t have the strength to survive. Are all three of us going to die?¡± As soon as she remembered her harsh words and the sad eyes of the man listening to them, Peonia came back to her senses and opened her eyes. Cadella¡¯s hallucinogenic drug was returning her confused mind to a rather normal state. When she came to her senses, there was her second son and a child in front of her. ¡°Hayer. My son.¡± Peonia briefly returned to her original personality. As a typical Asheri family member, judging coldly and was cool-headed. She asked Hayer, in terrible distress by the insecurity and confusion she had been trapped in. ¡°How is the situation now?¡± ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Hayer couldn¡¯t remember his mother well before he was ten. Like any other child of the royal family, he was raised by a nanny, and as far as he remembers, his mother was always drinking tea in the parlour or the royal garden. And after the age of ten, most of the mother he remembered was sobbing for her son to be saved. Seeing Peonia return to her full mind, Hayer dimly remembered that her mother was such a cool-headed person. Cadella hid behind Hayer¡¯s back, as if he was afraid of Peonia¡¯s coldness. Hayer opened his mouth. ¡°The situation is not good.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡± Peonia nodded. Then she narrowed her eyes while looking at Cadella behind Hayer¡¯s back. Hayer noticed that his mother was uncomfortable with a child who was, at a glance, not a noble, and immediately jumped the ball. ¡°How are you now? This doctor gave you medicine.¡± He was not a doctor, and the medicine was ambiguous, but Hayer insisted. Cadella wondered if it would make sense to insist that a child like him was a doctor, but Peonia surprisingly seemed to accept it. Rather than having a child who is not a noble enter her room, it was more realistic for Peonia that the child was a doctor. Peonia replied calmly. ¡°Very good. I hope my head stays clear like this.¡± Hayer nodded and patted Cadella¡¯s head, saying he did well. Cadella, who didn¡¯t like that, stepped on his foot to repay him, but when he saw Peonia¡¯s fierce eyes, he flinched and hid behind Hayer again. Hayer immediately thought of asking about his father, but he felt like he was being pushed whenever he met his mother, so he brought up another topic first. ¡°The weather in the capital is nice these days. Would you like to take a walk?¡± Of course, the king should hate it, but he thought it would be okay to walk near the west building. Peonia nodded, and Hayer immediately called the maids to get ready to go out. And left Cadella to a subordinate waiting outside. Cadella quickly disappeared along with his subordinate, as if Peonia was very difficult. Hayer left the west building with his mother. Peonia, who went outdoors after three or four years, felt dizzy but enjoyed the sunshine for the first time in a long while. After taking a walk with Peonia, Hayer returned to the dark west building basement and said. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m thinking of getting married.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s already time for that. What kind of girl is she?¡± ¡°The daughter of Celios Lepos, Princess Iris Lepos.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± ¡°But I think I need to know who my father is to do that.¡± At his words, Peonia stopped nodding. Hayer checked Peonia¡¯s stiffened expression, and this time, he continued to speak more firmly. ¡°If it¡¯s someone who shouldn¡¯t be my father, I¡¯ll keep it to myself.¡± ¡°Hayer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of child is Iris?¡± Hayer, who thought for a moment about Iris, answered her question. ¡°She has a clear goal, and is concerned about Luwan¡¯s future.¡± ¡°If your father is from Siere, is she one who will cross over to Siere and live there?¡± ¡°No.¡± Hayer smiled and shook his head. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Then you can¡¯t get married.¡± ¡°¡­My father is from Siere.¡± Hayer, who was from a family on the border, fully expected that and calmly continued. ¡°I will keep my mouth shut. So that it is not known that I have the blood of a Siere.¡± ¡°He is not one to keep his mouth shut.¡± ¡°Is he a man of high status in Siere?¡± ¡°¡­It may be surprising that he is a Siere person, but isn¡¯t the latter a given?¡± Peonia asked back, as if asking what on earth that question was. It was only then that Hayer realized that he didn¡¯t know much about his mother, or that he didn¡¯t consider it even if he knew. Worrying about his father being a slave. His mother would never have encountered a slave in her life. Hayer sighed. ¡°He is a noble of Siere.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Now that his mother was silent, Hayer would rather have his biological father be a nobleman of Siere. If his father is a member of the Siere royal family at a time when relations between the two countries have deteriorated like this¡­ Peonia, who was looking at her confused son, opened her mouth. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t tell you, your father will come looking for you someday.¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s coming to look for me?¡± ¡°Because I am his love, he let me choose what I wanted, but not you. I don¡¯t know the situation, but if you¡¯re the only heir, your opinion won¡¯t matter to him.¡± Hayer was frozen by his mother¡¯s remarks, which he had never considered. Peonia continued. ¡°So, as I said earlier, you should meet a woman who is willing to go to Siere with you just in case. Otherwise, you will just ruin her life in the name of love. Like my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It is unfortunate for a woman with desires to meet a man who destroys her desires.¡± Peonia, who finished talking with a cold face, sat back down on the bed tiredly. ¡°Come back and take a walk with me again. It¡¯s a beautiful day.¡± She murmured and went back to sleep. Hayer, whose heart became heavy, could not leave right away and stood still for a while. afterword oh fuck. can¡¯t they just get married in peace my goshhh¡­ anyway happy 100 chapters everyone!! CH 101 When Hayer opened the door to leave the room with a shaky breath, he spotted King Eswa walking down the hallway. Hayer stretched out the middle of his forehead¡ªwhich was about to crinkle¡ªwith his hand, and bowed politely. When Eswa accepted the greeting and tried to enter the room right away, Hayer casually blocked the door and asked. ¡°What brings you here?¡± A person who never came before. When Hayer asked, hiding his words, Eswa said. ¡°I heard you came for a walk.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we find out if you didn¡¯t steal your mother away somewhere?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Hayer finally couldn¡¯t hide his feelings, and he laughed. He thought he had left his mother behind, but now that he saw it, it was like paranoia. As Hayer was still blocking the door with a hard look on his face, King Eswa said. ¡°Get out of the way. Do you think I¡¯m going to harm my wife?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± Hayer said and looked back at his sleeping mother. He moved away but still stood at the door. Meanwhile, King Eswa sat next to Peona, who was asleep. Hayer recalled what Peonia said earlier. ¡°It is unfortunate for a woman with desires to meet a man who destroys her desires.¡± Was his mother¡¯s words her own story? Thinking so, the momentary return of his mother¡¯s clear eyes made Hayer¡¯s heart ache. Eswa was looking at Peonia¡¯s face silently. Love, resentment, and desire were intricately intertwined in his eyes. It was the first time Hayer had seen such a look. Hayer, who had lived for a while considering himself as his son, felt his heart skip a beat when he thought of a woman¡¯s face. He wondered if he had ever looked at Iris with those eyes. Has he ever tried to destroy her desires? But when he looked at her, he couldn¡¯t read his own face. Eswa, who sat down and watched Peonia for hours, came out. He found Hayer still standing there guarding his mother, gave him a glance, and left. After Eswa left, Hayer also left the west building. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ The king¡¯s younger brother, Kernin Lepos, was still wandering in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. He didn¡¯t have a perfect grasp of the condition of the maze, but he thought he knew which direction to go through. However, when he broke through the maze and entered somewhere, he would end up in a place he had not expected. Kernin Lepos¡¯s nerves were sharpening due to continuous failure of judgement. His right-hand man, Meppo Behad, said. ¡°Captain, you might want to take a break. If you tell me, I will cut down the wall.¡± Kernin was unaware that the maze was moving. What angered him was the fact that he wasn¡¯t born with the Lepos family¡¯s ability to grasp this maze. Kernin told Meppo. ¡°We¡¯d better destroy the maze completely.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Not all of the walls that were destroyed were restored. If you destroy it quickly and a lot, this maze will stop functioning.¡± ¡°Ca, Captain.¡± Meppo hastily stopped Kernin from trying to cut the wall. ¡°Some of the traitors are indescribably cruel. If the maze goes wrong and they get out¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t all I had to do was to get out of this maze?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡± The Kernin Lepos that Meppo knew was a man who ran only by looking at his goals. He knew that he was not a person who would even think about the sacrifices he had to make in the process. But now, the Luwan people didn¡¯t have a complete grasp of this maze, nor did they know for sure who was in it. It was even a maze so old that even its origin is unknown. Meppo was afraid to break such a maze. However, Kernin seemed to intend to push ahead with the plan he had already made. Eventually, Kernin began to break down the visible wall. When the wall collapsed and fell to one side, the other wall began to collapse like dominoes again. Kernin rode on his horse and cut the wall again, then ran and cut the wall again. There was a roar-like scream in the maze. At that time, Meppo¡¯s horse couldn¡¯t stand the long stress and began to run wild. Meppo tried to appease him, but the horse abandoned him and disappeared somewhere. Kernin, who looked back at the fallen Meppo, said. ¡°Let¡¯s go first.¡± ¡°What? Ca, Captain! Captain!¡± Meppo called out urgently, but Kernin ran away quickly over the wall that collapsed like a domino. Meppo sighed and checked his ankle as he returned to his horse. Had it not been for the duel with Hayer Asheri, he would not have fallen off the horse, but he had no choice but to accept it because it had already happened. He took a deep breath and straightened his ankle bone. He was blinded by the terrible pain. Meppo, who put his bone back in place, hurried toward the direction Kernin left without any time to hesitate. No matter how much he left behind, Meppo was the leader of the Royal Knights he had to serve and protect. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m on my way¡­¡± It was when he was trying hard to drag his broken body and muttering to himself words Kernin couldn¡¯t even hear. Meppo stopped, feeling someone slowly walking out of the maze between the broken walls. In the darkness created by the shadow on the wall, Meppo pulled out his sword and held it. He identified himself first. ¡°I am Meppo Behad, the vice-captain of the Royal Knights. Who are you?¡± ¡°I am¡­ wait a minute, I am¡­¡± His voice sounded like he was about to go from a boy to a young man. And he was also a young man around the age of 20, who appeared to be of Meppo or Hayer¡¯s age. ¡°Excuse me¡­ I¡­¡± The young man was whining about how difficult it was to take a few steps. He took out glasses that seemed to have been carefully stored and checked Meppo. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the Royal Knights.¡± And Meppo¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the young man¡¯s appearance. ¡°¡­S-sage? Are you a sage?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right!¡± The sage, who had now been exterminated by the hands of King Eswa and was nowhere to be found in the land of Luwan, nodded broadly. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Hayer went home and spent the night awake. Something was complicated in his head, and he had to meet Iris right away. In his life, Hayer rarely had a complicated head and could not fall asleep. He wondered if he had learned even this insomnia from Iris. Hayer, who returned to the east building in a tired state, took a deep breath. And as soon as he knocked, Iris rushed out of the room. Then she said with very tired eyes. ¡°Did we have something urgent to do?¡± When he looked inside Iris¡¯s bedroom, there were all kinds of dress fabrics hanging. Hayer answered tactfully. ¡°Yes. Something very urgent is waiting.¡± Then Agatha, Iris¡¯s lady-in-waiting, came out and asked with wide eyes. ¡°How busy are you? More than preparing for a party? It¡¯s not just a party, it¡¯s a very important party to celebrate your trip to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ah. Well, yes. More important.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I need to buy some jewellery.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The main character of the party can¡¯t go in without jewels, right?¡± Hayer continued, hiding Iris, whose legs were weak from exhaustion, by pulling her behind his back. ¡°You¡¯ve already confirmed that Iris lacks jewellery, right?¡± ¡°Ah, finally.¡± Agatha thanked Tilla for the fact that someone who understands her heart has finally appeared. Then she sent the two away and said. ¡°I think it would be good to choose the jewellery first and the colour of the dress.¡± ¡°Personally, I think green jewellery looks good.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Or the colour of my eyes is fine.¡± When Hayer tapped his eyes with his index finger, Agatha said. ¡°If you can get orange jewellery.¡± ¡°I have it. Since I was born, my mother has collected a few based on eye colours. There¡¯s a very pretty opal in orange.¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s great!¡± Thus, Agatha made a compromise by reassuring him, and Hayer took Iris out of the building. Iris, who came out, said, feeling resentful. ¡°Why does Agatha accept what you say? She won¡¯t listen to me at all.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said I already have dresses and jewellery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth listening to.¡± ¡°Whose side are you taking now?¡± ¡°The side I want to side with.¡± ¡°But still, on my side¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I also want you to wear a fancy dress and fancy jewellery. Because my taste is fancy.¡± Hayer responded deftly and grabbed Iris¡¯s arm and put her arm around his. Iris didn¡¯t seem to like something, but once she was out of Agatha¡¯s attention, she was somewhat relieved. Iris sighed deeply and opened her mouth. ¡°I have to write a letter again, to the King of Siere.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to my house and write.¡± ¡°Thank you. Ah, how was your visit to Her Majesty?¡± When Iris asked, Hayer stopped walking without realizing it. ¡°Hayer?¡± When Iris turned around, he looked at her. Their eyes met for a moment, and Hayer opened his mouth. ¡°Does it really not matter who my father is?¡± CH 102 To be honest, even after hearing his mother¡¯s warning, Hayer was not yet particularly afraid of his biological father. He was strong, and he had no real father. Iris answered Hayer¡¯s question as clearly as ever. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hayer asked again with a relieved smile. ¡°Is it okay if he¡¯s from Siere?¡± ¡°Is he from Siere?¡± ¡°It seemed so. Although she didn¡¯t tell me exactly. He seemed to have a relatively high status.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris nodded. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t matter. Do you have any inclination to go and live in Siere?¡± Hayer, who was examining all her reactions, shook his head immediately to the question he had also heard from his mother. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve never imagined it.¡± ¡°Then even more so, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Iris was right. What¡¯s wrong with his father being from Siere unless he¡¯s going to cross over? ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Meppo began to walk through the maze with the sage. Meppo asked. ¡°May I ask for your name?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± The sage blinked and checked here and there anxiously. He didn¡¯t seem to remember for a moment because no one called his name nor did he say it to himself for a while. The sage murmured. ¡°My name is Herbin. It¡¯s been so long since my name has been said, so I¡¯m confused even though it¡¯s my name.¡± ¡°Herbin. It¡¯s Herbin. Nice to meet you. Umm, I came in after relatively memorizing the names of the traitors¡­ it¡¯s not a name I remember.¡± ¡°Really? Oh dear. My presence.¡± Herbin grumbled as if he was disappointed. He was a man with a comfortable atmosphere. Meppo, who was a little lonely to go alone, was satisfied with the fact that he had someone to walk with him. While walking like that, he stopped at the roar of the wall breaking again. Herbin looked up at the wall anxiously. ¡°Oh dear, oh no.¡± ¡°It sounds like the walls are wailing. To the point it makes my heart ache.¡± Herbin smiled and replied to Meppo¡¯s words, who is easily immersed in things. ¡°It¡¯s true that the walls are wailing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This maze is actually alive.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious? What force is this maze moving by?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meppo looked at the broken wall. And he continued with an incredulous look. ¡°Are you saying it is¡­ alive?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s alive.¡± Herbin still looked at the wall with a smile. ¡°But it¡¯s not dangerous. What¡¯s really dangerous is humans.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The sages were truly talking babbling beings. But there was truth and wisdom in what they said. Meppo said. ¡°How did you end up here? How long have you been here?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you find out when you leave the maze?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± In the meantime, the sun began to set again. After a day, the maze healed itself as much as it could. Knowing the fact, Meppo said to Herbin. ¡°I think you should run. To get out.¡± ¡°This place¡­ are you leaving?¡± ¡°Yes. Our leader is breaking down the wall ahead of us. If all these walls are broken, we¡¯ll be able to go outside. Of course, you have to pledge your allegiance to our leader before then.¡± ¡°Really, are you sure you can get out of here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Herbin couldn¡¯t believe it, so he stood and looked up at the sky for a moment. Then he said to Meppo. ¡°You asked me how long I¡¯ve been here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been over 300 years.¡± ¡°¡­That can¡¯t be. The maximum penalty for a traitor is 170 years. As far as I know, you disappear after 170 years.¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± Herbin smiled and walked again. ¡°How can I put into words the fear I felt when I knew that I would not die even though I lived only looking at the day I turned 170?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°300 years. It¡¯s been 300 years.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± They hurried their steps. As they walked through the maze all night, a panoramic view of the desert came into sight. Like a flower blooming in the desert, the bright crimson sun slowly rose. There was a hole in the maze. Herbin stopped at the sight. And asked Meppo. ¡°May I run?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Even if I fall behind, please go ahead.¡± ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Herbin was concerned, and he put Meppo¡¯s arm on his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, together!¡± Seeing Herbin trying to help him, who seemed to be having a hard time collecting himself, Meppo came to think that he was a very good person. He was curious to think so. Why did this sage enter the maze? Meppo continued to walk through the maze. It was not until the sun rose from the front to the middle of the sky, and then began to fall behind their backs that the two came out of the maze. Meppo found Kernin standing in front of the maze and ran to him. ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡± Meppo collapsed on the sand, relieved that he had barely escaped the maze. Kernin opened his mouth. ¡°There is an oasis nearby. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain. By the way, the party has increased.¡± Meppo saw three men following Kernin. All of them seemed to have been taken out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. Kernin said. ¡°I met twenty people, but only these three were worth using.¡± Seventeen meant to kill. Meppo felt appalled, but he wondered what significance the deaths of those who must have been traitors meant to him, as he also abandoned his right-hand man. A long time in the maze was a time to cultivate the loyalty of a traitor. The three, brought out by Kernin, were sure to pledge eternal loyalty to him. Meppo followed Kernin diligently. When the party arrived at the oasis, they found a fallen tree. It was a sacred tree. It was unbelievable that both the sacred tree fell to both the traitors and Royal Knights. ¡°The¡ª the sacred tree¡­¡± Meppo ran frantically and checked the sacred tree. It was completely dead. Even the base made it seem clear that it was artificially cut by someone. Kernin also seemed surprised, but he thought it had nothing to do with him, so he immediately began to quench his thirst with the water of the oasis. The oasis where the sacred tree disappeared was muddy, but they had to drink this water to cross the desert. While the rest of the party were also quenching their thirst at the oasis, the sage Herbin walked to the base of the tree. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s still savable.¡± ¡°You can save it?¡± When Kernin asked, Herbin knelt under the tree. He took his hand to the base. Then he looked back at the party and said, ¡°With me, will you put the sacred tree back up?¡± The rest of the party clung to his words and lifted the tree. And not too long after it was set straight on the base. ¡°S-sage!¡± Meppo pointed to the leaves in surprise. The divine blue energy of the dead and withered sacred tree began to slowly return. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ After leaving the palace, Iris arrived at Hayer¡¯s house. Iris checked Cadella¡¯s room first. Looking through the wide-open window, she saw Cadella with a book open and concentrating with a serious face. Not wanting to distract that concentration, Iris backed away quietly. Hayer explained. ¡°It seems that he has something he wants to do after seeing my mother.¡± ¡°What does he want to do?¡± ¡°It was for a moment, but his hallucinogenic drug cleared my mother¡¯s mind. After that, he wants to see if he can use his abilities as a medical technique. Anesthesia, or conversely, to keep the mind intact.¡± Iris spoke with eyes full of affection at his words. ¡°He is a good person.¡± ¡°He¡¯s pretty good for a traitor.¡± Hayer said and laughed merrily. After checking on Cadella, Iris went into the room where she stayed for a while. Hayer left her room empty for granted, and even the items likely to be found in a princess¡¯s room increased one by one. Iris sat at the desk, grateful for Hayer¡¯s consideration. The King of Siere wrote and sent a rough reply on any letter paper, so she intended to do the same this time. In the beginning, she wrote about the rotting disease of pomegranate flowers. And since she knew the solution, she asked for a call to be granted. With such courtesy, but not servile, she wrote a letter requesting entry again. Just as she wrote down her last signature, she heard Hayer knocking. ¡°Come in.¡± When Iris said, Hayer opened the door and entered. He checked the letter Iris wrote, and immediately entrusted it to Edwin the courier. After Edwin left, Hayer said to Iris. ¡°Then now we have to choose jewels.¡± ¡°Are you really going to choose?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t, I think I¡¯ll be scolded by the lady-in-waiting. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Hayer was right. Iris got up to pick out the jewellery despite it being cumbersome, afraid of being nagged at by Agatha. At that time, the messenger rushed in urgently. ¡°Ca-Captain!¡± Hayer, who guessed that something was wrong with the urgency, accepted the letter right away. And after opening the letter, he narrowed his eyes. The contents of the letter were twofold. That Kernin Lepos escaped the maze. And that the sacred tree was reviving. afterword iris¡¯s room in hayer¡¯s home gradually getting filled with items for a woman that is so adorbs im going crazy anyway sorry for the late-ish update i kind of forgot erm yeah CH 103 Hayer and Iris couldn¡¯t say anything for a while at the news that the sacred tree was being revived. The two people had a duty of cutting the sacred tree, and the breaths of the two went into that duty. But they never thought it would come back this easily. Hayer, who had froze, found Iris gritting her teeth and inadvertently brought his hand to her chin. ¡°That hurts.¡± Saying that, he returned his hand that was about to touch her chin. Iris took a deep breath, relaxed her body, and said to Hayer. ¡°The fact that Lord Kernin¡¯s exit from the maze and the news of the resurrection of the sacred tree came together means that the two things are not separate, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°How on earth?¡± This was a great shock to both of them. Among them, Hayer, who considered cutting down the sacred trees as his job, was even more shocked. But he calmly opened his mouth. ¡°For now, I think I should guard the sacred tree of the mountain area. Reviving the sacred tree of the desert means that you don¡¯t know when the sacred tree of the mountains will also be revived.¡± ¡°If you guard¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go south right now and completely remove it, down to the roots.¡± Iris nodded. Hayer immediately thought of his next job. At least, that¡¯s what it looked like on the outside. From his appearance, Iris knew that she also had to find something to do. Kernin¡¯s emergence from the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth meant that he, too, fulfilled an important task as heir to the throne. If he even revived the sacred tree that had died there, the hearts of the citizens of Luwan were likely to be directed to him. While Hayer headed south to remove the sacred tree to its roots, Iris headed to the palace. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ News of the sacred tree was delivered through the mouths of merchants passing through the oasis as well. The news quickly spread throughout the capital. Madeleine, the daughter of Kernin Lepos, also heard the news. She met with her half-brothers and their best friends today. Originally, they would not even sit with her. However, after hearing that Madeleine was pregnant with Sid Lepos¡¯s child, and hearing that she had even become Iris Lepos¡¯s lady-in-waiting, she was invited to this meeting. Since their father, Kernin Lepos, was the leader of the Royal Knights, they were free to visit any villa owned by the Royal Knights. It was their privilege, their pride. ¡°I was eleven. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Of course. I still live with the memory of picking the fruit of that tree.¡± Despite calling her, they were only sharing their memories that Madeleine couldn¡¯t know. Madeleine, who had been listening for a while, said. ¡°I¡­ I think I have to go now. The princess is preparing an important party, so I have to help.¡± Then Kane Lepos, the eldest son of Kernin Lepos, said. ¡°Party? Is there a party we don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°Ah. Getting ready¡­ the princess is throwing a party to celebrate her visit to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. She said she would send invitations soon, the princess.¡± Madeleine slightly reflected on herself, thinking that she was putting ¡®princess¡¯ at the end of her words too much. However, to her, Iris was a person she admired and a lifesaver. As she was about to leave, Saila, Kerrnin¡¯s youngest daughter and the same age as Madeleine, spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s good. Father is coming back soon. Will there be two main characters at the party?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Kane responded as if he had been waiting. Madeleine only then realized why they invited her here. Iris¡¯s other lady-in-waiting, Agatha, had a large amount of hands. They were all over the place preparing for the party, so there was no way they didn¡¯t know. When Kernin returned, they wanted to celebrate their father¡¯s achievement together at the grand party Iris was preparing. Madeleine¡¯s eyes darted around awkwardly, not knowing how to refuse. ¡°I¡­ uh¡­ L-let me ask.¡± Then Saila frowned and said, ¡°Is this something to ask? It¡¯s a party to celebrate going to the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth anyway. Just let them know they¡¯ve both been there. Who wants to pacify a main character?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I know it is.¡± Madeleine, who was intimidated by Saila¡¯s cold eyes and tone, lowered her head. And on her way back to the east building, tears began to drip in the midst. Originally, she didn¡¯t shed so many tears, but after she became pregnant, tears have poured out on a regular basis. Madeleine, who was entering the east building after bursting into tears, noticed Iris climbing the stairs with a hard expression. ¡°Pr-Prinncess.¡± ¡°¡­Madeleine?¡± Originally, Iris was a person with a cold impression. Madeleine always thought that the impression she had resembled Celios Lepos. She thought there would probably not be many men who would not be intimidated by approaching such a cold beauty. Today, Iris had a cold look on her face that was twice as cold than usual. However, when she found Madeleine full of tears, her expression relaxed. ¡°Why are you crying? What happened?¡± ¡°Pregnancy¡­ the child¡­¡± ¡°W-what about the child?¡± This wasn¡¯t it. Speaking of the child, Iris thought there was a problem with Madeleine¡¯s body and hurried down the stairs. Madeleine shook her head that it was not. ¡°Because I¡¯m pregnant¡­ I get choked up like I¡¯m menstruating every day¡­ I¡¯m angry¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point¡­¡± ¡°Mhm, speak slowly. Where do you want to sit?¡± Hearing Iris¡¯s kind words after being among Kernin¡¯s children brought more tears to her eyes. Relying on Iris¡¯s support, Madeleine sat on the sofa in the foyer on the first floor and cried for a long time. After crying until she was exhausted, Madeleine said, recovering from her emotions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry¡­ May I ask why you cried?¡± ¡°Oh, I was going to tell you that.¡± Madeleine hugged her chest, feeling like she was going to cry again. She was almost angry at herself for why she couldn¡¯t overcome such mixed feelings. Madeleine took a deep breath and opened her mouth. ¡°My father¡¯s children are trying to change the main character of the princess¡¯s party.¡± ¡°Change it, to Lord Kernin?¡± ¡°Yes! My father came out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth, so can¡¯t we celebrate the party together anyway? Does that make sense? I don¡¯t know, but my father saved the sacred tree. In the end, the party we worked hard on¡­¡± Madeleine closed her mouth tightly because she didn¡¯t want to say it was going to be taken away. Even though he was her father, Madeleine was just like anyone else. She didn¡¯t know much about politics inside the royal palace, but she instinctively knew who she was safe with. Iris listened to Madeleine and was lost in thought. Madeleine¡¯s concerns were not excessive. Iris knew that Kernin would emerge from the maze and be imprinted by the Luwans as a likely successor just like Sid Lepos, and perhaps even more, for saving the sacred tree. Every fight needed a cause. Iris knew that the weight was different when she had a cause and when Kernin Lepos had a cause. He had strong force, and he even had the power to control the Royal Knights. As soon as Kernin returns to the capital, he will try to inform the whole land of Luwan that he had been to the maze, and just in time, Iris will spend a lot of money and time throwing a party for Kernin. Somehow, Kernin¡¯s children gathered with Madeleine for the first time in a while, and she wondered what was going on. It was to burden Madeleine, who couldn¡¯t stand up to them, to deliver what was difficult for them to say to the host, Iris. Just in time, Agatha also rushed to the east building, probably hearing this fact. ¡°Party! Nothing can be taken away, Iris! The party I prepared!¡± Deep down, Iris was shaking, wondering if this was the right time to throw a party. Agatha said firmly, as if she knew that. ¡°It¡¯s not just a social event. It is to strengthen the position of Iris Lepos to the citizens of Luwan as well as the royal palace. But you can¡¯t lose it like this.¡± Iris nodded. As she headed to the North Gate, she recalled the Knights of the Tejas, who were talking about Kernin¡¯s ascension to the throne. ¡°Isn¡¯t Kernin Lepos a cruel man? If he ascends the throne, he will kill all his political opponents.¡± ¡°With the exception of Iris Lepos, Her Majesty the Queen.¡± That¡¯s what Hayer said then. ¡°Lord Kernin must have an inferiority complex because he is not legitimate, so he will definitely try to take Her Majesty the Queen.¡± Iris scoffed. She thought she had avoided a lion, but it looked like a dragon was opening its mouth. She pondered how to turn the situation around. CH 104 After thinking for a while, Iris opened her mouth. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we change it to a wedding?¡± ¡°Wedding?¡± Agatha narrowed her eyes and continued in disapproval. ¡°Iris. The money you gave me isn¡¯t small, but it¡¯s small for you and Lord Hayer¡¯s wedding. We¡¯re running out of time, and the season isn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°No, not my wedding. Parents.¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking about the wedding of Her Highness Celios and Sir Peter?¡± At Agatha¡¯s question, Iris knew that it was already considered an established fact in society that she was the child of the two people. In truth, no one had any doubts about who her father was. Madeleine, who was fidgeting next to her, asked Iris. ¡°That¡­ what does that have to do with this?¡± Then Iris opened her mouth. ¡°Sir Peter is from the Royal Knights.¡± Agatha¡¯s expression brightened, as if she had only just understood what she said. ¡°The senior of the Royal Knights is getting married, so the junior can¡¯t come out?¡± ¡°Mhm. It¡¯ll be hard to flatter.¡± At the same time, it would be a party entirely for Iris and Celios, mother and daughter. Agatha was very satisfied, and Madeleine understood and nodded. Then, she choked up again and said. ¡°They either prepare a party, or they try to take away the party prepared all night at most¡­¡± ¡°Argh. Stop crying.¡± Agatha patted Madeleine and said, ¡°The baby in the stomach will be upset¡­ no? Is it better for the mom to just cry?¡± Agatha looked anxiously toward Iris, and she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know because I¡¯ve never been pregnant either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Those who have done it know better. Just do whatever you want, Madeleine.¡± Madeleine nodded at the words of the two and said. ¡°I want to be the princess¡¯s lady-in-waiting forever¡­ I like it here¡­¡± The two burst into laughter at that. After deciding the direction, Iris went out into the hallway. Her mind was cluttered by the assumptions of when Kernin Lepos became king. It doesn¡¯t make sense. It was impossible. Now, in her head, there were only two contenders she knew who could sit on the throne. Hayer Asheri. And herself. The fact that Hayer¡¯s father was a Siere made Iris think that he was the right person for the throne at this point. The king of Luwan must not reject the pagans. He was better than herself in that respect. Now Iris intended to compare herself with Hayer to prevent Luwan from being covered in blood. Hayer was strong and good. Then, what are her strengths? Iris halted in place. ¡°¡­What are my strengths?¡± Standing there thinking, she could not find any strengths in herself. After being disappointed with herself for a while, she was fortunate to be able to recall one strength. It was discovered in the physical time of contemplating one¡¯s strengths. When considering who was right for the throne, Hayer or herself, her standard was Luwan¡¯s safety. Solely, the peace of Luwan. That alone was what she regarded as a condition for the throne. It was bound to be a strength, of course, in her standards. Iris considered herself stupid, and felt a little inferior about the fact that she had not learned royal studies[1]. But she was not so weak as to indulge in excessive self-deprecation. ¡°That¡¯s an important strength.¡± As a result, Iris evaluated herself in this way. A person who can want the throne. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Celios liked light tea. So the first tea brewed was to her taste. In fact, taste used to be based on some accumulated life. In that sense, she was rather impatient, so there were times when she asked for a less brewed tea. It accumulated on her tongue, and at some point made her think she liked light tea. That¡¯s how quick-tempered she was. ¡°There¡¯s no way Lord Kernin would have gone through the maze.¡± Celios affirmed. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be strange if that single-minded man ran through the maze and came out from running recklessly. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± She asked Peter Wick, who was sitting opposite of her, and he answered awkwardly. ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how he behaves? Lord Kernin must be a junior you raised yourself.¡± ¡°I know he¡¯s strong, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s enough to break through a wall.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know if the wall is penetrable, do you?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes. I know Kernin¡¯s strength, but I don¡¯t know the strength of the wall.¡± When Peter was correcting himself, a servant¡¯s voice was heard outside. ¡°Princess Iris has arrived.¡± As soon as he heard his daughter¡¯s name, Peter¡¯s expression softened. From Celios¡¯s point of view, Peter¡¯s feelings that could be named ¡®fatherly love¡¯ was a wonder. Of course, she was also proud of her daughter, who came out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. However, it was a feeling towards Iris¡¯s ability. ¡°Tell her to come in.¡± When Celios¡¯s permission was granted, the door opened and Iris entered. After greeting the two politely, Iris immediately got to the point. ¡°How about having a wedding?¡± ¡°Not yet!¡± Peter sprang to his feet in a fit of emotion. ¡°The princess is not even twenty years old yet! You must be at least twenty-five!¡± Unknowingly, Iris blinked at Peter¡¯s agitated words, and opened her mouth in bewilderment. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about my wedding¡­ I am aware of Sir Peter¡¯s opinion.¡± ¡°W-wasn¡¯t that about the princess¡¯s marriage?¡± As Peter was belatedly flustered, Celios put down her cup and said. ¡°Of course she means our marriage, Sir Peter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know why that¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°She is about to lose the party she was preparing for. However, if Sir Peter, the senior of the Royal Knights, gets married, the junior will have to stay quiet.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Only then did Peter grasp the situation. Then, he smiled and looked at the mother and daughter alternately. Just in case someone said they weren¡¯t mother and daughter, thoughts flowed in the same direction. Peter said with a reddening face. ¡°But¡­ His Majesty the King will grant permission¡­ what if he doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of not allowing it now?¡± ¡°Then why haven¡¯t we had a ceremony until now¡­?¡± ¡°¡­So now, are you saying that I should have said that we should get married first?¡± Peter was startled by Celios¡¯s sharp words and hurriedly got down on one knee. ¡°Your Highness Celios.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Celios watched suspiciously, and Peter took a ring box out of his inner pocket. His action surprised Iris too, and her eyes widened. Peter immediately opened the box and said. ¡°I was always ready.¡± Celios, who was taken aback by the ring that had been passed down from generation to generation in the Wick family, shining within, blinked rapidly. ¡°You always carried this around?¡± ¡°Yes. Always.¡± Peter said and looked up. Celios soon returned to her usual haughty face, and held out her left hand as if to put it on on his own. Peter put the ring on her finger with a happy expression. Iris was briefly nonplussed when she saw the unexpected scene while trying to escape the situation, but she came to think that it was not a bad feeling that her parents were on good terms. With the permission of the two, she left the east building. Since the urgent situation was resolved, she thought it would be okay to collapse for a while. Iris entered a small temple in the palace. Fortunately, it was empty. She lit the candles in the temple and knelt down to pray. And prayed for Tamati Sepate. She let go of her tingling emotions for a moment. The history that flowed before returning from the North Gate did not change as easily as expected. The sacred tree of the desert has been revived. But may the sacrifice of Tamati Sepate remain in that solid passage of time. Iris prayed earnestly. She was about to collapse, but strangely, she didn¡¯t cry. There was no time to cry, and her whole tense body seemed to think so too. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Hayer ran to the southern border at once. He gritted his teeth and tried to bear it, but he couldn¡¯t. In the end, he stopped his horse and dismounted in the meadow between the Hall family and the border. And he shouted once in the direction of the sea. He pretended to be calm in front of Iris, but in fact, he couldn¡¯t relax easily. The world has never once turned in the direction he wanted. It was the same this time. Perhaps war on the land of Luwan and being covered by the Sieres who were pushed out by monsters was unstoppable. Maybe it¡¯s the fate of this land and the people of Luwan. Hayer could understand Iris¡¯s expression to some extent only then. Her face that alternated between willingness to save Luwan and skepticism that the world was about to collapse. The look in her eyes. afterword hugs, pats, kisses for hayer and iris my poor babies they¡¯re only 19 for goodness sake!! 1. ???(µÛÍõŒW) refers to special education for the successor of a special position, such as a royal family or a traditional family or family line, from childhood to the time of inheriting as the heir. [] CH 105 Hayer got up and mounted back on his horse. His heart was heavy and impatient at the same time. It was unknown how it was revived, but he had to deal with the sacred tree on the southern border. He was going to root it out completely. When Hayer arrived at the end of the southern border, the Kawat people in the mountainous region guessed something was wrong. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Captain?¡± Hayer said when the village elder came out and asked. ¡°Did the monsters increase again?¡± ¡°Ah, not yet.¡± Hayer strode again with relief. He immediately entered the Knights of Tejas garrison and found a wooden shovel. When Hayer, who always joked around, moved without saying a word, the soldiers in the garrison became serious and followed him blindly. Ato, the vice-marshal who was at the garrison, alluded to Hayer¡¯s stiff face, which had been left with plenty of room. ¡°Captain, may I ask what happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I¡¯ll have to go and see.¡± Hayer replied like that and hurried his steps to the place where the sacred tree was. Unlike the desert, the sacred tree, which Hayer had long since cut down, was slowly rotting back into nature. Once Hayer began shoveling to dig up the roots, the soldiers who came out with shovels hesitated. Then Ato lifted the shovel and drew a large circle around the base. ¡°What are you doing? Group.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Vice-Marshal.¡± Suddenly, the Tejas Knights began to shovel around the base of the sacred tree. Even though the range was wide, many people were familiar with shoveling, so the roots were revealed in an instant. The fact that the sacred tree was being damaged was difficult for anyone on this continent to accept. Once they heard the order, they were digging, but most of them were crying along the way. Ato looked with respect at Hayer, who silently found the roots in such a situation. No matter how right he thought this was, it was natural that he would not want to do it with his own hands. Perhaps a different leader would have ordered his men to cut the sacred tree because they felt uncomfortable. However, as soon as Hayer decided that it was right to cut down the sacred tree, he cut it with his own hand. He was a good leader. Hayer, who found the root, stood up for a moment. And laughed. The roots were long. It was impossible to find out how long it was just by digging into the circle drawn by Ato. The roots that were like the trained thick forearms of the Tejas Knights stretched somewhere. Ato said with a look of consternation. ¡°To say it was completely dead¡­ I can¡¯t see it. Looking at these roots.¡± ¡°It certainly is.¡± ¡°How far¡­ are these roots connected?¡± ¡°How can I know? It¡¯s not a question, is it?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s a conversation attempt.¡± Hayer barely smiled at Ato¡¯s words. Then he looked down at the roots again, and cut it off with his sword. And after revealing the bottom as it is, a fire was lit. Fortunately, the rainy season hadn¡¯t arrived yet, so it quickly caught fire and slowly burned. Hayer looked at the burning flame. ¡°¡­Will Tilla tell me my sins?¡± The burning flame was too red. At first glance, it was not the usual colour of flame. It was a flame that the word ¡®fire¡¯ did not fit so well. Ato asked with concern. ¡°Will you continue?¡± ¡°I have to. So that it can never be revived.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Just as Hayer had a wound on his body at the moment of cutting down the sacred tree, this time he continued to talk while looking at the glowing flame, as if he had imprinted the sin in his head. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen that I can¡¯t save it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I have no choice but to make the right choice at this moment. Is there any other way?¡± Even if one day you go down in history as a monster yourself. At this moment, Hayer thought there was no other way but to trust his eyes. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Kernin Lepos commanded the Royal Knights to check the area of the maze continuously since entering the maze. They soon found Kernin¡¯s party out of the maze, and soon one of the merchant groups arrived at the oasis to pick them up. Meppo, who was in the wagon, looked back at the revived tree. He couldn¡¯t believe that the tree was cut, but there was a precedent for it. This was because the sacred tree of the southern border guarded by Hayer Asheri was once cut down. So what was even more unbelievable was the scene where the sacred tree was revived. ¡°S-sage, why on earth is someone like the sage¡­?¡± Meppo inadvertently swallowed the question of being a traitor. It was because he felt too aggressive. Perhaps it was difficult to save the sacred tree, so Herbin was sitting on the wagon and wiping off his cold sweat. And he asked Meppo, who has been taking care of him since they first met. ¡°Who cut this sacred tree?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Hayer Asheri. That name was the only thing that came to mind for Meppo Behad, who was the vice-captain of the Royal Knights and had once dueled with the man. He was the only person who was on the southern border at the moment the news of the fallen tree was heard, and was also in this desert at the same time. Therefore, the probability that it was Hayer Asheri who cut this sacred tree was very high. Meppo replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know right now.¡± However, Meppo did not recklessly guess what he did not see with his own eyes. Herbin nodded at his answer. ¡°But he must have had something on his mind.¡± ¡°His mind? Do you mean that you need to think to do the terrible thing of cutting down the sacred tree, sage?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Herbin answered softly. ¡°There are many times when there are significant reasons for actions that can never be understood.¡± Meppo was now accustomed to Herbin¡¯s unexpected words and was nodding his head moderately. The merchant group slowly passed through the desert. While taking a short break, Meppo checked the direction of the capital and approached Kernin. Then one of the traitors Kernin brought out of the maze, Tinulf, said. ¡°Captain, you also passed through the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. Isn¡¯t this a revelation?¡± In the meantime, after hearing the circumstances, he seemed so convinced. Tinulf continued. ¡°Your Majesty Kernin.¡± When Kernin was called by the honorifics of the king and queen, Meppo stopped there. It seemed to him that he was somehow moved that Kernin Lepos passed this maze and qualified as an heir to the throne. Meppo, of course, knew Kernin would correct the words ¡®Your Majesty.¡¯ But Kernin did not. Rather, he just smiled with a pleasant expression. ¡°Captain.¡± Meppo, who always obeyed his superior, opened his mouth to that. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°His Majesty the King is here.¡± No matter how much he belonged to the Royal Knights, Meppo¡¯s master was the king. Even if the king is tyrannical and incompetent. Meppo thought he should keep it now that he joined the Royal Knights. Kernin looked down at Meppo with his characteristic unsentimental eyes. Meppo thought he was measuring him. And he knew that if he wanted the kingship, he couldn¡¯t throw away a knight as skilled as he was. Even if it¡¯s thrown out when it¡¯s not necessary. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kernin said and turned around, as expected. ¡°Yes, I will take you to the capital.¡± Meppo bowed his head and swore. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ The revival of the sacred tree coincided with the time when Kernin came out of the maze. Iris believed that the traitor who emerged from the maze with Kernin, might have exercised their power. With that in mind, Iris, who was searching for books about traitors in the royal library, received a letter from Hayer, who went to the southern border. It was a letter saying that they couldn¡¯t meet for a while. Then Iris checked the following paragraph. Iris checked the letter and entered Hayer¡¯s room. His room was a neat place where anyone could tell that it was an unmanned room. There were very few sundries in sight. Most of the things that could be called ¡®messy¡¯ were piled up books. Iris opened the second compartment of the green chiffonier. It contained an orange opal. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Thinking about Tamati¡¯s death, Iris, whose heart had been heavy throughout, forgot the reality for a moment when she saw the jewel. It was a beautiful jewel that she saw for the first time in her life. ¡°¡­You¡¯re giving me the first jewel you received from your mother?¡± Iris furrowed her brows. Of course, it was a necklace that Hayer couldn¡¯t wear. However, it was never an item to be given away like this. Of course. It would be strange if it didn¡¯t mean much. And at the last sentence, Iris smiled. A smile lingered in her heavy heart. She laughed again. There was no other way. Jokes and laughter were the only farewells she learned. CH 106 Iris stood in front of the mirror and brought the orange opal to her neck. It was a dress that showed off the shoulders and collarbones from the pale neck in the shape of a curved wave. The orange colour was foreign to the black hair that flowed down her cheeks and her pale skin. Iris was worried that Hayer and herself might feel out of place like this even when they were together. She packed the necklace carefully and left Hayer¡¯s house. As Iris got into the carriage, Madeleine, who had come with her, asked anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to rest a bit more?¡± It was the concern of those around her who knew that she had been in the library all night for several days. Iris replied. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°No matter how I look at it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Iris smiled faintly at Madeleine¡¯s concern and closed her eyes for a moment to rest. After receiving the letter, she suddenly missed him. When she opened her eyes again, she thought it would be nice if the day of his return was just around the corner. * * * The King of Siere, Carl Lassor, looked down from the castle with a triumphant face. Strange beings began to engulf the capital of Siere, and the king sought a way to lure the monsters out of the capital. The monsters enjoyed attacking the inhabited villages. Therefore, once the citizens of the capital were evacuated as far away as possible from the place where the monsters were pouring out, the royal knights lured the monsters out. Carl was not only belligerent, but also found pleasure with the slaughter. It was almost thought he had killed enough to kill even such a person. The bodies of monsters had long been piled up like mountains on the roads they passed. He drew an arrow from his quiver with a tired look on his face. However, the four-legged monster that climbed over the wall approached so quickly that he pierced the monster¡¯s right eye without having time to draw the arrow. Shortly thereafter, his men put an arrow into his left eye, and the monster fell backwards and fell down the wall. The monster was the last of its kind tonight. Fortunately, when the sun rose, the monsters were no longer visible near the castle walls for a while. Having regained their composure, Siere¡¯s soldiers rested during the day. Likewise, Carl, who was trying to wash away the blood he was covered with, spotted Edwin, a courier, walking with a smile from afar. ¡°Oh, Edwin! You¡¯re really back?¡± ¡°Oh, long time no see! Did you miss me? Your expression looks like that.¡± He was so sociable that he quickly became close to people, showing his presence here and there, approaching Carl¡¯s without hesitation and bowing politely. ¡°The leader of the Knights of Tejas, son of Her Majesty the Queen Peonia Asheri, Hayer Asheri¡¯s courier.¡± Then he bent down on one knee and delivered the letter with both hands. Peonia Asheri. The King of Siere briefly recalled the name in his head. It was a woman who would suit standing in the middle of the desert with shining eyes. Does her son look like her? Or does he look like his father? It didn¡¯t matter who he looked like. Carl Lassor looked down at the courier, who was delivering the letter in an unwavering manner even if he didn¡¯t accept it. Then he asked as he received the letter. ¡°Is your lord strong?¡± The king¡¯s closest aides, who were concentrating on grinding their weapons on whetstone and pretending not to see the courier, paused. The King of Siere was in a state of great resentment against the King of Luwan. When he yielded his pride and asked for troops to stop the monsters, he had to be polite, even if he refused. But the King of Luwan did not. Nevertheless, Carl Lassor did not decapitate Edwin when he appeared with a letter from Luwan. That alone made Carl Lassor¡¯s attitude questionably friendly. Edwin answered without hesitation. ¡°My lord is the strongest on this continent.¡± ¡°That bastard!¡± At Edwin¡¯s words, Carl¡¯s men stood up indignantly. If they were to choose the strongest person on the continent, it was Carl Lassor without any doubt, and since he came to this land, they also thought that Edwin should agree with the idea. In the first place, they were convinced that the youngster Hayer Asheri was not likely to be stronger than their lord. Whether or not he was, Edwin remained unwavering. The King of Siere burst into laughter at that attitude. ¡°I would like to compete with him.¡± The king opened the letter given by Edwin as he spoke. It was the second letter from Iris Lepos, the princess of Luwan. The story about pomegranates, one of the main sources of income for Siere, was boring. Carl Lassor was not interested in anything like agriculture, so Iris¡¯s letter did not interest him at all. However, he read it to the end without stopping. It was admirable to ask for entry like this. Carl Lassor handed the letter to his attendant to deal with it. The attendant, who returned after the letter was checked by the sage, said cautiously to Carl Lassor. ¡°The sage said that for Siere, you must know how to save the pomegranates.¡± Carl Lassor scoffed at the attendant¡¯s words. And said to the courier. ¡°Did you deliver my gift to your lord?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The answer?¡± ¡°He is contemplating.¡± ¡°Contemplating?¡± Carl Lassor laughed at Edwin¡¯s answer. This was not a matter of contemplation, so his intention was not conveyed properly. Indeed. It would be hard to guess if his mother had never told him. Carl Lassor said to Edwin in a nonchalant manner. ¡°Tell Hayer Asheri again.¡± ¡°What should I tell him?¡± ¡°The man is the son of Carl Lassor.¡± At those words, the sound of grinding on whetstones stopped throughout the castle. Even Edwin, who had been trained to adapt to any situation, could not manage his expression and froze for a moment. Carl Lassor, a man who resembled the sun, continued. ¡°Hayer Asheri is my only child and the only heir to the Lassor family. That princess who inherited the blood of the Luwan Dynasty is not allowed, but my son¡¯s entry is always welcome.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news that your lord has stopped the monsters on the southern border, so tell him that he is ordered to come back to the land of Siere and help his father at any time. For crops, for monsters.¡± Despite his fear of the king¡¯s majesty, Edwin managed to open his mouth as a courier¡¯s duty. ¡°Is it correct to say that it is an order?¡± Orders and requests were starkly different things. It meant that while a request may not be fulfilled, an order could be followed by some punishment when it was not obeyed. ¡°It is an order.¡± When Carl Lassor spoke again, Edwin bowed his head deeply and then stood up. Pressure permeated his body as he left the castle. Before he could take a few steps, Carl Lassor¡¯s men raised their arms. ¡°There is an heir!¡± ¡°Your Majesty will bring back his heir!¡± His men loved their forceful lord. It was not difficult to accept that his successor was Hayer Asheri, who is called the strongest knight in the land of Luwan. They had no interest in the upturn of the Lepos family or the situation in Luwan. The Sieres just wanted a strong lord and an equally strong successor that would not undermine his status. * * * Edwin ran frantically out of Siere¡¯s castle. The owner of this castle, once called a great noble family, dedicated their castle to driving out monsters. Willingly or not, since Carl Lassor ascended the throne, this has become a matter of course for the Sieres. Edwin, who had just left the castle, couldn¡¯t start right away and breathed heavily. ¡°What is happening¡­?¡± Hayer Asheri, who had suffered for so long because he was a child born outside the queen¡¯s marriage, was now being called the sole heir of Siere. Even now, the King of Siere seemed to have no intention of hiding the fact. Rather, he seemed to reveal more clearly that Hayer was his son because of his anger at Luwan¡¯s king. Edwin¡¯s steps toward Luwan became more urgent to deliver the news. First, Hayer¡¯s order was to deliver Iris¡¯s letter and get an answer. Therefore, he had to deliver the results to Iris first, but he couldn¡¯t figure out how to convey the fact that only Hayer could enter the country. Edwin, who stopped walking several times and walked again repeatedly, did not arrive at the east building where Iris was until somewhat later. Party preparations had already begun in front of the east building, and beautiful tables were placed at regular intervals. Late at night, Edwin heard Iris was in the royal library and ran to her location. To not surprise Iris, Edwin made a gesture from afar. ¡°Princess, are you there? It¡¯s Edwin, the courier.¡± ¡°Over here.¡± Edwin headed to where Iris¡¯s voice was heard. To anyone¡¯s eyes, Iris, who stayed up night after night, was tired. Edwin recalled the Hayer that had been wandering around like a floating weed, unable to plant its roots in a solid place. Then he seemed relatively stable after meeting Iris. Iris, who hadn¡¯t heard good news lately, looked forward to a reply. Edwin, who had received the result of breaking them down, struggled to open his mouth. ¡°He once again refused to allow the princess to enter the country.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Iris nodded regretfully. Edwin shut his eyes tightly and continued. ¡°The captain has been allowed to enter the country.¡± ¡°Just Hayer?¡± ¡°Yes. He said that he would not allow the princess, Luwan¡¯s legitimate descent, to enter the country.¡± ¡°But why does Hayer get to?¡± Iris asked, but Edwin did not give a subsequent explanation, and immediately bowed his head. ¡°I think I have to tell the captain about that first.¡± ¡°¡­Please do so.¡± Iris replied doubtfully. afterword it¡¯s been half a year since i¡¯ve began uploading kbr translations¡­ man how time flies CH 107 Edwin, who first delivered the insufficient answer to Iris, suppressed his frustration and soon headed to Hayer. Arriving at the base of the Knights of Tejas on the southern border, Edwin caught one of the Knights in a tumultuous atmosphere. ¡°Why? What happened?¡± ¡°The captain has fallen!¡± ¡°What?¡± Edwin also rushed into the garrison in surprise. Knights, including Ato, were moving Hayer, who was carried on a stretcher. ¡°C-Captain!¡± Edwin ran frantically. Hayer slowly opened his eyes to the commotion around him and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­Others will think I¡¯m dead if they see this, you bastards.¡± At the voice that blurted out, the Knights finally sat down with some relief. Edwin, who approached Hayer, noticed the state of his body that was visible under his shirt and covered his mouth. There were wounds scattered that looked like knife cuts. Soon after, as Hayer ordered, the men who had pulled out the flowers blooming under the sacred tree with their roots returned. They first poured flowers into a large bathtub and filled it with water. Hayer threw his clothes off and stepped into the bathtub filled with flower water. ¡°Oh, it hurts like hell.¡± Hayer looked into the air and cursed. His head was blank from the pain he felt all over his body. At least the sacred tree on the southern border was uprooted and burned, so it was some relief. But the roots were not completely removed. Countless small roots sprouted out. They couldn¡¯t figure out how far it stretched with the number of people here now. Except for Edwin and Hayer¡¯s boot, Dylan, the rest of the soldiers withdrew. After the surroundings were cleared, Hayer asked Dylan. ¡°Did you bring the medicine?¡± ¡°Yes, here.¡± Dylan handed over the painkiller he had brought. Because it was painful to put on or eat, the painkiller paste was put in a thin cloth, rolled up, and put in the mouth like a cigarette. It was only after three or four inhales that Hayer came to his senses to some extent. The painkiller was so strong that just by inhaling the fumes from the side, young Dylan got dizzy and touched the wall. Hayer called a subordinate to take Dylan outside, and burned painkillers one after another. After smoking to the point where he felt his head go numb, the pain that seemed to be cutting his whole body like a sharp knife gradually died down. The flowers in the bathtub were clearly an effective remedy for the wounds. Like the stigma of a curse, or like a transparent being wielding a knife against Hayer¡¯s body, the wounds on his body that had been stretching stopped stretching. The quick action was obviously much more effective than the treatment of old wounds. Hayer looked down at the lingering wounds that almost healed as soon as he was submerged in the flowers. Then he looked up at Edwin and said. ¡°Iris will be upset if I tell her that I treated the wounds on my own, so tell them to keep it a secret.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that matters right now. Take a look at yourself, Captain. Even an old rag is cleaner than this.¡± ¡°Can you compare it to something nice? What do you mean a rag.¡± Hayer grumbled and dipped himself deeper into the bathtub. And said to Edwin, who was standing with a firm look on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen your expression so bad. Did you get dumped?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you listen to it after you recover?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. Your expression is so ominous that it would be easier for me to listen to it quickly.¡± Edwin sighed deeply at Hayer¡¯s words. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Is it hard to say?¡± ¡°The King of Siere has denied entry to Princess Iris Lepos.¡± After Edwin spit it out at once, Hayer tilted his head and asked. ¡°If Iris was denied entry to the country, does it mean that someone else was allowed?¡± ¡°Yes. The captain¡¯s entry¡­¡± ¡°¡­In the end?¡± Hayer clicked his tongue, repeating the misunderstanding he had at first, that the King of Siere wanted his power. ¡°Did you say that I wouldn¡¯t go if he were trying to appease me?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°No?¡± The painkillers Hayer smoked were too strong, making Edwin¡¯s body slowly loosen up like young Dylan¡¯s. It was because he had a terribly strong body that he could endure such a wound and smoke that horrible painkiller without a blink of an eye. Edwin said with tears in his eyes, because the painkiller kept his tear glands out of control. ¡°He said it was an order. To enter Siere.¡± ¡°Could you elaborate a bit?¡± ¡°That medicine is too strong¡­¡± ¡°Ah. Sorry.¡± Hayer stretched out his arm and opened the window. The smoke had dissipated a bit, but Edwin, who was already intoxicated with the painkiller smoke, could not hide his emotions and clenched his fists. ¡°He said he was the captain¡¯s father.¡± Hayer, who was taking another inhale of the painkiller at his words, stopped moving for a moment. Then he asked, keeping an eye on Edwin. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He told the captain to enter the country immediately, as he is the only heir to the Siere royal family, the Lassor family.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°It was an order.¡± Hayer¡¯s frozen hand did not move for a while, and the painkiller burned as it was. Edwin took out another rolled painkiller that Dylan had left on the table and held it out with both hands. Hayer stared at the hand, then reached out for the painkiller. Then he lit and smoked another one, and asked back. ¡°Did you say that the King of Siere is my own father?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s exactly what he said. The fact that the captain is strong¡­ he was very interested. I also thought he was just trying to appease you as a soldier of Siere.¡± ¡°He is my father?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± Hayer repeated the word ¡®father¡¯ over and over again, as if he was not convinced no matter how many times he repeated it. After repeating that for a while, Hayer covered his face with one hand. ¡°Shit.¡± After he managed to spit that out, he didn¡¯t say anything for a long time. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Iris felt an inexplicable uneasiness in Edwin¡¯s expression after meeting the King of Siere. From the first time she saw him, the courier had a relaxed expression throughout. However, when he met the King of Siere, his face had an indistinctness with an unknown root. She could feel that he was struggling to put words into his throat that he couldn¡¯t convey right now but had to tell her. Feeling that, it was hard to concentrate right after Edwin left. Fortunately, however, after the sun went down and the world became quiet, she was able to focus on finding data again. When the wax candle burned out, Iris stood up and opened the cabinet on one side. She took out a new wax candle from it, fixed it again on a silver candlestick used in the royal palace, and lit it. The maximum is 170 years of punishment in the maze. Therefore, she identified all the traitors of the last 170 years by searching for their names. When she checked all the last names and closed the book, a knight of the Royal Knights entered the library. He found the book Iris left on her desk and asked politely. ¡°Princess, have you finished reading the book?¡± ¡°Yes. I read it.¡± Then the knight, who hesitated with an abashed look, asked very carefully. ¡°Have you seen these names?¡± The knight handed Iris the four names written on the paper. The knight went on awkwardly. ¡°Our leader told us to find out about the traitors we met in the labyrinth before arriving at the palace. But since time is running out¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a familiar name.¡± ¡°Is that so? Oh, thank you.¡± The knight was very relieved, as if he would be in a lot of trouble if it wasn¡¯t found. Iris read all the books meticulously, and the stories accompanying each traitor were interesting and all remembered. She found all four traitors¡¯ information. The knight that was checking while turning the pages with Iris stopped at one name. ¡°Is this guy the only one named Herbin? Have you seen anyone with the same name?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. What happened?¡± ¡°The leader said that Herbin was a sage. He said he was wearing a grey religious robe and a crystal ball around his neck.¡± ¡°I looked for all the sages within 170 years. There was definitely no sage named Herbin.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The knight slapped himself on the forehead as if he were punishing himself and continued. ¡°Herbin is said to be a person from 300 years ago.¡± ¡°300 years? It can¡¯t be. The maximum punishment in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth is 170 years.¡± ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s what the leader said and heard.¡± Iris got up as soon as she heard that. Then she brought a book about traitors from 300 years ago and piled it on her desk. She searched for a sage named ¡®Herbin¡¯ by checking only the article and name, but there was no such name. Iris looked again at the sages. There were few. She soon found the description of the traitor the knight spoke of. He was from 342 years ago, and his name was not his own. In the first line about the sage, Zeniel Bronte, the knight of the Royal Knights dropped the book he was holding. The sound of the book falling echoed in the quiet library. ¡°Between a monster and a human¡­ no. This sentence seems to be wrong. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± The knight spoke forcefully. CH 108 While the knight of the Royal Knights affirmed at once that such a thing could not exist, Iris could not be so sure. ¡°Find me, child of Lepos. This tree can no longer protect us¡­¡± She did not blindly believe what she saw as hallucinations, especially the appeal of the monsters after collapsing in the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth. But obviously, through the hallucination, Iris learned that the roots could be used for the wounds caused by the sacred tree, and it worked. Therefore, the hallucination could not be declared completely delusional. With puzzled faces, the two wrote on their respective papers about the sage, ¡®Zeniel Bronte,¡¯ that Kernin will bring. The knight said. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll get going. I don¡¯t know if the captain will be satisfied with this, but¡­¡± The knight, who trailed off his words, once again bowed politely. ¡°Thank you very much for your help, Princess.¡± Iris replaced the farewell with a smile, and again looked for data on the traitor Zeniel Bronte. Iris, who stayed up all night looking for historical records at the same time as preparing for her parents¡¯ wedding, widened her eyes at the blood dripping on the desk. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Her nose was bleeding from worrying too much with her unhealthy body. Iris hurriedly wiped the blood with a handkerchief. Then, slowly, she turned her attention to the book. It was a book from 342 years ago. The book was so old that it was hard to read properly. All the books on history were made in Kitasha, one of the great noble families. Kitasha was a heavy-mouth family, so it was clear that they would not change the books unless it was a royal decree. After thinking for a moment, Iris pulled the book closer. Then she made a small cut on her finger with the sharp point of her earring and dripped blood on the page of the book. ¡°¡­Bad, really.¡± After muttering to herself, Iris took the bloodstained book and spoke to the royal librarian in the royal library. ¡°I dirtied the book. Could I possibly order a new copy?¡± Then, the royal librarian, who was dozing off because he had no reason to be called, suddenly came to his senses. ¡°Yes, of course, Princess! How much damage was done?¡± When asked by the royal librarian, Iris opened the book. Then the royal librarian freaked out and said. ¡°H-how did the blood¡­ come to think of it, don¡¯t you look pale!¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m a bit tired¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look just tired!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just change this book and rest.¡± ¡°What a true princess¡­ Anyway, this much damage¡­ a problem that would be disconcerting to even call it damaged will be resolved by the Kitasha family representative.¡± Iris smiled at the expected flow of the conversation. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry.¡± The royal librarian stood up as he spoke. ¡°She is staying on the top floor just in time, so I¡¯ll bring her.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Please sit down, Princess.¡± As the royal librarian brought her to a chair, Iris sat down without a second thought. She wondered if her face was that serious, so she looked at her reflection through the tinted glass of the window, but she couldn¡¯t tell from that. Shortly afterwards, Kitasha¡¯s delegate, Vered Kitasha, arrived at Iris¡¯s location. She was a typical northern woman with sky-blue eyes that seemed chillingly cold. Vered asked in a sharp voice as soon as she introduced herself to Iris. ¡°You damaged the book?¡± ¡°The royal librarian said it is not to the point of damaging¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much to damage a history book.¡± ¡­It wasn¡¯t damaged. Iris wanted to protest, but kept her mouth shut because it felt damaged even in her own opinion. Vered Kitasha snatched the book from her hand and placed it on the table. And after checking the part where the nosebleed was, she cut it off with a small knife that had a string on the back of the book. After taking out the bloody book page, she pulled a piece of paper out of the bag she brought. Then she started to write down the bloodstained book page. Iris was impressed by her neat and beautiful handwriting. All the history books she has seen so far had that handwriting. It was Kitasha¡¯s handwriting. ¡°Your handwriting is beautiful.¡± Vered ignored Iris¡¯s honest praise. In fact, rather than ignoring it, it seemed correct that she was concentrating on her work and not listening. There were about three pages stained with blood, and Vered was transcribing them perfectly. Iris noticed that she had memorized almost all the history books. It was natural that the Kitashas, who produce all the history books of Luwan, knew well about the traitors. However, they were tight-lipped, and they remained silent about what they had to keep secret, even if the king would come to wipe out Kitasha. Even so, she wondered if she might be able to find help with an urgent matter. Iris asked Vered a question while she was just finishing the second chapter and moving on to the next chapter. ¡°Has there ever been a child born between a monster and a human in history?¡± When asked like that, Vered looked coldly at Iris. Then she opened her mouth calmly. ¡°Why are you asking again what you¡¯ve already confirmed in this book? Are you testing me now?¡± ¡°No! No way. It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°It is said that Zeniel Bronte is a child born between a monster and a human. He is a man of the north, and by the time he was born, he was closer to the monsters than anywhere else.¡± ¡°Are you from the high mountains?¡± ¡°I am a Luwan. There is a village in the high mountains where the Luwans live. Most of them are fugitives.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Iris belatedly realized that Vered was just cold, not angry. It was now that she was really angry. ¡°You don¡¯t believe the book written by my family?¡± Iris shook her head quickly at her words. ¡°I just thought it was a curious story. It¡¯s hard to believe.¡± ¡°The Kitasha family does not write lies in their history books. If it was written that a child was born between a monster and a human, there would have been clear evidence that it looked like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It wasn¡¯t that I doubted Kitasha¡¯s ability.¡± It was not until Iris apologized immediately that Vered¡¯s anger ended. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to be a person who held grudges even after hearing an apology. Iris said cautiously. ¡°Zeniel Bronte is said to have come out of the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth this time.¡± ¡°He entered the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth 342 years ago, so he would have died.¡± ¡°No. They say he came out alive.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°Is there any data that can tell us more about him?¡± ¡°I am the source.¡± ¡°Will you tell me?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± As expected, Vered was reluctant to say the contents of the history book. It was because of Kitasha¡¯s family custom of believing that it was right not to ask and answer in order to record an accurate history. Without a word, she went back to transcribing the third chapter. Iris, too, was just asking, so there was nothing to feel hurt about. All the books in the library were copies. The originals were all owned by the Kitasha family. However, even these copies were repeated. The items in the royal library were written in Kitasha¡¯s handwriting by a member of the Kitasha family. It was the same book as the original. It was a mysterious work. The ink used only by the Kitasha family quickly took root in the paper and dried up to prevent it from smearing. Vered tied the book tightly with string again. It was such an old book that there were traces of replacement on the new paper, so Vered wrote down her signature in the corner of the new paper. It meant that she revised it herself. Iris admired the craftsmanship of the Kitasha family in history books. It was thanks to the people of the Kitasha family who regarded historical records as their business that made even the reckless King Eswa worry about his name in history. ¡°If the paper is of a different age and does not have the signature of a member of the Kitasha family, it must have been modified by someone else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fake.¡± Vered said emphatically. ¡°Even if there is a ruler who forces us to revise the history books, the Kitasha family will never write history other than facts.¡± Iris nodded, and Vered continued. ¡°So act right, Princess. Always.¡± Having said that, Vered stood up. And she went on. ¡°As you know, the Kitasha family is close to the sacred tree in the north. The energy of the sacred tree guides the Kitasha family to an accurate history. With the help of the sacred tree, we are always watching the royal family¡¯s activity.¡± It was said that the sacred tree would tell the people of the Kitasha family the exact route of history. So the Kitasha family were both great historians and great detectives. Iris recalled the Kitasha family before crossing the North Gate. During the war, contact with the Kitasha family was completely cut off. Iris thought that the monsters, which had probably been running amok due to the northern sacred tree, had annihilated the Kitasha family. She opened her mouth. ¡°What if.¡± Iris made a quiet noise, then shut down for a moment. And asked Vered again. ¡°If the sacred tree was corrupted, would false history be written?¡± CH 109 Vered looked dumbfounded for a while, then asked back in a rather agitated voice. ¡°¡­What do you mean by corrupted sacred tree? What nonsense are you talking about! It is also the power of the sacred tree that the princess can find her way. If that power had been corrupted, how could the princess have escaped the Traitor¡¯s Labyrinth?¡± ¡°Madam, you weren¡¯t like the Kitasha family just now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± You don¡¯t deny it until you check it with your own eyes. It was a matter the people of the Kitasha family considered important. However, it was different with the sacred tree. The Kitasha family was a family that bloomed on the power of this sacred tree. Hearing an insult to the sacred tree, Vered denied Iris¡¯s words on the spot as unprecedented. ¡°¡­Nonetheless, it can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Madam Vered.¡± Iris risked her life to tell the truth to the Kitasha family who kept secrets. ¡°The sacred tree is already exhausted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The tree now does not protect us from monsters, but only serves to make the monsters explode like pouring oil to a fire.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°On that point, Madam needs to confirm.¡± It was neither an order nor a request. Iris believed that any representative of the Kitasha family would surely dig into this incident to be recorded in history. So this was merely a reminder of what Vered Kitasha had to do. Vered gazed at Iris with mysterious eyes. Vered Kitasha, the eldest daughter of the Kitasha family and the mother of two children who inherited the Kitasha family name, struggled to rule out the subject in order to consider Iris Lepos¡¯s words. The sacred tree was the source of the power of the Kitasha family. Vered said. ¡°If the sacred tree is corrupted, how can the people of my family still write down an accurate history?¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be the innate power of the Kitasha family?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Vered was lost in thought for a moment. And after bowing her head slightly, she left the library. She had no choice but to look into it since she had doubts. It was her blood-driven job. After Vered left, Iris sighed heavily, exhausted. There were many people who had a knack for making others uncomfortable in the royal palace. Maybe she was one of them, Iris thought. She forcibly pulled up her exhausted energy. She was overdoing it. It was time for a break. Iris checked what Vered had transcribed about Zeniel Bronte. She could finally read it because she had rewritten it neatly on a new piece of paper. After examining it for a while, she put it in her bag, and headed for the east building. The front of the building was noisy for tomorrow¡¯s party. Agatha, her lady-in-waiting, came running, but when she saw Iris¡¯s face, she freaked out and backed away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± ¡°Huh? Is it not good?¡± Iris, who had never been told in her life that she was not pretty, asked with wide eyes. Agatha immediately calmed down and clicked her tongue in response. ¡°It¡¯s pretty. It¡¯s because you¡¯re so pale. Hurry up and get some sleep. At any rate, pretty kids don¡¯t know how to save their faces.¡± She wanted to ask how she cared for her face, but for now, she didn¡¯t talk about things she didn¡¯t know and listened to Agatha¡¯s grumbling. Agatha asked. ¡°So, when is the groom-to-be coming?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He said he would come before the party, but strangely, there was no contact. Iris still believed in his promise, and spoke in a confident voice. ¡°He¡¯s coming, soon.¡± ¡°If there is a party, you should have come the day before. Lord Hayer or you. Trusting only your face¡­¡± Hayer sometimes trusted his face and acted charmingly, but not herself. Iris felt wronged to be tied up with Hayer. In any case, it was true that Iris, whose parents were getting married, had to be better dressed and cared more about than Hayer. Iris washed herself in the bathroom and lay down in bed to get a good night¡¯s sleep in her own effort for the next day. Even though she was so tired, she thought for a moment that she missed Hayer. She could see him tomorrow, so she tried to sleep, suppressing her needless anxiety. ©¤©¤©¤ ? ? ¡ã ? ? ? ¡ã ? ? ©¤©¤©¤ Hayer had difficulty keeping himself under control for a while because of his wounds. After soaking in flower water, the night continued when he was drunk on painkillers and sent to faint or sleep. Hayer, who was spending time recovering, was ready to start as soon as he could get up. Hayer draped his clothes over his still scarred body. Since he made a promise, he had to go to the capital. He couldn¡¯t send her to that important event without an escort. ¡°He told the captain to enter the country immediately, as he is the only heir to the Siere royal family, the Lassor family.¡± The remaining energy of the painkiller mixed with the contents delivered by the courier Edwin. He will not enter the country. But what happens after that? The extent of Siere¡¯s forces was unknown in Luwan. No, do you want to know? The incompetence of the royal family was fatal in the position that the border has been and should be protected in the future. In any case, Hayer got on the horse. Ato, vice-marshal of the Knights of Tejas, asked anxiously. ¡°Captain, wouldn¡¯t it be hard to get to the capital now?¡± ¡°You worry about everything.¡± Hayer drew up the corners of his mouth. ¡°Edwin will take responsibility if I fall.¡± Then Edwin, who was ready to return to the capital with Hayer, said. ¡°I can¡¯t take responsibility. The captain is twice my size.¡± ¡°Think of it as training.¡± ¡°My training is to become quicker, not stronger.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve run out of loyalty.¡± ¡°There was never¡­¡± Playing around like that, Hayer gathered the energy to start. However, as he got on the horse while being seen off by the Knights of Tejas, his expression hardened again as he ran through the meadow heading to the capital. Edwin, who predicted his expression without even seeing it, spoke as he drew closer. ¡°Captain, shall I go back to Siere?¡± ¡°I need a moment to think.¡± ¡°Yes, understood. Please tell me anytime.¡± Edwin replied and moved away again. It was time to clear his head while he was running. Hayer thought about what was to come in the future while running through the empty field where no terrain appeared for a while. On the day of Celios and Peter¡¯s wedding, Iris caught sight of the boutonniere prepared for Hayer. It was an orange gerbera matching the colour of his eyes and the necklace she wore around her neck. To accommodate the party that starts in the afternoon, the boutonniere picked was selected with the flowers for today¡¯s luncheon. As Iris looked at the flower, Annie, the Asheri family maid who was arranging her clothes, said. ¡°The young master will come soon. I¡¯ve never seen the young master fail to keep his promise in my life.¡± Then Iris answered with a smile. ¡°Yes. I know he will come.¡± However, the problem was that Edwin¡¯s expression, who left after meeting her, was dark. It kept coming to mind. Iris didn¡¯t think she was a very perceptive person. So she tried to think that it would be a useless worry. ¡°Princess, you have to leave now.¡± Iris sighed at Madeleine¡¯s words. Since it was her parents¡¯ wedding, she was sure they wouldn¡¯t pay too much attention to her. So isn¡¯t this too much? She thought, but Agatha wouldn¡¯t stay still if she said it, so she kept her mouth shut. Iris walked to the temple of the royal palace. Agatha was busy arranging the guests¡¯ seats until the very end. There must have been a lot of work to do, but she was grateful to Agatha for doing this for her. Agatha, who was busy checking the seats, noticed Iris entering the temple and stopped her urgent moving and talking. Then she looked at her with affectionate eyes and pointed to her seat. ¡°Here is your seat. And don¡¯t eat food. I didn¡¯t bring it to eat. It¡¯s decoration. Most people here won¡¯t eat them. You can grab something simple at the dinner party later.¡± ¡°All right, all right. The nagging¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you because you¡¯re not interested in social events.¡± ¡°Therefore, I know, so you don¡¯t have to tell me that much.¡± After such a quarrel, Iris went to the place Agatha told her about and sat down. She was the closest family member, so she had arrived before the other guests came. From where she sat, she could see Celios Lepos in her wedding dress and Peter Wick in his formal suit. Even before the wedding, they seemed to be arguing about something they disagreed with. But soon, as if Peter Wick had told a joke, Celios looked at him with exasperation. Then, Peter Wick checked the surroundings and hugged Celios tightly. It seemed that he was only looking around and not looking up. She heard he was an excellent knight, but he was completely out of his mind because he had his lover next to him. Iris looked at the two for a moment before fiddling with the boutonniere in her hand. Then someone jumped over the chair next to her and sat down. Looking sideways, Iris¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is it mine?¡± Properly dressed in the uniform as the Knights of Tejas leader, Hayer pointed his chin at her hand. From the moment Iris felt his presence, she hid her thumping heart and scolded him. ¡°You¡¯re late. An escort should have been here the day before.¡± ¡°So. Won¡¯t you give it to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°Here.¡± Hayer pushed his left chest out for her to put it on him personally. Iris, who had been oppressed by unknown anxiety since Edwin left, burst into a small smile. afterword can the world pause for a second, let these two breathe, and let them get married PLEASE they can never catch a break