Chapter 6 ◆ A New Encounter with My Cute Wife

 

“One hundred fifty-three…”

The sound of my own voice counting numbers woke me up.

The curtain, slightly parted by the breeze, let morning light stab into my eyes, making me groan.

In my dream, I was forehead-to-forehead with Raul, calculating travel expenses.

But no matter how many times we calculated, we were short by one hundred fifty-three darin.

We were desperately working the abacus or scribbling on paper, worried we’d get scolded by the Crown Prince—such was the dream.

The worst.

I’d just finished guarding the Crown Prince, and now I was about to see him again in my dreams.

With a sigh, I rolled over and caught my breath.

There was Shitoen.

Her right cheek pressed into the feather pillow, face half-buried.

Her long silver hair, loosely tied back, let the lines of her face stand out clearly.

A small, oval-shaped face.

Her lashes, lowered, were so long they looked like they belonged to a finely crafted bisque doll.

Soft breathing slipped from her peach-coloured lips, her defenceless state making my heart race.

Her eyes, now closed, were striking like amethyst—such a beautiful girl.

Or rather, my adorable wife.

The glimpse of her décolletage and slender, graceful arms peeking from her nightwear was smooth and pale, almost glowing in the morning sunlight streaming through the window.

Shitoen’s chest rose and fell slowly with her steady breaths as she slept soundly.

Hidden beneath her nightwear was a dragon tattoo.

The dragon tattoo, a mark reserved only for the royal family of the Tania Kingdom.

It was small, like cherry blossom petals, located in the centre of her chest… or rather, closer to the curve of her right breast.

Of course, I’ve seen it.

I’m her husband!

I’ve seen it, and what’s more, I’ve touched it, even kissed that dragon tattoo.

Because I’m her husband!!

But.

I haven’t seen it since our wedding night…

I couldn’t help but groan, sitting up and clutching my head.

“U…n…”

It must’ve been my movement.

Shitoen let out a small sound and stirred.

In that moment, her nightwear slipped slightly… and, well, her chest… the valley between… it was kind of visible…

No, it wasn’t visible! I didn’t see anything! It just looked like it might be!!

I hurriedly grabbed the quilt and pulled it up to her shoulders, thinking, Phew, that was close.

But wait… hold on…

I’m her husband, so isn’t it fine if I look? Maybe I could’ve even savoured the view as a treat.

“Guh…”

I covered my face with both hands and groaned.

What am I even doing?

It’s not just this morning. Last night, too.

Since our wedding night, things have been so hectic that this was actually the first time in half a month we’d slept together like this.

Marriage isn’t the end of it. I’ve been swamped with paperwork, assisting the Crown Prince, escorting and entertaining guests. Shitoen’s been busy too, helping Her Majesty the Queen with receptions, thank-you letters, and greetings at social events.

At night, one of us would come home late, and the only times we’d talk face-to-face were at breakfast or while entertaining guests together at the palace.

The cherry on top was guarding the Crown Prince.

Just when I thought I could finally take a breather, the Crown Prince had to go inspect the frontier, and my knight order was assigned to escort him…

Duty.

That’s right, it’s duty.

But who assigns a newlywed an overnight business trip!?

Sure, it’s fine for the Crown Prince—he’s been married for years, and he and his wife grew up together in the same house as childhood friends!

But we’re different!

We haven’t even known each other for a year, and we’ve spent more nights not sharing a bed than sharing one!

Just when we were supposed to grow closer, heart and body.

Duty…

Duuuuty.

I wanted to yell, Go by yourself! but I held it back with all my might.

Because this is work.

If I neglect my work, what’s the point of being part of the royal family? I know that.

So I set the inspection travel to maximum speed.

Under my command, the knight order rode as one, galloping at full speed. The Crown Prince, riding in the carriage, was shaken so badly he apparently vomited from motion sickness.

The Crown Prince is a capable man, so despite the severe motion sickness and drastically reduced sleep, he carried out the inspection without issue.

And then, handing him a bucket for vomiting, we rode hard again and returned to the capital.

…But.

I was supposed to return to the mansion around noon on the sixth day of the inspection, so arriving late on the fifth night meant Shitoen was already in bed, breathing softly in her sleep.

I thought about waking her, just a little.

Shaking her shoulder, saying, I’m back, Shitoen. Maybe even kissing her eyelids.

Then she’d wake up and say, Welcome home, and we’d spend the rest of the night… well, you know. A passionate night, right?

But seeing her sleeping so peacefully, so trustingly, I couldn’t bring myself to wake her.

Shitoen’s been working hard with her own duties.

Living surrounded by people speaking a different language, people she’s only known for a few days.

She must be way more exhausted than I am.

I wanted to let her sleep peacefully at least at night.

With those thoughts, I slipped into bed beside her, only to wake up from that early morning dream.

“…Prince Saryu…?”

She called my name in a slightly sleepy voice.

“I got back late last night.”

Why did it come out sounding like an excuse?

I should’ve said I’m home or Good morning—or even I missed you. I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth.

“Sorry, I was…”

She tried to sit up, moving sluggishly, but Shitoen’s always been weak in the mornings.

She can’t move right after waking, and if she forces it, her face turns pale.

“It’s fine, keep sleeping.”

I hurriedly stopped her.

Her shoulder, which I touched, was so delicate I had to remind myself, Gently, gently.

Even so, I remembered our wedding night when my rationality nearly flew out the window, worrying if I’d break her, and my face heated up on its own.

Not good, not good, I thought, turning away, when a light, sweet voice brushed against my ears.

“Welcome home, Prince Saryu. I’m so relieved you’re safe.”

Drawn by her voice, I looked back to see Shitoen, wrapped in the quilt, smiling at me.

“Ah… yeah.”

I think I was probably staring at her, completely entranced, for a while.

That’s why I couldn’t give a proper response at all.

Now that I think about it again…

Holy crap, she’s insanely cute!!

My wife is ridiculously adorable!!!!

What is this cuteness?! I don’t care about other women, but is it even possible to be this cute right after waking up?!

No way, that’s impossible!

It’s gotta be different!!

It’s only Shitoen who’s this cute!!!!

Goddamn… aren’t I just the luckiest guy alive?!

Listen up!

Everyone in the kingdom, listen up!!

The husband of this girl who’s too damn cute even when she wakes up—it’s meeeee!!!!

It’s MEEEEEEEE!!!!

“Is something wrong?”

“N-nothing’s wrong!”

She asked with a puzzled look, and I hurriedly shook my head.

Maybe my reaction was funny, because Shitoen covered her mouth and giggled, fufufu.

“When you laugh, you’re so cute…”

Oh no, my inner thoughts slipped out!

As I flailed in a panic, Shitoen’s eyes widened, her face flushed red up to her ears, and she dove under the quilt.

“S-sorry… I just woke up, no makeup or anything… I must look awful, right?”

Her muffled voice came through, and I panicked.

W-what?! I was complimenting her…!

Oh, I get it!

Did she think I meant her morning face isn’t cute, but her laugh is?!

“N-no, no, no, no, Shitoen, that’s not it!”

I yanked back the quilt and dove in after her.

“Eek!”

Inside the quilt, Shitoen was curled up like she was diving underwater, holding her breath.

She let out a startled squeak when I barged in, but I didn’t care and pressed on.

“I said it wrong! Shitoen, you’re cute when you wake up, cute when you laugh, cute all the time!!”

Shitoen froze for a moment, but then her cheeks turned peach-pink, and she gave a shy smile.

“Prince Saryu, you’re always so cool.”

It wasn’t just because we were both under the quilt—my whole body felt like it was burning up.

I reached out toward Shitoen.

My movements were embarrassingly awkward, but Shitoen didn’t pull away or make a face—she just waited for me.

I grabbed her waist and pulled her close.

When I wrapped my arms around her, I caught her scent for the first time in a while.

A sweet, crisp fragrance. For some reason, it reminded me of the winter frontier.

Why was that? I pulled her closer, burying my face in the crook of her neck. When I took a deep breath, Shitoen let out a soft, almost coy sound, as if it tickled.

“Oh… that’s it.”

It was like the scent of narcissus.

Delicate stems and leaves, yet they break through the snow to herald the end of winter.

Every time we saw those narcissus, my comrades and I would feel a surge of joy.

The mission’s over—spring is near.

“What’s wrong?”

Shitoen pulled back slightly, peering into my face.

The quilt blocked the room’s light, softening the contours of her face and body.

“I just realized I haven’t said ‘I’m home’ yet.”

When I grinned, Shitoen smiled back.

“Is that so?”

With that, she leaned in a bit closer and kissed my forehead.

Right in front of me was her pale throat. Before I knew it, I was kissing it, then her collarbone, her chest, holding her waist even tighter.

“Ah.”

A surprised sound escaped Shitoen’s lips, and I continued trailing kisses from her throat to her collarbone and chest.

“Ah… um… nnh, Prince Saryu.”

Her voice, hesitant yet sweet, made my arms and body grow hotter and hotter.

I hooked my fingers under the shoulder of her nightwear, about to pull it down when—

“Good morning, Young Master. Lady Shitoen.”

Knock, knock, knock. Three polite knocks, followed by the butler’s voice, which I hadn’t heard in ages, came through the door.

“…Prince Saryu, it’s the butler.”

I didn’t respond, so Shitoen called out to me with a little chuckle.

“Good morning, Young Master. Lady Shitoen.”

The butler’s voice pressed again, but I buried my face in Shitoen’s chest and refused to move.

No way I’m moving! I can’t hear him! I’m not hearing anything!!!!

“Good MORNING!”

But the butler’s voice, enunciated with each breath, cornered me.

No way! We’re newlyweds, and we’ve been separated so soon! After all that waiting, it’s finally morning…! I’m still in bed with Shitoen! I have every right to be here!

I’m not leaving this bedroom!!

“Commander! Get up! Everything else will get delayed!”

Dammit, even Raul’s here now.

What the hell, man?! At least get your calculations straight before you show up! …Oh, that was about a dream, wasn’t it?

“Prince Saryu, let’s get up, okay?”

Shitoen was laughing.

“…Tch, damn it.”

I clicked my tongue and threw off the quilt.

“What the hell! I got back late last night!!”

I tried to fight back, but the butler responded through the door.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has summoned you. He requests that you and Lady Shitoen come together.”

“The Crown Prince?”

Shitoen and I exchanged glances.

If it was just me, fine, but Shitoen too? What’s going on?

◇◇◇◇

A few hours later.

Shitoen and I stood side by side in front of the Crown Prince’s office. Raul was waiting outside the mansion.

The guard announced our arrival, and a curt “Enter” came from within.

The guard opened the door, and I stepped inside with Shitoen.

A breeze fluttered the sheer curtains behind the Crown Prince.

He was signing documents with a scratch-scratch, his eyes fixed on the papers. A mountain of documents already sat in the approval box.

I couldn’t help but give a wry smile.

With this amount of paperwork, he was probably working while I was throwing a tantrum about not getting out of bed.

“Alright. Take these to His Majesty.”

The Crown Prince handed the box of signed documents to a waiting official.

The official took it respectfully, bowed to us precisely, and left the room.

“Good work yesterday. Sorry for calling you in so soon.”

“You’re the one working hard, Your Highness.”

“Actually, we’ve received letters from the Kingdom of Luminous and the Kingdom of Tania.”

The Crown Prince cut straight to the point.

“Luminous and…”

“Tania?”

Shitoen and I asked in turn, and the Crown Prince, expressionless, pulled two letters from a drawer.

One was a sealed envelope, the other a scroll.

“Luminous… their envoy came recently, didn’t they?”

I remembered greeting them with the Crown Prince.

I didn’t attend the meeting itself, so I don’t know the details, but was something up?

“Has something happened with Tania? Unfortunately, I haven’t heard anything from my father…”

I placed a hand on Shitoen’s back as she spoke anxiously, and we approached the Crown Prince’s desk.

The envelope bore the wax seal of the Luminous royal family, while the scroll had an image of the dragon revered as a god in Tania.

“The suspension of coal and mineral exports due to Shitoen’s broken engagement is still ongoing, and Luminous is desperate to have it lifted.”

The Crown Prince snorted, sounding bored.

“That country’s cold, though not as much as Tania. Winter must be harsh. This whole thing caught them off guard, so their coal reserves might be running low.”

Come to think of it, portraits of Luminous royalty often show them draped in red cloaks adorned with heaps of animal fur.

My mother, who came from Luminous, used to say, “It doesn’t snow much in Tidros, does it?” every winter.

“They’ve sent envoys to Tania multiple times to seek forgiveness and asked us to mediate, but… it seems the King of Tania said, ‘If they formally apologize to Shitoen.’”

With that, the Crown Prince unrolled the scroll on his desk.

It was covered in elegant Tania script…

“Sorry, Shitoen. I can speak a bit of Tania’s language, but the writing…”

I whispered, and she nodded, reading it aloud.

The contents backed up the Crown Prince’s explanation, stating that while they might forgive Luminous, the insult to the dragon-marked daughter must be undone, concluding with, “If Luminous formally apologizes to Shitoen, we will consider forgiveness.”

“And from Luminous.”

The Crown Prince took out a letter from the envelope and spread it on the desk.

The letter from Luminous read, “We are truly sorry for this matter. We wish to formally apologize to Princess Shitoen in the presence of the King of Tania. We know you’re busy, but could you please come to the Kingdom of Tania? Of course, we will cover all expenses and arrange the travel route.”

“If we hold the apology in Tania, you’ll have to pass through Luminous. They’ll handle the itinerary, travel permits, and accommodations. What do you say, Saryu? Can you escort Shitoen to Tania? The apology ceremony is official business, but afterward, you can treat it as a private trip. Take your time in Tania.”

“Of course. I’ll go.”

I answered the Crown Prince’s proposal instantly.

“Um… in that case, I could go alone as part of my duties. I could ask my father in Tania to arrange guards and travel preparations. There’s no need to trouble Your Highness or Prince Saryu.”

Shitoen shook her head, looking apologetic.

“This is originally a matter between Tania and Luminous. There’s no need to involve the Kingdom of Tidros. I’ll return immediately after the apology ceremony.”

“But you’re married to Saryu now, part of the Tidros royal family, aren’t you? You’re family. What concerns our kin concerns us.”

The Crown Prince stated firmly, and I nodded vigorously.

“No need to hold back, Shitoen. Let’s go to Tania together. And while we’re at it, let’s take it easy there.”

Beyond the apology, I wanted Shitoen to have a proper homecoming.

Shitoen spent two years in Luminous for her engagement, only to have it publicly broken off during the ceremony.

Then, as if to say, “Oh my, we’ll take her then!” my mother swooped in to claim Shitoen, and now she’s my wife.

She briefly returned to Tania after the broken engagement, but that was to receive instructions from the King of Tania—she probably didn’t get to relax with friends or spend time at home.

“That’s true, but I chose to be here. As Prince Saryu’s wife.”

Prince Saryu’s wife.

Hearing it from Shitoen’s lips… it’s making my face break into a grin.

No, no, pull it together, me.

“I want to see where my wife was born and raised. Is it okay if I come along?”

I bent down to look into Shitoen’s face, and she blushed bright red, stammering, “N-no… I mean…”

“If you feel uneasy about relaxing in Tania, I’ll lend you my villa in Tidros on the way back. It’s in the frontier, so you can stay there for a while. You two haven’t even had a honeymoon, right?”

The Crown Prince propped his cheek on his hand, looking at Shitoen.

“The villa hasn’t been used in years, so it could use some airing out. It’d help me if you used it. What do you think?”

“Well… if Prince Saryu is okay with it…”

She couldn’t refuse after all that.

I nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course! Let’s go to Tania together!”

The Crown Prince shrugged, as if to say finally, and looked at me.

“That villa’s in the mountains, but it has a pool, and the night view from the second floor is quite something. There are even pretty fish in the pond.”

P-pool!?

A pool!? Crown Prince!!

What a suggestion, Crown Prince!!

A pool means… swimsuits!!

Shitoen in a swimsuit…!!

Shitoen in a SWIMSUIT!!

In my mind, Shitoen’s already splashing in the water, smiling and saying, “Prince Saryu, come play with me!”

But then I noticed.

The image in my head… the resolution’s kinda low.

I mean, I’ve seen Shitoen’s body—I mean, naked!

In the bedroom… you know, when we did that!

I’m her husband, after all!

But even then, it was at night, kinda dark, so… I didn’t exactly see her clearly.

If anything, the feel of her skin, her warmth—that’s what’s vivid.

Sadly, that was just the one time, on our wedding night.

But a swimsuit means…

A swimsuit means, right!?

Shitoen in a pool under bright, shining sunlight!!

Her skin exposed, her slender arms and legs, her full chest… all clear as day in the sunlight!!!!

What an event—what a glorious event!!!!

“Prince Saryu! Nosebleed, nosebleed!”

“What are you doing, you idiot?”

I realized my nose was bleeding.

I pressed my nose, stammering, “S-sorry!” and bolted out of the office, only to get a cold stare from Raul waiting outside…

◇◇◇◇

A few days later, in the Kingdom of Luminous, the Prime Minister stood rigidly, watching the revered King Noie.

King Noie, ruler of Luminous and representative of the Caravan Union, silently scanned a silk-lined scroll.

It was the long-awaited reply from the Kingdom of Tania.

The Prime Minister, standing across the heavy oak desk, lowered his eyes.

He’s aged so much…

It was no surprise.

Ever since Crown Prince Arios unilaterally broke off his engagement, the kingdom had been scrambling to clean up the mess.

The Caravan Union, made up of five kingdoms, often solidified bonds through marriages between royal families.

This time, Arios was to marry Shitoen Barimore, a member of Tania’s royal family.

But during the engagement ceremony, Arios abruptly declared the engagement null and introduced his lover, Meil, as his new fiancée.

Naturally, the King of Tania was furious, halting exports of coal and minerals to Luminous.

Luminous tried to smooth things over, but the King of Tania’s anger didn’t abate.

The other kingdoms in the union watched coldly, their criticism harsh.

“How rude to that ancient, noble kingdom.”

“What do they think the union stands for?”

Harsh words were directed at the Luminous royal family.

Even trying to win Shitoen back was futile—right after the broken engagement, the Queen of Tidros stepped in, claiming her as the third prince’s wife.

As if mocking Luminous, Shitoen’s reputation in Tidros was dazzling.

She was adored by her husband, Saryu El Tidros, and revered like a goddess by the knights he led.

She was favoured by the notoriously difficult Queen and was as close as sisters with the Crown Princess.

She even diagnosed and healed the chronic ailment of Saryu’s friend, Lord Vandel Sheen, and cured a disease outbreak in his territory.

The King of Tidros, her father-in-law, thanked the King of Tania, saying, “We are truly grateful for this marriage with such a wonderful princess,” and proposed trade beneficial to Tania.

All that honour and profit should have been ours…

The Prime Minister clenched his jaw, shooting a sharp glance at Arios’s back as he stood nearby.

A handsome face inherited from his mother, a strong build like his father.

A brilliant mind, loved by all—the Crown Prince of our kingdom.

If only he hadn’t broken the engagement.

But there’s no use regretting what’s done. We’ve taken steps.

If this continued, Shitoen would strengthen ties between Tania and Tidros.

So, the Prime Minister ordered the “Cleaners,” a group of assassins in Luminous, to kill Shitoen.

But Saryu thwarted every attempt.

As expected of the man called the “Winter Bear of Tidros,” guarding the frontier. He’s flawless.

“Father, what did the King of Tania say…?”

Perhaps impatient or assuming Noie had finished reading, Arios spoke softly.

“If we formally apologize to Princess Shitoen, they’ll resume exports.”

Noie set the scroll on the desk, rubbed his temples, and let out a heavy sigh.

Arios’s tense expression softened.

“We never even got a reply before. This is a stroke of luck.”

The Prime Minister wanted to slap him for saying that, considering he caused this mess.

“We must arrange the apology before the King of Tania changes his mind…”

“Not before he changes his mind—immediately.”

The Prime Minister cut off Arios, speaking firmly.

But neither his expression nor demeanour betrayed the fiery anger within.

“Exactly.”

Noie nodded deeply.

They could manage without mineral resources, but coal was another matter—both Noie and the Prime Minister were terrified.

“…At this rate, our kingdom won’t survive the winter.”

Noie’s voice echoed heavily in the room.

Of course, they had reserves. They could release the royal coal to the people.

But even that wouldn’t be enough.

They considered sourcing from other kingdoms in the union, but the other three were sitting it out, likely fearing the King of Tania’s wrath.

If this continued, the people might cut down trees for firewood or harvest grass early, leading to unimaginable consequences.

They had to appease the King of Tania and resume trade before winter.

“This is my fault. I’ll go apologize to Shitoen.”

Arios’s voice was urgent.

“…Yes, that’s best.”

Noie let out another heavy sigh.

“Tania and Tidros value honour. A heartfelt apology might avert the worst.”

Noie glanced at the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister nodded silently, lowering his chin.

Luminous sat between Tania and the powerful Tidros.

Both Luminous and Tania were part of the Caravan Union, so even a great power like Tidros wouldn’t openly attack—other kingdoms wouldn’t allow it.

But with Tidros’s strength and military backing, Tania could pressure Luminous in the future.

That’s likely what Noie meant by the “worst.”

That’s why Luminous had historically married into Tidros’s royal family.

In fact, the current Tidros Queen was a distant relative of Noie.

But now, Tidros was deepening ties with Tania through Shitoen Barimore, a far more valuable asset than distant blood ties.

A dragon-marked daughter in Tidros… unforgivable. She was meant to bring glory to Luminous. The money and time we spent to secure her engagement to the prince…!

The Prime Minister suppressed the rage boiling in his chest.

Tania, a kingdom founded with the dragon’s blessing.

The dragon mark, granted only to special royals.

They were this close to welcoming her.

And Tidros, ignorant of the dragon mark’s value and significance, stole her!

The Prime Minister ground his teeth.

“Prime Minister, prepare a letter to the King of Tania immediately. State that we’ll arrange a formal apology to Princess Shitoen and send the Crown Prince.”

“Understood.”

The Prime Minister bowed, his voice trembling slightly, but no one noticed.

Noie turned his gaze to his son.

“Arios, apologize with sincerity.”

“I understand. I deeply regret endangering the kingdom with my reckless actions.”

Arios bowed deeply, and the Prime Minister let out a sigh.

That wedding must have hit him hard.

Realizing his son’s head was in the clouds, utterly naive, Noie sent Arios and Meil to the wedding in Tidros to learn the consequences of his actions.

It changed Arios.

He prioritized duty to the kingdom over his feelings.

He attended social events not for fun but to gauge noble relationships and power dynamics.

He learned that a princess needed certain qualities, and if those weren’t met, effort and diligence were required.

This Crown Prince could still be molded.

The court and royal kin sighed in relief, offering unwavering support for Arios’s wishes.

He caused a national crisis but managed to strengthen family bonds.

Still, Shitoen’s presence is troublesome. We must act before Tidros uncovers the dragon mark’s secret.

The Prime Minister took a subtle step forward.

“If I may be so bold, might I handle the negotiations with Tania?”

“Of course, Prime Minister. I was just about to ask you.”

Noie stood, and the Prime Minister bowed deeply.

“I will do my utmost to fulfill Your Majesty’s wishes.”

If she won’t be ours, she won’t be anyone’s. For Luminous.

To that end…

“Prime Minister.”

Arios called, and the Prime Minister looked up.

“What is it?”

“This is my doing. I’ll handle it.”

Arios’s expression was tense.

The Prime Minister gave a bright smile.

“How reliable. This Prime Minister is deeply moved, words fail me.”

Bowing again, he brushed off Arios’s words, thinking of something else.

The Cleaner sisters would be perfect. I heard they want out of the organization. If I make Shitoen’s assassination their condition for leaving, they’ll be desperate. Women might sway that damn Winter Bear. And Shitoen might let her guard down with another woman. The older sister would do anything to save her younger sister.

Yes, that’s perfect, the Prime Minister smirked.

◇◇◇◇

A month later.

An official invitation and travel permits arrived from Luminous, and Shitoen, I, and my knight order set out for Tania to bolster her escort.

To reach Tania, we had to cross Luminous, but knights from Luminous waited at the border to guide us to lodging, so we haven’t gotten lost or had to camp unexpectedly.

Nothing’s gone wrong… yet.

“Haaaaah…”

I let out a huge sigh, slumping on my horse.

“Get it together, Commander. Didn’t His Highness say, ‘This is official business on the way there’?”

I glanced over, and Raul, riding beside me, looked exasperated.

“I know, I know… but I haven’t spent this much time with Shitoen since we got married, and we’re traveling separately, sleeping in separate rooms.”

The loud clatter of the carriage wheels carrying Shitoen and Eton echoed.

The road was getting rougher as we entered the mountains.

“His Highness strictly ordered separate rooms until the official business is done.”

I thought you were on my side…

“Why not ride in the carriage? You could talk with Princess Shitoen then.”

Raul suggested, and his black horse snorted and nodded as if in agreement.

“I’ll lead your horse if you want.”

“Shitoen’s talking with Eton.”

I tried riding in the carriage at first, but Eton kept talking to Shitoen nonstop.

“Oh, we’re already in Luminous, milady! It’s nostalgic… a lot happened here, didn’t it?” Eton reminisced about their time in Luminous.

Then it was, “I can’t wait for the food when we get back to Tania!” or “His Highness mentioned a villa with a pool—make sure to relax there!” all excited.

Shitoen looked serious when talking about Luminous but smiled and nodded at mentions of Tania or the villa, saying, “Yes, that’s right.” Still, she was mostly listening—Eton was stealing the show.

“Well, at least… it’s been smooth since we left the capital.”

Raul nodded, and I agreed, “Yeah.”

Five days from the capital to Luminous.

Five more days on the road.

Now, the lead group was entering a mountain pass.

Beyond this, Tania’s border was close.

The setting sun painted the surroundings in deep orange as it sank behind the mountains.

“But, you know, Luminous is being generous, or something.”

Raul glanced at the Luminous knights leading the way, shrugging. The decorative cords on his uniform swayed lightly with his horse’s movements.

“Letting us use their roads and everything.”

“They’re that desperate. Besides…”

I looked back at the carriage in the middle of the procession, surrounded by our knights.

“Even though her engagement was broken, Shitoen lived in Luminous for two years. There’s no point hiding things now.”

Roads and routes are critical secrets in wartime.

Letting foreign royalty travel openly, seeing road conditions and surroundings, isn’t something they’d normally allow.

They say it’s to “prevent us from getting lost,” but the Luminous knights escorting us to lodging are essentially watchdogs, ensuring we don’t stray or snoop.

They deliberately take us through prosperous urban areas or scenic routes…

Even so, the merchants we met on bustling streets had anxious faces.

In the rural areas, the wheat fields were already harvested, and though it should be a festive time for the harvest, the farmers looked grim.

Maybe they’re bracing for the coming winter.

“Don’t they just want to apologize to Shitoen quickly so the whole kingdom can prepare for winter?”

Raul gave a sardonic smile.

“It’s their own damn fault.”

Well, that’s blunt.

“Commander!”

As Raul and I reached the mountain pass, a lone knight galloped toward us from ahead.

“What’s wrong?!”

Raul shouted, alert, before I could.

“Up ahead, a merchant’s wagon is being attacked by bandits! The Luminous knights are trying to apprehend them—what do we do?!”

“Stop! Everyone, stop!”

Raul turned his horse and shouted to the rear.

The heavy clatter of hooves, horses’ whinnies, and creaking wheels echoed.

“What do you mean, what do we do?”

I laughed.

“It’s the same as the winter frontier. Crush the bandits—nothing else to it!”

I turned, shouting over my shoulder.

“Suleiman’s squad, Mirei’s squad, guard the carriage! Everyone else, follow me! Don’t fall behind the Luminous knights!”

My horse, sensing my intent, surged forward as I spurred it. My knights drew their swords and followed.

Racing down a rocky slope lined with trees, shadows began to fall.

It wasn’t the sun setting—the dense trees were blocking the evening light.

Pushing my horse faster, we emerged from the narrow path into a wide clearing.

Two covered wagons stood askew, and a skirmish was underway.

Men dressed as merchants swung swords to fend off Luminous knights or rummaged through the wagons.

“Saryu, Third Prince of Tidros. I’m here to punish the lawless!”

My shout made everyone freeze for a moment, their eyes turning to me on my horse.

One of them met my gaze, then charged, raising his sword.

Still mounted, I lashed out with the whip in my left hand, striking his wrist before he could swing.

“Gah!” he screamed, writhing.

I dismounted, tossing the whip aside, as another bearded man rushed me with a drawn sword.

I ducked his swing, then drove my left fist into his stomach as I stood.

His body crumpled against my fist. I stepped forward, leaning in, and with a shout, swung my arm, sending him flying backward into his comrades, crashing to the ground.

“Who’s next?”

“It’s… the Winter Bear. The mad bear that doesn’t hibernate… Tidros’s Winter Bear!”

A Luminous knight shouted in fear.

…Uh.

Look, we’re allies right now, okay?

It’s fine, I’m not attacking you! But the moment our eyes met, he screamed, “Eek!” and raised his sword.

…I’m not some crazed, indiscriminate bear!

But that seemed to be the signal.

The bandits, dressed as merchants, grabbed large sacks and scattered.

Some dove into the bushes.

Others mounted horses they’d pulled from somewhere and galloped off.

One tumbled down the slope.

They fled in all directions, leaving my knights confused.

“Commander, which ones do we chase?!”

Normally, a few would stay behind as a decoy while the rest escaped together, but…

What’s with these guys? Aren’t they even a group?

“For now, secure the area and check on the victims. Stay alert. Move the bandits’ wagons.”

Catching them is important, but they’re just foreign bandits. I don’t care about their leader or hideout.

My knights sheathed their swords, calling out to each other.

“Rescue!”

“Protect the victims!”

“Unhitch the wagons!”

The Luminous knights finally relaxed, slumping to the ground.

I gave a wry smile and approached one of the now-horseless wagons.

The bandits must have stopped it and either freed or stolen the horses. The wagon’s tongue pointed upward, the bed tilted like a slide.

I saw one bandit rummaging earlier, but there were no victims visible.

Maybe they’re huddled inside the canopy?

While my knights called out to the bushes and trees, saying, “It’s safe now, come out,” I lifted the back flap of the wagon.

It was dim and surprisingly spacious inside.

Stolen or sold, the wagon bed was nearly empty.

To sell off this much cargo, it must belong to a merchant with a solid route.

“…Anyone there?”

I called softly.

A faint perfume mixed with the thick smell of blood caught my nose.

Climbing onto the tilted bed, I looked toward the back.

There they were.

At the very end.

Two women—one who looked a bit older than Shitoen, glaring at me, holding a teenage girl in her arms.

My eyes met the younger girl’s.

“Nooo! Sister!”

She screamed, and I froze in shock.

W-wait, I shaved today, right?! No beard, right?!

I remembered returning from frontier duty once, bearded and unkempt, scaring a lady who called me smelly. Total trauma.

“Stay back! You won’t lay a finger on her!”

I was sharply threatened in fluent Tania.

The woman, clutching the wagon’s pole with one hand and holding the girl with the other, shouted. Since she was called “sister” earlier, she must be the older sibling.

I thought she was trembling slightly, but then I saw blood flowing endlessly from her right arm, which gripped the pole.

“You’re hurt. Are you okay?”

I tried to speak as gently as possible, but the younger sister clung to her and started bawling.

…That stings.

It really stings.

“I’m here to help. Calm down. I’m from Tidros…”

“Come any closer, and I’ll bite!”

The older sister was yelling fiercely now.

This isn’t working.

As I stood there, perplexed, Raul flipped open the wagon’s flap and stepped in.

“What are you doing, Commander?”

“Well, the victims… Oh, right. You’re in uniform.”

I lifted the flap and called over a few nearby knights.

“See? Everyone’s wearing uniforms, right? We’re the Tidros Kingdom’s knight order. We just happened to come across this and stepped in to help.”

I pointed at the jackets of Raul and the other knights while explaining to the sisters.

I’d taken off my uniform jacket because it was a hassle, and that must’ve been the problem.

Yeah, that’s gotta be it.

It’s not that my face is scary, or my body’s too big, or I give off a creepy vibe—it’s just that I wasn’t wearing the uniform, so they’re wary. Yep, I’ll go with that.

“…You’re knights from Tidros?”

Finally, the hostility in the older sister’s voice softened.

“Are they from Tania?” Raul whispered, and I nodded vaguely.

“Probably. They were speaking Tania from the start…”

“Sister!”

The younger sister suddenly cried out, and both of them slid off the wagon bed.

We knights hurriedly caught them.

Up close, the older sister’s wound looked bad.

On top of that, she seemed to have fainted. The younger sister stood, but the older one lay limp in my arms.

“This is bad. The bleeding hasn’t stopped.”

“Sister shielded me…”

The younger sister clung to my arm, sobbing again.

Looking closely, she was injured too.

Especially her back.

It looked like she’d been cut while fleeing—shallow wounds, but bleeding. Her clothes were torn, a mess.

“Hey.”

Before I could ask for a jacket, Raul casually took off his own and draped it over the younger sister’s shoulders.

…Man, this guy’s seriously a good dude.

“Let’s get them outside for now.”

Raul’s suggestion made sense.

No need to stay in this dim space.

Raul called a few knights to spread a cloth on the ground.

We laid the older sister on it, and the younger one immediately rushed over, plopping down and crying.

“Anyone have cloth for bandages?”

“I do.”

One knight knelt beside the older sister.

He pressed cloth to the wound, but Raul, watching, frowned.

“Will this stop it? The wound looks pretty deep. Should we have Princess Shitoen take a look?”

“Bring Shitoen here, with bandits still possibly around?”

I wasn’t entirely comfortable bringing her from the carriage.

Just then, the younger sister let out another wail.

The surrounding knights paused, looking at her with pity. Some approached, offering words of comfort.

“…No choice. Bring Shitoen with a solid escort. Tell her we have someone who needs their wounds checked.”

I sighed to Raul.

He nodded, grabbed his horse’s reins, mounted swiftly, and galloped back the way we came. Now…

“Hey, what about these girls’ companions?”

I asked a nearby knight.

The sisters were probably merchants, but they wouldn’t travel alone.

The wagon was too big, and their attire was too refined.

Outside, I noticed the older sister had a gold buckle on her arm, and the younger one wore a jade pendant.

They didn’t look like street vendors—more like daughters of a wealthy merchant with many servants.

So where were the servants? Did they all flee during the bandit attack?

“We searched and called out, but no response. No bodies either.”

“They either ditched their masters or got thrown off a cliff.”

“Or they were in on it with the bandits.”

I approached the sobbing younger sister.

Kneeling to meet her eyes, she let out a small scream and clung to her unconscious sister.

It doesn’t hurt.

This much doesn’t hurt me…!

But Raul, come back quick!!

“I just want to ask a little. Can you understand my Tania?”

I spoke as gently as I could, forcing a smile.

The knights gathered, throwing in broken Tania like, “Not scary!” or “Not bear, this human!” to back me up. Hesitantly, the younger sister raised her head and nodded.

“Your name?”

“…Roze. My sister’s Monet.”

Wiping tears with the back of her hand, Roze sniffled and shifted on the ground.

Her big, tear-filled eyes looked up at me.

“No companions?”

I asked, and she scrunched her face, tears falling again.

But it wasn’t sadness or fear—it looked like frustration.

“That jerk… Evans… I think he was working with the bandits! The wagon stopped suddenly on the mountain road. I thought it was to let another wagon pass, but then armed people attacked. The servants all ran, and Evans took off with the earnings… And Sister…”

Her words dissolved into sobs.

She kept crying, hiccupping.

I exchanged silent glances with the knights.

A merchant’s servant leaking info to bandits, attacking after a big deal in a remote area to steal the money.

It’s a common story, if you think about it.

Roze’s hiccupping sobs mixed with the sound of hooves.

“Move, move!”

Raul returned, with Shitoen seated in front of him on the saddle.

He slowed the horse, and I lifted Shitoen down.

“Where are the injured?”

Shitoen’s purple eyes met mine.

Gone was her usual soft air—she seemed tense, like she might spark if touched.

“These girls. They’re merchants from Tania, it seems. The one lying down is the older sister, Monet. The seated one is Roze. They were attacked by bandits, and the sister’s wound is deep. The bleeding won’t stop.”

I explained briefly, and Shitoen nodded, sitting beside Roze with a gentle smile.

“Hello. You’ve been through something awful. I’m from Tania too. I have medical supplies… May I look at your sister’s wound first?”

Maybe because Shitoen was a fellow Tania woman, Roze nodded vigorously.

“She got badly hurt protecting me!”

Tears fell as Roze spoke. Shitoen nodded reassuringly and turned to Monet.

Monet lay on her back.

The major wound was on her right arm.

A handkerchief had been tied for first aid, but it wasn’t stopping the blood, which spread across the cloth beneath her.

“Monet-san, are you okay? Monet-san?”

Kneeling, Shitoen lightly tapped Monet’s cheek.

No response.

“How long has she been unconscious?”

Shitoen asked without turning, checking Monet’s pulse at her neck and listening to her heart through her clothes.

“How long… Well, just now. She hasn’t been out long. Is it the blood loss?”

“Probably…”

As Shitoen murmured, a voice called, “Milady!”

I turned to see Eton, Shitoen’s maid, arriving with an escort knight.

A knight helped her down, and she approached with a large leather bag.

“Medical tools.”

“Thank you. Set them there.”

Shitoen said, unwrapping the handkerchief to examine the right arm’s wound.

I thought she’d treat it immediately, but instead, she took Monet’s less-injured left wrist, lifted it above Monet’s face, and let go.

It was like making a canopy with her hand.

The arm fell limply to Monet’s chest.

Shitoen repeated this a few times.

Each time, Monet’s arm flopped like a doll.

“What’s she doing?” Raul whispered, but I didn’t know either.

“Monet-san! Monet-san!”

Shitoen called loudly into Monet’s ear, tapping her cheek harder.

“Nn…?”

Monet groaned faintly, her eyelids trembling as she opened her eyes.

“Thank goodness, Sister!”

Roze tried to hug her, but Shitoen gently held her back and looked at me.

“I’ll start treatment now.”

Got it—she wants me to keep Roze away.

“Roze, come here.”

I called, and she reluctantly moved between me and Raul.

“Monet-san, nice to meet you. I’m from Tania too and know a bit about medicine. May I touch your wound?”

“Please… my sister first. She’s hurt on her arm and back.”

Monet spoke urgently.

Shitoen nodded reassuringly, touching Monet’s left hand.

“We’ll treat you both. Your wound is worse, so we’ll start with you. I’m sorry, but may I tear your clothes?”

“Yes.”

With permission, Shitoen took scissors from the leather bag and deftly cut away the sleeve from the shoulder.

“Whoa…” Raul winced.

The exposed wound was severe.

A deep gash ran from shoulder to below the elbow, blood pulsing out, the area swollen.

“I’d like to clean it to see the wound better, but we don’t have enough water…”

“Should I fetch some?” I offered, but Shitoen shook her head.

“I need boiled water.”

“Don’t they disinfect with alcohol? We have wine,” Raul said, but Shitoen shook her head again.

“The alcohol content’s different… How far is the lodging from here?”

Raul quickly grabbed a Luminous knight.

“About an hour past the pass,” the knight answered, wiping sweat, clearly briefed by Raul.

“We let the bandits escape, so we’re preparing to depart and contact the local militia.”

“Then we’ll treat her at the lodging,” Shitoen decided.

She leaned close to Monet, smiling.

“We’ll stop the bleeding and compress the wound. We’ll decide whether to stitch it at the lodging.”

“Yes.”

Monet nodded, and Shitoen tied a white cloth from the bag around Monet’s right shoulder.

“Tying off the major blood vessels helps stop the bleeding.”

I see—like damming the main river to stop the flow to its tributaries.

She checked the wound while bandaging tightly. It looked painful, and Monet occasionally groaned.

“Done. Sorry, can someone carry her to the carriage?”

Raul and a Luminous knight stepped forward, but Monet firmly refused.

“No, I’m fine. I can walk. Please, my sister’s wounds…”

Monet sat up determinedly.

“Then, Eton, help Monet-san to the carriage.”

At Shitoen’s words, Eton hurried over to support Monet, who didn’t resist. With Eton’s arm around her waist, she stood.

She wobbled but seemed able to walk.

Shitoen checked her, then approached us.

“Sorry, may I take a look?”

When I tried to remove Roze’s jacket to check her back wound, Shitoen gently stopped me, saying, “Leave it.”

She slipped under the jacket to examine the wound.

It must be hard to see, I thought, when Roze shot me a cold, piercing look.

“Pervert.”

“Wha…?”

I was stunned as she spat the word.

“Creep. What’re you thinking?”

“I wasn’t thinking anything…”

“You’re the worst.”

“Kids like you aren’t my type!”

“But you tried to look at my back!”

“I was just helping Shitoen see better…”

“So, you could sneak a peek, right?”

“As if! Raul, say something!!”

Raul gave a wry smile, crossing his arms and glancing at me.

“Her clothes were torn, so I covered her. And you tried to take it off, huh?”

“Exactly!” Roze chimed in.

“No, not exactly!”

As the three of us bickered, Shitoen’s amused voice cut through.

“Roze-san’s wounds aren’t serious. Let’s head to the lodging and clean them properly.”

After Shitoen adjusted her jacket, Roze quickly hid behind her.

Wait a second!! Why do I have to be wary of a kid like you?!

“Come on, let’s move out,” Raul urged.

Grumbling, I headed to my horse, completely unsatisfied.