A white mansion surrounded by a forest.
Behind the old mansion, a dark hill rose in the distance.
A single tree and many tombstones.
The spring breeze gently brushed through the woman's hair, but she remained motionless.
"..."
Sitting next to a small tombstone, she pulled her knees close and silently gazed at the mansion.
The place where she was born and raised.
The place she was supposed to keep living.
And the place that was supposed to be hers.
The woman stared at it.
Tears were forming in her eyes, and her vision was becoming blurry, but she didn't stop looking at the mansion.
Her tears didn't flow down.
She simply concealed her presence in silence.
With the grief that should have been shed.
The time to weep has ended.
It comes for everyone.
***
"Oh, my heart has been beating out of control lately."
Goethe said, unnecessarily chewing on jerky next to Vlad, who turned his head from side to side to warm up.
"Isn't it an illness?"
"I don't know. I just feel something off. I can't focus strangely."
"Like a spring breeze."
"Maybe because it's been a while since I went out."
Insincere questions, insincere answers.
But it didn't matter.
They were just talking because they wanted to move their mouths anyway.
"How much longer?"
"The coachman says we have three more days."
"Aren't you the coachman?"
"I'm the coachman's assistant."
Although they traveled by carriage, it was a tediously long journey for a lad in the prime of life.
"Here we go!"
"We're leaving. Captain."
"Uh-oh."
Vlad got up from his seat, making a noise that only an elderly person could make.
"But can't I have a piece of that ham or whatever?"
"No, this one's mine."
Goethe whispered to Vlad, but he simply walked away without looking back.
"That's why you should have taken a bite when it wasn't mine."
Upon Vlad's response, Goethe let out the bitterness from his chest along with the jerky he was chewing.
The wind was warm, and the weather was sunny.
The group was traveling south along the spring.
***
City of Deirmar.
The only city under the control of Baron Heinal's domain.
Its location was so far north of the center that even to Sturma, the home of House Bayezid, it could be reached in a week by cart in good weather.
"It's famous for its lemons."
"Isn't lemon a fruit that grows in the south?"
"Yes, that's why they're in high demand."
Balancing on the northernmost climate capable of producing lemons, the city's main business was lemon production, and secondary products made from them were well-known.
"They harvest lemons when others aren't selling them and sell them when there's no market. They don't produce many lemons due to the climate, but they time it very well."
"Oh."
That's how they sell them.
That's how you can increase the value of the same item.
Vlad's eyes brightened, and he nodded at Joseph's explanation.
Being in the company of the talkative Joseph was a challenge at times, but the knowledge and observations he shared were a great source of nourishment for Vlad.
"It's a great city for us Northerners who haven't tasted the fruit. Plus, it's one of the gateways to the center of everything."
Joseph observed Vlad's fingertips while cutting the ham.
"That's how important it is for Northerners."
Vlad seemed to see something red flicker in Joseph's black eyes.
"That's enough."
"It's harder than you think because I have a knife."
Boom.
Joseph clicked his tongue and turned away at Vlad's explanation.
"So that's why Lord Jager is moving?"
"That's right."
At that moment, the group was headed to Deirmar, the city of Baron Heinal.
They had received an invitation from Alicia Heinal, the legitimate heir of the family.
"A crisis is an opportunity, especially when it's not yours."
But her invitation, though seemingly in the form of an invitation, was actually a plea for help.
"The world of nobility is so complicated."
"It's complicated when you look at it complicated and simple when you look at it simple."
Jager grunted, grabbing the slice of ham that was finally offered to him.
"In the end, it's just a fight for the land of Deirmar."
"And among families who share blood."
"It's an old tradition of nobility to feud with those who have blood ties."
As he said this, there was a bitterness on Joseph's face that was hard to hide.
"..."
Seeing that look, Vlad simply focused on cutting the next slice of ham.
Each had a burden to bear alone.
The same was true for Alicia, who had invited Joseph to her territory.
Currently, she was in the midst of a succession dispute.
Like any fight, the Heinal family's succession dispute was turning into an endless chaotic battle.
"But it's rare," Joseph said, "because it's a family matter."
Alicia's uncle, Endre Heinal, claimed that his niece was not his brother's blood daughter but the result of an extramarital affair.
It was unknown if she was really born out of wedlock, but what was certain was that if Alicia disappeared, he would be the next Baron Heinal.
Alicia, the only daughter of the former Baron Heinal, but with a weak foundation due to being a woman.
The only way for her to resolve the looming troubles was to prove her innocence in an honorable duel organized by the Church.
But even this was only the direction Endre wanted her to take.
"I'll take this opportunity to settle my debts with House Heinal. It's an idea my father agreed with."
"I see."
Vlad looked at Jager through the carriage window.
A knight of such distinction that Alicia Heinal had specifically invited him to entrust him with her honor.
"That's great."
Fame and skill weren't necessarily proportional.
A knight who traveled a lot would have more opportunities to make a name, but a knight like Jager who focused on the internal workings of the family would have fewer opportunities.
"What are you looking at, being rude?"
"..."
Jager's judgment twisted again at the suspicious look his squire sent him.
"Why do you think only horses hate me?"
"Is it only horses that hate you?"
"..."
ll knights can ride horses. There probably aren’t squires who can’t ride horses. Even Goethe, who drives the carriage in front, can ride a horse.
“I might… be able to ride an expensive horse, maybe…”
“I’m the one who should ride the expensive horse. I’m more valuable than you.”
Vlad could only bow his head in silence as Jager wrinkled his face as if that was an excuse.
It wasn’t just that he didn’t dare to look.
I don’t understand.
My heart is racing as if I ran a marathon.
It’s a feeling I’ve been having a lot lately.
“Is it because of all the scolding?”
With Joseph talking non-stop in front of me and Jager next to me, it was reason enough to think about it.
Mental pressure is the root of all evils.
Hit, hit, hit.
Vlad breathed slow and deep, trying to calm his heart, but this time it wasn’t going to be easy.
“Eh?”
And it wasn’t just Vlad’s heartbeats that made strange noises.
“The ground is shaking.”
Not only Vlad, but Joseph also began to stiffen as he felt the trembling vibrations.
It wasn’t the kind of vibration you feel when you move.
Everything around them was shaking.
“Stop!”
Outside, Jager also felt something unusual and stopped, quickly looking around.
“The trees are shaking.”
Vlad looked out the window and realized that the surrounding trees were trembling.
The suddenness of the situation makes everyone hold their breath.
Ddddddddddd-!
With a loud roar, the ground began to shake.
“Earthquake!”
“Everyone get off the horses!”
Heeeeeeeee-ing
The horses, sensitive to the strong pounding starting at their feet, began to buck wildly.
“Damn!”
Vlad quickly surrounded Joseph with his arms and kicked open the carriage door as the ground trembled and the horses ran wild.
Vlad felt a great panic at this unprecedented situation, but acted on instinct and helped Joseph out of the carriage.
“Aaaah!”
“…..”
He surrounded him with his arms and let him fall to the ground.
But the protected Joseph remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
“Your concern is admirable,” he said, “But don’t be too scared.”
“What! Is it an earthquake?”
“No, it’s not. It’s probably…”
Ddddddddddd-!
Before Joseph could finish his sentence, the ground tremors reached their peak.
It rumbled so strongly that even if you stood still, you could see the earth rising from the ground.
“It’s over.”
“….Phew.”
It had only been a few minutes, but the gin had run out, and Vlad rolled to the side, away from Joseph.
It had only been a few minutes, but the gin had run out, and Vlad rolled to the side, away from Joseph.
“I’ve never felt an earthquake before.”
“This is not an earthquake.”
“What?”
Vlad sounded incredulous as he watched Joseph get up, shaking off the dust as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“Look.”
Vlad turned his head in the direction Joseph was pointing.
“Huh?”
He could see the ground moving on the plain in the distance.
It looked like a mole digging in the ground.
But it was moving at a very far distance, so even if it was a mole, it must be very large.
“It’s a giant worm. It’s a remnant of the fallen dragon. They are native to the west, but at this time of year, they head to the center of the country in search of food.”
“A remnant worm from a fallen dragon?”
Vlad looked at him as if he didn’t know what that was, and Joseph realized he owed him an explanation.
Because the boy, a mass of possibilities but lacking in everything, was a vessel that could never be filled.
“It comes from dragons. It’s like an earthquake, except humans can’t control it.”
“Dragon…”
“Technically, the remains of a fallen dragon.”
With these last words, Joseph walks away, leaving the group bustling, checking their equipment.
“….”
The boy stood still and watched something moving on the ground, advancing.
He couldn’t help but watch, although, naturally, his eyes watered from the dust that hadn’t settled yet.
“Incredible.”
For the first time in his life.
Something you would never see if you were stuck in an alley.
Vlad’s heartbeat slowed as he moved away.
The boy’s world was expanding.”
A white mansion surrounded by a forest.
Behind the old mansion, a dark hill rose in the distance.
A single tree and many tombstones.
The spring breeze gently brushed through the woman's hair, but she remained motionless.
"..."
Sitting next to a small tombstone, she pulled her knees close and silently gazed at the mansion.
The place where she was born and raised.
The place she was supposed to keep living.
And the place that was supposed to be hers.
The woman stared at it.
Tears were forming in her eyes, and her vision was becoming blurry, but she didn't stop looking at the mansion.
Her tears didn't flow down.
She simply concealed her presence in silence.
With the grief that should have been shed.
The time to weep has ended.
It comes for everyone.
***
"Oh, my heart has been beating out of control lately."
Goethe said, unnecessarily chewing on jerky next to Vlad, who turned his head from side to side to warm up.
"Isn't it an illness?"
"I don't know. I just feel something off. I can't focus strangely."
"Like a spring breeze."
"Maybe because it's been a while since I went out."
Insincere questions, insincere answers.
But it didn't matter.
They were just talking because they wanted to move their mouths anyway.
"How much longer?"
"The coachman says we have three more days."
"Aren't you the coachman?"
"I'm the coachman's assistant."
Although they traveled by carriage, it was a tediously long journey for a lad in the prime of life.
"Here we go!"
"We're leaving. Captain."
"Uh-oh."
Vlad got up from his seat, making a noise that only an elderly person could make.
"But can't I have a piece of that ham or whatever?"
"No, this one's mine."
Goethe whispered to Vlad, but he simply walked away without looking back.
"That's why you should have taken a bite when it wasn't mine."
Upon Vlad's response, Goethe let out the bitterness from his chest along with the jerky he was chewing.
The wind was warm, and the weather was sunny.
The group was traveling south along the spring.
***
City of Deirmar.
The only city under the control of Baron Heinal's domain.
Its location was so far north of the center that even to Sturma, the home of House Bayezid, it could be reached in a week by cart in good weather.
"It's famous for its lemons."
"Isn't lemon a fruit that grows in the south?"
"Yes, that's why they're in high demand."
Balancing on the northernmost climate capable of producing lemons, the city's main business was lemon production, and secondary products made from them were well-known.
"They harvest lemons when others aren't selling them and sell them when there's no market. They don't produce many lemons due to the climate, but they time it very well."
"Oh."
That's how they sell them.
That's how you can increase the value of the same item.
Vlad's eyes brightened, and he nodded at Joseph's explanation.
Being in the company of the talkative Joseph was a challenge at times, but the knowledge and observations he shared were a great source of nourishment for Vlad.
"It's a great city for us Northerners who haven't tasted the fruit. Plus, it's one of the gateways to the center of everything."
Joseph observed Vlad's fingertips while cutting the ham.
"That's how important it is for Northerners."
Vlad seemed to see something red flicker in Joseph's black eyes.
"That's enough."
"It's harder than you think because I have a knife."
Boom.
Joseph clicked his tongue and turned away at Vlad's explanation.
"So that's why Lord Jager is moving?"
"That's right."
At that moment, the group was headed to Deirmar, the city of Baron Heinal.
They had received an invitation from Alicia Heinal, the legitimate heir of the family.
"A crisis is an opportunity, especially when it's not yours."
But her invitation, though seemingly in the form of an invitation, was actually a plea for help.
"The world of nobility is so complicated."
"It's complicated when you look at it complicated and simple when you look at it simple."
Jager grunted, grabbing the slice of ham that was finally offered to him.
"In the end, it's just a fight for the land of Deirmar."
"And among families who share blood."
"It's an old tradition of nobility to feud with those who have blood ties."
As he said this, there was a bitterness on Joseph's face that was hard to hide.
"..."
Seeing that look, Vlad simply focused on cutting the next slice of ham.
Each had a burden to bear alone.
The same was true for Alicia, who had invited Joseph to her territory.
Currently, she was in the midst of a succession dispute.
Like any fight, the Heinal family's succession dispute was turning into an endless chaotic battle.
"But it's rare," Joseph said, "because it's a family matter."
Alicia's uncle, Endre Heinal, claimed that his niece was not his brother's blood daughter but the result of an extramarital affair.
It was unknown if she was really born out of wedlock, but what was certain was that if Alicia disappeared, he would be the next Baron Heinal.
Alicia, the only daughter of the former Baron Heinal, but with a weak foundation due to being a woman.
The only way for her to resolve the looming troubles was to prove her innocence in an honorable duel organized by the Church.
But even this was only the direction Endre wanted her to take.
"I'll take this opportunity to settle my debts with House Heinal. It's an idea my father agreed with."
"I see."
Vlad looked at Jager through the carriage window.
A knight of such distinction that Alicia Heinal had specifically invited him to entrust him with her honor.
"That's great."
Fame and skill weren't necessarily proportional.
A knight who traveled a lot would have more opportunities to make a name, but a knight like Jager who focused on the internal workings of the family would have fewer opportunities.
"What are you looking at, being rude?"
"..."
Jager's judgment twisted again at the suspicious look his squire sent him.
"Why do you think only horses hate me?"
"Is it only horses that hate you?"
"..."
ll knights can ride horses. There probably aren’t squires who can’t ride horses. Even Goethe, who drives the carriage in front, can ride a horse.
“I might… be able to ride an expensive horse, maybe…”
“I’m the one who should ride the expensive horse. I’m more valuable than you.”
Vlad could only bow his head in silence as Jager wrinkled his face as if that was an excuse.
It wasn’t just that he didn’t dare to look.
I don’t understand.
My heart is racing as if I ran a marathon.
It’s a feeling I’ve been having a lot lately.
“Is it because of all the scolding?”
With Joseph talking non-stop in front of me and Jager next to me, it was reason enough to think about it.
Mental pressure is the root of all evils.
Hit, hit, hit.
Vlad breathed slow and deep, trying to calm his heart, but this time it wasn’t going to be easy.
“Eh?”
And it wasn’t just Vlad’s heartbeats that made strange noises.
“The ground is shaking.”
Not only Vlad, but Joseph also began to stiffen as he felt the trembling vibrations.
It wasn’t the kind of vibration you feel when you move.
Everything around them was shaking.
“Stop!”
Outside, Jager also felt something unusual and stopped, quickly looking around.
“The trees are shaking.”
Vlad looked out the window and realized that the surrounding trees were trembling.
The suddenness of the situation makes everyone hold their breath.
Ddddddddddd-!
With a loud roar, the ground began to shake.
“Earthquake!”
“Everyone get off the horses!”
Heeeeeeeee-ing
The horses, sensitive to the strong pounding starting at their feet, began to buck wildly.
“Damn!”
Vlad quickly surrounded Joseph with his arms and kicked open the carriage door as the ground trembled and the horses ran wild.
Vlad felt a great panic at this unprecedented situation, but acted on instinct and helped Joseph out of the carriage.
“Aaaah!”
“…..”
He surrounded him with his arms and let him fall to the ground.
But the protected Joseph remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
“Your concern is admirable,” he said, “But don’t be too scared.”
“What! Is it an earthquake?”
“No, it’s not. It’s probably…”
Ddddddddddd-!
Before Joseph could finish his sentence, the ground tremors reached their peak.
It rumbled so strongly that even if you stood still, you could see the earth rising from the ground.
“It’s over.”
“….Phew.”
It had only been a few minutes, but the gin had run out, and Vlad rolled to the side, away from Joseph.
It had only been a few minutes, but the gin had run out, and Vlad rolled to the side, away from Joseph.
“I’ve never felt an earthquake before.”
“This is not an earthquake.”
“What?”
Vlad sounded incredulous as he watched Joseph get up, shaking off the dust as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“Look.”
Vlad turned his head in the direction Joseph was pointing.
“Huh?”
He could see the ground moving on the plain in the distance.
It looked like a mole digging in the ground.
But it was moving at a very far distance, so even if it was a mole, it must be very large.
“It’s a giant worm. It’s a remnant of the fallen dragon. They are native to the west, but at this time of year, they head to the center of the country in search of food.”
“A remnant worm from a fallen dragon?”
Vlad looked at him as if he didn’t know what that was, and Joseph realized he owed him an explanation.
Because the boy, a mass of possibilities but lacking in everything, was a vessel that could never be filled.
“It comes from dragons. It’s like an earthquake, except humans can’t control it.”
“Dragon…”
“Technically, the remains of a fallen dragon.”
With these last words, Joseph walks away, leaving the group bustling, checking their equipment.
“….”
The boy stood still and watched something moving on the ground, advancing.
He couldn’t help but watch, although, naturally, his eyes watered from the dust that hadn’t settled yet.
“Incredible.”
For the first time in his life.
Something you would never see if you were stuck in an alley.
Vlad’s heartbeat slowed as he moved away.
The boy’s world was expanding.”
