"Waiting inside."
"I'm ready."
Joseph and the knights follow them inside.
"You can wait here."
"Okay..."
But Vlad, the squire, couldn't enter with them.
The door to the room closed with the flutter of Joseph's cloak.
This wasn't a place where Vlad was allowed yet.
As always, only small things were allowed for the boy.
"This is boring."
He didn't know how long they would talk in there, but Vlad was forced to wait here.
Unable to use his time as he pleased.
That was the sadness of being chained somewhere.
"Let's take a look."
For a moment, the boy was about to revel in a melancholic sentiment, but he shook his head and instead revealed his curiosity about the new place.
He might be bound, but at least he could explore the territory.
Maybe ten steps?
Whenever Vlad entered a new, unfamiliar place, he looked around.
Precisely because of his habit of seeking an exit, a behavior born of the instincts of someone from the streets who had to look out for themselves whenever and wherever they could.
"It's smaller than the Bayezid mansion," he said.
He had noticed it as soon as he entered, but the Deirmar mansion was small, and it also seemed old.
Maybe it was a mistake to compare it to the mansion of a powerful count, but even in Vlad's judgment, who had lived on the streets, it wasn't a very large mansion.
It was the kind of place that could quickly become a nice abandoned house if neglected, although the cleanliness of the place made it not seem so much.
"I guess not."
But Vlad could see it.
Dust accumulating in the corners of the hallway.
Small cracks extending out of sight, indicating that it had been a tumultuous time.
"Hmmmm."
After getting a rough idea of the radius he could move in thanks to the servant's sigh who was waiting for him, Vlad began to stroll through the space he had been given, familiarizing himself with the place.
The hallways were narrow and winding, perfect for getting lost.
There were wallpapers of different colors everywhere, and it seemed like they had been removed recently.
An old maid limps by carrying a bucket, suggesting they have just fired the previous occupants.
I guess they don't have money.
It was through these things that Vlad, who had to look closely, could guess the situation here.
The territory, famous for its lemons, was having financial problems.
"Are they losing money?"
I don't know what's going on because they won't tell me, but the fact that he has traveled here in person suggests he's trying to get something for nothing.
Something he can report to his father, Peter Bayezid, and build his record on.
But, at least from what Vlad could see, it was unlikely that shiny gold coins would appear.
"I'll manage," he thought.
After all, he was just a squire.
You're in the same boat, but with different roles, so you don't have to worry about it.
Not that he deserved to worry.
After a while, he looked around to alleviate his boredom.
[Clang-clang-clang]
The sword sheathed at his waist made a brief sword sound, calling to Vlad.
"Hmm."
Turning his head momentarily to see if anyone had seen him, Vlad saw that there was no one else but the servant, and he grasped the hilt of the sword with a natural gesture.
The moment Vlad wielded the unadorned sword, he heard a voice that could only be heard by wielding the sword.
"It seems like I remember being here."
"Oh..."
Vlad let out a small sigh involuntarily.
***
"Thank you very much for coming all this way, Sir Joseph Bayezid."
"The call of blood is above all, and when it's a legitimate crisis of kinship, you must respond."
A woman sitting at the highest point of the place.
"..."
A young woman with light blue hair sat in a seat only a noble could occupy, looking at Joseph.
She was young and beautiful, but it couldn't be missed that the clothes she wore seemed heavy, and the seat she was in seemed uncomfortable.
"Please, convey my greetings to Lady Oksana."
"Of course."
Between the two.
That's what Alicia and Joseph were, even if they were more than eighth cousins by maternal blood.
It was a distant if not far-off relationship, but as long as what they wanted and what they could give were in harmony, it was actually just a matter of treaties.
"My father, Count Bayezid, has already given his permission. All that remains is for you to decide."
Alicia closed her eyes for a moment as Joseph got straight to the point as soon as the brief courtesies were over.
Her eyelashes seemed heavier today.
Responsibility, fear, and an unknown future.
While Alicia slowly shivered under its weight, the old knight next to her came closer.
"I've already decided."
Looking at the old knight who had offered his sword even when everyone else had turned their backs, Alicia made up her mind.
I am the mistress of this place.
I must find my place.
"It will be as the Count wishes."
"Of course."
At Alicia's words, Joseph nodded and smiled.
This is the first step of what he has planned.
"Assuming victory in the duel is mine."
But the light-haired woman was an imposing person.
In this situation, where everything was a promise, she had not yet cashed in.
"You don't have to worry."
To Alicia's faltering statement, Joseph merely responded with an easy smile.
"Because the sword of House Bayezid has always promised victory."
At Joseph's words, the squint-eyed knight silently sheathed his sword.
"..."
Looking at the old knight guarding the woman.
It was only one eye, but the aura within had the kind of momentum that could crush hundreds of eyes.
The knight promised his victory with fervor.
A knight to protect and a knight to take.
A woman to give and a young man to promise.
In the mansion's largest hall, the gazes of four men intertwined.
***
“Shouldn’t accept it so easily.”
“She seemed shaky, but she still had her composure as a Baroness.”
“I agree.”
As Joseph walked through the hallway, he reflected on his encounter with Alicia. Judging by her desperate plea for help, he initially thought she was cornered, but she clung to a shred of initiative until the end. It meant she didn’t give up.
“Nevertheless, our behavior won’t change.”
Joseph said, looking at Bordan, who followed him without saying a word.
“Do what you’ve planned and get ready.”
“Yes, Lord Joseph.”
Everyone has a purpose. That’s why Joseph carried Bordan, a sword that cost less than half a coin. When Jager opened the door to the room reserved for Joseph, he saw Vlad waiting there alone.
“They’ve come.”
“Yes, you must be bored.”
Joseph sat on a chair in the room, letting out a sigh from the depths of his being.
“I’m tired.”
He had been traveling for over a week without a moment’s rest. It had been a great strain on his frail body, and now he needed rest.
“Vlad.”
“Yes, Lord Joseph.”
But he had come all the way from Sturma to Deirmar just to take advantage. Now that the conversation had the effect of confirming their original intentions, it was time to attend to the smaller gains.
“You will move freely from now on.”
“Alone?”
“Yes. You can take that guy named Goethe with you.”
Joseph indicated that Vlad should move with all the freedom they allowed him and see everything he could.
“Of course, on the day of the duel, you’ll assist Jager.”
“With pleasure.”
Joseph reflected, watching the boy scratch his head to see if he understood his order. The boy wore the armor his father had given him over the clothes his mother had given him.
Seeing the boy who didn’t hesitate to do what the Masters of the House Bayezid expected of him, Joseph opened his mouth.
“The less you move, the better. There are not only nobles I must know here, but everyone is watching me.”
This was the city of House Heinal, but if one judged simply by stature, there was no one here who could match Joseph, the count of House Bayezid. On the contrary, everyone here, even Alicia, would be expecting a face-to-face encounter with Joseph.
Not only was it impractical, but it was also troublesome for the frail Joseph.
“Think about why I brought you here. You can’t even ride a horse yet.”
“…”
There was a good reason why Joseph had brought Vlad from training when he still had so much to learn.
“An honorable duel is a spectacle worth watching unless you’re going to see it. Besides, the Honor Duel in Deirmar is a team event, not a single-round duel.”
Normally, an honor duel pitted two swordsmen chosen by their respective representatives, but occasionally, as in this case, it was a team event. A trial that took place within a family, without concrete evidence, only suspicions. And since it was a duel with everything at stake, both Heinals decided to adopt the same approach to deal with this complicated situation.
“Knights from such diverse backgrounds are here in Deirmar right now. Come to see them and feel what they feel.”
“Understood.”
It goes without saying that seeing it once is more memorable than telling it ten times.
Anyway, he was a child Joseph was going to raise properly, so he had better broaden Vlad’s world with a variety of experiences if he could, thought Joseph.
“You’ll have to warm up in the afternoon, so don’t let yourself be foolishly hit.”
“I’m not that stupid…”
If Joseph was the carrot, Jager was the whip.
Even when saying something meant as a warning, he always had a thorn embedded.
“No. You’ve already lost your trust in me.”
“…”
Vlad lowered his head, appearing completely defeated by the blow just dealt, but Jager, who observed him, was astonished.
You bow so much that there’s nothing more to say.
Jager knew.
That the person in front of him, though acting scared, was actually relaxed.
Jager’s strength would have brought any other squire to tears, but Vlad could only assimilate and understand it.
False threats couldn’t have any effect on this boy.
“Very well. You’ll inform me every night, and if there’s any unusual trend, you’ll let me know without delay.”
“Understood, Lord Joseph.”
With Vlad’s course of action now established, Joseph told him to return to his room and rest, as it was late.
Vlad left the room, leaving Jager watching him.
Walking through the unfamiliar hallways towards the servants’ quarters, Vlad stopped for a moment.
The bright moonlight shone through a window between the corridors.
The light revealed a dark hill, accessible only through the mansion.
[I remember those trees].
On that hill stood a tree with a very thin branch.
The voice, not even knowing who it was, said it remembered that tree, standing in the moonlight.
It was spring in full bloom, but the evenings were still cold.
Yet, for some reason, Vlad felt warmth, looking at the tree standing there on the hill.
The branches, swayed by the breeze, seemed to greet him.
“It’s been a while since I had a place to pray.”
The boy made a pact with the moon as a witness.
Give me a sword.
I give you a memory.
You have taken, and now it’s your turn to give.
"Waiting inside."
"I'm ready."
Joseph and the knights follow them inside.
"You can wait here."
"Okay..."
But Vlad, the squire, couldn't enter with them.
The door to the room closed with the flutter of Joseph's cloak.
This wasn't a place where Vlad was allowed yet.
As always, only small things were allowed for the boy.
"This is boring."
He didn't know how long they would talk in there, but Vlad was forced to wait here.
Unable to use his time as he pleased.
That was the sadness of being chained somewhere.
"Let's take a look."
For a moment, the boy was about to revel in a melancholic sentiment, but he shook his head and instead revealed his curiosity about the new place.
He might be bound, but at least he could explore the territory.
Maybe ten steps?
Whenever Vlad entered a new, unfamiliar place, he looked around.
Precisely because of his habit of seeking an exit, a behavior born of the instincts of someone from the streets who had to look out for themselves whenever and wherever they could.
"It's smaller than the Bayezid mansion," he said.
He had noticed it as soon as he entered, but the Deirmar mansion was small, and it also seemed old.
Maybe it was a mistake to compare it to the mansion of a powerful count, but even in Vlad's judgment, who had lived on the streets, it wasn't a very large mansion.
It was the kind of place that could quickly become a nice abandoned house if neglected, although the cleanliness of the place made it not seem so much.
"I guess not."
But Vlad could see it.
Dust accumulating in the corners of the hallway.
Small cracks extending out of sight, indicating that it had been a tumultuous time.
"Hmmmm."
After getting a rough idea of the radius he could move in thanks to the servant's sigh who was waiting for him, Vlad began to stroll through the space he had been given, familiarizing himself with the place.
The hallways were narrow and winding, perfect for getting lost.
There were wallpapers of different colors everywhere, and it seemed like they had been removed recently.
An old maid limps by carrying a bucket, suggesting they have just fired the previous occupants.
I guess they don't have money.
It was through these things that Vlad, who had to look closely, could guess the situation here.
The territory, famous for its lemons, was having financial problems.
"Are they losing money?"
I don't know what's going on because they won't tell me, but the fact that he has traveled here in person suggests he's trying to get something for nothing.
Something he can report to his father, Peter Bayezid, and build his record on.
But, at least from what Vlad could see, it was unlikely that shiny gold coins would appear.
"I'll manage," he thought.
After all, he was just a squire.
You're in the same boat, but with different roles, so you don't have to worry about it.
Not that he deserved to worry.
After a while, he looked around to alleviate his boredom.
[Clang-clang-clang]
The sword sheathed at his waist made a brief sword sound, calling to Vlad.
"Hmm."
Turning his head momentarily to see if anyone had seen him, Vlad saw that there was no one else but the servant, and he grasped the hilt of the sword with a natural gesture.
The moment Vlad wielded the unadorned sword, he heard a voice that could only be heard by wielding the sword.
"It seems like I remember being here."
"Oh..."
Vlad let out a small sigh involuntarily.
***
"Thank you very much for coming all this way, Sir Joseph Bayezid."
"The call of blood is above all, and when it's a legitimate crisis of kinship, you must respond."
A woman sitting at the highest point of the place.
"..."
A young woman with light blue hair sat in a seat only a noble could occupy, looking at Joseph.
She was young and beautiful, but it couldn't be missed that the clothes she wore seemed heavy, and the seat she was in seemed uncomfortable.
"Please, convey my greetings to Lady Oksana."
"Of course."
Between the two.
That's what Alicia and Joseph were, even if they were more than eighth cousins by maternal blood.
It was a distant if not far-off relationship, but as long as what they wanted and what they could give were in harmony, it was actually just a matter of treaties.
"My father, Count Bayezid, has already given his permission. All that remains is for you to decide."
Alicia closed her eyes for a moment as Joseph got straight to the point as soon as the brief courtesies were over.
Her eyelashes seemed heavier today.
Responsibility, fear, and an unknown future.
While Alicia slowly shivered under its weight, the old knight next to her came closer.
"I've already decided."
Looking at the old knight who had offered his sword even when everyone else had turned their backs, Alicia made up her mind.
I am the mistress of this place.
I must find my place.
"It will be as the Count wishes."
"Of course."
At Alicia's words, Joseph nodded and smiled.
This is the first step of what he has planned.
"Assuming victory in the duel is mine."
But the light-haired woman was an imposing person.
In this situation, where everything was a promise, she had not yet cashed in.
"You don't have to worry."
To Alicia's faltering statement, Joseph merely responded with an easy smile.
"Because the sword of House Bayezid has always promised victory."
At Joseph's words, the squint-eyed knight silently sheathed his sword.
"..."
Looking at the old knight guarding the woman.
It was only one eye, but the aura within had the kind of momentum that could crush hundreds of eyes.
The knight promised his victory with fervor.
A knight to protect and a knight to take.
A woman to give and a young man to promise.
In the mansion's largest hall, the gazes of four men intertwined.
***
“Shouldn’t accept it so easily.”
“She seemed shaky, but she still had her composure as a Baroness.”
“I agree.”
As Joseph walked through the hallway, he reflected on his encounter with Alicia. Judging by her desperate plea for help, he initially thought she was cornered, but she clung to a shred of initiative until the end. It meant she didn’t give up.
“Nevertheless, our behavior won’t change.”
Joseph said, looking at Bordan, who followed him without saying a word.
“Do what you’ve planned and get ready.”
“Yes, Lord Joseph.”
Everyone has a purpose. That’s why Joseph carried Bordan, a sword that cost less than half a coin. When Jager opened the door to the room reserved for Joseph, he saw Vlad waiting there alone.
“They’ve come.”
“Yes, you must be bored.”
Joseph sat on a chair in the room, letting out a sigh from the depths of his being.
“I’m tired.”
He had been traveling for over a week without a moment’s rest. It had been a great strain on his frail body, and now he needed rest.
“Vlad.”
“Yes, Lord Joseph.”
But he had come all the way from Sturma to Deirmar just to take advantage. Now that the conversation had the effect of confirming their original intentions, it was time to attend to the smaller gains.
“You will move freely from now on.”
“Alone?”
“Yes. You can take that guy named Goethe with you.”
Joseph indicated that Vlad should move with all the freedom they allowed him and see everything he could.
“Of course, on the day of the duel, you’ll assist Jager.”
“With pleasure.”
Joseph reflected, watching the boy scratch his head to see if he understood his order. The boy wore the armor his father had given him over the clothes his mother had given him.
Seeing the boy who didn’t hesitate to do what the Masters of the House Bayezid expected of him, Joseph opened his mouth.
“The less you move, the better. There are not only nobles I must know here, but everyone is watching me.”
This was the city of House Heinal, but if one judged simply by stature, there was no one here who could match Joseph, the count of House Bayezid. On the contrary, everyone here, even Alicia, would be expecting a face-to-face encounter with Joseph.
Not only was it impractical, but it was also troublesome for the frail Joseph.
“Think about why I brought you here. You can’t even ride a horse yet.”
“…”
There was a good reason why Joseph had brought Vlad from training when he still had so much to learn.
“An honorable duel is a spectacle worth watching unless you’re going to see it. Besides, the Honor Duel in Deirmar is a team event, not a single-round duel.”
Normally, an honor duel pitted two swordsmen chosen by their respective representatives, but occasionally, as in this case, it was a team event. A trial that took place within a family, without concrete evidence, only suspicions. And since it was a duel with everything at stake, both Heinals decided to adopt the same approach to deal with this complicated situation.
“Knights from such diverse backgrounds are here in Deirmar right now. Come to see them and feel what they feel.”
“Understood.”
It goes without saying that seeing it once is more memorable than telling it ten times.
Anyway, he was a child Joseph was going to raise properly, so he had better broaden Vlad’s world with a variety of experiences if he could, thought Joseph.
“You’ll have to warm up in the afternoon, so don’t let yourself be foolishly hit.”
“I’m not that stupid…”
If Joseph was the carrot, Jager was the whip.
Even when saying something meant as a warning, he always had a thorn embedded.
“No. You’ve already lost your trust in me.”
“…”
Vlad lowered his head, appearing completely defeated by the blow just dealt, but Jager, who observed him, was astonished.
You bow so much that there’s nothing more to say.
Jager knew.
That the person in front of him, though acting scared, was actually relaxed.
Jager’s strength would have brought any other squire to tears, but Vlad could only assimilate and understand it.
False threats couldn’t have any effect on this boy.
“Very well. You’ll inform me every night, and if there’s any unusual trend, you’ll let me know without delay.”
“Understood, Lord Joseph.”
With Vlad’s course of action now established, Joseph told him to return to his room and rest, as it was late.
Vlad left the room, leaving Jager watching him.
Walking through the unfamiliar hallways towards the servants’ quarters, Vlad stopped for a moment.
The bright moonlight shone through a window between the corridors.
The light revealed a dark hill, accessible only through the mansion.
[I remember those trees].
On that hill stood a tree with a very thin branch.
The voice, not even knowing who it was, said it remembered that tree, standing in the moonlight.
It was spring in full bloom, but the evenings were still cold.
Yet, for some reason, Vlad felt warmth, looking at the tree standing there on the hill.
The branches, swayed by the breeze, seemed to greet him.
“It’s been a while since I had a place to pray.”
The boy made a pact with the moon as a witness.
Give me a sword.
I give you a memory.
You have taken, and now it’s your turn to give.
