Chapter 10 (10):
Two hours later, leaving behind the merchant couple who had received ten gold coins from Kazar as a reward for bringing Louis, a carriage pulled by six horses and escorted by six mounted guards departed the inn.
The carriage’s destination was the border gate.
The border gate, which had made the empire an untouchable realm for a thousand years, was the first of the “Three Blessings” gifted by a dragon to the founding emperor, Cantio.
[May you never be invaded by anyone.]
Due to the dragon’s blessing that surrounded the borders, entry into the empire was impossible through any means other than the border gate. It was like an invisible wall blocked any other paths. While leaving the empire was free, anyone wishing to enter had to go through the official gate.
Louis, who was practically hanging onto the carriage window, gaped in awe as he saw the border gate in the distance. A massive archway made of stone stood like a mountain. Despite its heavy appearance, it stood firm without any supports.
Seeing the gate from the fairy tales with his own eyes, Louis couldn’t contain his excitement.
“Waaah. I have to brag to my sister that I saw the border gate in real life!”
He even stomped his feet in joy. But unlike the cheerful Louis, a shadow hung over Kazar’s face. He was on his way to retrieve Eluana, but he couldn’t guarantee she was still alive. Smart as Louis was, he probably knew that but was trying hard not to think about it.
The only consolation was that, judging from the last sighting, Regis had probably ordered her captured, not killed. Still, they probably hadn’t given her medical treatment.
“Just be alive.”
Then I’ll do whatever it takes to save you.
Kazar owed his life to the Vita siblings. And though they didn’t know it, the price of his life was quite steep.
The area around the border gate was bustling with merchants coming in and out of the empire. Three long lines had formed—on the left were merchants, the center was for nobles and military personnel, and the right was for royalty.
Kazar’s carriage, with Louis inside, moved into the rightmost line. As soon as it stopped in front of the gate and someone stepped out, all eyes were drawn to Kazar’s refined features. There was only one royal with black hair and blue eyes.
Fourth Prince Kazar Arcas Fortuna.
The sudden appearance of a prince threw the gate’s guards into a flurry. The head guard, who had been leisurely dozing, ran out, not even fully armored.
Meanwhile, Kazar placed his hand on a circular stone in front of the gate. Light flickered from it before calming—this completed the border crossing procedure.
“I didn’t know Your Highness was in the Kingdom of Bellua.”
“I was on a secret mission. I’m headed to Aden.”
With that, Kazar’s visit became “official.” The carriage then passed through the gate and picked up speed. Louis, looking out the window, asked,
“We don’t have to wait in line?”
“Nope.”
“Are you rich?”
“Something like that.”
Louis seemed satisfied. With Kazar dressed so finely, he looked like a storybook prince. Plus, they were riding in a six-horse carriage with six mounted escorts.
So surely he would rescue his sister—like a prince in the fairy tales.
“Thank goodness.”
Kazar looked down at smiling Louis and asked,
“When we bring Eluana out, where will we go?”
“Can’t we go back home?”
Though their house in Aden had been destroyed, Louis still liked it.
“If I leave, the First Prince might retaliate.”
“Because he’s trash?”
When Louis asked innocently, Kazar was at a loss for words.
“Eluana said that?”
“Yup. I heard her mutter it.”
Kazar chuckled.
“I’ll take you to where Ron Vita is.”
If he met Ron, he could also solve the mystery surrounding Eluana’s alchemy.
“Uh, no. That’s…”
Louis hesitated. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Kazar, but he had promised not to tell anyone that Ron was dead.
Kazar watched Louis’ rolling eyes. Come to think of it, Eluana had also evaded that question. He decided that when he met her, he’d ask seriously. And if they had nowhere to go, he would take them with him. That wouldn’t be a bad outcome.
He then looked at the three glowing orbs of light still following Louis. The mana concentration was too low to be sure, but the child definitely had magical talent. While Kazar was contemplating suitable magic academies, Louis leaned back and fell asleep.
The carriage and horses continued without rest after passing through the gate. By dawn, they reached Aden. The carriage drove straight to the main gate of the fortress. One of the guards said something to the gatekeeper, who looked startled and hurried to open the gate.
The carriage stopped in front of the lord’s manor. Kazar stepped out and held his hand out to Louis. The child took it without hesitation and was gently placed on the ground.
“Let’s go see your sister.”
As Kazar turned, holding Louis’s hand, someone came running out in a panic.
“Your Highness!”
It was the lord of Aden, having rushed out upon hearing the news. Kazar raised a hand to silence the long-winded greeting.
“Where is Eluana Vita?”
The lord looked like he wanted to cry. First the First Prince took her, then Duke Spes saved her, and now the Fourth Prince was here asking for her.
“She is in the guest room on the fourth floor.”
Kazar’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
The guest room? Not the prison tower?
***
Woken by birdsong, Eluana opened her eyes. She kept drifting in and out of sleep, as if fainting repeatedly. Moving her body was easier now, but the burning pain in her back hadn’t gone away.
“I have to find Louis.”
She felt frustrated. Her mind was in a rush, but her body wouldn’t follow.
Eluana sat up in bed and opened the terrace doors wide. A cool breeze blew, scattering her golden hair.
But even the fresh breeze didn’t ease the tightness in her chest. As she sighed softly, the door burst open.
Seeing who entered, Eluana couldn’t believe her eyes. A familiar shade of pink ran straight at her.
“Sister!!”
The pink blur crashed into her arms. He was heavier than before, enough to make her knees buckle slightly.
“Is this a dream?”
Even if it was, she didn’t care. Eluana hugged Louis tightly. Feeling his warm little body made it real. It was Louis.
My baby.
Assuming the soldiers had brought him, Eluana gently stroked his soft hair.
“You’re a liar, sis. You said you wouldn’t go to heaven.”
Louis’s tearful voice made a faint smile appear on her lips. Finally, she could breathe again.
“I didn’t go, did I? I told you I’d stay with you until you got tired of me.”
“…No one—”
“Hm?”
“No one’s going to be mean to you anymore.”
“Okay.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
“I’ll grow up fast. So don’t die.”
As Louis finally broke down crying, Eluana comforted him, thinking she was so, so lucky—to be alive and see him again.
Sensing someone, she looked up—and saw someone she hadn’t expected.
Wearing clothes as fancy as the First Prince’s, Kazar stood there.
“Kazar?”
“Let’s go. I came to get you.”
“Get… me?”
Eluana’s eyes widened in disbelief. Nowhere in her imagined future had she seen Kazar coming to save her.
“Did the soldiers bring you too?”
“Soldiers? Ah, no. I wasn’t captured. I came to get you. Let’s leave.”
“Uh… that’s okay. I don’t have to leave.”
“You don’t have to worry about the First Prince. I came through the front gate—he can’t stop us.”
If necessary, Kazar was prepared to make a deal with Regis—he’d even offer silence in exchange for Eluana’s freedom.
“No, I mean…”
Eluana felt things were getting off track. As she struggled to figure out how to explain, the door burst open with a loud crash.
Startled, Eluana instinctively pushed Louis behind her. A figure charged in with terrifying momentum. When she saw the man’s face, she called out,
“Duke?”
Kazar couldn’t believe his eyes either. The man charging in like a furious boar was Duke Spes.
Upon seeing Kazar’s face, the duke retracted the golden stream of water that had shattered the door. Eluana saw it morph into a sharp dagger and quickly raised her hand.
“No, wait! I told you someone was trapped with me—that’s him! He came to get me!”
The golden dagger in Duke Spes’s hand turned instantly into a golden orb. He approached her with the orb in his hand.
“Are you okay?”
Eluana nodded lightly to indicate she was fine, and only then did the duke’s fierce aura subside. Then he spotted Louis hiding behind her skirt.
A lovely child with pink hair and pink eyes.
“You look just like Ron Vita.”
For a moment, affection and sorrow passed through the duke’s golden eyes. Turning to Kazar, he asked in a cold tone,
“Why is the Fourth Prince here?”
“F-Fourth Prince?!”
Eluana stammered, pulling Louis back and stepping away.
Exposed, Kazar rubbed his neck awkwardly. Eluana suddenly treating him with caution left him feeling a bit disappointed. He had kind of enjoyed being called “that prince guy” or just “Kazar” without all the formalities.
Louis, peeking from behind her, seemed equally shocked.
“You said you were rich… but you’re a prince?”
To Louis, “prince” had always meant Regis—in other words, human trash. And now Kazar was one too?
Sure, he seemed princely, but being one for real was a big difference. Confused, Louis ducked behind Eluana’s skirt again.
“I didn’t plan on revealing this so soon.”
Kazar gave Duke Spes a sideways glare. Spes didn’t like this either and pressed Kazar coldly.
“Your Highness, you still haven’t answered my question.”
“It just sort of happened.”
“I’d appreciate an explanation… so I don’t misunderstand.”
It sounded less like a request and more like a demand for an excuse. Frankly, even Kazar didn’t fully know why he was here.
This story, after all, had begun… with betrayal.
