Translator: Nox

Chapter 50

The atmosphere had shifted, the air turning biting and sharp in a cruel dismissal of the gentle warmth that had lingered only days prior. A heavy dampness clung to everything, saturating the breeze against the skin, while the heavens remained trapped under a thick canopy of dismal gray. Intermittent showers fell in a rhythmic pulse, the quintessential spring rains that defined the Kingdom of Dalkatir.

The King was scheduled to reach Pallesa Palace by nightfall. Adi remained ignorant of the monarch’s appearance; for the vast majority of citizens and even the lesser nobility, catching a glimpse of the sovereign’s face was a rare impossibility.

“Is his arrival still anticipated for today?”

“Indeed. Word is he should be here as the sun dips below the horizon.”

To recognize the King’s features was a mark of true status. One had to be a high-ranking aristocrat, a blood relative of the throne, or a social titan influential enough to garner personal invitations to the inner royal circle. While the Grimaldi line technically held such standing, neither Adrian nor Adrina had ever been summoned. Adi suspected that wretched curse was the culprit behind their exclusion.

Inside the quarters, Billy, the head chamberlain, was hovering over Yuls with obsessive focus. Though the garments had been commissioned in a rush, they were tailored with surgical precision. Billy kept up a constant stream of chatter regarding the fall of the fabric and the mastery of the stitch, though his technical praise fell on deaf ears.

Clad in a crisp white ceremonial uniform paired with a dark cravat and a sweeping black cloak, Yuls brushed his hair away from his forehead with an air of mild irritation.

His gaze eventually shifted, locking onto Adi’s. A soft smile touched Yuls’s face, his eyes narrowing into pleasant crescents. Adi met his look with a rigid expression, unable to decipher the meaning behind his warmth.

Fragments of the previous night drifted back to her unbidden. She felt a sting of embarrassment for her own vulnerability, realizing how foolish she had been to hope he might be her savior or even a simple ally. Yuls had watched her leave with a look of pure bewilderment, yet he had left her with a cryptic offer: to tell him the moment she desired something.

Adi had remained silent, of course. The idea that Duke Woodpecker would provide unconditional support was a fantasy. She couldn’t explain what had possessed her to approach him with such a baseless assumption of help.

The only silver lining was that the Duke’s sudden growth spurt seemed to have finally plateaued.

Outside, the rain that had briefly paused began to patter against the stone once more.

Pallesa Palace existed in a state of quiet chaos. Servants and staff hurried through the corridors as nobles finalized their arrangements for the royal reception. Even the Duke’s own retinue was caught up in the frantic preparations.

This left the knights with a rare moment of downtime. Adi stood by as Bert and Roy sat huddled over a table.

The two men were paralyzed by indecision, staring intensely at a chess match. Adi found their hesitation baffling; to her, the winning strategy was painfully obvious. Bored by their slow pace, she eventually turned her attention toward the window.

The greenery outside looked vivid under the rain. In the distance, she spotted Ivan, the head chamberlain, conversing with a Head Maid. Adi couldn’t tell if the woman belonged to the palace staff or another noble’s household, but Ivan’s visible discomfort drew her closer to the glass.

“Spot something interesting?” Bert asked, noticing her movement.

“Ivan is out there talking to a Head Maid,” Adi reported.

“A Head Maid? Well, look at him,” Roy remarked, standing up to get a better view. “I didn’t think he had that kind of charm, but Ivan is full of surprises.” He let out a disparaging click of his tongue.

“He isn’t flirting,” Adi corrected. “He looks like he’s being cornered for a favor.”

“By who?”

Bert rose to join them at the window. Even from the back, the woman’s posture radiated a sense of desperate urgency.

“The Lintu family,” Adi noted.

“That girl has been relentless about securing an audience with the Duke,” Roy added.

“I thought her interests leaned toward children,” Bert mused.

“You really think she’s chasing him because he’s young? She’s after his title and his lands,” Roy countered.

The situation had shifted recently, however. Since the Duke had matured, the number of people clamoring for his time had skyrocketed. Because Adi kept to herself, she was spared the pestering, but Roy was constantly besieged. People would beg him to stage a ‘random’ encounter if a formal meeting was out of the question.

It wasn’t just the ladies of the court, either. The men were just as eager. A fully realized Duke would be a powerful pawn to control within Dalkatir. Though he wasn’t quite an adult yet, the Duke was a far cry from the child who had first arrived.

“True enough. She’s likely hunting for the title of Duchess rather than a handsome face,” Bert agreed.

“Though some of them might actually be sincere,” Roy suggested.

Adi spoke in a low murmur, wondering if that was the reason the woman claimed to despise those with a preference for children.

“What was that?” Roy asked.

Adi didn’t clarify. Her eyes remained fixed on the scene outside, but she wasn’t looking at Ivan anymore. She had spotted Lev Zid, who was watching their window.

“Ivan really struggles to say no, doesn’t he?”

“That’s his nature,” Bert explained. “He’s the eldest of four boys. He’s fine with fighting or dismissing men, but he’s a total pushover when it comes to women. People send maids to deal with him on purpose for that exact reason.”

“Should we go bail him out?” Adi asked.

“No, he needs to learn to handle it himself,” Bert replied.

Adi turned away from the window. As she moved to leave, Roy looked up. “Heading somewhere?”

“It feels wrong to just stand here and stare at them,” she said.

Lev Zid’s expression had been clear—he had something to communicate. Usually, messages from the County were funneled through the Duke’s staff rather than delivered directly. The fact that he was lingering outside suggested this was a private matter. She wished he would just be direct rather than acting so suspicious.

Adi’s gaze fell on the stalled chess game. After a moment of silence, she asked if they were finished. Without waiting for an answer, she reached out and slid Roy’s Queen into a new position.

“That’s where you should put it.”

“Hey!”

“Adi! No interfering!”

The two knights scrambled back to the table. The move had shattered their stalemate, making the path to victory undeniable. Bert gripped his hair in frustration. Adi then reached over and adjusted Bert’s rook in response.

“And this is how you counter it, Bert.”

“You little traitor!”

“I’m just keeping the scales balanced,” Adi said with a shrug.

The game was back to a deadlock, ensuring they would be occupied for a long time. Roy groaned, playing with a piece he had already lost, while Bert sank back into a deep, agonizing study of the board.

“I’m going out for a bit,” Adi announced.

“Now? Our shift starts soon.”

“I won’t be long.”

She knew she couldn’t lie about meeting a friend, as they were well aware she had no social life at the palace. Honesty was the only option.

“I have to meet someone from the County briefly.”

“Are you seeing your father?” Bert asked.

“No, someone else.”

Bert looked curious but didn’t pry further.

“Just a family acquaintance,” she added.

“Fine, go ahead,” Bert said, while Roy offered a distracted wave.

As Adi exited, the two men looked up from the board and exchanged a knowing glance.

“Should I trail her?” Roy whispered.

“Grab a practice sword and act like you’re heading out to warm up. We have that sparring match later anyway.”

“Don’t remind me. I’m already stressed enough about it.”

“Want a quick round now? You might have talent, Roy, but you can’t substitute experience.”

“If I lose to your ‘experience’ now, I’ll be too demoralized for the actual duel later.”

“If your ego is that fragile, how did you ever make it into the Night Watchmen?”

“That’s uncalled for,” Roy grumbled, standing up. Despite his complaints about training, he headed to his room. “How about unsharpened steel instead of wood?” he shouted. He returned holding a wooden blade in one hand and a steel one in the other, offering Bert the choice.

“Don’t go getting yourself maimed,” Bert warned.

“That’s on you. You’re the one with all the experience; you should be able to hold back.”

“I try, but these old bones are having a harder time keeping up with you kids lately,” Bert muttered. He signaled for the steel sword, and Roy tossed the wooden one aside.

“It’s definitely blunt, right?”

“I value my life too. Take this one.”

Roy went back for his own blade while Bert unsheathed the steel. It was dull, as promised—nothing fancy, but sturdy enough for a workout.

Before Bert could ask where he’d found the weapon, the door swung open. He expected Adi, but the figure who stepped inside was entirely different.

“Your Excellency.”

“Where is Adi?” Yuls demanded.

He had finally escaped the chamberlain’s ministrations, looking far more regal and polished than usual. Bert was momentarily taken aback by the transformation.

The boy had always been striking, but in full formal attire, he was genuinely imposing. Bert had expected him to be a handsome man, given his childhood looks, but the current sight was something else entirely. He wondered why the Duke was so intent on finding his knight.

“She stepped out for a moment. Is something wrong?”

“No, I just need to retrieve something for the event.” Yuls ran a hand through his hair, a faint, unreadable smile touching his lips that made Bert narrow his eyes.

“Where did you send her?” Yuls asked.

Bert felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He searched his memory.

“I didn’t send her. She said she had a personal meeting.”

“Here? She doesn’t know anyone.”

Then it clicked. Bert remembered doing the exact same thing years ago. When he had first earned his colors as a Knight of Woodpecker, he had dressed in his finest gear, perfected his hair, and immediately sought out his girlfriend—now his wife—just to bask in her admiration.

“She mentioned it was someone from the County.”

“The County? I wasn’t informed of any visitors.”

The parallels were becoming impossible to ignore.

“Perhaps it’s a private matter,” Bert suggested.

He had dismissed Joel’s constant gossip about a budding romance between the two, but now he wasn’t so sure. As Yuls stood there looking thoughtful, Roy re-emerged from the back room. Yuls turned his gaze toward the knight, who offered a quick bow while clutching his sword.

“You know her location, don’t you?” Yuls asked.

Roy gave a sharp nod.

“Then lead the way.”