Episode 30
The Eve Festival
Around dusk.
The Mermandi Knights rode downstream along the river where a body might have washed up. They searched every bend, shallow area, and bridge with torches—but even by nightfall, they found no body.
Across the southern riverbank, faint smoke was rising. Curious, they followed it and soon found a small hill. It looked strange and out of place in the area.
What is that?
Nicholas soon realized what it really was—a huge pile of bodies. Members of the city guard were working in pairs, carrying corpses on stretchers. Greg spoke with them and then came back to Nicholas.
“Young lord.”
“What’s going on? It looks like a battlefield.”
Nicholas looked up at the cloudy sky, waiting for Greg’s report. The only bright spot in the area was from the fire burning the bodies.
Greg explained with a stiff face:
“The city guard is still figuring things out, but it seems a mass killing happened here. All confirmed dead are bandits—no women among them. The guard captain has no idea who fought them.”
“Bandits appeared in Kalt?”
“Yes. We should keep searching for the young lady.”
The situation felt strange. They hadn’t seen any signal fires or messengers coming from Mermandi .
If a real war had broken out in the southeast kingdom, the watchmen would’ve noticed something.
Despite all their searching, they still couldn’t find her body. The exhausted knights were circling the same areas again and again.
Nicholas stopped his horse near a reed field and stared at the mist-covered city.
So the report wasn’t fake… Is she really alive?
The temperature had dropped since the rain. Greg came back sniffling after spending a long time searching in the cold wind.
“Nicholas, perhaps we should regroup with the others?”
“…Yes. Before it gets any later. Call everyone back.”
Greg saluted and went to gather the knights.
While he was doing that, the wolfhounds suddenly ran toward something.
Greg and Nicholas met eyes, then followed the dogs.
When the mounted knights approached noisily, the dogs lowered their tails and returned to their master. Nicholas got off his horse and petted the spotted dog.
“Good job, Maya. You’ve earned your keep.”
He looked up at whoever Maya had found.
The person in the robe was a woman, judging from her size. The dark-haired man beside her held her hand tightly, watching their surroundings like he was waiting for a chance to escape—though all exits were blocked. His fierce eyes annoyed Nicholas.
What a murderous look…
Nicholas slowly approached them, taking off his riding gloves. Under the torchlight, he felt like he had seen the young man’s face somewhere before.
When the knights surrounded them with spears raised, the man held up his hands and dropped his sword with a loud clang.
He seemed to know he had no chance of winning. Yet he spoke playfully:
“Easy there. We’re not running. Should knights really attack innocent citizens like this?”
“Eddy! Pick up that sword!”
The horses stamped impatiently, sensing tension. The squire named Eddy hurried over to pick up the strange-looking sword, staring at its unfamiliar shape.
The dark-haired young man looked like a hunter, wearing leather boots and a moon-shaped brooch on his cloak. He acted cooperative, but his eyes showed pride and competitiveness.
What gives him such confidence?
Nicholas questioned him.
“I am Nicholas of the Mermandi ducal house. State your name and origin. Now.”
The woman beside him flinched noticeably. Nicholas signaled the knights, and they immediately dismounted and grabbed her hood.
The dark-haired man muttered quietly,
“So this is how it ends.”
Nicholas soon understood why.
The knights pulled back her hood.
Long, light reddish-brown curls fell forward. In the sun, they would shine orange—the hair he knew so well.
“…!”
Her pale skin, the lace covering her right eye, and the bright emerald eye on the other side—everything he remembered.
She looked thinner and taller than when he last saw her.
Several knights gasped in shock.
Natania spoke in a trembling voice:
“Nick… brother?”
The moment he heard her voice, Nicholas walked straight over and hugged her tightly. He didn’t care that all the knights were watching.
“Nattie! You’re alive! I knew it—I knew you’d be okay.”
He buried his face in her hair, holding her warmth closely. They hadn’t seen each other for a month, but neither shed tears.
While Nicholas was savoring the reunion, a dry voice whispered in his ear:
“Thanks, but you could’ve come a little earlier.”
The voice was soft enough that only he could hear it. It was certainly Natania’s.
But when he looked at her again, she wore an innocent expression—as if she’d never said it. Just a happy girl relieved to see her family.
…Did I imagine it?
Nicholas shook his head slightly and then turned to his knights with a satisfied smile.
They could finally return home with honor.
“You’ve put on some weight, Nattie. Life outside must not have been too hard. Good. You need to return to normal before your marriage to the prince.”
“Huh? Marriage? What are you talking about? I can’t become a princess like this. And I don’t even love the prince.”
Nicholas felt blood rush to his head. Every time she spoke so carelessly, he felt frustrated. She had lived a privileged life as a noble lady—she should know her duty.
He almost scolded her as usual, but remembered their situation and cleared his throat.
“We’ll discuss it at home. Father has been waiting desperately for you.”
“Father…?”
“Yes. He ordered us to find you no matter what. Don’t you want to see him?”
“Ah… yes.”
Natania looked gloomy at the mention of the duke, like a child afraid of being scolded. The dark-haired man watched her closely.
Nicholas pointed at the man and asked sharply:
“Who is he? And how do you explain the injury on your shoulder?”
But Natania didn’t answer right away. She looked uncomfortable with everyone watching her. Nicholas sighed and pressed again:
“Who is he? Why were you with him?”
“I… don’t really know. We haven’t known each other long…”
Before she could finish, the knights moved in and began binding the young man. The wolfhounds barked fiercely at them.
The young man frowned but cooperated, even casually asking them to take care of his sword.
Hearing all the noise, Natania turned her head sharply.
“What are you doing? Where are you taking him?”
“We’re arresting a kidnapper. He’ll pay for daring to touch a noble lady of the kingdom.”
“…But—!”
Natania hesitated, licking her lips before continuing.
