Leaving the noisy temple behind, only Rowy and Van, just the two of them, remained on the road now. He never imagined they’d be returning to the Empire so suddenly like this… Rowy let out a deep sigh.
‘I wanted to live alone in Seraphila for at least twenty years.’
Twenty years, what—they were going back to the Empire after just two years. Hiii, Rowy made a tearful face.
“I don’t want to go…”
“Nothing bad will happen.”
Van gently coaxed Rowy from the side. However, Rowy couldn’t muster any energy. Though Van felt bad for such a Rowy, he also had nothing more to say. Because even Van, who had insisted they must go to the Empire for Rowy’s exorcism, was quite nervous now that they were actually going to the Empire.
‘I really can’t believe we’re going to the Irad Duchy…’
The Irad Duchy, which had produced Imperial Knight Commanders for generations, was quite a symbolic family to knights. Because dedicating loyalty to one’s master for generations was what all knights dreamed of most.
That’s why even Van, who didn’t know much about imperial nobility, had a vague fondness for the Irad Duchy at least. Of course, that was all before he learned that Rowy was an Irad.
‘Not only did they force an engagement, they even drove him out alone to this distant place.’
How could they do that? Van, recalling Rowy spending the night alone on a deserted island, was furious.
‘…They’re not going to push forward that broken engagement again when we return this time, are they?’
Engagement? By whose permission?
‘…Absolutely not.’
Van, whose expression hardened while spreading his wings of imagination alone, spoke to Rowy in a resolute voice.
“Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility and…”
“……”
“…help you escape.”
“……”
“Just getting you out, well… After that, since you have a lot of money, can’t we somehow survive together… I think…”
The more he spoke, the smaller Van’s voice became. There was nothing he could do about it since Van, in his slave status, could only do that much for Rowy.
“Hmm, escape.”
Though he felt awkward saying it, Rowy seemed to like that suggestion quite a bit unexpectedly. Rowy, who had been tearful since earlier, finally smoothed out his face a little.
“…Yeah, that seems like a good idea. If it really doesn’t work out, we can just run away.”
Why didn’t I think of that? A wicked smile gradually spread across Rowy’s face as he instantly formulated an escape plan in his head. Van just smiled along even though he didn’t know what Rowy was thinking, simply because Rowy was smiling.
“Haa, then, let’s really go now. To the Empire.”
“Yes.”
Rowy and Van now naturally held hands and walked forward. At the end of the road, the knight order that had come to meet Rowy had already arrived.
* * *
Those waiting for Rowy were the Flame Knights. The Flame Knights, the elite knight order of the Irad Duchy, were known as one of the most powerful knight orders on the continent, along with the Empire’s Imperial Knights. And among them, the one assigned to escort Rowy this time was…
“…Sir Edner.”
“Rowy-nim. It’s been a while.”
The Vice Commander of the Flame Knights, Edner Dean. The knight with a stiff face gave Rowy a curt greeting.
“As you must have heard, since the schedule was set suddenly, time is tight. Detailed schedules and precautions will be delivered while we’re moving, so please get in the carriage for now. I’ll escort you to the main house.”
At Edner’s gesture, the knight standing by the carriage opened the carriage door. It was silent pressure to get in the carriage immediately. Rowy couldn’t help but feel it was rude. Because they couldn’t waste even a little time to arrive at the Empire on time.
‘Above all, I need to be firm with that troublemaker.’
Edner looked at Rowy’s sullen expression with cold eyes. Edner was well aware of Rowy’s infamy too. However, that didn’t mean he had any particular feelings toward Rowy. Because the only thing important to Edner was perfectly carrying out the mission he was assigned.
‘Everything is for His Grace the Duke.’
Edner was someone with tremendous loyalty to the Irad Duchy and the Flame Knights. That’s why for this mission too, if it was for his master, Duke Irad, he intended to devote himself and handle it perfectly without fail.
‘Block anything that could be a problem for mission execution in advance.’
Edner’s eyes looked at Rowy sharply with such resolve. Because… the only factor that could be a problem in this mission was just one—Rowy Irad.
“Rowy-nim.”
“……”
“Please board.”
At Edner’s firm voice, Rowy finally slowly moved toward the carriage. Van, who had been at a loss in the tense atmosphere, followed closely behind such a Rowy. At that, Edner’s gaze, which had been on Rowy, soon shifted to Van. Sharp eyes, no different from when looking at Rowy, scanned Van up and down.
“……”
Because there was one more order the Duke had given Edner. The Duke had secretly called Edner and assigned him one more solo mission. That mission was…
‘To observe whether that person is suitable to be taken as an adopted son-in-law. I don’t know what His Grace is thinking.’
This was precisely why he’d attached as much as the vice commander of the Flame Knights to bring Rowy to the Empire. However, unfortunately… Edner didn’t know exactly what the qualifications for an adopted son-in-law were.
‘Well, his limbs seem intact.’
Not knowing what else to find out besides that, Edner was slightly dejected.
* * *
Whether the schedule was really that tight, Rowy was unilaterally informed about this Empire trip inside the carriage.
The main content was that after passing through Velstra and Banayl by carriage, they would use a teleportation circle in Norbel to go to the Empire, and for fast travel, servants would not accompany them, so please understand.
While listening to the story that was no different from a notification, naturally Rowy’s expression gradually crumpled. And…
“Oh, and as you know, while riding in a carriage bearing the Irad Duchy’s emblem… magic is prohibited. His Grace the Duke’s message is not to cause problems.”
“……”
Eventually, Rowy’s mood perfectly plummeted to the floor.
“Annoying!”
Edner, who had finished explaining with a stiff face, moved away from the carriage, and Rowy, left alone with Van again, sprawled on the seat in annoyance.
“Hiii… I don’t want to go!”
Van floundered watching Rowy even stomping his feet. However, he couldn’t think of any particular words to comfort him.
‘I wondered why he hated going back to the Empire so much…’
If it was like this, Van understood Rowy well enough too. No matter what, Rowy should have higher status, yet they were giving orders to Rowy in a high-handed tone… Moreover, that order was,
‘Don’t use magic.’
To be honest, Van had been extremely tense earlier, worried that Rowy might attack Edner.
Fortunately, such a thing didn’t happen, but… Van looked at Rowy with troubled eyes. Rowy was still writhing in annoyance.
“Did you see? His eyes were like this at me!”
Rowy, who had jumped up and mimicked glaring, flopped back down and stomped his feet.
“Everyone hates me!”
“How could that be?”
“It’s true!”
Rowy eventually started making crying sounds. Naturally it was fake crying, but… still feeling sorry for him, Van lifted such a Rowy and sat him facing each other on his lap.
“Shh, what does it matter if others hate you? I like you, Master.”
After soothing him for a while, stroking his back like that, Rowy finally stopped whining and became quiet. And the strength in his body also loosened a bit… fortunately, he seemed to have calmed down a little. Van, who had let out a sigh of relief inwardly, pulled Rowy a bit closer. Because Rowy’s eyes were still full of hurt feelings.
“Even after returning to the Empire, if anyone bullies you, tell me. I’ll hold you tightly like this.”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
At the endlessly affectionate words, Rowy finally wrapped his arms around Van’s neck and snuggled in. Van hugged such a Rowy tightly and patted his back.
“Still, it’s the first time in a while you’re going back, isn’t there anything you want to do when you go?”
How could there be such a thing? Rowy, held in the firm embrace, thought with a sullen face. But still… Rowy looked up at Van, who was still stroking his back.
“……”
But still… if he was going back together with Van, something might be different from before. Because he was no longer alone. Receiving Van’s pats, Rowy, who had now become completely docile, whispered softly.
“…When we go to the Empire.”
“Yes.”
“There’s a dessert shop I like there. Let’s go together.”
“What do they sell?”
“…Strawberry cake.”
“Sounds delicious.”
At the immediate response, Rowy smiled softly. A soft atmosphere began to flow inside the carriage again like that.
“…Master.”
“Mm?”
Van, who had keenly noticed the change in atmosphere, called Rowy suggestively. These days, Van never missed such moments. At the deepening gaze, Rowy made a disgusted expression.
“What…”
“We’re about to depart. Until then. Okay?”
Rowy, who had looked briefly at Van sneaking closer, whispered softly.
“…Just for a moment.”
And… there was a gaze watching the two through the carriage window.
