* * *
In the end, Ban, who had boarded the splendid carriage, let out repeated sighs inwardly as he fixed his gaze on the window. Unlike the situation inside the carriage, which was filled with awkward and uncomfortable silence, it glided smoothly along the road without any hindrance and headed straight for Lebesi Castle, but the beautiful scenery and magnificent castle didn’t register in Ban’s eyes as he gazed out the window.
Orma, who had suddenly kissed him, had activated the mark he’d carved on Ban and was burning with an incomprehensible fighting spirit all by himself.
The reason Ban had obediently followed when Orma readily suggested going to Lebesi Castle was that he hoped this exhausting and complicated situation would end as if nothing had happened by accepting this invitation. Leila smiled brightly at Ban, who had accepted the invitation, and guided him to the carriage saying she would escort him right away, but Ban could only fidget restlessly at the sound of Orma snorting from behind.
The reason Orma disliked Leila? He didn’t really know, but he wasn’t particularly curious either. After all, Orma usually killed humans for trivial reasons anyway, so did he really need a reason to dislike someone?
Ban was simply afraid, all alone, that Orma, who had been behaving so quietly and well until now, might be unable to suppress his violent temperament again and murder Leila. After all the hardship I went through to correct that temper and behavior… Ban firmly believed that the Evil God, who used to kill anyone at the slightest displeasure and curse everything in the world while spewing abuse, had become noticeably more docile entirely thanks to his own blood-and-tears efforts.
How effective was it? Even now, though he disliked Leila, wasn’t he holding back from murder out of concern that it would cause trouble for him? Just as the sun in the fable had removed the traveler’s coat with warmth, Ban’s devotion had reformed that human scum… no, that godly scum quite well.
‘…This one keeps looking at Ban and smiling. Should I just gouge out those eyes? No, wait, I’ll endure until I’ve made it crystal clear that Ban is mine. After that, I can kill her very cruelly.’
Though his god was actually thinking quite different thoughts.
“Do you see over there? The reason Lebesi Castle has this structure is to also function as a drawbridge. Of course, ships large enough to require raising the castle’s drawbridge are rare.”
“…I see.”
If it hadn’t been for Leila, if he’d been invited for a different reason, if he’d only admired the castle from afar, Ban would have gazed entranced at the beautiful architecture harmonizing with Gillia’s sea.
Just because Ban had responded to Leila’s words, Orma’s eyes flickered from beside him. It was exactly like someone jealously monitoring their lover, worried they might be unfaithful, but Ban, who didn’t dream of knowing these circumstances, thought his god’s temper was acting up again… and surreptitiously placed his hand on Orma’s thigh to pat it.
It was an action meant to quietly calm him while avoiding Leila’s gaze, but instead Orma flinched in surprise. However, before Orma could even open his mouth to say anything, the carriage, having arrived at its destination, slowly came to a stop.
“Sir Knight, we’ve arrived. Welcome to Lebesi Castle.”
“Mm…”
Though Leila must have felt that he was treating her uncomfortably stiff and answering questions perfunctorily, she steadfastly maintained a gentle smile as she dealt with Ban. His conscience slightly pricked, Ban ended up being the first to exit the carriage and extending his hand toward Leila.
It was a small courtesy and etiquette, nothing more. Originally, a knight should protect and be considerate of a lady, and… anyway, holding her hand to escort her down from the carriage was no different from holding the door for the person behind you.
Nevertheless, when Leila shyly placed her hand over Ban’s and descended from the carriage, Orma, who had been behind them, glared at Ban with blazing eyes. For reasons unknown, burning fiercely, he extended his own hand before Ban could and spoke roughly.
“Do it for me too.”
“…Fine, but please loosen your grip a bit.”
A stinging pain rose as Orma gripped his hand tightly as if he would never let go. What kind of childish prank was this? If Leila got it, he absolutely had to have it too? He couldn’t understand it, but then again, when had he ever been able to understand his god’s thoughts?
Ban resignedly escorted Orma as well.
“My, Sir Knight is so kind even to your fellow companion…”
Does this look like kindness? Ban desperately wanted to ask that but held back, glancing at Orma with troubled eyes before standing in front as if to hide him. Only then did the main gate of Lebesi Castle, which Leila had proudly introduced, finally begin to register in Ban’s eyes.
The beautiful castle with its tranquil atmosphere was made entirely of pure white outer walls and blue roofs, creating an atmosphere like a drawn image from some animated film’s logo. The open sky and white clouds above even seemed like part of the castle’s decoration, and though there were no conspicuously flashy ornaments, it somehow looked noble and sacred.
The castle’s highest floor rose steeply as if it could touch the floating islands, and beside it floated a transparent, round lighthouse. It was a peaceful sight that didn’t match the game <MOX NOX>, which had boasted a dark enough atmosphere and sensibility to be considered dark fantasy.
As Ban admired the castle for a while, he tilted his head at a strange sense of déjà vu.
‘Why does this feel so familiar?’
Of course, Ban had never been here before. He was visiting Gillia itself for the first time. Right, perhaps it’s because this architectural style resembles the temple in Serka where I was born and raised…
“Leila, is this the person?”
A gentle and elegant manner of speaking accompanied a soft voice.
Without seeing the face, he could instinctively tell that the owner of the voice was Lady Lebesi. Though he had come to the castle semi-forcibly in this not particularly pleasant situation, he should still greet the person who invited him with courtesy, right? Ban thought as much and slowly turned his head.
And there, as soon as he faced the woman with a delicate impression standing alone without any special adornment… Ban understood for the first time the reactions of the Gillia people who had first seen him.
Even the simple dress with so few decorations it was almost like a one-piece couldn’t conceal the woman’s beauty. Rather, her more poignant and delicate appearance was highlighted. Her golden hair was pinned up high, decorated only with a small pin. As if she hadn’t taken much care in tying it, stray hairs fell down and fluttered slightly in the wind, but even that only looked natural and was no flaw whatsoever.
Her skin was so pale it went beyond fair, as if Leila’s words about her being sickly weren’t lies, but she somehow looked elegant and noble. And… her eyes. Eyes that looked exactly like Ban’s, so chillingly refreshing as if they had captured this azure sky. Those same-colored eyes met silently in the air, imprinting each other wholly in their vision.
How long had they stared at each other? …Ban finally admitted his defeat. All the fuss that had swept past him, all the strong convictions, had been based on valid reasons.
Ban’s bloodline, which even Orma couldn’t easily deny, was made clearly evident by merely confirming each other’s existence.
“…The wind is blowing quite strongly.”
That was the first thing Ban managed to say. It was words that slipped out from unconsciously worrying about the woman’s fragility, as if she might fade away at any moment.
Perhaps because the castle was built on high ground near the seaside, the wind kept blowing. To Ban it was a moderately cool breeze, but to the woman it seemed no different from an icy gale. In such thin and light clothing, she looked like she might cough and catch a severe cold.
“Ah…”
However, the woman—Lady Lebesi—let out a small sigh at those words. The emotion that briefly crossed the face that looked so much like Ban’s was a combination of helplessness he couldn’t dare fathom, inexplicable guilt, and anguish all mingled together. The lady had recognized Ban’s kindness even in those brief words that weren’t even a greeting.
After hesitating for a while, she carefully walked toward Ban. Her exposed wrist was extremely slender. Even Ban could feel it—the trembling of her fingertips was pitiable. But the warmth that carefully caressed Ban’s face was warm enough to bring tears.
“You’ve grown up so well…”
Not knowing how to respond, Ban remained silent. This kind of thing… hadn’t happened even in his past life. Emotions he was feeling for the first time rushed in like waves and overwhelmed Ban. All he could do was blink his eyes.
Still, perhaps due to the wisdom of the years she’d lived, the lady quickly composed her emotions and showed him a smile. Even that smile resembled the one Ban often wore to a chilling degree, but Ban, who didn’t know what his own smiling face looked like, only imprinted that image in his eyes for a long while.
“We can’t keep standing here like this. Let’s go inside. I’ve prepared a very grand and sumptuous meal…”
Having finished speaking, the lady turned her body and slowly walked into the castle before even hearing Ban’s answer. Too shocked by the situation, Ban followed behind her in a daze without even paying attention to Orma.
