# Chapter 4. Sabelli Nox
As is often the case with the burdensome flow of life, God coldly ignored his humble resolution. A few days later, Evernight formally received the title of Duke from the Emperor. A banquet was held at the castle to celebrate it. Anya now had to attend as part of his duty as the mistress of the house. Those who neglected their duties were cast out from this place.
The sweet smell of spices filled the main hall. Anya crossed the hall, guided by a servant. Lanterns burned on every wall. The servant announced in a high, sing-song voice:
“The Mistress Anya Evernight enters.”
As the doors opened, Anya stepped into the center of the dining hall where the banquet was being held. Servants bustled about between tables, and dozens of knights were seated. Though familiar faces were scattered here and there, most were men he didn’t recognize. They openly looked Anya up and down, evaluating him. Anya wanted to run away, but Evernight was watching, and he didn’t want to upset him.
“H-hello.”
Anya anxiously turned his head to look straight ahead. Even among these robust knights, Evernight stood a head taller than the rest and wore a deep black tunic that made him look like an elegant jaguar.
Seeing the man’s enormous physique naturally reminded Anya of that night. Trembling slightly, Anya made his way forward through the knights. They smelled of thick sweat, earth, and dead blood. Some sent curious glances as if observing a rare animal, while others openly showed their disapproval.
His heart pounded as if he had entered a wolf’s den.
“Would you like a drink?”
Once seated, an elderly knight offered him a glass.
“P-pardon?”
“Today is a monumental day for the North, shouldn’t we raise a toast?”
When he smiled, wrinkles formed around his eyes. Everyone was testing him, weighing his reaction. Evernight too was watching, with his chin resting on his hand. A familiar thrill ran through him, similar to when his brothers tied him to a tree and shot arrows at him.
Anya had never drunk alcohol before. His self-deprecating thought, devoid of even a mouse dropping’s worth of adventurous spirit, popped up:
‘What if I make a mistake…? What if things get even worse here…?’
“My, does the mistress not drink?”
The elderly knight expressed concern, but it was a statement that could determine Anya’s reputation and credibility going forward. Anya finally gripped the cold silver cup firmly. The elderly knight smiled and poured in crimson wine like blood.
“The night is always watching!”
That was Tildyen Rock’s motto. Every castle had a motto. Even if the God of Death came to find them and mercilessly swung his scythe, the motto was a spell that made them honorable.
“Always by your side!”
The knights raised their glasses high in unison. Anya shrank at their vigor as he put the cup to his lips. It was a terribly bitter drink. Though his throat felt like it was burning up, there were many eyes watching.
“Have some more.”
This time, a different knight filled his glass with alcohol. Unable to refuse, Anya had to empty his glass once again.
“It’d be troublesome if you died now.”
Evernight raised his hand to stop them. Only then did the knights realize that Anya’s face had turned burning red.
“Oh dear. I seem to have been too mischievous.”
The elderly knight Ecle burst into laughter as he withdrew the wine bottle he was holding. When he laughed, yellowed and broken teeth could be seen through his rough beard.
“I-it’s f-fine.”
Anya shook his head and extended his glass again, but Evernight overlapped his hand on top. It meant to stop. The boy immediately halted with a small hiccup. He dared not go against his husband’s words.
“Lord Night. Aren’t you being too harsh on your spouse?”
“The old man is quite drunk. If you’re going to spout such nonsense, go inside and sleep.”
Anya was surprised at Evernight’s casual word choice and anxiously glanced at Ecle. Fortunately, Ecle didn’t seem offended at all. Instead, he burst into hearty laughter. If Anya wasn’t mistaken, even Evernight’s mouth corners had risen slightly. It was the first time he had seen the man treat someone with such goodwill.
Just then, a group of musicians entered the banquet hall. Cheers and applause erupted instantly. They began to play various folk songs that circulated among the common people of the empire. Servants moved busily as wine glasses were quickly passed back and forth. It was quite different from the rigid and quiet banquets at the imperial palace.
Only then could Anya relax a little. The sharp eyes evaluating him had moved on to alcohol, meat, and the lively music.
“We have prepared a play for His Grace Duke Evernight of the great Tildyen.”
At that moment, a musician stepped to the center of the hall and shouted. He placed one foot behind him and twirled his right hand flamboyantly in the air, giving an exaggerated stage greeting. The surrounding knights pounded the tables with their fists in applause. Evernight nodded with his chin resting on his hand. It meant to go ahead.
“Once upon a time, there was a region that bloomed from the tears of the First Goddess.”
The musician gathered strength from his belly and shouted in a resounding voice with gestures. Behind him, other musicians had already changed into costumes and were standing.
“No one knows why the Goddess shed tears. That’s too ancient a story, so let’s set it aside! Even this wandering poet who has traveled the entire continent doesn’t dare to know. There are about a thousand theories by region… something about the knight the Goddess loved being buried there or whatnot…”
Someone from a corner table shouted crudely, “Get on with it, you bastard!” Amid giggles, the musician continued with a servile expression, rubbing his palms together.
“Anyway! After an eternity of time, a boy was born there. This child showed extraordinary abilities from a young age!”
Then, a gallant man wearing what was obviously cheap armor appeared from behind, demonstrating impressive skills by swinging a wooden sword this way and that. Copper coins showered from various directions. Seeing this comedy for the first time, Anya forgot his tension and watched the stage with eyes full of curiosity. Evernight still had a bored expression but didn’t bother to stop it.
“The child grew strong…”
As the play progressed, Anya realized that the boy represented Evernight. The actor portrayed Evernight like an ancient hero. As if weaving every heroic tale that existed in this world, he traveled around the empire solving all sorts of strange incidents.
“Upon hearing this news, the Emperor of the empire is consumed by jealousy.”
As the musician shouted this, a new scene began.
“What? The people praise him more than me?”
A pot-bellied man wearing an imperial crown shouted in a ridiculous voice. He was performing a crude imitation, alternating between two men dressed as women with their blouses undone. Anya turned his head as he realized what was happening. His own image reflected over that scene made him nauseous.
“This won’t do, this won’t do. Send him beyond the wall immediately! And pick out a lazy baron from the North who keeps his back warm to send as commander!”
The man continued his imitation. Ridiculous moans flowed from between his thick purple lips. Everyone roared with laughter and threw copper coins.
“Ah, no! Baron, that child is too young!”
The scenes continued to change rapidly. As the play reached its climax, the content became bizarre and cruel. A man with a forked beard kicked a woman and yelled at her. The woman’s acting was so good that her sorrowful wails gave goosebumps. She scratched the floor desperately trying not to have her child taken away. But the man eventually seized the woman’s child and played with it with an incomparably lewd expression.
Though it was just a wooden puppet, the vivid performance made Anya feel sick to his stomach. Some shouted rough curses: “Fuck, those dog-dick nobles!”
“Aack, Your Highness, please spare me!”
Somehow the baron had become an unnamed prince. The baron was gone, and a new commander had arrived. An actor wearing shabby clothes with a worn cape added and a flat, crude crown was jumping on the backs of several people prostrating themselves, bursting into laughter.
“You lowly things dare to ignore me? I’ll show you my superior swordsmanship beyond the wall right away! Boys over fifteen, follow me when dawn breaks tomorrow!”
The crowned commander, taking trembling young boys, eventually crossed the wall. Though it was a flimsy wooden wall erected for the play, no one bothered to criticize it.
“W-what are those! Block my f-front right away!”
Dead things wearing hollow-cheeked, hideous masks appeared carrying spears and sickles. The prince kicked the boys away and fled. The dead made low, resonant laughing sounds. Then they suddenly swung their weapons and slaughtered the boys. Somehow they had staged it so that the boys were instantly soaked in bright red blood. Anya was stunned by the sight of them dying with their eyes rolled back.
“Have you ever been beyond the wall?”
He couldn’t even turn away from the shocking sight. The Northerners here were monitoring his every move. Just then, Ecle leaned in. He smelled of aged iron. Before Anya could answer, the old knight’s voice suddenly lowered to a whisper. The old man’s eyes clouded as if recalling something.
“Beyond the wall has been the land of the dead for over a thousand years. A land ruled by them. There is an implicit rule between humans and them. A trivial but very important rule not to cross the wall.”
