The Arrow of Destiny Cuts Through the Night

#36

Unlike the chaotic Baron’s mansion, the Gerold mansion was as quiet as ever.

“You go to your room and wait,” Jersian said to Kain, who was walking beside him with a composed face. Not only had the mission failed, but if his aunt found out that someone else had learned about the Gerold Marquis family’s nighttime activities, he couldn’t imagine what punishment he’d receive. Realizing he had said this countless times to Kain, Jersian added with an even more irritated face, “Please listen to me for once. Don’t make this situation any bigger here.”

Before waiting for a response, Jersian waved his hand dismissively in the air, knowing it would be a waste of time to say anything more.

“…You all need to keep your mouths shut too,” he reminded the other knights. Immediately, disciplined voices responded with a “Yes.”

The place where Jersian and the knights arrived was the same spot from where they had initially departed for Baron Basiz’s mansion.

In the center, Marchioness Elmerila was waiting for Jersian’s group, accompanied by Peter. She wore an evening gown, having just left her room, with a frown on her face as if dealing with a headache.

Upon spotting the Marchioness from afar, Jersian and the knights immediately dismounted and bowed. Elmerila, as usual, acknowledged their bow casually and spoke first.

“I’ve heard that the Baron’s mansion has been thrown into chaos.”

Her tone was stiff, more like addressing a subordinate than speaking to a nephew she had known for years. Despite Elmerila’s sarcasm, Jersian’s face remained impassive, as if used to it.

“After causing such a commotion, surely you didn’t come back empty-handed?”

She seemed to have already noticed from the atmosphere around Jersian and the knights that the mission had failed.

“…”

A drop of blood was seen falling from the tip of Jersian’s finger onto the grass as he bowed his head before Elmerila.

…He’s injured. While others focused on Marchioness Elmerila’s reaction, Kain, watching Jersian from afar, noticed it.

Is it serious? Jersian was particularly reluctant to talk about himself, so Kain hadn’t realized he was hurt. If not for the smell of ashes on his clothes, he would have noticed sooner.

Kain pressed his lips tightly, blaming himself. His legs, which were about to return to his room as Jersian had told him to, stopped. If not for that wound, he would have listened to Jersian, but now that he had noticed it, he couldn’t.

After briefly choosing his words with his head bowed, Jersian seemed to make up his mind quickly. He raised his head and spoke in a clear voice, “We found nothing.”

“…”

After looking down at Jersian for a moment, Elmerila snapped her fingers with a “tsk” sound.

“The rest of you may go.”

“Yes.”

The four knights who had been standing straight with their hands behind their backs left. Elmerila then spoke to Peter, who was alternately looking at her and Jersian with a stern face.

“You too.”

“But-“

“Do I need to make it an order, Sir Peter?”

“…Yes.”

The knight commander’s face fell, as if resigned. He moved slowly, as if reluctant to leave. Elmerila maintained silence, as if waiting for him to completely leave, and Peter left with an internal sigh.

Just as Peter was about to walk in the direction the other knights had gone,

Thud!

A white hand suddenly emerged from the darkness, pushing Peter against a tree trunk.

It was an ambush.

As Peter was about to grab the arm and push his attacker away, a familiar voice pierced his ear.

“It’s me, calm down.”

It was Kain Starchis.

“…What?”

As Peter lowered his hand in confusion, Kain also released his grip on Peter’s collar. As his eyes adjusted to the dark surroundings, Peter could see Kain’s face illuminated by moonlight.

“Why are you here…?”

When Peter asked in a bewildered voice, Kain put a finger to his lips and whispered, “Shh-” Then he nodded towards where only Jersian and Elmerila remained.

“Does the young master know you’re here?”

“…”

Kain didn’t answer, looking at Jersian. Realizing the answer from this silence, Peter muttered, “Good heavens,” and ran his hand over his face.

Regardless, Kain’s eyes were fixed on Jersian in the distance. He had intended to just watch from afar without escalating the situation as Jersian had wanted.

Until he heard this sound.

Slap-

It was a sharp impact sound. Jersian’s head turned to the side.

What is this? Kain frowned and moved his legs, but Peter immediately blocked him with his arm. With a face that showed he knew what Kain was trying to do, Peter shook his head and whispered,

“…It’s better not to intervene.”

“What? Are you serious?”

Kain’s scrunched face showed no signs of returning to normal.

“…”

Peter lowered his gaze as if unable to say more. He just shook his head again with a face like he had swallowed something bitter. His arm blocking Kain’s body remained in place. Deciding to listen to Peter’s advice for now, Kain looked at Jersian in the distance with a cold face.

Marchioness Elmerila lightly clapped her gloved hands together as if dusting them off, her face showing displeasure.

“You fail at something like this? Just because you’ve grown a bit, you’re getting sloppy with your missions. You’re Jersian Gerold. Are you saying you won’t even live up to that Gerold name anymore?”

“…I apologize.”

Jersian turned his head back to face forward.

His face showed as if nothing had happened. But for someone who looked unaffected, there was a wound on his cheek left by the Marchioness’s ring.

“I won’t fail next time.”

“Next time?”

Elmerila’s eyes sharpened. Looking at her nephew who still seemed unable to grasp the situation, she said,

“There was an intruder in the mansion, and you think there will be a next time? The Baron isn’t a fool; he’ll strengthen security.”

“…”

Elmerila sighed once, then spoke in a cold tone.

“We invited Baron Basiz to Hernin’s birthday banquet. We’ll have no choice but to aim for that time.”

Then she turned and left without waiting for Jersian’s response, leaving him with his head bowed. Looking at Jersian now, no one who usually saw him would evaluate him this way, but his current appearance was like an abandoned puppy.

“…”

Kain stared at Jersian from afar.

He could see another drop of blood falling from the tip of Jersian’s hand hanging towards the ground. Couldn’t Elmerila see that? Regardless of Jersian’s intense loyalty to the Marchioness, she had pushed him into a dangerous mission and even struck him when the results weren’t to her liking. Why on earth does he try to please someone like that? It was an incomprehensible situation.

Is it okay to go now?

As Kain moved towards Jersian, who was left alone, Peter stopped him once again. Kain’s cold gaze turned to Peter, having been prevented from acting several times.

“Why this time?”

Peter quietly opened his mouth.

“Leave him be. The young master probably wants to be alone right now.”

“…Is that so?”

Is that right? Kain stared at Jersian’s small back standing alone in the distance. Since he hadn’t heard directly from Jersian, Kain couldn’t really know how he was feeling right now. He had clearly told him not to follow and to stay in his room. If he showed up now, Jersian would truly be angry. Had he expected Marchioness Elmerila to treat him like this?

“…”

Kain recalled Jersian’s serious face after leaving the Marchioness’s office. And Jersian obediently answering Elmerila’s words. Then, the image of his face standing out alone at the evening banquet flashed by.

The Gerold mansion was huge, and there were always many people around Jersian. But for some reason, Jersian always seemed to be alone. Was it really a result of his own choice, wanting to be alone?

But if that were truly the case, he wouldn’t be standing there with his head bowed like that. The emotions vaguely felt through their bond were complex and mixed, difficult to decipher.

After keeping his head bowed for a long time, Jersian suddenly raised it and walked towards the mansion with his usual cold face.

Only after watching this to the end did Kain and Peter leave their spots.

* * *

Kain knocked on Jersian’s door a few times.

“May I come in?”

For a while, no voice was heard from beyond the door. Then a cold voice flowed out.

“No.”

Other ordinary people would have immediately bowed their heads and respected the young master’s wishes. But respect and courtesy weren’t particularly important to Kain Starchis.

Kain leaned against the wall next to Jersian’s door and said,

“Please call me when you’re feeling better. I’ll stand here until then.”

“You’re saying you’ll keep standing there?”

“Yes.”

“…Go back. I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone right now.”

“That’s why I said, just let me know when you’re feeling a bit better.”

“…”

For a while, no sound was heard from behind the door.

Then there was a click sound of the door opening.

Huh? He said he didn’t want to… why? As Kain looked at the gap in the opened door with questioning eyes, an irritated voice flowed through the crack.

“Just come in.”

He couldn’t leave Kain, a guest, and someone known publicly to be in a close relationship with him, standing outside the door for hours. It would be bothersome to keep him waiting there.