"I heard you're leaving for Schwarhan before winter arrives."
"Yes, it’s true that I will be leaving for Schwarhan before winter. But why, do you feel the need to prepare for my absence?"
"Well, when Your Highness leaves, I’ll be in Neuschwein..."
"Are you not coming with me?"
Cabelenus asked in a lower voice. Alicia, gripping the hem of her dress in a tight fist, barely pulled her lips apart.
"...I don't have the right to decide."
"So, you're just going to watch as I leave?"
Cabelenus gritted his teeth. Leaving with Alicia had always been a given for him, but for her, it wasn’t. In fact, she seemed to take it for granted that she would be separated from him.
"Leaving is Your Highness' decision..."
"You’ll come with me."
Cabelenus cut Alicia off hastily.
Alicia’s eyes widened in surprise, her face showing the shock of someone who hadn’t considered leaving together. That fact gnawed at Cabelenus' nerves like a bug.
"You’ll go to Schwarhan with me."
"Then were you planning to stay here alone?"
Without me? Cabelenus barely managed to swallow those last words as he stood abruptly, his frustration rising. Relationships with women always felt like a repetitive loop. Even when he thought they had become close, when he checked, it felt as if they were still too far apart. It was always he who was anxious and restless, while Alicia always appeared so calm.
"As soon as the carriage to Schwarhan is ready, I’ll be the first to put you in it. Do you understand what that means? Whether you like it or not, you’ll be coming with me to Schwarhan."
"...Why are you crying?"
"Is it that bad that you're crying over it?"
"No, no! It's not that..."
Alicia lowered her head to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill. She had thought she would be left behind, but that wasn't the case. Even as winter arrived, she could stay by Cabelenus' side. Just knowing that made her heart swell, and it was almost too much to bear.
"Don’t cry. I won’t show mercy just because you’re crying."
"And don't bow your head in front of me. When you try to hide your feelings by lowering your head, it almost drives me mad."
Cabelenus' large hand gripped Alicia’s face, lifting her gaze. His hand still carried the cold metallic scent, as if it could crush anything in its grip. But Alicia was no longer afraid. In fact, she welcomed the gaze of this beast-like man.
Tears fell down Alicia's cheeks. She had been taught all her life that desire was something to be hidden, but in front of this man, she didn’t want to hide it. Even when she tried to escape and run away, this man always caught her, always telling her not to hide her emotions. He had never once seemed to dislike it when she showed them.
"...What makes you happy?"
She wondered if she would regret this choice one day. She had nothing, and he, on the other hand, had everything. There would certainly come a day when they would realize their differences, and then she would regret today. Even so, she wanted to say it.
"...Just being with you, Your Highness."
"Actually, I've been thinking about it for a while. I want to go to Schwarhan with you."
Alicia's gaze wavered with uncertainty. Had Cabelenus not grabbed her chin, she would have immediately looked down.
"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"
"...No one wants you?"
Cabelenus frowned and let out a rough breath.
"Yes. And more than that... I..."
Alicia bit her lip, looking for any sign of what Cabelenus might be thinking. She had expected him to urge her to hurry up, but instead, he remained silent, waiting for her to speak. Finally, Alicia clenched her fist and, with hesitation, continued the words that had been stuck in her throat.
"...I always bring misfortune with me."
Everyone avoided Alicia. They whispered that she must have been born under an unlucky star. Her mother’s power had faded, and eventually, she had died—because of Alicia’s bad luck, they said.
"What exactly do you mean by misfortune?"
Cabelenus moved his hand to make Alicia look directly at him. His golden eyes, glowing with arrogance, were also resolute.
"When you were born, there was a great fire..."
"The fire that happened the day you were born was arson. Someone set it up and made sure it was put out. It wasn’t because of you."
"Forget about that misfortune. Tell me about the next one."
Cabelenus gave a haughty nod. Alicia, with wet eyes, trembled as she opened her mouth again.
"That... my mother died..."
"Your mother was beaten to death. By the command of the King of Neuschwein. And because of that, you tried to kill him."
"While the king was the one who killed her, the reason was—"
"Do you really think so?"
Cabelenus' grip on her chin tightened. Alicia held her breath, instinctively reacting to the nearness of his face.
"I did some digging into your background, but from what I’ve seen, there’s no record that proves you brought misfortune."
"None of it was your fault. You were just a victim. You didn’t do anything wrong."
I believe that. Cabelenus’ final words were quiet but clear in Alicia’s ears. She twisted her face, holding back the tears that were about to burst.
"...I knew it wasn’t my fault."
"See? You thought so too."
"But everyone else said it was my fault. They all said if it weren’t for me, things would have been fine."
Alicia’s trembling hands clutched the collar of Cabelenus’ shirt. She knew she wasn’t supposed to cry, but the tears kept falling uncontrollably. She didn’t want to blame herself either. But when everyone kept saying it was her fault, she couldn’t help but believe it. The truth was always what the majority believed, and that was always the natural thing to think.
"That's not what I meant. I'm saying it wasn't your fault," he said.
"And even if you really did bring misfortune upon us, it doesn't matter. No, if you could really do that, go ahead and bring that great misfortune right in front of me," he continued, his voice cold.
"...Why?" Alicia murmured, her voice trembling.
"If you're so easily swayed by something like fate, then the title of master of Schwarhan would be wasted on you."
The man raised his chin, his arrogance almost suffocating, yet there was no denying that it suited him well.
"...Aren't you afraid, Your Highness?" Alicia asked, her voice fragile.
"If I was afraid of fear, I wouldn't have ever learned how to wield a sword," he answered, his tone firm.
"I don't know fate, and I don't know misfortune. I've never once relied on luck or hoped for a stroke of fortune to achieve something, and I won't in the future either. There's no room for misfortune to slip in."
"...Then... may I follow you?" Alicia asked, her voice barely a whisper as she reached out to grasp his sleeve through her tear-filled gaze.
"Even if you say you won't follow, you'll end up doing so."
"Then, I'm relieved," she murmured, a breath of a sob escaping her lips.
In that moment, Alicia realized why she couldn’t look away from him. He was strong—strong enough to make the very misfortune that had always clung to her, tightening around her throat, seem insignificant. The truth of this strength was suddenly all too clear, and it made her burst into tears once more.
"Seems like you didn't accompany the young lady today."
"I had something to attend to yesterday. Let’s skip her lesson for today."
Cabelenus thought back to Alicia, who had cried her heart out yesterday. What could have been so heartbreaking? After crying herself to sleep, she didn’t wake easily. Though she'd tried to gain some weight and strength, she was still weak.
"Should I at least hold her legs and feed her?" he muttered to himself.
"Legs?" Gajev asked, confused.
"No, it's nothing. Don't mind me."
Cabelenus dismissed the thought with a curt answer and turned his attention to the paperwork. But in his mind, he was already considering supplements and health food for Alicia. After all, she was so fragile. With the harsh terrain of the snow-covered land ahead, he couldn’t help but worry if she'd be able to withstand it.
"Seems like it’s a good thing the young lady isn't here today. There was something I urgently needed to inform Your Highness about."
"It's about the investigation you ordered regarding the young lady," Gajev replied quickly, approaching Cabelenus’s side.
The information he had gathered was too sensitive to record, so he'd refrained from leaving any trace in the documents.
"Did you find anything suspicious?"
"Not yet. However, there’s something I urgently need to report, even if it’s just a preliminary update."
"Is it that important?"
"It could be, depending on the situation," Gajev answered. Then, he adjusted the soundproof bracelet on his wrist. He wasn't sure if he'd need to use the magical tool here, but the information he had was crucial.
"I’ll get straight to the point before the soundproofing magic wears off."
"First of all, it’s been confirmed that the young lady's mother was from the Noitraira tribe."
"The Noitraira tribe?"
"They're a minority group from the southern regions. According to records, they were thought to have been extinct long ago."
Gajev took a deep breath. At first, he had dismissed it as nonsense, but when he thought of King Neuschwein’s bizarre actions, there was no other plausible explanation.
"Why is that important?"
"The Noitraira tribe is said to be descended from the gods, with bodies so strong that they were used as vessels for the divine for generations."
"That sounds like a story everyone has—our empire has its own myths too," Cabelenus said, leaning back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other. Though the people of the Blanche Empire were raised with faith, Cabelenus himself was skeptical. Having seen too much done in the name of the gods, he couldn't help but question whether it was truly divine will.
"If it were just another myth, the King of Neuschwein wouldn't have bothered bringing her mother into the castle," Gajev replied.
"You mean to say this myth might be true?"
"Yes. The strength of the Noitraira tribe is likely real."
"Real in what sense?" Cabelenus’s gaze sharpened.
"In simple terms, the Noitraira tribe is said to have the power to grant wishes."
"A ridiculous tale," Cabelenus scoffed.
"Yes, that’s what I thought as well. Myths are always exaggerated and distorted over time. It's unlikely to be exactly as described. But if the myth is true… it could become a serious problem."
Gajev glanced at the time on the magical tool and continued quickly.
"Your Highness is already aware, but the deity we serve in the empire, Flame, is often depicted as an omnipotent being who can grant any wish. For generations, the Flame Temple has spread the doctrine that if one follows the will of the gods, they can achieve their desires. But if an actual being capable of granting wishes appears…"
"It would either be sought after or branded as heretical," Cabelenus finished, his tone cold.
The Flame Temple wasn’t just a place of faith. Having helped establish the empire and remaining as its national religion, it held absolute power separate from the emperor. Those who claimed to be the servants of the gods maintained their influence by coercing sacrifices, using the god's name as a means to solidify their authority. Anyone who was observant knew this.
"I still don’t find the story of the Noitraira tribe convincing. The young lady seemed completely ordinary to me," Gajev admitted. "But others might think differently."
"If rumors about Alicia spread, the Flame Temple won't be the only one moving. Everyone will be desperate to acquire a treasure that can grant wishes. And if things get more complicated, the truth of the story may stop mattering."
"That’s something I’d rather not think about, but it’s a possibility. If the rumors about Alicia spread and she’s seen as a symbol of power, people will want to control her. At that point, the truth may become irrelevant."
"Then, what should I do?"
"Honestly, the best option would be..."
Gajev trailed off, hesitating. Even if Alicia had the power to grant wishes, Cabelenus didn’t need such a thing. He was a man who achieved his goals through his own strength, not by relying on others. But that was just Cabelenus’s perspective. He couldn’t be sure other powerholders would feel the same. Whether Alicia's powers were real or not, there was a risk of conflict, and it was better to resolve the situation before she ended up in someone else's hands. It was simple: remove the cause, and the problem would disappear.