It was two days later that an urgent call came from Luden. Reinhardt's face turned as pale as his corpse after receiving a letter from the capital saying that Rinkehu's body, which had been transported through the Crystal Gate to Luden's estate, had disappeared.
“Is this something that can be dealt with?”
“Your Excellency, that is… … .”
The knight from Luden couldn't even raise his head.
“When did you check?”
“It’s because we arrived at Luden Manor.”
Those who waited in Luden to temporarily place the coffin were unloading it from the wagon and felt the coffin strangely noisy. Immediately after the coffin was exhumed from the public cemetery, the skeletal body of Rinke Hu was once again dyed and transferred to a gorgeous coffin. The servants reported to Mrs. Sara, believing that the corpse wrapped in a soft velvet cloth could not make such a loud noise. Mrs. Sarah opened the coffin without thinking twice. And when he saw the empty coffin, he hurriedly sent a messenger.
Originally, the responsibility for this should be asked of the emperor first, but Reinhardt personally watched everything from digging up Rinke Hu's coffin in the public cemetery to passing through the crystal gate. So the theft must have happened after passing through the crystal gate, and the emperor was not responsible.
Enraged, Reinhardt ordered them to search all the way from the crystal gate to Luden. However, several days have passed since his body disappeared. It was probably hard to find no matter how hard I searched. She lay ill.
Even so, I was still paying attention. The fever was so high that Reinhardt couldn't get out of bed all day. Only Mark was crying and spent the night next to Reinhardt.
“A letter has arrived.”
Another letter was delivered to Reinhardt, who barely managed to get up from his seat. The one holding the letter was none other than Wilhelm. In front of the door of the welcoming palace, where a guest lay sick and was busy, without even knowing a mouse or a bird, someone had left a box with the words, "Property after Rinke," and disappeared. It was just astonishing.
“Even the name Daelord looks good.”
Reinhardt, who sat up with his body still wet from sweat, spat out dejectedly. He is leading the knights of the unified territories, but this is what happens because the sum is not right. There was a hole in the escort just because the lord was sick. At those words, Wilhelm lowered his head.
"sorry."
“I didn’t mean to blame you.”
“… … It is my fault.”
Reinhardt didn't have the energy to answer further, so he closed his mouth and picked up the letter. It was with her gloves on, and she ran a thin silver line through the ends of her correspondence. The silver line was fine.
“I tested the poison.”
"so. thanks."
Reinhardt replied briefly and then opened the letter. 'To the esteemed High Lord of Luden. I want to return the body of the previous Rinke Hu.' It was as expected. A story about meeting at dawn coming from the place where Rinke Hu was buried. However, it was written that only one escort article should be accompanied. Reinhardt sighed, crumpled up his letter and tossed it to Wilhelm.
“You’re bothering me… … .”
“… … What should I do?"
Doing something like this in the capital? It must have been a rather large chair. As it was originally, the procedure would have been to inform the emperor and punish those who dared to do this under the emperor's chin. However, there was a high possibility that the corpse would not even be seen. Reinhardt rubbed his temples nervously.
“I think you need some help.”
“I am.”
“Why did you have to bring an escort knight with you? It must be referring to you.”
“… … .”
who would have done this Several human names passed through Reinhardt's mind. But pretending to be someone is pointless unless you know what the other person is asking for. Reinhardt habitually tossed his hair drenched in cold sweat before meeting Wilhelm's eyes. As soon as their eyes met, Wilhelm opened his mouth.
“… … Are you okay?"
“Nothing.”
not okay The words rose to his throat, but Reinhardt swallowed hard. There was a time when I was happy to be able to openly tell this boy my true feelings. Instead of complicating it, she waved her hand.
“Since I came to the capital, I was prepared for this much. The degree to which the correspondence is poisoned is not even funny.”
“… … .”
“It’s only natural that everyone would be wary of a sudden increase in size. I am foolish for not even thinking that someone would dare to touch the body the emperor led.”
Reinhardt didn't even have the time to stay alert until dawn. “I think we should rest a little longer before dawn. Go away.” Saying that, Reinhardt lay down on the bed again. Wilhelm looked at her for a moment as she lay on her bed, then left immediately. The door closed, and Reinhardt fell asleep again.
***
The public graveyard at dawn was wide and dark. The small lights that the gravekeepers had turned on for patrolling swayed pathetically in the night wind. Regarding the disappearance of Rinke's corpse, Reinhardt tightly closed the door in the Welcome Palace, so there were only a few attendants. Even that had been left standing by near the public cemetery, so Reinhardt was now alone with Wilhelm.
“Watch your step.”
"yes."
It didn't take long to get to the place where Rinke Hu's coffin was buried. Although Reinhardt stabbed the crown prince and was buried in the public cemetery, since Rinkehu was a great commander who supported the empire, the emperor made the tomb of Rinkehu in a good place. It was right next to the small altar that is usually found in public cemeteries. Those who visited the cemetery offered offerings to the altar and prayed for the well-being of not only my family but also the old general of the empire.
Reinhardt's heart was confused when he saw the empty grove. It was funny how he couldn't come to his senses and his body was stolen even though he cried out for his father.
Whining. A cold wind blew. Wilhelm, who was one step behind her, quickly took off his cloak and put it on.
“Wear it tight. it's okay."
“I feel uncomfortable.”
Reinhardt bit his lip as he saw the boy complaining that he felt uneasy about throwing away the cloak without asking permission. It was a time when I was contemplating whether or not to ask, “Doesn’t it bother me that my heart is uncomfortable?”
“As rumor has it, they get along very well.”
In an instant, Wilhelm quickly turned around and drew his sword. Reinhardt closed his eyes for a moment at the creepy sound of a well-sharpened knife being pulled out. It was a familiar voice. However, it was unexpected that this voice came from here.
“… … you… … .”
“Ohhh, long time no see, Miss Reinhardt.”
“… … .”
I didn't know because it was in the dark, but there seemed to be a lot of people surrounding Reinhardt and Wilhelm. Where the hell did all these people come from? It was the man at the front of the group who greeted her. He couldn't make out his face very well, but Reinhardt didn't know that voice.
The adopted son of the collateral branch adopted by Hu Rinke after Reinhardt got married as the Crown Princess. So what was his name... … .
“Eh, this is Erich. I don't know if you will remember.”
oh that was the name Reinhardt's face became expressionless. In this life, after Reinhardt stabbed Michelle, she ran away with a part of Rinke Hu's property and disappeared without a trace... … Was it a cousin or an eighth cousin? She didn't even remember. In the first place, it arrived at the residence of Marquis Rinke only after Reinhardt had married. After she became the Crown Princess, she met Rinke Hu several times, but he was always timid in front of her, so it didn't leave a good impression on her.
“What are you doing here?”
"haha… … . If you didn't even run into me on a night walk, uh, how could you ask that?”
… … Was it such a mean impression? Reinhardt narrowed his eyes. I heard that the man is the son of Rinke Hu's cousin. It wasn't even that far off, but the man in front of him didn't have the slightest resemblance to the grandiose Rinke Fu. It was all the more so because he even stuttered. Reinhardt smiled coldly.
"I'd rather be glad if I ran into you on a night walk."
“I have something to tell you, Your Excellency… … .”
“Erich.”
Reinhardt cut the man's words with a single sword.
“I will not ask who your master is. Please return the body without incurring further grudge against me.”
The man's startled eyes were visible through the dim light.
“Lord, Lord, Master. I, I, I am the rightful successor of the Rinke family, and I have the rights of the restored Rinke family… … .”
“Empress Castreya is not the one who keeps hunting dogs alive, Erich.”
The opponent held his breath. Reinhardt confirmed with his own eyes that the shoulders of Wilhelm, who was standing in front of him and guarding him, were motionless. Since he couldn't see his expression, he already knew, so he couldn't tell if he was calm or pretending to be.
'No, I guess I didn't even know I saw his expression.'
I roughly guessed. Upon noticing that his body was gone, Mrs. Sarah sent a messenger as quickly as possible. Until he paid a huge usage fee for the correction door. It must have been because it was a fight. However, the other party contacted Reinhardt as soon as he knew that a messenger had come. The road to Luden's estate is long, and after stealing the body on the way, he went to the capital first and contacted Reinhardt. There is no faster means than a revision statement. It is a story that the other party also wrote an amendment.
Modifications are not only expensive to use, but all who use them are carefully recorded. You have to be a member of the imperial family to not be recorded, or… … .
'A member of the imperial family hid it.'
Then the culprit becomes obvious. Empress Castreya, or Michel. If even Reinhardt could find Erich, who had gone missing, it was the skill of Empress Castreya.
“Empress, I-I just personally served my father… … .”
“Father. That's what you call my father... … yes. Things like that happen, too."
Reinhardt was forced to laugh. Erich's tears could be seen even in the darkness.
“It's the same as each other, but what's the difference? I also have blood with Rinke Hu... … .”
"yes. So even if you kill me, people will think it's a fight over the interests of the great lord's family who suddenly appeared in the empire.”
“… … Lord, Lord, I didn't mean to kill you!”
“Did the empress say to let me live? I don't think so.”
He was a person who did not have the minimum knowledge as a high-ranking aristocrat. While changing his expression moment by moment at Reinhardt's words, he couldn't find his own pace and was in a hurry to make excuses. Reinhardt tilted his head and sarcastically.
“Well, I understand your position. She pretended to help the empress, but if she ripped off anything from me, she would pretend she didn't say anything. But Erich.”
"That's why the empress doesn't know... … .”
It seemed that he was going to pretend not to know until the end. However, Erich was so busy making excuses that he didn't notice the men around him pulling out their knives.
"You'd better watch your back."
"What,"
There was a pop. Erich's shadow collapsed with a successive gasping sound and a gurgling sound. Through the glowing lights, I could see one of them pulling a bloody sword from Erich's already dead body. Reinhardt clicked his tongue. I didn't even think that the men around Erich were Erich's manpower in the first place. However, the speculation was confirmed by the way he pulled out his sword without any reflector treatment.
The empress intended to push her into the tomb where Rinke Hu's body had fallen.
“Wilhell… … .”
Before Reinhardt could say anything, Wilhelm was faster. The young man standing in front of her quickly turned around and grabbed Reinhardt by the waist. The moment he felt his body float up, Reinhardt clumsily grabbed the scruff of his neck in front of his eyes. Her Wilhelm was holding her. Reinhardt looked up at Wilhelm in surprise, but the young man didn't even look down at her face and quickly ran to the building next door where the altar was enshrined.
The reason was obvious. There are many opponents and this side has two. Besides, Reinhardt is a non-combatant. He had to secure a minimum position. However, the building was locked, and Wilhelm clicked his tongue and went around the building to the pile of wood for the altar fire.
“!”
The men, most likely the assassins of the empress, also quickly ran after Wilhelm. Because of this, Wilhelm did not put Reinhardt down as gently as he usually did. Reinhardt fell as if he was almost thrown between the wall and the firewood. It wasn't an idiot who got angry at that, and Reinhardt quickly took out the dagger in his bosom. The firewood was piled almost as tall as Reinhardt, and the eaves of the building above his head made it safe, at least for Reinhardt.
Wilhelm blocked Reinhardt and took a step forward, raising his longsword. Then beep, he whistled. He calls the escorts waiting near the public cemetery.
“Hold on for a little while.”
However, in this situation, he couldn't distract Wilhelm by adding another word, so Reinhardt answered briefly.
"yes."
As if they had been waiting, one of the people surrounding them quickly rushed in. He was a man with a long polearm. Reinhardt's hamstrings tingle when he saw the spear pierced with the determination to kill him without fail, but Wilhelm swung his longsword as if it wasn't funny and deflected the spear. Zeng, there was a sound and the opponent backed away. It was evident that the force was enormous.
Reinhardt's eyes widened. Another person quickly swung the whip, but Wilhelm grabbed it with his hand and pulled it instead. “Uh,” helplessly, the moment the other person was dragged away, Wilhelm thrust his longsword into his throat. The angle was precise, and the knife pierced his throat without the usual bone-breaking sound. With a grunt, the opponent vomited bloody foam.
“… … .”
Reinhardt felt something stuck in his throat. He wants to scream, but no sound comes out.
In that brief moment, Wilhelm pulled the sword from the neck of the opponent he had stabbed, grabbed the puppet-like corpse whose control cord had been cut off by the collar, and threw it in front of the rushing sword instead of a shield. “Billion,” Wilhelm cut his opponent’s shoulder without giving the person attacked by the corpse a chance to adjust his posture. As soon as the knife fell from his hand, he kicked it with his foot.
In other words, this was the first time Reinhardt had seen the true face of 'Luden's Thunder'.
She was in the best position to watch her knight calmly and swiftly kill people.
The audience was not as excited as I thought. Rather terrible.
"die!"
The one who retreated earlier stabbed the spear again, but the end was not accurate. Instead of avoiding it, Wilhelm put his arm on the tip of the spear. If he was a normal person, his arm would have been cut off.
However, a metal arm guard was attached to Wilhelm's arm. As soon as it hit the spear, Wilhelm turned his arm and grabbed the spear head. It was an amazingly nimble move. Then he pulled the opponent, then swung it and threw it away.
It was a possible fight because Reinhardt was driven into a corner and the opponents he could tackle were limited thanks to his back against the wall. However, Reinhardt began to doubt that he would be able to catch him if five or six people attacked him from all sides.
Even at that moment, Wilhelm pulled out one of the axes stuck in the firewood and threw it, splitting someone's head.
A torch or two began to be seen on the other side of the public cemetery. It was clear that the escorts were waiting. Assassins seemed to be in a hurry as well, and their hands became dizzy. But Wilhelm didn't care and quickly beeped again and blew his hand whistle.
“There!”
"dismissal!"
In the distance, I could see knights and guards running. As several torches rose through the graveyards, the assassins began to be seen more clearly. It was obvious, but it was not a figure that could be identified.
Reinhardt stood up impatiently with his dagger in his hand, waiting for the knights to join him. Before that, the assassins will run away first. Of course, even in the meantime, Wilhelm was stabbing his sword into one of the stomachs. The sound of gasping for breath leaked out in front of Wilhelm, who stood with his back turned.
It was then. Something strange caught Reinhardt's gaze as he stood close to the wall. It felt like the eaves of the building were shaking.
'What.'
Reinhardt involuntarily raised his gaze upward. The next moment, Reinhardt shouted.
“Wilhelm!”
Get out of the way, run away, or attack... … . Many words ran through Reinhardt's head, but what came out of her mouth was Wilhelm's name. The situation was too urgent to say anything, and the action was faster than expected.
The assassin jumped off the roof and landed exactly in the empty space between her and Wilhelm. The dagger in the assassin's hand was pointed at Wilhelm's neck, and Reinhardt swung his hand at it without thinking about anything else.
However, the dagger in Reinhardt's hand bounced helplessly with the sound of a kang. I don't know if it's because the assassin is also wearing armor. Her assassin glanced in her direction and mercilessly stabbed her with his dagger. His dagger was also immediately blocked by Reinhardt's light armor, but the opponent specialized only in killing people. The assassin immediately grabbed Reinhardt by the collar and pulled him, then slashed him in the face with a dagger.
“Aww… … .”
What if your face is on fire? Her eyes flashed white. She managed to duck her head to avoid being stabbed in the face, but the assassin's sword slashed relentlessly down her left cheek and stopped on her collarbone. “Huh,” said Reinhardt, holding her breath and involuntarily covering her face, but the assassin did not let go of her collar. It was at this moment that the assassin raised her hand to make sure to end her breath again.
"line!!"
Would the sound of the abyss being torn be so terrible? The strength in the hand holding her by the collar loosened, and Reinhardt sat down. Wilhelm, who had rushed in again, had obtained the order of the assassin who had captured Reinhardt. Wilhelm didn't even think to pull out the sword stuck in the assassin's corpse and threw it aside. In Reinhardt's cloudy eyes, he saw the knights running from the other side slaughtering the remaining assassins. She stuttered and stretched out her arms.
“Wilhelm,”
"la… … .”
The pain in his left cheek was great, but when Reinhardt saw Wilhelm lifting him up, he forgot the pain as well. It looked like it was covered in blood. His face and hair were splattered with gooey blood. She despaired of something pressing down on her throat at that moment, louder than the pain of her wound.
Reinhardt had clearly seen from behind Wilhelm's terrifying spirit, who had been slashing people like a ghost just before. Its appearance reminded me of the story that it was called a mad dog on the battlefield, and it was terrifying enough to be nicknamed Luden's Thunder.
If it was just that, Reinhardt wouldn't have been so frustrated.
“Rein, Reinhardt… … .”
But now, in the young man who kept calling her name in a hoarse voice, he couldn't find the spirit he had just before. She couldn't even put her hand on my cheek, and her black eyes looked into her eyes, only her blind affection for her.
And that affection gradually turned into anger when he saw the blood flowing down Reinhardt's cheek.
“Who dares… … .”
Strangely, at that moment, Reinhardt felt as if he had heard the sound of Wilhelm's fake jewel-like eyes cracking. Wilhelm tried to put his finger on her cheek several times before stopping. Even at her fingertips, the flames of unquestionable hatred were burning.
Reinhardt barely opened his mouth.
“It’s okay, Wilhelm. I'm fine. you… … .”
But it was too late to calm down. The eyes of the beast that saw the blood lit up. Of course, his teeth were chipped and grinded.
A few other knights, who quickly disposed of the remaining remnants, shouted "Are you all right!" As they strode forward, Wilhelm snatched the cloak from one of them and wrapped it around Reinhardt. A knight with a torch looked at Reinhardt's cheek, gasped, and hurriedly took out a clean handkerchief and held it out. Reinhardt accepts and extends his hand, but Wilhelm is faster.
Wilhelm yanked the handkerchief from his hand and carefully pressed it against Reinhardt's cheek. The touch was so careful that even though it hurt so much, there was almost no sense that Wilhelm was touching it. However, Reinhardt continued to look up at Wilhelm's face.
“… … are you okay?”
The demonic spirit that once again stood on his face disappeared in an instant. Wilhelm blinked his eyes several times, then took a long breath and replied slowly.
“… … Yes."
“That’s it.”
"Nope. how… … .”
“Wilhelm.”
Reinhardt stretched out his arm and grabbed Wilhelm's neck. Wilhelm was taken aback. She whispered softly as she pulled him closer.
“I can’t walk. Would you mind moving me to a quiet place?”
“… … Yes."
The beast obediently picked her up. Neither said a word until she sat her wrapped in her cloak on top of one of her horses, which had been parked at the entrance to her public cemetery.
As soon as she took the reins, Wilhelm turned and tried to head back to the public cemetery. However, Reinhardt, having a vague idea of what Wilhelm was going to do, grabbed his arm.
“It is difficult for me to ride a horse alone. Please take me to the Welcome Palace.”
Wilhelm stared at her for a moment, then lowered his head. There was no answer, but Wilhelm quickly climbed behind Reinhardt and took the reins.
Seeing that Reinhardt's cheeks and nape were covered in blood when he returned to the Welcome Palace, Mark almost fainted. Reinhardt, who was quickly treated, fell asleep. Until she fell asleep, she did not let go of Wilhelm's hand.
Reinhardt awoke the next afternoon and heard that Wilhelm had crushed the corpse he had dragged from the public cemetery the previous day to almost mash and gave it to the dogs as food.
Reinhardt shuddered at the guilt that swelled to the point where it was difficult to breathe.
***
Reinhardt had only met Bill Colonna once in his previous life.
It was around the age of thirty-five. Bill Colonna was on his way to subdue the Migma clan in the Rembaud estate following Michelle's orders. The Migma clan, who hid in the jungles of Rimbaud and plundered the empire's wealth, was quite a nuisance in the barbarian-free empire at the time.
A battlefield and a jungle are very different. However, Bill Colonna annihilated the Migma clan by burning half of the jungle. Most of the lords were taken aback by the brutal way.
And on Bill Colonna's way home, there was Helka.
Bill Colonna asked for lodging and food for the weary soldiers. Since Helka was a wealthy estate, Bill Colonna's request seemed natural, but it was unexpected to Reinhardt. The estate of the former Crown Princess who was divorced by the emperor at the time. From the point of view of the emperor's henchmen, it would be easier to avoid.
So Reinhardt could not help but think that Bill Colonna had come to spy on Helka. To hide 3,000 privates, Reinhardt had to stay up all night for three days. So, when Bill Colonna entered Helka Castle, Reinhardt greeted him very sensitively.
My first impression of Bill Colonna was that he was huge. He was as tall as the current Wilhelm. However, things like Wilhelm's broader shoulders and overdeveloped muscles made him look tough. If it wasn't for Reinhardt, who was familiar with Rinke Hu, he would have been frightened in front of Bill Colonna.
Contrary to the expectation that as soon as he entered Helka, Bill Colonna greeted Reinhardt politely.
<Meet the Marquis of Rinke.>
<Welcome.>
There was no emotion in the greeting. He had the feeling that the other person was staring at him, but it was no more and no less than observing the lord he had met for the first time. Moreover, he immediately refused the room in the lord's castle that Reinhardt had prepared.
'I can sleep outside with the soldiers.'
If he were someone else, Reinhardt would have been just a thrifty and caring knight, but Bill Colonna was Michelle's henchman. He said he was sleeping outside, and he didn't know how much he was going to take care of Helka. Reinhardt laughed, but shot sharply.
<And I will be the lord who treated His Majesty's first knight.>
<… … .>
<I had to listen because he doesn't care much about the laws of the world. But there are more people like me who care about the eyes of others than people like Lord Colonna.>
The man stared at Reinhardt for a long time. He thought he would get angry or hit back. In the first place, after saying that, Reinhardt pretended not to win and had him stay outside as Bill had requested, then sent all sorts of luxurious items to the barracks to keep an eye on him, pretending to build a side. But he unexpectedly nodded.
<If you say so, then I will accept your request.>
<… … Thank you.>
Naturally, Reinhardt ended up having dinner with Bill Colonna. It's more ridiculous to talk about the law and not even serve dinner to guests. Dinner was quiet and monotonous. The man had unexpectedly graceful hand movements, and he never responded at length to Reinhardt's words. Normally, dinner would have ended like that, and Bill Colonna, who stayed for another two days, would have left as scheduled.
However, Reinhardt, who had become very sensitive, made a slight mistake that day. I can't remember how the story about Michelle came to the fore. But what Reinhardt remembers is that he finally revealed his thorns. Was it because of his obedient way of speaking of his loyalty to Michelle, or was it because he couldn't swallow food and poured himself a few glasses of hard liquor instead?
<Tearful loyalty. But is the Lord's loyalty being rewarded?>
When I said that, I thought, Oops. There was a slight ripple in the man's calm gray eyes. I could see that the attendants who were waiting nearby also flinched. He should have stopped there, but Reinhardt couldn't stop talking strangely.
<If you haven't taken the oath of Chevalier, why is the emperor sending you to the outskirts for over 10 years?>
<You just use the tool for the right purpose... … .>
<Do you really think so?>
dismissal. Someone around cautiously stopped Reinhardt, but she smiled sarcastically. Maybe she was drunk.
<What do you think of the former Crown Princess tool?>
<… … .>
<Do I appear to have been used for the right purpose?>
The man didn't answer. Reinhardt tapped the glass lightly with his fingers and laughed. The man's eyes remained fixed on Reinhardt, and he did not avert his gaze.
<People are not tools.>
<… … .>
<That bastard doesn't know that.>
The waiter held his breath. Reinhardt stared at the man with drunken eyes. If you get angry, look at me. I always suffered from vase fire, and it's been a while since I couldn't swallow food properly because my intestines were damaged. He was sensitive in everything, and there was also a part where his stomach was burned black because of the emperor who was on a winning streak. Although it was a rich territory, Reinhardt was the only one who could not fully enjoy its richness.
'I'd rather be able to choke Michelle as a ghost if you take my life by swinging that knife now.'
He might have been tired of living a life that seemed to have no end in sight and was only thinking about revenge. I don't remember if he just thought of the words then, or if he uttered them out of his mouth. maybe you just thought If he said that, Bill, who was loyal to Michelle, would probably have disposed of Reinhardt on the spot.
From the moment he uttered insults to the emperor, Reinhardt was not enough even if he was killed by Bill Colonna. As proof of that, Bill Colon who was eating her and several of her knights who were in charge of her bodyguard around her were glaring at her, putting her hand on her sword. Among them, the blue-eyed knight's eyes met, and Reinhardt continued talking with a snort.
<I advise you, tearing that human apart will help your life a hundredfold.>
<Outrageous!>
Eventually he drew his sword. But Bill restrained his knights. Then he stepped back, saying to the attendant, 'Since the lord seems to be drunk, let's finish the meal at this point.' Even when she rose to her feet and took her bow, supported by her attendants, her man's gaze did not depart from her. Reinhardt smiled and went back to his room and fell asleep.
stupid human. If I were you, I would tear Michelle to death. It could be your seat... … . Bill Colonna was so impressed that he appeared in my dream that night. Reinhardt said that while pointing a finger at Bill who appeared in the dream. Even in his dreams, he listened to Reinhardt's words and just stood there. If I could be born again, I would definitely kill that bastard, Michelle. I'd have to make it into an idiot to make my stomach feel better... … . Even though it was a dream, I gritted my teeth with resentment.
***
Rumors spread throughout the capital that Rinke Fu, who had been reinstated, was attacked by a collateral son of the Rinke family. Both died at the hands of Luden's thunder. The emperor regretted what had happened in the capital and sent the emperor's physician to the welcome palace with a gift of consolation. It was to show the emperor's friendship with the high lord.
“What is this on the woman’s face? It will leave scars.”
The doctor clicked his tongue. Reinhardt looked in the mirror indifferently. There was a red, three-fingered wound from right next to his left ear, across the side of his cheek, to his chin. The assassin had stabbed him down with intent to kill him, and the wound was quite deep, and his collarbone and part of his neck were also slashed. However, Reinhard did his best to avoid it, and at least his life was not affected.
“It is forbidden to laugh or cry for a while. If your expression gets bigger, the scars will get worse.”
Seeing the miserable face of the great lord, Mark shed tears several times. After the doctor had given him the last treatment, he said he would come again tomorrow and withdrew.
“Would you like to rest? Can I make a bed for you?”
“Yes, Mark. Could you bring me something to drink before then?”
"Yes."
“And what about Wilhelm?”
Mark said with a worried face that Wilhelm had been torturing the assassins since yesterday evening. Since you already know the culprit, it's meaningless. There is no way the assassins will readily answer who the client is, so what Wilhelm is doing is just to vent his anger. Reinhardt nodded and let Mark go. Tak, and the door closed.
Only Reinhardt was left in the room. She looked back at the mirror in her hand. Inside her mirror was a woman with herbs and bandages wrapped around the left side of her face. Reinhardt looked at her face for a long time before throwing her mirror. The well-polished silver mirror rolled on the floor with a clatter.
Reinhardt leaned his forehead on his lap and tried for a long time to calm the rising nausea.
Last night she dreamed of Bill Colonna, the man Michelle had taken advantage of.
The only time they had met, she had openly shown him her contempt for being Michelle's dog. But even after hearing her words, Bill Colonna turned around without saying anything.
I was prepared for a fight or a confrontation, but it ended without a big deal to the point of blandness, which made me wonder. He couldn't find the toughness or violence typical of those who often spent time on the battlefield, and even though he was Michelle's closest friend, there was no scandal.
But Reinhardt vaguely, belatedly, seemed to understand why Bill Colonna did it. That's what she came to understand naturally because she knew Wilhelm. She remembers, to be exact, the dirty boy who saved Reinhardt when he was nearly raped by a mercenary in the mountains.
Instead of accepting and eating the most precious white bread for me, I saved it and brought it to Reinhardt's bed every morning. When a toothbrush made of corn brush is put in his hand to brush his teeth, a boy who tries to wash his hands in winter well water but does as instructed. Although he did not ride in the hands of people and was clumsy in words, he was perfect to hold in his arms and raise him.
He was an innocent child, sometimes blind.
And just like Wilhelm, so did Bill Colonna. He was just loyal to his owner, Michelle, but he must have been mild-mannered. It seemed so.
But what about Wilhelm now? Reinhardt recalled last night's nightmare. A demon-like young man who stood in front of me was covered in blood. Only then did Reinhardt realize the identity of the unfamiliarity, regret, or awkwardness he had felt towards Wilhelm.
It wasn't a simple reason like suddenly becoming an adult, or growing up unrecognizable for three years. When he sees me, he suddenly forgets that unfamiliarity with his infinitely gentle face.
'Or did I just not want to know?'
There was cowardice in me that I wanted to pretend I didn't know. But Reinhardt now decided to admit it.
That kid is broken somewhere.
And that... … .
'This is what I did.'
Stories of people who were originally meek but were irrevocably broken by going to war are all too common. Moreover, Reinhardt was taken away to use Wilhelm.
I thought so.
Reinhardt was filled with joy when he found out who the boy had saved his life from danger in the mountains. He took to heart Dietrich's words that people should be used like chess pieces, and was willing to let the boy serve the purpose he had been given.
but
'People are not tools.'
'… … .'
'That bastard doesn't know that.'
These were the words his former self had said to the young man. She despised Michelle. She reproached her for turning the people around her like icing on a cake, and she sarcastically told Bill how he could follow Michelle.
Indeed, Reinhardt in this life also did the same thing as Michelle.
He suspected that Michelle resembled the emperor's arrogance. But wasn't he himself arrogant? She picked up her little boy, raised him, and eventually pushed him into battle. If that's all, you might think she's just become as cruel as Michelle.
However, after seeing Wilhelm last night, Reinhardt realized his own cowardice. Reinhardt was not grieving over a boy who was pushed into a battlefield as a child and became a brutal murderer.
Wilhelm grew up to be a superb knight. Just look at how he handled the assassins without mercy. He was pushed into a battlefield as a child and he became the kind of person you would expect from someone who spent his late teens fiercely there. But what about Reinhardt himself? What did she ask of Wilhelm?
She realized the hidden meaning of Dietrich's words.
'You have to use people like chess pieces. I'm saying that it's not okay to give love to each one and raise them like puppies in your arms.'
If you're going to use it like a chess piece, you shouldn't have given it affection. If you were going to give affection, you should have given it consistently from the beginning. like your own father. Ever since Rinke Hu picked Reinhardt on her way, she had never once neglected him as her adopted son, nor had he ever asked her to be anything more than her. She was eager to give this country her best spot, but when Reinhardt fell for her fledgling love of her girlhood, she was more than willing to cheer her on. The affection Reinhardt received was so unchanging and firm.
Even though Reinhardt gave Wilhelm affection, he withdrew it, and demanded that the boy who was asking for affection become an adult. Trees grown in sunny areas grow straight and green. Trees grown in shade grow thin and long. But what about trees that grow between sunny and shady places? Trees do not have feet, so if you move the ground a lot to make them grow, they will wither. Even if you are lucky enough to live on, the tree will look very ugly.
And so was the Wilhelm she had seen last night.
Michelle conscripted the villagers to get revenge on her. In Luden's estate in winter, there was no other option she could take. If she recruited all the guards and sent them to war, the villagers would have been attacked by beasts and suffered great damage.
However, despite knowing that he expected all of that and that the choice at that time was unavoidable, Reinhardt regretted it.
The splendid warmonger that Reinhardt pushed into the battlefield clung to her, thirsty for the shabby affection he had tasted for a very short time. It's not enough that she clings, she becomes obsessed with Reinhardt. Reinhardt saw the moment when his eyes, which had always been dimly polished like fake jewels, glistened with madness.
In her previous life, Michelle used tools for their proper purpose.
Then what about me
Did I use the tool called Wilhelm for its intended purpose? Reinhardt buried his face in his lap and battled his sense of self-doubt.
'Isn't it only natural that I couldn't raise a proper rebellion in my previous life like this?'
know. Reinhardt doesn't hate Wilhelm. But to say that, the affection she has for Wilhelm is great. To her, she has neither Rinke nor Dietrich left. All she has is Wilhelm. So Reinhardt didn't want to lose Wilhelm. Whether it's because of rebellion or because she just has no one to love. For many reasons.
That's why Reinhardt thought he had messed up a lot.
At first, when Wilhelm offered me the estate, I was just bewildered. When Wilhelm's origins were revealed, he thought things had come too soon. He clicked his tongue when he saw the emperor weighing the deficit with his illegitimate son, but Reinhardt now realized that he was the one who had created this situation.
It's not too late.
Reinhardt raised his head. He said doctors shouldn't cry. She wiped her wet eyes with her fingertips.
If you broke it, you should be held responsible.
Reinhardt pulled the rope and called out to Mark.
“Could you please call Wilhelm?”
“But you need to rest… … .”
"mark."
Mark nodded in fright at the firm tone and left. It wasn't long before Wilhelm entered her room.
“… … Did you call?”
Her hair was wet, as if she had washed before coming to Reinhardt, and her clothes were clean. However, Reinhardt noticed that there was a faint bloody smell.
“Come here.”
Wilhelm hesitantly approached her bedside. From the moment the young man entered the room, he couldn't make eye contact with Reinhardt, only staring at his toes. Reinhardt looked up at him while sitting on the bed, and he patted me on the side.
“Would you like to sit down?”
“… … I will stand and listen.”
“Wilhelm.”
When his name was called out, Wilhelm flinched and raised his head, but his eyes blurred when he saw Reinhardt's face. And he bowed his head again.
“No one sits and listens to reprimands.”
“I didn’t call you to reprimand you.”
At those words, Wilhelm took a short breath and bit his lip. The confused expression on his face seemed to reveal Wilhelm's true intentions.
“You always… … You know how to annoy me the most.”
“Wilhelm.”
Reinhardt reached out and grabbed Wilhelm's arm and pulled him. Wilhelm tried to shake her off at first, but was soon drawn to her. Reinhardt seated Wilhelm next to him and raised his chin to meet his gaze. In front of her there were always docile black eyes. Reinhardt quietly looked into those eyes, then stretched out her hand and pulled Wilhelm's neck.
The young man looked a little surprised, but he obediently leaned his shoulders as she pulled him. Reinhardt sighed softly, hugging Wilhelm's neck and resting his forehead on one of his shoulders. Her small breath made Wilhelm flinch.
“Wilhelm.”
"Yes."
“What if I had put you in my arms and raised you?”
Those words made Wilhelm startle. He wasn't asking a question hoping for an answer.
“Pleasant, nice. Listen well.”
“… … .”
“On a winter night, we pulled over the blankets and talked about old times while forgetting about roasted grain.”
“… … .”
“In spring, we look at sprouts together, and in summer, we take a dip in the lake… … If so.”
It is said in many old stories. Revenge is futile. It's futile, so stop dreaming and live your own life. However, Reinhardt couldn't think of anything like that, so he lived in his previous life, hoping to get revenge on Michelle even now. Even when her intestines were dry and twisted and she couldn't pass the food, she thought only of Michelle cutting her throat.
Bondi people do not feel guilty about destroying themselves. So did Reinhardt. But what if it is someone else?
“I thought so.”
It's not too late. Reinhardt recalled that. Nothing has happened yet. The situation is not bad. Touching his throbbing cheek, Reinhardt repeated to himself. I won't mess things up again.
Revenge, finish... … .
“Do you regret it?”
Wilhelm was silent for a long time before briefly asking. Reinhardt leaned his forehead on Wilhelm's shoulder and shook his head lightly.
"no."
“!”
Sensing the presence of the young man looking down at him, Reinhardt raised his eyes. And before the young man could say anything, he opened his mouth.
“But, I don’t want to think about that anymore.”
“… … .”
“It already happened.”
He stretched out his finger and gently stroked Wilhelm's forehead. The right eyebrow was cut in the middle, and the long, thick eyelashes below it. Sharp eyes and... … Beautiful black eyes staring at you blindly.
He caressed the bridge of his skinny nose, then moved to his lips. Reinhardt gently caressed the reddish-skinned lips that fluttered in embarrassment.
“Wilhelm. I don't regret anything. It will.”
“… … .”
“So don’t regret anything, don’t feel guilty.”
At that moment, the young man's beautiful face contorted as if he had heard something terrible. Hearing Reinhardt's scarred cheek and not feeling guilty would not be very touching.
“I feel guilty.”
"yes. Don't be sorry for anything.”
“… … Really, you talk like you know me.”
Wilhelm, who said that, seemed frightened, or seemed to be searching for her. What a pitiful sight to see such a cruel young man flinch like a herbivore at my words.
So, Reinhardt wrapped his arms around Wilhelm's face, pulled him toward me, and lightly kissed him on the forehead.
The young man's shoulders, which had been full of strength, seemed to collapse at that moment, but he quickly regained his posture as if he was trying to come to his senses. Reinhardt smiled lightly, feeling that it was cute, but the corner of his mouth lifted and the wound on his cheek hurt so he squinted one eye.
“I know you.”
“… … .”
"Whatever you do, it's not for me."
There were still things Wilhelm was hiding from me. However, Reinhardt decided not to doubt or be unfamiliar with the young man any longer.
What Wilhelm always thirsts for is his affection, and he will do anything for me. So he himself must not be shaken.
"no?"
To Reinhardt who asked such a question, Wilhelm acted busily by swallowing several times, looking into her eyes, then looking away again. But before long, Wilhelm met Reinhardt's gold eyes again and nodded his head with a completely different expression from before.
“Whatever I do, it is always for you and for me who loves you.”
"yes. Then it's done.”
“… … Do you really forgive me for anything I do?”
Wilhelm's gaze, slightly higher than hers, slanted. If you lift the tapestry a little and look out the window on a frozen winter night, you can see the cold starlight through the cracks. Reinhardt thought that Wilhelm's gaze was like the bluish starlight she had seen in her childhood. Even the bones are frozen cold, silent violence.
I shouldn't have responded to it.
"yes."
Wilhelm looked down at Reinhardt and carefully kissed the tip of her nose. Her red, pockmarked lips stopped there as if searching for Reinhardt, then gently landed on her lips.
Reinhardt closed his eyes. His first kiss was like a feather and light. But the beast that bit her lips quickly realized that she hadn't resigned herself to giving me up, and her kiss deepened. Her tongue entangled, but only for a moment. As if Wilhelm couldn't believe that Reinhardt was kissing her, she bit her lips softly as if confirming it again and again. It wasn't until the taste of blood came from her lips that she had bitten greedily to the point of tingling that the young man whispered softly through his breath.
"happy… … .”
I would do anything wrong for you... … .
without guilt.
***[SD]
Wilhelm was not as restrained as Reinhardt had imagined. The shadowy black eyes stayed on her face the entire time Reinhard accepted him, then closed the moment their lips separated. The young man lightly wiped Reinhardt's lips with her finger, then pulled away from her and distanced herself from her. It was a virtue that could not be found in a young man who kissed his beloved for the first time.
“Well, how can I touch you more when the herbs and bandages are so attached to you.”
Wilhelm sat down beside her and carefully examined the wound. The doctor had already seen everything during the day and said that the bandages would be changed tomorrow, but the young man insisted. With red lips still stained with my own saliva, I begged, “Please, let me see you just once,” and I couldn’t help it. Reinhardt entrusted his left cheek to Wilhelm.
As if it wasn't a lie to say that he often took care of soldiers' wounds on the battlefield, Wilhelm was accustomed to taking off her bandages. It was a precious woman's cheek, so the doctor's bandage, which had been wrapped around her cheeks, was removed, and a thick lump of medicinal herb fell off. Wilhelm carefully wiped the residue from his cheek with the palm of his hand. Soon, the wounds were exposed. I heard the sound of the young man grinding his teeth.
“… … I should have killed them all.”
Reinhardt looked at the young man's eyes burning with anger, then laughed with his nose.
“You already killed them all.”
He was referring to assassins, but the young man shook his head.
“I mean the prince. And the empress too.”
“… … haha. yes."
“I don't mind setting fire to the imperial castle right now.”
“Then I will die too.”
Like a joke, he lightly tapped the back of the young man's hand. Wilhelm clenched his fists to calm his trembling fingers. After calming down a bit, he traced Reinhardt's left cheek, around his wound, and whispered.
“Don’t do that again.”
“… … Otherwise, you would have been seriously injured.”
“I wouldn’t have died.”
“Wilhelm.”
Reinhardt deliberately called his name sternly.
“If you were hurt, I might have died, too.”
“… … Nope."
Wilhelm strongly denied her words.
"No matter how badly I was hurt, I wouldn't have let you die."
My heart ached. Reinhardt shook his head to erase the stinging pain in his chest and tapped Wilhelm's chin with his index finger.
“My father, who said so, died on the battlefield.”
“… … .”
“What would you do if you lived like that? My heart hurts when you hurt me as much as it hurts when you see my wounds.”
Wilhelm's eyes sharpened. But that was only for a moment. The pretty face smiled bashfully.
"like."
"yes?"
“I like that you say that. Reinhardt... … .”
The young man said that and suddenly hugged her waist. Reinhardt unexpectedly hugged her young man. She hugged her around the waist, but the figure of her with her upper body curled up and her face buried in her shoulder, as if hugged by Reinhardt, reminded her that as a boy he was flirting with her. It reminded me of Dunn.
“It’s like when I was young… … .”
Reinhardt's nose furrowed.
“Wilhelm.”
"Yeah."
“… … I'm sorry I left you alone on the battlefield. I'm so sorry."
"ah."
Surprised by the chanting, Wilhelm widened his eyes and stood up to look at her.
“You care about that.”
“… … I have no choice but to care.”
Wilhelm lightly kissed the dead Reinhardt on the nose. without any lust. Like a little dog licking it with its tongue as a sign of affection.
“It really doesn't matter. It's okay. I just... … .”
Wilhelm, who had been replying like that, was silent for a long time, and Reinhardt said, “Eh?” and urged the next word. However, Wilhelm shook his head and smiled broadly.
“No.”
Then, out of habit, he crushed a new herb and applied it to her cheek. The doctor had fixed Reinhardt's cheek with a bandage so he couldn't move properly, but Wilhelm knew how to apply a bandage much more comfortably than that.
After combing Reinhardt's golden hair to one side and putting a bandage on it, Wilhelm even made it easier for her to sleep by neatly braiding the rest of her hair.
“Michelle doesn't have many people. The only person who can find someone like Erich in a short time is the empress.”
"But I can't kill you right away."
“Have you thought about it?”
After lying down with the pillow raised a little higher, Reinhardt told her to lie down next to me, but Wilhelm warmed her cheeks by saying, "I'm not confident, Reinhardt." “I have no intention of ruining the deal, so please understand.” Words of fortune followed.
In the end, Wilhelm dragged a chair and sat down next to Reinhardt, who was lying down. A young man with a gentle smile on her lips opened her mouth, passing her hair lying on the side.
“If it's the idea of burning down the Empress Palace and the Crown Prince's palace, I've done it a thousand times since the moment you were hurt. But in that case, the Marquis's body would be forever unknown, so I couldn't do that.”
“… … yes."
Reinhardt nodded. The assassins stabbed Erich to death before he could say anything. And the assassins, too, shut their mouths and all died. Therefore, it is safe to say that there was no way for Reinhardt to persuade someone to find out the whereabouts of the body.
“If you wait, there should be a possibility that they will approach you again… … Daejong Church is right in front of you.”
"Yes."
"how will we do it? The emperor seems to be talking about you as his illegitimate son at Daejong Church.”
She looked up at the ceiling with her hands on her stomach. Under the angels' gaze, a painting of a knight swearing an oath to his lord was painted on the ceiling. Since it was a welcome palace for the emperor's guests, there were all sorts of paintings like that. In particular, that ceiling painting deserves to be said to be explicit. Following Reinhardt's thoughtful gaze, Wilhelm was also looking up at the ceiling.
“But the moment you talk like that, it will be difficult for you to move. Every case will get attention. I wonder if I can go back to Luden.”
“Are you going back?”
Reinhardt glanced at Wilhelm. Wilhelm's eyes were as clear and transparent as those of a child. He had lines that were noticeably thicker than when he was a boy, and he had a magical power that made it impossible to take his eyes off of him because it matched with his elegant features.
However, the smell of the other person's blood still drifting faintly, the wet hair at the end, and the thirsty gaze at her made me feel cold.
Reinhardt answered, trying not to think further.
“Can’t we stay in the imperial castle forever?”
“It would be difficult to succeed in revenge in a place as far away as Luden.”
What do you think? An orange candle lit in a dark room. And the tip of Wilhelm's cheek reflected there was transparent. It was a child whose downy hair hadn't disappeared yet, but strangely, at that moment, the smiling young man looked like he had lived for hundreds of years.
“How about making a deal to swear the oath of Adelphi?”
Reinhardt's eyes widened.
“You mean Chevalier's Oath? Michelle?”
"Yes."
Between the swaying curls, the dark black eyes bent brightly. Chevalier's Oath. In the early days of the Empire, there was a man named Adelphi. He was born as an illegitimate son of a family and became a knight of the manor. When his older brother, the younger brother, is wary of his extraordinary prowess, Adelfo swears that he will never harm his lord and older brother and will never harm him.
And when his brother was assassinated by an enemy, he killed all of his brother's enemies and rebuilt the territory. The story of Adelpho spread far and wide, and ever since, knights have taken the Three Oaths of Chevalier when swearing absolute allegiance to their lord.
However, those three oaths demanded an excessively harsh life for the knight himself. He swears that he will not touch the tip of his master's hair, that he will always follow him, and that he will obey his orders. Thus the knights far preferred the ordinary contract.
It is not easy to meet a master who can swear allegiance to such an extent in the first place. However, some of the less fortunate members of the family ordered their illegitimate sons to swear the oath of Chevalier, but it was also criticized by those around them without knowing or knowing, so the oath of Chevalier was gradually treated as outdated, and now it was thought of as a forgotten old story.
“Come now?”
“It must be meaningful because it is ‘now’.”
Wilhelm lifted Reinhardt's hair and kissed the ends. Then he whispered playfully.
“Adelpho took his widowed brother's wife as his wife in order to keep that oath. It means a lot.”
It was alluding to his situation of coveting Reinhardt. He knows how to joke like this. Reinhardt laughed softly. But on the other hand, he was carefully calculating the consequences of that oath in his head.
Certainly, making that oath would reassure Michelle temporarily. Although it is an old oath, it is different in context for an illegitimate son to swear an oath of Chevalier to the crown prince. In Michelle's case, if she harms Wilhelm, she has nothing to lose but some blame.
“But Wilhelm. If you break your oath... … .”
"Yes. If you do not keep as much as you voluntarily promise, you will be severely criticized. If I hurt Michelle with my own hands, I will not be able to ascend the throne.”
Wilhelm raised Reinhardt's hand and playfully kissed it. It was a light attitude that didn't look serious at all, but the look in his eyes was sincere.
“That's why I'm making a deal with the empress. In front of the priests of the Daejong Church, I will swear an Adelpho oath over Michelle. It is tantamount to giving up the succession right, so it will be difficult to refuse this deal even if you are not happy.”
Reinhardt's eyes widened. he couldn't understand
“But you won't be able to touch Michelle. And what does that mean, Wilhelm? You will no longer be my knight.”
“No, Reinhardt.”
Wilhelm was still holding Reinhardt's hand. He bit the inside of her wrist with her lips and let it go. A deep smile crept across her lips.
“Michelle will inevitably die. And I will continue to be yours.”
“What are you talking about, anyway… … .”
The man lightly pressed Reinhardt's shoulders as he tried to get up. Then he leaned over her and kissed her on the forehead. Perhaps because of the one kiss, the young man did not hesitate to approach Reinhardt. Even after removing her lips from Reinhardt's round forehead, Wilhelm still leaned over her and stared into her eyes for a long time. His mouth fell open.
“Reinhardt. I love you."
“Wilhelm.”
I was about to say, "Don't think of evading me with such words," but Wilhelm was quicker.
“I have been in love with you for a very long time. So I didn't care if you threw me into the abyss rather than the battlefield.”
“… … .”
“I will definitely offer you Michelle’s head. So please love me... … .”
please. The last words were so soft that I couldn't hear them even though they were so close. Looking up in confusion at the beautiful young man begging for his love, Reinhardt let out a long sigh. And he let out the sincerity that had been hanging in his throat the whole time.
“I love you.”
The black eyes were as bright as dawn. she continued.
“So get Michelle’s head.”
The man seemed happy and answered right away.
“No matter what you do.”
“… … no matter what you do.”
Dawn disappeared like a mirage. What remained in the young man's eyes was a happy beast. The most vicious beast in the world will do anything to rip off the enemy's neck. Reinhardt closed his eyes. He was terribly tired.