◈ 321. [Side Story] In the Mood for Love (3)
The backyard of the garden where the engagement ceremony takes place.
Fernandez and Lucas were having a private meeting in private, away from the eyes of others.
Fernandez grinned and congratulated him.
“You’ve done a great job with surveillance, Lucas.”
For the past five years, Lucas has faithfully reported to Fernandez the affairs of the villa here.
Lucas rationalized to himself that it was okay because it was a trivial and peaceful daily life, but in fact he knew it.
This is about Ash… … No, it could be a betrayal of everyone in the palace.
Fernandez’s gaze turned to the sword hanging from Lucas’ waist.
“It seems to be getting quite a bit of trust.”
“… … !”
Lucas flinched and grabbed the sheath at his waist. The short iron sword Ash had given me a while ago was loaded.
It is an expression of complete trust that the palace permits the use of cutlery.
Realizing the weight of it belatedly, Lucas shut his mouth.
Ash believed in himself and even lowered the sword, but he himself… … Aren’t you colluding with Fernandez?
Fernandez looked at Lucas with a grin and turned his head.
“Don’t worry too much. Now these things are over.”
“yes?”
“It’s about the end of the surveillance mission. Lucas.”
Surprised Lucas looked wide-eyed, but Fernandez was watching the engagement ceremony in the courtyard without paying attention.
In the midst of dancing, Ash, who was probably nervous and stiff, had an accident. Stepping on the serenade skirt, Ash fell.
The boy and girl rolled on the floor screaming, then looked at each other and laughed.
While watching the cute and fresh scene with a smile, Fernandez gestured.
“This is a story that you don’t have to fool people around here anymore… … However, one thing I confirmed in the last report. Just make sure of one thing.”
Inside the glasses, Fernandez’s slender eyes gleamed like snakes.
“Next week, Second Empress Dustia and Ash will visit the Wintersilver Countess. Are you sure?”
“ah… … yep. I’m sure.”
Dustia was a former war slave of the emperor, and was weak due to the aftereffects of participating in several wars with the emperor.
So, I usually never went out of the palace.
But this time, she was about to visit Serenade’s house – the house of the Countess of Wintersilver, who would become her future in-laws.
Since it was their first outing in decades, the entire villa had already gone into preparations.
In preparation for the unlikely eventuality, thoroughly prevent information from leaking out.
However, Lucas leaked this information to Fernandez.
After examining Dustia and Ash in turn, Fernandez spoke softly.
“At that time, a ‘small accident’ might happen.”
“… … yes?”
Lucas’ eyes widened. Fernandez nodded slightly.
“So, by all means, don’t move together. You might get hurt if you get swept away.”
“Oh no, wait a minute, Your Highness Fernandez… … !”
“The mission in the past has been a lot of hard work. When this is done, the MacGregor family will receive their due reward. do you know If you follow my orders well in the future, will you grow into a powerful family protected by the imperial family?”
Smiling brightly, Fernandez waved his hand and headed out of the palace.
“I wish you all the best in the future, Lucas. Then, have a nice day.”
The waiting men of Fernandez escaped escorting him.
Lucas stood there, devastated, watching Fernandez’s back as he walked away.
‘A small accident could happen… … ? what is that… … .’
A clear sense of uneasiness crept up his spine.
Lucas trembled and turned around.
Still, in the bright sunlight, the people of the detached palace were in the midst of being happy as they held the engagement ceremony.
Like a child who accidentally spilled black paint in a clear pond, Lucas trembled.
However, the already dropped paint was spreading into the pond.
***
a few days later
The day came when Dustia and Ash visited the Countess of Wintersilver.
It was also the day Lucas took a vacation for the first time in a long time.
I was given consideration to go back to the home of the MacGregor family, which I hadn’t been to often, and get some rest.
“My regards to the McGregor family. I will also deliver the gift I sent you. have a good rest got it?”
Dustia smiled kindly and patted Lucas’ head. Lucas couldn’t answer and just nodded his head.
“Then see you later! Lucas!”
Ash and Dustia waved and climbed into the carriage.
After staring blankly at the scene, Lucas, who gritted his teeth, hurriedly blocked the carriage.
“Hey, wait!”
“huh? What’s wrong, what’s going on?”
“I want to go too!”
Ash and Dustia opened their eyes wide.
“Are you also from the Countess of Wintersilver?”
Lucas laughed mischievously as usual and threw a joke.
“I can’t let the two of you have a good time, My Highness and the Serenade Lady. I’ll get in the way and get in the way.”
“Lucas… … ! This ignorant guy… … !”
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Ash was furious, but Dustia covered her mouth and laughed, then opened the carriage door and held out her hand.
“Okay, Lucas! Let’s go together. Come here.”
Dustia reached out and lightly pinched Ash and Lucas’ cheeks.
“okay. We’re already a family, so it’s strange to go on vacation separately. Let’s have fun together, Lucas.”
already a family.
Dustia’s words made Lucas feel a burning pain in his stomach, but he silently lowered his head.
“Yes, Empress… … .”
The carriage started.
Ash jokingly poked Lucas in the side with his elbow and said, ‘Is it okay that you’re interfering with your love business?’
Dustia peeled the fruit herself and gave it to the two boys.
In the usual lively and peaceful atmosphere, Lucas made a promise.
I don’t know what the ‘small accident’ Fernandez meant.
He said that while he was here, he would protect these two.
***
The smashed wagon rolled down the road.
The carriage was attacked as soon as it came out of the ecliptic.
Coachmen and guards fell under crossbow fire from unknown assailants, and horses with throats pierced let out cries of pain.
bang! Kwakwawang!
Even explosives were buried on the road. The wheels exploded, and the wagon, which had spun half a turn in the air, crashed to the ground.
“Cheuk, heuk… … ?”
Inside the wrecked wagon, Lucas tried to come to his senses. As his carriage overturned, he must have hit his head, and blood dripped from his forehead and wet his face.
Looking at the blood on his hands, Lucas shuddered.
Where do you see this as a ‘small accident’… … !
Inside the carriage, Ash was also staggering, clutching his bloody forehead, and Dustia seemed to have fainted and was motionless. Lucas gritted it.
‘Calm down, Lucas… … ! you are an escort! You have to protect it!’
Still staggering, Lucas drew his sword from his waistband and pulled himself out of the wrecked wagon.
Doo doo doo!
Unidentified assailants mounted on warhorses rushed forward, fluttering the hem of black robes. A bloody metal glow flashed from their hands.
Lucas gritted his teeth and swung his sword at him.
visor-!
“Heuk!”
Even though I was born as a child of a knight family and trained all my life, I was only 12 years old.
It was unreasonable to block the intense attack of an attacker mounted on a horse. Lucas bounced back.
Clap! Clap!
All of a sudden, the attackers who had surrounded the wagon pulled out their crossbows and loaded them. Then,
Push! Push-!
Without the slightest hesitation, he fired a crossbow at the carriage.
There was no such thing as a chance to escape. Lucas looked blankly at the shooting arrows.
Right then.
slap!
Someone grabbed Lucas by the shoulders, yanked him back, and threw himself forward.
The 3rd prince of the imperial family, who is one year older than Lucas but smaller in size.
It was Ash.
Lucas’ eyes widened.
hooked! Puffy… … !
A crossbow shot stuck in Ash’s body, blocking Lucas’ path.
The arrows from the crossbow easily tore through the fragile body of a child, pierced the chest and came out from behind.
Ash’s blood splattered on the body of Lucas, who was standing right behind him.
“… … Prince, Your Highness?”
Lucas hurriedly caught Ash’s body as he stumbled and fell backwards. Arrows were piercing vital points in Ash’s small body.
Lucas looked down at Ash with trembling eyes and didn’t know what to do.
“Your Highness, Your Highness! It’s okay, you’re fine… … iced coffee… … Come on, see a doctor… … majesty… … !”
“hey… … .”
Ash muttered with his blood-soaked face.
“I… … Just call me brother… … How many times can I say… … .”
“Stop talking, Your Highness! I’ll get the doctor right away… … !”
“haha. to the very end… … Don’t listen and eat… … .”
In an instant, the vitality drained from Ash’s jet-black eyes.
“ah… … Serenade sister… … Want to see… … .”
Took.
Ash’s arm fell to the ground.
Lucas stared blankly down at Ash’s dead face.
The boy who had been happy at the engagement ceremony just a few days before, and who had been joking and talking a while before, was no longer breathing.
Lucas couldn’t even believe this reality, so he couldn’t even shed a tear.
“It’s all my fault, my… … .”
Because he had communicated with Fernandez and gave him information, like this… … everyone will die
It was then.
A soft hand touched Lucas’s shoulder. Looking back in surprise, it was Dustia.
The second empress shook her head slightly with a detached smile.
“It’s okay, Lucas. are you okay.”
Then put your hand out-
I snapped my fingers.
click.
The sound of magical powers that I had never heard before.
OK… … Something unbelievable happened.
Gray magic power glistened and gushed out of her body, swirling around in a spiral like a clockwork winding, wrapping around the area.
And, time started to flow backwards.
The shattered wagon turned halfway in reverse in the air, and the broken parts stuck together and restored.
The dead horses, coachmen, and guards staggered to their feet as their wounds healed and looked as they did before the attack.
And Ash too.
The arrows that had been stuck in his body came out backwards, the drops of blood that spilled out and splashed on Lucas were sucked back into his body, and even his torn clothes were restored to their original state – they returned to the state they were in just before being hit by the arrows.
“what?”
Breathing normally again, Ash blinked in despair.
It was as if only the time around the carriage had been rewinded backwards.
“Cool! Cool!”
Then, violently vomiting blood, Dustia collapsed. Her gray mana, which filled her whole area, could not return to her, and she was shattered and disappeared like her mist.
“Empress Mama!”
Lucas urgently checked Dustia’s condition.
The attackers did not understand the situation either.
The assailants, visibly taken aback, hurriedly prepared for battle again, and the revived guards gasped for response.
right at that moment.
All right! All right! All right!
From the side of the imperial castle, a series of knights were seen galloping on horseback.
“Chit… … !”
The assailants let out a clicking sound and exchanged hand signals with each other, then quickly mounted their horses and left their seats.
Looking at the backs of the assailants moving away, Lucas blurted out.
“Sah, lived… … ?”
All right! All right! All right!
It was then.
The man who led the knights to the scene of the raid gave a ferocious order.
“Everyone, chase after them.”
“I obey the command of the supreme!”
“They are ruffians who dared to attack Jim’s wife and son. I’ll rip them apart alive and interrogate them. Got it? Be sure to catch him alive.”
“yes-!”
The knights rode their horses like a gale and chased after the assailants.
There was a hint of gold in the man’s voice.
Lucas shuddered and turned back. Everyone else around them was already on their heads and shivering.
chuck-
The man who got off the white horse with light movements came in front of Dustia, Ash, and Lucas.
“I should have told you not to use the secret art of time regression.”
man.
The emperor who rules the empire and rules half of the world.
“That magic isn’t a blessing, is it a punishment sent down on your family?”
Traha “Peacemaker” Everblack whispered in an unexpectedly caring voice.
“My beloved Dustia.”
