🔊 TTS Settings
chapter6
A Star on the Road
“Please take me to Your Highness’s palace.”
Not long ago, she had treated her like a future murderer, yet now, as Adeline turned to leave, the gypsy clung to her ankle.
“Take me with you.”
She hadn’t eaten before coming here, and after pouring out long-stifled emotions, hunger gnawed at her. The pitiful growl from her stomach beneath her chest made her feel miserable.
Adeline decided to pretend she hadn’t heard it. She grabbed the arm of the Lion King, who was guarding the door, and pulled him outside with her. Her fake cook still couldn’t make even a simple salad, so she intended to at least get something to eat here.
“You can disguise me as a maid, or if you say I should be your slave, I’ll do it. Just let me stay by your side. You bought me for three hundred thousand gold coins, didn’t you? You have to take responsibility.”
Unbelievable. Why was it that only such willful people gathered around her? Adeline halted her steps and spoke toward the stargazer.
“That wasn’t even my money, and I have no intention of taking you. If you’ve nowhere to go, settle down anywhere. Better yet, go back to your hometown. The Lion King here considers you gypsies his subjects, so if you want to be a maid, then work for him.”
“He is not my king.”
Then… am I your king? The question lodged in her throat, unsaid. Adeline forced her stiff body to turn and face the stargazer directly. Heterochromatic eyes might be appealing to slave collectors, but not to her.
“What are you plotting?”
Adeline asked. The stargazer bit down on her pale lips, then stepped closer.
“Princess Adeline.”
“I asked, what are you plotting?”
“I have nowhere to return to. I will serve Your Highness as I serve the stars. I will never betray you, and I will guard you with my life. Please, take me with you.”
“And I’m supposed to believe that?”
Adeline had no intention of dragging out this futile exchange. Ignoring her would suffice. But before she could turn away again, this time it was the Lion King who stopped her.
“Adeline.”
“Let’s go. I’m hungry.”
“You need a reliable companion. I told you before.”
“Not you too…”
“In that vast palace, the only one even remotely trustworthy is Ordo’s errand boy. And he’s only cooperating with you because he has his own motives. He isn’t truly your ally.”
She didn’t need him to point it out—she knew it better than anyone.
“You mean I can trust this woman?”
“Give the stargazer a name. They say that if you grant her a name, she can never betray that person, even in death.”
Adeline had never heard such a thing. She’d only ever heard fragments of legends about them, wondrous tales passed down like myths. But the Lion King’s words were no different from saying that once named, the stargazer would be bound for life.
Was she volunteering to become a slave?
Adeline studied the gypsy with doubtful eyes.
“Please give me a name. I will be Your Highness’s guide.”
The stargazer once again fell to her knees before her. The Lion King let out a dry laugh.
“Adeline. Trust me. Take her with you. If the twelve chiefs of Odium witnessed this, they’d envy you greatly.”
Adeline didn’t fully understand the weight of the stargazer’s prophetic powers. She only knew it wasn’t something they could use lightly at any moment. The rest was either speculation or groundless rumor.
The Lion King spoke again.
“You need companions.”
That much was true—and she wanted to know why he thought so. In the short time she had known him, she’d realized he was more cautious than she expected. He even suspected every bite of food she ate. For him to advise taking along a girl he barely knew, there had to be a reason.
“I don’t make a hobby of collecting people.”
Adeline muttered.
The stargazer, still kneeling, lifted her head. The mismatched eyes gleamed with a strange, fervent desire.
“Your name is…”
Adeline chose to heed the Lion King’s advice.
“…Butterfly.”
The stargazer nodded.
“Being a palace maid isn’t something just anyone can do. They scrutinize lineage and background. And since you can’t fight, you can’t serve as a guard either.”
“I don’t mind being a slave.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I despise those who call humans slaves.”
Adeline lifted the stargazer up herself, then suggested they share a meal. But the Lion King, with an awkward look, revealed there wasn’t a single cook in this vast mansion. Worse, his men, restless from confinement, rarely stayed close by.
Adeline muttered weakly,
“So I’ll have to suffer through Ringo’s atrocious cooking again? I’d rather eat out.”
“What can you do well?”
The Lion King asked. The stargazer hesitated for a long moment, then carefully answered.
“I… can cook, somewhat.”
Ah. Then she must come with me immediately.
Adeline decided firmly and grabbed her hand without hesitation.
“Where in the world did you pick up that woman?!”
She had expected Ringo to be displeased, but not to this degree. Barely a day after Butterfly entered the palace, he stormed into Adeline’s chambers like a drenched puppy, shaking himself irritably.
“I told you to get along.”
“She took over my kitchen! Seasonings here, spices there, recipes on the shelf—do you know how long I worked to organize all that? She turned it all upside down!”
“No wonder your cooking was so disastrous.”
“What? No… Princess, that’s cruel. Who starts out perfect? If I keep practicing, I’ll improve!”
“I don’t think practice is the issue. Your salad smelled like fish, and your soup like cosmetics.”
Adeline had no trouble siding with Butterfly. In fact, when she heard Butterfly had ousted Ringo from the kitchen, she had half a mind to dance.
“Who said she’s a good cook, anyway?”
Ringo pressed. Clearly, he wanted to protect his territory. Adeline, resting her chin in her hand, simply stared at him.
“Why are you so obsessed with cooking?”
“Because I want you to eat delicious food.”
“And why’s that?”
“You know I like you, so why keep teasing me like this?”
Ringo squirmed uncomfortably.
Adeline pointed at the door, laughing.
“Out.”
“You’re so mean, seriously.”
“I said, get out.”
“Instead of that, come downstairs with me. Something incredible is happening right now.”
Ah. So this was his real motive.
Dropping his pitiful act, Ringo reached out a hand to her. Curious what was happening downstairs, Adeline reluctantly followed after him.
“Don’t be shocked.”
He grinned slyly. Adeline pulled her robe tighter and scoffed.
A guard waiting outside the parlor straightened stiffly upon seeing her. At first, the guards had been embarrassed to serve in her palace, but now—since assassins could appear anytime—they stood watch more nervously than anyone.
“This way.”
Ringo guided her with exaggerated courtesy.
Her palace was a quiet place, surrounded on two sides by dense forest and far removed from the capital. It had been abandoned for years—once, they said, an old king’s mistress lived there. The building itself was vast and beautiful.
“To think fewer than twenty people live in a palace this large.”
Ringo clicked his tongue.
“You know, Princess?”
“What.”
“Since the assassins came, the maids won’t sleep here anymore.”
“I know.”
Except for Collin, the maids only came during the day and left at night. Adeline didn’t blame them—though assassins weren’t likely to confuse maids for her, fear was only natural.
Ringo whispered like he was sharing a secret.
“That Butterfly woman. The maids hate her. Like, really hate her.”
When they reached the kitchen antechamber, he nodded toward the door with a grin.
Slaaap!
A resounding noise came from inside. Adeline froze, hand on the doorknob, until Ringo quickly pushed the door open.
“What the—”
Inside, Butterfly and several maids were brawling, clawing at each other’s hair.
“Let go, you lowly cook!”
“How dare a mere maid act so arrogant!”
“Argh!”
Adeline couldn’t believe her eyes. She rubbed them, but the scene remained the same. The legendary stargazer and graceful maids, screeching and yanking each other’s hair?
“Heheheh!”
Ringo shook with laughter. Adeline pressed her palm to her forehead.
“Go break it up. Now.”
“What? Why? This is fun.”
“Now!”
“The best thing in the world is watching a fight… fine, fine, I’ll go.”
Grumbling, he rushed forward, waving his arms.
“Good heavens! What is this! Stop, all of you! The Princess is here!”
It was useless.
“Didn’t you hear me? The Princess is here!”
Only then did everyone freeze and look over.
One maid already had a swollen black eye. Surprised, Adeline glanced at Butterfly. How had those thin arms produced such force?
The maids still fumed, but Butterfly calmly tidied herself, then dropped to her knees before Adeline.
“I am sorry.”
Her clean, respectful posture made the maids falter with guilt.
“Tell me the reason at least.”
At her weary words, the maids rushed to accuse Butterfly.
“This insolent cook—!”
“She doesn’t belong here! Your Highness, this is the imperial palace. How could such a vulgar—”
The reason was simple. The cook was responsible for managing the expensive ingredients brought daily, yet the maids had been sneaking into the kitchen to take them.
The maids wanted to secure fruits and sweets to curry favor with the Lion King, but Butterfly believed everything was for Adeline alone. In blocking them, she had mocked the maids as dogs wagging their tails for the Lion King.
“She struck me!”
A young maid showed her reddened, swollen hand.
At this point, it was impossible to tell who was at fault. The maids outnumbered Butterfly three to one, yet she clearly hadn’t gone down without a fight. Adeline looked at her anew.
So, even legendary stargazers weren’t exactly refined after all.
She needed to refine her plan to capture the slave hunters, but the noisy palace made concentration impossible. What a useless lot—fighting and hair-pulling at such a critical time.
Finally, Adeline ordered Collin to guard the parlor and let no one in. He stood outside, solemn and determined, though not even a knight.
The traffickers operated across borders, capturing valuable people and sending them to the capital. There were too many of them to eliminate all at once. Adeline had no authority to command knights or order troops.
That meant she had to fight dirty too. Her plan: to kidnap them, one by one.
“We need force.”
The traffickers were natural-born fighters—catching strong freemen and barbarians required equal strength and numbers.
But there was no one to call for help. No noble would raise their private army to join her in such a cause. And even if some righteous man existed, finding him would take too long.
At first, she had considered working with Ordo. But now, she had someone far stronger at her side—and he bore a bitter grudge against the slavers.
“Rachiel Baltica.”
She whispered his name aloud.
“Kidnap the kidnappers?”
Meeting boldly in broad daylight at a hotel, the two of them spoke over a lavish feast.
“I can’t do lofty revenge. I have no one to help me. I don’t even know if this country still has honest officials. And I don’t have that kind of authority.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean reporting them and bringing them to justice is impossible.”
So: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Adeline handed him a paper. With Ordo’s intelligence and Butterfly’s memory, she had recreated a map. Red marks indicated the buildings used as bases by the traffickers.
“It’s impossible to wipe out every slaver in Marma. But if we take down at least their southern base, it’ll force them to respond.”
“And once we’ve kidnapped them, then what?”
“Make them suffer the same way. Just as they’ve done to the slaves they abducted and sold.”
She smiled grimly.
The Lion King, map in hand, grew silent in thought, while Adeline quickly cleared the food from the table.
“This is the only chance.”
Cesare was busy currying favor with his fiancée, and the emperor was simply delighted that Adeline stayed close to the Lion King. No one would object if they traveled south together.
The Lion King finally spoke.
“Is it necessary for you to go? Couldn’t I just send my men in masks?”
He said it like he was talking about hunting rabbits. But Adeline knew this was no simple task.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
She left him to consider it carefully. Surprisingly, he didn’t ask many questions—he simply studied the map and then asked, gravely:
“When this is over… will you join hands with me?”
His deep blue gaze poured into her. She had no intention of lying.
She nodded firmly.
“I suppose I will.”
“Is that a promise?”
“I can’t promise to be the kind of comrade you’d entrust your life to. We still have too many secrets we’re keeping from each other. What I mean is this—once this job is over, at the very least, I won’t betray you.”
She wasn’t sure if that answer was enough. From the very beginning, this man had been demanding far too much from her.
“I understand.”
The Lion King folded the map and tucked it into his chest.
Adeline had been prepared to persuade him with all her might if he hesitated or refused. She had even been ready to offer a reasonable price. But instead, he simply nodded in that dry, indifferent way of his. He didn’t even ask for details about her plan or schedule.
What? Unable to resist her curiosity, she asked,
“That’s it?”
“What? What else am I supposed to say?”
“No, I mean… it just ends like this?”
“I said I’d go along with what you’re trying to do. Isn’t that enough?”
It was as simple as when he had once declared that his subordinates would take care of things if sent. Watching him casually shove food into his mouth, Adeline let out a helpless laugh.
“I didn’t think it would be this easy.”
“What do you even take me for?”
“The man who proposed to me.”
He laughed with her. His low chuckle tickled her ears.
“That’s right. I’m the man who proposed to you. So let’s just let it be.”
“…Do you, by any chance, love me?”
She asked on impulse, and even as the words left her mouth she thought it was ridiculous. Before he could answer, Adeline waved her hand and shook her head.
“No, no. Sorry.”
“What’s there to be sorry about?”
“Forget it. I was just talking nonsense.”
After that, they naturally continued their meal. Adeline shared light stories, and the Lion King asked after the people in her palace. Sometimes she ate what he left behind, and sometimes he finished what she couldn’t. Having different tastes worked out to their advantage.
As the meal drew to an end, one of the Lion King’s men who had been waiting outside the hotel came to the room.
“Baltika, may I have a word?”
“Come in.”
Adeline studied the man who entered. His age was hard to guess. His face wasn’t deeply wrinkled, but his hair was completely white. All the Lion King’s men she had seen so far wore armor, yet this one was dressed in simple shirt and trousers.
Just as he was about to speak after bowing slightly to her, the Lion King cut him off.
“Good timing. Pick out a few of the men itching for a fight and get them packed.”
“…Pardon?”
“Adeline’s offered to take us on a tour of southern Marma.”
The subordinate looked at Adeline with confusion. The Lion King leaned back, clearly unwilling to explain further. To spare the troubled man, Adeline smiled and added,
“Come traveling with me.”
“…Excuse me?”
“A trip. But, you know, bring weapons… I’d prefer you recommend men who can fight.”
“…What?”
“I’ll cover all expenses. Buy whatever you need.”
Weapons, horses, carriages—even brand-new armor, if they wanted. She could feed them only the finest food. If necessary, she could provide even more. After all, she was spending the emperor’s money.
The subordinate looked back and forth between her and the Lion King, let out a short sigh, and said,
“So, you’ve finally succeeded?”
The Lion King gave no answer. He only leaned back, smiling lazily like a satiated predator, lacing his fingers behind his head. His subordinate gave Adeline another formal bow.
“Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Zacharian, adjutant.”
“Adeline.”
She rose to shake his hand. Zacharian, with his neatly combed white hair, smiled awkwardly as he took it.
“Zacharian.”
“Yes, my lady?”
She asked if he had eaten, if there were others outside, small courtesies. He answered sincerely, a gentleman in manner.
“Just call me Adeline.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why not? I’m calling you Zacharian, after all.”
“No matter what…”
“Go on. I don’t mind if you speak casually. As you can tell, I’m not very picky.”
After some hesitation, Zacharian finally gave in and called her name.
He had an open, refreshing smile. Were all desert men like this? Even his rough, husky voice was appealing. If she brought him to the palace, the maids might scream silently all over again.
They exchanged a few more pleasant words before the Lion King, who had been watching silently, suddenly cut in.
“Why is it you never call my name?”
“…What?”
“Adeline. You’ve never once spoken my name.”
His eyes fixed on her, insistent, as though he wouldn’t rest until he knew why.
This guy. Adeline smirked.
“And what is your name?”
“…What?”
“You never told me, did you?”
An awkward silence fell. The Lion King looked as if he had been smacked on the back of the head, while Adeline wore a mischievous smile.
Zacharian rubbed his forehead and pressed him.
“Baltika, is this true?”
“Well… that is…”
“It’s basic courtesy to give your name. Did you really never once tell Lady Adeline?”
No amount of racking his memory would help—because it was true. Turning away from the Lion King’s troubled expression, Adeline looked at Zacharian instead.
“It’s fine. We’re both royalty with hardly a speck of manners.”
The adjutant sighed deeply, while the Lion King’s frown deepened. Straightening his posture, Zacharian said solemnly,
“Though late, may I introduce our king properly?”
“You?”
“In Marma, it’s said that sometimes nobles would exchange names indirectly through their adjutants.”
“That’s an old custom.”
Adeline sat back down, and Zacharian’s grave voice filled the room.
“Rach El Baltika. King of the warriors who rule the deserts of Odium. Two years ago, he defeated all twelve tribal chiefs who lived scattered across the sands and pushed forward into contested lands to establish the desert’s borders. It was thanks to Baltika’s protection that Odium rose as a nation and entered the Union…”
The longer he spoke, the stiffer the Lion King’s face became. He looked ready to explode, and Adeline glanced between the two men with growing amusement.
“Zacharian.”
“Yes, Baltika?”
“That’s enough. Get out.”
Now she understood—he was embarrassed.
Adeline bit her lip to keep from laughing. Most people would blush or look away when flustered. But this man clenched his teeth, looking as if he might punch someone, while his adjutant praised him.
“Lady Adeline.”
“Yes?”
“If you have any questions about our Baltika, I’ll answer whatever I can.”
Ignoring his king’s order, Zacharian smiled warmly at her.
Questions? Of course she had plenty. Adeline rested her chin in her hand, suppressing a laugh. Reading newspapers was one of her hobbies, so her room had always been filled with everything from Nova Union papers to Marma’s noble gazettes to the capital’s most infamous gossip rags. She probably knew more about the political reputation of the Lion King than most nobles.
“Rach El Baltika.”
His gaze instantly shot toward her.
“I already knew your name, so I didn’t really mind.”
“Just call me Rach.”
“And the rest?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
“El Baltika?”
“El” meant warrior. “Baltika” was the sacred cliff symbolizing Odium. It was his lineage and station—things she certainly ought to know. But he yawned, feigning disinterest.
“Have you no questions?” Zacharian asked eagerly.
Questions? She had one that made her want to laugh. She deliberately bit her lip and folded her hands elegantly on the table.
“Zacharian.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“How old is your king?”
Zacharian choked and began to cough violently, his face reddening.
Adeline smiled impishly.
“Why not tell me? Shall I guess?”
“Lady Adeline…”
“I’m twenty-eight.”
He froze, staring at her in disbelief. The Lion King looked equally shocked.
“What sort of man proposes without even knowing a woman’s age?”
Adeline teased, like a mischievous older uncle.
“You’re twenty-four, aren’t you?”
Flinch. Both the Lion King and Zacharian hunched their shoulders slightly.
It didn’t take long to prepare for departure. The emperor was delighted when Adeline said she would show the Lion King Marma’s glorious heritage. He even sent an enormous amount of gold and luxuries for her to spend as she pleased.
Richard, looking as if he’d rather die, declared he would accompany her, but she rejected him flatly.
“If you’re stronger than the Lion King, I’ll consider it.”
Richard’s face twisted bitterly as he stormed off—likely straight to Cesare.
Colin could only stare at her, uncertain, while Navi remained calm and focused on her own tasks.
“Hohoho! Now, if we’re talking about me, the great Lingo! I can ride a horse, handle a carriage, fight like a champ, and liven up the dreariest journeys with endless chatter! Just imagine, princess—traveling with that grim Lion King all those miles? What fun would that be? But if I’m there, right at your side, spinning wondrous tales and jokes, you’ll laugh till your belly aches—”
“Get lost.”
“Oh, come on, that’s harsh!”
“I said, get lost.”
“Cold! So cold! How can you trample on a man’s pure devotion like this?”
“You have another task.”
At that, Lingo, who had been ready to sneak along regardless, perked up eagerly.
“Princess, you’ve got a job for me?”
“Cesare’s silence is suspicious. Find out what he’s been up to lately, where his interests lie, what he’s plotting.”
“Hm… He’s Crown Prince now, so maybe partying every night?”
“He’s not like his father. He doesn’t care whether Marma is an empire or a kingdom.”
Adeline was packing the carriage with chests of gold coins, their heavy clinking filling the air. Lingo slyly snatched two purses for himself and grinned.
“Got it. As you command, Princess.”
