TYND 09

Chapter 09

Walter turned his gaze away, his mouth curved downward without a word. Her eyes widened in surprise at his hesitant demeanor.

“Could it be… the daughter of the concubine you mentioned earlier?”

“She is Princess Arsinoe.”

“Arsinoe… Then did you truly mention her because you think she is suitable for His Majesty’s heir?”

A heavy silence followed the statement. Walter fixed his clear eyes on her and nodded.

“At present, I could not find anyone more suitable than her.”

Rutherford raised his folded arms and slowly stroked his thick chin.

Complex emotions, difficult to define, flickered across his expression, and finally, a lukewarm smile settled on his face.

“It’s intriguing that you think so. Do you really consider her a candidate for the next throne?”

“It is merely a conclusion based on legitimacy and propriety. Even if I alone think so, it doesn’t mean it will come to pass.”

Rutherford responded with a displeased expression instead of pressing further.

In the current turbulent times, a general praised by all the officers symbolized the king himself.

Although he was a naturally humble man, Rutherford had wondered if Walter’s modesty was a test. Seeing Walter’s composed expression, he realized the sincerity behind it and let out a wry laugh.

“I understand your philosophy, but the future is unpredictable. I wonder if you’ll maintain that belief a month from now.”

“What will happen a month from now?”

“The Duke of Kiel said he would convene the council again in a month. Today, your opposition stalled matters, but it’s no longer feasible to leave the throne vacant for long.”

Rutherford toyed with the edge of his fan, stepped closer, and lowered his voice.

“It seems the Duke has been recruiting soldiers recently… If you continue to oppose it, he will have to make a decision.”

“…Is that so.”

“I’ll tell you now—I will not take sides. I don’t think either of your principles is wrong. I only hope for a peaceful conclusion.”

With a flourish, she opened her fan, letting it flutter elegantly, a playful smile accompanying the gesture. The Rutherford family crest etched in the center of the plain fan reflected the sunlight, gleaming faintly.

Without time to bid farewell, Rutherford strode quickly down the corridor. Walter watched the retreating figure, exhaled quietly, and turned in the opposite direction.

A week had already passed since the king’s death.

Walter knew well that there was no time to be at ease. The king, who seemed eternal for the past ten years, had suddenly died, and heirs worthy of succession were nearly extinct.

Noble houses were anxious over a mysterious plague, and the two neighboring countries, seeing the kingdom in turmoil, were preparing for war.

The urgency of the lords was understandable. Though only a week had passed since the throne was left empty, the political chaos intensified daily.

Had Walter been a lord, he might have suggested a suitable heir among the council elders. Unfortunately, he was a general. Knowing his own position was akin to that of a royal heir, he had to be cautious in the selection of the next ruler.

But…

“Arsinoe.”

He said her name casually before the lords but immediately regretted it—not because he doubted her suitability, but because he had failed to consider her own wishes.

Four years had passed since he first met her at the academy.

And it had been one year since they unexpectedly met again in Formnos.

She had disappeared suddenly with her mother and now lived on the eastern coast of Formnos in a profession he could hardly imagine.

Arsinoe Thea Neoparnass, he realized, was a criminal.

“….”

As Walter reflected, he realized he had spoken absurdly to the lords. Yet, oddly enough, he also felt certain that no one else was as suitable as her to be a ruler.

“Ah, General!”

Startled by the rough shout, Walter stopped instinctively. Looking up, he realized he had reached the commander’s office and blinked in disbelief.

His subordinate, grooming himself in a grotesque manner, filled his black eyes. Zen, crouched on the floor licking his thighs, awkwardly kicked with his hind legs and stood up.

“When did you get here, kch, kch…!”

Choking on his own fur, he coughed repeatedly before regaining composure and standing upright. Flicking his tongue to clean his nose, Zen cleared his throat and regained his dignity.

“Good thing you returned earlier than expected. A pressing letter arrived—please check it.”

“A pressing letter? From where?”

“Judging by the seal, it seems to be from Formnos.”

“Formnos?”

Walter frowned at the word, uneasy about receiving news from a place that normally did not contact them.

Suppressing the uneasy feeling, he picked up the letter. Reading quietly, he exhaled deeply, folded the paper, and picked up a robe from the wall.

“Contact Whis. We must leave for Formnos immediately.”

The clattering sound woke her.

Lucy, crouched on the floor staring blankly at the wall, quickly rose at the sound of metal bars clashing. Beyond the frost-covered bars, someone held a food tray.

As the only prisoner, there was just one tray. Soon, a large bird-like humanoid fully revealed itself and called out sharply:

“Hey! Get up!”

The guard pushed the wooden frame roughly and slid the tray through the small hole at the bottom of the cell.

The aged Rapi guard, with missing feathers in places, snapped his yellow beak and shouted:

“Arsinoe! I brought your food!”

“You don’t have to shout so loudly; I can hear you. What’s for today?”

“What?”

“What’s for lunch today?”

“The weather is the same every day! Isn’t it winter for you all year round?”

Sighing, Lucy gave up on the conversation.

The guard rarely understood her immediately. Communication wasn’t impossible, but like humans, the senses dulled with age. The old guard was so deaf he couldn’t hear a thunderclap right beside him.

Lucy decided to check the menu herself and took the tray from the old man.

“Last time, you were caught smuggling or something; why are you caught again?”

While softening the hard bread with her hands, she raised her voice.

“I’m not smuggling. I just helped some refugees. I got caught because I accepted money to help them.”

“Helping thieves? What money could thieves have to help you?”

“They weren’t thieves! They were Lycan refugees! And yes, I was paid!”

“Ah… I see! So you were caught doing something like a broker scheme.”

The guard, previously sitting on the floor, finally understood and chuckled. The scratches on his beak suggested his age.

“Why bother helping Lycans? They were born for hardship. Being stuck in the empire, quietly oppressed, and dying peacefully is a blessing for them.”

“Your words are harsh.”

“What? Are words wearing shoes?”

Sighing, Lucy bit into the bread and muttered to herself in a low voice.

“They didn’t do anything wrong. They just couldn’t endure the Empire’s hatred of Lycans and ran away. How could they live there? I would have sought asylum in another country too.”

“They were born guilty!”

The guard, who could barely understand praise half a step away, immediately perked up when Lucy criticized the Lycans.