HEO 4

Two days into his journey, Wolf was already hooked on the joys of travel.

“Delicious!”

The quality of the ingredients was different. He learned that all the top-grade produce went to the people in the producing regions, while only the lower grades were sent out.

“So much to see!”

Wolf was moved by the sight of a shepherd playing his flute in the fields. In the bustling capital, such scenes existed only in fairy tale illustrations. Beyond that, the sights kept coming: majestic temples, statues in the squares, art galleries, street musicians, and more.

After a month-long carriage journey, they arrived at Muchi, the seventh-largest city-state on Atania. The moment they saw the river flowing before Muchi, Wolf and Red Eagle’s eyes widened like frogs’.

“This is… a river…? I can’t see the opposite bank…”

“Yes, it’s a river. We’ll be boarding a ship now. One month to Eva Hill Harbor, then another month from there. If we don’t die in the meantime, we’ll reach Stoll.”

River Rat explained. Wolf nodded, but the phrase ‘if we don’t die’ made him feel uneasy for a moment.

The boat was a two-masted cruise ship. Red Eagle’s group sailed from dawn till dusk for about a month. Each evening, the boat docked along the riverbank. They spent the night at a nearby inn and boarded the boat again at dawn.

The journey was immensely enjoyable, but there was one distinct inconvenience. That was River Rat.

His appearance alone was menacing. A blond giant. A neck tattoo that couldn’t be hidden even by Atania-style clothing. A big axe strapped to his waist. To anyone who saw him, he was unmistakably an ‘Ill Omen’. Wherever River Rat passed, the path cleared instantly. On the boat, passengers huddled together in the farthest corner from him.

‘River Rat is a warrior-class man. He’s from a tribe my mother’s clan has managed for generations. Whenever the Stoll diplomatic delegation visited the Levenon court, he’d deliver my mother’s letters to me.’

For some reason, River Rat disliked Red Eagle. Wolf often caught him glancing at Red Eagle and cursing. He was deaf to Stoll’s words, but he swore to God those were curses. Wouldn’t it be strange if the words said with the expression of someone stepping on a pigeon carcass during a walk were, ‘Our prince is so lovely’?

The reason Red Eagle begged Wolf to accompany him all the way to Stoll was also because of River Rat. He said the thought of going to Stoll alone with him made him feel suffocated.

‘Coincidentally, I spotted you, Wolf, out the carriage window. The reason I couldn’t explain properly then was also because of River Rat. I was afraid he might hear everything from the driver’s seat.’

Red Eagle confessed while they were in the inn room. Wolf, who was lying on his side with his arm as a pillow on the adjacent bed, frowned.

‘Understandable. If I’d seen the face of the man sitting in the driver’s seat back then, I would’ve turned tail and run. His countenance was as hideous as the monsters depicted on temple murals. But don’t be too scared. That River Rat doesn’t have a title before his name.’

Unlike the people of Atania, the Stoll people have no surnames regardless of class. Instead, it’s said that if someone kills over a hundred people, epithets like ‘the Valiant’ or ‘the Unforgettable’ are placed before their name.

‘Maybe he’s just a rat who’s good at running away. Our school’s instructor said you have to crack a man’s nut to know his true worth. ‘

‘Wolf, you’re fearless. Do you think killing a hundred people is easy?’

‘I was just trying to encourage Your Highness. Anyway, thanks to him, even common pickpockets don’t dare come near us anymore. That’s good enough.’

Day 21 aboard the ship. River Rat spoke.

“We’ll reach Eva Hill Harbor tomorrow morning. Tonight we’ll sleep on the ship. It’s cold, so please sleep close together.”

The passengers seemed to mistake the prince and his attendant for River Rat’s sons. When they approached to “sleep close together,” both men’s eyes turned fierce, as if they’d encountered a tax collector. The two boys had no choice but to curl up in a corner of the deck and try to sleep. River Rat was too busy drinking with the sailors to even glance their way.

The ship rocked, making sleep difficult. Besides, it was winter. Even wrapped in thick robes and covered with woolen blankets, their bodies shivered.

“Wolf, isn’t it nice to watch the stars while facing the river wind?”

The prince was spouting nonsense when he was freezing his ass off. If it had been Roy, he wouldn’t have hesitated to flip him off.

“Yes, it’s romantic. But it’s a bit cold, Your Highness.”

“It is late November. If it’s this cold here, I wonder how bitterly cold it must be in Stoll.”

Why the hell would I care about that, you asshole.

Wolf cursed inwardly and rolled over abruptly. Red Eagle said nothing more. As time passed, Wolf’s eyes slowly closed.

“Hey, Wolf.”

Just as Wolf was drifting off, Red Eagle spoke.

“When I said I was going to see my mother… did it upset you?”

“Huh?”

Wolf flinched and turned his head. Red Eagle was staring at the night sky. Wolf frowned and composed himself before replying.

“It didn’t upset me. I was just taken aback that you were suddenly leaving for Stoll.”

“That’s a relief. Actually, I thought you…”

Red Eagle paused briefly.

“I thought you’d be angry when I said I was going to attend my mother’s deathbed. Your mother cherished me deeply.”

Your mother cherished me deeply.

Those words instantly transported Wolf back to being nine years old. His mother lying on the bed. A little boy burying his face in her lap and crying. His mother’s emaciated hand kept stroking the boy’s shoulder.

From a distance, Wolf glared at them and thought: Why does Mom only look at the prince? Why is the prince in my place?

“Ah, yes. She cherished the prince deeply.”

Chasing away the memory, Wolf spoke distractedly. Red Eagle sighed softly.

“I agonized over it too. Thinking of the love my nanny gave me, I felt I shouldn’t go to Stoll. It felt like… betraying her. But a real mother is different.”

Wolf froze, stunned. His entire body stiffened as if frozen by a bolted iron gate. Then a cool shock overwhelmed his body. It felt like being drenched by the spray from a fountain in the square on a scorching summer afternoon. He never could have imagined it. That Red Eagle would rank his nanny second only to his birth mother.

Ha ha, what is this? After loving each other so much, this is what happens?

Mother, did you hear that? That boy loves his birth mother more. A woman he never saw is ahead of you!

Children died easily in this era. Wolf’s mother stayed by Red Eagle’s side all night whenever he fell ill. One summer day, both her son and Red Eagle fell ill. The mother stayed only by one person’s side, and Wolf was left alone in the room, staring at the door.

A week later, when Wolf finally came to his senses, he made a decision. He would never wait for the door to open again. He wouldn’t cry even if his mother died. Two years later, that decision held firm.

“So… so…”

Red Eagle trailed off as he looked at Wolf from the corner of his eye. Wolf wanted to smirk. You foolish child, trying to apologize to me instead of your nanny? Thinking that might ease your guilt?

Wolf knew. In the triangle between his mother, Red Eagle, and himself, only his mother had been at fault. The children had merely struggled, trapped in the net of favoritism cast by irresponsible adults.

“Stop thinking about it. If it’s your mother, she’d support your decision, Your Highness. She’d be happy, even.”

Wolf gave the answer Red Eagle wanted. The latter stared at him.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes. I also believe your decision is right. It’s a pity my mother isn’t alive to see this.”

This time, his answer wasn’t false. He genuinely felt sorry that his mother wouldn’t be here to witness Red Eagle’s choice and taste the sting of betrayal.

I thought I was just an ordinary guy in every way. Maybe I’m a bit twisted after all?

“Hearing you say that lightens my heart a little. Thank you.”

Unaware of Wolf’s true feelings, Red Eagle thanked him. Wolf offered a smile.

“You’re welcome. Let’s just keep enjoying our journey.”

“Wolf. This is an adventure.”

“It’s a journey. Adventures are dangerous and hard work. But Your Highness and I haven’t even seen a fire-breathing dragon or an evil wizard. Every night we stay in a nice inn, eat delicious food morning and night, and during the day we admire the scenery or play card games.”

Red Eagle’s expression soured at Wolf’s words.

“I meant it as an adventure in my own way. I know well. A brave knight doesn’t stay in inns.”

“He camps by a campfire in the forest where wolves howl. Your Highness, dragons are just something back alleys novelists made up to make money. There is one wizard in our town, but he’s the kind who brags about turning dung into gold while constantly begging for bread money.”

Red Eagle, who yearned for adventure, was childish. It was typical of a prince who had only ever known people bowing before him since birth.

I envy him. I struggle even with peers my age.

For Wolf, even ordinary life was an adventure because it was hard. Reading people. Finding the right words. If you just go along, you look weak, so he occasionally asserted his own opinion. Being seen as moderately funny, moderately trustworthy, blending in anywhere. Nothing was easy.

An adventure fighting dragons and wizards? No thanks. Absolutely not.

Wolf pulled the wool blanket over his head.

“Sleep well, Your Highness.”

Sleepiness came. Wolf fell into a cave-deep slumber, at the end of which was a blue sea.