HEO 62

Silver and Black Weasel flinched simultaneously.

[What did you say, sir? Who’s getting married to who…?!?]

Red Eagle stammered. Black Weasel rubbed his chin, murmuring, “Ah… Hmm…” before smiling brightly.

[You heard right! Your half-brother and your mother got married. Thanks to that, the prince gained not only a new dad but also eight step-siblings as a bonus! If you count the dozens of half-brothers and sisters too, our little Brown Chick prince must be the person with the most siblings in the world, ha ha ha! Oh, I completely forgot to explain this beforehand…]

Red Eagle’s eyes went completely blank. Wolf covered his mouth with both hands like a monk seeing a female nude painting for the first time. Silver said flatly.

[You don’t like it, right? As if half-brothers weren’t enough, now you have eight more step-siblings. Memorizing their names is going to be a headache.]

[Um, Silver? We were just shocked that the prince’s mother married his half-brother…]

Wolf’s voice trailed off. Black Weasel raised one eyebrow. Silver, too, grew tense. The flow of the waves against the oar was slowing.

The white currents that had risen wherever the warships passed gradually subsided. They were slowing down. But this iron smell drifting on the wind…

Are they trying to dock there? But that river harbor pier was too small to accommodate all those ships.

“Silver.”

Black Weasel nodded. It was a signal to head forward. Reluctantly, Silver took up the oars. The ferry slipped into the shadows cast by the warships. The Bone Stakes on each warship’s prow gleamed white like birch bark. Above all, it was quiet. As the lead ship drew nearer, not a single whisper could be heard.

The pier came into view in the distance. Only two warships were anchored, their hulls alongside the dock. As they drew nearer, the smell of iron on the wind intensified. Red Eagle seemed to realize where they were headed. He clenched his jaw to keep himself from vomiting. His whole body trembled.

Wolf, however, turned his head to stare directly at the wharf. His blond hair whipped by the wind, his hands clutching the side of the boat, all a cool, bleached silver. His expression was inscrutable. He didn’t say a word. Only the creaking of wood erupted from his grip on the rail.

Silver suppressed his discomfort. Returning here in just one day was unimaginable. The wind carried the sound, following the stench of blood. The howling of dogs, horses, and livestock. The howling of hunger.

Even from a distance, the traces of slaughter strewn across the dock were plain to see. A cluster of corpses scattered in a circle, like a rainwater puddle. Riffraffs. A flock of crows covered them like a black cloak. A few cats had their muzzles buried in the corpses too.

“Hey! What are you lot doing?”

The shout brought Silver back to his senses. Several warriors were looking down from a nearby warship.

“You bastards have been following us! What the hell are you doing!”

“We followed to survive! Our family was attacked by bandits…”

“We know! Your voice bellowed like a trumpet, we heard it all! We’ve got nothing for you lot. Get lost.”

“Please, sir. A delicious smell wafted from the warship! Just a piece of jerky, please…”

Right on cue, Black Weasel’s stomach growled loudly. Laughter erupted from the warship.

“Useless little thing. Fine, tell me everything you know about this river harbor. If I like your answers, I might toss you a piece of jerky.”

“This village?”

Black Weasel’s eyes narrowed.

“I’ve heard rumors. Yesterday morning, at the old inn, people were saying that overnight, this place… There were wild rumors that warriors celebrating a victory feast here killed the villagers for fun. That’s all I heard. Ah, I’ve stayed here a few times during my wandering days. It was a small, quiet village where kin lived together.”

“Damn it. Starve to death.”

“Oh, was this a story even the warriors knew? Um, but are the next king and queen also aboard this warship?”

Black Weasel suddenly went straight to the point. Silver unconsciously grabbed the dagger tucked inside his robe with one hand. That Bingapsu bastard is too fast. With that face, his act as a pitiful widower won’t keep fooling anyone.

“Why? Are you telling us?”

Surprisingly, the warriors asked without a hint of suspicion. Silver, confused, soon realized why. The warriors were pointing at Red Eagle and snickering. Ah, because of this crybaby…

“Yes, that’s right! I’m going to report your heartless actions, warriors! Your Royal Highnesses! Are you listening–!”

The warriors burst into laughter at Black Weasel’s shameless act. One of them doubled over while clutching his stomach.

“Trying to scare us? You fool! If you’re that hungry, go down to the harbor and rob any house you like! They’re all dead, no one’s left to stop you!”

“Or are you scared of corpses?”

Jeers rained down. Black Weasel rubbed his temples, then quickly grabbed an oar.

“Silver. Dock the boat.”

“What?”

Silver flinched.

“You’re not seriously planning to raid that place? Are you crazy?”

“No. My hunch is that the next king and queen will be having a late dinner in that village.”

“……Do the next king and queen both have their noses cut off?”

When he asked back, incredulous, the answer he got was:

“I don’t know about that, but I do know they’re indomitable warriors. They’re the kind who’d pick meat off bones using the stench of rotting corpses as incense. Well, maybe their noses really were cut off. Warriors usually give up a limb or two to the crows.”

“No, that… Never mind. Let’s drop it.”

“Row, row. They don’t suspect us over there, so it’s fine.”

With no choice, Silver rowed. Red Eagle’s face turned pale.

[Sir, over there… I don’t want to go…]

Red suddenly shut his mouth, and bent over. With a retching sound, vomit burst through his fingers and fell into the river. The warriors erupted in another round of roaring laughter.

“Look at that son of a bitch!”

“Afraid of a corpse! Drown in the river, you fool!”

Amid the raucous jeers, Wolf never once raised his head. Like the charred base of a pyre, he remained still, his gaze fixed solely on the river. The hands clutching the hem of his robe were bloodless. The wind rustled his robe, but his hands were still. If you placed an iron rod in those hands now, it might bend in one twist.

Only then did Silver wonder. What was Wolf thinking about?

Moreover, he seemed to be seething with rage. At what? The skeletal evil spirit?

Before he could ponder further, the boat reached the dock. Silver set down the oars, stood up, and wrapped the rope around a post once. Crows’ caws tore through the winter’s biting wind. Bloodstains, like splotches, glistened on the stone pavement scattered across the dock.

[Let’s go. Everyone follow me.{

Black Weasel jumps onto the dock. Just as Silver was about to follow, Red Eagle flailed his arms and shook his head.

[No, I don’t want to. I, I don’t want to be here…]

[Your Highness, please calm down. You’ll be able to see your mother soon.]

Wolf hurriedly supported Red Eagle and looked at Black Weasel.

[Right, sir? You think Lady White Deer docked here?]

[Hm?]

Black Weasel turned to look at Wolf.

[Right. But it’s just my guess. We might be wasting our time.]

[Then why bother…?]

[I’ll just take a quick look around and come back. What’s the problem? There’s nothing here but corpses.]

At those words, Wolf’s expression changed. Even Silver found the remark irritatingly insensitive. After glaring at Black Weasel for a moment, Wolf shifted his gaze to the prince.

[Your Highness, hold my hand tightly. I’ll be careful not to get a single drop of blood on your shoes.]

[W-Wolf…]

[I’ll stay by your side. Just close your eyes and walk right next to me.]

Wolf’s comforting words made Red Eagle close his eyes tightly. The prince and his servant held hands tightly and climbed onto the pier. Silver scanned the surroundings with just a glance. Warriors were disembarking from the warships too. Each held a torch in one hand, an axe and sword at their waist. And various other things. Even at first glance, they didn’t look like they’d come ashore to serve the future king and queen’s dinner.