TOPWL 209

“Do you have some business?”

“I want to see the overall scenery of the territory. Do you know a place?”

“There is, but I do not recommend looking at the scenery.”

Shane spoke hesitantly. He seemed worried about showing the cruel scenery of war. But Yudit spoke without concern.

“Really? Can I ask you to guide me?”

Shane walked ahead without a word. At the end of the long corridor there was a spiral staircase.

“This is the staircase leading to the tower.”

“Yes, thank you.”

As they climbed the steep stairs, sweat soon gathered on Yudit’s nose. When he opened the door, the breeze that began to blow cooled the sweat that had formed. Yudit, who arrived at the tower, spoke to Darius.

“Can you leave me alone with Shane for a while?”

Darius bowed politely and went down. He seemed to stand guard in the middle of the stairs. Yudit closed the door of the tower and walked to the window.

At the spire, the flag symbolizing the Imperial Army was raised. Beyond the flag that fluttered in the wind, the tragedy of war spread out. On the battlefield, where they had not yet gathered all the corpses, bodies still lay scattered, and crows and birds swooped down and tore at them. The pits dug here and there to bury the corpses were unsightly. Their own soldiers’ bodies, after a moment of respect, were burned, and the flames were still strong even after burning all night. Yudit showed a grim expression.

In this battle Yudit had lost 300 soldiers. It was far more than he had expected. If he had not had the notebook, he might have lost more than half. When he thought of that, a shiver went down his spine. Who was the spy? Who had shared the plans with the Breda Army? A spy within the upper ranks of the military was more dangerous than he had imagined.

When they reached the depths of Breda Castle, the lord was already dead. Yudit would never hear why the lord had chosen an assault instead of a defense.

“Why did the lord make such a choice?”

Shane hesitated for a moment and then spoke.

“I heard that over the years he lost three wives and seven children. The youngest son who had been left also died not long ago. They reported that from then on he lost his sanity.”

“I see.”

Yudit spoke with a face that showed little reaction. The lord’s private life was of course tragic, but it could not be a reason to abandon the people of the territory.

“Are you all right?”

“Why would I not be all right?”

“You look too all right, so I was a little… surprised.”

“You thought I would fail to adapt and cry?”

Yudit asked with a faint smile. Shane made a troubled face.

“I was surprised too, that I am calmer than I thought. But… I think it is because I decided on priorities.”

If he doesn’t cut down the enemy, hid soldiers die. Once that fact was imprinted in his head, he hesitated less. To reach that point, Noban’s help was great. Yudit checked that no one was around and then spoke.

“And… because I now have something to protect.”

Shane tilted his head with puzzlement, and his expression slowly turned into shock.

“It is a secret. To others.”

The truth that the medic had told him with hesitation.

“And… there is a possibility of pregnancy. It would be good to receive a detailed examination.”

It felt like being hit on the head with a bell. The constant drowsiness, the sea that kept appearing in his dreams, the craving for sour tastes.

The medic had said possibility of pregnancy, but Yudit was certain. Why had he not known? It had been asserting its presence with all its strength. At the same time he felt guilty. From the moment it existed, it felt like he had only made it suffer. Pregnancy was difficult but not impossible. He should have been more careful.

But it was not only confusion. It was his and Khalid’s child. There was no way he would not be happy. It was just a little sad that he could not tell Khalid. He had to keep it a secret from others as well. It would not be good if the enemy knew, nor if the allies knew. Especially now, when he did not know who the spy was.

“Is there anyone else who knows this?”

“Only me. Your Highness, I examined you alone.”

Yudit considered for a moment what to do with this medic. But a medic with such medical knowledge was more valuable than thirty ordinary soldiers. And even though he knew the risk of speaking, he had chosen to tell the truth. Yudit could not dispose of him. In the end Yudit only warned the medic to keep quiet.

“Do you intend to get an examination?”

“Not now.”

Shane closed his eyes tightly.

“I told only you in case something happens. It will be troublesome, but please keep it secret for a while.”

“You do not need to worry about that.”

He could not tell Darius or Bagon, but he could tell Shane. Yudit and Shane, who had saved each other’s lives, had a bond that others did not. Shane hesitated and then spoke.

“With respect, I think you should take some rest, even if only for a few days.”

“I was planning to rest fully during the time I stay here anyway.”

Including the two days of mourning and cleanup, it looked like he would rest four days.

“You must also eat well.”

“All right.”

“And sleep more.”

Yudit slightly regretted telling Shane. He had a feeling he would hear endless nagging.

“The wind is cold. You should go in now.”

“Yes.”

The smoky smell of burning bodies rose up to the tower. A kite circled the sky and let out a long cry. Yudit looked at the cruel scenery for a short while and then moved his steps.

***

Edmond did not sleep at all today. The battlefield was scarier than he had thought. Four of the people who had eaten with him and gone to bed last night were dead. The only reason Edmond’s head was still attached to his body was because Garen had protected him with all his strength. Edmond had not avoided killing people either. His body, trained through the basics, reacted sharply to the enemy’s swordsmanship. He closed his eyes and opened them again, and his sword was already pointed at the opponent’s neck. But when it came to killing, he always hesitated, so Garen handled all the aftermath. It was shameful beyond words, but he had no time to feel that shame.

‘If that is your will, then go. But you must take responsibility for all your actions.’

It had been good up to the point of begging his father and sneaking onto the battlefield, but the war was far more brutal than he had imagined.

“Tsk…”

He walked down the hallway again and again in distraction, but his heart did not calm at all. Edmond, who had secretly mocked his father for being a devout believer, now prayed harder than anyone else here. He wanted to stone to death his younger self who had scoffed at the knights taking part in worship, asking if they wanted to go to heaven after killing so many people.

On the battlefield, humans were too small and insignificant. A comrade who ate with you could die in less than an hour. Without relying on God, you could not endure it.

But at times there were people who shone even as just one human being. Yudit was like that. Edmond, who had entered as an ordinary member of the Devlin Knights, was assigned together with Garen to watch the movements of Breda Castle from the mountain. But instead they were ambushed by enemies who had been hiding for who knew how long. Amid swords and arrows pouring down, Edmond saw Yudit shining alone. With a small body, Yudit moved swiftly across the battlefield and even boosted the morale of the knights.

He had thought their ages were not that far apart, but how had Yudit lived to be able to do all that? When the gates of the castle opened and reinforcements rushed out, Edmond almost wet himself in the joy of surviving. Yudit, who had worked so hard across the battlefield, collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut only after everything was over, shocking those around him. They said he had been poisoned. Yet he soon rose again and handled his duties with terrifying speed.

Are all princes like that? Were those born as heirs to the throne naturally endowed with such talent? But I am also my father’s son.

Edmond kicked a stone that had rolled into the hallway with a troubled face. The stone hit someone’s foot.

Edmond raised his gaze without much thought and opened his mouth when he saw the person.

“I was not mistaken back then.”

Yudit spoke with a cold expression.

“Can you explain why you are here?”