In the end, Louis and Timothy decided to go together. After all, their troops were stationed here and hadn't crossed the border nor entered the grassland tribes' territory. Only a hundred soldiers in teams of ten would be going in.As expected, passing the grassland in small groups didn't draw the attention of the grassland sentries. They reached the top of Crow Mountain, and waited there. Although Crow Mountain was vast, they occupied the high ground and could see any movement from afar.They couldn't just rush down blindly, as Crow Mountain was divided between Sandoria and the grasslands, and a misstep could lead to conflict.They knew this, so they left some people behind to keep watch and call for help if needed. Then, Louis and Timothy continued on with a dozen or so people.-Meanwhile, Rafael and his group had already reached the base of Crow Mountain. Once they crossed it, they would be on the grassland. They were only a small group of people entering the grassland, whic
There was no time to hesitate—their pursuers were close behind.Everett and Rafael exchanged a glance. Even if it was stupid and risky, there was only one method they could use—flying while carrying their burdens.Dylan and Jacob could fly on their own, but the other eleven men needed to be carried. That meant Everett and Rafael needed to do at least five or six trips back and forth.Under extreme fatigue and with their internal force severely depleted, it was a life-threatening task."Sir, I'm truly sorry for the trouble," Rafael said, his eyes full of remorse.Everett sighed. "You're my only apprentice, and you've married the most troublesome girl in all of Meadow Ridge. If I don't feel for you, who will?"Rafael wanted to say he was happy, but under his master's compassionate gaze, he swallowed his words. They would just have to carry their burdens. He knew that his master had a stubborn streak—if Everett disagreed with Rafael, the former would have made it clear. There was
Everyone covered their mouths, watching in terror as the scene unfolded. Oh god, it looked like Rafael and Lawrence would fall any minute!At this critical juncture, Everett and Dylan rushed forward, each grabbing one of Rafael's hands. Their other hands held onto the small trees. However, the distance between them was too great for them to pull Rafael up.Additionally, the two small trees were bearing the weight of four people, which was extremely perilous.At that moment, Thomas quickly lowered a grappling hook and rope, just long enough to reach Rafael's right hand.Dylan exchanged a look with Rafael. As they nodded to each other, Dylan let go. Rafael quickly grasped the rope with his right hand. Then, Everett released his grip, allowing Rafael to grasp the rope with his left hand as well.With both hands holding onto the rope, it meant the people above could only pull up Rafael and Lawrence.The rope wasn't long enough to secure to a tree above. Thomas had lowered it with o
Louis abruptly pushed Felix away, and scrutinized him closely. He looked different from before, but Louis recognized him.Tears mixed with laughter on Louis' face. "You've aged, and you look so ugly now. How did you become like this?""Don't just focus on your reunion. Check on our other brethren," Rafael gasped, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Lawrence had been laid on the ground after being taken off Rafael's back, but he still hadn't woken up despite their attempts.Louis and Timothy looked at the eleven surviving men, tears welling up in their eyes. It was such a relief to see so many of them alive.But Lawrence's condition was critical, and no one present had medical expertise. The only option was to continue crushing and administering the medicinal pills.Everett was at a loss. Although he was skilled in bloodletting and purging, Lawrence's problem wasn't internal injuries. His condition was due to pus-filled wounds causing a high fever, which was very dangerous.Sudden
Thomas watched Oliver's retreating figure, unsure if the man genuinely didn't recognize him or hadn't heard the others calling his name. Or perhaps Oliver was deliberately pretending not to know him.Forget it. Jacob was right. It was best to let go of such matters. The most pressing issue now was Lawrence's condition.After the military physician's examination, his expression turned grave. He asked Rafael to show him the medicine pills they had given Lawrence. Then, the military physician said, "Thanks to this medicine pill, he's still alive right now."The military had excellent medicine for wounds. But after the military physician finished his examination, he shook his head and asked Rafael to step outside for a word."Marsh… I mean, Your Highness, I've done everything possible. I can keep stable for a week or more at best, but I can't promise anything. His body is in terrible shape. There isn't a single patch of healthy skin, and the infection is spreading. If you hadn't gi
Rafael approached Oliver, requesting that the military physician accompany them. Oliver immediately agreed. After all, they had more than one military physician available.Once Oliver's official report was sent out, all the scheming and calculations were behind him. He looked at the eleven men with a deep sense of respect. Hearing that Lawrence's condition was critical, his concern grew.Regardless of what happened, Oliver was a soldier at heart. Even though he once considered abandoning Septimus, seeing the eleven men return stirred something in him.No one could help but admire heroes, unless those heroes threaten their own position. But clearly, the safe return of these eleven men was partly thanks to Rafael's efforts and partly Oliver's own. After all, it was he who had sent Louis and Timothy.Oliver also wanted to save Lawrence, and it was driven partly by his own interests. Lawrence was the Marquis of Elderglen's second son. Oliver was still in an unstable position within t
Once the maid left, Carissa began, "Prince Rafael went to Simonton City to negotiate with Sandoria's representatives over an informant named Septimus. Septimus is an informant who escaped after being captured by our enemy. During the Southern Frontier conflict, he continuously sent us intelligence. However, he was recently caught, and the Sandoria people are trying to exchange him for Simonton City."As Carissa spoke, everyone's breathing grew rapid, waiting for her to continue."So, the king dispatched Prince Rafael to Simonton City. On the surface, it was for negotiations. In actuality, Prince Rafael would secretly attempt a rescue operation. Septimus has been rescued, and he's now in Simonton City. It has been confirmed that Septimus is actually Lawrence Ziegler, the Marquis of Elderglen's second son."However, his injuries are severe. Prince Rafael's message via carrier pigeon requests that Sebastian and Lady Kayla be brought along. We must leave tonight. There is no time to was
In the dead of night, Violet knocked on the door of the Arcane Sanctum. Sebastian lived on the second floor of the sanctum.Sebastian had already gone to bed, and was accustomed to early bedtimes for his health. By the time Violet arrived, he had been asleep for over an hour.Even the renowned physician had his moments of irritation. When his apprentice reported that Violet had arrived, he donned a robe and glared at Violet as he came downstairs. "You'd better have a good reason for this visit. I'm not on duty tonight."Violet bowed in apology. "Forgive the disturbance, but Prince Rafael sent us a message via carrier pigeon. He requests that you accompany Cari to Westglade to save Lawrence Zielger.""Lawrence Ziegler?" Sebastian hesitated momentarily before recalling the Marquis of Elderglen's second son, who was already reported dead. Without further ado, Sebastian ordered, "Vanda, Mira, prepare the necessary supplies and come along. Bring the best medicine for wounds, the gol
Having failed to convince my mother, I went to my father. However, his response was even more severe.They thought I opposed the marriage because I hadn't spent time with Phineas. They were also convinced that since the match was already being arranged, it would be best for him to take me out and build some rapport between us.I didn't want to go, but my mother's maid forced me into the carriage. The maid was also told to watch me closely to ensure I didn't speak out of turn.Phineas looked all polished up, with shiny hair and a face like he had powdered it that morning. He initially showed me some respect, but soon enough, his true nature began to show. He made crude comments about my appearance, saying that if it weren't for my looks and the fact that I was from the Spencer family, he would never have considered marrying me.His condescending attitude made me uncomfortable. If that had been the worst of it, perhaps I would have simply let it go. But on our way back, he pinched me
Startled, I quickly turned around. Not far behind me stood a man, half-hidden in the shade of a tree. He wore a simple black outfit, his figure thin and unkempt, with dark circles beneath his eyes.It was him—the scholar from the bridge who sold paintings, the one Mr. Klein had called a hopeless case, a student who had dropped out to care for a woman."You're speaking nonsense," I exclaimed, wide-eyed, a shiver running through me at the thought of his strange words. "I've never heard of any water demons here. You're just trying to trick me."Though I had no fear of death, I was uneasy at the thought of demons, particularly if they were going to trap me beneath the mud."I'm not lying to you." Cassius stepped forward, his frail frame seeming even more fragile against the breeze. "If you look around, you'll see no one is here. Why else would such a lovely place be devoid of visitors?""That's because the people who come here are not tourists. They come to pray, and they leave once t
After a while, my cousin and her maid returned to find me. I asked the maid to hand thirty copper coins to Cassius. He smiled and thanked me kindly.I thought our meeting was just a chance encounter and I would never see him again. However, to my surprise, during Grandma's birthday celebration a month later, I saw him again.Our family was hosting a grand dinner, and Leonard Klein, a renowned scholar, had come with his apprentices. And there Cassius was, standing among them.In Ebonflow, the rules for social gatherings weren't as strict as in the capital, with women being allowed to be in the front hall during a banquet. Of course, Cassius didn't recognize me. After all, I had been wearing a veil when we first met, so he had only seen my eyes.He didn't stay long. After presenting Grandma with a beautiful painting, he quickly excused himself, saying he had business to attend to at home.Once he left, Mr. Klein spoke of him with a tone of regret, explaining, "He's a clever young man
Anyone who knew me, Liana Spencer, spoke of me with scorn. Even strangers who heard my story would spit on the ground and say I had no shame.Everyone knew that running away with a man was worse than theft or murder. It was a disgrace no family could easily bear.Many asked me the same question: Did I regret it?I never regretted marrying him, but I did carry guilt in my heart. Because of me, the Spencer family's name was dragged through the mud. My brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews had a much harder time finding good matches because of my choices.As a daughter of the Spencer family, I lived in comfort from the moment I was born. I wore fine dresses, ate the best foods, and was showered with love. My parents doted on me, while my brothers spoiled me terribly.But there was something wrong with me.By the time I was fourteen, I still hadn't gotten my monthly courses. We consulted physician after physician, and I drank countless doses of bitter medicine, day and night. Yet, no
Snow fell softly in the dead of winter, blanketing Victory Pass in white. At that moment, the world seemed to have been made pure again.For years, I wore nothing but a tattered priest's robe. I carried a broken bowl and wandered from place to place, asking for food. I stopped only briefly at temples along the way to rest for a night or two and kneel before the statues to beg for forgiveness.I could have stayed at the first monastery I was sent to. Life there wasn't easy, but it wasn't so hard either. I had warm meals and shelter from the cold. But I knew if I stayed in comfort, I would never wash away my sins.Only by suffering, by staying on the road and bearing the cold, the hunger, the pain, could I find peace in my heart.And so, I came to Victory Pass.My sandals had long since fallen apart. Thick calluses had grown on my feet; I could walk barefoot over rocks and barely feel a thing. Even with every piece of clothing I owned layered over me, the winter cold still cut throug
It was during the Verdant Hunt that Connor fell out of favor with Dad, who scolded him harshly before we left the hunting grounds. Once we returned to the palace, Connor fell ill. Ryan and I were both terribly worried, but Mom was delighted.She held me close that evening, her smile sharper than usual. "After this, your father is sure to be tired of your brother."She told me I must work harder than ever, and to listen closely to the royal chancellor and my uncle."Study better than anyone. Earn their praise. And most importantly, outshine your brother," she said.My heart felt torn. Mom often spoke of the rewards that came with being crown prince, and I won't lie, I was tempted. However, those were all distant things.At the time, I was close to Connor, Ryan, and even our youngest brother, Cecil. We all got along so well. How could I possibly hate my older brother?Those thoughts tangled inside me, day after day. I lost focus. My studies slipped. I made mistakes during riding pra
Before I took the vows and entered the monastery, my name was Caden.From the time I was young, I often heard the same praise whispered around me: "This child is sharp beyond his years—clever, quick-witted, the finest of the three princes."I heard it so often that I came to believe it myself. At times, I even felt proud. But whenever I let that pride rise too high, Mom would bring me back to earth.She would look at me, her eyes soft but filled with something I couldn't quite name—pity, perhaps. And then, she would sigh and say, "What a pity you were born of my womb. If not, you might have risen above that foolish one. But fate favored him, not you."That "foolish one"—I knew well enough who she meant. I had heard her say it so many times in private, though never once in public.It puzzled me greatly as a child. Mom clearly disliked my eldest brother, Connor, more than anyone. Yet, whenever he came near, she would smile warmly and speak kindly. She would even flatter him, calling
Two childhood friends were now each giving their all on very different paths.Clarence had started with herbs, then medicine, and in time, healing became his entire world at Eldermere Keep. At first, it was merely something to pour his heart into, because he knew he would never be allowed to leave the mountain and open a medical hall of his own.But then Ryan came, and afterward, sent Clarence a letter.That letter changed everything.For the first time, Clarence began to hope that maybe, just maybe, he could go down the mountain after all. And once that hope took root, he threw himself into his studies with more energy than ever before. He barely slept, rarely left the apothecary, and sometimes forgot to eat.Because of the pain he had once endured, he focused his efforts on curing injuries and chronic pain. Of course, a good physician had to know more than one thing, so he studied every field without neglecting any.There was a fire inside him now. A quiet flame that had not bur
"Elise, must your mouth run on without end?" Carissa frowned at her daughter, who had been chattering away beside Ryan from the moment he stepped through the door.The little girl's face was flushed from the sun, her hair tangled into a messy nest that made it clear she had only just returned from playing outdoors. She hadn't stopped talking since Ryan came back from his travels, pestering him with questions about what he had seen and done.Elise turned to Carissa with wide eyes, looking up with a face so innocent it could soften stone. She truly had inherited the best features from both her parents."Mom, I haven't seen Ryan in such a long time. Every moment without him felt like an eternity. We've been apart for so long, so of course I have a lot to say to him."Carissa's frown deepened. "And who taught you to speak in such a ridiculous manner? An eternity—where did that come from?""Sage Isaac said it to Aunt Violet. He went back to Meadow Ridge for a few days and said it to her