Side Story 6 – Ruban's Diary
Side Story 6
Ruban’s Diary
“Huff… haaah.”
His limbs trembled uncontrollably. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, and his labored breath caught in his throat, but Ruban refused to stop.
Once, twice, three times.
His sword continued to slice through the air.
How long had he been lost in his swordplay, oblivious to the world?
“Ruban.”
A quiet voice from behind finally halted his movements.
He immediately turned toward the owner of the familiar voice.
There stood the man he admired most, his golden eyes gleaming.
“Chief!”
Ruban exclaimed joyfully, his eyes quickly taking in the man before him.
It had been quite some time since he’d last seen him. The Chief spent most of his time at the Imperial Palace and rarely visited this place.
“If you had sent word that you were coming, I would have prepared a feast…”
“That won’t be necessary. I need to return to the palace soon.”
Rahu shook his head firmly and replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
Though some might perceive his response as cold, Ruban—who knew Rahu well—only found it cool and impressive, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
“Then what brings you here, Chief?”
“There’s a vacancy in the Imperial Knights.”
“A vacancy in the Knights…!”
Ruban’s eyes sparkled even more intensely. Despite receiving a gaze so bright it was almost as if stars had been embedded in them, Rahu remained composed.
“His Majesty asked if I knew someone worthy to recommend.”
“Gasp! C-could it be…!”
Ruban’s golden eyes trembled wildly.
He was considered one of the strongest warriors among the Lu tribe.
There were a few fellow tribesmen who rivaled his strength, but they had no interest in the Imperial Knights.
Only Ruban admired the Imperial Knights and continuously honed his swordsmanship.
Back when he had been treated like a dog under Duke Balkyrino—when he truly thought he might die—His Imperial Majesty had appeared and saved him. Ruban still vividly remembered the thrill of that moment.
From then on, joining the Imperial Knights had become Ruban’s long-cherished dream.
If only he could serve His Imperial Majesty at his side!
“Chief! You coming to find me means you’re going to recommend me…!”
Seeing his eyes trembling like an earthquake, Rahu responded in a rigid voice.
“I can’t recommend someone without confirming their skills first. Pick up your sword, Ruban.”
Gulp.
Ruban’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
Rahu was the leader of the Lu tribe. Crossing swords with him was an exceptional training opportunity that was difficult to earn.
Looking at the nervous Ruban, Rahu elaborated.
“I’ll test your qualifications myself. If you pass, I’ll recommend you to His Majesty. But even with my recommendation, you’ll still need to pass His Majesty’s test, so don’t get your hopes up unnecessarily.”
He meant that Ruban might still fail to join the Knights in the end.
But that didn’t matter. This was a golden opportunity to properly meet His Imperial Majesty again.
Ruban had been too far away on the southern island to even properly greet him.
“Yes, Chief!”
Ruban responded energetically, raising his arms that had gone limp.
The sword that had felt impossibly heavy just moments ago now felt as light as a feather.
A cool breeze from somewhere swept through Ruban’s hair.
With a small battle cry, Ruban launched himself toward Rahu.
* * *
“Sniiiiiiiff! Phew!”
Ruban repeatedly inhaled deeply and exhaled.
This place was filled with scents he had never encountered on the southern island.
The capital city, with its magnificent scenery that stirred excitement and anticipation!
“So this is the capital where the Imperial Palace is…!”
Ruban’s eyes reddened with emotion.
His golden eyes, glistening with moisture, took in the bustling scenery of the capital.
Passersby gave him second glances, noticing his appearance and behavior that clearly marked him as someone fresh from the countryside.
Some frowned at his golden eyes and dark skin, but most looks were friendly.
Ruban was equally curious about the capital’s residents, looking around with interest.
‘Great! Today I’ll explore the capital! But first, I should head to the shop that Chief Rahu recommended.’
He needed to settle in and was hungry too.
Ruban quickly made his way toward the inn and restaurant that came highly recommended—apparently the food was a specialty there.
“Hmm?”
As he entered an alley lined with inns, he heard voices.
“Looks like newlyweds~”
“Must be nice~ right?”
“Seems like they’re traveling to the capital… shame that such a young couple is so clueless about the ways of the world.”
Three men had cornered a young couple in a dark corner, jeering at them.
The young couple was even holding a sleeping infant in their arms, which naturally made Ruban’s eyes widen.
‘Stay calm, Ruban! Stay calm! You don’t know the full situation. There might be circumstances…’
Rahu had always taught Ruban to control his anger.
He’d been scolded many times in the past for his tendency to act impulsively.
Ruban approached them as quietly as possible, trying to appear like a passing traveler.
If these men were unjustly harassing the young couple, he would intervene.
But hopefully, there would be no need for his involvement.
“If you’d played fair, we wouldn’t be doing this~ hmm?”
“This isn’t right. Don’t you agree, brother?”
“Absolutely. You don’t cheat at a sacred gaming table, sir.”
The men exuded a menacing aura and even spat on the ground with a “Hak—ptui!”
The young couple’s faces were obscured by the men, but they appeared to be trembling.
Sure enough, the woman spoke up cautiously in a shaky voice.
“T-that’s… a misunderstanding. We didn’t cheat or anything—”
“Hack! Listen here, ma’am. Shut! Up!”
The moment the man raised his right hand threateningly to cut off the woman’s words—
Snap.
Something seemed to break inside Ruban’s mind.
“Hey, gentlemen.”
Despite Ruban’s hopes, the situation unfortunately didn’t exceed his expectations.
At Ruban’s low voice, the men shifted their attention from the couple to him, looking him up and down.
“What’s this? A Lu tribesman?”
“Look at all the luggage he’s carrying.”
“Just arrived in the capital today? Sightseeing, mister? Or looking for work?”
The men’s focus shifted from the couple to Ruban.
Through gaps between the men’s bulky bodies, Ruban caught glimpses of the woman’s black hair and the man’s silver hair.
Unusual colors for commoners.
For a moment, he wondered if they were nobles, but their attire was remarkably plain.
‘So they are commoners after all. Do they live in the capital?’
The capital seemed different even for commoners. Their atmosphere, and also…
‘Such a handsome man… and beautiful woman.’
Their appearances.
“Hey, mister! You speak to us first and then get distracted?”
“Do you have business with these folks?”
“If you’re going to butt in, leave. We’ve got this handled.”
The men snickered amongst themselves.
Ruban gripped the hilt of his sword and said,
“Causing trouble for innocent people in broad daylight? The city guard must not be doing their job if the capital’s security is this poor.”
After saying it, he realized something was odd. The situation was clearly one where the men were harassing the young couple and seemed ready to harm them, yet passersby merely looked on with curiosity rather than alerting the guards.
“Oh, please. City guard? What have we done wrong?”
“Mister, we may not look it, but we’re law-abiding citizens.”
“Just be on your way~”
Absurd claims.
Ruban gritted his teeth and was about to draw his sword when he paused.
He caught a glimpse of the woman’s expression through the men.
She was biting her lip slightly, soothing the child in her arms, looking terrified.
‘Oh no, starting a fight here might really shock them.’
She was a woman with striking white skin and silver eyes.
She must be delicate and sensitive too.
The Lu tribe were warriors. No one among them would be traumatized by witnessing a few sword fights.
But Chief Rahu had warned him that many people in the capital were sensitive, so he should exercise restraint.
‘I should lure them elsewhere first.’
Having made his decision, Ruban removed his hand from his sword hilt and gave the woman a gentle smile.
It was meant to be reassuring, but the woman seemed even more frightened, flinching visibly.
“Anyway, in all my days, I’ve never met customers who tried to cheat us before. Right, brother?”
The youngest-looking thug scowled and began harassing the couple again.
Ruban matched his intensity, summoning his presence and shouting:
“You scoundrels! If you want to harass them, you’ll have to deal with me first!”
His loud voice startled even passersby, who looked at Ruban in alarm.
Unfazed, Ruban huffed and shoved the men deeper into the alley.
“W-wait, mister! Hold on!”
“What are you—”
“We told you to mind your own business. Why are you causing trouble all of a sudden?”
The men protested in disbelief, but Ruban’s strength was among the best in the Lu tribe.
They were helplessly dragged deeper into the alley.
The young couple watched the three men and Ruban disappear into the darkness with bewildered expressions.
“Umm, what should we do?”
At the woman’s question, the man answered with a voice full of frustration.
“Let’s just… go. This actually works out well. Let’s quietly disappear while we can.”
The couple listened to the screams coming from the alley for a moment before silently vanishing.
* * *
Ruban felt satisfied.
Dusting off his hands, he looked at the three men collapsed with vacant expressions and spoke.
“From now on, stop harassing the weak and live honorably.”
He felt quite cool saying it.
Ruban’s shoulders swelled with pride at having done a good deed right after arriving in the capital.
“When on earth… did we.”
“Harass… anyone…!”
“Cough… this is… unfair…!”
Although the three men continued to protest their innocence even while lying on the ground, that’s just what villains do.
They never admit their wrongdoing until the end.
“Be grateful I spared your lives!”
Irritated by their attitude, Ruban collected all their weapons before turning his back on them.
The three men stared at Ruban with empty expressions but offered no further protests.
They could only inwardly curse their bad luck at running into him.
Regardless of the men’s curses, Ruban headed to the inn with a satisfied and happy heart.
“It’s later than I thought. I hope they still have rooms available.”
Ding-a-ling! The bell on the inn’s door rang cheerfully.
Wondering if all capital inns had such pretty decorations, Ruban stepped inside with bright eyes.
An aproned woman greeted him warmly amid the bustle and noise.
“A traveler, I see?”
“Ah, yes. Do you have any rooms available?”
True to Chief Rahu’s word about the place being a renowned restaurant, the dining area was nearly full.
If all these guests were also staying overnight, there might not be any rooms left.
Noticing Ruban’s worried tone, the woman smiled and answered,
“We’re especially busy today. But we have exactly one room left.”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
“Will you be having dinner too?”
“Ah, yes please. For the menu, whatever is most popular and famous…”
“Hohoho, understood. Here’s your room key. Come down after you’ve settled in, and I’ll serve you right away.”
The woman, seemingly in high spirits because business was good today, disappeared into the kitchen with an energetic smile.
Just as Ruban came back down to the dining area after putting away his luggage, he heard:
“Asha, since we’re already out, why don’t we stay here tonight?”
A pleasant, melodious male voice rang out softly, followed by a woman’s voice in response:
“We agreed to just play for today. We have so much to do tomorrow morning.”
The voice was so clear and beautiful, like the rolling of jade beads, that Ruban couldn’t help but look toward its owner.
‘Oh…!’
Black hair elegantly swept up with strands naturally falling here and there. The look was incredibly graceful.
Moreover, her silver eyes shone against her snow-white skin, creating an ethereal and mysterious contrast with her black hair.
‘To think such a beautiful woman exists…!’
Ruban could swear that this was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.
But almost simultaneously, Ruban noticed the bundle the woman was holding.
And the tiny hand sticking out from the bundle, waving about.
‘A baby… She’s already taken.’
Well, it would be hard to imagine someone so beautiful still being single.
Only now noticing the surroundings, Ruban saw a man muttering something beside the woman.
The man, running his fingers through his silver hair with a slight frown, was also beautiful, no less than the woman.
‘Indeed, it takes a man of that caliber to match such a beauty… Wait, this couple…?’
The young couple suddenly popped into Ruban’s memory.
Weren’t they remarkably similar to the couple being harassed by those three men just a short while ago?
He hadn’t seen their faces clearly then because of the thugs, but the hair and eye colors definitely matched.
And the cloth wrapping the baby also seemed familiar.
“That couple from earlier…!”
Ruban inadvertently pointed at the couple and exclaimed.
“Hmm?”
“Ah, the knight from earlier?”
The couple, making eye contact with Ruban, had opposite reactions.
The man with a look that screamed annoyance, the woman with wide, bright eyes and a radiant smile.
Faced directly with the beautiful woman’s smile, Ruban felt heat rising to his head and stammered.
“Ah, h-hello. I’m g-glad you’re safe!”
He even cracked his voice.
Ruban blushed to his ears and tried to cover it with a series of fake coughs.
“Ahem! Hmm! Ahem! M-my throat is a bit… Ahem!”
“Oh my, did you get hurt somewhere earlier…?”
The woman’s luminous silver eyes rolled gently as she gazed steadily at Ruban.
Ruban shook his head vigorously at her voice, which seemed to cloud his mind.
“N-no! I’m perfectly fine! Hahaha! If I got injured dealing with those lowlifes, I couldn’t call myself a Lu tribe warrior!”
She was already taken. She even had a baby in her arms.
Yet Ruban couldn’t stop introducing himself.
She was his ideal type, encountered for the first time in his life. While his head screamed to give up, his body was dancing wildly out of control.
“As expected of a Lu tribe knight! Thanks to you, we escaped danger. Thank you so much!”
Was this what it felt like to melt?
Looking at the woman’s brightly creased eyes, Ruban felt like he might dissolve away.
‘Could the Empress, whom Chief Rahu described as so beautiful, be even more beautiful than this woman?’
Ruban barely managed to calm his pounding heart and spoke.
“Hahaha! It was my honor to be of help!”
His tension was ten times higher than usual, and Ruban could barely handle his emotions.
Too much intensity could lead to mistakes. As he tried to catch his breath, the voice of the man who had been silent the whole time suddenly came from beside them.
“Asha, let’s stay here for just one night and go back tomorrow, okay?”
“I told you we can’t. We have a lot to do tomorrow morning. Besides, they probably don’t have any rooms left.”
The man was pleading with the woman with eyes overflowing with affection, unlike how he had looked at Ruban.
“Actually, I reserved a room just in case!”
“What? You said we’d just eat and go. Geez.”
“Please, Asha? If we leave early tomorrow morning… wouldn’t that work?”
The man’s arm naturally wrapped around the woman’s shoulders.
For a moment, Ruban thought the man’s pink eyes glared at him, but it was too brief to be certain.
‘What an unusual couple. The capital really is different in all aspects.’
Fresh from the countryside, Ruban was caught in his own web of misconceptions.
Watching him, the woman smiled sweetly, as if amused.
But her gaze couldn’t linger on Ruban for long.
“Waaah!”
The baby in her arms squirmed and burst into tears.
“There, there. Our little Roa. Are you awake~?”
“I think he’s hungry.”
“Hmm…”
The woman looked around and eventually let out a small sigh.
“Sigh… Alright, I guess we have no choice. Let’s stay the night here. But just for tonight!”
“Yes! I love you, Asha!”
The man’s lips touched the woman’s cheek momentarily.
Feeling awkward, Ruban cleared his throat with an “ahem” and turned his gaze away.
It seemed this couple had decided to stay at the inn after all.
Ruban tried to suppress his excited feelings as he sat down.
Coming to his senses, he realized he hadn’t even sat down while talking to them.
“Here’s your meal, sir!”
As soon as he sat down, a series of dishes began arriving, starting with a special soup.
He glanced toward where the young couple had been, but they had already gone upstairs to their room.
* * *
That night, Ruban fell asleep after drinking quite heavily.
Despite meeting his ideal woman for the first time, she was already taken, so he couldn’t even confess his feelings.
Comforting his unrequited love, he fell asleep with tears, only to wake up to a commotion.
“What’s that noise?”
Dull thuds and the clang of metal reached his ears.
Ruban was a Lu tribe warrior with extremely sensitive senses.
Though the sounds were still faint, they were enough to wake him from his deep sleep.
“Sounds like fighting…”
The sense of justice hidden in his heart stirred, urging him to action.
What if an innocent person got hurt?
Unable to contain his curiosity, Ruban opened his door just in time to see—
‘…Huh?’
The door of the next room closing with a creak.
The figure he glimpsed just before the door closed was, if he wasn’t mistaken, the husband of that beautiful woman from earlier.
But what made Ruban pause wasn’t that someone was coming in or going out at this hour.
‘The scent of blood! Such a strong smell of blood from that man…!’
Ruban’s golden eyes wavered. He had thought they were decent people. A young couple with a good relationship. Young and beautiful.
That should have been all, but… where was this uneasiness and discomfort coming from?
‘Perhaps he went out for a night walk and got caught up with bandits?’
Various hypotheses came to mind, but none seemed plausible.
The man had returned too composed for someone who’d been caught in trouble.
“Come to think of it, it’s quiet now.”
The sounds that had woken Ruban.
As soon as he stepped out, the inn had become as silent as a grave, as if it had never been noisy.
“I really don’t understand what’s going on.”
Still, to be safe, Ruban circled the inside of the inn.
Not satisfied, he also circled the outside of the inn before finally returning to bed.
‘For now, let’s sleep. Maybe I’ll learn more when dawn breaks.’
As he drifted off to sleep, Ruban thought that perhaps, being so drunk, he had mistaken something from a dream for reality.
But the next morning, as soon as Ruban opened his eyes, he immediately realized that what he had sensed was indeed real.
“Chief Rahu!”
Rahu, who should have been at the palace, had come to the inn with Imperial Knights in tow.
Why? What on earth had happened?
“Chief Rahu!”
Could he have come to escort him, knowing Ruban was staying here?
“Ruban? Why are you here?”
Judging by his reaction, that wasn’t the case.
Ruban replied with a disgruntled expression.
“I’m here for the Knight’s test today… What brings you here, Chief?”
“Ah, I see. That was today. Well… wait a moment.”
Rahu nodded slightly in understanding, then gave instructions to the knights behind him.
Then he briefly explained the situation to Ruban, who had been waiting patiently.
“Hmm, a vicious group of bandits attacked the village last night, but someone took care of them all and reported it to the city guard.”
“What? Bandits?”
“They were quite notorious, and Her Majesty the Empress was concerned about them. That’s why the Imperial Knights were dispatched. But… I didn’t expect to find you here. Ruban, was it you who dealt with them?”
“Gasp…! So that sound was—!”
“Not you, I see. Then what sound are you talking about? Tell me everything you know.”
“Well… there’s not much to tell. I heard the sound of fighting while sleeping, so I came out, but strangely, it suddenly became quiet.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes. I checked both inside and outside the inn just in case, but found no one. If it weren’t for you, Chief, I would have thought it was my imagination.”
“Hmm. Anything else unusual?”
“Not really… Well, there is one strange thing…”
Ruban’s gaze flickered to the neighboring room.
Seeing this, Rahu also looked at the inn room door.
The room where the young couple had stayed. Coincidentally, it was right next to Ruban’s, and when the commotion broke out at dawn, the man had returned reeking of blood.
After Ruban quietly explained this, Rahu’s eyes flashed.
Seeing his expression, as if he’d found a clue, Ruban swallowed hard.
By all accounts, they seemed like an ordinary couple. A young couple with a good relationship. Young and beautiful.
That should be all, but… what was this lingering unease?
“I should meet them and ask.”
Rahu went upstairs with a rigid expression.
Three presences could be felt from inside the room. They seemed perfectly normal, yet somehow off.
Trying to calm his inexplicably tense heart, Rahu raised his fist to the door.
Knock, knock.
After the heavy knock, someone could be heard approaching the door from inside.
And after a brief pause, the door opened with a creak.
Ruban unconsciously swallowed again, staring intently at Rahu.
Though Rahu’s body blocked the view of whoever opened the door, based on the silver hair and large build, it seemed to be the husband.
“Hello, excuse me for the early morning disturbance. The reason I’m here is… Gasp!”
Rahu, who had been trying to explain the situation in a businesslike manner, couldn’t finish his sentence.
Instead, a sharp intake of breath was clearly audible even to Ruban on the first floor.
Then a moment of silence, followed by Rahu’s continued speech.
“Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Your M-M-Maj—!”
But Rahu couldn’t form proper words, just stammering the same syllable repeatedly.
“…Chief?”
Just as Ruban was about to climb the stairs, confused by the strange situation—
“Your Imperial Majesty! I-I’m Rahu of the Imperial Knights! Ha-haha! What brings you—no, that’s not it. The reason I’m here is…!”
Suddenly, Rahu began loudly introducing himself.
Bewildered by this increasingly strange behavior, Ruban tilted his head in confusion, and Rahu went a step further by slamming the door shut.
“What are you doing, Chief? Why so suddenly?”
Ruban had never seen the Chief so flustered.
Wasn’t he the leader of the Lu tribe, always maintaining his composure and coolness no matter the situation?
Yet here he was, stammering and trembling with nervousness!
“Why did you close the door? Weren’t we going to investigate?”
Having made his way upstairs, Ruban looked between Rahu and the closed door with a baffled expression.
Rahu blocked the door with his body, pushing Ruban away in case he tried to open it again.
“N-no. Not here. These people… they’re not suspicious at all, so there’s no need to worry. Let’s go down, Ruban!”
“But Chief, that’s—”
“Go down! That’s an order!”
“…Excuse me?”
What was happening?
Ruban looked at Rahu with bewildered eyes, but Rahu maintained a rigid expression and forcibly pulled Ruban downstairs.
As Ruban reluctantly turned to leave—
Creak. The now-familiar sound of the door opening was followed by a soft voice from inside.
“Oh my! Knights from the Imperial Palace are here?”
It was a lively, curious voice.
The voice that Ruban had replayed in his mind all night and even dreamed about.
“Ah, yes! G-good morning!”
Ruban reflexively turned around with robot-like awkwardness and delivered an equally awkward greeting.
Sure enough, the woman who boasted a beauty as dazzling as the morning sun was smiling brightly.
“It’s the Lu tribe knight who saved us yesterday. Good morning, Sir Knight!”
“Pwoo!”
The baby in her arms made an unintelligible sound while waving its arms.
Perhaps it was trying to greet him too, following its mother’s lead.
The sight was so adorable that Ruban unconsciously reached for the baby’s chubby hand.
CRASH!
With the sound of something being split in half, Ruban felt his body lift off the ground.
Rising up while clutching his throbbing side, which seemed to have been kicked with great force, he saw Rahu already with his sword drawn, looking extremely anxious.
“Ch-Chief? What is this suddenly! Why did you kick me?”
He had been kicked. It was a familiar feeling. Rahu had definitely kicked him.
“Ruban! I ordered you to go downstairs, so why, why…!”
“But it’s common courtesy to respond when someone greets you…”
“Shut up! You dare… to…”
“What? Why have you been acting like this?”
“I’ve only touched it once myself… *cough*.”
Muttering something incomprehensible, Rahu suddenly clutched his chest and coughed.
Behind him stood the baby’s father, the silver-haired man, who had somehow come outside.
He had been inside the room a moment ago, so when did he come out?
Moreover, his gaze toward Chief Rahu seemed almost murderous.
Yet as if he had never had such a fierce look, the man moved his beautiful face into a radiant smile.
And then came his voice with a significant tone:
“Hmm, I see. So you’ve touched it once…”
“…!”
Rahu was visibly tense, sweating profusely.
Seeing this, the man smiled even more deeply, then shifted his gaze to look at Ruban.
‘W-what kind of look is that…’
Though it seemed like an ordinary glance, for some reason, Ruban felt goosebumps all over his body.
The chill seemed to gradually tighten around his throat.
If it weren’t for the clear voice that rang through the inn at that moment, he might have fainted.
“Hohoho, the knights have fallen for our little Roa! Honey, I think Roa is hungry. Come help me. Let’s not bother the knights when they must be busy.”
After saying this, the woman flashed a sweet smile. She grabbed the man’s arm and slipped back into the room.
“Take care, knights!”
Only the woman’s cheerful voice, waving goodbye until the end, lingered in the now-silent inn.
“…Chief, please explain. Why did you do that to me? Huh?”
Ruban felt wronged. He had only tried to hold the baby’s hand for a moment.
It was so small, chubby, and wriggly—utterly adorable.
Was that such a grave sin?
Enough to be kicked?
Looking at Ruban’s indignant expression, Rahu pressed his forehead.
“Sigh… Ruban, you.”
He couldn’t help but sigh deeply. This wasn’t a habitual sigh; it was a genuine one.
“If it weren’t for me, you would have…”
Just thinking about it made him shudder. Until now, the only person officially permitted by the Emperor to hold the princess’s hand was no one except the Deache family.
Of course, Rahu had secretly touched her once when the Emperor was away.
It was a secret he would take to his grave, but being so shocked, he had accidentally blurted it out.
Words that should never have been spoken.
“Haah… I don’t want to go back.”
Who could have known that the Imperial couple would be here, of all places!
When the door opened and the person who came out had a face identical to the Emperor’s, how surprised he had been.
For a moment, he thought it might be someone else because the hair color was different, but the distinctive expression and pink eyes were unmistakably the Emperor himself.
Remembering that the Emperor occasionally dyed his hair silver and went out on excursions because the Empress liked it, he quickly grasped the situation.
‘You, if you tell anyone, death.’
The Emperor’s finger drawn across his throat in a slicing gesture while smirking right in front of him also helped Rahu understand the situation.
‘Don’t interfere, get lost.’
Seeing the Emperor threatening him with lip movements, Rahu had immediately decided to wrap things up and return to the palace.
But then this damned Ruban had complicated things.
“Chief! What on earth are you talking about? Please explain so I can understand!”
Looking at the fledgling knight candidate, Ruban, flailing in front of him, Rahu thought that his peaceful days were over too.
“Ruban, your knight’s test is today, right?”
“Huh? Oh, yes…”
Rahu placed his hand on Ruban’s shoulder.
The comforting touch was filled with sympathy that he couldn’t hide.
“You’ll definitely pass. Definitely.”
There was no way His Imperial Majesty, known for his vindictiveness, would let his newfound enemy return home peacefully.
Only Ruban and the knights on the first floor were left blinking in confusion that morning.
* * *
<That day was the most unforgettable day of my life. The day I took the entrance test for the Imperial Knights I had dreamed of. I headed to the Imperial Palace with an excited heart.
Although a series of strange events had occurred right after I arrived in the capital, I thought they were just one of the many incidents that would pass by in my life.
Yes, until I met ‘that person’ in the Imperial Palace.>
—Excerpt from the autobiography of Imperial Knights Commander Ruban.
* * *
“This is the Imperial Palace! This is where His Imperial Majesty resides! Sniiiiiiff!”
Ruban inhaled deeply. Though it was surely the same air, somehow it felt more refreshing.
After taking several more deep breaths, the attendant watching Ruban spoke with a disgruntled voice.
“Um… this way, please.”
“Ah, yes!”
Unlike Ruban’s energetic response, the attendant maintained his displeased expression.
Though Ruban’s name was clearly on the list of test candidates and his identity had been confirmed, the attendant found his behavior highly suspicious.
Looking around with sparkling eyes as soon as he entered the palace, sniffing the air like some pervert, inhaling frantically…
‘This feels so off, so off!’
Whether aware of the attendant’s thoughts or not, Ruban continued to marvel at everything.
Born on the southern island, that place had been Ruban’s entire world.
Although he had experienced the capital’s splendor since yesterday, that bit of immunity wasn’t enough to withstand the brilliance of the Imperial Palace.
The garden, overflowing with elegance and splendor; the buildings made of luxurious marble.
The maids with beautiful faces bustling about; the attendants enhancing the dignity with their disciplined movements; even the nobles.
All of this was the scenery he had dreamed of.
Suddenly, the face of the world’s most beautiful woman, whom he had briefly greeted this morning, popped into Ruban’s mind.
‘I’ll probably never see her again…’
Now he would become part of the Imperial Knights.
Though he might fail the test, that probability was slim.
“Besides, that woman already has someone anyway.”
He recalled the man who had stuck close to the woman, glaring at him.
It was such a sharp gaze that even he, a Lu tribe warrior, was momentarily startled.
The man had probably been wary of him eyeing his woman, but Ruban was a knight of the Lu tribe.
No matter how much the woman was his ideal type, if she was already married with a child, he had not the slightest intention of pursuing her.
‘Forget her. Just forget, Ruban! Forget everything and focus on the test ahead…!’
Ruban shook his head vigorously, trying to erase his thoughts.
Erase once, erase twice, erase three times…
‘Forget! I said forget, Ruban! Please stop thinking about her!’
Four times, five times.
‘Aaaaargh! Please stoooop!’
…Ten times…
‘Why! Why won’t her face disappear from my mind! Why!’
He shook his head countless times, trying to erase thoughts of the woman.
But the more he tried, the closer her face seemed to come.
“Oh my, isn’t that the Lu tribe knight?”
Now she was even speaking to him.
“Nice to see you again, Sir Knight!”
At the woman’s smile, which lifted the corners of her lips with both freshness and dignity, Ruban couldn’t help but cry out.
“G-gaaaahh!”
It was natural to be surprised when someone he thought was a hallucination approached and spoke to him.
His loud outburst drew the attention of everyone around.
Yulia, who stood beside the woman Ashaella, scowled severely and was about to say something.
Had it not been for the quiet gesture stopping Yulia’s words.
“Sir Knight?”
Ashaella approached Ruban one step closer with a concerned expression.
Only Yulia, behind her, showed a coldly composed face at her mistress’s innocent acting.
Apparently, her mistress’s mischievous side had surfaced again.
“Gasp! A-are you not… a vision?”
Ruban still seemed startled, his eyes wide as he scrutinized various parts of Ashaella.
Snow-white skin with luminous silver eyes. Even jet-black hair.
Facing a beauty that seemed impossible in this world, Ruban tried to calm his flushing face and asked again.
“H-how are you here…?”
This was the Imperial Palace. Even noble ladies found it difficult to enter without permission, let alone commoners who might never set foot here in their lifetime.
To Ruban’s question, Ashaella answered with a meaningful smile.
“I have business here. Actually, I work at the Imperial Palace!”
“Gasp! I-I see…”
Her smile is beautiful. Her voice melts in my ears. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful…
Ruban was already beside himself.
He couldn’t even think about what it meant to work at the palace; his mind was filled with only one word: ‘beautiful.’
Finding his reaction amusing, Ashaella grinned and said:
“Hehe. You’re here for the knight’s entrance exam, aren’t you?”
“Huh? Ah, yes…”
“I thought so! Then I’ll be looking forward to it. Good luck, Sir Knight!”
Ashaella cheered him on with her eyes folded into a sweet smile.
Seeing this, Ruban reflexively shouted loudly.
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
“Well, I have work to attend to, so I’ll be going.”
Ashaella gave a light bow and disappeared into the distance. She seemed to be talking about something with the maid beside her, but it didn’t reach Ruban’s ears.
Ruban couldn’t wonder about what her words of anticipation meant, how she knew he was here for the entrance exam, or what kind of work she did in the palace.
Only one thing floated in his mind:
[Good luck, Sir Knight!]
[Good luck, Sir Knight!]
[Good luck!]
[Good luck!]
“Aaaaaaaaaaah! Strength!”
For the first time in a long while, Ruban felt the blood of a Lu tribe warrior boiling as he strode energetically toward the examination hall.
Right now, he felt he could pass any difficult test.
Even if he had to spar with the fearsome and awe-inspiring Emperor himself, somehow he felt he could pass.
Anything, any obstacle—he could overcome it.
Indeed, up until this moment, that’s what Ruban believed.
* * *
“Ruban Raile. Warrior of the Lu tribe who wishes to join the Knights, is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s right!”
“Step forward.”
Ruban approached the examiner with an excited heart, having arrived at the examination hall.
Before him lay various wooden weapons, and even more types of… medicines.
Medicines to consume, medicines to apply, even kinds whose uses were unknown.
As Ruban wondered about these, an attendant’s cry reached his ears.
“His Imperial Majesty has arrived!”
Ruban, who had been examining the weapons and medicines with a serious expression, froze.
The examiner, the Imperial Knights, and the attendants all stopped what they were doing and bowed toward the Emperor.
“We are honored by Your Imperial Majesty’s presence.”
Ruban also bowed his head deeply and knelt on one knee.
The Emperor of the Empire and benefactor of the Lu tribe. And soon to be his master.
After a brief silence, the Emperor’s dignified voice fell upon them.
“Is this the one?”
There was a subtle killing intent beneath his gentle tone.
…Killing intent?
For a moment, Ruban thought the sensation he felt was strange, but he swallowed hard, assuming he had misinterpreted it.
Surely the Emperor wouldn’t direct killing intent toward a Knight candidate.
‘I must be overly sensitive.’
“…Yes, Your Majesty. This is the Lu tribe warrior I… recommended.”
It was Rahu who answered the Emperor’s question, not an attendant or the examiner.
Rahu, who had entered the examination hall as the current commander of the Imperial Knights and Ruban’s sponsor, inwardly sighed at the Emperor’s icy expression.
Oblivious to the kind of look Rahu was giving him, Ruban simply waited for the test to begin with an excited, pounding heart.
“Hmm. He has good spirit.”
The Emperor stroked his chin as he examined Ruban.
Ruban couldn’t have been happier at the praise from the Emperor’s lips.
But the more the Emperor observed and praised Ruban, the more Rahu’s expression soured.
Unable to let a fellow tribesman fall into danger, Rahu stepped forward to volunteer as examiner himself.
“Your Majesty. Then allow me to conduct the test myself…”
“No.”
He feared the Emperor might step in personally at this rate.
But the Emperor seemed to have already made up his mind.
“For a knight with such spirit, we need a fitting test.”
Ignoring Rahu’s dismayed expression, the Emperor smirked and moved toward the weapons.
“I will face him myself. You have no objections, I assume.”
Objections.
There could be none.
No, even if there were, there was no one here who could voice them.
‘We need Her Majesty the Empress. We need the Empress!’
It was already too late to stop the Emperor’s solo performance.
Rahu frantically signaled to Deril, who stood by the examination hall door.
It was their secret eye-code meaning “bring Her Majesty the Empress.”
Ruban, for his part, was bewildered.
He never imagined the Emperor himself would be his opponent.
‘Of course, I did think I could handle it regardless…’
But that had been a hypothesis about something that would never happen.
Still kneeling with head bowed, not knowing what to do, Ruban heard the Emperor’s command.
“Rise and lift your head, Ruban. Let’s test your skills.”
The voice was authoritative yet gentle.
But the killing intent within it was unmistakable, making Ruban feel a tingling throughout his body.
‘Is this really a test? Why such killing intent?’
Ruban slowly raised his head.
His golden eyes took in the Emperor’s splendid appearance.
The Emperor, contemplating which wooden weapon to choose, had a completely different aura from the glimpse Ruban had caught on the southern island.
Most notably, instead of the black hair that symbolized the Emperor…
“Gasp!”
Gleaming silver hair. Eyes that seemed fiery red at first glance, but upon closer inspection had a clear pink hue.
Upturned corners of his mouth and straight eyebrows!
“We meet again. Saw you this morning too, didn’t I?”
Though the Emperor’s face was full of smiles, his eyes were murderous.
Ruban still couldn’t regain his senses and stood with his mouth hanging open.
“Guhak!”
With an inexplicable groan, Ruban’s waist folded in half as he was slammed into a corner.
Pain surged through him as if his internal organs might rupture.
Though his limbs trembled violently, Ruban gritted his teeth and stood up.
He needed to take a defensive stance again.
Otherwise, something might actually break.
But his body was already a wreck.
Before he could even stand properly, another chilling voice reached his ears.
“You’re quite sturdy.”
—CRASH!
As his body flew through the air again, Ruban struggled to maintain balance.
‘This is supposed to be a test? A TEST?! What kind of test is this?!’
Was this really the entrance test for the Knights?
If so, had all the Imperial Knights passed such a terrible ordeal and gained the Emperor’s approval?
As Ruban’s golden eyes grew increasingly hazy, a figure appeared in his sight just as the Emperor was about to swing his wooden sword at the falling Ruban.
“Your Majesty!”
At the elegant voice that resonated through the examination hall, the Emperor’s body froze instantaneously.
Thanks to this, Ruban was barely able to maintain consciousness and plant his feet on the ground.
“Huff… huff!”
The hot air entering deep into his lungs felt like it was tearing at his windpipe.
Nevertheless, Ruban maintained his vigilance and took a defensive stance.
But the Emperor seemed to have no intention of attacking further.
With a quiet “Tch,” the Emperor turned toward the owner of the voice that had just interrupted, who was slowly walking toward them.
“Asha.”
“I was looking for you to have lunch together… I didn’t expect you to be personally conducting the Knight’s entrance test.”
The woman, Ashaella, continued speaking while looking at the Emperor with an innocent expression.
“Then I suppose I’ll have to eat lunch alone. And I so wanted to dine with Your Majesty…”
Her eyebrows and the corners of her eyes drooped dejectedly. And one couldn’t help but be drawn to the luminous silver eyes within them.
“I suppose the Knight’s entrance test is more important than having a meal with me…”
That couldn’t possibly be true.
Seeing Ashaella’s moist eyes, the Emperor hastily shook his head.
“No, no! Why would this nonsense be important! Let’s go, Asha! What do you want to eat?”
Watching the wooden sword flying and landing on the floor, Head Attendant Deril and Rahu secretly exhaled in relief.
Indeed, the most effective way to subdue His Imperial Majesty was for Her Majesty the Empress to appear in person.
“But the test… Hasn’t the result not been determined yet?”
Ashaella glanced at where Ruban was standing, holding the Emperor’s hand that was wrapped around her waist.
If the test were to be suspended now, Ruban would have to take the entrance test again later.
It would be fortunate if he could take a normal test then…
But it would be problematic if the Emperor decided to face him again.
Whether aware of Ashaella’s intentions or not, the Emperor smiled and gestured toward Rahu.
“Ruban, was it? I’ll permit his entry. He seems to have decent endurance, at least.”
Indeed, seeing how he had withstood the Emperor’s beating without losing consciousness, he undoubtedly had considerable skill.
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Fearing the Emperor might change his mind, Rahu immediately nodded.
And so, in an instant, Ruban’s test concluded, and the Emperor and Empress left the examination hall.
‘Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress!’
Deril nodded gratefully toward Ashaella as she was leaving.
Ashaella glanced back at Deril, flashed a sweet smile in response, then cast her gaze at Ruban.
He was staring at Ashaella with his jaw dropped, his entire body so rigid he couldn’t even breathe.
‘Con-gra-tu-la-tions!’
Ashaella silently mouthed her congratulations.
Who knew when she had returned her hair to its original color, but Ashaella’s silver hair, gleaming brilliantly, vanished from Ruban’s sight in an instant, like hair swept by the wind.
Everyone there whispered with relief, but the person directly involved, Ruban, was dazed.
Not from being beaten by the Emperor, but from the mental shock.
‘Why didn’t I realize it immediately! Why…! I should have recognized His Majesty’s face the moment I saw it! I’ve wasted my life, Ruban!’
The ideal woman he had met for the first time in his life. A woman of extraordinary beauty. A woman who came to mind constantly—when sleeping, walking, eating, even during training.
If His Imperial Majesty was that baby’s father from the inn, if he was that woman’s husband!
He should have immediately recognized who that woman was.
“Her Majesty… the Empress…”
Thud.
As if all strength had left his body, Ruban collapsed to his knees on the examination hall floor.
She was already a woman he had given up on. He knew she was a married woman to whom he could never express his burning feelings.
So he had resigned himself. Or at least, he thought he had.
He had thought it would be okay to secretly cherish her in his heart alone.
‘To think I dared to harbor feelings for someone I couldn’t even dream of…’
Sprawled on the floor, Ruban sniffled.
Suddenly, he tasted salt on the tip of his tongue.
“Hey, Ruban. Are you that hurt? Should I call a physician?”
At Rahu’s panicked voice, Ruban finally realized.
He was crying.
Drip, drop.
Tears containing a man’s pure love fell onto the cold floor of the examination hall.
