/
“...”
Joshua examined the blonde beauty lying on the bed. She was asleep, but her sleeping beauty was enough for her to be one of the top three beauties of Avalon.
Her brilliance and vitality had faded since he last saw her. Sunken, hollow cheeks, a skin and bones physique, and pale yellowed skin. Her forehead was also damp with cold sweat, and all these meant that she was suffering from a terminal illness.
What caught Joshua’s attention the most were the deep, parched lines around her eyes, as if both nature and the gods had agreed to take her sight first before anything else as punishment for committing the heresy of incest…
“Damn it…” Joshua shook his head and closed his eyes momentarily.
When he opened his eyes once again, he stared at the glass vial in his hand. There was a golden liquid swirling inside the glass vial. He had discovered the cure to her illness in his past life, but he had failed to give the cure to her in time.
All he had done was go to her eternal resting place and beg for punishment. Now, Joshua could cure her. He could do it. However, the issue lay on the question if he had the right to take her memories away.
In the first place, did he even have the heart to do that? What if they were the priceless memories of the last ten years? Would he be able to talk to her the same way when she’d lost the memories of her very identity?
He was ready to fight anyone who would tell him that saving her life should be his top priority here. The people would remember Princess Serciarin, but she would forget him.
“I’m also concerned that His Majesty will continue to use you even after you get better,” he muttered.
Emperor Marcus and the princes had never seen her as anything else other than a tool. Saving Princess Serciarin would mean taking her out of the frying pan and hurling her into the fire.
“Ah!” Princess Serciarin moaned.
“...!” Joshua's eyes widened.
“Argh…!”
He rallied the divine power in his body without thinking.
“He who links man to heaven,” he muttered, filling the room with a bright white light.
“Who shines brightest with healing…”
This was knowledge from heaven.
“There is no place where the warm light does not shine.”
The divine power of no equal in the domain of healing.
“Let the dead rest and give life to the living.”
One of the first four great angels in heaven long before the seven great angels of today.
“Holly Regist.”
A divine power comparable to a bishop of Hubalt burst from Joshua’s hands.
Of course, the way Joshua wielded his divine power was different from the priests of Hubalt, but if a priest of Hubalt were here, then they would have been scared silly by the sight.
“Nng…”
A few moments later, Princess Serciarin’s pale and yellowed skin returned to its normal color and vigor. The sight made Joshua smile. Of course, he understood that he had simply treated the symptoms.
The problem ran much deeper.
“I have to make a choice now.” He held the vial filled with a golden liquid as he fell into deep contemplation. After a while, Joshua seemed to have made up his mind as he tried to make a move, but…
“Joshua?” Princess Serciarin muttered as her eyes finally opened.
“...!”
***
There were rumors going around that Count Sanders had privately met with His Second Highness Kaizen. As soon as His First Highness Kiser heard of that, he summoned someone.
Kiser and his guest sat across from each other in front of a table in the former’s room.
“Knight Commander Rod…”
“How have you been, Your Highness?”
“Never been better.” Kiser hid his impatience behind a wide smile.
“I heard the rumors. Is His Majesty’s strange behavior worrying you as well, Your Highness?”
“Eh, it’s fine,” replied Kiser dismissively.
Knight Commander Rod looked like he didn’t mind Kiser’s dismissive reply as he muttered, “I had no idea that His Majesty would choose Princess Serciarin’s husband in such a manner. In addition, she’s still sick as well. What a shame.”
“...”
“I heard that the first challenger is the Reserve Battalion Commander,” Kiser got to the point.
At that, Knight Commander Rod shook his head and said, “He’s no longer a Battalion Commander. He’s not even my subordinate anymore.”
Hearing that, Kiser’s eyes lit up. “This will be easy, then.”
“...?” Knight Commander Rod directed a confused look at Kiser.
“I have a favor to ask of you,” Kiser took a moment to think before addressing the elephant in the room by saying, “I’ll be straightforward. I’d like you to step in once he has successfully beaten everyone else.”
“...” Knight Commander Rod remained silent and expressionless.
At the sight, Kiser added, “Knight-Commander Rod—no, Uncle… I know better than anyone else how fair-minded you are. But Joshua Sanders doesn’t deserve your impartiality. Can’t you see? The deal he struck with Kaizen doesn’t really matter; what matters is how Duke Agnus will handle the aftermath.”
“...”
The same words could mean differently depending on who heard them. Joshua was a way for the Second Prince to restrain the First Prince. The First Prince, Joshua, and the Duke were all wary of each other.
The Second Prince and the First Prince agreed that Joshua was a new competitor, and it was incredible that two men as prideful as the princes would both acknowledge a mere nobleman as a threat.
“I am not surprised at all that you called me here. After all, Joshua Sanders is your opponent,” said Knight Commander Rod with a sigh. “However, his return also means that I finally have a good enough successor.”
“What do you—”
“If I lose, then I will step down as the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights Order.”
Kiser stiffened as he said with a complicated expression. “Is that even possible? He’s a monster, yes, but I don’t think he can beat you, Knight Commander, sir.”
“There’s no such thing as absolutes in this world; what can happen will happen.”
Flinch.
Kiser noticed Knight Commander Rod’s conflicting emotions, so he hurriedly changed the topic.
“I see! That just means that your breadth of mind is as great as your prowess. But have you already decided on your successor? Is it Sir Valmont?”
“That guy… Hmm, he still has a long way to go. He has been training more frequently these days, but I don’t think that he’s already qualified. I am not saying that he isn’t talented enough, but he still needs a few more years.”
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Hearing that, Kiser tilted his head and asked, “Then, what did you mean when you said that you finally have a good enough successor?”
“Who else? I think you’re also familiar with him. Why did the Third Prince, who inherited His Majesty’s skill with the sword, leave the palace on his own?”
“...!” Kiser's eyes widened.
“Sir Galahad has returned?”
“Yes. I’ll hand over my position as Knight Commander to him. I mean, he had always been my choice.”
“So…” Kiser trailed off.
Knight Commander Rod nodded and explained, “Yes, it doesn’t matter what will happen. I will still retire, nonetheless. It is long overdue.”
“Then—” Kiser sighed sadly.
He wished he could keep Rod around for longer, but it had been forty years since Knight Commander Rod started his service, and Kiser was familiar with how much effort and time Knight Commander Rod had dedicated to servicing Avalon.
“Ah, it must have been hard on you. It’s such a relief that Sir Galahad returned. You will be able to transfer my burdens onto him.”
“So Joshua will not be taking over my position. Don’t worry,” Knight Commander Rod replied.
“You knew?” Kiser was astonished.
“I have many eyes and ears.”
Kiser went silent at that. Eventually, Knight Commander Rod leaned closer and asked in a whisper, “May I ask why Your Highness isn’t willing to rope him in?”
Why? Kiser hesitated.
The ruby-like eyes of the most beautiful woman Kiser had ever seen flashed through his mind. However, he couldn’t say that. It would be shameful to admit that his jealousy had blinded him and that he couldn’t see Joshua’s abilities.
This was hardly the first time this had happened, of course. These matters had brought many countries into conflict many times throughout history.
“He just… didn’t seem like a good fit for me.”
Kiser had no choice but to give that kind of answer.
***
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’ve never been much better in my life.”
“That’s great.”
“I see you’re still as full of life as ever.”
“If I’m not strong, I’m better off dead.”
“I’m so jealous. All you have to do now is get married.”
“Married?”
“Your popularity is through the roof in Arcadia, especially with the women.”
“You must be joking. Most people here want to kill me rather than marry me.”
“Eh?”
“It was a joke, Your Highness.”
“Pffft!” Princess Serciarin burst into laughter.
“The next time I participate in a banquet, I’ll definitely boast how I managed to talk privately with Joshua Sanders, the idol of Arcadia’s women.”
“Sure, I allow you to do it.” Joshua arrogantly replied.
“I’d do it without your permission anyway,” Serciarin stuck her tongue out at him.
There was a long, intense silence afterward.
Princess Serciarin didn’t see Joshua struggling with indecision earlier.
Eventually, Princess Serciarin shattered the silence.
“Why do you look like you’re agonizing over something?”
“...!” Joshua flinched.
“Don’t try to shoulder everything on your own. And think about how I would feel if I were to blame for the pain?”
Joshua’s jaw dropped. “You…”
“If you’re really that worried, then… will you be my friend?” Princess Serciarin smiled brightly.
“I…”
“Promise me…” She lifted her pinky finger.
Joshua bit his lip. How could he say no to that? Droplets of water were falling from Serciarin’s face, but they weren’t tears.
“Sure…” Joshua finally answered.
Princess Serciarin smiled sweetly. She looked like a withered flower that had come back to life.
“For some reason, forgetting you scares me more than forgetting His Majesty and my brothers.”
“What makes you think that?”
“You’re the only one who had seen me for me. Oh, don’t get me wrong—this isn’t flattery.”
Joshua looked sad. “Where did you learn to talk like that?”
“Ellen taught me.”
He had no reply. Ellen was Serciarin’s maid and her only friend in the cold Magnificient Flower Palace.
“Is she married?”
“Ellen?”
“Yes.”
“No. Not yet…”
“Then, it’ll be fine.”
“Huh?”
“I have a good friend that I would like to introduce to her.”
“Oh!” Princess Serciarin clapped her hands. “I’m sure Ellen will be pleased. I often worry that she wouldn’t be able to get married because of me.”
“I guess it’ll be a match made in heaven,” said Joshua.
Princess Serciarin stared at Joshua and smiled. “Do you know what Sanders means in the language of flowers, Joshua?”
Princess Serciarin’s hopeful expression as she stared at Joshua made the latter reply in the proverbial blink of an eye. “Never forget me. And remember me…”
“Oh, you knew!” Princess Serciarin’s face brightened. “I will never forget you.”
“Let’s go. It’s time to go.” Princess Serciarin’s frail figure started to go limp, and Joshua jumped out of his seat to hold her up.
While she was in Joshua’s arms, Princess Serciarin said, “I hope we won’t forget how we felt when we see each other again.”
“I won’t…”
“Can you do me a favor and get me some medicine?”
Joshua nodded. He couldn’t delay it any longer, and he had already made his decision. In addition, Princess Serciarin’s life was already waning.
Joshua carefully raised the golden liquid to Princess Serciarin’s lips, and at the sight of that, Princess Serciarin spoke, “It seems that there’s one more thing I can brag about...”
“Thank you…” Princess Serciarin slipped into a coma and started wheezing.
“I’m the one who’s thankful…” Joshua clenched his fists while staring at the unconscious Serciarin.
He managed to save her, unlike his previous life.
‘I will definitely…’
Joshua had decided that the first thing he would do after all these was to kill those who had sunk their fangs into her.