NOVEL NEXT Chapter 154
Chapter 154. Engagement – Stalking
“Is nothing catching your eye? Then… how about this?”
A chubby merchant called out to a customer who was wandering around the shop. He knew from experience that a strong recommendation worked instantly for customers who couldn’t make up their minds but still lingered in hesitation.
The merchant made a gesture indicating that the item was only shown to select customers and shouldn’t be mentioned elsewhere. Though this wasn’t true at all, he secretly took out a necklace from a drawer behind the counter.
Of course, it was an ambitious masterpiece that had the touch of an artisan and was certainly better than the necklaces displayed outside.
However, Leo remained indifferent.
It wasn’t that the necklace wasn’t pretty. It just didn’t captivate him to the extent of exclaiming, “This is it!” Besides, he doubted Lena would like such a flashy necklace.
He soon shook his head, leaving the sulking merchant behind as he exited the shop.
Leo was wandering outside alone today as well. Unlike usual times when he was looking for traces of Asin, today he was browsing the shops along the main street one by one.
The streets were bustling with activity.
A festival commemorating Retii’s birth was being held noisily ahead of the Retii competition, and the citizens of Manubil were joyfully pondering how to spend the savings they had diligently gathered.
At that moment, the parade, the highlight of the festival, cut across the outer boulevard of Manubil with a loud fanfare.
Hundreds of volunteer citizens were participating in the parade, each dressed as barbarian warriors, farmer soldiers, or soldiers of the Archean Empire, reenacting scenes from the Northern Independence War.
In the middle of the parade was a rather fine carriage, presumably sponsored by someone. A woman dressed gracefully, seemingly as Queen Retii, waved her hand, and a clown sitting on the coachman’s seat shouted out commands she had given in the past, capturing the attention of the citizens.
“Queen Retii has commanded! End the war within a month!”
The citizens watching the parade were ready to burst into laughter at the clown’s words. Everyone knew what he was about to say and what Queen Retii had said.
“So that my husband can marry me immediately!”
“Wahahahaha! Long live Queen Retii!”
“Your Majesty! Happy birthday!”
The anticipated laughter and cheers erupted.
That command she once gave was an actual historical anecdote still widely talked about.
Hundreds of years ago, two heroes, Maunine and Retii, boldly stood up against the tyranny of the Empire.
They were not only excellent warriors but also outstanding generals who co-authored books such as ‘The Theory of Mobile Tactics’ and ‘The Origin and Proverbs of Blitzkrieg.’ They formed an army that drove the Archean Empire out of the north.
When the war entered a lull following a significant victory in the final battle against the imperial army, Retii returned to the capital. Ascending the throne as the first queen of the Kingdom of Aslan, she took care of the people who had been impoverished by the prolonged war.
At the same time, she was preparing for her wedding with her soon-to-return lover, Maunine…
But Maunine did not return.
The imperial army did not retreat and kept lurking near the border, making it impossible for the supreme commander to return.
In her wrath, Queen Retii commanded:
— “How long am I supposed to wait? You! Go to the front line. Tell the generals to forget about the border as it is now. Advance the army and completely rout the insignificant imperial soldiers. If you cannot end the war within a month, bringing my husband back, you will face severe punishment!”
Although they were generals of the Kingdom of Aslan, they were her subordinates, and they faithfully carried out the queen’s fierce command.
Maunine returned with an irresistible smile just three months after her command was issued, and they held the coronation and wedding simultaneously.
Queen Retii was a greatly admired figure among the people of the north. She was a bold warrior and too down-to-earth to play the role of a queen properly, leading to numerous laughable incidents afterward.
Whenever the clown on the carriage recounted her anecdotes, the citizens roared with laughter, smiling genuinely as they watched the procession fade away in the distance.
Finally, I can breathe.
Leo managed to push through the crowd that had gathered densely only after the parade had moved away.
Without much thought, he muttered, “Retii, Maunine” and stepped into a shop that sold various trinkets.
“Welcome.”
The shop was filled with items that seemed to have been greatly cherished by their previous owners: picture frames decorated with metal inlays, soft cloth dolls, dark green-dyed tablecloths, and exotic decorative items.
Leo, however, didn’t find anything in the shop that particularly stood out to him.
He was looking for a birthday present for Lena.
‘The leather strap to wrap around the sword handle was certainly practical and good… What should I get for her?’
As he stroked the sword handle hanging from his waist, he meticulously looked around the rather small shop.
Then his eyes caught a pair of rings.
They were made of copper. Simple and unembellished, but well-maintained and shiny. Although he was tempted, Leo put down the small box containing the rings.
Lena would undoubtedly love them if he bought them. We haven’t even gotten engagement rings yet.
But… he still didn’t want to get married. If possible, he wanted to delay it for just one more day; he didn’t want to give a gift that would remind her of marriage. If Lena did not achieve any results in the contest held by the Retii, where the opportunity to become a knight was given to the winners, Leo had planned to suggest they visit the Kingdom of Eisel down south since they had come this far. With a mercenary badge and documentation proving his status as a mercenary, crossing the border was easy.
After looking around for quite some time, Leo made a decision. He handed over the money and quickly walked back into the bustling streets.
‘It might be a bit insufficient, but Lena will like it,’ he thought as he headed towards their lodging with a lighter heart…
Suddenly, an achievement notification popped up.
[Acheivement: Meeting Pablo de Klaus – Earned slight favor from all nobles serving the Klaus royal family. Earned slight favor from Pablo de Klaus.]
Surprised, Leo looked around. But all he saw were the merry citizens enjoying the festival; there was no sign of the rare royal entourage.
‘……’
Leo stood still and collected his thoughts. His heart was pounding, and his neck stiffened with tension. Remembering the prince, {Tracking} directed him to the prince’s location. Given how rapidly the direction was changing, it was clear that the prince had just passed by him.
Hoo, ha. Hoo, ha. Hoo, haa. Hoo… haaaaaa…
Despite the noisy marketplace, Leo could clearly hear his own breathing. After taking one last deep breath, he turned around. He could just pretend he hadn’t noticed and return to Lena… but he decided to secretly follow the prince instead.
* * *
The man presumed to be Pablo de Klaus walked swiftly with his navy blue hair fluttering. He was simply dressed, as if he had no concern about being recognized as a prince, and was not disguised at all.
There were no knights to guard him, making it easy to tail him. Still, the suspicious Leo maintained a cautious distance. He followed the prince from forty steps away (thanks to {Tracking}, there was no need for the prince to be in sight), and soon noticed they were leaving the city.
Leo then felt relieved.
The prince loitered in front of a house that looked neither rich nor poor.
After a while, a generally plain woman, though narrow-shouldered and thin-necked, emerged, exuding an inexplicable loveliness. They embraced and kissed each other’s waists.
Leo Dexter quickly turned away from that sight. Despite having followed him, he hadn’t intended to spy on someone’s private affair. Retracing his steps, Leo thought that it was a good idea to follow the prince.
‘Absolutely. As expected, the idea of a marriage between the prince and Lena was absurd from the start. If that fool Minseo had tried to link them, he surely would have failed.’
Even if he had possessed this bracelet back then.
Leo raised his arm. On his wrist, a leather bracelet adorned with three crimson beads dangled. It was a {Bracelet of Barbatos}, a reward from a past scenario.
This bracelet allowed him to use Barbatos’ power. Leo could see the divine energy sparkling in the three ruby beads with {Divine Insight}. Had Minseo obtained this bracelet in a previous iteration… unimaginable things would have happened.
Barbatos’ [Eyes of Fascination] did more than just make others like you. It could also make someone like another person. Of course, Lena still loved him, and that prince had a secret lover, so the spell would not have lasted long. And Minseo wouldn’t have been able to handle the ensuing backlash. If not mistaken, it would have led to a disastrous ending.
Phew-
Following Yuan and now Pablo de Klaus. Taking note of these complex human relationships brought a calm to his mind. Gathering information of this level seemed like sparing several iterations, easing his guilt for the time spent idly with Lena instead of helping the other Leos.
Holding the gift for Lena close to his chest, Leo quickly returned. The prince, Pablo de Klaus, also gave his lover a single flower, seemingly a gift. He asked if she would join him at the festival, but the lady, with her thin neck, shook her head, seemingly unaware that the man before her was a prince.
From the apron she had not yet untied, it appeared she had been busy with housework. Though the prince looked disappointed, he didn’t insist. Apologizing, he sent her off and then performed a custom by bringing his hand to his ear.
“…Sir Jacob?”
However, Sir Jacob did not appear. The prince, confused, repeated the custom a couple more times before a middle-aged knight with a slightly smaller build quietly emerged. He wore an unusual longsword with deeply indented grooves on his back, but regardless of such details, what caught attention was his face.
The lower jaw was half-shattered. Despite his presumably handsome appearance with a straight nose bridge, well-groomed eyebrows, and firm eyes, his lower lip was barely half intact, though his upper lip remained graceful.
“Sir Jacob, thank you as always. But today, it seems I’ve come in vain. There’s still time and the festival is ongoing, so why don’t we have a drink somewhere?”
The prince spoke respectfully. But the knight referred to as Sir Jacob seemed lost in thought and did not respond.
“…Earl Jacob Mordred?”
Only when his full name was called did he turn his gaze to the prince.
“Sorry, Your Highness. There’s something here troubling me.”
“Is it something I need to be aware of?”
For a moment, Sir Jacob appeared to be contemplating before he shook his head.
It was a somewhat rude gesture for a retainer to show to the prince, but with his jaw gone, speaking clearly was no easy feat. The prince, understanding this, did not mind. He turned back towards the town where the festival was taking place, leading Sir Jacob with him.
Earl Jacob Mordred.
He was the captain of the Royal Guard and a proud Sword Master of the Aster Kingdom.
And he glanced uncomfortably at the spot where Leo had been before following the prince.