Who Stole The Empress

‘Precious engraver…….?’

Roselyn couldn’t help but laugh.

She liked the same nickname for something that felt like nothing and also important.

The thin skin where his fingers and hers touched focused all her senses.

The sensation was more covert and hotter than when their flesh went against each other.

Boom!

A drumming sound similar to Roselyn’s heartbeat resonated magnificently throughout the square.

At the same time, the narrowly gathered dancers began to roll around and spread outward.

One of the dancers who rushed to the front, right in front of Roselyn and Tamon, smiled as she looked at Roselyn.

As if in some kind of performance, the dozens or so dancers spun around her who was standing at the very front.

She was surprised and confused, and the dancers started laughing.

When Tamon stepped back, the dancers began to move more aggressively. At that moment, the dancer’s voice grazed her ear.

“Smile, Rosie.”

“…!”

The voice was as clear as the wind, and seemed to melt away like a shimmer.

‘Did I mishear her?’

As the startled Roselyn stiffened, the dancer grabbed her hand and kissed it.

The whispered voice once again grazed Roselyn like a haze.

“······Blessings will be with you, but don’t let go of your weapon in your hands.”

Strange flames flared in the golden eyes that stared straight at Roselyn.

But before she had time to look even deeper into the eyes, the dancer turned her body and ran towards the center of the stage.

They were as light as they were when they came to her, but faster, like the wind.

Roselyn closed and opened her eyes, but the dancer who was circling around her disappeared.

Who in the world was it?

Her heart fluttered with a chill feeling.

“Smile, Rosie.”

‘…… How did that dancer know my name?’

****

The atmosphere in the square at the festival was loud and lively, but there were some things that were not.

These included the upper floors of stores unrelated to the festival, gaps in old alleys, and the rooftops of abandoned buildings.

Three or four dimly dressed men were gathered in a narrow alleyway overlooking the central square.

One of the group was wedged in between them like a spectator at a festival, and two were up on a high rooftop looking around.

They were all excellent and capable, but they couldn’t easily get close to their targets.

This was because next to their targets, there were more talented people than them all put together.

“It’s a headache.”

Nebua Ramchester, who was leading them, touched at his throbbing forehead.

He was too careful and his goal was about to crack.

He was pouring all his energy into the area, so much so that he was tingling just from the wind brushing his skin.

“Shouldn’t we do it now?”

“No, we must not act carelessly. You never know where the shadows might appear.”

“But if we don’t do it now, we may lose our chance.”

“……………………… I can see that. But you have to wait. We may be attacked first before we even get close to our target.”

The shadow knight who was escorting Tamon was famous for his skills.

There was no sound, no words, no trace of anything left behind.

His face, his age, his name, his voice………

Since nothing was known about him, it was also difficult to analogize it.

There was a story about how Tamon had saved the life of a warrior from the far east and made him his servant, but no one could be sure of that either.

“Just wait for now. The festival hasn’t even started yet……”

The knight was in a hurry, and in a hurry he was bound to screw things up.

It was a truth of life that Nebua had learned through a few mistakes and a few sacrifices.

*Nebua hid deeper into the darkness and stared at the targets wandering around the square.

(*I think they’re the king’s guards who are trying to kidnap Roselyn.)

The woman’s gait was unsteady as she walked, but she was so beautiful that it didn’t seem real.

Nebua felt a strange sense of déjà vu, a woman who looked so good in any foreign aristocratic costume.

‘…Wasn’t she a slave from Nyrux?’

The woman’s behavior was extremely aristocratic, even though she was wearing unfamiliar clothes.

She looked at her surroundings curiously, but not at all lightly or noisily, and even though she was walking with a limp, her posture was dignified.

It was not a conscious gesture.

It was an elegant gesture that seemed to have ingrained into the marrow of her bones.

‘She must be a noble from some countries, was she sold?’

Then that elegant atmosphere and noble appearance would make sense.

And yet, there was still an uncomfortable feeling somewhere that he couldn’t fathom, but now was not the time to be thinking about that. The two men who had been watching the targets made their move.

****

Roselyn gave the twins some free time.

Since Roselyn has never been outside, the twins didn’t get to enjoy outside time either.

They ran simple errands and short outings, but the majority of their time was only at the mansion because they were taking care of Roselyn.

The hesitant twins ran excitedly without looking back as soon as Tamon beckoned them to go quickly. 

“Send someone to the biggest printing shop if you need us! We’ll be right back!”

At the same time, how skillful it was to announce their destination.

Roselyn smiled and sent the girls on their way, and soon watched the dance.

The streets had darkened before she knew it, and colorful lights decorated the sky.

Delicious smells wafted from the food stands scattered busily on the streets.

Roselyn had little appetite, but she couldn’t resist the smell of grilled meat that stimulated her stomach.

“Would you like some?” (Tamon)

When did he notice her? Tamon sneakily grabbed her hand and led her.

“Come! It’s grilled skewers that are so delicious that you wouldn’t know someone standing next to you died while eating it. Do you want octopus or rock show*?”  (Tamon)

(*it’s a name of the food but I don’t know what it say exactly)

“………… Rock show?” (Roselyn)

 “It’s meat from a pig’s thigh marinated in sauce and grilled. It’s very tasty when it’s grilled with fruits like that.” (Tamon)

“What does it taste like?” (Roselyn)

Roselyn involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.

She heard Tamon laughing, but pretended not to know.

Just as Tamon was about to put his hand in his pocket, Roselyn blocked him.

“I’m going to buy it and eat it.” (Roselyn)

“Do you have money?” (Tamon)

“Yes, I do. A lot.” (Roselyn)

Tucking out her chin proudly, Roselyn took out some money she asked Asrell got from her bank a while back.

She was proud of herself, thinking that she was glad to bring the money just in case, and asked the merchant carefully.

“How much is it?” 

“It’s 20 shillings per piece and 40 shillings per two.”

‘Two?’

At her puzzled expression, the merchant pointed to her side.

“They look delicious. I’ll take it.” (Tamon)

Before she knew it, Tamon was holding another skewer just like hers and smiled brightly.

“…..”

She was slightly perplexed, but it wasn’t something she couldn’t afford, so she gladly paid for it.

No, on second thought, considering what he had given her so far, she was willing to buy it for him.

“Uncle, can I have another one with octopus?” (Roselyn)

 “Octopus? Yes!”

The skewer master, with his mustache growing in a cool way, hurriedly applied the sauce and handed her a skewer with a grilled octopus.

Roselyn stuck out an octopus skewer without looking at him.

Tamon stared at her in surprise.

“……… mine?”

“One is not enough for you.”

 “So I guess that means it’s mine, right?”

As if asking why do you keep asking, Roselyn stared Tamon.

She feigned an expressionless face, but her ears were slightly red.

Tamon burst into laughter for some reason, and took a big bite of the octopus in Roselyn’s hand.

Roselyn watched in amazement as a third of that large skewer disappeared at once.

“That’s the best octopus skewer I’ve ever had.”

Tamon spoke in an excited voice.

“It’s really good.”

Roselyn was also strangely excited by the voice.

She raised her chin and nodded slightly as if it was obvious.

Tamon watched her for a moment, then took the octopus skewer from her, grabbed her empty hand, and kissed the back of her hand.

“I want to kiss your lips, but I’m not sure you’d like that since I just ate the food.”

 “Still shamelessly vulgar in such a crowded place.”

Seeming to have grown somewhat accustomed to his promiscuity, Roselyn berated him, looking no more surprised than before.

What was so amusing about that again, Tamon burst out laughing incessantly.

He was, after all, a man with a smile.

Shaking her head lightly, Roselyn took a bite out of her skewer.

Like he said, it was really delicious.