Chapter Twenty
_ You must return soon
---
He rested his head between his hands, the latest reports spread out before him. He took a deep breath and stood facing his desk, pulled out several documents, placed them inside the file, and rang the bell..
" Your Majesty "
Victor entered at once, as if he had been waiting for his master's summons. Without Elyon saying a word, he handed him the file, looked at his aide for a few moments, then said
" You know what you have to do.."
" Your Majesty, there is still time.."
" There is no time. Tomorrow at dawn.."
Victor looked at his master with pained eyes, then took a deep breath and bowed
" I will follow Your Majesty's orders.."
Victor left while Elyon continued pacing back and forth across the room. His eyes fell upon the small box Damian had given him, and he breathed deeply before leaving the room. With heavy steps, he headed toward Damian's room. Before he could knock on the door, his limbs froze. He had never entered this room after his brother's death, except when Damian disappeared seven years ago. He felt strange. He wanted to turn back, but the door suddenly opened, and when Nila saw him, she said in surprise..
" Did you come to see Damian?"
He felt that she had deliberately raised her voice so the child could hear. He looked inside the room and found Damian sitting there, his eyes showing no trace of sleep. He looked as radiant as the sun at midday..
" I wanted to ask him something.."
" Ask him something?!"
" He told me something.."
Nila sensed Elyon's confusion, so she smiled and said playfully
" Don't worry, come in.. Ask him as much as you like.."
She glanced at Damian for a moment, then whispered..
" Children usually ask a lot of questions before going to sleep.."
She laughed softly, making Elyon look at her in bewilderment. How could she be this natural..
When Elyon entered and found nowhere to sit, Damian gestured enthusiastically
" You can sit here.."
There were a thousand questions wandering through Elyon's mind, and he had no answers to them.
" About the plant, do you know anything else?"
At that moment, Elyon was not interested in the plant at all. He simply wanted to see this little child. An instinctive feeling had told him to see him before he left..
" I don't remember much. Should I look for the book?"
" Alright, no problem. It will be late by the time you find the book.."
" Late?"
" We will leave at dawn.."
Elyon felt that his tongue had slipped, but the boy looked at him with curious eyes and said
" It seems important. Will you be gone long?"
" I don't know the exact duration.."
Damian's tone was worried, so he looked at his mother, who continued listening quietly. Then he stood and headed toward the drawer of his small desk. After a brief search, he found something resembling a pocket watch. It was silver and did not look expensive, but it looked clean despite appearing slightly old. Damian looked at his mother as if asking whether it was alright, and she nodded yes. Damian's expression relaxed, and he smoothly placed it in Elyon's hand and said with a tender smile
" It is precious to me. Take care of it and come back quickly.."
Elyon heard something inside him shatter. He held the child's tiny hands tightly, making Damian look confused and anxiously at his father, but Elyon did not utter a word. He wanted to tell this child that he was truly afraid..
When Elyon loosened his hands, Damian pulled his hands away, then hugged him and said with a warm smile
" You must come back soon.."
Elyon nodded in agreement and patted the child's hair. He could barely stand, and could barely make it out of the room. Every step felt heavier than the one before it. When Elyon closed the door, Damian rushed into his mother's arms and said in a sorrowful tone ; " Will he really come back?.."
Nila gently patted her child's back for a while, then said
" Your father is a strong man. He will definitely return.."
" The place is dangerous. So many have died.."
Damian's voice was truly tearful, so Nila wiped his tears and said as she lowered herself to his eye level
" You must trust His Majesty, .. You did well when you said goodbye to him with a smile. He must return to find you always waiting for him.."
" Alright.."
Damian nodded through his tears. Afterward, Nila helped him until he finally fell asleep. Nila sighed and left the room, then without hesitation went down to the first floor toward the study. It was lit as usual. She took a deep breath and opened it without even knocking..
Elyon raised his head toward her in confusion, but her expression seemed annoyed. He felt confused and bewildered when she simply sat in front of him at the desk..
" Are you planning to die?"
Elyon leaned back and looked at this strange woman for a few seconds, then answered
" What does it have to do with you?"
" Please don't risk your life. Damian needs you.."
"..."
He felt like mocking her. The child himself had said that he did not need him more than a month ago, and now she was saying the opposite..
" Damian is happy. He is always happy when he is around you. Today, he kept boasting in front of everyone in the palace that His Majesty had praised him..."
"..!"
" Children need their fathers, and you know better than anyone that the danger is still present.."
"..."
" We are still in the middle of a war. You have to win your battle there so you can return..."
Her eyes were trembling. It was not anger, but a mixture of worry and sadness. Elyon thought to himself..' Why?'
" I cannot guarantee my return, so I will trust you, Nila Harvey.."
He stood, announcing the end of the conversation, but Nila stood before him and looked into his eyes calmly
" Can I trust you?"
" W..?"
" I will trust you. You must return quickly.."
When Elyon became flustered, Nila smiled and ended the conversation as she left. It was astonishing that his son had learned this trust from her..
' It is good that he has this woman to be his mother..'
---
The knights were on alert even though the sky had not yet brightened. Elyon left through the main palace gate wearing an ordinary travel cloak, not looking like someone heading to face death. Amanda and Victor, as usual, stood there to bid him farewell. Victor was about to open his mouth when Nila came down, followed by Ruen and Riley. Elyon raised an eyebrow, but she smiled and said
" I hope you return safely.."
Before he could answer, when she approached and whispered quietly
" When you leave, please pass by the right side of the palace gate.."
And she winked at him. He wanted to ask her why, but he remembered that the child's room overlooked the right side of the gate. He wanted to refuse, but she looked at him as if pleading. He nodded yes, so she smiled with genuine gratitude and stepped back. No one knew what conversation had passed between them, but the knights and servants present continued to glance at Nila with a degree of unease. Nila paid no attention to anyone and looked at Riley and Ruen. She passed between them and whispered words that only the two of them could hear, and they both nodded to her...
Ruen and Riley were supposed to follow Elyon to the foot of the mountain, then return to the palace. They looked calmly at Nila before following the knights
---
When the eighty knights moved behind their lord, Elyon deliberately headed toward the right. After a hesitation that lasted two minutes, he raised his head toward the third-floor window. For a moment, others might think it was closed with its curtains drawn, but to a man with exceptionally keen senses, the child's face watching from between the curtains was clearly visible. Damian's eyes lit up when he saw Elyon, and he smiled through his tears. He wanted to follow his mother's words and bid his father farewell with a smile. If eyes could speak, Elyon would have heard a thousand pleas to stay. Elyon took a deep breath and passed through the gate, to protect the future of this duchy... He had to clear the path for that little one, even if the path had to be paved with his blood.
Damian watched the knights leave while his tears continued to fall. As soon as the main gate closed, he broke down crying.. He had promised to remain strong, but he would cry now, just this once..
" He will come back.."
Damian wiped away the tears that refused to stop, but as soon as they stopped for a moment, they began to fall again.
Nila watched the child through the crack in the door without interfering. She did not want to see her child cry, but she could not deprive him of his emotions. She pressed her hand tightly over her eyes, then took a deep breath and quietly closed the door again.
' I will not stop you from being weak now, my little one, but you must remain strong for this man who left to give you his world..'
She took a few steps forward and found Celine heading toward Damian's room, so she gestured for her to stop..
" Give him some time, then wake him up for breakfast "
" As you command, my lady.."
She headed toward the stairs when she found Lina looking at her intently. She was not in the mood to deal with her, so she simply ignored her and went down until she reached the first floor. Victor was standing there with a pale, lifeless face..
" Where are you going?"
She had decided to ignore everyone and sit in the garden, but apparently that did not apply to Victor, who followed her until she sat on the chair. He looked at her, so she gestured for him to sit and said in a dry manner..
" Do you have something to say, Viscount Hans?"
" How is the young master?"
" He needs some time.."
"..?"
" He finally got a father, and just when he began getting used to it, His Majesty leaves on a mission knowing that he may meet his death.."
Nila's tone sounded bitter and sad, which made Victor fall silent for a moment before saying..
" How will you deal with this?"
" To tell you the truth... I don't know."
She ended her sentence with a sigh. Victor looked at the bright sky, completely free of clouds, then looked at Nila and stood..
" I will support you with all my strength, Miss."
Nila smiled wearily, then rested her head on the table and closed her eyes. She placed her fist over her heart and sighed
' I hope he is alright..'
Martha looked at Nila with complicated emotions, then looked at Amanda, who was watching Nila from afar..
It had been normal for the Archduke to leave on major missions throughout all of Martha's years of service, but the Archduke's absence had never had such a profound effect. Today, it seemed as though the spirit of the palace, which had finally returned, had been torn away..
---
Western side of the Aileen Mountains, Knights' Camp..
The knights stood in formation, prepared with their weapons. They were the elite and most skilled knights. Elyon had established numerous criteria for selecting them and had informed them of the gravity of the mission and that they might not return from it. Elyon looked at them calmly as he walked past them. Ruen handed him a bundle of leather parchments and stepped back. Elyon looked at Ruen, then at the knights
" You will divide into ten groups. Each group will receive a leather parchment containing transportation magic, which can return the group carrying it to the palace. Try to cover as much ground as possible and investigate every part, the water, the soil, even the dead roots..."
" Yes, sir!"
The knights spoke in one strong voice, making Riley optimistic. He had been excluded from the mission so that he could protect his young master and mistress, so he did not object. He looked ahead, waiting for the knights to enter the area so they could return..
" Return alive..."
When Elyon spoke to his men, Riley was surprised by Elyon's calm words, but the knights did not seem surprised. It was clear that their lord was always concerned about their safety. He looked at Ruen, who was yawning as he tried to drive away his drowsiness, and lightly struck him on the back..
" Focus.."
Ruen rubbed his eyes and looked again at the knights, who finally began moving in groups of eight behind their lord. Ruen and Riley waited for another half hour. As soon as Elyon gave the signal, Ruen stood calmly with sharp eyes. Glowing azure circles appeared in the air. Ruen's movements were smooth and precise. The circles began expanding more and more until they surrounded the entire western boundary. As soon as he finished, Ruen dropped to his knees in exhaustion..
" This is really exhausting.."
" That is why His Majesty asked me to accompany you on the way back."
Afterward, they both mounted their horses, and Riley thought for a moment. He had seen many mages, but he had never felt a magical aura like Ruen's magic. It was cold, yet it warmed the heart..
" Mr. Hans, may I ask you something?"
" First, don't call me so formally, then you may ask me.."
Ruen's childish nature emerged, so Riley smiled and said
" Isn't His Majesty an extremely powerful mage? Why does he need this many mages.."
The wind moved their cloaks as the horses raced, and explaining it was not an easy matter. Ruen was not particularly interested in explaining, so he said cheerfully and without any formality
" You are not a mage, but you have extraordinary abilities with the sword, and that is a kind of releasing concentrated magic to enhance the body.
Magic is enhancement, control, and creation.. You are an enhancer, His Majesty is a controller, and I am one who creates magic, or let's say, borrows it..
Your magic is used to support your body and sword, while I create my magic by borrowing from the nature around me. And His Majesty, how should I describe it, is the type of mage who controls magic, launches long-range attacks, moves things, and so on. But I don't know His Majesty's original magic. It was a type of magic similar to mine. I have never heard of a mage using two types of magic, or of their type of magic changing..."
Riley nearly fell from his horse from the intensity of his concentration, but he steadied himself and looked at Ruen for a moment before turning his gaze back to the road and thinking..
" Perhaps it is due to the De Walter bloodline.."
" Even monsters have only one type of magic.."
Ruen looked at the road as he spoke. It was clear that this matter was troubling his thoughts, so Riley did not ask again. Riley had learned what he needed to know about magic. Thinking too deeply about these matters was exhausting, more exhausting than training for ten hours, so he left magic to the mages..
" Then what about the young master's magic?"
" A controller. De Walter mages are usually controllers."
" Is His Highness doing well?"
" He is perceptive for a child his age.."
" But he insists on learning swordsmanship.."
" He gives his mother's words a great deal of importance, and because she once suggested it in passing, he will carry it out wholeheartedly.."
" A diligent child."
" Does he remind you of yourself?"
Riley looked at him with surprised eyes, but Ruen laughed and urged his horse faster. When he saw Ruen's surprise, he said in a clearer voice..
" In less than two years, you made a place for yourself among the De Walter knights."
" It was my lady's request.."
" Isn't that the same thing?"
Riley slowed down a little and smiled, matching his horse's pace with Ruen's. Ruen looked at him for a few seconds, then looked ahead...
---
Time passed very slowly for someone waiting impatiently. In the vast palace library, the boy closed his book after his teacher finished the lesson, and the teacher noticed the child's dimness and fading spirit
" Young master?"
Damian looked calmly at Mr. Winson, who said warmly
" Does the young master miss the Archduke?"
"..."
The trembling of Damian's eyes was enough to answer, so Gabriel said as he sat opposite the child
" His Majesty is a capable person, and you know that better than anyone, young master"
" I don't know. I just want him to come back quickly.."
Gabriel looked at Damian with eyes that were both warm and sad, as a fleeting memory crossed his mind..
" The young master resembles the Archduke very much.."
" I resemble him?!"
Damian looked at him in surprise, and Gabriel's eyes smiled..
" His Majesty was very intelligent and pure. He liked me to give him sweets whenever he answered correctly.."
Damian studied Gabriel's face. His gentle laughter, touched with sadness, was proof of how dearly he cherished the memory
" When he comes back, I will ask Mother to make lots of sweets.."
Gabriel's expression softened as Damian's face brightened slightly and he nodded in agreement, but he was surprised by a calm feminine voice..
" And Damian will help me prepare them, won't you?"
Damian turned toward Nila's voice and nodded enthusiastically at her words, while Gabriel looked at Nila with glassy, curved eyes...
" I apologize for interrupting you.."
Gabriel moved his head in denial and said gently..
" We have finished the lesson. I spoke with the young master for a little while. Please, my lady.."
Gabriel gestured toward the chair near them, so Nila sat on it and looked calmly toward Gabriel before saying in a gentle tone
" How are you, sir?"
" When I heard that you had returned to De Walter, I became well.."
Damian looked at him with curious eyes and said
" Sir, do you know my mother?"
" Baron Harvey was one of my dearest friends.."
" Amazing."
" I still remember young Miss Nila Harvey. It is good to see you well.."
" Thank you, sir.."
Nila replied with a smile, while Damian said in astonishment
" Sir, you are amazing. You knew my mother and father when they were young.."
Damian fell silent while Nila noticed it. Without thinking, she placed her hand on his head and smiled. Gabriel felt that it was time for him to leave, so he stood calmly
" Let us talk later, young lady. I must leave now."
Nila stood to bid him farewell, but he gestured with his eyes toward the quiet Damian and left...
Nila sat beside Damian and gently patted his back. He looked at her and said..
" I have wanted to call him Father for some time. I thought he would be upset.."
" Do you think so?"
" No, maybe he thinks I don't want him..."
"..."
" I'm afraid he won't care about coming back because he thinks that.."
Nila could not say anything, because she knew that man would not say what he wanted. He would give his very soul instead. She hugged Damian and said as she patted his head.
" When he returns, tell him what you want.."
" Will Father like that?"
" I assure you.."
...... To be continued ......