TFM 24

Chapter 24

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As the young crown prince entered the vast grounds of the Moradwin Monastery, guided by his attendants, hundreds of citizens scattered flower petals along the roadside.  

Gareth raised his hand in greeting. The cheers of the citizens grew even louder. Though he had repeated this ritual nonstop for days, he never grew weary of it. He held his head high and rode his horse proudly.

As he passed through the crowded streets, a wide courtyard and a majestic temple came into view. He stopped his knights in front of what appeared to be a monastery.

"It has been a long journey, and you have worked hard."

A moment later, a man dressed in a pristine white monk's robe stepped forward.

Gareth examined him closely from atop his horse. He had a sharp, arrowhead-like face and silver hair with a bluish tint.  

Gareth immediately realized that the young monk was not human. His face was unusually pale, and the tips of his ears were pointed. He was likely a half-elf or quarter-elf.

It was an uncommon occurrence. In the northeastern region of the ancient Osiriya Kingdom, it was not difficult to find half-elves or half-dwarves.  

Gareth suppressed his instinctive aversion to other races and asked in a dignified tone.  

"Are you the abbot of this monastery?"  

"Yes, Your Royal Highness. I am Basilis, and I am in charge of managing this monastery."

A gentle smile crossed the man's lips.

"Welcome to Moradwin.”

"This land is where my ancestors lived, where the Great Emperor Darian won his first victory over the north, and where he received his mission to unify the nation. I am truly honored to be here."

Gareth spoke in the arrogant tone characteristic of royalty just as he dismounted his horse.

"In accordance with royal tradition, I would like to receive your blessing in the name of the saints. Please pray that God's grace will be with my sister and me in the future."

"I will gladly do so."

The abbot replied respectfully and added cautiously,

“For now, how about going to my residence to rest? We have been preparing a grand banquet for several days to welcome Your Highness.”

He hesitated for a moment.

Originally, they were supposed to stay at the guest quarters for pilgrims. Staying at the abbot’s residence could be seen as a political favor.

Gareth glanced back at Varkas, who was standing behind him like a shadow. Perhaps not wanting to attract attention, he had his face half-covered with a hood.

Varkas looked around the monastery thoughtfully, then nodded after a long moment.

"As Your Highness wishes."

"All right. Then we will stay at the abbot's residence tonight."

As soon as he gave his permission, the servants who had been waiting came down the stairs in unison to attend to the guests. Gareth handed them the reins and gave Varkas a word of advice.

“Take good care of Ayla. This is her first time traveling so far, so everything will be unfamiliar and uncomfortable for her.”  

Varkas nodded lightly in response as he patted his horse.

Gareth frowned slightly. He wished he would show his sister the same care he showed his horse.

As he grumbled and followed the knights, a magnificent carriage suddenly came into view at the end of the clearing.

He stared at the thick curtains covering the carriage windows and furrowed his brow. Was she now trying to protect herself, or had she finally realized her place? Talia Roem Guirta stayed inside the carriage the entire journey, never showing herself. He had been determined to twist her slender neck if she made even the slightest mistake, but now he felt empty.

‘I hope she stays quiet like this…’

Talia Roem Guirta wouldn't do that. She was a woman who had followed him with dirty intentions from the start. There was no telling when, where, or how she would cause trouble.

Gareth, who had been staring intently at the carriage, shouted fiercely at Varkas.

"And tell that wench clearly. Tell her to keep living like a mouse, out of my sight, just like she has been."

Varkas’s eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed he didn't like that the Crown Prince was openly showing his hostility toward his half-sister. Come to think of it, he had scolded him for being overly cautious about his words and actions, even if it was for the sake of his reputation.

Gareth snorted loudly and turned away. Who among his subjects didn't know that the crown prince wanted to tear his father's illegitimate child to pieces?

He raised his chin high and followed the priests to the mansion behind the main hall.

The abbot's residence was as luxurious as the annex of the imperial palace. The thought that he would be able to spend at least tonight in comfort brought a smile of satisfaction to his face. Gareth followed the monks into the magnificent hall.

The abbot led him to the most luxurious room in the mansion.

Gareth looked around the spacious bedroom as if evaluating it. It seemed to be the abbot's usual quarters, as there were paintings depicting the Holy War hanging throughout the room, and prayer books and theological texts lay on the desk.

The decorations were not to his taste, but otherwise, it was passable. He carelessly threw off his cloak, which reeked of horse sweat, and gave instructions to the servants waiting by the door.

"First, I want to wash up. Prepare a large bathtub filled with clean water where I can stretch out my legs."

As the servants dispersed, he sat down on a chair by the window and gestured to the servants who had followed him. Following his silent instructions, the two boys quickly began to remove his armor.

Gareth left his body in their hands and picked up a wine glass from the shelf. A quick-witted servant immediately filled the glass. He leaned back in his chair and took a sip of the chilled wine. The thick liquid flowed down his throat, filling his mouth with an intense aroma.

Savoring the intense taste on his tongue, he let out a languid moan. It seemed that he could look forward to the banquet. The wine prepared by the monastery was quite suitable for his palate, which was accustomed to all kinds of rare wines.

"The holy land business seems to be quite lucrative."

He twisted his mouth as he looked out the window at the monastery's vast grounds. High-ranking priests often enjoyed wealth comparable to that of nobles. The abbot of this monastery was undoubtedly living a life of luxury on par with that of a noble.

Freed from his heavy armor, Gareth threw off his sweat-soaked clothes and immersed himself in the bathwater prepared by the monks. The servants immediately rubbed his body with soft brushes. He leaned his head against the wall of the bathtub and sipped the remaining wine.

After lying there for a while, his exhausted body, worn out from half a day of horseback riding, regained some vitality. He stepped out of the bath and put on the summer robe prepared by the servants. He then donned a velvet gown with minimal decoration and followed the monks out of the room.

"Dinner is prepared in the hall on the floor below."

The monk, holding a lantern, carefully descended the marble stairs covered with soft carpets and spoke softly.

Gareth nodded his head indifferently. A ruler must be as sparing with words as possible. He knew all too well how much silence could accomplish. It was because he had a man who was the embodiment of silence by his side.

Gareth frowned when he spotted Varkas standing tall at the entrance of the hall, as if waiting for him.

Whenever he saw him, a strange sense of hostility would suddenly arise. This was despite the fact that Varkas had never once defied him. Was it because of this man's unique presence? Or was it because he rarely showed his true feelings?

Even though he had watched him since childhood, he always felt like a stranger he had to be wary of. That made him even more uneasy.

Was it really okay to entrust half of himself to this man?

"Where is Ayla?"

"Her Highness is resting in the annex building used by the priestesses. She is tired and will not be attending the banquet."

"She must be exhausted after camping for several days."  

"I have prepared medicine to aid her recovery, so there is no need to worry."  

Gareth frowned at the dry reply. He knew that this man was at least gentle with his sister.

Despite being in his prime, Varkas Raedgo Shiokan treated women as if they were nothing. He was so harsh toward the women who approached him that it made Gareth shudder just watching. At least he was kind to Ayla, so perhaps that was something to be grateful for.

However, Gareth could not tolerate his lukewarm attitude. Having secured the most precious treasure in the empire (Ayla), he (Varkas) showed not even a shred of gratitude.

He snapped at him in a sharp tone.

"Ayla is your fiancée. Shouldn't you be more considerate of her?"