TFM 106

Chapter 106

***

It seemed she didn’t even have the strength left to be fussy.

‘I guess I shouldn’t have brought her after all.’

Varkas, who had been looking down at her gaunt face with a worried expression, stepped out of the carriage.

Bright sunlight poured down on them like a torrential rain. Perhaps blinded by the glare, a faint wrinkle formed between his pale brows.

He cast a shadow over her eyes with the hem of his coat and walked straight through the city gate. Hundreds of curious eyes turned toward them. Suddenly, a shiver ran down his spine.

He was accustomed to being the center of attention, having always been surrounded by countless gazes. Nevertheless, he found it difficult to remain calm in the face of the stares directed at the woman in his arms.

“It seems the Grand Duchess is not feeling well.”

The captain of the guard, who had followed to escort him, glanced at Talia and muttered sympathetically. His eyes were fixed on her disheveled hair and the pale flush on her cheeks. Varkas replied somewhat coldly.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d show me to the bedroom first.”

“Of course, I’ll be happy to accommodate you. Please follow me. Lord Temuran has specifically instructed me to attend to the Grand Duke with the utmost care.”

The man tore his gaze away from the sleeping woman and began leading the way.

As he followed him up the stairs, a quiet hall reminiscent of a monastery and a dim corridor came into view.

“You may use this room.”

The man crossed what appeared to be a reception room and swung open a door with an iron latch as he spoke. Varkas stepped inside and carefully surveyed the neat interior.

It was a simple bedroom, yet not shabby. Deciding it would be sufficient for a few days’ stay, he laid her down on the bed.

Meanwhile, Talia had fallen asleep again.

Perhaps the sedative given by the healer had not yet worn off. As he watched the woman, who showed no signs of waking, he noticed the captain of the guard pacing by the door.

Varkas asked sharply,

“What is it?”

“I apologize, but Lord Temuran has requested to see you immediately. Could you please come to the reception room right away?”

Varkas furrowed his brow.

It was customary to offer rest to guests who had traveled a long distance. This meant that this Temuran was either a rude and inconsiderate man, or that he had business so urgent it defied all courtesy.

After casting a brief, probing glance, Varkas nodded.

“All right. I’ll go right away.”

The man, whose face had been frozen in tension, broke into a broad smile, seemingly relieved.

He ordered a subordinate waiting in the hallway to summon a healer, then followed the man without delay.

Before long, they entered an antique-style room brightly lit by lamps.

He crossed the intricately patterned carpet and approached a massive wooden table. An elderly man seated across from it sprang to his feet to greet him.

“Thank you for coming, Your Excellency.”

As if to confirm the rumors of his illness, the old knight’s complexion was sallow.

After scrutinizing him closely, Varkas silently took his seat. The old man, who had sat back down across from him, spoke urgently.

“Please forgive my rudeness. As you can see, my health is poor, and I could collapse at any moment. I dared to urge Your Excellency to come here in the hope of seeing you while I still have my wits about me, and for that, a hundred apologies would not be enough…………….”

“Enough with the preamble. Tell me why you summoned me.”

Varkas cut short the old man’s rambling speech with a single sentence.

Wiping the cold sweat from his brow and gauging the Grand Duke’s reaction, the old knight finally managed to speak.

“Actually… I requested this audience because there is something I wish to ask.”

The man gestured toward the attendant standing behind him, and the young man, who had been standing as still as a shadow, handed him a parchment document.

The elderly knight unfolded it and continued in a tense voice.

“Not long ago, I heard news that the Heimdall family is rallying warriors from the North. Is the rumor true that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is behind this?”

Varkas took the parchment and began to read it carefully.

It seemed likely that the information had been passed on by a merchant traveling between the North and the East.

The document, transcribed to conceal the author’s identity, contained reports on the movements of northern nobles and testimonies that a large number of imperial knights had been spotted in Amasek.

As he tapped the wooden table and read the final section of the report, the elderly knight impatiently continued.

“I hear that recently, marriage talks have begun between Her Royal Highness the First Princess and the heir of the Heimdall family. I wonder if Your Excellency is aware of these developments………………."

“Exactly what do you want to know?”

Varkas looked up from the parchment and asked bluntly.

The elderly knight, who had been licking his lips with a tense expression, finally got to the point.

“I would like to hear Your Excellency’s exact position. Whose side are we on?”

Instead of answering, Varkas simply stared intently at the man’s face.

Unable to bear the brief silence, the old knight blurted out impatiently.

“Rumors are spreading that, due to Your Excellency’s marriage, the East may turn neutral or lean toward the Empress. And His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has recently begun forging close ties with the North. Some are worried that the Empire might be splitting apart.”

Varkas let out a derisive chuckle.

It had been only a few months since his engagement had been broken off and his marriage had taken place. Everyone had certainly been busy in the meantime.

Leaning back in his chair, Varkas picked up a parchment and held it over the candle on the table. The yellowed document emitted black smoke and shriveled up in an instant.

He stared at it for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the old knight and declared firmly.

“Nothing has changed. The East supports Gareth Roem Guirta.”

“Then why is His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince in the North……………….”

“He’s trying to restore the honor of his sister, which was trampled into the dirt by a disloyal subject. How many families in this empire can compare to the Shiokan House?”

Despite his assertion, the doubt lingering on the knight’s face did not fade.

Varkas let out a weary sigh.

“I understand that, as the administrator of the regions bordering the North, you might have various concerns, but you seem overly sensitive. At worst, it’s just a rumor.”

“Are you saying that Your Excellency still stands by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Yes. The Shiokan family will never oppose His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

Only then did a look of relief appear on the old knight’s face.

“Thank you for your straightforward answer. Thanks to Your Excellency’s consideration, I think I can finally put my worries to rest.”

“I’m glad it was helpful.”

After offering a formal reply,  Varkas rose from his seat with measured grace.

The old knight rose to follow him. Varkas stopped him with a light wave of his hand and strode out of the reception room.

Before he knew it, twilight had settled over the corridor. He walked along the deep shadows, quickly sorting through his thoughts.

Gareth’s hasty actions were not particularly surprising. Given his suspicious nature, he likely couldn’t rest easy despite my assurances. His move to reach out to the north to build his own power base was well within the realm of expectation. However, the fact that rumors were spreading far too quickly was cause for concern.

‘.......It seems the Empress’s influence has begun to extend as far as the east.’

Otherwise, there was no way news of the Crown Prince’s movements would have spread so quickly. That woman had not abandoned her plan to drive a wedge between him and Gareth.

Varkas rubbed his chin and turned his gaze toward the window.

Ash-gray clouds hung in the sky, threatening rain, and twilight was settling over the weed-choked flowerbeds and the alleyways.

Varkas, who had been casually scanning the bleak scenery, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The woman he had personally laid down on the bed was wandering alone through the garden, without even a single attendant in tow.