Chapter 428

A day after the capital was blocked, Caitel’s patience fell to rock bottom. He tried to endure, but Caitel was impatient.

“No, so you really did block the border! You crazy bastard!”

Fardel, who had come to the palace, was constantly nagging Caitel, who was trying to sleep. At first, it was just his usual run-of-the-mill words, but when he didn’t respond, Ferdel would swear.

“They haven’t left Agrient yet, right?”

“I don’t know. How would I know that?”

It would take a year and a half to cross Agrigient. No matter how much human resources they collected, it would still take months. Agrigient was a vast empire with a huge geographical size.

However, Caitel had no intention of waiting that long to meet his daughter.

He didn’t know if they were still in the empire, and he didn’t want to stay in the palace waiting for her.

Eventually, Caitel came to a decision.

“Ask all the troops to spread out.”

He liked his daughter a lot when she was still a kid. When she was young, she moved around all day, and yet nobody would say anything. Caitel didn’t like that she kept trying to get out of his grasp ever since she grew up.

In the end, he missed her, for she left him.

It was driving him insane. If he could, he would turn her back into a child and make sure she stayed like that forever.

“… what?”

“Tell the whole army to move out. Except for the troops defending the capital and those stationed at the border; tell everyone to spread out.”

The Emperor’s orders were becoming absurd.

“What the hell are you planning to do?”

Caitel looked back at Ferdel. Without backing down, Ferdel asked.

“Are you waging war?”

Well…

He didn’t intend for that to happen, but he was in the mood for a battle.

First of all, his goal was to get his daughter back, and if anything stood in his way, he was ready to erase it.

“Are you out of your mind!? What is all this!? Don’t do it! If you want to fire me, then go ahead! I don’t care! What kind of crazy orders are these?”

Ferdel’s reaction was expected.

Caitel responded.

“Fine, you can follow me.”

“… huh?”

Disregarding Ferdel’s resignation, Caitel grabbed Ferdel’s neck.

Firstly, the goal was Ancief, the country closest to the capital of Agrigient.

Besides, there was only one place Ria would go to.

Caitel exhaled quickly.

Right, his daughter, hidden somewhere. This was his first time playing hide-and-seek with her, and he didn’t like this one bit; however, his anger cooled down, and his reasoning returned to some extent.

Nevertheless, once he got his hands on her, he would make it impossible for her to flee again.

He would make her regret doing such a thing.

The outrageous invasion of the Agrigient royal troops shocked the Ancief royal family and immediately called for troops to be recruited; however, Caitel had no intention of starting a war right in the beginning.

King Dion of Ancief had nothing to say about the face of the tyrant who had never stepped outside his palace except for the time Ria was born. Talks had died down, but it wasn’t easy for him to forget the bloodshed Caitel had caused on the continent.

Caitel felt refreshed after seeing King Dion doubt his eyes.

When Ferdel decided to flee, he remembered how he took Ria to avoid punishment. Ah, such times.

But that didn’t matter now.

“Excuse me, may I please know what your intentions are in my country?”

Looking at the King, who was trying to carefully choose his words, Caitel said just one thing.

“Give me my daughter.”

‘I’m here.’

Unlike the central and southern regions that were always noisy because of the war, the north seemed to have a relatively stable situation and numerous prosperous cities. It wasn’t just the capital that had developed, but many other cities in the country. It was all because of the God’s Wall, which was guarding the cities and towns against winter. No matter how cold it seemed, there was still warm weather below the wall. Thanks to that, the city developed, providing people with many things to see.

Right, I didn’t come over to Sherto for nothing!

Bruges, the largest of the southern cities, was fascinating in a sense. I saw many other cities on the way here, but everything else just went away from my mind when I arrived in Bruges.

‘So many pretty buildings!’

“Valer, look at that!”

With the wagon window wide open, I pulled Valer to show him what I was seeing.

Two towers reaching to the sky with a vast boulder near the gates caught our attention. The two towers seemed to attach to the other as if dependent on each other—the famous twin towers.

“Oh, the twin towers!”

The tower, very similar to Decalcomani, stood right in the middle of the city. The symbol of the city was engraved on it.

Under the colossal tower, I could see trillions of fragments.

The closer the wagon got, the more I wanted to see it; the magnificence of the tower made me in awe.

“Is it all carved out of the wall?”

“Wouldn’t it be? It must have been challenging.”

“Right. Horribly difficult.”

As Valer and I nodded with serious expressions, Ahin smiled. On the other hand, Assisi thought of it as just another tower and seemed uninterested.

Havel felt the same.

Those killjoys, how could they not like these pretty buildings!

Of course, we were traveling, and I knew that they were sick of traveling, but they had such gloomy expressions! It was my first time seeing such things!

Glancing back at the two people, I turned towards the tower. We were getting closer to it; no matter how high I raised my head, I couldn’t see where it ended.

However, I wasn’t feeling bad for not seeing it altogether because of the embellishments and sculptures on it.

I really admired it.

It must have been tough to build that!

The buildings in the city were so beautiful that I felt rewarded just watching them.

Architects truly were the engineers’ artists.

It was said that this city was the most cultural and artistically developed one in Schertogenbosch, so its nickname, ‘city of stars,’ was natural. Right, I hadn’t watched the night view yet, but it was fine even if I didn’t get to see it.

The magnificent buildings, starting with the statues and the avenues, the delicate effort put into the structures, these were things I would never get to see in Agrigient.

I would often think of the city, but seeing it in person, man, it was different.

Even a person of no taste for such talent or caliber could enjoy these things! Such buildings, I wondered how they managed to build them. My head was rolling.

Also, they had such great inns for tourists.

“Ah, once we’re done unpacking, let’s go around.”

“Great!”

Once I heard Valer’s suggestion, I loved it; even Assisi, who was watching from the side, smiled. Ahin smiled at me, but being a shy girl, I bowed my head, not knowing why.

Hmm, no, I was just happy, so happy.

Usually, I wasn’t the kind to travel or come out of the house, but it felt refreshing for some reason. Was this why people went on trips? I was already feeling excited.

The only ones excited about the trip were Valer and me, but it was fine. It was their loss. Suckers.

The roads were well maintained, so the wagon managed to reach our destination quickly. With Ahin’s advice, we decided to stay in the inn close to the pagoda, but he wasn’t joining us in our stay.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes.”

He was getting off, but I couldn’t say anything.

I thought of saying something, like cheer up, but I couldn’t muster the courage to speak. There were times when words would destroy the mood.

Knowing my feelings, Ahin smiled. That smile made me feel more apologetic.

Huh.

Once Ahin joined the group, the original plan of our trip around Sherto were canceled.

Above all, our schedule to go to the capital was revised. Our plan to visit the Holy Land was removed too.

We couldn’t help it because Ahin joined us.

The existence of Ahin, a successor in the North, would cause havoc. He wasn’t just another individual on a trip.

Honestly, I would have been satisfied with just looking around and heading back home right away, but last week was the most satisfying because Ahin and Valer’s plan worked.

The plan was to go to Bureti through the southern cities, taste all their local cuisines, and visit all that could be enjoyed. I wanted to bring dad along for our next trip.

Above all, the taste of food differed in every city. After all, some food was exquisite to a few cities.

Ahin made the trip easier. He and Valer were familiar with Sherto City. However, when Valer went out to see a few things, I felt a little lost.

When Ahin joined, the feeling disappeared.

Besides, wherever we went, we got all kinds of benefits for being in Ahin’s group. We could quickly enter the city, visit places that required prior bookings, and have great city accommodations. Maybe that was why I felt like we had a luxurious package tour.

I saw many advantages in being with Ahin, but he had to stay in the pagoda in every city we visited.

Ahin said that he had to do it because of his role. I understood that, but I felt terrible. It felt like we were enjoying a trip orchestrated by a friend who was tired after a busy day at work.

“I am fine. I am not here to play.”

He spoke those words to comfort me, but they would always make me sadder. Ahin smiled to show me that he was really feeling fine. Since I couldn’t wipe the sadness off my face, he spoke.

“If you are that worried, then come by and stop near the pagoda after our tour.”

“Uh, is it okay for us to come there?”

“Yes, you can.”

‘Really? But…’

“Wouldn’t it get in the way of your work?”

“If I’m with the Princess, then I don’t think so.”

Hmm, hmm.

It might not have meant anything, but I felt good.

I was worrying about nothing and tried to smile. However, the tower was a place that couldn’t be entered unless one was a priest of Sherto. Foreigners were especially prohibited from entering.

That was when Ahin added his words as if he knew what I was thinking.

“I will inform them in advance that my guests will come. If you are my guests, then even outsiders will be granted permission.”

“I will come!”

That would be fine.

Ahin was happy with my answer, which came right away.

Hm, did I answer too hastily?

I really meant it, though. I felt a little shy at the way I answered, so this time, I added softly.

“Really. I will definitely come.”

Ahin smiled, seeing my sincere answer.

I had the same feeling in my stomach every time Ahin smiled. I could know what it meant to feel the warmth of a person. At first glance, his cold eyes wouldn’t seem like the kind to smile, but maybe that was why his smile could entice others.

“I will wait.”

Even if I couldn’t go sightseeing, I was definitely going over to visit the pagoda, and with that, I got off the wagon.

“See you later!”

Once we greeted, the doors of the wagon closed, and it moved to the pagoda. I nodded, telling myself to go there at all costs.

Seeing my expression, Valer tilted his head.

“What is up?”

“Shut up. You’re ugly.”

“…”

Valer’s expression hardened.

He made a hurt face but smiled.

‘Weak humans. Get stronger and come back later!’

On the other hand, Assisi wasn’t interested as ever; he would occasionally glance at me and get caught.

Assisi was very quiet.

Usually, it was something one would do when a mistake was made, and I was worried about his silence.

I’d talk to him later.

I could fathom the thoughts running through Ferdel and Caitel’s mind, but it was tough to know what Assisi was thinking. I never knew what he was thinking. Something simple or complex, Assisi had the same expression.

I gave up on understanding Assisi. When the time came, I would know. Instead, Havel made me feel uncomfortable the most. He would look at me without saying anything, and it made me feel weird. I hadn’t committed any sin, but he was making me feel like a convict. Why?

Even since Ahin joined, the tension lowered noticeably, and I could go around more, but I was still worried. He wasn’t talking much. Even speaking with him made me feel uncomfortable, but this silence was making me feel discomfort.

Ugh, how was I supposed to solve that?

“What are you dawdling about? Come on in.”

“Huh? Uh, yes.”

I was feeling fortunate that I had Valer with me.

Well, there was, at least, someone there on my side.