CH 12

(Past) A Knight’s Curse

It has been a while since Alberto assumed the position of Knight Commander.

He was currently thinking about Reynaldo.

More than a decade has passed since they both vowed to help Rosemary.

Alberto had no idea what Reynaldo was thinking and doing.

He had no sympathy for the Kingdom of Diresias, who had falsely executed his older sister, Rosemary, to whom he had sworn allegiance.

On the contrary, he even hated it.

However, Reynaldo’s instructions to Alberto were always cryptic.

“Continue to be a member of the Knights’ Corps. There will come a time when you will be asked to lend your strength.”

These were the words Reynaldo said when Rosemary was executed and Alberto was thinking about leaving the group.

A few years later, he cooperated with Reynaldo along with the unit that Alberto was in charge of in order to recapture the northern territories. As a result, he made great achievements and thus was appointed as a Knight Commander.

“Be of help to Prince Risel. Earn his trust.”

Prince Risel, who was in contact with him as Alberto was his escort knight, was on the verge of becoming a puppet.

Reynaldo told him to keep an eye on him.

He instructed the prince, who was still a child and learning to absorb knowledge, to have his own will.

He taught him the ideas that a ruler of a country should have.

The ideology that Rosemary had spoken of.

Teaching her ideas to the child of those who betrayed her.

For Alberto, that act alone could be called revenge.

At the same time, it seemed to be representing Rosemary’s true passion.

If it were her, she would approve of Alberto’s actions.

As a result, Alberto gained Prince Risel’s trust.

Seeing Prince Risel’s honesty and genuine adoration for him, Alberto concluded that the child was blameless.

He himself had a fondness for Prince Risel.

Even if he hated his parents to the point of wanting to kill them, it was true that Prince Risel was innocent.

But perhaps Reynaldo doesn’t think so.

On the surface, he appears to be supporting the prince, but his true feelings are different.

Alberto believes that Reynaldo was planning to use even the prince, whom he had been told to protect, as a pawn in his plot for revenge.

Reynaldo’s revenge is also Alberto’s revenge.

But if he was asked to kill Prince Risel, whom he had grown to love, would he be able to turn his sword on him?

Alberto’s heart is set on Rosemary.

If she had been here and ordered him to “kill Prince Risel,” he would have done it even if he might hesitate.

‘But she would never give such an order.’

Alberto could not imagine her, who had been betrayed and killed, ordering him to turn his blade against an innocent child.

Rosemary was determined to be a queen from an early age.

A girl who never considered her own self-interests, thought of her subjects, and sometimes longed for a knight.

If she were alive today, what would she think?

Alberto’s heart aches, and at the same time, he is in terrible pain.

But still.

Even if she didn’t want revenge.

Alberto couldn’t stop himself from taking revenge.

The dark flame of revenge that was born when he saw Rosemary hanging on the gallows continued to smolder inside Alberto.

A flame of anger that will never be extinguished.

‘I will never forgive the King and Queen.’

Alberto will never forgive the two people who hurt Rosemary and left her for dead.

Even though knights exist to protect their country, Alberto’s allegiance still lies with Rosemary.

He has repeatedly turned down letters of matchmaking recommended by the King and his vassals.

A man who seeks revenge does not need a family.

The King and his entourage must be concerned about Alberto’s devotion to Rosemary.

Although he tries to act as if he has no feelings for Rosemary, it’s a well-known fact that they have known each other since childhood.

“I want you to continue to belong to the Knights and gain the King’s trust.”

It was Reynaldo who told him that he wanted to gain the prince’s trust, but Alberto knew nothing of the reason for this.

He entrusted the ingenuity to Reynaldo, who was called a genius despite his young age.

The only thing Alberto could do was offer his sword to Rosemary.

He believes that protecting the people she wants to protect is synonymous with pledging allegiance to Rosemary.

Not for the country, but for the people.

Remembering her, Alberto feels he has no choice but to wield his sword.

Reynaldo, however, is different.

Alberto doesn’t understand Reynaldo’s thoughts.

He seems to be living his life for his revenge.

In fact, that may be the case.

If so, what will happen to Reynaldo when he completes his revenge?

Maybe he will take his own life.

‘What about you, Alberto?’

What are you going to do when you get your revenge?

Alberto doesn’t know either.

For more than ten years now, he has lived thinking only about taking revenge.

He couldn’t even remember what he used to find joy in.

It was as if he was living under a curse.