Please. Come back. The whisper gradually buried.

Seeing you like this, it’s hard to leave you alone.

I kept the promise not to leave you alone.

I listened to the words whispered alone in slumber.

So, I’m still by your side.

Charlotte reached out. Her white fingers weakly clutched the hem of my clothing.

Perhaps because she had no strength, she hung faintly onto the shirttail.

Benjamin Visennov pulled Charlotte into his arms.

Charlotte felt warm yet cool.

Her hands and feet were cold, but her neck and forehead were hot. He brushed away that lukewarm warmth with the back of his hand.

“I can’t behave like a beastly brat by your side like this.”

What to do with you?

He gently rubbed her fragile back. As he slowly stroked her back, her breathing became lighter.

He fell into a light sleep. His even breathing put him to sleep.

The early morning grew light.

And then.

Time continued to pass.

A few days later.

News came from outside.

The old man who had returned the remains of the empress had finished his life.

He departed peacefully, as if he had done his part and was now leaving.

(This is a time separator.)

The old cabin was narrow but cozy.

Built with wood, it smelled of dry firewood.

“The old man passed away a few days after the ceremony to return the empress’s remains.”

The steward sent by the royal court reported.

It was as if his last life was tied to the empress.

“Does he have no other family?”

“No. It seems he lived alone here.”

“The funeral procedures have all been carried out.”

“Yes. Your Highness. It was conducted without any shortcomings.”

The steward awkwardly brushed his hair as he spoke.

“The old man foresaw it on the day he returned to the cabin. He said he was going to die soon. If so, he wanted to die here, where he had lived for over seventy years.”

“Did the old man say that himself?”
Yes, the elders do have deep wisdom, don’t they? They say they have lived a life longer than life itself. They have kept their foot in this world to send back Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, and since they have finished their part, they now say they will close their eyes. Fortunately, they have managed to keep to their deathbed.

That day, even though the palace bestowed a mansion, it was the elder who refused it. He had already foreseen the day of his death.

“Then, so be it.”

It was almost evening. Benjamin covered himself with his fur cloak.

“I came out to the backcountry after a long time; it’s good to walk a bit more.”

“Shall we go and see the night market?”

“Ah… since we are out, that would be good.”

Charlotte, coming out of the mansion, cast her eyes on the forest trail.

The forest trail was all trimmed by the elder. The sight of him cutting the grass and gathering sticks with his hunched back was clear in her eyes.

‘A cabin in the mountains, they say?’

The dry firewood smell seemed to linger on the tip of her nose for some time.

The captain of the guard approached Benjamin.

“Your Majesty, what shall we do with the escort force following you to the night market?”

“Just have a few follow us.”

“Then, I’ll leave a few to escort.”

The night market took place in a vast square.

With the New Year’s festival approaching, the night market was bustling. Plywood was raised to set up shops, and such plywood stalls lined up.

Lanterns were raised to light the street, and at every crossroad, people were bustling.

How to escort in this crowd?

When Charlotte looked back with a curious heart, Benjamin answered like this.

‘If you are spotted by them, you should resign from the knight’s position and retire to the countryside, so stop looking back.’

The night market was filled with various smells from the street foods.

Her nose tingled with the spicy smell sprinkled generously on the meat.

From the merchants soliciting customers to children running with pinwheels in hand.

She was momentarily entranced.

Small children brushed past Charlotte.

When Charlotte turned her neck, the little heads were holding a skewer of chicken each, distancing themselves.

“Shall we try that?”

“It won’t suit your taste because of the spices.”

“But I’m curious. What’s so fun about them running around laughing like that?”

I never did that when I was little.

“Shall I get you a chicken skewer?”

The apronclad lady generously topped a spicy sauce on the skewered chicken and offered it.

The goldenbrown grilled chicken looked appetizing.

It had the typical street food feeling, but it wasn’t necessarily bad.

When she took a bite, the taste of cinnamon rose. When she narrowed one eye, Benjamin opened his mouth.

“Is it not good?”

He took a bite and paid.

“Give it here.”

“Is it okay?”

“I often ate these as street food for drinks.”

Benjamin took the chicken skewer.

He finished off the skewer, and after that, he also took care of octopus and squid grilling.

“Come this way.”

They briskly made their way through the people.

People, heavily dressed for winter, were peering into the gambling tables.

Among them, Charlotte, who was glancing around, stopped at one place.

“What are you doing, standing there and not coming?”

What stopped her was in front of the central tower.

It was an alleyway connected to the main street.

She stood like that for a while, but soon someone called them to a halt.

“Your Majesty, I must keep you for a moment.”

(This is a time marker.)

“Pe, People have been stabbed! People have been stabbed!”

Someone screamed like a wail.

“Chase him!”

He fled into the alley. The alley was getting darker.

“You are surrounded. Surrender now!”

He rolled his eyes. Gasping and swallowing hiccups, his breath was eerie.

“…You lowlife bastards. May you all perish.”

He pulled something out of his pocket.

It was a transparent bottle. Inside, a dark red liquid was swirling.

He threw it to the ground.

The glass bottle broke, and the liquid soaked the ground. Poison corroded the earth.

“Ugh! What is this foul smell?”

Soon, the ground began to tremble. The wave started from the bottom. The solid brick crumbled like dirt.

“Ev, Everyone, fall back!”

‘Krukruk?’

Bones sprouted from the ground.