◈ 321. [Side Story] Hwayangyeonhwa (3)
The backyard of the garden where the engagement ceremony takes place.
Fernandez and Lucas were having a private meeting in private, away from the eyes of others.
Fernandez grinned and congratulated him.
“You’ve done an excellent job with surveillance so far, Lucas.”
For the past five years, Lucas has faithfully reported to Fernandez the affairs of the villa here.
Lucas rationalized to himself that it was okay because it was a trivial and peaceful daily life, but in fact he knew it.
This is about Ash… … No, it could be a betrayal of all the people in this palace.
Fernandez’s gaze turned to the sword hanging from Lucas’ waist.
“It seems to be getting quite a bit of trust.”
“… !”
Lucas flinched and grabbed the sheath at his waist. The short iron sword Ash had given me a while ago was loaded.
It is an expression of complete trust that the palace permits the use of cutlery.
Realizing the weight of it belatedly, Lucas shut his mouth.
Ash believed in himself and even lowered his sword, but he himself… … Aren’t you colluding with Fernandez?
Fernandez looked at Lucas with a grin and turned his head.
“Don’t worry too much. Now these things are over.”
“yes?”
“It’s about the end of the surveillance mission. Lucas.”
Surprised Lucas looked wide-eyed, but Fernandez did not pay attention and watched the engagement ceremony in the courtyard.
In the midst of dancing, Ash, who was probably nervous and stiff, had an accident. Stepping on the serenade skirt, Ash fell.
The boy and girl screamed and rolled on the floor, then looked at each other and laughed.
While watching the cute and fresh scene with a smile, Fernandez gestured.
“This is a story that you don’t have to fool people around here anymore… … Just one thing I confirmed in the last report. Just make sure of one thing.”
Inside the glasses, Fernandez’s slender eyes gleamed like snakes.
“Next week, Second Empress Dustia and Ash will visit the Wintersilver Countess. Are you sure?”
“ah… yep. I’m sure.”
Dustia was a former war slave of the emperor and was weak due to the aftereffects of participating in several wars with the emperor.
So, I never went out of the palace.
But this time, she was about to visit Serenade’s house – the house of the Countess of Wintersilver, who would become her future in-laws.
Since it was their first outing in decades, the entire villa had already gone into preparations.
Thoroughly prevent information from leaking out to the outside in preparation for an emergency.
However, Lucas leaked this information to Fernandez.
After examining Dustia and Ash in turn, Fernandez spoke softly.
“At that time, a ‘small accident’ might happen.”
“… yes?”
Lucas’ eyes widened. Fernandez nodded slightly.
“So don’t move together at all. You might get hurt if you get swept away.”
“Oh no, wait a minute, Your Highness Fernandez… !”
“I have had a lot of trouble with my duties in the past. When this is done, the MacGregor family will receive their due reward. do you know If you follow my orders well in the future, will you grow into a powerful family protected by the imperial family?”
Smiling brightly, Fernandez waved his hand and headed out of the palace.
“Please take good care of me in the future, Lucas. Then have a nice day.”
The waiting men of Fernandez escaped escorting him.
Lucas stood there, devastated, watching Fernandez’s back as he walked away.
‘A small accident could happen… … ? what is that… … .’
A clear sense of uneasiness crept up his spine.
Lucas trembled and turned around.
Still in the bright sunlight, the people of the detached palace were in the midst of being happy while holding an engagement ceremony.
Like a child who accidentally spilled black paint in a clear pond, Lucas trembled.
However, the already dropped paint was spreading into the pond.
***
A few days later.
The day came when Dustia and Ash visited the Countess of Wintersilver.
It was also the day Lucas took a vacation for the first time in a long time.
I was given consideration to go back to the home of the MacGregor family, which I hadn’t been to often, and get some rest.
“My regards to the McGregor family. I will also deliver the gift I sent you. have a good rest got it?”
Dustia smiled kindly and patted Lucas’ head. Lucas couldn’t help but nodded his head.
“Then see you later! Lucas!”
Ash and Dustia waved and climbed into the carriage.
After staring blankly at the scene, Lucas, who gritted his teeth, hurriedly blocked the carriage.
“Wait a minute!”
“huh? What’s wrong?”
“I want to go too!”
Ash and Dustia opened their eyes wide.
“Are you also from the Countess of Wintersilver?”
Lucas laughed mischievously as usual and threw a joke.
“I can’t let you have a good time with just the two of us, Her Highness and the serenade lady. I will get in the way and get in the way.”
“Lucas… ! This ignorant guy… … !”
Ash was furious, but Dustia covered her mouth and laughed, then opened the carriage door and held out her hand.
“Okay Lucas! Let’s go together. Come here.”
Dustia reached out and lightly pinched Ash and Lucas’ cheeks.
“okay. We’re already a family, so it’s strange to go on vacation separately. Let’s have fun together, Lucas.”
already a family.
At Dustia’s words, Lucas felt a burning pain in his stomach, but he silently lowered his head.
“Your empress… .”
The carriage started.
Ash jokingly poked Lucas in the side with his elbow and said, ‘Is it okay that you’re interfering with my brother’s love business?’ Lucas joked, ‘Then, please introduce me to a good woman as well.’
Dustia peeled the fruit herself and gave it to the two boys.
In the usual lively and peaceful atmosphere, Lucas made a promise.
I don’t know what the ‘small accident’ Fernandez meant.
He said he would protect these two while he was here.
***
The smashed wagon rolled down the road.
The carriage was attacked as soon as it came out of the ecliptic.
Coachmen and guards fell under crossbow fire from unknown assailants, and horses whose throats were pierced let out cries of pain.
bang! Kwakwawang!
The road was even buried with explosives. The wheels exploded, and the wagon, which had spun half a turn in the air, crashed to the ground.
“Kuh kuh… ?”
Inside the wrecked wagon, Lucas tried to come to his senses. When the carriage overturned, he must have hit his head, and blood dripped from his forehead and wet his face.
Looking at the blood on his hands, Lucas shuddered.
Where do you see this as a ‘small accident’… … !
Inside the carriage, Ash was also staggering, holding on to his bloody forehead, and Dustia seemed to have passed out. Lucas gritted it.
‘Calm down, Lucas… … ! you are an escort! You have to protect it!’
Still staggering, Lucas drew his sword from his waistband and pulled himself out of the wrecked wagon.
Doo doo doo!
Unidentified assailants mounted on warhorses rushed forward, fluttering the hem of black robes. A bloody metal glow flashed from their hands.
Lucas gritted his teeth and swung his sword at him.
visor-!
“Heuk!”
Even though I was born as a child of a knight family and trained all my life, I was only 12 years old.
It was unreasonable to block the intense attack of an attacker mounted on a horse. Lucas bounced back.
Clap! Clap!
The attackers who had surrounded the wagon all at once took out their crossbows and loaded them. And then
push! Push-!
Without a moment’s hesitation, he fired a crossbow at the carriage.
There was no such thing as a chance to escape. Lucas looked blankly at the shooting arrows.
Right then.
slap!
Someone grabbed Lucas by the shoulders, yanked him back, and threw himself forward.
The 3rd prince of the imperial family who is one year older than Lucas but smaller in size.
It was Ash.
Lucas’ eyes widened.
hooked! Puffy… … !
A crossbow shot stuck in Ash’s body, blocking Lucas’ path.
The arrows of the crossbow easily tore through the fragile body of a child, pierced the chest and came out from behind.
Ash’s blood splattered on the body of Lucas, who was standing right behind him.
“… Your Highness the Prince?”
Lucas hurriedly caught Ash’s body as he stumbled and fell backwards. Arrows were piercing vital points in Ash’s small body.
Lucas looked down at Ash with trembling eyes and didn’t know what to do.
“Your Highness! I’m fine… … iced coffee… Come on, see a doctor… … majesty… !”
“hey… .”
Ash muttered with his blood-soaked face.
“I… Just call me brother… … How many times can I say… … .”
“Stop talking, Your Highness! I’ll get the doctor right away… … !”
“haha. to the very end… … Don’t listen and eat… … .”
In an instant, the vitality drained from Ash’s jet-black eyes.
“ah… Serenade sister… … Want to see… .”
Took.
Ash’s arm fell to the ground.
Lucas stared blankly down at Ash’s dead face.
The boy who had been happy at the engagement ceremony just a few days before and had been joking around a while before was no longer breathing.
Lucas couldn’t believe this reality, so he couldn’t even shed a tear.
“It’s all my fault, my… … .”
This is because he communicated with Fernandez and gave him information… … everyone will die
It was then.
A soft hand touched Lucas’s shoulder. Looking back in surprise, it was Dustia.
The second empress shook her head slightly with a detached smile.
“It’s okay, Lucas. are you okay.”
Then he reached out his hand and
snapped his fingers.
click.
The sound of magical powers that I had never heard before.
OK… Something unbelievable happened.
Gray magic power gushed out from her body and wrapped around the area, spiraling around like a clockwork.
And time started to flow backwards.
The shattered wagon turned half a turn in reverse in the air, and the broken parts stuck together and restored.
The dead horse, coachman, and guards staggered to their feet as their wounds healed and looked as they did before the attack.
And Ash too.
The arrows that had been stuck in his body came out backwards and spilled out, and the drops of blood that splashed on Lucas were sucked back into his body, and even his torn clothes were restored to their original state – they returned to the state just before being hit by the arrow.
“what?”
Breathing normally, Ash blinked in despair.
It was as if only the time around the carriage had been rewinded backwards.
“Cool! Cool!”
Then, violently vomiting blood, Dustia collapsed. The gray mana that filled the area could not return to her and scattered and disappeared like fog.
“Empress Mama!”
Lucas urgently checked Dustia’s condition.
The attackers did not understand the situation either.
The assailants, who were visibly embarrassed, hurriedly prepared for battle again, and the revived guards prepared their response in a huff.
right at that moment.
All right! All right! All right!
From the side of the imperial castle, a series of knights were seen galloping on horseback.
“Chit… !”
The assailants let out a clicking sound, exchanged hand signals with each other, and quickly got on their horses and left their seats.
Looking at the backs of the assailants moving away, Lucas blurted out.
“I bought and lived… ?”
All right! All right! All right!
It was then.
The man who led the knights to the scene of the raid gave a ferocious order.
“Everyone, chase after them.”
“I accept the command of the Supreme!”
“They are ruffians who dared to attack Jim’s wife and son. I’ll rip them apart alive and interrogate them. Got it? Be sure to catch him alive.”
“yes-!”
The knights rode their horses like a gale and chased after the assailants.
There was a hint of gold in the man’s voice.
Lucas shuddered and turned back. Everyone else around him was already shaking their heads on the floor.
Chuck-
The man who got off the white horse with easy movements came in front of Dustia, Ash and Lucas.
“I should have told you not to use the secret art of time regression.”
man.
The emperor who rules the empire and rules half of the world.
“Isn’t that magic not a blessing, but a punishment passed down on your family?”
Traha ‘Peacemaker’ Everblack whispered in an unexpectedly caring voice.
“My beloved Dustia.”
