Chapter 60

*Slam*

Radiel washed her face as she stepped out from the bathroom.

She splashed cold water on her face several times.

It should be quite chilly by now, but she couldn’t feel the cold.

Yesterday’s incident.

And because of that, memories of her powerless past resurfaced.

Nevertheless, she had to vividly recall it.

Even if her heart ached, she had to remember it vividly.

*Plop.* *Plop.*

While Radiel looked back at her painful past with a heavy heart, her tears mixed with the cold water in the basin.

Even now, thinking about that time makes her chest feel torn apart.

But now, she can’t afford to be late anymore.

“This time… I won’t be late. Young Master.”

Yeah, she absolutely can’t be late now.

-Mark, you have to deliver this yourself.

Last night.

The request Radiel received from Carsein was exactly that.

*Pitter-patter.*

Radiel washed away the tears covering her face again with cold water.

It was time to escape from that terrible past.

*Knock knock.*

“Radiel? What’s wrong?”

Currently, Radiel’s right arm has lost much of its function, so she can no longer wield the Zweihänder as she used to.

However, even though she could use her awkward arm for paperwork, Mark kept insisting otherwise.

So now, Mark was handling that task in her stead in the office.

“I came to tell you something, Mark.”

“…About Young Master yesterday?”

“Yeah.”

He seemed to have guessed it.

But there was one thing to be cautious about here.

-Make him aware of the fact but don’t let him take action. That kid has a temper, and if he knew the truth, he would act immediately, wouldn’t he?

Absolutely, Mark must not take action after hearing the truth of that day.

“It’s fine. I’ve decided not to think about it anymore. Isn’t it enough if I just take care of Young Master’s training?”

It would have been impossible before, but now it’s possible.

Radiel, who has fully faced her past again, will no longer be late.

“That day, it wasn’t Young Master who cut me, but Theo Lamstair. Mark.”

“…What?”

“Theo Lamstair received a commission from the Steward Emma to drive Young Master out into the slums. The person who ordered that was none other than Steward Emma.”

“A commission to drive him out… Steward Emma? No, wait… What does all of this mean…”

Mark, who was confused, was pierced with a sharp thorn.

“This is the letter Young Master sent me that day. I couldn’t say anything, and I couldn’t show you the content for fear that you might mess up the situation.”

A neatly folded piece of paper.

Although it had been read countless times compared to when Sheiden handed it over, the letter now passed from Radiel’s hand to Mark’s.

“This is…”

Mark’s eyes began to twitch.

The letter contained a heavy story that crushed the dream of a young boy who wanted to soar high.

He certainly could have flown. Without such interference.

With sufficient potential, he could have wandered through this empire with a sword.

But those wings…

were trampled by filthy and ugly schemes.

As Radiel read the letter, she started to reveal the truth of that day to Mark.

***

“Surely it’s time… Why hasn’t he come yet?”

This was the time he would definitely come.

No, he should have already arrived.

Every day, while sweating to grow stronger and gradually improving his skills by clashing swords with Mark, Young Master should have found some enjoyment in it.

Maybe he’s a bit late today.

Radiel waited, leaning on her Zweihänder like a cane.

But after waiting for another hour, Radiel took action.

‘Young Master is treated terribly at the Duke’s Mansion. If that’s the case…’

He might be spending lonely hours.

I need to rescue him from those lonely moments.

Radiel went to the Duke’s Mansion and asked each maid she encountered, but they all said they didn’t know.

Or rather, they seemed unwilling to answer.

There was no point in asking them further. She was about to leave when two people called out to her.

“You’re Radiel, aren’t you? You’ve been asking the maids about something.”

“Yes, but…”

An old steward and a skilled physician.

These two knew where Carsein was.

“Lord Carsein is said to have left for the training hall.”

“He usually goes through the front gate, but this time he turned towards the back.”

“What?!”

Towards the back? There’s nothing but forest there.

“…You seem clueless too. This is dangerous, isn’t it?”

“Oh no. Go ahead first. We’ll inform the mistress separately. Take this and go!”

“Thank you, Heron. Sheiden!”

Sheiden hurriedly lent her a horse, and Radiel quickly followed Carsein’s trail.

Horses couldn’t run in the forest from the edge.

But there were traces.

“Torches…! It’s Young Master!”

Following the traces left by Carsein using the method she taught, which appeared through the thick bushes where people rarely ventured.

However, chasing the traces on foot like Radiel did…

“Look for this dirty commoner!”

She saw Young Master just before being sliced by Theo Lamstear’s blade, whose eyes were wild.

In this brief moment, Radiel’s mind was like a murky muddy river spreading out.

Approaching from the side.

She could swing her Zweihänder, but it was too late.

The Zweihänder couldn’t make such quick strikes.

Even if she tried to subdue Theo Lamstear by throwing away her Zweihänder, it was too late.

Before she could extend her arm, Theo’s blade reached Young Master first.

Throw the Zweihänder?

No. Even if she threw the heavy Zweihänder with all her mana…

Nothing worked. She couldn’t reach him.

At this moment, her sword, which she never treated lightly, felt like heavy shackles holding her down.

‘…Right. Faster.’

The only way was to run faster.

There was only one thing she could do.

She ran at maximum speed, dropping her Zweihänder, and threw herself without reducing her speed.

There was no other way but to wrap around Young Master and block Theo’s blade with her body.

*Slash!*

…

…

“So… You took the hit for me?”

“Yeah.”

Mark held his head and staggered.

He was in shock, unable to speak.

But, it’s not over yet.

After the event Mark needs to hear, there’s more to the story.

“That letter—”

…

…

It was during the galloping exercise.

He woke up from near death, looking at the ceiling.

“What do you mean? Young Master can no longer come to the training hall?”

Young Master couldn’t enter the training hall, but it was Theo Lamstear who was banned. Or rather, he should have been punished for various serious crimes including treason.

However,

“The verdict showed that Young Master attempted to stab the commander and four others with a mana-infused sword.”

“There was also Young Master’s mana on the sword, but the bloodstains were undeniable evidence.”

“Only the bloodstains of the people he stabbed were found at the scene. Analysis showed that it perfectly matched the blood of two people.”

“Furthermore—”

The knights slowly revealed the details of the trial.

They meticulously explained what kind of trial took place during Radiel’s recovery period.

So, she understood.

Even if Carsein testified that he didn’t stab anyone and pointed to Theo Lamstear as the culprit, it would be difficult to overturn the verdict.

They skillfully manipulated the evidence.

They destroyed their own evidence and highlighted everything that made Carsein look guilty.

They incited the knights to manipulate public opinion.

The situation where multiple people were criticizing Carsein was not something that could be overturned by a few words.

Everyone firmly believed in this verdict.

Carsein Bargrand was a traitor who stabbed his master and comrades in the training hall.

“…Alright. Everyone, please leave.”

She needed time to think.

She had to calmly plan how to reverse this situation.

She had to find an answer even if she had to squeeze her brain.

So, she dismissed everyone.

But even after saying that, someone opened the door again.

“I told everyone to leave!”

“…Sorry. As the Duke’s Mansion’s physician, I can’t refuse to see a patient or disobey my master’s orders.”

“Sheiden…?”

“And raising your voice like that is even worse for the patient.”

Radiel responded irritably despite Sheiden’s calm tone.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood for treatment right now.”

“Of course.”

“If you know, then just—”

“Hush. Take this.”

“What?”

“This letter was entrusted to me by Young Master.”

“…!”

When their eyes met, Sheiden nodded.

Radiel immediately opened the letter.

[Hello, Radiel. I’m sorry we’re meeting like this.]

[I bet you got hurt a lot for me…]

[I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.]

Below that, the contents were truly tragic.

***

Inside the Duke’s Mansion, Carsein was considered a liar who no one believed.

Even if he raised his voice at a maid, he would be accused of violence and get into trouble.

Nobody believed him.

Nobody wanted to listen to his testimony.

Everything was a lie.

Carsein’s statements were all blatant lies, and the court ended with sophistry.

Even if someone tried to help, Carsein would end up being the deceived one.

Like now, even if there were doubts, once a prejudice was planted, it wouldn’t disappear.

The detailed account of his previous protests was written, but it was handled the same way back then.

One witness’s statement alone couldn’t overturn the established prejudice.

And…

Reading the last paragraph made her heart feel torn apart.

[More, but Emma might notice. I’ll write as fast as I can.]

[Even if you try to help me… I think it won’t do any good.]

[If I correct the facts and say it wasn’t my fault, I’ll end up deceiving my master.]

[So, don’t help. Emma might cause trouble for you.]

[Once, a maid was driven away for helping me… Radiel, you’re a knight. You shouldn’t be driven away.]

[It would be better if I became a reckless murderer.]

[If I hear you’ve been driven away, it’ll be harder for me. Radiel.]

[I’m sorry. It’s all my fault, so if you can’t do that, just forget about me while cursing me.]

[Now… I can’t hold a sword anymore. Thank you for taking care of me, Radiel.]

[I’m sorry. Really, I am.]

“…”

“That’s why I couldn’t help Young Master directly, and I couldn’t tell you this either.”

Radiel concluded after revealing the truth of that day.

Mark, who was stunned, had turned pale by the time Radiel’s voice quieted down.

‘If those were perjury, and if Radiel and Young Master’s words are true…’

All of this was based on Radiel’s perspective of the past, but things she couldn’t understand until now were finally resolved.

But even though it was resolved, it didn’t feel satisfying.

It felt suffocating and heavy.

Her breath was blocked, and anger welled up.

It wasn’t just about preconceptions.

They were powerless and unaware.

Just being unaware was a great sin.

Stolen rights.

False accusations.

Artificial manipulation.

And.

-By then, don’t you recognize that Theo, who keeps lying like you, is a liar?

-Isn’t it strange that such a request was made in the Duke’s Mansion? And then, Theo accepted it? Don’t frame innocent people!

Rights taken away.

A young lady’s statement during the trial ruined the last chance for the young boy who wanted to fly.

*Ping!*

▶Resolved Mark Redeltain’s doubts!◀

▶Affinity between the two has been synchronized!◀

[Mark Redeltain, Radiel Grupein]

[Affinity: 65%]

***

It had been four days since Carsein stayed in the training hall.

After their mother, Arina visited.

But strangely, she didn’t seem very happy.

Claire asked why.

“…He got angrier when I brought him the items he needed.”

That’s not what she expected.

Arina, who supported Carsein’s activities in the training hall, only made him angrier.

Claire questioned this further.

“Carsein is officially a trainee. During the probationary period, he’s being tested to see if he qualifies as a squire.”

“What? Then…!”

“It makes him a much easier target. Especially since the trial at that time gave him a bad reputation, and some people are trying to retaliate under the guise of an initiation ceremony.”

Arina’s immediate response made her understand.

Due to the suspicion that Carsein stabbed the commander, the way people viewed him was already negative. Adding to that, he was not a noble but a trainee undergoing probationary training.

As a result, Carsein was suspected of committing irregularities during his probation period due to the items Arina brought him.

“Sigh. I knew Carsein’s reputation was bad, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. I got so angry that I said things I shouldn’t have…”

She almost fell into a retaliatory scheme.

Carsein himself told Arina that it would have been better if she hadn’t helped.

Arina sighed and admitted.

“I understand what you mean.”

But Claire interpreted it differently.

‘So, in short, they’re provoking Carsein?’

How dare they pick unnecessary fights with her younger brother?

‘I’d crush just one of them. Just watch.’

This grated on Claire’s nerves.