A Night of Celebration, A Night of Silence

Clatter, clatter—the sound of wheels striking the ground echoed as a horse-drawn carriage rolled along a cobbled road.

Several mounted soldiers tugged at their reins, adjusting their pace to escort the carriage.

From inside came the boisterous laughter of a noble girl, enthusiastically chatting with a young man who was already breaking into a cold sweat.

“Hahaha, can you believe it? All it took was me visiting that old man’s mansion, and they went ahead and sent supplies and soldiers to our city! Are there seriously no other pretty girls in the Tenneth Kingdom?”

“Haha, perhaps Selphira ojou-sama is simply too beautiful!”

Oh, come on! Please stop dragging me into these kinds of sensitive discussions!

Though Selphira ojou-sama seemed overjoyed to share stories with Ayato, inwardly, he groaned.

This had been happening for months now, ever since Ayato officially became her personal guard.

Their time together wasn’t frequent, but whenever they were alone like this, Selphira ojou-sama would always share what she found “interesting.”

Ayato wouldn’t have minded if it were just cheerful stories. The problem was—most of the things she shared were highly confidential!

Even though he was well aware of the risks, he could only return a weak smile whenever his mistress happily recounted her tales.

Well… thinking back, it’s my own fault for saying that back then.

His mind drifted to the day Selphira first began to spill the secrets of her small city to him.

“Our kingdom has such strange rules, don’t you think? If they don’t want their territories associating with other kingdoms, then they should at least take care of the cities properly instead of neglecting them. A ruler forced to make hard choices can’t be blamed entirely, don’t you agree, V?”

Ayato was taken aback when Selphira suddenly began discussing the politics of the Lanteracia Kingdom.

Because Lunareth lay so far from the Lanteracia capital, Velmorra, supplies and military aid were difficult to send. To make matters worse, communication in this era was primitive, making instant, accurate updates nearly impossible.

So when Lunareth suffered from poor harvests or monster outbreaks, Velmorra was unable to send immediate assistance.

Even nearby cities couldn’t provide support without the approval of Lanteracia’s king, Veyric el Khael Lanteracia, who had decreed that all intercity supply movements must be reported to the capital first.

Naturally, this put Lunareth at a severe disadvantage as the farthest outpost city. As a result, Selphira’s father, Baron Elgodo Lunareth, secretly struck deals with the Tenneth Kingdom, which willingly sent aid in the form of supplies and soldiers.

Still… messy problems like that are best avoided. Knowing too much could put my life in danger.

“If I may speak honestly, I don’t really understand such matters, so I can’t give an opinion on that policy.”

“Hee~, so you mean you won’t support my view, then?”

Selphira cast a sly glance at Ayato, who was starting to panic.

“Th-that’s not it, Selphira ojou-sama! It’s just… I don’t think it’s proper for me to comment on something I don’t really understand!”

Hearing Ayato’s excuse brought a mischievous smile to Selphira’s lips.

“Hmmm, so what you’re saying is… if I explain everything until you understand, then you’ll comment?”

“Eh? N-no, that’s not what I meant—”

“Okay! Then I’ll tell you eeeeverything in detail until you understand! So listen carefully, alright? Fufufu~”

Noooooooo!

Remembering that incident again, Ayato could only smile wryly as Selphira continued her endless chatter inside the carriage. In his mind, one question often lingered: was Selphira truly just overly innocent, or simply a naive noble girl? After all, she so easily shared all these secrets with a personal guard she had only hired six months ago.

“And then, I heard lately there’ve been more and more monsters disrupting the transport of goods from the Tenneth Kingdom to our territory. They’ve even set up a sort of temporary camp near the entrance of the Fenlareth Forest, on their side.”

“Fenlareth Forest?”

“Oh, speaking of Fenlareth—”

Knock, knock. A tapping sound came from the carriage wall. Selphira instinctively placed her hand on a gray magic stone by her side.

Shhhht— the wall of the carriage shimmered and turned transparent, revealing Kaelyn Duskbane riding alongside on her horse.

“Selphira ojou-sama, we’ll be arriving at the border of the Fenlareth Forest shortly.”

After delivering her message, Kaelyn’s eyes flicked toward Ayato.

“You! Just because you can’t ride a horse properly, Selphira ojou-sama allowed you to sit inside her carriage! But if you dare try anything—watch yourself!”

“U-understood… Head Guard!”

“Haha, it’s fine, Elyn, no need to get so angry!”

“B-but, ojou-sama!”

“Hm? Wait… did he just call you ‘Head Guard’?”

“…Yes,” Kaelyn replied, her tone uncertain.

“Is there something wrong, Selphira ojou-sama?” Ayato asked.

“You’ve been working together for months, and you still don’t call each other by name?”

“T-that… w-well, you see, ojou-sama—!”

Kaelyn stammered, clearly flustered as she tried to explain the formality between herself and Ayato. On the other hand, Ayato had no idea what to say either.

To someone like Selphira, who never cared much for status, it was strange for her two closest companions to remain so stiffly formal after all these months. Of course, that was only the logic of her innocent noble heart.

Even after Kaelyn’s roundabout explanation, Selphira still looked puzzled, her eyes glancing curiously at Ayato.

“Are you still not able to get along with Elyn? Do you want me to help you two get closer?”

Pfft—

Both Ayato and Kaelyn stiffened at Selphira’s innocent remark, wishing for the two of them to become fast friends.

“O-ojou-sama! That’s not necessary!”

“But…”

Seeing just how badly Selphira wanted him to get along with Kaelyn, Ayato decided to take the first step.

“R-rest assured, Duskbane-dono and I are already very close!”

“Duskbane-dono?”

“I-I mean, Ka-Kaelyn-dono…”

“Un, un, that’s good then! Personal guards should always be on good terms, right?”

Selphira nodded in satisfaction, seeing her two personal guards appear more “friendly.”

“Very well, ojou-sama. I’ll take my leave.”

Kaelyn’s image gradually faded from the carriage’s transparent wall as she spurred her horse forward.

The green of the forest began to dominate the view outside—the tall trees in all their variety, birds flitting from branch to branch, and glimpses of other woodland creatures near the forest’s edge.

Seeing that scenery, Ayato felt a wave of nostalgia, and a faint smile curved across his lips.

“It makes me nostalgic… it was around here that we first met, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it feels like such a long time ago.”

Selphira glanced at Ayato, watching his expression soften with shimmering eyes as he recalled those memories of the forest. Once satisfied, she too turned to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Fenlareth Forest’s border.

…

Upon returning to the mansion, the escorting guards were dismissed to rest, while the Lunareth family’s standing soldiers resumed their posts.

Preparations for the grand celebration began at once—the feast was to mark the success of Selphira’s visit to the Tenneth Kingdom. After a full day of rest, the festivities began the following evening.

That night, the Lunareth mansion became a sea of lights and laughter. Soldiers, usually stiff in formation, now raised their mugs freely, faces flushed red with drink after drink.

Servants bustled everywhere, trays of food and bottles of wine in hand, sweat dripping down their brows, yet smiling brightly to ensure the party went without a hitch.

The nobles of Lunareth filled the grand hall with glittering gowns and lavish suits. Music rang out for the ballroom dance, where Baron Elgodo Lunareth and his wife swayed together gracefully at the center stage. Their daughter, Selphira Lunareth, could be seen happily chatting with her peers, sharing little thoughts they seldom had time for in daily life.

The euphoria spread beyond the mansion, into the main district of the city. The townsfolk, rejoicing over the good news from Selphira ojou-sama’s visit, held a spontaneous festival—lanterns hung from streets, folk music filled the air, and impromptu dances continued late into the night. For that day, Lunareth seemed like a city that never slept.

But behind all the joy, the slums could only watch in envy. Even though orders had been given for every citizen to celebrate, in truth, most from the main district had no intention of sharing their happiness with those in poverty.

Some in the slums took advantage of the festival, stealing what they could to fill their empty bellies. Others met grim fates at the hands of drunken soldiers—their swords drawn recklessly, faces red and clouded by wine.

In one quiet alley, at the border between the main district and the slums, heavy footsteps echoed alongside the clinking of armor.

The figure was cloaked, hood pulled low to conceal their face. Their eyes briefly glanced at the festival’s bright revelry—before lowering again. Then, with steady steps, the figure slipped deeper into the slums, their presence swallowed by the darkness.

...

Unlike everyone else enjoying the festivities that day, two people tirelessly patrolled to ensure their mistress’s safety throughout the celebration.

Ayato and Kaelyn focused all their strength on protecting Selphira, refusing to let their guard down even once.

Several of their comrades had invited them to join in the merriment, but they turned down every offer, determined to remain vigilant.

Only after Selphira had retired to her chamber for the night did they finally breathe a sigh of relief, gathering in one of the mansion’s corridors with a few light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

“Good work. I didn’t think you’d keep your focus all the way to the end.”

“Yeah. Luckily, nothing unexpected happened today.”

“Heh, here, take this.”

Kaelyn offered Ayato a cup before sitting beside him.

“But come to think of it, your stamina really is something else. Out of all the soldiers, I’d say you’re the only one who can stay consistent at such exhausting work.”

“Ahaha, not really. I’m nothing compared to the others.”

Kaelyn cast a brief sidelong glance at Ayato, who—as usual—was humble to a fault.

“Enough of that.”

“Hmm? Enough of what?”

“That… um… the formality.”

“Formality?”

“Like Selphira ojou-sama said before—we’re her personal guards. We should at least be able to act familiar with one another. So stop talking so formally, alright?”

“Eh? But if I don’t, usually it’s you who—”

“I said enough already, so drop it!”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

“Ah, geez, seriously…”

Kaelyn sighed, ruffling her own hair before downing her drink in one go.

In a voice so low it was almost a whisper, she muttered, “To think he’s actually lasted this long…”

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“N-no! Forget it! What I meant was—I didn’t expect you to last this long as Selphira ojou-sama’s personal guard.”

Ayato was a little surprised. She was usually so stern and rigid, always hard to approach. But after Selphira’s comment the other day, Kaelyn’s demeanor seemed to soften. Whether it was forced or simply needing a push to be more honest, Ayato saw this as a chance to grow closer to her.

“Yeah, I also thought at first that I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my duty as a personal guard properly. But… thanks to your guidance, Kaelyn-dono, I’ve been able to manage.”

“Elyn…”

“Hmm?”

“Call me Elyn. Only… only when it’s just the two of us. Don’t you dare call me that in front of Selphira ojou-sama! When she’s around, call me Kaelyn.”

“Eh? Ah, right… Elyn.”

Both their cheeks turned faintly red, unaccustomed to the awkwardness. Elyn tried to break the silence by bringing up a new topic.

“By the way, I just remembered—since becoming a personal guard, you’ve barely used your ice powers.”

Ayato’s face tightened slightly at the mention.

“Well, it’s not really important. Even without that power, you’ve fulfilled your duty as ojou-sama’s guard admirably. In fact, you’ve even played key roles in stopping threats to her safety.”

Seeing Ayato’s expression remain clouded, Elyn grew concerned and tried to change the subject—

“As you can see, I don’t want to rely too much on the ice power I showed when we first met.”

Ayato rose from his seat, stepping toward the window where the moon and stars gleamed.

“That power is more like my trump card—I’ll only use it as a last resort.”

Elyn stood as well, gazing up at the night sky beside him.

“A wise choice. A guard should always have one or two trump cards reserved for emergencies. But make sure you train with it too, so you can use it when it’s truly needed.”

If only I could…

“But hearing it from your own mouth puts me at ease. Maybe from now on, I’ll rely on you even more, V.”

“I feel the same way. Sometimes I think… with how limited my abilities are right now, the day will come when I’m faced with choices. And the choice I see most clearly right now is between two things.”

“Two things?”

“Yes. Because I’m Selphira ojou-sama’s personal guard, I’ve realized how innocent she really is. And one day, I might only be able to protect one thing about her.”

“What would that be?”

“Her heart—or her body.”

“…!”

“Indulging her every wish won’t always guarantee her safety. Guaranteeing her safety may mean going against her wishes. Protecting one will mean neglecting the other. And if that time comes… which should I choose as her guard?”

“That’s…”

“But now, I feel more at ease. Because seeing this side of you, Elyn… I’m certain that if I can’t protect one part of Selphira ojou-sama, you’ll protect the other.”

The night wind blew gently, rustling their hair as they stood frozen, gazing at one another.

A strange warmth bloomed in Elyn’s chest.

Startled, she pressed a hand against it, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Her face flushed, stiff with unfamiliar tension.

She slapped both cheeks lightly before replying to Ayato’s words.

“What nonsense are you spouting? As Selphira ojou-sama’s personal guards, we must be able to protect both her heart and body! But… I will make sure to protect whatever you cannot, V.”

“Ah, I’ll be counting on you, Elyn!”

…

Several days passed since the grand celebration ended.

The forest night was as quiet and cold as ever.

But not so in this place. Here, the warmth of a campfire burned bright—though no living being gathered near it.

Crackle, crackle—the fire popped, but the corpses around it lay still.

Human remains littered the ground. Severed limbs, decapitated heads with vacant, shocked expressions, and hundreds of blood-soaked bodies turning into nourishment for wild plants and beasts alike.

Not far away, faint footsteps rang out, each accompanied by the clink of armor.

Through the dim light of the fire, a figure emerged—clad in a tattered cloak stained with blood.

When the hood was drawn back, the moonlight revealed silver hair, neatly tied. The figure tilted their head, gazing briefly at the cloudless sky—though the shadows of trees blocked the view.

And then, with a single breath, the figure vanished like lightning.

Only faint sparks of bluish-yellow electricity shimmered in the air, quivering before being swallowed by the darkness.