IDIBC Chapter 89

Pallium (4)

Walter turned away with a cold expression. After that, the players he led easily won the match.

Since it was a single-elimination bout, it didn’t take long for all twenty-four families to compete.

By the time the sun, which had been beating down mercilessly to the point where even the canopy overhead was useless, had finally lost some of its intensity, the Pallium finals took place.

As if following a predetermined course, only the three ducal families remained, and the Paquin family advanced to the finals with a bye. However, Paquin declared forfeit on the spot.

Raising both hands and saying it would be foolish to fight whichever family won, he exuded his characteristic ease.

As a result, Chaplin and Rochester ended up playing the final match.

People couldn’t easily predict the outcome. Walter had been so outstanding that they couldn’t understand why he hadn’t competed in matches until now.

Led by two white horses, the Chaplin family knights appeared in the arena first. Then the Rochester family knights on black horses also revealed themselves.

The knights armed entirely in black reminded me of the Rochester Knights who had come to Resotia to fetch me that day.

Flags bearing each family’s crest fluttered on both sides of the formation. I wondered if a sporting event meant to promote friendship among nobles really needed to be this solemn.

“Huh…? But why are there four people?”

Before Sabrina could finish speaking, I hurriedly looked up at the platform. The Emperor was talking to the Grand Priest with a deeply furrowed brow, and neither the Saintess nor Ricardo were visible.

At that moment, tremendous cheers filled the arena.

“Rica…rdo?”

Seeing him approaching from afar on a black horse, I momentarily forgot how to breathe. The horse’s gait was elegant and imposing enough to capture everyone’s attention at once. The arena buzzed with just his appearance.

People who had only heard stories of how Ricardo had won in war were already extremely excited at the prospect of seeing his prowess before their own eyes.

He had awakened immediately upon returning to the Empire, and awakened Rochesters didn’t compete in matches.

It was an unwritten rule that arose because no fool would compete against someone with unbeatable martial power, and it was considered problematic for the morale of the knights who did compete.

After he appeared on horseback, the Saintess also returned to the platform. Her face bore a strange mixture of anticipation and tension.

All competitors had to first go before the Emperor’s platform and pay their respects. As he slowly approached, the Saintess rose from her seat as if it were the natural order of things.

But instead, my heart sank heavily with some kind of premonition.

Pitiful and noble Ricardo.

That beautiful man was looking directly at me, and only me, without a single deviation.

When had so much meaning entered the eyes of the man who said there was no meaning because he had no memories?

When had so much sorrow filled the eyes of the man who had caused his father’s death, then embraced the Saintess and feared the future of becoming Emperor?

The words that there was no meaning because he had no memories, his inability to precisely define his feelings toward me, and even the reason we had to part ways—none of it seemed to matter anymore.

While the Saintess straightened up and her eyes shone, he stopped before me. Even before he approached, I had run to the railing and asked without even catching my ragged breath.

“I thought you weren’t going to compete?”

“I’m not in a situation where I can be considerate of anyone right now.”

Even his casually thrown words made my heart surge. I felt anxious that this man who stood taller than anyone might crumble at any moment.

“From now on, I plan not to be picky about means or methods. As you know, my opponent to fight isn’t here.”

Watching his mischievous face as he glanced slightly toward the sky, I simply nodded. I loved his tenderness endlessly, but I feared it would become poison directed at him.

The fact that the object I had to be mindful of was some unknown thing in that high place was absurd all over again.

“Don’t worry. Right now, I’m just going to pull up some stakes.”

The heart I tried to hide was always unnecessary before him.

“Did you bring my handkerchief?”

“Ah, no. You said you weren’t competing today…”

I should have brought it. I regretted it. Every moment might be the last. This might be my last chance to tie a handkerchief around his wrist. Seeing me make a sullen expression, he smiled slightly.

“It’s okay. I’ll just receive something else instead.”

He pulled my arm to wrap around his back. As scorching warmth rushed in, lips hotter than sunlight touched mine. As our breaths mingled desperately, everything surrounding us became hazy. Even the voices of people shouting his name sharply in excitement.

Something welled up and spilled from my chest.

“You said nothing good comes from provoking the temple.”

The words I spoke while exhaling hot breath were close to a complaint.

“Right. I broke my own rule.”

He whispered with his lips against my cheek. My face flushed red at his behavior, as if whispering secrets in a place where only the two of us existed.

“Because I really feel like I’m going crazy. I wanted to sweep everything here away right now.”

“……”

“It’s okay. I have power now, so what happened that time will absolutely never happen again. Absolutely.”

That time…? Was he talking about how my family almost faced death after he left?

“So it’s okay.”

I couldn’t tell if the voice that resonated tinglingly in my ear was meant for me or for himself. Even amid all this surrounding noise, only he remained tranquil. As if the shouts around him had nothing to do with him.

Ricardo, who had been looking at me intensely, tilted his head again and caught my lips. The presence of people holding their breath receded once more.

“You’re going out without even wearing armor?”

“You should know by now that such things aren’t necessary.”

Unable to let go of his hand until the very end, lingering with attachment, I whispered as I had in childhood.

“Still, be careful. Rica.”

At the suddenly used nickname, he drew in a deep breath.

“Alright.”

He responded as if exhaling, then slowly moved away from me.

Was this what Ricardo looked like when he stood at the front on the battlefield? Although they said there hadn’t been war for a while, until just recently he had annihilated countless enemies in the midst of the battlefield.

His life, easily imagined as fierce without any warmth, his improper way of living, all of it weighed heavily on my heart.

I kept my gaze fixed only on Ricardo to avoid being swept up by my surroundings. I couldn’t bear to look at the platform where the Emperor and Saintess were, nor did I have the capacity to observe what kind of faces people were making as they looked at me.

The sun beginning to tilt westward cast shadows on the faces of the men standing in the middle of the arena. As he took his stance in the center, moaning sounds escaped from the lips of ladies who hadn’t been able to make loud noises while maintaining decorum.

A serious atmosphere that could no longer be considered a light festival rippled over the dusty ground.

“It was real.”

At that moment, Sabrina’s gentle voice breaking through that murderous atmosphere reached me. I snapped to attention as if ice were breaking and looked at her.

“Wh-what?”

“Ha…”

Even though the match had started, her face looked like she was walking in a dream. An ominous feeling came over me.

“Crazy. Really.”

I felt like blocking even her sighs from what would come out of her mouth next.

“He’s really hot, our Young Duke.”

“What on earth are you talking about, Sabrina.”

I sent a murderous look at Sabrina while forcing a smile. Even small words meant only for us to hear made me extremely conscious of our surroundings. I couldn’t believe I had the courage to do such a thing just moments ago.

“My goodness, to think there’s a man who kisses like that. I thought they only existed in legends. Hot, soft, delicate, but also rough.”

“Would you stop it already.”

I bit my lip hard as my face turned bright red. Though I made small threats, they didn’t seem threatening to Sabrina. Seeing her lark-like mouth showing no signs of resting.

“You didn’t see the expressions of the women here. Well, you wouldn’t have had the leisure to look at such things, would you?”

“……”

“As of today, the mouths of those who gossiped that you and Ricardo had a fake engagement will be completely shut.”

“Sabrina, shall we focus on the match now?”

“A kiss like that would be worth betting one’s life on.”

Sabrina looked at me with a somehow proud expression.

“This big sister supports your love. Keep doing your best going forward. Until you leave, okay? Try your hardest to win him over.”

“Who says you’re a big sister?”

Just as I was about to grab the out-of-control Sabrina’s wrist and drag her outside, I heard people’s cheering.

Looking at the arena, Walter was riding his horse and charging madly toward the stake. Strength unconsciously entered our clasped hands. Even though I knew Ricardo couldn’t lose, my heart tightened with a “what if” feeling.

As Walter approached the target, a Rochester family knight shot an arrow at him. It was when he lightly moved his body to dodge the arrow and raised his arm high.

Ricardo, who had been observing the situation from afar, appeared and jumped off his horse in an instant.

The place he landed was right in front of the stake.