PTB Chapter 8

If she got along not only with Arsen but also with the Remigis Order, her survival would practically be guaranteed.

‘Right. There’s no such thing as a fate that demands death.’

With a flush rising to her cheeks, she grew excited but quickly came to her senses and added,

“Oh! But that doesn’t mean you should cast away Sir Lance. Loyalty matters, you know.”

“Understood. Judging by how he left Your Highness alone tonight, I did consider replacing him right away—but I’ll let it slide just this once.”

“Hey now, I told you I came out alone on purpose.”

Suddenly, Arsen found the princess’s flushed cheeks rather frustrating.

“You seem to have grown quite close with Lance.”

“Maybe because we’re close in age? It’s comfortable, not burdensome. Yesterday, he told me stories about sailing all day in the study.”

“That must’ve been boring.”

“Not at all! Thanks to him, I learned a lot about ships. I was already excited just being near the sea, but hearing about voyages made it all the more fun.”

Rose’s gaze turned toward the pitch-black horizon. Arsen easily sensed the longing in her eyes.

“You like the sea?”

“Yes. I used to go out to sea often, but lately I haven’t had the chance. I should’ve taken more of a look during the day. Honestly, there were too many people, I couldn’t see it well.”

“I had a clear view of the port from where I was.”

“You have good eyes.”

Then Rose remembered locking eyes with Arsen.

“Wait, don’t tell me…”

If it wasn’t her imagination—if he really had turned around and their gazes met—

“We did make eye contact, didn’t we?”

“…Didn’t you say you couldn’t see?”

“No, I’m sure we did. Even with all those people around, you stood out.”

“…”

The man fell silent, clearly flustered.

“Wow, we made eye contact perfectly. That’s twice we’ve run into each other in the corridor too!”

“It’s just coincidence.”

“Repeated coincidences become inevitability—and fate. I guess you and I are destined to be.”
She flashed him a playful smile.

“…You’re doing it again.”

Arsen repeated her words under his breath and then ran a rough hand down his face. The sharp smell of alcohol muddled his thoughts.

“Would you like to go out to sea?”

The sudden suggestion made Rose’s eyes go wide.

“It’s too late today. But how about tomorrow?”

“No, it’s fine. You’re a busy knight commander.”

“One day off won’t hurt.”

Seeing the resolve in his eyes, Rose accepted.

‘Well, he’s only human. He probably needs a break too.’

He’d clearly been the busiest of them all these past few days.

“In Bastia, there’s a boating culture.”

“Oh, I know that! The smallest port, right?”

She had heard about the rowboat rides from a boy who loved to talk. It was said to be a romantic spot popular among lovers…

‘Wait, is this a date invitation?’

Rose grinned mischievously and gave his arm a playful tap.

“You wanted to be with me that badly?”

At the unexpected touch, Arsen pulled his arm back in surprise. He quickly added,

“It’s a token of appreciation for today. You were considerate toward the Order and hardly had time to rest.”

“Well, it wasn’t that big a deal, but if you say it’s a thank-you, I’m the type to accept those graciously. Then, I can look forward to it, right?”

“I’ll find a fine boat.”

His stiff tone made it sound more like reconnaissance than a date, but she didn’t dwell on it.

“Well then, I’ll go to bed now. That way, tomorrow will come faster!”

With that, Rose dashed off to her room. She moved so fast he didn’t even have time to follow. Arsen stared blankly at the now-empty space. His plan to walk her safely back had gone awry.

The princess, skipping away in short steps, was like a free-spirited girl who could go anywhere. The dignified royal from earlier was nowhere to be seen—only the mischievous, bold side remained.

He could never maintain composure around her. Just now, he’d completely changed tomorrow’s plans on impulse, contradicting what he’d told the count. Her bold remarks and unpredictable actions constantly caught him off guard. And yet, those occasionally sorrowful eyes kept tugging at something in him.

And at the end of it all, there was always that faint scent of apricots. On the terrace beneath the fluttering pale-pink petals, the girl who had smiled so shyly…

Arsen let out a quiet curse.

“I must be drunk.”

Surely, the wine had made him lose his senses. He resolved, firmly, not to drink again.

***

At that moment, in the guest chamber prepared for dignitaries, a woman’s sharp scream rang out.

“AAAAAARGH!”

Aracne hurled everything she could get her hands on.

“So annoying, so annoying! How dare that useless girl talk back to me! Since when did she get so good at talking?”

Not long ago, her younger sister could barely speak, with those dead blue eyes.

The fool, once too timid to utter a word, now dared to argue—and this time, had even managed to utterly humiliate her.

“She’s sharper than I expected.”

Aracne remembered Rose’s smug face mocking her so slyly. Had she always been like that and just hid it? Or had she changed suddenly?

“What is she relying on?”

The more she thought, the stranger it seemed that Rose had left the palace at all. She even knew palace matters Aracne herself didn’t. There shouldn’t have been anyone tipping off the Third Princess.

Tearing at her lips, Aracne’s eyes lit up with fury.

“She’s definitely trying to seduce Brother Tanasis.”

Clearly, she was trying to win credit and gain favor while he was away—looking to cement her standing beside the Second Prince, the clear heir apparent.

Aracne had even managed to exile their half-sister, the First Princess, with a false charge. There was no way she’d let the Third Princess steal her place now.

She pulled out paper from a drawer and began to write furiously. Savoring the name of the recipient—someone who could become her everything—she scribbled with satisfaction.

Soon, that letter would arrive at the borderlands of Callon.

***

Not even the wide-brimmed hat could fully shield her from the scorching sun. Rose tried to peel the clinging blio from her skin. The dress that Lance had hastily secured for her was terribly small. Wearing such a tight fit in this weather was torture. Without a maid, such inconveniences were inevitable.

Arsen was borrowing a rowboat from an elderly, hunched man. Standing with his back to the sea under the afternoon sun, his tall figure stood out more than anyone. A subtly patterned brocade trimmed the cuffs of his neatly tailored black tunic, accentuating his masculine frame without being excessive.

His casual attire stripped away the dignified air of a knight commander. Only the longsword attached to his belt marked him as a warrior. Each finger resting nonchalantly on the hilt was sculpted like a detail from a statue of David.

How can someone be that perfect?

He truly was her original pick, her absolute favorite character. As she admired his chiseled jawline, the man slowly approached.

“This way, Your Highness.”

Beyond the long rows of willows, small boats floated near the dock. Arsen boarded the cleanest one among them first. Creak. The boat groaned under his weight and rocked irregularly up and down.

“So this is the boat that passed Arsen’s rigorous inspection?”

“Yes. My apologies for the wait.”

“Safety comes first.”

As she took his hand and stepped onto the boat, a wave of dizziness hit her, and she collapsed right into him. Losing her balance, her waist ended up held firmly in Arsen’s grasp. Their bodies met in a solid embrace.

“…Are you alright?”

He quickly let go and checked her face with concern. Since it wasn’t intentional this time, Rose was a little flustered too.

Am I getting seasick from such a small boat?

The heat and discomfort from earlier had been building up. Trying to suppress the pulsing headache, she reassured him she was fine. He settled in between the two oars across from her.

“I won’t get seasick, right? I’m a bit worried since the boat’s so small.”

“The water’s calm, so it should be fine.”

Seeing her concern, Arsen gave a small smile.

“I am a remigis, after all. I’ll see to your comfort.”

“Heh. That’s right. You’re even a captain.”

His witty reply eased her tension. Just before they set off, Arsen gave an order to a knight on the shore.

“From now, restrict access to the port.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Escort us from a distance.”

“Yes.”

The red-haired knight saluted respectfully and stepped back.

“Then, let’s depart.”

Arsen began rowing. Like the sailors of old, Lafayette possessed great strength. After a few strokes, the boat smoothly moved forward. One might savor the sea in such a moment, but Rose couldn’t. Yesterday, the crowds had made it impossible to enjoy herself, and now the problem was being alone—just the two of them.

How could I care about the sea with this delicious sight right in front of me?

Every time his muscular arms moved with the oars, her heart skipped a beat. The veins bulging from his forearms made even the formal tunic look enticing. The line of his thick neck skimmed past the collar and led down to his collarbones. His firm, lean chest flexed with each movement. It felt like she was secretly admiring a masterpiece crafted by the gods.

There’s something about a sweaty man’s arm muscles…

“I like it too.”

“W-What?!”

Did she say that out loud? Rose jumped, startled by her own slip.

“The sea, I mean.”

“Oh… the sea.”

He looked at her oddly, and she let out an awkward cough.

“Ahem. Not surprising, is it? You’re a lord of an island.”

“Not all islanders like the sea.”

“Sir Lance said all the Remigis knights are completely obsessed with it.”

“They had no choice but to be. Most of a knight’s life is spent at sea.”

He smiled wryly.

“To me, the sea was a duty and a burden I had to bear.”

“A burden?”

“I lost both my parents early and inherited the marquisate. They went to sea and were caught in an unprecedented storm—the ship sank.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. It’s been more than ten years. Still, the family I inherited at such a young age must have felt overwhelming. It took a long time before I could truly say I liked the sea.”

As a boy who had just lost his parents, he had no time to fear the sea—he had to become the lord of an island. The heavy responsibility must have been crushing.

“When did you start liking the sea?”

“When I turned nineteen and had just been knighted. I started sailing then. Though I was inexperienced, the sailors accepted me without complaint.”

“So the Remigis knights supported you well.”

Arsen nodded.

“Drifting across the sea with them, I naturally became attached. The burden on my shoulders lightened little by little.”

“You seem very close. I’m kind of jealous.”

“Not just the knights. The islanders also helped me come to terms with the sea.”

He looked out toward the horizon with affection. His deep eyes seemed to be searching for the black island that lay somewhere in that direction. Rose felt a pang in her heart for him—he hadn’t returned home for over a year.

“Don’t you want to go back?”

“There are still things I must do.”

Lafayette always put his domain first. Even now, he was serving as a knight of the Callon Empire for the sake of his territory’s revival. After the war with Revan, Dunstan Island severed all ties with the world and had slowly declined. In the 200 years of isolation, even its past glory had faded into obscurity.

According to the original story, Arsen left the island hoping to revive the forgotten territory of Lafayette. He led the Remigis knights to the capital, serving as the royal guard of the imperial palace. Eventually, he aligned with Tanasis and became his unwavering sword. And then—

By the crown prince Tanasis’ order, he mercilessly beheaded Rose.