Topaz 5

“Your Highness, time to wake up.”

The disrespectful tone and familiar voice roused Karjen. He opened his eyes, meeting Merdina’s gaze as he looked down at him from beside the bed. Behind him, Haran leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Merdina spoke calmly, “Sleeping in, are we?”

“Ah, the bed was quite comfortable.”

At his casual reply, Haran scowled.

“Comfortable sleeping next to someone who could snap your neck with his bare hands?”

“Indeed. I even had pleasant dreams.”

“Haa…”

Karjen sat up, habitually clenching and unclenching his fists. The feeling of constriction in his chest, as if someone were choking him, had been present for a while, but in the last few days, it had become particularly pronounced.

“Where is he?”

‘He.’ At the word from Karjen’s lips, the gazes of his two subordinates sharpened. Haran uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to the bedside. This was the first time the three of them had been together since Karjen had woken up. 

Haran, unable to contain his frustration, asked, “That’s what we wanted to ask you. Your Highness, what in the world happened? Is it really him?”

“Haran, watch your tongue.”

Though his tone remained gentle, it held a distinct chill. Karjen touched the wall, drawing a simple pattern of overlapping rectangles. A brief flash of light enveloped the walls and ceiling before vanishing – a hastily cast soundproofing spell.

“My apologies, Karjen.”

Haran immediately adjusted his speech. Ever since their days at the academy, the second prince had a habit of slipping out into the streets disguised as a commoner. As a result, Haran and Merdina were well-practiced in using informal language with their lord in private. Karjen smiled, pleased.

“He doesn’t seem to be in the cabin. Has he gone out?”

“He left early this morning.”

“Left us alone in his house? He’s awfully trusting, it’s worrisome.”

“There’s nothing worth stealing here.”

“I’d like to steal the whole house, if I could.”

“…..”

At the undisguised delight in Karjen’s voice, Haran looked speechless.

“In any case, well done, Haran, Merdina. I’m glad you both made it here alive. I was prepared for the possibility of you sharing a grave.”

Karjen flexed his empty fingers, a familiar gesture.

Karjenif del Kashaf, the empire’s second prince, had been poisoned ten days ago, exactly one month before the crown prince’s investiture ceremony.

The poison had been in the tea, which three servants had tasted beforehand. As soon as Karjen collapsed, all the doors of the second prince’s palace were locked down, preventing any word or worker from leaving. However, before they could investigate, the kitchen servant suspected of the crime committed suicide, and Karjen remained unconscious for three days.

Under the guise of recuperation, the Emperor had moved Karjen out of the palace. The destination was Baidel, the city where the Emperor’s summer palace was located.

In addition to Haran and Merdina, his closest aides, twelve knights and two mages escorted the procession. They were the newly formed Crown Prince’s guard, assembled in anticipation of the investiture ceremony.

“Are they all dead?”

“…Yes.”

Merdina replied somberly. They didn’t know how many among them had been traitors from the start. The carnage of that day was still vivid in his mind.

That day, Merdina had been in the same carriage as Karjen. Officially, it was to monitor his condition, but in reality, it was to protect him.

They could trust no one. Not their fellow knights, the servants, or even the Emperor, Karjen’s own father. Merdina could feel Haran’s presence as he rode close by the carriage. He, too, would be maintaining a vigilant watch.

Karjen, poisoned, had been unconscious for three days. He occasionally regained consciousness, but only for a few minutes at a time. Merdina was looking out the carriage window when, “Merdina.”

A faint whisper reached the knight’s sharp ears. Merdina turned swiftly. Karjen’s eyes were open.

Knowing better than to greet him aloud, Merdina remained silent. Karjen nodded in approval and whispered, his lips barely moving, “We’ll be attacked before we reach the summer palace.”

“…..”

“There are at least four spies, including the black-haired mage. We can’t trust anyone. We have to escape.”

Traitors within the Crown Prince’s guard. It was something they’d anticipated, but the words still sent a chill down his spine. Merdina bit his lip. He could handle four knights on his own, but a battle mage made things considerably more difficult.

Furthermore, Merdina had to protect Karjen while fighting. However he had obtained this information, he must have overexerted himself using magic. Drenched in cold sweat, he seemed barely able to maintain consciousness, let alone fight.

Karjen removed the rings he always wore on his fingers – two thin gold bands on his left ring finger and one on his index finger. He never took them off.

“This is a teleportation artifact. It can transport up to four people to Geneva, Listabat, and finally Kiolen, the northernmost village in the empire.”

“….!”

“The problem is, the initial coordinates are set to the capital. Even accounting for the margin of error, activating it from this distance is impossible.”

Teleportation artifacts could only be used with the coordinates set during their creation. The margin of error was about the size of a small village. Changing the coordinates required creating a new artifact, and those were notoriously difficult to make.

“I’ll cast the teleportation spell once, taking you and Haran with me. Once we arrive at the designated coordinates, you’ll use this artifact in my place.”

“That’s too dangerous.”

Spatial manipulation magic was among the highest forms of magic. Even for Karjen in perfect health, teleporting two others would take a considerable toll.

“Rather…”

Merdina wanted to tell him to escape alone while he and Haran held them off. But Karjen, anticipating his words, fixed him with a stern look.

“We have to, Merdina. This is our only chance.”

“…Your Highness.”

Karjen smiled faintly.

“If I’m still alive by then, go to Grenrosha Forest, north of Kiolen Village. And if I’m not… well, bury me there, if you would.”

Before Merdina could reply, a deafening roar erupted from outside. The clash of steel, the sound of something shattering, and the whinnying of horses filled the air. The carriage tilted sharply as a wheel broke, and the door was flung open from the outside.

Without hesitation, Merdina drew his sword, shielding Karjen. He saw Haran, a short distance away, swiftly decapitate the black-haired mage before he could complete his spell. The traitor’s head rolled to the ground.

How had Karjen known about the attack? Why had he been carrying a teleportation artifact, and why was it set to Kiolen, a remote village? Everything was shrouded in mystery, but Merdina simply followed his orders.

And it was only after arriving in this forest and seeing the red-haired man that some of the mystery began to unravel.

“You knew he was alive. You knew he was here.”

He was supposed to be dead. Everyone believed it.

“Yes. Though I didn’t expect to meet him under these circumstances.”

Karjen readily admitted it, now that there was no point in hiding it any longer. Haran spoke, “You didn’t trust us.”

“I trusted you with my life.”

“Is his safety more important to you than your own?”

Karjen smiled.

“I’m disappointed you’re only realizing this now, Haran. Haven’t I been telling you all along? I wouldn’t be here without him.”

“Karjen, you…”

“Enough.”

At Merdina’s intervention, Haran fell silent. He rarely lost his composure, even in the midst of battle, but anything related to Karjen tended to make him volatile. He crossed his arms again and leaned his head against the wall, as if trying to cool down.

“Fine, we’ll discuss this later. You’ll understand eventually.”

Karjen smiled, stroking his chin.

“How are you feeling?”

“Not good. I’ve never felt good, but this is a new kind of unpleasant. It’s like I’m bound by ropes… Are you both alright?”

“No serious injuries. The artifacts helped us shake off our pursuers.”

“The most dangerous thing we encountered after escaping was your benefactor.”

A clear laugh echoed through the room at Haran’s words, Karjen’s mood lightening instantly. He’d always been like this when talking about his ‘benefactor.’

Karjen looked around the room, then, not finding what he wanted, gestured with his hand. A sphere of water appeared, its smooth surface reflecting his face like a mirror.

“You said you weren’t feeling well.”

“Don’t worry. Magic is as easy as moving my right hand. If I couldn’t manage this much, I wouldn’t be able to walk. It’s just more tedious and slower than before. Is this how other mages use magic?”

“Professor Denev at the Royal Academy would cry if he heard you say that.”

Karjen, unconcerned with the feelings of his former professor, was busy examining his reflection. He twirled a strand of his black hair around his finger and sighed softly.

“Such a drab hair color, like Haran’s. It makes my complexion look so dull.”

Haran, whose hair color had just been insulted, frowned. It was a ridiculous statement, considering half the empire had black or brown hair. And Haran’s hair was most definitely brown. 

Instead of arguing the nuances of hair color, Haran pointed out, “You’re the one who made and packed that hair dye artifact. I assumed it was for situations like this.”

“Indeed. But I should have made it red. It’s the most beautiful color in the world.”

Before he’d even finished saying “red,” the hair in his hand shifted to a vibrant crimson. Karjen studied his reflection. The blood-red hair against his pale skin was strikingly beautiful, almost dangerously so. But after turning his head this way and that, he sighed dramatically.

“This paltry imitation can’t even begin to compare to his radiance. I suppose I’ll have to endure this ‘drab color’ for now.”

As he finished speaking, his hair reverted to its original black. Haran suppressed the urge to smack him upside the head, a treasonous thought considering Karjen was a prince.

“This is troublesome… He pretends not to care, but he loves beautiful things.”

Karjen, who’d been rambling, suddenly looked up, his ears perked like a house cat awaiting its owner’s return. He made a few hand gestures, dispelling the soundproofing spell.

“I should go out. He’s returning with his spoils.”

A wide smile spread across his face, a smile of genuine delight.