ITFFS 10

Chapter 10

There was no mistaking Theopista’s distinctive low voice. Carnike tilted her head and continued walking along the narrow path between the buildings.

As she approached the dim courtyard before dawn had even broken, the thunderous sound of hooves grew louder, almost as if it were covering her ears.

Is he riding a horse at this hour?

The moment Carnike passed through the gap between the buildings and stepped into the courtyard, a huge black shape came rushing toward her like an arrow from not far away.

“Ah!”

Startled, Carnike instinctively turned her body and stepped backward.

Just as the heel of her foot caught on a stone and she staggered, she felt the horse’s hot breath against her and heard it snort.

“What are you doing!”

Before Carnike could even regain her balance, an angry voice suddenly came charging toward her.

Oh no. I’m in trouble.

Seeing Theopista’s blazing eyes in the bluish dawn, Carnike hurriedly lowered her head.

“I-I’m sorry! I never intended to get in Your Imperial Highness’s way…”

“What are you talking about! How could you step in front of a running horse!”

Theopista shouted at her as though scolding a child and roughly grabbed Carnike by the shoulder. His grip was so strong that even Carnike, who was not particularly frail, could not help letting out a gasp.

“Are you hurt?”

“Pardon? No, that’s not…”

At that moment, the sound of hooves rang out again, and another man appeared on horseback.

“Your Imperial Highness, what happened?”

The man wore light leather armor with a sword at his waist. Carnike realized that he was the captain of the knights who served the Crown Prince and became even more flustered.

It had been an accident, but she had obstructed the path of the Crown Prince’s horse. Surely she wasn’t about to be executed on the spot for nearly making the Crown Prince fall from his horse?

While Theopista loosened his grip as he turned toward the knight captain, Carnike quickly hunched her shoulders and slipped away from him.

Then she dropped to her knees and prostrated herself on the ground.

“I apologize, Your Imperial Highness. I have committed an offense.”

Ugh, it’s cold.

Although it was the warm season, the stiff grass wet with the morning dew poked through her robe. Her knees began to itch, and a chill ran through her.

But if she wanted to avoid losing her head, she had to endure at least this much…

“Ah!”

A tremendous force suddenly hoisted her up.

Carnike let out a startled, low cry.

Before she could even face Theopista in front of her, she whipped her head around and hurriedly exclaimed,

“I am truly sorry, Your Imperial Highness! I did not do it on purpose, so before you cut off my head, please think about it just one more time—!”

“What? Insolent.”

“Yes, I was insolent. But…”

“You seem to think I am some barbarian who goes around chopping off people’s heads before breakfast.”

“Yes, as a pre-breakfast exercise… Pardon?”

Carnike, who had been babbling in confusion, finally came to her senses and looked up at Theopista.

He had already released his hold on her. Just as she had seen him yesterday, he stood with his arms firmly crossed and his eyes narrowed.

Over his shoulder, the red glow of the rising sun shimmered.

“Cullen, what do you think of this horse?”

Cullen, who had suddenly become the target of the question, looked bewildered and shifted his gaze back and forth.

Carnike quickly went over what she had just said in her head and bit down hard on her bluish lips.

‘The duke said I was good with words, but apparently I also have a talent for choosing exactly the words that will get me killed…’

Theopista’s upper body tilted slightly toward Carnike.

Like Cullen, he was wearing leather armor. Perhaps because of that, his shoulders looked broader and sturdier than they had yesterday, to the point that she could feel the pressure of his presence.

“Now, say it again. What did I say I do as my pre-breakfast exercise?”

“…You ride horses.”

“That isn’t what you said just now, was it? If I heard correctly, you said I chop off people’s heads. Like a harvester.”

“A harvester, Your Imperial Highness? How could someone of your noble status say such a thing…”

Well, it was not entirely wrong. Farmers in the countryside sometimes joked that they enjoyed “cutting off the heads of the rice stalks” when harvesting wheat or grain, but…

Carnike quietly stepped backward and looked toward the knight captain as if silently asking for help.

But unbelievably, he was blatantly avoiding her gaze.

‘The Imperial Palace really is a harsh place to live.’

Just then, the deep shadow covering Carnike’s face suddenly disappeared.

Theopista let out a quiet laugh and leaned backward.

“In celebration of hearing such an outrageously insolent remark, I shall spare your neck.”

Carnike had no idea what exactly he was celebrating, but hearing that he would let her live filled her with genuine relief.

“Cullen, take Hyssop to the stables. Don’t give him too much water.”

“What? But, Your Imperial Highness, I am supposed to escort you…”

“Do you think I am incapable of protecting myself in this Imperial Palace?”

He was smiling, but there was a sharp edge to his voice.

Cullen, feeling a chill, quickly took hold of the reins and stepped back.

“No, Your Imperial Highness. Then I shall take my leave.”

Theopista nodded.

Cullen gave Carnike a slight bow before turning around. The two enormous horses obediently followed him, walking as gently as deer.

“Where are you coming from?”

Carnike had been staring curiously at the horses disappearing into the distance when she made a small sound of realization.

“I’m coming from the temple. I went there to offer my morning prayers.”

“Did you rush through your prayers because you are a fraud?”

Since she really had rushed through them, Carnike suddenly felt as though he had poked her right in the stomach.

However, Theopista did not notice her discomfort at all and continued.

“Just how carelessly did you pray? You should not have been able to leave the temple this early.”

“I did not pray that carelessly.”

“You certainly aren’t saying you did it properly.”

“Even if I can pray carelessly, I cannot lie.”

Naturally. If she did not want to lose her head, she had to keep her mouth truthful.

Carnike closed her eyes and even made a gesture honoring the God Elkiel, prompting Theopista to let out an even louder scoff.

Carnike spoke.

“The Archbishop wasn’t in a situation where he could have a meeting with me, so I simply left early.”

At that, Theopista’s brows suddenly drew together like storm clouds.

“You have meetings with the Archbishop? The Saintesses?”

“Did Your Imperial Highness not know? I was told that was the proper morning routine.”

“Every morning?”

Carnike nodded.

“That is what I was told. I heard that all the Saintesses before me did so. But I have never met the Archbishop alone even once.”

As long as I explain honestly, it should be fine, Carnike thought.

It was not as though the Archbishop’s refusal to meet with her was her fault.

Yet for some reason, Theopista’s frown showed no sign of easing.

As the silence continued, the distant sky brightening over his shoulder now looked as though it had been split open by thick red cracks.

The sun forcing its way through those cracks and driving away the darkness was dazzling enough to make her dizzy, but Theopista seemed not to notice it at all.

It was as though all the remaining darkness had gathered beneath his shadow. His face had grown so dark and murderous that it looked razor-sharp.

Carnike kept her mouth shut as she waited for him to speak.

After clearing her throat awkwardly, she cautiously began,

“Your Imperial Highness, did I say something disrespectful again?”

“No.”

Theopista answered shortly, then closed his eyes and sighed.

“No. It has nothing to do with you. Anyway, you have never met the Archbishop alone.”

“That is correct.”

“Why have you not met with the Archbishop? Did you avoid him?”

“Of course not. I am not in a position to do such a thing. As I said, it is simply that the Archbishop is not in a situation where he can meet with me…”

Theopista lowered his chin slightly and stared directly at Carnike.

“Do not lie to me.”