The head of the Denver Order was not someone who contacted others late at night unless it was something urgent.
I, holding the signal flare, briefly looked at the setting sun.
It seemed there were about one or two hours left until it got fully dark and the moon rose bright.
‘We should be able to reach the knights’ headquarters before the sun completely sets.’
As long as I wasn’t outside during the time when moonlight became strongest, it should be fine.
While fiddling with the signal flare and thinking for a moment, I quickly gathered my things and left the spot.
Office of Denver Deislan, Commander of the Erne Knights.
His face, lit by the sunset, was cast in deep shadow.
He closed his eyes and pressed his temple hard.
The Erne Knights—and at its center, him—had always been surrounded by the highest honor.
But recent events were threatening his position.
As he continued pressing his temple, a knock came, and he lifted his head.
“Commander, you have a visitor.”
A visitor?
“It is Sir Mars Artiela of the Visel Knights, from the recent friendly match.”
Mars—he remembered him. As he was a relative of Lize, the deputy commander of Erne, it made sense that he had caught Denver’s attention.
However, he was someone with rather ambiguous… swordsmanship skills.
“Let him in.”
The door opened, and Mars walked in with a solemn expression.
He bowed stiffly, like a wooden doll, and spoke.
“I am Mars Artiela! I greet you again, Commander Denver Eden Deislan.”
Since he didn’t mention his order, it didn’t seem like he was here representing the Visel Knights.
“What is it?”
“I’ve come to speak about something regarding the recent friendly match.”
Denver nodded slightly. After glancing around for a moment, Mars seemed to understand that gesture meant “go on,” and began speaking.
“Do you know that Sir Lize Artiela committed foul play during that match?”
Denver’s eyebrows twitched once.
Seeing that reaction, Mars continued more firmly.
“I participated in the team match with Lize. And I faced her one-on-one.”
“And?”
“And at the moment I subdued her, someone helped her. Someone who was not part of the match—an entirely different person.”
“The arena was surrounded on all sides by iron bars. There was no opening for anyone to enter.”
“But I saw it clearly!”
Mars turned his back, showing it proudly.
“This is the trace left by that person’s attack. There is not a single lie in what I’m saying.”
“Then tell me. Who was it?”
“I couldn’t see their face, but I believe Lize used some dishonest method to bring someone into the arena.”
Denver folded his arms and looked at Mars for a moment.
“Was it someone from Erne?”
“She must have hired them, or it was someone from Erne.”
“I asked whether you saw with your own eyes that it was someone from Erne.”
“…Logically, someone from Visel wouldn’t help her, so—”
“Answer only what you are asked.”
Denver’s voice turned sharp.
Mars swallowed hard. His throat felt dry from the tension.
“I didn’t see that… but…”
“Then it’s possible the person you saw was from Visel.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“There is no one in Visel with that height and build!”
That was an argument hard to refute. Looking at Mars standing confidently, Denver spoke.
“You are biased. Against the Erne knights.”
“……”
“You think it is unfair that you were not granted talent.”
Denver’s words pierced through him.
Mars wanted to deny it, but couldn’t find the words. Denver’s gaze felt terrifying.
Denver gestured slightly.
As Mars hesitantly approached, Denver grabbed his shoulder with a large hand.
In that moment, Mars felt a chill as if electricity had run through his entire body.
Then, from beyond the office door, footsteps were heard.
“It’s me, Commander.”
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Mars, not knowing who had entered, was simply grateful that someone might save him from this terrifying situation.
“Mars?”
But the moment he saw who came in, that gratitude shattered instantly.
“Mars, what are you doing here…?”
“D-Deislan Commander. I’d like to speak with him alone. Please send Lize out first…!”
“Sir Mars Artiela.”
“Yes…!”
“We will continue this discussion later. For now, return.”
“But Commander Deislan…!”
After opening and closing his mouth a few times, Mars finally shut up when he saw Denver’s expression had become twice as severe as before.
“Yes, sir.”
Mars glanced at Lize. She was looking at him in confusion.
Hmph. Look all you want.
Avoiding her gaze as much as possible, he bowed quickly to Denver and left the office.
The moment I saw Mars inside Commander Denver’s office—
‘I’m seeing things.’
That was what I thought.
I couldn’t think of any reason why Mars would be here.
But when he turned around with a somewhat relieved expression, only to frown the moment he saw me, I realized—he was real. Not an illusion.
“We will continue this discussion later. For now, return.”
“D-Director!”
Mars rushed toward the Commander as if he still had something to say.
But under the Commander’s intimidating gaze, he slowly dragged his feet out.
He did leave, but I couldn’t shake off the uneasiness. Why was he here?
‘Was that why the Commander called me?’
To tell me to properly manage him so he wouldn’t come back again?
I suppressed the urge to rub my aching head and bowed slightly to the Commander.
“I’m sorry, Commander. It seems someone from my family has been disrespectful.”
“No. Lize, now that you’re here, listen to what I have to say…”
“You don’t need to say more. I’ll make sure he doesn’t come back. Then I’ll take my leave.”
I immediately turned to leave, intending to go after Mars. If words wouldn’t work, I would handle it another way.
But the Commander called me back.
“No, Lize, Lize!”
“Yes?”
“The reason I called you is not that.”
Not because of Mars?
Then what is it?
Confused, I froze. The Commander gestured for me to come closer.
“I will speak frankly.”
He exhaled deeply, worry shadowing his face.
Then, lowering his voice, he continued.
“Kassium has disappeared.”
“…!”
My body froze.
Even though I had already suspected it, hearing confirmation from the Commander made my emotions churn.
He really disappeared?
Where?
“We are searching for him. The elders’ meeting is scheduled for the date I expected. We should find Kassium before then. But if not…”
“……”
“You will have to take command of the two divisions.”
“That will not happen.”
“There is no one else qualified to lead a division in the current situation. You must do it.”
“I’m not refusing. I’m saying we will find Kassium.”
“Lize, but…”
The Commander stopped speaking as he met my eyes.
“I will find him.”
My voice didn’t sound fully confident.
Only desperate.
‘So it was true.’
I walked through the knights’ headquarters, thinking of alternatives.
The shock hadn’t faded, but I couldn’t just stand still.
‘Where the hell is that bastard Kassium? Don’t tell me…’
He couldn’t be dead—that thought crossed my mind, but I couldn’t imagine Kassium dying.
‘That can’t happen. Without him, I’ll be forced to take over the Black Panther unit, and right after refusing an arranged marriage, my position would become complicated. And also…’
‘Make some time in the evening.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I need… a hangover cure.’
‘What are you talking about? Who cures a hangover in the evening? Especially with you?’
‘Just come out, Lize.’
Maybe that day—when Kassium called me out like that and then stood me up—was the day he disappeared?
What was he trying to say that day?
“……”
Ah, I spaced out for a moment.
‘This isn’t the time. I need to think about how to find him.’
I headed straight to Kassium’s office.
I planned to look for any clues about his whereabouts.
‘I need the mission records from that day.’
I pulled several books from the shelf. After quickly scanning them, I found a hidden key between the pages.
‘It’s here after all.’
Even back in the academy, he used to hide keys like this.
I opened the storage cabinet and checked his mission records.
‘It’s true he went to find the Heart of Ragon. And after that, his whereabouts went unclear.’
So that day was correct.
The day Kassium had asked me to meet in the evening for a hangover cure.
‘Then I should go to that forest first.’
The forest where Kassium disappeared.
It had likely already been searched by Commander Denver and the Black Panther knights, but I still wanted to see it myself.
‘Wait, what time is it now…’
At that moment, a strange sensation pierced my chest, like something stabbing straight through my heart, and my breath caught.
I collapsed for a moment, then looked up. The curtains in the office were fluttering.
It was night.
The full moon had already risen.
“……”
Right. It was the full moon tonight.
I had been so focused on finding Kassium that I’d even forgotten that.
My gaze drifted out the window.
The moon surrounded by night seemed to be staring back at me.
Overwhelmed by its light, I felt something thorny sprouting inside my heart.
‘I need to close it.’
I quickly drew the curtains and curled up.
Then I immediately pulled medicine from my pocket and swallowed it.
As long as I blocked the light, I should be fine.
But…
The pain didn’t go away.
Looking up, moonlight was still seeping through.
“Kassium, Kassium…”
I muttered his name.
Why…
Why don’t I have proper blackout curtains…
