At the small commotion outside the door, Ludger let out a quiet, amused chuckle.
‘Sa as ever. That shalessly foolish behavior of hers hasn’t changed at all.’
“Leader... I’m sorry.”
Arfa looked down, guilt clouding his face as he glanced at Ludger, who had just closed the door.
Ludger shook his head.
“It’s fine.”
“But I opened the door to the one person we should be most cautious about...”
“No one could have expected her to approach so brazenly. There’s no one to bla for that.”
Though Ludger dismissed it lightly, Arfa still couldn’t suppress the guilty look on his face.
“But still... what if she figured out who you are during that conversation?”
“She didn’t. Judging from her reaction, she didn’t suspect a thing.”
Arfa focused his sharp hearing on the sounds beyond the door. Just as Ludger had said, Queen Yekaterina was simply gushing about how handso he was, not showing even a hint that she recognized him.
“By the way... is she really like that by nature?”
When Yekaterina first entered the hotel lobby, she hadn’t given off that impression at all. Her expression had been cold, showing no hint of emotion.
The first impression she gave off had been like the icy glaciers of the north—aloof, cold, and perfectly befitting the leader of Yuta Kingdom, the one they called the Queen of Frost.
But judging from the conversation filtering through the door, her personality seed the exact opposite of that.
“She used to be worse.”
“Worse?”
“She didn’t even bother pretending to be dignified back then.”
“So... what kind of person is Queen Yekaterina, really?”
Arfa tilted his head curiously, and Ludger rubbed his chin thoughtfully with his fingers.
Yekaterina Volsbaya.
The first impression Ludger had of her was simple.
If she had been born in the Kingdom of Durmang instead of Yuta, she would’ve been guillotined without a second thought.
Her laugh alone had scread “spoiled noblewoman.” She seed the type to obsess over pretty jewels and spend lavishly.
Of [N O V E L I G H T] course, after talking with her a few tis, he realized she was nothing like that deep down.
Still, even after accounting for that, Ludger’s opinion of her wasn’t exactly glowing.
“She was foolish and naïve. Not at all suited to be a leader.”
“Huh? Then how did soone like that manage to win a civil war?”
“She had great people around her. That’s the kind of person she is—she has this strange ability to attract talented people. Maybe that’s why Prince Alexei chased her down so desperately, even when he already had the upper hand. He probably feared exactly that.”
“By great people, you an... including you, Leader?”
“Hardly. I did very little.”
Arfa tilted his head at that. How could a rcenary who was known as one of the key figures in winning the civil war say he did very little?
But he rembered what Hans had told him countless tis: The Leader has a habit of downplaying his own accomplishnts. No matter what he says, don’t argue about it.
Arfa might’ve lacked common sense, but he was quick to follow advice, so he kept quiet.
“Still... that’s unexpected.”
“What is?”
“I just didn’t think soone like you would choose a person like her.”
Soone like her.
For anyone else, saying such a thing about a queen might have sounded harsh, but Arfa’s innocent perspective made it co out naturally.
And Ludger himself had to admit Arfa wasn’t wrong.
“So... choosing Queen Yekaterina ans the prince must have been even worse, right?”
“On the surface, Prince Alexei seed like the better choice. He was the complete opposite of Yekaterina.”
Unlike Yekaterina, who always smiled strangely and acted like a childish fool, Prince Alexei was calm, intelligent, and eloquent.
He was socially respected, maintained a good public image, and consistently impressed people through public appearances.
“Oh. Then wouldn’t it have been better to choose the prince?”
“You could think that.”
“But you chose differently. Why?”
“Arfa, public opinion is never that simple. People wear masks.”
“Masks?”
“Alexei looked kind on the outside, but inside he was a cold-blooded psychopath who couldn’t empathize with others.”
The image he showed the public was completely fabricated.
The real Alexei was cruel—he never hesitated to kill innocent citizens if necessary, and he treated his own loyal followers as disposable tools.
When the civil war broke out, it was his reckless conscription and brutal purges of those who refused that caused the greatest suffering to civilians.
“On the other hand, Yekaterina—back then still just a princess—might have seed like a typical arrogant noble, but she had a warm heart that cared for others more than anyone.”
Arfa recalled Yekaterina’s conversation with her attendants just monts ago.
Her way of speaking to them wasn’t at all like a queen commanding subordinates.
It felt closer to how one would talk to family or friends.
Unfit behavior for a queen, perhaps. But sohow, it made her feel like a character out of a fairy tale.
“That’s why, in that frozen land, I chose to support her. She was like a fla.”
“A fla? But how can a person be a fla?”
“......It’s a taphor.”
In that harsh, frozen land, Yekaterina had been like a blazing torch.
People were drawn to that light, almost srized.
In the middle of blinding snowstorms, her bright crimson fire had shone vividly.
It was only natural that great people gathered around her.
“But at the start of the civil war, Prince Alexei had the advantage, right?”
“Yes. Public opinion was on his side before the war began. But that was because he’d already been manipulating things behind the scenes. From the start, he was preparing for war.”
When the civil war began, everyone believed Alexei would win.
rchants, powerful nobles, military generals—all of them placed their bets on him, thinking that was the only way to maintain good relations with Yuta Kingdom.
And indeed, things were heading toward that outco...
“But in the end, victory was hers. The prince’s cold ambition to dominate the north lted away under her fiery will.”
One of the most famous stories from the civil war was of Yekaterina fighting at the front lines under Yuta’s banner.
A black-and-white photograph, taken by a war correspondent by chance, ended up plastered across newspapers.
That photo changed how people saw her, inspiring terrified citizens to finally support her.
And so, Yuta Kingdom’s civil war—known as [The War of Frost and Fla]—ended in Yekaterina’s victory.
“So justice won in the end.”
“Yes. The right side won.”
Ludger said it as if it were soone else’s business.
But in truth, he couldn’t help rembering those days.
They hadn’t been pleasant mories—battlefields never were—but eting soone who would change the fate of an entire nation was sothing unforgettable.
─ You’re that rcenary, aren’t you?
He rembered her walking up to him as he sat by the fire, holding his rifle.
─ I’m Yekaterina Volsbaya. People call the princess of tyranny and indulgence.
She hadn’t even tried to hide her identity, even as a fugitive.
She had looked at him with clear, unwavering eyes.
─ I need your strength.
Ludger had been taken aback by her boldness.
She was a fugitive with barely any forces at her side, yet she had the audacity to ask for his help.
Besides, he wasn’t even a real rcenary. He was only disguised as one to search for relic fragnts in Yuta.
He had no obligation to fight for her.
If he had been a real rcenary, selling her out to Alexei would’ve been far more profitable.
Ignoring her would’ve been the logical choice.
And yet, he found himself saying—
─ I’m a rcenary. If you want to hire , pay . Then maybe I’ll accept.
─ I can’t. I don’t have a single coin right now.
Ludger had stared at her, dumbfounded.
─ Bold of you. You still dare to ask for my help? I could turn you over to the prince for far more money.
─ Would you?
─ Why not? Wouldn’t you regret it?
─ Ohoho! Then I guess I was wrong about you!
Whether she was brave or just stupid, Yekaterina hadn’t scolded him for speaking so bluntly to royalty.
She had simply laughed cheerfully.
─ But no, I don’t regret anything!
─ Why not?
─ Because this is my choice. If it goes wrong, the responsibility is mine alone. Failure would be sad, but that’s why I have to do everything I can not to fail, right?
─ ......
─ So I’ll keep moving forward, no matter what.
There had been nothing regal about her in that mont.
She had looked more like a drear lost in her ideals.
‘Yes. She hadn’t seed like royalty at all.’
If by so miracle such a person won a civil war and beca queen, what kind of country would that be?
A nation ruled by soone who didn’t command with authority, who didn’t stand above others...
It sounded ridiculous.
And yet, if it truly existed, it would be a warm, fairy-tale-like country.
─ Yekaterina, was it?
─ Yes, that’s right.
─ If you want to be a queen, you need to start by studying the principles of rulership.
─ Huh? What do you an by that...?
─ I’m saying I’ll accept the job.
Ludger had stood, brushing the snow from his coat.
As the small campfire flickered between them, Yekaterina had smiled, eting his eyes.
─ Did you just change your mind?
─ Why? Don’t want to?
─ Of course I do. Having soone as skilled as you help is wonderful. I was just curious if there was a reason for your change of heart.
─ I wanted to see it. The country you’ll build if you beco queen.
Ludger had smiled faintly, and Yekaterina had returned the smile.
─ So, what’s your na?
Ludger’s expression had twisted slightly.
─ You didn’t even know my na before asking for my help?
─ Does it matter? Your ability is what’s important.
─ Not wrong, but...
─ Still, since we’ll be fighting together, I should at least know your na. And I’m curious about that “principles of rulership” you ntioned.
─ Machiavelli.
Picking up his rifle, Ludger had stepped out into the howling snowstorm.
─ Call Machiavelli.
That eting had beco the turning point that changed the fate of a nation.
* * *
Rembering that day, Ludger couldn’t suppress a small, ironic smile.
‘I lectured her so much about being a proper ruler, and yet she hasn’t changed a bit.’
But that was fine.
If she had changed, he would’ve been disappointed.
It was reassuring to see she was doing well, even after he left.
Those twin attendants of hers still seed to argue all the ti, too.
‘Maybe I should’ve said a proper goodbye.’
But it was too late for that.
He had faked his death and disappeared during the war.
If they ever learned he was alive, they wouldn’t feel joy—they’d feel betrayed and confused.
Better to live as if they’d never known each other.
“Let’s get so rest. We have to move early tomorrow.”
Ludger lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes.
Within monts, his breathing steadied, and he was fast asleep.
Arfa thought to himself, recalling sothing Hans had said once.
They say trained people can fall asleep in five seconds and wake up perfectly refreshed after just two hours...
‘But isn’t that usually only knights?’
Curious as he was, Arfa knew Ludger wouldn’t answer—he was already fast asleep.
With a small sigh, Arfa lay down on his bed.
Tomorrow was the day of [Mystic Night].
Reviews
All reviews (0)