* * *

Later that evening, Ed found himself in a small-town restaurant six hours from Ila, sitting at a table with his head buried in his hands.

‘How can I ever show my face again?’

When he had greeted the knights heading north, it felt like everyone was laughing at him.

Even when he hid inside the carriage, he couldn’t escape the embarrassment.

Only Ronen, with his innocent eyes, seemed unaware of what had happened—but Ed felt too tainted to meet that innocence head-on.

‘I’m already ruined.’

Slamming his head onto the table, Ed muttered as if confessing a sin.

“I need a bowl of water to drown my shame.”

At that moment, a large plate filled with inky black liquid was set in front of him.

Startled, Ed looked up.

“W-What is this, Your Grace?”

The thick, dark liquid resembled medicine, its consistency heavier than the potions he had drunk earlier.

On a separate plate were three pills—much larger than the ones from before.

In that moment, Ed understood.

‘The Grand Duke must’ve made up his mind after what happened earlier…’

He shivered.

‘He’s planning to kill me!’

The Grand Duke gazed at Ed, who looked on the verge of tears, and gave him a soft smile.

“I discussed it with the doctor. He said it’s not unusual for someone with weak stamina. Not noticing a horse charging toward you or getting so absorbed in petting a boulder—it all makes sense.”

“……”

“So I decided to pay more attention, Ed. You don’t need to worry about anything from now on. I’ll take care of your health myself.”

And just like that, the list of medicines Ed needed to take grew longer.

---

They passed through several cities on their way to the imperial capital, and with every stop, the number of medications both Ronen and Ed had to take increased.

When the towering roof of the imperial palace finally came into view, Ed felt like shouting for joy.

He thought he had adjusted to spicy foods after being possessed, but bitter flavors were still impossible to get used to.

‘There won’t be any more new medicines to take after this, right?’

Taking advantage of the carriage’s pause, Ed lifted himself slightly to relieve his sore backside before settling back down.

Even with a thick cushion beneath him, the long journey had made his body stiff.

As they entered the city surrounding the imperial palace, the horses slowed to a crawl and finally stopped before the palace gates.

“We’ve finally arrived,” Jaynon stretched and said with a sigh.

Although he made it sound as if they’d reached their destination, there was still some distance to go before they entered the palace itself.

Though things wouldn’t be complicated with the Grand Duke present, a few formalities still remained.

After more than a week on the road, Ed had come to realize just how remarkable it was that they’d stayed perfectly on schedule.

There had been moments when their horses became too sick to move and incidents that forced them to sleep outdoors.

Despite these unexpected challenges, the Grand Duke handled everything with calm expertise, navigating each issue with ease.

“Master Ronen, are you thirsty?”

Jaynon, who had been shifting restlessly in his seat, rummaged through the back of the carriage and found a water bottle and some snacks.

“I’m fine, really,” Ronen replied.

“Still, it might be good to have a little something. We’ve got two or three more hours before we reach the palace, and it’s always wise to conserve your strength.”

“Two or three more hours?” Ronen groaned as he stretched again.

“Yeah, and since the carriage will be stopping and starting frequently from here on out, your back might start to ache. Hold on—I think there are extra cushions. We should pad your seat while we can.”

Jaynon stood up to search the luggage, and Ed followed suit, helping him unpack.

Ed accepted candy and chocolates from Jaynon as they worked together.

The Grand Duke handed the cushion he had been using to Ronen and said, “Here, use this.”

“Oh? We’ve got this too, Your Grace.”

Jaynon found another soft cushion and passed it to the Grand Duke, who placed it carefully behind Ed, patting it to make sure it supported his back properly.

Watching the scene, Ronen couldn’t help but grin as he popped a candy into his mouth.

Then, with playful enthusiasm, he began massaging the Grand Duke’s arm—squeezing it and lightly drumming on it.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, a knock sounded on the carriage door.

The Grand Duke opened the window, and outside stood a silver-haired young man alongside Irtel.

His wind-tousled hair suggested he had ridden hard to get there.

“I am Marquis Sohoen, Your Grace Asnel Linden. I’ve been sent by His Majesty the Emperor to escort you to the palace.”

“Thank you,” the Grand Duke replied with a nod.

“Was your journey comfortable, Your Grace?”

“Thanks to His Majesty’s preparations, everything went smoothly.”

“Excellent. Now that I’m here, the gate procedures will proceed quickly. Please bear with me for just a little longer, and I’ll ensure your entry goes smoothly.”

“It’s no trouble at all. I don’t mind taking things at a leisurely pace.”

Marquis Sohoen bowed deeply in gratitude.

“Thank you, Your Grace. Once we pass through the outer gates, we’ll proceed down the main road directly to the central gate. If you experience any discomfort, please let me know.”

“All is well, Marquis Sohoen. I leave it in your capable hands.”

“Understood, Your Grace Asnel Linden.”

As the Grand Duke closed the window, he noticed the marquis casting a glance toward Ronen, but the window shut before their eyes could meet.

The Grand Duke tapped his fingers lightly on the windowsill, murmuring to himself.

“Marquis Sohoen, huh… He doesn’t seem familiar. Doesn’t look like a court noble either—those muddy shoes were rather telling.”

He narrowed his eyes in thought but straightened up as the carriage began moving again.

“Open the gates wide!”

At the marquis’s booming command, the gates swung open, and the horses and carriage began to move forward once more.

The Grand Duke opened the window slightly, and the slow-moving scenery outside drifted by.

Through the tall walls, they passed through the massive, ornate gates, with horses and carriages following in a steady procession.

The streets of the capital were wide and well-paved, allowing the carriage to roll smoothly without a jolt.

Ed gazed at the puffy clouds floating across the blue sky and thought to himself:

‘Wearing muddy shoes on a day as nice as this?’

Though he hadn’t seen the marquis’s shoes clearly, he could understand why the Grand Duke found it strange.

‘It is odd, come to think of it.’

The closer they got to the palace, the clearer its roof appeared on the horizon, and soon the carriage came to another stop.

“We’ve arrived at the central gate!”

At the marquis’s shout, Irtel, who had been riding alongside, exchanged a glance with the Grand Duke through the open window.

“Is everything all right, Your Grace?”

The Grand Duke gave a slight nod as he surveyed the surroundings.

“Yes, everything is fine.”

The sturdy central gates were wide open, and a long, well-kept road stretched beyond them.

It was a broad, meticulously maintained path, lined with a magnificent fountain at its center.

The garden was divided into four sections, filled with beautiful flowers, trees, vines, and finely sculpted works of art.

Even from a distance, the sight was breathtaking.

“Wow,” Ronen whispered in awe as he peered out the window.

Along the grand road leading to the palace, knights stood at attention.

They held flags embroidered with the imperial symbol of a golden dragon crossed with the black dragon emblem of the northern territories.

As the carriage followed the path, a towering spire came into view.

Its sharp, triangular peak was topped with a massive statue—a golden dragon captured mid-flight, wings spread wide as if preparing to take off.

Its grandeur was impossible to miss, no matter where you stood.

* * *