.jpeg)
The moment Aden's eyes met hers was brief, but Iana could read it.
A look filled with hostility.
Aden changed his expression and jumped down from his horse.
"Aden, Brother, how have you been?"
Just as Charles approached with a delighted face, reaching out to take Aden's hand,
Aden knelt on one knee and bowed deeply. Like the other monks, he paid his respects to the royalty.
"Aden, a monk, greets Your Highness, Grand Duke Ervin."
The ill-fated prince who became a monk.
Aden had abandoned his status as royalty, so he was no longer royalty, and he could not use the name Rubena.
The Sixth Prince Aden de Rubena was now just the monk Aden.
"Please, rise."
Charles's eyes welled up as he realized the difference in their status.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Aden answered politely to Charles's words and rose from his seat.
"Your Highness seems to be in good health."
"Monk Aden also looks well."
Charles treated him as a monk, as if trying to respect Aden's wishes. Then, he introduced each of the knights lined up to Aden.
Iana watched the scene silently.
Aden greeted the knights with the gentle face characteristic of monks.
A little later, Charles and Aden stood before Iana.
Charles introduced Iana in a calm voice.
"This is Iana Lewis. Ervin's mage and my lover."
"……!"
At the direct word "lover," Iana looked up at Aden with a nervous expression.
A brief silence flowed.
Aden offered Iana a handshake with a gentle smile, as he had done with the outer castle knights.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mage."
Iana took Aden's hand and said,
"It's an honor to meet you, Monk Aden."
Aden's hand, which she held, was as cold as the gaze they had briefly exchanged.
✦ ✦ ✦
About an hour later, Charles and the group of monks arrived at the Ducal Palace.
Charles showed Aden around the Ducal Palace and then entered the office.
Perhaps because of the sight of the Krikan attack, which had left the place collapsed and broken in places, Aden was lost in thought with a dark expression.
Charles pointed to the sofa and said,
"Brother, please sit down. You must be tired from the long journey."
"Ah. Yes, Your Highness."
Aden snapped out of his thoughts and replied.
"Brother, now it's just the two of us, so please speak comfortably. It feels awkward trying to treat someone like you as a monk."
When Charles spoke playfully, Aden didn't back down.
"Charles, do you think you look like a dignified lord? You were a coward who hid behind me when you were scared of frogs."
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
As the laughter subsided, they embraced each other silently.
Without saying a word, without asking anything.
The difficult seven years after the Third Prince ascended the throne.
They knew best how each other had lived through that time.
Aden spoke in a heavy voice.
"I'm sorry. I ran away just to save myself……."
"No. Whether it's been seven years or thirty years, I'm just grateful that I can meet you again like this, Brother."
Both of their eyes turned red.
"You don't come often, so stay for a long time."
"As I said, I'm just stopping by. I'll stay here for one night and leave tomorrow."
Charles asked with a face full of disappointment.
"Right away tomorrow?"
"It has to be that way, so you won't get hurt."
Charles knew it well.
If Aden stayed in Ervin for a long time, he knew that the Emperor would be suspicious and try to check him.
"Instead, let's talk about everything we haven't been able to talk about. I have many questions for you, Charles. For example, unpleasant rumors……."
"Did the rumors spread to the monastery?"
Charles said jokingly with a smiling face.
Aden stood up from his seat with a stiff face and approached the window. Soon, he looked at the sky beyond the window.
"Can you hide the setting sun by covering it with clouds?"
"What does that……."
Aden turned around and spoke with a determined face.
"Don't ruin yourself. For the setting sun."
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana returned to the Ducal Palace from the outer castle around the time when the evening sunlight dyed the sky red. She went straight to the treatment room to find Ru and entered the room.
"Ah, I'm tired!"
Iana hugged Ru and collapsed on the bed.
But she kept thinking about Aden's gaze, which had coldly stared at her from horseback.
"Ru, did I see it wrong?"
She hugged Ru and stroked it, lost in thought.
She was confused. When Aden was on horseback, he wouldn't have known who she was, and when they formally greeted each other, he didn't have a cold expression.
"Ugh! I don't know."
Knock knock.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
"Mage Iana, it's Johan."
Iana went to open the door.
"Mage Johan, you're here?"
"Your Highness has asked you to attend the banquet today. The banquet will be held in an hour."
Iana thought for a moment and asked.
"Ah, is it a welcome banquet for Monk Aden?"
"I think so."
"Yes, then I'll get ready."
After Johan left, Iana immediately washed up and took out a clean Wizard Robe to wear.
An hour later, she headed to the banquet hall in the main castle on time. But for some reason, it was quiet in front of it.
'Am I here too early?'
Iana tilted her head, looking around.
It was supposed to be a welcome banquet, so all the knights and mages, except for those who had to be on guard duty, should be attending.
Iana tilted her head and asked the secretary in front of the banquet hall.
"Am I here too early?"
"No. You're here at the exact time. Please, come in."
The moment the secretary opened the door to the banquet hall, Iana felt like she had been hit hard on the head.
"……!"
Only Charles and Aden were at the round table in the banquet hall.
"Why are you standing there? Come and sit down."
At Charles's call, Iana approached with a bewildered face.
"Wasn't it a welcome banquet? I thought that's what it was……."
Iana trailed off, embarrassed.
Charles nodded, as if he now understood why Iana was wearing a Wizard Robe instead of a dress.
"I was going to hold a welcome banquet at first, but Brother politely declined."
Aden continued Charles's words with a smiling face.
"A welcome banquet is too much for a monk."
"Ah, I see. It's been a long time since the two of you have met, so you must have a lot to talk about."
Iana looked at Charles as if asking why she had been called. Charles, reading her mind, smiled and replied.
"You were invited by my brother, not me."
"Me?"
Iana's gaze turned to Aden.
Aden nodded with a gentle smile.
"Yes, I said I wanted to meet Mage Iana separately. I was curious about what kind of person you are."
'Did I really see it wrong?'
Iana went to sit next to Charles.
The meal continued in a friendly atmosphere.
Aden told them stories from their childhood and funny things that had happened at the monastery.
When Aden occasionally asked about her, Charles told the story of how Iana had settled in Ervin, but he didn't mention black magic.
"Mage Iana got divorced and her magical power manifested after coming to Ervin."
"Yes, that's right."
Iana also didn't tell Aden the details.
Then, the secretary came inside.
"Your Highness, Monk Rubino has requested a brief meeting. He says he urgently needs to ask you about the escort personnel for tomorrow."
"Me?"
Charles asked, puzzled.
"It seems that the monk in charge of the escort issue has something urgent to say to you."
At Aden's words, Charles thought for a moment and then went out of the banquet hall.
Only Iana and Aden were left in the banquet hall.
As soon as Charles left, Aden's face turned cold. The same gaze that Iana had first seen in the outer castle.
"God gives each human being their own role. To the farmer, the role of cultivating the land, and to mages like Iana, the role of protecting people from monsters."
"The role God has given……."
Iana murmured softly.
"Humans are happy when they live according to that role. I think the unfortunate event of your divorce, Iana, was a process of finding your role as a mage."
Aden's words seemed like encouragement at first glance. But she felt an unknown coldness from him.
"……Thank you for saying that."
Clang.
Aden, who was drinking water, put his glass down on the table.
"I want Charles to be happy too. While fulfilling the role that God has given him……."
"……."
Iana quietly looked at Aden.
Aden spoke firmly with a face that seemed to have made a decision.
"But when Charles tries to fulfill that role, you, Iana, will be an obstacle. Just like now."
"……!"
"So I hope that the relationship between the two of you doesn't deepen here. Because a marriage with a neighboring royal family that will protect Charles will soon be promoted."
After speaking, Aden slowly rose from his seat and walked towards her.
At Aden's sudden action, Iana watched him with nervous eyes.
Aden stood in front of her and bowed politely.
"……!"
Iana was surprised and stood up from her seat.
Aden bowed and pleaded earnestly.
"That's the only way Charles can survive right now."
Iana looked at him with a bitter expression and thought.
'My hunch was right. He called me on purpose to deliver those words.'
Just then.
Creak.
The door to the banquet hall opened, and Charles came inside and asked in a cold voice.
"What is that? What is that role that God has given me?"
A look filled with hostility.
Aden changed his expression and jumped down from his horse.
"Aden, Brother, how have you been?"
Just as Charles approached with a delighted face, reaching out to take Aden's hand,
Aden knelt on one knee and bowed deeply. Like the other monks, he paid his respects to the royalty.
"Aden, a monk, greets Your Highness, Grand Duke Ervin."
The ill-fated prince who became a monk.
Aden had abandoned his status as royalty, so he was no longer royalty, and he could not use the name Rubena.
The Sixth Prince Aden de Rubena was now just the monk Aden.
"Please, rise."
Charles's eyes welled up as he realized the difference in their status.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Aden answered politely to Charles's words and rose from his seat.
"Your Highness seems to be in good health."
"Monk Aden also looks well."
Charles treated him as a monk, as if trying to respect Aden's wishes. Then, he introduced each of the knights lined up to Aden.
Iana watched the scene silently.
Aden greeted the knights with the gentle face characteristic of monks.
A little later, Charles and Aden stood before Iana.
Charles introduced Iana in a calm voice.
"This is Iana Lewis. Ervin's mage and my lover."
"……!"
At the direct word "lover," Iana looked up at Aden with a nervous expression.
A brief silence flowed.
Aden offered Iana a handshake with a gentle smile, as he had done with the outer castle knights.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mage."
Iana took Aden's hand and said,
"It's an honor to meet you, Monk Aden."
Aden's hand, which she held, was as cold as the gaze they had briefly exchanged.
✦ ✦ ✦
About an hour later, Charles and the group of monks arrived at the Ducal Palace.
Charles showed Aden around the Ducal Palace and then entered the office.
Perhaps because of the sight of the Krikan attack, which had left the place collapsed and broken in places, Aden was lost in thought with a dark expression.
Charles pointed to the sofa and said,
"Brother, please sit down. You must be tired from the long journey."
"Ah. Yes, Your Highness."
Aden snapped out of his thoughts and replied.
"Brother, now it's just the two of us, so please speak comfortably. It feels awkward trying to treat someone like you as a monk."
When Charles spoke playfully, Aden didn't back down.
"Charles, do you think you look like a dignified lord? You were a coward who hid behind me when you were scared of frogs."
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
As the laughter subsided, they embraced each other silently.
Without saying a word, without asking anything.
The difficult seven years after the Third Prince ascended the throne.
They knew best how each other had lived through that time.
Aden spoke in a heavy voice.
"I'm sorry. I ran away just to save myself……."
"No. Whether it's been seven years or thirty years, I'm just grateful that I can meet you again like this, Brother."
Both of their eyes turned red.
"You don't come often, so stay for a long time."
"As I said, I'm just stopping by. I'll stay here for one night and leave tomorrow."
Charles asked with a face full of disappointment.
"Right away tomorrow?"
"It has to be that way, so you won't get hurt."
Charles knew it well.
If Aden stayed in Ervin for a long time, he knew that the Emperor would be suspicious and try to check him.
"Instead, let's talk about everything we haven't been able to talk about. I have many questions for you, Charles. For example, unpleasant rumors……."
"Did the rumors spread to the monastery?"
Charles said jokingly with a smiling face.
Aden stood up from his seat with a stiff face and approached the window. Soon, he looked at the sky beyond the window.
"Can you hide the setting sun by covering it with clouds?"
"What does that……."
Aden turned around and spoke with a determined face.
"Don't ruin yourself. For the setting sun."
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana returned to the Ducal Palace from the outer castle around the time when the evening sunlight dyed the sky red. She went straight to the treatment room to find Ru and entered the room.
"Ah, I'm tired!"
Iana hugged Ru and collapsed on the bed.
But she kept thinking about Aden's gaze, which had coldly stared at her from horseback.
"Ru, did I see it wrong?"
She hugged Ru and stroked it, lost in thought.
She was confused. When Aden was on horseback, he wouldn't have known who she was, and when they formally greeted each other, he didn't have a cold expression.
"Ugh! I don't know."
Knock knock.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
"Mage Iana, it's Johan."
Iana went to open the door.
"Mage Johan, you're here?"
"Your Highness has asked you to attend the banquet today. The banquet will be held in an hour."
Iana thought for a moment and asked.
"Ah, is it a welcome banquet for Monk Aden?"
"I think so."
"Yes, then I'll get ready."
After Johan left, Iana immediately washed up and took out a clean Wizard Robe to wear.
An hour later, she headed to the banquet hall in the main castle on time. But for some reason, it was quiet in front of it.
'Am I here too early?'
Iana tilted her head, looking around.
It was supposed to be a welcome banquet, so all the knights and mages, except for those who had to be on guard duty, should be attending.
Iana tilted her head and asked the secretary in front of the banquet hall.
"Am I here too early?"
"No. You're here at the exact time. Please, come in."
The moment the secretary opened the door to the banquet hall, Iana felt like she had been hit hard on the head.
"……!"
Only Charles and Aden were at the round table in the banquet hall.
"Why are you standing there? Come and sit down."
At Charles's call, Iana approached with a bewildered face.
"Wasn't it a welcome banquet? I thought that's what it was……."
Iana trailed off, embarrassed.
Charles nodded, as if he now understood why Iana was wearing a Wizard Robe instead of a dress.
"I was going to hold a welcome banquet at first, but Brother politely declined."
Aden continued Charles's words with a smiling face.
"A welcome banquet is too much for a monk."
"Ah, I see. It's been a long time since the two of you have met, so you must have a lot to talk about."
Iana looked at Charles as if asking why she had been called. Charles, reading her mind, smiled and replied.
"You were invited by my brother, not me."
"Me?"
Iana's gaze turned to Aden.
Aden nodded with a gentle smile.
"Yes, I said I wanted to meet Mage Iana separately. I was curious about what kind of person you are."
'Did I really see it wrong?'
Iana went to sit next to Charles.
The meal continued in a friendly atmosphere.
Aden told them stories from their childhood and funny things that had happened at the monastery.
When Aden occasionally asked about her, Charles told the story of how Iana had settled in Ervin, but he didn't mention black magic.
"Mage Iana got divorced and her magical power manifested after coming to Ervin."
"Yes, that's right."
Iana also didn't tell Aden the details.
Then, the secretary came inside.
"Your Highness, Monk Rubino has requested a brief meeting. He says he urgently needs to ask you about the escort personnel for tomorrow."
"Me?"
Charles asked, puzzled.
"It seems that the monk in charge of the escort issue has something urgent to say to you."
At Aden's words, Charles thought for a moment and then went out of the banquet hall.
Only Iana and Aden were left in the banquet hall.
As soon as Charles left, Aden's face turned cold. The same gaze that Iana had first seen in the outer castle.
"God gives each human being their own role. To the farmer, the role of cultivating the land, and to mages like Iana, the role of protecting people from monsters."
"The role God has given……."
Iana murmured softly.
"Humans are happy when they live according to that role. I think the unfortunate event of your divorce, Iana, was a process of finding your role as a mage."
Aden's words seemed like encouragement at first glance. But she felt an unknown coldness from him.
"……Thank you for saying that."
Clang.
Aden, who was drinking water, put his glass down on the table.
"I want Charles to be happy too. While fulfilling the role that God has given him……."
"……."
Iana quietly looked at Aden.
Aden spoke firmly with a face that seemed to have made a decision.
"But when Charles tries to fulfill that role, you, Iana, will be an obstacle. Just like now."
"……!"
"So I hope that the relationship between the two of you doesn't deepen here. Because a marriage with a neighboring royal family that will protect Charles will soon be promoted."
After speaking, Aden slowly rose from his seat and walked towards her.
At Aden's sudden action, Iana watched him with nervous eyes.
Aden stood in front of her and bowed politely.
"……!"
Iana was surprised and stood up from her seat.
Aden bowed and pleaded earnestly.
"That's the only way Charles can survive right now."
Iana looked at him with a bitter expression and thought.
'My hunch was right. He called me on purpose to deliver those words.'
Just then.
Creak.
The door to the banquet hall opened, and Charles came inside and asked in a cold voice.
"What is that? What is that role that God has given me?"
.jpeg)