Chapter 128

Strangely enough, the moment Rashid saw an unsightly baby white swan hung around Catherine, he was reminded of the most fragile thing he knew.

“Wah, wahhh.” The cries would get louder as he approached the little thing, which would in turn make Rashid lose his sleep. It wasn’t guilt that he felt. Rather, he hadn’t known how to react at all. The eyes of that fragile body that were looking at him, was somehow deeply engraved in his mind.

“…Sigh, should have raised her up properly,” Rashid mumbled softly under his robes. Honestly, he was clueless at this point, about what was exactly ‘proper’. Or rather, what it meant to ‘raise her up properly.’

“Sigh…” He thought himself to be pathetic as his thoughts could not leave this worry and to be thinking about it at this point in time. Despite knowing how bleak the leads were, he still wanted to look for her traces personally.

“Brother, you’re here.”

“…Peyton, Tenon.” It was more natural for him to call out his brothers’ names.

The princes seemed to have met Viscount Dion as they found him almost right away and quickly dismounted from their horses.

“What did Cedric say?”

“He said that he recalled something about differentiating dark wizards which you asked about before. Way back when he was still in the magic tower, he knew someone who was an expert in that area and would call forth that person to the Northern Lands.”

“Is that so?” Tenon’s face fell as Rashid did not show any reactions to the news. It was an entirely different reaction compared to the time when Rashid had first asked about it back at the Winter Palace.

“Even if it didn’t seem like that, it’s still puzzling to see the Duchess tame the dog so easily…”

“I don’t care.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I don’t care what you guys are doing.” Rashid once again addressed his brothers like trash instead of using their names as his crimson red eyes gleamed under the robe. Before Tenon could repeat himself, Peyton held back his wrist and shook his head at Tenon.

‘Stop.’ As he reminded Tenon that besides being their brother, Rashid was also an Emperor. Realizing that, the brothers could only follow behind Rashid quietly.

Either way, the most important thing was the pearl stone continued to shine softly, and Rashid looked to be in a better mood despite the situation earlier.

It could also be for the same reason, as Rashid had been observing his surroundings closer than usual, which he had rarely done so. He even slowed down his footsteps as they arrived at a dessert shop which he visited for the first time, a dress shop where noble ladies commonly frequented, and even a grocery shop which was filled with fish jerky.

“Brother, if there’s something you need…”

“No.” He continued on forward before he completely stopped in his tracks. With a frown on his resolute face, his footsteps eventually stopped somewhere.

“Hmm…” His lips started curling into a smile as he peered through the glass windows outside a shop.

***

“…Rebecca, what are you doing? Not leaving?”

“Shhh.” The ladies who had just stepped out of the shop urged Rebecca who had stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

The street was bustling with people, excited about the start of the social circle event. Amongst them was Rebecca, who had cleared out all the shops much like any princess would, but she had an unusual expression on.

“What are you looking at…” The unknown lady followed Rebecca’s gaze that was fixated on the jewelry store opposite the street and grinned as she too spotted someone else.

The back of that man in a long robe looked quite unusual even for a brief moment.

“Go and talk to him if you’re that interested.”

“Are you crazy?” Rebecca scoffed and frowned in response.

The tactful Countess who was with her, then naturally sided with her. “But Rebecca, you have Sir Everton with you, so why be bothered with an unknown wanderer?”

“That’s right, you should be more careful of these people. How would any normal knight or gentlemen roam the streets in that state?”

“Anyway, when is Sir Everton returning?” Rebecca threw daggers towards the Marquis’ young lady, whom she was on slightly bad terms with.

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Well, I’m just worried about your wedding since it’s been a while since the news on your engagement.”

“Are you saying that my wedding has been canceled?” Rebecca’s face turned dark, making the other ladies nervous. The Marquis’ young lady started fidgeting as well, but she had heard some news as well.

“Regardless that he was on orders to do business in Ternam by Her Lady, he should still contact you since you’re his fiancee.”

“That’s my sister’s responsibility, she promised to summon him back at the end of this year.”

“But isn’t it tough for you acting on Her Lady’s orders recently?” The young lady questioned.

“…What are you implying?” Rebecca sensed that there was an underlying motive.

“It’s nothing.”