Snowy weather infested the area yet again, but unlike other years, this year’s snow was particularly frequent. And as there was a lot of snow, there were many incidents that happened. The nagging from the manager, reminding the hotel staff to be careful not to slip on the snow, followed them all morning.
The mouths of the busybodies in Dandelion were also busy moving.
“I guess that woman is Isadora’s daughter. She still looks young though.”
One of the hotel guests mumbled upon finding Lara just coming out of the restaurant. The woman beside him covered her mouth with her gloved hand and whispered.
“I heard she threw away the Crown Prince and chose the slave.”
“That’s because she’s still young.”
“What does that have to do with age?”
“She’s still at an age where it wouldn’t be awkward to call her a girl. No matter how attractive a man is, why would she choose a Barbarian?”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Even if she has to be a concubine, the Crown Prince is still the better option.”
“Come on, you’re only looking at one side. If I were the daughter of Isadora, I wouldn't even take the position as the Crown Prince’s concubine.”
“What?”
“That girl will definitely be able to enjoy everything that she can enjoy with the Barbarian as her lover. Then, she would buy a nobleman of high status and marry him.”
Most of the people around agreed with the woman who spoke at the end. In fact, it was because there was a story that Isadora wanted to become a noble. So, after leading a wild life in her youth, she bought a handsome Marquess in Hautean and got married to him.
Not knowing whatever they were talking about her, Lara left the restaurant after eating. Suddenly, she picked her ear with her little finger.
“It feels like someone is bad-mouthing me.”
Konny shut her mouth and took a step slightly farther away from her.
“I’m clean, you know?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
It had been a long time since Demian, Lampion, and Domino entered the watchmen prison. In the meantime, Konny became a gourmet expert at Dandelion and Lara became a little more famous.
“Why don’t they release them, milady?”
“Because the accusers are still mad at them.”
“Is that even a valid reason?”
“Even the knights got beaten up, so it’s a matter of pride. Since Tarragon is the land of knights, the atmosphere is more rigid than Hautean.”
Kony still could not understand it.
“But at least they will release Master Demian today. Although I don’t know if I should say that I’m glad.”
“Yeah.”
Lara got contacted by the watchmen station. They said they would release Demian alone. They, too, must have contemplated a lot about it. Demian had immunity, yet did not use that immunity to get out of the prison. Moreover, he was not guilty of anything other than clapping his hands.
“They must be thinking of this as a point of compromise.”
Lara saw this as their gesture of reconciliation. However, without reflection, the hand held out by the perpetrator should be seen as a different kind of intimidation, not a handshake of reconciliation.
“It’s deception and trickery.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s go, Konny.”
Lara got on the carriage first. Her dark blue dress fluttered every time she moved.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Several soldiers were sitting in front of the watchmen prison. They made a bonfire in the vacant lot and grilled bird meat. When Konny got off the carriage, they waved to her brightly.
“Hey, Konny!”
“Hello, uncles!”
“Today we caught some birds for you. It’s been a while since I have used a bow. I think my arm is going to fall off.”
“How did you know I like fowl?”
Konny smiled and sat down among the soldiers. Then, she winked at Lara who belatedly got out of the carriage.
“Uncles, do you guys hate Barbarians too? Why do you hate them so much? They went to the battlefield and fought for you. Shouldn’t you be grateful?”
“I’m grateful… Of course, I am.”
The soldiers turned the skewers over with bitter faces.
“I mean, it’s a difficult situation. It’s also understandable why the knights hate Barbarians…”
“Why?”
“They took away our glory. The Barbarians were born strong without much effort. Such guys suddenly appeared and slashed the knights’ glory that they had built up by competing with swords all their lives.”
Konny looked like she did not understand him. She bit the skewers and was annoyed by such nonsense. The soldiers quickly grilled new skewers for the cute maid.
Lara went into the prison and ruminated over Tarragon’s history.
After many years of warfare, the most important people in Tarragon were the knights. In return for risking their lives to fight for the Empire, they were promised high honor and power. Tarragon was a place where no matter how honorable nobles were, they were still behind a war hero.
It had been that way for hundreds of years. Children born healthy and strong inTarragon would raise their swords to become knights. Because knights were the best. Because they were the hero.
Then, Barbarians appeared. Strong opponents that the knights had painstakingly fought over using their whole bodies fell like mere fallen leaves in front of the barbarians. They were like lions in a wild dog habitat. Victory, admiration, and even compensation belonged to the Barbarians.
Until then, the knights believed that the glory of victory belonged only to them. Although it was a dangerous and cruel place, they believed that the battlefield was a sacred place where they could prove their worth.
The Barbarians stole it. Doubt became anxiety, anxiety changed into tension, tension turned into envy, and eventually, it became hatred.
When faced with inherent limitations that they could not catch up with no matter how hard they tried, they decided to harass the Barbarians with their advantages.
It was the existence of their country, their overwhelming numbers, and their status system.
Lara hurried down to the dungeon. The law enforcement knights tried hard to hide their uncomfortable expressions and opened the door to Demian’s prison.
“Lara.”
Demian called her. He stood tall in the prison watching what the law enforcement knights were doing.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m releasing him.”
“After all this time?”
“Because the investigation is over.”
“The investigation could have been over in just a few words but you managed to prolong it for so long.”
The knights did not answer. This was because they also realized that something was wrong with the matter. The Barbarians left the Western border and the Crown Prince was furious. However, there was no order to release them. They did not know how things were going so it was only natural for their anxiety to grow.
“Demian Drake, you may go back now.”
When the knights opened the prison door and tried to pull Demian out, Lara said to them.
“You really know nothing about the Barbarians.”
“What did you just say?”
“His two comrades are in the prison. Do you think Demian will go out happily?”
At Lara’s words, the knights looked at Demian’s face. It was as she said. Demian was not moving a step from where he was standing.
“I guess the law enforcement knights don’t know about it, you guys haven’t been to the battlefield after all. The Barbarians never abandon their comrades. If this was a battlefield, it would have been the same for you too.”
Konny appeared with a lot of snacks in a large basket. Sunlight poured from the entrance of the stairs, making Lara’s shadow grow long and covering the wall.
“It’s called loyalty.”
While the flustered knights were stammering, Lara approached the prison and closed the door.
“Listen here. If this problem is not dealt with fairly, Barbarians will never be Tarragon’s ally again.”
“Who do you think you are to decide that?”
The knights asked with their eyes filled with dissatisfaction. Lara did not even bat an eyelid. Rather, Konny came down with the basket and glared at the knight.
Just then, Lampion and Domino, who had been silent so far in the prison next to Demian, spoke one by one.
“That lady is our guardian.”
“She’s in charge of us.”
The two Barbarians smirked and said.
“So talk to that lady regarding our matters from now on.”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
After Lampion and Domino fell asleep, Demian was the only one awake. The prison door was half-open. He did not go out so the knights just left it open.
It was a vague political act in order for them to have an excuse. They were saying that they had left the door open so it was Demian who did not want to go out. Every time the soldiers guarding the prison looked at the half-open door, they made a very uncomfortable face. Demian continued to feign ignorance.
Humans were really fun.
Demian has been thinking about that a lot these days. The knights of the Empire looked at the Barbarians with feelings of hatred and contempt but it was also mixed with feelings of envy and longing.
Demian has lived his life thinking of himself as a Barbarian. Because the one who picked him up and raised him was a Barbarian, he continued to live the way he was taught. He was found on the battlefield so he would die on the battlefield. He vaguely thought so.
But not anymore. Demian’s thoughts were now completely different. After having no dreams and no goals, now for the first time in his life, a path was created and a destination was set.
He would live for Lara. For that, he could be the king of outlaws just like in her past life or even become the spearhead at the Great Demon War.
“Lights off!”
It was late at dusk. The last patrolling officer turned off the lights and sealed the entrance. Now no one would come down to prison until the sun rose. Demian, who was lying in darkness, slowly opened his eyes. He had to go to Lara.
Lara, who visited the prison during the day, whispered in Demian’s ear.
“Sneak out at dusk.”
Lara did not tell him where to go, she would probably be waiting outside. Demian got up. He made sure that Lampion and Domino were asleep and quietly walked out of the prison.
Let alone footsteps, there was not even the sound of his breathing. He moved like a shadow. He easily opened the door that the soldiers believed had been tightly sealed. Then, avoiding the soldiers on patrol, he leisurely escaped out of the watchmen prison.
As he walked in the direction of Lara’s hotel, he saw a familiar carriage.
“Demian.”
The door opened and Lara reached out her hand, Demian smiled lightly and took her hand. Then, he climbed into the carriage.
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