TGW Chapter 18 Part 2

 

"I'll call for Sir Gilbert, so wait here."

"No, I'll go with you."

Sienna pulled down her hood to cover her face and left the office with him. The long corridor was deserted. Earlier, when Martin had guided them here, several people were passing through the hallway.

"Is it normal for there to be no one here at this hour?"

"Not really..."

Kuhn sighed.

"It would be better if you waited inside. I'll go find Sir Gilbert and bring him here."

"You said nothing would happen."

"Nothing will happen to Sir Gilbert."

Sienna remembered his exceptionally keen hearing.

"You heard something, didn't you?"

"......"

"What is it?"

"A bit of commotion..."

Judging by her expression, telling her to stay put wouldn't work. Kuhn gave up and preemptively explained.

"It's not going to be a pleasant sight."

As they descended the stairs at the end of the corridor, Sienna could hear it too. It sounded like a cheer or perhaps a jeer. The buzzing noise grew closer. As soon as they stepped out of the main building, they saw the backs of a crowd gathered there.

It was as noisy as a marketplace. Enthralled by whatever spectacle was going on, people shouted things like "That's it!" and "Well done!" from all around.

Kuhn approached them. He tapped the shoulder of the man at the very back, who turned around and immediately bowed his head, stepping aside. A path quickly formed. The human barrier that had encircled the area opened up just enough for the two of them to pass through.

Sienna followed Kuhn along the path the people made as they stepped back. Soon, they could see what was happening inside. Two large men were in the middle of a brawl. They were wrestling so fiercely that dust rose from the ground.

Judging by the scattered swords and scabbards, it seemed they had started with weapons.

Aside from the color of their hair, the two men looked almost identical. Their punches aimed at each other showed no mercy. Thud, thud, the sound of fists hitting flesh echoed like drums. Heads whipped back with each hit.

Sienna, watching the brawl with a stunned expression, spotted Sir Gilbert standing awkwardly in a corner with a pale face.

"Sir Gilbert!"

Sienna's voice was drowned out by the surrounding noise. Gilbert was nervously watching the two men fighting and couldn't take his eyes off them.

'Could this fight have something to do with Sir Gilbert?'

It seemed unlikely that he would hear her calling him. Sienna tried to move toward Gilbert. As soon as she took a step, her arm was grabbed. Kuhn shook his head at her, signaling with his hand for her to stay put.

Kuhn stepped forward. He slowly bent down and picked up a scabbard lying on the ground. The noise, which had been almost deafening, had already quieted considerably.

However, the twin brothers, wholly absorbed in trying to beat each other, had long since stopped hearing the sounds around them. Both men, who had been rolling on the ground, were now on their feet. Like bulls preparing to clash, they roared and charged at each other.

A fist jabbed into the abdomen. The one who was hit bent over and swept a leg out. As he dodged, he drove his elbow into his opponent's back. Would it be any more brutal if they were mortal enemies?

Moreover, the brothers were much taller and more built than most people. Watching the two giant figures move so fiercely was intimidating in itself.

Kuhn calmly approached them. The closer he got, the more anxious Sienna became.

Martin swung a fist that Russ deftly dodged. But right behind Russ was Kuhn.

'Oh no!'

Sienna screamed inwardly and covered her mouth with both hands. The feared situation didn't happen. Kuhn spun his body to dodge and then swung the scabbard down on Martin's shoulder.

Martin grimaced, clutching his struck shoulder, and Russ, who had been hit in the chest by Kuhn, groaned, bending over. Before they knew it, the surroundings had fallen silent. Kuhn looked around and spoke.

"Disperse."

People began to scatter one by one. Gilbert belatedly noticed Sienna and hurried over.

"My apologies."

Sienna nodded absently. Her gaze shifted to the twin brothers and Kuhn standing before them. She approached Kuhn and heard his voice scolding the two.

"Really, fighting like this when we have guests."

Both of them, with swollen faces, stood there looking like a mess. Cuts on their foreheads and cheeks, likely from scraping against rocks, were marked with blood.

"Why does every sword practice with you two end up with fists?"

"This bastard started it!"

"This idiot!"

They shouted simultaneously and then glared at each other, raising their voices again.

"What did you say?"

"This bastard thinks he's got a mouth."

"Both of you, shut up."

Kuhn jabbed them both in the stomach with the end of the scabbard. They grunted and rubbed their bellies.

'Exactly the same.'

Russ was the most memorable character among those who appeared in Sienna's dreams. In the dream, he was much older than now, but his signature mischievous expression was identical. Even if the brothers had the same hair color, it would be easy to tell them apart.

When she first saw Russ in her dream, she thought he was rude and ignorant. But thinking about it, it was better than being hypocritical.

Russ, muttering with a sullen expression, locked eyes with Sienna. As she stared straight at him, Russ glared back, his eyes widening in defiance. Martin smacked Russ on the back of the head. Russ glared at Martin, frowning, but he didn't throw a fit because he knew he was at fault.

Sienna stood beside Kuhn.

"Lord Kuhn, would you introduce this person, Sir Kali?"

"This is the knight appointed by His Majesty," Kuhn said, pointing to Martin.

"Does it matter? Soon enough, this one will also become Sir Kali."

Russ blinked.

" Russ Kali. As you can see, they are brothers. Although we've shown you an unpleasant scene, they don't always act like this."

"I don't mind. Men sometimes settle things with their fists."

Sienna removed her hood and greeted the wide-eyed Russ.

"Nice to meet you, Sir Kali."

"Russ. Pay your respects to Her Majesty the Silver King."

Prompted by Kuhn, Russ, who had been standing there dumbfounded, quickly bowed his head.

"Lord Kuhn, the two Sir Kali require urgent treatment. Their faces are in a terrible state."

"Both of you, go."

The brothers turned around. As they walked side by side, they lightly punched each other on the shoulder. It didn't take long for the light punches to gain some force.

Kuhn clicked his tongue.

"You two, separate. You're not allowed to come within ten steps of each other for the rest of the day."

The two brothers sidled away from each other.

Sienna chuckled. She thought the two weren't alike apart from their looks, but now she saw that they were indeed brothers.

"Sir Kali... I mean Sir Martin Kali. I thought he was an unmatched warrior. It seems Sir Russ Kali holds his own against him."

"They're quite evenly matched. Sometimes one leads, and other times the other. It looks like Sir Gilbert was asked to referee their sparring."

Sienna looked at Gilbert. Gilbert hung his head dejectedly.

"I have nothing to say, Your Majesty."

"A sparring match between those two. Any knight wouldn't want to miss it."

"I forgot my duties. I apologize."

"We'll talk in detail when we return. Lord Kuhn, let's head back now."

"Yes. I will prepare the carriage."

The carriage Sienna had arrived in at the main branch of the trading company had already been sent out with someone else. It was to deceive the watchful eyes around the company.

Sienna left the company in another carriage. After taking a roundabout route to ensure they weren't being followed, they returned to the palace.

 

 ***

 

Mason quietly opened the door. He smiled as he saw Kuhn flipping through documents at his desk. Standing at the doorway, he looked at Kuhn.

It was just around sunset. The last rays of the sun poured through the window, spilling into the room. It was neither too bright nor too dark. The moment when light and shadow coexisted created a tranquil atmosphere.

"I guess I am getting old."

He felt moved. It was simply pleasing to witness this scene. Mason, the head elder of the Rad family, known for their "iron hearts," and the general manager of the Rad Trading Company, was uncharacteristically sentimental.

There was a time when he spent the night staring at the sleeping face of young Kuhn, feeling lost. It seemed like just yesterday, and yet also like a distant past.

Mason had no children of his own. He was content living with his wife, relying on each other. Since he had no experience raising children, he was never sure if he was doing a good job raising Kuhn.

He was afraid the young master would stray. He was stingy with praise and often harshly rebuked him. It always pained him to tell a boy, who was at an age when he should be clinging to his parents, "The future of our family rests on your shoulders."

"At least now I can hold my head high when I see your parents in the afterlife, can't I?"

He could confidently tell the previous lord and lady of the family, who had passed away at a young age, that their son had grown up well. Kuhn had never failed expectations; he had always exceeded them.

Before he knew it, the young master had reached the age to find and bring home his own partner.

"She was quite a remarkable lady."

Mason smiled softly, recalling the woman with the bright, intelligent eyes.

Kuhn looked up and frowned as he noticed Mason.

"What are you doing there?"

He had known since Mason had entered. It was annoying that Mason continued to stand there without saying anything.

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"Then you shouldn't have come in."

"Indeed."

Mason chuckled and approached the desk, placing the documents he was holding down on it. As Kuhn reached out to take the papers, he glanced at Mason, still irritated by the earlier prank Mason had played on him.

"There are a total of twelve reception rooms in the main building and annex combined."

"Are there?"

"No one told me they had directed a guest to the office. They just watched me running around. They're all in on it together."

"I've been managing this household for more than just a few years. I'd like to think my words carry some weight by now."

"...So, what did you think when you saw her?"

Mason smiled faintly.

"She's the one who had you put ice on your injuries, right?"

"......"

"Did you ask for forgiveness as I advised? It shouldn't be swept under the rug."

"...If she were the type to let things slide, I wouldn't be going through all this trouble."

Kuhn muttered to himself as he opened the documents Mason had brought.

"There weren't any issues, right?"

"Nothing I'd call an issue, but... within a month, the sales of all the stores under the Raad Trading Company's name have surged. Up to sixfold in some cases. The higher-end the store, the greater the change."

Kuhn smirked. The lining up had begun. Even after he was granted the marquisate, sales had increased, but not to this explosive degree.

"Sales alone?"

"All the managers of the luxury stores have been approached. Some asked to meet Kuhn, others to pass on messages or give gifts."

"People come to buy goods but end up giving gifts instead? Power is indeed a wonderful thing."

"All the ducal families, except for the Bless family, have reached out."

Kuhn sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Too much attention isn't good, Kuhn."

"...I know."

A lot had gone off plan. Originally, Kuhn hadn't intended to step forward until Dian's position was solidified. He had only meant to act as an unseen benefactor.

It was something he'd worked on for a long time. Even just a year ago, he hadn't anticipated needing to revise his plans. And not for any other reason—just because of a woman.

The incident in the desert was the same. His goal had been merely to strengthen the desert tribes' voice against the Empire. The urgency to return home had led to results beyond his goal. The unification of the three largest tribes in the desert was nothing short of a miracle.

It was fine that he'd accepted the title of marquis and made his presence known. Only at that level would he avoid being treated as a fool who didn't know his place, hanging around the princess. But the inspector was beyond his calculations.

"I really don't understand what His Majesty is thinking."

It was something Dian often complained about. And indeed, it was hard to understand the emperor's mind.

The emperor surely knew that the Rad family was attempting to place a foot in the Empire's political scene. So why hand Kuhn, the head of the Rad family, such enormous power? Most would believe that the emperor and the Marquis of Rad had already come to an agreement beforehand.

However, the fact that the emperor would order an investigation into an old incident at the New Year's banquet and assign it to him was news to Kuhn. It stunned him just as much as anyone else.

'She must know something...'

Kuhn thought of the lady from the Black House.

'She's been through a lot, so she's not one to easily reveal her thoughts.'

On the night he received his mission as an investigator, he met Dian's uncle, Jeffrey. He was a man of few words, and that day was no different.

"You've been given an important task. Do your best."

All he received were perfunctory words of encouragement. The main reason was that he hadn't yet gained Jeffrey's full trust. He was a man with deep-seated reservations.

"Mason, you said you never came to the Empire when you were young, right? Even twenty-five years ago, you were somewhere else."

"Yes."

"And it's certain that we had no involvement?"

"It is certain. There are records in the archives."

"I did a rough search, but I don't understand. Ten years before the incident, the Rad Trading Company had already begun reducing its scale of operations in the Empire. Could Grandfather have foreseen it? And if he did foresee it, how could he have done so without knowing the political situation of the Empire?"

"He didn't get involved in politics, but he did put great effort into gathering information. I recall there was much opposition to his decisions at the time. The Empire had just begun implementing policies to promote commerce, so it was a great opportunity to expand."

"Despite the opposition, Grandfather chose to withdraw."

"Yes. In hindsight, it was the right decision. Several trading companies got caught up in the incident twenty-five years ago and disappeared. Rad Trading could have been one of them."

Mason watched Kuhn, lost in thought, and spoke cautiously.

"This is unofficial, but... my father once asked him about his intentions. He said in passing, 'A man with a narrow vessel has risen to a position that overflows. He will not break his own vessel, so only innocent people around him will get hurt. If dark clouds are gathering, shouldn't we avoid them?'"

"...That's quite something for my grandfather to say."

It was a highly dangerous and provocative statement, suggesting that an unfit man had become emperor.

"Did Grandfather ever meet the former emperor?"

"That, I do not know."

"According to the Empire's records, the former emperor wasn't a wise ruler, but he wasn't a tyrant either."

"Records are not always the truth."

"In any case, there's nothing in that incident that could harm our family."

"Yes."

"Then there's no need to feel burdened. Mason, since we're on this path, I might as well see it through to the end."

Mason was silent for a moment. Then he answered in a calm, steady voice without a change in his expression.

"If that is your wish, Kuhn."

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