Episode 50

Episode 50: The Red-Haired Man

“I think we can stop worrying about assassins for a while.”

We’d galloped across wide plains and forded treacherous ravines to escape them.

Leonard only made that pronouncement after we finally crossed the river, putting real distance between ourselves and danger.

“Really?”

Ever since that first “merchant caravan” ambush, we’d endured three more assassination attempts.

We hadn’t been hurt—thanks entirely to Leonard and Cedric’s skill—but each time had been terrifying.

If I’d known it would be like this, I’d have accepted Jerome’s offer to send knights along without hesitation.

“Who do you think they were?”

“Hard to say,” Leonard admitted after a pause.

“Plenty of people hold grudges against the Imperial family.”

“Their memories didn’t hold much, either,” Cedric added.

He’d delved into the minds of some of them, but found nothing useful about whoever was behind them.

At least one thing was certain.

They were after me.

It was chilling.

Why would anyone want to kill me?

Of course, there was a reason.

Not anything I did—but Helena, the woman I’d become.

Who would benefit if I disappeared?

Well… basically anyone.

I was the Empress.

Search the Empire and you’d find thousands of people who wanted my position.

Wow. Not exactly reassuring.

Thinking about it, there were too many suspects to even guess.

“But are you sure we’re safe now?”

“At least for a while,” Leonard replied, gesturing at the towering white-capped mountains in the distance.

“We’re in Calus territory now.”

Finally.

The air had shifted from stifling heat to something crisp and refreshing.

Six days since leaving the Imperial City—and we were here.

Technically… as illegal border crossers.

We’d avoided any formal crossing. If the border patrol caught us, it was straight to prison.

Leonard’s voice was calm as he surveyed the landscape.

“Calus is home to the continent’s tallest mountains—the Calon Range—and the vast Camaran Steppe. The climate here is famously varied.”

“I’ve heard the people here are rougher than Imperials,” I said.

Cedric, riding in the carriage, answered this time.

“Until a few centuries ago, they were nomadic tribes with no unified nation. It was only about three hundred years ago that the first King of Calus managed to unite them.”

I nodded slowly.

Faint memories of the original novel came back.

Calus only showed up in the later chapters.

There was that big war with the Empire.

If I remembered right, the fighting had raged in the borderlands by the river we’d just crossed.

I couldn’t even recall who had won.

The book was a romance; it hadn’t lingered on military outcomes.

It had pivoted quickly into Imperial civil strife instead.

Still, there was one detail I did remember.

The entire reason we’d come here.

Calus had dammed one of the Empire’s vital water sources.

Given the long-standing territorial disputes, it had been inevitable.

Cedric’s even voice continued explaining.

“Calus is so large and well-populated that you could easily call it an Empire in its own right.”

“I knew it was powerful,” I said, “but I didn’t realize it rivaled us. Why haven’t they crowned an Emperor, then?”

Leonard answered.

“Because the country started as a confederation of tribes. It took a long time to develop real cohesion. Even when they tried conscription, tribes would hide their young men. They only built up this level of strength in the last reign.”

Cedric picked up smoothly.

“More precisely, it was when the current King was Crown Prince and acting as regent—about a decade ago.”

“The new King… I heard he visited the Empire recently.”

Though he’d left abruptly before I could meet him.

“I wonder what kind of man he is.”

Leonard’s tone was respectful.

“They say he’s both an exceptional warrior and a shrewd ruler. When his father fell ill, he quickly consolidated the fractious tribes.”

Cedric added, voice lower.

“He’s reputed to be so lethal in battle they call him the ‘Crimson Lord.’

Crimson Lord?

That was a chilling title.

“So he’s a very cold man, then?”

Leonard shook his head.

“Oddly enough, within Calus he’s incredibly well-loved.”

“Then why…?”

Cedric answered with a small, knowing smile.

“Because he’s endlessly gentle with his own people, but a nightmare for his enemies. They say his blood-red hair only adds to the legend.”

Blood-red hair.

Crimson Lord.

The words sent a strange shiver through me.

For some reason, I felt certain.

We’re going to meet.

It’s going to be important.

I didn’t know why I was so sure, but my heart beat faster just thinking it.

After crossing into Calus, we let the horses rest by the riverbank and took a short break.

I reclined inside the carriage, listening to the gentle murmur of the flowing stream brushing at my ears.

While the Empire’s rivers are drying to dust…

Unlike the Imperial heartlands, Calus was rich in water.

If only this abundance could reach us, too.

I leaned out the carriage window.

Far in the distance, I could just make out a dam.

“Your Majesty, are you truly planning to go through with this?”

Leonard, who’d been polishing his sword nearby, spoke suddenly.

I gave a firm nod.

“I am. No—this is something that must be done.”

His expression darkened as he turned his gaze toward the dam.

It was clear what he thought of the plan: reckless.

But my objective was straightforward.

Among the dams here in Calus, we’d chosen the one built on high ground. If we destroyed it, the surge of water would cascade down into the river system that flowed toward the Empire’s core.

It wouldn’t be enough to resolve the drought completely, but at the very least, it could temporarily alleviate our water shortage.

Cedric said so himself…

If we breached it properly, we might even be able to permanently reroute the supply—perhaps even resolve the cyclical droughts that struck the Empire every decade or so.

Still, I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

“Your Majesty. Destroying a dam on Calus soil—it’s tantamount to terrorism.”

“They were the ones who blocked the river first. They claim to be suffering water shortages too, but it won’t be long before everyone sees through the excuse.”

This plan wasn’t just for the Empire.

Calus would benefit as well.

If the dam remained intact, the two nations would eventually be drawn into war within a few years.

“But… how did you even learn about this dam, Your Majesty?”

“Just lucky, I suppose.”

I deflected smoothly, then crouched down and began sketching out a rough diagram in the dirt with a twig.

“It’s not as if I plan to blow it up right away. We’ll try diplomacy first—seek out the official in charge of its maintenance and ask for a compromise.”

Though depending on the circumstances, that “compromise” might require more than words.

“They won’t agree.”

“Of course not. If they meant to cooperate, they wouldn’t have built the dam in the first place. That’s why we’ll need Cedric. My current plan is—”

Just as we were about to dive into strategy, Leonard lifted a hand.

“Quiet.”

He raised a finger to his lips.

“I hear hoofbeats.”

We hastily ducked behind the trees.

“Could it be… more assassins?”

They’d chased us all the way across the border. Whoever they were, they were tenacious.

Why are they so obsessed with killing us?

Leonard peered at their uniforms as the riders approached.

“Judging by the insignia… Calus knights.”

Knights?

As they came closer, I could finally make out the red-stitched emblem on their uniforms—dragons embroidered over the chest.

“Looks like they’re border guards. They must have found traces of us.”

We had dragged a carriage through here. No way we left no tracks.

“We won’t be able to stay hidden much longer. I’ll draw them away—run while you can.”

At Leonard’s signal, the three of us bolted in different directions.

The knights had been on edge, though. As soon as we moved, they blew their whistles and gave chase.

Unfortunately, they were far quicker and more coordinated than we anticipated.

Before Leonard could lure them off, we were already surrounded.

Heavily armed knights formed a ring around us.

“Down on your knees!” shouted the man who seemed to be their leader.

“How dare you. Do you even know who you’re speaking to?” Leonard growled.

“She is the Empress of the Pentrian Empire,” Cedric said calmly.

But even that title didn’t make them lower their swords.

They didn’t look like they believed us at all.

What now…

Leonard and Cedric could likely escape if not for me.

I was the problem from the start.

And I knew these two would never abandon me.

This is bad. I’m dragging everyone down again.

No. I had to act—fast.

“Sir Leonard. Drop your sword.”

“But—”

“Please.”

This could spiral into a full-blown international incident.

Says the woman who just admitted she was planning to blow up a dam.

Still, with things as they were, I had no choice but to use the strategy I’d hoped to avoid.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, brave knights of Calus. I am the Empress of the Pentrian Empire.”

I smiled sweetly.

“I’m afraid I’ve… entered your country without formal permission, due to urgent circumstances. Would you kindly inform your king that I am here?”

It was unfortunate we’d been caught. But now that we had—

“I’ve come to negotiate with the King of Calus.”

A direct approach. No more hiding.

Inside the Calus Royal Palace, at the training grounds.

A light breeze rustled, sending brilliant red hair streaming in the wind. Under the sun, it gleamed vividly.

Hair so dark it could look drenched in blood on the battlefield now shone like dazzling rubies.

The red-haired man lowered his raised sword and asked the attendant behind him:

“Who did you say arrived?”

He only tilted his head slightly to glance back, but even that movement revealed the broad stretch of his shoulders and back.

His bare upper body was faultless, the kind that would turn heads in an instant.

Every line of muscle was tight and defined, like a master’s sculpture come to life.

When he turned fully, even the hard planes of his abdomen were visible, the sweat trickling down those ridges a testament to harsh training.

With casual indifference, he raised his hand.

An attendant standing by quickly offered a towel.

“They’re claiming to be the Empress of the Pentrian Empire.”

“Oh?”

He wiped at the sweat leisurely as he spoke.

“It’s not just an impostor?”

“We assumed it was a fraud, of course, but she’s… well, very brazen about it. We’re still verifying.”

“Anything else unusual?”

“There were two men with her.”

“Men?”

“Yes, one appears to be a knight, and the other is a mage.”

“Hmm… just two guards? For an Empress?”

“That’s right.”

The attendant nodded soberly.

“The Empress of the Empire, huh…”

The red-haired man fell silent for a moment, eyes thoughtful.

Then he asked:

“What does she look like?”

“Pardon?”

“The woman claiming to be the Empress. How is she described?”

“Ah—blonde hair. And, oh! Her eyes. They’re a very unusual color… violet, I think.”

“Oh? Really now?”

A mischievous smile tugged at his lips.

“Where is she now?”

“Who do you mean?”

“The so-called Empress.”

“Naturally she’s in the dungeon.”

“Dungeon? You said she’s an Empress.”

“She can’t really be one, can she.”

At that, the red-haired man gave a short, amused laugh.

“I’d bet she is, actually.”

“What?”

“That woman. I think she’s the real deal.”

“How can you possibly know that?”

“Just… a hunch.”

“There you go again with these ridiculous instincts… Wait, where are you going now?”

“To see this ‘Empress’ in person.”

“Hold on a moment!”

The attendant rushed after him in alarm.

“What?”

“Are you going like that?”

“Like what?”

The red-haired man swept his eyes down over himself in mild confusion.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked:

“Is there a problem?”

“Of course there is!”

“Is it really that bad?”

‘Obviously it’s that bad, you fool!’

The attendant fought the urge to clutch his head in exasperation—silently vowing for the 101st time that one day, he’d finally give this man’s thick skull a good smack.

“Please, Your Highness Karssen, have a little dignity. Where do you think you’re going with your entire chest on display like that!”