The Long Dawn (1) Chapter 27

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The departure time was set.

'If it's during the ball, everyone will be too preoccupied.'

If not then, it would be difficult to escape cleanly.

This place was the palace, the most heavily guarded in the empire, where even ants passing by were named.

Escaping from such a location was no easy feat, but Sena was confident. Escaping was his specialty.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

Astria, seated in a wheelchair, caressed the flowers in the garden.

"What is it?"

"I need to choose someone to escort me."

"Why not ask Chris?"

"Hand my fate to a Guardian Knight? How unromantic."

Astria rubbed her chin and looked up at Sena.

"You do it. Escort me."

"Me?"

"Yes."

'This complicates things.'

With this, the grand plan of escaping during the ball would become doubly difficult.

Sena awkwardly chuckled and said.

"May I?"

"There's nothing you can't do."

"But tomorrow is an important day."

"What are you trying to say?"

"On a day like that, if I stand next to Her Majesty, people might… pay too much attention. I don't particularly like being in the spotlight."

Rattle.

"That's a surprise."

Surprised, Astria stopped her wheelchair with her foot.

She stood up and grabbed Sena by the collar, pulling him closer.

"Sena."

"Yes, yes."

"Do it."

"…Yes."

Astria, who brooked no opposition, could be irksome at times.

Live life as you please, forever.

**

"That's enough. Let's go eat."

How many times had they circled the garden? Astria spoke briefly.

'She really likes gardens.'

She liked harmless things; I thought that was a joke, but maybe it wasn't.

"Why do people call Her Majesty a tyrant?"

"Do not know the minds of fearful bugs. What about you? Do you think of me as a tyrant?"

Sena, pushing the wheelchair, glanced down. A tuft of yellow fur. The unusually small head caught his eye.

Astria's outward appearance was girlish. If not for her flashy golden clothes and unique aura, she might have looked merely cute.

But even with all that considered, honestly, Sena didn't find her intimidating.

"When I heard the rumors, 'Yes,' but having seen you, 'No.'"

"Hoo, what was your impression of me?"

"Uh, kill for a slight mistake, kill for joking, kill while eating… and again."

Astria raised her hand with a bewildered expression. Had she been seen as a killer rather than an empress all this time?

"That's enough. I understand. But what you think of as a tyrant is what I would call a ruffian."

Astria glanced at Sena with a slight smirk.

"A tyrant is someone who doesn't hesitate. They do what needs to be done. In your eyes, would a servant accidentally tipping a carriage deserve to die?"

"Well, no."

"I think the same way. If a skilled servant vanishes due to such a simple mistake, the time to find a replacement will be delayed by at least 3 minutes. Three minutes. That's enough time for an entire country to vanish."

Astria occasionally revealed her firepower. It was an aspect of the Empress that couldn't be hidden.

'The empire will live long.'

Sena was also a healer. Sometimes he chose who to treat. Of course, he didn't let bad people off the hook, but he hoped good people would live long.

If the price of his healing was connected to the blood of many, it would be sad. Therefore, Sena pushed the wheelchair with relief.

"That's a splendid thought. I'll give you credit for that."

Astria still smiled, but the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.

"You should consider yourself fortunate to have been born with that face and body. Otherwise, you'd be dead."

"I'm aware of that."

"Knowing only makes it more frustrating."

The two continued chatting as they headed to the dining room.

Under the luxurious table, Sena ate heartily while Astria ate with a stern expression.

Salad was the end of today's menu.

Fortunately, Astria didn't say anything negative. It was a familiar sight by now.

'I suppose she'll have to get used to it even when I'm not around.'

Could Seria control Astria? He wasn't sure, but she had to be grateful that she wasn't dead.

Still, if what the Empress said earlier was true, Seria would live long. She only kills people based on necessity, after all. Seria would recognize her usefulness.

"It's already evening."

"Tonight, it's best to sleep early. I really dislike it when someone steps on my foot while I'm dancing."

"You shouldn't step on someone's foot in the first place. It's better to ask Chris to be your partner…"

"Sena."

"I'm sorry."

"Fine. That's all."

Sena smiled meaninglessly, but inside, he felt differently.

'Time has passed so quickly.'

The yellow evening sunset glow appeared.

Sena liked sitting on cliffs and watching the evening glow. The sky in the medieval era, with no factories running, was more beautiful than imagined.

'…Could I have spent more meaningful time? Is this really the maximum?'

The allotted time was rushing towards its end. Sena suddenly looked back on the past and wondered if he had wasted it.

Could he have spent more time with Astria? Was there a better way than how he had dealt with Chloe yesterday?

Regardless of his thoughts, it was already too late. Time lost for Sena wouldn't return.

However, one thing was clear: Sena wished this time could continue a little longer.

Just a few more hours.

"Sena, cover your nose."

"Huh?"

"A foul-smelling human is approaching."

Lost in thought, Sena raised his head.

"…!"

A middle-aged man and several knights surrounded him.

There were quite a few people, but Sena's gaze was fixed on one man.

A man dressed in pitch black. His cheeks were sunken, his gaze grim, and his eyes bulging as if they would roll out any moment.

He had a menacing appearance that could be straight out of a horror movie.

Seeing this unfamiliar man, Sena was reminded of one thing.

A raven.

It wasn't just because of his black clothes.

It was because he didn't seem alive at all. He felt just like a raven, that thought crossed Sena's mind.

They stopped in front of Astria.

"Duke Wilhelm Reinhardt. I'm sorry, but my audiences are over."

Wilhelm looked down at Astria with a suffocatingly ruthless aura. However, he quickly put on a friendly smile.

"Is that so? I was worried when I heard about the ball despite Her Majesty's poor health, so I came to check. What a pity."

"Oh, thank you for worrying about my health. But don't worry. Tomorrow, the ball will proceed as planned."

Sena's gaze on Wilhelm was uneasy.

'What's with this person.'

It was the first time.

[1]

[2142]

[324]

[12]

[4251]

The numbers above his head were fluctuating in real-time. It seemed as if the numbers were going crazy.

"However… Your legs look uncomfortable. Are you okay to dance?"

"Don't worry. I can dance even lying down."

"Heh."

At that moment, the two knights on either side chuckled. Soon, they realized their mistake, closed their mouths, and returned to their poker faces.

Without even looking at them, Astria spoke.

"What's your affiliation?"

"I'm Sir Anthony of the First Imperial Knights."

"Likewise, I'm Sir Patrick."

"Anthony, Patrick."

Astria spoke dryly.

"Commit suicide."

"Yes…?"

"Are you defying the imperial command, Imperial Knights?"

"I, um…"

"I ordered you to die. Is that difficult?"

Sena's pupils trembled. He couldn't grasp what to do.

If he intervened, it would mean disregarding Astria's authority. Allowing the knights, who dared to mock the Empress in her presence, to go unpunished was equally untenable.

Silence would result in bloodshed, not just the knights', but it would surely have negative political implications as well.

'In situations like this, it's better to divert attention to myself.'

Just as Sena was about to clap to shift attention away…

"Have you not heard Her Majesty's words?"

Duke Wilhelm sneered and drew the sword of the knight beside him.

Then he swung it precisely two times.

Sena moved unconsciously, reaching out as if to grab the knight's pulse.

It was too late when he realized there was no way to save someone whose neck had already been severed; his expression stiffened.

He had seen many people die. It didn't disgust him to see a corpse.

But the manner of death was shocking.

"Are you satisfied, Your Majesty? These two loyal knights are dead."

"Distasteful. Leave."

Wilhelm bowed slowly in front of Astria. He lowered his head slightly and spoke.

"As you command."

He rose and passed behind Astria. Just before he left, he whispered to Sena in a low voice.

"Today is your chance to escape, physician of the Empress."

His voice was as dry as a chalk scratching on a board. It was more unpleasant than a screeching sound.

No matter who tried to stop him, Sena would leave without fail.

"Physician. Did you hear?"

"…"

"You're supposed to escape. What will you do?"

It was the same.

No matter who told him to escape, he wouldn't until the appointed time arrived.

"I won't escape. At least not today."

**

Time for everyone to fall asleep.

Sena, too, prepared to sleep.

[I'll see you sometime soon.]

-Sena.

Sena wrote a letter to Cruyff.

It was his last plan to meet before returning to his hometown.

'…Wilhelm. That man is dangerous.'

It wasn't necessarily about the previous act he witnessed.

It was just that his whole body was telling him. Duke Wilhelm Reinhardt is dangerous.

'And that last phrase, it bothers me.'

-Today is your chance to escape, physician of the Empress.

There were various interpretations.

In some ways, it sounded like he knew that Sena would run away tomorrow, but there was no way he could have known that.

The most likely one was 'I'm going to do something tonight'.

Creak.

Sena opened the window with a troubled expression.

"Sylvia."

He spoke softly, and a silver figure turned this way. Even in the dark night, her silver eyes shone strangely bright.

With a graceful movement, she climbed up the wall and stood on the balcony with one foot crossed over.

"Wow. So, you're a knight."

Sena found himself clapping unintentionally.

Sylvia blinked in surprise.

"How did you see through me? You don't think I became Senior's escort through connections, do you?"

"No way, that can't be it. I know your skills best."

"…Fine. What is it? By the way, just like I told Serilda, even if you tell me not to work today, I won't listen."

"It's not that. Then I'll die."

Sylvia's eyes immediately became serious.

"What have you heard today?"

She stepped inside over the balcony. Sena closed the window.

"Yeah. It's not certain, but Duke Wilhelm threatened me."

"I'll go deal with it right now."

"Wait, wait, wait."

Sena grabbed Sylvia's wrist, though he couldn't get a good hold because of her thick armor.

"I told Chris too, but if anything happens, wake me up. That's why I called you."

Sylvia glanced at Sena and said curtly,

"…What can Senior do?"

"I can do something."

"Is that an order?"

"Yeah."

"Hah, alright then."

Sylvia waved her hand.

"You don't have to worry so much. Because Teutonic Knights will never lose to anyone other than themselves."

"I trust you."

Sylvia went back onto the balcony. Sena poked his face out the window and whispered softly.

"…Be careful."

Sena's worried eyes were enough to turn Sylvia's face red.

"Good night."

Sylvia lowered her head nervously, closed the window, and turned around.

She murmured softly as she cooled her blushing face against the cold plate mail.

"You're too cute, Senior."

To read over 200 chapters patreon.com/zennin12