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CHAPTER 1 - CORAL STADT HILDE
The beautifully disguised knight contemplated, gazing up at the sky.
Count's daughter Coral Stadt Hilde served as a knight to the third prince, Mericul. The Stadt Hilde family had long been in service to the royal family, producing outstanding knights. Coral, unusually tall for a woman, possessed exceptional physical abilities. At the age of eighteen, she was chosen as the personal guard of the prince, who was three years her junior.
Her prowess and dignified appearance set her apart within the knightly ranks. Her golden hair, like silk, was braided into a single plait. Almond-shaped eyes were as clear and blue as the sky. Despite lacking typical feminine lines, her evenly balanced and supple figure exuded an androgynous charm.
Coral, without a doubt, was a stunning beauty in masculine attire.
Three years passed, and Coral diligently fulfilled her duties as a guard. At twenty-one, amidst suggestions of marriage from those around her, she persisted in postponing such thoughts until after the prince's wedding. Earlier this month, Prince Mericul had announced his engagement to a beautiful princess from a neighboring country.
Amidst the celebratory mood, the king tasked Coral with a diplomatic mission as part of the envoy before the wedding. Naturally, Coral accompanied the prince as his guard.
One afternoon, two youths were taking a break in the shade of the garden. On closer inspection, one of them was a woman. Adorned in a red-trimmed tunic which was the mark of the royal guards, was Coral Stadt Hilde, the knight of Prince Mericul, along with her colleague.
The beautiful knight Coral, while gazing at the blue sky, wore an unusually melancholic expression.
"Coral, is something bothering you?"
"No, I just found myself troubled."
Uncharacteristically, Coral sighed.
"Coral troubled? That's unexpected."
"Well, it's more than a little unsettling."
Her colleague, the knight Vire, responded. Five years younger than Coral, at the age of sixteen, he was the son of a duke, striving to make a name for himself as a hardworking young man without the prospect of inheriting a title.
"I've never seen Coral troubled before."
"I'm always a lamb in distress."
"Are you kidding?"
Recalling Coral's exploits since becoming a royal guard, Vire responded without modesty.
"I've always thought Coral has an enviable personality."
"Huh?"
"Do you not realize you have various legends attached to you?"
"Legends?"
Coral, with a blank expression, was taken aback.
Vire, in a matter-of-fact tone, began recounting Coral's seemingly unbelievable legends.
The first legend: On the day of her appointment as a royal guard, Coral caught the eye of a princess from a neighboring country who invited her to join their kingdom. Despite the offer of becoming the kingdom's top knight by her father, she promptly declined, causing a stir.
The second legend: Six months into her tenure as a royal guard, she missed a meeting with the Marquis of Rembrandt due to assisting Prince Mericul. As a result, the marriage proposal with the number one eligible man in the country was canceled, earning her a reputation as a woman who stood up to the most desired man for marriage.
The third legend: A year later, on Prince Mericul's orders, she participated in a chess tournament hosted by the king. Unfazed, she advanced to the finals and defeated the king, who was her opponent. Needless to say, her father's lifespan, serving as the captain of the king's knights, significantly shortened.
Coral had been fearlessly engaging in daring actions. Therefore, Vire found her current state genuinely intriguing.
"So, for someone who casually brushes off various major events, the fact that Coral, with a heart of steel, is troubled, makes me wonder if this time it's okay."
"Well, it's not exactly okay…”
While massaging the wrinkles on her forehead, Coral sighed deeply. What on earth was the matter? Vire, with a mix of curiosity and reluctance, furrowed his brow.
Unable to resist her colleague's curiosity, Vire posed a question.
"So, what's troubling Coral?"
"Well—"
Coral's anxiety stemmed from a language issue during their diplomatic mission abroad. After three days of carriage travel and a subsequent boat journey, they reached the prominent nation of "Karetsu."
The unique language and intricate script posed the highest level of difficulty, with very few proficient speakers even within their own country. Despite Coral's efforts since childhood, mastering this language proved more challenging than others, resulting in speaking brokenly and understanding only about half of what was said.
"You're troubled by that?"
"Not understanding the language is a significant issue."
"Really? We'll have interpreters for conversation, and as long as we focus on guarding, shouldn't we be fine?"
"Well, yes, but..."
For some reason, an uneasy feeling lingered in her chest. Coral rarely experienced such discomfort, making it a strong sense of disquiet within her. Vire dismissed it as likely due to his first diplomatic encounter. If that were the case, all the better, Coral fervently wished.
---
In no time, the day arrived for their dispatch to the foreign land. Ultimately, Coral's unease persisted until the day of departure.
The diplomatic envoy consisted of around thirty members: five diplomats, ten guards, five interpreters, and ten servants. Prince Mericul addressed everyone, and the departure began. Carriages formed a line, departing one after another. The beautiful silver-haired prince with blue eyes was in a foul mood.
"Why must I be the one engaging in diplomacy...!"
He kicked the carriage wall with his heel.
Mericul Surf Adelaide, an eighteen-year-old prince, had a haughty and arrogant disposition, a result of being pampered more than flowers and butterflies by those around him. Originally, his assertive personality wasn't suited for diplomacy. The astute Prince Mericul was better suited for internal affairs. Even the crown prince and the second prince suggested others undertake the diplomatic mission, but he insisted it was a necessary step for his growth, and the king didn't object.
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Behind this significant decision lay a hidden motive. Six months ago, Prince Mericul spoke out against the king's favored mistress. Her extravagant spending had reached an intolerable amount, so he advised putting an end to it. Although the king had found solace in the mistress after the queen's death, upon realizing the extent of her extravagance, he decided to sever ties with her.
While he reflected on his actions, there was still something on his mind. Rumors whispered that the reckless diplomatic mission was a consequence of this. Coral, who heard this rumor from Vire, believed that this was the true cause of her uneasy feeling. She fervently prayed that nothing untoward would happen.
After a long week of travel, they arrived in Karetsu. The delegation was overwhelmed by the cityscape, which emphasized a different shade of red than their home country. Red dominated everywhere, from house colors and clothing to statues, skillfully coordinated without being overwhelming.
The unique cityscape fascinated the diplomatic envoy. The purpose of this diplomatic mission was cultural exchange with Karetsu, a large nation with a population of around two hundred million. Before this, there had been almost no diplomatic relations between nations, but this meeting aimed to establish equal diplomatic ties.
On the first day, they were guided to their lodgings and had dinner with the diplomats. Communication through interpreters seemed to be going reasonably well.
However, the Prince seemed displeased with the Karetsu cuisine, frequently wrinkling his face. The dishes were arranged in steaming baskets called "seiro," containing steamed dim sum—seafood dumplings wrapped in thin dough, fluffy steamed buns, sesame-covered sweet dumplings, and steamed rice wrapped in leaves. It was all new and unfamiliar to their palates.
The royal guards, including Coral, took turns having their meals. The plates adorned with beautiful paintings were all exquisite, captivating their gaze. These were made of a material called porcelain, thinner and more translucent than pottery, with a beautiful, almost transparent white.
"I'd love to buy these as souvenirs for my mother."
"If only we had time for sightseeing."
"At the moment, it might be difficult."
Arriving in Karetsu, Prince Mericul's mood worsened even further.
The food didn't suit his taste. Moreover, the city, being industrially active, had poor air quality. Additionally, he disliked the probing attitude of the diplomats.
The more the educators advised him, the more tense the atmosphere became.
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"More importantly, the current issue is whether we can return safely..."
"Why is that?"
Vire approached Coral closely and whispered in a low voice.
"There are quite disturbing rumors about this country."
The current king, during his crown prince days, was called the "Beheading Emperor." He would order the execution of anyone who displeased him. Although he had reportedly refrained from such actions since ascending to the throne three years ago, there were still days when heads rolled.
"This country is said to be so stained with blood that even furniture, carpets, and walls are unified in red."
"Yes, I've heard of the Land of Blood. It sounds like a dubious tale."
"No, it's likely true. Haven't you seen the demeanor of those diplomats?"
The scale of this country was far larger than Coral's. In reality, establishing equal diplomatic ties with Karetsu was an unlikely scenario.
However, Karetsu's diplomats came to the banquet with an arrogant attitude. It was understandable why Prince Mericul was upset.
"As military officers, there isn't much we can do. But let's be prepared."
"Agreed."
Sipping on a transparent soup, Coral wore a resigned smile.
Vire scooped up a black piece of meat from the soup with his spoon and asked a nearby servant.
"Sorry, what kind of soup is this?"
He received the answer through an interpreter, and it was quietly whispered.
"What...!"
"Vire, please tell me too."
"This seems to be sea serpent soup."
"There are serpents in the sea...?"
"Your sense of surprise is a bit misplaced."
The first night in the foreign land passed quietly.
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