Flowers of Worship

My heart was pounding. What’s going on? Who was sending me this note? My mind was complicated. I wanted to stop eating right away, get up, go to my room, and check the contents of the note, but I was afraid that it would look unnatural. So I ate slowly, walked slowly back to my room, said I wanted to be alone, and hurriedly took out the note.

Dear Crown Prince.

The handwriting was very strong and intense. I hurriedly read the line below.

It seems that this old man’s heart is going to be crushed by how many hardships must be faced in a lonely castle. Your Highness the Crown Prince, you are safe, and this is the blessing of this kingdom. Please return to the capital as soon as possible and ascend to the throne granted by your legitimacy. In order to achieve the providence that God has ordained, Shin Woosen and the other eight are working closely together.

Once you have made up your mind, please tell the maid who gave you this note. If you choose a date and time, we will pick you up at the pavilion located southeast of Hastred Castle.

Woosen, Larsfield, Rosen, Leward, Iron, Swire, Soiana, Blanette.

8-member association.

The eight nobles, the eight-member association, each had signed their own signatures. They looked serious. It felt like my heart would explode. Can I take the throne back? Can I make my uncle pay for it? All sorts of cruel thoughts flashed through my mind. An uncle who is hanged, an uncle who is burned at the stake, an uncle who is decapitated, and then again and again… . I also remembered that naughty aunt. When I thought of my aunt who had lost everything and howled as a slave, a joy erupted within me. They said that I had nothing to think about, and stopped as I grabbed the pen.

But I don’t know who these eight people are.

Is there any way to know who they are and their sincerity?

Is there such a way? Do they exist?

I’ve been thinking about it for a few days, but I can’t think sharply. At first, I was overjoyed that I was going crazy but after a few days of calming my excitement, I thought about it, and it was full of strange things. The strangest thing was this.

How was my existence known to other nobles? It was known to eight people? Does it make sense that my uncle, the king, does not know of my existence? What would he do if he knew of my existence? It is obvious how he would come out when he found out about my existence, he who ruined me under the guise of education, kidnapped me, and eventually took the throne even when my father was alive.

Would I have been able to make a wiser decision if I had been an adult like Cili? Would something good come up?

There’s no solution.

I can’t refuse this outstretched hand, but I can’t hold it. What should I do in this situation where I can neither go forward nor step back? It’s not that I didn’t even think about discussing it with Cili.

“It is a bloody road. Do not walk through it.”

Even if those eight had pure intentions as I wished for them, Cili seemed to dissuade me. So I didn’t ask Cili. If she tries to stop me, I have no power to shake her off. My current situation is that if she tries to stop me, I can’t do anything.

Wait, I can’t do anything if she tries to stop me?

For a moment, I felt a light flashing in my head. I had a feeling I might be able to take advantage of this situation, hopefully. With the plan in my mind, I closed my eyes for a moment. Can I do it? My head was pounding. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to do well. I was afraid that Cili would notice the oddity, and I was afraid that other variables might arise.

But I cannot ignore this outstretched hand.

Because I know that beyond that, the bodies of my father and mother are staring at me without even closing their eyes. Even for the sake of the two people who died because of my mistake, I cannot back down.

Therefore, I looked out the window. Below it, I could see the place where I was taking swordsmanship lessons. Beneath the tree of patronage, I saw Cili swinging her wooden sword. She wielded a wooden sword with me, but in fact, if it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t be able to hold a wooden sword in her hand. And it’s because she’s a holy knight.

I’m sorry, Cili.

I can’t say it out loud and apologize. Because if I apologize like this, I will regret what I’m about to do. However, I know she’s been really nice to me regardless of what her father did to me. I know she’s a good person. There’s also a sense that I’m leaning on her and doing something awful.

So, I’m really sorry.

I shut my eyes tightly.

✵✵✵

I don’t know what happened.

“What the fuck!”

It seems like there was a group of shameless people who were 3 or 4 persons, that infiltrated into my castle and split into lines. Who the hell are you to come into someone’s castle? Isn’t this crazy?

“It’s the castellan.” The masked people’s eyes widened when I answered unevenly.

tl/n: Castellan is a lord of the castle. I could have chosen “lord” but it sounds fancier mehehe..

“Castellan? Th-then…?!”

“It’s a paladin! Get your act together!”

Everyone screamed loudly. Normally, they would have waited and watched leisurely, whether they were rearranging their lines or doing anything. There may be clues to find out who they are, such as the sword technique or the way they form their ranks.

But I was in a bit of a hurry. I came to the garden pavilion in the middle of the night because of Eden’s request. Eden seemed to be furious at Sophia’s teaching and teasing, and he asked me to take a look at the sword art. In fact, Sophia is much better at teaching someone than me, but it is difficult to refuse when asked, so I was going to meet him secretly in the middle of the night.

If he gets involved with them, he will be in trouble. It is also a problem when they become rich when they have a hostage, but the bigger problem is when these unidentified people know the value of the hostage. What if it’s for him?

It’s not a strange time for his presence to be known to the palace. No matter how thoroughly tight the security is, the dead prince has returned alive. This information will be worth a fortune and someone who knows is willing to make it their own. You can’t blame them.

“I don’t enjoy killing people when it’s not a war.”

The words came out as an excuse without me realizing it. There are 8 masked people. At this point, it won’t be a problem if Eden doesn’t show up and be held hostage by them.

“You are out of luck.”

Someone shouted and rushed at me, “You underestimate us!” There was no need to put mercy in my hands as long as I decided to kill. It’s important to find out who they are and who sent them, but it’s not as important as Eden’s safety.

“Kill her!”

“Move that way!”

Weren’t they infiltrating Hastred? They’re trying to kill me loudly. I kept them immobile one by one, moving without difficulties. A small shadow was seen from the lower part of the pavilion as the men were seen with their throats out, arms cut, and their sides cut off and rolled around the floor when a familiar smell of blood reverberated.

At first I thought some of them were hiding there to catch me. But the shadows were too small for them. When a foot slipped out, I could tell who he was. I knew the shoes. It’s my shoes, to be exact. The shoes I wore when I was young. The shoes that had been worn a few times were now owned by Eden.

Eden. Why is Eden hiding under the pavilion? How long has he been hiding?

As I swung my sword, I tried to organize my thoughts. I arrived at the pavilion first and there was no one. A little later those masked men came, and there was a little time in between. It’s like Eden’s been over there all this time. That means he was hiding there from the beginning, even before I came.

You crawled under that filthy gazebo as if you’d expected me and the masked men to bump into each other?

My mood was rolling like I was stuck in the mud. I could see that I was now used as a means. Ah, yes, I’ve been used like this many times. A lot of people used me this way. Yeah, I’m used to it. It’s not that big of a deal. But it was offensive that the little kid was using me like this.

I wielded my sword and thought as I moved. That child is alone and in a position to think about many things. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure he’s done enough to think about it.

I know, but I can’t help being offended.

“Die like your father….”

The last one died leaving a word to see if he had the strength to leave a curse. You want me to die like my father? I thought it was a strange word. Like father? Of course, the story of his death was widespread. My father’s official cause of death was cardiac arrest, but no one believed it. It’s supposed to be a curse, but even if it was really a heart attack, people would have still believed my father would have died of a curse. My father had so many enemies.

But ‘like my father’? Isn’t it like you know how my father died?

I killed a guy who I needed to hear something from.

Tsk, I clicked my tongue. I tried kicking the body, but I couldn’t hear anything because he was already dead. I knew it. I began to search through the bodies. I was wondering if there was a clue. However, as they infiltrated Hastred Castle, they had nothing to prove their identity, apparently they’re mindful of this case.