The Forest of Solias was the border that enclosed the kingdom. People had always wondered what lay beyond the woods encircling the realm’s edge, and in the ancient legends passed down alongside the kingdom’s founding myth, there were tales of endless seas and mountains of every shape and kind.
Yet no one in the Kingdom of Solias had ever truly seen such things—only imagined the vague outline of the border beyond the tallest towers. They spoke of the sea, but had no idea what it really looked like. They simply imagined it as an endless lake filled with water. That curiosity gradually grew, fermenting into a thirst—a desperate longing to see the world outside.
For that reason, there had always been kings who sought to remove the forest. However, clashes with the Tither, who would risk their lives to stop them, had persisted for generations. This time was different. It was an unprecedented move that the forest’s eradication had been decided with the unanimous consent of all the Tither. Encouraging, yes—but also exceedingly dangerous. At present, the number of Tither was historically low; if even one of them were to die, there wouldn’t be enough power left to stop Nir’a.
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious Seiyad became of the circumstances surrounding his Rampage in his past life. When he first returned from death, he had only blamed himself. But after learning the truth connected to his mother and recalling the vision he and Cecilia had shared of the future, he realized the situation was far from simple.
Rampages among the Tither had happened throughout history, and still, the kingdom had always survived. That Solias had met its end in his absence hinted at a deeper connection—something directly involving him.
‘Of course, there’s always the chance that the kingdom’s destruction Cecilia and I saw was nothing more than an illusion…’
Perhaps because of these tangled thoughts, Seiyad’s expression had turned colder than usual. The knights escorting him could be felt glancing warily at his face.
Seiyad was currently part of the Crown Prince’s procession heading south. Surrounding him was the royal guard unit Armor of the Blue Moon, protecting the Crown Prince. Behind the line of the royal procession, which also included the private soldiers of the Marquess of Saklani, Ressas followed with his appointed knights and the remaining Tither.
The first forest chosen for the purge was the one in Shildras territory. Known as the “Nightmare of Daylight,” the southern forest was the smallest, making it a logistically sound target. Truth be told, the king had originally wanted to begin in the north, but Ressas had stepped in to object.
“Wouldn’t it be better to first secure the safety of the south, which lies closest to the capital, Father? It’s the smallest in scale, and if we finish the first purge before the northern winter sets in, it’ll help raise morale among the knights.”
“Starting with the larger northern forest is the best way to eliminate the greatest threat to the kingdom, Father.”
A heated debate had broken out between Aster and Ressas. Normally, the king would have sided with Aster without hesitation, but this time, something in Ressas’s argument seemed to sway him. After a long deliberation, he designated the southern forest as the first target. And then he made a declaration that set everyone on edge.
“The prince who contributes the most will be granted the corresponding title.”
That statement carried the implication that Ressas could be named Crown Prince. In Solias, the throne typically went to the most capable individual—it wasn’t against tradition. However, for a successor to be changed so late in the game was unprecedented.
This caused a backlash from Aster’s supporters, including the Marquess of Saklani, and the meeting was abruptly dismissed. Aster’s displeasure was written all over his face, and though Seiyad was supposed to remain by his side, it was tolerable—perhaps because it had been so long since he’d seen such an amusing sight.
“Eid, have you ever shown Cecilia the beautiful southern scenery?”
Aster, walking ahead with Cecilia, suddenly asked. Seiyad, who had been tailing them to keep an eye on Aster lest he get too close to Cecilia, gave a reluctant answer while glancing at those around them.
“No, I haven’t.”
The last time a northern Tither had traversed the southern provinces was so long ago it felt like another lifetime. Bound to the north due to the long winters, he had no reason to leisurely visit the opposite end of the kingdom.
“In that case, since it’ll take another two days to reach Shildras territory, we should rest tonight at my mother’s villa in Takhan. It’ll get dark soon, and there’s a beautiful lake there. Cecilia, I’d love to show it to you. You seem rather tense before the battle—take some time to relax.”
Cecilia, who had been visibly anxious about facing Nir’a, looked relieved at the prince’s words.
“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.”
“Your brother will be with us, so the southern purge won’t be dangerous.”
Aster looked toward Seiyad with a bright smile. As he reached out as though to place a hand on Cecilia’s shoulder, Seiyad’s expression darkened. Seeing Seiyad’s obvious displeasure seemed to amuse Aster, who then mouthed the words:
“Then why don’t you take my place?”
Without a word, Seiyad urged his horse forward. Cecilia, who stared at him with a puzzled look as he suddenly rode between her and Aster, was met with a quick excuse.
“I need to scout ahead. You stay back.”
“But the road to Takhan is just a straight path.”
Aster deliberately pointed out the flaw in his excuse. Fortunately, despite the gratitude she felt toward Aster, Cecilia still seemed awkward around him, and she obediently fell back into the middle of the procession. As soon as they were alone, Aster smiled.
“How adorable—you’re jealous, aren’t you? Don’t worry. My Tither is you, and you alone, Eid.”
Jealousy. It was a term Seiyad had never heard applied to himself. Swallowing his irritation, he stared quietly at Aster’s face. Those blue eyes, as always, were beautiful and gentle.
Once, he’d believed those eyes were the only ones that had ever truly seen him.
But it was a fleeting memory. Then and now, Aster had only seen him as a tool. Even this affectionate demeanor—was it not just the childish sulking of someone who had lost his favorite possession? The reason he never came looking for Seiyad after the Rampage was likely because he had already written him off as broken goods.
“You really are hurt, aren’t you.”
With those words, Aster reached out toward Seiyad. Matching his pace and words with deliberate slowness, Seiyad suppressed his discomfort and allowed it. Aster’s hand—warm, unlike Ressas’s—clasped Seiyad’s and then gripped his wrist.
What hadn’t bothered him before now felt uncomfortably wrong. It hadn’t been nearly this irritating when Ressas was the one holding his wrist.
Come to think of it, wasn’t there something about not offering his wrist? That strange agreement he’d made with Ressas lingered in his mind. But it was just a wrist. And with Aster already in a foul mood, who knew what kind of mischief he might pull on Cecilia if provoked. This much was tolerable.
“Now that I think of it, I’ve rarely seen you smile since last winter. I wonder what kind of sudden change of heart you’ve had.”
Seiyad found himself curious—what would Aster do once he learned the true consequences of his Purification? He had been raised from birth to be king, and his power was undeniably absolute. He likely wouldn’t be able to accept it—unless someone forced the situation upon him.
Seiyad couldn’t quite imagine what kind of face Aster would make in that moment. But it would be enjoyable. He told himself it was vile to harbor such feelings toward someone he had served for so long, and yet the anticipation of that moment sustained him, allowing him to endure Aster’s presence.
After riding for about another hour, they arrived at a small village beside a large lake. The name Takhan struck a familiar chord. He felt like he had recalled it recently, though with all the information he’d been absorbing lately, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly when or where.
The villagers, having been informed ahead of time that royalty would be visiting for the purge, welcomed them warmly. Here, Ressas and his group parted ways with the main procession. Aster diverted to the mansion owned by the family of the former queen, while Ressas’s entourage headed toward the village lodging prepared for them. When Aster remarked that it was just like a group full of commoners, his knights laughed—and Seiyad followed behind him in silence.
Because of the distance traveled, night fell quickly. The well-maintained villa stood near the lake and offered a stunning view. Perhaps intending to placate Seiyad, Aster allowed him to spend the evening with Cecilia. After a long walk, Seiyad sent Cecilia back ahead of him and remained alone at the lakeside.
It was completely quiet. Wherever Seiyad went, the knights made a point of staying away, giving him uninterrupted time to think. With the Founding Gratitude Festival behind them and spring already midway through, the weather felt warm by his standards. Wanting to clear his head, he decided to bathe. The lakes in the north—especially Axid Lake—were always frozen, so finding a warm lake like this was a rare opportunity.
Since there was a battle ahead, he had been dressed lightly and easily shed his clothes before spending a long while in the lake. When not fighting Nir’a, he was constantly thinking about how to protect his territory or carrying out Aster’s orders, so it had been ages—perhaps since childhood—since he’d had such a quiet day.
Staring up at the night sky, Seiyad tried to imagine a life without being a Tither. It was pointless. From the moment he was born, he had always been someone who had to protect others. He couldn’t even picture a moment where no duty pressed upon him.
Pushing aside that fruitless thought, he instead tried again to recall where he’d heard Takhan. Walking out of the water, he stepped into the grass, heading toward the spot where he had left his clothes. Someone had clearly mentioned this place to him. That person was…
“Duke?”
Ressas.
That was it. Ressas had mentioned it.
‘There was someone who claimed to have seen Nir’a in broad daylight at Takhan. A villager went missing too. You need to investigate it.’
As his mind snapped into clarity, Seiyad fixed his gaze on the darkness. More familiar with shadows than anyone, it wasn’t difficult for him to see into the distance. From the lake, under the faint glimmer of starlight, Ressas approached slowly. Cloaked in a black hood, he walked toward him.
“How did you know I was here?”
Since he had clearly come here to avoid being seen, it was unlikely someone had told him. How he managed to find him remained a mystery—just like the last time, when he had discovered him hiding in the shadows. It made no sense.
“I scouted the area so I wouldn’t be seen by others. While doing so, I found you…”
Ressas stepped into a patch of light and suddenly stopped speaking. As his pale face began to peek out from beneath his hood, it seemed he forgot to even pull it down—he simply froze, staring at Seiyad.
His violet eyes widened, and at the same time, his cheeks flushed a deep red. His lips parted slightly as if about to speak, then he jolted, clearly flustered, and raised a hand to his face. With a large palm, he covered his eyes and finally managed to speak, his voice hoarse with embarrassment.
“Eid, you… you’re not wearing any clothes…”
Ah.
Seiyad glanced down at his own body, unmoved.
Of course he was naked—he had just come out of the water.
