“I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness,” said the guard. “I am only following His Majesty’s orders, by way of Captain Baldur.”
“Which leaves us no other option than to speak with the emperor ourselves,” muttered Reinald.
The emperor was the last person on my list of people I wanted to meet with at the given time, but if we wanted to see Ern’s parents released, then there were no other options. It would have meant extra work on our part, except that actually, in coming here first, we ran into a stroke of good luck.
“Oh...?”
The utterance had something carefree to it, and it came just as we were about to board our carriage. It belonged to Samuel, though he appeared different to when I last saw him.
“And here I was believing all the rumors. I thought you were bedridden,” he remarked. “You’re a quick one at springing back to your feet, hm? Then again, I suppose I should have expected as much from the woman who brought the hammer of justice down upon my former teacher. Oh, how I wish I were so bold.”
Samuel had once been Ern’s assistant, assigned to her by a different Elder. I’d believed him to be a member of the House of Magic, but here now he wore a military uniform. He wore it rather messily, to be sure, but it matched that of Lubeck and his fellow knights. His face was twisted into a grin, and one that was as aggravating as the one he wore on the day that Ern died.
“What are you doing here...?” I spat.
“How very terrifying. But stop it, please. I have business here. I mean, why else would I be here? So let’s not get things twisted—you’re the ones who appeared in front of me. Oh, though the last thing I want to do is step on the crown prince’s toes. Excuse me.”
His graceful bow was an odd sight for one wearing his uniform with so little care, but he clearly knew his manners. Far better than your usual mage, in any case.
“One would have to be most trustworthy to be assigned a mission at the House of Magic,” commented Reinald, “and yet I don’t believe I’ve seen you among the knights of the first squadron before. If anything, I only remember you as the assistant to the mage who was recently executed.”
“I wouldn’t expect the crown prince to ever recognize the likes of me, small fry as I am,” replied Samuel. “But...I do have an aptitude for magic, which is why I was assigned a chance to study at the House. It was a rewarding time, to be sure, but I’m back where I belong.”
“I see. A watchdog for the House, then,” said Reinald. “That would explain why your name wasn’t listed among the other knights in the first squadron.”
“Watchdog? Nothing of the sort, Your Highness. Nothing more than another foot soldier here, I assure you. But if I might be so bold, do you have something against our captain, or is there some other reason you happen to know all the names of those serving in the first squadron?”
“You’re clearly letting your imagination get the better of you. It is the job of the crown prince to be well versed in all those who have a close connection to the emperor.”
“Ah yes, the responsibilities of the crown prince! Of course. My apologies.”
“Though I assume that Samuel isn’t your real name, is it?”
Samuel wore no sword on his belt. He was also unaccompanied. But having seen what he was capable of not so long ago, I knew that he was armed—he just had his weapons hidden.
“It may be forgetfulness on your part, but not having properly introduced yourself even once in my presence appears to be proof that you intend to sully the reputation of those serving under Baldur.”
“My oh my, how the mind forgets!” said Samuel, making a show of tidying his collar before stooping into a short bow. “I am Samuel, also known as Zamuel Losche, serving in the imperial knights’ first squadron. But please, call me Samuel, with an ‘S.’ I prefer it, and besides, nobody calls me by my actual name anymore anyway.”
I was admittedly surprised to learn that Samuel was a knight of the highest order, but it made sense. Still, he was not what was important at the moment. What mattered was that a member of the first squadron was here at all—it had to have something to do with Ern’s parents.
“What brings you here, Sir Samuel?” I asked.
“Not sure I like that fire in your eyes, my lady,” replied Samuel.
He chuckled wryly, reached into his uniform, and brought forth a slip of paper, which he waved in front of me.
“The peerless mage, Ern Quach, who soared to such great heights,” he stated. “This is a written declaration regarding the two who raised the traitor. In any case, it was decided that banishment from the capital was a fit enough punishment for their crime. I’m here to see that through.”
At first, I wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly. Surely I’d heard wrong. Surely he meant to say “execution.”
“Banishment...?” I uttered.
“Is it really so surprising?” replied Samuel. “Oh, I see. Would you have preferred them beheaded?”
“Of course not! Who would ever want such a thing?!”
I didn’t wish death upon Ern’s parents—not even for an instant—and did not enjoy Samuel’s assumption, but even I was surprised by the rage I heard in my response. I simply could not hide how much the man got on my nerves. I dropped my gaze for a moment, took a few deep breaths, then tried again.
“I have heard that somebody submitted a letter of appeal to see Ern’s parents spared. Was that you?” I asked.
Samuel responded with a brief instant of surprise. But then his eyes turned to those of an appraiser, his smile fading from his lips.
“Why would you think that?” he asked back.
“Because you’re a liar,” I said. “Of all the people that I know who lie and deceive others as if it is an everyday occurrence, you are the lowest, most despicable of human beings in the category. And also I can’t stand the grin that has been plastered across your face from the moment we met.”
Did I hold a grudge against the man?
In a word, yes.
I had killed Ern because, in the end, I was not strong enough to save her. And while I knew that the order to kill her had come from above Samuel, I couldn’t help but feel my fists clench instinctively now that he was standing before me again. The only reason I didn’t launch myself at him was because Reinald was by my side. Had I been alone, Samuel would have been made privy to the vast depths of my verbal assault dictionary. But as it stood, with Samuel in silence, there was something very cold about him.
“But even liars like you hide within your words something of the truth,” I said.
I was not about to explain myself, but Samuel seemed to catch where I was going.
“Hmm...” he said, the utterance lingering for a moment before he added: “I hate you.”
“As I you,” I replied. “So? What’s your answer?”
“Why do I even have to answer? All that matters is that the Quach couple are to be banished.”
“Under whose authority?” asked Reinald. “Surely you’re not just going to let them go and leave them to their own devices.”
“I’m going to be watching over the proceedings, Your Highness. I will ensure that they are taken as far as they need to go and sent on their way.”
“And you have the emperor’s approval?”
“I refer you back to this, Your Highness.”
Samuel had no real authority of his own, which was why he passed the slip of paper in his hand to Reinald, who recognized it as official in an instant.
“The emperor truthfully thinks that simply banishing them is enough?” asked Reinald after a moment of thought.
“His Majesty has little interest in the masses, so yes. He left the matter to Captain Baldur’s discretion.”
“Hard to believe.”
“I’m sure it is. Be that as it may, it also happens to be the truth,” said Samuel, taking the slip of paper back from Reinald before going on. “Which means that their banishment will occur under my jurisdiction. So with my humblest of apologies to the young lady, it’s about time I—”
“In which case, we’ll accompany you,” I stated.
“You’ll what?!” blurted Samuel.
“If you are taking the Quach couple to the capital’s gates, then I wish to accompany you. After all, it was I who...”
Giving voice to the words proved more difficult than expected, but I was not about to fall to cowardice when it counted.
“...killed Ern Quach,” I declared. “A stranger would be one thing, but as her executioner, surely I am allowed to bear witness to what becomes of her family. Or should I go and get express permission?”
“But you were her friend too—everybody knows that.”
“That is yet another reason I wish to attend. Are you worried I’ll say something to them? If that’s the case, then you merely need to watch over me just as you would the prisoners, no?”
“Hang on a second, wait. You’re making me seem like the bad guy here—like I suspect you of something.”
“Am I mistaken?”
Samuel laughed. But truth be told, I wanted to keep an eye on him in case he tried anything. We made for quite the pair, but all the same, I was steadfast—I did not trust him to look after Ern’s mother and father.