The Lady Of The Red Moon (2)

He spurred his horse and seemed intent on riding straight to the distant fortress.

“Are the other knights all right?”

“If you mean the ones who joined us, they’re fine. Some are hurt, but none seriously.”

A sigh of relief escaped her. In any case she was indebted to them, and she hoped they would return safely after having come to this dangerous place because of her.

From close up, the scale of the fortress was immense. Built purely for strategic purposes, its sharp, chilling exterior, devoid of any aesthetic sense, stared back at her.

Before the man rode into the fortress, he pulled a cloak from his own shoulder and draped it over Liris. For some reason, she felt her appearance must be odd, so she peered out only with her eyes and wrapped it tightly around herself.

Kugugung!

As the horse carrying her and him entered the fortress, the gate thudded shut. Another wall blocked the interior, so they had to follow the inner wall around.

The inner gate opposite the entrance was narrow, wide enough for only one horse, and as soon as they passed through, an equally thick iron door descended and closed.

Then they saw the lined-up knights. She’d heard the Royal First Knights numbered two hundred, but the ranks here seemed even larger. Yet among them, there was no one who resembled an ogre.

“Commander!”

A brown-haired man at the front looked their way and called out. Liris froze for an instant.

It was the moment it became clear that the man who had saved her was ‘the’ commander of the Red Moon and the lord of the Grand Domain Sinal, Duke Kaiston Crunel. Kaiston leapt down from his horse and took Liris by the waist to help her down.

“Oh…”

“It’s real, isn’t it?”

“It’s a woman, a woman!”

Her features were hidden by the cloak, but her small, narrow frame spoke for itself. Ignoring the low murmurs of his men, Kaiston asked the brown-haired man, “What about the knights from the capital?”

“The wounded were sent to the infirmary, and the knight who appeared to be in charge was told to wait in the office.”

“Understood. Let the knights rest until the afternoon, except for those on duty.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Kaiston ordered Liris to follow and led the way. Though he walked as slowly as he could, she kept falling behind. After several pauses to wait, they finally reached the office at the end of the corridor.

When he brought Liris into the office, O’Neil, who had been sitting anxiously, sprang to his feet. His trembling eyes scanned her and visibly calmed when he saw she was unharmed.

“Your Grace.”

“I’m sorry, but the knights guarding the carriage could not be saved.”

O’Neil sighed at his words.

“It’s my fault. I didn’t understand the monsters’ habits…”

Kaiston, not seeming inclined to offer comfort, walked inward without a reply and roughly wiped his face and hands with a towel. O’Neil was surprised to see his face. He hadn’t believed the rumors circulating in the Isles, but the thought of someone cutting down monsters like a demon had been frightening. Seeing a different appearance than he’d imagined put him somewhat at ease.

“These are the slave papers and the transfer receipt.”

Kaiston skimmed the documents O’Neil handed him, signed the receipt, and returned it.

“Is there anything else I should know?”

It seemed he was asking about the woman. O’Neil’s gaze involuntarily went to Liris, who still wore the cloak. Seeing her flinch, Kaiston pulled a cord hanging to one side to summon an attendant.

When the attendant waiting nearby entered the office, Kaiston instructed him to take Liris to the bathroom attached to his bedroom. After she left, O’Neil, who had been staring at the door for a moment, turned his gaze back to Kaiston.

“I needn’t say it, but this was done by order of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. This is a grant given to Your Grace, not the Red Moon, so any disposition if she leaves the fortress rests entirely with you. However, it would be better not to take her to the Isles.”

Since neither leaving the fortress nor entering the Isles was something he could decide freely, Kaiston shrugged it off.

“What was her crime?”

O’Neil hesitated for a moment and lowered his head.

“I can’t disclose her crime or previous status. I’m sorry.”

Kaiston nodded at his words.

“Understood. There’s no need for me to know.”

“Thank you for understanding. Oh, and please do not remove the restraints on her wrists and ankles.”

He thought of the crude black bracelets he’d glimpsed on the woman’s wrists.

“Why?”

“I was told they suppress her abilities.”

“What kind of abilities?”

When he asked in puzzlement, O’Neil shook his head.

“Even I don’t know that much.”

“All right. I’ll handle that.”

Kaiston summoned the attendant again and ordered lodgings to be arranged for O’Neil and his knights for the night. After O’Neil left, he opened the slave papers and read them carefully once more.

“Liris. Liris, huh…”

He wondered what grave crime she must have committed to be sent as a slave to such a dangerous place, but in these borderlands it would be very difficult to learn the reason.

Kaiston went to his bedroom to wash the monsters’ blood off and froze at the sight as soon as he opened the door.

A woman wearing only a white chemise so sheer her skin showed through knelt demurely on the floor beside the bed. Her damp platinum hair fell in waves, barely covering her chest, and her clasped hands hid the intimate area between her legs. Yet she was still overwhelmingly alluring.

Liris, who had been visibly trembling since the door opened, lifted her eyes slightly to gauge the man who was now her master. She followed the brief training she’d been given, but shame and fear mixed together, leaving her unsure if she was doing it right. She had chosen the least revealing garment among those sent with her, yet her skin showed through, and the man’s gaze directed at her made her heart feel frozen.

Kaiston entered the room, closed the door, and said, “There’s no need for this already. I’m not leisurely enough to spend time with a woman in broad daylight.”

Not sure if he meant her sitting by the bed or her attire, she awkwardly stood up.

Kaiston asked, “Is that the only indoor clothing you have?”

“If you don’t like it, I’ll look for something else.”

Watching her nervously rummage through a bag on the table, Kaiston approached and inspected the garments she lifted. It was clear whoever had packed this bag knew nothing about where she was being sent. The ordinary daily clothes she had been wearing had likely already been taken by the attendant for laundering.

“You’ll need some clothes. For now, stay in this room. Don’t go out. I’ll have meals sent to your room.”

Liris bowed her head deeply, unsure what to do.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It’s not your fault. More importantly, why don’t you sleep a bit for now? You probably won’t sleep well tonight.”

“Yes, yes?”

Kaiston looked at her as if wondering why she was surprised. Realizing what he meant, she hastily nodded.

“Ah… yes. I-I will. Thank you.”

For a moment, he watched her bow in thanks, even though it wasn’t clear what she was thankful for, then turned and went into the bathroom. Liris, tense until then, let out a breath and collapsed onto the floor. He’d said to sleep, but she didn’t know where to sleep. Everything was unfamiliar and difficult.

After considering various spots, she chose the armchair by the window. It was more comfortable and cozy than she expected, and with the afternoon sunlight pouring in, she quickly drifted off.

When Kaiston came out of the bathroom, he looked around puzzled at the empty bed, then noticed her curled up and asleep in the armchair by the window. Hugging her knees and leaning her small frame against the chair’s back, her face looked peaceful. She had been trembling almost nonstop when they first met; it seemed she only relaxed once she fell asleep.

He considered moving her to the bed but left her where she was since she seemed comfortable. He fetched a blanket from the wardrobe and covered her. Standing quietly, he gazed at the woman who had become his possession.