FSW Chapter 4

Sympathy

"The Snow Empire is the most prosperous and powerful empire on the Teyl Continent, having achieved a golden age under the blessing of the spirits and the protection of the imperial family descended from them."

David, Nishina's instructor for Imperial Studies, declared this in an extremely proud tone.

The prosperous part was right, but most powerful? Not quite.

"In terms of military might, wouldn't the Wind Empire as a military state rank higher?"

Nishina muttered with an indifferent face.

Having worked as a scribe since the previous emperor's reign, he was loyal to the empire and imperial family—but to a somewhat excessive degree.

There's a limit to self-praise. She was the one who'd brought it up, yet somehow the awkwardness became hers to bear.

Interpreting Nishina's indifferent face differently, David pushed up his thick glasses with a stern expression.

"Your Highness, I understand it's been only days since you rose from your sickbed, but you must still attend lessons properly."

"Yes..."

"His Highness the Prince has already advanced three times further."

Since no crown prince had been designated yet, Aiden and Nishina received the same education. To avoid any difference in instruction, they even shared the same tutors for each subject. Perhaps because of this, the tutors would mention the other's lessons to draw out their focus.

He must want to provoke my competitive spirit, but instead of competition, only pointless doubts deepen.

With such biased lessons, what expression does Brother wear while listening?

Does he hide his contemptuous gaze like when looking at me? Or does he quietly refute things like I do?

Taking it at face value wasn't even an option. Aiden was far more brilliant than her.

Especially the tutor teaching Political Theory and Imperial Leadership praised Aiden until his mouth wore out. Partly because Aiden excelled, but more because Nishina's attitude was poor.

She knew that attitude wasn't right. But she couldn't help it. Lessons teaching how to crush others were a hundred times less interesting than Imperial Studies classes that had thrown objectivity to the dogs.

'So I should at least focus on this.'

At David's strict, solemn, serious face, Nishina dropped her gaze without protest to the map spread across the desk.

Seeing Nishina show interest again, David pointed to the large empire in the northwest of the map and continued his explanation.

"However, it's been two hundred years since the Wind Empire's desertification problem emerged. With over half their western territory transformed into dead land and grain production dropping by nearly half, they've been steadily provoking our empire while coveting the Dryad Forest."

Only two empires existed on the Teyl Continent: Snow and Wind. For ages they'd watched each other warily without crossing lines, but as the Wind Empire's desertification problem worsened, conflicts gradually arose.

The problem was that the region where the two empires bordered happened to be the vast spirit forest of Dryad. Four-fifths of the Dryad Forest occupying the continent's broad northeast belonged to the Snow Empire, with one-fifth held by the Wind Empire.

For the Wind Empire rapidly losing land, the spirit forest teeming with life was desperately needed. Not only did the empire's knights invade to seize the forest, but Wind Empire citizens driven to desperation transformed into raiders and began crossing the border.

"Of course, mercenaries and knights deployed to the border region firmly defend the empire, but recently raiders crossing through the Rain Kingdom have increased, becoming problematic."

"The citizens living nearby must be suffering."

"Yes, families like the Skophe, Campbell, Russell, and Cavendish houses governing territories adjacent to the border region have stepped forward to maintain order and protect their people, but intrusions and threats continue."

The families David listed were all knight houses that had achieved great merit in past wars between empires.

They governed border territories and worked hard to protect the empire's citizens.

As if repaying those efforts, the people called them 'Guardians of the Empire' and sang their praises with one voice. Like loyal dogs devoted to country and imperial family, the Emperor cherished them as well.

Except for House Russell.

While other families raised their names high, only the Russell family's reputation faded with each generation.

Until the previous family head, they'd maintained the position of Third Imperial Knight Commander, but unfortunately his son—the current head—was wretchedly untalented at swordsmanship.

After losing even the barely maintained title, they completely lost political power as well.

A declining house with nothing but past glory. That was House Russell.

"House Russell..."

Hearing Nishina mutter, David added more.

"Truth be told, House Russell lost even the title of Guardian of the Empire long ago. If not for the Russell second son's great achievements at the border two years ago, they would have been stripped of their peerage already."

Two years ago, the Emperor—not forgetting their past loyalty—had pitied them and given them a chance to restore their honor. As raiders causing problems in the border region launched a full invasion, he'd entrusted them with command.

But the count had pushed forward not himself nor his eldest son—already eighteen—but his even younger second son, thirteen years old and utterly untrained, onto the battlefield.

It wasn't even his own territory's affair, so he wouldn't have wanted to risk danger. But he couldn't disobey an imperial command. Better his young child die instead of himself meeting a dog's death—that's what pushing the boy forward amounted to.

At the shameless count's attitude, everyone clicked their tongues and mourned the young child who would meet a dog's death. But contrary to everyone's worries, the child survived tenaciously. While even earning the infamous name 'Demon of Winter.'

Though it was infamy, a son who'd spread his name and returned was suitable for rebuilding the family.

Two years later, immediately entering the child who'd barely survived into the Imperial Knight Order as an apprentice knight—that was the reason.

Though a house in name only, they held count status, and they couldn't refuse a child who'd gained fame on the battlefield. And if he developed further skills and luckily caught the Emperor's eye, perhaps he could regain a Knight Commander position.

With such greed, the count once again pushed the child into unfamiliar territory.

Too young to receive a knight's title, he'd entered as an apprentice, but having accumulated more experience than most full knights, he lacked the naivety and greenness expected of apprentices.

Moreover, his infamy isolated him among the apprentice knights, and even the knights avoided him.

A knight is one who protects, not a killer. But the sword the child learned on the battlefield was a sword purely for killing.

After the first sparring match, the knights avoided him as if his sword were a knight's shame.

That must have been why Sir Richard hesitated. His sword would be too disturbing for a princess to encounter.

Nishina thought of her swordsmanship instructor she'd meet soon after lessons ended.

The Demon of Winter who wielded a killing sword. And the still-young boy who habitually kept his eyes lowered.

Which of them deserved to be pitied, or which was doing the pitying—she couldn't tell.

Beneath the shade of a large tree in a corner of the practice grounds, Nishina's gaze—knees bent as she sat—pointed at the ground. On the dirt floor sprawled a dragonfly reeking of death.

Its tail twitched faintly, so it hadn't died yet. But ants drawn by the terrible smell were ruthlessly devouring it.

She stared down with emotionless eyes at the flimsy wings being torn off first. Incapable of even cheap pity for its meaningless struggle, they merely followed instinct to fill their bellies.

Each ant only gnawed a single piece, but when that became tens, hundreds, soon the dragonfly would disappear without even a corpse remaining.

Just like him—devoured by hundreds, dying without leaving even a body behind.

Lavis Russell. At the early age of seventeen, Aiden personally sought him out after he became a full knight, and seeing his eyes no different from a corpse's, made an offer:

"Dull eyes. If you have no reason to live, use that dull life for me."

From the moment he clasped that extended hand, he became the prince's sword, willing to do any dirty work. His power had been crucial both in winning the war and succeeding in the rebellion.

He didn't fear death. That was his greatest weapon and weakness both. Never hesitating before death, he died following his lord's commands like a predetermined course.

It was a death like that dragonfly's. A death leaving nothing behind. No family immersed in grief, no close friends, no lover. The moment his mangled corpse—beyond recognition—scattered as a handful of ash, even the slightest evidence he'd lived in this world vanished.

Having rejected both family and fortune, perhaps he'd been preparing all along. For the end that would finally come.

A shadow suddenly fell across the ants' procession. Only then did Nishina raise her head.

He still had his head bowed, but because Nishina's eye level was low, she could see his face well. Having just finished training, his bangs were damp with sweat.

At this low an angle, their gazes should meet, yet even with his head buried toward the ground, he kept his eyes lowered. She stared for a long while at those cool eyes dwelling pathologically on shoe tips and such before rising.

"I apologize for being late."

"I'm just early, that's all. So what should we start with?"

"I heard you wish to learn the sword to build stamina."

"That's right."

"However, basic muscle strength is necessary to hold a sword. So I think it would be best to start with light exercise first."

If she wanted to build stamina with swords, first build the basic fitness to hold a sword—that was what he meant.

She'd never thought she could hold a sword from the start anyway. She'd heard even Aiden had received about two weeks of fitness-focused training.

"Alright."

"Since it's the first day, we'll keep it light—just ten laps."

For something suggested lightly, the content was heavy.

'Wait, what did I just hear? Ten laps?'

Shock filled Nishina's round eyes.

This practice ground used only by the imperial family—restricted in users yet as vast as the knights' training grounds.

'I'd probably collapse after just two laps, given the size...'

Startled, Nishina hastily stopped him from moving ahead without even waiting for an answer.

"W-wait a moment. Russell..., um."

Sir Lavis, Sir Russell, Young Master Russell?

Numerous forms of address flashed rapidly through her mind. Though apprentice knights not yet full knights weren't addressed with 'Sir,' they also didn't use 'Young Master.' The Imperial Knight Order's apprentices rarely but sometimes included commoners.

After brief deliberation, Nishina called him by the address most comfortable on her tongue.

"Sir Russell. Just a moment."

"You may speak down to me."

"Strictly speaking, you're my instructor—I couldn't do that."

At the word instructor, his head lifted for the first time today. Their eyes met at once, his widened in evident surprise.

What filled his red eyes clearly was confusion.