By Zephyria ======
Wolf was precisely that—a Stohl person. His real name was Silver Wolf. In the Stohl language, he was called Tennen Grable. The Stohl people took their names from animals.
However, to Wolf, Tennen Grable was a foreign name. He was, above all, Wolf. Wolf Bell, a commoner boy from Levenon, a small kingdom within Atania. Bell was a surname Wolf had chosen for himself.
Wolf thoroughly hid the fact that he was a Stohl person. He kept his silvery-blonde hair trimmed neatly at shoulder length, just like the other Atanian boys his age. He did not know the Stohl language, nor did he have any memories of Stohl.
In Rosepoll, the capital of Levenon, Stohl people were strictly forbidden from entering unless they had a special reason, such as diplomatic purposes. The only Stohl people Wolf had encountered since birth were his foster brother, Prince Red Eagle, and his mother.
Red Eagle was an illegitimate child of the Stohl King. Illegitimate children of the King were typically sent to small kingdoms within the Atanian continent as consorts or princes during infancy. Red Eagle, too, had been betrothed to Princess Charlotte, the first in line for the Levenon throne, as a baby and had crossed the North Sea in a wet nurse’s arms.
The Levenon royal family had tamed Red Eagle to the core with an Atanian education. This was to prevent a situation where the future husband of the Levenon monarch would prioritize the national interests of Stohl. Just as the Levenon royal family desired, Red Eagle grew up as an Atanian.
As Red Eagle’s foster brother, Wolf grew up with him in the Levenon palace. Wolf’s mother paid more attention to Red Eagle than to her own son, and their estranged relationship came to an end with her death. At the age of nine, Wolf left the Levenon palace and began living in a boarding house. That was all seven years ago.
And yet.
“You recognize me now? Want to come in? I’d like to talk for a bit.”
Red Eagle gestured welcomingly. If Wolf had hidden his bundle of novel drafts under the bed—or if there had been even three or four pages left—he would have refused without hesitation.
“Old friend? Ignore him, just ignore him.”
Roy poked Wolf in the ribs. After a moment of conflict, Wolf put on a brazen smile.
“Fooled you, didn’t I? I was just pretending not to recognize you for a joke. Actually, we’re close friends.”
“I can see right through you, you coward! I told you I wouldn’t spread any rumors!”
“See you tomorrow!”
Wolf hurried into the carriage. The carriage set off.
“Silver Wolf, it’s been seven years, hasn’t it? I’m really glad to see you.”
“I suppose so, Prince. You’re finally getting married next year, right? Congratulations in advance. I see you’ve dressed in commoner’s clothes to go sightseeing today. As expected, cheerful commoner women are more charming than the noble ladies of the palace, aren’t they?”
To endure the awkwardness, Wolf intentionally scratched the back of his head and rambled on with trivialities. Red Eagle cast his eyes downward.
“I received word that my mother is critically ill.”
“What?”
Where did that come from?
“She said she absolutely wants to see me one last time before she passes.”
Red Eagle’s voice was heavy, and his gaze remained fixed on the floor. Wolf slowly lowered the hand that had been scratching his head.
Something was wrong.
“The matter of your mother is certainly unfortunate… But more importantly, Prince. Please tell me that this outing is an official excursion permitted by the Levenon royal family.”
“Of course it isn’t. Just look at me.”
Indeed, the carriage Wolf was in was a worn-out, cramped two-wheeled carriage pulled by a single horse. It might pass for a secret trip to meet a mistress, but it was absolutely not a carriage fit for an official procession of a nation.
“I requested the King of Levenon to let me return home, but I was refused. However, Princess Charlotte told me to go see my mother… Since I’ll never be able to step foot on Stohl soil again once I marry next year…”
Before the speechless Wolf, Red Eagle hung his head low.
“So, I dressed in disguise and secretly slipped out of the palace. With the help of Princess Charlotte…”
“In short, you’ve run away from home,” Wolf finally remarked.
Red Eagle rubbed his knee with his fingertips.
“The coachman driving this carriage is River Vole, my mother’s messenger. He said he would escort me all the way to Stohl. Silver Wolf, I want you to come with me to Stohl.”
“…What?”
Wolf blinked. The conversation had taken another sudden turn.
“Silver Wolf! Please!”
Red Eagle snapped his head up.
“Come with me, okay? We’re foster brothers.”
“That may be true, but…”
Wolf almost said, But the Prince and I aren’t exactly close, but he stopped himself. Red Eagle’s attitude as he clung to him was far too desperate.
“Prince, honestly, I don’t understand. I don’t see any reason why I should go to Stohl with you. If you sought me out because of a serious matter, please tell me in detail.”
Since his mother’s death, Wolf had not visited the Levenon palace at all. Though they were foster brothers in name, Red Eagle had been the rival who stole his mother’s love. If he had any tact at all, Red Eagle would know how Wolf felt.
“I have absolutely no reason to go to Stohl. I heard the man who is my father is still alive, but it’s not worth spending several months to go meet him… it’s not.”
After a long silence, Red Eagle spoke.
“I’ll say it again, Silver Wolf, you are my foster brother. Use this opportunity to see your father… I heard he was a bad man who beat your mother whenever he felt like it, but he’s your father regardless…”
Red Eagle’s voice trailed off. Wolf clenched his fists.
“Yes, I understand. You needed a peer-aged attendant to play cards with and talk to in the carriage during the tedious journey.”
“No, Silver Wolf! That’s a misunderstanding.”
“Then what is it?”
Red Eagle’s lips quirked, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. No matter how long he waited, only a heavy silence followed. Wolf eventually became consumed by a wild suspicion.
“Prince. Is the reason you can’t answer perhaps…”
Wolf pointed to his own face with his fingertips and gave an awkward smile. Cold sweat beaded on the back of his neck.
“Don’t tell me it’s something that puts my life at risk? That’s not it, right? Please tell me it’s not.”
“Of course it isn’t. You can be at ease about that. So please, grant my request!”
Red Eagle leaned his face close to Wolf’s.
“Don’t ask anything, just this once, okay? I’ve never asked you for a favor before!”
“Prince, please step back a little…”
“Please, just this once. Please! Please!”
Red Eagle grabbed both of Wolf’s hands and pleaded, “I’m begging you. Please.” Wolf was unable to move. Why was this guy pleading so much? When a prince clung to a commoner boy like this… it really became hard to refuse.
How did such a bolt from the blue happen…
Belatedly, Wolf deeply regretted his choices. He should have stolen the boarding house uncle’s novel manuscript and shown it to Roy. He would have been ridiculed by his school friends for a long time, but that would have been far better than being caught by a prince and dragged to Stohl.
He should have acted rationally. Red Eagle had been the one providing Wolf’s living expenses—his education, boarding fees, and pocket money—until now. He was the benefactor who had looked after Wolf, despite Wolf not showing his face for years, simply because they were foster brothers. He had an obligation to pay back the debt.
“Fine. I’ll go with you,” Wolf said, closing his eyes tight. He felt as if the gates of hell were opening before him.
“Let me confirm one thing. You brought the expenses, right?”
“Of course!”
Red Eagle’s expression instantly brightened as he pointed to the floor. A large chest was visible.
“It’s packed with gold coins. Once we leave the capital, we’ll change carriages. Thank you, Silver Wolf.”
“Please call me Wolf. And Prince, please promise me that you will return to Levenon immediately after seeing your mother.”
“Of course! I promised Princess Charlotte. I’ll use this journey as an opportunity to thoroughly study the Atania and Stohl continents.”
“Wow, how mature of you.”
“I feel sorry for my ailing mother, but it feels like I’m going on an adventure. Silver Wol—no, Wolf, aren’t all boys like that? They long for adventure.”
“Sure, I fight dragons every night. In my dreams.”
Wolf replied half-heartedly while looking out the carriage window. He let out a scoff.
Adventure? Talk like a poet.
“This is your first time seeing outside the capital, too, right? I felt like the adventure started the moment I left the palace! Even though I showed my pass, the guards…”
While letting Red Eagle’s words go in one ear and out the other, Wolf sank into thought. He had heard it took three months to get to Stohl from here.
It was currently October. At the earliest, they would arrive in Stohl at the end of December. If he was unlucky, he might actually experience a real “adventure.” Bandits, pirates, scammers, pneumonia… Wolf hurriedly shook his head.
Please, let this journey end as just a trip…
* * *
Late November.
The coast of Morgan, southeastern Stohl continent. In a deep forest.
Black Weasel stopped chopping firewood and whipped around. In front of the campfire, Silver was lounging about, lying down with his arm as a pillow.
“Silver! Work! You chop some wood too!”
“I don’t want to.”
“You slave!”
“Slaves are meant to lounge around.”
“No slave lounges around in front of their master. Do you know how much money is riding on this job?”
“It’s not my money.”
“Right, it’s all my money. But if you don’t chop wood, it’ll be a loss for you too. It’s winter now.”
“…Dammit.”
Only then did Silver push himself up and grip the axe. He chopped the wood one by one, muttering loudly to himself so his master could hear.
“Ah, so tiring. I’m dying of exhaustion. Chopping wood every day, carving wood. All I have for meals is hard jerky. I barely get to the village tavern once every three days. Fuck, I want a drink!”
“If you have the energy to chatter, just work. There’s not much time left until the Prince arrives.”
“Red Peafowl?”
“You idiot, you forgot already? It’s Blue Eagle, Blue Eagle.”
“I didn’t forget. I was just making a joke.”
Silver stopped axing and looked up at the sky. The winter sky of November was clear.
“I wonder if that prince brat has boarded the ship by now?”
“He has, or he will soon.”
Black Weasel brought the axe down. A thick log split wide open.
“The storms in the North Sea quiet down in December. Prince Pink Lark will make it here safely without being drowned.”
At those words, Silver smirked.
“What an unlucky fellow.”
4 – Hell Execution Order