Shadow Oath

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Chapter 30: First Encounter (1)

Terdin had been busy negotiating all week, even visiting the Geron tribe's village in person.

He hadn’t taken Ram with him on those trips because Ram had been assigned the protection of Damion, Charlon, and Jedrick.

There was no need to assign guards to Rusef, as he already had three knights he had personally brought along, who stuck to him like shadows.

Charlon had originally been assigned her own guards as well, but she dismissed them, claiming that Prince Damion would protect her.

Damion himself also had assigned guards but dismissed them, stating he didn’t want to be treated like a child.

However, he made an exception for Ram.

No, in fact, he had used Ram’s presence as an excuse to dismiss everyone else.

“This man is trustworthy, Charlon, he’s the finest knight in Terdin’s service, discreet, and makes for easy company.”

Charlon smiled at this praise.

“I felt comfortable with him the moment I first met him.”

Unused to such compliments, Ram wanted to find a place to hide.

It was clear to him that the praise wasn’t genuine.

He had never once removed his hood or helmet in front of Charlon, maintaining his disguise even with her.

How could she say he was “comfortable”?

And a knight?

The introduction itself was wrong.

Ram stayed out of their line of sight, standing behind them.

Everyone in the camp seemed to instinctively avoid approaching Damion and Charlon.

As far as Ram knew, there had been no such explicit order, yet the two were often left alone.

Damion often spoke of poetry and music, while Charlon talked about flowers and scenery.

“If I ever live in this barren land, I’d like to grow plenty of flowers and raise sheep and cattle.”

“Spend a few more days experiencing autumn here, it’s as cold as our winters. And the winter here—well, it’s unimaginable.”

Damion spoke as though he had lived there for years.

“Really? It’s this cold already? I thought it was winter now,”

Charlon said, concerned.

“Winter hasn’t even begun. That’s why we’re pushing to conclude these negotiations before winter starts, so I can return here in spring to rule. If we start preparing in spring, we’ll have plenty of time to brace for the next winter.”

Finally, Ram found himself agreeing with Terdin’s plan.

‘The prince is in love and the lady from Born seems to like him too. If things go well between them, it should be good for me too, right?’

Still, the king’s orders loomed in the back of Ram’s mind, tormenting him.

‘It’s fine. I won’t do anything. Then nothing will happen.’

To Ram, defying the king’s orders and getting himself executed counted as “nothing happening.”

Thus, several days passed.

The day came when Prince Damion was to visit the Elum tribe personally.

lThe preparations went quickly, as it was a planned trip.

However, a problem arose.

Lady Charlon had decided to accompany him.

“Why are you going with them?”

Her brother, Rusef, shouted.

“What’s wrong with me going?”

Charlon shouted back.

“Did the prince ask for this? That’s asking too much!”

“It wasn’t the prince. I requested it.”

Ram stood outside the tent prepared for the two siblings in the Born camp, listening to the entire argument.

He wasn’t particularly straining to hear; their voices were loud enough to leak outside.

In other words, even the Born knights could hear everything.

Yet none of them seemed to take it seriously—it seemed they were used to it.

“You’re saying you requested to go to a barbarian village? Did I hear that right?”

“Yes. I’ll be marrying the prince and ruling this land. I believe my presence before the Geron people declaring their surrender will greatly benefit the prince’s position.”

Ram had come to deliver a message from the prince but couldn’t enter because of the argument.

Standing awkwardly outside with the Born knights, Ram stared at the ground, pretending not to hear.

“I thought I’d prepared myself for your boldness, but I wasn’t prepared for this,”

Rusef said, no longer shouting but still brimming with anger.

“You were a hostage in the Triton Kingdom for years, yet nothing happened to you. This place, on the other hand, is where we’re entering as victors. Besides, the prince has ordered thorough protection from the royal knights, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Are you seriously comparing the royal court to a barbarian village? They’re worlds apart!”

“How are they different?”

“Those barbarians treat women like objects! Walking into their midst without any preparation is as good as running naked into a battlefield!”

“Why think of it that way? Can’t it be about making friends instead?”

“Making friends? With who?”

“With the Geron people you call barbarians.”

“That’s exactly the kind of nonsense a sixteen-year-old would say.”

“What’s wrong with being sixteen? At my grandmother’s age, sixteen was old enough to have three children.”

“Three? No woman in our family’s history has ever had three children before the age of twenty!”

“Maybe you just don’t know.”

“And you do? Name one, then.”

“There’s someone, anyway.”

“Say their name!”

“Wake up, brother. Times have changed!”

“You’re the one who needs to wake up! Those barbarians are monsters who slaughtered our soldiers not long ago!”

“And weren’t we monsters who slaughtered them too?”

“Who on earth have you been talking to, to think like this?”

“Even if something happens to me, it won’t affect you.”

“Do you think I’m worried about myself? Tell me, have you met Chief Jedrick? What did he say to you?”

“Oh, we had a very deep conversation—everything a conqueror’s wife could say.”

Ram wondered how Charlon could lie so effortlessly.

She had never met Jedrick.

Unaware of this, Rusef became even more agitated.

“That barbarian chief must have bewitched you! They say northern magic doesn’t attack the body but ensnares the mind.”

“My mind is already made up.”

Finally, one of the Born knights stepped in, poking his head into the tent.

“Commander Rusef, Prince Damion’s messenger is here at the camp entrance.”

Rusef growled.

“We’ll talk about this again later.”

“What’s left to talk about? I’ve said everything.”

“When I returned to Born, you were delighted like a child. Now you won’t even listen to me.”

“Welcoming you home and agreeing with you are two different things.”

Charlon held her ground until the end.

Soon, Rusef stepped out of the tent.

The anger from his argument with his sister still lingered on his face as he turned to Ram.

“What is it?”

Ram handed him a piece of white silk.

“The lady wishes to drape this over her armor for tomorrow’s journey. Prince Damion asked me to deliver it.”

Rusef took it but clearly didn’t like the idea.

“White cloth for such muddy terrain? It’ll turn black within an hour on horseback.”

Ram thought the terrain wouldn’t be that muddy but decided not to say anything.

While Rusef hesitated, lifting and lowering the silk as though he wanted to refuse, Charlon appeared and snatched it away.

“I heard the Geron people consider white clothing a symbol of purity. It’s the perfect choice to emphasize that I’m the prince’s bride, don’t you think, Stuga?”

Ram bowed his head.

“His Highness said exactly the same thing.”

[Translator - Jjescus]

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If the prince himself said it, even Rusef couldn’t argue.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave now…”

“Wait.”

As Ram turned to leave, Rusef called out to him.

“Yes, Sir Rusef?”

“We haven’t had the chance to meet King Gallant even once since arriving here. When does he plan to discuss reinforcements or the marriage alliance with Charlon?”

Ram bowed his head again and replied respectfully.

“I’m afraid I know nothing about such matters.”

“Is His Majesty coming along for this visit to the barbarian village?”

“I believe His Majesty will not be joining us.”

This was consistent with the initial plan.

The king had no intention of meeting with mere barbarians face-to-face.

“Where is Captain Astian?”

“I don’t know.”

“You claim to be General Terdin’s shadow, yet you don’t know anything…”

“Brother! That’s enough.”

Charlon intervened.

“Stuga is always by our side and doesn’t have the chance to go anywhere else. It’s only natural he wouldn’t know.”

She gestured for Ram to step back.

“You may go, Stuga. Tell His Highness I was delighted to receive it—or no, I’ll go thank him myself. Shall we go together? I’d hate for Brother Rusef’s bad mood to spill over onto you.”

Charlon started walking ahead, leaving Rusef flustered.

“You should take a guard!”

“I’ll go with Stuga.”

Charlon shot a fierce warning look at the other knights.

“None of you Born knights are to follow us! That’s an order.”

Rusef, baffled, asked incredulously,

“Charlon, why do you trust that guy so much?”

“He’s a friend.”

“A friend? You’ve known him for only a few days…”

“Well, Brother, didn’t you claim to have courted thirty women in the royal court within a day? Why can’t I make a friend just as quickly?”

Charlon’s mocking laughter was lighthearted, leaving Rusef speechless, puffing air out through his nose in frustration.

‘Did she say that just to annoy him? A friend?’

It was a word Ram had never heard addressed to him in his entire life.

As Charlon strode confidently ahead, she slowed to match Ram’s pace.

“Stuga, I’m curious about your name. That’s just the Geron word for shadow, right? What’s your real name?”

“I’m sorry. When I became the General’s shadow, I gave up everything from my past, including my name.”

“I see. I shouldn’t have asked. I just wanted to get to know you better. Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Not at all. It didn’t bother me.”

Charlon stopped and looked at Ram intently.

Her green hair fluttered, her striking beauty momentarily leaving Ram captivated.

He had met many noblewomen while serving Baron Selken, but none as breathtaking as Charlon.

“Where is His Highness now?”

Ram hesitated but caught the faint sound of Damion’s laughter from somewhere nearby.

He could pinpoint the direction and distance and, within the Triton military camp, even the general location.

“He’s with Chief Jedrick.”

“Perfect! I’d love to meet him too.”

Charlon’s enthusiasm was evident.

“That might… not be possible.”

“Why not?”

“No one is allowed into the tent without the General’s permission.”

“But His Highness is inside. Doesn’t that mean I can go too?”

“If His Highness permits, perhaps, but… I doubt it. For the guards, only General Terdin’s orders matter.”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Really?”

Charlon pondered briefly before responding.

“Take me to the tent anyway. I’ll handle the rest.”

Before he realized it, Ram found himself obeying her.

“I’m a bit impulsive, aren’t I?”

“I wouldn’t know…”

Ram had never evaluated a noblewoman before, so he couldn’t say whether she was or wasn’t.

When they reached Jedrick’s tent, the guards moved to let Ram pass but stopped Charlon.

“I’m sorry, Lady Charlon. Without the General’s permission, you cannot enter.”

Despite their words, their demeanor wasn’t threatening.

These were men who wouldn’t even flinch before Count Vadio, yet they seemed almost deferential to Charlon.

“Entering the tent is against the rules, right? Then how about if I stay right here?”

Charlon sat down abruptly in front of the tent’s entrance.

The guards, clearly startled by the sight of such a high-ranking noblewoman sitting on the ground, stammered awkwardly.

“Uh, that… I….”

“Is it against the rules?”

Charlon asked firmly.

The guards exchanged glances, clearly unsure.

It wasn’t as though Terdin would have issued instructions for such a specific scenario.

“Probably not.”

Charlon turned to Ram.

“Stuga, lift the tent flap for me.”

Ram hesitated, unsure if this was allowed.

At that moment, Damion’s voice rang out from inside.

“What’s going on out there?”

“It’s me, Your Highness.”

“Charlon?”

Damion sounded surprised as he issued a command.

“Let her in.”

Ram complied, lifting the tent flap to reveal the interior.

Inside were Jedrick and Prince Damion.

Coincidentally, Damion was sitting to the side, while Jedrick and Charlon found themselves facing each other, about ten paces apart, both seated.

It was the first meeting between Jedrick and Charlon.

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