Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 74

It was well past midnight, and not a single human shadow could be seen within the quiet mansion. Since the knights inside the mansion were only watching Ashika’s room, it wasn’t difficult to get outside.

Nile opened the servants’ door and carefully checked outside. As expected, no one was there. It seemed no one had thought that Ashika would flee under the cover of the night.

Only after stepping outside did Ashika let out a long breath. She felt as if she could finally breathe in the cool night air. Nile walked ahead and spoke up.

“It took some time to arrange a place to stay. But will you be alright? I heard Duke Igraine has revoked all your authority.”

“Don’t think what you see is everything.”

For the past five years, even before coming of age, she had been handling some of the internal affairs and business of the Igraine ducal house. Among these were matters conducted in the shadows and funds processed less than transparently.

So even though Weive had revoked Ashika’s authority, she wouldn’t be left empty-handed immediately. Of course, she hadn’t anticipated such a situation.

“That’s unexpected.”

“Igraine is a family that makes money and does business.”

While it made sense, considering Ashika’s cold and firm image, it somehow didn’t seem to fit, so Nile shook his head.

“Oh no.”

At the base of the wall they reached after taking a roundabout route, Nile’s face became troubled.

“What?”

“They’ve already blocked the hole I made during the day.”

“So there’s no way out? Then what are we going to do…”

“Shh.”

Nile grabbed Ashika’s shoulder and pulled her behind a garden tree to hide.

Though they hadn’t even heard footsteps, shortly after, knights could be seen moving beyond the garden fence. Only after the patrolling guards looked around and disappeared did Nile speak.

“The mansion’s security has been strengthened since about ten days ago. It was probably after news of the racetrack incident spread.”

Was it because rumors about the epidemic patients had spread frighteningly fast?

‘But there’s no need to worry about that, is there?’

What danger could mere rumors pose to a ducal residence? Ashika tilted her head.

“We’ll have to try the other side. The north garden has high walls, so security tends to be lax there.”

Even escaping the mansion wasn’t easy. Ashika sighed quietly and followed behind Nile.

How long had they walked? Suddenly feeling a chill on the back of her neck, she turned around.

The garden was shrouded in deep darkness. As if the darkness had swallowed even the sound, not even the chirping of insects could be heard. The eerie atmosphere made all the hair on her body stand on end.

‘What is this?’

Feeling strange, she looked around.

In the well-maintained garden, neatly arranged garden trees formed dark silhouettes extending far into the distance. Where the pitch-black shadows on the ground met the sky, only a crescent moon cutting through the void like a crack faintly gave off light in the night sky.

‘It’s a new moon.’

She felt déjà vu. The pale light curved gracefully in the darkness felt like a sharp gaze, making her spine tingle. A fearful yet captivating distant sensation. Her vision became dizzy and strength drained from her legs.

“Huh.”

Ashika came to her senses just before collapsing to the ground.

“What, why…”

Her dazed mind was cloudy as if shrouded in fog. Ashika shook her head and gasped for breath. She had felt a similar sensation before, but when was it?

“Nile?”

When she barely managed to lift her head, the person who should have been right in front of her was nowhere to be seen. Even looking around, she couldn’t see a single human shadow. Only the new moon positioned in the middle of the darkness gave off its dim light just as before.

“Ah!”

A realization came so suddenly that it sent a thrill down her spine.

“It was a new moon.”

Strange phenomena occurring at roughly monthly intervals. In her fleeting memories, there was always a faintly glowing new moon each time.

Her heart raced rapidly. With her anxious feelings, Ashika’s steps also quickened. As she approached the main building of the mansion, she finally noticed something she hadn’t realized until just moments before.

‘Why are all the lights out?’

They usually kept lights on sporadically at night for safety. During her entire stay in the capital, she had never once seen all the lights in the house go out.

Ashika ran toward the main building instead of the originally planned north garden.

‘Strange. Something’s strange.’

She discovered bustling movement in the darkness in front of the main building. While hesitating whether to flee or step forward, the other party quickly closed the distance.

“Where have you been at this hour? We’ve been looking for you for quite a while.”

Someone spotted her among the murmuring knights and approached.

“Ah…”

Ashika’s black pupils dilated as wide as they possibly could. Like lightning striking from head to toe, she was so shocked she couldn’t move.

The other person looked even more surprised seeing her startled state.

“Ashika, were you startled? I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t understand it. Neither the apologetic expression directed at her, nor the fact that the person making that expression was a beloved face that should have been buried in her heart long ago.

“…Fa…ther?”

No, it was slightly different. The face, with wrinkles deeper than in her memory, looked much older.

“Father, the dam at Rosha River…”

“Rosha River? Why are you suddenly talking about that?”

Her father Lanche questioned her sudden topic.

In that moment, memories she hadn’t known flooded back. Memories of narrowly avoiding disaster when an event was canceled.

Long-buried emotions surged up from her heavy heart. The loss and longing, now more vivid than her memories, awakened Ashika to the fact that these memories weren’t real.

“Why…”

No words came from her trembling lips. Ashika walked quickly toward him and grasped her father’s hand. She wanted to run into his arms like when she was a child, but the suddenly skipped time felt terribly unfamiliar.

“Father…”

His father’s hand, though it had gradually lost its firmness with middle age, was still soft.

‘Ah, so this was it.’

Instead of the Rosha River dam accident, Drushia and Ashika had grown up together from childhood. The place Shafri had occupied in reality was Ashika’s place here. Thus, their relationship naturally led to marriage.

Someone came running urgently from the mansion where all lights had been extinguished. The family knights, who usually wore uniforms, were all armed and wearing armor.

“Duke Igraine has been arrested on his way to his territory and is being transferred to the capital.”

“Father, what is all this about?”

The situation that struck without warning was bewildering. However, there was no time for explanations. Lanche struggled to hide his anxious expression while smiling at Ashika.

“I still have things to do. Ashika, go first.”

“No, let’s go together.”

“It won’t take long. I’ll follow soon.”

“No, I can’t go alone. I’ll wait. So, so…”

Ashika gripped Lanche’s hand tightly and wouldn’t let go. She couldn’t let go.

Even if they were confusing false memories, it was fine. Father was alive. In this time where the father who had gently embraced and watched over his frightened young daughter’s bedside was alive.

However, Lanche forcibly removed Ashika’s hand. His heart had also become urgent upon hearing news of Weive’s arrest.

“I’ve sent someone to Duke Talion, so he’ll come here soon. Go with him. If you two are together, you’ll be fine. Just hide for a while and I’ll contact you.”

It was a lie. Ashika knew what awaited after this time.

The family’s annihilation. All direct descendants of both families would be killed, and Igraine and Talion would ultimately be destroyed – a desperate future.

“No, Father!”

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you taking her away!”

As Ashika clung and threw a tantrum like a child, knights rushed forward to pull her away almost carrying her.

“Intruder in the east annex!”

Someone’s shout cut through the darkness. Lanche pushed Ashika away and began running toward the mansion.

“Father!”

Lanche didn’t look back. Pelburn urgently gave orders and armed knights rushed to help their comrades.

There was no more time to hesitate. The sound of clashing weapons could be heard ominously in the distance. There was nothing she could do to protect her family, to protect her house.

While someone was bringing horses, commotion arose at the main gate.

“Igraine, open the door and submit to arrest according to imperial command.”

The noise of pounding on the solid door and soldiers’ shouts. They were soldiers sent from the imperial palace.

‘What? Intruders inside the mansion? What about the soldiers?’

While she was confused, the escort knights quickly assessed the situation.

“We can’t go out through the main gate. The back gate has probably already been blocked too.”

“There’s no time, we must leave by another route!”

The sound of weapons from afar was getting closer and closer. Perhaps in desperation, one knight grabbed her arm as if snatching it and began to run.

“Ugh.”

Right behind them, a dull sound and a groan that couldn’t become a scream faded away. Unidentified intruders were silently approaching and striking down swords on the knights’ backs.

“My lady, run away!”

The knight who had been dragging Ashika pushed her forward as if throwing her. However, Ashika couldn’t go more than a few steps before falling.

“Ah!”

The knight who had been protecting her had his throat cut right before her eyes. Even in the darkness, the gushing blood was so vivid that Ashika couldn’t even scream.

The intruder stabbed his sword again into the already fallen knights, making sure to end their lives. Knowing that only Ashika remained, he leisurely wiped the blood from his sword and approached.

He was a man dressed in black clothes with his face covered by black cloth, showing only his eyes. The man with unfamiliar eyes emanating murderous intent was relentless.

“Finally caught you.”

A cold voice mixed with not a trace of emotion. Feeling death before her, Ashika’s entire body trembled.

“Why…”

Her voice barely came out properly due to the fear that had risen to her throat. However, her desperate need to know the reason overcame her fear.

“Why are you doing such things!”

“You are the last one. If you want to resent someone, resent your father who was born with impure blood.”

Impure blood. The meaning of those words came clearly to her.

‘Then what about Talion? What happened to Drushia?’

She knew she could no longer escape. She couldn’t avoid his sword either. Watching the vivid silver arc flying toward her, Ashika widened both eyes to capture even a little more memory.

Clang, clang.

Suddenly, a large shadow flew before her eyes and deflected the sword. Though she thought there was nothing left to surprise her, Ashika’s pupils dilated greatly.

“Buzri?”

Clang!

The hands that had planted trees and tended flowers now wielded a razor-sharp axe.