Invitation of the Crescent Moon - Chapter 84

Despite Ashika’s urging, Drushia postponed the conversation, saying that meals came first. He didn’t give her a chance even after they finished their early morning meal in the bedroom, had dessert, and finished their tea. Finally, when Ashika shut her mouth tight with an angry expression, he glanced at her slyly.

“Wasn’t the journey here difficult?”

His voice, now much gentler, was subtly playing innocent. Seeing Ashika’s eyes narrow, he smiled faintly.

‘This man, really.’

Since she was the one in need, she had to endure even though she had much to say. Ashika concealed her true feelings and answered in a calm tone.

“I came comfortably by carriage, so what difficulty could there be?”

“You didn’t even have a maid to attend you. Your only companion was just one…”

Suddenly thinking of Nile, Drushia’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you close with that fellow Nile?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Ashika looked as if wondering what fault he was going to find now.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve traveled alone with that fellow, is it?”

“Then should I travel completely alone without any escort? Whose fault is it that all my guards are tied up with grandfather? You caused this mess and already forgot?”

At Ashika’s sharp criticism, Drushia closed his mouth. Though displeased, he was at a disadvantage in many ways to pick a fight right now.

Ashika let out a quiet sigh and spoke again.

“The favor I asked yesterday—are you ready to hear it now?”

“Alright, tell me.”

Across the table, she could see Drushia’s expression tense up. What kind of favor was she going to ask with such a resolute expression? He watched her face while waiting for what would follow.

How should she bring this up? Ashika hesitated too. Originally, she had planned to carry this out with Nile’s help, but there was a better option right in front of her. When it came to this matter, the person who could help her most was none other than Drushia.

Anxiety appeared on Ashika’s face.

“Do you happen to know about the key to the Grand Duke’s Castle?”

Drushia, who had been tense, opened his eyes wide and stared at her.

“Key? What do you mean?”

It wasn’t pretending not to know—his face genuinely showed confusion about this sudden topic.

“You’ve never heard of it? Really?”

Drushia’s brow furrowed subtly. He tried to discern what she really meant to say, whether there was some hidden intention.

“Sometimes I think…”

His large hand stroked his cleanly shaved chin. His expression was somewhat troubled, as if wondering how to convey his meaning without offending her.

“I think you’re being strange. But you speak so seriously about strange things that I can’t laugh.”

‘He doesn’t know.’

In the timeline she had seen, Drushia knew something that the current Drushia didn’t know.

“If you tell me what this ‘key’ you’re talking about is, I can try to look into it.”

She could see him trying to maintain the most cooperative attitude possible. The old Drushia would have sneered at least once, asking where such nonsense came from.

“Don’t forget you agreed to grant my favor.”

“What’s taking you so long to get to the point?”

Though she appeared to maintain composure, Ashika’s fingertips had been constantly fidgeting with her dress hem. After her lips hesitated several times, she finally spoke her wish.

“I want to visit the Grand Duke’s Castle.”

Drushia’s eyes bulged as if they might pop out, and his mouth fell open. It was a request he had never thought of, no, couldn’t even imagine.

“Are you insane? Do you know what that place is?”

“Why, can’t I?”

“Do you not know why you’re asking? It’s a place sealed by imperial decree. Just entering there is already treason.”

“You promised… to grant my favor.”

“This isn’t a matter of that dimension.”

He was beyond bewildered and getting angry. He felt an urge to shake out this woman’s head and see what was inside.

Watching Drushia’s face harden frighteningly, Ashika became even more anxious. The words were already spoken. She couldn’t take them back, nor could she retreat now.

“Rushia.”

Drushia clenched his teeth.

When Ashika opened her dark eyes wide and called him “Rushia,” he found himself unconsciously nodding. Seeing how he wanted to do anything she wished, maybe he was half-crazy too.

‘Damn, this isn’t right.’

He tried to pull himself together, feeling like he was being bewitched.

“What on earth are you thinking? Suddenly the Grand Duke’s Castle.”

Despite Drushia’s pressing, Ashika couldn’t answer. How could she respond when asked for a reason?

That something in the Grand Duke’s Castle would drive both the Igraine and Talion houses to destruction. So she needed to confirm. What was inside the tightly sealed Grand Duke’s Castle.

The visions she had experienced weren’t delusions. Though different in form, the lurking threat could emerge at any time to tear everyone apart and drag them to ruin.

“It’s difficult to explain the reason right now.”

“So you’re asking me to cooperate in defying imperial orders without even knowing why?”

“I’m sorry. But I really need help.”

She knew how unreasonable this sounded. But Ashika had come here abandoning everything. The name Igraine, the position as heir to the house—none of it mattered anymore.

“Is this why you came all this way with Nile?”

He felt he knew the answer without hearing it. If Drushia refused, she planned to carry out her plan by any means necessary.

His heart pounded at Ashika’s precarious gaze. What on earth was making this woman so dangerously desperate? Knowing she had no intention of answering, Drushia’s expression grew coldly serious.

“You’re doing this knowing I can’t refuse, aren’t you?”

“If you want a deal, I’ll do anything.”

“Ha, you really…”

He didn’t want a deal. He wanted to hear what was in her heart. But that wouldn’t work right now.

Drushia closed his mouth and fell into thought.

All sorts of thoughts raced through his mind. The changes Ashika had shown over the past few months and the events that had occurred around her. Weren’t there clues in her actions and words?

‘She changed completely from that time.’

The banquet at the imperial palace. Their relationship had changed from that point, and she had asked for his help to find information she had never cared about before.

‘There’s a connection. All of it.’

There was something there, but like being shrouded in fog, the reality wasn’t clear.

Ashika waited for Drushia’s answer without even making a sound of breathing.

Suddenly Drushia rose from his seat. While he quickly approached the door to call Mihail, Ashika didn’t move a muscle. Soon after, Mihail appeared with a tense expression.

“Mihail, do you have official document paper?”

“Pardon? Yes. Do you need it?”

“Bring it. Right now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Mihail nodded and glanced at Ashika before turning away.

‘Even coming all this way, he’s writing an agreement?’

It wasn’t surprising since this was what Igraine and Talion always did when they met. Kalf or Mihail would handle the official document preparation each time.

‘Somehow, seeing the two of them together always makes me nervous.’

That point hadn’t changed from then to now. He shook his head, thinking it was a remarkably maintained relationship.

Until Mihail returned with his document bag, the two sat facing each other without moving.

“Your Grace, shall I record if you have documents to draft?”

“No, just give it to me.”

Mihail handed Drushia a blank document and skillfully prepared ink and pen.

Talion’s official document with watermarks that made forgery nearly impossible. He placed the blank paper on the table with nothing written on it.

‘Why this?’

While Ashika watched quietly, Drushia slid the blank paper toward her.

“What is this?”

“Sign it.”

“…What?”

It was Mihail who asked back. Ashika just blinked, not understanding what this meant.

“I said sign it.”

At Drushia’s urging, Ashika picked up the paper and checked both sides. It was definitely blank. Why was this man confusing people like this? Ashika tilted her head with that expression.

“Is there something to negotiate? Or requirements? If you write them down, I’ll sign.”

“I don’t know what that would be either, so I gave you a blank paper.”

The corner of Drushia’s mouth turned up. He seemed quite pleased with his own idea, his face much more relaxed than before.

“What do you mean…”

“Since you don’t seem to understand, let me organize this for you. You have only one thing to do—sign here. That means you agree to whatever I can exercise using the authority of Lady Ashika Igraine, the Young Duchess of Igraine.”

It was a blank consent form. What its contents would be depended entirely on Drushia’s discretion.

Finally understanding the meaning, Mihail’s eyes widened as if they might pop out. Ashika’s expression was beyond words.

‘That’s so like Rushia.’

Even at this moment, he was trying to secure the best possible outcome for himself. Rather than being annoyed, she almost wanted to laugh at this.

“Why? Can’t do it?”

“No.”

Ashika answered hurriedly.

What the two were planning now was a serious crime that could warrant charges of treason. Considering the risks, Drushia, who currently held the position of duke, was in more danger than Ashika.

Ashika’s pen gracefully drew lines on the blank paper. Watching the signature being completed, the corner of Drushia’s mouth rose even higher.

When she finally handed over the signed paper, Drushia quickly took it.

“Do you know what I might demand with this document, yet you signed it so fearlessly?”

“It’s just me anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even as an heir, I’m just a noble lady without a title. If problems arise, only I need to bear the consequences.”

“Ah, that’s true.”

If the house cast Ashika out, they could sufficiently reduce the damage. If something happened, she would take all the blame and leave alone.

Drushia’s expression hardened. He realized that this matter was important enough for Ashika to abandon her own safety.

‘I’ll have to gradually find out what she’s scheming.’

The document with only a signature was carefully handed over to Mihail.

“Don’t lose it under any circumstances.”

Drushia glared at Mihail with bulging eyes, as if he would devour his aide immediately if even the slightest damage occurred.

“Yes…, Your Grace.”

Mihail put the signed document into his document bag with a reluctant expression. Ashika, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.

“This is just in case, but I’m asking…”

It had been something she’d wondered about. What had Drushia been doing on the night she had fallen into visions?

“When I was confined to the mansion, on the night when the new moon rose, did you happen to come to the Igraine mansion?”

She had to ask even though she thought it was impossible.

For a moment, Mihail averted his gaze and Drushia closed his mouth. Ashika’s eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me… you really came?”

“I guess the rumors didn’t spread that far?”

His muttering tone was grumpy, as if wondering whether to consider this fortunate.

What she had thought impossible was true.

“Why on earth…”

“Think about it. When you were confined because of me, how could I just sit still?”

“What were you planning to do by coming to the house at that hour?”

“First, I wanted to talk…”

“And then?”

“If that didn’t work out, I was going to take you away.”

“You were planning to kidnap me?”

“Why would it be kidnapping when I take you? If anything, it would be eloping for love.”

Drushia’s answer was confident. It was so confident that Ashika’s face flushed red. Even Mihail buried his reddened face in his hands, looking like he couldn’t bear the embarrassment.

“Your Grace, if I’m not needed anymore…”

“You can go.”

As soon as Drushia gave permission, Mihail fled from the room.

After confirming that the footsteps had faded outside the door, Drushia spoke leisurely. His face looked satisfied for some reason.

“There’s one more condition.”

“What condition?”

Wondering what other unreasonable demand he might make, Ashika tensed up. Just because their relationship had changed didn’t mean the person had changed—she knew he was someone who constantly caught her off guard, yet she had let her defenses down.

“Leave that fellow Nile behind.”

“Rushia, that’s…”

“He’s an outsider. You and I must take responsibility under the names of Igraine and Talion, but he doesn’t. I can’t take such a person to defy imperial orders.”

Seeing Ashika’s expression harden, Drushia quickly continued his explanation.

“I’m not saying to leave only your escort behind. I’ll enter without anyone from Talion knowing. Only you and I will enter, just the two of us.”

“Ah.”

Finally understanding, she nodded. Whether Talion or Igraine, he was determined not to create any possibility of leaks from the start.

The Grand Duke’s Castle was thoroughly sealed by Talion’s soldiers anyway. He thought there would be no problem quietly entering and leaving with just the two of them.

“That would be better.”

Ashika knew she was making an unreasonable request. So if she could reduce even slightly the risk Drushia had to bear, that would be enough.

“But could I decide the date we enter the Grand Duke’s Castle?”

“Do you have to specify the date to enter?”

Drushia’s brow furrowed at this difficult-to-understand request.

“I’d like it to be when the next new moon rises.”

“There’s nearly a week left until the new moon rises.”

“Will there not be enough time?”

“No, it’s only four days’ journey from here to the Grand Duke’s Castle. I suppose you won’t answer if I ask for the reason?”

Instead of answering, Ashika closed her mouth. Drushia looked at her with a subtle gaze and smiled.

“Fine. I already said I’d do it.”

She thought she heard him mutter quietly about waiting to see what would happen later. Drushia’s leisurely smiling expression made the back of Ashika’s neck feel cold.

‘What else is he planning to demand later?’

The blank document she had signed so fearlessly began to worry her belatedly.

****

“I can’t go like this.”

Nile strongly opposed Drushia’s order to return. At his openly defiant attitude, Drushia’s expression hardened.

“Isn’t following the master’s orders a vassal’s duty?”

“Since when has Duke Talion been my master? Even if the young lady marries the Duke, I would never serve the Duke.”

Mihail, who was watching from the side, gaped.

“If I tell you to go, you should go. Why so many words?”

“I have enough of a mouth to say no when something is wrong.”

“Ha.”

Seeing Drushia’s face crumple, Ashika looked away.

‘Finally, it’s starting.’

Even at the Igraine mansion, no one could handle Nile. He was so good at provoking people with his words. Most people who found him disagreeable would hold their necks and give up after exchanging a few words with him.

That didn’t mean he harmed anyone or committed wrongdoing. He was just not docile in attitude.

“I heard you’re the eldest son of Viscount Nedrov? I understand you haven’t received knighthood. By what qualification are you at Ashika’s side?”

“Are you doubting my master’s judgment now? The person to question that would be Lady Igraine, not Duke Talion.”

“You’ve completely lost your fear. Who do you think I am?”

“Using rank to suppress someone is cowardly. Like making a lady fall from her horse just because you have overwhelming power.”

“Ah.”

He had found Nile’s attitude consistently irritating, but thinking about it, such an incident had occurred.

“You hold grudges longer than you appear to.”

“Did you properly punish them? Before lecturing me about a vassal’s duty, shouldn’t you manage Duke Talion’s vassals first?”

“So I sent them out to do quite harsh work as punishment. But this isn’t something for you to question, is it?”

“Why not? A major accident almost happened to the young lady right before my eyes.”

It was surprising that he had harbored this in his heart all this time, and it was also surprising that he was openly expressing dissatisfaction to Drushia. Since even Ashika couldn’t stop him, he wasn’t an ordinary fellow. No, looking at Ashika’s expression, she seemed unwilling to get involved.

‘Is Ashika being pushed around? That doesn’t seem right.’

He had heard from Mia that he had harshly criticized him for sending a young child out alone.

‘A strange fellow.’

As the standoff in front of the inn’s stable lengthened, a clerk came out and looked around nervously. When both Drushia and Nile showed no signs of backing down, Ashika finally stepped in.

“Rushia, do as I say. Talion’s knights will be moving together too. I’d like Nile to accompany us to the Grand Duchy territory.”

“Are you serious?”

Drushia’s gaze as he turned back was sharp. He looked displeased that she was taking Nile’s side when he was the one who had to take the risks.

Ashika quickly added,

“He’ll definitely be helpful.”

No matter what, it was always Nile who helped her. That was a matter of trust that couldn’t be measured in monetary terms.

Before coming to the Grand Duchy territory, Ashika had made a promise and couldn’t unilaterally chase Nile away. Drushia said he couldn’t trust Nile, but Nile would also have to bear responsibility for defying imperial orders. However, she didn’t go that far in explaining to Drushia.

After thinking for a moment, Drushia finally backed down.

“Fine. Come along for now.”

Ashika quietly exhaled in relief.

Meanwhile, the prepared Talion knights also led their horses out of the stable. They had all changed clothes, with no Talion crests visible anywhere.

Wondering if they had deliberately hidden them, Ashika tilted her head.

“Why are you concealing your identities? You haven’t been coming and going to the Grand Duchy territory for just a day or two.”

Drushia confirmed that Ashika mounted her horse first before leading out his own.

“Staying at the garrison is different from entering the Grand Duchy’s towns. If you were in their position, how would you feel if knights from a house that had monitored you and blocked your paths for 40 years were strutting through the streets?”

She thought she understood what he meant.

“We’re not an occupying army that seized enemy territory. We’ve never wielded power so ruthlessly. But the Grand Duchy residents would think differently. No matter how much it’s the emperor’s order and we try not to harm them, in their eyes, we’re just the emperor’s hunting dogs. We’d be fortunate if they don’t hate us.”

It was a bitter story.

Suddenly she remembered from her visions that Igraine and Talion had secretly supported the Grand Duchy territory.

‘Would that be true in reality too?’

She wanted to ask but didn’t think he would answer. If it were true, it would also constitute defying imperial orders.

“We’ll break away from the procession heading to Talion territory midway. We plan to enter as quietly as possible.”

“Aren’t Talion soldiers stationed at the Grand Duke’s Castle?”

“It wouldn’t be good for the two of us to be seen near the Grand Duke’s Castle. You were never here, and I continued on to my territory as planned.”

Understanding Drushia’s intention, Ashika nodded.

On the second day after arriving at the Grand Duchy checkpoint, Ashika and Drushia finally passed through the checkpoint. Including eight Talion knights and Nile, a total of eleven people set foot in the Grand Duchy territory.

After following the path alongside the dry reed fields for half a day, the Rosha River that had been beside the checkpoint was no longer visible. Looking down at the road spread below from a high hill, Ashika’s face darkened.

“The land is parched.”

“Looking at this, you could believe the story that this land was originally desert.”

“If left like this, it will eventually become desert.”

Nile added in an indifferent tone. Despite his words, some unknown emotion flickered in his blue-gray eyes. Drushia’s gaze lingered on Nile for a moment.

‘Whose hostility is that directed toward?’

He suddenly wondered. Did Ashika not notice? Or did she know but pretend not to?

Sensing Drushia’s gaze, Nile urged his horse forward.

Following the path through rolling hills, abandoned farmlands were visible on both sides. The land had cracked so severely that it was difficult for even weeds to grow, let alone crops. It was questionable whether recovery would be possible even if the blockade were lifted in the future.

“Surely the entire Grand Duchy territory isn’t all like this?”

“People couldn’t survive if it were. Places with towns or small villages are somewhat better, but from inside the Grand Duchy territory, the land is becoming barren. I really wonder if it’s returning to desert like this.”

“Even this much damage seems significant.”

For Ashika, who had only processed affairs through documents and reports, the reality of the Grand Duchy territory was shocking.

“They say the population has been halved compared to 40 years ago. Whether that’s fortunate or unfortunate.”

“Probably… fled?”

No matter how much treason had been committed, Ashika seemed to want to believe that the previous emperor hadn’t been mad enough to massacre half the population.

“Probably so.”

One of the knights who had been scouting the surroundings approached Drushia.

“Your Grace, they’ve been following us continuously. What should we do?”

Everyone’s gaze turned in the direction the knight indicated.

On a ridge far from the road, three people on horseback were moving in the same direction. They were distant enough that they could only be confirmed as people.

“There doesn’t seem to be a road over there. Why are they following us?”

“Probably nobles who belonged to the Grand Duke’s house. They can’t come close because contact is prohibited.”

“Ah.”

She had heard of this.

When the Grand Duke’s Castle fell 40 years ago, not all the vassal families of the Grand Duke’s house were exterminated. Only families that possessed knight orders and soldiers were executed for treason, while other families were spared by having their heads swear loyalty to the previous emperor.

It wasn’t that the previous emperor had shown mercy. He judged that if he exterminated all the Grand Duchy nobles, the unmanageable common people might riot. The noble families that survived then were forbidden all contact with the outside world when the Grand Duchy territory was sealed.

She had known this, but facing the stark reality made her emotional.

“How cruel.”

At Ashika’s sigh-mixed confession, Drushia didn’t respond. However, his heavily sunken expression spoke the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

“Isn’t there any other way to help these people?”

“It’s treason, no less. Unless that becomes a thing of the past, there’s no way for the Grand Duchy territory not to be hated by the imperial family.”

“It would be better to divide the Grand Duchy territory and find new owners.”

“There are too many surviving nobles for that. The emotions accumulated over 40 years could have become resentment, and that wouldn’t be strange.”

“Even though damage was minimized, wasn’t the handling too sloppy?”

“It was handled at a makeshift level, just blocking things without thinking about the aftermath. That’s why now we can neither do this nor that. Anyway, since the most troublesome problem was dumped on Igraine and Talion, the imperial family isn’t in a rush.”

For various reasons, other nobles had refrained from stepping forward recklessly until now. But since the imperial family had begun to act, things would change going forward. When the long-festering wound burst, what kind of upheaval would occur was unpredictable.

‘Perhaps what happened in the visions was caused by all these situations becoming complexly entangled.’

A problem like a volcano that could erupt at any time. She could only hope that Igraine and Talion wouldn’t be swept up and sacrificed in it.

Perhaps noticing they were being watched, the horses that had been moving in the same direction gradually closed the distance. They came close enough to see each other’s faces, though small. They could see each other but couldn’t exchange words.

‘What kind of ridiculous situation is this?’

Ashika’s gaze turned toward the approaching figure. Though the face wasn’t clearly visible due to the distance, the tall height and build suggested it was a man.

“Ashika. Don’t pay attention.”

Worried she might fall from her horse while distracted, Drushia cautioned her. However, Ashika’s gaze kept turning toward the person following from afar.

“Ashika.”

Finally, Drushia stepped in to block her view.

“Don’t think of this like when you travel outside. The Grand Duchy territory is completely different from the outside.”

“I’m not a child. I can take care of myself.”

“This is your first time in the Grand Duchy territory. While you’re here, don’t leave my sight. It might be more dangerous than you think.”

Drushia put on a deliberately stern expression. The Grand Duchy territory appeared peaceful on the surface but was dangerous precisely because it was unpredictable.

“If you don’t listen to me, I’ll leave the Grand Duchy territory right now.”

“I understand, so don’t threaten me.”

She had just given a little attention, yet he was making such a fuss.

Drushia looked worriedly at Ashika urging her horse forward and checked on the figure following from afar.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have brought Ashika along. An uneasy feeling began to bloom in a corner of his heart.