Don't Concern Yourself With That Book
Chapter Side Story 4-1

Side Story 4-1

Translator: yun

Side Story 4: What Remains of the Knight

“I’m going on a picnic!”

Her Majesty, the Empress, the one Ray was very familiar with, had a strange side to her. He had known about it since she was a child but he had never been more flustered by her than he was now. 

“… Where are you planning on going?”

Not only was it the time of the year they would usually be flooded with work, they were also in the middle of the season of flowers. But what was she planning on doing when they should be busy preparing for the harvest festival before the season of fire arrived? 

“Didn’t you hear me? We are going on a picnic, Ray.”

“So where will we be having this picnic?”

“Hm, where do you think we should go?”

Within the quiet office, a smile blossomed on Ashley’s face. Instead of staring back at Ashley, Ray stared outside the window–at the white flowers blooming on a tree. As though she knew what Ray was staring at, Ashley spoke.

“I want to see the Flower Shower.”

“… Huh?”

“Oh dear, Ray. Has something gone wrong with your hearing?”

Ashley smiled. 

“I said that I want to go see the Flower Shower Festival in the City of Flowers.”

The City of Flowers held a Flower Shower every year where flowers from all over would be on display in full bloom. The land where flowers from all across the continent would be in bloom attracted hoards of people but Ray was not the least bit interested in going. 

“… You mean you’d like to go all the way there when you are this busy?”

“Yes.”

“Have you made time for this in your schedule?”

“Hoho. Regardless of where and when I am going, being the emperor, it will be seen by all as an official visit and part of my official schedule.”

“Are you saying that you only want to go there to play? You’re lost in your own world once again, Your Majesty.”

“… Darn it, Ray, just because I’ve heard you say that many times before doesn’t mean it doesn’t  hurt anymore.”

Ashley glanced at Ray in discontent. 

“Fine, I just need to have this in my schedule, right?”

“So, what are you planning on doing?”

“Wait here. Because I’ll be making it part of my official schedule.”

“… I don’t mind you doing that but why are you telling me this?”

“That’s because, Ray, you will be my escort, alright?”

Ray was rendered momentarily speechless. 

“… I am officially Dane’s escort.”

‘And who did Dane assign you to?’ seemed to be what she was thinking as she stared at him blatantly. 

“Even now, as Sir Dane is temporarily on leave, hasn’t he assigned me to be your escort, Your Majesty?”

“Really?”

He thought she would continue teasing him but she walked past him.

“Alright. In any case, you’ll be escorting me there now, won’t you?”

”… What are you plotting now?”

Ashley shrugged her shoulders.

“Plotting? Could you reflect on your choice of words? What did you say again?”

“… The expression you’re wearing right now, Your Majesty, reminds me of the one you often had back when you were a princess.”

She was well over twenty at this point but at times, she still looked like the princess she used to be. 

‘Like the time she was caught trying to sneak into the Forbidden Forest.’

But Ray swallowed the words he was about to let out before staring at Ashley. But instead of replying him, Ashley merely smiled.

“Just you wait.”

Alright. At the time, Ray thought their exchange had just been a passing joke. 

A few days later, Ray had received a letter with the Imperial seal. After receiving his order, Ray left the palace to the location the letter had directed him towards. It was there he met Ashley who had been waiting for him. 

“Welcome, Ray!”

Ashley had obviously dressed in comfortable clothes. Frowning, Ray quickly scanned their surroundings. He realised something was amiss when he noticed the language of words inscribed on the ground. 

“Shall we begin?”

“Hold on. Your Majesty, the letter stated that this was an official Imperial event.”

“… And I was not joking.”

For some reason, she looked more playful now than she was back when she was the princess who acted more maturely than peers her age. 

“Ray, I need you to escort me.” Ashley said as she confidently took a step forward. Ray managed to speak. 

“If my eyes are not mistaken, I only see the two of us around, or am I mistaken? So, is there supposed to be only one escort for the emperor’s outing?”

“I don’t like inconveniencing myself.”

It was only then did Ray realise that she had not been joking when she expressed her intent to partake in the Flower Shower a few days ago.

“I am not going. I shall inform the Duke of Aventa about this right away.”

“Oh, don’t do that!”

A burst of white light blinded his eyes. The light soon turned purple. Much like the beautiful illuminating the purple eyes curling in front of him right now. 

When he heard the hum, Ray quickly realised that he had been teleported. Ashley had used her divinity. 

After taking her hand off him, Ashley smiled. 

“Now, you’re an accomplice to this.”

Hanging above the smiling Ashley’s chest, the Artefact of the God of the Winds that allowed her to teleport to any place in the Empire swayed. Ray grabbed his own cheek before groaning. 

“Ray, look here.”

Ray slowly raised his head. Petals began falling right before him. As her brilliant blonde hair fluttered, Ashley smiled in the midst of the flowers that showered gently above them like snow. 

“Isn’t it so pretty?”

It had already been four years since she had awoken and grown to become an adult but at times, her previous appearance would overlap with her current. Like when she smiled like she was doing now. 

‘She never laughed like this back then.’

After lowering his back for a while, Ray straightened his back. Ashley led Ray to the boulevard. 

The city where the Flower Shower was currently being held had become as crowded as the capital was during the Founding Festival. The streets that were packed with people reminded him of the day they both roamed the capital when they were younger. 

“Ray, doesn’t this remind you of the Founding Festival that was held back when I was still a princess?”

Ashley did not seem any different from back then. Staring at Ashley, Ray said.

“It does. But why did you want to see something like this alone?”

Ashley blinked as though she had been caught off guard. Before smirking. 

“Because I came for Amor. I was planning on giving him a surprise gift so I can’t possibly bring him along.”

“There are many other people who are better company than me.”

“Seriously, stop acting as though you find all this cumbersome. Dane’s birthday is in the same month as Amor’s, isn’t it? Moreover, he’s in a different country right now.”

“Sir Fleon will be disappointed with what you just said.”

“Do you think brother will ever willingly accompany me to these streets?”

“… That’s true.”

“And I don’t want him to accompany me either.”

After turning her head around, she grumbled about how they would have definitely fought if they came together. Ray stared at her blonde hair. 

“And I tried to bring Rebecca but she was immediately against it, you know? I am probably in huge trouble right now. ‘You must be very free, mistress,’ she said and the documents she then handed me were…”

Ashley spread her arms dramatically before scratching her cheek as though she was embarrassed. She still had the scar on her cheek but neither she nor the people around her cared about it anymore.

“That’s why, Ray, just take a breather with me.”

After flashing a big smile, Ashley turned back around and strode forward. 

“Can we meet again?”

Staring at her back, Ray momentarily smiled. Considering how his face had always been blank, it was only for a moment,

***

Ray Aquita Fleram. He was born from a templar of a relatively weak temple. Out of his four brothers, he was the only one who did not have the abilities to become a templar and was born a normal child. 

“I hear that there may be a war this time. They’re planning on driving out all the northern clans.”

The only thing he was skilled at was the sword. He was a Templar of the Sword, but he was not a templar. Still, he showed an exceptional skill at swordsmanship. 

“You should enlist too.”

His father trusted his abilities which was why he sent him to the place where the war against the northern clanspeople was taking place. He had only been fourteen at the time. 

He knew his family’s situation was not the best but this was the perfect excuse for them to celebrate. 

Living on the underdeveloped lands in the north was hard. It was one thing to be good at the sword but it was another to survive. His combat ability improved by the day and peaked when he found himself in tough battles. 

One day, while he was in the midst of another battle, Ray managed to save someone’s life.

“… Are you alright?”

After already spending a year there, Ray could recognise that the man was the new commander at a glance.

“Thank you.”

He was a boy who looked to be around his age. The boy, with hair so white it could be seen from afar, grabbed Ray’s hand to lift himself up before dusting off his clothes. 

“My powers are unable to last throughout battles that last 5 full nights.”

“Any person would have a hard time with that.”

Looking relaxed–almost smiling, the boy waved his arm. His arm was covered in tough bristles, something that looked like a beast’s fur, something not human. 

“As you can see, I’m not a person.”

“Are you a templar but not a person? You are a templar and also a person.”

Ray deadpanned as he was tired of templars abusing their authority.

“When you are injured, you get wounded and bleed, just as I do, commander.”

“…..”

The boy stared at Ray with widened eyes. Soon, his lips parted with a small smile.

“You sound like my mother. She hated templars too.”

“Then, she is like me.”

“I am Hernandez Von Devolo. What about you?”

“Ray Aquita Fleram. You might have already noticed but I am not a templar.”

After saying so, Ray gently shook his sword off as Hernan gave a slight nod.