They then made their way to the city. As they continued their walk through the city streets, the bustling atmosphere imdiately struck Julian. The shops were thriving, streets were clean, and there was an air of prosperity that was rarely seen during the ruling of the previous count.
"Seems like Rose has been doing a good job here," Julian comnted with a pleased smile on his face.
Raphael nodded, his expression filled with admiration. "Yes, my lord. She has had her fair share of challenges, but she doesn't give up. She has proven herself stronger than many would have expected."
Julian raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in his gaze. "Any disturbances?"
Raphael nodded. "A couple, actually. Bandits and so aristocratic families—viscounts, mostly. They tried to seize power, thinking a woman would be an easy target. But you know —I took care of them. I also managed to take control of one of the bandit groups while I was at it."
Julian laughed. "So, Raphael, you have degraded yourself to becoming a bandit leader, huh?"
Raphael laughed along. "What can I say? The position isn't that bad."
He gestured ahead, "Well, let show them to you, my lord."
Julian nodded, and he followed Raphael as they left the bustling city behind and ventured back into the forest. After about ten minutes of walking through dense forest, a settlent slowly ca into view. Julian narrowed his eyes as he took in the sight before him.
It was completely different from the magical world outside. The settlent looked primitive—small wooden huts, dirt paths, and scattered bonfires.
There wasn't a trace of magic, no glowing runes or floating orbs. At first glance, it seed like a backward human village, untouched by the advances of magic or civilization.
"This... is unexpected," Julian muttered, his curiosity piqued. "Are you telling bandits live like this?"
Raphael chuckled. "Yes, my lord. I thought the sa when I first stumbled upon it. But appearances can be deceiving. They are far more organized than they look. And surprisingly loyal—well, after I knocked so sense into their heads."
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Julian smirked, his gaze scanning the settlent. "Interesting. Show what they have got."
Raphael nodded, leading Julian further into the camp. As they walked, rough-looking n and won stopped what they were doing, bowing their heads in both caution and respect. It was clear that Raphael's authority had been firmly established here.
Julian glanced around the camp for a brief mont before asking, "So tell , what's their story? I know these bandits aren't simple."
Raphael smiled, admiration evident in his eyes. "Well, my lord, I have to give it to you—you really are clever." He continued, "My lord, these bandits are the reason behind the separation between Rose's father and uncle."
Julian raised an eyebrow with interest. "Oh? That's interesting. Continue."
Raphael nodded. "The uncle—the previous count you killed, my lord—agreed to act as a spy for the Apollo Kingdom. However, Rose's father refused to accept the conditions set by Apollo, and that's when the separation began."
Julian's expression shifted slightly in amusent. "So the story we have been told about Rose's mother's rejection… was all false?"
Raphael shook his head. "Not quite, my lord. The previous count cleverly used the rejection as an excuse to wipe out and suppress Rose's father. The truth is, the conflict had already begun, and her mother's rejection was just fuel to strengthen the uncle's claim."
Julian glanced around and asked, "And what is the role of the bandits in all of this?"
"These bandits are actually royal soldiers of the Apollo Kingdom, carefully trained to suppress their aura and hide their magic. They were stationed here to create chaos and weaken Rose's father's hold on the county." Raphael replied.
Julian laughed mockingly, his piercing gaze sweeping over the bandits, "How pitiful," he said. "Not only did they fail their task, but even their king is already dead. Now their kingdom is being ruled by an unknown ruler. It's as if their legacy crumbled into nothingness."
Raphael added. "Yes, my lord. Apollo is sure to fall into ruins, especially with this foolish banquet celebration going on."
Julian's thoughts wandered for a mont before he asked, "And do you have any information on what's happening at the banquet?"
Raphael nodded. "Yes, my lord. Apollo and the kings of the other kingdoms are waiting for the representatives of the Hers Kingdom."
Julian's gaze turned sharp as he muttered, "Hers, huh... Will they finally co out of their hiding?"
His mind raced as he considered the possibilities. The Hers Kingdom had always been shrouded in secrecy, avoiding interactions or political affairs with other kingdoms. Their strength, their ruler, their citizens—everything about them remained unknown.
However, there were enough rumors floating around. There were tales spoken of strange, cross-species beings and creatures that are not seen elsewhere, living hidden within the kingdom's borders. So believed the Hers Kingdom harbored powerful ancient races, while others dismissed it as myth.
Julian's eyes glinted with amusent. "Will we see creatures such as elves? Beastn? Or perhaps sothing more?" he said with a laugh. "The world is full of surprises, after all."
Raphael grinned. "Well, I don't think you will limit yourself to just seeing, my lord," he remarked with a hint of mischief in his voice.
Julian chuckled at Raphael's remark and replied with a smirk, "You know well, Raphael. I have never been one to settle for just observing."
He paused before adding, "If elves, beastn, or any other fascinating creatures truly exist there, it might be ti to broaden my horizons… in more ways than one."
Raphael let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "I pity the won of Hers already, my lord. They won't know what hit them."
Julian's smirk deepened as his gaze shifted towards Raphael. "What do you say, Raphael? Do you want to join on my hunt in Apollo?"
Raphael hesitated, his smile faltering as he glanced away. "I... I don't know, my lord," he admitted softly.
Julian's expression shifted, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by sothing serious. "Raphael," he said firmly, his voice carrying an unusual weight. "Are you still haunted by your past?"
Raphael froze, the question hitting him like a blow. For a mont, he couldn't et Julian's gaze, his composure cracking ever so slightly.
"My… lord," he murmured hesitantly, his voice low and uncertain, unlike the man he usually was.
Julian's expression hardened, though a hint of amusent still lingered in his tone. "Is this about you getting rejected by a girl?" he asked.
Raphael said nothing, his head bowed while his usual confidence now seed absent.
Julian sighed in both frustration and understanding. "Why do you let yourself be chained down by your past? By sothing you cannot control?"
Raphael's shoulders tensed, his voice soft as he finally spoke. "My lord… I want to move on. I have tried putting the past behind , but every ti I do, the vision of her—the way she was—washes over ."
He swallowed hard, his fists clenching at his sides. "It pulls back into my past, like a tide I cannot escape."
For a mont, there was silence, the weight of his words lingering in the air.
His voice trembled as he continued, the words spilling out with raw emotion. "My lord... I saw her. She lives here, in this county."
Julian's brow furrowed in curiosity. "Did you talk with her?"
Raphael's composure shattered, his shoulders shaking as his voice broke. "My lord… she lives happily… with her family." He paused, the words catching in his throat as if saying them out loud made them even harder to bear. "She has… two sons."
The words struck Julian like a blow. He saw the pain in Raphael's eyes and felt a flicker of a deeper understanding.
Silence followed, heavy and suffocating. Raphael's breathing grew unsteady, the weight of his past pressing down on him like a boulder he could no longer carry. His head hung low; the image of her smile, so full of life, burned into his mind.
"She doesn't even rember ," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "She has everything she deserves, while I have none."
Raphael slowly lifted his head, his eyes locking with Julian's with a mixture of pain and resolve in them. "But you know, my lord," he began, "even when my heart was nearly torn from the sight, I could not bring myself to feel an ounce of hate or jealousy."
He took a deep breath. "All I felt was overwhelming happiness for who she has beco." There was a strange kind of strength in his confession, and the weight of his emotions seed to lift slightly.
"She deserves happiness… more than anything," he added quietly, the shadows of his past montarily dimming in the face of his own understanding.
Julian smiled warmly, his expression softening as he placed a hand on Raphael's back. "Be proud, Raphael," he said. "Not many can love, and even fewer can love unconditionally."
He gave Raphael a gentle pat. "You were capable of loving, and unconditionally at that. That's what matters the most, is it not?"
The warmth in Julian's tone held an unspoken depth, as if he saw sothing in Raphael that the world too often overlooked. In that mont, there was a quiet strength between them, a sense of understanding and brotherhood that transcended their past struggles.
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