Sophia's POV:
As we slowly travel to the very beating heart of this empire I can't help but be restless, but all my worries seemed to be for naught as my endlessly dependable knight Markus seems to be more relaxed than ever, it was a clear contrast to me who's getting more anxious as time passes by, this made me feel a little bitter as I knew that I would have a long way to go before I can catch up to him.
The Rosewood mansion, my residence is located in a high-end residential area, surrounded by incredibly long fences. Some say it is the "centre of the imperial capital" but that's not entirely accurate.
At the center of the capital city, is the "imperial Palace" housing this empire's Founder's throne, and also where the grand emperor resides.
Only a few people can enter the imperial Palace, my father said even he could only enter a few times a year (yet it is still quite a lot of times among the nobles).
Starting from the center of the city, 10 ring-like walls divide the city – named "1st Wall" to "10th Wall", the 10th Wall is the outermost castle wall which prevents invasion of foreign enemies, but since many people gather in the capital city, many houses are built outside the 10th Wall.
The 1st Wall encircles the imperial Palace, Parliamentary Hall, various central government offices, and the State Church are located outside the 1st Wall, this area is where the my father usually attends, which is called the First imperial District. The imperial Palace is located at the centre of the city, and since it is the first from there, it is called the "First imperial District".
(It's like Kasumigaseki in Japan, "Kasumigaseki" is a district of Tokyo where most Japan's government ministry offices are located)
The "capital city Central Church" is located outside the 2nd Wall, and this is said to be the largest and most religious site in the imperial capital, the State Church is dedicated solely to nobles, as such it doesn't seem to be that big.
Today, we are going to the banquet hall between 2nd Wall and 3rd Wall, near the capital City Central Church in the Second imperial District.
Since my father's residence is in the same area, we don't have to cross the walls, on a side note, the dormitory and the parade ground of the emperor's Knights Order are in the Third imperial District, and generally, only the wealthy can afford to live there. The district beyond that is called Block 4, you can guess the nobles' sense of superiority from the name change, it makes me sick that people think that just because they were born into a little bit of wealth and prestige, they think that they are a cut above the rest, the empire would be a much better place if we all could break down our respective "walls" and work together, kinda like how Markus helped me break down my "wall".
""milady, what's the matter? You seem to be gloomy""
As caring and perceptive as always, Markus seemed to have read my mood and asked, showing concern for me which made me very happy.
"No, that's not true…"
I denied anything going wrong with me as to not cause unnecessary worry for Markus, although this might sound a bit weird coming from me since I'm technically his master but I know better than to cause too much trouble for Markus.
""What were you thinking?""
Markus persisted in asking seemingly concerned for my wellbeing.
"...."
I was quiet since, as always those blank crimson eyes of his has already seen through everything, he really was too observant for his own good.
""You know milady, as the marquis said, a knight's job also entails taking care of your mental health so please don't be reserved, I'd be troubled if you were to think it's too selfish to ask for my help you know? You are my master after all, you can tell me anything that's troubling you""
Reading my thoughts and feelings out like an open book, Markus was getting even more worried now for my sake.
I'm very happy to have such a thoughtful knight as my escort but seriously his worry is unfounded, I really am fine, well maybe a little anxious but...there's nothing wrong with me.
"Thank you for your concern Markus but I really am fine"
Gently turning down his offer of assistance, I showcased the brightest and most genuine smile I can give in order to alleviate his concerns.
""...well, if you say so""
Getting my message, Markus backed down once again averting his eyes from me, he has been doing that for a while now, I wonder why, Markus is not the type to get flustered when in the presence of a girl so he must be doing this for some reason that I haven't realized yet, is it my eyes?.
But it would be a shame to not seize this opportunity to learn more about Markus...
"You know Markus, you should really worry about yourself more rather than me"
I'm sure a mischievous smile is plastered all over my face right now, so I tried my best in order to suppress it, although it might be useless since Markus has no doubt already noticed it.
""What do you mean?""
Acting like he doesn't already know what I'm up to, Markus asked, as expected his ad-libbing is top notch.
"Well it's just that unlike me or other people, you constantly seem to be gloomy, although it hard to read since your face it always so stiff, I know that even when you're around other people, you are always consumed in your own thoughts"
I said, hoping that my thorough observation will manage to get some sort of a reaction out of Markus.
""Hou?...and what do you suppose that I'm always thinking about?""
As expected, he gave me a question with an uninterested tone in return, he's always like this, whenever someone tries to strike up any type of conversation with him when he doesn't want to talk, he just gives a half hearted reply, a neutral statement, a vague comment, a quick and decisive denial or completely ignores it, but hey, at least this time he didn't deny my assessment, that's a plus, right?.
"Oh, I got it"
But nonetheless, I decided to make my move.
""Your guess is wrong""
Before I can even say it, Markus shot down my guess before it even had the chance to fly, how ruthless.
"I haven't said it yet!"
I shouted, admonishing my knight for not even giving me a chance.
""I'm sure you were going to say, "reminiscing the past", correct?""
Seeing through my attempt to pry into his past, Markus dismantled my advances in less then 3 minutes since this conversation started.
"...…"
Having all my moves predicted with little to no effort, I was at a lost for words.
""Bullseye""
Markus had a metaphorical high-five with himself, celebrating his complete victory against me.
"That's cheating!"
I shouted, unable to accept my defeat.
""If there is a cheat that can read other people's minds, I'd like to have it too""
Looking at me like if he was looking at a sore loser, Markus dismissed my argument like it was nothing.
Well, I guess my father's "Magic Eye" is close to reading someone's mind.
I puffed up my cheeks and turned away from Markus with a "hmph!!"
But seeing as there was nothing else interesting to do I continued to have a silly conversation with the mysterious but trustworthy knight, maybe it's because I knew that my heart was restless–like the mansion, which was also hung with a restless air, and because of my father, who rarely gives compliments. Even if they say that today is "special", people can't understand until they actually experience it.
And honestly I just feel very calm by talking to Markus, he just has that reassuring aura about him you know?
I have come to learn a lot about my personal knight over the past two years, but despite all that the things that I definitively know about him are few and far between.
He's very strong, exceptionally so, some could say he's the very embodiment of power, power doesn't have to show off. Power is confident, self-assuring, self-starting and self-stopping, self-warming and self-justifying when you have it, you know it. Markus doesn't need to tell people that he's in charge because he himself already knows that he's in control of everything around him.
He's both an unstoppable force and an immovable object at the same time, uncompromising in his goals and completely devoid of care for anything that isn't related to what he wants and needs, he's ruthless, unwavering, calculating, harsh towards the world around him as well as towards himself and his heart is stone cold, he acts with the mentality that he's always in a desperate situation and plans accordingly for every step he needs to break through his problems, it makes me wonder if he's even human to begin with.
But there is also one other side to him, a small corner of his psyche that even he doesn't know or acknowledges that it exists, he's very kind and warm once you get close to him, he's thoughtful, caring and gentle, he goes out of his way to help others sometimes even though it isn't helpful to his objective, he puts a lot of effort in helping those that he associates with their problems, namely me. Perhaps this is just a selfish by-product of a guilty conscience since he is manipulating me for an unknown cause, but I see it in a more positive light.
But his most noticeable trait perhaps, is the way acts towards others, to put it simply, Markus is utterly hopeless when it comes to interacting with people, as much as he is the embodiment of power, he's also the embodiment of asocial-ness. He's unnaturally insensitive, terrifically dull emotionally and completely lacks any concrete skills in building a relationship with someone new, often only establishing a relation with the people who approach him first.
But what captivates me the most about him is just how...unknown he is, like earlier, he destroys any attempts at prying into his past, he refuses to comment on his background and whenever the subject of his origin his brought up, he does everything in his power to prevent it from spreading, he's a man with many secrets and very few willingness to share, but that's his decision so I'll respect it, although that doesn't mean that I'll stop trying to learn more about him.
His lack of willingness to socialise is actually one of the reasons why I regularly pester him with strange demands like "cary me to the roof" or "take me to the city", I want to make him feel included, I want to help make his world just a little less lonely, just like how he made mine, even though he doesn't show it, Markus's world is incredibly barren, isolated and sad.
But soon enough, I realized that if I really wanted to help him, I needed to become someone like him, someone strong, independent and capable of making an impact on those around me.
Hence why I became "the saintess of liberation", Although I know that my actions in crushing slave traders will have little affect on the empire as a whole, I still want to do it.
I want to send a message to everyone who's suffering, a message of:"there's someone out there who cares for you" and urge them to never give up, if I can't even start doing something like this, how would I be able to solve actual important problems in the future?
I know it may sound naive and idealistic and Markus, being the jaded person that he is will probably look down on me for thinking this way, but I will not give up.
I want to be like Markus, I want to be someone who has the power to do what they set out to do and accomplish that goal, I'll need to put in even more work.
The carriage carrying the me and My knight headed for the banquet hall at a slow speed.
"Have you gone through the list of today's attendees, Markus?"
I asked.
""Oh, right. There was that too""
With a half asleep expression Markus looked at the plant-based paper with a smooth feel. 22 people in all. My name was written sixth from the top.
(The ones above me are…)
I checked the ones above the me to see if there were troublesome ones.
+Imperial Prince Charles
+Duke House: Luke Rozier
+Duke House: Ethan jackson
-Marquis House: Charlotte Mule
-Border margrave House: Mira Phrasesin
A plus seems to be a boy and a minus is a girl.
""I see""
Markus seemed to have realized something.
"What do you see?"
I asked, curious
""By looking at the name alone, I realized there is nothing much interesting""
Throwing the paper to one side, Markus dismissed it as something trivial and tedious.
As he said honestly, I waited for a moment, and then laughed out loud.
""My lady?""
Markus was confused at my amusement.
"Ahahahahahaha! M-Mou, Markus. Haha… You can't say that out loud even if that's what you're thinking!"
I gently reprimanded my knight, laughing all the way.
""I see… but was it really that funny?""
I couldn't hold back my laughter, Markus really was a strange individual.
"Of course! Because they are the children of the nobles at the center of this great country, and the first on the list is the imperial Prince–"
""Why did you stop?""
Markus asked about why I suddenly stopped laughing.
"...…"
Does he seriously not know?
""?""
Looks like it.
"…No, it's nothing"
I waved off my hand and looked out the window.
Markus didn't really understand what caused the me to change my mind.
I decided that a shift in topic was necessary.
"Hey, Markus. Do you know?"
""What about?""
"I was complimented by my father today"
Although for most children something like this was natural, but for me getting something out of that usually absent father of mine is a blessing in itself.
""Yes, I know""
"I am so happy!"
I displayed my honest feelings to him since he was the one person I trusted the most.
My smile Markus saw, it was a pure and innocent bright smile.
For some mysterious reason, Markus once again averted his gaze from me like he has been doing for a while now, which made me even more suspicious.
"…Yes, I know it well. I am happy for you, my lady"
Markus congratulated me.
"Yup!"
My knight is strange. Absolutely strange.
He doesn't seem excited at all to attend a banquet where high-ranking nobles of the enpire gather. I look foolish for feeling so nervous. He says things that annoy me with a perfectly calm face.
And… even though the imperial Prince himself is attending! The son of His Majesty the emperor himself! He doesn't feel honored at all! I have never seen His Majesty the emperor. And I have also never seen the imperial Prince Charles-sama, who is the third child. I have only ever had the honor to witness the first imperial Prince and the first imperial Princess once.
The people of this country would have been moved to tears by such honor!
And yet! What is up with my escort!
He was way more nervous when I asked him to take me out into the city!
But you know.
I suddenly realized at that time.
What I am aiming for is a society in which people wouldn't have to humble themselves in the presence of nobles, just like Markus. A society where everyone could live fairly and as equals.
But I was unknowingly bound by the "common sense" of noble society.
Markus noticed and pointed it out with his attitude.
Then, I, as his lord, must also respond appropriately to Markus.
""My lady, we seem to have arrived. I will get off first and escort you""
"Yes, please"
Markus gets off the carriage so weightlessly, that it makes me wonder if he even has weight. Look, he doesn't make a sound when his shoe touches the ground. It's strange.
The evening sky is getting darker, and the stars are twinkling. Since it's a new moon today, the darkness of the night is deeper than usual.
The outside of the carriage is the banquet hall–a place where a whole mansion is turned into the venue.
Candles are placed everywhere at the spot where carriages stop. The candles are warmer than a magic lamp, but it gives off a bright light.
Many carriages have already arrived, and the guard knights get down from their horses and wait for me to step out.
This is the first step.
My first step as a noble towards realizing a fair and equal society.
""Here, my lady""
The very strange and very dependable escort, Markus, holds out his hand to me.
I take that hand.
Not knowing that tonight would change everything.