Though Lara had probably never thought of it, Valentine once thought that; if he had a liege, it would be Lady Lara.
It was a noisy and rainy day back then, when Lara rescued him from the black sorceress' basement. The humidity from the rain outside had caused the atmosphere to feel damp and humid. And though his heart was breathing painfully, Lara's calm voice had penetrated his ears. The hand that grabbed his collar, the inside of the carriage where the fragrant scent lingered, and the red gaze that bent subtly toward him. Valentine had never forgotten the intense encounter he experienced that day, for it had brought salvation to his life.
It must have started from that point on when Valentine's life began to move around Lara. He was well aware that his master's long-standing abuse had made him abnormal. He also knew well that he seemed socially awkward and lacking to others.
However, Lara did not consider him useless. She did not even consider him to be a load of luggage she happened to take charge of.
"A genius alchemist. A competent and intelligent man who will surely be the best on the continent someday."
When Lara began calling Valentine that, everything around him changed.
As a slave to the black sorceress, Valentine had always lived while being treated as a disease, like a rat in the gutter. Getting stoned for being dirty was an everyday experience. Sometimes, he got beaten up. Other times, he would end up being whipped by the black sorceress after losing his sales that day. It was much worse when he was young. Having been skinny and slow to grow, he also became a plaything and was fooled around with the drunk men in the back alley.
Lara did not know that Valentine no longer lived in a world of hell from the moment he met her.
"He's a nice guy."
That was all he needed. He did not need her to tell other people to be kind or to take care of him. Just those words were enough–those few words that even Lara would forget.
But since then, Valentine's world has changed. People cared about him and listened to him. When he cowered, people would reach out their hands first. When he stumbled, people would approach and support him. They came up to ask him what he ate, what he liked and hated, and what he needed. They began to wait in anticipation of what he would do.
'Milady.'
It would have been nice if he could be more honest.
'I have been saved by you. When you saved me that time, it might have been on a momentary whim or just a part of the process to eradicate the black sorceress, but since then, I have already claimed to be your servant.'
His sweat flowed like rain even in the cold weather. His task had now become complicated because there were many carriages on the way to the Imperial Palace. Valentine became frustrated and urged the coachman to go faster. But he could no longer wait, he jumped off the carriage and ran with all his might.
"Huff, huff… Huff!"
He felt like he was going to vomit all his guts out because he was out of his breath. People looked at him strangely as he stumbled dangerously and ran. Valentine moved nonstop to the point where he wondered when he had ever run like that.
When he reached the Imperial Palace, he was dragging his legs and was so out of breath that he almost couldn't breathe, but still, he did not collapse. If Lara and Konny were there, they would have told him off for not listening to them when they suggested him to work out.
"Who's there?"
In order to go to the Crown Prince's castle, Valentine had to pass through the entrance of the Imperial Palace. Valentine was not the type to take action in front of people so no one recognized him.
When the soldiers saw him running while breathing heavily and in a sloppy outfit, they blocked his way by crossing their two long spears.
"Stop!"
"This is the castle of the great Emperor. Tell us your name and purpose!"
The soldiers' voices rang in his ears. Valentine barely stood on two legs, catching his breath several times. There was no need to cling and beg. He did not have to be intimidated for no reason. There was definitely no reason to be afraid.
"My name is…"
Because I'm Lady Lara's people.
Valentine finally found out that he also had to move forward if he wanted to serve his master–the coolest person in the world.
"My name is Valentine."
His voice was shaky and irregular but Valentine proudly raised his head and said.
"I'm an alchemist."
The soldiers were not well aware of how great and rare an alchemist was, or even what an alchemist even is in the first place. However, the moment they faced Valentine's confident attitude and intense gaze, they corrected their attitude of treating him as a guttersnipe and asked politely.
"What's the purpose of your visit?"
"I'm working for the saintess. I have something urgent to say to His Imperial Highness so please open the way."
The alchemist of the saintess.
The soldiers opened their eyes wide and looked at each other. One of them rushed to call his superior. An Imperial knight appeared and asked Valentine the same question. And before long, Valentine was guided to the Crown Prince's castle.
"Welcome!"
Acerus' aide ran out to the front of the Crown Prince's castle and welcomed Valentine. The aide heard about Valentine's existence through Acerus and he knew that the young alchemist was a talent much greater than a gold mine.
"If you had contacted in advance, the knights would have gone to escort you. Did you come straight from the border? Nothing happened to the saintess, right?"
The aide asked gently. He had a polite and friendly attitude but Valentine could not afford to talk to him now.
"I have to talk to His Imperial Highness in person."
"…So, it's an urgent matter."
The aide was not offended. He just walked as fast as he could and dismissed the ladies-in-waiting who were preparing to welcome the guest. Then, he took Valentine straight to the Crown Prince's castle.
"Your Imperial Highness!"
Acerus Elin Tarragon was sitting in the chair in his office, he raised his head. Ahead of the great man who would be the owner of this huge Empire, Valentine said with a lot of strength in his trembling voice.
"You have to go to Lady Lara."
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Lara dismissed all the people around her and went to the West with only demons. It sounded like the saintess betrayed humans and stood on the side of demonkind.
Rumors of the saintess actually being a witch originating from hell were circulating through Dandelion's shadow and still growing in size. If news of the saintess traveling exclusively with demons got out, the aforementioned rumor would be determined as an established fact and would blur the people's eyes and ears. How could the saintess not subjugate demons and instead bring them around with her?
However, Acerus did not suspect the saintess. After hearing only the necessary information from Valentine, he kicked the office chair uncaringly and ran to the Emperor.
The Emperor was someone that could not be easily met unless an appointment was made in advance. It did not matter even if he was the Crown Prince. However, when the knights of the Emperor's castle saw Acerus running like a crazy bull, they made their way silently and muttered, like father, like son.
"Father!"
Acerus slammed the door. The Emperor, who was forced to swallow terrible medicine by his doctor, screamed in surprise.
"Urgh! I almost choked to death! How dare the Crown Prince act like this in front of the Emperor?"
"I should go to the West."
"Says who?"
"I was told that the has saintess took the demons alongside her to the West. In the process, all the civilians that might fall victim were sent to the capital. She's only accompanied by the Barbarian warriors…"
"The saintess joining the demons? Is she conspiring something without us knowing?"
"Father!"
"I'm not deaf yet."
"The saintess is trying to sacrifice herself! Before the demons come over to human land, she's trying to attack their land first using the demons as tools! How could you say that when you know her nature?"
Acerus shouted.
The Emperor's aides raised their heads to stop the Crown Prince's words and actions. However, the Emperor lifted his hand first to make everyone except Acerus step outside.
The Emperor smiled and said.
"Don't worry."
"Do you have any plans?"
"I will go to the battlefield."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"You punk, how dare you say that so carelessly? I'm still the Emperor, and I can make you a tramp on the street instead of the Crown Prince with just one word."
"What are you thinking with that old and sick body? Battlefield, my foot…"
"You brat!"
The empty medicine bowl flew. Acerus did not dodge and got hit. He remembered that he got scolded even more after avoiding it a few times. It was wise to just get hit by the first bowl. It did not even hurt much anyway.
The Emperor looked at him with sunken eyes and said.
"I won't live for long anyway."
The Emperor knew that by looking at Lara's eyes. The saintess was wise and thoughtful, unbefitting of her age, but she could not deceive the Emperor's eyes. In the first place, something that the Emperor was the best in the world at was reading the other person's intentions through dialogue.
Lara's words of blessing for the Emperor to live healthy for a long time became a catalyst for him to determine his splendid ending.
"If I'm going to die anyway, I want to die on the battlefield."
"Father!"
"Follow in my footsteps to protect the Tarragon Empire and guard the peace of the continent."
"Dad!"
"This is my last order."
The Emperor's gaze went to his well-sharpened sword. The sharp blade flashed. Even with his old and sick body, he still sharpened the sword every day as if holding a ritual. The Emperor was a knight, commander, and fighter.