Chapter 30 - Ambush

“Hurry up, Az!”

“Haha, calm down, Byul! We have all morning.”

Even though the sun had risen not too long ago, the streets of Alexander were already bustling with people. Han Byul rushed forward through the crowd, pulling Azrael along. He couldn’t help but shake his head in wonder at her excitement.

Han Byul had been looking forward to this day for the past month. Despite their occasional dates, most of their time was spent training or studying. Although she wasn’t thrilled about it, she understood the importance and didn’t complain. For this reason, she had looked forward to this morning even more. The idea of a date in the famous City of Lovers excited her.

The streets were as lively as the day before. Merchants lined the streets, loudly advertising their merchandise. Many couples strolled leisurely, engaging in conversation. Various smells wafted through the air as vendors sold their food. The overall atmosphere in the city was festive.

“So, Byul, what do you want to see first?”

“Hm… how about the statue of Felsia and Alexander?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

Once he agreed, they asked a few people for directions and found that the statue was in the middle of the city. After a ten-minute walk, they arrived at the public square where the statue stood. The sight of it made them both sigh in appreciation.

The marble statue stood ten feet tall, depicting two lovers embracing and gazing at each other. Despite its size, the statue’s lines and curves were smooth, with no blemishes.

The couple’s gaze was tender and joyful, with a full-blown smile on the female’s face and a hint of one on the male’s. The love between them was evident. Soft light seemed to emanate around the figures, as if to protect them from harm.

As people left, Han Byul and Azrael moved closer to the statue and noticed a golden placard underneath. When they reached the front, they read the inscription:

This statue was created in celebration of the love between Felsia Kingdom’s two founding members, Felsia Uraz and Alexander Armen. May their love be eternal and lead our nation to a ten-thousand-year prosperous Kingdom!

- Lee Hyun

While Azrael read the placard, he felt pressure in his right hand. Turning his head, he saw Han Byul with a complicated expression on her face. Without turning her head, she spoke.

“They look so happy, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do. The sculptor really captured the warmth in their gaze.”

“Haa… it’s beautiful. You can see just how much they loved each other.”

Han Byul sighed. Like many girls her age, she had a romanticized view of love, and the statue reinforced it. She wasn’t foolish enough to think that her feelings for Azrael were true love yet; it was something to be built slowly. Still, she hoped it would eventually become something like what the statue depicted.

“So, what should we do next, Az?”

“Hmm… how about we check out some performances?”

“Okay!”

The two turned and headed towards the entertainment square. As they were about to turn the corner, Han Byul glanced back at the statue one last time. Even from afar, the light aura shone brightly.

For the rest of the morning and afternoon, Han Byul and Azrael explored numerous locations. At the entertainment square, they laughed as they listened to bards play cheerful tunes and watched actors reenact old stories. Vendors showcased unique items from across the continent.

The stalls offered an impressive array of goods: hats, clothes, weapons, armor, shields, books, magic items, jewelry, and even exotic animals exclusive to their country. One item in particular caught Azrael’s attention. When Han Byul noticed he had stopped, she turned to him, confused.

“What is it, Az?”

“Can you wait here for a moment, Byul?”

“Um… sure?”

“Alright, I’ll be right back!”

Azrael went back, and Han Byul waited patiently, unable to see what he was doing. After a few minutes, he returned with a smile.

“Hey, Byul, can you close your eyes?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just close your eyes, you’ll find out soon.”

“..Okay.”

Despite her doubts, Han Byul closed her eyes. Moments later, she felt something metallic wrap around her neck and an object touch her chest. Surprised, she opened her eyes to see Azrael’s smiling face.

“I saw this and it reminded me of you. I know I haven’t been the best boyfriend, and I sometimes wonder how I got so lucky to be with you. This is just a little thank you.”

Han Byul looked down and saw a silver necklace around her neck. The pendant was a silver star designed in an oval shape with two thin lines circling it. The surface sparkled with a strange substance she didn’t recognize.

“Just like the travelers in the night, you are my guiding light. In my life, you shine brighter than anything else and make me feel so comfortable and happy. Doesn’t hurt that your name is Byul either, haha.”

(A/N: Byul means star in Korean.)

As Han Byul gazed at the star, tears welled up in her eyes. Without a word, she threw herself at Azrael, wrapping her arms around his neck. With her lips close to his ear, she whispered her thanks.

“Thank you, Az. I’ll treasure this always. Just as I am your guiding light at night, you are the sun that brightens my life and brings warmth to my body and soul. You are the one I am always joyful to see and regretful to part from.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The two spent the rest of the day walking around without a specific destination, simply enjoying each other’s company with their hands interlocked. Although they didn’t do much, it was a precious moment for both. They didn’t need words to understand each other’s thoughts.

Azrael felt remorseful for not spending more time with Han Byul. Although she trained with Winston, Zer, and him every night, it wasn’t time alone for them. When he mentioned this to her once, Han Byul reassured him not to worry, though he knew she said it to avoid interfering with his training.

What he expressed when giving her the necklace was truly how he felt. Since reincarnating, his life had improved, but he always felt lost. Training to get stronger hadn’t eased this feeling. Seeing Han Byul before the arena made him feel like the weight on his shoulders had disappeared.

After pondering this, Azrael realized that the satisfaction from avenging Chrystal was fleeting. His heart remained empty without her. He hadn’t understood this at first, as he was focused on becoming stronger for revenge and didn’t live long after succeeding. It took many days of reflection to grasp this.

“Hey, Az, we need to go back to the hotel. Winston should be arriving soon.”

“Huh? Oh yeah, you’re right. He’ll be mad if we’re late. Let’s go.”

The two headed back to the hotel. They reached it in less than ten minutes. Once inside, they found an empty table and sat while waiting. About ten minutes later, Zer joined them.

“Yo, Az, Han Byul. Did you two have a good time on your date?”

“Hey, Zer. Look at what Az bought me!”

“Oh, it’s pretty. I can’t believe the money-grubbing Az actually spent money…”

“Oi! Just who are you calling money-grubbing?! It’s just that… I like to save it.”

As Azrael drooped his shoulders, Han Byul couldn’t help but giggle. After consoling him, she turned back to Zer.

“So, how was your day? Did you find anything you liked while shopping?”

“There wasn’t much. I only found a nice scabbard to replace my old one. Oh, there was this interesting…”

The group continued discussing their day. As the sun set outside the hotel’s window, Winston finally arrived with a big grin on his face.

“Yo! Miss me much?”

Han Byul, Zer, and Azrael shook their heads, grinning at Winston’s greeting.

“Sit down, you big oaf. We’re starving.”

“Yes, yes, your highness Zer!”

Winston sat down, and a waitress came over to take their orders. After twenty minutes of conversation about their city trip, the waitress brought their food. The mouth-watering aroma silenced the table as they eagerly ate. Once they finished, Winston rubbed his stomach and turned to his friends.

“Haa… That was amazing. Anyway, are you all ready for tomorrow?”

“Of course. All that’s left is to roll through all the schools and win.”

“Oh, you’re confident, Zer. My dad’s here for some diplomatic issues and plans to stay to watch the tournament. I’ll be sitting with him in the VIP section, so don’t embarrass me, okay?”

“Oi! Just who’s going to embarrass who, you big oaf!”

As Winston and Zer argued, Han Byul and Azrael shook their heads in amazement. The two always managed to find a way to argue. Just as Han Byul was about to intervene, a familiar figure walked over.

“Hey, Han Byul, I’ve been looking all over for you. Cynthia asked me to find you and bring you over. She said she needed your help with something.”

“Oh hey, Leslie. Cynthia needs my help? Do you know what for?”

“Not sure. She just told me to bring you over.”

“Ah, I see. Hey guys,

looks like I’m going to have to step away for a while. I’ll see you all in the morning?”

“You want me to come with you, Byul?”

“I’ll be fine. I’m not some fragile girl, Az. I’ll stop by to say goodnight when I come back, okay?”

“Haha, that’s true. Be careful though; it’s not wise for a girl to walk around at night.”

“Be back soon~”

With that, Han Byul stood up and followed Leslie out the door. After she left, Zer, Winston, and Azrael began discussing the tournament.

“So, what do you think your chances are for winning the tournament, Az?”

“Not sure. I’ve never seen the other contestants. We especially need to watch out for last year’s champion, Wezdon Magic Academy. I heard Jerle Walker is a once-in-a-century genius who…”

As Azrael spoke about Jerle Walker, loud noises suddenly disturbed them. They looked towards the staircase in surprise as Aren Dufont rushed down.

Reaching the bottom, Aren frantically looked around and spotted the three surprised guys. Without hesitation, she rushed over.

“Azrael! Where’s Princess Han Byul?!”

Azrael flinched at the panic in Aren’s voice.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“There’s no time for that! Just tell me where she is!”

“She left with Leslie about five minutes ago.”

“Shit!”

“Aren, what’s wrong? What’s going on?”

Seeing Aren’s panic worried Azrael. Although they didn’t start off on the best terms, he knew Aren was not one to panic easily. Something significant must have happened.

“Azrael! The Princess is in danger! She’s walking into an ambush!”

“””WHAT?!”””

Winston, Zer, and Azrael immediately stood up.

“What do you mean she’s walking into an ambush?”

“I took a crumpled piece of paper from the trash bin, thinking it was something I had thrown away earlier. When I read it, it was instructions for my roommate Leslie to bring Princess Han Byul to a back alley in the Merchant’s District.”

After hearing Aren, Azrael rushed out of the hotel. Zer followed closely.

“Winston! Find some guards and bring them to the Merchant’s District! I’ll go with Az!”

“Alright!”

Zer caught up with Azrael, who was running faster, creating a gap between them.

“Az, wait up! We need to come up with a plan!”

Despite Zer’s calls, Azrael continued running, driven by images of Chrystal’s last moments. The thought of Han Byul dying almost drove him insane. If she died, he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle it and might go mad. With that thought, he ran even faster toward the Merchant’s District.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Hey Leslie, why is Cynthia waiting in such a desolate area?”

Han Byul and Leslie had been walking through an alleyway for the past five minutes. Initially, Han Byul didn’t mind, but as they went further, she began to feel uneasy. She doubted Cynthia would be in such a shady location, and suspicion started to creep in.

“Leslie, stop. Where are you taking me? Cynthia isn’t here, is she?”

“Hmph, figured it out, huh?”

A shiver ran through Han Byul as she saw Leslie’s expression. The innocent look was gone, replaced by a smug, contemptuous gaze.

“Well, it’s too late now anyway. Hey! I brought her here just like you asked!”

Han Byul rushed to the building on her left and took a defensive posture with her back against the wall. She realized she had been led into a trap. Though she wanted to confront Leslie, she knew showing any weakness could be fatal.

“Hey! Where are you guys? You told m…”

While Leslie was speaking, a dark object flew through the air and struck her in the throat. Han Byul heard gurgling noises as Leslie struggled to remove the object, her movements slowing until she collapsed in a pool of her own blood.

From the rooftops, eight shadows leaped down towards Han Byul. Just as she feared for her life, a blur shot out from the shadows of a building across and stood in front of her.

As the shadows descended, a wall of flames erupted upwards. The falling shadows turned in mid-air to evade the flames. Two of the eight didn’t make it in time, screaming as they caught fire and crashed to the ground. Their bodies twitched briefly before becoming still.

In the light from the flames, Han Byul saw the charred figures. They wore black garments now burned through in areas, with charred skin visible.

Her savior’s figure became visible. Even though they had their back to her, Han Byul immediately recognized them. How could she not?

“Az!”