Chapter 27 – Under the Quiet Night
The banquet ended slowly, like a fire burning down to its last embers.
Laughter faded into polite murmurs. The music softened until it was nothing more than a ghost of a melody.
One by one—the nobles began to leave. Carriages rolled away from the temple grounds, the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves carrying the elite back to their estates, leaving the sacred silence behind.
Inside one such carriage, the air was thick with the scent of expensive incense and old wood. Ignes sat quietly for a moment, his red eyes fixed on the passing shadows. Then, without warning—his eyes closed, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Alexander noticed immediately. Without a word, he shifted, gently pulling Ignes toward him and resting the boy's head on his lap. His movements were careful, steady—the actions of a father ensuring his child could sleep peacefully despite the swaying of the carriage.
William, sitting across from them, watched the scene in silence for a moment. Finally, he spoke, his voice hushed but heavy with worry.
"Father… how is Igna's condition, truly?"
Alexander glanced down at the sleeping boy. Ignes's breathing was calm, but it was too deep, too sudden.
"In the past…" William continued, his brow furrowing, "he would never fall asleep like this. He was fastidious. He always insisted on his own room, his own bed. He refused to sleep anywhere else."
Silence filled the carriage, broken only by the creak of the leather seats.
Then—Alexander spoke. "He's fine."
A pause.
"He's just exhausted. Yesterday's training took a toll on him that his body wasn't ready for."
William frowned slightly, confused. Alexander continued, "He told me he wants to join the sword class. So, I started him with the basics of physical conditioning. Stamina first."
Then, Alexander's voice hardened slightly, the weight of the Duke of Heart returning to his tone. "And from tomorrow… you will take over his training."
William looked up, startled.
"Make him stronger," Alexander commanded. A pause. "And make sure he doesn't lose. If he does… you will be held responsible."
William let out a slow, measured breath. "…Father. Igna has a rare talent for magic. Mages are far more effective against the demon tides than knights. If he joins the mage class, he could grow stronger much faster."
Alexander shook his head, his gaze never leaving his sleeping son. "He has already made his choice. And I will not force him to change it."
A small pause.
"Besides… his talent in magic is already too high. He has mastered high-level spells that would take an academy professor decades to grasp. He is beyond their level. So… it is not a bad thing for him to learn the sword. A complete warrior needs both."
William turned his gaze toward the carriage window. The night stretched quietly beyond the glass, a half-moon hanging in the sky like a silver sickle, surrounded by a scattering of cold, distant stars.
"…Then I will train him," William finally agreed.
Silence returned. Only the soft, rhythmic sound of wheels rolling against the cobblestones remained.
Soon, they arrived at their mansion near the temple—an estate kept by the House of Heart for their visits to the capital. Alexander carefully lifted Ignes in his arms, the boy feeling lighter than he should, and carried him inside.
Gently, he placed him on the bed. Ignes didn't wake; he didn't even stir. Alexander stood there for a long moment, watching the rise and fall of his son's chest, before quietly leaving the room.
Outside, the night was deep. Dark—yet filled with so many stars it felt crowded. As if even in the silence of the world, something ancient and vast was watching over the house, waiting for the boy to wake.