Chapter 1.7: Departure and Determination
At last, the time had finally come. Two days passed like a breeze of wind, barely a whisper in the storm that had become my life.
I stood before the tall mirror, examining my reflection with care. A perfectly tailored black suit hugged my frame—a suit commissioned from one of the finest brands in the Empire. My pale white skin contrasted sharply with my slicked-back black hair, and my dark, brooding eyes stared back with quiet intensity. A premium watch shimmered subtly on my wrist, and over it all, I wore the wolf-engraved overcoat—the mark of House Kafher. I was 189 centimeters tall and looked every inch the nobleman I was born to be. Everything was perfect.
Fifteen days of journey lay ahead, but status was not something you tucked away. It was something you bore proudly, like a sword.
Stepping from my quarters, I made my way to the front gate. My family and the estate's staff gathered to bid me farewell. The weight of their eyes pressed against my back as I moved. Just as I reached the carriage, a familiar voice chimed in behind me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, half-shocked.
"I'm coming," Sasha replied with a bright smile.
Dressed in a sky-blue dress, her presence caught me off-guard. I hadn't been informed.
"Kevin, did you know about this?" I turned to the knight behind me, formal in attire with his sword at his hip.
"I didn't even know I was coming," he muttered.
I blinked. "...Huh?"
"You didn't tell me," he said, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh... right. Well, it's not that important." I laughed awkwardly. His deadpan expression screamed otherwise.
Turning back to Sasha, I asked, "Are you sure you want to come?"
"Yes," she said with a smile so bright it made the sun look pale.
I glanced toward my mother. She nodded silently. Permission granted.
The carriage was luxurious and spacious, a moving fortress clad in elegance. Twenty-two knights, bearing the House Kafher banner, mounted their steeds and surrounded us like a living shield. Kevin joined us inside. I'd asked Father to assign him as my retainer. Watching the look on his face when he realized his fate had been sealed? Priceless.
At precisely 7 a.m., I said my farewells. Relatives, vassals, even common folk had come to send me off. With the crack of reins and the clatter of hooves, we departed. Arsenidine, the capital of the Britannia Empire, awaited us.