บท 27: Flame heart flow
The next morning, after a productive conversation with his friend Nahir, Cassian learned that the lady wouldn't be coming back for another day, meaning there would be no work in the afternoon. He figured he might have to do something at night, so after finishing his morning tasks and training, he went to collect his payment for his work at the castle. Today was finally his day off, and he planned to spend it buying a few things he needed.
Lucy was accompanying him, as she also had errands at the market. Cassian, now dressed in his usual servant's attire—his only set of clothes—was hoping to buy something more casual today. When Lucy came out, she surprised him. Instead of her usual servant attire, she was wearing a simple walking dress, known by the locals for casual outings. The dress featured a long skirt that hovered just above the ground, revealing her boots. It was paired with a simple blouse, a coat, and a modest hat, completing her understated yet elegant look.
These walking dresses don't come in bright colour usually and only came in shades of grey or brown, nothing too bright. Lucy's outfit was no different, a darker shade of grey that contrasted beautifully with her milky white skin. Despite her profession, she looked so stunning that it was hard to believe she worked as a maid. Her smile only added to her beauty as she noticed Cassian's baffled expression and said brightly, "Ready, Cassian?"
"Yes, Miss Lucy, let's head out," Cassian replied, stepping aside from the door to let her pass. As she did, he added with a genuine smile, "You look beautiful today, Miss Lucy."
"Thanks," Lucy said with a smile as they made their way toward one of the gates of Scarlet Castle. The castle was massive—so large that Cassian had barely explored the section where he lived. It was connected to the main building but was vast in its own right. The section was primarily for the prince and princesses who were directly in line for the throne. Currently, aside from Lady Katherine, only the youngest princess resided there. Katherine, being the second eldest, lived in this part, while the eldest prince resided in the main castle as the Crown Prince. As for the others, Cassian had only heard rumors—some said they were studying at universities in other kingdoms or involved in secret missions. He didn't know and didn't care much, either.
As for the scarlet castle, the sheer size of it always left Cassian in awe. They had already been walking for fifteen minutes and had only just exited the inner castle, where only direct descendants of the Duke lived or some close relatives. They were now entering the outer section of Scarlet Castle, which mainly housed troops for training and some of the more distant Van Dyke relatives, like cousins, aunts, and uncles. This area had numerous manors for each branch of the family, with each estate sprawling in grandeur.
Lucy and Cassian had to pass through a security checkpoint, where they signed their names in a register, a requirement for safety protocols. There were only four entry points between the inner Scarlet Garden and the outer sections of the castle, strategically designed to be easily defended in times of war, which occurred every two or three decades. Yet, the castle had stood proud for centuries under the Ven Dyke banner, its legacy bathed in the blood of its enemies.
This history gave the castle its nickname, "Scarlet Castle." For Cassian, it was his first time venturing into the outer part, and he couldn't help but describe it as bustling. There was a flurry of activity—warriors in armor training, chatting, and moving in and out of the manors. Noblemen and women strolled about, carriages constantly coming and going. The outer section felt like a city unto itself, lively and full of motion.
Even though they were still within the castle grounds, Cassian and Lucy needed to board one of the carriages to reach the castle's outer gates. Earlier, when the system had teleported Cassian into the castle, it had placed him at one of the other entrances—located behind the castle in the mountains, where most of the military operations took place.
As they approached the carriage, Cassian noticed that the driver was one of the guards, likely earning a little extra during his free time. The soldier, a burly man with a thick beard and a crooked smile, tipped his helmet in their direction. "Hop in," he said, voice gruff but welcoming. "No charge for pretty ladies and... well, for you too, lad," he added with a wink toward Lucy.
Lucy giggled as she climbed into the carriage, her dress brushing against Cassian as he followed. Settling in, she glanced around, watching the hustle of the outer castle fade into the distance as the carriage moved forward. After a brief silence, she leaned back and smiled at Cassian.
"You know," she began, "this part of the castle always reminds me of something my mother used to tell me. She used to say that every great castle has its own secrets, not just hidden rooms and tunnels, but... odd little stories, things that don't get talked about much."
Cassian glanced at her, intrigued by the change in her tone. "Like what?"
"Well," Lucy smirked, "for instance, there's a legend about this one tree in the outer courtyard—a really old oak near the training grounds. The story goes that it's cursed." She paused, gauging Cassian's reaction.
"Cursed? How?" he asked, leaning in slightly.
"Apparently," Lucy continued, "back in the day, before the castle was fully built, one of the architects was obsessed with finishing the job perfectly. He worked day and night, barely slept. But there was this tree... in the way of where they wanted to expand. The duke ordered it cut down, but the architect refused. He believed the tree was protecting the castle somehow, like it was part of the land's soul. So, one night, while the workers were asleep, he tied himself to it by his neck."
Cassian blinked. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, there's a rumor that he was the Duke's brother or something like that," Lucy continued. "He was also a magic researcher and one of the top authorities of his time when it came to warrior techniques. They say he developed the mana gathering method the dukedom's army still uses today, called the Flameheart Flow."
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