Shadow Oath

Chapter 44: Divination (1)

Ram faintly heard the sound of galloping hooves as Olga performed her divination with a stone called Rune.

However, the atmosphere turned so grim immediately after Olga’s words that he couldn’t bring it up until the approaching horses became unmistakable. At that point, he informed Demion.

"Your Highness, cavalry is heading this way. At least ten riders."

Demion snapped out of his thoughts and replied, "Go confirm it."

Before Ram could even open the door, noise erupted outside.

Shouts and warnings from the knights could be heard, demanding to know who was approaching, commanding them to halt, and requesting identification.

When Ram opened the door, a cavalry unit was advancing toward them.

They didn’t slow down until they reached right in front of Olga’s house, where their horses finally stopped.

It was the knights of Born.

Leading them was Ruseph, who leapt off his horse even before it came to a full stop.

"Charlon!"

The royal knights blocked Ruseph’s way.

"Stop right there. His Highness is inside."

"I’ve come to see my sister. What is she doing meeting with a barbarian witch?"

Ruseph shoved the three royal knights aside with his body.

Ram approached Ruseph and spoke.

"Calm down and wait here for a moment. I’ll call His Highness."

"How dare you give me orders…?"

As Ruseph’s anger turned toward Ram, Charlon shouted from inside.

"Brother Ruseph, I’ll come out! Nothing is going on here!"

Ram could hear the sound of three people rising from their chairs and heading toward the door, but he didn’t turn to look.

Ruseph was preparing to draw his sword, clearly intent on cutting down the three knights blocking him and entering the house, even if it meant killing Ram, who stood behind them.

Ram calculated based on Ruseph’s movements.

‘If he tries to draw his sword, I’ll block the hilt. That way, I can force it back into its sheath.’

From behind, Charlon’s voice rang out again.

"I’m coming out, Stuga. Step aside."

The exit of Hagra’s house was so narrow that Ram pressed his back tightly against the wall to let her pass.

Charlon brushed past Ram and pushed Ruseph back.

"I’m fine, so step back, Ruseph! Don’t pick a fight with innocent people!"

Ruseph glared at Ram before reluctantly following Charlon.

Ram waited inside for Demion, who was still focused on the commotion outside. Only Demion’s voice reached him.

"I can’t think of anything to say right now, Olga. It would wound my pride to simply repeat what you’ve said, so may I prepare a proper reply later?"

"I’ll be waiting, Your Highness," Olga replied cheerfully.

Ram stepped aside near the door. Demion exited first, followed by Jedric.

"Then I’ll take my leave," Ram said, bowing to Olga before attempting to close the door.

Just then, Olga spoke.

"Tanu."

Ram whipped his head around so quickly that his hair shifted, peering back inside.

Olga, as if trying to conserve the excess lanterns she had lit, began blowing them out one by one.

"There’s one thing I didn’t mention when talking about Maraka, Stuga. Isn’t there?"

Outside, Ruseph and Charlon’s argument continued.

"Staying up all night at the banquet hall wasn’t part of the agreement from the start."

"It wasn’t even worth negotiating over. They just assume it’s normal."

"How could you know what might happen? If Oedel hadn’t come rushing in the middle of the night to warn us, something serious could’ve happened!"

"You know Oedel exaggerates everything! She scratches herself on a cat and claims a lion bit her. What ‘serious matter’?"

"Enough. Let’s just return to the camp. The tents are already set up, and the Born knights are standing guard thoroughly."

Their conversation grew more tangled as Demion joined in.

"It was my request, Ruseph. General Terrdin also agreed it was fine…"

"Don’t take them too lightly, Your Highness. I was going to tell you tomorrow, but I’ll say it now. There’s news of an unverified barbarian tribe’s army stationed a day’s journey from here."

"Isn’t that expected since they’re retreating?"

"Their movements are too slow for a retreat. It seems like they’re lingering around this village. They might attack—either this village or our camp."

"In that case, wouldn’t the camp outside the village be more dangerous? There’s a fortress here. It’s safer inside."

Amidst the loud and heated discussion outside, Ram focused more intently on Olga’s quiet voice.

"Tanu is the god of death. Maraka might be a greedy and impatient old man, but he’s not without skill. I don’t know what he saw to call you Tanu. Don’t you want to try my Rune?"

Ram answered immediately.

"No, I don’t."

"I wouldn’t force a stone into the hands of someone unwilling. But if you’re ever curious, come find me. Oh, and!"

Olga casually tossed Maraka’s dagger, which had been on the table. The dagger landed with a sharp clang at Ram’s feet.

Ram stopped the sliding dagger with a light step. Suddenly, he realized he had grabbed the dagger in the exact same motion Maraka had demonstrated at the banquet hall.

"Take it. It’s yours."

"It’s not mine. Dispose of it."

"Perhaps you brought it to me because it might be dangerous? I’ve confirmed it’s not. I’ve done my part, so I’m returning it. It came to you, and from now on, it’s yours."

"I don’t need it."

"Then throw it away."

"The chief of the Ikahm Tribe told me not to discard it carelessly."

"Then burn it."

"I can’t burn something that belongs to someone else."

"Then what do you want me to do with it?"

Olga spoke playfully and extinguished the remaining lanterns.

In the darkness, only the shape of her lips was visible.

The faint light from the open door illuminated her face slightly, but without it, the room would have been completely dark.

Was this woman imprisoned in such a place?

In this darkness?

For months?

"Then it seems you should hold onto it for at least tonight. It must have come to you because you need it."

"You speak as if this dagger is alive. Didn’t you say there was no curse or danger on it?"

"It’s not dangerous because it’s in your hands."

"What do you mean?"

"Keep it. That way, it won’t be dangerous."

Ram wanted to repeatedly ask what she meant, but he couldn’t.

Olga continued to laugh playfully.

A soft, giggling sound.

She sounded just like a child.

No, in the darkness, she truly looked like a little girl under the age of ten.

No, she wasn’t even visible, but the illusion was convincing.

Only her voice could be heard.

"Tanu.

Tanu.

Tanu.

To survive, you must keep killing someone.

Who will you kill today to bring tomorrow's life closer?"

It was a melody.

Like a dirge.

Ram closed the door. He no longer heard her voice.

Not even a whisper seeped through the door.

With Ram’s hearing, he should have still heard her singing after the door was shut. Yet, the sound ceased completely.

Had she closed her mouth the instant the door shut?

Or had the sound been completely blocked?

Holding the dagger, Ram approached Demion.

Demion, Charlon, and Ruseph were still arguing.

Only Jedric stood apart, arms crossed, looking elsewhere.

He seemed to be gazing at the horizon faintly illuminated by moonlight over the hill, or perhaps at the night sky.

Was Jedric also contemplating the prophecy he’d just heard?

Ram wanted to tell someone.

He wanted to lay everything bare, to seek advice, to ask for help.

Yesterday, Kura had also told Ram he would receive a blade.

It had sounded absurd. He already had a blade.

As a bodyguard, he had the right to carry a sword, so even without Maraka’s dagger, he could kill anyone if he wanted.

If he set his mind to it, he could kill Demion or Charlon, even with multiple guards protecting them.

Jedric, Terrdin, Ruseph…

Even Ikahm!

But Ram wanted no one’s death.

‘There’s no one here I need to kill.’

Just then, General Terrdin arrived belatedly.

"What is all this commotion?"

The moment he dismounted, Ram ran to him like an excited puppy greeting its long-lost owner.

The person the general needed to meet first was, of course, Demion.

He would hear an explanation of the situation, mediate as he always did, and resolve things.

Then, as usual, he would leave for another urgent matter, and Ram would lose his chance for assassination.

It had been like this for days.

But this time, Ram blocked the general’s path before he could go.

He stood in the way of the commander heading toward the prince.

It was an act of unimaginable discourtesy, something a slave should never do. Yet, Ram could no longer hold back.

"General, I have something to tell you."

The general responded as expected.

"Later. Right now, I…"

"It’s about your son."

"My son?"

"Astian."

Terrdin looked at Ram with a curious gaze and patted his shoulder.

"Understood."

What he understood, Ram couldn’t tell, but he waited.

Terrdin spoke with the prince and had conversations with the two Bormont siblings.

Although their voices weren’t hushed, Ram, with his keen hearing, found himself unable to focus on their words.

All he could think about was what he would say to Terrdin.

Once Terrdin arrived, the situation quickly settled.

Demion, Jedric, and Charlon returned to the banquet hall with the knights, while Ruseph went back to the camp with the knights of Born.

Though Ruseph’s face was discontented, Terrdin told Demion, "I’ll talk briefly with the shadow and join you," and then approached Ram.

"The Ikahm chief has provided a separate lodging for me. Let’s talk there."

Terrdin’s quarters were a small hut located less than twenty steps from the banquet hall.

It was so poorly secured that any warrior of the Geran bent on revenge could infiltrate with ease.

A single guard knight stood watch, but in an emergency, that would hardly suffice.

‘If the prince or general were injured or killed in this village, the Ikahm and this village would face great danger. So by leaving themselves completely unguarded, the Gerans might actually be impressed by their boldness.’

The advice Jedric had given before had already been put into practice by the general.

Inside the small room, there was little more than a bed, a table, and a chair.

Ram recalled the moment he had first met the general, standing alone in a tent and laying down Mantum’s head.

It had been only twenty days ago, but it felt like a year.

"Here. This should be a good place to talk, right?"

Terrdin sat on a small wooden chair.

It was even smaller than the chair in his tent.

The table was smaller still, barely able to hold a loaf of bread and a wooden cup.

Ram placed Maraka’s dagger on the table and spoke.

"It seems my fate today is to kill you, General."