There’s Something Special About Her Chapter 20

“Rookie, where are you going?”

After my night shift ended, Bono Senior asked me when he saw me heading somewhere other than the direction of the quarters.

“I have somewhere to stop by before I go to sleep.”

“Really? Whatever it is, get it done quickly and go to bed. I heard you were pretty sick.”

“Yes, I will. Good work today, Bono Senior.”

“Yeah, sure.”

I stood there for a moment to make sure Bono Senior had left for the quarters, then started walking.

It was an unfamiliar path I had never taken during the past year, when my life had consisted of going back and forth between the guard post and the quarters.

“East, he said.”

After walking for quite a while along the narrow path that curved around the wall, a tall tower appeared, just as the seniors had said.

“It’s full of crows.”

Black crows were perched in rows on the branches of the tall trees, watching me.

I hated their bright yellow eyes staring down at me as if they could actually think despite being birds.

Because they reminded me of Killian Knox.

“You’re nocturnal, right? Shouldn’t you be sleeping by morning? Why are you still sitting around like this?”

The crows only tilted their heads at me, even when I picked a fight with them.

……A crow really shouldn’t answer me.

“I’ve really gone too far if I’m talking to birds now.”

Shaking my head, I continued toward the tower until I came to a low hill.

It seemed they had built the tower on a hill so that the messenger birds could find it easily.

Then I saw a man walking down from farther up the path.

It wasn’t even time for the workday to begin yet, so he seemed to be on his way back after sending a letter early in the morning.

‘Looks like he wrote a letter to his lover.’

I frowned as I remembered Bono Senior teasing me last night about being just a kid.

Just as the man and I passed each other on the narrow path.

Clatter.

‘Huh?’

I stopped at the familiar sound and turned around.

Could it be someone I knew?

But the man was definitely a stranger.

He must have been a fast walker because he was already quite far away.

“I’m sure I’ve heard that sound somewhere before.”

Contrary to my expectation that the Crow Tower would be dirty and smelly because it was filled with crows, it was actually quite clean and quiet.

If not for the unusually high ceiling and the black feathers scattered here and there, it could easily have been mistaken for a small library.

‘Isn’t it a little smaller than it looked from outside?’

Thinking that something was a little strange, I went farther inside.

Behind a wide counter, a woman who had been busily writing something looked up and greeted me with a bright smile.

“Welcome. Are you here to use a messenger crow?”

“Ah, yes. How much does it cost?”

“Oh my, you’re new here.”

How did she know?

I had already been living in Knox for about a year, so I wasn’t exactly new.

Maybe my uniform looked brand-new?

As I checked my uniform, which had white ash scattered over it from sitting in front of the bonfire all night, the employee apologized.

“I’m sorry if that was rude.”

“Not at all. I’m not new, but this is my first time using a messenger crow.”

“I see. Our Crow Tower doesn’t charge Knox members anything.”

“Oh.”

So that was where I looked like a rookie.

Still, I was pretty surprised to hear it was free.

“What about long-distance letters?”

“It’s the same for long-distance letters.”

“That’s a pretty good benefit.”

“But you should keep in mind that it takes a little longer than ordinary messenger birds.”

“It takes longer?”

When I tilted my head, the employee smiled kindly.

“Our crows can only travel as far as the small Crow Towers scattered across each region. From there, we use another method to deliver the letter to the recipient’s home. That’s why it takes longer. Also, since we send several letters together at once, even if you leave your letter with us today, it may take some time before the crow actually departs.”

After giving me the simple explanation, she scrunched up her nose playfully and added,

“It helps keep costs down.”

“It’s free, so I don’t mind.”

It was a fairly reasonable explanation.

“Of course, if you’re lucky, it may arrive sooner than expected. If you tell me the name of the region you want to send your letter to, I can tell you when it will depart.”

“Um. The thing is…….”

I had come here without any particular plan because I thought there might be something to find, but now that I was here, I had nowhere to send a crow.

I considered writing down some random address, but then a suitable candidate came to mind.

“Is it possible to send a letter to another country, not the Empire?”

“Another…… country?”

The employee hesitated, perhaps because people rarely sent letters overseas.

But she soon recovered her smile and answered.

“Of course. As I mentioned, though, it may take a long time.”

“I don’t mind waiting.”

“Then where would you like to send the letter……?”

“The Kingdom of Krollin.”

“That is a little far.”

She nodded.

“But I didn’t bring a letter with me.”

“It happens when you’re in a hurry! There’s paper and a pen over there, so please feel free to use them.”

On the large table the employee pointed me toward were some fairly good-quality paper and a quill.

I took a seat in the corner and thought for a moment before writing my letter.

 

[Dear Clara,

How have you been?

I’m doing well, so don’t worry too much.

I’ve already been here for a whole year. Time flew by while I was busy getting used to life in Knox.

I’m sorry I took so long to contact you.

My new job is going well.

The seniors have been good to me, and these days I even sleep well at night.

How are you doing?

Are the flowers in the greenhouse blooming well this year too?

If you have time, please write me back.

I’ll be waiting.

I hope this sudden letter didn’t surprise you too much.

From, Runelk Eins.

P.S. Thanks to you, I finally finished the old task I had been putting off.]

 

She would recognize who had sent it right away.

I gently blew on the ink to dry it, then folded the letter and put it into the envelope.

“Is there something I can use to seal this…….”

Next to the paper and envelopes provided for visitors, there was even a stamp for Knox’s seal.

But what caught my eye was the candle sitting beside the seal.

The candle had been lit so that wax could be dripped at any time, and somehow its flame had stayed lit despite the occasional breeze.

Whenever the flame flickered unsteadily, a faint white glow shimmered around the wick.

“Haha.”

With a small laugh, I picked up the candle and tilted it over the envelope.

With a heavy plop, dark green wax dripped down.

I pressed the old stamp firmly into it and lifted it away, leaving behind a clear Knox seal.

Even the crow with its beak wide open was there.

“So that’s what it meant.”

I handed the perfectly sealed letter to the Crow Tower employee.

“Please take good care of it. It’s an important letter.”

“Of course! We’ll make sure it’s delivered safely—”

I’m sorry, but I didn’t have time to listen to the rest of her greeting.

There was one last thing I needed to check.

 

****

 

 

 

The Day of Earth, the final day of the deadline Killian Knox had given me.

Even though night had fallen and the time for the night shift had already passed, Jake Senior did not come looking for me.

I wanted to ask what excuse he had used to get me out of my shift when I had already used the stomachache excuse once.

I didn’t wait any longer and immediately left the quarters.

The daytime bustle felt like a lie as I walked through the silent corridors.

When I reached the third floor of the main building, just as I expected, all the guards and knights had been cleared out, and the office door was wide open.

It was almost as if that night had been recreated just to mock me.

“You came.”

Killian Knox spoke before I had even crossed the doorway of the office.

“I didn’t want to get kidnapped again.”

At my answer, something resembling a smile flashed around Killian Knox’s eyes.

“You’ve been quite busy for the past five days. You must have had fun.”

He had given me an impossible mission, put my life on the line, and now he was asking if I had fun?

Killian Knox really was a bastard.

“It was…… fun. All thanks to Your Grace.”

Perhaps my answer was unexpected, because one of Killian Knox’s dark eyebrows rose.

He shouldn’t be surprised yet.

The last time I had stood in this place, my heart had raced with fear and anger.

Today, it was racing with anticipation.

I was looking forward to seeing that arrogant monster’s face freeze in surprise.

“I was rather bored, actually. I regretted giving you five whole days for nothing.”

Killian Knox’s golden eyes gleamed cruelly.

“So I hope your answer will entertain me. If it disappoints me.”

His large white hand picked up a glass filled with large chunks of ice.

“I suppose I can always find another kind of entertainment.”

Though I’m not sure whether the soldier will enjoy it, too.

A chill ran down my spine at the blatant killing intent he sent toward me.

It felt as though invisible blades were poking at my skin.

But somehow, it was even worse because he still wasn’t showing obvious murderous intent.

Instead, it lingered around the back of my neck like a predator playing with its prey.

“Then, shall we hear your answer?”

Killian Knox asked as he tilted the clear glass toward his lips.

The smooth lips I could see beyond the glass were clearly wearing a mocking smile.

No matter what answer came out of my mouth, he intended to kill me.

Then the only way I could survive was to uncover what he—and Knox—had hidden so carefully.

The real secret I had never expected.

“Knox’s darkest secret is the crow.”

Clink.

The ice struck the glass in his hand as he froze for a moment.

“The crow.”