TGW Book 1, Chapter 2.2
In the afternoon, Gilbert requested an audience with Sienna. It had been three days since she had ordered him to find the mysterious knight. After all that wait, the result of his search disappointed Sienna.
"You can't find him?"
"Yes, Princess. I couldn't find the man with the characteristics you've given me."
"He was definitely wearing a knight's uniform."
"Knights aren't the only ones who can wear the uniform..."
"What do you mean?"
Sienna asked Gilbert with a straight face as he flinched.
"The process of entering the Palace is a long and frustrating one."
"You mean... The knights' uniform is used as a way to freely enter the Palace?"
"...Yes."
"Since when?"
"It has been going on for a long time."
"How long?"
"It was already happening when I entered the Palace ten years ago."
This meant that it was a prevalent occurrence. However, Sienna had never heard of this before. She had believed that every rule in the Palace was followed perfectly.
"This is the place where the Emperor resides. If what you say is true, that means there is a serious hole in our security."
"That's not quite true."
Gilbert quickly interjected.
"The knights' uniform is produced within the Palace, so it is strictly managed. Only the lowest-ranking uniforms can be given away, but it cannot be taken by just anyone."
"What are the requirements to be able to take a uniform? Do you have to have special connections with the Captain of the Knights?"
Gilbert became pale. He felt like he was digging himself into a deeper hole the more he spoke. He suddenly bent down on his knee.
"That's not what I meant. Princess, please do not continue to think that."
Sienna's eyes became cold as she looked down at Gilbert. If this had happened just a few days ago, she would have been furious. She would have called for a thorough investigation and tracked down every person that had taken a uniform. If necessary, she would have followed the trail and punished all those involved as well.
However, Sienna merely glowered at the knight and softly bit her lip as she calmed down. Something had changed within her. It wasn't that she was turning a blind eye to corruption. Rules were important. Principles were to be upheld.
It was just that... Gilbert would be put in an uncomfortable situation if she decided to noisily investigate this case. He would be deemed a whistle-blower, and there was a big chance that his life as a knight would become unbearable.
Sienna realized just how much faith she had in Gilbert. Whenever she wanted a personal order to be executed, she always thought of Gilbert. The violation of stealing uniforms was not so important that she'd give Gilbert up to investigate it.
"How should I go about finding him?"
"What?"
"That other issue doesn't matter for now. I just want to know who that man is. Who do I need to call in order to find that man?"
"Like I said earlier, not just anyone can get their hands on a uniform."
"So who is he?"
"The Captain... might know who he is."
Gilbert struggled as he spoke. He felt like he was exposing his boss.
"I see. You may leave."
"Princess."
"Don't worry. I won't mention your name."
"Thank you, Princess."
Gilbert lowered his head, his expression bubbling over with relief. The reason why she called for Gilbert whenever she had business with the Imperial Knights was because of his forthright manner. She had never seen him try to curry her favor. This was the first time she had seen him so moved.
Sienna stared at Gilbert with an odd look in her eye. It wasn't that big of a deal to cover for him. Why was he acting as if she had given him some great reward? Rewards and punishments. The two weren't perfect opposites. Sienna felt as if her sturdy world was crumbling.
"Ah, Princess."
Gilbert turned around as he was about to leave the room.
"About the sword with a black hilt and a black blade... I heard a story about it when I was young. They say that the black sword of Kaligo is famous."
"Kaligo?"
"It's the name of a famous organization of mercenary soldiers."
"If you heard this when you were young, are you sure it wasn't just a fairy tale?"
"It is said that the leader of the group changes with time. They are an organization that has existed since before I was born."
Sienna's expression turned bitter.
'An organization of mercenaries? They're just a group of wicked law-breakers. Is he really a mercenary? He didn't seem like a brute..."
However, the more she thought about that black-haired man, the more she seethed.
'He was rude and arrogant. He certainly didn't behave like a knight.'
Sienna felt that she didn't have to call for the captain of the knights after all. If that man had gained special access to the Palace, she felt that she knew who was responsible for it. It had to be Prince Dian. If she asked the Prince, she'd be able to find him.
'But... Do I need to find him?'
Maybe they weren't at the same level as that man, but the Palace was filled with excellent knights. They were much more polite and very loyal.
'Let's just leave it alone.'
Sienna decided to pretend it didn't happen. Even though she felt that this was the right thing to do, she still felt a strange sense of loss.
To calm her restlessness, Sienna called for the lady-in-waiting to brew some tea. It was her usual favorite herbal tea. After sniffing the slightly bitter aroma, Sienna took a sip. It was so sweet that it made her come back to her senses. Satisfied, the corners of Sienna's lips went up slightly.
'Will there ever come a time when I won't enjoy this sweet taste?'
"Princess. The Grand Chamberlain has brought your gift from His Majesty the Emperor."
Sienna was surprised at the lady-in-waiting's announcement and abruptly stood up.
"A gift? Bring in the Grand Chamberlain."
The Grand Chamberlain entered holding a small box wrapped in velvet.
"Did he pass along any message with this?"
"No, Princess."
"I better go and thank him."
"His Majesty is currently in a meeting. He is not available to meet with you at this time."
"I see. Let me know when it is a good time for me to see him."
"Yes, Princess."
After the Grand Chamberlain's departure, Sienna couldn't bring herself to touch the gift and just stared at it.
'Why did His Majesty suddenly...'
The joy was only brief. She thought deeply about what his intentions could be. After staring at it for a long time, she finally unwrapped the velvet covering cautiously. A sleek wooden box appeared.
She opened it. It was filled with dried tea leaves. It was an unexpected gift. It was the first time she had received such a small gift.
"Tea leaves...?"
Sienna furrowed her brow. She recalled the words from her dream.
「I received them just before my twentieth birthday. An unexpected gift from an unexpected person.」
Was this merely a coincidence?
All the thoughts about the intent behind the gift flew out of Sienna's mind. As she continued to gaze at the tea leaves, she began to remember the emperor from her dreams. She began to remember the emperor's words.
TGW Book 1, Chapter 2.2
In the afternoon, Gilbert requested an audience with Sienna. It had been three days since she had ordered him to find the mysterious knight. After all that wait, the result of his search disappointed Sienna.
"You can't find him?"
"Yes, Princess. I couldn't find the man with the characteristics you've given me."
"He was definitely wearing a knight's uniform."
"Knights aren't the only ones who can wear the uniform..."
"What do you mean?"
Sienna asked Gilbert with a straight face as he flinched.
"The process of entering the Palace is a long and frustrating one."
"You mean... The knights' uniform is used as a way to freely enter the Palace?"
"...Yes."
"Since when?"
"It has been going on for a long time."
"How long?"
"It was already happening when I entered the Palace ten years ago."
This meant that it was a prevalent occurrence. However, Sienna had never heard of this before. She had believed that every rule in the Palace was followed perfectly.
"This is the place where the Emperor resides. If what you say is true, that means there is a serious hole in our security."
"That's not quite true."
Gilbert quickly interjected.
"The knights' uniform is produced within the Palace, so it is strictly managed. Only the lowest-ranking uniforms can be given away, but it cannot be taken by just anyone."
"What are the requirements to be able to take a uniform? Do you have to have special connections with the Captain of the Knights?"
Gilbert became pale. He felt like he was digging himself into a deeper hole the more he spoke. He suddenly bent down on his knee.
"That's not what I meant. Princess, please do not continue to think that."
Sienna's eyes became cold as she looked down at Gilbert. If this had happened just a few days ago, she would have been furious. She would have called for a thorough investigation and tracked down every person that had taken a uniform. If necessary, she would have followed the trail and punished all those involved as well.
However, Sienna merely glowered at the knight and softly bit her lip as she calmed down. Something had changed within her. It wasn't that she was turning a blind eye to corruption. Rules were important. Principles were to be upheld.
It was just that... Gilbert would be put in an uncomfortable situation if she decided to noisily investigate this case. He would be deemed a whistle-blower, and there was a big chance that his life as a knight would become unbearable.
Sienna realized just how much faith she had in Gilbert. Whenever she wanted a personal order to be executed, she always thought of Gilbert. The violation of stealing uniforms was not so important that she'd give Gilbert up to investigate it.
"How should I go about finding him?"
"What?"
"That other issue doesn't matter for now. I just want to know who that man is. Who do I need to call in order to find that man?"
"Like I said earlier, not just anyone can get their hands on a uniform."
"So who is he?"
"The Captain... might know who he is."
Gilbert struggled as he spoke. He felt like he was exposing his boss.
"I see. You may leave."
"Princess."
"Don't worry. I won't mention your name."
"Thank you, Princess."
Gilbert lowered his head, his expression bubbling over with relief. The reason why she called for Gilbert whenever she had business with the Imperial Knights was because of his forthright manner. She had never seen him try to curry her favor. This was the first time she had seen him so moved.
Sienna stared at Gilbert with an odd look in her eye. It wasn't that big of a deal to cover for him. Why was he acting as if she had given him some great reward? Rewards and punishments. The two weren't perfect opposites. Sienna felt as if her sturdy world was crumbling.
"Ah, Princess."
Gilbert turned around as he was about to leave the room.
"About the sword with a black hilt and a black blade... I heard a story about it when I was young. They say that the black sword of Kaligo is famous."
"Kaligo?"
"It's the name of a famous organization of mercenary soldiers."
"If you heard this when you were young, are you sure it wasn't just a fairy tale?"
"It is said that the leader of the group changes with time. They are an organization that has existed since before I was born."
Sienna's expression turned bitter.
'An organization of mercenaries? They're just a group of wicked law-breakers. Is he really a mercenary? He didn't seem like a brute..."
However, the more she thought about that black-haired man, the more she seethed.
'He was rude and arrogant. He certainly didn't behave like a knight.'
Sienna felt that she didn't have to call for the captain of the knights after all. If that man had gained special access to the Palace, she felt that she knew who was responsible for it. It had to be Prince Dian. If she asked the Prince, she'd be able to find him.
'But... Do I need to find him?'
Maybe they weren't at the same level as that man, but the Palace was filled with excellent knights. They were much more polite and very loyal.
'Let's just leave it alone.'
Sienna decided to pretend it didn't happen. Even though she felt that this was the right thing to do, she still felt a strange sense of loss.
To calm her restlessness, Sienna called for the lady-in-waiting to brew some tea. It was her usual favorite herbal tea. After sniffing the slightly bitter aroma, Sienna took a sip. It was so sweet that it made her come back to her senses. Satisfied, the corners of Sienna's lips went up slightly.
'Will there ever come a time when I won't enjoy this sweet taste?'
"Princess. The Grand Chamberlain has brought your gift from His Majesty the Emperor."
Sienna was surprised at the lady-in-waiting's announcement and abruptly stood up.
"A gift? Bring in the Grand Chamberlain."
The Grand Chamberlain entered holding a small box wrapped in velvet.
"Did he pass along any message with this?"
"No, Princess."
"I better go and thank him."
"His Majesty is currently in a meeting. He is not available to meet with you at this time."
"I see. Let me know when it is a good time for me to see him."
"Yes, Princess."
After the Grand Chamberlain's departure, Sienna couldn't bring herself to touch the gift and just stared at it.
'Why did His Majesty suddenly...'
The joy was only brief. She thought deeply about what his intentions could be. After staring at it for a long time, she finally unwrapped the velvet covering cautiously. A sleek wooden box appeared.
She opened it. It was filled with dried tea leaves. It was an unexpected gift. It was the first time she had received such a small gift.
"Tea leaves...?"
Sienna furrowed her brow. She recalled the words from her dream.
「I received them just before my twentieth birthday. An unexpected gift from an unexpected person.」
Was this merely a coincidence?
All the thoughts about the intent behind the gift flew out of Sienna's mind. As she continued to gaze at the tea leaves, she began to remember the emperor from her dreams. She began to remember the emperor's words.
