Two weeks had flown by.
Philippe's wounds had faded into thin scars, and his once-limping steps were now steady again. The morning air felt cool as he walked between Armand and Emilie
Their laughter burst forth, mingling with the market's bustle, as they lightly debated where to spend their first paycheck
Suddenly, a sound cut through the noise—the rhythmic, heavy clatter of horseshoes on the cobblestone street
All three turned at once. There, a knight rode a magnificent warhorse, its jet-black mane gleaming in the sunlight. The steel armor encasing his body shimmered, each plate polished to perfection. Thin wisps of vapor rose from the horse's nostrils
Philippe was transfixed, his steps slowing. His breath caught. His eyes traced the intricate carvings on the knight's breastplate and the hilt of the sword tucked at his waist. "So... knights really do exist in this world," Philippe murmured.
After a few seconds of awe, he shifted his gaze to Emilie. "Where do you think he's going?"
Emilie shrugged, her eyes still following the knight's path. "Who knows." She paused, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe... to Sister Madeleine's house?"
"Judging by his direction, it seems likely," Philippe replied. Just as he was about to return to their paycheck discussion, a sly grin spread across Armand's face.
"How about we tail him?" Armand suggested, his eyes gleaming as he glanced between Philippe and Emilie.
Emilie's lip twitched in suppressed annoyance. She stared at Armand intently, her tone flat. "For what purpose?"
Armand struck a pose as if deep in thought, propping his chin with thumb and forefinger. Then, a wide, innocent smile spread across his face. "Just for fun! Who knows, we might stumble upon some important information, right?" He paused, searching for justification. "Like, which kingdom he's from?"
Emilie sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose, clearly weary of Armand's endless antics.
Philippe, observing their exchange, could only chuckle. "Why not?" he said, agreeing to the idea. Truthfully, a spark of curiosity had already been ignited within him.
"See? Even Philippe agrees!" Armand exclaimed proudly, puffing out his chest. "Alright then, let's go!"
Emilie stood speechless, her wide eyes staring at Philippe in disbelief. Finally, with a resigned slump of her shoulders, she gave in and followed Armand, who had already started down the path the knight had taken.
As Philippe was about to ask Emilie why she eventually agreed, an odd sensation prickled the back of his neck. The air around him suddenly chilled.
He felt a pair of eyes watching him from behind. Reflexively, he turned, his eyes narrowing sharply, scanning every corner of the street and the narrow alleys between buildings.
Empty.
No one suspicious in sight.
He faced forward again, lowering his head slightly. "Just my imagination," he whispered, trying to reassure himself.
After the three of them turned the corner, a shadowy figure detached itself from the wall of an alley. The silhouette stood in the thick darkness, its gaze fixed on Philippe's receding back.
Once Philippe was completely out of sight, the silhouette turned and melted back into the alley's darkness, as if swallowed by the shadows themselves.
…
Emilie's guess proved correct. The knight's horse was tethered in front of Madeleine's house, calmly chewing hay. Its owner was nowhere to be seen, likely already inside.
Philippe and Emilie exchanged a glance—a brief nod serving as their wordless agreement. They then approached the door.
However, Philippe, trailing behind, couldn't shake off the earlier strange feeling. The sensation of being watched clung to his skin like cold dew. Though logic told him it was just his imagination, his instincts screamed otherwise. He stopped and turned once more, his eyes warily scanning the crowd.
"Hey." A pat on the shoulder made him jump. Armand stood there with his characteristic grin. Philippe shot him a glare, almost scolding him. "What are you waiting for? We've been invited in."
As Philippe turned, Madeleine's door swung open. The knight stepped out, the heavy clank of his armored boots resounding on the wooden porch. He walked with arrogance, his gaze fixed ahead, passing the three of them as if they were mere air. Without a word, he mounted his horse and spurred it away, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.
Philippe watched his back until it disappeared around the corner.
Inside, Armand and Emilie were already seated on the comfortable living room sofa. This time, Madeleine's house, which resembled a shop, looked far tidier than the last time he visited, as if she knew guests were coming.
Madeleine herself was not yet in sight.
Probably preparing tea, Philippe thought as he took a seat.
Sure enough, shortly after, Madeleine emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray with a teapot and three porcelain cups. The fragrant scent of jasmine wafted through the air.
With a genuine smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes, she set the tray on the table. "So, what brings you all here?" she asked directly, without preamble.
Instead of answering, Philippe reached for his cup, blew on the steam, and sipped the tea slowly. Warm and sweet. He let Armand respond; after all, it was his idea. With eyes closed, a contented smile graced his face.
Emilie glanced at him briefly, then turned to Armand, who was also savoring his tea. Finally, she spoke up. "We were curious about the knight earlier," she told Madeleine. "So, we followed him here."
"Oh, I see," Madeleine replied. She took a sip of her tea before setting the cup down with a soft clink. Her hand delved into her dress pocket, retrieving a neatly folded piece of paper, which she placed on the table. A letter. "He only delivered this."
Curiosity shone on Philippe and Emilie's faces. Emilie picked up the letter, looking at Madeleine for permission. Madeleine nodded.
Emilie unfolded the letter carefully. Her eyes darted from top to bottom, her expression serious. Suddenly, her movement halted at the last line. Her eyes widened, her breath catching slightly. She lifted her face, meeting Madeleine's meaningful smile.
With a slightly nervous tone, Emilie asked, "Sister, you've been summoned to see His Majesty?"
Philippe, who had been listening, nearly spat out his tea. He managed to swallow it with difficulty, feeling a burning sensation in his throat. "So... there's a king here?" he blurted out unconsciously.
In an instant, silence fell. Armand and Emilie stared at him with undeniable bewilderment. Philippe realized he had made a fatal mistake—this question would never come from the real Philippe's mouth!
This proves I'm a stranger inhabiting Philippe's body!
Damn it, he cursed inwardly, forcing a stiff smile.
"What do you mean?" Emilie asked, her brow furrowing.
"Just kidding," Philippe replied quickly, trying to smile naturally despite the sour taste. "So, what's the full content of the letter?"
Emilie didn't answer immediately. She glanced at Madeleine, who seemed calm. "His Majesty invites Sister Madeleine to the palace," she said, then her eyes fixed intently on Philippe. "That's all."
Philippe leaned back, his fingers tapping his chin. His eyes narrowed, thoughts racing. Perhaps something... is happening there, right?
...
A/N: u know what? I really didn't expect this story to reach 100 chapters. I have to thank all of you who have read this story until now and still support me to continue. I don't know what to say in this situation. honestly this is the story I can write so far. the previous one failed because I was too lazy xD. However, my wish is only one: to finish what I started.
If you want to read the 7 advanced chapters with a faster update frequency than the webnovel, you can read it on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
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By the way, don't forget to throw a power stone and leave a review to motivate me :)
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