Shadow's Oath

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 96: Miela's Plan

From one corner of the room where Jedrick was confined, Ram's voice came through.

“Do not be alarmed. It’s me.”

Jedrick nearly cried out in shock at those words.

He pressed himself against the wall where the voice had come from and immediately wanted to ask:

‘How did you find this place? It’s unbelievable that you even located the building where I’m being held, but how did you know the exact wall I’m leaning against?’

But Ram spoke first.

“Just listen. There is a guard stationed at the door. If you can hear me, tap the floor twice.”

Jedrick lightly tapped the floor twice.

Thinking about it, Ram had once located his father among the countless tents in Geron's camp, beheaded him, and escaped without anyone noticing.

Moving stealthily through an unwary village would be nothing for him.

However, Jedrick had no idea what was happening outside.

He didn’t know whether the guard outside was Albo or Jebit.

He hadn't tried to find out either—because there was no need.

He had given up on everything, drowning in despair.

Since he had nothing else to do, he simply let himself wallow in sorrow.

The exhaustion from the previous night caught up with him as well.

Rest.

Don’t do anything.

Isn’t it easier that way?

You’re sad, aren’t you?

That voice had taken control of his mind.

But the moment he heard Ram's voice, he snapped awake.

Jedrick immediately checked his own condition.

Every joint ached, and there wasn’t a single muscle that wasn’t sore.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t move.

His mind was alert.

Just moments ago, he hadn’t been fine—but now, he was.

Instinctively, he examined the structure of the room.

It was a square space with no obvious way out.

The thick wooden planks stacked around him were so dense that he couldn’t even see Ram, who was just on the other side.

It was a place meant to temporarily hold prisoners—so it made sense.

But why is it empty?

This was the only such place in the village.

Which meant that Hak Maraka should have been imprisoned here.

Where had Maraka gone?

Had he been moved elsewhere?

“The situation outside is complicated.”

Ram’s hushed voice slipped through the gaps.

Jedrick focused on listening.

“There’s a chance that the rule of Elum village might fall into the hands of Count Vadio. General Terdin and Prince Damion must return to the capital. I can’t go into detail, but both of them are in a difficult situation.”

Jedrick tapped the floor twice.

He could easily picture what kind of trouble they were in.

He wanted to hear the exact details from Ram’s lips, but for now, just hearing anything at all was a relief.

“Still, you won’t be executed. The prince has asked Elder Sao for help, and they will find a way. When that happens, you may have a chance to meet me or the prince.”

Jedrick raised his hand to tap the floor again but froze at Ram’s next words.

“But you won’t have a chance to meet Charlon. Captain Rusef will take her away at dawn tomorrow.”

Jedrick felt his heart sink.

He had always feared that their farewell in the square might be permanent.

He had even prepared himself for it.

He had wanted to write a letter.

If he had the chance, he wanted to say goodbye properly.

But if Ram delivered the message, he wouldn’t be able to say I love you.

No matter how secretly it was conveyed, those words were too dangerous.

Jedrick lay flat on the floor, preparing to speak to Ram.

But he didn’t know what to say.

‘What should I ask him to tell her?

To stay?

To pass on my words?

Other than thanking her, what else could I even say?’

“I will relay Charlon's exact words.”

Jedrick swallowed his own words and tapped the floor twice.

He held his breath, as if listening to Charlon herself.

“I will find a way to come, somehow. If not now, then later. I promise I will come… I’m sorry… and I miss you… and…”

Ram paused, just as if mimicking how Charlon had hesitated.

Then he continued.

“I will never forget you… That’s what she said.”

Jedrick barely stopped himself from letting out a pained sound.

“If you have anything to say, say it now. As quietly as possible. I’ll deliver it.”

Jedrick’s throat closed up.

Not because he had nothing to say—because he had too much.

Should he keep it simple?

Tell her it was real?

That what happened last night was never just a moment of impulse?

Ram could be trusted to keep a secret.

But this wasn’t something to say through someone else.

‘I have to tell her myself.’

Should he tell Ram to come back with a plan?

‘How do I escape from here?

Why was I just lying here drowning in sorrow instead of thinking of a way?’

Should he go with Ram?

He had made it here unnoticed—surely he could find a way out.

Or should he ask him to come back after figuring out a plan?

Or should he just accept it?

Leave it to fate?

Trust that they would meet again?

His mind was in chaos.

The more desperate he felt, the less he could think clearly.

“Hurry. Someone is coming.”

Ram urged him, then mentioned the name of the person approaching.

“Miela.”

At that moment, reality came crashing back.

Along with despair and pain.

And the guilt of still not telling Damion the truth.

If last night hadn’t happened, Charlon could marry Damion.

That’s real happiness.

Jedrick spoke briefly.

“Tell her to forget me. Last night was our last. We will never meet again, so she must not come looking for me.”

There was no reply.

‘Did I take too long? Had Ram already left?’

It was possible.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice called from outside.

“Mother.”

The noise suggested she wasn’t alone.

Ram wouldn’t have been able to linger.

“I came to see my son.”

“Please, go ahead, madam.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Half the men in the village called Miela mother.

Even those who addressed their own mothers by name still called her that.

That hadn’t changed after Adian’s death.

In fact, her status had risen further when Ikarum became the Ehodin.

The door opened, and Miela entered.

She looked down at her son, who was sitting against the wall, and spoke over her shoulder.

“I need a moment alone.”

“Will you be all right?”

“He is my son. What problem could there be?”

“Understood.”

The door closed, and the sound of the guard’s footsteps faded.

There was no sound of a latch being fastened.

For a moment, Jedrick felt the urge to shove his mother aside and run.

He was confident in his speed. No one in Elum could catch him.

He pictured himself sprinting to the southern camp, finding Charlon.

If he was lucky, he might get a single word out before they caught him.

What would he say?

I love you?

But the price of that one sentence would be too great.

‘I’m not a child. I’m the Elhorn representing the three northern tribes. I am responsible for the lives of hundreds. I can’t endanger them just for my own words.’

Jedrick sat down in front of his mother.

After a long silence, Miela spoke.

“You will marry a woman from the Tagda tribe.”

Jedrick closed his eyes for a moment.

It felt like he had just woken from a dream or heard a fleeting hallucination.

Where did the hallucination start?

From the moment Ram appeared?

Yes, maybe his desperate wish had simply conjured Ram’s voice out of nothing.

Jedrick opened his eyes again.

"A woman of Tagda? Who are you talking about?"

"Halles' younger sister."

"As far as I know, Halles has only one younger sister, and wasn't she engaged to my brother until recently?"

"At least you haven't lost your memory despite all the foolishness you've done."

Miela sat down in front of him.

"I'm more concerned about your memory, Mother. Or perhaps the message was not delivered correctly. Halles of Tagda tried to kill me,"

Jedrick said coldly.

"I know,"

Miela replied just as coldly—her voice, her expression, everything about her.

"Do you really know? Halles didn’t just try to kill Prince Damion—he tried to kill me too. He clearly called my name, saw my face, and still tried to kill me. It wasn’t some unfortunate necessity in the process of targeting the southern prince. He aimed for me specifically. And now you’re telling me to marry his sister?"

Miela smirked as if she were listening to a child's tantrum.

"Men fight all the time."

"You don't seriously think this was just some childish scuffle, do you? Have you already forgotten the village trial that just took place?"

"Whether they are children or adults, men’s fights are all the same. That’s why we form alliances. You cannot stay in this village."

Jedrick suddenly recalled what Ram had said through Sao—about taking some kind of action.

Was this it?

It couldn’t be, and yet he couldn’t help but wonder.

"That man Vadio is like a beast—he has no principles and acts purely on impulse. If it were Terdin in charge, this would be nothing. But with that savage leading them, we must always prepare for the possibility that he’ll change his mind. When Terdin commands, that outer camp serves as a shield protecting us. But if Vadio takes command, that same camp will become an enemy base, aiming its spears at us. And if not that, it will simply be a temporary shelter they abandon when winter comes."

Jedrick was beginning to understand his mother’s plan.

But that didn’t mean he was going to accept it.

"If he abandons us, our three tribes will have to fight against the Seven Tribes. That cannot happen. We must secretly form an alliance with Tagda as well."

"You didn’t tell Ehodin Meios and Rocher, did you?"

"Those two old men don’t need to know."

"You’re using me as a tool."

"Is there anyone who isn’t a tool in this situation? I used Olga as a tool to stop this disaster."

Jedrick couldn’t believe his ears.

She stopped it?

This?

This was what she considered stopping it?

Of course, this was the outcome she had wanted.

Olga was dead.

The woman who had been loved by her husband was dead.

She had likely already forgotten Dulam’s sacrifice.

Unexpectedly, her son had been imprisoned.

But she had found a way to free him.

For Miela, this might have been a successful trial.

"If one day you need to use me as a tool, I will gladly accept it,"

She said in a persuasive tone.

"If you’ve been properly educated by your father, you should understand."

"Does Ikarum know? Originally, the one meant to marry 'Istan' was my brother."

"He agreed from the beginning."

"From the beginning…?"

"Yes, from the beginning. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have married that ugly, weakling Ioln who couldn’t even bear a child."

Jedrick was so stunned that he struggled to form words.

"You marry an enemy from Tagda, my brother marries a woman from our ally, Nak… and what about you, Mother? Since we’re making strategic marriages, why don’t you remarry that widower, Olomon Ehodin?"

"Don’t be sarcastic. This is to save you."

"How is this saving me? If things go well with the southerners, what happens to me? I’ll have become Tagda’s enemy. Will I be abandoned then?"

"If things go well with the south, the entire Seven Tribes will surrender and join our alliance. The southerners wouldn’t refuse such an offer. And Tagda won’t be able to refuse us either. Even they know that two ships are better than one."

"They’ll kill me on sight."

"Take my letter. I’ve sent many daughters from this village to marry into their tribe. They won’t kill you right away."

"You planned all this already. You’re certainly diligent, Mother."

While Olga had been planning the village’s downfall, Miela had been arranging this marriage.

When she broke off Jedrick’s brother’s engagement to Istan and married him to Ioln of Nak, she had already decided to place Jedrick in his stead.

"You’re a grown man now. That’s why I told you to take Elhorn’s position. Be mature about this."

Miela stood up.

Mature?

‘If I told her I had fallen in love with a woman from the south, would she call that childish?’

Jedrick found this arranged marriage far more surreal than his love for Charlon.

"Your answer?"

When Jedrick remained silent, Miela urged him again.

Still no answer.

Miela turned toward the door.

"Then think on it some more. Guards! Resume your post at the door."

Jedrick once again imagined pushing past his mother and running to Charlon’s camp.

But he suppressed the impulse and asked,

"When do I have to leave?"

Miela stopped at the door.

"I hear the prince is leaving today or, at the latest, tomorrow morning. You can ask him directly, but their camp is in chaos right now… No, that’s exactly why you must act now."

She took his silence as agreement and responded with a slightly pleased expression.

"Leave tomorrow morning. If you do as I say, you won’t regret it."

The door opened, and after she left, it shut again.

Jedrick was trapped once more in silence.

Just in case, he knocked twice on the floor.

But there was no reply from Ram.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]