《Mark Carved in the Dark Night》 Chapter 29: Pomegranate Tart and the Sound of an Axe
Guidebook (For the First-Time Reader)
Author's Note (March '26)
Part One
Japanese Translation
[Chapter 29: Pomegranate Tart and the Sound of an Axe]
The nights of a journey are always quiet.
Repeated procedures, similar rooms, and trivial daily routines.
However, sometimes—
a trivial memory quietly surfaces.
A single travel pass.
That conversation from the afternoon.
And the weight of the word "order."
In the royal capital,
the scent of sweets and the scent of blood do not contradict each other.
Pomegranates shining like jewels.
And the ceaseless sound of an axe.
"Guest, your room is 203 on the second floor. It is to the right after you go up the stairs. Here is your key."
The inn clerk recited the standard phrase in a practiced tone.
"We will have soup and bread ready tomorrow morning. Supplies are limited, so please come early if you would like some."
"And—here is your travel pass. I am returning it to you."
The front desk clerk placed the travel pass on the counter.
After that, it was the usual routine.
Put away the travel pass, pick up the luggage, go up the stairs, and open the door.
Then, collapse directly onto the bed.
Claire lay on the bed, staring at the travel pass she hadn't put away yet.
Suddenly, something welled up in her chest.
This journey—
looking back, so many things started with a travel pass.
The Silver Dawn travel pass.
The Fusang travel pass.
Each one of them had led him to a different place.
When she thought that, the memory of that day resurfaced in Claire's mind.
That conversation she had with the princess and the adjutant in Eftir.
——No.
Could that really be called a "conversation"?
Even now, Claire still had his doubts.
"So, Claire."
The princess said as she set down her teacup.
"According to your report, if you have a Silver Dawn pass, you often get 'invited' by the Knights to 'spar,' don't you?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Claire wore an expression as if he were still suffering from the aftereffects.
"So, to be honest..."
The princess's gaze fell for just a moment on the dessert placed in front of the adjutant.
"Then—"
She interrupted Claire's words.
"I won't ask if you were able to beat ordinary knights. With your skills, it shouldn't have been that bad."
"Y-yes."
"Have you ever beaten a captain?"
Claire answered, looking a bit awkward.
"…If it's just one or two of them."
The princess immediately wore a smug expression.
The adjutant sighed softly.
"Your Highness, here is the pomegranate tart."
As she gently pushed the plate in front of the princess, she also gave Claire a light glare.
The pomegranate on the tart shone red like a jewel.
"This is the last one for today."
Her expression seemed to be saying exactly this:
——Why can't you just lose a little bit?
The princess picked up her fork and said nonchalantly,
"You don't have to be so angry."
"Or would you have preferred that the people you lose to be that weak?"
The adjutant fell silent for a moment.
Then, she reluctantly dropped her stern expression.
"…That is certainly true."
"Come to think of it, Claire."
The princess set down her teacup as if she had just remembered something.
"If, on that day at the Orpaki checkpoint, the captain hadn't let you pass and had instead detained you for questioning—what would you have done?"
Claire lost his words for a moment.
It seemed to be a question he hadn't expected at all.
After a few seconds of silence, he slowly opened his mouth.
"…If it were just a routine inspection, I would comply."
The adjutant glanced up at him, but said nothing.
"My mission at the time was to confirm Lisina's whereabouts."
"Entering the city itself was not the objective."
Claire continued.
"If I were to cause a conflict at the checkpoint, it would only complicate the situation."
He paused for a moment.
"Therefore, I would buy time and report it to the royal capital."
The princess did not interrupt.
She was simply tapping the table lightly with her fingertips.
Claire continued.
If it is merely an identity verification, I will wait for the inspection to conclude as is.
But if there is an intention to detain me, or if they intend to report to the lord—
He looked up.
At that point, I will judge that it is no longer a standard inspection.
The adjutant's expression tightened slightly.
In that case, I will determine whether Lisina has already been exposed.
If I judge the risk to be high—I will declare my status as Silver Dawn and have it handled as a central case.
The air in the room went silent for a moment.
The princess stared at him for a while, then suddenly laughed.
I see.
She picked up her teacup and swirled it gently.
So, you understood that the moment you declared yourself as Silver Dawn, this city could become a battlefield.
Yes, Your Highness.
The princess nodded slightly.
...Yes, you pass.
After a beat, she added.
Though, it helped that the captain was smart.
The adjutant interjected calmly.
Otherwise, we would not be having tea right now.
The princess chuckled.
Yes.
We would be talking about post-war cleanup by now.
As she said this, her smile quietly faded.
Of course, I believe it.
With the combat power of Scarlet Flame and Azure Storm, it would all be over in half a day.
However—to maintain the order of the kingdom,
The princess's voice dropped slightly.
the 'cleanup' will be extremely harsh.
Blood will flow like a river on the scaffold, and heads will be lined up on spears.
On the gallows next to it, people will be hung like dried meat,
and an exhausted executioner will be standing there.
The princess closed her eyes.
It was as if she were remembering a memory she did not want to see.
I saw it once when I was still a child.
My father the King said this to me at that time.
Do not look away, watch closely—he said.
This is the price of order.
And it is also the responsibility you will eventually bear.
That day, the sound of the axe striking the chopping block—
did not stop ringing all day long.
Claire glanced sideways.
The adjutant remained calm, but his face had turned slightly pale.
So... ah, I'm sorry. Are you alright?
The princess looked toward the adjutant and said with a hint of concern.
Your Highness, I am fine.
The adjutant caught his breath slightly.
I swore after that.
To ensure that such a scene never happens again—
at least, on the surface.
Therefore—
The princess took a piece of pomegranate tart with her fork and stared at it for a while.
Claire, your choice is correct.
Conflict should be avoided as much as possible.
The basic rule of secret operations is—to remain inconspicuous.
She brought the pomegranate tart to her mouth.
...Yes, it's delicious.
As expected of the limited-quantity pomegranate tart.
Meanwhile—
The executioner in the execution room suddenly sneezed.
“...That’s strange. Is someone talking about me behind my back?”
Tilting her head, she looks around the room.
Of course, there is no one else in this room.
She shrugs her shoulders, lowers her gaze again—
and returns to the task of sharpening her beheading sword.
The sound of metal scraping against the whetstone
slowly echoes through the silent execution chamber.
“Lately there have been no executions, no emergencies, really—”
She starts to say that much, then suddenly closes her mouth.
“...Ah, no. I shouldn't say that.”
The executioner frowns and mutters to herself.
“I almost jinxed myself there.”
Meanwhile—
Claire is still lying on the bed at the inn,
fiddling with a regular travel permit issued by the royal capital in his hands.
It was something he had begged the princess to obtain for him.
“Um... Your Highness.”
At that time, Claire said with a troubled look.
“If I carry the Silver Dawn travel permit, I am almost certainly ‘invited’ to the Knights Order for a ‘sparring match.’”
“In the worst cases, they won't let me go for two or three days.”
“That makes it quite inconvenient to observe the town up close.”
The princess nods slightly.
“In other words?”
“Your Highness, would it be possible to issue me a regular travel permit?”
The princess thinks for a moment.
“...I see.”
She lifts her teacup and takes a quiet sip.
“Very well.”
“However, you must also carry the Silver Dawn token at all times.
That is your current status, after all.”
She stares at Claire and adds,
“As for which one you use when passing through the checkpoint—
you must decide that for yourself.”
The princess sets down her cup,
wearing her usual impish smile.
Then, she says slowly,
“Or perhaps—”
“would you prefer that other permit, the one with no photo or name, just the silver seal stamped on it?”
The adjutant immediately interjects.
“Your Highness, that is a hellish item for him.”
The adjutant looks at Claire.
There is a hint of worry in his eyes.
—But.
The person in question had already collapsed into his chair, pale as a sheet.
Claire shakes his head slightly.
He would rather not remember that memory.
But—those words from the princess just won't leave his head.
“Think carefully. If you truly want to join, you can train your skills as much as you like.”
“In fact, I would welcome it.
—As a ‘comrade-in-arms,’ that is.”
Claire still doesn't quite understand what that means.
Or perhaps—
he just doesn't want to understand.
He puts the permit back in his bag and gets up from the bed.
He walks to the window and pushes it open.
A small market spreads out below the inn.
Dusk is already approaching, and there are few people around, but
judging by the number of stalls lined up, it must be a very lively place in the morning.
If I'm going to observe—
I'll start where the most people gather.
"…Maybe I'll take a look tomorrow."
Claire thought to himself while gazing into the distance.
Regarding "that pass"
At the Olpaki checkpoint
The "execution" the princess remembered
This translation is provided based on a draft by ChatGPT, which I have personally proofread and supervised.
If there are any unnatural parts in the style or tone, I would appreciate it if you could point them out.
If you have any thoughts or questions, please let me know in the comments section. I will do my best to respond.
Once again, thank you very much for reading this work.
Chinese Original Text
【Chapter 29: Pomegranate Tart and the Sound of an Axe】
Nights on the road are always quiet.
Repetitive routines, similar rooms, and seemingly trivial daily life.
But some things surface when you least expect them.
A pass, a conversation in the afternoon,
and that overly understated "order" from memory.
In the royal capital,
sweets and bloodshed never conflict.
Pomegranates shine like jewels,
and the sound of the axe has never truly ceased.
"Sir, your room is 203 on the second floor. Go up the stairs and turn right. Here is your key."
The inn staff member recited the standard lines skillfully.
"Soup and bread will be served tomorrow morning. Quantities are limited, so please come early if you need some."
"And here is your pass, returning it to you now."
The front desk placed the pass on the table.
Next came the same routine—
put away the pass, pick up the luggage, go upstairs, open the door, and then collapse directly onto the bed.
Claire lay on the bed, looking at the pass he hadn't put away yet.
He suddenly felt a bit sentimental.
It seemed like many things on this journey started with a pass.
The Silver Dawn pass, the Fusang pass—
each one had taken him to a different place.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but recall that conversation with the princess and the adjutant in Aftir.
Even now, he still doubted—
whether that could even be called a "conversation."
"So, Claire," the princess set down her teacup, "you said in your report that just by holding a Silver Dawn pass, it's easy to be 'invited' to the Knights' Order for a 'spar'?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Claire showed a lingering look of fear, "So it really is..."
The princess's gaze lingered for a moment on the dessert in front of the adjutant.
"Then..." she interrupted him, "I won't ask if you won against ordinary knights. With your level, it shouldn't be that bad."
"Yes..."
"Have you won against any captains?"
Claire answered somewhat awkwardly: "I have won against one or two..."
The princess immediately showed a smug expression.
The adjutant sighed.
"Your Highness, your pomegranate tart."
She silently pushed the plate toward the princess and gave Claire a glare while she was at it.
The pomegranate on the tart shone like a jewel.
"This is the last one for today."
Her expression was practically saying—
"Why couldn't you just lose?"
The princess picked up her fork and said calmly:
"Don't be angry. Do you really want the person who lost to you to be that incompetent?"
The adjutant was silent for a moment, then had to put away that fierce expression.
"...That's true, I suppose."
"By the way, Claire," the princess set down her teacup as if she had suddenly thought of something, "if the captain hadn't let you pass at the Olpaki checkpoint that day, but instead detained you for questioning—what would you have done?"
Claire was stunned for a moment.
Clearly not expecting this question, he was silent for a few seconds before speaking slowly.
"...If it were just a routine check, I would have cooperated."
The adjutant looked up at him without interrupting.
"At the time, my mission was only to confirm Lucina's whereabouts, not to enter the city itself," Claire continued. "If a conflict had occurred at the checkpoint, it would have only made things more complicated."
He paused for a moment.
"So I would have stalled for time while reporting back to the royal capital."
The princess did not interrupt, only tapping her fingers lightly on the table.
Claire continued:
If it were just a routine identity check, I would wait for the review to finish.
But if they are preparing to detain me, or intend to report me to the lord—
He looked up.
Then that means the situation might already be more than just a routine review.
The adjutant's expression turned slightly serious.
In that case, I would determine whether Lucina has already been exposed. If the risk is too high, I will reveal my Silver Dawn identity and escalate the matter into a central case.
The room was quiet for a moment.
The princess stared at him for a while, then suddenly smiled.
I see.
She picked up her teacup and swirled it gently.
So you know that once Silver Dawn is revealed, this city could immediately turn into a battlefield.
Yes, Your Highness.
The princess nodded slightly.
Hmm... that's acceptable.
She paused, then added:
But fortunately, that captain was smart enough.
The adjutant replied calmly:
Otherwise, we might not be drinking tea today.
The princess smiled.
We would be discussing post-war processing instead.
After saying that, she wiped the smile from her face.
I certainly believe that with the combat power of Scarlet Flame and Azure Storm, everything could be finished within half a day.
But in order to maintain the order of the kingdom,
The princess lowered her voice, the 'processing' would become very harsh.
Rivers of blood on the execution platform, heads impaled on spears, the gallows nearby so crowded with people it looked like dried salted meat, and exhausted executioners.
The princess closed her eyes, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
I saw it once when I was young. My father told me to keep my eyes wide open and look closely—
'This is the price of order.'
'And it is also the responsibility you will have to bear in the future.'
That day, the sound of the axe hitting the wooden block didn't stop all day long.
Claire glanced to the side.
Although the adjutant remained calm, his face was a bit pale.
So... ah, sorry, are you okay? The princess looked at the adjutant, somewhat worried.
Your Highness, I am fine. The adjutant adjusted his breathing.
I later swore to avoid such scenes from appearing again—at least on the surface.
So, the princess picked up another piece of pomegranate tart and admired it, Claire, your choice was correct.
You must try your best to avoid conflict. Keeping a low profile is the rule for secret operations.
She put the pomegranate tart into her mouth.
Hmm, it's delicious.
As expected of the daily limited pomegranate tart.
Just then—
The executioner in the execution room suddenly sneezed.
...Strange, is someone speaking ill of me?
She looked puzzled and looked around.
Of course, there was no one else in the room.
She shrugged, lowered her head again,
and continued to sharpen the beheading sword.
The sound of metal rubbing against the whetstone
slowly echoed in the silent execution room.
No executions, no emergency rescues lately, it's really...
She stopped halfway through her sentence.
...Ah, no, I can't say that.
The executioner frowned and muttered to herself:
I almost jinxed it.
Meanwhile.
Claire was still lying on the bed in the inn, touching the ordinary pass issued by the royal capital in his hand.
That was something he had fought for from the princess himself.
Every time I hold a Silver Dawn pass, I get 'invited' to the Knights for 'sparring', Claire said helplessly at the time,
Sometimes it takes two or three days to get away.
It's actually very inconvenient to observe the town up close like this.
The princess nodded.
“So, what do you mean?”
“Your Highness, could you issue me a standard pass?”
The princess thought for a moment.
“Very well.”
She picked up her teacup and took a light sip.
“However, you must still carry your Silver Dawn credentials, as that is your current identity.”
She looked at Claire and added:
“As for which one you use when passing through checkpoints—that is for you to decide.”
The princess set down her teacup, then revealed a devilish smile,
and said slowly:
“Or would you prefer that pass with no picture, no name, and the silver seal across the fold?”
“Your Highness, that would be a hellish ordeal for him.”
The adjutant looked at Claire,
looking a bit worried—
while he had already turned pale and slumped in his seat.
Claire shook his head, trying to forget that moment.
But he couldn't forget the princess's words:
“If you think it through, strength and such can be trained.”
“I would certainly welcome it—
as a ‘comrade-in-arms’.”
He still didn't quite understand what that meant.
Or perhaps—he didn't want to understand.
He put the pass back in his bag and got off the bed.
He walked to the window and pushed it open.
Below the inn was a marketplace,
and although it was nearing dusk and the crowd was sparse,
judging by the scale of the stalls, it must have been quite lively in the morning.
Observation should start from the busiest places.
“Tomorrow... I’ll go take a look.”
Claire gazed into the distance, thinking.