"The Mark Carved in the Dark Night" Chapter 1: Before Revisiting the Royal Capital

Main Text

Claire thought he had long since severed ties with his past, but an unexpected encounter at a border market dragged him back into the deep, dark night of the kingdom once again.
A pass without a portrait, a badge that pierced the night sky—step by step, they led him back to a royal capital that was both familiar and yet a stranger to him—
There, someone was still waiting, and certain truths were about to be unveiled.

The border city of Mabeka was as noisy as ever, even under the overcast sky. The shouts of market vendors rose and fell, mixing with various accents and the sound of donkey and horse hooves, weaving together a scene of daily life that was chaotic yet orderly.

A young noble, Claire Ester, draped in a dark gray travel cloak, stood before a spice stall, staring at a few crushed peppercorns rolling on the ground, his eyes somewhat unfocused. He had originally just come out for a casual stroll, but for some reason, a sense of pressure lingered in his heart, as if some unsettled past was quietly closing in.

Although strolling through the market might seem pleasant to others, his own heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions.

A year had passed since he fled the Ester family.

That day, he had inadvertently discovered weapons and communication documents hidden by his father in a secret room in the study. Although not explicitly stated, any intelligent person knew it was a sign of treason. He had tried to dissuade them, but in return, he only received cold mockery from the family elders and the words: "You are still too young; do not interfere in important matters."

He could not bring himself to betray his own family, yet he was unwilling to be involved in an act of treason. So, taking a few belongings and his sword, he left his family and the royal capital alone, arriving at this border city of a neighboring country.

During this year, although he had plenty of money on hand, he still wanted to find something to do, so he sometimes taught basic swordsmanship or helped others with basic bookkeeping.

But no matter what he did, he always felt as if someone was watching him from behind.

Just as he was staring blankly at the spices on the stall, a subtle, imperceptible presence approached. He suddenly felt a cold touch against his lower back.

"Don't look back. Walk to the shop on the left, then go in and sit down." It was the voice of a young woman, her tone soft yet chillingly cold.

Cold sweat dripped down Claire's face. It wasn't that he hadn't seen assassins before, but it was rare to encounter one that made him feel as if his life hung by a thread. He thought the family's pursuers had found him, and perhaps this time he would not be able to escape.

But he did as he was told.

The coffee shop was not spacious, there were few people, and the tables and chairs were arranged neatly. He chose a seat by the window, and the woman sat down opposite him.

She wore a wide-brimmed hat and a dark cloak, her expression calm and unruffled, yet she possessed the unique pressure of a martial artist.

Until she spoke first: "I'm not here to kill you, so don't be so nervous."

"...Then what is this?" Claire tried to suppress the tension in his voice.

She extended a hand and revealed a metal badge.

It was a shield-shaped emblem with a silver border on a black background, featuring a shooting star streaking across the night sky toward a silver star in the center—the emblem of the Dark Night Knights.

Claire's pupils constricted: "The Dark Night... how did you know I was here?"

The woman smiled: "You underestimate the Dark Night. If Her Highness wants to find someone, it is impossible for her not to."

Her voice was soft, but Claire felt as if a knife point were pressed against his spine, and he dared not move.

He was speechless for a moment, and in the silence, the woman took a neatly folded pass from inside her cloak and pushed it toward him.

"This is your pass. With this, basically no one will give you trouble on the way until you reach the royal capital. The Princess hopes you can return for a visit."

The Princess, the "regent" since the late King's passing. Though called a regent, the transfer of power had actually been completed; she simply refused to ascend the throne, and she was currently the actual ruler of the kingdom.

It was also because of this smooth transition of power that Claire could not understand the actions of his father's generation.

"I..." Claire looked at the document, his eyes full of hesitation, "There isn't even a portrait on this. Will they let me pass?"

The woman shrugged: "Just show it. The people at the checkpoints will understand when they see this mark. Anyone who dares to stop you is someone who doesn't want to be a soldier anymore."

"...Or perhaps, someone who finds breathing too much of a hassle."

He had thought he could completely sever ties with the past, but this piece of paper was like a rope, lightly tossed over to bind him back again.

He looked down at the pass again. The edges of the paper seemed to have a faint silver glow, and the seal was stamped with a cross-page mark. The pattern was not immediately clear, but under the light, a small shield-shaped emblem could be seen.

Claire vaguely remembered seeing that emblem in a book, but he had never seen it in reality.

The woman stood up, her cloak fluttering, making almost no sound at all.

"Please be quick. She will wait, but not for too long."

Then, in a voice so low it was almost inaudible, she said: "Someone else cannot wait too long either."

Before Claire could hear clearly, she had disappeared into the crowd outside the shop door.

Claire stood before the checkpoint at the kingdom's border, his expression complex. He had hesitated for two days, but in the end, he decided to return.

He had stared at the pass, tossing and turning all night, before finally whispering to himself gloomily: "...Is this also a way of going home?"

After all, if she really wanted to make things difficult for him, with that female knight's skills, he might have already been sent to the underworld before he even realized he had been stabbed.

He handed over the pass, and a young guard took it, frowning.

"This is... there's nothing on this document of yours? Where did you get this pass from? ...Come with me, sir."

"Wait, I..." Just as he was about to explain, a low voice suddenly came from afar: "Let me see that one."

An officer in a black cloak walked over. He took the pass, and after just one glance, his expression changed abruptly.

"...You may go. Pass through quickly."

The officer quickly returned the document to Claire, his tone steady, but his eyes betrayed a hint of warning. He didn't say anything more, just turned around and continued to patrol the other travelers.

Claire silently put the document away, gave the officer a slight nod, picked up his luggage, and took a step toward the familiar yet strange direction—

The royal capital, and the truth he had long since left behind, were waiting ahead.

Once Claire was far away, the officer pulled the rookie to the space behind the guard post with a cold face and scolded him in a low, rapid-fire voice: "Do you have any idea what a huge mistake you almost made just now? You couldn't even recognize a security seal of that level? Do you want to get our entire checkpoint killed along with us!"

"I-I'm sorry, I really didn't know..." The rookie broke out in a cold sweat, his face almost buried in his breastplate.

"Tomorrow, go copy the entire book of emblems for me. And, that kind of silver ink seal on the pass—from now on, when you see it, stand at attention! Don't touch anything until you understand it; learn first, then work!"

Japanese Translation

This translation is based on a draft by ChatGPT and has been proofread and supervised by myself.
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.

Chapter 1: Before Visiting the Royal Capital Again

Claire thought he had already broken ties with his past.
However, a chance encounter at a border market pulls him back into the deep darkness of the kingdom once again.
A pass without a portrait.
An emblem shining as if to tear through the night sky.
They lead him, step by step—
toward the royal capital, which is nostalgic yet feels like a foreign land.

There, someone is still waiting for him.
And the hidden truth was quietly beginning to unfold.

The frontier city of Mabeka was wrapped in its usual bustle, even under the cloudy sky.
In the market, the calls of merchants mingled with various regional accents and the sound of donkey hooves, creating a scene of daily life that was chaotic yet strangely orderly.

The young nobleman—Claire Este—
dressed in deep gray travel clothes, stood in front of a pepper stall.
He stared at a few grains of crushed spices rolling at his feet, his eyes looking somewhat vacant.
Even though he had only gone out on a whim, a heavy, inescapable weight remained deep in his chest.
As if the past that had not been settled was quietly approaching.
To onlookers, his walk through the street looked like a carefree stroll.
But his heart was filled with complex emotions.

—It has been a year since he left the Este family.
That day, he accidentally found a secret room hidden deep in his father's study.
Inside were concealed weapons and several communication documents.
Even without being told, it was clear that these were signs of "rebellion."
Claire tried to remonstrate with his father.
But all he got in return was the mockery of his relatives and a cold remark: "Don't let a young brat interfere."

He could not bring himself to denounce his parents.
However, he had no intention of lending a hand to treason either.
So, he left home with only a few belongings and his sword.
He left the royal capital and settled in a town in a neighboring country near the border.

For the past year, he had no trouble making a living.
Sometimes he taught basic swordsmanship, sometimes he helped organize ledgers,
spending his days without drawing attention to himself.
But—no matter how peaceful the day was, he always felt a gaze on his back.
Was it a hallucination, or—
perhaps someone really was watching him.

Just as Claire was staring blankly at a pile of spices,
a faint presence approached from behind.
A cold sensation touched his waist.

“Don’t turn around. Go into the shop on the left and take a seat.”
It was a young woman’s voice.
Hidden within the soft tone was an unfathomable coldness.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Claire’s back.
He had seen assassins before. But this was the first time he had felt “death” so close.

—Is this a pursuer from home?
Perhaps this time, there really is no escape.
Thinking this, he moved as he was told.

The shop was a small, cozy cafe.
There were few customers, and the neatly arranged chairs and tables maintained a quiet atmosphere.
Claire sat down at a window seat,
and the woman sat opposite him.
A wide-brimmed hat and a dark-colored cloak.
Her expression was calm,
but there was an unmistakable aura of “martial prowess” about her.

The woman was the first to speak.
“I didn’t come here to kill you. Don’t be so on guard.”
“...Then, who are you?”
Claire asked, suppressing his tension.
The woman extended a hand,
and held up a small metal badge with her fingertips.
A shield-shaped emblem with a silver border on a black background.
A single shooting star crossing the night sky, with a shining silver star at its center.
—The Dark Night Order.
Claire’s pupils contracted slightly.

“The Dark Night... how did you find me?”
The woman smiled faintly.
“Don’t underestimate the Dark Night. There is no way we would let someone the Princess has decided to find escape.”
Even though her voice was gentle,
Claire felt a tension as if a blade were pressed against his back.
He lost his words and just held his breath quietly.

The woman took a folded letter from inside her cloak,
and slid it across the table.
“This is your pass.
As long as you have this, no one will interfere with you on your way to the royal capital.
—The Princess says she wants you to return just once.”

The Princess assumed the position of “Regent” after the death of the former King.
Although she was only Regent in name, the transition of power had actually already been completed, and she was simply refusing to ascend the throne.
She was now the de facto ruler of the kingdom.
The fact that the transfer of power had proceeded so smoothly was the reason Claire could not understand the actions of his father and the others.

“...Will this really let me pass?”
Claire stared at the document in his hand, his voice tinged with confusion.
“There is no photo or name. It just looks like a scrap of paper.”
The woman shrugged.
“They will know when you show it. The soldiers at the checkpoint know this mark.
If they try to stop you—well, only those prepared to quit being soldiers would dare.”
“...In other words, it means they have no desire to live.”

Claire muttered with a hint of irony.
A past he thought he had cut off.
But this single piece of paper, like a thin rope,
was binding him back to the past once again.

A pale silver light ran along the edge of the document, and a small shield-shaped seal was pressed onto the fold.
At first glance, it looked like a mere pattern, but depending on the angle of the light, the design of a shooting star emerged.
—I remember seeing this in some book.
But this was the first time he had seen it in reality.

The woman stood up gracefully and flipped her cloak.
There was no sound at all in her movements.
“Come as soon as you can. The Princess will wait for you, but... she won’t wait for very long.”
As she started to say that, she continued in an even smaller voice that seemed to melt into the wind.
“—That person, too, cannot wait much longer.”
Before Claire could ask her to repeat it,
her figure had already disappeared beyond the door and into the crowd.

Claire stood before the checkpoint at the kingdom’s border, wearing a complicated expression. After two days of hesitation, he had finally decided to return.

He had spent the whole night turning the pass over and over, finally muttering to himself, “...So this is what they call a way home...”

Considering the skill of that female knight, if she had wanted to eliminate him by force, it might have been over before he even realized it.

He presented the pass, and a young guard took it and frowned.
“Th-this is... there is nothing written on the certificate? Where was this pass issued from... Hey, come over here, sir.”
“Wait, I...” Just as he was about to explain, a low voice echoed from afar.

“Let me see it.”

An officer wearing a black cloak approached, his footsteps sounding low and heavy. He took the pass, glanced at it, and his expression changed instantly.
“...You may pass. Please proceed immediately.”
The officer quickly returned the pass to Claire, and although his tone was calm, his eyes held an exceptionally strong warning. He turned without another word and continued monitoring the other travelers.

Claire silently tucked the pass into his pocket, gave a slight nod to the officer, picked up his heavy luggage, and began to walk down a road that should have been familiar but somehow felt like that of a stranger—
The royal capital and the truth that had long been sealed away were quietly breathing ahead, as if waiting for him.

As Claire walked away, the military officer kept a clouded expression as he summoned the young guard, led him behind the checkpoint, and scolded him in a low, shouting voice. The words came in a rapid-fire succession.

"Do you have any idea how big of a mistake you just almost made? To not be able to recognize a seal of that rank! We could have been buried along with this entire checkpoint!"
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know..." The young guard broke into a cold sweat on his forehead and looked as if he wanted to bury his face into his breastplate.

"Tomorrow, copy an entire volume of the registry of emblems. And another thing—when you see that silver mark stamped on a pass like that, you salute first and then act! Don't mess with things you don't understand. Understand them before you take on your duties, got it!"