The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 61: Back to the Temple

Each year, the duchess’ itinerary remained carefully curated. Come autumn, she would return to the capital of Ferren to attend to official duties, then proceed to the royal capital to spend the winter months.

Historically, her retinue included Knight Philo and Knight Pulan, loyal companions who accompanied her on these journeys. As time passed, Knight Pulan’s age necessitated his replacement by Arnold. Now, with the passing of Knight Philo, the duchess has graciously appointed Alice to serve in his stead. Given the duchess’ status as a woman, it is both practical and fitting to have a female knight as her protector. Recognizing this, Alice’s role in accompanying the duchess to the royal capital is poised to become an annual duty of significance.

Fortunately, Alice cherishes the royal capital, and with Rom present there as well, her visits continue to bring solace. Since Knight Philo’s departure, it is always a comforting solace to reunite with Rom once again.

This year, only Kent and Big Mouth Horton remained at the castle. Bennett had initially offered to stay behind, but due to his recent arrival and the duchess’ cautious regard, she was hesitant to include him in the group. Nevertheless, recognizing that he had few other options, she made the decision to assign an additional guard and escort him to Ferren, then onward to the royal capital.

Alice had previously traveled the route from Cloudmist Castle to Ferren a few times, typically covering the journey in a single day. However, the duchess’ voyage was far from straightforward or effortless.

Accompanying her in the carriage was a convoy of three additional carriages: one for her personal servant, secretary, and attendant, and the other two filled with her daily supplies and necessities.

The three knights rode valiantly on horseback, each positioned to guard the front, rear, and flanks of the duchess’ carriage with unwavering vigilance.

Perhaps due to her trepidation upon encountering the duchess’ esteemed entourage, Grumpy refrained from causing any disturbances, obediently accompanying the procession—an act that brought a visible sigh of relief from Alice.

It was a journey of two days before they reached the grand residence of the duchess in Ferren. The household had anticipated their arrival for a week, and in preparation, had meticulously cleaned every corner of the estate. They stood graciously at the gates to welcome the travelers, their anticipation evident in their warm reception.

Life within Ferren mansion was markedly more refined than the austere conditions of Cloudmist castle. While the main chambers in the castle were few, forcing the knights to reside in barracks, the Ferren mansion offered luxuriously appointed rooms for their repose.

Alice’s own chamber astonished her—furnished with a private bathroom, a rarity she had not expected, given her usual routine of cleansing with cold water and a simple towel, a habit ingrained by her mercenary training.

Among the three knights, only Arnold had brought along a companion, prompting the butler of Ferren mansion to arrange for a team of attentive servants to oversee Alice and Bennett’s needs.

The skilled servants, well-versed in their duties, assisted her that evening in preparing a luxurious bath—drawing warm water, infusing it with fragrant perfumes and scattering delicate dried flower petals—allowing Alice to indulge in her first truly relaxing soak.

As she submerged herself completely into the tub, gently massaging her skin with aromatic bath salts, she was delighted to discover that the exhaustion of her arduous journey had vanished entirely.

That restful night granted her renewed strength, and she awoke the next morning ready to begin her new role. However, her experience at the mansion proved far more demanding than she had initially anticipated.

She had envisioned her duties as simply remaining close to the duchess at all times, yet upon commencing her service, she quickly realized that the responsibilities were far more complex and nuanced than she had imagined.

Arnold addressed Alice with a tone both measured and compelling, “Should Her Grace’s adversaries dispatch a formidable force of assassins, the presence of merely one or two guards skilled in swordsmanship would be utterly insufficient.”

He explained further, “When Knight Philo was present, his primary responsibility was not simply to stand beside the duchess, but to craft a meticulous schedule aligned with her movements—ensuring that she was always encased in a protective escort wherever she traveled.”

Alice had been listening somewhat inattentively, but as the duchess’ secretary presented her with the guard roster penned by Knight Philo and the detailed itinerary for the following day, her understanding deepened.

It became clear that the duchess maintained an entire contingent of guards in Ferren, and it was her task to strategically position them and synchronize their duties with the duchess’ plans.

The secretary underscored the sensitive nature of this information, emphasizing that the duchess’ daily schedule was classified and must remain strictly confidential.

Alice was also instructed to keep her own timetable with her at all times, and even the two knights assigned to her were to remain unaware of the full guard arrangements—underscoring the delicate balance of security and secrecy that safeguarded the duchess’ safety.

It was at that moment that she recognized the profound weight of the trust placed upon her.

The duchess was essentially entrusting her with her very life. Considering she had been the duchess’ knight for less than a year, Alice understood that the duchess’ circle of confidantes was remarkably limited, and the loss of Knight Philo had dealt her a deep blow.

As his apprentice, Alice now bore the responsibility of fulfilling these demanding duties. During daylight hours, she was primarily at the duchess’ side; come evening, she found herself immersed in the paperwork she despised most—drafting the duty roster in the manner Knight Philo once did.

The first few days left her flustered, yet fortunately, nothing went awry. By the end of the week, she was quite familiar with the routine. Just then, the duchess’ secretary approached with the latest itinerary.

Alice took it and glanced over it, causing her heart to race, “Her Grace is scheduled to visit the Temple of Light in a few days?”

The secretary confirmed with a nod, “Before heading to the royal capital each year, Her Grace usually stops by the Temple of Light to show some respect to the God of Light. Half the folks in Ferren will probably be there to get a glimpse of her. I’ll bring in some extra guards to make sure she’s safe, and it’s all on you to watch out for her.”

After the secretary finished, she left, and Alice felt a heavy weight on her shoulders.

Looks like going to the temple is just something she can’t avoid. Not only does she have to watch out for the God of Light and any spies, but she also needs to be on alert for any threats to the duchess herself. If someone wanted her dead, it wouldn’t be hard for them to sneak a couple of assassins into the crowd.

Having lived in West Felix for so long, she could tell that the religious vibe there was way more relaxed compared to the royal capital and other places she’d been. Usually, she hardly ever heard anyone talk about the gods, and even when they did, it often wasn’t in a very respectful way. Still, the nobles in West Felix, led by the duchess, were officially followers of the God of Light.

The only big Temple of Light in the whole area was in Ferren. The duchess didn’t visit the temple as often as nobles in the royal capital, but she did go once a year. She wanted to show the royal capital that as long as she was around, West Felix still believed in the God of Light and acknowledged the king’s authority.

Even though West Felix didn’t send taxes to the royal capital, the upper city was happy enough as long as that much was clear.

The event was more a matter of political significance than of genuine religious devotion. For the duchess, it had simply become an annual tradition; however, Alice was so overwhelmed with nerves that restful sleep eluded her.

Six years later, she returned once more to the temple. Her emotions were so tumultuous that words could scarcely capture their complexity, especially considering that the day coincided with the duchess’ birthday.

On this same date six years prior, she had made a pivotal decision within those sacred walls—one that irrevocably altered the course of her life.

Had she not chosen Cecilion at that moment, her entire destiny would have taken a vastly different path. Such profound shifts in human fate are often contained within a single fleeting moment.

The first act she performed that morning was to secure around her neck the pendant she had purchased from crow. The coolness of the pendant was almost uncomfortable, a slight chill that she could scarcely bear, yet she endured it—recognizing that it was her safeguard, her assurance of safety in an uncertain world.

As the duchess’ carriage advanced toward the temple, she rode alongside it gracefully, accompanied by guards who diligently cleared the way to ensure the duchess’ safety.

Though the journey was brief, Alice felt a sense of relief upon reaching the gates of the sacred temple.

The temple priests, renowned for their unwavering vigilance, would never permit the duchess to be in peril within their grounds; indeed, reaching this haven was practically secure.

Temples across the land are constructed following the same design as the one in the royal capital—size being the only variation. The temple in Ferren mirrors the architecture of Alice’s hometown of Poztar in every respect.

Standing before this majestic edifice, a wave of nostalgia washed over her.

Unlike her previous visit, she now entered through the grand front doors. Already awaiting her at the entrance was the high priest, flanked by a dozen priests and other clergy members. The temple apprentices, of lower rank, had no place on such an occasion and thus remained unseen.

As Alice surveyed the clergy assembled before her, she noted that none of the faces were familiar.

As she caught herself examining the faces of the clerics, Alice inwardly chuckled at her own folly: What is she overthinking? Etienne would never come here to assume his office.

Bowing gracefully to the high priest, the duchess observed as he returned her gesture. However, as he straightened, his gaze fell upon the pendant adorning Alice’s neck, and his expression grew less welcoming.

Noticing his subtle shift, the duchess’ keen perception allowed her to follow his gaze and recognize the pendant.

A gentle smile played upon her lips as she inquired, “Does my knight’s faith displease the high priest?”

The high priest’s face grew slightly stiff, betraying his discomfort.

Although the high priest and the temple priests were all followers of the Light, the statues of the God of Darkness and his subservients were present in the temple. Worshiping them was also a legal and obligatory belief.

In theory, even believers of the God of Darkness could come to the temple to worship, but in practice, no one did. Although most of the clergy were dissatisfied with the Darkness, openly discriminating against followers of other gods was actually against the rules.

If the duchess had reported this matter to the Royal Capital’s High Priest, the High Priest of Ferren would most likely have lost his position.

Therefore, he could only bow again and give a courteous smile, “How come? You misunderstood.”

“That’s fine,” the duchess’ expression remained unchanged, still smiling calmly. “Since it’s no problem, please high priest escort us to the main hall.”