Grimm: Ch. 21

---Third POV---

"Creak, creak."

The sound of a wooden spinning wheel turning scattered wool into yarn echoed through the empty alley. It was the only noise in this desolate place, drawing a silver-haired boy closer to its source.

"Do you know the way to the castle? I think I got lost," he asked.

"Oh, it's you, Gerald. The castle is in that direction," the old woman replied with a kind smile, pointing in a certain direction.

"Thank you so much!" Gerald glanced toward where she pointed and laughed heartily as he thanked her, then took off running again.

Not long after he disappeared into the distance, the old woman's face shifted.

Beneath the kind smile was the face of a round, pale figure, almost metallic in its sickly hue, wearing what looked like black sunglasses.

"Kehehehe." The figure smiled.

---

"Get your beautiful amulets here! Free fortune-telling to see the kind of person you'll become! Come take a look!"

For some reason, the small street was particularly quiet today. The only sign of life was an elderly fortune-teller calling out to passersby.

Hearing the voice just as he caught sight of the castle again, Gerald's attention was drawn to her. It was a fortune-teller, someone he'd never seen before!

Intrigued, he approached. From a distance, the fortune-teller seemed mysterious, her demeanor full of wisdom.

"Can you tell my fortune?"

"Hehehe, of course. Shall I read yours? It's free," the fortune-teller replied with an unnaturally kind smile.

"Sure!" Gerald eagerly agreed and sat down across from her.

"Place your right hand on the crystal ball."

Gerald obeyed, curiosity shining in his eyes as he gazed at the sparkling crystal ball.

It was beautiful.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a peculiar red, orb-like object nearby. Was it an amulet?

Just as he reached out with his left hand to touch it, the fortune-teller began chanting strange incantations. His attention snapped back to the crystal ball, where a vision began to take shape.

Inside, he saw an image of his future self as an adult, dressed as a knight. It seemed he had just won a great battle.

The vision showed him walking down a street, basking in glory, more admired than the leader of the Dragon Knights. Behind him, a white castle loomed majestically. Though the details blurred, the scene filled him with awe.

"Hehehe, truly remarkable. It's rare to see someone like you. In a hundred years, I've never met anyone so special," the fortune-teller said.

"Wow, really? I'll become a great person, right? I'll live in that white castle?"

"Of course... and more than just that castle, young prince." Leaning close, the fortune-teller whispered into Gerald's ear.

Gerald's pupils contracted in shock. He stared at the fortune-teller, recalling something his father had said days ago.

This fortune-teller was no ordinary person!

"Hehehe, look at you, so astonished. Don't worry, we fortune-tellers don't reveal secrets lightly," the old woman said, her tone once again gentle.

"Here, take this. I think you'll like it." She handed him a red amulet, shaped like an egg with twisted facial features etched on its surface—eyes, nose, and a mouth.

Gerald studied it, only to see the object's eyes open and look directly at him. They were the same light blue as his own.

"Waaaaah!"

Startled, he flung the object into the air.

It was so bizarre.

"Such an impolite child. This is a very powerful amulet," the fortune-teller chided, catching the crimson object effortlessly. She extended it back toward him.

Summoning his courage, Gerald picked up the object again. Despite being mentally prepared, he was still deeply shocked. It was truly incredible—the blue eyes on the object kept scrutinizing him.

"Hehehe, it seems to like you," the fortune-teller said.

"Remember, child, this isn't just an ordinary amulet. Whoever possesses it can trade their flesh and blood for the power to unify the entire world."

Gerald was even more entranced. In his eyes, this little object suddenly seemed endearing. He couldn't help but smile brightly.

"How much is this?" he asked.

"Just one copper coin. I'm only offering it to you at this price because you're destined for it," she replied with a sly grin.

Ever since a recent incident, Gerald had taken to carrying one or two copper coins with him, ensuring he wouldn't be caught off guard and exploited again.

"Here, thank you!" He handed over a coin to the fortune-teller.

After experiencing such mysterious events, he wholeheartedly believed her words. He tucked the amulet into his chest, thanked her, and happily ran off toward the castle.

"Kehehehe."

As soon as Gerald disappeared into the distance, a familiar, eerie laugh echoed in the now-empty street. The fortune-teller and her stall vanished into thin air, as if dispelled by magic.

The surroundings transformed as well, returning to their usual state.

"Huh? What was I doing?"

"Fresh fruits!"

"Top-quality beef and mutton—take a look!" The lively cries of vendors filled the street again.

---

Turning a corner in the city, Gerald bumped into someone—right into Grimm. The world really was small.

Grimm quickly opened his arms and caught Gerald as he crashed into his chest.

"Ugh! Sorry..."

As soon as Gerald looked up, he saw that familiar, irritating face.

His expression darkened.

"It's you again!"

"Hahaha, the world is so small. Can't you slow down?"

Gerald stepped back from his arms. "It's not my fault—you walk so quietly! How was I supposed to avoid running into you?"

"Well, what a coincidence. Here, this is yours," Grimm said as he pulled a doll from his pocket.

Gerald stared at the doll—it was a gift from his father.

"So you're returning it. I've got other things to do, so I'll be going now," he said curtly.

He took a copper coin from her pocket and handed it to Grimm. Grabbing the doll, he prepared to leave.

But Grimm stood still, staring at the coin in his hand, lost in thought.

"Are you heading to the castle?"

How did he know?

"None of your business!"

"Sorry, I just wanted to ask if you're interested in getting a closer look at the castle tonight?"

Grimm asked earnestly. After all, kids in this era being curious about a castle wasn't unusual—during training, he often saw small groups of children gazing at the white castle from the hillside in town.

"!?"

---

That night, Grimm and Bernhardt waited as promised on the roof of Gerald's house.

After grabbing some food and picking up his armor earlier that day, they had made their preparations carefully.

Gerald had taken too long on the way, and even if they hurried, they wouldn't have much time to view the castle.

He wasn't dressed as conspicuously tonight. He wore a simple gray wool tunic, linen trousers, and short boots. His hair, usually messy, was tied back neatly, adorned with a blue bow-like fabric accessory.

Seeing no one nearby, Grimm mimicked Kadi's mountain bird whistle to catch Gerald's attention, then waved him over.

Gerald immediately ran to him. How on earth did this guy climb onto his roof?

Could it be that last time, when I was chasing him, he was hiding on the roof too?

Although Gerald mentally cursed Grimm a hundred times over, his body still obediently moved closer. After all, he needed his help right now.

"Give me your hand," Grimm said, stretching a hand down from the roof's edge.

Gerald reached out his right hand, letting Grimm pull him up. With his left hand gripping the roof's edge and a quick push from his legs, he easily climbed up.

"Not bad," Grimm praised him, while Bernhardt watched silently, a slight blush visible even in the darkness.

"Of course! Let's go already!" Gerald replied with no humility, eager to start tonight's adventure.

"Alright!"

Grimm nimbly swung his body down from the roof's edge, letting go and landing steadily on the ground. It was clear he'd done this plenty of times before.

Not to be outdone, Gerald prepared to follow his lead.

"Need us to catch you?" Grimm asked, while Bernhardt tensed beside him, looking ready to spring into action if needed.

"Hmph, no need! I can do it myself!"

Perhaps spurred by Grimm's words, he accidentally slipped on a loose roof tile while lowering himself. Losing his balance, he fell with a startled yelp.

Crash!

The pain he anticipated didn't come. Instead, he landed in a warm, strong embrace. Different from what he expected—these arms felt more hesitant, almost trembling.

Opening his eyes, Gerald found himself looking into Bernhardt's wide-eyed, blushing expression. Beyond Bernhardt's shoulder, he caught sight of Grimm's knowing smile. The usually fierce Bernhardt looked frozen, as if unsure whether to put Gerald down or keep holding him.

"I—uh—you shouldn't be so reckless," Bernhardt managed to stammer out.

"Put me down!" Gerald finally snapped out of it, realizing his current position—a princess carry, no less!

Ahhh, this is so embarrassing! His face flushed red with anger, though he wasn't sure if it was from the fall or the way Bernhardt had caught him so gently.

Bernhardt carefully set him down, nearly stumbling in his haste to step back. Grimm's quiet chuckle didn't help the situation.

"Well, good reflexes, Bernhardt," Grimm praised, patting his friend's shoulder while trying to suppress his amusement at how both Gerald and Bernhardt were now deliberately avoiding eye contact with each other.

"Ugh, enough! That'll stunt my growth!" Gerald swatted his hand away and walked ahead, his mood visibly dampened.

"Let's hurry up; we still need to get you back before they lock up the camp!" Grimm added, leading them through the dimly lit alleys of the night, with Bernhardt trailing behind, still stealing glances at Gerald when he thought no one was looking.

At the camp gates, there were hardly any guards.

This area wasn't just the Dragon Knights' camp but was also surrounded by the inner city walls of Weimar.

With its four massive gates—each requiring ten men to lift—it resembled a small fortress. Besides, no one dared trespass into Weimar's military zone; anyone who tried would be promptly captured—or worse.

"We're here to deliver something," Grimm told the gatekeepers.

Recognizing the emblem on Grimm's chest, the two attendants nodded and let them through.

It was just three kids and a familiar faces at that. It wasn't unusual for a knight to send squires to drop something off, as long as it wasn't too late to close the gates. Some knights didn't even return at night, as long as they showed up for morning drills.

With that, Grimm easily led them inside, stopping under an unguarded stone watchtower.

These watchtowers were mostly for show and nowhere near as secure as the Gothic-style enclosed ones in the royal castle. After a recent renovation, they weren't in active use, and no one was stationed there.

However, it was the perfect spot to view the castle.

The Dragon Knights' camp sat directly below the white royal castle, making it an incredible vantage point. From this flat ground, the towering castle looked even more majestic—a sight the town's children rarely got to experience.

Even though it was late, the castle's lights shone brightly.

"You two go ahead and climb up. I'll keep watch down here," he offered with a gentle smile, noticing how Bernhardt kept fidgeting and avoiding Gerald's gaze.

"No, I—I should stay guard," Bernhardt interjected quickly, his face slightly flushed. "I'm better at spotting trouble anyway. You go."

Grimm had to hide his knowing smile.

For someone usually so fierce in training, Bernhardt became surprisingly bashful around Gerald. It was almost endearing how such a big bear turned into a nervous wreck when left alone with Gerald.

"Are you sure?" Grimm asked, though he already knew the answer from how Bernhardt was practically rooted to his spot, stealing glances at Gerald.

"Absolutely. Someone needs to watch our backs," Bernhardt insisted, trying to sound pragmatic. "Besides, you know the best spots to view the castle."

Gerald didn't notice their little exchange.

His attention was wholly consumed by the radiant castle, glowing even more brilliantly at night.

The sight was breathtaking, even from here.

The royal castle dwarfed any noble's manor. From the last visit, Grimm knew it could house the entire knightly order and had stables for thousands of horses. The castle grounds alone spanned approximately 70,000 to 80,000 square meters—around 100 acres. It was like seven sports fields from a modern school.

Perched on a cliff, its 50-meter height made it nearly immune to siege weapons like trebuchets.

Surrounded by countless campfires below, the castle stood even more radiant and dazzling.

"Let's climb up. You'll get an even better view of the castle from up there!" Grimm said to Gerald.

Standing at the castle's base was already awe-inspiring, but viewing the entire structure from this open watchtower elevated it to a breathtaking level.

Just looking at it filled one with a sense of grandeur and majesty.

"Wow!"

Gerald was utterly captivated, his eyes wide with amazement. He had never seen the castle at night, let alone from such a close distance.

It was magnificent and beautiful beyond words!