Chapter 30

Shortly after, servants came out to carry away the injured, and the training grounds were enveloped in an even colder atmosphere. Kaya clicked her tongue as she looked at the trail of blood leading to the entrance of the training grounds.

“Why make such a fuss over wounds that will heal with a little spit?”

“Can you shut that mouth of yours? There’s a limit to how shameless you can be.”

“Oh, are you going to hit me?”

Just as another fight was about to break out, unable to endure even a moment of peace, everyone’s gaze turned toward the entrance of the training grounds.

“Commander!”

A large, middle-aged man walked out. It was Mathis Ketch, the Commander of the 1st Imperial Knight Order.

The knights lined up in rows to greet the Commander. Mathis cast a sharp glance at the wall. Kaya, who reluctantly got up from her seat and clasped her hands behind her back, finally prompted Mathis to speak.

“Baine. Report the situation in detail, without leaving anything out.”

“Yes, Commander.”

The knight called Baine, who seemed accustomed to such situations, responded and began his report.

It was a report about how Kaya Kipen and Noah Velcarid had displayed disrespectful attitudes during training, which led to their “education,” and how Kaya Kipen had assaulted her superior.

“Is Baine’s account true, Noah Velcarid?”

“Yes, it is.”

Unlike Kaya, who seemed to be listening half-heartedly, Noah answered the superior’s question with seriousness.

It had only been a month since they had joined the Imperial Knight Order. Of course, it felt like far more time had passed, given all that had happened. More than half of those incidents had been caused by Kaya.

Today marked the twelfth knight who had been carried away after getting into a fight with Kaya. Mathis let out a deep sigh and asked,

“Kaya Kipen. I’ll give you a chance to explain yourself. Why did you assault your superior?”

Kaya deliberated for a moment before pouting her lips and answering in a completely nonchalant tone.

“I just didn’t like the look of him.”

Mathis inhaled sharply at her utterly insolent attitude.

The knights’ eyes burned with anger, but Kaya didn’t care in the slightest. In fact, she found it amusing.

‘What, you want me to make some pathetic excuse?’

Even if she had a reason, she had no intention of saying it. She hated long explanations.

“Understood. A punishment will be decided later.”

The response was lenient compared to what she had done. The knights glared at Mathis with faces full of discontent.

At that moment, Noah, who had remained silent until now, raised his hand. Mathis nodded, signaling him to speak.

“Should I also receive punishment?”

“…….”

“I didn’t do anything. Kaya acted alone.”

Kaya stared at Noah with unfocused eyes. He was quicker than anyone else at distancing himself.

“Commander, how much longer do we have to tolerate those two?”

Finally, one of the knights burst out in frustration. Many others nodded fervently in agreement.

“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but this is really too much.”

“Exactly. Did you see the state Colt and Orlando were in?”

The knights poured out their grievances like a waterfall. It seemed they, too, had accumulated a lot of frustration over the past month.

“Enough. I will not allow any further objections.”

With a single statement, Mathis silenced the uproar. He rubbed his temples.

Noah, who had merely stated that he hadn’t done anything, looked slightly dejected. Beside him, Kaya was already shaking her leg. Mathis alternated his gaze between the two knights before speaking.

“There’s no other choice. I will now announce the punishment.”

Although she pretended otherwise, Kaya perked up her ears to listen.

After a moment of hesitation, Mathis made his decision and continued.

“Noah Velcarid and Kaya Kipen… are hereby expelled from the 1st Imperial Knight Order, effective immediately.”

***

Karina descended the stairs slowly, her gaze fixed on the swaying reeds. Noah stood in the middle of the outdoor training grounds. In his hands was a bow. Soon, his arm lifted, and the bowstring was drawn taut.

‘I met Noah when we were nearing the lord’s castle.’

Not even the slightest tremor could be seen in his hand as he drew the bowstring. The arrow flew and struck the center of the target with precision.

‘On a snowfield stained entirely red, a man stood motionless.’

‘…….’

‘At first, I was startled, thinking he was injured. But thankfully, he wasn’t. All the blood belonged to others.’

His platinum hair shone like the cold moonlight, fluttering in the early winter breeze. He was a man who suited the word “white.” That’s why Karina couldn’t believe Essis’s words.

Noah, who was about to draw the bowstring again, turned his head. Karina approached him and asked,

“Aren’t you cold?”

Kaya, who was sitting behind him weaving reeds, glanced at Karina and answered instead.

“This is spring weather.”

“This?”

Karina looked around her surroundings. The desolate field made it clear that winter was in full swing.

As Noah smiled bitterly at Karina, who seemed unconvinced, he asked,

“It’s cold. What brings you to the Imperial Palace, Miss Karina?”

“I was summoned by His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“His Highness?”

“That guy?”

Startled by Kaya’s casual remark, Karina looked around. Fortunately, there were no guards nearby.

“Be careful. What if someone hears you?”

“Can’t I speak my mind?”

Muttering indifferently, Kaya resumed working with her hands. Karina sighed and approached her.

Kaya was weaving torn reeds together haphazardly. Whatever she was making, it looked surprisingly decent.

After staring at her work for a while, Kaya suddenly asked,

“Want one?”

Without knowing what it was, Karina reached out her hand. Soon, a small baby shoe was placed on her palm.

As she examined it curiously, Kaya casually said,

“If you’re going to throw it away, give it back to me.”

“…I won’t throw it away.”

Kaya snorted lightly. A reed leaf dangling from her mouth swayed up and down.

Karina fiddled with the shoe before looking up. Noah was already drawing his fifth arrow. Judging by the previous four arrows all hitting the center, his aim was flawless. His posture remained as steady as ever.

As she watched Noah’s back, Karina unconsciously spoke.

“You’re very skilled with a bow.”

At that moment, the arrow flew and hit the exact center of the target. Only then did Noah turn and respond.

“No, Kaya is much better with a bow than I am.”

“Really?”

“She’s a sharpshooter.”

Kaya shrugged at the unexpected compliment. Karina tried not to doubt it. It was hard to imagine anyone being better than someone who had just hit the bullseye five times in a row.

“Well, the Captain isn’t bad either. He’s just worse than me.”

“But you can’t handle a sword.”

Noah spoke in a calm tone. Kaya, seemingly provoked, crumpled the shoe she had just made.

“That’s because I don’t use it! And I’m better at throwing daggers.”

She looked ready to throw the reed in her hand to prove her point. Karina, familiar with the situation, hugged her knees.

Watching two grown adults bicker wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it was oddly endearing. However, amidst the warmth of the moment, a dissonant memory surfaced.

‘Rather than a knight… yes, the word “mass murderer” might suit him better.’

Mass murderer. As the unspeakable word came to mind, Karina’s expression darkened.

“I was the one who taught you how to handle daggers, wasn’t I?”

Even though she knew it couldn’t be true, she wanted to believe it was a lie. The man in front of her had eyes too clear to belong to someone who had killed countless people.

But Essis had said he knew the moment he first saw Noah. That the greatest crisis of their expedition would come at that moment. The Crown Prince’s party had survived for over a month in the North.

And then they met a man. A man who had turned the white snowfield red with blood and locked eyes with them. Essis had laughed as he recounted how even a fleeting glance from the man had made his legs tremble.

Karina still couldn’t laugh. The way the man drew another arrow seemed unnaturally natural.

‘I couldn’t ask why. Because Noah collapsed right after. That’s when we found Kaya nearby.’

The Crown Prince’s party took Noah and Kaya to the lord’s castle. There was no need to ask for details. The next day, Kaya disappeared and returned from the snowfield carrying a child.

To be precise, the corpse of a boy who had been dead for some time. His chest bore a vivid arrow wound. Even Essis had looked bitter when recounting that story. Later, Kaya had said this:

‘It’s probably for the best. He’d have starved to death anyway.’

Karina unconsciously imagined it. A small child, dying of hunger even as he was shot with an arrow. The feelings of a sister who had to carry her brother’s corpse through the snowfield.

Karina took a deep breath, her throat feeling tight.

‘This story’s gotten a bit long. But in the end, there’s not much to it.’

The indifferent voice of the Crown Prince echoed in her mind. He had asked Karina if she had ever been to the North.

‘Cold, harsh, and inhabited only by hunters who occasionally come to hunt beasts.’

‘…….’

‘I brought them back because they were living like beasts. They seemed interesting.’

Karina still didn’t know much about the two. But there was at least one thing she wanted to say.

“I hate winter too.”

“Huh?”

Startled by Karina’s sudden remark, Kaya tilted her head in confusion.

Karina recalled something Noah had said once. He hated the cold, unreachable winter. At the time, she thought it was an abstract statement. It wasn’t. It was terrifyingly real and close.

“Miss Karina, are you very cold?”

Noah approached and asked. His warm sky-blue eyes looked down at her.

At that moment, a gust of wind blew. Karina instinctively turned her face away. She thought her hair would whip around, but it stayed surprisingly calm. Noah, who had sat down facing her and spread his coat, spoke.

“Let’s go inside now. The wind is chilly.”

What kind of person is Noah Velcarid? 

Even after much thought, Karina always came to one conclusion. She buried her face in her knees.

Noah and Kaya exchanged glances, blinking at each other.

“…It’s just too cold.”

It was a statement that even she didn’t understand.

Noah said nothing and waited. Until the wind blowing through the reeds stilled, making it seem like winter had never come.