Chapter 2 – It’s A Mistake, Captain! (Part 4)

She had no choice during the entrance exam, but since meeting Galverd, she hadn’t wielded her sword. She had received advice that it wouldn’t look good for a woman about to marry to be seen swinging a sword around.

Lena didn’t take that advice badly. Her fiancé didn’t particularly like her holding a sword either.

She applied to be Alhendore’s aide partly for the money but also for other reasons. The aide to the captain usually handled administrative duties.

She had set aside the sword for a while, but couldn’t she pick it up again just to get rid of that one rat? If she could wipe out all the rat-like monsters in the empire…

‘Who am I kidding!’

Lena pouted. Alhendore, finding it amusing, pinched her extended lip, which annoyed her even more.

She didn’t realize that his silly joke had made her forget the remaining traces of fear.

Holding his large hand, they made their way through the forest path.

Still shivering from the cold, Lena put on his uniform jacket and walked briskly.

There was no more fear or sorrow. The place was the same, but having the captain by her side made it feel like a picnic.

Feeling that she had become much closer to him, Lena turned around excitedly. A sudden curiosity popped out of her mouth.

“But how did you find me?”

“Hm? Ah, this.”

He pulled out a dagger identical to the one he had given her from inside his coat.

“These originally come in pairs. They maximize mana efficiency through resonance.”

“Ah!”

Maximizing mana efficiency through resonance. Come to think of it, she had heard that Alhendore was an incredibly rare magic swordsman even within the Karceus Empire.

‘Oh! So that’s why?’

When she had first woken up, she felt an inexplicable vibration. That must have been the vibration from the resonance. It seemed that the resonance was particularly strong because the other dagger was close by.

Wait a minute. Resonance and mana efficiency. Could it be…?

“Is this really a magic tool?”

“Do fake magic tools exist?”

Lena was dumbfounded by his expression that showed no hint of strangeness. Was it the confidence of a wealthy man, or was he so sure he could catch her no matter what she did?

“Wow, you’re crazy—no, um, I’m sorry.”

Oops.

She was so taken aback that her true feelings slipped out. She expected him to say something, but her curse didn’t seem to have any impact.

Alhendore raised an eyebrow.

“…What’s wrong?”

His familiar attitude made Lena clear her throat. It seemed her boss, who was oblivious to the ways of the world, lacked a sense of reality.

As his aide, she would have to make sure her superior didn’t get scammed somewhere.

Feigning a stern expression, she placed her hands on her hips.

“What makes you trust me enough to give me a magic tool so easily?”

“Why, are you going to steal it?”

“I could if I wanted to!”

“Take it. You can take everything.”

“Pfft!”

Lena burst out laughing at the expression that seemed ready to give away everything. 

How well did he know me, anyway?

“Why? Am I your lover or something?”

The mere words of giving her everything made her feel good. She threw a joke without hesitation, feeling closer to him. Then she remembered the ring she had seen during the march and quickly corrected herself.

“Oh, I’m sorry. That was a harsh joke since you have a lover, right?”

“Lover? Are you talking about me? If so, you’re mistaken. I don’t have a lover. Unlike someone.”

Wasn’t the ring on the captain’s finger an engagement ring? 

Lena glanced at his index finger. 

At her words, Alhendore turned his head, looking sulky.

Why was he upset? Was he sour because he didn’t have a lover while I had a fiancé?

‘Why would that be?’

Surely, he must have been in a relationship before! Or had he just recently broken up?

While considering various possibilities, she hit upon a hypothesis that made her eyes widen.

Could it be…?

“Captain, don’t tell me… have you never been in a relationship?”

“Huh, have you dated a lot?”

His response to her cautious voice was a thorny remark.

So I was right!

‘Oh, dear.’

In truth, she had no experience in dating either, so she didn’t know how to console him. 

If you wait, the time will come?

After thinking hard, she snapped her fingers.

“Oh, Captain, you’re handsome, so you’ll get a lover in no time!”

Ah…

A cold silence descended heavily. Perhaps because she wasn’t feeling well, a real chill passed through her, making her shiver slightly.

She must have said something wrong.

The look he gave her was chilling. Alhendore, tilting his head slightly, twisted his lips into a smirk.

“Why? Are you going to be my lover?”

“Are you crazy?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, her face crumpled. As if she had heard something extremely disgusting.

“…Could you at least pretend to consider it?”

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

As she tried to pat the hurt Alhendore’s back, he added more. Looking as if he was recalling a distant memory, he gazed at the thick branches before meeting Lena’s eyes.

“You may not know it well, but you were originally mine.”

“Pardon?”

A breeze from somewhere gently tousled her hair.

“Since you returned to this knight order as my aide, you can’t escape from me.”

“Returned? This is the first time I’ve seen you, Captain…”

What did he mean?

Lena blinked, not understanding the meaning of his words. 

Was it revenge for the joke I had made, or did he mean something else?

Alhendore only wore a sly expression without giving a clear answer to Lena’s question.

“You did return. And it’s true you can’t escape from me now that you’re here.”

“Oh, haha! Yo, you’re going too far with the jokes! Haha…….”

Ugh, what other meaning could it have? It probably just means I’ll be his subordinate forever! That’s all.

Lena’s face turned red from his strange words. Alhendore only turned his head without any reply.

‘Ah, but why is this happening…….’

Whether it was because of embarrassment or something else, her whole body heated up.

She wanted to tell him not to make such boring jokes and tried to pat his back. Sniffling, Lena momentarily staggered from a piercing ringing in her head.

“Huh?”

“Lena?”

Her vision blurred as if oil had been smeared on her eyes. Through the surroundings tipping to the side, she saw his contorted face.

Again. That look again.

‘How much have you even seen me?’

They were eyes that seemed to have lost everything in the world. As if he had lost half of his life.

Beyond her fading consciousness, she felt herself hit something hard, but strangely, it didn’t hurt. 

How odd. Did the captain catch me in an instant?

‘Hmm, no way.’

With that absurd thought, her consciousness grew fainter. It seemed she had relaxed because Alhendore was by her side.

Well, she had every reason to be tired. She had been captured by a monster, fallen off a cliff, and swept away by a swift current.

A little rest would be okay, right? She was already indebted; what harm would it do to be a little more indebted? With that thought, she fell into a peaceful sleep.

“Lena, Lena—Lena!”

Unaware of the desperate cry that scattered painfully.

***

Drip-.

A water droplet fell miserably.

Drip-.

A tiny dew that had barely clung to the tip of a stalactite endlessly plummeted and shattered upon hitting the edge of a rock.

Lena’s faint memories were shredded into countless fragments, just like the shattered water droplets.

These memories seemed to be of the time when the Captain held her fallen body and frantically searched for a hideout.

“Lena, Lena! Please, get a hold of yourself! Lena, please…….”

With beads of sweat forming on his face, he ran around frantically. Finally, the place he arrived with her burning with fever was a shallow cave.

After laying Lena down there, Alhendore hurriedly went outside.

‘Don’t go…….’

Even though she knew it wasn’t true, she struggled to reach out, fearing he might never come back.

So deeply, deeply.

Her consciousness, which had fallen into a deep sleep, awakened at the sound of his voice. Alhendore, confirming that she had woken up, brought something to her lips.

“Wake up, eat this.”

The bitter taste that he poured into her mouth made her grimace.

‘Ugh! I hate this.’

Then, something sweet flowed in immediately after.

‘Mmm, I like this.’

Whenever the cold swept through her still unhealed body, Alhendore would hold her tightly in his warm embrace.

“Lena, you need to wake up now……”

His voice, low and hoarse, was that of someone who hadn’t slept properly for days.

Gradually, her hazy mind began to clear.

A glimpse of burnt apricot color filled her vision. The graceful lines boasting such beauty were truly mesmerizing.

The triangular line narrowing from the exposed shirt near the abdomen down to the pants was a work of art.

Is this a dream?

“Perfect inverted triangle.… nice…”

Half asleep, half feverish, Lena wrapped her arms around his waist beyond her blurred consciousness. The ideal curves she had only imagined were right before her eyes, and she couldn’t help herself.

“Amazing.”

“Amazing… inverted triangle…”

“This is driving me crazy. Why? Don’t you have a fiancé?”

“Ugh, no…”

“Well, that’s a relief-.”

Feeling proud, Alhendore paused at a sudden thought.

He glared at her, who was hugging his waist and rubbing her cheek against him, with a crooked look.

“How do you know that? Did you see it? Or did you sleep with him?”

“Ugh…”

“…I guess you didn’t sleep with him.”

“Anchovy, anchovy…”

“Your fiancé must be very skinny?”

“Yeah…”

Alhendore gently patted Lena’s head as if praising a child. His slightly upturned lips indicated he was very pleased.

“Still, it’s a relief. You have good taste.”

“Yeah… inverted triangle…”

“Yes, yes. You’ve liked me since you were little. You should continue to like only me from now on. Got it?”

“Mm……”

“Good girl.”

“Good girl, good girl…”

The inverted triangle is very good…

The fragmented memories returned to their original places, piece by piece.

The Captain standing guard without sleeping.

The Captain who brought food and fed her by hand.

The Captain who held her tightly to keep her warm.

‘Captain…….’

With the last of the fragmented memories, Lena slowly lifted her heavy body. Her head, which was looking around the inside of the cave, turned towards the outside.

The man, holding a bunch of herbs in one hand, was entering the cave, perhaps having gone to gather them. The sunlight, which had been hidden by the thick branches, gently poured in and shimmered on him.

The sunlight, which fell on the man covered in dirt, sparkled as if it originated from him.

“You’re awake?”

He gave a faint smile. That smile, his face, tugged at her heart.

Lena, who was staring at the man in a daze, unknowingly blushed. For some reason, her heart pounded.

Even though she knew she shouldn’t, her heart, beating wildly, made her grab his hand. Yet she firmly shook her head.

‘No, the Captain is the Captain.’

Alhendor Lengaster. The legitimate child of  Duke of Lengester and Her Royal Highness Princess Atlantia, the sister of the current emperor.

‘He’s someone who lives in a completely different world from me.’

He was a man who soared far higher than she did. To him, she was probably just a mere subordinate.

No matter how much she loved him with all her heart, he wouldn’t need to accept that love. A futile love would only bring heartache.

‘And I have a fiancé too.’

How could it be right for someone who is about to become another’s wife to harbor feelings for someone else?

She firmly stomped out the budding feelings that were just beginning to sprout like new shoots breaking through the ground. Some things are not even allowed to be born.

Isn’t this feeling one of those things? The bitterness of having to erase her tender feelings made her force a smile.

“How is your body feeling?”

“Much better.”

“That’s a relief.”

His hand, checking her forehead for fever, was so kind, so warm. It made her heart ache poignantly.

Yes, maybe just living by his side as his faithful aide is enough?

So, this emotion is merely,

The naive recklessness of a young heart.