Chapter 23

Perhaps it was because it felt like the last time, the chatter at the dining table was unusually uninhibited.  

The beer of Eldorff, situated in the far north, had such a peculiar flavor that most of the expedition members found it unpalatable, swallowing it only for the alcohol. Yet, out of politeness, they had merely grumbled quietly about it—until now.  

Selma, with her lips painted bright red, pouted as she glared at the expedition members, who were already tipsy and loud from the morning.  

“Knights, are you still drunk from yesterday’s drinks?”  

“Why bother sobering up? I’ll stay drunk until tomorrow.”  

“Ugh, a send-off ceremony or whatever it is—how can anyone attend such an embarrassing event sober?”

“Just let it slide for today, Madam.”  

“Consider it mercy for those of us who’ll freeze to death in the Gray Mountains.”  

As Selma scolded them, the knights, unfazed, clinked their glasses and toasted.  

Clang!  

A dull sound echoed across the wooden floor. The knights chuckled, assuming some fool had dropped their glass, and cheerfully gulped down their drinks. To them, getting one more gulp of alcohol in was far more important.  

Selma, however, was the only one who paid attention to the source of the sound.  

‘…That girl.’

A sigh escaped Selma’s lips.  

It was that girl, her biggest headache these days. While wiping a nearby table and eavesdropping on the knights’ conversation, the girl had been startled and dropped the tray she was holding under her arm.  

Now, crouched on the floor as if trying to pick it up, the girl’s shoulders trembled faintly.  

Seeing her like this made Selma feel deeply uneasy.  

‘After what happened last night, he wouldn’t have made any promises to her…’

Karel hadn’t shown up at the expedition’s table, yet his absence seemed to weigh heavily on her mind.  

…She had given her heart to him.

Selma’s assumption was, for the most part, correct.  

‘I hadn’t seen him in so long; I wondered if something had happened to him…’

When the distant crowing of a rooster brought her back to her senses, Karel was nowhere to be seen. Only the lingering warmth on the spot beside her told her that he had been there not long ago.  

It was unusual. Since their first night together, she had never fallen asleep in his bed. She could only guess at what had happened.  

‘He said something…’

He mentioned returning or something like that.

Hoping against hope, she had waited a little longer, but no one returned. Even when she checked the backyard where the expedition trained, there was no sign of him. And now, he wasn’t even present at breakfast. She began to wonder if something truly had happened.  

‘He’s… leaving…?’

Tomorrow?

So soon?

Still crouched on the floor, the girl’s lips trembled faintly.  

‘I knew he’d leave eventually, but…’  

She hadn’t expected it to be so immediate.  

The only conversations she overheard in the dining hall were trivial—comments on the food, outdated tales of heroics, or life stories that had long lost their novelty. Discussions about the expedition had always taken place in Winden’s room.  

She had no meaningful exchanges with Karel…  

‘Is that why he seemed different last night?’

Was that why, for the first time, he had sought me out first?  

Because it was the last time.  

Like any other villager, she didn’t know why he was heading to the Gray Mountains, nor did she predict his death. After all, he was the son of the Marquis of Montferdia, known as the Shield of Cambiano. A man who had crossed the brink of death multiple times and was regarded as a hero.  

The idea of his defeat was unimaginable.  

Yet, she had never seen anyone return to the village after leaving it.  

Mercenaries who entered the Gray Mountains through Oedel either died or passed through the forest to another village.  

So she simply thought of this as the last time.  

Last night, she hadn’t been able to comfort him as he silently wept without shedding tears.  

She had always known this day would come…  

Fearing her small sobs might grow louder, the girl quickly stood and ran to Selma.  

“Selma….”  

Though her lips trembled faintly, her face was strangely resolute.  

Even with her bangs covering half her face, Selma, who knew the entirety of her expression, noticed the clarity in her gaze.  

Selma had been ready to cut her off if she said anything foolish, but now she found herself caught off guard.  

This girl… could she make such a face?  

“Selma, I won’t rest until Magiella’s night falls. Could you grant me just one day off?”  

The girl, who usually seemed timid and hesitant around others, now stood firm.  

Her slouched shoulders and awkward tone, which made her seem like a child, were gone.  

Selma realized something had changed within her.  

She had assumed the girl was still a child because of how foolishly she behaved toward that man, but perhaps she had grown in her own way.  

“…Fine.”  

Lost in unfamiliar thoughts, Selma unknowingly agreed to her request.  

The girl bowed her head deeply and quickly left the dining hall.  

* * *  

“Hic, sniff…”  

She couldn’t understand how she had managed to act so composed in front of Selma.  

The moment she stepped into the backyard, where no one usually came at this hour, tears welled up uncontrollably.  

It must be because the sunlight was too bright.  

Though the winter sun seemed intent on piercing her eyes, she hadn’t even stepped out from under the eaves.  

Crouching beneath the roof’s shadow, she sniffled quietly. The steam wafting from the kitchen seemed to envelop her pitiful figure, as if offering a veil of comfort.  

‘I knew this would happen.’

He must have left the bed at dawn to avoid seeing her like this. Any woman who had spent the night with such a noble and strong man would mourn parting with him. To him, saying goodbye to someone like her must be a tiresome ritual he faced in every village…

In truth, Karel had never been with another woman before her. Not all women were as heartbroken as she was, and most clung to their lovers until the moment of departure. Her imagination, in this regard, was almost fairytale-like.

‘I don’t have time for this.’

Quickly wiping her tear-streaked eyes, she rubbed her flushed nose against her apron before attempting to stand up.  

“Miss.”  

The unfamiliar title reached her ears just as she was about to leave, but she paid no mind to it, assuming it wasn’t meant for her.

“Miss?”  

Was there someone behind the kitchen who could be addressed as “Miss”? 

As she glanced around cautiously, her gaze landed on a man.  

A man with brown hair tied short at the nape of his neck—Winden, the lieutenant to the knight. When their eyes met, a faint expression of life appeared on his face. He had indeed been waiting for her response.

“Me?”  

“Yes, Miss.”  

“Uh, Sir, I mean… I’m not really…”  

I’m not someone who deserves to be called that…

She thought to herself, swallowing the words. Instead, she meekly bowed her head, her shoulders shrinking slightly.  

In truth, Winden, who had always overseen the expedition’s expenses, had never once treated the errand runners with such respect.  

Winden felt a tinge of regret at her flustered reaction.  

‘Was this unnecessary meddling?’

Even he wasn’t sure why he was doing this. He had been the only one among the knights to decide to stay sober while the others drank themselves into a stupor from the morning.  

Because of that, he had clearly noticed the girl’s startled reaction when someone mentioned they were leaving tomorrow.  

He had seen her shoulders tremble faintly and noticed the small sobs escaping her lips. For someone as perceptive as a knight, it was impossible not to notice.  

So, without realizing it, he had asked Selma for permission and followed the girl as she left.  

His lord was not someone who handled interpersonal matters delicately, so Winden assumed he must not have explained things kindly…  

This, he thought, was simply part of a lieutenant’s duty.  

Thus, he had waited by the side door of the kitchen until her sobs subsided.  

‘…Now that I’m here, I can’t back out.’

With a small sigh, Winden carefully spoke again.  

“Didn’t you know?”  

“What? Know what…”  

“We are leaving at dawn tomorrow.”  

“…”  

If he’s telling me about the unit’s plans, does that mean he knows about my relationship with the captain?  

Selma had warned her never to let it be discovered. But then again, Sir Karel had grabbed her hand when leaving the village elder’s house yesterday, so maybe it was inevitable…  

Her face flushed with embarrassment at the thought.  

Winden, oblivious to the faint blush visible beneath her messy bangs, resolutely continued speaking.  

“His Lordship is a man of few words, so I thought he might not have mentioned it to you.”  

The rigid term “His Lordship” referred to Karel, and the distance between them became starkly apparent.  

At the same time, a small sense of relief washed over her.  

So it wasn’t because I’m a commoner that he didn’t speak to me…  

Of course, knowing that wouldn’t change the fact that he was someone she wouldn’t see again.  

“Yes, I see.” 

She murmured, bowing her head even lower.  

As Winden hesitated, chewing over his words, he suddenly blurted out impulsively:  

“…He’ll come back.”