Chapter 44

It wasn’t just that. Though she could only feel it with her fingertips and couldn’t confirm it properly, the thickness of the necklace chain holding the ring was unusual. And there were even more rings attached to it.

Shati’s expression immediately wavered.

“Stay healthy. Write to me if everything is alright.”

Though she was barely able to fumble through reading letters now, if she could manage to live as the mistress of that great nobleman, she would surely have time to learn to write.

Selma glanced at the man standing far away, looking bored, before continuing her instructions.

“Make sure you live well.”

Find the greatest happiness you can.

Shati barely managed to nod.

* * *

Clop, clop, clop, clop…

About twenty horses pounded relentlessly against the frozen ground.

A few days ago, Shati had ridden with Karel to the lakeside, but this time, riding felt entirely different. Riding leisurely to enjoy the scenery and galloping purely for the purpose of travel were completely separate activities.

The barren trees of the brown forest in the southernmost part of Oedel, a place Shati had never set foot in before, flashed incessantly across her vision. The sound of hoofbeats filling her ears, the startled flapping of birds taking flight, the cold wind brushing against her frozen ears—all these unfamiliar sensations overwhelmed her, leaving her no choice but to hunch her shoulders. Overwhelmed by the vast and unfamiliar landscape, Shati felt like a child just learning to walk.

Though she had been an ignorant young girl, she could no longer return to Selmane, where she had once roamed freely as if it were her own home.

Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop…

Amidst the ever-changing scenery, the one thing that remained constant was the warmth of the man behind her, his firm arms holding her as if to confine her, and the large hands gripping the reins in front of her stomach. Those hands, already large, felt even sturdier encased in gauntlets.

Desperately clutching the handle of her saddle, Shati tried not to miss a single detail of the passing landscape. Tears streamed down her cheeks, stung by the cold wind, but she thought they were tears of awe.

Everything was a first for her.

Blink, blink… As the troop of warhorses galloped as if they were flying, sunlight flickered through the gaps in the bare branches crisscrossing the sky. Still in the heart of winter, the pale light colored the entire sky.

Every time the sky flickered, the shadows of the trees that had barely approached her were already retreating far into the distance in a single blink.

The piercingly cold air froze her lungs. Her breath came in short gasps, barely sustaining her. The lack of oxygen made her head feel increasingly foggy, but it seemed like just another unfamiliar sensation she had to endure to enter a world she had never known.

And all of this was the result of the enormous magic conjured by the man behind her.

Shati leaned her hunched back slightly against him. She felt Karel’s firm chest.

It was here. Here, she would step into a world she had never known.

***

“Aha, Knights, you’ve returned safely!”

As the expedition entered the inn, a middle-aged man, presumably the owner, greeted them. Having likely been informed of their arrival when they entered the main castle, the inn’s servants were lined up behind him.

The servants smoothly took the reins of the horses, leading them to the stables, while unloading the military gear and carrying it into the inn. Their efficient movements reflected their experience, befitting the largest inn in the heart of the estate.

“You must have been riding all day. Would you like to eat first? Shall we prepare the rooms as we did last time?”

“That would be appreciated.”

“Leave it to us. Please, come in.”

At Winden’s quick reply, the innkeeper sent a servant to inform the kitchen.

Shati, trailing awkwardly at the very end of the expedition, followed them into the inn. After spending the entire day riding through icy winds, her body felt disconnected from her own, and her awkward steps only heightened her embarrassment.

They had left Oedel in the morning and ridden as far as possible. Starting their journey from the depths of the mountainous Eldorff Territory in the northernmost part of Cambiano, they had to ride for quite some time to join the main road leading to the royal capital. At the same time, the expedition was eager to leave Eldorff as quickly as possible.

Even though Karel was the Young Master of Montferdia and had legitimate reasons, the fact that they had killed the lord’s son could always come back to haunt them.

After riding almost nonstop since morning, the group finally left Eldorff Territory and entered the neighboring Rodellver Territory to the south. Due to their haste, they had only given the horses brief water breaks and had eaten nothing but dried jerky and stale bread while still in the saddle.

The place they had entered was a grand inn located in the main castle of Rodellver.

For Shati, who had never left Oedel, never ventured beyond Eldorff, and never stayed anywhere other than her grandmother’s house or Selmane, everything felt utterly bewildering.

Unconsciously, her fingers clutched the hem of Karel’s cloak.

“What is it?”

“Ah, um…”

The man, quick to notice her gesture, displayed an irritated expression, causing Shati to flinch instinctively.

“I… I was afraid I might lose you…”

“…”

Karel’s brow furrowed. 

Was I being too presumptuous?

Feeling ashamed of her unconscious action, Shati began to loosen her grip.

But before she could fully let go, Karel turned abruptly and strode inside without a word. Taking his silence as consent, Shati brightened and hurried after him, struggling to match his long strides. She clung tightly to the hem of his cloak, as if it were a lifeline, her mitten-clad fingers clutching it firmly.

The inn, which had appeared grand even from the outside, boasted an equally impressive dining hall on the first floor. The space seemed at least twice the size of Selmane’s dining area, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, similar to those found in the Village Chief’s house, illuminating the room brightly. It was an unusually well-lit evening, something rarely experienced in Oedel.

Though the expedition arrived slightly earlier than the usual dinner hour, the hall was already bustling. This was the most popular inn in the larger estate’s main castle.

Sticking close behind Karel, Shati glanced around nervously, overwhelmed by it all.

“Oh my, Knights, you’ve returned!”

“Last time, you all looked as if you were marching to your deaths.”

“Shall we bring everyone a round of beer first?”

The serving women in the hall, as if waiting for the expedition’s arrival, warmly greeted them and guided them to their seats.

Even in this bustling place, Karel was the one with the noblest status. Though the unit he led had barged in without notice, the best seats in the hall were immediately prepared for them. Regular patrons who had been drinking since early evening gave up their seats without a hint of resentment, instead gazing at them with admiration.

The Shield of Cambiano, Karel of Montferdia.

The fact that he had returned to this village, more than two months after passing through, meant that he had achieved victory once again. Whatever enemy he had been tasked with defeating, he had once again triumphed, following His Majesty’s orders to fight in numerous battles over the years.

Rodellver might geographically be in the north, but it was a territory with frequent visitors. There was no one among the commoners in the central region near the royal capital who hadn’t heard of the heroic reputation of Karel Montferdia.

Amid the glimmering gazes of the people, Shati struggled to suppress her overwhelming desire to hide, her feet shuffling nervously. Just existing beside someone so grand and attention-grabbing felt like a privilege beyond her reach.

“Miss?”

“Please, take a seat.”

While Shati nervously rubbed the floor with her toes, the knights of the expedition had dutifully left a seat beside Karel vacant for her. Feeling guilty for making the knights wait, Shati hurriedly sat down.

Throughout the day’s march, Shati hadn’t managed to exchange a single proper word with the knights, and she still found them intimidating. The knights, for their part, didn’t know how to treat a young maiden like Shati, and seeing how she was visibly uncomfortable around them, they chose not to initiate conversation. Neither side understood the other’s perspective.

“Miss, would you like a beer as well?”

The sight of the knights treating a young maiden with such respect and even seating her beside Karel left the locals of Rodellver puzzled.

Who is that girl, sitting there?

Having worked as a servant in Selmane for nearly ten years, Shati could vividly hear the unspoken curiosity in their glances. She perched awkwardly on the seat next to Karel, her head bowed low.

“Ah, I never thought I’d miss this beer.”

“Exactly. Compared to the beer in Oedel, this one’s far superior.”

“Miss, once you try this beer, you’ll realize the stuff back home was practically horse urine.”

“Sir, have you drunk horse urine before?”

“Is there anything I haven’t tried?”

The lively conversation among the knights, which had briefly turned towards Shati, soon returned to their own topics. Feeling shy and unable to respond properly, Shati found herself holding a beer mug that had somehow ended up in her hands.

Can I even accept this?

Shati glanced around cautiously, but the knights were already engrossed in their own chatter. Karel, meanwhile, was busy glaring at his own mug with a displeased expression. Only Winden, seated across from Karel and Shati, gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment.