Chapter 1

“Can’t you move any faster? At this rate, do you think I’ll get off work today?”

A sharp voice echoed throughout the fortress walls. The soldiers, drenched in sweat, moved even more busily. Their captain, the female knight Eria, glanced around with a satisfied expression before sitting back down in her seat.

“Captain, please give us a break. Everyone’s exhausted.”

Not long after, her subordinate knight, Ter, approached. Eria, who had been pressing the dirt to reinforce the repaired fortress wall, raised her eyes. A chilly wind blew, making her tightly bound silver hair flutter. Her pale skin and the cold, eerie look in her eyes explained why enemies called her ‘White Ghost’; even comrades who’d known her for years couldn’t get used to it. Ter once hated people with such arrogant and cold eyes. People blinded by prejudice saw nothing, and on the battlefield, people could become truly petty. But now, Ter respected, trusted, and followed her more than anyone.

While Ter was lost in nostalgic thoughts, Eria’s sharp voice snapped him back.

“This is the third day working on this. We have to finish today. Is that possible? I want to let these folks off work on time.”

“There are enough people, so it should be possible.”

Ter was just glad she didn’t throw the dirt she was holding at him. Eria looked around, considering his words. The soldiers listened intently, their eyes shining.

“Fine. It’s almost time to eat, so let everyone rest until then.”

As soon as Eria gave her permission, short cheers erupted here and there. Ter couldn’t help but smile.

“Ugh, those fools. Go quickly before I change my mind!”

At Eria’s sharp command, everyone got up and started to disappear.

‘Resting was the best thing for them!’ Eria grumbled inwardly as she resumed her work.

“Aren’t you going to rest, Captain?”

“I’m fine. You go and get some rest, even if it’s just for ten seconds.”

“…Understood.”

Only after even Ter, who never refused a break even when his superior was working, had left did the surroundings grow quiet. Just as Eria was focusing again, she sensed someone behind her. 

‘Was Ter still here? Or had a soldier returned?’ 

Just as she was about to ask who it was—

“Dame Eria.”

The other’s voice came first, and her body stiffened in response. Eria stopped working and quickly stood up.

“Your Grace, Grand Duke.”

She must have looked a mess after working under the blazing sun, pressing dirt. With her head bowed and hands politely gathered, Eria greeted Kan, Grand Duke of the Ershta Duchy.

“What are you doing alone? Where are the soldiers?”

“I gave them a break.”

“Why aren’t you resting?”

“There’s a lot to do. I have to let everyone off on time.”

Kan chuckled softly. Eria desperately wanted to look up and see his smile, but she was embarrassed to show her dirt-streaked face after so long.

She’d known him for years, but now he wasn’t just in familiar armor—he was a proper Grand Duke, responsible for a duchy. She felt she shouldn’t look at him so freely. Besides, this was a fortress, and Eria was merely the captain of Ershta Duchy’s knights. She had to show respect to His Grace. There were many eyes in the fortress.

“I’ve heard you’re obsessed with getting off work on time these days. Any special reason?”

“Not so much a special reason… I just think that, after stealing five years of the soldiers’ and knights’ time, it’s enough. Now it’s time to give them back to their families. Who knows when war will break out again?”

It had been exactly two weeks since the five-year conquest war ended.

After the war, the Ershta Duchy was formed in the region once occupied by the Empire. Eria was appointed as its knight captain and had a lot to do. Not only her, but all soldiers and knights were given only about a week’s leave before returning to the fortress. Compared to the war, it was a short break, but no one complained. That’s why she wanted to protect their time even more.

“It would be nice if everyone knew how considerate you are.”

Kan reached out and gently lifted Eria’s chin. Only then did she meet his gaze. Thump. His light brown hair, smooth white skin, slightly drooping large eyes with reddish pupils, and red lips. The Grand Duke’s face hadn’t changed, except he seemed even more handsome now. She felt a bit unfair, even angry, but something stronger than that made Eria endure.

“There are so many sides of you that only I know. Of course, I like that.”

The moment their eyes met, Eria’s mind went blank. Soon, Kan’s hand moved to her hair, tidying her wind-blown strands and gazing at her. His lips curled up slightly.

“Really…”

“…”

“I missed you.”

As soon as his sweet voice reached her ears, Kan leaned in to match her eye level. Startled by his face so close, Eria stepped back.

“Eria.”

“Y-your Grace.”

Smooch. Eria tried to escape in surprise, but Kan caught her wrist and kissed her. Even that brief kiss made her face burn.

“We’re on the fortress wall. What if someone sees us…”

“Let them. I don’t care.”

“Your Grace!”

“Are you going to push me away? With those dirt-covered hands? I’m wearing new clothes.”

Eria glanced at Kan, feeling he was being unfair. Even if her hands weren’t dirty, she couldn’t push him away. He knew that and teased her.

“Doing this here is…”

She barely held onto her last bit of reason and spoke each word carefully, but Kan didn’t seem to care. He still held her wrist tightly.

“Then shall we go inside together? Hmm?”

“I haven’t finished my work…”

Kan kissed her again. The warm, gentle heat from his lips spread throughout her body. It felt like the last thread of reason snapped. Eria gently closed her eyes. It all felt like a dream, but it was real.

‘How did things end up like this…’

Memories of their time together flooded her mind.

* * *

Before his death, the Emperor of the Rojas Empire declared war to fulfill his long-held dream of unifying the continent. Children and adults alike were conscripted, but many volunteered, driven by poverty or personal circumstances. Eria was among the latter.

She was born without a family, raised by relatives who treated her like a sl*ve. As the years passed, her uncle would linger outside her door at night, her aunt made her do every chore, and a cousin two years younger bossed her around as if she were a noble lady. None of them ever became family to her. Her days were so miserable she wanted to die, but meeting an old knight gave her a new perspective on life.

He pitied Eria, became her friend, and taught her the sword. He couldn’t rescue her directly from her relatives, so he taught her to defend herself. At first, the old knight taught her basic moves, but as time passed, he increased the intensity of her training, realizing she had talent with the sword. Sometimes she wanted to die from the difficulty, but she enjoyed wielding the blade. It was fun, and every time she swung it, she imagined her uncle and family dying before her eyes. She hated them so much, killing them in her mind every day was never enough.

When Eria turned eighteen, the old knight passed away, and the war was declared just before she turned nineteen. After she began training with the sword, her relatives bullied her less, but she still wanted to escape that hellish place. She decided to go to war.

She was young, small, and, above all, a woman. When she arrived at the recruitment office, she was immediately dismissed. Soldiers laughed, asked her age, and if she’d ever pulled a friend’s hair, treating her like a child. Eria couldn’t answer any of their pointless questions. She realized that was reality. If not for Rumic, the knight captain, she would never have even dreamed of joining the war. She would have gone back to her hellish home, hating her gender and situation.

“Show me your sword.”

“Captain Rumic!”

“Are you deaf? I said, raise your sword.”

She still couldn’t forget the first time she met Captain Rumic. His huge frame and the cold air in his eyes made her hands tremble. She clung to her senses and raised her sword as he asked, but none of her attacks ever landed.

Still, Rumic said,

“You’re better than most. Who taught you to use a sword?”

He accepted her into his army.