Chapter 70

“Forgive…”

“Yes.”

With a look of utter helplessness, she gazed at Lutz.

“You’re quite clever, Sir.”

She didn’t hesitate to praise him.

Lutz’s choice of words was remarkably precise. Instead of asking to “calm Eched’s anger,” he requested “forgiveness.”

If he had recklessly asked her to calm his anger, she would have ignored the plea.

“For a subordinate to think this way about their superior, it must mean the superior is blessed with good fortune.”

“Yes, I just hope my superior realizes that as well.”

Looking at Lutz, she deeply understood the saying, “A word can repay a thousand debts.”

“Well then, shall we go and scold your troublesome superior?”

“Scold… yes.”

Though Lutz faltered at her vocabulary, he quietly stood up when she decisively said she would go to Eched.

She had resolved to make the counseling office perfect, but once again, she found herself heading out on external duties.

Together with Lutz, she arrived at the training grounds.

The atmosphere at the training grounds was different from usual. It felt damp and heavy, like looking at wet wallpaper.

The soggy aura was palpable, and the cries of knights echoed through the air.

“I s-surrender…!”

The knight, who had been enduring relentless sword strikes, finally collapsed and cried out in surrender.

The other knights watching clicked their tongues in disapproval.

“Surrendering in just three minutes…”

Their faces were filled with concern.

The sparring opponent changed, but even that knight was knocked out in less than a minute, and the next turn came immediately.

What exactly was going on?

She watched the knights repeatedly take turns, like squirrels running in a wheel.

“After sitting all morning, it seems the afternoon is for sparring.”

Lutz, standing beside her, also looked worried.

Soon, the knights noticed her and Lutz, their faces lighting up as they gathered around her.

They were large, rough-looking men, which made her feel uneasy. And above all…

“You reek of sweat. Could you keep your distance?”

She pushed the knights away. Yet, they only laughed.

More accurately, they seemed to expect something from her.

The knights were all in a filthy state, as if they had been rolling on the ground during training, even though it hadn’t been long since the afternoon session began.

“Argh…!”

Another knight, who had stepped forward as the next opponent, was knocked down.

Eched’s gaze, as he sheathed his sword, landed on her, surrounded by the knights.

Normally, he would have approached her with his usual enthusiasm, but today, he looked rather pitiful.

It was almost as if she could imagine invisible animal ears drooping on his head.

“Commander, you seem to have some good fortune. You’re blessed with such excellent subordinates.”

At the sudden compliment, Eched gave her a look that said he didn’t understand what she meant.

His confused expression looked so endearing that she couldn’t help but find it cute. She reached out and brushed back his slightly disheveled bangs with her fingers.

“So, stop tormenting your subordinates and come take a walk with me.”

“…I wasn’t tormenting them.”

Eched denied the accusation in a slightly dejected voice.

Sure, of course. You were just training as usual. Right?

She secretly clicked her tongue in her mind.

“Whatever it is, let’s go on a date. Don’t want to?”

“No, I’ll go.”

At times like this, he responded decisively. Then he hurriedly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the walking path, as if anxious she might change her mind.

Even so, he loosened his grip to avoid hurting her, showing his consideration. Her heart pounded at his thoughtful actions.

“Haa…”

A sigh of satisfaction escaped her lips.

She found it increasingly difficult to restrain her feelings for Eched.

She wanted to close her eyes and ears, pretending to know nothing, and dedicate herself entirely to him.

But it wasn’t the right time yet. Not everything needed to be resolved quickly.

***

As they walked along the path, neither of them spoke a word. Eched stared straight ahead, while she was lost in her own thoughts, her mind racing.

Eventually, she remembered why she had come to reconcile with Eched and pondered for a long time over what to say first.

It would be best to gain Eched’s trust here.

“Eched.”

“Shaterian.”

They called each other’s names simultaneously.

Was it telepathy? Although Eched yielded for her to speak first, she gave him the opportunity to go ahead.

After gazing down at her for a while, Eched finally spoke.

“If you wish to live in the countryside, then let’s do so. Wherever you are, I’ll go with you.”

It sounded like a heartfelt confession, or perhaps even a plea.

His unwavering promise to stay by her side was both admirable and, in a way, frighteningly persistent.

For now, rebuilding the trust between them was the priority.

“I’ll revoke the promise to inform you wherever I go.”

“What…?”

The calmness in his silver eyes was quickly replaced by anger.

‘It’s good to see him more expressive, but not like this.’

She smiled faintly, patting his arm as if to soothe the fire she had reignited.

“I’ll cancel that promise and instead promise not to leave your side.”

“…”

The fire was extinguished. His eyes, which had been blazing, cooled as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

“If you don’t trust me, should we write a contract?”

“Why the sudden change of heart?”

How could I tell him, “Because I’ve fallen for you and want to stay by your side”?

Hiding her bittersweet emotions, she forced a bright smile.

“Because I really like the wedding ring you gave me.”

Even after discovering it was a tracking ring, she never took it off and always wore it.

Eched’s expression turned peculiar as he looked at the ring quietly resting on her left ring finger. She waved the ring in front of his eyes as if to show it off.

“So, how about trusting me now?”

She urged him to place his trust in her.

“I apologize for acting rashly out of impatience. I’m sorry.”

It was a sincere apology, very much in Eched’s style.

She responded with a smile.

***

On a night when the bright moon rose high.

The palace corridors, empty after everyone had left, exuded an eerie atmosphere.

A knight carrying a lantern illuminated the dark hallway. The soldier, feeling unusually uneasy, shivered.

“Why is he taking so long?”

Patrols were always conducted in pairs, but his partner had suddenly left, claiming he urgently needed to use the bathroom, leaving him to patrol alone.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

“Huh?”

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

The soldier froze. This time, it wasn’t his imagination.

He distinctly heard footsteps overlapping with his own, and this time, they took one step further than him.

The soldier tried to remain calm, swallowing hard as he cautiously took another step.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Two more steps this time. And then…

[Where are you going?]

***

“Where are you going?” 

Pell asked, tilting his head slightly as if mimicking the ghost in question.

It was the hottest topic in the imperial palace lately. Everyone swore it was one hundred percent true.

Watching Pell fuss about whether it was scary or not, Shaterian chuckled lightly.

“Pell, you’re surprisingly a scaredy-cat.”

“There’ve been so many witnesses! Don’t you think it’s real?”

“Isn’t it just one of those common ghost stories you hear everywhere?”

“No, it’s not! Recently, all the soldiers on night patrol claimed to have seen the ghost and resigned.”

“Really?” 

That was unexpected. Shaterian had thought it was just a baseless rumor, but to think there were actual resignations.

“Maybe they just got spooked and imagined things?”

“That could be it, but they all fell ill after experiencing it.”

“Is that so? That does sound strange.”

Still, it had nothing to do with Shaterian.

Pell suddenly shivered and began rubbing his arms as if he felt a chill.

“…Chief, isn’t it suddenly cold?”

“Ghosts are said to appear when you talk about them.”

“…”

The hand rubbing Pell’s arm froze in mid-motion.

His face turned pale, clearly terrified.

“You’re lying…”

“Ghosts were probably people when they were alive. Don’t you think they’d want to hear people talk about them?”

Though Shaterian’s mind was full of mischievous intent, outwardly, the tone remained calm.

At that moment—

Knock, knock.

“Ahhh!”

The sudden sound of knocking made Pell scream and rush over to Shaterian’s side.

‘It’s times like this I regret not having a camera.’

This was a moment worth recording and teasing Pell about for the rest of his life. Shaterian clicked their tongue in regret.

“Come in.”

At Shaterian’s words, the door opened, and a man in a soldier’s uniform entered.

“The Commander of the 2nd Soldier Division has an appointment scheduled with you today, Chief.”

Pell quickly erased the frightened look from his face and returned to a professional demeanor as he explained to Shaterian.

Pell then escorted the 2nd Soldier Division Commander to the adjacent counseling room, while Shaterian organized the documents on the desk.

It was Masetike’s day off, so there was plenty of work to do, and the desk was piled high with papers.

Soon after, Shaterian entered the counseling room and saw a man pacing nervously instead of sitting down.

“Chief!”

The Commander called out, his face filled with anxiety.

Startled by the large figure approaching quickly, Shaterian instinctively stepped back.

“Commander, you’re too intimidating. Don’t come any closer.”

Frowning, Shaterian warned him. It was a close call; Shaterian almost drew the sword carried for self-defense.

“S-sorry.”

The man quickly apologized and, at Shaterian’s gesture, sat down. Only then did Shaterian relax and take a seat on the sofa.

Even so, the Commander’s hands continued to tremble, his unease evident. He seemed utterly terrified.

“So, what brings you here for counseling?”

“Chief, have you heard about the ghost that’s been appearing in the imperial palace recently?”