Chapter 68

“You came to me, my lady, asking for a ‘special sword,’” Fergus said, his voice filled with quiet pride. “This is the one I poured my heart into for a whole month—ever since the day I arrived here.”

Odelliana blinked, caught off guard. She had come partly to check on his wellbeing, and partly to place a commission for Matthias. But to hear that the sword was not only already made—but that it had been crafted with her in mind from the beginning?

“…Heavens,” she murmured, stepping closer. “It’s a truly magnificent blade.”

Marlena, peering over her shoulder, let out a low whistle. “No kidding,” she said, her voice hushed with genuine admiration.

The blade was forged from a black metal with a subtle red shimmer that glinted along its edge. A golden ornament crowned the pommel, intricate yet restrained. And though it rested silently in the box, the sword gave off a presence—an energy that felt untouchable. Even without drawing it, one could sense the power layered into its construction.

It was more than craftsmanship. It was artistry.

“This sword is incredibly special to me,” Fergus continued, his tone softening. “It’s made from a rare material—something only I possess in this world. And it’s the first weapon I’ve completed entirely on my own, start to finish. I poured my soul into it. I’d be honored, truly, if you would accept it, my lady.”

Odelliana’s gaze didn’t leave the blade. Meteoric iron, she thought. That must be the rare material he meant.

“I crafted it with the intention of giving it to someone precious,” Fergus said. “This sword… it cannot be wielded lightly. It’s forged from an otherworldly substance, not native to this realm. It carries a unique aura—ominous, even. If an unprepared novice tries to tame it, they could be swallowed whole by its power.”

“It certainly does look that way,” Odelliana replied, her eyes narrowing as she studied the faint, almost living gleam along the blade’s edge.

“Does it please you?” Fergus asked, suddenly unsure, the pride in his voice faltering for just a moment.

She looked up at him and gave a slow nod. “It’s more than I expected.”

There was no doubt about it—this sword was far superior, far more refined, than the meteoric iron weapon she remembered from her past life. Hard as it was to believe, this nearly flawless blade was someone’s first completed work.

“I like it,” Odelliana said quietly, her gaze lingering on the blade. “It reminds me of that child.”

The sword’s elegant form and ominous aura seemed to mirror Matthias perfectly—beautiful, dangerous, and full of barely contained power.

“Thank you,” she added, sincerity coloring her voice. “Thanks to you, I’ll be able to give him a meaningful gift.”

Fergus gave a modest nod, still watching her expression with hopeful eyes. “I only hope the recipient finds it to their liking.”

“I’m sure he will,” she replied with a small smile. “Even someone like me, who knows little about weapons, can tell how remarkable this one is.”

“If he’s a knight chosen by you, my lady…” Fergus paused, his voice lowering with conviction, “I have no doubt he’ll become a famed warrior. And with this sword in hand, I’m sure he’ll protect you.”

Odelliana didn’t respond right away. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Instead, she looked back at the blade, a glimmer of emotion flickering in her eyes.

“I only hope,” Fergus added gently, “that the sword I made will be used for its rightful purpose.”

“You’ve given me something extraordinary,” she said at last, her voice steady. “Thank you for such a fine weapon.”

Fergus looked as though he wanted to bow, but stopped himself, his expression softening. “It pales in comparison to the gift you’ve given me. Only now… only now do I truly understand what happiness feels like.”

He took a breath, then met her eyes with unshakable resolve.

“You gave me a new life. And if you ever wish it, I’ll forge the finest weapons for you—a thousand times over. So please, if ever you need my skill… come find me.”

“I will,” Odelliana said with quiet certainty.

She turned to Marlena. “Take the sword.”

Without hesitation, Marlena stepped forward and lifted the wooden box—one that had required Fergus and three apprentices to carry earlier—with ease. The men stared in stunned silence, jaws slightly ajar.

Fergus blinked. His apprentices exchanged wide-eyed glances behind him, clearly trying to make sense of how a woman could lift something so heavy with such little effort.

“Sorry to take up your time when you’re so busy,” Odelliana said, brushing off the moment with a nod. “I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. I’ll be on my way now.”

“Thank you for coming all this way, my lady!” Fergus said, his voice brightening. “Please return safely!”

She paused at the threshold, then turned back to him.

“Would it be all right if I visited more often?”

Fergus’s face lit up, flushing with joy. “The forge doors will always be open to you, my lady.”

“I’ll be counting on you,” she said with a final nod.

As they stepped out of the forge, Malena held her back.

“Wait a moment.”

Odelliana paused. “What is it?”

“You’re not seriously planning to walk back, are you? I had a carriage waiting nearby—come on.”

“…When did you arrange that?”

“Before we came in. I asked the coachman to wait close by. You weren’t going to make me lug this all the way back on foot, were you?”

Malena let out a theatrical groan and pretended to struggle under the weight, despite looking perfectly fine. Odelliana burst out laughing and decided to humor her.

Once inside the waiting carriage, Malena set the wooden box down with a dramatic sigh. She didn’t look winded at all, but the box clearly had some heft to it.

“When are you planning to give it to him?” she asked.

“On the day of Matthias’s knighting ceremony,” Odelliana replied. “So until then, keep it hidden. Don’t let him find it.”

“Got it. I’ll guard it with my life.”

“I just hope he likes it. What if… he doesn’t?”

Malena gave a disbelieving laugh. “You’re kidding, right? That man would probably cherish a rock if you handed it to him. And this is a sword, made just for him. He’ll be over the moon.”

She paused, then added with a shake of her head, “You really are dense sometimes.”

“Huh?”

Malena smiled to herself. For all her wit and cunning, her mistress could be utterly clueless—especially when it came to Matthias. Somehow, she never seemed to notice.

***

The maids bustled in, their arms piled high with dresses, cosmetics, and various accessories. Without missing a beat, they began preparing the room—and Odelliana—for the day ahead.

Malena, well aware of her own lack of talent in such matters, wisely stepped aside to watch from a safe distance. These were newly hired girls, personally selected by Odelliana from among the nimble-fingered youths she’d met while volunteering at the poorhouse.

Though they lacked the polish of the seasoned castle maids, what they offered was just as valuable: a sharp sense of fashion and a fresh eye for detail. On days like this, when presentation was paramount, that skill was indispensable.

One of the girls looked up from a tray of jewelry and asked brightly, “How would you like to be styled today, my lady? Any particular look in mind?”

Odelliana smiled softly and shook her head. “Just make me look nice,” she said. “I’ll leave it to you.”

She had never been confident in matters of grooming. Whether as queen or commoner, dressing herself had always been a challenge. Matching colors, flattering cuts, seasonal trends—it was all a mystery to her. She might have been well-versed in military strategy and the inner workings of court politics, but fashion? That was a battlefield she’d never learned to navigate.

As the girls moved efficiently around her, she murmured almost to herself, “I know… indifference like mine is the worst trait a noblewoman can have. But no matter how much effort I put in, it never seems to help.”

Her voice was quiet, reflective. “All throughout my court education, I was taught that beauty is a woman’s greatest weapon. That it’s the only way to win a king’s heart. But beauty isn’t something that can be learned. If you weren’t born with it, no amount of studying will make up the difference.”

A wistful smile touched her lips. “I’ve never had much talent for this sort of thing, so I figured I’d trust those who do.”

“Don’t worry, my lady!” one of the maids chimed in, adjusting the bodice of a gown. “You’re attending a knighting ceremony, right?”

“Yes,” Odelliana replied with a nod.

“Then we’ll make sure you shine!”

The girls got to work, chatting excitedly as they brushed, pinned, and powdered. As they bustled around her, Odelliana studied her reflection in the mirror. After a moment, she spoke again, this time more hesitantly.

“I’m going because… the boy I used to care for is being knighted.”

There was a sudden squeal of delight behind her.

“Oh, we know!” one of the girls giggled. “That handsome gentleman who came with you, right? Everyone’s been talking about him. He’s your fiancé, isn’t he?”

Odelliana stiffened and blinked at their reflections.

“What?”

The maids giggled, their cheeks flushed with excitement, clearly expecting some sort of fairy-tale confirmation. Odelliana could only stare at them in disbelief before letting out a stunned, breathless laugh.

“That’s… a misunderstanding.”

“But Malena said you two were so in love, you couldn’t live without each other!”

Odelliana turned sharply toward the mirror and shot a glare in Malena’s direction. The latter immediately stepped back, raising her hands in innocent surrender. What had she been telling them?

Suppressing a sigh, Odelliana said firmly, “It’s absolutely not like that.”

“But it has to be!” another maid insisted. “We even made a bet about it!”

Odelliana blinked. “A bet?”

“Yes! I bet that Sir Matthias would offer you the Vow of Chivalry!”

She froze.

The room went oddly quiet as her mind replayed the things Matthias had done for her—devoted, excessive, unrelenting. A chill crept down her spine.

He wouldn’t. Would he?

He might.

The possibility hit her like a bucket of cold water. Covering her face in horror, Odelliana broke into a cold sweat as a vivid image flashed in her mind: Matthias, kneeling before her, hand over his heart, swearing lifelong loyalty and eternal devotion.

She went pale as a ghost.