Chapter 77

“I’ll never understand why anyone would risk their life for a handful of measly coins. You’d think watching their comrades die would make them realize it’s a lost cause.”

When Odelliana first heard about the incident from Malena—specifically that all three victims had been mercenaries—she had a vague suspicion Matthias might be involved. After all, a single clean strike to the neck had always been his signature. And even before they arrived in Eisenwald, mercenaries hired by the duke had already made an attempt on their lives.

Still, without proof, all she could do was hope she was wrong. But ominous feelings had a way of proving right.

“How many have you dealt with so far?” she asked.

“I couldn’t say. I’ve stopped keeping count.”

In the past, no matter how busy he was, there had always been time for her to see his face. But somewhere along the way, even that small window had vanished. Was this why?

“Hold on to my waist. I’ll try to keep movement to a minimum—but if you stray too far, I won’t be able to protect you. Stay close.”

With a quiet chuckle, he swung his sword at the oncoming enemy. The blade arced smoothly through the air, and as it reached the end of its curve, a burst of crimson exploded like a sudden downpour. A towering mercenary collapsed with a thud.

Another attacker came from behind, raising a massive axe.

Clang! Matthias’s slender blade met the weapon with ease. He moved with a dancer’s grace, spun on his heel, and caught the man by the neck, twisting with ruthless force. A sharp crack rang out. The man dropped like a stone.

Thud. Thud. The sound repeated as two more bodies hit the ground. With each motion, blood sprayed. Odelliana flinched at the wet slap of it hitting flesh, the air thick with the metallic tang of it.

He hadn’t been exaggerating—his movements were minimal, efficient. Every strike landed with surgical precision, killing in a single blow. Even surrounded, he was untouched, the four corpses at his feet a grim testament to the chasm in skill.

One man tried to flee.

In a flash, Matthias surged forward, still shielding Odelliana. His blade pierced the man’s chest, burying itself in his heart. The mercenary let out a ragged, dying scream and crumpled to the ground.

Wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand, Matthias planted a boot on the dying man’s chest and spoke, his voice calm and even.

“It started when we captured a group trying to infiltrate the castle,” he said. “After looking into it, I found several mercenaries hiding in the city. They were acting under the duke’s orders.”

Odelliana said nothing. The silence stretched between them, heavy and tense.

“This was a necessary killing,” Matthias continued. “There is no reason to let those who target my lord, my teacher, walk free. As I said when we first met, I do not like leaving loose ends.”

“So that is why you did not tell me?” she asked, her voice quiet but sharp.

“It was something I could manage alone. And now that you have finally found a moment of peace, I did not want to trouble you with it.”

Odelliana’s breath hitched. Her voice rose with disbelief. “So you handled everything by yourself? Silently, without telling anyone? Even while managing everything else, you pushed yourself to the edge for this?”

Frustration surged through her. She understood why he had done it. But understanding did not make it right. He should have told her. At the very least, she should not have stayed blissfully unaware while he bled himself dry in the background.

“A knight protecting their lord is both a duty and a job,” Matthias said. “I simply did what I was meant to do.”

“You should have reported it to me,” she said, anger flickering behind her eyes. “I should not have found out like this. Even if I am not much of a master to you, as your sworn lord, you owed me that. This was not something for you to bear alone.”

“That is not it. I just…”

His voice faltered. He looked at her face, pale and stricken, her eyes shimmering with the threat of tears. Something in him broke. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

“I am sorry, Master. I was not thinking clearly.”

Odelliana stared at him in silence. Her lips were pressed tightly together, her expression torn. Finally, she let out a long breath.

“I know you meant well,” she said. “But do not make these choices alone from now on. Talk to me. Let me carry it with you.”

“Yes,” Matthias said softly. “I will.”

With a solemn nod, he reached up and gently wiped the blood from her hair.

“I tried to keep it from splattering on you,” he said with a faint grimace.

His expression turned darker. Then, stepping off the body beneath him, he crushed the skull beneath his heel and lifted Odelliana into his arms.

“Put me down,” she said at once.

“I cannot,” he replied.

“Why not?”

“The floor is filthy.”

Still holding her, Matthias turned and began to walk. With her face pressed to his chest, she could not see where they were going. All she knew was that it took a long time to get there. When they finally stopped, he set her down with care.

Odelliana let out a long breath, surprised at how clean Matthias looked, considering he had just taken down five men. Aside from his face and shoes, there were only a few bloodstains on him—just enough that he could probably blend into a crowd. But anyone with a sharp eye would notice, and those with a keen nose would catch the scent of blood in an instant.

Without a word, she slipped off her robe, turned it inside out, and draped it over his shoulders. Fortunately, the fabric was black, so the blood didn’t show too much.

“You need to wash up and change clothes,” she said, adjusting the robe around him. “We should rent a room at an inn for now. Keep your head down as much as you can.”

Matthias gave a quiet nod, letting her take the lead.

Odelliana guided him toward the marketplace, weaving through the midday crowd. She stopped at a vendor’s stall and quickly bought him a set of plain clothes. Then, spotting a modest inn tucked between two shops, she walked straight in. Luckily, there were plenty of vacant rooms, and the innkeeper handed over a key without asking too many questions—though he did offer a useless grin and a comment.

“Always nice to see young folks full of energy in broad daylight,” he said with a chuckle.

Odelliana didn’t bother replying.

Once they were inside the room, Matthias pulled back the hood of her robe and let it fall from his face.

“Go wash up,” she told him.

He gave her a slight bow and disappeared into the bathroom.

Odelliana sat down on the edge of the bed and slowly leaned back. Though she had barely moved, her limbs felt heavy. Matthias had done all the hard work, and yet she was the one who felt like collapsing.

I was too complacent.

She hadn’t exactly expected the duke to sit still forever. Still, she had let herself grow careless, intoxicated by a fleeting taste of peace. During her visits to orphanages, she had always had an escort. She had mostly stayed inside the castle, where the risk of ambush was low. And things had been so hectic lately that she had all but forgotten the duke’s threat. As if someone who had lost the Heart’s Vessel would just quietly accept defeat.

That had been a mistake.

Matthias was scheduled to leave next week to help subjugate the golden beast. In the fall, there was a strong chance he would be sent on the large-scale barbarian campaign. If the duke’s agents returned while Matthias was gone, the danger would be real—and likely fatal.

I can’t keep relying on Matthias. Or Malena. Or Blair.

She would need to move up her horseback and sword training. The mercenaries crawling into Eisenwald had to be dealt with—soon. As she considered how best to eliminate them, the bathroom door creaked open, and Matthias stepped out, his hair still damp and water clinging to his collar.

Odelliana sat up straighter on the bed and looked over at him.

“Feel better?” she asked.

Matthias gave a small nod. “Yes.”

“Come here,” she said, beckoning him. “You should’ve dried your hair properly before coming out.”

As he stepped closer, she picked up a clean towel and began gently rubbing his hair. Matthias sat obediently in front of her, his eyes closing in quiet contentment.

“I brought you out hoping to make happy memories,” she said, her voice soft. “But all you’ve done is suffer because of me. I’m sorry.”

Matthias smiled. “Your disciple is simply happy to be with you like this, Master. Aren’t you as well?”

“…I am,” she admitted. “I just wanted to leave you with something more meaningful.”

They had come here to relax, to enjoy themselves. Instead, they ended up bloodstained and holed up in a cramped inn room after an ambush. The absurdity of it made her sigh aloud.

Unlike Odelliana, however, Matthias looked completely at ease.

“Even this is a new and enjoyable experience for me,” he said.

She gave him a look. “What part of this is enjoyable?”

“Spending time together,” he replied simply. “In a small, quiet room like this.”

Her hands froze as she dried his hair. Slowly, he lifted his head. Their eyes met—his glinting beneath damp strands, hers tinged with uncertainty.

Without a word, Matthias reached up and took her hand, gently weaving his fingers between hers.

“This reminds me of when we first met,” he said.

“How could I forget?” she replied quietly.

That moment was burned into her memory.

“I still can’t believe you gave me a fresh blanket just because I was a guest,” she said with a half-laugh. “I was too flustered to question it at the time, but now that I think about it, it was strange. Why was there even a new blanket there?”

That tiny, broken-down hut had been filled with what could only be described as junk. And yet, among the clutter, one pristine white blanket had stood out like something sacred.

“I had prepared it in advance,” Matthias said.

“For what?”

“In case a special guest ever came.”

She let out a laugh, baffled. “What kind of special guest would show up in a slum filled with orphans?”

“It turned out to be worth it, didn’t it?” he said, smiling. “The important guest ended up using it after all.”

Before she could respond, Matthias leaned forward and pulled her into his arms, gently guiding her down until her back met the mattress. His chest hovered inches above her face.

“…What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

“We slept side by side that time too, didn’t we?” he said.

“It’s not time to sleep now.”

“But I’m tired.”

He nuzzled closer, curling into her arms like a child seeking comfort. For someone of his size and strength, the gesture was almost ridiculous—but oddly endearing. She didn’t push him away. The warmth of him, the familiar weight pressing gently against her, felt strange but soothing.

“Just let me stay like this for a little while,” he murmured.

“You’re not a child,” she said, though there was no heat in her tone.

“And yet you treat me like one.”

He always had a clever retort ready, and it frustrated her endlessly—yet she could never bring herself to scold him for it.

I spoiled him too much, she thought. What can I do now?

She had raised him in her arms. It was only natural to bear the consequences. Letting out a quiet sigh, Odelliana pulled him closer and ran her fingers slowly through his damp hair. The scent of him had changed; he no longer smelled of blood and steel but of warmth and clean linen.

“…We won’t see each other for a while, will we?” she asked.

Matthias said nothing. His slightly sulky expression was answer enough.

“Travel safely. Don’t get hurt. Eat properly.”

“The subjugation won’t take long,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“I’ll return as quickly as I can. Until then, please stay safe.”

“Even now, you’re worried about me?” she said with a soft smile. “Don’t be. I’ll be just fine.”

He didn’t answer with words. Instead, he tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer. She felt the faint tremor in his body, the way he held her as if afraid she might slip away.

Odelliana stroked his back and buried her face against his chest, closing her eyes.

It had been so long since she’d had even this fleeting moment of peace. Maybe that was why parting with him now felt harder than ever.