SOTBW - 106

“However, Sir, you seem to be of a high status, and someone like me, a commoner, could never...”

Amelia muttered with a troubled expression, but Ashu just smiled. It seemed unlikely that she would reveal her name. What could be the reason for hiding her name? Amelia looked at the woman with a suspicious gaze for a moment, then lowered her eyes.

“Do you think I am unfit to wield a sword, Sir Ashu?”

“It’s a good thing to learn martial arts to protect oneself. If you want to wield a sword, you should do so. I also look forward to your progress. Of course, if you truly want to become a swordswoman, that is.”

Her tone was kind, but there was a sharpness hidden in Ashu’s words. Amelia stared at her for a moment with an unpleasant expression. Even though she was aware that Ashu was of much higher status than herself, she couldn’t hide her true feelings. It was quite uncomfortable for someone she had never met before to speak as though they knew her well.

However, as always, Amelia said nothing and kept her mouth shut. Did she want to become a swordswoman? She didn’t know. Amelia didn’t even know what she truly wanted.

When she thought about it, even before meeting Najane, she had always carried dissatisfaction and unease in her life. Amelia didn’t know. She never imagined she would become the adult she was today. She had always thought that when she grew up, she would naturally have at least one thing she was good at.

She had once dreamed of escaping from the shabby house that leaked in the summer and had cold drafts in the winter, to become someone wonderful. She imagined traveling from city to city, port to inland, changing carriages, carrying a bag full of her favorite clothes and novels…

When had she realized that such a dream was impossible? When she came to understand reality, it felt as though she were standing alone in a barren wilderness where planting trees was futile. No matter how fast she ran, nothing would grow. The wilderness, where not even a blade of grass would sprout, was all there was for Amelia. A life in which she could only escape by stealing from others, and when asked what she wanted to become within herself, there would be no answer.

“I...”

Amelia spoke calmly, feeling she had to respond to Ashu’s words.

“Anyway, I don’t have anything I’m particularly good at.”

Amelia smiled faintly.

“Cooking, cleaning, laundry, and sewing are things anyone can do. In fact, some people are exceptionally good at them. Did you know? There’s a maid in Romsoa who can finish an embroidery of a landscape in two hours. So, many wives in Noctis commission expensive embroidery from her. Another maid has the skill to restore fabrics that have been stained with wine or ruined by improper washing to their original state. But I don’t have such skills. I do everything just decently. I can only do enough so that others don’t find me lacking.”

It was a little embarrassing to talk like this to a stranger, but Ashu had a somewhat familiar feeling, which allowed Amelia to vent her scattered thoughts. Ironically, she could never say this to Najane. If Najane knew, he would be saddened. Amelia no longer wanted to be a burden to him. After pressing her palm to her eyelids for a moment, Amelia purposely smiled brightly and looked at Ashu.

“But if I were really good at cooking, I wouldn’t have these thoughts, would I? I probably wouldn’t be satisfied. I would’ve thought, ‘What’s the big deal with being good at cooking?’ I would’ve thought that way for sure. The things I’ve learned to survive don’t make me happy. They just help me endure. Just like no one can replace Najane, I wanted to become someone like that. Someone who is the only one capable of doing something….”

Amelia trailed off awkwardly and smiled.

“Sorry, Sir Ashu. I’ve been too sentimental, haven’t I? I apologize. Things have been tough lately, and my mind is all tangled up, so I ended up rambling on about personal matters without realizing it….”

“Amelia.”

Ashu reached out and gently stroked Amelia’s head, then pushed the stray hairs tangled by the wind behind her ear. Looking down at Amelia from the windowsill, Ashu’s eyes were filled with concern. It wasn’t fake sympathy or pity; it was an expression of genuine concern for Amelia’s well-being.

“I don’t know if this will comfort you, but... let me tell you an old story.”

“An old story?”

“Long ago, in a certain village, there was a boy. In the village where the boy was born, the only way to make a living was by running well. Everyone ran at full speed, striving to run faster. The boy was no exception. But the boy had a small problem. His legs were too slow. The boy ran slower than other children, and because of that, he was ridiculed and ostracized. All because he couldn’t run fast enough. As the boy grew up, he was abandoned by his family and resented the world. He cursed the god who had given him such slow legs and wandered aimlessly through the vast world. Eventually, unable to continue his miserable life, he jumped into a lake. In the moment he fell into the water, the boy realized something. His legs, which had been unbearably slow and heavy on land, were as free and light as the wind in the water. The boy realized his talent, and he began teaching many people how to swim. But the people living on land didn’t feel the need to learn to swim. Sadly, the boy was once again ignored. But the boy didn’t give up, and he continued to refine his swimming techniques, believing that someday his talent would help others.”

After finishing the story, Ashu smiled faintly.

At that moment, the loud voice of the head chef echoed from the hill where the restaurant was located.

“Amelia, you brat! Where the hell are you, and what are you doing! Amelia!”

Startled, Amelia glanced beyond the knight’s quarters. She had overslept, and in her deep conversation with Ashu, she had completely forgotten about her duties in the restaurant. Amelia’s face quickly grew pale. The head cook was somewhat of a brute and often preferred solving things with his fists rather than words, unlike Didina. Amelia squeezed her eyes shut, imagining the worst case scenario.

Ashu, sensing her worry, lightly patted Amelia’s shoulder as if to reassure her.

“Tell them you were delayed because you were running an errand for Archbishop Gwyneth. If they ask what kind of errand, just say you went to pick up a new rosary bracelet from the cathedral. Mentioning the archbishop should keep the head cook from doing anything to you.”

“Do you really think that will work?”

“It will. Don’t worry, just go. You must be busy, and I feel bad for keeping you here for so long.”

Amelia looked a bit dejected. Ashu, still trying to comfort her, gently pushed her toward the door but then seemed to remember something and grabbed her shoulder.

“Oh, and if you want to continue your sword training, you should ask Belshua for help. If you mention your gambling debt, he’ll help you without a second thought.”

Belshua had a gambling debt? Amelia was shocked to learn that Belshua, who symbolized integrity in the Romsoa Order, enjoyed gambling. However, as the voices of the servants calling for her grew louder, she hastily bid Ashu farewell and rushed off. Ashu, after Amelia climbed the hill and disappeared from sight, sat lost in thought for a while.

A boy born into a prestigious family, who lacked magical talent, spent his most beautiful youth in a drunken stupor, deepening his self-hatred to the point of attempting suicide. He jumped into a lake full of magical beasts to end his life. But at that moment, he saw a child being dragged into the lake by the magical beasts. Without hesitation, the boy ran to save the child.

Fortunately, the child survived, but the boy became the magical beasts’ prey and sank to the bottom of the lake.

What happened to the boy who saved the child?

What did the boy, who sacrificed himself to save the child, realize at the brink of death?

“This life is lucky—I’m not a drunkard this time. Your hangover is as bad as Mardis’s sleeping habits...”

Ashu, looking off into the distance, chuckled and closed the window. The moment the window was shut completely, Ashu vanished without a trace, as if no one had ever been there. All that remained was the sword wrapped in cloth, resting on the desk. Most people wouldn’t even notice the sword, but to those who did, it gleamed in the winter sunlight, and the ancient magical stone embedded in the hilt shone transparently. The magical power within it flowed as if alive but gradually stopped moving. When the light faded, the narrow room returned to its silence. But although invisible, the sword’s owner was always there, within the very sword, made by loved ones.

________________________________________

As usual, Najane left her residence around lunchtime. She tried to greet the soldiers guarding the area, but for some reason, they seemed to be avoiding her gaze. Thinking it was just her imagination, Najane continued on her way but noticed that Joshua, who was always near the main gate, was nowhere to be seen.

Joshua, who was quite afraid of Maximón, always made sure to stick to his post. Could something have happened? Perhaps it was related to the commotion she had heard outside the residence in the morning.

Determined to find out, Najane hurried her steps toward the soldiers. But as she moved away from the main gate, she felt a lingering gaze on her back. Sensing something off, Najane turned around suddenly. The soldiers, who had been watching her, quickly averted their eyes.

There was definitely something going on.

Najane paused and looked at the soldiers one by one, observing them, before turning back toward the main gate. The soldiers, sensing her scrutiny, awkwardly cleared their throats and lowered their gaze. She walked along the wall and approached a soldier standing alone. The soldier, standing stiff as a board, saluted her sharply.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Najane asked calmly. The soldier was about to shake his head, but quickly corrected his posture and replied.

“No... nothing.”

“Then why were you staring at me?”

“…I don’t know, ma’am.”

“I don’t want to report this to the commander, but if you keep being uncooperative, I’ll have no choice.”

When Najane mentioned Maximón, the soldier’s face turned pale. He trembled as if he had faced a great fear, recalling the terrible things he had endured during training. Najane sighed at the thought of Maximón Elgort’s notorious reputation. How does one live in such a way that just their name alone makes ordinary people tremble in fear?

“Anyway, I don’t want to make a fuss about this. What I want to know is why you avoided greeting me and why you were staring at me like that.”