SOTBW - 51

“…What? What did you just say?”

“If you won’t choose, I’ll decide for you. You’ll need your hands and feet if you plan to continue as a knight commander, so I suppose your ears will suffice.”

“W-wait, what are you trying to—?”

Without further explanation, Maximón forcefully pulled Nathan to his feet. Nathan struggled to shake off Maximón’s grip, but his neck was seized, and he was dragged up against his will.

Maximón’s large hand mercilessly clamped around Nathan’s throat. The crushing strength against his fragile muscles made Nathan scream. It felt as if his neck bones would snap.

Hearing Nathan’s cries, the sound of soldiers rushing outside became audible. Maximón slammed Nathan against the wall and drew a dagger. As the cold blade touched the side of Nathan’s ear, he felt his heart sink.

Face contorted, Nathan yelled at Maximón while still pinned in his grasp.

“You’re insane! You’ve lost your mind, Maximón Elgort! Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

“For the last time—who ordered the assassination?”

Maximón’s voice was calm and reverent, like someone reciting a prayer before a meal. He resembled a zealot who would do anything for Najane Schnicks. Cold sweat ran down Nathan’s back.

If he revealed that person’s name, he might save his life for the moment, but the problem was what would come afterward. If he betrayed that person, he would never escape Noctis.

Nathan didn’t even know why that person wanted Najane dead. He hadn’t asked, sensing he wouldn’t get an answer, and so he simply chose not to wonder. His face twisted in pain before he suddenly let out a faint laugh.

If he could only escape Noctis Fortress, he’d do anything. This place was hell—a sandcastle destined to collapse. He didn’t want to spend another day here.

Losing his ears? That was nothing. Mercenaries fight over money even when missing an arm; being earless was hardly a big deal. Determined to claim a peaceful future, Nathan resolved to keep that person’s name to himself.

“You think the whole world is beneath your feet, don’t you? Foolish. If it weren’t for Serith, you would’ve been dragged to the gallows long ago.”

Though trembling in Maximón’s grasp, Nathan clicked his tongue as if he were unfazed.

“Mark my words—soon enough, the things you’ve done will come back to haunt you. Do you think Marquis Elgort and Dame Elderketh will cover for your ruthless behavior forever? You’re nothing but a bastard orphan—how dare you—”

Before Nathan could finish, Maximón, without hesitation, sliced off his right ear with the dagger. Nathan screamed, the sound echoing like a hunted animal. But Maximón didn’t stop—he severed the left ear as well.

The excruciating pain was unlike anything Nathan had ever experienced. Frothing at the mouth, he bit down on his lower lip with all his might to avoid passing out. Blood quickly soaked his clothes. As Maximón stepped back, Nathan’s limp body collapsed to the floor.

At that moment, the door to the commander’s office swung open with a loud bang. The knights of Colnux, seeing the scene before them, turned pale. Yet, unbothered by their stares, Maximón uncorked an unbroken bottle of holy water and poured it over Nathan’s face. The wounds soaked in holy water began to bleed less, the flow gradually stopping.

Maximón tossed the empty bottle into a corner, then calmly picked up the two severed ears from the floor. Casting a glance toward the doorway, he addressed the Colnux knights.

“Move aside.”

Though they saw Nathan lying on the bloodstained floor, the knights yielded to Maximón’s command and stepped aside. Maximón’s eyes glinted like those of a butcher, his aura overwhelming them into retreat.

These knights, veterans who had sworn to defend Noctis Fortress and who genuinely respected Nathan, lacked the courage to confront Maximón directly.

Maximón discarded his bloodied dagger in the hallway as he strode out of the Colnux Knight Order’s quarters. Someone muttered a curse behind him, but he paid no mind. His thoughts were solely focused on Najane.

He was certain that Nathan had been ordered to commit the assassination. While Nathan wasn’t a particularly prominent knight commander, he’d received a decent education at a ducal household and wasn’t foolish enough to carry out such a reckless plan on his own.

The real question was—who had incited Nathan?

The means of persuasion were obvious. It must have been the promise of transferring him from Noctis Fortress to a better position on behalf of the Armunzen Duchy.

Unfortunately, there were plenty in this fortress who would fall for such a temptation. While the noble-born knights acted as if they were fighting out of duty to protect their families’ honor and the kingdom, the truth was different. Most had been cast aside by their families, sent to Noctis as an unwanted burden after losing their place in the line of succession.

Noctis was nothing short of a graveyard for nobility’s unneeded offspring. Nathan wasn’t the only one—other knight commanders faced the same fate. Afraid of falling out of favor with the king, the nobles had sent their expendable children to this desolate place to maintain their power and land.

Edwin wasn’t much different.

In fact, he looked relieved when Maximón announced he would go to Noctis Fortress on his own. Maximón had come here to see Edwin’s pleased expression, so he didn’t resent the situation. However, the other knights were likely desperate to escape Noctis as soon as possible.

Maximón’s eyes gradually narrowed. Who could it be?

Someone in a high enough position to offer the Knight Commander a safe haven, yet anxious enough to want Najane eliminated immediately…

Then, Najane, who had desperately tried to conceal her presence, came to mind.

“I should be asking you. Why are you so eager to hide your skills? Are you afraid to fight Serith?”

So that was it.

That was the answer.

You hid your true self because you knew something like this would happen.

Maximón clenched his teeth, regret evident on his face.

In the end, all of this had essentially been caused by his greed.

________________________________________

Didina meticulously checked the living room to ensure the maids had cleaned thoroughly. Pauline, who had collapsed in a corner of the room, had been dragged off by the soldiers, and all the blood she had spilled was wiped clean. No one would know what had happened here.

Some soldiers claimed Najane had been caught trying to escape, while others said someone had attempted to abduct her.

Maximón had escorted Najane back to the manor before disappearing somewhere. Yet, the atmosphere wasn’t as icy as it had been before. If anything, it seemed as though Maximón was paying attention to Najane’s reactions.

Carrying a soft towel and a robe, Didina knocked on the bathroom door.

“You may come in,” Najane said.

Receiving her permission, Didina opened the door. The bathroom, filled with steam, was hazy and warm, with a soft white glow from the sunlight streaming in. Najane was curled up in a wooden bath, her body submerged. Didina poured in more hot water, scattering dried flower petals into the tub.

Najane kept her chest thoroughly covered with her knees and hair. She was trying to hide the curse marks on her body, but Didina assumed it was because she was shy. Quickly, Didina positioned herself behind Najane and began scrubbing her back with a soaked towel. Najane flinched at the contact.

Cautiously, Didina asked, “May I ask what happened?”

Najane hugged her knees tighter and shook her head slightly.

“It was nothing. Just… a small commotion, that’s all.”

“I see.”

Realizing that Najane didn’t want to elaborate, Didina refrained from probing further.

Didina applied rose oil to Najane’s pale back. Typically, such luxuries were reserved for the wife of the Knight Commander, but Didina thought Najane deserved it.

If Maximón had truly wanted to punish Najane for declaring her intention to leave Romsoa, he wouldn’t have brought her to the manor. He would have locked her in the underground torture chamber instead. He wouldn’t care about what she ate or said every day.

As Didina massaged Najane’s tense shoulders, she noticed how unusually clean her body was. Her neck was white and smooth, her face free of acne or freckles. Unlike the other maids, Najane’s palms were calloused, yet her fingers were oddly devoid of wrinkles.

Women born into noble families didn’t work, so their knuckles didn’t grow rough, nor did they develop fine wrinkles on their hands.

Didina glanced at Najane’s hand, which was clutching one shoulder, before lowering her gaze. From the moment Najane had come to the Knight Order, saying she wanted to work as a maid, something had felt off.

Her impeccable table manners, her elegant and polite speech…

Her behavior reminded Didina of noblewomen she had served in the past. Though Didina had suspected Najane’s origins, she dismissed it, as Najane had willingly worked as a maid and carried out her duties flawlessly.

Looking back, the very idea of a maid wielding a sword was absurd. What if Didina had acted on her suspicions and driven Najane out of the Knight Order? What if Maximón and Najane had never met?

Didina was certain that Najane’s life would only grow more unfortunate from now on. Maximón was already deeply obsessed with her. He was an outstanding Knight Commander and an indispensable figure in Noctis Fortress, but he was also excessively ruthless and reckless.

Getting involved with a man who is oblivious to how far outside the bounds of normalcy his actions lie is never a romantic affair.

Maximón would destroy Najane. Didina wished for Najane and Amelia to find happiness, but she knew it was impossible as long as Maximón Elgort was in the picture.

What about Najane?

What did she think of Maximón?

As Didina poured warm water over Najane’s body, she cautiously asked, “What do you think of Dame Schnicks?”

“…I’m not sure,” Najane replied.

Hugging her knees tighter, Najane spoke without much hesitation about her thoughts on Maximón Elgort.

“At first, I thought he was petty and terrible. But then, because of certain personal circumstances, I realized he wasn’t all bad or all good. Later, I found out he did something I could never do myself—something he shouldn’t have done—and I was a bit disappointed. But eventually, I came to understand that, too. To the point where I regretted being disappointed in him all by myself. Now… I don’t know. He’s definitely strange, though.”

Didina had said that confessing love to Maximón might set her free. But Najane didn’t believe that was the answer. She remembered Maximón’s words: “I don’t even know myself.”

Najane had never really thought about loving someone. Once, she had considered marrying into a small noble family in the frontier and trying to like her husband.

But when that became impossible due to a certain issue with her body, she resigned herself to a quiet, solitary life.

Mikael had said that King Leon might adopt an heir because Queen Audelica had missed her window to conceive. Or Leon might admit to his affair with Nellis and order Najane and Luna to enter the palace.

If it became known that the two were Leon’s biological daughters, the royal family’s reputation and Nellis’ honor would be ruined. But no matter how much people gossiped, the king’s own daughters were a better choice than adopting a collateral royal relative.

Najane knew it was too late for her life to take a normal path. All she could do was stay quietly confined to the Powley estate, careful not to provoke Nellis’ temper.

She had never dreamed of debuting in high society. All she wanted was to enjoy an ordinary, happy life like everyone else.

Instead of living in constant anxiety about whether someone might uncover information about her and Luna, spread rumors, or hold noble meetings to interrogate Nellis, she wished for simple worries like What should I eat today? Who should I spend time with tomorrow? Did I forget to clean out the stable’s feed trough? Oh, I need to ask my friend what they want for their birthday gift.

After losing Luna due to her carelessness and suffering through shameful urges, Najane spent every night in fear.

Life had been equally dark in Elgort and Noctis. She constantly worried: What if someone recognizes me? If it’s revealed that I’m a princess, I’ll be imprisoned. What if I never find Luna again? What if I truly end up completely alone?

Then Maximón appeared.

He was the man who disrupted her life, one built on anxiety and secrecy, without a second thought.

Because Najane had subconsciously felt the absence of Mikael, who had always been by her side like a father, she was easily swayed by Maximón’s unyielding, relentless nature.

That’s why she was so shocked and hurt when he abruptly changed his attitude. Didina had spoken of love, but Najane thought her fleeting affection for Maximón was simply because their intimacy had been satisfying and because she was a bit lonely.

As a knight of Romsoa, as someone who had merely shared physical intimacy, and as someone living her first-ever life, everything was confusing.

But there was one thing she was sure of—she wanted to fight Maximón. She sincerely wanted to. She already had enemies other than Serith.

As long as Maximón didn’t act purely on emotion like last time, the Romsoa Knight Order could be a safe place for Najane. Of course, there was no guarantee that events like today wouldn’t happen again, but knowing that someone was targeting her life meant Romsoa was the safest place for her for now.

While replaying Maximón’s habit of intertwining his fingers in her mind, Najane worried she might unintentionally give it more meaning and decided to shift the topic.

“What kind of person do you think I am, Head Maid?”

“Do you want me to be honest?”

“Of course.”

“You’re soft-hearted, a bit indecisive… and you care too much about others. That makes it easy for you to get swayed by their affairs.”

Faced with such a brutally honest evaluation, Najane sniffled for no reason.

Didina smiled faintly.

“But if you were just a little stricter and colder, you wouldn’t have helped Amelia, would you? Dame Schnicks, you always try to maintain a stoic expression, but in truth, you’re very kind and compassionate. Gentle-hearted people worry so much about others getting hurt that they end up hurting themselves instead. And when someone else gets hurt, they blame themselves. Some might find that frustrating, but I believe that in this world, that kindness will prove to be a strength. People who don’t hesitate to make sacrifices naturally attract good-hearted people around them.”

At that moment, there was a sound of movement outside the bathroom.

Didina stood up, gathering the damp towel and the bottle of rose oil.

“It seems the commander has returned. I’ll go greet him. The bathwater is still warm, so take your time and finish up,” she said kindly before leaving the bathroom.

Najane stared into the sunlight streaming through the steam before closing her eyes.

The thought of Maximón standing beyond the door suddenly made her tense up.