SOTBW - 56

Maximón stared down at the sleeping Najane. She had bathed carefully, but the sweat soaked through and caused her to faint.

Was she satisfied? Had she truly had enough?

It would be nice if she thought that she should never leave Romsoa again, simply because she couldn’t get enough of sex with him.

He absently touched the curse that rested on her chest and then gently caressed her cool, sweaty cheek. He had never thought he would touch someone like this in his life. So, as he stroked her soft cheek, he quickly pulled his hand away, feeling an odd sensation.

Najane exhaled softly, her mouth slightly open. Maximón quietly listened to her breathing, then placed his palm on her chest once more. He could hear her heart beating strongly within her smooth, pale skin. Her body felt warm, as if it had been exposed to a bonfire for a long time.

It felt as though he had once checked Najane’s heart in this way, to see if it was beating properly. Perhaps he had lost his mind, indulging in such fantasies. But Maximón was oddly certain of it.

It was as though, long ago, he had held a sleeping Najane in his arms, checking for any signs of pain, listening to her heart, as if he had done it for real…

He couldn’t explain the feeling. No matter how hard he tried, it felt like trying to recall a childhood memory that was just out of reach.

Maximón lay on his side, absently running his fingers through the tangled, sweaty hair of Najane. Taylor had said that taking Najane’s sword away was the only way for her to keep her life. Maximón knew this as well. If he kept letting her go out into the field like this, something terrible would happen.

He stared at Najane with a vague expression. But something felt off. If her heart were really weak, if she were gradually deteriorating, Maximón would have been the first to notice.

The scent of a healthy person and someone who was slowly dying was completely different. Others might not be able to tell, but Maximón could recognize it by the faintest of body scents.

Closing his eyes, Maximón buried his face in Najane’s nape. She always smelled so pleasant. There was a fresh, sweet body scent that a physically sound person exuded.

What was going on? According to Taylor, Najane should be slowly dying…

After a fierce battle, there would occasionally be a bitter scent in the air that reminded him of ash, but it only lasted for a moment.

Lost in thought, Maximón tried to clear his mind and, pressing his lips lightly, kissed her slender neck. As he sucked on the soft skin, leaving a red mark, Najane shifted her shoulders.

Maximón quietly got up, not wanting to wake her. He put on only his pants and left the bedroom, where he saw Didina setting up a late breakfast on the table where Maximón and Najane had just been tangled. Maximón sat on the corner and grabbed a shallow dish with soup and a rabbit’s hind leg.

The thick, savory smell of the soup, which had been strained with generous amounts of egg yolk and fat, filled the air. He dunked the meat into the soup without much care and brought it to his mouth.

“Where is Archbishop Gwyneth?” Maximón asked.

Didina paused at the question. She had already seen Gwyneth standing at the entrance of the residence, her ghostly face having just returned from hell.

“Shall I bring her inside?”

Maximón nodded with a piece of rabbit bone still in his mouth.

Didina wiped her hands on her apron, ready to leave, but stopped and turned back toward Maximón.

“What about the treatment of Dame Schnicks?”

“She’ll stay here from now on,” Maximón replied.

At his words, Didina seemed noticeably disheartened.

Then Maximón placed the dish down with a loud clink and added, “Starting tomorrow, Najane will return to the field. Move her armor and holy sword here. Also, select the maids who will work at the residence.”

Maximón didn’t want to send Najane back into the field, but if he opposed it, she might really leave Romsoa and join another knight order. Even if he warned her that using her sword would endanger her life, he didn’t want to tell her the truth.

What would she say if she found out that I sent her out into the field, knowing her heart was weak?

Najane would surely be disappointed in him. He didn’t want to lie to her, nor did he want to worsen their relationship, so for now, this was the best option.

However, Najane should never fight on the front lines again. If she stays safely in the rear, only engaging in body retrievals, she won’t have to use her sword energy. If Amelia becomes a soldier, Najane will stay by her side. While it’s obvious how others will judge a knight who only fights in the rear while still possessing sword energy, that’s exactly what Maximón wanted.

Maximón wished for her to become isolated.

He wanted her to be abandoned by everyone, to look only at him.

He wanted them to be each other’s everything, forever.

“You two have finally reconciled, haven’t you?”

Didina couldn’t hide her joy. She seemed genuinely happy at the thought of sharing this news with Amelia. Maximón emptied his wine glass and gestured for her to leave quickly.

Didina, now able to breathe a sigh of relief, walked out of the residence with light steps. As the door clattered shut, the sound of someone quickly walking down the hallway reached his ears.

Maximón shrugged on a shirt carelessly hung over a chair and glanced toward the arched door. It was none other than Gwyneth, who usually appeared calm, but now entered with a furious expression, slamming the door open. As Gwyneth approached, ready to shout, Maximón placed a finger to his lips and whispered, “Shh.”

“Najane is asleep. Calm down, Your Excellency.”

“Calm down? Did you just say calm down?”

Gwyneth, stepping closer to Maximón, braced herself against the table and leaned in.

“What possessed you to cut Nathan’s ears off? You knew he was the son of Duke Armunzen!”

“Did he die?”

“If he had died, there would’ve been a bigger uproar.”

“Well, that’s good then.”

“What did you say?”

Gwyneth let out a bitter laugh at Maximón’s brazen words.

“Maximón Elgort, please stop doing things like a crazy child.”

Gwyneth, now closer to Maximón, gave him a warning with a fierce expression.

“Do you not feel sorry for Sir Elderketh, who has to clean up your mess? He barely has time to take care of himself, yet instead of alleviating his worries, you’re piling them on. What about Marquis Elgort, who will be heartbroken when he hears this?”

To think such a person is considered a hero at the Fortress of Noctis.

Gwyneth felt as if her head might explode. If everyone were watching her, wouldn’t she need to be more cautious and behave seriously, knowing that a small mistake could send her crashing down?

But Maximón was different. No one could control him. He was indispensable to the defense of the fortress, but at the same time, he was a hindrance to the unity of the knights, soldiers, and even mercenaries.

Yet, Maximón, the very person responsible, acted as though he didn’t understand why Gwyneth was angry.

“Lower your voice, Your Excellency. Najane will wake up.”

“Is it a problem if she wakes up now?”

“If she does, she’ll throw you out.”

Maximón warned in a cold tone as he wiped his hands. Gwyneth glared at him mockingly.

“Oh? A brat who’s still wet behind the ears thinks he can take me on?”

“I’ve always been curious about how strong a divine power user really is. Well, now I’ll find out.”

Silence fell over the residence. Maximón continued his meal with a look that clearly indicated he wasn’t concerned about Gwyneth. But Gwyneth didn’t take her eyes off him and remained still.

If they were to fight, Maximón would win. That much was instinctively clear.

No matter how powerful Gwyneth was as a divine power user, it would be impossible for her to overwhelm Maximón. Divine power users’ eyes turn purple when they’re resurrected from death, a color that symbolizes the power of Sylin Bastronia.

People say that the purple eyes of a divine power user are “eyes that steal a glimpse of the universe.”

This is because divine power users can see things that ordinary people can’t. They can perceive hidden curses, traces of magic, or even whether someone standing in front of them is human or not. That’s how Gwyneth knew that Belshua was actually Mahilen when she saw him.

Maximón was the same. The moment Gwyneth saw him when he was knighted at nineteen and came down to the Fortress of Noctis, she realized he was not human. However, she couldn’t figure out his true identity.

She had interrogated Belshua several times, but the answer was always the same: he didn’t know either.

So, what does it mean that Maximón is obsessed with Najane?

Gwyneth glared at Maximón with a cold expression, then looked away. Fighting against Maximón, who was so much younger, seemed like a foolish thing to do. Gwyneth, drained of energy, sat down on any chair and rubbed her face. A deep sigh escaped her naturally.

“The Armunzen family will put you on trial.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t reply as if it’s someone else’s problem. You caused this.”

Gwyneth shot another glare at Maximón.

Maximón smirked.

“I’ll handle it. You don’t need to whine like a dog with its tail stepped on.”

“How do you plan to handle Armunzen?”

“Let Nathan cause a fuss.”

“What?”

“Let him make a scene, drag me to court, slander me, or threaten to cut off Armunzen’s support. Just leave it.”

Gwyneth frowned, unable to comprehend his words.

Maximón was determined to kill whoever threatened Najane in the most painful way possible. But he had no immediate plans to reveal Nathan’s backers. The longer he took to uncover the truth and capture the culprits, the more likely Najane would be forced to stay by his side.

Was it really necessary to rush such a good situation?

He only hoped that Najane would realize as soon as possible that the safest and coziest place in the world was right next to Maximón Elgort.

Maximón decided to let the mystery of the kidnapping and Nathan linger for now. It might hurt Najane a little along the way, but as long as her life wasn’t in danger…

Maximón’s eyes narrowed slightly as he poked at the bread absentmindedly with his fork. Now that he thought about it, Najane had bounced out of the wagon without a scratch, not even a broken bone. The soldiers and knights, trained by Nathan for years, had passed out from the shock.

At that moment, Gwyneth suddenly jumped up from her chair. The sound of the chair scraping against the floor was unpleasant to hear. Maximón frowned. If that noise woke Najane, what would he do? He glared at Gwyneth with irritation. But Gwyneth, in full view of Maximón, nonchalantly kicked the chair aside and asked a question.

“Did Nathan Armunzen order you to kidnap Najane?”

“Well, I’m not sure, but…”

Maximón didn’t know who was after Najane. All he knew was that it had to be someone high-ranking enough to make an alluring offer to Nathan.

And Gwyneth had that kind of power too. Although she lived humbly, as though she had let go of all desires, if she said a few words, all the priests of the Fortress of Noctis would rally to the Romsoa Order. Maximón didn’t trust Gwyneth either.

He looked over the food that Didina had prepared, wondering what Najane might like. Gwyneth, seeing that Maximón didn’t care about her presence at all, completely lost interest in him.

He had always been an annoying person, but today, he seemed so unlucky that she felt like slapping him across the back of his head.

“By the way, do you like Najane?”

Gwyneth asked, just as she was about to leave the residence.

Maximón didn’t even glance at her as he replied.

“No.”

That response was both unexpected and somewhat expected. If Maximón had said he loved Najane, Gwyneth would have been truly surprised.

“Then, if she falls in love with someone else, will you let her go?”

“No.”

Maximón’s tone remained indifferent. He seemed certain that such a thing would never happen. Gwyneth clicked her tongue as she opened the door.

“Crazy bastard.”

After scolding Maximón, Gwyneth slammed the door shut, as if she no longer wanted to be there. Maximón stared coldly at the door she had just closed.

The noise had been too loud. Did Najane wake up? She had looked so tired from being pushed so hard.

For a moment, Maximón clenched his teeth, thinking he wanted to kill Gwyneth.

He hurried to the bedroom. Fortunately, Najane seemed to be exhausted from being locked up in the residence, and was peacefully sleeping, unaware of anything. Maximón smiled faintly as he gazed at her.

From now on, he would think of nothing but Najane. He would find out everything she liked—her favorite poems, songs, dances, and food—and make sure never to confront her with anything she disliked. Maximón was confident that he would recognize her instantly, no matter where she was or how she was disguised.

Wherever she was, whatever form she took, he would always know.

Before leaving the bedroom, Maximón lightly kissed Najane. As the door quietly closed and his footsteps faded away, Najane slowly opened her eyes. She gently touched her swollen lips, then grasped the pillowcase with a troubled expression.

‘Do you like Najane?’

‘No.’

‘Then, if she falls in love with someone else, will you let her go?’

‘No.’

Najane, who had tightly shut her mouth, buried her face in the blanket. Her mind was in turmoil due to Maximón’s incomprehensible actions and words.

Was it really okay to stay by his side? Shouldn’t she leave now, before it was too late?

But if she left Romsoa, what would happen to Amelia, her safety, Luna, Kieron, Venus…?

The issues surrounding her safety made Najane squeeze her eyes shut. A severe headache began to form. What she needed now was rest. She tried to forget the problems she hadn’t been able to solve. But as soon as she thought of Luna, sleep wouldn’t come. Najane, gazing at the sunlight streaming through the curtains, struggled to close her eyes.

Even though it was difficult, she had to endure alone from now on.

Even if she wanted to escape from here, even if sometimes she wanted to die...