SOTBW - 82

So, Maximón was so flustered by Najane’s words that he didn’t know how to respond. Najane had no idea what Maximón was planning to do next. She probably couldn’t even imagine it.

Maximón intended to slowly eliminate everything around Najane, making sure she couldn’t focus on anything other than him. Even if she ended up alone, crying out in loneliness, he planned to ensure that she would be entirely isolated.

Just as he was struck by the thought that he was ruining Najane’s life for his own sake, his chest throbbed painfully. Maximón clutched his clothing tightly, the pain piercing through his heart, sending a shiver down his spine. He pressed his lips together, fighting the sensation.

At that moment, Najane, who had been diligently tending to her shield, looked up. Maximón, trying to maintain a composed expression, twisted his head away to avoid meeting her gaze.

“…You’re going to help me?”

Najane stared at Maximón in response to his repeated question.

“What if I end up hurting you again?”

At those words, Najane hesitated.

“Are you planning to become cold-hearted again like last time?”

“No.”

“Then... is it another imprisonment?”

“Well…”

Maximón’s vague answer left Najane puzzled. She couldn’t tell what he was trying to say. Could it be that her offer to help had sounded rude? After thinking it over for a moment, Najane decided to focus back on her shield, wondering if it was even possible to understand what was going on in Maximón’s mind.

“I’ll forgive you in advance. Just don’t do anything too harsh.”

Maximón gave a small chuckle at Najane’s words, which seemed to be made out of goodwill.

“Usually, I’d expect you to try to escape first.”

“I gave up on running because I figured you’d chase me.”

“Now you know me well. I’m impressed.”

“It doesn’t feel like something worth praising…”

“You’re the first person to say they’ll save me.”

Maximón whispered quietly.

At last, Najane looked up from her shield and met Maximón’s gaze directly.

As the clouds that had been hanging over the weapons storage moved away, the winter sunlight poured in through the entrance, casting long shadows. The sunlight that fell on Maximón’s black hair made it faintly sparkle, but his dark green eyes seemed to darken, like a shadowed forest.

The sound of snowflakes scattered across the edge of the training ground could be heard.

Although Najane had said she would save him, it was mostly in jest. It was just an offhand remark made while distracted by her shield, with no real meaning or emotion behind it. But for Maximón, those words seemed to hold significant weight.

Najane…

‘What would you do if I hurt you again?’

Finally, Najane understood why Maximón had said those things.

He thought that because of what he had done, he didn’t deserve help.

“Do you perhaps plan to imprison me in your private chambers?”

“Of course not.”

“What about tying me up on the bed?”

“I’ve imagined it, but I wouldn’t go through with it.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’d hate it.”

Maximón answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. From his words, Najane felt a strange tenderness she couldn’t quite place.

Ever since Maximón confessed his past desire to earn the recognition of his adoptive father, Najane couldn’t help but feel a sense of empathy for him. Seeing him up close like this, she felt a desire to care for Maximón instead of Edwin.

Could it be that he still fights against Serith because he wants to be needed by someone?

Najane understood that feeling. She knew the anxiety and restlessness of fearing that she might be useless better than anyone.

At that moment, the sharp sound of a bell signaling the end of break echoed from the training ground.

Maximón, who had been looking out the window of the storeroom, stood up as if to leave.

Najane wanted to say something to him as he was heading out, but she didn’t know what it was and remained silent. She felt strangely unsettled. It was as if she wouldn’t see him again, even though they were bound to meet again shortly at the training field.

“Commander!”

Najane impulsively called out to Maximón.

Maximón immediately turned around.

“...I’ll see you in a bit. At the training ground.”

There were surely words she wanted to say, but Najane hid her true feelings behind an unrelated comment. Maximón didn’t find it strange; instead, he gave a small laugh, as if it were trivial, and returned to the training ground.

Left alone in the storeroom, Najane looked down at the shield again. She had no idea how to shake off this warm, uneasy feeling. Feeling like a fool who couldn’t even express herself properly, she nervously rubbed the shield with a rough cloth.

In an attempt to clear her frustrated mind, she polished the shield until it shone, and only then did the intricate carvings on it catch her eye.

As she observed the detailed and delicate design more carefully, she noticed that a figure in the center of the image was holding something in their arms. It was round, resembling a magician’s crystal ball.

Curious, Najane gently rubbed the cloth over the image to remove the grime. As she did, the figure, dressed in a robe, revealed that what they were holding wasn’t a crystal ball, but a human skull.

Taken aback, Najane stared at the woman cradling the skull.

Somehow, she felt like the figure looked oddly familiar… as if she had met her somewhere before.

“Najane!”

As she was staring at the image, as if it might suck her in, she was startled by a voice calling her name and quickly looked up. Najane left the storeroom with her shield in hand. Amelia, who had spotted her, was waving enthusiastically from the stairs.

In her left hand, Amelia was holding a basket. It was probably filled with food she had snuck from the kitchen.

Najane chuckled and walked over to Amelia. Although she felt a bit uneasy because of the shield, she smiled brightly, pretending everything was fine.

The two of them stood on the stairs, chatting for a while. Maximón, from a distance in the training ground, was watching them, but unfortunately, Najane didn’t notice.

________________________________________

“But aren’t people supposed to be busy right now?”

Najane mumbled as she chewed on the sandwich that Amelia had made. Since Najane had worked as a servant for a short time, she had a rough idea of Amelia’s daily routine. Amelia handed Najane a cup of tea she had brought and nodded.

“Yeah. The others are busy preparing dinner.”

At Amelia’s words, Najane hesitated for a moment as she chewed on the potatoes in the sandwich. Could it be that Maximón had fired Amelia? As anxiety spread across her eyes, Amelia gave a small chuckle.

“After you went into the private chambers, I got kicked out to the kitchen. They told me not to come back for a while. Apparently, while I was gone, they hired several other servants. The head maid said it would take a few days to sort everything out, so they told me to take a break. Anyway, I’m using the commander’s money to pay off the debts, so it’s not like I’ll be in trouble for taking a little time off.”

“...So you’re still working at Romsoa?”

“Of course. I’ll keep working at Romsoa. Even if they try to fire me, I’ll cling to the main gate pillar and never leave, so you don’t have to worry.”

Amelia’s nonchalant words eased Najane’s anxiety.

The two of them sat on the frozen stairs, sharing a sandwich, before parting ways. Amelia, standing midway up the stairs, watched as Najane descended toward the training grounds, carrying the holy sword and shield.

Amelia couldn’t bring herself to tell Najane the truth.

That starting in five days, she would fight as a soldier on the field.

If Najane found out, she would undoubtedly try to stop her. But now, it was too late. Amelia had signed the papers Maximón had given her and had asked Didina once more if becoming a soldier was truly the right choice.

The fact that Didina had already heard the news meant that all preparations were complete.

Amelia, facing the cold wind and gazing at Najane, turned away. She didn’t think she would perform as well as any other soldier on the field. She might become prey before even swinging her sword.

Amelia never expected her fate to lead her here. She never imagined that, just like her father, older brothers, and younger brother, she too would end up fighting on the field.

It was clear now that marrying a rich old man was out of the question.

Amelia smiled lightly as she reached the top of the stairs. She didn’t have the desire to become great like Najane. Amelia knew herself well. She was just one of the countless ordinary soldiers, like those at Noctis Fortress, whose names no one would remember.

Her one advantage of being beautiful would vanish the moment she put on a helmet. So she would never shine on the field. She wouldn’t suddenly become proficient with a sword like the protagonist of some romance novel, nor would she be able to save anyone in danger.

For a moment, Amelia’s face twisted with sadness.

Najane. What kind of mindset did you have while fighting and surviving there?

Sometimes, I feel like my life is too much to bear, and I want to die. What can I do? I want to live my own life, but I don’t know how. It feels like it’s too late. That’s why I envy you lately. When I see you practicing with your sword, I feel like I understand what beauty truly means…

When she returned to the servant’s quarters, she ran into Didina. Amelia handed back the borrowed basket. As Didina took it, her face was full of concern.

“Are you really planning to become a soldier?”

“Of course. I’ve even signed up for training at the Recheo Knights. Things are falling into place.”

“…….”

Didina didn’t respond, her eyes filled with sadness.

Going to the field meant fighting against death. Without skill and instincts, one would never survive there. The unusually high survival rate among the Romsoa Knights was because Maximón only selected those who would survive even when fighting Serith. They were individuals specifically trained to fight the Holy Body and other battles.

Amelia would likely end up fighting the undead from the rear. But even if the Romsoa knights thought lightly of the undead, that didn’t mean the same applied to the soldiers.

“Amelia…”

Just as Didina was about to say something, Amelia smiled brighter than ever and shrugged her shoulders.

“Don’t worry, head maid. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to fight as well as Najane. I’ll be heading to Recheo now. Please keep this a secret from everyone.”

Amelia left the quarters with an exaggerated smile. As soon as she stepped outside, her expression shifted into one of sorrow. Fearing she might run into someone she knew, she sprinted toward the Recheo Knights’ training grounds. When she arrived, she saw a crowd of boys, all much shorter than her.

Amelia awkwardly stood among them, observing the scene. The knights had set up a massive tent in a spot where the sunlight was relatively weaker, constantly moving things in and out. Carts wrapped in black cloth continued to roll into the tent, and with each movement, thick, dark liquid dripped from them, releasing an extremely foul odor.

The stench was similar to the smell of pig intestines rotting in the summer heat, and Amelia covered her nose with her palm. As she did, a knight, moving between the boys and distributing handkerchiefs to cover their noses and mouths, approached Amelia.