SOTBW - 176

“As you mentioned, some knights from the Colnux Order were preparing to assassinate Najane.”

Jacob handed a small note to Maximón. Maximón quickly read the hastily written words on the note. The names of the knights involved in the assassination plot were listed.

As Maximón read the names, he crumpled the note in his hands.

The day they visited Najane and the Noctis Records Office, the voice of that woman who had mentioned the Colnux Order had sounded strange, so he had bribed someone to keep an eye on things, but he never expected his unease to become reality. The reason the Colnux bastards had targeted Najane was probably related to Nathan’s death.

Maximón threw the crumpled note onto the desk and rubbed his forehead. Frustration and anger welled up inside him. How could he quietly and painfully kill these foolish bastards? To conspire to kill Najane, of all people.

Maximón didn’t entertain the thought of letting them live. He was unusually sensitive due to his concern for Najane’s health.

Jacob watched Maximón’s unreadable face for a moment, then lowered his gaze before offering his suggestion.

“They will probably bribe one of the guards at the manor to infiltrate or, like last time, kidnap Najane to threaten her. Gathering evidence of their assassination preparations and reporting it to the authorities seems like the quickest route... but what do you think, Commander?”

“Send someone to the Colnux Order and propose a joint training.”

“…Pardon?”

Jacob asked in surprise, and Maximón coldly ordered:

“Do it.”

“…Understood. I will prepare right away.”

Jacob, quick to understand, didn’t ask any further questions and obediently accepted the command. There were many things he wanted to ask, but he knew that asking the wrong question would result in harsh treatment that would make their years of working together seem meaningless.

Jacob gathered the documents signed by Maximón and left the commander’s office. Once the door closed and the room grew quiet, Maximón leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

The mountain of tasks ahead only served to increase his frustration. He wanted to return to the manor and be by Najane’s side, but because he had neglected paperwork for a few days, minor tasks had piled up like a mountain. He thought about taking everything to the manor, but if he did that, Najane wouldn’t be able to rest properly...

Maximón rubbed his eyelids and looked at the basket sitting on the corner of his desk. It was filled with letters. There were invitations to the end-of-year party scheduled in five days, correspondence from noble families whose names he didn’t recognize, postcards from merchants offering flattery, and contact information from patrons...

Maximón half-heartedly sifted through the letters until his eyes stopped at an envelope sealed with lipstick. The name “Scarlett” was written on it in an alluring manner. This was the letter from Rockbell that Najane had been waiting for.

Maximón used a knife to carefully open the seal and pulled out the contents. It was a brief sentence stating that the commission had been completed.

Maximón, fiddling with the thin letter, paused for a moment in thought.

Najane needed hope to live. To instill in her the goal of surviving by any means necessary, Luna had to still be alive.

Maximón closed his mouth with a sad expression as he burned Rockbell’s letter.

Najane, it’s too much to ask you to grit your teeth and live for my sake.

Maximón sighed deeply as he brushed his hair back. He had to find a way to save Najane. Maximón knew more about fighting and matters related to Serith than most, but he didn’t know how to save a person.

A boy with healing divine power had come and seen Najane, but that was all. Boris, too, had failed to make any positive change in Najane’s condition and had stopped coming to the manor.

He didn’t know who to turn to for help. Someone skilled in healing people, with powerful divine power, and someone he could trust...

Maximón felt despair. The only person who came to mind was Boris, but the boy was too young and inexperienced.

Lost in self-reproach, Maximón felt murderous intent toward himself and was about to act on it when he suddenly sensed movement. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway leading to the commander’s office.

Sensing something was wrong, Maximón opened the door before the knock could come. The maid, who had been about to knock, looked up in shock. She instinctively stepped back, pale from the imposing presence of Maximón.

“What’s going on?”

Maximón asked in a cold voice, and the maid finally explained the reason for her visit.

“Sir... Dame Schnicks... he vomited blood again during breakfast...”

Before the maid could finish speaking, Maximón rushed out. His face, pale with fear, he ran toward the manor. His mind went completely blank. He couldn’t think of anything. He was gripped by the terror of possibly losing Najane, and all other emotions faded away.

Despite covering the distance quickly, the manor still felt too far away. His chest was tight, as if he were a fish flailing on dry land, though his breathing was not labored.

When Maximón arrived at the manor, he shoved past the maids standing in the hallway and hurried inside. The warm interior was filled with the stench of blood.

Didina, who had been supporting Najane, paused when she saw Maximón. Blood was dripping from the handkerchief she had pressed to her nose, which had already soaked completely red and was rendered useless.

At that moment, a maid brought several towels. Maximón took them and knelt on the blood-soaked floor.

Carefully removing the handkerchief, Maximón finally met Najane’s gaze. Najane, with a blood-soaked face, smiled quietly.

“You’re here? It’s nothing. Everyone’s just being overly worried...”

Najane’s voice was muffled, probably because her nose was completely blocked with blood.

“Don’t say anything, Najane. The blood might go down your throat.”

Maximón wrapped the towel around Najane’s nose, trying to support her. Though he had seen blood countless times, his hand trembled slightly.

Najane, holding herself up with her palm on the floor, looked at Maximón for a moment before lowering her eyes.

“Weren’t you supposed to be out working?”

“I just went for a short walk.”

“...Lying.”

“You’re not supposed to talk so much.”

Maximón chided Najane in a concerned tone. Najane smiled faintly and gently took Maximón’s hand, which was pinching her nose. Her deep green eyes were clouded with confusion.

Maximón took Najane’s hand and placed it against his cheek. Her small hand was very warm. The thought that this warmth would eventually fade sent a chill through his chest.

Maximón kissed the top of Najane’s head and closed his eyes. The blood wouldn’t stop. Along with the blood, there was the smell of ashes fluttering in the wind. The scent spread through Najane’s chest and throughout her body, like dry twigs catching fire, something that couldn’t be stopped...

Maximón denied the reality endlessly as he gazed down at Najane. As Najane struggled to breathe through her blocked nose, she sensed Maximón’s gaze and slowly lifted her head. When their eyes met, Najane’s lips curled up into a smile.

“I haven’t disturbed your work, have I?”

“Not at all.”

Maximón answered gently, lifting Najane’s body, which had collapsed onto the cold floor, and placing her on his lap. Najane sighed deeply and closed her eyes in his arms. She was dizzy from losing blood, even though it was just a little.

“When I woke up this morning, I thought I felt fine, with no pain at all, and I even felt better. I thought I was getting better. I should’ve told you that after just having breakfast I felt perfectly fine... but...”

Najane mumbled with a hoarse voice, swallowing hard.

“I guess there really is something wrong with my body.”

Najane muttered quietly and removed Maximón’s hand from her nose. The bleeding finally stopped.

Najane took a deep breath, then looked at her clothes, which were damp with blood. She stared awkwardly at the messy dining table and the maids who were standing around, waiting for Didina’s orders. Though they were startled by the sight of Najane’s nosebleed, they tried to hide their anxiety, maintaining indifferent expressions, likely fearful of what Maximón might do to them.

Najane felt embarrassed by the scene in front of the maids. It was so humiliating and sorrowful that she was too tired to even get up after spilling a little blood.

When Najane covered her blood-soaked nose and mouth with her palm, Didina, noticing her discomfort, subtly signaled to the maids. The maids quietly left the room.

Didina placed extra clothes on the sofa and gathered the blood-stained handkerchiefs and towels before following the maids out. Once the door closed, Maximón carefully picked Najane up and stood from the floor.

Maximón carefully seated Najane on the sofa and knelt in front of her, wiping the blood from her face with the towel that Didina had brought.

Najane said nothing. It felt like a dream, the same swordsmanship that Nellis had wielded. It felt like she was being punished for being greedy and overstepping her bounds.

At first, she had ignored Gwyneth’s advice to never pick up a sword again. She thought that a little rest would make her feel better. Over the years, even when she had used her swordsmanship a lot, a good night’s sleep always made her fine. She believed it would be the same this time.

Najane watched Maximón as he wiped her face. He pressed his lips tightly together, suppressing his emotions, but she could tell that with just the slightest touch, tears would spill from his eyes.

As she gazed into Maximón’s eyes, which were moist like wet moss, she tried to gauge how much time she had left. If she could live for just one more year, she would have no regrets. If that wasn’t possible, maybe half a year... Please, just half a year...

Maximón, who had been wiping Najane’s face, froze. A thin tear ran down her bloodstained cheek.

“...I don’t want to die.”

Najane’s voice trembled. Maximón, dropping the towel, urgently pulled Najane into his arms. Her small, fragile back shook gently. Maximón, holding back the lump in his throat, gently patted her back.

“I don’t want to die like this, Maximón... I’m so scared... What did I do wrong to deserve this?”

Her voice, so quiet it could not be heard, trembled with fear. Tears followed the closed eyes.

Maximón cupped Najane’s tear-streaked face in both hands. The dried blood mixed with the tears and dripped downward. Maximón, looking into her eyes, whispered gently.

“You’re right, you haven’t done anything wrong. You are always right and good.”

Maximón wiped away Najane’s tears with trembling hands.

“If God is watching over you, He will never let you die. So don’t worry, just rest. From now on, everything you wish for will come true... You’ll get better, and you’ll find your brother. The attacks from the Selis will stop, and Amelia will be safe. You will become a greater hero than I am, someone loved by all. You must live until then, Najane...”

Maximón’s voice faltered, and as he gazed at the weeping Najane, he kissed her. Blood and tears mixed in their kiss. After several soft kisses, Maximón gently caressed Najane’s cheek.

“If you cry too much, your head will hurt. I’ll have them prepare another meal for you...”

“...I don’t want to eat.”

Najane shook her head as the tears stopped.

“Then, how about resting for a bit? You could sleep until noon... How about that?”

Maximón carefully observed Najane’s mood. Thankfully, she nodded.

He carefully lifted the fragile Najane in his arms and carried her to the room. After changing her clothes, Najane wiped her blood-dried nose and lay down on the bed. Maximón sat beside her, gently patting her shoulder. Mentally exhausted, Najane fell asleep quickly.

As he watched her sleep, Maximón silently clasped his hands together. His breath caught in a sigh filled with despair.

He had to find a way, somehow. If he could save Najane, he didn’t care if he was hated. He didn’t mind if Najane never smiled at him again.

The thought of her being gone made him feel as though he were going mad, but if Najane could just survive somewhere, he would pay any price. The pain in his chest was so unbearable that just imagining Najane looking at him with cold eyes almost took his breath away. But even that pain was less terrifying to him than the thought of Najane dying.

As Maximón repeated his face-washing routine, he noticed the bowl by the bed was empty. He brought charcoal and water to adjust the humidity, then hung an extra curtain on the window where the cold draft was coming in. He stacked several large logs in the fireplace to keep Najane from waking up cold.

Still not feeling at ease, he found some woolen socks and gently placed them on her feet. He carefully applied cream to his rough hands to prevent any calluses from forming, and lightly rubbed some honey and herbal ointment on her cracked lips.

After placing the jar of medicine down, Maximón gazed at Najane, whose eyes were swollen from crying. What more could he do to ease her pain? Lost in futile thought, Maximón finally pulled the blanket up to her chin.

He wanted to kiss her to wish her sweet dreams, but since he had applied medicine to his lips, he couldn’t. With a faint smile, Maximón kissed Najane’s forehead instead.

“...I’ll bring news of Luna. Have a good dream, Najane.”

Maximón stood there for a while, gazing at Najane, before leaving the room with a heavy heart.