Chapter 1

A ghost?

Something white wavered in his blurred vision. Hizen slowly opened his heavy eyelids. He felt like he was trapped in a dream.

The air in contact with his skin was cold. A cool breeze, silently coming from the window, stroked his cheek and made his blond hair dance on his forehead.

‘I must have forgotten to close the window.’

He thought so while weakly blinking his eyes. It was no big deal. He could have forgotten it as he was finally having his first sound sleep in three days. This was because he had been so busy lately.

Hizen was perfect in every aspect, and very competent. His face was splendid. Count Dratius, the head of one of the three major families, the Commander of the Imperial Elite Knights, the best in theory and in reality, had a shockingly beautiful appearance.

There was always a constant stream of people wanting him. In particular, the generous Imperial Family did not let talented people go. His broad shoulders were covered with other chores besides leading the Knights. All the workload felt like hell.

His doctor had urged him to be careful of overwork, but Hizen did not listen. It was a fact that he had already recognized, and he knew better than anyone that his body was reaching its limit.

Nevertheless, he forced himself to endure it because he was a knight to the bones, putting the country ahead of himself. The Imperial Family used to be overflowing with vultures that took power in unjustifiable ways, and he had solved the problem on his own rather than committing himself to the hands of the vermin. He had no regrets about that decision.

‘If I don’t sleep now, tomorrow will be a problem.’

His blue eyes closed slowly. Despite being tired, work was his top priority. He was that kind of man.

Tap tap.

What is this noise? Hizen, who had a good sense of hearing, responded immediately to the sound. When he opened his eyes, a white cloth was dancing in front of him.

Shaaa.

It was a bit short to be a curtain. He could see a person when he narrowed his eyes. A red-haired girl with a white apron was standing next to his bed. Her dimly visible face looked young, but she was taller than most adult men.

“…A woman?”

At the same time as he spoke, his large hand moved quickly. His white and long fingers woke up Marie’s Grave.

Clank!

The girl stopped the sword lightly with one hand as if she were holding a mop. She just blocked my sword? There was something shining on the bewildered Hizen. It was two red eyes like rubies, sparkling like stars in the dark.

He had an ominous feeling when he saw these eyes. The type of people he did not want to deal with always made that kind of face in front of him.

Sure enough, the girl said in an excited voice.

“Are you awake?”

‘I am, but…’ Hizen replied inwardly and the girl grinned.

“You’re very reticent, Count Dratius-nim.”[1]

“…Do you know me?”

“Of course!”

Hizen was a little embarrassed by her cheerful answer. He watched the girl with piercing eyes. She was about 19 years old. She seemed to be a woman especially good with her hands: her red hair was neatly tied without a single strand of hair falling out, and the black dress that came up to the floor was well pleated.

She had a big apron that made him mistake her as a ghost a little while ago. It was white and tightly wrapped around her dress and thin waist. The strap that held the apron also had a unique knot that he had never seen before.

What bothered him was the funny decorations on the end of the apron. The loud pink lace was definitely bad taste.

No, that’s not the problem now. Who is that woman? From the look of it, she seemed to know him. It was even more likely, seeing how he could clearly feel the joy in her voice, even when still half asleep.

Hizen looked at the girl again. However, she was not an acquaintance no matter how much he looked at her. She looked a little like someone he used to know in the past, but she was a woman he had never seen before.

Who the hell is she? Hizen sighed, grabbing his rattling forehead. Darkness and fatigue made him lose his cool judgment.

The girl peeped at Hizen in such a state. Wow, wow. Her admiration continued. Hizen was shockingly handsome, even when tormented by her. Her flustered heart swelled sweetly like cotton candy. As expected, he was the best knight in the world!

Hizen was clearly blessed by God, she could feel it. The skin of his face under the moon was shining unrealistically, and the golden hair covering his collarbone looked like the finest gold thread. His straight forehead, sharp nose, and straight eyebrows were as beautiful as a sculpture.

In particular, his eyes were the most special. His blue pupils filled with conviction were more beautiful than anything else. The young girl was certain of it: there would be no jewel more beautiful than his eyes, even if she searched the jewel box of the Empress.

The girl, who had never been drunk before, was overwhelmed with excitement. But she could not abandon herself to this feeling, even though it was her first time seeing him. She tried to tighten the corners of her mouth. The girl agonized, trying to control her facial expression. She was ready to do anything for the sleepy Hizen.

Her troubled red eyes were finely curved. A fierce voice that would normally only be heard from a market rang through the room.

“Count-nim, the dust storm has been severe since dawn. You should drink water more often at times like this! Would you like me to bring you a glass of water?”

Hizen was embarrassed by her sudden appearance and questions. He was only wearing a white gown that showed his bare skin in front of a woman he had never seen before. Maybe he was dreaming. He felt like he had lost something.

“Count-nim?”

“Huh? Uh…”

When Hizen answered roughly, the girl looked down slightly. His sword was still aiming at her, and she was blocking it with one hand. She lowered her head and pointed at her heart with her chin.

“Count-nim, please take this away. If you want me to bring you water, you have to put the sword away.”

But Hizen could not answer. He did not even hear her because he was already lost in thought. He agonized over his sword’s situation.

It was common for high-ranking officials to receive unwanted visits by night guests, and Hizen was no exception. He was often threatened with assassination, and was used to counterattack. He just attacked an intruder who was trying to clean up his bedroom.

But there was one thing he could not understand at all. Even if she was an assassin, she managed to block his attack, he who was called the continent’s strongest swordsman. If other people had witnessed it, they would have tumbled backwards. But he could not afford to laugh shamelessly with his sword blocked like this.

‘Is it a new type of assassination technique trying to make the opponent’s guard down and look for an opening? Where’s the assassin from? No, how did she get in here?’

The difficult problem made him frown. The girl felt sick at the sight. One would definetely get angry if woken up while sleeping well.

“I’m sorry I woke you up in the middle of the night. I tried to be quiet, but I guess I made a sound.”

“…I’m glad to know that you’re sorry.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

The girl lowered her eyes with a mop in her hand. She looked cute like a puppy reflecting on herself. Nevertheless, Hizen’s displeasure did not disappear. His bedroom was off limits to anyone. He could not forgive her for rudely breaking into his room and taking away his precious sleeping time.

More than that….

“You. What were you doing in my bedroom?”

“Uh. Well…”

Mumbling her words, she fiddled with her cheek. She could not lie, and she was having a hard time telling the truth. Hizen said in a tired voice as the girl hesitated.

“Tell me the truth.”

Hizen’s voice was perfect, too. His sexy voice full of sleep was insanely good to hear. The girl got fascinated by it and forgot her answer.

The more time passed, the more suspicious it was. Hizen stared at her. Back to her senses, she cleared her throat and explained it all from the beginning.

“I wanted to tell you something. I was going to wait for you to wake up because you were sleeping… but Count Dratius-nim’s bedroom was so dirty that I started cleaning.”

Dirty?

Hizen doubted his ears. The girl’s eyes scanned the room. From the windows to the ceiling, bed, floor, door.

“There was dust on the windows and a lot of hair on the floor. And there are so many spiders in every corner. Phew. Look at this, there’s dust flying around here! It’s like this even though I’ve already ventilated the room.”

The girl shook the dust off the air with one hand quite loudly. There was no lie in her voice, and it was irrefutably dirty.

Nevertheless, he was somewhat frustrated. It was not pleasant to have his sleep interrupted by a woman he was seeing for the first time.

First of all, she did not seem to be an assassin, so he took away his sword. An assassin who crawled into his bedroom could not have been so noisy. At least unless her goal was to kill herself.

He frowned at the girl. There was a small hanger in the pocket on the front of her white apron, and there was a rag in her hand. It seemed she had really blocked the blow of his sword in the middle of cleaning.

No way, Hizen doubted if he was dreaming. He was the best knight alive, but he just found out an person who could avoid or prevent his blow. Any top-class knight had no choice but to surrend in front of him.

‘And a skinny woman like this wooden stick blocked my sword? What the hell…’

While Hizen was struggling, the girl hit her hand.

Tack.

“Oh, it’s my first time meeting you, but I haven’t greeted you properly.”

Greetings? It was before Hizen could understand what she meant. She smiled brightly and bowed her head.

“Good morning!”

“…I can’t.”

“What?”

“I can’t say good morning.”

Anyway, it was the worst first impression.

It was not enough to say the words “uninvited guest” hundreds of times.

*

There was a cold silence. The whole place was like a field of snow in the Kessen Empire.

He was so tired. Max yawned, locking up some of the buttons of his half-length uniform. He was not even wearing his Silver Bird Medal, the pride of the Imperial Elite Knights.

Max, who was sitting on the sofa in the Commander’s office, rubbed his sleepy eyes and forced himself to stay awake. He regretted having washed his face. His usually neat brown hair was all over the place, and his warm nightly eyes were red and heavy. Some buttons on his black uniform were mislocked.

Anyone could see that he was sleepy. The red-haired girl sitting in front of him asked anxiously.

“I think you’ve just woken up. Are you all right?”

“Oh, that’s okay. I should be able to take a nap in the afternoon.”

“That’s a relief.”

The girl was truly relieved, even though she answered with courtesy. Her heart was so warm that Max could forget a little bit of his tiredness.

The bright sunlight that came through the window was looking like a wave moving on her white face. She was a young woman who had barely reached adulthood. Her shoulder-long hair, long eyelashes, and cute lips caught his eye.

She held her hands nervously on her knees, but she did not lose her smile. Her clean posture was more considerate than any other aristocrat.

A gray luggage was on the seat next to her. It was also neatly arranged. If it were to be evaluated, he wanted to give it 200 points out of 100.

‘Girls like you are very rare these days. I don’t know with who you’ll end up, but he’s a blessed man.’

Max smiled disillusionedly. At that moment, blue eyes flashed.

“Max, are you here to play?”

“I’m sorry.”

Hizen looked very displeased. Sitting on the sofa, he was wearing a perfect uniform with every button locked. Ten Silver Bird Medals glistened on his left chest. The girl could not take her eyes off the nice decorations that suited him well.

‘Snap it up’, seemed to say Hizen’s piercing eyes staring at Max. Max said, wiping off a cold sweat.

“Well… I mean. This lady… No, this maid has been in the Commander’s bedroom since dawn?”

“How many times do I have to tell you!” (Hizen)

“Yes, that’s right!” (Girl)

Two people answered Max’s question at the same time. However, the nuance felt in their words was the exact opposite. Max smiled awkwardly as he looked at the two alternately.

“The two statements are consistent… I think it’s obvious.” (Girl)

“Hey. I didn’t ask you.

Just answer the questions right.” (Hizen)

“I-I’m sorry.” (Girl)

A fierce look cold like ice struck the girl. Frustrated, she fiddled childishly with her apron.

Be gentle. Max clicked his tongue. Contrary to people’s fantasies, Hizen was not a kind man.

Chapter 2

The minstrels were praising Hizen to the point of losing their voices, and the Emperor was anxious to give up to him his daughter whose education had turned out awfully. Max wanted to shout to all of them ‘This is all a lie!’

God was fair in his own way. He made Hizen physically perfect, but did not give him anything else. He had a violent personality that would make a crying child cry even more. Even the amicable knights trembled in front of him.

However, the Commander was not used to curse. Max glanced at him, who rarely sweared. Hizen crumpled the letter, holding his forehead with one hand. It was a unique habit he had when his mood was low. Max understood him, as the situation was truly ridiculous. What the red-haired girl wanted was one thing and this was another. Max was embarrassed to see the letter she brought out, and Hizen’s feelings were closer to anger.

The one who was currently going against Hizen’s heart was Neren Den Armada, an old member of the Imperial Elite Knights. He was the eldest son of one of the three major families in the Empire, and the heir to the Duke’s mansion where the girl used to work.

Neren was so famous that he was known in the entire Empire. He was a troublemaker dreaming of wielding a sword from the old Armada Duchy, a genius who had no talent in sword art, an eccentric but outstanding tactician. He used to be Hizen’s best friend, now an unfortunate man with his eyes closed.

Thack.

Hizen threw the letter to the floor like it was garbage. It was an uncharacteristically extreme reaction. Surprised, Max whispered to him that he had better calm down.

The red-haired girl’s eyes darkened as she picked up the letter on the floor. She touched it gently.

Hizen glared at her, or to be exact, at the letter in her hand. The silver seal on it belonged to the Duke of Armada. He had recognized Neren’s unique flying handwriting and some ciphers that were also used during the war.

The letter was full of incredible things. He wrote about a girl who had a genius talent for swordsmanship. He said her sword skills were comparable to Hizen’s.

In addition, he wrote that she had taught herself how to read and learned to speak all imperial languages, and called her a valuable asset for the prosperity of the Empire, as she excelled in everything, including combat knowledge and common sense.

Hizen’s reaction was obvious. He spoke sarcastically.

“I believe that Neren, who died last year, left this letter?”

“Yes.”

Her answer was determined and quick, so he felt even worse. An unpleasant look blatantly saddened her. She had a straight back, a good face, and a sincere voice. It was so straight that it felt rather artificial.

“Sigh. I can’t believe I’m being recommended a maid to join the Imperial Elite Knights.”

Neren had written a book, so he could use a lot of bluff. On the most likely hypothesis, he had stared and snorted at the girl.

His eyes froze. Her red eyes were peeping at him, mixed with expectations, respect, and affection. It was a transparent and honest feeling.

It pushed his mood to the bottom. Hizen considered himself ordinary. He was just one of the numerous knights dedicated to their country. He was reluctant to treat the other knights as special and to let them have fantasies that they could not afford, and he was sick and tired of taking their dreams away.

It was obvious that she was like them. Considering the fact that Neren was deceived, it could be even worse in her case. He said threateningly.

“What a convenient way of thinking. You didn’t come to see me through due process. You came to my room at dawn through the Imperial Palace’s top secret passage?”

“I’m sorry.”

The girl lowered her shoulders. She shaked her head, apologizing instead of making excuses. It was beyond her control. She had asked the imperial guards several times to let her meet Hizen, but they did not listened to her, let alone let her in. Eventually, she had lost her way, and had found herself sneaking in at dawn when there was no one.

“Do you think that’s enough to be sorry?”

“I’m so sorry.”

But she had not expected him to get this angry.

Her black dress looked especially dark as she lowered her eyes.

Everyone had at least one absolute belief in life. Just like one believed that the sun rose and setted during the day, her absolute belief was Hizen. In her world, Hizen was a hero, a kind and friendly man. At least he was a few hours ago. It was a problem now that her mind was broken along with that belief.

Hizen could not have known her mind. Her head lowered and her reflective voice all felt abominable. It was not worth listening to it anymore. It was only necessary to go through the natural procedure.

“I will confiscate the imperial secret map. Max.”

“Yes, Commander-nim.”

Respectfully answering, Max retrieved the map from the girl. Her hands now looked unusually empty.

“Neren is wrong.”

“…”

“Even a tactician, called the Star of the Empire, must have let go of his senses before he died.”

“Count Dratius-nim.”

The hands neatly placed on her knees were white with anger. She could not stand anyone insulting Neren. The same was true for Hizen, whom she deeply respected.

“Please don’t insult Neren-nim anymore. He has no reason to hear that.”

Neren had taught her the joy of life and had put wings to her dreams. She stared at the crumpled letter and tightened her neck.

“If you punish me, I’ll take it willingly. Please give me one more chance when the punishment is over.”

Her courageous voice quivered. But what she heard was colder than the winter wind.

“Go back.”

Thud.

The door of the Commander’s office closed. Dark energy seemed to creep up from the colorful, bronze door.

In front of it, Max and the girl sighed at the same time. It was obvious without looking inside. Hizen had probably a crappy look with his arms folded.

The red-haired girl could not take her eyes off the tightly closed door. She had asked for a test of her sword skills several times, but to no avail.

In a stern voice, he had said, ‘It wouldn’t be fair.’ He had repeated it. She should not insult the time spent and the efforts of the members of the Imperial Elite Knights.

In the end, there were only two people in the empty hallway. The girl’s red eyes were filled with regret and guilt. It was an unexpected situation. She seemed to have made a fool of herself with her high expectations of meeting Hizen. It was all her fault.

Max, who was watching from the side, looked sad. He was the sweetest man in the Imperial Palace. A false apology came out even though it was not his fault.

“Sorry.”

“I’m sorry! It’s all right.”

She shook her head vigorously. There was no need for anyone to feel sorry for her. She smiled like she were fine.

Max, who had a good eye for people, could not avoid reading her mind. He asked skillfully, as if to make her relax.

“Wasn’t it scary? You look a little stiff.”

“No, it wasn’t scary, I’m a little…”

“A little?”

Max was in no hurry and waited for her to finish. The girl was touched by his warm consideration. He was the first to treat her like a human being since Neren’s death.

Her mouth was itchy. She tried to put up with it, and to speak out a little. She fiddled with her fingers and said.

“A little… I’m a little disappointed.”

A lie. Max was quick to notice the girl’s lie. As he had guessed, the girl was full of regrets.

She wanted to be friends with Hizen, to learn his swordsmanship and be helpful to him, but she did not mean to offend him, and she wanted to see his smiling face… It was hard to see only his angry appearance. Hizen was shining even when doing nothing, but his smiling face seemed to be cooler. It was among other things she deeply regretted.

The girl sighed quietly and looked at Max. Before she knew it, his deer-like brown eyes were wet. Max was also very sympathetic. It surprised her greatly.

“You don’t need to make that expression. It’s okay. I’m really okay!”

“Huh…”

He was worrying for no reason. Apparently, she had quit her job as a maid, but would she be able to return to the Duke again from the capital? Even if she went back, what if the Duke did not accept her again?

“Do you have any other places to go?”

“Of course!”

It sounded like a lie. He did not feel good when he heard the answer. He felt uncomfortable because it seemed like he was turning a blind eye to a child in need.

“You said you were Max-nim, right? Thank you for your concern. I’m really fine. Really, really.”

“…I see.”

Their Commander should be punished. He could not believe he kicked out such a nice girl. He felt guilty as if he had unintentionally become an accomplice.

Max, who was agonizing over it, decided. He was a sweet but convincing man. Even if he was punished by Hizen, he wanted to show his best kindness.

“Then can I show you on your way?”

The girl opened her mouth wide with a happy face, but could not answer. The girl looked alternately at the brown door and Max. She seemed worried that Max would be scolded because of her.

She hesitated and bit her lips.

“Is it okay?”

“Of course.”

Max nodded his head without hesitation. The girl bowed her head with a sigh of relief.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, this way.”

Max’s long legs crossed the corridor. The girl followed without a fault.

She felt like walking in the middle of heaven. The glass ceiling, which could let one see the clear sky at a glance, and the palace, which was made of white magic stones, shone brilliantly with the sunshine.

The magic flowers at the end of the hallway were shining brightly in mysterious lights, so they looked like they were not from this world.

In front of the huge castle gate, there was a large bridge connecting the Imperial Palace and the city. The pillars were regularly engraved with delicate pieces that could not be believed to be human skill. An emerald lake sparkled under the majestic bridge.

“But how did you come to the Imperial Palace? And you were also recommended by Sir Neren, the greatest strategist on the continent.”

“I was originally a maid.”

“A maid?”

“Yes, I was promoted from a servant to a maid and I started working for Neren, the year he returned to the mansion.”

The memories of those days were all sweet dreams to her. It was the brightest days of her life. Her red eyes were overflowing with longing.

“He was such a nice person. I got a lot of help when serving Neren.”

‘No matter how good she is, for a low-level maid to be serving the eldest son of one of the three major families…

What did she do?’

Max looked at her with eyes full of curiosity. She was conscientious about her appearance. She was tall and pretty, but she was not beautiful enough to blow his eyes. Wasn’t Princess Ashley, who always amazed Neren, more beautiful than flowers?

Were tall women Neren’s taste, or was he in love with her pure personnality? Max, looking at her head, asked softly.

“Excuse me, were you two lovers?”

“No, he was a friend.”

Max, still looking at her, wondered if it was a joke that a maid and a noble from a major family were friends. She was a mysterious girl who became more and more suspicious.

Her red eyes deepened when she thought of Neren. The two had a deep relationship beyond their status.

It was not enough to define it with the simple word ‘friend’.

“He was a teacher and a benefactor.”

“If he was a teacher…”

“We’re almost there.”

Before he could ask further, the red-haired girl stopped walking. She bowed her head politely.

“Thank you very much.”

“Ah… Yes.”

She walked toward the long bridge between the Imperial Palace and the capital. When her appearance disappeared, Max felt sorry.

“After that, I didn’t even ask your name… Well, I won’t see you again, so you’ll be fine.”

Max shrugged his broad shoulders.

Chapter 3

No entry.

The pale beige and green words felt threatening. This was also an ability of Hizen. Max smiled bitterly in front of the hallway leading to the Commander’s office.

Hizen was extremely reluctant to let anyone intrude into his territory. Not only the members of the Imperial Family, but also the maids and servants were prohibited from entering his office. It was even said that one would rather be in the middle of the enemy’s yard than enter the Commander’s office.

Only Hizen and Max were allowed in. The two men took turns cleaning, but neither of them were good at it. It was natural as they were nobles who only lived with a sword in their hands rather than a broom. The brooms that ended broken while sweeping the floor could not be counted on one hand.

In the end, the Commander’s office was far from clean. It was almost a dump. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling had long passed in fashion, and the moldy sofas and the wooden desk eaten by bugs should have been thrown out right away. The creaky chair screamed for them to stop.

Even so, Hizen was not very impressed. There was no reason to change things that could still be used even if they were uncomfortable. When they were his own, he could never throw away things or people easily.

In the dirty office, Hizen struggled with his desk full of paperwork. He was about to cut a stack of paper with his eyes.

A sound came through the door. The unique step that made a clapping sound with the heel, and a familiar breathing sound.

It was Vice Commander Max.

“Come in.”

Creak.

The door opened and a handsome brown-haired man came in. Hizen slightly raised his eyes. Max had locked all the buttons of his uniform and was much cleaner than in the morning.

But he did not look good. This was because it was clear that he had been with the red-haired girl so far. A bitter sound came out automatically.

“You’re late.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Did you kick her out?”

“I brought her to the entrance.”

Max did not agree with the words ‘kick out’. Max was a finite man, but he had a strong belief. It was also thanks to his strong character that he had been able to endure working under Hizen for such a long time.

There was a silence. The only moving thing was a thin feather pen dancing on the paper. In the middle of the pen, the words ‘I love you, Count Dratius-nim’ were written in crooked letters. It was a gift he received a few years ago from the child of one of his knights.

The elegant handwriting and the unattractive pen did not match very well, but this pen was his favorite. He had fixed it several times when it had broke, and he was going to take it to his grave. It was clear. Because it was a memory from the child.

The knights were proud of Hizen. He was different from the other knights who were all talkative and they felt sorry to even compare them. He was always sincere and reliable.

The knights never doubted him. The source of their absolute trust was his appearance. Hizen always proved himself clearly in front of their eyes and in action.

Max sighed as he watched the elegant lines carved on the paper. Like this, Hizen was trustworthy and warm to him, but he was otherwise indifferent and cold. Just like he was to the girl.

Max, who was still observing Hizen, found something different from ordinary. Especially, the pen was moving in an unusual way.

“Commander-nim, you’re a little weird today.”

“…”

“You were too hasty. Seeing that the maid was sent directly to the Commander-nim himself, she must have had a different meaning to Neren-nim.”

Hizen did not blink at all. Putting down his pen, he arranged the pile of documents without saying a word.

The longer the silence, the more frustrating it became, and Max broke it first.

“We haven’t heard the details. Wouldn’t it have been better to check her sword skills? If she’s in fact a genius at swordsmanship…”

“Don’t.”

Thack.

Hizen loudly pulled down the pile of documents he had organized. He spoke in a crooked way.

“Do you think the Imperial Elite Knights are some kind of joke? Not only did she crawl into my room without permission, but she’s going to be my knight? No way.”

He talked more than usual. Hizen, huffing, approached the window to open it.

Shaaa.

The sudden rainstorm wetted the coveted blond hair. Cursing, he touched his wet forehead with his hand.

No matter how much he concentrated on his work, he could never miss the sound of rain. As Max said, he was not his usual self today.

“There was no rain forecast this week… Truly, the Harknon Meteorological Agency is the main culprit for the waste of the state treasury.”

Water droplets fell on his straight forehead. It was so attractive that the young noble ladies would faint on the spot if they saw him.

Max took a white handkerchief out and handed it to him. Hizen roughly wiped his face with it. He was so annoyed.

A scar was revealed as the wind swept his blonde hair behind his ears. It was a faint scar crossing his cheek from the bottom of his left eye, that would cause any viewer to feel sorry. It was like the action of a god jealous of his beauty.

Cold rain and wind crossed the window. Thanks to that, his hot head gradually cooled down. A pleasant voice was heard over the sound of the rain.

“Max.”

“Yes?”

“It’s a bad dream that she has, and rather than being killed like a dog, it would be better for her to live as a maid.”

It was cold but correct. Taking up the sword was both a blessing and a curse. The blade could make the blood of the enemy gush, but there were no guarantee that it would not shed one’s own blood.

Max recalled the red-haired girl’s clear eyes. She resembled some of his dead colleagues with her good heart. In particular, those who had such eyes had short lives. He thought of his colleagues buried in his heart, and was about to open his mouth.

“And…”

Was there another reason? Max raised his eyes. Hizen was hesitating like a man with difficult words to say. It was the first time Max was seeing this, so his brown eyes got a little bigger.

“Looking at her….”

He was uncomfortable.

Hizen, who swallowed back the end of his words, bit his lips tightly. He reached out his hand through the tearful rain.

It was cold.

*

There was someone walking on the long bridge between the Imperial Palace and the capital. She was a girl with beautiful red hair.

Her head moved slowly as she reached the middle of the bridge. On the right was the picturesque Imperial Palace, and on the other side was the sparkling capital.

The lost girl’s steps never stopped. Now there was nowhere to go. If she went back to the Duke, he would gladly accept her, because she did a better job than anyone else. However, even though she could work, she would not be able to lift her head in front of Neren’s tombstone.

After a long time of consideration, she decided on the best destination. Right now, she had no justification to stay at the Imperial Palace, so she had to head to the capital. She grabbed her long apron.

“Neren-nim, please wait a little longer. To keep your promise… I think I need more time.”

Mumbling quietly, she rummaged through her luggage. She grabbed a book in her big hand.

She sighed while carefully putting the cover of the book on the pure white apron. The leather cover on her hand and the dense inlay gave off an unusual atmosphere.

The title of the book was ‘Count Dratius, the Hero Who Shined the Continent – First Story.’ It was her second favorite treasure.

The softly curved words vividly portayed a person’s life. The story of a young hero wandering on the battlefield to a man who became the Sword of the Empire, leading the Knights.

It seemed that the main character of this book was not from this world. Sword skills that one dare not encounter, a god-like appearance, and touching lines and actions that would make one’s heart resonate. The girl was grateful to the sky. Although she was a humble woman, it was an honor to live in such a world. She murmured, fiddling with the book.

“Yes, I was dumb. There is no way to easily enter the Imperial Elite Knights that every knight dreams of. First, I have to stay in the capital and show him my skills.”

It was a problem, by the way. There was no way to enter the Imperial Palace anymore, so what could she do? While she was agonizing over it, she could hear the young man’s cheerful laughter. Neren Den Armada, the author of the book and Hizen’s best friend.

Whenever she would praise Hizen to the point of drying her mouth, he would burst into laughter and say this.

[Please, Hizen. I hope you don’t see this in person.]

Neren’s hope was shattered as expected. The two were friends, but their personalities were opposite: if Neren was a gentle and warm man like a spring breeze, Hizen was like the snow blowing in a snowy field.

The girl shivered. It was still vivid. An unpleasant expression, a contemptuous gaze, a stiff mouth, an irritating tone. The surprise did not easily subside. The girl put the book back in her luggage with a sigh. There were two more books in it. But she did not take them out.

As she turned around, the rain poured down. She hurriedly tried to avoid it, but the rain fell further.

It felt like she was being punished, so her mood was not very good. The girl clasped her luggage tightly in her arms and walked away quickly.

It was then.