There is no human who feels guilty about crushing insects.
Bugs crawling on the floor or flying around are merely annoying.
Killing them doesn’t bring uncomfortable feelings.
It’s the same feeling as when I’m cutting off a man’s fingers.
With a sense of omnipotence rising, ecstasy floods my brain.
Is it because I’ve never felt joy from killing a person in my life?
It’s quite a strange sensation.
[Stop it.]
“…”
Turning my head, I see Shir.
With a stern expression, he says.
[Calm down. Have you forgotten what’s important to you?]
His words make my heart settle.
As my shoulders, which had slumped, regain their position, my vision widens.
[The contractor is injured.]
Epherna is unconscious.
She has a small puncture wound on her palm and a strong mark on her neck.
[She needs treatment.]
That’s true. For a moment, anger surged, but Shir’s words made my hands move first.
I carefully picked up Epherna and laid her on the bed, using healing magic.
Boom-!
At that moment, the guards from the Imperial Princess’s Palace burst in.
“Your Highness!”
It seems the delay was because of the flames Epherna emitted.
I understand, but it’s unforgivable.
“You’re late.”
As I glared with murderous intent, the leader in the front showed a frightened expression.
“The fire was too intense…”
“I didn’t ask for excuses.”
This is just to vent my anger.
They failed to protect Epherna.
The guards prioritized their own lives.
Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter.
If you’ve sworn loyalty, you protect, even at the cost of your life.
That is the identity of a knight.
A knight who loses their identity deserves punishment.
But.
That’s for later.
For now, Epherna comes first.
*****
The man with black skin who attacked Epherna was a highly trained assassin, but his identity was unknown.
His skills were so outstanding that he could have been the leader of the Astrape Special Forces, and he even had the power of the Blizzard, making it difficult to subdue him.
‘If it hadn’t been a surprise attack, it would have taken me time to settle it.’
If I hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what Epherna would have suffered. Just imagining it chills my blood.
At that moment.
“Astra.”
Merien called out.
She was holding dishes and cups from the Emperor’s Palace, not the Princess’s Palace, because the Princess’s bedroom had burned down and Epherna’s residence had to be moved.
She offered me warm tea and continued.
“Please rest a little. The Princess is fine. She said it’s more exhaustion than wounds, and a few days of good rest should make her better.”
“I’m fine.”
“…I see.”
“Please rest first, Chamberlain.”
Merien bowed her head and turned to leave.
Ern called out to her as she was about to exit.
“Is something wrong?”
“I have a question.”
“…?”
“Do you know about the Divine Kings from the Mythical Era? Not the common stories, but hidden tales or such.”
Merien’s expression showed surprise at my sudden question.
“Why … do you ask that?”
“It’s just curiosity.”
After overcoming the crisis and sorting things out, I wondered how I could have crossed space to reach the Princess’s Palace.
I remember the sensation just before arriving here.
The powers of Summer, Autumn, and Winter gathered and asked me.
What do you desire?
I said I wanted to leave this place, and more specifically, that I wanted to protect Epherna.
The voice granted my wish.
I’ve never heard of mythical beings fulfilling wishes.
But there is a race deeply interested in mythical tales, raised on fairy tales about the Mythical Era since childhood.
They are the Shamans.
Until now, I didn’t think my information was lacking.
Regardless of what others said, I was part of the royal guard and had access to highly classified information that most people couldn’t even approach.
I was confident that my information was on par with the Shamans, but this incident changed my perspective.
I need to know.
About the forgotten past of the mythological era.
Recent events lead me to believe that Evergreen’s purpose is related to the mythological era.
“I heard you were once a chamberlain in the Shaman royal family. Do you happen to have any overheard stories?”
“If it’s something like that, I don’t know much. Perhaps the Elders or their children might, but I was just a simple chamberlain. Even as a chamberlain, such information was strictly controlled.”
“…Is that so.”
It’s only natural, but I still feel a bit disappointed.
This means I’ll have to seek help directly from the Shamans’ Elders.
“I’m sorry for keeping you here. You may leave.”
With a bow, Merien left the bedroom.
*****
The bedroom where Merien left fell into a deep silence for quite some time.
Specifically, it was weighed down by exhaustion and a rusted mind.
I examined Epherna’s wounds closely.
Her left hand was wrapped tightly with bandages.
The red mark still visible on her neck continued to irritate me.
Beside me, yellow light gathered and took shape.
[I’m sorry. There was almost nothing I could do this time.]
It was Shir.
His combat abilities are proportional to Epherna’s condition and mana levels.
Although there was sufficient mana, her mental state was unstable, and thus Shir could not exert his full power.
Moreover, he had even been countered by the winter’s energy.
Shir did not make mistakes in this incident but rather could do nothing.
Of course, this was also my mistake.
I could have left the fieldwork to Ray.
I thought that leaving for just a few days wouldn’t cause major problems.
This was clearly a lapse in my judgment.
As I was blaming myself.
“…Mister.”
Golden eyes opening faintly.
Epherna had awakened and murmured softly.
“… Are you awake?”
I asked carefully to avoid startling her.
Despite the confusion, I was still able to assess the basic condition of the patient.
“Why did you wake up so soon? You were supposed to be very exhausted.”
“Someone who has stayed up for several nights can’t just fall into a deep sleep all at once.”
At those words, Ern smiled faintly.
“…I know. In fact, I was waiting for this.”
No matter how tired and sleepy one might be, it’s impossible to sleep for dozens of hours.
In fact, sleeplessness is more common, and Ern was one of those who had experienced it endlessly.
“Is your hand okay?”
“It hurts.”
Epherna did not hide her feelings.
“It hurts a lot. This pain is unlike anything I’ve felt before.”
She had cut her fingers with a knife before, but she had never been stabbed. This time, it was a puncture wound.
“But it’s not so bad because you’re taking care of me.”
She grabbed my rough hand with her tiny hand.
She began to brush around the small wound on the back of my hand that had appeared.
“Do you live with this kind of pain?”
“That’s part of my job.”
“I hope you don’t get hurt.”
“That seems difficult.”
It’s my job to get hurt in her place.
“You’re mine, right? Don’t you think that when you get hurt, it means I’m hurt too?”
“Why am I yours?”
“Because you’re part of my guard. You’re mine for life. I won’t give you to anyone. Even if the Grim Reaper comes to take you, I won’t give you up.”
Is she so averse to me getting hurt that she says things like this?
“Yeah. I’m yours. So you can use me however you want. Don’t worry about getting hurt.”
“…”
She seems surprised by the unexpected firmness. Even though she’s tired, her eyes are wide open.
Well, even if your head has grown, did you think you could win an argument with me?
“…Then lie down next to me.”
“Huh?”
“You said I can do whatever I want. That’s an order, so lie down next to me.”
“…I haven’t even bathed.”
“It doesn’t matter. Actually, it’s better… No… Just lie down.”
With the unexpected firmness, she closed her mouth.
While I’m okay with lying in the same bed as her, I wonder if Epherna is okay with it.
After all, she hasn’t bathed for over a week.
“Are you really okay? I don’t smell, do I?”
“I said I’m fine.”
Epherna spread her arms and hugged me tightly.
I’m used to such childish behavior, so it doesn’t bother me, but I can’t help but be concerned about any potential smell.
“You smell refreshing to me.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you smell good.”
She buried her nose in my chest and took a deep breath, as if to check if it was true.
Then she said.
“I told you. You’re mine.”
Did I mishear? er tone seemed to rise with excitement.
“…You’re not trying to make me do something strange, are you?”
“I’ll watch what you do, Mister.”
Epherna giggled.
Her cute appearance made all the worries and anxieties I had just felt wash away.
