[53]
“…I’ll give you back your room.”
Astria finally gave in. Sena’s protest, which included not eating or even drinking water, left her with no other choice.
Only then did Sena rise from the bed, rubbing his stiff shoulders. Spending two days being angry felt like such a waste of time.
But it was necessary. He needed to distance herself from Astria to plan her escape.
“Now, are you done being angry?”
Astria, uncharacteristically, watched Sena’s reaction. Sena replied coldly.
“I’ll see how it goes.”
With a cold demeanor, he grabbed his travel suitcase. Astria couldn’t stop Sena as he passed by.
After Sena left—
Astria lay sprawled on the bed with a blank expression.
She looked around indifferently, but no one was there.
She looked up at the ceiling again.
Without realizing it, she bit her thumb hard.
Her chest felt empty.
She didn’t know what to do with this unfamiliar emotion.
‘What am I supposed to do?’
When there was no method, Astria always made up the answer.
But for the first time in her life, she couldn’t see the answer.
**
“It feels like it’s been ages.”
Sena’s room looked exactly the same as when he first set foot here.
Someone must have been cleaning it. Serilda? Or maybe Luna? Whoever it was, he was grateful.
Sena tried standing on one foot. He wobbled, losing balance quickly. He tried again several times. By the tenth attempt, he could stand for about five seconds.
It was better than before. When the symptoms first appeared, he couldn’t even walk properly until he got used to it.
‘The medicine still seems effective. But the progression of my body’s deterioration is faster.’
Sena diagnosed himself.
How much time did he have left to move around freely?
He set a conservative estimate. Maybe half of the time left. Until about 25 days from now, he could still move somehow.
‘It’ll take at least two weeks to get back home.’
Considering various variables, he generously estimated three weeks. He needed 21 days.
‘I should leave before the first digit of the countdown reaches 5.’
That gave him about three days to prepare to leave this place.
Organizing and tidying up was one of Sena’s specialties. That part wasn’t a problem. He would have to tell a lot of lies, though.
The biggest problem was something else entirely.
‘Can I shake off any pursuers in this condition?’
Astria would not let him escape easily.
Maybe he should seek help from someone else.
Two groups came to mind immediately: Labella or the Church of Justitia.
As he continued his thoughts, he heard a knock on the door.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
“Sena-nim.”
It was Luna who entered.
“Hello.”
Sena waved as he approached.
Luna was hiding something behind her back. Tilting his head, he asked,
“What’s that? A gift for your recently freed master?”
It was a light joke, but Luna didn’t laugh.
His timid maid hesitated for a while. Sena waited patiently without pressing her.
“…Please, take this.”
“Huh?”
Sena took the letter from Luna.
He opened it on the spot and read it, his eyes widening in surprise.
The content was quite shocking. Sena stared at Luna with wide eyes, his mouth agape.
“You…”
‘Labella is always by your side!’
The saying she always repeated was actually true.
What timing.
Like a ghost, really.
-I’m writing this letter as you begin to regret your decision. Sena, why are you staying by that Empress’s side? The longer you stay, the more regret you’ll accumulate. Come to my side.
P.S. If you decide, tell Luna.
To my eternal benefactor, Sena, Isabella.
Sena chuckled softly, putting his hands behind his back as he walked towards the window. Luna followed, her head lowered.
“It was strange, indeed.”
“A maid who can read and write, walks with perfect etiquette, is good at arithmetic and smart.”
Sena turned to Luna with a bright expression.
“I thought you might be some fallen noble lady, but Labella? That’s surprising.”
“Are you angry?”
“No, I’m not angry. Labella or not, you’re the maid I chose. It seems there are quite a few Labella members within the royal palace.”
Luna didn’t respond, which was enough of an answer for Sena.
‘This is perfect timing. This is probably Justitia’s way of saying it’s now or never to escape.’
Sena walked over to the table, pulled out a piece of paper, and started writing.
-Let’s meet first. But Isabella must come herself.
P.S. If you do anything bad when you come, you know what will happen, right? ㅎ_ㅎ
Sena sealed the letter and handed it to Luna.
“Give this to Isabella.”
With 54 days remaining, that late afternoon, Sena began what should have been done long ago.
**
-Hoo.
At the training ground of the Teutonic Knights.
Despite the late hour, one knight was fully immersed in training.
A girl with pink hair flowing behind her.
It was Sylvia Clifton of the Teutonic Knights.
‘I must get stronger to protect my senior.’
She had been completely focused on her sword recently.
Various recent events had made her question her abilities.
She had a gut feeling that, at this rate, she wouldn’t be able to protect the things most precious to her and would become a worthless knight.
“Wow.”
Clap clap clap.
Someone appeared under the faint moonlight, clapping with a smile on their face.
“Senior?”
“Our Sylvia, you’re working really hard.”
Sylvia was startled by Sena’s sudden appearance, but she was more happy than surprised. Now that his silence was lifted, she could finally feed him.
“Come here. Since you worked hard, you deserve a reward.”
Sena hugged Sylvia.
Sylvia, flustered, struggled a bit.
“Se-senior?”
‘I’m probably sweaty.’
No woman would want someone they like to smell their sweat.
After holding her for a while, Sena lifted his head.
“See? My words about you becoming a good knight weren’t wrong, right?”
“…I would have become a good knight even if you hadn’t said that.”
“Then that’s great. Yes, you’re a good knight without my help.”
Sylvia’s expression stiffened.
Sena, unaware, headed towards the brook where there was a stepping stone bridge.
“But why are you suddenly working so hard? I haven’t seen you much lately.”
Sylvia muttered softly.
“This new recruit, Garumel, has talent. He’s improving at an alarming rate every day.”
“They say a position makes a person.”
Sena climbed up on the stone wall and stood on one foot. Though his body wavered, he somehow managed to keep his balance and smiled proudly.
“I’m a Teutonic Knight. I must not lose to anyone in the Imperial Knights.”
But he was being too reckless. Sena lost his balance and was about to fall.
Sylvia swiftly moved a few steps and grabbed the back of his neck.
“Th-thank you. Uh…”
Sylvia lifted Sena effortlessly, carrying him over her shoulder as she walked, speaking seriously.
“There are limits when you’re alone. Honestly, my magic has reached its peak for now… I’m still young, too.”
“Could you put me down? This is embarrassing.”
Sena struggled, but Sylvia’s knightly strength was unyielding.
He finally gave up and mumbled.
“How old are you again? I only know you’re a year below me.”
“You don’t even know my age?”
Sylvia puffed her cheeks in mock indignation.
“S-sorry.”
“I’m 17.”
“…What?”
Sena tilted his head, thinking he misheard.
“17?”
“Why?”
“So you entered the Academy at 13?”
“That’s right.”
“You didn’t seem that small back then. Haha.”
“You’re the one who’s small, Senior. I’m still growing.”
“Unfortunately, girls usually stop growing around your age. Sylvia has already finished growing.”
“But I’m taller than you. Want to see?”
Sylvia put Sena down and stood close in front of him. Sena looked up.
She was indeed about a hand’s breadth taller.
‘She really is.’
Sena felt his pride stinging.
“That’s why I’m asking you a favor.”
Sylvia’s eyes sank low.
-You will become a good knight.
How many times have I pondered those words, Senior?
And now you say something similar, so I can’t help but notice.
“Could you teach me your swordsmanship, Senior?”
“What?”
“Please.”
“…My swordsmanship?”
“I’ve never seen anyone use your techniques before. And you’ve never lost to anyone. I think your swordsmanship is unparalleled.”
Sena scratched his cheek, looking troubled.
But Sylvia’s expression was serious.
She genuinely wanted to learn his techniques.
“…Honestly, it’s not something I’ve taught anyone before, but alright.”
Sylvia fetched two wooden swords. She held one and handed the other to Sena.
‘I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but… I hope I can at least be of some use to Sylvia.’
“Actually, it’s not that complicated. The secret to my swordsmanship.”
Sena stood in front of Sylvia, holding the wooden sword.
“Try blocking this.”
Sena swung his sword straightforwardly.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
The rhythm was steady. Sylvia blocked it without difficulty.
“Now I’ll take out a few strikes.”
-, tap, -, tap,
Sylvia barely managed to block the attacks. Even with just a few exchanges, she felt overwhelmed.
‘I’m a knight of the Empire’s strongest Knight Order. But this is the difference?’
“…It’s actually harder to block when you don’t swing your sword. It feels awkward when the timing is off, and when I try to attack, you come in at just the right moment.”
“Exactly. Now, mix in some movements during the empty parts. This time, you take the initiative.”
Sylvia nodded and swung her sword straight. Sena moved into the gap between Sylvia’s right armpit, seemingly disappearing from her view. By the time she noticed, the hard tip of the wooden sword was pressing into her waist.
“I call this the Metronome.”
“Metronome?”
“Haha. It’s like music. Don’t you think the sound of clashing swords is like music?”
“I think you’re the only one who would think that, Senior.”
‘He really does think about that while holding a sword.’
To Sena, the sword felt like rhythm. He always heard the steady beat of a metronome when he wielded it. He simply swung in time with that rhythm.
It was like Beethoven’s “Surprise” Symphony, calm and then suddenly startling.
“Now, Sylvia, you try.”
“Yes.”
Sylvia swung her wooden sword. Sena blocked it easily. After a few repetitions, Sena laughed awkwardly.
“Sylvia?”
“…Yes.”
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
Sylvia was a genius.
The reason she was called a genius was because she had a very special talent.
She could almost perfectly copy any sword technique she saw, making it her own.
Currently, Sylvia’s swordsmanship resembled Chris’s because she had copied the techniques of the person she deemed the strongest.
However, Sylvia was unable to replicate Sena’s sword technique. It wasn’t the kind of technique that could be mimicked just by watching, but it didn’t make sense that Sylvia, the prodigy, couldn’t grasp it even after being taught.
“It’s just that your technique is very difficult, Senior.”
“That’s…”
Just as Sena was about to deny it, Sylvia placed her hand on his cheek.
“I need to learn more.”
Sylvia spoke clearly.
“You’re planning to leave, aren’t you?”
“…!”
“This time, not as a joke. You’ll find a way to get out, no matter what.”
“N-no.”
Sylvia glanced over Sena’s head and sighed.
“Take me with you, Senior.”
“…I was planning to.”
Once again, Sena’s hair stood on end.
Sylvia smiled bitterly.
Was it a lack of trust?
It didn’t matter.
What mattered was the present, not the past.
“Promise me.”
Sylvia got down on one knee and extended her right hand.
“No matter when you leave, you won’t abandon your knight.”
Sena weakly took her hand.
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
With a heartfelt apology, he kissed Sylvia’s hand.
