"A knight from the West who showed leadership. Show those who think you can't be a leader because you're mixed with barbarian blood that they're wrong."
"I'm sick of your standards," Utulu said.
Beramund replied, "I know. But that's what everyone thinks."
Utulu retorted, "I'm also sick of you caring about what others think."
"Because I'm the second son?"
"I'm sick of you harping on about being a spare, too."
"Well, can't be helped. Be sick of it all you want."
Karsus clicked his tongue as he approached.
"There's nothing more foolish than lingering here. Go, Utulu. And I'll stay."
Utulu looked at the dozen or so soldiers, so wounded, who were staring at him with terror-filled eyes, and sighed.
"See you at the main force."
Without delay, he gathered the soldiers and left. Beramund clicked his tongue at his sword, caked with blood and fat, then collected a few decent swords from the corpses of soldiers and slung them across his back.
"Are you really coming with ?"
Karsus nodded at Beramund's question.
"I told you, if you're going to die, I'm going with you."
"We're not going to die."
"That's good too."
Beramund looked at Karsus for a mont, then without replying, moved towards the inner forest. Karsus followed closely behind.
"Just the two of them?" Sigrid asked, and Beramund nodded. Sigrid gaped and said:
"Are you crazy?"
Beramund burst out laughing at her words.
"Ah, I was in my rebellious teenage phase back then, okay? Cut
so slack. But really, it was tough. I thought we might actually die on the way."
"Why do sothing you know might kill you?"
"Out of rebelliousness, thinking 'They'd all be fine without '?"
"What's that supposed to an?"
"I'm telling you, it was the nonsensical mindset of a teenager. And really, my brother had just gotten married at that ti."
"He married young, didn't he?"
"That's the normal age for marriage. It's Siri and her friends who are late. Heirs are important for great noble families. My brother was married, so an heir would co soon, and then— what was I living this life of duty for?"
Beramund muttered and fell silent. Sigrid wordlessly brought her horse close to Beramund's side. Then, as if performing acrobatics, she swiftly freed her leg from one stirrup and swung over to Beramund's side. A startled Beramund grabbed Sigrid's arm.
"Sigrid!"
Sigrid silently hugged Beramund tightly from behind. The saddle was cramped for two people, but that was fine too.
"Really, don't scare
like that."
Beramund grumbled. Sigrid said, "This is nothing," and buried her face in his back, saying:
"I have no one but Beramund."
"I know."
Beramund smiled gently.
In fact, ever since Sigrid had looked him straight in the eye and spoken clearly without hiding anything, he had been curious.
What would it feel like to be loved by her?
Sigrid wouldn't have a backup plan, wouldn't have a Plan B, wouldn't replace him. He wanted to be the one at the end of that gaze.
"I have no one but you either."
Whether it's a substitute or an imitation, no matter how many there are, in the end, there's only one real thing.
The truly precious things are the irreplaceable ones.
Beramund grasped Sigrid's hands wrapped around his waist with one of his own. Sigrid's horse, Echo, followed well even without holding the reins.
"So?" Sigrid prompted.
Beramund tilted his head and said:
"After that, it's just a tale of hardship, nothing special. When we went inside, we found Master Aran facing off against a magical beast we'd never seen before. But the situation was pretty serious."
Aran's left arm was gone from the elbow down.
Should they consider it fortunate that his right arm, which held the sword, was unhard?
The three who t like this knew what to do without speaking. Karsus and Beramund distracted the magical beast and attacked to create an opening, and Aran struck that opening.
When the fight ended, Karsus said in a hoarse voice:
"Damn, we're going to die here."
"If you have the strength to talk, doesn't that an you'll live?" Beramund said weakly, but he too didn't have the strength to move a finger. Moreover, his injuries were more serious than expected.
He wasn't confident he could drag his legs back. He'd probably die from blood loss on the way. Judging by how hard it was to breathe, his ribs were broken too. His vision was blurry.
Karsus was in a similar state. His left arm, which he had instinctively used as a shield in the absence of one, was shattered, and his back felt slashed, but he couldn't feel it.
The most critical situation was Master Aran's. While the other two were chattering, not a word ca from Aran.
Beramund closed his eyes.
So this is where I die, he thought.
'Ah, it would be terrible to leave Serios like this...'
That was his last thought.
But when he opened his eyes, it was an all too familiar ceiling.
'My room...? Our house...?'
"Beramund!"
Turning to the person who shouted, he saw Serios. In his hazy mind, Beramund wondered, 'Is this the dream you see before you die?'
"Wait, Ravis! Healer!"
Hearing Serios run out of the room calling for family, Beramund thought, 'Wow, it seems so real.'
"Beramund!"
The one who rushed in shouting was his brother, Ravis. A healer hurried in right after.
"Are there any areas without sensation? Can you see ? How do you feel? Do you have sensation?"
The healer poked the sole of Beramund's foot with a stick, and he flinched.
"You do. That's good. Now, try moving your hands. Yes, yes. Good. Do you know where you are?"
"...Inside my dream?"
At Beramund's answer, the healer raised an eyebrow, and Serios asked:
"Is he alright? Is there sothing wrong with his mind?"
"Young Master, this isn't a dream. You were injured and brought to the capital, and you've just woken up after a month."
"Ah, it seems so real."
The healer poked Beramund's foot again, and he cried out, "Ouch!"
"It is real."
"...Really?"
"Yes, and fortunately, it seems there's no problem with your mind. Welco back."
"Wait, then what about the battle? Utulu? Karsus— and Master Aran?"
"The battle is over," Ravis said, summarizing.
"Lord Mihas reached the main force and requested rescue. Nobody wanted to go back, but—"
"They couldn't abandon the second son of the Lunatil family."
Ravis sighed and replied, "That's right," to Beramund's words. So they organized a special force to retrieve at least the bodies, but they found Beramund alive.
"...What about the others?"
"Karsus Rian is alive too. But Lord El Aran died."
"Being a Master beca his trap."
He had to make the greatest sacrifice. As few people with power fulfill their duties, Beramund saluted him in his heart.
"So we rushed to bring you to the capital."
"And Karsus?"
"He was better off than you. He woke up a week ago and left."
"Left?"
"Yes. He just asked for his paynt to be settled, took his rcenary fee, and left."
Ravis lanted that they would have given him more, whether a title or money, for such a great achievent.
Beramund let out a deep sigh.
"I see."
It's a relief that he's alive, at least. As he sighed, Serios collapsed with a thud. A startled Beramund tried to raise his upper body but swallowed a scream. The healer checked on Serios and nodded.
"He's fallen asleep. The tension must have released."
"He barely slept, taking care of you."
At Ravis's words, Beramund thought, 'Oh dear,' and lay back down, thinking, 'Ah, my ribs haven't healed yet.'
"That's the end of the story."
Sigrid said in surprise at Beramund's words:
"You an His Majesty nursed Beramund until he collapsed?"
"Back then, Serios only had
and Erial."
"I see..."
Sigrid hugged Beramund tightly again. Even though it was an old story, just thinking about how he almost died made her feel hurt sowhere. Her heart ached.
"Never do anything reckless."
"I won't, I won't."
Beramund knew well what would happen to him if Sigrid died. So he also knew what would happen to Sigrid if he died, and he didn't want her to go through that.
"Look, we're almost ho."
At Beramund's words, Sigrid leaned her upper body to look at the distant house.
Ho.
Our ho.
Sigrid smiled and rubbed her cheek against his back.
"Beramund Lunatil."
"Yes?"
"I love you."
Sigrid whispered. But Beramund heard it clearly, and he squeezed her hand, whispering back:
"I love you too."
And they returned ho side by side.
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The social circles were abuzz with astonishing rumors.
There was talk of a diamond mine being discovered. Moreover, the discoverer was a young knight nad Alkerto Danem. Naturally, won's eyes sparkled.
Questions flew about whether they were really diamonds, if such a mine actually existed.
After a flurry of rumors that the investor was the Inglet County, soon the engagent of Lady Marie-Chez Inglet and Junior Baron Alkerto Danem was announced.
Malicious rumors spread widely that it was a marriage for money, that he was being sold for money. There were vicious rumors that Alkerto didn't want to marry but was doing so on the orders of the Count, the investor.
But Marie-Chez herself didn't bat an eye, and her position in society remained unchanged. If anything, more people tried to get closer to her.
Everyone wanted to know if the diamond mine was real.
Then rumors spread that a huge diamond had been mined. It was said that an 800-carat diamond had been found and gifted to Countess Ankertna.
People whispered about what kind of relationship the two had.
As the diamond mine story beca more certain, Baron Fret, the original landowner, filed a lawsuit against Alkerto but lost.
There were also rumors that Countess Ankertna had worked as much as she had been paid.
But the highlight was when the Empress ordered a diamond tiara. The mont she appeared at a party wearing a tiara adorned with large diamonds, people scrambled to beco Alkerto's investors or to establish connections with him.
"—Is that about it?" Morris asked, and Sigrid sighed.
"There really are all sorts of stories going around."
"It's a diamond mine, after all."
At Morris's words, Sigrid nodded, saying, "Well, it does sound unreal."
"So, did you really receive a diamond?"
"Yes. It was the first ti I'd seen one so big. But I'm not sure what to do with sothing that large..."
Marie-Chez and Alkerto had gifted this first mined gem without hesitation, saying that of course the owner should be Sigrid, who had helped them. They said they had tried to contact Karsus too, but there was no reply.
The diamond, which arrived despite attempts to refuse it, was bigger than imagined. Not knowing what to do with it, they kept it in a safe for days, fidgeting nervously, until they gave it to Arkana, who seed to covet it. He said he would use it for magic, but they weren't really sure how.
"Don't people usually make necklaces or sothing?"
"Hmm, wearing sothing like that around your neck would give you a crick."
"I can't even imagine it."
Morris tilted his head. Such a large gem must be priceless.
"I'm glad things seem to have stabilized sowhat," Sigrid said, and Morris nodded, saying "Ah."
"It seems the mining is going well. But there are many magical beasts around... And the mine is in a really remote location."
"I see."
"Still, it seems to be progressing well sohow."
"Marie's patience paid off."
"That's right."
Sigrid smiled lightly at Morris's words. Her eyes sparkled as she said to Morris:
"And Morris Deforest."
"Yes?"
"Congratulations on your promotion."
"You've already heard the rumors?"
"Of course! Captain of the Imperial Knights is amazing. I knew Morris would do well."
"Thank you."
"Your gift is scheduled to arrive tomorrow."
"A gift too?"
"It's Morris, after all."
Morris chuckled.
"When you say it like that."
"Hm?"
When you say it like that, even if I wanted to go astray, I couldn't.
"Sig."
"Yes?"
"You're a good friend."
"You too."
"Ah, of course, it's not because of the gift."
Sigrid burst out laughing at Morris's words. As she laughed, she tilted her head and leaned her upper body forward deeply. Morris also tilted his head and leaned in. Sigrid whispered.
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