"I'm trying to stop the bleeding."
"Why?"
"So you don't die on the way."
Sigrid retorted as if he should know this, and Beramund asked, exasperated:
"Why did you co here?"
"To rescue you."
At Sigrid's words, Beramund pressed his lips together before saying:
"Are you crazy?"
Sigrid didn't seem to think his words were worth responding to as she pulled his arm and started wrapping the bandage tightly. Her movents were swift and quick.
After bandaging his arm, side, and leg wounds, Sigrid asked:
"Can you walk on your own— I suppose not. Alright. I'll carry you."
Without asking for Beramund's opinion further, she hoisted him onto her back and secured him with a rope so that her arms were free.
"You're planning to escape like this?"
"If you have a better thod, please enlighten ."
Sigrid retorted and then said to Beramund:
"Is the rope pressing on your wounds? Are you alright?"
"Very comfortable."
At his sarcastic reply, Sigrid responded:
"Let
know imdiately if you're uncomfortable. Even if your condition worsens. Let's get out of here alive together."
"Why?"
At Beramund's question, Sigrid exploded with irritation:
"I don't like you."
"Oh,
neither."
"But you're my superior, and I can't let you die."
"Again, why?"
The Emperor would clap his hands with joy if I died and give you a dal.
"I'm not a stupid, incompetent section chief who lets her Captain die."
Beramund genuinely wondered what this woman was talking about. But Sigrid started walking as if she didn't want to argue anymore.
Beramund couldn't understand what this woman—Sigrid Ankertna—was thinking. He wanted to rip open her head and look inside.
It was reckless enough to try to escape from here with him, but she had co to this enemy territory to find him, and now she was attempting to escape while carrying him on her back.
Did she want to commit suicide together?
No, why was she trying to save him?
But he was too tired to argue now. Beramund swallowed a sigh and let his body go limp, leaning fully on her.
This would be more comfortable for both of them than awkwardly trying to maintain tension.
They hadn't gone far when they heard soldiers shouting, "Over there!" With soldiers everywhere, it would have been stranger if they hadn't been spotted while she was carrying Beramund.
Sigrid started running, drawing her sword while mapping out the area in her head.
What followed was a war of attrition, like a rabbit hunt. The soldiers didn't rush in, being wary of a Master, but they kept shooting arrows from a distance and pushing, constantly forcing them to expend stamina and aura.
Beramund whispered:
"If we're going to die anyway, I'd rather not die while being carried."
"We're not going to die."
Sigrid answered sharply and started running again. Darkness was soon falling all around them. Thinking it was madness to run through the forest at night, Beramund whispered in her ear:
"There's a fallen tree ahead."
Sigrid flinched and glanced at him briefly before slowing down. Indeed, a fallen tree ca into view. It was strange that he could see this on such a cloudy night with no moonlight.
"Where are you planning to go?"
"We're almost there."
At her words, Beramund said:
"Then let
walk now."
"If you want to end up having your leg amputated after walking on it without proper treatnt, be my guest."
Beramund opened his mouth, and Sigrid searched around for a while before finding what she wanted. It was a narrow cave.
Only then did she untie the rope and lower Beramund, guiding him into the cave. Beramund crawled into the cave on all fours without complaint, and Sigrid followed, keeping watch in all directions.
Just as Beramund was starting to think, 'I don't want to starve to death stuck in here,' his hand slipped.
"Whoa?"
"Are you alright?"
"Not alright. There's no path ahead. It's pitch black and I can't see anything—"
"Fall down."
"...Are you trying to kill
without getting your hands dirty?"
"I'm not killing you!"
What nonsense have you been spouting? Sigrid said, irritated. Beramund swallowed and threw himself into the pitch-black darkness.
"Ugh—!"
A cry escaped involuntarily as pain shot through his wounds, but the height itself wasn't that great. Moreover, the bottom was covered with thick moss.
After Beramund half-crawled to make space, Sigrid ca down too. There was a rustling sound, and soon Sigrid lit a light.
"Ah—"
Beramund let out a small cry. They had co out into a wide space after passing through that narrow path.
"How did you know about a place like this?"
"I heard about it from a local resident. They said it was an air shaft dug for coal mining."
"And this is the coal mine."
"Yes."
"And if the enemy blocks the entrance, it's truly a rabbit hunt."
"We'll have to get out before that. For now, let's rest."
At Sigrid's words, Beramund stared at her blankly.
"You really intend to save
and get out of here."
"What exactly did you think I've been doing until now?"
"What do you think His Majesty will say if you save
and take
back?"
"He'll say 'Good job.'"
"No, that's not what I an. You— why are you trying to save ?"
Sigrid silently put down the small lantern. Then she started unpacking her waist pouch. She approached Beramund with a small dagger, and he watched her actions without particular resistance.
Though she had taken off the armor earlier, she hadn't removed the smaller pieces of protective gear. She removed the gauntlets, undid the bandages she had applied earlier, took off the ruined outer clothing, removed his shirt, cut away his pants—
She could use aura to heal the surface of the wounds, but now was the ti to conserve aura. Besides, if only the surface healed, it would burst open as soon as he moved.
Sigrid poured disinfectant on his wounds without warning. Beramund gritted his teeth. Sigrid said:
"Bite on this, at least?"
Beramund silently took the leather sheath of the dagger she offered. Now it was ti to stitch the raw flesh. Sigrid cleaned her hands with disinfectant and started stitching the wounds rcilessly, aligning them properly.
"You are my superior. And although I really dislike you—"
Sigrid started talking, trying to distract him a little.
"But you're a valuable retainer to His Majesty. You're an excellent Master. Even though I really dislike you. So my duty as a section chief is to save you and bring you back admirably, Beramund Lunatil."
A laugh like air escaping ca from between the clenched dagger sheath. Sigrid glanced up at him and saw him smiling with a pale face in the dim light.
'So that premise is wrong,' Beramund wanted to say.
Sigrid stitched the wounds, applied ointnt, and then wrapped them in bandages again. After treating all the wounds, Beramund groaned and went limp. He wanted to just pass out right away. Pain consus both willpower and physical strength intensely.
"Sigrid."
At his call, Sigrid turned to look at him.
It was the first ti he had called her by na, instead of 'hey,' 'you,' 'mad dog,' or 'woman.'
"Shall I tell you how to gain His Majesty's trust?"
"...Please do tell."
"Leave
here and go."
"...Are you hoping I'll look like a fool in front of His Majesty, or do you already think I'm a fool?"
"No, I'm serious. Why do you think His Majesty sent
on such a dangerous mission?"
"Because he trusts you."
At her unhesitating answer, Beramund stared blankly at Sigrid.
Was it a fabricated lie, or was she speaking sincerely?
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
"Are you serious...?"
"Do you think I'm the kind of person who lies?"
Seeing Sigrid's face as if she had been insulted, Beramund opened his mouth and then closed it. Then he said sincerely:
"You're an idiot."
"And you're a fool for saying that to soone who ca to rescue you."
Sigrid swallowed the word 'bastard.' After all, he was still her superior.
"Then what do you think about His Majesty and the Crown Prince?"
"His Majesty is the master of the Empire and the eternal truth. And the Crown Prince is an excellent heir."
Wow—
Beramund held back from saying 'You crazy thing.'
He had wondered what she was thinking, acting like a dog, but was she really just an idiot?
Beramund sighed. As he sighed, he gestured for her to co closer. She obediently approached him, and Beramund chuckled and said:
"You're good at following orders."
"Because you're my superior."
"Then will you do everything I say?"
"Have I ever not listened to you?"
"That's..."
True? Beramund blinked in surprise. Then he said slowly:
"Then take off your clothes."
At those words, Sigrid frowned but silently took off her outer clothing and started unbuttoning her shirt.
"Stop there."
Her hands stopped unbuttoning just below her chest. Beramund held back from shouting 'You're really taking them off?' and reached out his hand. His fingers slid past her underwear and into her cleavage, and Sigrid shuddered all over as his touch reached her aura core.
"What are you doing—"
"Charging aura."
Beramund replied and started pouring his aura into her core. Sigrid swallowed her breath. The sensation of soone else's aura filling her core was really—
When enough aura had been filled, Beramund removed his hand.
"I won't be using aura anyway, and you're the one who needs to use it."
Then he calmly buttoned up her shirt and said:
"And when given an order, at least ask for the reason before following it. Use your head to think a bit."
"A soldier who questions orders isn't a good soldier."
Beramund chuckled at Sigrid's words.
"An idiot who only carries out orders one-dinsionally is also a headache."
"......"
Sigrid couldn't reply and fell into thought. After she put her outer clothing back on, she took out a water container. They shared a small amount of water and chewed on so rations. Then Beramund took his dicine. Sigrid discovered water dripping from the cave wall and left the container to fill with it, then they rested.
Beramund opened his eyes to a hand shaking him awake.
His mind was foggy, and he felt cold.
"Lord Lunatil."
Beramund recognized the voice and looked at Sigrid. It took a while for his thoughts to return to normal. He spoke in a low, hoarse voice:
"I really think you should leave
behind and go now."
He was running a fever.
Taking care of an injured person with simple wounds and taking care of an injured person delirious with fever are completely different matters.
"I intend to carry at least as much aura as you gave , Lord Lunatil."
Beramund chuckled at Sigrid's words.
So this woman can joke too.
Sigrid felt his forehead. The fever was higher than expected.
Without a word, she gathered the water container, gave him dicine, packed their belongings, and then hoisted him onto her back like yesterday. Beramund asked:
"How long did we rest?"
"About 4 hours. You should sleep more, Lord Lunatil. It's important to conserve energy."
"Beramund."
"Pardon?"
"It's ridiculous to keep calling
Lord Lunatil in this situation, isn't it?"
"If it weren't for rank, I would have abandoned you already."
"...Rank is important, I see."
Sigrid laughed lightly at Beramund's words. He looked at her in surprise.
Did she just laugh?
Sigrid glanced back at him and said, "Then I'll set off," before starting to walk. The coal mine was a passage made for people to use, so the footing wasn't too treacherous. Of course, she still maintained extre caution, stopping at the slightest sound and covering the light.
As they walked for a while like this, Beramund tugged at her clothing. Sigrid imdiately stopped and covered the light.
All that could be heard was Beramund's shallow breathing. Just as Sigrid was tilting her head, wondering if she had sensed wrong, she heard the sound of small stones rolling.
Click, clack, clatter.
Sigrid froze in place, pressing herself against the wall while covering and extinguishing the light. After a while, small footsteps could be heard, and light appeared.
Two soldiers were examining the area while talking.
"Damn, did they really co in here?"
"I don't know, we were told to check, so we're checking."
"Can't they just let one knight go?"
"It's a Dark Knight, you know?"
"True, thinking about how many of our comrades died because of that bastard."
"This is a secret, but—"
"What is it?"
"Those barbarians, you know. They seem to really want him."
"If I were him, I'd rather commit suicide than be handed over to them alive."
"I wonder why the Marquis is cooperating with those filthy bastards."
The two were walking closer to where Sigrid and Beramund were. Sigrid started to retreat slowly.
She drew her sword silently and slowly. Aura gradually rose to envelop the blade. Glancing at the aura, Sigrid made a strange face.
Black aura.
Sigrid crouched, hiding herself in the darkness as much as possible, and when she encountered the two n, she swung her sword. The first one's throat was pierced. In the mont the other one opened his mouth in surprise, Sigrid slashed his throat too. Then she caught him as he fell.
"Well done."
Beramund murmured in her ear. His arm was also holding the soldier Sigrid had cut first. After laying them down carefully to avoid making noise as they fell, Sigrid extinguished the lamp hanging at his waist. They were both covered in blood, but neither complained.
Then she started moving quickly.
If those two soldiers didn't return, a search party would enter here imdiately, and then it would be all over for them.
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