Chapter 24
Even as a child, he used to crawl under the bed like Erin, curling up and crying. That was why he understood how miserable that feeling was.
That was also why he couldn’t take his eyes off Erin.
Still, he had people by his side. There were always those who cared about him, and they gave him strength.
Ferdin was able to grow stronger for their sake, and he was never alone.
But the Erin he saw was always alone.
The first moment he saw her at the academy, Ferdin couldn’t help but be shocked.
“How is she enduring that situation?”
Everyone was criticizing her. Of course, the rumors on the surface all claimed that Erin Rius was a villain.
But was the Erin Rius they had actually met really a villain? Was she truly someone capable of killing another person?
Of course, Ferdin couldn’t be completely certain that Erin wasn’t a villain.
Just because she had cried as a child didn’t mean he could conclude anything for sure.
So Ferdin began to observe her—to judge for himself whether she was truly evil or not.
“She’s not a villain.”
He became certain of that after seeing Erin crying while burying a dead cat.
With her smooth hands, untouched by scars, she covered the body with soil and mourned the cat.
Ferdin watched her from behind for a long time.
Seeing Erin cry silently, as if she was used to it, something inside him felt twisted.
Someone who harms others without care—could they cry like that?
That was impossible.
Then what were all those rumors? Who should take responsibility for the unreasonable hatred and blame she had endured?
Who dared to spread such lies?
“Deep in thought, aren’t you, Ferdin?”
At Duke Asilly’s voice, Ferdin came back to his senses.
The duke looked at him curiously and continued.
“And about that incident during the monster subjugation—the entire horde was wiped out. Do you know who did it? No matter how I think about it, it wasn’t something an ordinary knight could do… There are even rumors that a new Sword Master has appeared.”
“I don’t know anything about that either. I only know that I’m alive thanks to whoever defeated them.”
“Well, that makes sense. I should look into the others who were part of the subjugation.”
“Do you think it was someone from the unit?”
Duke Asilly shook his head.
“Unfortunately, once someone reaches a certain level, it becomes difficult to gauge each other’s strength. Even if I see them, I wouldn’t be able to confirm it. Still, I’d like to meet that hidden individual.”
He added quietly, as if speaking to himself.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a worthy opponent…”
There were two other Sword Masters in the empire, but neither could match him.
He had always wanted someone who could stand as his equal.
“If there isn’t one… perhaps I could create one?”
At that sudden thought, the duke’s eyes sparkled.
After all, wasn’t there someone with astonishing talent right before him? What if he took Erin Rius as his disciple?
Learning under him would bring far greater progress than studying at this academy.
Duke Asilly nodded in satisfaction, smiling.
The idea that Erin might refuse his offer never even crossed his mind.
After all, what knight would refuse to become his disciple? It was the fastest path to becoming a Sword Master.
He recalled Erin, who had only bowed to him without saying a word. Even her pride suited being his disciple.
The more he thought about it, the more perfect the plan seemed. The duke was a rather simple man.
“Next time I visit Atens Academy, I’ll make the offer immediately.”
With that thought, the duke spoke to Ferdin.
“By the way, it seems the emperor will soon assign you a mission.”
“…Here we go again.”
“This one won’t be so easy. You’ll be heading into their territory to subjugate the werewolf tribe and rescue the refugees. Count Leon’s Second Knight Order will accompany you, but…”
“….”
“Well, that just means it’s that dangerous. Try your best to survive again. Who knows? Maybe another passing Sword Master will save you this time.”
With that, the duke stood up.
Two months passed quickly.
Erin sat at the table, holding a small quill pen, drawing circles on paper.
As she did, she recalled everything that had happened during those two months.
She had diligently attended her swordsmanship classes.
As a result, she ranked among the top five students eligible for missions.
Sometimes she ran into Ferdin at the academy. Whenever they met, they exchanged awkward greetings and passed by.
Thinking of him stirred an indescribable feeling.
Erin pressed lightly against her chest, then continued her thoughts.
Sometimes the young lady would visit and chatter about her daily life.
Most of it was simple things—like how nice the weather was, or how delicious the desserts were at some shop, and asking Erin to go with her.
And then… there were her sparring matches with Amon.
Erin drew Amon’s usual angry expression on the paper. He always looked irritated, even when nothing was wrong.
And he constantly challenged her to spar. But every time, Erin never refused.
Thanks to that, Amon improved quickly. Other students in the swordsmanship department, seeing this, began asking her to spar with them as well, putting her in a difficult situation.
She didn’t know how he heard about it, but even Caron asked her for a match, leaving her speechless.
Still, she didn’t refuse her younger brother either.
After being thoroughly beaten by Erin, Caron kept muttering, “I can’t believe this.”
From the next day onward, he started acting like Amon—constantly asking her to spar all day long.
Erin smiled faintly at the thought, then remembered something that had happened recently.
While walking, she had unintentionally overheard some students talking.
“I don’t believe any rumors these days. Erin’s rumors are just too strange.”
“Why?”
“Because Erin is kind.”
“True… It’s hard to imagine her doing something like that.”
These were things she had once wished others would recognize. But now that she heard them, she didn’t feel much.
It didn’t even feel real.
And Raymond existed in her otherwise normal life like a foreign substance.
Whenever she was about to forget him, she would catch him secretly watching her practice swordsmanship.
Seeing him, Erin began to think about how she should live this life after regression.
The things that would happen in the future, the things she had to stop… and the people she had to kill.
The Erin of the past couldn’t even kill a bug, let alone a person.
Even when she was beaten by the marchioness, her only thoughts were:
“It hurts.”
“I’m scared.”
She had never once thought of revenge.
She believed it wasn’t her place to judge someone’s life or death.
But what if that person was trying to kill her?
Should she still just endure it?
If she were used and then discarded like trash… would she still forgive them?
Raymond coming to the swordsmanship department had also happened in the past.
Back then, it was said he came to watch her, since the young lady had died because of Erin, and they needed to ensure she didn’t cause another incident.
At that time, Erin had actually been relieved.
“Raymond is here… I’m not alone anymore.”
And as she expected, Raymond was happy to see her.
With the same familiar smile, he said the same words.
“Erin! Long time no see.”
But after that, things changed.
She began hearing insults for no reason.
People started coming to her, getting angry at her over things that weren’t even her fault.
After Raymond arrived, more tragedies began to happen to her.
“Still… I have Raymond. I’ll be okay.”
Even though she knew better, she had been naive.
Raymond would always comfort her afterward.
Erin recalled that time from the past.
Just like now, Ferdin had been assigned the mission to subjugate the werewolf tribe and rescue captured refugees.
But Erin hadn’t been able to learn whether he succeeded.
Because she had fallen into the lake and hovered between life and death.
It had happened while she was with Raymond.
