Carlos's Handshake and Sylvia's Bold Request
Meanwhile, Cloud, who had been dragged along by Sylvia, was still debating whether or not he should kneel when Carlos extended his hand first, offering a handshake.
"Sorry for the late introduction. I'm Carlos di Valentino."
"Cloud New Ku... I mean, no, Cloud Asran. Thanks to you, I survived. Th-thank you so much for saving me."
They shook hands.
'His clothes are shabby, and now that I'm face-to-face with a real noble, I'm ridiculously nervous. The aura he gives off is on another level...'
Carlos wore gleaming white armor, and the magnificent holy sword strapped to his back shone brilliantly. Seeing the countless subordinates he commanded, Cloud felt that speaking too casually might cost him his life.
"Um... You're a noble, so is it really all right for someone like me to shake your hand?"
When Cloud looked ready to drop to his knees at any moment, Carlos laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about etiquette. Sylvia seems to trust you quite a bit. If you're Sylvia's friend, then you're my friend too. Please, treat me casually—like a friend."
Meanwhile, Sylvia was quietly staring at Elena, who stood behind Cloud. Taller than herself, with delicate facial lines, a straight nose, small lips, and clear, lake-like eyes, the elf in crimson leather was strikingly beautiful. As she watched, a thought suddenly crossed her mind: she had often been called pretty herself, but if Cloud had to choose between her and this elf, who would he say was more beautiful?
Just then, Carlos turned to her.
"May I ask your name, my lady?"
Elena offered him a light elven bow.
"Elena Sairalinde."
Even that gesture looked lovely, stirring a pang of jealousy in Sylvia. Without thinking, she began worrying about her own skin, the state of her hair, whether her chest was larger than Elena's, if her clothes looked presentable—countless petty insecurities flooded her mind. She also fretted that after staying awake since yesterday, her skin's elasticity must have suffered greatly.
"Lady Elena, what is your relationship with our Cloud?"
Sylvia approached Elena, emphasizing the word "our" as she asked. While Sylvia wore a stiff expression, Elena smiled gently and answered kindly in her slightly awkward human speech.
"I'm Cloud's flesh toilet."
"Flesh toilet?"
At those words, Cloud's face turned bright red with panic. He hurriedly clamped his hand over Elena's mouth. Sylvia looked bewildered and glanced at Carlos, but he merely stood with his hands behind his back, staring off at the distant mountains while repeatedly clearing his throat.
The awkward meeting ended in a flurry of confusion. Carlos arranged a carriage to ensure they could return safely to Valua. The carriage was his personal one, so it was quite luxurious and ornate. Elena told Cloud she would be heading to the elf village for a few days to hold a funeral for her comrade slain by the witch. She departed first via the forest path, leaving only Cloud and Sylvia in the carriage.
"Hyah!"
When the coachman cracked his whip against the horses' rumps, the three steeds began to gallop.
"Whew, now I can finally breathe."
Cloud leaned his arm comfortably against the carriage window frame. If he closed his eyes like this, it felt as though his body would sink endlessly. He shut his eyes, thinking he could finally get some sleep. The exhaustion washing over him should have let him drift off immediately. But Sylvia, sitting across from him, shook his knee.
"Cloud. Cloud."
"Mmm...?"
Cloud opened his eyes halfway and looked at her.
"I have something to say."
"Can't it wait? I'm really tired right now. Let me catch some sleep on the way."
"No. This is something I have to say right now. You know we won't have time together once we reach the city."
Upon arriving in Valua, Sylvia would have to slip into the castle immediately to avoid prying eyes. Having left the castle without notice for two days, things were probably in chaos by now. Knowing her situation well, Cloud reluctantly opened his eyes and straightened his posture. Sitting properly for conversation, he crossed his arms.
"What is it?"
As he asked, a yawn escaped him.
"Do you remember the promise we made in that alley before we left for the Tower of Light last night?"
'Once this is over, I want you to grant me one request. I have something in mind for that request, but I haven't decided for certain yet, and I can't tell you right now. I'd like to think about it more during this journey. I'll tell you when the trip ends.'
Her words flashed through his mind, and he scratched his head as if annoyed by the troublesome matter left hanging.
"I remember."
After answering, he felt the rough texture of fatigue on the tip of his tongue.
"I've decided."
"Yeah? That's good. So what is this request...?"
Drowsy, he mumbled half-heartedly. Whatever the favor was, it probably wasn't anything serious. Since it came from a noble young lady raised in a household with many servants, he imagined it might be something like watching her troublesome nephew for twenty-four hours, fetching her some risqué novel, or finding her a new house because she wanted to buy one. Picturing such things, he grinned foolishly.
In contrast, Sylvia wore an utterly serious expression. The weight of whatever she was about to say was palpable in her face.
"Our family is currently recruiting soldiers to hunt the witch that has appeared in our territory."
"Hunting a witch, huh? That must be exhausting for everyone."
Cloud spoke as if it were someone else's problem. But the next words from Sylvia's mouth made him bolt upright in his seat.
"I want you to enlist as well."
"Me?!"
His eyes widened, and all traces of sleepiness vanished instantly.
"You want me to join the army?"
"That's right. The only requirement is that you're physically healthy. There's no test of knowledge or martial skill, so it's very easy. Just submitting an application should get you accepted right away."
Suddenly being told to become a soldier left Cloud with an incredulous look.
"That doesn't make any sense. Being a soldier isn't my dream. I'm perfectly content living a simple life farming and having a peaceful family. And you want me to join a group hunting a witch? That's terrifying. I hate it. Absolutely not."
Having already encountered the witch, he shuddered. The image of those grotesque demonic wings sprouting from her back was still vivid in his mind. Moreover, it was the witch who had granted him tremendous power. Fight against an existence beyond human—a godlike being? That was nothing short of suicide. The absurdity made him laugh.
"You don't know this, Sylvia, but a witch is truly more than human. You can't understand how dangerous they are without experiencing it yourself."
"I'm not asking you to participate in the witch hunt. I just want you to become a soldier of House Valua this time. I'll make sure you don't have to go to war, so just submit the application."
Sylvia was resolute. Then she pleaded.
"You just need to become a soldier of House Valua."
"Just submit the application?"
"Yes. You only need to apply. I'll handle the rest, so you can just stay put. I promise I won't let you go on the witch hunt."
Being exempted from the witch hunt—what was she talking about? He didn't understand at all.
"Why go that far? What do you gain from making me a soldier of House Valua?"
Sylvia hesitated, her lips twitching several times before she spoke in a small voice.
"I've never dated a man before. I haven't even held hands with one. Do you know why?"
"Well... it's hard to believe someone as beautiful as you hasn't. With a face like yours, men should be lining up at your door every day with bouquets."
Unlike Cloud's lighthearted reply, Sylvia spoke with difficulty.
"House Valua's former glory has faded, and we've long been pushed out of central politics. But my father has always hoped to return to the center. Growing up watching his desperate efforts, I had already considered a political marriage with a powerful family. Of course, I have an older brother, but due to his mental illness, everyone has given up on him. Just like Sir Carlos, whom we met earlier, we can no longer expect a bright future. Honestly, isn't it easier for a man to revive the family than a woman? Physically, in terms of connections, and given the male-centered patriarchal social system. But after my brother became that way, all the family's expectations fell on me. For a woman like me to restore the family, I thought maintaining my purity would be easier than gaining fame through martial prowess. Marrying into a powerful central noble house would be faster and simpler. If I could catch the eye of even one central noble, our family could immediately start currying favor with the royal court—whether as a legitimate wife or a concubine. On the other hand, accumulating merit through martial skill would take at least several decades, so I could only sigh. But then..."
"......"
Cloud listened attentively, his expression serious. He could roughly guess what came next.
"But after meeting you, everything fell apart......"
At those words, his heart sank. He quickly cut her off before she could continue.
"That's enough. I get the rest."
Cloud recalled what he had said when he violated her.
'Once the paralysis wears off, you'd better not think about killing me. Listen carefully. Without your maidenhead, you'll never be able to marry another noble. Right? I'm basically your husband now. If you kill me, you'll have to live as a widow for the rest of your life. Understand?'
"It worked out for the best anyway. Rather than living as a soulless doll married off to some central noble, you're liberated thanks to me. Either way, it's a miserable life, but... so you want to make me your husband candidate?"
Though there were points she wanted to angrily refute in his opinion, she too was exhausted and lacked the energy to respond. Sylvia hesitated for a moment before reluctantly speaking.
"Yes. That's right. So from now on, take responsibility for me, Cloud."