The Warmth of Yesterday's Promises
Sir Mallon was an elderly veteran knight. His physical prime had long since passed, and at his age, simply maintaining his current health was a blessing. Though he often boasted of his vigor in a booming voice, the truth was that he had stepped back from the front lines. When he shed his armor and dressed in ordinary clothes, Sir Mallon looked like nothing more than a boisterous old man. Yet, time had done nothing to diminish his worth. He was a veteran who had spent his youth on the battlefield and survived. He was more than just seasoned; his very life was a testament to experience. Baron Isquente had hired Sir Mallon as the territory's training instructor, and to me, the old knight was a master of the sword with much to teach.
“Bwahaha! Your skills have grown even sharper since I last saw you. I fear this old man can barely keep up anymore.”
“You flatter me, Sir Mallon. I still have much to learn from you.”
“Kind words, indeed!”
That was why, whenever I visited the Isquente Baronetcy, I always asked Sir Mallon for a spar. He never hesitated to accept, and our matches were incredibly beneficial to me in many ways. One could always expect textbook reactions from him; technically speaking, he was like an answer key brought to life.
“Your unpredictability in particular has improved leaps and bounds. Did you happen upon some miraculous enlightenment somewhere?”
“I simply crossed paths with a good opponent.”
“Hahaha! Ah, youth is a splendid thing. I cannot help but be envious. And that strike just now was exceptionally sharp. I found it quite difficult to counter.”
“Let us go for a bit longer. It has been a while, and I am enjoying myself.”
“Then I shall take the initiative this time!”
We traded blows for who knows how long before bringing our satisfying spar to an end. I was able to confirm the fruits of my training and even identified one or two areas that needed adjustment. After seeing Sir Mallon off, I noticed Sirien sitting on a bench beside the training grounds, turning the pages of a book. As I approached, she glanced up, caught my eye, and closed her book. Her lovely eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled warmly at me.
“Are you all done?”
“Yeah. I think I'll call it a day.”
“You worked hard. Would you like some water? I drew some for you in advance.”
“That sounds great. Thanks, I'll drink it gladly.”
Sirien really knew me well. Since my throat was parched, I gratefully accepted the cup and drank. Once I finished, the book she had been reading caught my eye. Embossed on the wine-red leather cover was the title: A Study on Ancient Religious History and the Contradictions of Divinity. It was a title that practically guaranteed I would never lay a finger on it.
“Why? Are you curious about what it's about?”
“A little. But not enough to actually read it.”
“It is pretty much exactly what the title says. For example, if the light in the world becomes too intense, everyone goes blind, right? And if everyone is blind, no one can actually see the light, which makes it a contradiction... Well, it is not all that important anyway.”
Sirien chuckled, sliding the book aside. Her hand reached out, naturally pulling at mine. Following her gentle tug, I sat down beside her. Once seated, I realized just how close we were. Our arms brushed against each other, sharing a faint, comforting warmth. Sirien's body was as warm as ever.
“Isn't training exhausting? You do it every single day without fail.”
“It's just my usual routine. Consistency is the only way to improve.”
“It still seems amazing to me. I used to hate studying in the castle every day. I wanted to play with you instead of doing all that boring schoolwork.”
“And yet, you studied quite hard yourself.”
“Only because there was nothing else to do.”
When we were young, Sirien would often come to watch me at the knights' training grounds. She never came close, though; she would always watch silently from a distance before slipping away. She had never said a word, so I had never known she did it because she wanted to play. I realized anew just how dense I had been.
“Is that why you used to linger around the training grounds every day?”
“Wh-what? You saw me back then?”
“Of course I did. How could I miss you? I just figured you came to watch because you were bored.”
“I see. So you were looking at me even then.”
Sirien murmured softly, her lips curving into a bright grin. She seemed to have cheered up instantly. Tilting her head, she leaned it against my shoulder. Her brilliant silver hair cascaded down, tickling my skin, and her soft cheek pressed against my upper arm. Her fingers began to trace idle, repetitive circles on my knee.
“Hey, did you hear? They are holding a festival here starting tomorrow.”
“Sir Mallon mentioned it briefly.”
“Really? They say there will be lots of delicious food and fun things to see. The Baron was boasting about how many merchants he managed to bring in.”
I stole a glance at Sirien. Though she wasn't looking directly at me, I knew exactly what she wanted. Her flushed cheeks, her gaze directed elsewhere as if avoiding mine, her lips parting slightly only to close again... I wasn't completely oblivious. She was clearly anticipating something. Since Sirien had a habit of being dishonest with her feelings, I figured it would be best for me to take the initiative and invite her.
“Would you like to go together tomorrow? I've been wanting to check it out.”
“Yes, let's go! I heard earlier that they sell bread filled with plum jam. They said it's a must-try.”
“We can buy one each and eat them together. You love plums, after all.”
“That is why I am looking forward to it.”
It seemed I had given the perfect answer. I could feel her cheek twitching against my arm as she tried to suppress a smile. She probably thought she was hiding it, but when Sirien let her guard down, she became incredibly transparent. She seemed to know quite a lot about the festival already. Baron Isquente must have filled her in on all the details. Given how immensely proud he was of his territory, he had undoubtedly rambled on with great excitement. Sirien had likely grumbled and pretended not to care, yet listened intently to every word.
“Shall we walk for a bit? I want to go see the town. They must be in the middle of preparing for the festival right now.”
Even from the entrance of the town, the festive atmosphere was palpable. Although the preparations were not yet complete, the sheer anticipation humming through the air made it feel as though the celebration could erupt at any moment. Various stalls were being set up along the outskirts, and several of the merchants the Baron had summoned were already in sight. A large stage had also been erected, suggesting that various performances were in the works. Being close to the front lines, there was a significant number of mercenaries and soldiers who had come to spectate.
Among them were followers wearing lantern-shaped necklaces—the symbol of Hibras. Recognizing Sirien first, they approached to greet her.
“Ah, Saintess! Thank you for your help the other day. Thanks to you, my friend must be resting in peace now.”
“I only did what was required of me. I am glad to see that you have found some peace of mind as well, brother.”
“Saintess... I am a man of little learning and do not even know how to pray properly. Would someone like me still be allowed to join the faith?”
“Prayer is a matter of the heart. If your devotion is sincere, the formalities do not matter. If it still troubles you, the priests at the temple will be more than happy to guide you.”
On the battlefield, the teachings of Hibras were quite popular. To soldiers who lived hand-in-hand with death, those who ensured a proper burial were naturally held in high regard. Furthermore, the doctrine of guiding souls to eternal rest after death held a powerful appeal. From the order's perspective, accompanying the army allowed them to gather divine influence, making it a mutually beneficial relationship. Consequently, a temple of Hibras had been built even here in the Isquente Baronetcy, close to the front lines. This was also why the Baron, the lord of this land, always addressed Sirien with absolute respect. After all, a Saintess of an order was treated on par with high nobility within the Empire. We had not yet revealed to the Baron that Sirien was a direct descendant of the Illencia family.
After exchanging greetings with those who recognized us, we walked through the bustling streets and arrived at the town square. Perhaps because the preparations there were already complete, the center of town was actually much quieter than the outskirts. However, a massive pile of stacked logs caught our attention. There was no need to ask what all that firewood was gathered for.
“Look at that. They said they will light a massive bonfire on the final night. Do you remember? We used to build campfires outside the cabin and play. Those were truly happy times.”
“Wasn't it just because you liked being able to stay up and play at night?”
“Well, to me, the night had always been nothing more than the end of the day. It was the first time I realized that those quiet, empty hours could actually be fun.”
“Yeah. Honestly, I had fun too. We would shout excitedly about going home and dance to terrible rhythms. Therion would act as if he were completely drunk, even though he had only had orange juice.”
“Right, he did. Then, do you also remember the promise the four of us made?”
“How could I forget?”
The bold promise Therion had made. Sirien, Therion, me, and Hena. He had promised that once the four of us gathered again, he would grant us a wish. Swept up in the moment, Sirien had joined in, promising to grant one too. Though that reunion had now become an impossibility.
“When I think about it, you were always there in my very first memories, Rajen.”
“We are childhood friends, after all. And now, I am your knight.”
“Of course. You are my knight. You have to stay by my side forever.”
Sirien suddenly wrapped her arms around mine. Her distinct, warm body heat transferred directly to me, and the soft, pillowy sensation of her pressing against my arm made me flush with embarrassment. Lately, it felt as though the physical distance between us was shrinking day by day.
“Even though those two are no longer with us, you are still the most precious person to me.”
“Well, the feeling is mutual...”
“Yes. I am glad you said that. So, this time, I will keep my promise too.”
Her gloved finger pointed toward the dry pile of firewood.
“If you come here with me on the final night, I will grant your wish.”