Chapter 101: Me?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 101: Me?
Boom!
A thunderous roar shook Hestia Village, bringing the chaos to a sudden end.
The villagers, who had gathered to purge the remaining monsters, now formed a wary circle around Valdrova. Every eye was fixed on her.
“What in the world is…?”
“Ugh…”
Those with weak stomachs gagged at the carnage. A few among them recognized exactly what they were looking at.
‘A Berserker.’
Warriors possessed by a primal rage, they destroyed everything in their path. Their fury was uncontrollable; without a mage capable of casting Calm magic, they were treated as little more than small ogres.
The villagers could only guess why a woman wielding such monstrous strength was here. Though it was merely a suspicion, fear was a quick contagion. Everyone was afraid of Valdrova.
Valdrova did nothing. She merely lifted her head slightly to scan her surroundings before sitting motionless where she was.
The crowd hesitated, glancing at one another. No one dared to step into the crater she had carved into the earth with a single blow.
“Are you alright, Sir Knight?”
A man wearing the epaulets of the Security Force Captain stepped forward. It was William, the man who had faced the monsters more bravely than anyone else.
Valdrova could not answer.
“Can you stand? Shall I help you?”
William reached out a hand, but Valdrova didn't even look at it. She remained as still as if she had died on the spot.
The voice that finally roused her consciousness belonged to one man.
“Sir William.”
It was Ferda. Valdrova lifted her head and looked up at him.
“Yes, Regent.”
“I heard a tremendous explosion just now. It seems this was the epicenter…”
Ferda looked at her. His eyes were ice-cold, devoid of the tender warmth he usually reserved for her.
“You are…”
Ferda trailed off. Valdrova knew why.
‘Because I’m…’
A monster.
Ferda walked toward Valdrova. Unable to bear his expression, she lowered her head. With her vision obscured, the sound of his footsteps became even more vivid.
Standing close, Ferda spoke.
“Come to the castle. I have something to say to you.”
The kindness he always showed her was gone.
* * *
She had seen this room many times before, but it felt very different now. Before, she had looked around as the owner; now, she had come as a guest.
It was a ridiculous situation—the master of the castle arriving as a visitor.
Ferda, unaware of this fact, personally prepared and poured the tea in the drawing room.
“Normally, a maid would do this, but everyone is busy cleaning up the situation outside, so I’m doing it myself. Please understand if it doesn't taste great.”
“……”
“Still, consider yourself lucky. I’ve made it a rule that every knight must wash up upon entering, so that would have only eaten up more time.”
Ferda pushed the teacup toward Valdrova. It didn't matter how it tasted.
‘Tea brewed by Ferda…’
That alone made it feel incredibly special. She wanted to drink it. However, if she took off her helmet, her face would be revealed. Ferda would be shocked. Then she would have to explain what she had been doing all this time, and things would get complicated. He might even feel revulsion.
She didn't want to face such a tragedy.
‘Let’s just stay still.’
Valdrova silently set the teacup down. Watching her, Ferda started a different conversation.
“I heard you’ve taken a Vow of Silence.”
Nod.
“It’s a convenient excuse. If you claim a Vow of Silence, you only have to answer what’s asked, and you don't have to say anything unnecessary. Isn't that right?”
Ferda’s cold gaze seemed to pierce through her.
“It might work on the foolish masses, but I was raised in a family of knights. A Vow of Silence is usually something only Paladins undertake. And if you served a deity, it would be evident in your bearing.”
“……”
“But you serve no one. All you possess is strength and combat skill that surpasses most knights. So, why tell such a lie?”
He spoke cynically.
“The reason is obvious. You’re hiding your identity to escape your past.”
Valdrova clenched her fists. Even if Ferda was slightly off the mark, he had grasped the essence of the truth. Valdrova hated herself. She hated herself for being someone who made others tremble even more than she hated the demons who had driven so many to their deaths.
“Tell me,” Ferda asked, lifting his teacup. “Have you ever killed someone while consumed by that rage?”
Nod.
“And is that why you fled and came here?”
Nod.
“I see.”
A brief silence followed. After a moment of thought, Ferda asked her another question.
“Do you regret that day?”
Regret. How could she not? For decades, she had been mired in grief, loathing herself and plagued by nightmares. She had prayed for God’s mercy and salvation, but no one had answered. Instead of moving forward, she had stood still, drowning in self-hatred.
Whenever she thought of the people sacrificed in the Dragon-Demon War, she always had the same thought: If only those people I killed could live again, I wouldn't care if I became an Evil Dragon with the whole world as my enemy.
Valdrova nodded.
“I see.”
That calm affirmation seemed to create a silence like the eye of a storm. She expected insults to fly at any moment—that a monster like her wasn't needed in this city, that she should get out immediately.
“Tell me.”
But there was no storm.
“Do you like this village?”
It was an incredibly easy question. Valdrova nodded.
“Do you also have the intention to protect this village?”
Nod, nod.
“Then… would you be willing to accept the knighthood I intend to offer you?”
No—
Valdrova lifted her head.
‘A knight…’
A position that protects the people and safeguards the lord. It was the "Knight’s Romance" that country boys dreamed of. As someone who loved the word "protection," Valdrova was also interested in the title.
‘But why?’
She couldn't understand. People saw her as a monster. Even those young girls had trembled in fear. She was an Evil Dragon—no, an evil person. Such a person should not be a knight.
“Do you think you lack the qualification?”
Nod.
“What a trivial thought.”
His words were bluntly harsh. The fragile Valdrova felt a sting of hurt.
“Do you know how many adventurers in Hestia Village participated today?”
Shake, shake.
“Twenty-three teams entered the village. That’s seventy-three individuals. Each one of them is a source of martial power and wisdom.”
“……”
“And yet, only four teams participated in the defense. Do you know what that means? It means nineteen teams didn't care if people died or the village was destroyed.”
Ferda leaned forward.
“But you didn't do that. You could have hidden away with those fools, but you moved to protect this village.”
“……”
“That is because you know that the people before your eyes are more precious than the events of your past.”
Hearing those words, something heavy vanished from within Valdrova’s chest. She had thought he was looking at her as an infinitely cold monster, but she was wrong. That had been her misunderstanding from the start. Though his tone wasn't tender, his eyes held a sense of respect.
“As long as you have the heart to protect this place, your past means nothing to me.”
You are not at fault. You just need to keep moving forward.
‘What is this…?’
A strange emotion welled up. She had shared many conversations like this when she received Ferda’s mana. Back then, Ferda was always tender.
‘But it wasn't comfortable.’
When Ferda dealt with her then, he acted as if she were a flower that might break at any moment. His delicate, soft hands would only brush against her skin before passing by. Valdrova hadn't been able to believe his words, and so that comfort had remained a fleeting emotion.
‘It’s different from then.’
The absence of warmth in his tone and gaze. An attitude reserved for a stranger.
‘It feels like we’re meeting for the first time.’
He doesn't hesitate to touch upon her issues, and he draws out deep empathy from within. It felt like she was seeing another side of Ferda.
Her heart pounded. This feeling, deeper than when she first saw him, was undoubtedly love.
“Do you think I’m very understanding?”
At his question, Valdrova nodded.
“Unfortunately, I’m not that kind of person. I’m only pretending to be this understanding because you remind me of someone I’ve seen before.”
Who could that be? While she wondered internally, he spoke.
“That person is truly beautiful.”
Beautiful.
As Ferda said those words, he smiled. Seeing that, Valdrova felt a tightness in her chest.
‘Ruri said Ferda never smiles at anyone but me…’
Ruri had said that he was tender only because it was Valdrova, and he smiled only because it was Valdrova. Just who was this person that made him act this way?
“I’ve only seen her face once, and even then, I can't say I saw it properly.”
‘Was she such a good person that he likes her this much after seeing her only once?’
“Besides, the first time I saw her face, she was in tears.”
‘Is she someone whose crying face is that beautiful…?’
“I want to see her face every time, but I can never bring myself to say it.”
‘What a bad woman. Not even showing her face once…’
“Still, just knowing that she is resting without worry beneath this castle gives me comfort.”
‘Beneath this castle…’
Wait a minute. That person…
‘Is it me?’
Valdrova realized it belatedly. Looking back at everything he had said, wasn't the situation exactly the same as hers?
‘Ah…’
Valdrova’s face turned beet red. Now that she was aware, she wanted to bolt out of the room right this second. She wanted to return to her Lair and roll around on the floor making humming noises like she usually did. However, she used every ounce of her strength to suppress the trembling and continued to act like a stranger.
‘I really can't get caught now.’
For Ferda’s sake, and for mine!
“My apologies, I’ve rambled. So, can you think once more about accepting the knighthood?”
Ferda returned to the main point. Valdrova decided to reconsider.
‘If I become a knight… will I be the one… who protects Ferda?’
Valdrova’s heart fluttered. Since she was hearing things she never could have heard as a dragon or as the Archduchess Valdrova, she couldn't hide her excitement.
‘I want to protect the village.’
But even greater than that…
‘I want to protect Ferda.’
And even greater than that…
‘I want to hear more about what he thinks of me!’
A woman who lacked the courage to ask to his face, and a man who couldn't say it to her face. In such a relationship, this was the perfect moment to hear his true feelings directly. That reason was almost everything.
Just as Valdrova was about to give her answer.
“Lord Ferda.”
Ruri entered the room.
“How is the village?”
“The recovery is proceeding smoothly.”
“Any bad news?”
“None in particular. The death toll is minimal, and while there are many serious injuries, emergency treatment was completed quickly, so their lives are not in danger.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I will attend to you.”
She skillfully and quickly took her place and served tea. Ruri’s gaze flickered toward the armor.
“Hmm?”
Ruri, who was usually indifferent to humans, was staring intently at the armor for some reason. She peered at it closely. Her face looked as if she were on the verge of realizing something, yet not quite there.
A moment later.
“……Huh?”
Ruri’s expression soured instantly. Valdrova recognized that look.
‘She noticed!’
Inside the armor, Valdrova turned pale. Ruri stared at her as if she couldn't believe the absurdity of it all, but she kept her mouth shut in accordance with the Vow of Silence. Ferda, completely oblivious, only found Ruri’s behavior strange.
“What is it?”
“……It’s nothing. I just remembered some filth left in the village.”
Ruri finished her service as if nothing were wrong and stepped behind Ferda.
“Then, continuing our conversation—”
“Pardon me for interrupting.”
Ruri cut in.
“May I ask what you are discussing?”
“……This is the first time you’ve asked that.”
She had always been faithful to her role. She usually stood like a folding screen and never interfered.
“It seemed like a fairly important conversation. I felt I might need to know as well.”
Ferda answered readily.
“I asked if she could swear an oath to me as a knight.”
“A knight’s… oath…?”
Ruri’s face was a mask of disbelief.
“And did she accept?”
“I was just about to hear her answer.”
“Ho-oh…”
Ruri narrowed her eyes and scanned the knight.
“Is that so?”
Valdrova instinctively shrank back. Was she planning to expose her identity? She frantically denied it in her mind, sending a telepathic message to Ruri.
Please, just pretend you don't know!
Ruri had no intention of exposing her. Instead, she responded more cruelly than Valdrova had imagined.
“Lord Ferda. What do you think of this?”
“What do you mean?”
“A situation where a knight of high status swears loyalty to a commoner.”
Ferda replied.
“One cannot swear loyalty to a commoner, but one can be loyal to one's own convictions. If one vows to protect the people according to those convictions, it might look like they are being loyal to commoners. That is a noble thing.”
That was why Ferda had made William the Security Force Captain. He had even considered appointing him as a knight if the village grew larger.
“I was merely using that as an example. Let me put it a bit differently then. For instance…”
Ruri pretended to choose her words carefully before answering.
“What if Lady Valdrova were to swear loyalty to you, Lord Ferda?”
Ferda frowned. He glared at Ruri as if she had lost her mind.
“That’s preposterous. Such a thing could never happen. I am the one who should swear loyalty and she the one who grants trust. To say she would swear loyalty to me is nothing short of an insult to her, is it not?”
“That is exactly my point.”
“If you knew that, don't say such things carelessly. I can't stand it even as an example.”
“My apologies. I was merely curious.”
Ruri crossed her arms and glared at Valdrova. Her expression clearly said: Do you see how ridiculous this situation is?
“So, what is your answer?”
Ferda asked.
Her answer was already decided.