Chapter 106: Encounter (4)
—
After sending Swen off for the negotiations.
Airen, who had chosen a suitable spot outside the castle to stand and wait, approached Reika, who was gazing at the sky, and asked her.
“Miss Reika.”
“Oh, ah…! What brings you here, Lord Airen…?”
“I was wondering what you were thinking about so deeply.”
“Ah…”
Reika replied with a faint smile.
“Just… I felt a bit uneasy coming here, but it seems like it was nothing to worry about after all… Should I say I feel relieved?”
“Uneasy?”
“Yes. Actually… I had a rather unpleasant dream.”
Starting from there, Reika began to share the story of her dream with Airen.
Airen nodded and said,
“I see. A dream where Swen was in danger… So when you said you ‘came because you were worried,’ it was about that dream.”
“Yes… that’s right.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Looking towards the castle, Airen spoke with a firm gaze.
“I won’t let him come to harm, not while I’m here.”
Her words were not empty bravado.
Airen was a general of such formidable strength that it was almost an overkill to have her merely play the role of an envoy’s bodyguard.
It was only because Lynn had not assigned her any significant roles previously, ensuring she did not harbor any grievances about her duties, that she was content with even such minor tasks. No one would dare complain about her strength.
“If you’re protecting him… then yes, I do feel safer.”
“That’s right. And it’s not just Swen I’m protecting.”
“Me…?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I came here to accompany you all.”
“Ah…”
Reika’s face turned slightly red.
Despite finding Airen somewhat intimidating at first, she now thought, despite the initial impression, she was indeed a remarkable person, and cautiously started to speak.
“Th-thank you…! But really, worrying over a silly dream… I thought it might be too frivolous to mention on our first meeting…”
“I understand that feeling. My image isn’t exactly the most approachable.”
“Really…?”
Airen’s voice was as calm as ever as she spoke of herself.
“I often hear that I don’t have the most friendly appearance among the soldiers. Living through battles, I’ve come to believe it’s dangerous to appear too gentle, so I’ve always maintained a stern expression. It’s become my default, leading to most people hesitating to speak around me.”
“I see…”
“Of course, that was partly intentional. In battle, nothing is more dangerous than letting the enemy read your expression. A person’s face inevitably reveals their anger, fear, confusion… which can become a weakness.”
Listening to Airen without interruption, Reika cautiously ventured,
“That must be… lonely, isn’t it?”
“What did you say?”
Airen’s eyes widened slightly, as if she had never considered the question.
“But… you have to hide your feelings, right? If so, you can’t share those feelings with others… It must be quite lonely…”
“…”
“I’ve felt lonely too. Because I didn’t have friends to share my heart with… So, I think I understand. It might be presumptuous, but… how you felt when you saw fear in the eyes of your soldiers, what it was like to… you know…”
As she spoke, apologizing repeatedly for her lack of eloquence, Airen calmly reassured her.
“It’s not like that…!”
“If it’s not?”
“I don’t find you frightening… In fact, I think you’re admirable. Surely, there must have been many challenges to reach where you are now… I couldn’t possibly be as brave… I admire that about you.”
Though her words were clumsily put together, it was the sincerity behind them that struck a chord with Airen.
“Is that so.”
Seeing Reika’s bewildered and apologetic expression, Airen smiled.
“Thank you, Reika. You are truly kind-hearted.”
“As are you, Lord Airen.”
After their exchange, silence fell once more.
But this silence was not heavy; it was filled with a sense of mutual understanding, even without words.
In this quiet, Reika felt not loneliness, but warmth.
After a few moments, Reika spoke up again, timidly.
“It feels… nice.”
“Nice?”
“Yes.”
To Airen’s question, Reika, now a bit more relaxed, replied,
“Traveling together like this… doesn’t seem so bad.”
“Together, you say. Indeed, that might be nice.”
Then, without realizing, Reika let slip a bombshell.
“If I were to marry Swen… would our life together continue like this?”
“Cough!”
“Lord Airen?!”
Coughing violently, Airen looked utterly shocked, her previously composed demeanor shattered.
“What… did you just say?”
“Ah, that… well, it’s just that… um…”
Seeing Airen’s completely transformed expression, Reika was too flustered to speak.
Realizing how she must appear, Airen covered her mouth, trying to regain composure.
“No, that… Sorry. It’s just that… I heard something rather unexpected.”
“Ah… I’m sorry…! It was presumptuous of me…!”
“No need to apologize… Anyway, if I heard you right.”
Airen, her face flushed, asked hesitantly, her intimidating aura as a knight nowhere to be seen.
“You mentioned… a wife?”
“Yes? Oh… because there are talks of marriage with Swen…”
Thud.
Upon hearing this, Airen’s world turned gray.
Marriage… Swen is getting married? To Reika?
“Of course, nothing’s been decided yet,” or “It’s just something my father mentioned,” Reika seemed to be saying, but Airen could hardly follow.
“Marriage… Swen is getting married.”
It wasn’t unheard of for a man to marry.
Considering Reika’s surname, Nightart, her father must be Jinor.
Such marriage discussions were common in Airen’s experience.
Yet, why did the news of Swen potentially marrying Reika make everything in Airen come to a halt?
Her brain seemed to stop working.
She couldn’t tell if she was breathing or even see clearly.
“Why… why…?”
In her panicked state, Reika’s voice slowly became audible.
“Lord Airen! Are you alright?”
“Ah.”
Only then did Airen feel the touch on her cheek.
She realized how worriedly Reika was looking at her.
“Are you okay, Lord Airen…?”
“Ah? Yes, yes… I am.”
After taking a deep breath, Airen looked at Reika, who was looking back at her with concern.
Unaware until now, she noticed… Reika was quite beautiful.
Her skin, unlike Airen’s marred by battle scars, was smooth and distinctly feminine.
Her voice was cute, her actions endearing.
Placed side by side, anyone would say Reika fit the image of a woman men would prefer over someone like Airen.
Perhaps Swen, being a man, would favor a lovely and pure woman over someone as blunt as herself.
A thought crossed her mind: Would Reika be a better match for Swen?
As she pondered, Reika’s voice broke through.
“Did I…
do something wrong…?”
“No. You couldn’t have. Marriage is no concern of mine. Everything’s fine.”
Despite her words, Airen still seemed disturbed, prompting Reika to ask,
“It’s not decided yet… And it seems you’re also still available.”
“…Huh?”
Airen looked puzzled.
“Why am I being brought into this? I mean… it shouldn’t matter to me…”
“Really? But…”
Both felt a disconnect in their conversation.
As Airen wondered, Reika took the initiative.
“You’re to be Swen’s first wife, aren’t you?”
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
“Are you okay…?!”
Airen’s reaction was even more violent than when she heard about Swen and Reika’s marriage talks, causing Reika to panic.
“What… what?”
Barely regaining her composure, Airen managed to say, her face beet red, as Reika, still confused, asked,
“Isn’t that right…? Or not…? When I spoke with Swen, it seemed that way…”
“Swen said…?!”
With Swen’s name mentioned, Airen coughed again and finally spoke,
“I… I am.”
Me… Swen’s first wife?
What’s going on?
Why is that the assumption, and what discussions have taken place between Swen and her?
Airen wanted to discuss many things with Reika, but the situation rapidly evolved beyond their control.
“Both of you, come here.”
“…?”
Serena’s guards approached, their expressions grave. Despite Airen’s role as an envoy’s bodyguard, their level of alertness seemed excessive.
“What’s the matter?”
“Follow us quietly.”
“And if we don’t?”
Airen’s question was met with a sharp reply from the guard.
“Then we’ll have to use force.”
The guard drew his sword. Airen, unphased, shielded Reika and drew her own weapon.
“This isn’t the treatment befitting an envoy’s guard.”
“Given the circumstances.”
What circumstances?
Swen hadn’t appeared from the castle for quite some time.
What was happening?
—
“Me…? You want me?”
I blinked in disbelief at Serena.
Suddenly, out of nowhere?
Caught off guard by Serena’s abrupt demand, my shock was evident. In contrast, she spoke with ease.
“Yes, Swen. I need you. I’ve heard of your reputation. With someone of your capabilities by my side, I could send Anima Ingram over again and again.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s not for me to decide.”
“Smart, Swen. You understand your place well.”
Serena smiled again.
I had to admit, her smile had a compelling aura that made you want to kneel in reverence.
“It’s not for you to decide. It’s entirely up to me.”
“…Excuse me?”
That moment flashed through my mind again.
* * *
[Serena, the ruler of Serena’s forces]
[Is there no one there?]
[Take this man to the dungeon.]
* * *
“Could it be…?!”
“Listen well.”
Serena commanded the soldiers behind me.
“Bind the envoy and take him to the dungeon.”
“Yes!”
As her order was given, soldiers began to approach me.
“Are you out of your mind?!”
Capturing an envoy?
To actually go through with such madness?
And to think, the “most efficient prediction” led me to being captured and thrown into a dungeon by Serena?
“There’s no way!”
My brain, supposedly flawless with an IQ of 100, would never consider my endangerment as the most efficient outcome. Not once had such a situation arisen before.
Right. Upon reflection, the prediction wasn’t just about efficiency; it was also “up to the heavens.” Meaning, it was up to me to act.
In the end, my judgment would prove correct.
So, I decided to follow my instincts.
“Wait, Serena.”
Without showing any panic, I faced her with apparent ease.
Fortunately, my request made her halt the soldiers.
“Just to clarify, you said you wanted me, correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then, this approach won’t do.”
“Oh?”
Fortunately, she seemed intrigued by my response.
Now, what to do?
Given more time, I could’ve devised the best course of action. However, my only guide was the “prediction of IQ 100,” which I had to follow in real-time.
Calmly.
Even in a tiger’s den, with the right mindset, one can survive.
With that thought, I carefully made my suggestion.
“A challenge, Serena. If you truly wish to have me, you must accept this challenge.”
