Chapter 16
“Huh….”
I watched Theo and Heter's spar with my mouth hanging open.
No, that's not right. This isn't a spar.
He's just… playing with Theo.
“This is insane.”
I thought I already knew he was strong after seeing him take down a Snow Wyrm by himself, but that had been a mistake.
Heter's strength far exceeded anything I had expected.
That was only natural, considering Theo was the captain of the knights.
House Fridel wasn't famous for martial prowess, but that didn't mean just anyone could become its captain.
If they picked out the most skilled knights in the North, he would probably rank among the top ten.
Yet Heter was handling someone like Theo as easily as if he were dealing with a child.
‘I didn't realize it when he was fighting magical beasts, but seeing him fight a person makes it obvious.’
This was why Sir Gold had insisted on keeping him, even going so far as to bring up marriage.
Clang.
Theo's sword went flying again and rolled across the ground.
That made ten.
In the end, the number of times his sword had slipped from his hand had reached double digits.
“Hah, huff….”
“Again.”
Unlike before, Theo, breathing heavily, didn't pick up his sword. Instead, he slowly raised both hands.
“I've lost.”
At last, the word surrender burst from his lips.
“I lost. That's some incredible skill.”
“Good work.”
Whether or not they had come to acknowledge each other, the spar finally ended with them bowing politely to each other.
‘What the hell is he?!’
“I won.”
While I was still flustered, he walked over to me without even breathing hard, as though he had merely gone out for a stroll.
“You… you….”
“What is it?”
I was so shocked that the words caught in my throat, leaving me able only to point at him.
“Isn't the North too cold for a monster to live in?”
“!”
Theo had come over to us at some point and spoken to Heter.
‘Too cold for a monster to live in?’
What kind of strange question was that?
“….”
Yet the moment Heter heard that question, he began gauging my reaction.
“Don't worry. I'll keep it a secret from the head of the household as well.”
“…I can manage.”
“?!”
Judging by Theo's words and Heter's response, that question really had been about Heter.
‘The monster was referring to Heter, and he was asking whether it wasn't too cold for him?’
That must have meant Heter was from somewhere other than the North.
In a way, it was obvious. I had lived in the North and had never once seen hair as brilliantly blond or eyes as vivid green as Heter's.
“But how do you know me, Sir Theo?”
“I've never met you, but I have seen your elder brother from a distance.”
‘Oh.’
Another new piece of information had surfaced.
‘Theo said he had seen Heter's elder brother from afar. If so, the two of them probably weren't particularly close.’
Then what had he seen that had made him realize the two were brothers?
‘If it had simply been their looks, he would have noticed from the moment he first saw him. But his treatment of Heter only changed after they began sparring.’
The only thing Theo could have learned from sparring with Heter was his fighting style—in other words, his swordsmanship.
It seemed the swordsmanship Heter had shown was connected to his family.
‘What had Heter's swordsmanship been like? Damn… It hadn't exactly looked like swordsmanship….’
“…How about we end the conversation here?”
“Ha ha, I suppose we should. Otherwise, I might accidentally give away your identity.”
While I was lost in thought, the two abruptly ended their conversation.
“Why? You can keep talking if you like.”
“No, thank you.”
“Well, if that's what he says.”
Theo shrugged and took a step back.
‘Tsk, what a shame.’
If I had just had a few more clues, I might really have been able to expose Heter's identity.
“By the way, my lady.”
“?”
“I won as you asked, but aren't you going to praise me?”
‘Hmm… Praise him.’
There was nothing strange about a knight who had completed his mission wanting recognition from his master.
“Good work. You did very well.”
“Tsk.”
‘What the hell? Why is this bastard frowning…? Ah.’
I realized why he had brought this up and why he seemed displeased.
“Good….”
“Good?”
“Good work, Heter.”
He grinned.
“Good.”
Heter nodded, apparently satisfied.
“Umm….”
Meanwhile, my face grew hot because I had used the informal speech I wasn't accustomed to.
“Anyway, now that we've finished showing them our family's strength, let's go sell the byproducts.”
I hurriedly urged Heter on to shake off my awkwardness.
After all, the purpose of the spar had been nothing more than to show that we weren't pushovers.
“Ah, now that I think of it, regarding the Snow Wyrm's byproducts.”
“Hmm?”
As we were about to return to our lodgings, Theo suddenly stopped us.
“I'll buy all of them.”
“…Hmm.”
After hearing Theo, I lightly tapped Heter on the shoulder.
“Sir Heter.”
“What is it?”
“Could you pinch my cheek lightly?”
“Yes.”
“All right, thank… Ow!”
When Heter's calloused hand—hardened from gripping a sword—pinched my cheek, I felt a sharp sting.
‘Damn you… I said lightly.’
In any case, one thing was now certain.
‘This isn't a dream!’
Theo really had said he would buy the Snow Wyrm byproducts!
“Ahem, ahem. I'm happy to hear that, but do you have the money? Our shells are in such good condition that they'll cost quite a bit.”
I asked him while suppressing the upward curl of my lips.
“I am the captain of House Fridel's knights.”
“Urk….”
Theo gave a derisive snort and answered confidently.
I suddenly wanted to make sure that one day, my own knights would be able to say something like that.
“But… why have you suddenly changed your attitude?”
Even if he had realized during the spar that Heter was strong, wasn't this change too sudden?
“Hmm.”
“Hmm?”
Theo glanced at Heter as though asking whether it was all right to explain.
“….”
“I was able to become captain of the knights not only because of my skill, but also because I was more adept at politics than the others.”
After Heter reluctantly nodded, Theo began to speak.
“I have always chosen the path that would lead to my success, and this time, I thought the best course was to erase the bad impression I had made on the head of the household and Sir Heter.”
‘What…?’
What kind of family did Heter come from for Theo to react this way?
When I stared at him, Heter gave a bitter smile and put his index finger to his lips.
It was an unmistakable sign that he didn't want to talk about it.
‘Oh, so he's not even going to pretend to keep it hidden anymore?’
By now, my competitive streak had kicked in.
I wanted to reveal his identity before he could tell me himself.
***
“Sir Heter.”
“?”
While Alice was discussing the price of the byproducts with Theo, someone called out to Heter.
“Lord Lyo…?”
“I have something to discuss with you. Could you spare me a moment?”
“I'm afraid that will be difficult. The head of the household is about to head back.”
Heter flatly refused his request.
Not only did he have nothing to discuss with Lyo, but from the start, Heter hadn't liked the way Lyo looked at Alice.
So he used Alice as an excuse and tried to ignore him, but—
“It's about Alice.”
“….”
A matter concerning Alice that Heter didn't know about.
That fact stopped Heter in his tracks.
“It will only take a moment.”
“All right.”
Leaving the two absorbed in negotiations behind, Heter followed Lyo to a spot in one corner of the training ground.
“Did you know? I'm a very cowardly man.”
“Pardon?”
Heter was flustered.
Lyo had come to talk about Alice, so why had he suddenly started talking about himself?
But this must clearly be related to Alice somehow.
Heter silently began listening to Lyo.
“Because of that, I've always bristled so people wouldn't dare touch me.”
“Is that so?”
For all that, he was quite well-mannered and didn't particularly seem prickly.
“I was living like a wounded hedgehog when I met that girl—a doll-like girl who couldn't be bought even for a fortune.”
Lyo continued, his eyes practically dripping with honey as he imagined Alice, but Heter found the sight deeply displeasing.
“So I even pestered my father. I asked him to arrange my engagement to Alice. Of course, it didn't work out.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
When Heter, whose patience had run out, asked, Lyo gave a little laugh.
“Yes, it must be unpleasant to hear the woman you like mentioned repeatedly by another man. To get straight to the point.”
Then Lyo let out a deep sigh and spoke in a trembling voice.
“I intend to give up on her. Someone like her deserves a brave knight like you, not a coward like me.”
“?!”
Heter was startled by what he heard.
It was obvious even to Heter that Lyo liked Alice.
So he couldn't help being surprised when a man like that said he would yield her to him.
“How can you do that?”
Heter asked out of genuine curiosity.
“A moment ago, when Theo came down from the second floor, do you remember what we were like?”
“Pardon?”
Heter had clearly pulled Alice behind him to protect her, while Lyo had—
“You must have been trembling in stark terror.”
“….”
“It was always like that. I tried to become someone worthy of her, but I could never change this cowardly nature of mine.”
Lyo continued with a bitter expression.
“And when my father said he would take Alice as his concubine, I rebelled against him in earnest for the first time.”
How could he do that, even knowing I loved Alice?
Alice was the daughter of someone he knew, after all!
“But in the end, my rebellion accomplished nothing.”
“Wasn't that unavoidable?”
“No, if I had truly had the courage, I could have stopped it. In the end… I never found the courage, right up to the very end.”
Lyo, who had been crouching, stood up and let out a deep sigh.
“I want Alice to be happy. And I know that to make that happen, I can't remain by her side.”
“….”
“It may be presumptuous for me to say this when we're not even anything to each other… but please take good care of Alice.”
Just as Lyo patted Heter's shoulder and was about to return to the training ground—
“Lyo.”
“!”
Heter called out to him.
“Even if you say that, I won't take pity on you and give Alice up.”
“…Of course not. If you had said you'd give her up out of pity, I wouldn't have entrusted her to you.”
“Instead.”
Heter patted Lyo on the back, straightening him up.
“I will allow you to remain friends with her.”
“Ha ha, who are you to say something like that?”
“Would you believe me if I told you I was in a position to say such a thing?”
Lyo didn't answer Heter, but inwardly acknowledged the point.
Because.
‘You are probably the only one who can bring that look to her face.’
Though he had known Alice for quite a long time, it was the first time he had seen her look that way.
It must all have been thanks to this man.
“But I warn you. If you make Alice sad, I will withdraw all those requests.”
“That won't happen.”
Heter said confidently.
“I swear on everything I have that I will never make her sad.”