Chapter 14: Volume 2 - CH 5

“I fell asleep while organizing the infirmary.”

Throughout my excuse, the trainees looked at me as if I were an angel who had just fallen to the ground.

“I’ll reflect on my mistake…”

“I’ll also… reflect on my mistake.”

It’s no surprise.

It was the end of the martial arts meeting, so everyone was gathering together.

“Actually, I misunderstood Miss Selina because of that rumor.”

“That’s right. I would have believed the rumor if I hadn’t met you in person like this.”

The rumor that the trainees were talking about was that I stuttered and never wanted to come out to meet people.

Among the trainees, there were also some nobles who were really on probation.

Jenna, the Count Gransen’s daughter, for example.

“Because the Countess only brought her own daughter to the banquet and never mentioned Miss Selina.”

“Yes, I suppose so…”

I responded back with a sad smile.

As if I couldn’t say it with my own mouth, I looked away and pretended to shed tears.

Everyone knew I wasn’t Camilla’s biological daughter.

It was also self-evident that she, who had already received the title of Count Crowford family head, had no reason to be nice to me any longer.

“Oh my goodness.”

“Then the rumor means…”

I smiled and pointed to the potion tray, continuing to act as if I were a noble lady who works hard despite her pitiful circumstances.

“Should we then finish what we were doing? There are still people in prison who needs our additional help!”

“Yes, of course!”

A smile I saw through the closing door came to mind as I made my way to prison with the other trainees.

‘Why hasn’t the man escaped yet?’

He is totally capable of doing so.

* * * * *

“Because he doesn’t have anywhere else to go.”

The question was easily resolved when I asked Franz.

“Who, by the way, would accept a Toono from a martial arts competition? Except for the Holy Knights.”

His oily lips glistened with greed.

It was because of the pork sausage I had secretly obtained.

After seeing that, Franz hardened for five minutes as if in agony, raised a long prayer once, and then went to eat in the closet under the stairs.

‘Such a cute guy.’

Franz accepted the freshly prepared sausage.

I wasn’t going to force him to take it if he refused.

Well, I could understand him a bit as I was unable to eat meat for a month here.

However, I will be returning to the Countdom soon, so the exhausting vegetarian diet will be over.

I also gave him the sausage I was going to eat.

“Eat this as well.”

“A-are you sure?”

Franz accepted the sausage quickly, fearing that I would change my mind.

“How did you get this, Miss Selina? You’ll be in big trouble if you get caught.”

It was given by a male servant.

The sausage offered by the servant was filled with the unspeakable innocence of an adolescent boy.

But I was afraid he’d get in trouble, so I quickly said, “I just got it somehow,” and changed the topic.

“But wouldn’t a Toono who did well in the martial arts competition receive offers from everywhere? First and foremost, he is strong.”

“Would you, Miss Selina, hire such a person to the Countdom?”

It’s fine if it’s the guy in the quarantine room.

But it’s a different story if it’s The Raven.

That’s exactly what Franz said.

Because Toono is a dishonorable title, no nobleman will sign a Toono as a knight in their name.

As a result, it was impossible for a Toono to join the Knights or Private Corps, even as a servant.

“Neither will the mercenaries accept one. Who would put their trust in such a person and entrust the quest to them?”

Prisoner of war.

The armed forces.

Criminals.

When I remembered Toonos’s origin, I felt suffocated, as if a stone had been placed on my chest.

I assumed the mercenaries would gladly accept those people.

Even if they accept them, they’ll just ask them to do dirty things. “Toonos has no morality, no loyalty to the empire, and a very fierce personality.”

It’s an undeniable fact.

“I’m sure they’ll always cause trouble wherever they go.”

“……” I know the man in the quarantine room is not a vicious person, but when it comes to Toono… he has no choice but to be prejudiced.

‘That man, he’s even harmed a priest before.’

Why was he imprisoned in the quarantine room in the first place?

‘I keep sympathizing with him because of his face. Selina, get a hold on yourself.’

Looking at Franz eating sausages next to me, it appeared that this was not a particularly vicious world.

But there’s something I’ll never forget.

That this world is a lawless haven for those rogues, and that I am their living prey.

* * * * *

I’ve avoided the quarantine room on purpose since then.

It was an unavoidable situation, but I regretted leaving the man in prison and walking out alone.

But I’m afraid the man who’s surviving alone in the dark won’t make it to the end… It was frightening.

“It’s not long before I go back to Crawford’s Countdom.’

That’s how I endured until the day of the final.

Not only did I confirm that I possessed divine power, but I also obtained a Magic Stone with an infinite lifespan.

I even made connections with a high priest.

My original goal was achieved after a lot of hard work.

“It’s dinner time.”

I pushed the meal into The Raven.

This has been my duty for the past few days.

I volunteered because none of the trainees wanted to run to him.

“Enjoy your meal.”

Because this could be your last meal.

I didn’t have to say it, but it was something The Raven and I both knew.

Tomorrow is the final day.

In his seated position, however, he showed no signs of fear.

He appeared relieved, perhaps because of the deep smile on his face, as if he was completely devoid of victory, defeat, and life and death.

I was so taken aback that I spoke impulsively.

“What’s your name?”

The other prisoners glanced in this direction.

Because of some situation, I haven’t asked his name.

‘Since today is the last day.’

Regardless of how long I waited, The Raven did not respond, instead he just laughed.

I could see all of his molars because he was laughing so hard.

‘Only his mouth laughs.’

With his fierce gaze at the air, he appeared unwilling to respond, so I handed over the potion without further questioning.

‘It’s creepy.’

If he was Valhail, I vowed not to meet him until he was released from prison, joined the Holy Knights, and completely exorcised the demons.

* * * * *

The trainees and apprentice priests were busy working preparing for the final.

“The high priests have arrived!”

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on one point.

There was Franz and another man beside him.

When I looked at them, they resembled each other as if they were siblings.

‘Does that person also serve as a high priest?’

Did the monastery select their priests based on his or her appearance?

If Franz was a pure beautiful boy like a nettle on a hill, the other high priest was a lovely young man like a lily in a well-kept garden.

‘Are they really siblings?’

The age difference between the two appears to be about ten years, but they both had silver hair.

While appreciating their appearance, a young boy servant approached me and secretly gave me a note.

[To the east entrance.]

The east entrance was close to the nobility’s grandstand.

It was a quiet area with a small number of people.

‘Who sent this?’

The servant whispered quietly when I gave him a strange look.

“Lord Crawford sent it.”

My uncle is here?

I stroked the bright boy’s head once as he had finished running his errands.

Then I proceeded to the east entrance.

‘It’s really Cedric.’

He had his back to me and his arms were folded.

Nonetheless, it was nice to see him from behind because he was someone I recognized.

“Uncle.”

As he turned around, Cedric’s eyes widened.

“Selina.”

He also took a step closer, as if he was relieved to see me after such a long time.

“I came by to see your face after the border reconnaissance.”

His gaze was sharp as he grabbed my shoulder and looked around my body.

“Have you been doing well and staying healthy? Didn’t the priests make you do anything rough?”

I shook my head and smiled.

“That can’t be right, uncle.”

Cedric’s hardened face, on the other hand, did not loosen.

“I was astounded to learn that you had been assigned a task to support the martial arts…”

He furrowed his brows, as if he was concerned about me.

Cedric, on the other hand, hasn’t written me a letter in over a month.

‘The illiterate Penny even sent me dozens of picture letters.’

Of course, as Commander of the White Knight, he must be busy guarding the territories.

In the end, Cedric Crawford’s interest in his one and only nephew was only that much.

I knew so well that he was such a character, so I didn’t expect much in the first place.

“I’m doing fine. The priests taught me a lot. I believe it was a good thing that I came to the monastery.”

“Don’t say anything like that. I complained to the monastery because they were sending you back and forth to the prison, where the prisoners were.”

“This is a monastery. Regardless of my status, I am expected to perform fairly in the same manner as everyone else.”

Cedric’s lips curved into a faint smile as he heard the satisfactory response.

“Yes. You do the same thing as other trainees… There are even numerous compliments that you are setting a good example for others.”

Ah, I see.

He came here after hearing from the priest that I was settling in well at the monastery.

‘Is that why he seemed so happy?’

He didn’t stop me from going to the monastery from the beginning.

Rather, he wanted to test me.

“When are you going to return home? I’ll send a carriage to pick you up if you tell me the date.”

I answered Cedric with a smile, as if I had a lot to say but couldn’t.

“Selina, what’s wrong…?”

“If I said I was going home…would Mother like it?”

“Hmm?”

Cedric blinked for a moment, as if perplexed.

When he saw my glum expression, he quickly put on an awkward smile.

“No… Of course, the Countess will welcome you with a hug.”

“……”

“The Countess has taken such good care of you since you were a child. She cared more about you than her biological daughter Shannon.”

Cedric seemed eager to believe that everything between me and Camilla was fine.

‘But, no matter how much he hates conflict, that’s the truth.’

Is he desperate to deny that his only nephew is abused?

“When you got a cold, she stayed up all night for three days and looked after you.”

“……”

“Everyone referred to the Countess as a capital scoundrel, but no one expected to see her weaving a wet towel herself.”

Cedric has never been so talkative.

I mean, everything he said was upsetting to me.

“Camilla loves and cherishes you as much as she loves and cherishes her biological daughter, Selina. Me too… Of course.”

“Yes. Uncle, I see.”

How troubling would it be for him to admit that he and Camilla are at conflict?

“On the day you return, it would be nice to have dinner together. When are you going to return? Tomorrow?”

“……”

“Selina.”

When I didn’t respond, a look of disappointment flashed across his face.

“Don’t tell me you’re staying here any longer.”

“For me, this Monastery is more comfortable than home.”

“What…?”

Perhaps it worked this time, because his awkward smile had been shattered by shock.

“If I go back to Mother’s house, I’m afraid I’ll stutter again.”

Cedric covered his mouth with one hand, unable to say anything.

If I told him this much, he couldn’t pretend he didn’t know anymore.

‘It’s not like he had no idea what had happened.’

He is the White Knights’ Commander. Is he that tactless? No way.

He raised his head after a while.

“Perhaps Selina… Is it possible that the Countess is…no, there’s no way.”

Cedric couldn’t keep his hand still like an anxious man.

He touched his chin, putting it on his waist and repeating the process.

After a while, he opened his mouth.

“… I’ll wait for you at home.”

Cedric patted my shoulder and quickly turned around after saying that.

He was always calm and serious in the original story.

However, his demeanor as he walked away proposed that he was a fiery angry man

His fists were also trembling…

For a while, I couldn’t take my gaze away from Cedric.

* * * * *

A long whistle sounded.

It was a sound that signaled the start of the final match.

Everyone went outside to witness The Berserker’s and The Raven’s bloody battle.

I was the only one who remained in the dungeon.

The game will last 30 minutes at the most and 10 minutes at the least.

Meanwhile, the fate of the man in the containment room is being decided.

It was a time when I was wiping the vials and pondering which side would win and how I would deal with it.

Someone hugged me from behind, as if they were sneaking up on me.

“……!”

The musk scent that came out like a bomb was unfamiliar.

The large hand that hugged me protruded like a rag.

Despite the scent of his luxurious perfume, the man hugging me appeared to be doing hard labor just by looking at his hands.

‘Who is it?’

At that moment, the man placed his face on the back of my neck, took a deep breath, and rubbed his face.

It was a gentle gesture, as if a large pet was cuddling, but I froze and couldn’t move.

“It’s me.”

I got goosebumps from the low whispering voice.

‘Who are you?’

I grabbed his forearm, gently swallowing the question stuck in my throat, so I could get out of his arms.

Then he hugged me even tighter, as if he couldn’t let go, and buried his head deeper into my shoulder.

At the same time, as if relieved for my existence, a mournful voice that seemed to crumble could be heard.

“Noona…”