HDGD 4

Chapter: 4

She hadn’t hated him from the beginning.

“Sia Ermodian. From this moment on, you’re coming with me to the Kingdom of Rivendel.”

On that snowy night—
When he became the guardian of a child who had lost everything, she never imagined their relationship would turn out like this.

Even as he stood before a village burned to ashes, his eyes hadn’t wavered in the slightest.

So Sia willingly took his hand.
Because following him felt like it might lead her to a single ray of light in this cruel reality.

But now, years later…

Sia looked at the man standing opposite her.
With time, her guardian’s face had grown more masculine, more solid.

But his handsome face wasn’t what mattered.

…Light, my ass. All you ever fed me was misery.

If she had returned to the past on that day when she was thirteen…
Would she still have taken his hand?

It was frustrating, but she probably would have followed him again.
Back then, it was the only choice she had.

Sia straightened her posture and faced him.

The guardian with that upright face looked genuinely intent on “educating” her.

Watching Crion flee in a panic to the end, Gilliard finally spoke.

“Drop your sword now, Ermodian. How long has it even been since you were released from probation, and you’re already causing a scene like this?”

“If I lose, I’ll drop out. But if you lose, then you’ll write me a recommendation letter.”

“Sia, are you out of your mind!?”

Riana shouted from a short distance away.

A natural reaction.
No one could imagine she stood any chance of defeating the war hero, the Knight of the Night Sky—Duke Lygless—with a sword.

Even Gilliard’s eyes trembled for a moment at the completely unexpected reaction.

“You… You’ve changed.”

“I’ll take that as acceptance of my proposal. I’ll begin.”

Humans change after experiencing death, Guardian.

She’d always wanted to cross swords with him as a knight.

It was sudden, but this wasn’t a bad opportunity.

Sia gripped her sword the way she had learned through countless real battles.

And then—

“…!”

Swoosh!

Her blade sliced past Gilliard’s ear in an instant.

Their hair fluttered simultaneously from the rush of wind left in the blade’s wake.

Gilliard quickly bent the other way and flicked her sword aside with a swing.

She must have put quite a bit of strength behind that strike, yet Sia didn’t hesitate—she connected straight into another attack.

A sharp metallic scraping rang nonstop between them.

This was nothing like the fight she’d had with Crion earlier.

As expected of the former commander of a national knight order—her guardian showed no openings.

But Sia now was far beyond the level of a simple knight cadet.
Her skills and battlefield experience, tempered through countless missions, had returned with her.

With every continued exchange, Gilliard’s expression subtly changed.

He must’ve thought he’d discipline his arrogant ward like always, punish her under the name of “probation,” and end the situation cleanly.

The spectators, who’d had similar expectations, now held their breath as they watched the duel.

Sia felt exhilaration rise inside her.

The contempt he’d shown her earlier when she’d been sitting helplessly in the arena…

Those same eyes, which had once looked down on her, were now filled with surprise.

The mouth that had constantly told her she’d never become a knight was now slightly open.

Seeing that perpetually composed, confident face shaken thrilled her to the core.

It was a feeling she thought she’d never experience in her life.

Sia swung faster and harder, relentlessly.

While blocking her assaults to the end, Gilliard was eventually pushed back, the flow briefly breaking.

“Hah… hah… hah…”

Sia let out rough breaths—she’d nearly forgotten to breathe.

She’d shocked him—but she still wasn’t strong enough to defeat him.

There was a reason he had such a ridiculous title like “The Prince of the Night Sky.”

Her hand, gripping the sword, felt unbearably heavy, but she didn’t let it show.

Gilliard steadied his own ragged breathing.
Surprise still lingered in his eyes.

“…Where did you learn to wield a sword like that?”

Sia answered flatly.

“You should know better than anyone, since I learned from you.”

“No. I never taught you that. This… isn’t something you learned from the academy either.”

Her heart plummeted at his sharp words.
Trying to hide her panic, Sia quickly retorted,

“What are you talking about…? Who else would I have learned from, if not you?”

“A knight’s sword exists to protect their lord and their country.
But yours is different. You strike to target vital points—to incapacitate your opponent in one blow.”

He was right.

Prince Eurysis’ orders had always been to eliminate enemies.

Carrying out those missions, her swordsmanship had evolved toward something simpler, faster… toward striking precisely at weaknesses.

And she’d come to prefer that style.

Because only then would her blade someday reach the Emperor’s neck.

“I never taught you murder techniques.”

“…”

“So think of this as review and pay close attention. From today onward, I’ll carve into your body what it truly means to wield a knight’s sword.”

As if those words were a starting signal, Gilliard lunged forward.

His sword sliced past Sia’s shoulder like it was piercing the air itself.

Sia dodged back, thrusting forward in response.

Clang!

Their blades clashed midair with a harsh metallic ring.

It looked even at first, but soon Sia was pushed back.
No matter how hard she pressed, she couldn’t overpower him.

Rebounding backward, Sia lowered herself and charged again.

If she couldn’t win with strength, she’d target openings.
Her target was Gilliard’s waist.

But just as her blade was about to reach—

“Too slow!”

It had clearly been open—yet somehow he had already shifted position and slammed her wrist with a powerful grip.

Pain exploded, nearly making her drop her sword.
Sia clenched her teeth and retreated.

Since becoming a knight, she had accumulated countless experiences.

She’d trained until her body broke, completed every impossible mission.

And yet, she still couldn’t easily bring this man down.
It infuriated her to the point of madness.

“Do you still intend to continue?”

Gilliard stepped closer.

Standing there with the dazzling sunlight behind him reminded her of the day he had first appeared before her long ago.

“You don’t have a choice, Sia Ermodian. You obey me—unconditionally.”

Perhaps she relaxed for a moment, lost in memories.

A slicing sound cut through the air, and Sia ducked.

Her hair tie snapped, fluttering away as her silver hair spilled out like a gown spreading open.

Determined to avenge its sacrifice, Sia struck forward.

Rip—Gilliard’s collar tore, and the cadets gasped.

Without even straightening his clothes, Gilliard warned,

“That’s enough, Ermodian. You can’t beat me anyway.”

Stopping now wasn’t even a consideration.

Sia answered with more attacks.

Her sword spun in fierce circular motions, metal screeching with every clash.

With every ringing blow, Sia questioned inwardly—

Why did you become my guardian?

Why did you decide I couldn’t take revenge?

Why… why…!?

“From the moment… you came into my life… I haven’t had… a single night of peace.”

His face covered in blood resurfaced in her mind.

His fading eyes.
That empty smile.

Sia ground her teeth.
Then screamed in rage—

“Why!? Why did you save me? Why!?”

If you were going to be cruel, you should’ve stayed that way until the end—
Why confuse me like this now!?

—Crackle!

At that moment, blue sparks flared from Sia’s fingers gripping the sword.

It wasn’t like any familiar form of magic.

The blue light began at her fingertips, then wrapped around her entire blade.

It swirled rapidly, like the tail of some creature.

Everyone in the arena stared—
Even Sia herself had never seen anything like it.

“…!”

Caught off guard, Gilliard froze for a moment.

Sia didn’t miss it.

She lowered her body in an instant and thrust upward.

Along with the sensation of launching flames skyward, a tearing vibration cut through flesh.

Blood sprayed in a clean line across the ground, followed by a scream.

“Instructor!”

Sia stepped back and looked ahead.

Blood streamed down from Gilliard’s face, dripping heavily from his chin.

Coincidentally, the wound was under his left eye—the very same spot she had once scratched with her fingernails in the past.

Was it fate?
Or just coincidence?

The blue flames vanished, silence swallowing the arena.

Gilliard slowly raised his hand and wiped the blood from his face.

Seeing the vivid red, a faint smile formed on his lips.

“…Now I’m certain, Ermodian.”

Step.
He walked toward her.

His blood-stained face resembled the last time she’d seen him like that.

Leaning close to her, he spoke quietly, with absolute certainty—

“Just how many people… have you killed?”