IABHLBTEC 10

Chapter 10

Phoebe wiped away the tears running down her cheeks with her fingers.

Even now, it felt as though Reika might suddenly appear before her and greet her with that bright smile.

“Senior Phoebe, I’ll always be by your side, so don’t be sad…”

Reika had been the junior who followed Phoebe most faithfully in the Border Guard. Her soft violet eyes, reminiscent of lilacs, had always been her most charming feature.

Phoebe and Reika were the only two women in the Border Guard.

Both had been born in the slums near the border and survived by begging. To avoid starving to death, they had practically been forced into joining the Border Guard.

When Reika first enlisted, her martial skills were terrible, and she was constantly bullied by her seniors for being a woman.

But Phoebe never mistreated her.

Reika reminded her too much of her younger self. Feeling a sense of kinship, Phoebe spent every spare moment teaching her martial arts and training alongside her.

“Thank you, Senior.”

No matter how much the others picked on her, Reika never lost her bright smile.

Looking at that cheerful face always seemed to wash away the despair and negativity buried in Phoebe’s heart.

They trained together, suffered together, and grew closer than anyone else in the world.

Whenever they had leave, they arranged their schedules to go out together, eat delicious food, and shop for cute trinkets.

Several years later, after enduring grueling training, Phoebe became the commander of the Northern Border Guard, while Reika rose to become a platoon leader.

On the day Phoebe was officially appointed commander, Reika invited her to her quarters.

“Reika, what is it?”

“Senior Phoebe, congratulations on becoming commander! Please accept this.”

What Reika handed her was a pair of crimson combat leather boots, the same color as Phoebe’s eyes.

They were the very boots Phoebe had wanted for years but could never afford.

“Reika! Where did you get the money for something this expensive?”

Phoebe asked in shock.

Reika simply smiled shyly.

“You always wanted them. Hehe, I bought them with the salary I’ve been saving.”

Then, wearing a look full of loyalty, she continued:

“So wear those boots and keep leading our Guard well. I’ll work even harder and follow you from now on too, Commander Phoebe!”

She clenched her fist dramatically, smiling brightly.

“Thank you.”

Looking at Reika’s smile, Phoebe truly believed that no matter what enemy invaded, the two of them could hold the line together.

Of course, that determination was shattered several months ago when the North started that horrific war.

“The White Tigers are attacking!”

The Northern White Tigers launched a surprise assault in the middle of the night.

There had been no declaration of war.

No warning.

Starting a war by secretly invading another territory without any notice was an incredibly cowardly act.

But once the attack had begun, all they could do was fight.

“Hold the line until the Lord and reinforcements arrive!”

Phoebe and Reika led the Border Guard to the front lines, desperately resisting until Leon and the reinforcements could arrive from the capital.

They cut down White Tigers.

Then more.

And more.

But there was no end to them.

After fighting nonstop without rest, exhaustion began to overtake her.

As Phoebe staggered and struggled to catch her breath, a Northern warrior swung his sword at her.

A powerful blade aura flew straight toward her.

She couldn’t dodge.

The moment Phoebe squeezed her eyes shut—

“Senior, look out!”

Reika leapt in front of her.

Slash!

The incoming sword aura cut diagonally across Reika’s body.

In that instant, Phoebe decapitated the stunned White Tiger without hesitation.

She rushed to Reika’s side.

“Reika! Stay with me!”

“Cough… I’m fine… Compared to all the training we’ve done, this is just a little scratch… cough!”

Reika tried to reassure her.

But her body was trembling dangerously.

The light was already fading from her usually sparkling violet eyes.

Phoebe immediately breathed healing breath onto her wounds.

But the bleeding wouldn’t stop.

The blood loss was too severe.

Desperately, Phoebe pressed both hands against the wound.

Blood poured endlessly through her fingers.

“Just hold on a little longer. Healers from the capital will be here soon. Just a little longer…”

“Senior, I’m fine… cough! Go stop the enemy until the Lord arrives…”

“How can I leave you behind of all people?!”

“You’re the commander of this Guard! Cough! Please pull yourself together…!”

The moment she heard Reika’s determined voice, Phoebe’s face twisted.

A cry of despair burst from her lips.

Then Reika painfully removed the ring from her finger and handed it over.

“Take this…”

It was a sapphire ring.

The ring they had bought together during their very first vacation.

Finally, Reika smiled brightly at her one last time.

“Senior Phoebe, I’ll always be by your side, so don’t be sad…”

After forcing out those final words, she closed her eyes with a smile still lingering on her lips.

Dark blood stained her face, yet her expression remained peaceful.

Phoebe clenched Reika’s ring tightly in her fist and stood up.

Suppressing the sobs threatening to escape, she returned to the battlefield.

Remembering Reika’s final smile, she cut down the Northern Tigers like a madwoman.

The moment Leon and the reinforcements arrived, the North was utterly crushed.

The war ended in an overwhelming victory.

Phoebe was awarded a medal for successfully defending against the White Tigers and was promoted to Supreme Commander of all Southern Border Guards.

After the appointment ceremony, she returned to the Border Guard, where her subordinates celebrated her triumphant return with a grand victory party.

But she felt no joy at all.

That night, after the noisy celebration ended and everyone had fallen asleep, she wandered alone through the base.

The training grounds where she and Reika had always practiced together.

The dining hall where they chatted after finishing their duties.

The guard post where they rubbed their sleepy eyes and worked late into the night together.

Everything was exactly the same.

Except Reika was gone.

It felt as though she had been left alone on a deserted island.

The loneliness was unbearable.

That night, Phoebe slept in Reika’s empty quarters.

Lying on the bed, she absentmindedly touched Reika’s ring on her finger.

Drip.

Drip.

Tears fell onto the blue sapphire.

Though she bit her lip, sorrowful sobs escaped her mouth.

Not long afterward, she submitted a resignation letter to headquarters, announcing her intention to step down as Supreme Commander.

She intended to abandon everything and spend the rest of her life in seclusion somewhere in the countryside.

But Leon stopped her.

Her talents were simply too valuable to waste.

“If you hate the Border Guard that much, then become the captain of the guards at the estate instead.”

In the end, following Leon’s wishes, she came to the Drake family estate and became its head guard.

And she resolved to spend the rest of her life hating the North.

She could never forgive Alec and the Northern Tigers for stealing away her happy memories with Reika.

Therefore, no matter what happened, she would thoroughly and mercilessly watch over that hostage brat from the North.

She would make him tremble in fear and struggle to breathe whenever their eyes met.

It was the least she could do for Reika, who had been brutally killed by the North.

With that vow in her heart, Phoebe rose from Reika’s grave.

*

The next morning, before dawn had even fully broken, I was pacing nervously around my room.

Phoebe is really going to become my caretaker…

I still couldn’t forget the hostility in her eyes.

I had been so nervous that I barely slept.

Perking up my ears toward the door, I listened intently.

Before long, I heard approaching footsteps.

Step. Step.

Click.

The door opened.

I immediately dove under the blankets and pulled them over my head.

Maybe she’ll leave if she thinks I’m asleep.

As I trembled beneath the covers with my paws over my face—

Fwoosh!

The blanket covering me suddenly disappeared.

Startled, I cautiously opened one eye and peeked through my paws.

Phoebe was standing over me, glaring down with fierce eyes.

She looked ready to kill me on the spot.

Without saying a word, she roughly tossed the blanket aside.

Unlike Bain or Joy, she didn’t even bother introducing herself.

She really doesn’t even want to talk to me.

While I sat there trembling, she finished straightening the bedding and practically slammed a bowl of food down in front of me.

I was so frightened that I couldn’t even make a thankful gesture like I had with Bain.

Carefully watching her mood, I approached the bowl and began eating breakfast.

Inside were several small pancakes and some fruit.

But with Phoebe glaring murderously at me from the side, I couldn’t even tell whether the food was going into my mouth or my nose.

I couldn’t taste a thing.

The moment I forced myself to finish the meal, she snatched the bowl away.

I curled up and hid in a corner.

Please just leave already…

Being around her felt like rolling around on a bed of thorns.

Every day with Phoebe felt like a punishment.

Then she glared at me and sharply beckoned with her hand.

She wanted me to come.

Trembling, I followed her.

She entered the bathroom and turned the faucet.

WHOOSH!

Unlike Joy, who gently filled the bathtub, the water roared out violently.

The harsh sound seemed to perfectly reflect her feelings toward me, making it even more terrifying.

I was far more nervous than when Leon had bathed me.

I could barely breathe.

Just behave and keep her happy.

If I do that, maybe I’ll survive.

But I decided not to rub my face against her like I had done with Leon.

I remembered how angry Leon had gotten before.

If Leon reacted like that, Phoebe might react even worse.

Then what should I do?

I need another approach.

Wasn’t there some way to soften even a little of the killing intent she directed at me?

If that gaze became even slightly less hostile, things would be much easier.

Hiding in the corner, I quietly observed Phoebe.

Then my eyes landed on something.

To be continued…