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Chapter 28
Battle on the battlefield had become familiar.
Slash, and slash again…
As he cut down monster after monster until blood lodged beneath his fingernails, the heart that raged as though it would drive him mad would gradually grow quiet.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Whenever he heard the steady rhythm of his heartbeat—neither fast nor slow—he felt both uneasy and relieved.
The thought that he was no different from the bloodthirsty monsters, and the reassurance that he was still all right… the two emotions wove together like warp and weft.
‘Just how much longer do I have to keep doing this…?’
Before Callion could sink any deeper into his thoughts, someone shouted,
“I can see the castle!”
At the cry from the rider at the front, life returned to the exhausted knights.
“Whew! Finally, I can sleep in a real bed!”
“I’m going to see Anna. What if my beloved has wasted away to nothing while waiting for me?”
“Ugh!”
Laughter erupted.
Though it varied from person to person, smiles bloomed across everyone’s faces.
It was only natural.
Leofric Castle was practically their home.
It wasn’t luxurious, but it was a place where they could lay down their weary bodies—a home where the people they loved were waiting.
The pace of the knight order noticeably quickened.
Their desire to reach home even a little faster was evident.
Watching them, Callion’s face darkened.
Worry and anxiety settled heavily in his chest like lead.
‘What bad news will Conrad bring this time? How much will Lady Wyndham keep watching my reactions? And my godfather’s health… No. Don’t think about it. He’ll be fine.’
Even inside the castle, Callion could never truly rest.
The others only had to worry about themselves, or perhaps one or two loved ones.
He, however, bore responsibility for everyone who lived within the castle.
And this time, there was another concern.
‘Alistair…’
A man as dangerous as a serpent had coiled himself within the castle.
Holding the lives of Callion’s beloved people hostage.
Standing before the castle gates, Callion steeled himself.
‘No matter what awaits me when these gates open… I’ll endure it.’
Creeeak—
“You’ve returned. We have been waiting for you, Black Wolf Knights.”
As the gates opened—
“And Sir Leofric.”
The moment their eyes met—
Eyes as blue as the northern sky—
Even his firm resolve wavered.
As always, the clothes were far too thin for the northern cold.
Silver hair as pure as untouched first snow.
Lips as red as fresh fruit parted once more.
“Welcome home.”
Ronin’s appearance left everyone utterly stunned.
After deliberately dressing up, Ronin had become more lethal than most weapons.
Quietly, Ronin observed the reactions of the knights.
Lady Wyndham had informed him that Callion would be returning today.
Just to be certain, he had cross-checked the information with Conrad, and once it was confirmed, both Ronin and Pam had become incredibly busy.
Having fully recovered, Pam worked tirelessly to dress Ronin as though she had never been sick.
Neither of them said it aloud, but they both knew exactly what all this preparation was for.
‘It probably won’t work on Sir Leofric… but I have to do everything I can.’
He had to appear elegant without looking extravagant.
At the same time, he couldn’t look too plain.
His strengths were emphasized as much as possible, while even his flaws were made to appear charming.
The castle servants quietly helped Pam as well.
“Wow… Your Highness, you’re so beautiful!”
When they finally finished, even those who had silently assisted could only stare in admiration.
Yet all that effort meant nothing to Sir Leofric.
“The Grand Duchess’s clothing is too thin. She has a weak constitution. Bring her something to wear.”
Callion gave the order in the same cold, detached tone as always.
“No, that won’t be necess—”
Ronin, who was about to refuse the ambiguous kindness out of habit, trailed off.
Callion was looking directly at him with an expression that allowed no argument.
While the servant went to fetch the coat, Ronin secretly studied Callion’s expression.
Perhaps… just perhaps… all the effort he’d put into his appearance had managed to affect him.
‘Has he developed feelings…? No.’
No matter how carefully he looked, Callion’s eyes remained as cold as ever.
Seeing that gaze, which didn’t contain even the warmth of a match flame, Ronin actually felt relieved.
It was strange.
He had spent hours dressing up to charm Sir Leofric.
All that effort had come to nothing.
Yet he didn’t feel wronged in the slightest.
Instead, the tension that had gripped his body slowly melted away.
‘Perhaps it’s because of this coat.’
Soft white fur wrapped warmly around him.
Even his frozen fingertips gradually regained their warmth.
‘It’s so warm…’
With genuine sincerity, Ronin thanked Callion.
“Thank you, Sir Leofric.”
“I merely did what I ought to do.”
Silence briefly settled between them.
Despite receiving such a matter-of-fact reply, Ronin smiled.
“It wouldn’t do to keep everyone who has worked so hard standing outside. Shall we go inside the castle?”
Then, as though it were his own home, he began walking ahead.
Callion—the true master of the castle—was dumbfounded.
Still, he followed behind, curious to see just how far Ronin intended to go.
It was true that he owed Alistair a debt.
He could tolerate at least this much.
After all, what Alistair had done was far too significant to repay with nothing more than a fox-fur cloak.
However, once they entered the castle, Callion was struck by shock yet again.
Seeing him suddenly stop, Ronin let out a quiet, “Ah,” before hurriedly explaining.
“While Sir Leofric was away, I had the castle renovated. I wasn’t told your personal preferences, so I decorated it according to my own judgment… I hope it’s acceptable.”
Callion had already heard that Ronin Alistair had paid for the renovations out of his own pocket.
In fact, learning the reason behind it was one of the reasons he had returned earlier than expected.
But seeing the transformed castle with his own eyes still left him speechless.
For a moment, he even forgot how to walk.
The castle had changed completely.
The old, gloomy carpets and curtains were gone.
The windows that had barely functioned had been replaced.
The once dim interior was now bright and welcoming.
“……”
He couldn’t bring himself to look at the servants’ faces.
They spent far more time in this castle than he did.
Surely they felt this positive change even more deeply.
“Sir Leofric?”
The one responsible for those changes called to him again.
Those endlessly clear, pure eyes looked straight at him.
He no longer noticed the inhuman beauty.
Nor the fur cloak resting upon Ronin’s shoulders.
His chest simply tightened.
The castle had finally become a place fit for people to live in.
The relieved expressions on the servants’ faces seemed to scream at him.
What have you ever done for this castle?
For Leofric?
If you couldn’t even accomplish something like this, what meaning is there in claiming to protect the castle… to protect the North?
If that’s the case, then perhaps Alistair should…
‘Enough!’
Callion violently crushed the whispering voice inside his heart.
Finally forcing out the words, he said,
“Do as you wish.”
“But…”
“I won’t repeat myself. Anything concerning the management of the castle can be discussed with Lady Wyndham or Conrad. There’s no need to ask me.”
“…Yes. I’ll do that.”
The sudden shift in atmosphere left Ronin completely at a loss.
‘He seemed perfectly fine until we entered the castle… Is he really angry because I changed the castle without permission? If that’s the case… what should I do?’
