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Chapter 25
He said he had seen someone push her and chased after them, but in the end, he hadn’t caught them.
Erin, realizing there was someone who wanted to kill her, trembled in fear. Her distrust of people only deepened.
“Erin, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
But now she knew the truth.
It was Raymond who had pushed her into that lake, and because of him, she lived her entire life in terror—haunted by the fear that she might be killed at any moment.
Raymond had toyed with her like a plaything, and in the end, he killed her.
He laughed at her emotions and found amusement in her suffering.
On the paper where she had been absentmindedly drawing circles, Erin wrote down the name “Raymond.”
What he had done to her was unforgivable, yes—but that was something that happened in the past.
So then, was it right to punish someone for a crime not yet committed? To condemn him for something that hadn’t happened yet, solely because she knew he would?
The hesitation lasted only a moment. Erin was certain—Raymond would do the same things again, just as he had in the past.
And today, the subjugation squad would depart to carry out their mission.
* * *
The journey from the Academy to the southern mountain ranges, territory of the wolf-tribe, was long.
It would take about a month to travel back and forth. Simply reaching the destination required nearly two weeks.
For the first day or two, their stamina held out. But after five days passed, the squad’s strength was visibly depleted.
Everyone’s steps slowed, their exhaustion plain to see.
As before during the monster subjugation, Caron never strayed far from Erin’s side.
The gazes cast toward them were less hostile than before, but that was only because Lillia was also part of this squad.
Still, Caron was less tense than he had been during the previous monster hunt.
Through their training duels, he had realized just how strong a knight Erin truly was.
According to her, it was simply because she was an extraordinary genius… but Caron found that explanation hard to grasp.
And yet, even history books recorded the rare appearance of geniuses who defied all standards.
‘So that’s who my sister is.’
The thought made him see her in a strange, unfamiliar light.
He glanced at Erin, then swept his eyes around their surroundings—only to frown as a sudden sense of dissonance pricked at him.
Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked:
“Did you fight with Raymond? Why isn’t he coming near you?”
“……”
“Why? Raymond’s a good person, isn’t he?”
Just as Caron had said, Erin and Raymond kept a noticeable distance from each other.
For the past two months, Erin had deliberately ignored him. After being rejected several times, Raymond now only watched her with narrowed eyes, no longer attempting to approach.
Still, the way he continued to hover nearby suggested he hadn’t given up on whatever scheme he had in mind.
Thinking that, Erin only shook her head.
She did not answer Caron’s remark about Raymond being a good person. Instead, she moved closer to Ferdinand.
Immediately, Caron rushed to follow her.
Erin had many matters to resolve during this mission. Raymond was bothersome, yes, but not her top priority. The most important person in this subjugation was Ferdinand.
In the past, he had returned alive from this mission—but with a grievous scar across his face.
Yet Erin didn’t know the full details of what had happened. Everyone who had survived the wolf-tribe subjugation had avoided speaking about it.
Seeing Erin draw near Ferdinand, Caron gave her a strange look.
Ever since she had gotten engaged to Ferdinand, she had kept an oddly cold distance from him.
And yet, the moment this mission began, she clung to him, refusing to leave his side—as if nothing had ever been wrong.
It was enough for the other students to start whispering.
“So they really are engaged after all?”
“Wait, then what about the Lady? Is it really over between them?”
“They do look good together, though.”
“Still… it’s wrong. They broke up only because of Erin Lysus. That’s not fair.”
One student muttered the last comment under their breath, a clear note of resentment in their tone.
But there was no way Erin hadn’t heard it.
When one reached the level of a master, all five senses became so keen that not hearing whispers was more difficult than hearing them.
Listening to their murmurs only solidified Erin’s resolve.
The decision she had made from the moment she saw Ferdinand again—it was time to put it into action.
That evening, as the squad prepared their campsite, Erin busied herself with practiced ease, helping set up the tents.
Once again, Caron muttered in disbelief, “How the hell are you so good at this?”
Even though he had camped far more often than she had, Erin seemed far more skilled.
“If you’re good with a sword, you’re good with everything.”
Her teasing remark made Caron scowl.
After they finished setting up camp and eating, it was finally time for rest.
Once most had drifted into sleep, Erin sought Ferdinand out.
“Sir Ferdinand.”
His golden hair, slightly tousled, caught the firelight where he sat outside his tent, looking at ease.
Startled at her sudden approach, Ferdinand looked up at her. The same surprise appeared on Derek’s face, who was beside him chewing on jerky.
Derek froze mid-bite, the strip of jerky slipping from his hand as he stared at Erin.
“I have something to say.”
He’d heard those words before… muttering to himself, Derek shifted his gaze to Ferdinand instead.
Ferdinand, too, sensed something unusual.
Since the monster subjugation, this was the first time Erin had spoken to him. He felt both unexpectedly glad and oddly apprehensive.
“Not here. I’d like to speak somewhere quiet.”
At her request, Ferdinand immediately recalled the last time she had asked for a private conversation—when she had suddenly declared she would join the monster subjugation.
This time, he had the feeling it would be something equally unexpected.
Derek whispered in shock, “The two of you… somewhere quiet?”
But neither Erin nor Ferdinand paid him any mind.
Though a part of Ferdinand wanted to refuse, he couldn’t bring himself to deny her. He nodded and followed Erin.
* * *
She had rehearsed these words countless times. Always in her head, preparing for this moment.
Their engagement had been forced upon them by the Marchioness.
Though Ferdinand had lost the woman he loved because of it, he had never once blamed Erin.
The same was true for the young Lady he had been separated from—she often came to Erin, always speaking with her, yet never showing even a hint of resentment.
Erin could no longer let such kind people suffer because of her.
Perhaps they would never hate her, but that didn’t make their pain any less.
Even when the Lady had insisted that Erin and Ferdinand weren’t truly bound to each other, Erin knew it was a kind lie, meant to spare her.
“When this mission is over… I’ll annul our engagement. But until then, I want you to stay by my side.”
“…Annul?”
“Yes. You don’t have to remain bound by an engagement you never wanted.”
Ferdinand’s face went stiff.
In the past, Erin had dragged him into the mud with her out of fear of the Marchioness.
But now, no longer afraid of Corellia, she had no right to hold onto him.
What she feared now were the people who might be hurt by staying near her.
Until I’ve finished everything… I can’t let him be dragged into it.
So she lied.
“I didn’t want this either.”
“If you didn’t want it… then why did you say you wanted to be engaged to me?”
“You know what kind of person I am. It was nothing but a whim.”
Ferdinand couldn’t understand her at all.
Her words sounded so detached, yet her face was twisted with pain.
Every time he had seen Erin, she’d worn that same expression—like she desperately wanted to speak, but always kept silent.
It was obvious to him now: she was lying.
Ever since he had seen her past, Ferdinand couldn’t get her out of his mind.
It felt strangely like they had known each other long ago.
Why do I feel this way?
If she said she didn’t want the engagement, then of course he should break it off.
And yet… he didn’t want to.
It was unlike him. He had never been a man ruled by emotion.
But seeing someone before him carrying the weight of the whole world alone—it made it impossible not to care.
Erin stared at him for a moment, then turned away.
“I’ve said what I needed to. I’ll be going now.”
“Lady Erin!”
Ferdinand reached out, but Erin was faster. Before his eyes could even follow, she was gone.
He must have thought it strange, how she had vanished in the blink of an eye.
But Erin couldn’t bear to hear his response. She didn’t want to hear him say that annulment would be a relief.
And besides… a rat has been tailing me.
Sensing the filthy aura from afar, Erin’s lips curved in disdain.
She hadn’t wanted to leave Ferdinand’s side for even a moment during this mission, but she had no choice.
She would have to trust in her own strength.
As long as the distance isn’t too great, I can sense danger before it reaches Ferdinand.
If she dealt with it quickly, it would be fine.
With that resolve, Erin quickened her steps.
