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Chapter 34
“Sherry Peard?”
Blocking Dwen’s path was none other than Sherry. She stood between the columns, enduring the sunset slanting across her.
Although her presence would normally be easily noticed, her typically imposing knightly aura was subdued, so he hadn’t sensed her. That he didn’t notice her presence was proof of her skill.
“The evaluation is over. What brings you here?”
Dwen looked her over indifferently.
At least it doesn’t look like she came just to see my face.
Dwen noticed Sherry’s sharp gaze and scratched his head. He had a feeling this was going to be troublesome.
“Please tell me the reason for my disqualification. I at least want to know why…!”
Sherry clenched her fists tightly as if trying to control her emotions and swallowed her words. Her expression softened slightly.
“I want to know.”
Sherry couldn’t understand why she had been disqualified. She had observed proper etiquette with her sword and towards her opponent, yet she was disqualified without even having swung her blade.
Dwen let out a small, incredulous laugh.
“You mean you waited here, avoiding the guard, just to ask that?”
“Do I need any other reason?”
Sherry planted herself firmly in front of Dwen, making it clear she had no intention of backing down.
“What insolence—”
As a subordinate knight stepped forward, Dwen raised his hand in a single motion, stopping him. The knight took a step back but became more alert.
Dwen stared at her for a moment before showing an intrigued expression.
“Hmm.”
He crossed his arms and studied her closely.
Apparently, after the test, Sherry had hidden in the heavily guarded Knights’ Hall, waiting for Dwen to appear.
Are the guards slacking off in Sector 3?
Dwen smirked faintly and shook his head.
Or perhaps disqualifying Sherry Peard turned out to be a regrettable decision.
There were other examinees who questioned the test results, but most only requested the reason for disqualification in writing. Very few would come in person, likely due to pride and stubbornness. Without such persistence, it was normal for them to fail the next year, and most one-time failures were never seen in the Knights again.
Perhaps that’s why Dwen liked her persistence. He uncrossed his arms and looked down at Sherry.
“Sherry Peard, the reason is simple.”
“What is it?”
“When a match starts, stepping forward is a basic requirement, isn’t it?”
Sherry froze, her face revealing a sense of defeat.
“Furthermore, you drew your sword without confirming whether your opponent was an enemy or ally.”
Sherry looked slightly aggrieved about that point as well.
“Anyone who steps into the arena is an enemy.”
“I was trying to remind you before the test that the arena is a battlefield.”
“What do you mean…?”
“All examinees wore the same knight’s uniform. Why do you think we provided everyone with identical attire?”
Sherry pondered for a moment, then raised her head as if she had found the answer.
“To distinguish between the knights and the examinees—”
“In battle, if you don’t stay alert, you instinctively recognize an armed opponent as an enemy.”
Dwen cut her off sharply. Sherry frowned in confusion, and he added,
“If you don’t stay alert, you won’t even be able to tell if the opponent you’ve raised your sword against is an enemy or an ally. Especially when the crimson blood obscures your vision.”
Dwen’s brow furrowed as an unpleasant memory came to mind.
Sherry let out a small, incredulous laugh. She understood why she had broken the rules out of nervousness, but she couldn’t accept that this rule applied only to her and not other knights.
Sherry straightened her arm, frowning.
Is he punishing me because I’m from the Peard family?
Knowing that she was close friends with Evan Dustin, she couldn’t dismiss that suspicion.
Dwen looked down at her clenched fist, pale from the pressure, with an indifferent expression.
She doesn’t seem convinced.
She probably knew he was Evan’s friend, so she might have suspected his judgment was unfair.
Well, it’s true that I added conditions for Sherry Peard, top graduate of the Academy’s swordsmanship program.
Dwen rubbed his neck and clicked his tongue. He was growing tired, yet she showed no signs of backing down.
He spoke as if signaling to end the matter.
“Sherry Peard, be more cautious before raising your blade next time.”
“Yes, understood.”
Contrary to his expectation, Sherry stepped back obediently. Dwen was momentarily puzzled but relieved by the outcome.
Thankfully, she’s willing to step back easily.
“Then I’ll—”
Clang—
“…!”
In that instant, Sherry drew her sword sharply and thrust its tip in front of him. The hall echoed with the clear sound of steel.
Feeling the oppressive force of the blade, Dwen hesitated and took a step back. His dazed gaze focused on the sword tip before he regained composure.
Hmm.
He glanced around quickly, noticing his tense subordinate knight, and cleared his throat.
Ahem.
Feigning anger to maintain appearances, he said,
“Sherry Peard, what insolence is this?”
“I’ll take your words, Deputy Captain, and engrave them in my mind.”
Sherry’s proud gaze flashed through the strands of hair falling on her forehead.
“Just wait. Next time, I will pass the test and cross swords with Deputy Captain Dwen for sure.”
Sherry handed over the badge pinned to her chest, similar to how Dwen had done when giving test documents to a subordinate knight. It was a badge only given to examinees.
“Since I understand, I’ll return it.”
The knight hastily accepted the badge on Dwen’s behalf. Sherry sheathed her sword and turned gracefully.
She smiled so freely it seemed almost carefree, her brown hair rippling like waves as she disappeared around the corner.
Dwen blinked, regaining his senses only after she was completely out of sight. He let out a hollow laugh.
“What was that?”
Her reaction had been unexpected. He hadn’t thought she would step back so easily, but not in this way.
He expected her to plead for reconsideration or request a retest, but instead, she thrust her sword and left without a trace of regret—looking perfectly relieved.
Moreover, raising the sword also signified doubt about the fairness of the evaluation.
What surprised him even more was himself. Her words didn’t anger him; instead, his lips curved slightly into a smile—without even realizing it.
Dwen felt exhilarated, like a gem collector discovering a rare stone. He had seen the fiery spirit in her eyes, blazing like flames through strands of autumn-colored hair.
Squinting and scratching his cheek, he thought,
Now that I think about it, both with Evan and Sherry Peard, I seem to have a weakness for strong people.
His father had also said that he became close with the previous Duke Dustin because the man was strong. Maybe it was hereditary.
“I’m not normal either.”
Dwen let out a shallow sigh and shook his head. The dazed knight finally snapped back to attention.
“Right now, I should notify the guards—”
“Did you see that?”
Dwen interrupted his subordinate.
“What do you mean?”
The knight asked, bewildered, and Dwen waved his hand toward the air.
Good that you didn’t see. No, it’s lucky she didn’t see my eyes.
His gaze drifted to the end of the hall.
“I hope she passes the exam next year.”
Dwen’s lips curved smoothly, and by the end of the sentence, he was grinning mischievously.
“Miss, we’ve arrived at the mansion.”
As the coachman opened the carriage door, Sherry leapt down. Had Dave witnessed this, he would have scolded her for breaching etiquette.
Walking through the garden, Sherry recalled the earlier unpleasant encounter.
“Dwen Richard.”
Recalling Dwen’s red eyes, she frowned. If she had to sum him up in one sentence: he was an arrogant man who lived for his own pride.
His teasing lips and indifferent expression mirrored Evan Dustin, confirming the similarity.
I wanted to pass the Knights’ Entrance Exam and earn Vanessa’s praise…
Sherry pouted and lowered her gaze in disappointment.
Nothing had gone right for her lately. She had been disqualified from the exam without swinging her sword and had faced retaliation for trying to separate Evan Dustin from Vanessa.
Her rash actions had caused her to lose a crucial contract and troubled Vanessa. She had been terrified and guilty when the contract fell through and Vanessa refused to leave her room.
Stopping in her tracks, Sherry hung her head. The sunset striking her head seemed to scold her.
The contract failing wasn’t Vanessa’s fault—it was mine…
Several times she had wanted to confess to Vanessa. To tell her that the contract failing wasn’t her fault, and she shouldn’t blame herself or obsess over business debts.
But whenever Sherry tried to confess, her throat tightened and no sound came out. She feared Vanessa would resent her.
What should I do…
Chewing her lip and finally making a decision, she lifted her face abruptly.
“Yes, I’ll say it.”
Today, she would speak to Vanessa. Determined, Sherry quickened her pace toward the main gate.
“Miss Sherry, welcome back.”
Sensing her presence, the butler and staff approached and bowed.
Sherry handed the sword at her waist to the butler and looked around the hall. The butler, noticing her surveying the mansion, accepted the sword with a faint smile.
