Chapter 5 

Seeing that smile up close, her breath caught in her throat without warning.

Overwhelmed by a wave of bewilderment, Elena couldn’t even inhale or exhale properly. In that strange state, she struggled to comprehend what Van had just said.

‘From where, how…?’

How had he figured out her deeply buried desire? At what point?

No matter how much she retraced her steps, her days had been completely void of any contact with him. She had never once spoken of her wish to anyone, not even those closest to her.

“I’m giving you the chance to stab me in the back. Stand behind me and do as you please. Stab my heart with your sword or slit my throat, whatever.”

Van’s eyes, tinged red as though soaked in blood, curved gently with amusement. He looked like he was enjoying this moment.

In contrast, Elena had no idea how to respond. Her body was frozen stiff, and she barely managed to maintain a composed expression that felt like it could collapse at any second.

Yes, it was true she wanted to kill him. But Van wasn’t supposed to know that. He shouldn’t have known. And yet there he was, smirking lopsidedly as if he’d figured it out long ago, infuriatingly smug.

“I have no intention of harming you, Commander.”

She couldn’t stay silent any longer. Forcing her voice to remain as calm as possible, Elena refuted him.

“Really? Vened, are you taking me for a fool?”

Van’s sulky retort came back instantly. Elena quickly broke eye contact, not wanting to betray her flustered state, and lowered her gaze. He clearly had no intention of backing down.

“I am just a knight of Ridwan, faithfully serving under your command. Nothing more.”

Even if he had seen through her, she couldn’t afford to ‘admit’ it. Clinging to her trembling voice, she answered firmly.

Van’s gaze swept over her from the top of her head to her toes. As his sharp eyes moved slowly downward, Elena did her best to suppress the tension creeping up her spine.

The silence between them grew heavier. Her heartbeat pounded louder in her ears.

“Well, if you say so.”

His voice, accompanied by a hollow laugh like air leaking from a puncture, brushed past her ear.

“Leave.”

The order came immediately.

Elena bowed slightly in acknowledgment and left the room without hesitation. Even as she stepped into the corridor, she could feel his gaze clinging to her back like a weight.

“Haah…”

As the oppressive atmosphere of that prison-like room lifted, she slumped to the floor, gasping for air. Her legs had long since lost their strength. She’d forced herself to stand only to keep up appearances. No, she’d had to exert every bit of energy just to hold herself upright.

How had he noticed? And why would he make such an absurd proposal?

Thoughts tangled and clashed in her head, tormenting her. Still gasping, she sat there in a pathetic heap before finally summoning the will to stand.

Her own safety was now at risk before she could even act against him. And he called it a ‘chance’?

Van had clearly said it was an ‘opportunity.’ But no matter how she looked at it, it wasn’t. She couldn’t draw a sword on him with so many eyes watching.

D**n it.

He was toying with her. Her gut twisted from the vile, bitter feeling he left behind, and in that moment, she found herself longing for Tyrtan.

If it were her brother, he would’ve stood by her the moment he learned the truth. But that was only if she could contact him. No matter how hard she’d searched, she hadn’t been able to find even a single hair of his.

As if reflecting her chaotic thoughts, Elena ran a hand roughly through her hair and let out a sigh.

* * *

The night before the defense battle.

Elena was trapped in a dream, whether a nightmare or an auspicious one, she couldn’t tell.

The sun was warm, unusually so for Anhal, and a cool breeze playfully tousled her hair. The Vened family had gone on an outing, just as she had always wanted, their faces free of all care as they stood in a green field.

〈Come on, let’s get out. Elen first.〉

Aurin was the first to step out of the carriage and carefully lifted Elena down. Then came Floran, followed by Tyrtan, one after another.

〈Elen, are you that happy?〉

〈Yes! It’s been so long since the four of us went out together like this.〉

Elena grabbed Floran’s hand. That warm hand, this gentle weather, everything about the day was perfect. The fear that had always lingered in a corner of her heart melted away, as if she had escaped the fire.

〈We should’ve done this more often. I’m sorry.〉

〈It’s fine. You’re always so busy, after all…〉

Aurin apologized as Elena beamed up at him, and Elena fidgeted with her hands, murmuring.

〈Sorry, Elena. This is my fault, isn’t it?〉

From behind, Tyrtan watched and playfully tapped her on the shoulder. Elena flinched and waved her hands in a panic.

〈N-No! That’s not what I meant!〉

〈Pfft, I’m kidding.〉

〈Brother!〉

Elena puffed out her cheeks and glared at him. Tyrtan only laughed more at her adorable pout.

〈Hmph! Whatever! I’m going ahead!〉

〈Elen, be careful. You might fall.〉

Letting go of Floran’s hand, Elena quickened her pace up the hill.

She heard Floran’s worried voice behind her, but she didn’t stop. Just how happy would it be to eat lunch together under that tree up ahead?

She ran faster and reached the top of the hill only to see the world around her turning red. The sky, the light, everything changed, as if bathed in a sudden, ominous sunset.

〈Mom…? Dad?〉

Elena turned around, searching for her family. But no one was there. All she saw was smoke and fire, creeping upward from below.

〈Brother! Where is everyone?!〉

Struck by dread, she forced her legs to move and descended the hill.

〈Ah…〉

The flames grew fiercer, and amidst them, someone had collapsed. Charred halfway, lying in a thick pool of blood, without a doubt… 

〈Aaaaahhh!〉

It was her beloved family. The shock struck like a hammer to her skull, and Elena collapsed as if her legs had been swept out from under her.

“Gasp…”

A good omen, they said? It was a nightmare, one she never wanted to dream again. The gruesome image of the corpses still lingered in her mind. She wiped her face, only to feel wetness on her palms.

It had only been a dream, but she’d shed tears nonetheless.

“…Again.”

Why this dream, now, on the eve of the defense battle? Was it a sign to try harder?

Gazing at the faint moon halo beyond the window, Elena muttered under her breath.

She drew her knees up and buried her face in them.

Perhaps it would’ve been better to die back then. The fact that her enemy was a Grand Duke, the fact that he was a dragon, praised and worshipped by others, was simply too much.

If there was a god, please… bless me.

In the suffocating darkness, Elena clasped her hands in desperate prayer, trying to suppress the fury that rose like fire within her.

* * *

With her face still a mess, Elena stared at Van’s back. His broad shoulders and muscular frame were the pride of the Ridwan Knights Order. To her, they only sparked rage.

“Elena, if it gets too much, fall back. I’ll cover you.”

“No… You gave the order, Commander. I’ll follow it.”

“So unnecessarily dutiful. Don’t come crying if you collapse.”

“…Thank you, Sir Rianthorne.”

Enoch Rianthorne, of the 7th Division like Elena, had been assigned to her squad for this battle. Much like Marlene, Enoch was one of the few people close to her. Concerned by her pale face, he whispered gently.

“They’re coming!”

Enoch, still looking at her with worry, turned toward the noise from below.

Under the command of each squad leader, soldiers began advancing and dealing with the monsters rushing at them with grotesque cries. While the frontlines handled the wave of beasts, the squad on the wall, Van included, focused their gaze skyward.

Screeeech!

In the distance, a wyvern spread its wings wide and let out a piercing, unnatural cry.

“Hold your positions.”

As Van raised his right hand, everyone drew their swords and fixed their eyes on the sky, where the flying beasts loomed. Soon, dozens of monsters swooped toward them.

Van scoffed and casually extended his hand then unleashed hundreds of razor-sharp spears in one go.

“Fewer than I expected.”

Dozens of wyverns were pierced instantly. The ones that survived were injured and not long for this world.

As Van muttered nonchalantly, Elena clicked her tongue in her mind. To wield that much magic so effortlessly, dragons truly were absurd.

“Finish the ones that fell!”

A squad leader to Van’s right shouted to the unit. Enoch and the others rushed toward the wyverns that had crashed to the wall.

Elena, too, stepped forward, only to be stopped.

“Vened, stay by my side.”

For some reason, Van singled her out again. As if offering her that ‘opportunity’ he had once mentioned.

……

T/N: I’d like to think Van is thinking ‘I don’t want you to get tired, so stay’ 😝