The Eve (2)

The situation on the continent wasn't great.

This was a fact everyone knew. Even the public who didn't know the entire circumstances of the situation could still feel it. But the ones who felt it the most were the high-ranking officials of the Holy Kingdom who had more information than them. When they heard the news of the devils and demons pouring into the continent, their anger and fear against the Demon King grew.

May the subjugation be accomplished. May the four heroes build enough strength to advance to the dimensional rift and make the world peaceful again.

That was what everyone wished wholeheartedly. And when the four heroes, including Airn had showcased their strength…

'Good! They are a lot stronger than I imagined! I was scared to even wonder what we would do if the training didn't have any results…'

'Honestly, I thought it was all lies, but it seemed to work out in the end somehow.'

Hope rose in the hearts of people again. Their exhausted bodies felt revitalized as they saw their future in the four heroes.

Of course, they didn't push the heroes into battle right away.

10 years…

On the outside it was just one year but the kids had spent 10 years of time in extreme training. They looked physically perfect but there was bound to be some mental exhaustion.

They needed time. They needed to be with people who they loved. They needed warmth and affection. The Holy Kingdom didn't overlook this and as soon as the four came out, they called their families.

And…

Woong!

"I have no family."

Judith, who was wielding her sword in the training hall mumbled.

It was true. She had no family. So, she had no one to meet. She talked about it to Kuvar whom she had met after a long time. She talked with her swordsmanship schoolmates who had come to see her. Surprisingly, she even talked to her opponents in the Warrior's Festival. There was no doubt that she was no longer a true loner like she had been when she was a child.

…however, some emotions couldn't be shared with just these people. Judith, who remembered the old man's face, called out his name.

"Khun."

Even saying that name made her falter. But she knew that she had to get it out.

She couldn't be trapped in the past. Hadn't her teacher said that? The place she had to be in was reality, not in the dream world. Of course, she had come out of the sorcery world because of that promise to him but she understood his intention and she was going to be faithful to it.

"Phew."

Judith caught her breath and cleared her mind. This was nothing surprising.

Her world had always been lonely.

If she had felt affection for some family even for a moment in her perpetually lonely life, that was all she would hope for. But now she had gotten used to being alone.

Thinking that, she swung her sword again…

"…"

From afar, there was a little boy staring at her.

'Isn't this little boy a bit too much?'

He looked to be around 15 to 16 years old, but his face looked younger than that and his skin looked so soft that it looked like he had no pores on it. But none of that mattered.

What was important was his blue hair.

She was concerned whether this boy was Bratt Lloyd's younger brother.

She eventually put down her sword and walked over to him. With a grim expression, she asked.

"Why are you here again?"

"I was just… curious."

"About?"

"No, you know what it is about. My brother who only likes himself now has someone he likes. How can I, as his younger brother not be interested in that person?"

"…"

"Of course, it is rude to interrupt when you are training to defeat the Demon King, so I will not bother you and will just watch you in silence."

"It is rude to watch someone train."

"But I am no swordsman. So, it is fine, right?"

"…enough. Just stop it."

Judith turned around. She would have normally hit the guy on his forehead at least twice by now considering how her personality was like, but she couldn't since he was Bratt's younger brother. Actually, this didn't seem too annoying. Just… it just made her uncomfortable dealing with people she didn't know.

'So, just go.'

Mumbling something ineligible, she resumed her training. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind as she thought of Bratt.

"…"

There was a moment where her expression changed because she was thinking about Bratt.

At almost the same time, Bratt's younger brother, Gerard said,

"Would you like to have dinner with me?"

"…"

"Wait, it isn't just me, I am going to call mother too. Will you still not come?"

"What?"

"What are you so surprised about? To be honest, I have been very patient, and my parents are also curious about Judith. But now we have all reached our limit."

"What is it…"

Judith couldn't understand this.

It wasn't that she hadn't met Mrs. Lloyd before. She had talked a few times during the warrior's festival and before going to Khun, they had also greeted her warmly.

However, she didn't give much importance to them. It was obvious that they were there as just a courtesy.

Maybe they were trying to hide their displeasure and were trying to seem humble. That was what she always thought.

'…why am I suddenly feeling like this?'

"What is it?"

"Uh?"

"You seemed lost… are you fine? Shall we do it then?"

Gerard looked worried. He couldn't help it. The hero who was about to face the Demon King in 10 days looked depressed. He was worried that he had hurt her by talking too casually.

Judith looked at him. The little boy's eyes that resembled Bratt were shining more and more.

"…let's go."

"Uh?"

"Let's go. No wait… I need to wash up. No, but I don't have clothes to wear…"

"Uh? Ah! It is fine! You are a knight, so your outfit is alright! You can just come over!"

"That makes me feel even more worried though? Ha, if you are saying it…."

Judith grumbled over and over again. Confusion and anxiety riddled her mind. The thought of whether she should change her decision was running rampantly through her mind.

But she didn't.

'Take a different path than I did. Don't let go of your friends and your lover. Don't let go of your bond with Krono, and don't sacrifice your ties in the future for the sake of the sword. Be greedy. Do not let go of anything and hold onto everything.'

She remembered her teacher's advice.

She shouldn't be scared. She shouldn't run away because she didn't like it, she shouldn't run away because it let burdensome.

She had to overcome it, get used to it and work harder.

"Uh? What?"

"Never mind. I was talking to myself…"

Judith, who was about to speak, stopped. After she stopped talking, she smiled and spoke to Bratt's brother.

"I just had something to think about. Don't worry."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"What are you looking at?"

"Sorry."

She had used quite a harsh tone, and Gerard seemed a bit shocked.

'It isn't easy.'

Of course, this was the end. She would have to meet Lord Lloyd and his wife as well. Gerbera's high-ranking nobleman and the Lord of a huge estate and, most importantly, Bratt's parents… eating with them was more burdensome than fighting devils. She wasn't even able to eat a piece of steak properly. She stuttered several times. She felt like she had to run away somewhere and escape this place.

But she stayed.

She didn't run or hide. She was being greedy like her master wanted her to be.

'I want to be closer with Bratt.'

As precious as Khun. No, more precious than Khun.

She wanted to talk with him, walk and eat with him… she wanted to smile and share a drink with him and swing swords with him as well.

She wanted to get closer… she wanted to fall deeper in love with him.

She wanted to be in his daily life and wanted to be closer than just lover.

'Of course… it will not be possible right now. I don't imagine things to be that easy.'

Judith, who smiled at the Lord, thought it felt awkward.

It wasn't easy. She felt like this would take more effort than the becoming a trainee at Krono or becoming a Sword Master.

She was someone who had no dating talent and also had a bad personality, a strong sense of what she wanted and a dirty way of speaking. So… it was easy for anyone to hate her. She was someone who would loudly shout if she was angry to push away the people that surrounded her.

'Not this time.'

'Right. This time would be different.'

She wasn't going to give up.

She couldn't let herself give up.

'Don't be discouraged. Overcome your challenges… try and work hard to achieve your goals. Do the best you can.'

She didn't know if these kinds of militant thoughts would work when it came to human relationships, but this was what she had to do.

'Still, I have no choice but to do the best I can…'

"Uh?"

As such, it was a moment of determination for Judith.

When Judith saw her lover, Bratt Lloyd, who suddenly appear in front of her, she put on a surprised expression. Maybe it was because she had been too much in thought that she didn't notice him until he came close.

'Ah, shit.'

Judith's face turned red.

Considering her heightened senses, she should have felt his presence a long while back. The thought of being teased now for looking shocked made her grunt. Bratt was the kind of person who liked to tease.

Bratt stood there in front of her, and she stopped walking. But before she could speak, he took the lead.

"Judith."

"Uh?"

"Will you marry me?"

"…uh?"

A proposal suddenly come from Bratt Lloyd?

She, she really didn't know what to do.

He thought he could give his life up.

If it meant defeating the Demon King, if it meant that he could save his loved one. He felt that it was enough.

But no.

The moment he saw the awkward smile of Judith and the cute appearance of her with his family…

Quincy Myers' advice came to his mind.

'Live. Find a desire to live.'

'With Judith.'

'Not as a lover but as family.'

"Will you marry me?"

"…uh?"

"No, let's get married."

'I won't die.'

'I will defeat the Demon King and come back alive.'

'…with all my friends.'

And with his lover.

Bratt's eyes seemed a lot brighter than usual as he looked at Judith.