Chapter 16–The Knight’s Battlefield Arc – Arrival
The world around her twisted.
One moment, Seraphina had been inside the grand halls of Lucien's sunlit villa, basking in the golden warmth of late afternoon. The next, the system window flared a deep crimson—an urgent shift she had not expected.
[New Route Selected: The Knight of the Silver Order]
[Location: The Battlefield of Astraea]
[Objective: Unknown]
The moment she clicked 'Confirm,' a powerful pull yanked her forward, and the villa dissolved into darkness.
When her vision cleared, the scent of blood and steel filled her lungs.
Seraphina staggered against the sudden pressure in the air. A harsh wind whipped her silver-white hair around her face as she took in her surroundings. Jagged cliffs loomed in the distance, forming a natural barrier to the war-torn wasteland below. The ground beneath her was cracked and scorched, littered with fallen banners and shattered weapons.
And at the center of it all—him.
A lone figure stood amidst the carnage, wielding his massive greatsword like a divine retribution made flesh. His crimson hair, matted with sweat and streaked with blood, clung to his forehead, but his amber eyes burned with unwavering determination. His white and silver armor was marred with deep scratches, yet he remained unyielding.
Caius.
Seraphina had crafted him to be the embodiment of honor—a knight whose resolve could shake the heavens. But here, in the heart of war, she saw something else. The weight of his duty pressed against his broad shoulders. His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles taut with exhaustion.
Yet, he did not falter.
The enemy before him was not human.
A shifting, monstrous presence loomed—a creature whose form twisted between reality and nightmare. Shadows coiled around its enormous frame, flickering in and out of existence, its massive claws raking the earth with each unearthly screech.
Seraphina barely had time to react before the creature lunged.
Caius met its charge head-on, his blade flashing in a deadly arc. Sparks erupted as steel met claw, the force of impact shaking the very air. The battlefield echoed with the clash of metal and the inhuman howls of the beast. Each strike sent shockwaves through the ground, yet the knight did not waver.
He was fighting alone.
Seraphina gritted her teeth. The battle was beyond her, but she couldn't stand idly by. She had to find a way to help—if not with her own strength, then with strategy.
She opened the system window.
[New Quest Unlocked: Protect the Knight]
[Status: Caius – Endurance Critical]
[Knight's Favorability: 43/100]
Her heart pounded. The numbers were lower than she expected. Caius was running on the last reserves of his strength. If this continued, he would—
No.
She wouldn't let him die here.
Steeling herself, she searched for anything useful in the system inventory, anything that could turn the tide of this battle.
[New Item Acquired: ???]
A flash of golden light filled her vision. A mysterious relic materialized in her hands—an intricately carved pendant glowing with faint, pulsing energy.
She didn't know what it was, but she knew one thing.
She had to reach Caius before it was too late.
—
The air was thick with the scent of iron and ash.
Seraphina's boots crunched against the dirt as she made her way through the remnants of the battlefield. The clash between Caius and the monstrous force had finally ended—though not without cost. The knight had collapsed moments after striking the final blow, his sword buried deep in the creature's fading remains.
Now, he lay inside a makeshift tent at the war camp, his body wrapped in bandages, the once-pristine silver of his armor set aside, dented and bloodstained.
Seraphina stood at the entrance, hands tightening at her sides. She wasn't supposed to be here. At least, not officially.
When she arrived at the war camp after the battle, the knights had been suspicious. A noblewoman—let alone the Seraphina, the rumored 'Flower of High Society'—had no reason to step foot in a place ravaged by war.
So she gave them a reason.
"I have business here," she had said coolly. "The Duke has entrusted me with securing a rare mineral said to be found in Astraea. I require the protection of the Order's strongest knight."
A perfect excuse. A noblewoman seeking resources for the kingdom wasn't unheard of, and Caius was the obvious choice for a protector. It was a request they couldn't deny.
But in truth, she had only one purpose.
[Quest Updated: Ensure Caius's Recovery]
[Knight's Favorability: 49/100]
She took a slow breath before stepping inside.
The dim candlelight flickered across Caius's sleeping form. Even in rest, his body bore the signs of his battles—his broad shoulders rose and fell with slow, steady breaths, but his hands, calloused and scarred, clenched faintly as if still gripping an invisible sword.
Seraphina hesitated, watching him.
He was different from Lucien. Where the Duke had been relaxed, amused by her presence, Caius was raw and battle-worn, his life defined by war rather than diplomacy.
And yet, even in his unconscious state, he was still beautiful.
His Crimson hair fanned over the pillow, a striking contrast against his tanned skin. His exposed chest, marred with healing wounds, rose and fell steadily. There was something almost vulnerable about seeing him like this—stripped of his armor, no longer the untouchable war hero but a man who had fought too many battles alone.
She moved closer, fingers brushing lightly over the pendant she had used earlier in the battle. The system still hadn't identified what it was, but she knew it had saved him.
You're not allowed to die yet, Knight.
Just as she reached for the damp cloth on his bedside to cool his fevered skin, a rough, deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
"You shouldn't be here."
Seraphina froze.
The crimson knight's amber eyes were open, hazy but piercing. He was awake. And despite his exhaustion, there was something firm in his gaze—an unspoken challenge.
She met his stare and, instead of retreating, simply tilted her head.
"And yet, here I am."
His lips twitched slightly, not quite a smile, but close.