Chapter 17 – The journey to the mines

A Knight's Recovery – A Fragile Respite

The war tent smelled of blood, herbs, and lingering smoke from the battlefield beyond. Outside, soldiers moved in a tired, rhythmic cadence—tending to the wounded, securing their defenses, awaiting the next inevitable fight.

Inside, Caius lay on a cot, his body bandaged but still radiating power even in his weakened state.

Seraphina watched him, the dim candlelight tracing the hard planes of his face. His golden hair, damp from sweat, clung to his forehead, and his broad chest rose and fell in measured breaths. She had expected him to be asleep for longer.

But then his deep voice shattered the silence.

"You shouldn't be here."

His amber eyes had cracked open, sharp even through the haze of pain.

Seraphina didn't flinch. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her voice smooth.

"And yet, here I am."

A breath of silence passed between them before Caius let out a low exhale, something between amusement and exasperation.

"You're persistent."

She moved closer, dipping the cloth in a basin of cool water. "I would call it resourceful."

When she pressed the cloth against his forehead, he didn't pull away. His body tensed under her touch, but not in rejection. Instead, he let her continue, his gaze unwavering on her.

"You came all the way to a war camp for some rare ore?" His voice was hoarse, skeptical.

Seraphina smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "The kingdom needs it. I'm merely securing its future."

Caius gave a quiet, tired chuckle. "You expect me to believe that?"

She arched a delicate brow. "Why wouldn't you?"

He studied her for a long moment.

"Because you don't belong here." His voice was soft but firm. "You're too clean, too composed. No noblewoman willingly steps onto a battlefield unless they have another reason."

Seraphina's fingers tightened around the cloth for half a second before she forced herself to remain relaxed.

She wasn't surprised by his insight. Caius had lived on the battlefield for years—he had learned to read people as easily as he read enemy formations.

Still, she played the role of a noblewoman well. She leaned back slightly, offering a practiced, effortless smile.

"And if I simply wish to see the great war hero for myself?"

That, at least, caught him off guard. His expression flickered—something between surprise and mild frustration.

"You're playing games."

Seraphina hummed. "Perhaps."

Caius exhaled, closing his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them again, the exhaustion had settled deeper, but so had something else—acceptance.

"Stay out of trouble while you're here."

[Quest Updated: Gain Caius 's Trust – Progress 23%]

Seraphina let the system window fade from her vision, her thoughts drifting.

She wasn't lying—she did need Caius 's protection. But not for an ore.

She needed him to stay sane. To stay human.

Just like the others.

Her presence here was a calculated risk. The system had guided her to him, just as it had guided her to Lucien before. But unlike the Duke's sunlit villa, where the atmosphere had been relaxed, almost playful—this place was drowning in death.

And Caius ?

He was standing at the edge of something dangerous.

She needed to pull him back.

But first, she needed to make sure he survived.

– Beyond the Battlefield

The sun had barely risen when Seraphina stepped out of her tent, the crisp morning air laced with the lingering scent of metal and smoke. The battlefield had quieted overnight, though remnants of yesterday's chaos still remained—injured soldiers resting in makeshift beds, broken weapons scattered near the training grounds, and the ever-present tension that came with war.

She wasn't here for that.

She was here for Caius .

The knight stood at the edge of the camp, his back to her, giving orders to a few men. His armor was back in place, his presence as commanding as ever, despite the wounds that should have kept him in bed.

Seraphina sighed. "You heal fast."

Caius turned at the sound of her voice, one brow raising at her approach. "Or maybe I just ignore the pain."

She stepped closer, tilting her head. "That's a terrible strategy."

His smirk was faint but present. "It works."

She didn't argue. Instead, she got straight to the point. "I need to go to the mines outside the valley. There's something there that I need."

Caius 's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're asking me to leave the battlefield for a trip to a mine?"

She met his gaze evenly. "I'm asking you to protect me while I retrieve something important."

A long silence stretched between them. His expression remained unreadable, but she could see the gears turning in his mind.

Finally, he exhaled. "Fine. But we'll take a small unit with us. I won't risk your safety."

Seraphina smiled. "Good. Then let's go."

-The Journey to the Mines

The ride through the valley was uneventful at first, the rhythmic sounds of hooves against dirt filling the air. The path was lined with dense foliage, the occasional ruin of an old fortress standing as a reminder of past wars.

Caius rode beside her, his usual quiet demeanor in place. But every now and then, she caught him glancing at her.

"What?" she finally asked, turning to him.

He shrugged. "Just wondering why a noblewoman like you would go through all this trouble."

She smiled faintly. "Would you believe me if I said I wanted to help the kingdom?"

His gaze didn't waver. "Would you believe me if I said I don't trust easily?"

Seraphina chuckled. "Fair enough."

The conversation didn't continue, but the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable.

At least, not until they reached the mines.

Something was wrong.

The moment they entered the valley where the mines were located, Caius 's entire demeanor shifted. His hand went to his sword, his posture tense.

Seraphina felt it too.

A presence.

Something unseen, but powerful.

Before she could speak, the ground beneath them rumbled. A gust of unnatural wind swept through the valley, and in the distance—just beyond the entrance to the mine—a shadowed figure began to form.

Seraphina's grip on the reins tightened.

Caius pulled his horse to a stop beside her, his voice calm but firm. "Stay behind me."

She didn't argue.

Because whatever this was—

It wasn't human.

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-The Battle Beneath the Earth

The figure solidified—an amorphous, shifting mass, flickering between different forms as if it couldn't decide what it wanted to be. At times, it had the vague shape of a beast, its limbs elongated and jagged like fractured glass. Other times, it was a hulking shadow, shifting in and out of visibility.

Seraphina shuddered. This was no ordinary creature.

Beside her, Caius had already dismounted, his blade gleaming as he drew it. His stance was solid, unwavering—battle-worn but ready.

"Get back." His voice was low, measured, but there was an edge to it.

Seraphina didn't argue. She quickly moved toward the nearest rock outcropping, but she didn't look away. She needed to know what they were dealing with.

The thing let out a sound—if it could be called that. A warped, echoing noise that made her stomach twist.

Then, it lunged.

Caius met it head-on, his sword colliding with something that should have been flesh but felt more like striking water. The creature recoiled but not before its form twisted, sending jagged tendrils whipping toward him.

He barely dodged, rolling aside before slashing again. This time, his sword met more resistance, and the creature screeched—a sound that made the air itself shiver.

Seraphina clenched her fists. What was this thing?

It wasn't a beast, nor was it anything she recognized from her world's mythology. It was something else entirely.

Something that shouldn't exist.

And Caius …

She risked a glance at him between the chaos. He fought without hesitation, but there was something in his expression. Not fear, not hesitation—something else.

Recognition.

He had seen something like this before.

But he said nothing.

Another attack forced Caius back. The creature wasn't weakening—it was shifting, learning. Each strike he landed only made it change its form, adapting with unnatural speed.

Seraphina's mind raced. This isn't a fight we can win.

"Caius !" she called, stepping forward. "We need to go!"

He didn't respond immediately, his grip on his sword tightening.

The creature lunged again. Caius barely managed to deflect it, his boots skidding across the dirt from the impact.

Seraphina moved before she could think.

Pulling a dagger from her belt, she threw it—not at the creature, but at the ground near Caius 's feet. The sharp thunk of metal burying into the dirt snapped him out of whatever trance he had been in.

She held his gaze. "Retreat. Now."

A muscle in his jaw twitched, but after a tense moment, he nodded.

They turned and ran.

The creature let out a wail, its form unraveling and twisting as if furious at their escape. It didn't give chase. Instead, it hovered at the mine's entrance, writhing like a storm waiting to be unleashed.

Seraphina risked one last glance back before they disappeared over the hill.

The thing was watching them.

Waiting.

And Caius …

He was still silent.

They didn't stop until they were well beyond the valley, the air thick with the weight of unspoken words.

Seraphina caught her breath, wiping the sweat from her brow. "That thing… what was it?"

Caius sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable. "Something unnatural."

She frowned. "You've seen it before."

For the first time since they fled, he hesitated. Then he turned away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She didn't believe him.

But she didn't press.

Not yet.

Instead, she glanced at her system window. Her bond with Caius had shifted—slightly higher, but still far from where she needed it.

She exhaled. "We should report back. But I'm not letting this go, Caius ."

He didn't respond, but she caught the way his fingers curled slightly at his side.

He knew something.

And she would find out what.