CH 19

Asha was nervous, but the warm atmosphere of the room lulled her to sleep.

Maybe she was tired from training, but as soon as she lay down on the bed, she quickly fell asleep.

Only the sound of breathing and the flipping of papers resounded softly in the room. 

Jackal turned his head and stared at Asha sleeping. 

Asha looked so embarrassed before, but her expression was completely relaxed. She looked innocent as a child when she sleeps. 

She looked like a deer that came to the hunter’s house and went to dreamland without even thinking that she would be eaten. 

He let out a small sigh. 

She seemed so innocent that he thought she must have suffered a lot at the tyrant’s side. 

When he first met her, she hid on a snow-covered slope.

Her vigilant and curious purple eyes were really clear. 

Just like her surname, she really was like a camellia-like woman blooming alone in the snow in the middle of winter.

Originally, for the safety of the organization, they would never have brought a strange woman into their nest. Even more so if she is from a minority village. 

But when she mentioned that she had left her village and become a wanderer, a bit of sympathy kindled in his heart without realizing it. 

No, I couldn’t tell if it was sympathy or mere curiosity, or if I liked her. 

Jackal ruffled his hair, trying to organize his thoughts, and then began to focus on his work again. 

Most of the requests were to deal with bandits or to hunt wild wolves or boars. 

Suddenly, there was a piece of paper of a different color right below it. 

His hand stopped and he frowned slightly. 

It was an official letter from the Imperial Family. 

A quick glance revealed that the Imperial Family was planning to send knights and nobles to subdue minority clans on a large scale. 

He crumpled up the paper and tossed it directly into the blazing fire. 

It was an official letter from the Imperial Family, but to him, it was just firewood to keep him warm.

A few days later, the Cactus Knights set foot on the northern lands. 

In the dark mountains far from the village, they silently watched the lights and smoke rising like shadows. 

Next to him, the bandit leader made a fuss and said.

“It’s right there! That is the Lycaon’s territory!”

The blond man looked at the lights and roughly guessed the size of the village and muttered.

“Let’s wait here. We will attack when they are distracted.”

* * * * *

After a long time, Asha went out and had a late-night party with the others.

They sat in a circle in the open space, lit the campfire, and roasted sweet potatoes. 

She skewered a baked sweet potato on a wooden skewer and was blowing on it when Jackal crept up beside her, sat down, and said.

“I feel it every time I see you, you really eat well.”

“Yes?”

Asha blushed at those words as she peeled the skin off the sweet potato skin and ate it.

“It looks good.”

Jackal spoke lightly and picked up a sweet potato. 

Asha spoke too, watching him munch on a sweet potato as if it wasn’t hot.

“I feel it every time I see you too, but please enjoy it.”

“What?”

“My mouth is watering just looking at you eat.”

“Is it a compliment?”

“Yes. It looks good.”

Asha spoke coyly and started eating the potato again. 

Other members of the organization laughed and chatted, drinking as if today was the last day. 

To others, they seem like people living from day to day, but Asha liked this lively, free-spirited atmosphere. 

She was always anxious about the future, but she enjoyed the present to the best of her ability and had no regrets about the past.

“….Oh, it’s hot!”

Asha was careless and laughed that she had burned her hand and quickly dropped the sweet potato.

“What’s hot about this!”

He took the sweet potato, but it was as hot as burning coal.

“…….”

Jackal was taken aback for a moment, but he had already proudly said that it wasn’t hot at all, so he endured and began to peel it. 

Looking at his serious face and red-hot fingertips, Asha tilted her face to the side and asked mischievously.

“Captain, be honest. It’s hot, right?”

“………”

“It’s too hot, right? Isn’t it?”

Jackal blows on the hot and soft sweet potato as Asha laughs and teases him.

“It’s not hot. Don’t talk nonsense and just blow. Don’t burn your tongue.”

He spoke harshly, but he was a warm person to her.

Jackal didn’t say a word after that. He glanced at her, but Asha stifled a laugh and pretended not to notice. 

After roasting chestnuts and stuffed pancakes in the brazier, she slowly began to feel sleepy.

He said quietly.

“Let’s talk for a second.”

“What?”

“I have something to give you.”

Asha was taken aback, but when he got up first and trudged on, she followed him silently. 

Jackal turned quietly behind the dimly lit log house, waiting for Asha to come. 

As she approached him, he took something out of his chest pocket and held it out to her.

“What is this?”

“A dagger. Take it out.”

Asha politely took the dagger in both hands. 

The steel-colored scabbard was engraved with a horse’s head, and its eyes were studded with sapphire gems. 

Her eyes grew bigger.

“This….. looks like a very expensive and precious dagger, can I have it?”

“Yes. It’s very expensive and precious. It’s a keepsake from my parents.”

At those words, Asha’s eyes widened even more, and she quickly returned the dagger and spoke firmly.

“I cannot accept something so precious. Take it back.”

“Take it. I have many daggers.”

“But this is valuable!”

“It’s not very valuable. I was going to throw it away. It was always a headache figuring out what to do with it.”

Then Asha asked foolishly.

“Why? If it were me, if my parents gave it to me, I would cherish it…….”

“Because it’s not a gift, it’s a heavy-duty.”

“Duty?”

Jackal meant a ‘duty to protect the clan’, but he just shook his head.

“……There’s something like that. To me, this dagger made my heart ache just by looking at it. But it’s light and well-bladed, so it’ll be convenient for you to use. Take it as a reward for your training. You deserve it, you worked hard.”

Asha gulped and drew the dagger from its sheath. 

The beautiful silver dagger was quite shiny enough that she could even see the pores on her face. 

Asha gasped and Jackal just glanced at her.

“You can use it as a mirror then.”

His joke made Asha laugh again.

In her past life, she couldn’t remember the last time she laughed, but ever since she’s been here, she’s been laughing a lot, even at small things.

Jackal’s expression softened. He seemed brighter than when she first joined the organization. 

But it was then.

“…… Oh? But why is Sheppy’s name engraved on the scabbard?”

His carelessness startled him.

But Asha didn’t notice. She was busy feeling the scabbard with her fingertips.

“I like it a lot. It looks like Sheppy.”

For some reason, she felt that Sheppy would protect her anytime, anywhere if she carried this dagger on her body. 

Asha was moved.

“Thank you very much. I’ll take good care of it.”

“Well, let’s go back.”

Asha, feeling cold after walking away from the campfire for a while, rubbed her hands together. 

But then Jackal immediately grabbed her hand and strode forward. 

Asha’s cheeks flushed slightly as she felt his thick, warm hands gently wrap around hers.

Back near the campfire, a drunken Sosa was engrossed in playing the flute.

“There it goes again. That old man.”

The members shook their heads as if they couldn’t stop him, but despite their reaction, Sosa closed his eyes and played the flute with enthusiasm and sadness. 

However, his good skills surprised Asha.

“Sosa, you can play the flute?”

“That’s right. He only plays the flute when he’s drunk.”

“That’s an unusual drinking habit.”

Asha laughed and listened to the clear and beautiful tone of the flute. 

It was a lyrical song that suited the scenery of a rustic village with a campfire under the starry night sky. 

However, the members furiously shouted. They didn’t like the song.

“Shut up!”

“You have ruined the fun!”

Sosa opened his eyes and muttered.

“What a bunch of idiots who don’t even know art…….”

“What? What did you just say?”

Sosa closed his eyes again and played a cheerful song as if nothing had happened. 

Now everyone was happy because of the joyous song and they toasted again.

Then, they quickly brought a variety of instruments and joined in the performance. 

Stringed instruments such as mandolins and ukuleles appeared, as well as percussion instruments made by weaving barrels, and the music became richer.

Among the men who were singing vigorously as if they were angry, Asha was also so excited that she moved her shoulders to the beat. 

She was so cute that she made Jackal laugh.

But then, Aisha, who was slightly drunk, suddenly walked towards the center.

As everyone stared in amazement, Asha smiled and bowed gracefully with one hand raised.

“Everyone. Let me cheer you up.”

“Wow!”

They raised their glasses in excitement.

“Sosa! Play a more exciting song, come on!”

Sosa played a bright and lively song with more force.

When Asha started dancing to the beat, everyone was startled and cheered even more. 

In fact, Asha learned several types of dance while in the palace, and she had a talent for dancing like a butterfly. 

Coupled with the power of the wind, when she dances, she moves like a gracefully fluttering butterfly.

Everyone clapped passionately to the beat. 

When Asha turned around and saw her hair fluttering like gold dust, their mouth dropped so wide that they wouldn’t even notice if flies got in.

Thanks to her, the mood was on fire. 

Jackal’s eyes widened at her unexpected appearance. He just stared blankly at her.