CH 45

When she picked up the pendant, the long chain dragged along with it. Engraved on the shield were spears and swords with hawks in between. The hawk’s eyes were embedded with a very small red jewel, which radiated auspicious energy. 

It wasn’t an ordinary thing. 

“Can you really give me this precious thing?”

“I think I would be more than happy if Lady accepted it.”

“Thank you, Blenn.” 

When the necklace was hung around her neck, the long chain naturally shortened to fit her. The size of the pendant has also been reduced. 

As he noticed the object safely around her neck, he raised his head and opened his mouth with a solemn expression.

“I will begin the ceremony of the oath.”

Uhm? 

“I, Edward Blenn of Count Blaine. I dedicate my loyalty, life, and body to my lifelong savior, so I swear that I will keep your back as your sword and stay with you until the day my life is over as your shield.” 

The moment the oath flowed from his mouth, even if it was from a family that had already been ruined. She felt a glimpse of the power and authority that his family would have had.

At the same time, wind wrapped itself in the light from the gleam of the hawk’s red eyes.

Kaaak.

In her mind, there was a great expanse of sky. 

A mystical creature with big eyes screams as it passed in between them. The world she witnessed in the eyes of a mystical creature was not the same as it is now.

Her heart was pounding as if she was facing a civilization from a very ancient past.

[An ancient relic “Red Hawk’s Eyes and Shield” was obtained. 

– You can see the other person’s sincerity once a day through the eyes of a red hawk.

– You can protect your body by using the power of the shield you obtained.]

[Your luck will increase with the relics you got by chance]

Along with the relic, a status window popped up. 

She couldn’t help but be surprised. She was about to open her lips without realizing it.

“Lady?” 

When she heard Blenn’s call, her eyes were drawn to him. Behind him, a shadow flowed out as if his soul was escaping. 

In a form that looked exactly like Blenn, it bowed its head deeply toward her and kissed the tops of her foot. As if it were making up for what Blenn had not shown. She couldn’t feel the touch. Instead, a huge mass of emotion climbed up her body and pressed against her chest.

Thank you for saving me.

Thank you for staying by my side. Thank you, Thank you so much.

“Do you feel uncomfortable somewhere?” 

According to the look on his face as he anxiously asked questions, he seemed to be unaware of the series of events that were taking place around him.

‘Or maybe it’s just me that the system shows this to.’

The shadow, who was expressing gratitude, got up and immediately returned to Blenn’s back and slowly soaked in. As if looking for his place. 

At the same time, the heavy feelings that weighed on her chest disappeared. As it was the first time, she was freed from the more intense pressure, and a deep sense of weakness came. 

“What are you doing?”

It was then. 

A cold sword was placed on Blenn’s neck. 

“I’m asking what you’re doing.” 

“Brother—”

It was Redan. 

After not seeing him for a long time, he looked shabby. As if he had swept through a dusty place in a hurry, his hair and clothes were messy.

“I’ll ask you one more time. What are you two doing at this late hour?”

Did something bad happen outside? His face was full of anger and displeasure. Depending on the answer, he seemed like he would cut Blenn’s head off. 

“It’s nothing, Brother.”

Serdel stepped forward, but Redan didn’t move.

“I was vowing my loyalty.”

Eventually, Blenn’s mouth opened. 

Ha— Redan sighed and gave a cold command. 

“Get away from my sister right now.”

Blenn, who hesitated, followed his order. 

Only then did Redan, who sheathed his sword, come closer and hit him! 

“Ugh!”

Redan embraced Serdel’s staggering body and put her on his shoulder like a package.

“Kyaa! Brother!”

She didn’t know he would do something like this, so Serdel, startled, shouted back, but he didn’t let it go.

“Did you say you’re Blenn? If you don’t want to die, you’d better get your head on right.” 

Leaving a cold warning, he turned around. 

Blenn looked at Redan who was moving away with Serdel still complaining. 

Standing there as if he was frozen. For a long time, he couldn’t take his eyes off it. 

*****

“Y, Young Master? Lady!”

A maid passing through the hallway was bewildered when she saw Redan and Serden on his shoulders like a beast that was caught on a hunt. 

“Open the door.”

Anticipating Redan’s short order, she quickly opened the door. 

“I should get going now.”

After entering, he dropped her off. Serdel was dizzy because her head was upside down for so long. 

Rather than standing on the floor properly, she found herself stumbling, but Serdel, who was full of irritation, still accurately hit Redan’s hand roughly. 

“Brother! What the hell are you doing—”

Serdel, who was trying to act angry, was speechless the moment she made eye contact with Redan. 

The intense anger also subsided like a deflated balloon.

Seeing him under the bright light, she was speechless. His feverish face was severely red, and his bloodshot eyes stared blankly.

Just looking at the amount of cold sweat he was sweating was unbearable. She wondered how he brought himself here. 

Her gaze turned downward. 

She quickly looked at him to see if he was injured. Only his clothes were dirty, and fortunately, there were no signs of blood stains or any tears. Unknowingly, a sigh of relief came out. 

Serdel, who turned around silently, opened a drawer on the desk and took out the potion.

“Drink this at least.” 

He, who didn’t even budge, looked like a hardened stone. She opened the lid because he couldn’t do it.

“Hey.”

A voice calling out to her escaped through Redan’s dry lips. 

“—Are you resentful of me—”

What kind of nonsense is this? 

“Hurry up and drink this and leave.” 

He doesn’t smell like alcohol. He didn’t hurt his head, did he? She’s trying to give potion but Redan doesn’t accept it. 

It’s like he doesn’t even have the strength to do that.

His body, which had stumbled several times, leaned forward. 

“Brother!”

Surprised, Serdel quickly approached and helped him. Before he could fall any further, she dragged him  and laid him on the bed. 

“Whoo.”

She grabbed Redan’s cheeks with one hand and opened his lips. 

A potion bottle was relentlessly inserted between them. Normally, he would have avoided it and asked what she was doing, but now he was quietly drinking the potion.  

‘It’ll be okay now, right?’

It wasn’t okay. 

The fever on his face had subsided, but the cold sweat was still there. She was scared of his completely different appearance from when he threatened Blenn.

When she was about to call the maid, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

Her body leaned back and fell next to him in a blink. 

“Ugh, brother—!”

“I’m not hurt or sick— Don’t worry. I’ll be fine after resting for a while. Don’t call people for no reason. It’s annoying to be noisy.” 

Every word of it left him out of energy. 

“—What happened outside? Why do you look like this?”

As a result of his earlier commands, Redan closed his eyes completely. She could see that he didn’t want to talk because he kept his mouth shut. 

A face that looks very tired. Unstable shaking breath.

Somehow, it felt like he was holding back his anger. Did he get hurt somewhere? 

She has never seen Redan like this before. Wasn’t he the one who always poured out cold words? 

‘So I hated it—’

In the second round, their relationship has become strangely ambiguous. She didn’t know that it was because of the awkwardly narrowed distance.

“—If you think you’re getting a hold of yourself, will you leave the room?”

Redan still didn’t answer. 

It’s annoying to talk and be ignored, so she thought of going to another room and sleeping. But somehow, she thought she shouldn’t leave him alone. Eventually, she looked at the ceiling and clicked her tongue. 

‘He will sleep all night.’

As she shook her head, his grip on her arm weakened.

Soon, as if he had fallen asleep, his breathing sound became quiet. 

Serdel, shrugged, covered his body with a blanket. She was happy to have Blenn’s loyalty and to have unexpectedly gained an ancient relic.

But the end of the day was completely ruined by Redan.