“They say the ship will anchor soon.”

Kigaro's face was in a thousand pieces. The lion-descended warrior looked like a kitten separated from its mother.

Seventeen ships and two thousand soldiers were all they could save from the Jade Dragon's fury. Most of the survivors had lost their will to fight and were mourning the loss of their fallen comrades.

Almost all the siege weapons and supplies that had come with the first group had been destroyed. They were going to the siege of Vermia not as reinforcements, but as people in need of help.

Kigaro looked pityingly at the girl who had fallen asleep on the couch. Yurine's tears had dried on her cheeks. They had barely managed to stop her from smashing her own face and almost broke Kigaro's arm trying to do so.

The first of the Virgo Knights buried his head in the table, devastated. She had hoped that her path would lead her on an adventure worth telling, but what she found was not an adventure, but terror and disaster.

“If you have nothing to say, I'm leaving.”

Sivina gestured for him to leave without lifting her head from the table. Kigaro slowly closed the door for not to wake Yurine and went out.

If they woke Yurine, it would be very difficult to put her back to sleep. Every moment she was conscious she tried to hurt herself, angrily looking for someone to blame and refusing to eat.

“What did my grandmother say about sword fairies? Oh... Is she going to die?”

Sivina's grandmother loved to tell stories to children. Sivina was a child who sat at her knee a long time ago and listened to her stories.

The stories her grandmother told her included sword fairies. As Sivina remembers it, sword fairies were bound by an eternal loyalty to their loved ones, and when their loved ones died, they died too.

In the same way, the loved one of a sword fairy would die when the sword fairy died. Such was the pact between the beloved and the sword fairy.

“Will she weaken and die?”

She raised her head slightly and looked at Yurine out of the corner of her eye. It was much harder for Sivina to put her to sleep than fighting the Redchapel Killer.

“Why... Why did he try to save me?”

The mast, struck by the dragon's tail, would have fallen on Sivina. She should have easily dodged such a blow, Sivina's speed and agility allowed it, but this was the first time she had ever faced such horror, and she froze in dread, thinking it was all over.

“I never thought he would risk his life to save someone. Why would he do such a thing? It's against his character...” She clenched her fists. “And while I'm the one who's supposed to protect someone...”

Immediately after Yu Valarfin had fallen into the water, she had jumped in after him, searching for him in the water.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find him. Yu Valarfin had disappeared in an instant. When she climbed back on board because of unable to bear the unusually cold water any longer, she locked eyes with Yurine.

She tried to tear her own face, tear her hair out. And when her hands were held, she tried to bite her tongue. For Sivina, seeing her like that caused her to sink into endless guilt.

When Sivina's nails dug into his skin, her palms began to bleed. Yu Valarfin had died because of her.

She had to force herself not to sob. If she started sobbing while the tears were flowing, she would definitely wake Yurine up and the torture would begin again.

“Why did this happen?”

The Jade Dragon was said to be peaceful. It seemed to be so when it flew over them. They could have safely completed their journey if one or more of their own fleet had not launched the first attack against him.

But even though there was no order to attack, there was an attack. And it was not a simple arrow attack; it was an attack from the hand of a wizard, powerful enough to hurt the dragon.

“Why?”

He lifted his head and wiped his bleeding hands on the handkerchiefs. Then she used another handkerchief to wipe her tears.

Did the attacker think he could kill the dragon? Or did he attack out of fear? Both could have been possible.

But Sivina didn't remember that they had recruited someone in the army who could use magic. Was it Link? But Link would have told them if he did, and both Yurine and Ana should have been able to sense it even if somehow a mage got into their army.

Somehow a suicide bomber, well-disguised as a magic user, must have gotten between them.

And because this person had joined them in secret, he could have been someone's pawn. Maybe someone wanted to provoke the dragon to destroy the whole army.

“But this is a suicide attack! Didn't that person know he was going to die?”

Leaving aside the idea that he might have thought of a way to escape, attacking a dragon alone was foolish anywhere in the world, and unless the attackers had the powers to attract the attention of the gods, their actions would most likely result in their deaths.

“Even if he has thought of a way to escape, there is no telling the risk. If he cannot teleport from one place to another, he will incur the dragon's wrath.”

Teleportation was not possible, and the mages in Elhaven who debated teleportation were divided into two camps: The first side advocated the study of teleportation, while the second side argued that teleportation was dangerous and that a person who teleported from one point to another could not have the same self.

What both debating groups were sure of was that there is no such magic as teleportation today.

“Did he fly away? If he could fly, wouldn't the dragon have seen him? And why would a wizard powerful enough to fly be afraid of a dragon or involve himself in a conspiracy?”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

She believed that the idea of ‘attacking because he was afraid of the dragon’ could not be true, that it was all a plot to destroy their army.

“And why? Had Yu made himself an enemy? And why did his enemy follow such a plan instead of trying to kill Yu directly? It cannot be a matter of personal revenge.”

According to Sivina, the catastrophe had been planned by someone or something, a pawn had been found who was willing to die for it, and the army on its way to Vermia was to be destroyed.

“But whatever the reason, Yu died because of me.”

She knew he couldn't swim. Yu Valarfin must have drowned.

“I killed him.”

These three words pierced her heart like a sword in the ground. She leaned her head on the table again and this time she could not stop sobbing.

The regret of killing Yu Valarfin flowed out of her body in tears. She took a new handkerchief to wipe her runny nose.

“Why would Yu do such a thing...”

There was a light knock at the door and Sivina had to raise her head again. She would have liked to bury her head and let no one see her shame.

“We're here.” It was Kigaro at the door again. “I'm coming in.”

As Kigaro went inside in case Yurine woke up, Sivina stood up and went to the armchair where Yurine was sleeping.

She didn't want to wake her up again. So she was going to pick her up and carry her away, but as soon as she tried to put her hand under her knees, Yurine opened her red eyes through her long black eyelashes.

“Yu?”

Yurine's forked voice trailed off. Sivina and Kigaro may have been fearless on the battlefield, but they lacked the courage to tell a child that his father was gone.

“Y-Yu...”

Tears flowed again from the fountains of Sivina's eyes that she thought had dried up, the sword fairy stammered, her lips trembling.

Her chest rose and fell at the same rate as she took fast, deep breaths. Sivina bit her lip and berated herself for not being able to do anything.

“Y-Yu... Yu... W-where-where?”

“Give me a cloth to put in her mouth.”

Her master's misty eyes and forked voice told her that the seizure was near. They would not stop her unless she got the answer that Yu was alive, and Sivina could not give her that answer.

It had to be as her grandmother had told her, that if the sword fairy or its owner died, the one left behind would follow.

“But I'm sworn to protect her, it's my duty as a Virgo Knight...”

“WHERE IS YU!” Yurine let out a scream, and the wind from her body slammed both Sivina and Kigaro against the wall across the room.

Sivina groaned and looked up to see Yurine bringing her hands to her face. Her intention was to tear her own face with her fingernails.

Sivina and Kigaro jumped at the same time and Kigaro grabbed her hands to stop her from perish her face. Yurine, stronger by nature than any nine-year-old, dug her nails into Kigaro's hands and made them bleed.

Yurine could not use her hands to hurt herself now, but prevent her from biting her tongue and killing herself, Sivina took a cloth and stuffed it in her mouth as she screamed. She then tied her up to prevent her from spitting it out.

She didn't want to put her in this state, but her words lacked the strength to calm her down. It was the only way to stop Yurine from hurting herself.

“If it is in his nature to die, what can I do to prevent it? My oath as her knight is to be loyal to the Cardinal of Virgo. I must protect her and fight for her... But... If it is her nature to die... She is the one Yu Valarfin left behind...”

She had no idea what to do. Yurine, the child she was supposed to protect, was trying to kill herself. Still, she had to support that girl’s dream, and for that they needed Vermilia support. And for Vermilia support, they needed the city of Vermia. And to take Vermia, an army.

Two thousand soldiers were left out of six thousand.

She did not know what the fate of the second group would be.

Yurine kicked them in the stomach and Sivina's piercing gaze showed that she was struggling with these thoughts.

A few seconds later, the ship's other passengers appeared in the room to calm Yurine down.

But even thirty roarons would not have been able to calm Yurine down. It would take extraordinary skill to calm a person who had lost her only loved one.

“What's going on here?”

The roarons in the captain's mansion gave way to someone and a woman with hair the color of magenta and eyes the same color entered.

***

Her face, hardened by life, had a natural beauty.

Her perfumed magenta hair was braided and hanging down her back. Her lips were as straight as knives, which would have added beauty to her face if she smiled. She was slightly taller than Sivina, the same height as Yu. Her magenta-colored eyes were hard, devoid of compassion.

“Let me introduce myself properly. I am Cornelia Vermilia, the eldest child of Leoral dri Vermilia.”

Cornelia introduced herself and her brother spoke after her.

“Cecilus Vermilia, Duke of Vermia,” Cecilus said. He put one hand to his chest and smiled arrogantly.

His arrogance was repulsive in contrast to Yu's.

Cornelia wore silver armor with a roaring lion on her chest, it was the symbol of the Vermilia family.

Cecilus was dressed casually, as if he were going about his daily life. The cloak that fell over his shoulders was tailored specifically for his short stature. Of Sivina's brothers, the only ones who didn't exceed her height were those who hadn't yet reached puberty, but Cecilus only came up to her chest instead of surpassing her.

Cecilus, like his sister, had eyes the color of magenta, but his hair was straw blond. His face was not as hard as his sister's and there was a certain sadism in his eyes. Cecilus's face lacked his sister's dignity, he was just a spoiled boy who laughed all the time.

When Cecilus introduced himself as the Duke of Vermia, Cornelia gritted her teeth but did not turn her angry eyes on him.

“Sivina Ecues, Knight of the Virgo Cardinal Neko.” Sivina introduced herself and turned to the roarons. “Commander of the Cardinal's personal guards, Kigaro. Deputy Commander Dimen.”

They were in the Vermilia camp, in Cornelia dri Vermilia's tent.

Sivina had seen nothing but despair on the faces of the soldiers on the way here, and their lack of motivation and the hopelessness of their situation could be the explanation for Cornelia's stern face.

But he couldn't understand why Cecilus was so happy.

“So your cardinal is trying to kill herself because he lost his butler? Why did you make such a girl a cardinal?” Cecilus asked. He continued to laugh, showing his teeth.

“Annoying bastard...”

Ever since Sivina had told him what had happened to them, Cecilus had only laughed. As if they were Cecilus's enemies and not here to help him.

“Cecilus!”

Cornelia's roar reminded Sivina of a lion. The differences between the siblings were so great that even a fool could understand them.

At first Cecilus trembled at his sister's roar, but the boy shook his head and spoke.

“Heh~ Am I not right? Why would anyone cry over the loss of a mere servant? You can find someone else. She's just a child who's too attached to her toys. And a stupid one at that.”

“TAKE IT BACK!”

Cecilus may have come from a family of lion banners, but Dimen was a real lion, and when he stood up and roared, Cecilus screamed like a little girl and fell off his chair.

Paying no attention to her brother, Cornelia simply twirled a pen on her finger and gestured for the knights who had heard Dimen's voice to come out.

“Sister!”

Cecilus was both frightened and angry. He looked at his sister, but she was not willing to lift a finger for Cecilus.

“Only two thousand soldiers came?” Cornelia asked.

“Yes, most of the archery unit is gone. This is what's left of the infantry.”

When Cornelia ignored the tension that had just occurred and moved on, Sivina did the same, but Cecilus continued his desire to cause unrest.

“Are you going to ignore that creature? He knocked me down!”

When Cornelia continued talking, ignoring her brother, Cecilus bit his lips, clenched his fists and started stamping his feet. He was like a spoiled little noble child, but Cornelia, used to his behavior, didn't care.

“Vermia is on the shore of the Jade Lake and I've seen it flying over the shore many times. This is the first time I've heard of the Jade Dragon attacking someone.”

“One of us, I don't know who he was, attacked the dragon for some reason I don't understand. And when the Jade Dragon fought back... This is what happened.”

“So you provoked him, you fools,” Cecilus said.

Sivina was already angry, and if they were alone in the tent she would have tried to take his tongue out from Cecilus's mouth.

“I understand, get well soon,” Cornelia said. Then they moved on to other things to talk about.