SWS CH 31

hapter 31

“Twenty outfits? Then how much would that even cost…?”

Hiding behind the staircase and eavesdropping on the conversation, Geti’s mind raced.

Custom-made clothes by a personal tailor weren’t enough—twenty of them?

Even if she combined an entire year’s wages, she couldn’t afford even one dress.
So how could that woman possibly—

“Who does she think she is?!”

The lady was clearly favoring her!

Geti ground her teeth, her face flushed red.

Leaving things like this wouldn’t work.

“That shameless girl. This won’t do. I need to talk to the annex maids and make a real plan to drive her out.”

Unlike the main house maids, the annex maids had poor clothes and even worse food. They would be furious about this.

***

I boldly entered Docep’s room, but it was empty.

It was spotless, like a room that had been unoccupied for a long time.

“Don’t tell me he went to train again.”

Or maybe he’d gone down to the village?

That was possible too.

He wasn’t the type to obediently get treatment from a physician just because Moldorf called one. A village doctor might actually feel more comfortable to him.

“Well, just because I entered the family doesn’t mean he’d suddenly change.”

With a slightly disappointed expression, I looked around the room.

We’d clearly agreed yesterday that he would rest properly.

I guess that was just talk.

[No. I can feel his presence here.]

At that moment, Junel appeared—the same Junel who hadn’t been seen since Kern Hall.

“Junel, I was worried—”

[Shh. Don’t say my name. Just listen quietly.]

Junel fluttered over and covered my lips with both hands.

I nodded instinctively.

Then suddenly, Junel’s ears perked up.

“Here?”

[I can feel his energy…! But more importantly, Halara!]

Junel urgently climbed onto my shoulder with a grave expression.

At that moment, someone grabbed my arm.

“Huh?”

Before I could even understand what was happening, my body lifted into the air.

I blinked once—

And my body was pulled straight into the wall.

Darkness swallowed my vision.

My feet dangled helplessly in midair.

For a second, I wondered if Junel had taken me somewhere.

“What is this? I’m scared.”

At least I’d like to see something.

Then suddenly, my body landed on something soft.

At the same time, a familiar scent enveloped me, and a beam of light cut through the darkness.

“Shh.”

In the light stood a man with dark red hair, holding a finger to his lips.

It was Docep.

“Why are you here—”

“Stay like this for a moment.”

His expression was serious, so I pressed my lips shut.

Docep fixed his gaze toward the wall.

I rolled my eyes around, examining the space revealed by the light.

It was about the size of the studio apartment I’d lived in before marriage.

I was sitting on a plush sofa inside it.

“Docep’s scent is really strong.”

The scent that always followed him filled the tight space.

“How long do we have to stay like this?”

More than that—what were we even hiding from?

“Uncomfortable?”

“No. I’m fine. I just don’t understand why we have to hide.”

“Helbern is here.”

Junel, sensing it as well, added an explanation.

[That Helbern bastard came nearby! I can feel his sword aura jumping all over the place!]

Damn it!

That meant Helbern was coming here!

“Hey! You butcher!”

As expected—

Less than a minute later, Helbern’s voice echoed from beyond the wall.

I sucked in a breath and clutched Docep tightly.

“Breathe.”

“Be quiet. If we get caught, we’re done.”

He was the same man who had tried to kill me before.

And since he’d even been injured by Junel’s power, there was no way he’d let me off if he saw me.

“What the hell? Where did that bastard go?!”

The sharp voice was right in front of us.

It sounded like he’d entered Docep’s room.

“Young Master! Why are you harassing Young Master Docep the moment you return?!”

Helbern wasn’t alone.

There was someone with him.

“Harassing? What harassing?! I’m looking for that woman! Since he brought her here, I figured they’d be together—but both of them are gone! Damn it!”

Gasp.

He really was looking for me.

“I thought he’d let it go since things were quiet!”

Why was he making a fuss now, days after I arrived?

“Please look for her later! The lady is looking for you right now!”

“I can see Mother later! That’s not important right now!”

“Is seeing Young Master Docep important?! You went all the way to the border and ran into a monstrous knight!”

Whoever that was—thank you for stopping him.

“Sir Nilsen is currently being treated for serious injuries, and you too—gah! Is that blood on your chest?!”

“It just grazed me! Stop making a fuss and go find that woman!”

Then, for whatever reason, Helbern seemed to be in pretty bad shape.

He spat curses nonstop, then finally left the room.

Silence fell instantly.

I wanted to ask Junel to confirm Helbern was really gone, but since he was invisible, I couldn’t talk to him openly.

“Where are we?”

I whispered to Docep.

This seemed attached to his room, but aside from the bathroom, there weren’t supposed to be any extra doors.

Looking closer, there was no door here either.

“Don’t tell me… a secret room?”

“My hideout.”

“Wow!”

A real secret room! That was incredible.

“When did this exist?”

“I used another room originally. I found this when I was a kid and moved here.”

He answered quietly.

It made sense.

He’d been branded by the family from a young age. He must’ve needed a place to hide.

“No wonder. It smells strongly like you.”

The room itself looked like a guest room, but this place was steeped in his presence.

“Let’s go out now.”

“No. He might come back if we move.”

“But this is uncomfortable.”

“Going out is worse.”

“You just like being alone with me.”

“What are you saying, seriously.”

I wasn’t used to this version of Docep—the protagonist Docep.

“That way, you’ll remember. That night we were alone together.”

“That night is banned. Don’t say things like that.”

“Why? We spent a night together and now live under the same roof.”

I scooped up a big spoonful of porridge and brought it to his mouth.

“Here. Say ‘ah.’”

I needed to shut him up.

Docep obediently opened his mouth and ate.

“Good.”

“I’ll make something even better next time. Be satisfied with this today.”

Next time, I’d prepare a feast worthy of celebrating his awakening.

“Anyway, we got through that well.”

“Eat up. You need to awaken even more and become an amazing knight.”

I kept feeding him porridge so he wouldn’t have time to talk.

***

“Junel. I was really worried.”

[Do you think I’d die? To a mere Crag Bear?]

“I know, but still…”

It had eaten several knights. Of course I worried.

[Hah. As if I’d leave you alone and go somewhere.]

Junel flew onto my shoulder and gently patted my cheek with his tiny hand.

He looked like a fairy, but spoke like an old man.

“Then why didn’t you come out right away yesterday?”

[That place was incredible! There were so many swords I’d never seen before! I was so busy looking around that I didn’t even notice Docep had left. Hehehe.]

Junel wiped drool from his mouth and wiggled his hips.

“Did you grab anything good?”

[No! Nikolai’s knights stormed in, so I couldn’t steal anything!]

So that’s why he was late.

[They moved all the swords into storage. We’ll have to raid the storage later.]

“Yeah, let’s do that. Grab some useful swords too.”

[Finally, you’re speaking my language.]

“Of course. You know Docep awakened, right?”

[Ah, right!]

Smack smack smack.

Junel slapped my cheek repeatedly, then spoke urgently.

[That Docep guy… something about him is strange.]

“What? Why? Is something wrong with his body?”

[No, it’s not that… When he killed the Crag Bear, he targeted five vital points at the exact same time. Not a hair’s breadth off.]

“Five vital points at once? Is that even possible? I mean—could a one-star knight do that?”

[Do you think that’s possible…?]