Chapter 26
“You don’t need to worry about it. You’re just being too sensitive.”
“…Do you think so…?”
“You’re as strong as the commander. Are you scared just because you might be disliked? That doesn’t suit you.”
“Don’t call me a monster.”
Lyla clenched her fist and warned him coldly.
“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean anything bad.”
“…I know you didn’t say it to insult me. But still, that word…”
Lyla gave a bitter smile.
“Monster,” “scary girl,” “witch”…
The harsh words people threw at those different from them were enough to deeply hurt a little girl’s heart. Even as she grew up and realized how valuable—and more precisely, how profitable—her powers were, the wounds didn’t heal easily.
“I’m sorry.”
Alex quickly bowed his head.
Lyla blinked awkwardly.
Even though they were in the same knight order, Lyla was still just a commoner. On the other hand, Alex was the noble second son of a count’s family. Normally, someone like her wasn’t even allowed to speak casually to him, but he willingly admitted his mistake and apologized.
“Hey, it’s fine… You didn’t have to go that far…”
“…I just don’t want to hurt you. Please accept my apology.”
“…Okay…”
It was impossible not to forgive him after such a sincere apology.
Lyla hoped he didn’t notice her blushing cheeks. But Alex was dense like a bear—there was no way he would.
‘I’m not dreaming about something ridiculous like marriage, but still…’
Loving someone secretly wasn’t a crime.
Lyla smiled to herself.
“Was there something that made you feel like she hated you?”
“Hmm. It’s more of a feeling.”
How could she even explain this?
Especially to someone as dense as Alex—it would be hard for him to understand.
Florence, the youngest daughter of the Seymour family and the commander’s wife, was a very special person.
To Lyla Green, Florence felt like someone living in the clouds.
Someone born noble, beautiful, strong, and kind.
To Lyla, she seemed almost like a god.
Florence smiled often, and maybe because of that, her presence always felt like sunlight—warm and bright.
The daughter of a marquis.
A mage and a spirit summoner.
Loved by everyone.
Adored by all.
Lyla admired Florence. She wanted to get closer. And if that wasn’t possible, she at least wanted to be on her good side.
But Florence strangely kept her distance.
Even when smiling, her face would turn stiff when she saw Lyla.
She’d stop talking. She’d chat happily with the person beside her but wouldn’t say a single word to Lyla. Just a formal smile, a polite word. That was all.
At first, Lyla thought it was because she was a commoner.
But Florence was known for being kind to people regardless of their status.
“…Could it be that she doesn’t like me being near the commander?”
“Near the commander…”
“I mean, I’m strong, so I’m often by his side.”
“……”
Alex didn’t say anything.
But the way his expression twisted gave her the answer.
Lyla blushed from embarrassment.
“Do you think the commander even sees people as people…?”
“……”
“Sometimes I wonder if he looks in the mirror and then looks around… and everyone just looks like monkeys to him.”
“……”
Lyla couldn’t answer either.
But she also responded with a twisted face.
They exchanged glances and suddenly burst out laughing.
Lyla raised her glass.
Alex laughed loudly and clinked his glass with hers.
Whatever it was, Lyla tried to shake off the uneasy feeling.
Her life was going smoothly, like a ship with wind in its sails.
Her overwhelming power had been a burden when she was young, but now it helped her survive.
Thanks to that power, she helped rescue the second prince and became a proud member of the Imperial Knights. She no longer had to worry about starving to death. Her future was secure. And that was enough for her.
She had contracts with top-level spirits.
She was a 6th-class mage.
Sure, wandering as a mercenary might earn her more money, but she preferred the stability of a steady income.
She didn’t want to live dangerously anymore.
And she didn’t want to be threatened by groups trying to use her power.
Especially assassinations.
She never wanted to do that again.
No, Alex!
The scream didn’t feel like her own. Lyla thought someone far away was yelling. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing in front of her.
Alex was a loyal knight.
Despite his large build, he was agile and relied on his physical toughness. Lyla had warned him many times. No matter how tough your body is, it can’t deflect a sharpened blade. She had told him again and again to be careful.
While saying those things, Lyla had also said she would protect him.
“You’re reckless sometimes, and that makes me nervous. I can’t relax.”
“You’ll protect me. You’re strong.”
“Don’t rely on me too much.”
“If not you, then who would I trust?”
Yes, because I’m strong, I can protect you.
So Lyla never once thought Alex could die.
It all happened in an instant.
A group of attackers ambushed Florence. Unfortunately, Linus was far away, and only Lyla and Alex were nearby. Lyla summoned spirits to handle multiple enemies at once. They weren’t weak, but not strong enough to be real threats either.
Sending small fries like this—how much did they underestimate Blue Dawn? Lyla mocked them and let her guard down.
Florence was strong. Lyla thought she didn’t need to protect her personally. Maybe that’s why her defense was lax and her reaction delayed.
“Kyahhh!”
Florence screamed, and Lyla finally snapped back and turned around. She thought protecting Florence should’ve been the priority—and then she saw it.
Alex had collapsed in a pool of blood.
An attacker had thrown a torch stand, and Alex had thrown himself in front of it to protect Florence. That opening had left him vulnerable, and he had been hit by a barrage of attacks.
“Ahhh, fire! No, I’m scared!”
“Florence!”
Linus rushed in like the wind and dealt with the scene. Florence ignored the knight who had fallen protecting her and threw herself into Linus’s arms. Pale and trembling, she frantically wiped the blood off her dress.
“I hate fire, it’s horrible. Linus, I’m scared.”
“My poor love. There’s nothing to fear.”
“It’s awful… blood got on me too…”
Lyla couldn’t tell if she was truly afraid or just disgusted by the blood on her clothes.
Holding the fallen Alex, Layla looked at the “picture-perfect couple.” Blood gurgled from Alex’s throat. A 6-class healing spell couldn’t treat a wound this severe. Not even her top-level water spirit could help.
But Florence could. With the grand water spirit she had contracted.
Lyla cried out and pleaded.
“Captain, please wait. Please save Alex!”
Hearing her voice, Florence looked over at them.
“Alex got injured protecting you! Please heal him, I beg you…”
Linus looked down at Florence. Her eyes widened.
“He protected me? That man?”
“Lady Florence, please, I’m begging you. Save Alex!”
Florence flinched and shook her head.
“N-no. That’s a corpse…”
“Lyla Green, step aside. Florence is in shock. She can’t heal anyone right now.”
No. Lyla screamed.
“If you treat him now, he can still be saved! Please, Lady Florence! He gave his life to protect you!”
“I wouldn’t have gotten hurt even without him.”
Lyla was speechless.
“But Alex did it for you, Lady Florence!”
“Don’t blame me. His death is his own fate.”
Lyla couldn’t believe it—how Florence looked down at Alex in her arms like he was something filthy. The lovely one, the beloved one by all… Alex had called her a good person. He had willingly jumped into danger to protect her.
And yet, even though she had the power to save him, she didn’t care one bit about his life.
“Clean up the scene, Lyla Green.”
“……”
Linus walked away, arm around Florence’s shoulder.
“Guh… ngh…”
“Alex, no. I’ll save you. I’ll…”
“Layla…”
A tiny voice escaped with a groan. Lyla leaned in.
“I’m listening, Alex. Say it. I’m here for you. I’ll stay…”
“…I love you…”
“……”
“…Sorry…”
A spasm. Blood spilled from his mouth, and Alex’s lips fell slack.
Don’t leave me with words like that. Don’t say sorry. Don’t smile like that while dying such a senseless death…
“Ugh… ngh… ahhhh…”
Tears poured down.
The person they tossed aside like trash was the one Lyla had come to love more than anyone in her life.
The one who shared drinks with her without prejudice or discrimination.
A love as deep as friendship.
Lyla had wanted to love Alex her whole life. She couldn’t be by his side as a woman due to their status difference, but she wanted to protect his happiness. If she could protect him with this power that once scared people, then maybe being born with it was worth it…
Why couldn’t I protect you?
If I could’ve just protected that gentle man who smiled like a fool, then nothing else would’ve mattered.
No… that’s a corpse… Florence had muttered in terror. Lyla looked down at Alex’s completely still face, then lifted her head.
Why did you have to die? The one you gave your life to protect—was someone not even worth protecting.
Yeah, Alex…
She wasn’t even worth being alive.
