~Chapter 20~

“John.”

I’m screwed.

John could tell just from the captain’s icy glare.

He held his breath and straightened his posture.

“Captain, what brings you—?”

“Are you seriously asking because you don’t know?”

The White Horse Order’s captain’s stare grew even sharper.

As John’s eyes darted nervously—

“Woof! Woof!”

“Ahh! What the—?!”

A large dog suddenly came running at him from somewhere.

John fell flat on his back in surprise.

“Easy, easy. Don’t do that.”

“What is this…?”

Looking closely, John realized the dog had a leash around its neck.

Luckily, he wasn’t bitten. But still—what was this dog?

“Captain…?”

“John, I already knew you were an idiot. But this time, you’ve really gone too far.”

“What? What did I—?”

“You’re hereby dismissed from the Order. We don’t need someone who tarnishes the Order’s dignity.”

“Captain! What did I even do?! I’ve never done anything that would disgrace the—!”

“You don’t even recognize this dog? That’s truly disappointing.”

At that moment, a man appeared from behind the captain.

John’s eyes widened.

“You’re…!”

“Ah, so you remember me.”

“That homeless man—why is he here?!”

“Shut that mouth of yours!”

The captain scowled fiercely.

“This man is the former vice-captain of the Talley Order, who served the kingdom and knights without rest for 20 years. He’s currently on leave, but he’s been here far longer than someone like you!”

“What?!”

John had no idea.

Well, it made sense. He had only been with the Order for about a year.

Who would’ve guessed that the scruffy man was a vice-captain on leave?

John’s eyes flickered in panic.

“John, I’ve heard everything. You struck the dog raised by this man—how dare you?”

“What? Wait! I don’t remember hitting any dog—!”

John glanced around nervously.

Chris took the opportunity and stepped forward.

“Must’ve been the booze. Are you saying I’m lying? Want me to bring in the shop owners who were nearby last night?”

“Wait, please!”

John, trembling, grabbed Chris’s leg and started to tear up.

“I-I was wrong! It won’t happen again! Please—!”

“Woof! Woof!”

“Agh!”

Just then, the dog lunged and shoved him hard.

John hit the ground once again.

The captain of the White Horse Order glared at him with pure disgust.

“Multiple witnesses already testified against you, and you still dare to lie? You’re no knight! Pack up and get out!”

“Wait, Captain!”

John was dragged out by senior knights summoned by the captain.

“Well, I’ve kept my promise now, haven’t I?”

“Woof woof!”

The dog wagged its tail as if to say thank you.

Just yesterday, she looked like she’d die any moment—how was she now so lively?

Well, maybe it didn’t matter anymore.

Chris muttered to himself and reached for the leash.

“There. You’re free now. Try not to cause any more trouble.”

“Whine…”

But despite his words, the dog didn’t budge from his side.

As if she had nowhere else to go.

“I said go.”

Even when he warned her, she didn’t move an inch.

She just looked up at him with those clear blue eyes.

I can’t just leave her here.

Chris sighed and turned away.

He tried to walk away, ignoring the whimpering behind him—

“What’s up with this dog?”

“Woof woof!”

“Whoa! Why’s it barking? Wait… it peed too?”

When Chris looked back, he saw two knights surrounding the dog.

She was trembling in fear, eyes fixed on Chris.

She must still be traumatized from being hit by that knight.

“Damn it.”

There were those eyes again.

Begging, pleading, Please save me.

Chris couldn’t ignore them. He walked back toward the dog.

“Stay put. I’ll be right back. Got it, Eve?”

“Woof woof!”

Chris smiled at the dog barking back at him.

Eve—that was the name he gave her.

She had come to him like a gift on Christmas Eve, and completely changed his life.

At first, he thought she’d stick around for a few days and then leave.

But Eve proved him wrong. She never left his side.

Eventually, as the days passed, Chris gave in and accepted her into his life.

He couldn’t ignore her when she looked at him with those sorrowful eyes. And more than that—his life genuinely started to improve.

—You’ve really changed for the better since being with Eve.

That’s what the government-appointed counselor had told him.

Chris himself had noticed that he no longer needed sleeping pills as often. It was a real change.

…And maybe that’s what led him to make this decision.

“Are you really quitting?”

“Yes. I want to stay with the family I’ve finally found.”

There was no one else to care for Eve.

He didn’t want to leave her with someone else, barely seeing her once a month. That would be too lonely.

He had vowed to never abandon his family again.

That was Chris’s new resolve.

“I’m sorry for giving you this answer after you granted me a leave of absence.”

“No need. I’m just happy to see you walking around like a real person again.”

Captain Talley grinned as he said that.

“That dog might truly be your Christmas gift.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

“What’ll you do after you quit?”

“I’ll think about it slowly while living off my severance for now.”

“If you don’t have anything in mind, I could introduce you to something. Maybe a job where you and the dog can work together.”

“Really? Where?”

Now that he had someone to care for, Chris couldn’t go back to his old ways.

He needed to work hard—whatever the job may be.

For Eve, and for their new life together.

Chris listened closely to Talley’s offer.

“Eve, this way!”

“Woof woof!”

Carrying a delivery package, Chris called out—and Eve ran toward him from afar.

Once she was right beside him, he began walking again.

The delivery job Talley introduced turned out to be a great fit.

Thanks to Eve’s heroic act of catching a thief who tried to steal their cargo, she was officially allowed to accompany Chris.

“This is the last house. After that, we can go home and rest.”

After completing the delivery, Chris climbed into the wagon, and Eve hopped up next to him.

Their wagon slowly made its way back home.

“Not today, Eve.”

“Woof woof!”

Chris sighed.

Today’s delivery was up into the Crystal Mountains.

The terrain was steep, and it was a long trip—bringing Eve would be too much.

That’s why he brought her to a friend’s house to stay temporarily…

“If you act like this, how am I supposed to leave with a clear mind?”

“Woof woof!”

Eve barked furiously, as if to say Then take me with you!

The argument wasn’t ending, until Chris’s friend grabbed Eve and held her back.

“This’ll never end otherwise. Just go already!”

“Thanks, Hammer! I’ll be back soon!”

“Woof woof!”

Eve, unable to resist the strong-built Hammer, was dragged into the house.

Even after the door shut, her howls echoed.

It tugged at Chris’s heart—but he had to leave.

“All right, let’s get going.”

He worried that Eve was upset.

But he could buy her favorite treats on the way back. Once she saw them, she’d wag her tail and forget everything.

She was a simple dog like that.

Smiling at the thought of Eve, Chris hopped on the wagon and departed—

—completely unaware of what awaited him.

“She sounds like a really sweet dog.”

“She’s timid for her size, and full of affection.”

Chris finished his long story with a small smile.

Hearing it all, I finally understood why he worried so much about Eve.

To Chris, she was his reason to live—his strength to keep going.

“I hope she’s doing well.”

But seeing his smile made my heart ache.

Because Chris and Eve could never go back to those happy days.