CHAPTER 4
She hadn’t hated him from the start.
“Sia Ermodian. From this moment on, you will come with me to the Kingdom of Rivendell.”
That snowy night.
When he became the guardian of a child who had lost everything, she never imagined things would end up like this.
Even with a village burning before his eyes, his gaze hadn’t wavered in the slightest.
And so, Sia willingly took his hand.
She thought if she followed him, she might find a ray of light in this cruel reality.
But now, years later…
Sia stared at the man standing across from her.
Time had made her guardian’s face more rugged, more resolute.
But that didn’t matter.
‘Light, my ass. All he gave me was hell.’
If she had regressed to that day when she was thirteen—would she still have taken his hand?
It was frustrating, but yes. She would’ve gone with him again.
Because back then, she had no other choice.
Sia straightened her stance and faced her opponent.
The man with a noble face looked as though he truly intended to “educate” her.
Watching Krion flee in a panic to the end, Gilead finally spoke.
“Put the sword down now, Ermodian. How long has it even been since your suspension ended, and you’re already causing chaos again?”
“If I lose, I’ll drop out. But if you lose—then write me a recommendation letter.”
“Sia, have you lost your mind?!”
Riana’s voice called out from nearby.
Yes, that was the expected reaction.
No one believed a mere cadet could beat Duke Rygles, the war hero known as the Knight of the Night Sky.
Even Gilead seemed briefly caught off guard by her unexpected counteroffer.
“You… you’ve changed.”
“I’ll take that as acceptance and begin.”
‘Death changes people, Guardian. You should know that.’
Sia had long wanted to cross swords with him as a fellow knight.
Though the situation was sudden, it wasn’t a bad opportunity.
Sia gripped her sword just as she had through countless battles.
And then—
Whoosh—!
In an instant, her blade grazed Gilead’s ear.
The sharp gust from the arc of her swing made both their hair whip wildly.
Gilead ducked swiftly and parried the strike with a swipe of his sword.
Sia had put some real force into it, but she didn’t hesitate—immediately linking into the next attack.
The air between them was filled with the ceaseless screech of clashing metal.
This was nothing like the fight with Krion earlier.
True to his former position as the captain of a royal order, Sia’s guardian showed no openings.
But Sia wasn’t just a simple cadet anymore.
She had returned with all the honed skills and experience gained from numerous deadly missions.
As the exchange continued, Gilead’s expression began to subtly shift.
He had probably thought this would end like always—scolding his arrogant ward and putting her back on suspension.
The spectators had thought the same.
Now, they watched breathlessly as the duel escalated.
Sia, on the other hand, was exhilarated.
She remembered the look of disdain he’d once given her as she sat collapsed in the training ground.
But now?
Those same eyes were filled with surprise.
The mouth that once hurled insults was slightly agape.
To finally crack the ever-composed mask of his perfect face—it sent a thrill through her.
A feeling she’d never thought she’d experience in her lifetime.
Sia moved faster, swung harder, relentless in her attacks.
Eventually, Gilead began to fall back, the tempo broken.
Huff, huff, huff…
Sia gasped for air, having forgotten to breathe.
She had surprised him, yes—but it wasn’t enough to win.
They didn’t call him “Prince of the Night Sky” for nothing.
Her sword felt unbearably heavy, but she didn’t show it.
Gilead, too, took a moment to catch his breath.
Surprise still lingered in his eyes.
“…Where did you learn to fight like this?”
Sia answered flatly.
“I think you already know—it was from you.”
“No. I never taught you that. This… isn’t something they teach at the academy.”
His sharp observation made her heart drop.
To mask her panic, Sia quickly retorted.
“Who else would I have learned from, if not you?”
“A knight’s sword is meant to protect their liege and their country. But your sword is different. You’re aiming for the vital points, striking to take down your opponent in one blow.”
He wasn’t wrong.
The missions under Prince Yurisis had always been about eliminating threats.
Her style had evolved to be quick, precise, and lethal.
And honestly—she preferred it that way.
That was the only way she believed her blade would one day reach the Emperor’s throat.
“I never taught you how to kill.”
“…”
“So consider this a review. Watch closely—starting today, I’ll teach you how a knight should wield a sword. I’ll engrave it into your body.”
As if that had been a signal, Gilead lunged.
His blade sliced the air, grazing Sia’s shoulder.
Sia twisted away and struck upward in return.
Clang!
The swords met mid-air with a grating metallic screech.
It looked like an even match at first—but then Sia began to get pushed back.
No matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t overpower Gilead.
She broke away and ducked low, then charged.
If she couldn’t win with force, she’d aim for an opening.
Her target: his waist.
But just as her blade was about to land—
“Too slow.”
He had shifted somehow—now his grip struck her wrist.
Pain shot through her arm, and she nearly dropped her sword.
Gritting her teeth, Sia retreated.
She had fought countless battles.
Trained until her body broke. Completed every mission, no matter how hard.
Yet she still couldn’t bring this man down.
It infuriated her to no end.
“Still not done?”
Gilead stepped closer.
Backlit by the blazing sun, he looked just as he had the day he first appeared in front of her.
“You don’t get a choice, Sia Ermodian. You obey my every word.”
Was she distracted by the memory?
She ducked as a sharp sound tore through the air.
Her hair tie flew off into the distance, and silver hair spilled everywhere like a silk gown unfurling.
Fueled by rage, Sia lunged, aiming to avenge her fallen hair tie.
Rip! Gilead’s collar tore under her strike.
Gasps rippled through the cadets.
Gilead didn’t even fix his clothes. He warned:
“That’s enough, Ermodian. You can’t beat me anyway.”
She had no intention of stopping now.
Instead, she answered with another strike.
Her sword spun in a blinding arc, producing sharp clangs with each swing.
Each time the sound rang in her ears, she asked herself:
Why did you become my guardian?
Why did you assume I could never get revenge?
Why, why…
“From the moment you came into my life… I haven’t had a single peaceful night.”
She saw it again—his blood-covered face.
His lifeless eyes. That hollow smile.
Sia ground her teeth.
And then she screamed.
“Why… why did you save me?! Why?!”
If you meant to be cruel, you should’ve stayed that way till the end. Why confuse me now—like this?!
―Crack!
Suddenly, a blue spark burst from her fingertips.
It wasn’t like ordinary magic.
The blue light wrapped around the blade, spinning like a tail.
It was something neither Sia nor anyone else at the training grounds had seen before.
“…!”
The unexpected sight made Gilead hesitate.
Sia didn’t miss her chance.
She ducked low and thrust upward.
It felt like launching fire into the sky—followed by the shudder of her blade slicing flesh.
A clean line of blood splattered across the ground.
Someone screamed.
“Instructor!”
Sia stepped back and looked ahead.
Blood flowed down Gilead’s face, dripping from his chin.
Ironically, the wound was just below his left eye—the same place Sia had once scratched with her fingernail.
Was this fate? Or just a coincidence?
The blue flame had vanished, and only silence remained in the training ground.
Gilead slowly wiped the blood from his face with one hand.
Seeing the vivid red, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
“…Now I’m sure, Ermodian.”
Step. He moved forward.
His bloodied face looked eerily like how she remembered him in his final moments.
He leaned in close to Sia and whispered, with chilling certainty:
“Just how many people have you killed?”
