TMLLT 75

Chapter 75

“Seed of Disaster”

Really, both Serdin, who was so stubborn, and Velkyrente, who stabbed himself so he wouldn’t kill her—

‘Aren’t they both fools?’

If the moment came when one of them had to die, of course they should put their own life first.

That’s not a matter of choice, it’s just common sense.

Siyute stirred his teacup, staring at the swirling liquid without emotion.

If it were him, he would never do that.

Never…

‘I couldn’t.’

His hand stopped stirring.

He thought there was no other answer possible. But Serdin found that impossible answer.

She didn’t die herself, and she also killed Velkyrente’s beast. The beast’s death didn’t mean Velkyrente’s downfall either.

Outside the window, drops from the sunlit fountain sparkled in the air.

Looking at that sparkle, Siyute thought of Serdin.

He was always quick and perceptive. That’s why he already suspected it.

That his goal had already shifted from Velkyrente to someone else.

While I was out meeting Cute, Roitz seemed to have been looking at clothes at a tailor nearby.

“Mina and that professor made a bet about whether they really went to the magic mine or not…”

Walking side by side with Roitz, I chattered about my day.

Strangely, even if I didn’t see him for just one day, stories piled up to tell him.

It’s not like his face looked especially good for talking to…

Anyway, the stories came easily, and I couldn’t understand how I’d managed those two years without him.

“So I said I’d buy Mina a meal.”

“Haha, I see.”

“No, this isn’t funny. I lost the bet.”

As we walked along Melrn Street, I continued my serious story, but Roitz just kept laughing like something was amusing.

It seemed his sense of empathy was a bit different from other people.

So sometimes, when I was talking about something very serious, he would look happy.

“Why are you laughing!”

“Alright, I guess it really upset you.”

The more I got annoyed, the more he just smiled brightly, as if my reaction didn’t even register.

When I finally shut my mouth in frustration, Roitz took me to eat something delicious.

While the walking restaurant guide was ordering food, I leaned on the table and looked around.

‘Martsel looks good.’

Martsel was an alcohol with a subtle cherry scent.

Not that I was born a heavy drinker—

But with everyone else at the tables around me drinking, how could my eyes not be drawn to it?

It felt inevitable.

“Bring us two Martsels as well.”

As always, Roitz was an expert at reading my mind. I hadn’t said a single word about Martsel.

The drinks arrived first, followed by the perfect matching side dish… or rather, meal.

After gulping down some Martsel and taking a bite of food, I glanced at him.

He took a sip and gave me a signal with his eyes.

“Say it.”

“Say what?”

“You’ve got something to say.”

“…You can tell?”

As I said before, Roitz was truly a master at reading me.

It had been a few weeks since returning from Edikal Forest.

From the trial in the arena to Roitz’s official inauguration, a lot had happened.

The beast was gone, but Roitz carried out his role perfectly as if it had never existed.

The controversy ended. No one searched for the beast anymore, and no one doubted its absence.

‘But not for me.’

For me, it wasn’t over at all.

A shapeless sense of debt still lingered in my heart.

When I tried to get rid of Roitz’s beast, I hadn’t thought this far ahead.

I didn’t want to die, and to avoid that, I had to remove the beast.

It was true I didn’t want Roitz to suffer like in the original story, but that wasn’t all of it.

In the end, I’d gone through with it without thinking about everything he’d have to deal with afterward.

I’d been selfish.

I gulped down more Martsel.

“What are you drinking so much for? Just say it.”

The empty cup hit the table with a clack. Still holding the handle, I looked at Roitz.

I wasn’t drunk, but I let the slight buzz give me courage.

“Do you resent me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“For removing the beast.”

He looked at me like he didn’t understand.

“That was my choice, Serdin.”

“It was mine too. You saw—the dagger, the Choro incense…”

Necroquad had been a thorn digging deep into him.

But at the same time, it was the flower he had nurtured—

It had been with him for over ten years, making him the Empire’s best swordsman.

With a slightly lowered voice, I glanced at him.

“From your perspective, it’s like losing a partner.”

It didn’t matter whose hand destroyed the beast. Not right now.

The important part was that I hadn’t fully imagined what he’d face after.

No matter how much he said he was fine, or that he’d stabbed it himself, that fact didn’t change.

Even if he did resent me, I couldn’t blame him.

My mouth felt dry, so I finished the last sip of Martsel in my cup.

He looked at me calmly before speaking.

What he said wasn’t the usual “I’m fine” or some cliché.

“Then I’ll just make another partner.”

“What? Another?”

The drink almost got stuck in my throat.

Was he thinking of putting another beast in himself?

If it was the Velkyrente family, I could believe they’d do that again.

I quickly spoke in alarm.

“Don’t even think about putting another beast inside you. You’ll go through all that again, and I won’t help twice.”

“It doesn’t have to be a beast.”

Roitz pulled my hand closer, lightly tapping the back of it in a lazy tone.

“You can do it.”

Only then did I realize he’d said it to ease my guilt.

I laughed at his way of showing care.

With a big smile, I replied brightly.

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

“You said it.”

“Of course.”

I patted the back of his hand confidently, telling him to trust me.

Of course—

I didn’t think ahead about what those words would lead to.

I had no idea they would be the seed of so many troublesome events.

That from that day on, I’d be appointed as Roitz’s adjutant, following him on every mission…

Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine it.

Being the commander’s adjutant means higher pay and a higher knight rank.

Plus, more access to restricted areas in the Imperial Palace!

‘Oh, this is pretty good,’

…is what the me from a few months ago thought.

But then—

“Let’s go, Serdin.”

“Yes!”

That went on for a month.

“Serdin Vivi, handle this too.”

“…Yes!”

Another month.

“The distance is far, so let’s take a carriage. I’ll come to your quarters in the evening, Serdin.”

“…Wha?”

Another month passed…

“We have to meet the head of the Knight Order office. We leave tomorrow—”

“What? Again?!”

Another month!

Sure, I did say I’d be a partner to replace Necroquad, but still—

‘Just how important was that beast to him?’

Important enough that the replacement role was this intense?

“Ugh…”

I was drowning in work. Yes, payday was a nice cure, but still—it was too much.

‘No wonder Pellon-senpai looked so happy after quitting and going down south…’

Pellon-senpai had been one of the three adjutants to the previous commander, Winchers.

One of them, Deneb, was experienced and skilled, so he stayed on as Roitz’s adjutant.

Which means—Roitz had more than one adjutant.

‘So why me every time?!’

Yes, the other adjutants had tough work too—

But whenever there was somewhere to go, he always took me.

After going through so many big incidents, I wanted a long, thin, uneventful career.

But stuck at the commander’s side daily, I kept ending up in big, troublesome jobs.

And if Roitz was lazy and carefree, maybe I could relax—

But he worked hard, which meant his adjutants worked hard too.

“How’s the investigation on that case?”

“Ah, the head swordsman of that family—”

That was the other problem. As much as I groaned, I still found the work fun.

Talking with Roitz while working made time pass quickly.

“You should be glad I actually enjoy the work, Commander.”

“Yes, that’s a relief.”

“Otherwise, I’d have bashed you and run off by now.”

I was complaining while looking at the papers on the desk, and he listened like he was used to it.

“Don’t run. Go with me.”

“Watch your back then.”

“Guess I’ll just have to keep you in sight.”

He said it casually, looking at me after setting down the papers.

Since coming back from Edikal Forest and over the months after, we’d gotten even more comfortable and natural together.

It was inevitable—we were together every day.

But still, when he stared at me like this, I couldn’t get used to it.

“…”

When he looked at me like that, somehow… it felt strange.