Chapter 24: Misunderstanding

“Pheeeww~”

A whistle was heard.

“Did the second order bastard knock this down?”

The footsteps were getting closer, but because Sigrid couldn’t even lift her head, she could only check the person’s feet. Black boots with shiny silver flames patterns were in her sight. 

“Internal injury?”

When the man sat on one knee, Sigrid finally identified the person.

‘Veramood!’

Sigrid heart began to beat loudly. 

“I ran here because of the report, but when I arrived, everything was over. This is great.”

Alkerto laughed lightly sarcastically to the smiling man, Veramood. “Yeah, and Sir. Ankertna and I could not move.”

“Hmm?” Veramood looked at Alkerto’s wound. Then he put his hand just a little above the wound. 

The next second, Alkerto felt a faint trace of aura, and his wound was sutured up. It was a little bit hurt, but it was bearable.

“You better lie down until the healer arrives. And this lady—” Veramood reached out and opened the collar of Sigrid’s shirt.

—Tuk tuk

The button fell off, revealing her cleavage.

“Hey what are you doing!”

In a quick, Veramood pressed Alkerto’s head to the ground as he was about to get up and hit the nape of his neck. Then Alkerto lost consciousness because of the unexpected blow.

“A patient should stay calm.” Veramood then drew his attention on Alkerto and looked at Sigrid. He then touched Sigrid’s aura core which had become completely transparent. 

Sigrid’s scarlet eyes narrowed and glared at Veramood.

‘Discomfort. Discomfort. Discomfort.’

Aura core was one of the most sensitive areas for someone who has it. When others touched it, it was like touching the literal heart1 of someone. In other words, Veramood’s action was very, very disrespectful, and in fact, if Sigrid were to raise her sword, no one could say what she did was wrong. 

“You’re crazy, you.”

Veramood’s odd eye stared at her while grinning, “it’s cracked, you know?”

“It’s in my prediction.” Sigrid replied.

Veramood smirked. “Why is the aura core user in the second order?”

“I don’t see any obligation to answer.”

“Ah. Just for your information, I’m the captain of Imperial Knight. Which could be said I have much, much higher position than you.”

“I still don’t think there is any obligation to answer.” Sigrid answered again with her not-friendly expression. 

However, Veramood reached out his gloved hand and wiped Sigrid’s mouth. “There is blood.”

Sigrid looked at him in a strange feeling. She and Veramood had a bad relationship. She hated Veramood as he seemed to be more favored by the King, and Veramood also looked down on her. He laughed at her for being a commoner and ridiculed her by calling her a dog. Yet, he was ‘kind’ now. 

Some might say this was kindness, but to Sigrid, she felt this Veramood ‘kindness’ was an act. Because normally, when they met, it was fortunate that they didn’t draw their own swords. 

“Oh, your core seems like it hasn’t been long since it was formed. Would it be able to do recovery by itself?”

“If you touch it again, i would report you as sexual harassment.”

“Well, did you feel something?”

“It’s a question that has no worth to be answered.” After talking, Sigrid tried to not throw out the blood that surged up and gulped it down.

Veramood looked at her with interest. He then gently touch her aura core, thinking he had to throw away some of his prejudice against second order. 

“Then, as an apology, shall I restore it?”

“What—”

The aura core began to fill up in an instant. 

“Ugh—!” 

Veramood looked at the diamond-shaped aura core that was slowly stained with black color, his own aura. “It takes some times to repair the crack. I filled it out temporarily. No one can do this, you know right?”

Moments later, Veramood lifted his hand. 

Sigrid felt her breathing become much easier. The pain disappeared and she was no longer as exhausted as before that she had barely could move, but the only uncomfortable feeling that was left was she had someone else’s aura in her body. 

While slowly getting up, Sigrid frowned slightly. This also could not be missed by Veramood eyes. His hand pressed the wound precisely.

“Ugh—!” Sigrid glared at him while crouching like a shrimp.

“It wasn’t broken. However, it would need to be checked by the healers.” Veramood was smiling and stared at Sigrid eyes, then he continued, “Come to the Imperial Knights.”

“I refuse.”

“Huh?”

Veramood’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“You’re part of second knight order, right?”

“Yes.”

“But now you refused?”

“Yes.”

“For reference, the Imperial Knights’ annual salary is about ten times higher than that of the second order, the welfare is far more excellent, your authority would be much bigger than now, more power, and there are also a lot of things you could get by joining it.”

“I know.” Sigrid looked down at her core. The core was black, like obsidian. And she felt unfamiliar seeing it. 

While trying to button up her shirt, Sigrid realized that the button had been ripped and looked around.

“What is missing?”

“There is no button.”

“It bounced off earlier

“Then I’ll have to find it.”

“….”

“That is a silver button. Expensive”

“…. Alright, I’ll compensate it.”

“Okay.” Sigrid nodded at his words.

“Are you sure you won’t come? You wouldn’t get kind of opportunity often, you know.”

“I’m not going.”

“Why?”

Sigrid looked at Veramood. She wondered if she could talk to him about her problem. “Not yet.”

“Hmm?”

“I haven’t decided my master yet.”

At her words, Veramood opened his eyes widely, then began to laugh like crazy. 

“HAHAHHAHAHA…what? Ahaha.. Master? AHAHAHa— you’re really… ahahahaha.”

 After laughing until his tears out, Veramood managed to swallow his laughter.

“Are you from 200 years ago? Wow— Master. WOW.”

Sigrid’s displeasure rose up to her throat. The only reason she was able to hold back was that he was her superior. 

“You’re really awesome.” Veramood touched his chin, thinking of the lady in front of him. To save her comrades, she endured her aura core breaking and refused to climb up because she couldn’t decide on a master? What was with this fairy tale book chivalry mindset?

Then, a loud noise was heard from the other side. Veramood stood up. 

“Sir. Lunatil.”

Veramood was startled by the voice and turned his head to Sigrid. Did she know him from the beginning and still choose to speak casually like that?

“Could we report that the monster is killed by you? I don’t want to reveal that I have a core yet.”

“That’s great.”

“Thank you.”

“You owed me one thing~”

“….”

Veramood grinned seeing Sigrid with a sour expression on her face. 

“Hey! It’s here!” Veramood shouted, waving his arm.

People rushed in. After they looked at the dead monster, they looked at Veramood in awe. Even though Veramood did not say he killed it, the atmosphere was created like he was the one that did it. 

“Hey, can’t you keep a secret that I killed it?” Veramood raised his finger and smiled. “I wish i could pass it on to the first knight order.”

At those words, the knights of First Knight Order perplexed. “Are you fine with that?”

“Of course, It has been a while since I’m in the move, so I felt it would be weird if public know about it.”

“I understand.”

Sigrid slightly frowned as she watched the faces of the knights of the first knight order brighten.

‘So that’s what happened.’

In the past, it was known that the First Knight Order slaughtered the monster.

“The wounded here—!”

Sigrid raised her head at the shouting. They put the unconscious Alkerto on a stretcher. They offered Sigrid, but she refused and chose to walk. She didn’t want to show the wound on her ribs and expose her core. 

“Would you like a ride?” Veramood asked Sigrid while grabbing his horse’s bridle.

“No, thank you. It’s fine.” As she refused the offer, Sigrid then got in the carriage. She was uncomfortable if she were together with him.