Chapter 19
“Watch your step. There are stairs here.”
“Ah, yes.”
Guided by Russell’s escort, I carefully descended the stairs leading into the inner keep.
The silhouette I’d glimpsed earlier was gone now, swallowed again by pitch darkness—but strangely, it didn’t feel as suffocating as it used to.
Besides, there had been no excuse to refuse Russell’s invitation.
‘He gave me a treasure—how could I say no after that?’
Holding onto Russell’s hand, I took each step slowly. Then, he released my hand and moved ahead of me.
“We’re here. It’s flat from here on, so you can relax your legs.”
“Ah, thank you.”
A distinctly different scent reached my nose—something foreign compared to the fragrances I’d been smelling earlier.
‘The smell of soil and sweat… and I can hear the sound of wind cutting through the air, and multiple footsteps.’
So we weren’t alone.
Just as I realized that, a familiar set of footsteps approached.
“You’ve arrived, my lord.”
It was Frater’s voice.
I’d assumed it would just be the two of us since Russell had asked for some time alone, but apparently not.
Then I heard the faint click, click of buttons being undone, followed by the rustle of fabric as someone tossed aside a coat.
What in the world was happening? I tensed in confusion, trying to grasp the situation, when I heard Russell’s calm voice.
“Right. Piana, you’re responsible for her safety. And keep my coat safe.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Frater obediently accepted the coat and approached me with practiced ease.
“My lady, this way please—”
“Ah, yes…”
Still unsure of what was going on, I followed Frater’s lead—until a sharp shrrng pierced the air.
The sound of a blade being drawn.
Russell’s sword. I instinctively turned my head toward the noise.
His voice came, faintly amused.
“You just need to watch.”
Watch? He was saying that to someone who couldn’t see.
What an incomprehensible man.
Thud!
The fifth person hit the ground.
The first time it happened, I flinched at the sound of someone flying through the air.
The second time, I managed to turn my ear toward the direction they’d fallen.
By the third, I was thinking, again?
Sitting by a tree stump, I turned to Frater, who stood silently nearby with his hands behind his back.
“So… all those people are knights who guard the fortress?”
“Yes, my lady. The ones who discovered you, and the ones who protect the northern borders.”
“Urgh!”
The sixth person went tumbling, but by now, I barely reacted.
Honestly, wasn’t the gap in skill between them and Russell a bit too wide?
I wanted to say that—but decided to keep quiet and listen.
“We weren’t expecting you to visit the knights’ headquarters today. Had we known, we would’ve prepared a more fitting reception.”
“That’s all right. This is quite the fascinating sight already.”
Even if I still had no idea why we’d come here.
I set my walking stick on the ground and propped my chin on my hand.
A breeze passed by, rustling leaves. Then I asked,
“So… what’s the principle behind this? The thing that lets me see my surroundings.”
“No one knows for sure. It’s an ancient artifact crafted by a lost civilization. Even His Grace couldn’t determine how it works.”
Russell had magical aptitude.
I didn’t know how deep his skill went, but the fact that the imperial family entrusted him with such an item meant they must’ve recognized his ability.
But why did he bring me here?
While I pondered that, another thud echoed, followed by a groan and the sound of someone scraping across the ground.
Russell’s footsteps approached, accompanied by the tap tap of his sword hilt against someone’s shoulder.
“It’s been a few days since I sparred with you, and your form’s already sloppy.”
“S-spare me, Your Grace!”
“I haven’t killed anyone. Get back to the training ground.”
“Mercy, my lady, help me!”
All I could do was awkwardly wave at the poor man being dragged away in tears.
Then, a thought struck me. I turned toward Frater.
“Come to think of it… Lord Russell seems very familiar with this sort of training.”
“You didn’t know? His Grace often participates in drills personally.”
“By ‘participate,’ do you mean he trains with them?”
“No, my lady. He’s usually the one training them.”
“And… what does that entail, exactly?”
“Well…”
Before he could finish, another deep cry echoed across the grounds, followed by a loud whoosh as a body was sent flying.
Russell sighed heavily.
“These fools… discipline’s gone to rot since I last came.”
The kind of thing you’d hear from a gang boss, not a duke.
“I only meant to watch today, but it seems I can’t leave it at that.”
“B-but, Your Grace, today’s a rest day—”
“Rest day? There’s no such thing in training. Get everyone out here.”
His tone was calm, but there was steel in it. I could almost picture the color draining from the knights’ faces.
And from Frater, I learned something new—
Whenever Russell was stressed, he’d sometimes storm into the training grounds without warning and “train” the knights.
Which, in plain terms, meant beating them up.
I lost track of time after that.
By the time I stopped counting how many knights had gone flying, I asked quietly,
“So… how’s it going now?”
“His Grace has won again. Sir Kyren couldn’t even chain a proper attack.”
I’d already heard “His Grace has won” more times than I could count.
None of his opponents even managed to scream properly before getting flung aside. It was… terrifying, honestly.
“Was Lord Russell always this skilled with a sword?”
“No. In fact, he started quite late.”
That surprised me.
Russell looked like someone who’d been wielding a sword since childhood.
“Really? I assumed he started young.”
“He first took up the sword before adolescence. Depending on how you look at it, that’s either late—or early.”
He avoided giving me an exact age. Odd.
Just then, another loud thump echoed.
“Urgh!”
“That’s another one defeated.”
“I… see.”
So what was the point of bringing me here?
Just as boredom was starting to settle in, Russell’s steps approached.
“That’s enough for today.”
“Well fought, Your Grace.”
Frater draped a coat over him. Russell sheathed his sword with a soft click.
He moved so much, yet there’s no smell of sweat… not even a single heavy breath.
Still, that faint scent of mint lingered.
He offered me his arm, and I rose to my feet.
“It’s about time we head up.”
“Head up? Where to?”
The setting sun warmed my cheek as I asked. Russell turned his gaze away.
“To the spire.”
The spire of Glacies Castle had about eighty spiral steps.
As we climbed, I could feel the wind resonating through the tower, almost making me forget the ache in my legs.
“We’re here.”
Just as Russell said, when we reached the top, warm sunlight poured over me.
The top must have been open to the air or decorated with stained glass, because the space felt vast and light.
Russell’s voice held a faint note of joy as he spoke.
“Now, use your stick—try sensing the surroundings.”
“Huh? All of a sudden? Sometimes it doesn’t work, you know.”
“It’ll work this time. Go on.”
“Well… all right.”
Feeling shy, I gripped the handle tightly with both hands.
I lifted the stick to chest height and struck the floor three times.
Clang, clang, clang.
A clear chime rang through my mind, and the empty world around me came to life in outline.
Waves of sound spread outward, painting the shape of a great round sphere beyond the horizon.
“The sunset?”
“This tower has the best view of it. I wanted you to see it.”
The sunset…
I unconsciously stretched one hand toward where the sun would be.
In my previous life, I’d loved watching sunsets.
The red sky, the sinking sun—those moments made me feel that I had survived another day.
I couldn’t see the colors now, but I remembered them vividly.
Russell’s voice broke my thoughts.
“By the way, when you use that stick—can you see color?”
“Unfortunately, no. Only shapes.”
“I see. Then…”
The scent of mint grew stronger.
Russell stepped closer, lowering his voice.
“Then I’ll have to teach you what color feels like.”
He took my hand and placed it against his chest.
And in a low whisper, he said—
“Let me show you.”
