I licked my lips and let go of Arnold which made a loud noise as he fall.
He glared at me.
“You seemed strong enough to laugh. I bet you could even walk on your own,” I said.
Arnold groaned in pain. He looked at me with furrowed brows as he sighed. He stood up and shook off the dirt on his suit.
There were grazes again on his face and body. There were visible bruises that looked purple as if what the knights did to him had caused a contusion. His hair was disheveled.
As I examined him, our eyes met. His blue eyes tinged with yellow and light brown captivated me. If he wasn’t a fool, he would be an ideal man a girl would wish for.
I rolled my eyes and I massaged my temple as the thing that I did replay in my mind.
What did I just do? Why would I carry him in that embarrassing position? I should have carried him like a servant carrying a sack of rice. And why the hell did I run over here?
I walked out without paying attention to the knights who came over to help the men who bullied Arnold.
I took a deep breath.
What had gotten into me to act like that? Why am I…?

I sighed.
Arnold… Arnold will be the end of me.
“You looked like a hero coming to save his lady, particularly, a novel with a damsel in distress female leads. You guys are the reverted copy.”
“Callisto.”
“On your command, my Lord!”
“Shut up,” I said.
He sighed. “As you wish.”
I brushed my hair as I sat on the chair and leaned my back on its upholstery. I sighed again.
I thought that Callisto is the introverted type and the man who typically avoids conversation with anyone or the probable ones with social phobia. But I guess my judgment was wrong seeing him annoying me at the last second.
He doesn't seem the guy who’d avoid normal people.
Now thinking about it, I thought Callisto and Arnold would somehow resemble each other. I thought that their attitude was the same, letting people beat them up. I also did think that their personality matched. Their faces also… somehow were the same.
I licked my lips.
The resemblance could never be seen if people don’t look at it closely.
I shook my head.
“You seemed stressed out, Captain.”
I looked at my back where the voice came from.
My face brightened up when I saw who it was. It was the person who never turned his back on me when the world did, the son of the knight who carried me from the countryside all the way to the Dukedom, Lucas. He was the person who believed in me when no one did but was killed by Empress Dowager.
He’s one of a few people whom I wanted to protect.
If it’s possible, I would like to run away with him and the few others when I finally settle everything in the Duchy as I have promised Amber.
“Luca,” I gently said.
He smiled at me. “Who’s this man?” he asked and looked at Callisto. “I’ve never seen him before. Is he new?”
I bobbed my head. “That’s Callisto and yes, he's new. He’s my student.”
“I beg your pardon, Dame Haleya?!”
I glared at him. “Lower your voice, dumb idiot!”
“Are you joking? I thought you’d never get a student by yourself as you’ve never shown interest… and what’s with your hair? It’s ugly,” Luca said.
I rolled my eyes.
“You’re the ugly one here, old-fashioned man. It suits you well, Lady Haleya.” It was Sage.
I grabbed some strands of my hair. It really had turned red. Though I think that this color suits me as it has the same color as my eyes, it still was making me recall the blood….
I bit my lip.
Callisto chuckled. “I thought you’re the gloomy type, captain. Looks like I’ve stereotyped you for one. Your face shines when they arrive.”
Luca nodded. “Right? That's because that woman is weird. Will you believe me if I tell you that when she saw me for the first time, she cried and hugged me? I creeped out feeling my quivering butt sweat in nervousness that time.”
Sage hit Luca’s head with her knuckles. “That’s because Dame Haleya thought that you were your father. Stop exaggerating. She did not even touch you, idiot.”
Luca pouted. “What a downer.”
Sage made a face. “What a liar.”
I cleared my throat. “What brought you two here? Is Sir Bale doing fine as a mercenary?”
Luca scratched his head. “Father was busy as ever. He was traveling back to the Capital City of the Elthanium Empire and he was doing fine. And Father said that you should stop calling him Sir. You should call him Father, Dame Haleya.”
“Will do.” I stroked my chin in thought. “So what brought you here?”
“We’re here to present the Elthanium relic to the Crown Prince," Sage answered.
Callisto’s lips moved open. “Did you say, Elthanium relic?” he asked.
The two nodded.
Elthanium Relic.
Where did I hear it from before?
I tilted my head and licked my lips.
“You shouldn’t present it to the Crown Prince.”
I looked at Callisto confusedly. He gulped. “As you know, my mother and I have lived in the countryside near the Elthanium Empire for probably a long time. 13 years at most.” He pinched the tip of his nose and looked up while his hand was on his waist. “Hmmm… how would I say this?" he asked. “Relics in the Elthanium empire are being kept by the Emperor himself, so there’s no way that what you have is the real deal. The things sold at the auction house were just its fake duplicates.”
Sage furrowed her brows. “Is that right?”
Callisto nodded. “Moreover, the relics are poisonous to the royals of Libarnia.”
Luca scratched his head. “Huh? How is that even possible?”
“As the history of the gods, and goddesses foretold, the goddess of Libarnia that blessed the royal blood, Hashe, had once fallen in love with a mere human. Their worlds are the opposite. An immortal god shouldn't stoop down at the mortal's level as it is impermissible among the twelve gods.” Callisto looked at me. “But the goddess broke this taboo so she was punished by the gods of god and goddesses. The goddess became mortal and the mortal man who she sacrificed everything with became an immortal creature. He became a creature more than a monster but less than a god.”
Luca looked at Callisto with his dilated eyes. “So? How is it connected with the relics?”
“The goddess Hashe was cursed that she’d kill the mortal man herself once she awakened. Elthanium made the relics with the blood that the goddess hated most — the blood from the person she once loved. If the blessed person touched it, the blessed person will be cursed by the goddess herself. If this happens, the royal blood will come to its end. Even the Duchy that shared the same blood with the Royalty would be doomed.” Callisto cleared his throat. “I heard the Elthanium knights talked about it.”
Sage tilted his head. “Then, even the duke would be fucked up?” she asked.
I snapped my fingers. “Words, Sage. Words.”
Sage pouted her lips. “Right. I almost forgot. Sorry.”
Mercenaries had less filtered mouths and tended to say vulgar words. I sighed and waved my hands. “It's okay. So what’s your decision?”
Luca sighed. “It couldn’t be helped. If the relics are fake and could harm the royal blood, then we shouldn’t present them. Though it is a waste of effort.”
Sage cleared her throat. “By the way, we’re planning to watch the hunting competition so we’ll stay here for at least half a month.”
I nodded my head. “So did you already rent a cabin?”
“You could just let them stay at your mansion, Haleya.”
I looked at Arnold who have just arrived. The knights had already left where they beat up Arnold. I rolled my eyes. “I guess that’s a good idea.”
“No, thank yo….”
“Then we’ll be troubling you for at least half a month,” Luca said, cutting off what Sage had to say.
I nodded and got up. I looked at Callisto. “Please bring the aid kit, Callisto.”
Callisto saluted before leaving.
I looked at Arnold again who had his brows furrowed. “You're already close to that man?” he asked.