บท 30: The Long Dawn (4) Chapter 30
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London, the birthplace of the medieval era, was said to be as misty as a foggy city, but here the seasons were distinct, and the air was clear, making the stars very visible.
Occasionally, he wondered which planetary system this was. Probably not our solar system. Although he wasn't interested in astronomy, he knew enough to recognize constellations like Leo and Polaris.
'Maybe what I occasionally saw due to the Y*uTube algorithm was a real UFO.'
He wondered if there are Protoss here too? And Zerg?
He didn't know about that, but one thing was certain: He was just a tiny speck of dust. Poof, disappearing into thin air. That's how he'll vanish. Flying away far, far from here.
But denying reality didn't change the situation.
"Could you say something, please…"
Right beside him, Sylvia's trembling voice was heard. Sena kept his lips sealed shut.
He couldn't speak. If he did, he'd be found out.
'Maybe the best way to live in this world is not as a doctor but as an actor. Pretending to be a scam artist like in that movie DiCaprio starred in might be a better way to live.'
Today, Sena's dissatisfaction with his foundational knowledge was unparalleled. Why did it have to be medical school? If only he knew how to be hit by a reincarnation truck, he'd even opt for engineering.
Of course, if given the chance to choose again, he'd choose medical school. This time, he'd look up more information on rare diseases. Oh, and learning chemical information to make medicine would be more useful…
"But avoiding reality won't change anything…!"
'Well, that's true.'
Sena buried his face deeper between his knees.
His mental state was as dry as autumn leaves.
Why do his lies get exposed so easily? It's fascinating at this point.
Everyone seems to be a mind-reader or equipped with some kind of sensor. They say knights can move mountains with their swords, so having superpowers isn't far-fetched.
"I was almost dead, but you fixed me. Her Majesty is healed now too. What about you? Why not you, Senior?"
"You always seemed confident when dealing with patients. But why do you look like you've given up now? Why this face of resignation?"
Did it really look like that?
It wasn't resignation; it was acceptance.
"Say something. Since when did you become like this? What's the reason? It can be fixed. Why aren't you speaking like the normal Senior…!"
'I don't even know the cause of my illness.'
Who wants to die?
Sena was one of those who wanted to live longer than anyone else.
But he realized that it wasn't allowed.
It was better to live protecting the remaining time than to waste it on what couldn't be.
After a long silence, Sena spoke.
"Oh, come to think of it, I haven't asked recently. How's your health?"
Sylvia shouted in frustration.
"Please, please…! Start by worrying about your own health."
"…"
"Senior. Why do you always care so much about others' lives but never think about your own? Ugh."
There was an unusually eerie silence today. Was it because it was the quiet dawn when everyone was asleep? It was eerily silent.
Was it because of this silence? Sylvia's sobbing was particularly loud.
It would be unrealistic to hide it at this point.
"Hey."
Sena raised his head. A calm white hair flowed down.
"I wish you'd keep this a secret."
Sylvia didn't answer. Because it was such an important issue to Sena, he looked at Sylvia.
Sylvia was pointing her head down with an extremely fearful expression.
Unable to grasp what to say, Sena finally managed to say:
"It's a request. There's not much time left to accept everyone's feelings."
"Lie."
"…It's not a lie."
"Why are you speaking as if you'll disappear soon?"
"…"
"Say it's a lie, please."
Sylvia placed both hands on Sena's shoulders. With a sad face, Sena replied:
"Yeah, it's all a lie."
Sylvia, who had been sniffling, burst into tears like a broken dam.
Sena wiped it away with his hands. Sylvia leaned against Sena. Sena patted her on the back.
"…Please."
After sobbing for a while, Sylvia said softly.
"Yeah?"
"Promise me."
Sylvia looked at Sena.
"Do your best."
"…"
"To do your best to fix your body. Then I'll keep the secret."
"That's…"
Sena awkwardly smiled. Even if he said it, Sylvia would know it's a lie.
"W-Why… won't you tell me?"
"Uh, well."
Impossible. That word wouldn't leave Sena's mind.
'Perhaps this is my predetermined lifespan.'
Seria seemed to see the same thing. Although it wasn't something to say from the perspective of someone dreaming of becoming a doctor, it seemed that this world had entities akin to gods.
To overturn the lifespan set by God.
It was not Sena's job to spend time on hopeless patients. It was better to save other patients with that time.
How could he make it acceptable? Sena was about to carefully choose his words when…
"….!"
A tingling sensation in his chest.
Sena quickly opened his mouth, but it wasn't enough to stop the cough.
"Cough."
A warm reverse flow surged through his body. A metallic taste lingered on his lips. He had indeed shed too much blood. Sitting down was difficult, so he laid down and gasped for air.
"Senior!"
Sena was supported by a voice that seemed half torn.
"I'm f-fine."
Sena forced a smile. Sylvia grabbed Sena's arm with trembling hands to check.
In the dark night, even a small hand soaked in warm blood was clearly visible. She felt something crumbling inside her.
"Oh, no-"
Sylvia shook her head as if denying reality.
"God, why does God allow people like you?"
Resentment. It was incredibly resentful. The knight's first law. "Revere Justitia and protect Her Church."
That law that had always seemed clear and unquestionable died hundreds of times within Sylvia.
Why did God want to take Sena's life among so many?
'Don't cry, Sylvia. What you need to do isn't cry. Senior hasn't died yet. We need to find a way.'
When one was at their most difficult point.
When one wanted to give up everything and collapse exhausted.
Sena came forward. He showed the lost self the way to go.
How comforting it was at that dead end.
The gratitude couldn't be erased or forgotten after lifetime.
Now he had to repay that grace.
There was only one way Sylvia could do that.
To make Sena value his life and try his best to live.
Sylvia stood up. Removing her gloves and drawing half of her sword, she knelt down with one knee and solemnly spoke.
"I swear by Justitia, who sanctifies this land."
The Knight's Oath.
A right that only comes once in a lifetime, which no power or strength can obstruct.
"I, Sylvia Clifton."
Sena realized what Sylvia was trying to do. That couldn't happen. It was a curse and shackles he placed on himself.
Trying to put the half-drawn sword back, Sylvia grabbed Sena's wrists, pushed him against a tree, and held him down.
"No, Sylvia. I'm soon…"
"I will be loyal and faithful to Sena Birkender, to love all that he loves and shun all that he shuns."
Sylvia looked down at Sena in a half-crying voice and continued her words steadfastly.
"I will shed blood for him, and dedicate myself to him no matter what hardship or adversity that may come."
Only then did Sylvia release Sena's arms. Sena sat down hesitantly in that spot. If he said more, there would be no way to stop him.
Sylvia drew her sword. Holding the blade against her own heart, she knelt down again with one knee. Her crimson blood flowed down the sword.
"But if my loyalty is doubted, do not hesitate to take my life with this sword. I pledge my loyalty with my life."
Sena looked sadly at Sylvia's sword held out before him.
The knight's oath.
Apart from professional loyalty, knights have only one chance in their lifetime to choose a lord.
What would happen if such a precious thing was used for a dying person?
Moreover, since this oath is so terrifyingly lifelong, if you refuse the oath, you must strike Sylvia's neck.
That was the way of this era.
Therefore, the moment Sylvia uttered the oath of loyalty, Sena's choice was originally nonexistent.
"…Sylvia Clifton."
Sena slowly approached and accepted the sword. He gently patted Sylvia's shoulders with both hands, weakly.
"You are my knight."
Another thing.
The recipient of a knight's oath must reciprocate the knight's loyalty.
It was clear what Sylvia wanted in return.
"…Now, Senior, you must make every effort to recover your own body, as that is the only thing a knight who has just sworn a lifelong loyalty desires."
It was getting awkward.
**
"…Are you stupid? You shouldn't grip the sword blade so tightly."
Once they returned to the room, it was all because of Sylvia's torn grip during her loyalty oath.
Sylvia still had her head down, and Sena applied medicine to her hands and bandaged them.
Anyway, she had done what she wanted to do, so now it was Sena's turn to speak.
"And what if you've sworn loyalty to me so strenuously like that?"
"…It doesn't matter to me. It's not like I swore allegiance to an enemy. I'm your escort knight."
"Anyway, keep it a secret from Her Majesty for now."
Sylvia bit her lip and glared at Sena.
"No, I'll report it. I'll spread the rumor to everyone in the world that I've become Senior's knight."
"…What if you get dismissed?"
"Then I'll just return to Senior's side."
"I don't have money."
It was a matter of course, but knights were high-ranking personnel.
The maintenance cost was no joke.
"…Then repay me with your body."
"What?"
"What?"
"…"
"…"
'I feel like I just heard something I shouldn't have.'
A moment of silence fell. Sena wrapped the bandage without saying a word. His mind was racing. What should he do tomorrow?
Should he go with her? But…
Ah, he didn't know. Let's think about it tomorrow.
"…Senior."
"Yeah?"
"It's best for you to just rest today."
"Still, the Imperial Knights' quarters…"
"Where are you going in that condition?"
"But still…"
"You said you would inform the church. With Senior's authority, they'll take it as fact without needing evidence. I've seen it happen at the Academy."
But Sena preferred certainty.
Just as he was about to say that it couldn't be done, let's leave immediately.
"If you're in pain, be quiet."
Sylvia lifted Sena up.
"…Sylvia?"
"Rest."
Then she laid him down on the bed, covered him with a blanket.
After turning off the lights, she drew the curtains, closed the windows, and locked the door.
Sena felt dizzy with her decisive attitude.
Sylvia stood with her arms crossed in front of the window, glaring sternly at Sena.
"Don't even think about moving."
Sena blinked and grasped the blanket. Under Sylvia's forceful presence, he answered unintentionally.
"…Yes."
She was, after all, a scary Junior.
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