Chapter 14: Avelin Gently Smiled

On the late night when Kayron was chasing the demon, Avelin found herself awake.

It was still time to sleep, but having gone to bed right after lunch due to not feeling well had its side effects.

Her headache lingered from the remnants of her hangover, but she knew sleep would not come again.

‘I need to tire myself out to sleep again. What should I do…?’

As she pondered, a sudden voice echoed in her mind.

「Avelin. Are you okay?」

「I’m glad you’re well enough to argue. Even if you’re unwell, don’t skip meals, alright?」

「Anyway, take care of yourself.」

‘…’

When her groggy mind cleared, she suddenly realized where she was.

“Welcome.”

Avelin found herself standing in front of the Black Iron Brigade’s barracks.

Vice Captain Plymouth greeted her with a kind smile.

Though the Black Iron Brigade competed with Avelin’s Silver Guard, Plymouth was one of the rare few who did not harbor animosity toward them—or her.

“What brings you here at this late hour, Avelin-nim? You seem unwell.”

“…I’m not sure.”

“I see. But I think I have an idea why you’re here,” Plymouth said, glancing toward the highest room in the barracks.

“Would you like to go inside? He’ll be back shortly.”

“Who’s coming back…?”

“Who else? Go ahead and rest. I’ll bring you something warm to drink.”

In the quiet hours of the late night, when everyone else was asleep, Avelin followed Plymouth into Kayron’s room without much resistance.

“Make yourself comfortable. He’ll be back soon, though it might take a little while. You can sit on the sofa, or if you’d like…”

Plymouth gestured toward Kayron’s bed.

“You could lie down and rest. I’ll bring you something warm to drink.”

It was Avelin’s second time entering Kayron’s room.

The first time, she hadn’t paid much attention due to the commotion—Kayron had been shirtless, causing some chaos.

This time, however, she could see the room clearly.

A modest layout: a bed, a mirror, a small wardrobe, a sofa and table for guests, and a large chest.

The moment she sat on the sofa, she flinched at how utterly uncomfortable it was.

It barely held its shape, and no one in their right mind would willingly sit there.

‘Is this really a sofa?’

“Ridiculous…” Avelin muttered under her breath.

Kayron was, without a doubt, the most ridiculous person she knew.

Grueling training, day in and day out—that was his entire routine.

Yet, despite the harshness, he had forged the Black Iron Brigade into a unit with unparalleled cohesion, even stronger in defense than the Silver Guard, which excelled in offense.

Unable to endure the awful sofa, Avelin moved to perch on the edge of the bed.

Though firm, it was a step up from the sofa.

However…

“What’s that smell?”

The strange scent lingering in the room made her frown.

It was subtle, enough to prick her nose, but oddly not unpleasant.

Before long, Avelin realized what it was.

She had smelled it before—on the day of a mock battle, when Kayron had dodged her attack by diving straight into her arms.

‘It’s Kayron’s scent.’

Her frown deepened at the realization, but strangely… her breathing grew steadier.

Rather than feeling irritated, she felt calmer, almost soothed.

The place where the scent was strongest…

Knock knock—

“Ahhh!”

As Avelin leans forward, she lets out a short scream and quickly straightens up.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Plymouth entered the room carrying two cups of warm tea, smiling kindly.

“Oh, you chose to sit on the bed. A wise decision. That sofa is hardly functional. Even our Captain never sits on it unless he absolutely has to entertain a guest. Here, have some tea.”

“Th-thank you.”

Plymouth moved the table closer to the bed and placed one of the cups on it. Then, leaning casually against the wall, he addressed Avelin.

“Avelin-nim, if it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“You seem to have grown quite close with our Captain these days, haven’t you?”

“…”

Avelin hesitated to respond.

It was true that she and Kayron had grown closer compared to before. Where once they couldn’t exchange words without bickering, now they fought alongside each other, shared meals, and even visited taverns together.

“Maybe… just a little closer, yes.”

“That’s a relief. As you know, our Black Iron Brigade and your Silver Guard are the strongest forces within the Vanguard Corps, but we’ve always acted separately, never as one. I see this as an opportunity to bridge that gap.”

“…So where is Kayron anyway?”

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

Avelin frowned, bewildered.

Plymouth had said Kayron would return soon, yet now he claimed he didn’t know where the Captain was.

“Wait, but you said he’d be back shortly!”

“Yes, that’s true,” Plymouth replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of his tea.

“Our Captain has always been like this. No matter what happens, he always returns safely and never too late. That’s why I said he’d be back soon.”

“…”

Avelin studied Plymouth, surprised.

She had always thought of the Black Iron Brigade as a group of brash, unrefined men, yet here was their Vice Captain—calm, thoughtful, and exuding an air of confidence.

It was no wonder Kayron often spoke so highly of him, calling him the most reliable subordinate.

And to inspire such trust in someone like Plymouth…

‘Kayron. Who exactly is he…?’

“Well then, I’ll leave you to rest. Please make yourself comfortable.”

Without prying further, Plymouth excused himself and left the room.

Though he’d said Kayron would return soon, there was no telling when that might actually be.

With the warmth of the tea relaxing her nerves, Avelin gradually let her guard down, her posture easing.

Perhaps emboldened by the quiet and the solitude, she began to relax a bit more daringly.

Avelin Opened the Lid of the Large Chest in the Room.

Inside, a massive black iron greatsword lay revealed.

“Wow…”

It was a magnificent sword, the kind that would make any weapon enthusiast gasp in awe.

Avelin carefully grasped the greatsword, attempting to lift it.

“Ugh… ngh!”

The sword’s weight was beyond what she imagined, making it nearly impossible to lift.

‘How does that fool wield something like this so effortlessly?’

As she thought about it, the sword seemed to resemble its owner, Kayron.

This massive blade was merciless when cutting through enemies, yet when its broad side was used defensively, it became an unyielding shield for allies.

Though Kayron, as a captain, could have stayed safely at the back giving orders, he always placed himself at the forefront, swinging the massive sword with relentless determination.

He fought with everything he had, even in battles where there was no personal gain for him—solely for his soldiers and the world.

‘Why is he so different from me…? How infuriating!’

Frustrated, Avelin gave up trying to lift the sword, slammed the lid of the chest shut, and returned to the bed.

The effort had left her head throbbing again, so she reluctantly lay down.

Of course, it wasn’t because of the faint scent wafting from the bed.

‘This is just because I’m tired. Yes, definitely not because of… ngh.’

As she muttered to herself, she flinched.

When she lay down, the pillow naturally came closer to her face, and the strong scent hit her nose.

‘Does he even wash this? How does a pillow end up smelling like this? How could… how could—!’

Though it was a strange scent, Avelin found herself strangely drawn to it, studying it as if analyzing something peculiar.

‘It’s odd. But at the same time…’

Her thoughts trailed off as her consciousness slipped away.

When Avelin woke up to the sound of birds chirping, she realized she had fallen into a deep, refreshing sleep.

Looking around, she froze as it dawned on her where she was.

‘W-wait… this is…?’

Though she could hardly believe it, Avelin had no choice but to accept that she had slept soundly in Kayron’s bed.

Just as she prepared to sneak out of the room, she realized she wasn’t alone.

Kayron, instead of using his bed, had curled up awkwardly on the uncomfortable sofa to sleep, leaving her undisturbed.

Determined to leave without another thought, Avelin found herself walking toward him instead.

She stood over him, quietly watching.

His face was relaxed, his breathing soft and steady.

Why had he let her sleep in the bed? What was he thinking? She couldn’t figure it out, but it irritated her.

The sight of Kayron’s defenseless face, peaceful in sleep, made her breath catch for a moment without her realizing it.

To shake off this unfamiliar feeling, she took a deep breath and said firmly:

“Wake up.”

“Mmm…”

“I said, wake up, Kayron!”

“Wahh—!”

Kayron jumped up, looking around in confusion.

The sight was all too familiar to Avelin—exactly the same fool she knew.

As Kayron sat there, still dazed and bewildered, Avelin couldn’t help but let a small smile cross her face.

A smile she made sure Kayron wouldn’t see.

-- The End OF The Chapter --

 

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