TOPWL 100

“Why the long face, Yudit?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been sighing like a puppy that needs to pee.”

“Have I?”

Wadiram nodded. Yudit fell silent, lost in thought for a moment.

“I think… it’s because I’m not used to this. Not many people have ever stepped forward for me like this.”

“You better get used to it. There’s going to be a lot more of that from now on.”

Finishing his meal, Wadiram stood up from his seat.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Duke Khalid promised to spar with me this evening. I want to get in some practice before then.”

With a cheerful reply, Wadiram bounded outside, his robes fluttering. Now only Yudit, Diego, and Eden remained at the table. The moment the seat in front of Yudit was empty, Eden wasted no time moving closer.

“Eden. You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Nope. I’m fine,” Eden replied with a shrug. He stared quietly at the spots Huyan and Wadiram had vacated, then asked,

“Yudit. Don’t you think those guys have something… unusual about them?”

“What are you talking about?”

“They don’t move like normal people. I even threw a few hidden blades when they weren’t looking, and they dodged every single one.”

“You what?! You threw knives?!”

Yudit’s eyes widened in horror. Eden gave an awkward grin.

“Well, they weren’t poisoned or anything. I mean, there’s a big size difference, so I had to rely on what I’m actually good at.”

“That’s your excuse…?”

Yudit rubbed his temple, looking pained.

“They’re definitely not ordinary. It felt like they could read my movements. Honestly, even if we fought at night, I don’t think I would’ve won.”

Eden looked bitter as he spoke. He had clearly picked up on quite a few things during the match. Yudit, feigning ignorance, replied,

“I wouldn’t know about that… but I’ve heard the desert where the Herut people live is full of sand monsters. Maybe that kind of environment makes them more sensitive to movement.”

“That… makes sense, actually.”

Eden nodded, seeming convinced.

“That guy was strong.”

“Huh?”

“I mean Duke Khalid. He was really strong. Not a single opening.”

If Eden said that, it meant Khalid was no joke. Yudit had assumed his strength came mostly from his equipment, but clearly, it wasn’t just that.

“Sometimes he’d dodge like he was teasing, letting your blade slide right past, then suddenly charge in with terrifying strength. You couldn’t get a read on him—it was overwhelming. Just one of his strikes felt strong enough to tear muscles, and the fact that he kept swinging like that… it was unreal.”

Then Eden leaned in and whispered,

“Diego’s going to be sore for days. He forced himself to block one of those hits.”

“I can hear you,” Diego growled.

“Then stop sulking and eat,” Eden shot back, unbothered.

Diego glared at him, a low snarl in his throat, and the tension between them nearly sparked a fight. Then Diego caught Yudit’s gaze.

“I won’t lose next time.”

With those words, he bit his lip and walked out. Eden chuckled behind him.

“Yuli, wanna hear a secret?”

“What is it?”

“I once got a contract for Duke Khalid.”

Yudit’s face instantly stiffened at the word “contract.” Eden was an assassin. Though he took on various odd jobs, there was no doubt that this contract had been for an assassination.

“It was a long time ago. I don’t usually take jobs involving high-ranking nobles—they’re more trouble than they’re worth. But the money they offered… it made me think for a second.”

“How much were they offering?”

“An advance of one hundred million kes. And fifty billion more upon success.”

Yudit sucked in a sharp breath. That was an unfathomable amount of money.

“But I turned it down. Something about it felt off. Looking back… if I’d taken it, maybe we wouldn’t be sitting here like this. Good thing I said no, huh?”

Eden chuckled, and Yudit sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

As the two of them continued their conversation, footsteps echoed down the staircase. When Yudit looked up and saw who it was, his expression brightened at the familiar face of Yasin.

“Yasin. You’re up early.”

Lately, Yasin had been sleeping more than eighteen hours a day. Concerned he might be ill, Yudit had called for a physician, but the verdict wasn’t physical—Yasin was retreating from reality. The rest of his time was spent either knitting or working on tapestries.

“Your Highness, I actually have something I wanted to give you…”

Wearing a rare smile, Yasin reached into his bag and handed something over. Upon seeing it, Yudit couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“It’s adorable, Yasin.”

What Yasin had given him was a small ornament made of yarn. A tiny tapestry, no longer than two joints of a finger, and a camel doll were tied together in a single ring. As Yudit examined the tapestry, he turned toward the window.

“This mountain range in the tapestry—isn’t it that mountain range out there?”

“Y-yes, that’s right. And since the camel is the symbol of Herut, I thought it’d be nice to include something that represents this village too.”

Yasin blushed with pleasure, happy that Yudit had noticed. Eden, who had been peeking over his shoulder, looked on with sparkling eyes, clearly wanting one as well. Yasin flinched a little when he noticed the scar on Eden’s face, but still asked him hesitantly,

“W-would you like one…?”

“Really? I can have one?”

“Y-yes. Please, pick whichever you like.”

Yasin opened his bag wide, revealing it was stuffed full of yarn ornaments. Eden beamed and began sifting through them happily.

“I’ll take this one.”

He picked a scorpion doll and a tapestry with a sunrise over the mountains.

“Did you say your name was Yasin? Thank you. I’ll treasure it.”

“N-not at all. I should be the one thanking you…”

Yasin fidgeted, clearly flustered.

“What made you think of making these?” Yudit asked.

Yasin paused to think, then answered,

“During the banquet, I sat with some people who taught me how to knit dolls. I received so many things that day… I know this isn’t much, but I wanted to give something back.”

“That’s a wonderful thought. Truly.”

As Yudit praised him, Yasin grew even more embarrassed, bowing his head low.

“Would you like something to eat?”

“No, I’m fine. I actually planned to have lunch with some friends today…”

“All right. Enjoy your time.”

Yasin pulled the straps on his bag tight and slung it over his shoulder. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and turned back to Yudit.

“Um, Your Highness… I don’t think I ever said it.”

“Said what?”

“Thank you. Truly.”

With a deep bow, Yasin scurried out the door. Yudit stood there for a while, gazing after him.

***

Wearing a look of firm resolve, Yudit placed a slice of bread soaked in egg mixture onto the pan. Sizzle—when the egg met the oil, it spat up violently before settling into a steady crackle. The bread quickly began to give off a delicious aroma as it turned golden brown. Around him, people swallowed in anticipation, waiting for the flip. Once he was sure it was cooked, Yudit counted to three and turned the bread over.

“Wooooow!”

Cheers and applause broke out at the sight of the golden-brown toast. Yudit smiled along with them. He was cooking at a temporary communal kitchen set up just outside the barn. Though temporary, it had everything—from hearths to ovens. Since Yudit had arranged for its construction, the villagers had insisted he be the one to inaugurate it. So here he was, soaking stale bread in milk and eggs and frying it up.

“Now we can finally bake our own bread in peace.”

The communal kitchen had been one of the main requests from the people of the slums. They already had a small kitchen, but it was cramped and located inside the barn, making it hard to cook without the smell clinging to everything. While one free meal was provided a day and their wages were decent enough to buy food, cooking for oneself was cheaper—and often healthier. They had also added partitions inside the barn and provided tents to those who wanted them. To Yudit’s surprise, the tents were more popular than expected. It made him realize just how important personal space really was.

He had also prioritized repairing one of the abandoned buildings to create a shared living space for families. Most households had at least two or three children—some even as many as six or seven. Just one building could house ten families, and even then, they had to establish a waiting list. Families with infants or many children were given priority. One of the men who had previously asked Yudit if he could arrange a tent for his family had made it into the list as well.

After sharing the egg toast with the others, Yudit stood up.

“I’ll be heading off now. If you need anything, come find me at the command tent.”

Wanting to keep communication open, Yudit had set up a large tent beside the inn as his command post. The tent had come from the hunting party’s supplies, and since they had plenty of extras, not only Yudit but also the people of the slums had been given enough for themselves.