TOPWL 177

After her emotional farewell with Yudit, Yvonne eventually hurried off, leaving Yudit alone. Or rather, not quite alone.

“Well then, now that everyone’s gone, how about we say goodbye too, Luka?”

At Yudit’s words, the curtain by the window gave a noticeable flutter. A pair of feet fidgeted beneath it, then the curtain was drawn back and Luka stepped out. His face was soaked, as if he’d been crying. Yudit knelt down and gently wiped Luka’s tear-streaked face.

“I wanted us to say goodbye with a smile.”

“Teacher…”

Perhaps the comfort made it even more painful, Luka threw himself into Yudit’s arms. As he patted the boy’s back, Yudit noticed a bag slung across Luka’s back, nearly the same size as him. It felt surprisingly heavy when he picked it up slightly.

“Oh Luka, this bag’s too heavy. You’ve been standing here wearing this the whole time?”

Yudit had realized Luka was hiding from around the time Selena and the others had come by. The window was closed, yet the curtain kept shifting and tiny shoes had been twitching beneath it. He couldn’t pretend not to notice. The guards, too, had likely recognized the child’s presence but hadn’t stopped him, assuming–since he had stayed at the duke’s estate with permission before–that it was allowed this time as well.

“So when the school said you weren’t coming to say goodbye, it’s because you were packing?”

Since the incident, Luka had clung to him like a snail to its shell. Yudit had thought it strange he hadn’t come to say goodbye. Who would’ve guessed he had sneaked in alone to pack and hide at the duke’s residence? He might have a talent for covert work, though that adorable face would make it a tough sell.

“Luka, stop crying and talk to me. Teacher wants to hear your sweet voice.”

Still nestled in Yudit’s arms, Luka kept crying. The tears flowed endlessly, yet not a sound escaped him. It made Yudit wonder if his eyes might dry out.

You’re used to crying in silence too, aren’t you?

Yudit bent one knee and met Luka’s gaze. The boy, who’d grown plump from eating well, looked up with damp lashes.

“Luka, you heard what I said earlier, right? About why I can’t take you or Selena to the battlefield.”

Luka bit his red lips tightly, then gave a small nod. Yudit figured it made him even sadder, knowing he wasn’t going to be taken along.

“I heard you came in third in your class this time. Last time you were twenty-second. You’ve really worked hard.”

Luka blinked in surprise at the praise.

“You’re doing so well. I’ll keep doing my best as a teacher, so will you promise to keep doing your best in your place too?”

“…”

Luka squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. Tears streamed down his chubby cheeks.

“Then… when will I see you again, Teacher?”

He grabbed Yudit’s fingers tightly with his tiny hands and looked up.

“Once this war ends, I’ll see you again. And if you keep studying hard and become an official, we might meet again then too.”

“What’s an official?”

“Well… someone who works for the emperor?”

Yudit was a bit startled by his own answer. He had always thought he’d never be emperor, not even in another life. And yet, he could say it so naturally now. Luka tilted his head, seeming to struggle with the concept.

“Then is that someone who works for you?”

“Well, if we’re lucky, maybe.”

Luka looked at him for a long moment, then suddenly wrapped his arms around Yudit tightly. The scent of a child’s sour sweat mixed with a smell like freshly baked bread drifted from the crown of his head.

“Then I’ll study really hard. When I grow up… I want to work for you.”

He hugged Yudit with conviction in his voice. Yudit gently patted his back.

“You can do it, Luka. And I’ll do my best too.”

After hugging Yudit for quite a while, Luka suddenly pulled away as if remembering something. He set down his bag, unfastened the buttons, and rummaged inside for a long time before pulling something out.

It was a piece of bread.

“I saw it this morning… It looked tasty, so I wanted to give it to you.”

The squashed yellow bread, having been jostled inside the bag, didn’t look particularly appetizing, not even as flattery. But the fact that Luka thought to bring it for Yudit instead of saving it for his younger sibling spoke volumes. Yudit had already taken root in Luka’s heart. That fact made him both pained and deeply fond of the boy.

“Thank you, Luka. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Okay!”

When Yudit took the bread, Luka beamed with a bright smile. Looking at that smile, Yudit made a firm decision.

He would return, no matter what.

***

Because the funeral had been delayed longer than expected, they ended up having lunch before departure. The table was filled with rich, hearty dishes meant to restore strength before battle: roasted quail glistening with fat, white bread slathered in butter, spicy pickled vegetables, a stew brimming with meat and vegetables, and an array of sweet desserts. Yudit was almost overwhelmed by the sheer variety.

Next to him, Luka was staring wide-eyed at the food.

“Sit here and eat, Luka.”

“M-me? I can eat too?”

“Of course. Eat up. I’ll pack some for your little brother too.”

At the mention of taking some for his brother, Luka’s face lit up. It had been bothering him, the idea of eating something like this alone. Yudit carefully portioned out some food onto Luka’s plate. His cheeks puffed up like a squirrel’s pouch as he chewed, and just watching him eat made Yudit feel full himself.

Just then, a hand landed on Yudit’s shoulder.

“Khalid.”

“There you are.”

“I got here a little while ago. Have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet. I had some things to handle. Come find me after you’re done eating, I’ve got people to introduce you to.”

“Got it.”

Khalid gave Yudit’s shoulder a light pat, as if to tell him to enjoy the meal, then led his entourage to the head of the table. Even after sitting, Khalid didn’t touch his food, staying deep in conversation with the knights. Yudit started to wonder if something had happened.

After finishing his meal, he asked a servant to look after Luka, then made his way to Khalid.

“Khalid. I’m here.”

“Good. Did you eat well?”

“Plenty. So who are these people you wanted to introduce?”

“The knights who’ll be going with you. There hasn’t been time for a proper introduction, so I thought at least a temporary one would be good. This is Darius, and this is Bagon.”

Darius was as large as Khalid, with a vertical scar across his left eye. His gaze was intense, but disciplined, if there were such a thing as the model knight, this man might be it. Bagon had the typical brown hair and eyes of the empire. He had a slender frame and gentle features, more like an archer or a bureaucrat than a knight.

“I’m Yudit Friedrich Adenauer. Pleased to meet you.”

“I’m Darius.”

“Bagon. I look forward to working with you.”

“They’re ranked among the top ten in knightly combat ability. They’ll be joining you on your fourth campaign.”

Darius made sense, but Bagon? That was unexpected. His build was about the same as Yudit’s, maybe a bit bigger. Yudit made a mental note to ask him later about how to fight larger opponents.

“They’ll guard you from unseen angles, not out front, so just act as you normally would.”

“Okay.”

Darius was keeping his lips pressed tightly together, as if angry about something, and for some reason, Yudit got the feeling it might be because of him. Bagon was also silent, and the four of them fell into a quiet lull.

Khalid wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood.

“There’s one more I want to introduce.”

“One more?”

Yudit looked puzzled, and Khalid gave him a secretive smile as he pulled him along.

“Yeah. They’re outside. Let’s go.”

Before Yudit could protest, Khalid strode off down the corridor. Unlike Shane, the two knights followed behind Yudit at a respectful distance. It was already overwhelming with just the two, what kind of pressure would this new one bring?

As Yudit stepped outside, nervous, Khalid held up a hand.

“Hold on… ah, there it is.”

A man was approaching, leading a horse. Yudit squinted, thinking Is it him? But halfway there, Khalid grabbed the reins and brought the horse forward. It was a two-year-old chestnut mare with gentle eyes, gazing softly at Yudit.

Khalid handed over the reins.

“She’s yours. Do you like her?”