In This Life, I'll Assist You - Chapter 49

The wound was much deeper than I thought.

Every time I sucked out the poison, blood from the wound flowed into my mouth.

I held the blood in my mouth and then spat it out along with the poison. I repeated this without stopping.

I didn’t even think about time passing. Since seeing the fallen Grand Duke, my time had stopped.

When I heard Bran calling my name, I finally halted my actions.

Outside the cave, the sun was already tilting towards the horizon.

“Esther, perhaps… the others… they’re not dead, are they?”

Bran asked with a face afraid to hear the answer.

“Of course not. Everyone is safe. I just ran ahead to follow His Highness. They’re probably all still looking for us.”

“Thank goodness.”

The lad who had been leaning weakly against the cave wall suddenly stood up.

“Esther, I’ll go check outside. The others might have arrived.”

“It’s dangerous, Bran. You must be careful.”

“I was surprised.”

He looked at me with sincere eyes.

“You’ve reached such a high level at the same age as me. I’m ashamed, I want to be of help somehow too.”

“You’ve already saved the North by rescuing His Highness.”

“…I suppose so.”

The lad wiped under his nose and smiled shyly.

“Esther, I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you before. If we make it back alive, teach me your swordsmanship.”

“…Sure.”

“Don’t worry. I can avoid the monsters by moving between the rocks. I’ll try to find some food. I’ll be back before nightfall.”

Bran’s face seemed to have matured considerably in that short time.

“Be careful, Bran. If anything happens, shout.”

“Okay!”

Bran put some stones inside his armor.

“Double armor.”

Then he grinned and went outside.

Only the Grand Duke and I remained in the cave.

I placed my hand on his forehead.

Despite sucking out the poison for so long, he still had a fever.

‘Just a little more.’

I sucked on the Grand Duke’s wound until I could no longer taste the bitterness of the poison. After that, I looked for some cloth to apply to the wound.

If I tore my top any more, my chest would be exposed.

With no other choice, I tore my uniform pants. Made of soft cotton, it would serve well as a bandage if rinsed clean.

Then I realized my mistake.

I had torn the part of the leg where my mother’s dagger was attached.

‘…Can’t be helped.’

It’s just my mother’s dagger. Fortunately, no one else will notice.

I rinsed the torn cloth thoroughly in the stone bowl of water. After wringing out the moisture, I dried it in the wind outside the dry cave and then gently placed it on the Grand Duke’s shoulder.

‘Please let the fever break.’

Whenever the cloth on his forehead became hot, I soaked it in fresh cold water and replaced it.

After doing this for a while, I rinsed my mouth with cave water. I felt a bit dizzy, perhaps from swallowing some of the monster’s poison.

If this was how I felt just from the expelled poison, then the Grand Duke who was directly injured…

My chest ached.

I gazed at his face, still breathing heavily and in pain.

His color had improved slightly, but not enough.

As I stared at him blankly, I unconsciously reached out to touch his cheek. His breath was hot, but his cheek was cold.

‘You must wake up.’

I carefully cupped his cheek with my palm.

If he were to wake up, I would quickly withdraw my hand in surprise, but in this moment, I just wanted to comfort him like this.

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As the sun set, the temperature began to drop rapidly.

Fortunately, Bran returned before it became completely dark.

He brought back small branches, a bunch of unfamiliar grasses, and a few fruits.

His face and arms were covered in scratches.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s nothing. Oh, and just in case, I picked everything that looked like it might be medicinal herbs. There was a small stream nearby. I went to check it out, just in case.”

I examined the plants he had gathered. Among them was one that could be useful. There was quite a lot of it too.

I was delighted.

“Bran, you did great!”

“Really?”

“Yes, this one. This herb is used for detoxification. It might help with His Highness’s wound.”

I quickly mashed the herb and applied it to the Grand Duke’s wound, who was still unconscious.

While I focused on the treatment, Bran went to the deeper part of the cave and started a fire with the small branches.

Thanks to that, the dark interior became a little brighter.

I rinsed my mouth and then held another mouthful of clean water. I brought my lips to the Grand Duke’s mouth.

But even without using my tongue to open his mouth, he swallowed the water I offered.

Was his reflex returning?

“Thank goodness.”

I muttered without realizing.

Encouraged, I carefully mashed some fruit to make juice for the Grand Duke to drink. That’s when it happened.

“Esther? That dagger…”

Bran’s surprised voice.

‘?’

I stopped what I was doing and looked at Bran standing there. He was staring at my thigh.

Embarrassed, I quickly covered my leg with the top of my outer garment.

But Bran pulled back the cloth covering my thigh. Roughly at that.

I pushed him away.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry, Esther. But… this dagger…”

He looked at me with a bewildered and shocked expression.

“I’m sorry, but…”

“?”

He stood up as if in a daze and brought over a small ember from the campfire he had just started.

Then he shone it on the dagger on my thigh.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry. But this dagger looks like one I know.”

Bran was pale.

“I’m really, really sorry, but could you show it to me for just a moment?”

“…”

His earnest demeanor made me feel strange.

As if drawn in, I pulled back my uniform and showed him the dagger strapped to my leg.

A three-span long dagger with a faint green light. The blue mineral forming the handle shone like moonlight even inside the cave.

Bran collapsed to the ground.

“What’s wrong, Bran?”

“Esther, this is… the holy sword of my homeland, Ventus. Why do you have it?”

The holy sword… of Ventus?

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There are a total of 3 holy swords passed down in this continent.

The holy sword of the Delphas Empire’s royal family, Lucella.

The relic of the Belfast god, Lapis.

And lastly, the holy sword of Ventus, whose purpose is unknown.

I don’t know the name of the Ventus holy sword. That’s all I knew.

But this, my mother’s keepsake, is that Ventus holy sword?

“Did those southern bastards steal it?”

Bran asked with an angry face. Of course, that anger was directed at the southern Grand Duke.

“No. It’s not like that.”

“Then?”

“…Bran. Are you saying this is that holy sword? I can’t believe it.”

Bran growled.

“I recognized it instantly. Before our downfall, our family guarded this very holy sword in the sacred temple.”

“!”

“I thought it had disappeared after we were defeated by the North and our country fell.”

“Bran. This is a keepsake left to me by someone very precious.”

“Someone precious?”

“Yes.”

My mother is the saint of the fallen country, Ventus.

The holy sword that disappeared after the war. The one who had possessed that sword was Agnes Fleur, the greatest saint in Ventus history.

My mother must have fallen in love with the enemy country’s crown prince while keeping that holy sword.

Bran said,

“The whole continent coveted this holy sword. I thought for sure Sanctus or another country must have stolen it.”

He looks at me.

Others coveted it?

“Explain to me how this happened, Esther.”

Bran asked with a desperate expression.

“Bran.”

“Yes.”

“This is a keepsake my mother left for me.”

“!”

“I don’t know who my mother was. But… it’s certainly hers.”

“Was your mother… from Ventus? Perhaps Ventus royalty? Maybe a saint from the temple?! No way. Saints can’t marry.”

“I don’t know.”

I lied.

He let out a long sigh. Then, as if his head hurt, he ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up.

“Right, you said you don’t remember your parents.”

“…That’s right.”

“But anyway, the important thing is that this sword chose you.”

Chose?

“What do you mean?”

“This holy sword doesn’t have this color when it’s just lying around. Look, the blade is glowing green. This means I can’t take this sword from you.”

“Bran.”

“Even if I wanted to take it, I couldn’t. You don’t want to give it up, right?”

“Not even if I die.”

“I see.”

Bran knelt on one knee in front of me.

“The North brought down our Ventus, but they didn’t kill anyone except soldiers. So I forgave them. They must have been carrying out the Emperor’s orders anyway. It was worth coming to the North, Esther. To see my country’s holy sword again like this…”

He bowed his head before the sword.

“Bran, I’m sorry, but can you keep this a secret? This sword…”

“Don’t state the obvious. Who would I tell about my country’s holy sword that I’ve just found? If it becomes known, it will be taken away again.”

“Who would take it?”

“If people learn about this sword’s power, everyone will want it.”

“Do you know about this sword’s power?”

At that, Bran shook his head with a grim face.

“Unfortunately, I don’t. I was supposed to learn that secret when I came of age, but my father had already passed away by then. The holy sword had also disappeared.”

“…I won’t let anyone take it from me.”

“Yes, I’m really glad you have it.”

His eyes gazed at me intently.

A moment later, Bran stood up as if nothing had happened. Then he tore his top and handed it to me.

“Wrap it around your leg, you need to hide the sword.”

“Thank you, Bran.”

Today seems to be a day for tearing clothes, I almost joked. Out of relief.

He said,

“When I knelt earlier, it wasn’t to you but to the holy sword. That’s the proper etiquette.”

“I see.”

“We need to watch over His Highness’s condition all night, right?”

“I suppose so.”

“Then.”

He detached the thick cloak from his uniform and handed it to me.

“This is my gratitude to you. Use it if you get cold. Thank you for having the holy sword. Really, really thank you.”

“Thank you, Bran.”

“No, thank you.”

He grinned.

Soon after, the sound of monsters howling could be heard in the distance.

True night had fallen.

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Hungry monsters seemed to be gathering near the corpse of the monster I had killed in front of the cave during the day.

‘I should have moved it further away.’

Still, it was fortunate that the cave entrance was so narrow that there was no worry of being attacked by monsters.

I brought the fire closer to the Grand Duke. Even with a fever, we couldn’t let his body temperature drop too low.

I covered his bare body with the Grand Duke’s cloak. And my uniform and Bran’s cloak too.

The wind is terribly cold.

Suddenly, I thought how my clothes laid over his broad shoulders looked as small as a towel.

‘Useless thoughts.’

I shook my head to clear my mind and sat in front of the Grand Duke to block the incoming wind.

I think of my mother, of her.

I think of the fallen country’s holy sword.

And then.

‘I wonder if His Highness is cold.’

I think of him again. I turn to look at him behind me.

While blocking the cold wind with my body, I fell into thoughts that kept chaining endlessly.

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Am I feeling more tired because of the cold?

Again, I turn to look at him behind me. I check the fever on his forehead.

I brought part of the campfire from inside the cave and placed it in front of the cave. And I used every terrain feature to protect the fire from being extinguished by the wind.