She only felt the gentle breath on the tip of her nose, and there was almost no color in her complexion.

“Your expression has become mild, easing my worries.”

After that, he blurred the end of his words.

He crossed the head of his shoulder to the side.

His dark red hair became wet and almost black.

He gently combed the long hair with his fingers.

The nape of the neck was clearly visible. The white skin was clear without blemishes.

He bit the nape of the neck with his teeth.

“Just a moment…!”

Sharlowoff weakly bowed his head.

“Don’t bow your head even though you shouldn’t.”

He murmured. The soft texture was subtle.

“It’s all wet.”

Suddenly, he wanted to plug his ears.

“A little self-awareness has appeared without any.”

Sharlowoff frowned as if reprimanding him.

“Your ears turned red. It’s hot only here because of the heat.”

“Stop it.”

“Don’t cut it off. If you get dull to stimulation and cut off one emotion after another, there’s no reason for a person to exist as a human being.”

Emotions make a person human.

“You’ve already become accustomed to cutting yourself off.”

Sharlowoff reached out and grabbed the edge of the bathtub.

His legs sat weakly. His toes twitched and curled up.

“Continuing to avoid.”

You’ve been avoiding it from the beginning.

“I’m thirsty.”

Sharlowoff held his breath.

“It’s still not enough.”

“…”
“Do you dislike it?”

“It’s a bit awkward.”

“It’s not that you dislike it.”

“I don’t dislike it.”

I’ve never considered it as something I dislike.

The thick grip of the hand enveloped Sharlow’s shoulders.

“If you’re cautious, it seems like I’ll turn into a bad guy.”

“It’s a bit strange.”

“I haven’t done anything bad yet.”

Sharlowoff stiffly touched his neck, and Benhamin’s fingertips touched his arm.

“You’re still in my sight.”

Because you, outside of my sight, existed in unexpected places in unexpected ways.

“You’re where my hand can reach.”

Where does that place mean?

I understand the intention to protect.

“Your Majesty?”

Sharlowoff wore only an outer garment over a light training suit.

He left his side.

There were no maids, and only a few members of the guard were in the training ground.

Pedelin extended the sword to Sharlow.

“I will teach you how to wield the sword.”

Sharlowoff accepted the sword. He placed leather on the hilt.

“Don’t twist it too much.”

“…”

“The purpose of Your Majesty’s blade is not to cut down enemies. Please refrain from actions that may harm your body. Of course, there is also the purpose of killing enemies. However, protecting yourself is the priority. Please don’t use your body in a rugged manner like the Imperial Guards. Don’t throw yourself into the enemy and risk your life.”

“Is there a reason for saying such things from the beginning?”

“Do not use a sword for others.”

The sword was sturdy. It had been shaved and worn in various places.

“Do not hesitate at the tip of the sword.”

Pedelin handed him the hilt.

“Empty everything from your mind.”

“…”

“If feelings of regret and hesitation are contained in the blade, the direction of the blade will also be distorted.”

Pedelin raised his left arm.

“If you get swept away by emotions, the blade will gnaw at your body.”

Pedelin tapped his right eye.

And his right leg.

All were the consequences of being swept away by emotions.

“There will be times when the grip holding the sword will burst.”

Sharlowoff waited for his next words.

“The day will come when that hand will be stained with blood. Things won’t go as planned, and there will be days when the grip of the sword becomes heavy.”

Pedelin took a breath and asked.

“Do you understand why I bring up this matter with Your Majesty first?”

“It seems like you’re telling me the reason why you shouldn’t hold a sword.”

“Yes. Your hand should not hold a sword. If it weren’t for the mausoleum, this old man would have avoided directly handing a sword even to this old man.”

Pedelin spent long years on the punitive front.

Eighty years.

It was a short or long life.

Aging has also advanced as he handled the sword.

So, unable to die, he was here.

“A demon killed my child.”

Pedelin quietly swallowed his regret.
“Oh, Father. Please, please save me. Ah, that bastard ate the child. Ahhh! Ahhh! My child, my son… Ugh! Not me, please, the child, ahh! You damn monster! Spit out my son! Damn it! I’ll tear you apart…!”

To not lose strength.

To avoid repeating the same mistake.

“Somehow, it seems like this old man has taken on a wicked role.”

Pedelin swung the sword.

Dust clouds rose, obscuring the view. She lowered her eyes with a vacant look.

“Please, lead the path of the Hwangga upright.”

Stay alive.

It seems like saying such words for some reason.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The tip of the sword is upright.

The body’s center is firm.

It was the foundation of the swordsmanship Pedelin taught.

“Isn’t it too much to push yourself before fully recovering?”

“If there are too many worrying about you, people become numb to such worries.”

Sharlowoff looked down at his hand in silence.

“Why are you staring at it so intently?”

Pedelin approached and asked.

“My hand feels a bit numb.”

“I put an iron core in the sword, so it might have been a bit heavy.”

Even a lower-grade training sword had a considerable weight, as it was divided by an iron core.

“It’s your first time, but you’re quite skilled.”

Somehow, the senses seemed dulled.

“Is your body stiff?”

“A bit.”

“Are you okay?”

“It’s a bit chilly, and my body feels heavy.”

The hand holding the sword felt stiff.

The arm trembled under the weight.

“The skin didn’t burst.”

“An incident like this wouldn’t cause the skin to burst. On that day, the aftermath of the mausoleum’s destruction spread through the hilt, tearing the skin. Usually, unless you’re a punitive unit rolling on the punitive front, there’s no occasion where the grip’s skin bursts while wielding a sword.”

She placed the sword down and stood at a distance.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I feel like I understand what it means not to become numb to pain.”

It seems like she also understands the meaning behind Benhamin’s story.

“I think I’m already numb.”