Chapter 15

Barberidge Bardnick. The current head of the Bardnick family and the biological father of Caria Bardnick.

In the Bardnick family, which has valued martial prowess since their demotion to the knightly class, he is known as a rare figure with deep knowledge of the arts and politics.

However, when you see the war wound that slashes across his right eye and his face that could make a crying child cry even more, you can't help but doubt whether that information is really true. It would be much easier to believe that he finds his purpose in fighting on the front lines. The emblem of the Governor of Coriden Fort, a sword and an eagle, embroidered on his chest, suits him strangely well.

Barberidge Bardnick pointed at me casually and said,

"Caria, is this your servant?"

"Yes, Father—excuse me, my lord. Not officially, but something like that."

I wonder if I just made a terrible statement without realizing it.

I stare at the stone floor, my eyes wide. I want to interject and correct it immediately. There should be no part of it that suggests I, Caria Bardnick's servant, have become a major event.

However, I am not even allowed to make a sound, stand up, or even raise my head. If a commoner does such a thing to the head of a knightly family, he will gladly cut off their head. This is not a matter of sentiment or interest. It is a custom that clearly defines the hierarchy in the noble society, the knightly society, and even among the common people.

Barberidge sighed deeply and directed his voice at us, or rather, at Caria.

"You've picked up a pitiful servant. If I say it suits you, it does suit you."

What does that mean? My head is filled with questions at the sudden words. Is it a comment on Caria Bardnick's unusual character? If so, it can't be denied, but if you take it a different way—it could sound like a contemptuous remark about her.

His tone of voice didn't sound like something a father would say to his daughter. It was terribly low and devoid of emotion.

"May I respectfully say—Your words, but his efforts were also part of why the message was delivered safely. He is not entirely useless."

With that, Caria Bardnick shifted slightly and took the letter from her bosom. It was crumpled, but thanks to her efforts, it looked a bit more presentable.

For now, the job is done. I was honestly relieved. I let out a sigh without being noticed and raised my gaze slightly to see Barberidge's hand taking the letter.

I thought I would receive at least a token of praise or a word of thanks—when suddenly, Barberidge's large hands loudly tore the letter he had just received, which was slightly stained with red juice.

"Father! What are you doing!?"

"Fool. Would you really carry a message through the guild? You don't understand... This is a fake. I thought you understood."

He looked terribly disappointed, or rather, his expression suggested he was deliberately sneering.

"You've always been bad at such calculations, even though you are my daughter. And from the looks of it, you don't understand why I assigned you to this job, do you?"

"…So, it's not an order from the knights, but… your personal command?"

Caria Bardnick lowered her head, her voice trembling weakly as she endured her father's cold words. She was trying to remain composed, but her agitation was painfully evident in her back.

And she was asking, why.

"You can't be unaware. I won't let you forget. About breaking the guild's prohibition and entering the Great Forest. How much effort the Bardnick family had to go through. I hope you will learn from this experience and be more cautious, Caria Bardnick."

My heart raced. The blood circulation to my extremities was strangely noticeable.

"Medicine… My lord, does that mean… you knew we would be attacked by bandits?"

Barberidge didn't answer. No, his silence was the answer.

He knew. He must have understood. The attack happened near this fort. As the governor of the fort, he must have understood the security situation in the surrounding area.

If so, he must have understood that his daughter could be attacked by bandits or lose her life. A cold shiver ran down my spine, as if a sharp blade had been thrust into my bone marrow and was being gouged out.

"Let me make this clear, Caria. Never disgrace the family name again. Every time you overstep, the consequences fall on the family. Understand? Don't make me say this again. Stop making such embarrassing mistakes. Just listen to me and be obedient, do you understand?"

I always thought she was a poor daughter, but as he muttered this, Barberidge turned on his heel. It seemed he no longer needed to exchange words.

Instinctively, I raised my head. Caria Bardnick appeared to be maintaining her composure. It was due to her resilience. But it was just a facade.

Her back was trembling, her body was tense, and her cheeks were pale.

But even so, she couldn't let her posture falter. It was not allowed to raise her head or speak to a superior, let alone stand up. So, we had to kneel until he left. The cold stone floor felt strangely warm.

It was strange. The vision in my eyes was unusually clear, and my thoughts were sharp.

*

Of course, right?

Caria Bardnick, still kneeling on the stone floor, muttered to herself. She understood very well that no matter what she thought or struggled, she was just a nuisance to her father. From childhood, unlike her quiet sisters, I, who wielded a sword, must have been an alien to my father.

No, that's not right. Even as I clenched my teeth and tried to suppress my emotions, my thoughts strangely wandered. At first, he did care. My father, who had no sons, praised me for acting like a boy. Yes, that was until he had a son.

Certainly, his words just now were true. Caria understood deep down. He only thought of me as an embarrassing daughter. He only recognized me as someone whose life didn't matter even if I was attacked by bandits.

Caria Bardnick's knees trembled. She had so much to say, so much to convey. But she couldn't even speak to his back as he was about to leave.

Barberidge Bardnick's hand reached for the doorknob.

At the same time, a large, resonant sigh was exhaled from behind, and a tall figure stood up straight, appearing at the edge of Caria Bardnick's vision.