Chapter 35

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Before leaving the cabin, Ovork sighed deeply.

He had been cooped up at home, drinking all day, and hadn't even ventured near the duke's castle.

Yet, he was now preparing to go out just to keep a promise to a mere child.

'If I were to meet Duke Schuets, it would be a disaster.'

Despite this thought, he finished his preparations briskly.

As he stepped out, a fierce winter wind blew, and he shivered from the cold.

He hadn't had a single sip of alcohol today. He couldn't meet the child smelling of alcohol.

Thus, the bone-chilling cold felt particularly sharp.

He gathered his arrows and trudged through the deep snow.

Suddenly, he noticed how quiet it was today.

Looking around, he saw crows perched quietly on the trees.

'They're unusually well-behaved today.'

With this thought, he continued toward the duke's castle.

To return the arrows borrowed from the child.

In fact, Ovork hadn't slept at all the previous night.

He had been frantically investigating the arrows given by the child, and before he knew it, it was already this time.

However, he wasn't tired. His blurry eye was now clear.

He felt the excitement of his blood boiling, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

He regretted not being able to see the material used to make the arrowheads himself.

But...

'Who would entrust work to someone who hasn't held a hammer in over ten years?'

While letting out a self-deprecating laugh, he arrived at the duke's castle.

As he entered, the knights blocked his way.

"What brings you here?"

Ovork, a bit bewildered, realized that few people at the castle recognized him.

What should he say? He was no longer a blacksmith.

The large, beast-like man hesitated, and the knights' eyes grew increasingly wary.

"What do you have in your hand?"

"Oh, this is... "

And the arrows in his hand.

It was a terrible timing.

"Identify yourself."

The knights' hands moved toward their sword scabbards.

But Ovork didn't even know the child's name.

A nameless man with only arrows in his hand, looking suspicious.

Ovork couldn't easily speak.

At that moment,

"Leaving for too long, it's no wonder you're not recognized."

An unfamiliar voice interjected.

It was Lady Viara. Ovork's eyes widened.

"Lady."

The servants quickly removed their hands from their scabbards.

"Do you know him?"

"Yes, I know him very well."

Viara smiled calmly.

"It's been a while."

If it wasn't someone else but Lady Viara, welcoming him like this, he couldn't be a suspicious person.

The knights, having made their judgment, silently stepped aside.

Phew. Ovork let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.

As he followed Viara, he muttered softly.

"Thank you, Lady Viara. Thanks to you, I'm still alive."

"Coming here with just arrows in your hand, it's no wonder you weren't welcomed."

Viara smiled faintly.

"Anyway, someone is waiting for you. Follow me."

He nodded and followed Viara, then paused.

Someone is waiting?

'The child I was supposed to meet today, wasn't she a maid?'

Many young girls worked as cleaning maids. It was natural for him to think Elly was a cleaning maid.

What was going on? As Ovork pondered, Viara stopped.

"Go in."

"Here?"

"Yes."

"But this is... "

Ovork muttered in confusion.

The door with the lion symbolizing the Schuets family.

It was the reception room of the duke's family.

A place Ovork had visited a few times.

As he was flustered, Viara opened the door without a word.

And inside...

"Uncle!"

The girl he had made a promise with was smiling widely, greeting him.

What was happening?

As Ovork's mouth opened in surprise,

"Who are you...?"

A familiar voice snapped him out of his daze.

"Lord Amanta?"

"Who are you, how did you...?"

Lord Amanta, uncharacteristically stuttering.

Ovork's appearance was that surprising.

"He's my friend!"

As the two elders looked bewildered, Elly shouted brightly.

"A friend who makes good things!"

"That it was you... "

Lord Amanta muttered in a disbelieving voice.

"How did Lady Elly...?"

The lord's gaze wandered, then landed on the arrows in Ovork's hand.

Elly quickly explained.

"The gift you gave me, I lent it to Uncle. I thought he would like it!"

"Lady Elly?"

The lord looked even more incredulous.

"What is going on? The two of you, what...?"

As Ovork asked, Lord Amanta, regaining his composure, told him everything that had happened during the years Ovork had lived in isolation.

After hearing everything, Ovork...

"Huh."

Let out a hollow laugh.

There was no appropriate reaction.

"Such things can happen."

Ovork shook his head.

Lord Amanta looked at Ovork. Unlike the rumors, he seemed fine.

Ten years. A full ten years.

To call a man who had lived in seclusion for such a long time to the duke's castle so easily.

Lord Amanta's gaze fell on Elly.

But Elly, seemingly unaware of anything, sipped her cocoa.

As Lord Amanta's eyes narrowed,

"Uncle, how were the arrows?"

Lord Amanta's gaze naturally shifted to the arrows in Ovork's hand.

"Thanks to you, I saw them... very well."

Ovork used formal language awkwardly. Since the girl was to become the next duchess, he couldn't speak informally anymore.

Lord Amanta's eyes sparkled at Ovork's evaluation.

In the entire empire, no one handled weapons better than Ovork.

"Good. What do you think of these arrows?"

Ovork looked down at the arrow in his hand and gave his opinion.

It had been a long time since he had such a conversation, so Ovork poured out his thoughts freely.

Viara watched the two men chatting excitedly with pleasure.

Elly, covering her mouth with her cocoa cup, smiled.

Seeing this, Damian, who had been quietly sitting beside her, tilted his head.

'Elly must like this cocoa.'

Without a word, Damian pushed the cocoa in front of him toward Elly.

Meanwhile, the men's voices grew louder.

"Then, wouldn't it be better to make a sword with this?"

"Yes, a sword would be better than an arrow."

"I agree!"

At this, the lord grabbed Ovork's shoulders.

"Shall we make it together? With your skills, we could create something amazing...!"

The excited lord suddenly paused, realizing he had forgotten Ovork's situation.

Ovork was known to have refused treatment.

"Sorry. Your eye hasn't improved yet, has it?"

It was a hasty proposal. The lord lowered his voice, feeling awkward.

"Do you plan to get treatment... after all?"

"Excuse me, Lord."

The flustered Ovork interrupted the lord.

"What are you talking about? I am receiving treatment regularly."

"What?"

"I even got a prescription from Dr. Diern..."

Ovork said this while searching his pocket.

'Wait.'

Suddenly, Ovork paused.

'My eye...'

It didn't hurt.

Even though he had forgotten to take his medicine yesterday, distracted by the arrows.

The world he saw was clearer than ever.

Ovork's face stiffened.

"Ovork?"

Amanta, sensing something was wrong, called his name quietly.

Elly also looked at Ovork with a tense expression.

After a long silence,

"Lord."

Finally, Ovork spoke again.

"...I have a request."

The voice that came from his lips was filled with deep anger.