Chapter 37

Under the evening sky, where the purple twilight spread, Martha stood with her lips tightly pressed together.

She remained as still as a statue until the darkness enveloped her field of vision, then slowly lifted her head.

“I shouldn’t have lost.”

Martha clenched her fists. The veins on her hands turned red from the force.

“I shouldn’t have lost to anyone until I found my mother….”

She had resolved not to lose until she achieved her goal, but she had lost, and in the most disgraceful way.

Twisting her heart, living with curses, and keeping her distance from people—none of it had mattered; she had been utterly defeated.

“Damn it!”

Deneir Zighard had adopted her after seeing her talent.

But losing to Raon Zighard, who was a distant relative and a year younger, made it impossible to predict what measures her father would take.

Deneir was a gentle person, but there was a possibility that it was all an act. In the worst case, she might be expelled.

‘No. That can’t happen.’

If that happened, the last hope of finding her mother would be lost. She had to cling to it, even if it meant grabbing onto his pants.

“Huh….”

“Miss.”

Martha, who was extremely tense, did not turn around even when called by the butler, Kamel.

“It’s a letter from Mr. Deneir.”

Only after hearing that Deneir Zighard had sent a letter did Martha turn her head. Her black eyes rippled like waves.

“It’s here.”

Martha swallowed hard and opened the letter.

[Martha. Congratulations on your first defeat. Don’t worry too much about the label of a loser just because you lost once. Instead, think endlessly about why and how you lost. That reflection will be the foundation for your future growth. I wanted to come and console you, but my mission is taking longer than expected. I’m sorry I can’t come.]

There was no scolding or mockery. It was a sincere letter from a father who truly cared for his daughter.

[The search for your biological mother continues. Since I haven’t given up, don’t you give up either.]

Martha folded the letter with trembling hands and put it in her pocket, pressing it firmly as if checking her wallet.

“Haa….”

The letter felt like it was putting the shattered pieces of her heart back together. Especially the last line had lifted the depression and anxiety that had weighed on her shoulders.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Father. I’m really, really grateful.”

“I understand.”

Kamel nodded with a faint smile.

“But, Miss.”

“Hmm?”

“If you’re worried about the obedience you promised in the bet with Young Master Raon, there’s a way to pressure the annex. Using the power of the main branch, we can handle it quietly….”

“No. Don’t do it.”

Martha shook her head firmly. Her eyes, which were like black pearls, now shone brightly.

“I lost, and I lost badly.”

She knew better than anyone why she had lost to Raon.

‘It wasn’t because I was complacent. I just lost.’

Raon had used his crimson aura to cut her sword. Once a swordsman lost their sword, the match was over.

But the boy had discarded his sword as well and offered a second match with his fists.

If she showed a shameful face to someone who had fought her like that, her father would surely be more disappointed.

“Even if it was a foolish promise, keeping it is the Zighard way. Father would say the same.”

“Of course. Mr. Deneir would definitely say that.”

“I can’t disgrace him.”

“Indeed.”

Kamel smiled broadly, looking proud.

“Kamel, do you have a knife?”

“I do. But why….”

“Give it to me.”

“It’s here.”

Martha stared at the thin dagger Kamel handed her for a while before pulling it out of its sheath.

Snap!

She nodded as if making a decision and firmly cut her black hair in half.

“A, Miss!”

“It’s fine. I’m just leaving behind my foolish and disgraceful past.”

Martha smiled as she let the cut hair drift away in the wind. Her smile sparkled like snowflakes.

“Huh….”

Kamel, who hadn’t expected such a scene, let out a sigh.

“Cancel my direct branch training tomorrow morning.”

“Pardon? It’s not difficult to cancel, but what are you planning to do….”

“I have somewhere to go.”

Martha said this and entered the mansion.

Kamel watched Martha’s back as she entered the mansion and nodded gently.

* * * *

Martha left the mansion right after the final morning training on the last day of her break.

She evaded Kamel and the maids, who wondered where she was going without breakfast, and headed alone to the western annex.

Although it was quite far, the path was well-trodden, so she had no trouble finding the annex.

As she continued walking west, she saw a small house surrounded by a garden.

‘Does he live there?’

Martha narrowed her eyes. It was much smaller and shabbier compared to the main building.

However, since the house she lived in before being adopted was even smaller, she didn’t feel much. She just walked into the garden.

‘Someone’s here.’

A blonde boy was crouching in the flower bed, digging the soil and planting flowers.

‘Huh?’

Martha’s eyes widened.

‘Raon Zighard?’

She thought he was a servant, but it wasn’t. The boy planting flowers was Raon Zighard, who had given her her first defeat.

Raon seemed to have noticed her and dusted off his hands before standing up.

“What is it?”

“...”

Martha didn’t answer and stood in front of the flower bed Raon had tended. The flowers looked healthy and vibrant, probably because they had been watered recently.

‘Does this guy have such a hobby?’

She had thought he was an unchildlike boy, but this made him seem more like a child, which was a bit surprising.

‘What should I do?’

The reason Martha came to see Raon today was simple.

A rematch.

After listening to her father and thinking about her defeat, she couldn’t remember how she had lost.

Without knowing that, she couldn’t understand the gap in skill or how to close it.

In other words, she couldn’t reflect.

So, a rematch was necessary.

She wanted to fight Raon again in a calm state to understand the skill gap.

“Huh...”

Martha exhaled a heavy breath and lifted her head. Looking into Raon’s calm eyes, like a still lake, she spoke cautiously.

“I want to fight you again.”

“Still refusing to admit defeat is a bit disgraceful.”

“No. I’m not denying that I lost. I just don’t know how I lost. I came here to find out.”

“...”

Raon’s eyes flickered briefly. He seemed surprised.

“Then what’s the price?”

“What?”

“If a loser challenges a winner, shouldn’t they bring something?”

“Shit! You don’t need a price to fight!”

“I do.”

“Ugh...”

Martha let out a thin groan.

‘That’s the kind of thing.’

Because of this point, Raon didn’t seem like a child.

“Don’t have it? If you don’t, it’s a problem.”

Raon folded his arms, seemingly not interested in fighting.

“Hmm...”

What should she do? Biting her lip and looking at Raon, she noticed the flowers below him.

‘Should I step on them a little?’

Given that he was tending the flower bed at this hour, he must value the flowers. If she disturbed them a bit, he might react.

“You don’t seem to match someone who likes flowers.”

Martha moved her foot slightly towards the flower bed.

“Not really.”

Contrary to her expectations, Raon shook his head and tapped his trowel.

“What?”

“I don’t like flowers, and I don’t know why I should like them. I just did a bit of gardening for my mother.”

“...”

Martha, who was about to step on the flowers, stopped.

“Why? Aren’t you going to step on them?”

Raon seemed to know her intention and smiled faintly, nodding his head.

“Damn it.”

Martha cursed and retracted her foot. The thought of stepping on the flowers disappeared when she heard that he had tended the garden for his mother who loved flowers.

“Damn.”

As she clicked her tongue and turned to leave, the door of the annex opened, and a beautiful woman with long blonde hair tied back ran out.

“Raon!”

“Huh?”

Confusion flashed in Raon’s usually cold eyes.

“Oh, Mom.”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to, but you were tending the garden. Who’s this friend?”

Curiosity sparkled in the woman’s eyes.

‘Is this Silvia Zighard?’

The disgraced woman who left the family to find her beloved and returned to save her child, known as the outcast.

Perhaps because of a similar experience, Martha saw her not as an outcast but as a mother who had mustered the courage for her beloved child.

“It’s not a friend, just no one. I’ll handle it, so go inside.”

Raon, who rarely stammered, stumbled over his words.

“This friend is pretty. Black hair and black eyes? Ah! You’re Martha!”

Silvia clapped her hands and smiled brightly.

“...”

Martha nodded silently.

“I heard you sparred with Raon. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Her rose-colored eyes, like those of a long-lost mother, truly cared about her.

“I’m fine.”

“I was worried, so I’m glad.”

Silvia smiled faintly.

“I heard Uncle Deneir brought a talented child, but that wasn’t all of it.”

She examined Martha from head to toe, saying she was really pretty, too pretty.

“But what are you doing here?”

“I came to pass on a message. I’m done, so I’ll go now.”

Just as Martha was about to leave after nodding, her stomach growled.

“Ah...”

Martha’s face turned red. As she was about to run away, a warm hand grabbed her wrist.

It was Silvia. She smiled and nodded her head.

“Have some food before you go.”

For some reason, Martha couldn’t shake off the slender hand.

* * * *

What is this?

Raon narrowed his eyes at Martha sitting across from him at the table.

‘I don’t get it at all.’

It made sense that Silvia, being such a kind person, would invite Martha to eat after her stomach growled.

But the scene of this wild girl being led by Silvia, sitting at the table, and waiting for the food politely was something he never imagined.

Cutting her hair, did she also cut her temper?

“Raon likes meat stew, so we always have some at our table.”

“A, yes.”

Silvia smiled brightly, and Martha nodded, looking embarrassed.

-What is this girl doing? She’s not usually like this.

‘I don’t know what’s going on either.’

Since being born into the Zighard family, this was the first time such an unexpected situation had occurred.

Soon, the food arrived. Stew, grilled beef, vegetables, and warm bread.

“Are you older than Raon by a year?”

“Yes.”

“Is training difficult for you?”

“Not really.”

Silvia talked to Martha during the meal, and Martha answered her questions while eating.

‘Huh...’

Raon tilted his head.

‘Why is she acting like this?’

Martha was the type to curse first when someone talked to her. He never imagined she could be so amiable.

“Hmm...”

Raon swallowed the stew without noticing whether it went into his mouth or nose.

“Our cooking is really good, but the quality of the meat is a bit lower than the main house. Chew well to avoid indigestion.”

“...”

Martha’s hand holding the fork trembled at Silvia’s advice.

He was ready to stop her in case she had a seizure, but she bowed her head deeply and continued eating.

Though he didn’t understand human emotions well, he could sense an indescribable sadness and longing from her hand.

“I’ve finished eating.”

The awkward meal ended, and Martha stood up.

“How was the taste?”

“It was delicious.”

“I’m glad. Try to get along with Raon from now on.”

Silvia waved goodbye to Martha at the door.

“Yes.”

Martha gave an unexpectedly normal answer and left the annex.

‘What is this really?’

She had clearly come to pick a fight, but he couldn’t understand why she was acting like this.

-Did she eat something wrong?

‘Maybe.’

Human emotions are really complicated.

* * * *

As soon as she left the annex, Martha bit her lip hard. If she didn’t, she might have cried.

She looked like her.

Though their faces, hair color, and clothes were different, her rose-colored eyes were so much like her missing mother.

That’s why she couldn’t shake off her hand when Silvia grabbed her wrist.

Raon must have thought she was crazy.

It was the first time he had seen such a waver in the boy’s eyes.

She had considered leaving later but was glad she had eaten and left. Silvia’s gentle eyes, voice, and the familiar advice to chew well made her feel like she was with her mother.

That’s why she wanted to find her mother even more.

‘The White Blood Sect. You bastards.’

The ones who kidnapped her mother were the White Blood Sect, one of the cults. She would find her mother, even if it meant killing all the fanatics.

Martha made this vow again and again as she returned to the main house.

“Miss, where have you been...? Did you cry?”

Kamel, who was sweeping in front of the door, widened his eyes.

“What are you talking about! Who cried!”

Martha wiped her eyes and shook her head. She quickly opened the door and entered the mansion, but then poked her head out.

“Kamel, can you get some high-quality beef?”

“Beef? I can definitely get it. What do you need it for?”

“I have a use for it. Just get it and leave it in front of my room!”

Martha answered and immediately closed the door, running up to her room.

“Huh.”

Kamel smiled softly at the sight.

“I wonder if she realizes that she looks much better now.”

* * * *

The next day.

As soon as Raon finished his morning practice, he headed to the training ground. As usual, no one had arrived yet.

His mind was still muddled from Martha’s visit yesterday, but he decided to treat it as just a bad dream.

After a light warm-up, he started his flexible sword training. As the sun rose, the children began to enter the training ground one by one.

While swinging his sword and listening to the chatter of the trainees, all the sounds suddenly stopped.

Turning his head, he saw Martha walking into the open training ground.

Her short hair, cut recently, made the trainees gape at her.

“Raon Zighard.”

Martha stopped in front of him.

“You can’t take back what’s already said. I won’t make a half-hearted apology for the trouble I caused.”

Her eyes were even calmer than yesterday, like a still lake.

“Instead, I’ll keep my promise.”

“Promise?”

“The promise I made before the sparring, that the loser would obey the winner.”

She said this and turned around. Her eyes showed that she had fully accepted her defeat.

‘She’s bigger than I thought...’

To change so much in such a short time, she was no ordinary person. However, he still didn’t understand why she had eaten with them yesterday.

“Why are you blocking the way? Get lost!”

While he was tilting his head, Martha kicked Dorian, who was standing awkwardly in front of her.

“Ouch! I, I’m sorry.”

“Tsk.”

She clicked her tongue and returned to her usual spot.

Raon chuckled. It seemed only her attitude towards him had changed.

‘Everyone here is just unusual.’