“Sorry, I’m late. I wanted to help with dinner too…….”

“It’s okay, Knight Commander.”

“You don’t have to lift a finger.”

Cadel, who had just finished training and rushed back, hurried over. He kept asking if there was anything he could do to help, but upon hearing that he didn’t need to do anything, he looked up with an awkward expression. As he restlessly turned his head, as if searching for something, a response came from up in the tree.

“I don’t need a portion.”

It was Yozen. He had been hiding the entire time and only revealed himself once Cadel arrived. When Cadel noticed the apple in his hand, he scolded him, asking if he intended to get by on just that for dinner, but Yozen stubbornly refused to eat.

Meanwhile, dinner was finally ready—a rich stew filled with meat and vegetables. Thanks to Cadel’s regular trips to the village to gather supplies, they could at least imitate a decent meal.

As Lumen ladled the stew into bowls, Garuel distributed the filled dishes to each person. In the end, even Yozen got a portion, unable to withstand Cadel’s persistence.

Taking a spoonful of the stew, Cadel widened his eyes in delight.

“This is really good! How do you make it taste like this? I forgot to bring spices this time, didn’t I?”

“It’s just talent. Since we have such a skilled cook, I’ll continue to handle the meals from now on…….”

“That won’t do. Next time, I’ll make sure to be here on time and help with dinner.”

Was he doing this on purpose? Lumen’s expression darkened, but Cadel, oblivious to the sudden shift in mood, continued eating cheerfully. His rigorous training was evident in his appetite, as he devoured the stew without stopping. Drinking straight from the bowl, Cadel suddenly sensed something amiss and looked in a particular direction.

“Lydon.”

“Hm?”

At the quiet call, Lydon, who had been silently eating his stew, glanced over. His expression was calm and composed.

Observing Lydon’s face for a moment, Cadel moved closer to him.

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Then why are you so quiet? Don’t you have something fun to tell me today? Like an amusing story from the forest spirits or how you messed with the others during training?”

“Hmm……. Not really. Nothing like that.”

Lydon simply shrugged as if there truly was nothing worth mentioning and returned his attention to his stew. Even under Cadel’s suspicious gaze, he remained silent.

As dinner was nearing its end with little conversation, Cadel spoke up again.

“I’ll wash the dishes. Hand them over if you’re done.”

“I’ll do it, Knight Commander. The water is still cold. If those soft hands of yours turn red from the cold, my heart will freeze as well…….”

“The water is always cold. Just hand them over already.”

Despite various protests, Cadel stubbornly insisted on taking care of the dishes. As he collected the last bowl from Lydon, he spoke to him while rubbing his full stomach.

“You’re coming too, Lydon.”

“That sounds like a hassle…… Let’s just make Garuel do it.”

“You were probably goofing off again while we were preparing dinner, weren’t you? At least help with the dishes.”

“Wasn’t Yozen doing the same? Why is it just me?!”

“Yozen and you are different. Get up already.”

Even as he whined in protest, Cadel remained firm. Left with no choice, Lydon got up, his entire body exuding reluctance, but all he received in return was a stack of dishes to carry.

The two made their way through the darkening forest toward the nearby valley.

“Ugh, I hate washing dishes. My hands get so cold.”

“You’re resistant to the cold. Stop exaggerating.”

“Exaggerating? Are you saying you don’t care if my delicate hands get all wrinkled and waterlogged, darling?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll help out too.”

“What do you mean?! You should just sit back over there and rest. Keep your hands nice and warm so that once I’m done, you can use your whole body to warm me up.”

Even while grumbling, Lydon showed no intention of making Cadel do the washing. Hugging the dishes close to his chest, he squatted down by the stream.

Seeing this, Cadel let out a short laugh and settled down beside him.

“Water’s going to splash, so move back.”

“Lydon.”

“Yeah.”

“Why are you upset? Is it something you can’t tell me?”

“……You’re persistent, darling.”

“I’ve always been a little persistent, haven’t I?”

The sound of wooden bowls clinking against the flowing stream created a rather peaceful atmosphere. Using that as a shield, Lydon remained silent for a long while before eventually murmuring softly.

“I don’t really know. Why I’m feeling this way.”

“You don’t know the reason? Why do you think that is……?”

“I’m curious too. My chest just feels tight.”

“Hmm……. Maybe it’s because you haven’t been able to wander around outside for a while? Want to come down to the village with me next time? We can buy your favorite snacks while we’re there.”

“Great! I want chocolate.”

And candy, jelly, preserved fruits, tarts—Lydon, who had been forced to limit his sweets during training, eagerly listed off all the desserts he wanted. His mood visibly lifted.

As they happily planned their village outing, the dishwashing was finished in no time. Drying the bowls thoroughly, Cadel rose to his feet first, prompting Lydon to ask.

“When the war is over and the Knight Order is disbanded, what will you do, Cadel?”

“Hm?”

Cadel blinked at the unexpected question, while Lydon, now standing leisurely, naturally took hold of his arm.

“I asked during dinner prep because I was bored. Garuel, like the fool he is, rambled nonsense without understanding the question, and Lumen…… He said we’d all scatter. Since we have no goal.”

“…….”

“I got curious about what you think.”

As Lydon pulled him along at a slow pace, Cadel sank into deep thought. Lydon adjusted his steps to match, waiting for his answer. For some reason, his heart pounded. He hadn’t expected some grand response, nor did he think Cadel’s answer would decide their future.

Yet, the longer Cadel remained silent, the heavier that suffocating feeling inside Lydon grew.

“Never mind. I just asked on a whim. As expected, you probably don’t have an answer…….”

“When the war ends, I’ll become a hero, and I’ll surely receive a vast, prosperous territory.”

“A territory?”

“Let’s live there. All of us.”

A stray drop of water from the dishes soaked into his shirt, but Lydon clung even tighter to the bowls.

“Lydon, you’re the heir to the fairy king, so it might be difficult for you to stay with us all the time. But as long as Lord Hyron is still alive, you’ll be able to come and go freely. Maybe we could even establish a new settlement nearby for the Pinhai Tribe.”

“…….”

“I want to be together, even if we’re not fighting anymore. Don’t you?”

His heart pounded wildly. It was a pleasant sensation. The rapid beating in his chest—this was an undeniable thrill.

Lydon was exhilarated by Cadel’s confident vision of the future. If that was what Cadel envisioned, the rest of the unit would surely follow his lead.

“Well…… But it seemed like Lumen had no intention of living together. Let’s leave him out.”

“Haha, were you upset by Lumen’s answer?”

“Upset? Why would I be?”

Lydon truly seemed puzzled as he asked, to which Cadel responded with a bright smile.

“Because you care about your comrades.”

He had fiercely denied it. Said it was nonsense, that the only one he liked and loved was Cadel. That hasn’t changed even now. But just as that feeling remained unwavering, there was another emotion that hadn’t changed either.

‘I don’t want to kill them with my own hands.’

He didn’t wish for their deaths. He wanted to be with them. He wanted them to be part of the future he envisioned with Cadel. Sharing memories of their arduous past, vying for Cadel’s affection, celebrating victories together, and sometimes even fighting. That was the kind of life he wanted.

He wanted to roam the world with Cadel, and somewhere nearby, he wanted those bothersome yet irreplaceable comrades to be there too.

‘I won’t kill them.’

The moment he recalled that long-forgotten resolve, faint heat brushed against his skin, and a distant voice seeped through the cracks of his faltering consciousness.

“I’m here to save you, Lydon! Control your energy!”

“For f*ck’s sake, I told you to stop playing around! You’re gonna freeze to death like this!”

The voices, like hallucinations, grew louder and more furious, swelling in intensity. His flickering awareness grasped onto a fragile thread, and with it, the excruciating pain became clearer.

Then, through that sliver of consciousness, came a voice that could only be a hallucination.

“I’ll save you. I swear I will, Lydon. So don’t you dare die.”

He wanted to open his eyes and see for himself. Even if it was an illusion, he wanted to see Cadel—not Cadel collapsed with his heart stolen, but Cadel alive.

And as if responding to Lydon’s desire, the gentle warmth climbing over his body grew hotter.

‘Cadel’s warmth……’

His hazy mind couldn’t distinguish what was real and what was not. But even so, he felt Cadel’s presence. A presence so unmistakable, so dear to him beyond anything in this world.

His body trembled instinctively, yearning to accept that warmth. If he could just feel it fully, then perhaps he could pry open his frozen eyes and see Cadel alive.

Shattered fragments of hope lodged themselves into his chest.

“Open your eyes, you damn fairy! I brought the commander here for you!”

A rough shout pierced through his mind.

“Don’t lose consciousness! I’ll give you all the candy and chocolate you want!”

A desperate plea struck his heart.

“I’m here, Lydon.”

And scorching love wrapped around his entire being.

Despair, which had clouded everything, lifted, leaving behind only a single, flickering wish.

What he truly longed for was not the power to destroy the past.

It was the strength to protect love, hope, and memories.