"Try this. It's wheat bread with a touch of sweet honey from acacia flowers."
Sean offered a silver tray with slices of rye bread coated in a golden syrup.
Lynn, clearly starving, reached out and took a piece. The rich aroma made her mouth water.
As soon as she took a bite, her hunger broke free. She started eating the bread with both hands, crumbs scattering around her mouth. Sean watched her, eating so quickly, and thought to himself.
'What kind of pain and hardship must she have gone through, to lose her memories and let go of everything…'
Sean held back tears, feeling a deep sorrow for his daughter. When Lynn suddenly began to cough from eating too fast, he quickly handed her a glass of water.
"Take your time, dear. There's plenty of bread."
At seven years old, Lynn had always loved bread. Especially rye bread made from wheat, drizzled with honey from flower petals.
How cute she looked back then, cheeks puffed out, her little mouth full as she munched happily.
As Lynn ate, Sean was pulled into memories of the past. His beloved daughter, his only child, was so precious to him, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
After she finished eating and seemed to regain some strength, Lynn looked up at Sean and asked quietly.
"What kind of person was I, Father? I can't remember… my memories don't come back."
Her tone was resigned, as though she had given up hope. Her face, now thin, showed signs of recent weight loss.
Sean gently ran his fingers through Lynn's long, dark hair. It slipped through his rough fingers like grains of fine sand.
In answer, he carefully brought back memories from long ago.
"You were young, but you were sharp and full of spirit. When you sang and moved that tiny body of yours, you drew everyone's eyes."
"..."
"People couldn't help but love you. Everyone adored you."
Hearing his comforting tone, Lynn felt her uneasy feelings settle. Yet soon, worry crept back into her expression.
"I don't know if I can pick up a sword again. To be honest, I'm not sure I believe in myself."
As Lynn spoke in a low, uncertain voice, Sean reached over and gently patted her back.
"Don't worry, Lynn. You'll be just fine."
"..."
"Believe in yourself."
Two days had passed since Lynn had been confined to bed in her room.
Her father, Sean, had been her only visitor, and now, she was beginning to feel restless.
It seemed she was expected to focus solely on recovery, as no one else had come by in that time.
Now that she'd regained some strength, however, a new problem arrived—boredom.
After finishing the warm soup and juicy roast pork Sean had brought for dinner, she sat alone on the bed, staring blankly at the wall.
Outside, evening had fallen, casting a deep blue twilight over everything. She fidgeted with the blanket made from bluebird feathers before tossing it aside with a sigh.
As soon as she stood up, a sharp tingling flooded her legs, a reminder of how long she'd been lying down.
"Ouch, my legs."
Rubbing her tingling legs, she made her way to the door. She slowly turned the blue metal knob, and with a soft creak, the door opened.
She peeked into the hallway. The dimly lit corridor was empty.
***
Sahan had just finished the day's training with the Sahal, the warrior corps of Bliderin. Back in his quarters, he'd showered and changed into comfortable clothes.
The room he shared with Hwan was surprisingly neat and spacious for two men. Along one wall, a stone shelf displayed a variety of swords, large and small, all proudly sheathed. Surrounding these were other weapons, some unrecognizable but clearly deadly.
Across the room were two beds, one for Hwan and one for Sahan.
Sahan was seated at a bronze oval table, sipping fruit wine made from red pomegranates, when Hwan entered, freshly showered.
Hwan, dressed only in loose trousers, had left his torso bare. His chest and shoulders, defined and scarred from past battles, showed a history of unknown struggles.
His black hair, still damp, shone like ink. A single droplet of water traced down his jawline, catching the light as it fell.
As Hwan ran a towel over his hair and dropped into the chair opposite Sahan, Sahan took another sip of his wine, watching him with a smirk.
"Looking pretty good today, Hwan."
Hwan picked up one of the glasses on the table and took a sip of the pomegranate wine. The sweet yet tangy scent filled his senses. He replied with a calm indifference.
"As if it's only today."
"Oh man, you're impossible. People need to see this side of you."
"It's enough if only you know."
Hwan continued to respond indifferently, while Sahan shook his head in mock disagreement.
"Has the setup of the weapons depot in the old Schleiman territory begun?"
Blaine had instructed Sahan to establish temporary training barracks and a weapons depot for the Sahal in Schleiman's former territory.
"Not yet. Blaine wants to recover all their weapons first, so it'll probably start once that's done."
"I see."
"By the way, when are you planning to start that girl's training?"
Sahan leaned back in his chair, crossing his long legs as he asked the question casually. Hwan looked at the wine glass he was balancing on his finger, lost in thought for a moment before he answered.
"Soon."
With that, the two men fell silent. An unspoken heaviness settled over them.
"Anyway… poor thing. That girl," Sahan murmured, breaking the silence. Hwan didn't disagree.
Though they weren't usually ones to feel pity, they both couldn't help but feel a hint of it for the girl with such an unfortunate fate.
Sahan was about to change the subject, casually popping a cold-baked oatmeal cookie into his mouth, when they heard it.
Creeak—
The sound of the door opening made both Hwan and Sahan turn their heads instinctively. The door, which they must have left slightly ajar, swung open to reveal an unexpected figure.
They stared at the pale-faced woman standing in the doorway, frozen with surprise as she realized she'd found them.
After wandering through the dim hallway, Lynn now stood there awkwardly, momentarily speechless before forcing a small, uneasy smile.
"...Uh, hello?"