Lunch break. Once again, Carpe Deia was full of Sahals who had finished their morning training.
With another training session planned for the afternoon, Lynn spent her break lazily stretching in her room before heading to the dining hall. When she arrived, she found herself surrounded by strangers chatting and laughing. She looked around but couldn't spot Hwan, Sahan, or even Garnet.
Had they already eaten and left?
A little disappointed, she pursed her lips and walked over to the buffet, where a colorful spread of food was waiting.
The rich smell of roasted pheasant skewers filled the air, the juicy meat making her mouth water. She swallowed and eagerly piled her plate with skewers, adding a glass of pomegranate juice to complete her meal. With a satisfied smile, she looked for a place to sit.
"Hey, want to eat with us?"
A group of women who had been watching her from across the room finally called out.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you. Your name's Lynn, right?"
Their laughter was warm and inviting. Curiosity sparkled in their eyes as they looked her over. Lynn hesitated, wondering if she should recognize them, then decided to join them, hiding her uncertainty behind a friendly smile.
Whew, making new friends already! At this rate, I might just become the friendship champ here!
She sat down beside them, only to feel all eyes on her, their curiosity almost tangible.
"So, how's it going here?" asked a girl across from her, her bangs neatly cut and her big eyes wide with interest.
She looks so young she's a warrior? Lynn thought, surprised by the girl's fresh-faced appearance.
How's it going here? Lynn felt something odd in the question but answered casually. "Oh, it's... you know, where I've always been."
"Oh, right. Of course," one of the girls replied, laughing.
"Geez, you didn't have to ask like that!" another whispered, giggling.
They started exchanging murmurs and glances. What's going on with this strange vibe?
Feeling a little out of place, Lynn shrugged it off and dipped her copper spoon into the corn mash soup, taking a sip. Meanwhile, the women around her seemed to have completely forgotten about their own meals, their attention still on her.
The woman seated to Lynn's left brushed her short hair behind her ear and extended her hand, her thick, caterpillar-like eyebrows nearly meeting in the middle, a unique feature.
"My name's Leviche. I'm with the Garnet Unit."
"Oh, Garnet?" Lynn replied, recognizing the name as one of the few she'd heard around here.
Leviche's bronzed skin and broad shoulders gave her the presence of a seasoned warrior. Her shoulder muscles looked impressively strong.
Next, the girl with neatly trimmed bangs sitting across from Lynn introduced herself with energy.
"I'm Sally! I'm with the Hwai Unit. We all used to be close!"
"Oh, really?"
Lynn's cautious smile softened as she relaxed a little.
The women exchanged quick glances that went unnoticed by Lynn, who felt a strange mix of gratitude and relief, thinking these women understood her situation.
"Of course we were close. It's just a shame you don't remember," Sally added, her expression warm and sympathetic.
"Lynn's been through an accident, remember? Give her some slack," Leviche reminded her playfully.
The long-faced woman beside Lynn, with sleek hair cascading over her shoulders, smiled gracefully. "I'm Sophia. I'm also part of the Garnet Unit with Leviche."
Just then, Sally leaned forward, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. "By the way, have you gotten close to the senior members yet?"
"Huh?"
Sophia quickly stepped in to save Sally. "Oh, don't mind her. Sally's new here and still figuring things out."
She shot Sally an approving glance. "But even though she's been with us for such a short time, she's already in a sub-group! Her skills must be impressive."
Lynn nodded thoughtfully, and Sally's eyes sparkled with envy.
"I only get to see Master Hwai during training. You're so lucky, Lynn!"
"Personally, I think Master Sahan's the best," Sophia said, her eyes shining. "His flawless skin and his smile! But really, his physique is the definition of manliness!"
"Oh, come on, Sophia. Let's be honest Master Hwai is the better-looking one," Leviche cut in, grinning. "He's got those rugged features and that air of mystery. He's in a class of his own, don't you think?"
"Sure, he's handsome," Sally agreed, "but he's so distant. We catch him smiling sometimes, but other times… he's pretty intimidating."
"That's because you don't know him well enough," Leviche said, sounding smug. "Get closer, and he's different."
Sally sniffed dismissively and crossed her arms, but Leviche smoothly changed the subject.
"My forever idol is Master Garnet."
"Leviche, you're the ultimate fangirl," Sophia rolled her eyes. "Think about it logically."
"Actually, I like both of them. They each have their own appeal."
Sophia glanced around and sighed dramatically. "Why are we always surrounded by nothing but musclemen?"
"Why, Sophia, you're quite the 'muscle girl' yourself," Leviche teased, popping a piece of pheasant into her mouth.
"Leviche, take a look in the mirror. From behind, you practically look like a full-grown man."
"Hmph, well, plenty of men have fallen for my sexy muscles," Leviche replied, completely serious.
For a moment, Lynn wasn't sure if she should laugh. The three women continued their playful banter, teasing each other.
Having only seen Hwan and Sahan as close friends, Lynn felt out of place in their conversation. She stayed quiet, nibbling on her pheasant skewer, until Sally turned to her with a question.
"So, Lynn, what's Master Hwan like up close?"
Everyone knew Hwan was overseeing Lynn's training, and word of their sessions had spread.
"Huh?"
The question caught Lynn off guard, and she almost choked on her water. All three women were now watching her closely.
Hwan up close?
Her mind flashed back to the previous night.
His breathing had been shaky, unsteady.
He had seemed as fragile as thin ice, ready to break at any moment.
"Oh… well, he's a bit cold, I guess? Honestly, I'm not sure myself." She gave a light laugh, offering a vague answer.
Sophia and Leviche nodded, agreeing, "Yeah, he's definitely aloof." Meanwhile, Sally, who had been quietly eating, looked up, her lips parting.
"Still, I'm jealous, Lynn."
"Huh?"
For a moment, Lynn noticed something strange in Sally's look, but maybe it was just her imagination.
"Pfft never mind." Sally waved it off. "Shall we go now that we're done eating?"
"Good idea. I'm stuffed!" Sophia patted her stomach with a satisfied grin. "Lynn, we usually eat around this time let's do this more often!"
Lynn smiled and nodded. "...Sure!"
***
After lunch, Lynn went back to her room to change into her dark blue training uniform, ready for the afternoon session. The training grounds were in a wide clearing behind the building, surrounded by thick bushes.
Scattered around the area were wooden poles, each holding a cloth dummy shaped like a person.
At the far side of the clearing, near the equipment area, stood Hwan. Lynn instinctively paused when she saw him.
Seeing him reminded her of the conversation with the girls at lunch. She squinted, taking in his appearance.
He was tall, with a strong, athletic build, long legs, and an upper body shaped by years of sword training. His fair skin had a light tan, and his profile, though sharp, had a certain masculine charm. Realizing where her thoughts had gone, Lynn snapped back to reality, shaking her head.
W-What am I even thinking?
It's all because of that conversation earlier. I shouldn't have paid so much attention... Get it together, Lynn!
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she walked forward.
When he saw her coming, Hwan picked up a wooden sword from the equipment area and handed it to her.
Seeing him again made a flurry of questions pop into her head.
Did he bring me to my room this morning?
"We'll be working on more advanced moves today," he said, his voice calm.
He was so different from yesterday. Could he be unwell?
"You've got a good foundation," he continued.
"…"
"Today's training will end with sparring against the dummy once you're comfortable with the moves."
"Yeah, got it."
Hwan's behavior hadn't changed, so she didn't ask about the night before. He seemed completely unaware of what happened, so she stayed quiet.
He unsheathed his sword and took his usual stance, looking straight ahead. The first move was to rotate the sword clockwise with his right hand, then thrust to the right.
The practice went smoothly.
They continued in silence, repeating each movement with full focus.
Nearly two hours passed.
Finally, Hwan turned to her, lifting his sword. Lynn, slightly sweating and focused on her own movements, looked at him, a moment of confusion crossing her face.
"You've got the basics down."
"Oh!"
"Now, try to match my movements. Work with the training dummy, but keep this feeling in mind."
With a nod, Lynn raised her sword and met his gaze. But as soon as she saw his face, memories from the previous night flooded back.
'Get out of here. Leave…'
The sound of his voice, heavy with pain, echoed in her mind.
Suddenly, Hwan closed the distance between them, swinging his practice sword toward her right side. Startled, Lynn instinctively raised her sword to block.
As he came closer, she caught a hint of his familiar scent, distracting her for a moment. Before she could refocus, he adjusted his stance and struck again.
Clack! Her wooden sword slipped from her grip and clattered to the ground.
"Ah!"
Flustered, Lynn quickly snapped back to reality, her surprise clear. Standing close, Hwan looked down at her, his expression unreadable.
"Where's your focus during training?"
"…"
"When you hold a sword, focus on nothing else."
Lynn's head jerked up at his cold tone. In his dark eyes, she saw her own reflection, her surprise mirrored back at her.
"Are you okay now?"
"What?"
"Yesterday, you…"
"I don't remember much," he interrupted, his tone sharp and final.
He… doesn't remember?
His gaze turned cold, a look that reminded her all too well of his strange behavior the night before.
A tense silence fell between them as he continued to stare down at her, his lips barely moving.
"Forget about yesterday."
"…"
"Even if you saw something, it's none of your concern."
"Oh, Hwan"
"Focus on your training."
The coldness in his voice left no room for more questions. Stung, Lynn bit her lip and turned sharply away, positioning herself in front of the training dummy. She tightened her grip on the sword, her determination flaring.
Tch, fine. I'm done caring!
Annoyed, she threw herself into the practice, striking the dummy with focused, precise movements. Behind her, Hwan stood with his arms crossed, watching in silence.
As he watched her, memories from the past began to resurface in his mind.
***
It was early morning, just before dawn. Stirred awake by the cool air, Hwan found Lynn sleeping peacefully in his arms.
For a moment, his mind went blank. It took him several seconds to process the situation.
Looking around, Hwan realized they were on the terrace. Kuh, he thought, piecing together his state from the previous night.
Is this happening again?
With a sigh of self criticism, he closed his eyes, resting his head wearily against the wall.
Lynn whimpered softly, instinctively moving closer to him as if seeking warmth. The thin nightgown barely covered her, feeling like nothing between them, and his arms froze in place, as rigid as wooden poles. Haa He exhaled deeply, as if losing his balance.
Looking down at Lynn, who lay nestled in his arms, fragmented memories began to resurface.
Was it her warmth that kept me steady?
He took in her delicate features the soft baby hairs on her cheeks, the small curve of her nose. Her cheeks and nose, flushed red from the cold, made her look as fresh as a peach.
Breaking the silence, he muttered softly.
"Really… Just like Sahan said."
He lifted a finger and gently tapped her forehead. "You don't have any guard up, do you?"
She furrowed her brow slightly at his touch, then relaxed into a peaceful expression. Her childlike face in sleep made a faint smile tug at his lips, despite himself. Even if this is just an act…
"Don't cross that invisible line," he murmured, his voice low.
"…"
"What if you regret it?"
He paused, then wrapped his arms around her and lifted her carefully, her feet swaying slightly in the air. Lynn instinctively moved closer, and with one last glance at her peaceful face, he carried her back toward her room.