EIYTMA Chapter 5

“But isn’t this the commander’s dinner?”  

 

Ezekiel shook his head.  

 

“I’m not very hungry. More than that, I’m not sure if the meals of the paladins will suit the tastes of the marquis’s party.”  

 

“Oh, what are you saying? We’re only grateful.”  

 

The maid eagerly accepted the bowl. Seeing this, Milena held out her own bowl as well.  

 

“That young lady must be starving too. Hey, Shanka. Give yours up too. Let the servants over there eat first.”  

 

Shanka, who had been licking his spoon, smacked his lips and even snatched another paladin’s portion, handing over two more bowls. The maid, looking embarrassed, repeatedly bowed as she took the bowls.  

 

The attendant, who had thought the cooking was finished and had already brought the pot to be cleaned, looked disappointed and put water back on to boil.  

 

By the time the stew was boiling again—  

 

“Um…”  

 

Unexpectedly, it was Iris Querluxia who came back holding empty bowls.  

 

“Oh my, for the young lady to bring these herself.”  

 

Startled, the paladins hurriedly stood up to take the dishes from her hands, but Iris pulled back a step and shook her head.  

 

“I’ll wash the dishes. Before that, I have something to give you…”  

 

The maid who had followed her quickly stepped forward and proudly held out what she had been carrying. Meat. And not just any meat—an expensive, high-quality cut. Enough for all twelve paladins to eat their fill and still have leftovers.  

 

Shanka’s eyes widened at the sight.  

 

“What is all this?”  

 

“The marquis was embarrassed for imposing on the paladins, so he insisted on sending this.”  

 

“There’s no need. We just…”  

 

Ezekiel opened his mouth and raised his hand, about to decline the gift. But Shanka, realizing what he intended, was quicker. He eagerly took the meat from the maid’s hands, grinning.  

 

“Wow, thank you! We’ll have a feast!”  

 

“You could have just taken care of the marquis, but to think you’d extend the courtesy to us as well—we’re very grateful. It’s not much, but… we felt sorry.”  

 

“What are you saying! Just leave the bowls here! We’ll wash them!”  

 

“That won’t do.”  

 

The lady smiled awkwardly and pulled the bowls back. Then, she added:  

 

“I know that dishes are scarce when traveling. I’ll wash it quickly.”  

 

“Oh, but…”  

 

The young lady washing dishes? They clearly wanted to say it, but before they could, the lady smiled again, a little more flustered this time.  

 

She cast a fleeting glance at Ezekiel before tucking her hair behind her ear. Her movements were hurried and awkward.  

 

“Washing dishes is nothing. I saw a stream nearby, so I’ll bring them back soon.”  

 

Without giving them a chance to protest further, she quickly left.  

 

Ezekiel avoided watching her go.  

 

Her pale silver hair fell loosely before it was swept back by the wind as she walked. The skin revealed beneath it was flawless. Her hurried steps led toward the stream.  

 

“She’s just a kid.”  

 

As soon as Iris Querluxia disappeared into the forest with the maid, Milena sighed.  

 

Her clear skin wasn’t quite like that of a well-groomed noblewoman. It was fresh, almost radiant.  

 

Just twenty years old, unmarried—there was an unmistakable youthfulness about her.  

 

“Well, her thoughtfulness is already that of a lady. Someone’s lucky.”  

 

Shanka, who had been smirking, whistled as he unwrapped the meat from its wax paper.  

 

“Wow. Just the price of this meat must be outrageous. We hit the jackpot.”  

 

“Commander, let’s not eat this now. Let’s grill it for tomorrow’s dinner, okay?”  

 

The paladins gathered around excitedly, looking at the meat like children.  

 

And yet they dared to call others “kid.”.  

 

Ezekiel, watching them with amusement, chuckled and nodded.  

 

An attendant handed him a piece of dry bread with some jerky. Taking it, Ezekiel instructed Milena:  

 

“From the next encampment onward, tell them we’ll prepare the meals together with the Marquis Kazakov’s party.”  

 

“Huh? Do we really need to go that far?”  

 

“It’ll save time and be more efficient.”  

 

“What a hassle…”  

 

Milena grumbled. After speaking to the marquis, she grumbled even more.  

 

Apparently, the Marquis Kazakov, with only his pride intact, had scoffed at the idea, doubting that the paladins even had good ingredients.  

 

But Shanka, who had accompanied her, was grinning ear to ear.  

 

“He said that, but then he told us we could use their ingredients! Their carriage is packed with magically preserved meat!”  

 

Ezekiel’s stew bowl returned soon after—cleaned, spotless.  

 

Ezekiel stared at it for a moment before eventually falling asleep late that night.  

 

***

 

The paladins of Udahl generally maintained an egalitarian relationship.  

 

Though Ezekiel served as the commander, it was merely for convenience. Being in command didn’t make things any easier for him.  

 

The night watch was no exception.  

 

“Commander.”  

 

“Yes.”  

 

The paladin from the previous watch cautiously woke him.  

 

Already awake, Ezekiel rose and stepped outside the tent.  

 

He quietly donned his leather armor, then rekindled the dying embers of the fire. The forest, damp with morning dew, was silent. The air was cold and humid.  

 

Ezekiel wandered slowly between the tents.  

 

At the end of his path stood the women’s tent—where Milena, the marquis’s maid, and… Iris Querluxia were staying.  

 

Something gnawed at him.  

 

Ezekiel quickly turned away, troubled by the thoughts cluttering his mind.  

 

It had been five years since he had last seen her.  

 

Milena had dismissed her as a child, but Ezekiel didn’t see it that way.  

 

At fifteen, her once lively cheeks had thinned. The innocence she used to wear so easily was replaced by a subtle weariness.  

 

…And yet, she still captured him at first sight.  

 

“…I must be out of my mind.”  

 

The man, leaving behind those who were still asleep, headed straight for the nearby stream. He intended to splash some water on his face to clear his mind.

 

However, there, Ezekiel encountered an unexpected person.

 

“……Ah.”

 

“…….”

 

It was Iris Querluxia.

 

In the forest at dawn, when had the silver-haired woman left her tent and come here? Squatting by the stream, she turned at the sound of his approach and froze.

 

Ezekiel was just as startled. He hadn’t expected anyone else to be at the stream, let alone her.

 

“Ah, good morning.”

 

Of all times, why did they have to run into each other like this? Ezekiel resisted the urge to squeeze his eyes shut and instead opened his mouth.

 

“It is not safe for you to wander alone like this, Miss Querluxia.”

 

“Ah.”

 

She hurriedly stood up, stammering as if making excuses.

 

“I woke up early… I didn’t want to disturb the others. I was just going to wash my face quickly and return.”

 

As if to prove her words, the hem of her dress, which had been tightly tucked between her legs, slipped down and swayed as it touched the ground. Her cheeks flushed red.

 

“I apologize. If I had known you would wake up, Sir Ezekiel…”

 

“…It is not as if I woke up because of you.”

 

“I see…”

 

An awkward silence settled between them. She fidgeted with the sleeves she had rolled up, while Ezekiel folded his arms and looked away.

 

In the end, it was the woman who spoke first.

 

“I’m really sorry, but… if I don’t need to leave immediately, may I at least finish washing my face?”

 

“…Go ahead.”

 

However, Ezekiel did not move from his spot. Iris looked at him in puzzlement. Avoiding her gaze, Ezekiel spoke.

 

“Protecting you is our duty.”

 

It was his way of saying that he wouldn’t leave her alone in the forest at dawn, even for something as trivial as washing her face. Iris let out a vague “Ah…” before nodding and turning back to the stream, crouching down again.

 

Even as she did so, she stole glances at him several times, clearly feeling uncomfortable. But it didn’t matter. Ezekiel had no intention of leaving her alone.

 

The gently flowing stream was barely the length of Ezekiel’s arm in width.

 

The woman crouched down by the water’s edge, gathering the long hem of her dress to one side and tucking it between her knees. The extravagant dress seemed to be quite a hindrance to simply washing her face, so she carefully rolled up her sleeves as well.

 

Her slender wrists were exposed to the pale dawn air. Though it was early summer, the air was still cool, yet she unhesitatingly plunged her hands into the stream.

 

“Ah, it’s cold…”

 

Muttering to herself, Iris scooped up the cold water and splashed it onto her face.

 

As she did, the strands of hair she had tucked behind her ears came loose, falling forward and soaking in the water. Droplets ran down the strands, shimmering under the blue light of dawn.

 

Drip.

 

Ezekiel saw it all.

 

The young lady he had once held in his heart.

 

Iris Querluxia.