Silver Lining Yesterday - Chapter 9
Nix, having slipped Jean’s right foot into the fur boot, pushed himself up from his knee.
The large body that had been lying obediently at her feet like a well-behaved hunting dog suddenly stretched out over her head.
Jean glanced up at him with a look of displeasure. It was a rare talent to make her feel annoyed even after he’d warmed her feet with his hands.
“You might not know this yet because you’re young, but Lipton was the best dragon knight in Alderon.”
“He still is now.”
“He was especially skilled with firearms. When he appeared with the rising sun, backlit, and pulled the trigger, there was no one who could avoid it.”
“So, is that how you got beaten by him?”
“I was in terrible shape at that time…!”
Jean, who was about to raise her voice, stopped herself and cleared her throat.
“Anyway, Lipton was considered a genius who appeared once every 30 years. I see you’re quite skilled with the sword, judging that you’ve become an officer at a young age. But remember, excessive confidence can be a poison.”
“Ah, so that’s how to avoid getting stabbed in the back, like you did?”
“Hey!”
Jean flared up.
As if expecting it, Nix casually pushed her forehead with his finger.
“Then why act like an old fart that isn’t like you?”
“An, an old fart?”
“I’ll make my own path. I’m not going to hand you over to Lipton, and I’m not going to leave you stranded in the middle of the ocean after I wake you up.”
Jean averted her eyes feeling a bit hurt.
Since the moment she heard Lipton was the Marshal of the military, she had been planning to leave Nix.
“…If you’re caught, your life as a soldier will be over. You know that, right?”
“Yes. I know it well.”
“You don’t seem to know anything.”
Jean sighed deeply and slumped her shoulders.
“First, let’s go see Gemma. Then we’ll get a sense of what we should do next.”
At least the forty-five-year-old Gemma would be more reasonable than her twenty-three-year-old son. She hadn’t accepted Nix as Gemma’s son yet, but for now, that seemed to be the only way forward.
Jean sighed again, and her thick, curly hair blew in the wind. The gust ruffled her thin dress, exposing her bare neck and shoulders.
Nix, seemingly uncomfortable, cast a side glance at her, then roughly ran his hand through his hair before taking off his coat and draping it over her shoulders.
Jean paid no attention, staring at the faint light from a distant lighthouse.
Land was drawing nearer.
* * *
The ‘Steel City’ Satin is a strategic hub in northern Alderon.
The fortress nestled against the rugged Aisendor Mountain served as the first line of defense against Yeta, who was always eyeing the southern expansion. Surrounding the area, iron ore scattered like gold dust, serving as the backbone of Alderon’s industrial strength.
Above all, Satin was the ancestral home of the Heidegger family, the guard dog of Alderon.
They had migrated from the north 400 years ago, gaining fame on countless battlefields and leaving their mark across the continent.
While many famous sword-fighting families rose and fell over time, the Heidegger family remained steadfast, their swordsmanship still renowned for its power.
Anyone born into the Heidegger name was destined to devote their life to the sword.
From the moment Heidegger children could crawl, they played with toy swords, learning to wield wooden swords before pens.
Like other talented apprentice knights selected from all over, they had to prove themselves by rolling in the dirt, but the Heideggers overcame all hardships and carried their family’s great steel spirit from parent to child.
Even in this turbulent era, where the monarchy had fallen, numerous noble families had collapsed, and the revolutionary tide of magical engineering was shaking the roots of civilization, the Heidegger family stood firm.
Especially Gemma Heidegger, who had successfully protected her family during the revolutionary era, had cultivated a new generation that carried the steel spirit forward.
Among them, the person most highly regarded as a leader of the next generation was Luke Heidegger.
He had just reached adulthood, the eldest son of Gemma Heidegger, and showed considerable talent as a swordsman.
While his half-brother stole the public spotlight with daily headlines in the newspapers, Luke did not feel overshadowed by his elder brother’s flashy actions.
As he was about to enlist, Luke has endless opportunities to hone his skills, and his honest, sturdy swordsmanship, much like his mother’s, would only grow more formidable with time.
Above all, he truly liked and respected his half-brother.
“Mother!”
Luke Heidegger, striding energetically through the corridor, swung open the dining room door.
Gemma Heidegger, who had just finished her meal, wiped her lips with a napkin.
“Luke, you should act more dignified.”
Luke, unfazed by the scolding, energetically leaned against the table.
“Mother, do you remember what I told you last week? The Calypse appeared in Dornoch Harbor!”
“Yes. And I also heard it disappeared eastward, across the open sea.”
“A report just came in. A resident from Avon Village spotted the Calypse heading west. They say Brother is coming to celebrate Mother’s birthday!”
The excited Luke hurriedly pulled out a chair and sat down.
“We should reserve a seat for him at tomorrow’s banquet. Right next to Father and me, the best seat of the best!”
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