Marcus’s expression shifted repeatedly—first blank, then solemn, then suspicious, and finally settling into an unexpected sense of relief.
“Who told you?”
The moment those words left his mouth, an indescribable wave of grief surged through Shilo’s heart.
Though Shilo had often complained about Marcus’s faults, he never truly believed the man was rotten to the core. He had always thought Marcus was only confused because Thor’s death had been such a heavy blow, leading him to join the Church in a moment of weakness. He had believed Marcus hadn’t forgotten his oaths, that he was just waiting for an opportunity and would eventually stand by his side.
He had held onto that belief no matter how cowardly, useless, or pathetic Marcus acted.
But now, he had actually admitted it…
The knight Thor had trusted most was currently helping the Church plot against him.
“Why?”
Shilo’s eyes were filled with confusion as he grabbed Marcus by the collar, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
He didn’t want to believe it.
Facing this rough treatment, Marcus simply smiled.
“Why what? Oh, the High Priest told you, didn’t he?”
“Then let me say this: he wasn’t wrong. Do you believe me now?”
“Or rather…” Marcus paused, a mocking sneer appearing on his face, “Or rather, do you think there’s some hidden reason? Do you think I had no choice but to compromise, and that’s why I told the Church about your uniqueness to stop them from teaching you the strengthening art?”
Seeing Shilo’s pupils shrink, Marcus couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Hahaha! It really is like that. Sigh… should I call you stupid or just too kind?”
“You’re so dense that I don’t even have the heart to keep lying. I’ll tell you the truth.”
“After Thor died, when the High Priest and the others were discussing which of Thor’s remaining influences were the most threatening, I was the first to mention you. I was the one who suggested making you a knight, because that was the easiest way to destroy everything Thor worked for.”
“After that, I was the one who advised them not to teach you the strengthening art. I suggested they leave all the Filth incidents to you while letting the other knights and priests suppress and ostracize you.”
“Now, why did I do it?”
Marcus walked off on his own, then suddenly spun around. His smile was gone, his eyes were wide, and his face was twisted with fury.
“That idiot Thor held me back for so long, and in the end, I got nothing out of it!”
“He got off easy, dying without saying a word!”
“But what about me!?”
“What was I supposed to do as his deputy? Did he ever think about me?”
“To survive, to enjoy my life, I had to protect myself. So… do you get it now?”
“You, Thor’s only kin! You were my admission ticket to join them!”
Shilo, having reached his limit, slammed a fist into Marcus’s face.
He didn’t hold back. This strike was delivered with lethal intent.
Marcus was sent flying 2 or 3 meters.
By the time he scrambled up pathetically, his once-charming face was sunken in, and blood poured from his nose. Yet, the corners of his mouth were curled in a mocking grin.
“Losing your temper already? You know, this one punch is enough for me to ask the High Priest to dock your salary for a few months. Do you want to try a few more? I was just worrying about not having enough money for women!”
As he spoke, he intentionally thrust his face forward, as if daring Shilo to hit him again.
Seeing this shameless display, Shilo clenched his fists, but he didn’t move.
“Don’t have the guts?” Marcus sneered.
“You cowardly brat, you’re just like your stupid foster father!”
“Pathetic and ignorant. He’d jump to the front for every little thing, but when it really mattered, you’re both as yellow as they come!”
“A hypocritical fraud like that dares to call himself a knight?”
“Pah!”
The moment he finished speaking, Shilo kicked him back. His anger nearly consumed his usual composure as he glared at Marcus, who was shakily climbing to his feet.
“Shut your mouth, Marcus.”
“You subhuman scum. You aren’t fit to utter my father’s name. He was a true knight, and you are nothing!”
“Hahaha — !!!”
Marcus clutched his stomach and laughed toward the sky as if he had just heard the world’s funniest joke.
The laughter was so wild that it woke Grace. The baby began to cry.
The girl’s wailing and the man’s laughter intertwined, making the atmosphere of the training ground feel eerie.
Because he laughed too hard, Marcus broke into a fit of coughing. It seemed his lungs had been damaged, and his face turned a shade of bright red. He finally stopped laughing to steady his breathing.
Then, he looked at Shilo, who was still standing there with a dark, confused expression. Marcus muttered to himself, “Ah… I see. So… Thor never told you anything… Figures. If it were me, I wouldn’t have said anything either. It is quite a shameful matter, after all.”
“What are you talking about?” Shilo’s brow furrowed, a bad premonition rising in his gut.
The corners of Marcus’s mouth pulled up into a wide grin as he spread his arms.
“Yeah… what indeed? What else could it be?”
“Nothing more than the fact that your so-called ‘true knight’ was actually just a deserter. A deserter who abandoned his lord and ran away.”
Shilo froze. He roared at Marcus in disbelief.
“What nonsense are you spewing! Thor valued a knight’s honor more than his own life! He would never do such a thing!”
Marcus’s expression returned to a calm state. He gave Shilo a flat look, then walked over to the crying Grace, picking her up and gently soothing her. He ignored Shilo entirely during the process.
It wasn’t until Shilo tried to step closer to press for answers that Marcus looked back with a cool gaze.
“Is it true or false? Why don’t you go investigate it yourself? Otherwise, why do you think a foreign knight like him would end up in this border town for no reason?”
“I told you that you were ignorant. When something happens, you just yell and scream, putting on a front with your pathetic martial skills—exactly like your stupid father.”
Faced with another insult, Shilo’s clenched fists trembled, but he didn’t take another step toward Marcus.
Marcus, having calmed the child, prepared to leave with Grace. Only then did Shilo speak.
“I will prove it.”
The vague statement made Marcus turn his head to look at the boy standing in the shadows.
“Thor was a true knight. I will prove that to you. I will definitely prove it!”
His tone was calm, but it carried an unquestionable resolve.
Marcus let out a short, mocking laugh, finding it amusing. He threw one last line over his shoulder before leaving.
“You do that, then.”
He left Shilo alone on the training ground and carried Grace back toward the dormitory.
On the way, a white-clad figure leaned against a wall.
“Hey, Marcus, that’s the kid you care about, right? I remember he’s the one who saved us.”
Marcus glanced at him. It was the priest, Lucas.
“It’s him. What of it?”
“Tsk, tsk. Being so cold. I almost didn’t recognize you. Also, was that stuff you said just now true? I didn’t think you could be so ruthless!”
“If you have nothing to do, go play with yourself. Stop bothering me while I’m with the kid!” Marcus snapped at him.
“Hmph.” Lucas rolled his eyes. “How rude. I saw how pathetic you looked and was going to give you some free healing.”
“Heh. From a priest whose Healing Art fails five or six times in a row?”
Stung by the remark, Lucas immediately flared up.
“Do you want the damn heal or not!?”
Marcus: “…”
“I do.”
***
The entrance of the farm.
Shilo didn’t know how he had made it back.
He knew his current state was obvious, so he stood at the gate for a moment to organize his emotions. Once he felt like he looked normal enough, he stepped into the farm.
The moment he entered, his body felt as if it had passed through an unknown barrier, causing a brief moment of disorientation.
When he regained his senses, he saw a 5- or 6-year-old girl with a bright smile. She was holding a wooden stick and riding a large golden dog, charging toward him.
As she sprinted, she shouted in a high-pitched, childish voice:
“Charge! Charge!”
Mid-charge, the large dog seemed to trip on something. It stumbled, and the girl sitting on its back was sent flying.
“Ah! Help, help, help!”
The girl flailed her arms and legs in the air with a cry. Shilo quickly stepped forward and caught her instinctively.
The girl in his arms had been panicked, but after seeing who it was, her familiar eyes blinked. Then, she let out a sweet smile.
“Mr. Shilo! Welcome home!”