I restlessly shifted in my chair, clenching my fists to contain my nervousness. If looks could kill, I would have died on the spot. His once-soft brown eyes, which were growing darker by the second, betrayed any kind of notion that he was the same kind of man who saved me from harm. Given how menacing he appeared, my initial enthusiasm quickly faded. The fact that he rescued me when nobody else would remain unchanged, though.

I realized yesterday that I never got the chance to ask him his name. The only thing that came to mind was the name of the jerk who abandoned us and whose name I refuse to say. 

I clear my throat trying to break the suffocating silence. We have been sitting inside the tavern for quite some time now. Although there are a lot of customers inside causing a ruckus on their tables, the silence between them is enough to drive someone mad.

"Ah! I forgot to ask your name the last time we met. I want to properly thank you for saving me," I said, habitually tucking the strands of hair that became loose behind my ears.

“How did you escape?” he ignored my question and proceeded with his interrogation.

He is being cold, I get it. I guess being cordial was a waste of time. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. There’s no need to avoid the situation. It will only make things difficult for both of them.

“I just did what I could to save myself. I—” I hesitated before continuing because I really didn't want to mention the word "kill" in the context of the whole escapade scenario. I shook my head in defiance. It may be unintentional or not, but the outcome is still the same. I hurt someone and tried to kill him with my actions.

“Like hurting a nobleman who participated in the hunt?” he supplied.

I faintly nodded, the realization of what I did finally sinking in. Am I going to be thrown into jail?

“Count Rossetti, the nobleman you tied up and left for dead managed to survive. He is pissed and is hell-bent on hunting you down,”

My body stiffened, eyes growing wide like saucers. How? Especially in that kind of state? Did that woman save him?

 “How did he manage to survive?!” I couldn’t help but blurt out my voice rising several octaves higher.

The man in front stares at me questioningly, almost reprimanding me. He looks around as if checking whether someone heard me or not. Thankfully, almost everyone is busy doing their own thing.

“You should lower your voice. Someone might hear,”

When I realized what I had just uttered, I sealed my mouth in fear of adding some curses along the way. Now is not the time to be passive-aggressive. Truthfully, I needed his assistance, even though I did not want to rely on him.

I keep my head low, avoiding eye contact. With lowered shoulders, I attempted to appear weak and vulnerable. "What do I do?" I muttered, nearly feeling helpless. My heart beats erratically.

The man heaves a deep sigh. A minute passed when he suddenly offered a perplexing offer.

“You should come with me,” he said matter-of-factly.

My head shot up in surprise, accidentally looking at him straight in the eyes. My mouth moves like a fish out of the water, unable to form a coherent response to his statement. That’s it? I thought he would be harsher with me. This is getting confusing.

“You don’t want to?”

I let out a shaky breath, trying to catch my bearing because of the sudden attack. “It’s—it's not like I don’t want to but why? Why should I come with you?”

“You have nowhere to go. I’m just trying to help here,”

I involuntarily stiffened. The word “help” is triggering me in ways I didn’t want to ignore.

“Why didn’t you— do it back then? Why didn’t you do it for them?” I couldn’t help but ask while determinedly zeroing my gaze on his face to get my intentions across.

I didn’t want to bring it up because he helped me the first time, I landed in this strange place but I couldn't turn a blind eye. No woman should be treated like that.

He heaves another deep sigh, suddenly finding it difficult to look me in the eye. “This may sound like an excuse but I don’t call the shots. I don’t know where you lived before but things are different here. Things were much worse before, but the emperor is trying his best to correct the old ways,”

“Like hunting women for fun?” I mimicked, trying to mock him, showing the same nonchalance he expressed earlier.

His eyes wavered for a moment before tuning it back to his usual menacing aura. He tried his best to ignore the jab.

"Yes. This practice was forbidden years ago, but as you know, some nobility enjoy defying the laws. They have already been caught and will face punishment. However, yours is a completely different matter.”

“Because I am a commoner. Is that it?”

“Yes, you hold no power here”

It felt like I was splashed with cold water. Hearing it directly from him makes it even more embarrassing. I never held any sort of power or influence back in my old life and it didn’t matter. However, it was too late for me to realize the power it holds here in this place. I am a stranger here. A commoner, and a stranger. A small and insignificant pebble on the street.

Do I have to bend here? I didn’t want to but I have no choice. I need to suck it up.

I couldn’t help but sigh. “Where are we going?”

The man in front of me visibly relaxed, his once menacing aura dissipating, probably feeling relieved that I finally dropped the topic and didn’t want to pursue the argument any longer.

“It is a small territory in the east called Qesnia. It is where I live with my wife. It’s far from the capital and the chaos. And I believe you will be safe there. You can stay there as long as you want until you figure things out,”

“What can I do in exchange? I can help around the house or do some work to pay for my stipend—”

“You don’t have to do anything close to that. I have more than enough servants to do the work. Instead, I want to ask for a favor,”

“What is it?”

 Be there for my wife. Keep her company. Do not leave her side,”

“Is that all?”

He weakly nodded. “I’m not home most of the time. As an Imperial Knight, I must serve the emperor, and that entails spending most of my time in the capital. My wife doesn’t want to live in the capital. It brings back hurtful memories—” he stopped short finally catching himself before divulging any further sensitive information. He cleared his throat suddenly feeling awkward.   

There must be something going on but it is not the time to pry on his personal life.

“Alright,”

He smiled. “I’m Kendrick. Then let’s depart,”

What a belated way of introducing himself but it is not what bothered me the most.

It was their sudden departure. She hasn’t even had to chance to check on his injured foot. “As in now?”

“Yes, while everyone is still preoccupied,” he stated slightly looking in the direction beside their table. I belatedly realize that the two people beside them have also been excitedly talking something about the emperor. He was too focused on dealing with her problems she hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings

“Did you know? I heard the emperor finally found his true mate this time!” one of the bulky men exclaimed then proceeded to chug his liquor.

“Are you sure she’s not fake?”

The man shook his head in front of his companion. "I've seen it. I was at the Bellaviti manor earlier to deliver goods, but I noticed the emperor's warriors lurking around the place. I overheard the attendants chatting; they said the emperor was holding a dark-haired woman in his arms as he entered the mansion."

"I pray to the gods that what you are saying is correct. My wife has spent every night grieving in a corner since our daughter died. It has been one year.  She is terrified to become pregnant again."

“Yes, this curse has to be resolved or else every one of us will die! The Rotters has been slowly growing in numbers. The magic tower can’t handle everything! Even that war-monger of an Emperor can’t do something about it!”

“Baaah! This damn Black Wave. The emperor has to do his job. Do his job! He can’t even protect—”

I gasped in surprise when a loud bang echoed around the tavern. Both of the men who had been discussing earlier halted in their seats, looking astonished. Their eyes were like daggers pointed at the man seated in front of me.

I looked back at Kendrick throwing a murderous glare at the two chatterboxes. The two men flinched in fear and started edging away from their seats as if trying to escape.

I've only read about it in tales about knights' loyalty, but now I'm witnessing it myself. Kendrick is outraged on behalf of the emperor, who is being disparaged by his subjects. But what is the curse they're talking about? What does it have to do with rotters? I had a lot of questions, but Kendrick decided to simply up and leave. Probably, before he ends up killing someone.

I saw him walking out in anger bumping past everyone without remorse. I guess it’s time to leave, the questions have to wait. I have all the time I need.