episode_0092

92. The Bet

Right after the military council meeting.

Luna quietly entered her room.

Though it was already late into the night when she should have been asleep, she simply lit a candle.

“A pencil truly is a convenient tool.”

She then took out a pencil and notebook and began organizing the day’s affairs.

Luna, who was both Erica’s most favored subordinate and de facto chief of staff.

Given that status, even a single mistake was unacceptable—hence, she proceeded with utmost caution.

Of course, not forgetting her meticulousness, she made sure to note down only what was necessary, mindful of the possibility of military information being leaked.

“I should prioritize military training. Since the terrain this time is flat, the focus will naturally be on siege warfare. That means the training should emphasize sprinting and scaling walls with ropes…”

Luna carefully jotted down the schedule.

And then came the most crucial task Erica had entrusted to her.

“Meeting with Cain…”

She tapped her fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought.

Because… she honestly had no idea how to approach this.

If asked whether he was a genius, Luna would answer “Yes” without hesitation.

But if asked whether he acted like a book-smart intellectual, she’d have to say “No.”

So how should she treat him?

Should she treat him like a cerebral strategist?

Or like her physically adept sisters?

Treating him as a man… raised the difficulty far too high.

After all, interactions with men outside her family were rare enough to count on one hand.

“I suppose I’ll have to decide after taking him to tour the barracks tomorrow.”

Having made a cautious judgment, Luna was about to close her notebook when she realized she’d forgotten something.

She moved the pencil tip to the corner of the page and—

With minimal movement, swish, swish… she left graphite streaks on the pristine white paper.

The result? A simple drawing of a puppy.

Though it looked like something a child might scribble, Luna seemed satisfied, smiling girlishly.

“How cute.”

A premonition that today would bring good fortune.

As she basked in her pleasant mood and reached for the leather cover of the notebook—

“Hey! You’re still awake!”

“Wake up, wake up!”

Caught off guard by her sisters’ sudden ambush, Luna swiftly closed the notebook.

After hastily hiding it with lightning speed, she glared at her intruders—expressionless, though her heart was pounding wildly.

She absolutely couldn’t let them see her childish sketches of rabbits and puppies….

Keeping her cold demeanor, she steadied her breath and observed the intruders.

Vivian and Adel.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing much!”

“It’s bedtime. Get out.”

She chastised Vivian, who shamelessly crossed her arms while answering.

Normally, Vivian was dependable, like a mature elder sister… but today, she seemed oddly playful.

Lost in thought, Luna narrowed her eyes.

But then Adel, who usually gripes about everything, joined in.

“Haven’t chatted in a while. Got some time?”

“It’s bedtime.”

“Ugh, so rigid. No wonder you’ve never flirted with a guy.”

Luna flinched slightly at Adel’s taunt.

Suppressing her irritation, she kept her expression icy and fired back sharply.

“As I’ve said before, I’m a soldier. I place no significance on romance or marriage.”

“Wow, is that a song lyric? Didn’t miss a single word.”

“Oh, what was the next line again? ‘Useful something-or-other~ leaving a legacy is Erica’s blah blah~.’”

Their mocking—teetering on outright provocation—was effective. Adel and Vivian even sneaked into chairs in her room.

Luna’s face gradually reddened.

“So what exactly are you trying to say?”

She had taken the bait.

Adel grinned triumphantly.

“Wanna make a bet?”

“No.”

True to her military nature, Luna instantly refused.

But Adel, a shrewd businesswoman, knew Luna was agitated but still rational.

Pretending to examine her nails, Adel pressed further.

“Don’t tell me the great general, beloved by our angelic sister… is scared?”

Something in Luna’s mind audibly snapped.

Vivian, sensing the tension, tried to mediate.

“Easy now, Adel.”

“Ugh…”

Luna exhaled sharply at Vivian’s intervention—but Vivian wasn’t on her side either.

“Having zero charm as a woman is unfortunate, not funny.”

“Hey—!!!”

Luna exploded.

For the first time since before the Penrose Battle, before Erica declared herself a warlord, before she became Grace’s chief general—

Her old self resurfaced.

It had been ages since they’d seen their youngest sister like this.

Luna fumed, but Vivian and Adel exchanged knowing glances.

As if seizing the moment.

“Want to bet?”

“Scared?”

“Fine—I’LL DO IT!”

Luna willingly stepped into the spiderweb glinting before her.

Unable to escape Vivian and Adel’s beckoning clutches…

Should these two succeed, though born on different days, they’d share their last….

Yes, a pact.

Not under a peach tree, but in the barren confines of Luna’s room, a curse was forged.

At least their deaths would be shared…

────────────────────

Morning, after the late-night meeting.

I rose from the small side room in Grace Manor.

Brushed my teeth briefly, then chewed mint for freshness.

After a quick wash and dressing, I headed to the dining hall.

Members of House Grace gradually gathered—

Strategists, generals, even Brook and Eightree were all present.

No one even batted an eye anymore at my place at the head seat.

Like always, I took my spot right beside Erica and began breakfast….

“Thinly sliced suckling pig, lightly roasted.”

“Not bad.”

At the words of the manor’s master and warlord Erica, the meal commenced.

Were it not for the war, this would be just another mundane morning…

“Mmm…”

“?”

Luna was glaring at me—inexplicably so.

Normally disciplined even while eating, she hadn’t touched her food.

Instead, she fixed me with a stare that screamed she had something to say.

Thinking it might be a signal, I met her gaze—

…

……」

But I quickly looked away.

Honestly, if you took Erica’s icy aura and distilled it into human form, it’d be Luna.

Her intimidating tomboy exterior—combined with our lack of closeness—made her mildly terrifying.

As I averted my eyes, a mocking chuckle came from somewhere.

“Pfft…”

“Tch.”

With a rare click of her tongue, Luna refocused on her meal.

What’s going on…?

While puzzling over this, Erica finished eating.

She cleared her throat once, commanding attention.

“The deployment date is set.”

“When?”

“Two weeks. Prepare thoroughly.”

Dead serious, Erica rose first—

Patted my head absentmindedly before leaving the hall.

A familiar gesture no one else batted an eye at.

About to dig into the meat piled on my plate…

“Here. Have this.”

Luna suddenly approached, placing two sizable cuts of meat on my plate.

Without a word of explanation.

“…?”

Utterly baffled.

But Luna paid no heed—

No, worse. She strained to the point of trembling slightly before…

Attempting the world’s most awkward wink (?) and striding off.

What the hell was that?

Some kind of hazing ritual?

Military-style psychological torture?

Did I do something wrong?

Mental chaos swirled—until…

*SMACK!*

Vivian and Adel suddenly slapped their own foreheads mid-meal.

As if exasperated… No, downright dumbfounded.

Uneasy, I wiped my cold sweat.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“Huh? What’s up?”

Jet—having finished eating—approached, elbows resting on my head.

Now close enough to call by name without titles (his insistence).

With most gone, only Vivian, Adel, Jet, and I remained.

So I confided quietly—

About Luna’s inexplicable glare and bizarre wink.

Given she could probably snap my neck barehanded, it was unnerving.

“I must’ve done something wrong…”

Jet listened intently, then closed his eyes—

Imagining tomboy Luna glaring and winking… before shuddering violently.

Yep. Siblings really are alike.

Forcing a grin, Jet slapped my back reassuringly.

Must be traumatized imagining his cousin winking.

“Eh, don’t sweat it!”

“But—”

“C’mon, let’s hit up a tavern! I’ll teach you horseback riding first.”

“Jet…!”

Truly, my best friend!

Me, a commoner—him, nobility…

As we readied for our outing (?)—Vivian intervened.

With a dropkick straight out of pro wrestling.

“GYAHK!”

Turns out, even a muscled 185 cm man can fly.

Jet shattered the window before cratering into the courtyard below.

We’re on the second floor—is he dead?

As I leaned out worriedly, Vivian stopped me.

“Relax! That won’t kill my brother.”

“Forget it, Bokdeong.”

“Anyway! Eavesdropped earlier—what about Luna?”

She heard…

Kinda embarrassing getting life advice from sisters like this.

But Vivian thumped my back reassuringly.

“Luna’s not a bad person! Don’t worry!”

“Right. You’ll be visiting the barracks soon. Talk seriously there.”

Solid advice.

Luna’s warning—

Best addressed directly, instead of overthinking.

Would only worsen things otherwise.

“Right. I’ll talk properly… Figure out what I did.”

“Yeah! You got this!!”

Vivian cheered as if it were her own dilemma.

Steeling myself, I headed for the barracks—

Where Luna awaited.