New Member (1)

(Eulia POV)

"Sorry, I came late..."

Before me stood a man clad in an all-black ensemble, his stoic gaze fixed upon me. Black gloves adorned his hands, and a bloodied sword lay discarded beside him. His cheeks bore scratches, oozing blood.

The man sighed deeply, relinquishing his sword to the ground. He approached me in absolute silence, each step resonating like an echo in the empty space.

Step...

Step...

Step...

Crouching down, he enveloped me in a tight embrace, cradling the back of my head against his broad neck and shoulder.

"I'm really sorry..." His voice, laden with emotion, permeated the silence.

...Don't apologize.

I wanted to say this to him, but the words remained stuck in my throat, leaving tears as my only means of expression.

It's my fault.

I'm sorry.... I'm really sorry.

I'm sorry for being a useless idiot, for being a burden. If only I hadn't joined you, perhaps you could have accomplished something greater than saving me.

It's because of me... You got cursed.

Eventually, he withdrew, gently wiping away the tears from my cheeks. With a smile, he silently mouthed words that I strained to hear, his form dissolving into fragments.

"It's.... Your Fault..."

...

..

.

"Ah..."

My body jolted awake, and I opened my eyes slightly to survey my surroundings.

A dream?

Holding my head with one hand, I sat up and leaned against the cold wall, gazing up through the bars of my cage.

How long had it been since I dreamt about the time Saber saved me?

With nothing else to occupy my mind, I banged the back of my head against the wall behind me.

"I'm an idiot..."

Thud—!

"I deserve this..."

Thud—!

"Why did I even leave him...?"

Thud—!

"...You look ugly."

Just as I was about to continue, a light caught my attention. I looked up to see a dark, towering figure stepping forward and halting in front of my cage.

"...!!"

Grey hair and sharp silver eyes, the man standing before me looked errily familiar. I couldn't help but be surprised.

"Saber...? What...? How are you here...?"

Unaware, the light returned to my eyes as I struggled to utter a word.

I...

However, the words remained trapped in my throat.

...Who am I kidding?

He had already saved me once, sacrificing a significant part of his life, and yet... I abandoned him.

I don't deserve it... I don't deserve his kindness. I don't deserve to be saved by him again.

When my emotional turmoil subsided, I finally managed to say something.

"I'm sorry... Please, leave me be."

If I go with him now, I would only cause trouble. I have nothing left to give.

It's better this way.

I'm sorry...

"It's fine now..."

"...!?"

Our foreheads touched, and his voice elapsed from the one in my dream.

"It's NOT your fault."

'𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘕𝘖𝘛 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵.'

***

(Saber POV)

Staring at the girl before me, I remained silent.

Platinum white hair with a hint of black in her bangs framed her face. Her hair was elegantly tied to the side, creating an air of both vulnerability and defiance.

"I'm sorry... Please, leave me be."

This was... unexpected? Her reaction were different from the others; there was no desperate plea for help. It seems more that she had accepted her fate... I guess I was wrong.

Should I end her life here?

Eulia—that was her name, one of Junior's past companions. Her proficiency in illusion magic aligned seamlessly with her role as a spy.

Hmm... Ending her won't bring much benefits; unlike the others, her ability to not stand out is useful.

As a spy, she could prove invaluable for covert missions, exploiting her proficiency in illusion magic to gather information discreetly. Although not adept at direct confrontation, her abilities made her an asset for navigating the shadows.

With this plan forming in my mind, I decided to open the cage and step inside.

"It's fine now..."

I crouched down, closing the distance until our foreheads touched.

"It's not your fault."

'I'll make good use of you.'

...

..

.

A few moments later.

After helping Eulia up from the floor, I removed my coat and draped it over her, ensuring she had some modesty.

"...ah?"

Before she could take a step, she stumbled, but I swiftly caught her wrist, preventing a fall.

"Sorry," she murmured, her gaze fixed on the floor.

This is becoming quite troublesome, I mused inwardly. Left with no alternative, I pulled her close and effortlessly lifted her in my arms. She yelped in surprise, clearly not anticipating this sudden move.

"Just remain still... You're not heavy at all."

As she fell silent, I proceeded to carry her towards the room, indifferent to the hushed silence lingering among the other slaves in their cages.

Stepping out of the room, the man in the suit greeted me with a smile.

"The room you requested is ready. Allow me to guide you there," he said, clasping his hands before turning around.

Navigating through a hallway filled with doors, Eulia spoke up in a hushed voice.

"The others... They were sold along with me."

I halted abruptly, prompting the man in the suit to follow suit. Though he looked at me with understanding, he refrained from saying anything.

This guy... This is why I love this kind of establishment.

My lips curled slightly, but I restrained myself from grinning. I offered Eulia a smile, one laced with both gentleness and pity.

"You're the only one I found... They might've already been sold to other nobles."

"Ah..."

Her gaze dropped with guilt.

"You don't have to feel guilty about them. It's my fault for arriving too late."

"No... It's not your fault... It's our... If we didn't..."

"It's fine."

With that brief exchange, we continued our walk until we reached the designated room.