Even If You Tear Me Apart - Chapter 7
Iris Quilluxia and Shanka had been standing on the sidelines, observing.
“Miss, your brother’s following you to your wedding, huh? How sweet of him.”
After finishing the setup for the Marquis’s tent, the Marquis had asked Shanka to inquire if his bride-to-be would be sharing the same tent with him.
To Shanka, the request was absurd. But as an outsider, it would be impolite for him to directly ask, ‘You’re not even married yet, right?’
Upon stepping out of the Marquis’s tent, Shanka spotted Iris Quilluxia and strolled over to her, though he had no intention of delivering the Marquis’s request. His plan was simple—make small talk, then return with, ‘She declined.’
And, of course, the silver-haired boy helping Ezekiel had merely provided him with an excuse to approach Iris.
“You mean Henri? Yes, he’s… a sweet boy,” Iris replied.
Fortunately for Shanka, Iris Quilluxia was a kind woman. She politely lifted her dress slightly and curtsied before him.
“I am Iris Quilluxia. I apologize for the delayed introduction.”
“Oh no, you make me look like the rude one here. But yes, I’m Shanka, one of Udal’s swords.”
“Udal’s toothpick, more like,” quipped another knight carrying firewood as he passed by, snickering.
“Damn brat,” Shanka grumbled, raising a fist in mock threat.
Then, realizing the Emperor’s newly adopted daughter was standing right beside him, he awkwardly scratched his head and apologized.
“Apologies. There are too many swords of Udal begging to be struck by lightning.”
Iris giggled softly and brushed off his apology.
“It’s quite alright. I understand that Udal’s swords are known for their free-spirited, stormy nature.”
“My, my, to hear you say it like that—Miss Quilluxia, you must be a remarkably understanding woman.”
Shanka, hiding his surprise, was genuinely impressed.
Udal’s paladins were often referred to as ‘unbridled colts’, a reputation stemming from their behavior, which was as wild and unpredictable as storms and thunder.
This stemmed from the nature of Udal himself—the god of storms, thunder, and truth.
Udal was a god with a volatile temperament. Though he represented truth, he was also jealous and despised the idea of his followers loving anyone other than him.
However, as long as his followers remained devoted to him, Udal didn’t mind if their behavior was as turbulent as storms or as violent as thunder.
As a result, Udal’s paladins were known for their rough manners and crude language.
But most people were unaware of this. When they thought of paladins, they imagined sacred and noble figures.
That was why Shanka found Iris Quilluxia’s understanding refreshing and amusing—she seemed to know more about Udal’s paladins than most.
“You were riding alongside the left side of our carriage earlier, weren’t you?” Iris asked.
Shanka grinned.
“Yes, that was me. I’m doing my best to make your journey peaceful and pleasant.”
“Thank you. But… pleasant?”
Though it was a simple question, Shanka acted as though he had been waiting for it. He bent down and plucked a daisy growing by the roadside. With a dramatic flourish, he handed it to her.
“Oh my,” Iris said, surprised as she accepted the flower.
“Just like this.”
“Ahaha…”
Iris finally let out a small laugh, her previously tense demeanor easing a little. Shanka felt pleased with himself.
“You seemed quite warm earlier. Are you feeling better now?”
Though he was wearing light armor, the early summer heat must have been difficult for him. From the carriage, she had seen him fanning himself occasionally.
Instead of looking embarrassed, Shanka gave her a toothy grin and a thumbs-up.
“No worries! A real man is always accompanied by fiery passion!”
His exaggerated gesture made Iris laugh again, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
Nice, Shanka thought, clenching his fist in triumph. He had been worried about traveling with the prickly Marquis, but it seemed the woman accompanying them had a pleasant personality.
Even though this was a journey they were forced to take due to the temple’s donation arrangements, spending two months on the road wouldn’t be so bad if at least one person had a good disposition.
Just as Shanka felt relieved, Iris spoke again.
“By the way, that man over there… he’s the Commander of the Holy Order, right?”
Following her gaze, Shanka’s brief relief evaporated as he resisted the urge to sigh.
Iris Quilluxia was looking at Ezekiel, who was still helping Henri set up a tent.
‘Again, huh.’
The current Commander of the Holy Order of Udal was notorious for his striking good looks, which had turned the temple of Udal into a popular destination for many young women.
And judging by Iris’s curiosity, it seemed she was interested in him too.
