Chapter 9.1: Asher Gronhilde (2) Bonus chapter! Thank you to Melekono for the donation! ^^

It was a free break after training, but Asher had no choice but to wash off her sweat and change her clothes and go somewhere right away.

As she walked behind Caren, she was lost in thought.

I wonder if he was the Seventh Lord.

The man who gave me a strange look during training earlier.

She knew that recently, rumors about the newly appointed Seventh Lord had been raging in the castle.

Asher, who had recently become a knight of the Overlord Castle after a long time of wandering, knew little about Calderic.

However, seeing vice-captain Camson, who was strict with his subordinates, frozen in front of the other, it made her realize the status of a Lord.

She did not know why the Seventh Lord suddenly called her.

Could it be that he noticed something? She felt a slight uneasiness in the corner of her heart.

“Please keep in mind that the person you are about to meet is the new Seventh Lord. Please be careful with your words and actions.”

“…”

After hearing the last warning from Caren, they reached the last room in the long corridor.

Clap.

As the door closed and she faced the Seventh Lord alone, Asher greeted him with a bow.

“It’s an honor to meet the Seventh Lord. My name is Asher, an apprentice knight belonging to the White Star 5th Knights.”

The bright golden eyes gazed intently at me.

“Sit down.”

The Seventh Lord gestured to the seat opposite him.

Asher sat down, feeling awkward.

For a moment, there was silence in the room.

The Seventh Lord savored the tea, saying nothing, and Asher, who had no place to look, stared down at the teacup.

Before long, an unexpected comment cut off the silence.

“Are you hiding your ability?”

“…”

“I don’t understand why you’re an apprentice knight with such skills. I wonder why you’re hiding your power.”

Two questions popped into Asher’s head with more bewilderment.

‘How did you know that, and why would you ask me about it?’

If he noticed it from the time he was watching the training earlier, it would have been truly astonishing.

At that distance, what on earth did you perceive and notice? Mana? Or some other difference?

“I don’t know what you mean.”

At first, it was denial.

Asher calmed her agitation and looked at the reaction of the Seventh Lord.

He continued talking without changing his expression at all.

“If you’re going to deny it, I’ll get straight to the point.”

Main point?

Until this very moment, she hadn’t realized it yet.

That the previous worry was not important at all.

“White Moon Tribe.”

…Her heart sank.

“I heard it was destroyed, but there’s clearly a survivor. Why did you come to the Overlord’s castle?”

For a moment, Asher’s mind went blank, and she could say nothing.

How…

She could somehow understand that he noticed she hid her true abilities.

But how did he find out that she was a White Moon?

It was the deepest secret that no one knew anymore, and none should have ever known.

It was a reflexive and unconscious action to show hostility at the being in front of her, who casually revealed such a secret.

“Stop thinking about useless things. It’s impossible to win against me on your own.”

Asher suddenly came to her senses at the indifferent voice she heard.

The gaze of the Seventh Lord was infinitely deep and calm.

Feeling overwhelmed by the static intimidation, she slowly withdrew her hostility.

“…”

Yes… it’s impossible.

The being sitting in front of her right now was a Lord of Calderic.

A top-notch powerhouse in all the continent. An existence that was said to be stronger than the monstrous Five Star of Santea.

Just looking at the fact that he saw through her hidden power at one glance, the difference in rank was definitely quite large.

Any attempt, be it a surprise attack or escape, would be futile.

Feeling helpless at that fact, Asher bit her lip tightly. She could taste the fishy taste of her blood.

I came all the way to this place, overcoming despair and despondency to move on, but would this be the end before I could even try anything?

“What do you want from me?”

Trembling with resentment, she squeezed her voice out, and the Seventh Lord made a strange expression.

“You seem to misunderstand something. I’m not trying to threaten you.”

“…”

“What are you so afraid of?”

At those words, Asher gritted her teeth.

She couldn’t say anything.

No one would understand unless they were the person involved.

The sorrow of losing both their family and their home, the loneliness and anxiety of being thrown into the world as a single survivor, the pressure of wanting to do something.

This was Calderic, not Santea.

A land of power and opportunity where one could grab what they wanted if they had the ability.

In her head, Asher knew that, too.

However, the wariness deeply imprinted in her heart from the day her tribe was destroyed made her unable to trust anyone or anything easily.

But what the hell did this person even know?

“I do understand.”

Asher was taken aback.

“I can understand. The longing and sadness you have deep inside your heart, the anxiety and solitude. All the excessive vigilance you show me right now must have originated from that. Right?”

…What the hell was this guy talking about?

Asher looked at the Seventh Lord with a slightly dazed expression.

His mouth opened again.

“I will help you.”