Is that man really Gester Quolin?
There was no need to dwell on the answer.
Time had taken his boyish features, leaving only sharp, masculine lines. Even so, he was exactly as Usher had imagined.
His faded blond hair, bronze skin, deep green eyes, and delinquent-like features were unforgettable. Even his sly smile evoked the illusion of his younger self, simply enlarged with age.
“Usher! Let’s play war!”
Usher opened his mouth slightly.
Bersia noticed something in his expression and reacted.
“…Gester? Are you really that Gester?”
Wide, startled eyes and a trembling voice conveyed surprise and longing that anyone could recognize.
Bersia was naturally gifted in acting. That’s why, even as a saintess, her true nature remained undiscovered.
Gester, seemingly relieved by Bersia’s reaction, pulled her into a trembling embrace.
Usher’s eyes widened.
But he couldn’t interfere now. The scene would look strange if he, occupying a woman’s body, stepped in.
Clenching his fists tightly, he kept his lips sealed.
“Ah! Usher! You’re alive! I believed you would be! After all, your body was never found!”
“Wait, I’m too overwhelmed…”
“I know! I know! Baern must look so different to you now! But for now… just stay here. It feels like I’m dreaming.”
Gester’s voice grew increasingly tearful.
Bersia, glancing down uncomfortably at the man burying his head in her arms, turned to Usher and mouthed silently:
‘Is he your lover?’
‘What do you think?’
Her discomfort eased slightly when he glared at her in response.
In the end, Gester burst into tears. Usher sighed, and Bersia awkwardly patted Gester’s back.
“Let’s move to a different place for now.”
“Ah, sorry. Right. Come with me. We need to find a safe place first.”
Usher nodded, signaling his agreement to follow Gester.
Though Bersia seemed suspicious, Usher stood firm.
Personal feelings aside, there was no one in this city as trustworthy as Gester.
They arrived at an old tent in a slum on Baern’s outskirts.
Someone’s presence could be felt inside.
Usher’s gaze wavered, instantly recognizing who it was through his divine senses.
The fact that Gester was alive had been unexpected.
But the person inside… that was beyond imagination.
He opened his mouth slightly, trying to speak.
“Ah, miss, could you wait outside for a moment? It’s not about catching up; the person inside can’t meet just anyone.”
“Ah, well…”
There was no other option.
Usher nodded and signaled Bersia with his eyes.
Although reluctant, Bersia followed Gester into the tent.
Usher let out a long sigh into the empty air.
Bersia felt stressed by the rapidly changing situation.
Above all, she was uneasy because she hadn’t heard Usher’s logical reasoning behind his decisions.
It was obvious that Usher and Gester Quolin had a long-standing friendship.
But wasn’t that alone insufficient grounds for trust?
Ten years was a long time—enough to change rivers, mountains, and the hearts of people a hundredfold.
Bersia kept an eye on Gester.
‘No weapons. No contact with others along the way.’
In this body, she could incapacitate Gester and escape if necessary.
With that mindset, she entered the tent.
But her plans vanished the moment she stepped inside.
Bersia’s expression twisted.
“…?”
“He must look very different from what you remember. Honestly, it’s a miracle he’s still alive.”
At the center of the tent lay an old man, as good as a corpse.
His skin was darkened, his pulse faint, and his body emaciated to the point of resembling a mummy.
The sound of his labored breathing was barely audible.
‘A curse.’
And a particularly vicious one.
Kneeling beside the old man, Gester clasped his hand tightly and spoke.
“Father, Usher is here. The young lion of Baern has returned to this land.”
There was no response, yet Gester didn’t seem overly sorrowful.
Tears streamed down his face, but he smiled broadly.
The face that had looked so rough a moment ago now seemed like that of a boy.
It became clear—Gester Quolin wasn’t approaching them with any hidden agenda.
If That Were the Case, He Wouldn’t Have Shown His Sick Father as a Weakness
Of course, there still weren’t enough clues.
Analyzing the situation and arriving at an appropriate answer with only a few keywords was always challenging.
In such cases, Bersia typically drew answers from her counterpart.
“…Why is he in this state?”
“How much do you remember about that day?”
“Well, you probably don’t know much either. We were young, and the people protecting us must have been too distracted.”
Gester closed his eyes and lifted his head. His expression grew solemn.
“It was a tragedy for us. No, perhaps it was a tragedy for all of Baern. Father escaped that day with the help of the champions. Though he couldn’t avoid the curse, the enemies didn’t pursue us further, knowing the curse had succeeded. They must have thought he’d die soon.”
He let out a dry chuckle.
“Well, it’s all in the past now. I’ve been trying to take care of him for even one more day, and look what it’s done to me. Caring for an ailing parent is no easy task.”
When Bersia’s silence lingered, Gester tried to change the mood with a smile.
“How have you been? Is the young lady outside your lover? The fateful love you always talked about?”
“Well…”
“Don’t play dumb. Back then, you used to say it all the time. While I bragged about having a hundred concubines, you said you’d wait for your one destined love. All the noble ladies adored you, but you turned them all down.”
Stories of young Usher were intriguing but felt out of place at the moment.
Bersia chose her words carefully, deciding what could and couldn’t be said.
The priority was to leave this place as soon as possible.
There was no need to prolong the conversation unnecessarily in such a heated atmosphere.
“It’s all in the past. Now, I’m just one of the rebels—”
“Usher.”
Gester’s expression hardened.
Bersia realized she had made a mistake.
But it wasn’t a fatal one.
In fact, it could even be an opportunity.
“No matter what the world calls you, we know the truth. The mercenaries of Baern… all warriors who tread this land know the truth. Everyone is just holding back.”
His expression turned intense.
The next words left Bersia wide-eyed.
“They are the true lions of Baern. So don’t be so disheartened.”
A critical piece of the puzzle had emerged.
Bersia had to stifle a hollow laugh.
Once again.
Gester repeatedly referred to them as “lions.”
Bersia, having been born into royalty and experienced its culture, understood.
In any culture, words used to designate specific groups or individuals aren’t casually applied to others.
And yet, he referred to Usher as a young lion and the mercenaries who raised him as the lions of Baern.
The implications were clear.
Bersia connected the information she had with the hints just revealed.
“The Lion Corps is the royal blade.”
The Lion Corps were the greatest mercenaries of their time, bound by fate to the dynasty.
The current royal family had ruled for ten years.
It was also around that time that Usher devoted himself to the church.
“…The mercenaries who raised the knight were the Lion Corps.”
Her gaze shifted to Gester and the old man.
Gester had repeatedly mentioned an incident.
The event had made Gester and the old man fugitives and subjected them to a curse that severe.
The answer was evident.
“The rulers of the former dynasty and its crown prince.”
Usher had described the mercenaries who raised him as a rebel group opposing the current dynasty.
He wasn’t wrong, but his words left room for misinterpretation.
History is written by the victors.
Thus, the defeated former dynasty—and its blade—had to be broken.
All the pieces fit perfectly together.
Bersia thought she needed to learn more about this matter.
But hearing it from Gester would be the worst option.
“…I’m sorry.”
“You Don’t Have to Apologize to Me”
“What’s there to apologize for? Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m glad to know you’re alive. But for today…”
“Oh, the young lady outside, you mean. I don’t know how you met her, but you’ll have to tell me later. How you’ve been, what you’re doing now. I swear, I just wanted to check out this new force from outside and didn’t expect to run into you.”
Gester’s smile was sly, but his personality was warm.
Bersia returned his smile and excused herself, leaving the tent.
Their eyes met.
In that moment, Usher gave a bitter smile. His expression suggested he already knew what she would ask.
“I didn’t say anything that could cause a misunderstanding.”
“I imagine you think that personality can change with time.”
“More importantly, isn’t there something the knight needs to tell me?”
“…”
Usher pressed his lips tightly together before letting out a sorrowful smile.
“It’s a long story. Are you sure you’re ready for it?”
“I don’t mind staying up all night. If you take it the wrong way, that’s fine too.”
It was her way of lightening the mood.
Fortunately, Usher chuckled softly, a small “Pfft!” escaping him.
“I didn’t take it the wrong way. Shall we walk?”
Usher started walking.
Bersia followed him.
They moved to a secluded spot, and there, Usher began to speak.
“Let’s start from the first moment I remember.”
And so, the story began.