When Enoch and her locked eyes like that, they’re acted as if they are couldn’t devour each other, playing hard to get like they were feel bothered.
They are feeling an instinctual aversion toward each other.
“I arrived first, so it’s your turn to go.”
“Unlike Cherry, I’m confident I won’t be caught, so it’s your turn.”
“Are you confident you won’t be caught too?”
“You was caught by me.”
“…!”
In that moment, I, who was tongue-tied, tightly shut my mouth.
‘Why are you so good at talking for little child like you?’
Of course, if we consider age, I was a kid like Enoch and spoke fluently.
But that was natural. Because I had memories of being an adult.
‘Even if that’s the case for me, Enoch Gray, what’s wrong with this kid ?’
My pride kept getting hurt in unnecessary matters.
Feeling this way against a child was unpleasant to the point of being sickening.
Suppressing my rising temper, I looked at the sword hanging loosely from Enoch’s waist and asked.
“What’s that sword of yours?”
“This?”
Enoch took out the sword at his waist and swiftly swung it through the air.
In his casual one-handed swing, I involuntarily opened my mouth in surprise.
Seeing my reaction, Enoch lifted one corner of his mouth and chuckled.
His eyes alternately focusing on the sword and me created a momentary illusion of sparkling radiance.
“It’s a wooden sword. The Duke advised against a real sword for now.”
“Do you think I’m asking you because I don’t know what a wooden sword is?”
Yeah. You’re not very smart, are you?”
“This kid, really!”
Ugh, that brat. Is it normal for a seven-year-old to be this rude?
The Gray Duke’s descendants have been notorious for generations, no manners at all, no manners!
My grandfather’s resentful voice seemed to echo all the way here.
I resisted the desire to smack that arrogant brat, reminiscent of when we’re was just one year old.
“I asked you why are you carrying a sword?”
“Ah.”
Enoch wrinkled her face as if questioning why such an obvious question was asked.
“Because I’m a ‘Gray.'”
His eyes seemed to ask if I was asking some absurd question.
“Enoch, do you… intend to become a knight?”
“So, are you saying you’re not to be a knight? Cherry is an ‘Emblem,’ right.”
“…..”
“Where’s your sword? The Duke said we have to duel with swords. I started it, so you should too.”
I kept my mouth shut, offering no response to Enoch’s words.
Perhaps finding my silence strange, Enoch continued to speak.
“No way, did you haven’t started yet?”
“…..”
“Cherry?”
Seeing my continued silence, Enoch’s face wrinkled in concern.
“You’re not going to learn the sword, are you?”
“… Yeah.”
The wooden sword he held made a dull thud as it fell to the ground.
Enoch, wide-eyed, approached me.
Then, with his face close to mine, he fired questions.
“Why? The Emblem Duke won’t stay still, right? Your mother and my mother both said you’d learn the sword. Why? Why? Why?”
The large eyes attached to his small face were glaring fiercely.
Somehow, Enoch had grabbed me by the collar.
“Are you really not going to learn the sword, Cherry? Even though you are from Emblem family?”
“Fine, I get it. Can you back off? You’re too close right now.”
I raised my hand to block my mouth and painfully hit Enoch’s hand gripping my collar.
Even at the age of seven, I couldn’t break the habit of feeling nauseous when meeting Enoch’s gaze.
Now I had some tactics, but if faced with eyes this close, I couldn’t help it.
“I feel like vomiting.”
At my words, Enoch quickly stepped back. Quite far back.
Like me, he also had a pale face and was blocking his mouth.
Enoch, true to the cantankerous Gray Duke’s lineage, had a weak stomach and often vomited when I did.
I sighed and answered Enoch’s scrutinizing gaze.
“That’s right. I have no intention of learning the sword.”
Since the day I was born, and now at the age of seven.
I’ve been educated exhaustively on the history of the Emblem and the Grays.
My grandfather’s tales of the Emblem’s history were filled with pride.
‘Only the most exceptional knights get the chance to guard the royalty. And our Emblem has never yielded the position of the Imperial Guard to the Grays even once.’
‘This is our pride. The Emblem never bends, never yields, never falters.’
‘I hope you can be proud of the illustrious history of the Emblem, passed down from generation to generation.’
But the history of the Emblem that Mother shared was different.
‘Countless Emblems and Grays’ bloodlines have died in vain due to their pointless pride and rivalry.’
‘Imagine how many lives could have been saved if the two families had cooperated instead of competing.’
‘It’s not a tradition; it’s a bad habit. Your mother laid the foundation to correct it. So, you have to rebuild the new history of the Emblem and the Grays.’
Mother and Grandfather had such different perspectives.
Caught between the contrasting teachings of the two, I was confused.
I loved both my mother and my grandfather deeply.
I didn’t want to be disliked by either of them.
But if I followed one’s wish, the other would be disappointed.
‘If I don’t learn the sword…, then no one will be disappointed.’
Since my mother and father were so fond of me, a sibling might be born soon.
Until then, I just had to endure m grandfather and my mother’s urging to learn swordsmanship.
‘In this life, I’ll live comfortably receiving plenty of love. I’ve already lived a life where I faced the risk of death several times a day.’
I looked at Enoch, who was watching me from a distance.
He didn’t charge at me as before, seeming a bit calmer now.
However, Enoch’s eyes still glared at me, demanding an explanation.
“I just want to live comfortably.”
In response to my words, Enoch bit his lips and remained silent for a moment.
His closed lips trembled, and even his pale cheeks seemed to vibrate.
‘What’s wrong with this kid?’
Startled by a more intense reaction than expected, I took a step forward and opened my mouth.
“Hey, are you o…”
“Be quiet!”
Enoch shouted at me as if rejecting my attempt to speak.
Hearing Enoch’s unfamiliar excited voice, I stiffened.
For a long time, Enoch stared at me without saying a word.
“Hey, why are you angry…”
My attempt to inquire about the reason for his excitement was coldly cut off by Enoch.
“You’re getting boring.”
“What?”
I repeated, as if I misheard. But Enoch didn’t respond.
From the age of one until now, Enoch and I had consistently met.
We had shared enough time until I could endure the nauseous feeling.
However, today Enoch had an expression I had never seen before.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Am I getting boring?”
Enoch didn’t answer me until the end.
He turned away as if he was no longer interested in me.
Instinctively, I rushed forward and grabbed a hold of Enoch’s clothing.
“Hey, what’s going on? Can’t you hear me?”
“I’m not interested in the future boring Cherry anymore.”
“Who’s asking for your interest? I’m asking for the reason! Why am I boring?”
Enoch responded by painfully striking away the hand that grabbed him, just as I had done earlier.
“Because you’ll become weak. Both you and the Emblem.”
“What?”
Hearing Enoch’s chilling voice, I felt something snap in my mind.
At the same time, my vision went white.
The feeling of losing control was something I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
And when I finally regained my senses after a while,
“Say it again, you bastard! The Emblem getting weak, and me getting weak? Me? Even if you swing that wooden sword, you’re no match for me!”
I found myself mindlessly driving my fist into the fair and delicate cheek of Enoch Gray.
It was our first physical altercation.
Of course, I emerged victorious.
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GO CHERRY GO!! 😭😭