Some of the inhabitants of the Bardo domain migrated to Talamand.
But their faces showed more dissatisfaction than anticipation.
They had heard rumors that Talamand was a fertile land, and indeed, it was as fertile as Bardo, but the bumpy roads, shabby warehouses, and inadequate markets were all inconveniences to them.
The reality of having to start over in a new land was difficult, and many people complained.
And Odelia did not let this complaint go unnoticed.
From that day on, she left the island gates every day and personally visited the people. She didn't pass by even the narrow alleys, stopping at every house to provide supplies and help them settle in. She gave blankets to crying children and filled the shabby kitchens with rice and fuel.
On the day she set out for the land in need of cultivation, Odelia tied the hood she'd prepared tightly and threw off her outer garment. Without hesitation, she knelt in the dirt and, without hesitation, picked up her spinning top.
She didn't care if her hands were quickly covered in dirt and her palms were flushed red. She wiped the beads of sweat that trickled down her forehead with her sleeve and stood shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers.
People were shocked. She was a war hero, a noblewoman, even though she was of humble origins. And yet, she was taking such personal action.
That strange and unfamiliar appearance gave people confidence.
The decisive event was the day in early summer when a typhoon hit Talamand.
The sky was overcast with dark clouds, and the flags on the walls flapped as if about to tear apart, wailing like screams. The river, swollen like a golden stream, surged into the fields, eating away at the corpses.
Urgent news continued to reach the lord's castle, where Odelia was staying. Servants rushed around, reporting the situation, and the scenery outside the window was already hazy, as if the world had been obliterated by heavy rain.
"My lord! The riverbank is collapsing! They say even the warehouse may be flooded!"
"Get the sandbags and ropes ready! We need to move the remaining grain sacks from the warehouse first!"
At Odelia's command, the servants ran without even being able to breathe properly.
As Odelia prepared to go out, Allan rushed over and grabbed her arm.
"Odelia, no! It's too dangerous there!"
It'd be too late to go in this weather. It's too dangerous. It's suicidal. Even Gideon and Philip blocked her path.
Desperation etched itself on the faces of all three men. But Odelia's gaze remained unwavering.
If she fails to protect both their warehouse and their hearts, the inhabitants will starve, and after this disaster, they may even migrate to other territories. Ultimately, Talamand will return to ruin.
Odelia tied her hood tightly and roughly threw off her muddy outer garment. She looked at the three of them in turn and spoke firmly.
"This land is a place I must protect."
Even in the storm, her voice was clear and firm.
"If I don't step forward myself, who will trust and follow Talamand?"
Behind Odelia, who walked toward the warehouse without hesitation, the cries of three men calling out to her rang out.
As the heavy gate of the castle opened, a strong wind and rain poured down on Odelia at once.
A thunderous roar was heard from the distant riverbank. Without a moment's hesitation, Odelia threw herself into the waist-deep water.
As she climbed up the embankment, carrying sandbags in both hands, the soldiers and villagers following behind gasped. In the storm, Odelia's cloak flapped like wings.
The cold rain beat down on her face like a chaff, obscuring her vision. The rough current wrapped around her ankles, trying to drag her down, but Odelia pressed forward fearlessly.
“Closer!”
She raised her voice as she waded through waist-deep water. The weight of the sandbags pressed down on her shoulders, but Odelia gritted her teeth and pulled herself up onto the embankment.
And at that moment, old memories overlapped with the scenery before her eyes. Memories from a battlefield long ago.
The embankment was covered with rain and mud, and the pouring rain.
The unit's food warehouse was on the verge of collapse due to heavy rain.
The driving wind and rain blurred visibility, and the soldiers cried out in fear and confusion.
If the dam collapsed, the food depot would be swept away in an instant. The moment they lost their food, the soldiers would starve to death, and their lives would surely be over.
But the Knight Commander couldn't bring himself to move. Perhaps he was just being stubborn. He believed that if he ventured into the storm, everyone would end up drowning, and no one dared to step forward.
That was understandable because at the time, the faction she was in was led by the most incompetent and irresponsible knight commander of all time. The commanders, too, were pale-faced and simply floundered.
Amidst the chaos, a new soldier stepped forward. Odelia's heart sank, and she grabbed his arm.
'Hey, are you crazy?! Are you planning to die alone?'
'So are you going to let us all die together?'
'Hey! If that's the case, let's go together!'
Even in the storm, his eyes, shining brightly, were fixed on her vision. And a brief but intense smile crossed his lips.
'I knew you would do that, Odelia.'
The dead body was already half-collapsed, and a slush of mud and water surged in from all directions. Calix firmly pulled Odelia's hand. The two of them pushed themselves up onto the deck, wading through the cold current.
Without a moment's hesitation, they grabbed the sacks of grain. Calix lifted the heavy sack, and Odelia carried it to safety.
Only then did the soldiers come to their senses and follow the two men. With just two new recruits surviving the storm, the entire knightly order slowly came back to life.
When Calix's wet hand brushed against Odelia's, she could feel a strange warmth even in the cold downpour.
There was a trust that could be felt without speaking to each other, and an emotion that could not even be named yet.
Odelia can't forget the memory of that day.
Around this time of year, memories of that day always come to mind, as if she were suffering from a fever.
To the point where she developed a habit of taking it out and reminiscing about faded memories.
"...Calix."
His name passed her lips unconsciously, along with the sound of rain that pierced her heart.
The back of the man, who had faced each other alone on the embankment, was now connected to her two hands.
"Just like that time, we must protect it this time too."
Odelia's eyes shone even more firmly.
The wind and rain raged, threatening to engulf her, but her steps remained steady. Odelia, panting, piled up sandbags.
When the storm reached its peak, Allan gritted his teeth and jumped into the mud.
"Odelia! I will join you too!"
Gideon followed, breathing heavily.
"Damn, I wonder why I have to follow this crazy thing... but even if I die, I have to die with it!"
Finally, Philip arrived with his soldiers, who were once his fellow bandits and comrades.
"My lord, give your order!"
So the four of them struggled all night, back to back, to protect the warehouse and each other.
People overcame their fears and came together as one, and the next day the storm finally abated.
As the dawn sunlight began to dimly shine, four people sprawled on the mud opened their eyes almost simultaneously.
"...We're alive."
Odelia said in a hoarse voice.
'We're alive.'
We
Now it makes sense why Calix said that.
"Are you kidding me, Odelia? You were half dead."
Allan's voice was also familiar.
'Are you kidding? It was completely half-dead.'
Odelia's whole body felt heavy, and she had difficulty getting up, but she smiled slowly.
But it's okay since you protected it, right?
"But... you all protected it."
At Odelia's words, Allan, Gideon, and Philip stared blankly at her, then burst out laughing almost simultaneously.
The townspeople, the castle stewards, and even the servants, all covered in mud, barely managed to make it back to the castle, supporting each other. Their faces were weary, but their eyes were alive.
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