“I prepared a gift to celebrate your knighting,” Odeliana said.
Matthias blinked, clearly taken aback. Surprise flickered in his eyes—it was obvious he hadn’t expected anything, let alone something so deliberate.
“I don’t know if it will suit your taste,” she added with a slight smile, “but I hope you’ll put it to good use.”
She unlatched the chest and lifted the lid. Gasps rippled through the onlookers.
Inside, resting atop a bed of deep violet velvet, was a sword—long, sleek, and elegantly forged. Its form was both restrained and commanding, striking in its simplicity. Even from a distance, it carried an air of dignity. A quiet strength.
Matthias leaned in, his gaze fixed on the weapon. The moment his fingers brushed the blade, a soft red shimmer pulsed across the metal—alive with latent energy. Though the sword bore no elaborate engravings or gemstones, it radiated power, as though it had been waiting for him alone.
“Would you like to hold it?” Odeliana asked.
He didn’t answer immediately. He simply stared at the sword, as if trying to find the words. His brows knit slightly—not in confusion, but in awe.
Then, slowly, reverently, he lifted the weapon. What should have felt weighty in the hands of a novice moved as though it belonged to him—light, effortless.
“It’s an exceptional sword,” he murmured.
“Do you like it?” she asked, watching him closely.
“I do,” Matthias said with quiet conviction. “Very much.”
“I felt the same when I first saw it,” Odeliana said, her voice low. “It wasn’t intentional, but… it reminded me of you.”
Before Matthias could respond, Malena stepped in with a wry grin.
“That dark and dangerous aura is a perfect match,” she teased.
Her tone was playful, clearly baiting him. But Matthias only laughed—freely, genuinely. So brightly that Odeliana felt the breath catch in her throat. Had he ever smiled at her like that before?
“Thank you, Master. Your disciple is truly grateful,” Matthias said, bowing his head with heartfelt sincerity.
Odeliana couldn’t help but smile. The joy on his face was unmistakable—pure, radiant. She hadn’t expected him to be this happy. Quietly, she offered a silent thank-you to Fergus, who had arranged the sword’s crafting well in advance. She made a mental note to visit him later and deliver a proper gift in appreciation.
“You should probably get back now, right? I’ll be going,” she said, turning to leave.
But before she could take a step, his voice stopped her cold.
“Master.”
She paused, eyebrows lifting as she turned back toward him. “What is it?”
Without a word, Matthias drew the sword she had just given him. In one fluid, effortless motion, he slashed across his own wrist.
“Matthias!” she gasped.
Blood welled from the wound, dripping steadily down his arm. Alarmed, Odeliana rushed forward, reaching for him with both hands. “Malena—bring bandages and a coagulant—now—!”
But Matthias didn’t flinch. Instead, he calmly dipped the blade into his own blood, then knelt on one knee and held it out to her, crimson staining the steel.
Only then did she fully understand.
Her breath caught. Her eyes widened. Her face drained of color.
He was offering her his Shinseo—a knight’s sacred Vow of Chivalry—right here, in full view of the public.
A ripple of astonished gasps echoed around them as onlookers realized what was happening. Some even clapped in reverence, moved by the profound symbolism of the act. But all Odeliana could feel was cold dread closing in.
You fool, she thought. You absolute fool.
Rejecting the vow would humiliate Matthias in front of half the city. Accepting it would mean binding him, possibly forever, to a path of servitude he didn’t understand.
Why would he do something so reckless…?
Her mind reeled, racing through a dozen responses and finding none that would spare them both. In the end, cornered by the moment and the many eyes watching, she reached out and took the sword—bitterly, against every instinct screaming at her to refuse.
The weight of it shocked her. It was heavier than it had any right to be, and her arms instinctively dipped under its burden. The metal felt cold against her skin—solid, real. Binding.
Dazed, Odeliana looked up.
Matthias was smiling.
And in that moment, he shone brighter than the plate armor he wore—brighter than any knight she had ever seen. When she swayed under the sword’s weight, he stepped forward and caught her effortlessly, steadying her before she could fall.
Cheers erupted around them.
But she leaned in close, and with a hiss so low it barely escaped her lips, she snapped, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Her voice was sharp with fury, but Matthias remained unbothered. Amused, even.
“I simply offered the highest honor I could give,” he said lightly. “To the master who guided me.”
“Matthias…” she gritted out. “A Shinseo isn’t just some public gesture. It’s an oath of total submission. Not even the king can override it. Once sworn, it’s absolute.”
Her words burned with frustration. He had never once acted out of line—never once disrespected her judgment—until now.
But Matthias only looked at her with clear, steady eyes. “That’s why I gave it to you, Master.”
She stared at him, stunned. “You…”
With practiced ease, he returned the sword to its sheath and fastened it at his hip. Then, in one final flourish, he took her hand once more and kissed the back of it—gentle, reverent.
Then, with a small smirk tugging at his lips, he added in a low, teasing voice, “So you really shouldn’t accept things without thinking.”
Odeliana stared at him, utterly speechless.
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