The Monster Lady and the Holy Knight - Side Story 5

“I have something to show you. Come here.”

“Is it urgent? I was just about to light the fire.”

“No, you have to see it now. It might not be here later.”

That night, freshly washed, Veronica tugged insistently at Leon’s arm. It was a small gesture he could have easily resisted, but he let himself be led.

Passing the horses tied to the trees, Veronica guided him toward the stream, where the cries of night insects filled the air, serenading the stars.

“I wanted to see this with you. Like when I eat something delicious, your face just naturally came to mind.”

The sound of the trickling water grew louder. Once their eyes had adjusted to the darkness, Veronica finally stopped and pulled back a low-hanging branch. As sudden streaks of light cascaded before him, Leon slowly lifted his gaze.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Veronica’s red eyes shimmered in the glow.

“This is a sight you can only see on summer nights.”

Leon exhaled slowly, his broad shoulders rising and falling.

Fireflies. Like floating lanterns, they drifted mysteriously around the gnarled tree beside the pond. Above them, the Milky Way stretched across the sky like a flowing river. It was a hidden wonder, something he had never seen before.

He stood in silence for a long while before finally murmuring, “It’s beautiful. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

But his eyes were not on the stars or the fireflies—they were on her. His heart ached, waves crashing within his chest.

Even without the moon, the sky was bright enough. Except for the gentle movement of the stars, the world around them had faded, leaving only the sound of their presence.

Leon’s red hair fluttered wildly in the summer breeze. Against the backdrop of darkness, he lowered his head. By morning, the glowing stars would vanish, but in this moment, as their lips met, it felt as if it would last forever.

***

“Veronica, have you ever eaten this before?”

Nightstar, trotting at a slow pace, came to a stop. When she turned back, she saw Leon plucking dark berries from a drooping tree branch. They looked like grapes but didn’t grow in clusters, making them unfamiliar.

Veronica shook her head. “What do they taste like?”

“They’re good for the mind and body.”

“Wow, then they must be—wait, you’re just trying to feed me something weird, aren’t you?”

“You caught me.”

Leon grinned, the deep dimples on his face making him look entirely too pleased with himself. Plucking one, he held it up to her lips. Veronica scoffed and took it boldly. As the sweet juice burst in her mouth, her eyes widened like a startled rabbit.

Straightening her back, she eagerly reached out, and Leon pulled the branch down for her. She picked a few and handed one to him. When he lowered his head to take it directly from her fingers, her hand trembled slightly at the brief brush of his lips. Leon, noticing the redness creeping up her face, watched her quietly before turning at the sound of their companions calling.

“Hurry up! We’re almost at the village! Once we arrive, we can finally rest properly today!”

Charlotte’s voice rang out in the distance. Because Veronica had felt dizzy earlier, Nightstar had been walking slower than the other horses.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I can hold on a little longer.”

At Leon’s concerned question, Veronica nodded quickly and turned forward. Her cheeks still burned. When would they ever be completely at ease with each other?

Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her posture, and Leon took the reins again. With a firm step, Nightstar picked up speed, galloping forward. As they climbed the hill, small houses clustered together came into view, revealing the village beyond.

It was then that Veronica spotted something at the village entrance—a bright red tent fluttering in the wind. The moment they reached the rest of their group, she raised her voice excitedly, pointing at it.

“Do you all see that? It looks like a traveling troupe!”

“We were just talking about it while we waited. A wandering stage, huh? My goodness. I can’t believe those still exist these days.” Charlotte squinted at the sight as she dismounted.

Enzo, unloading their supplies, shrugged. “Why not? It feels rather romantic to me. Aren’t they people who want to bring joy even in difficult times?”

“Or maybe they just lack any sense of reality.”

As the romantic and realist perspectives clashed, Veronica’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

A traveling troupe!

“We’re staying here for the night, right? Then maybe we can watch a performance before we leave!” Excited, she hopped off Nightstar without waiting for Leon’s help.

Charlotte smiled faintly. “I’m not expecting anything that extravagant. First, we need to find a decent place to stay. That’s what we’re going to negotiate now—want to help?”

She directed the question at Leon. Since Enzo was on the smaller side, bringing Leon along for any haggling seemed like a better choice. As he dismounted, he glanced toward Veronica as if seeking confirmation. She nodded, signaling it was fine.

Truthfully, her mind was already elsewhere, filled with thoughts of the traveling troupe. As a child, she had once seen a troupe perform in Bayren and had dreamed of something like this ever since.

As Leon and Charlotte walked off carrying the game and fruit they had gathered, Veronica turned to Enzo and spoke with feigned nonchalance.

“They might take a while. Since we have nothing to do, we might as well go check out that tent.”

“Shall we?” Enzo chuckled, amused by her poor attempt at pretending it wasn’t her main interest.

With hearts full of curiosity, they approached the red tent. However, upon peeking inside, it was far from what they had expected. The interior was barren, almost empty. A single man sat moving strings, performing a puppet show. Before him, only a couple of children watched absentmindedly, sucking on their fingers.

“Are you looking for something?”

Just then, a tall woman suddenly spoke up from behind, nearly making Veronica scream. Before she could react, Enzo quickly answered in her place.

“Ah, we’re just passing travelers. We were curious about when the performance would start.”

“There’s no performance.”

The woman stroked the cat in her arms and gestured toward the puppeteer.

“It’s just the two of us now. No clowns, no dancers, no singing minnesingers left.”

“Is it because of Bahamut…?”

“Yes. Staying in Bayren for too long took a heavy toll.”

“Bayren?”

Veronica, who had been listening absentmindedly, suddenly interrupted in surprise. Her reaction was so strong that both Enzo and the unknown woman turned to look at her simultaneously. Half in shock, half in nostalgia, Veronica stammered and pointed at herself.

“I’m from Bayren too. Watching traveling troupes perform there made me dream of becoming a dancer. Seeing this red tent reminded me of those times, but I never thought it would actually be that same tent…”

“The dancers would have been delighted to hear that. So, did your dream come true?”

The woman holding the cat asked calmly, her tone suggesting she was used to speaking with strangers.

Veronica hesitated before shaking her head. “In a way, yes, but not completely. Just as I became a proper member of a troupe, Bayren was attacked. I doubt I’ll ever perform on stage again unless people reach a point where they can afford to pay for performances.”

“Then, would you like to perform tonight? The audience may be small, but…”

The woman casually made an unexpected offer. Veronica blinked in disbelief.

“Here? Now?”

“If you’re not too busy. We’re just wanderers heading toward the wilderness, but along the way, we try to create unforgettable memories for the children we meet. After all, childhood never comes back, and no child chooses to be born in such difficult times.”

Even though they had just met, the words resonated deeply. Looking back, the reason she had started dancing was incredibly simple. Someone had once told her she had talent. When she had twirled as a child, the leader of a troupe had praised her. Maybe it was just a casual remark meant to entertain a little girl, but that small compliment had possibly shaped the course of her entire life…

Mesmerized, Veronica’s gaze drifted toward the children watching the puppet show of a lady and a knight. Outside the tent, everything was still quiet, and there was no sign of Leon and Charlotte returning.

“We’re staying here for the night, right?”

She turned to Enzo for confirmation. When he nodded with curiosity, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Do you have a lute? Just for a moment—before my companions return, I’d like to show the children a short dance.”

***

“I expected some distrust toward refugees, but I never imagined the hostility would be this strong. We even brought gifts in our hands.”

Charlotte spoke first, as if trying to defend her fellow countrymen. They had just been turned away from the last house they had asked for lodging.

Leon replied impassively, “Just being in a village with people means we don’t have to worry about wild beasts. Sleeping outdoors isn’t so bad.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if we ran into a beast? At least then, we’d have our next meal.”

It was meant as a joke, but Leon didn’t laugh. Charlotte was dumbfounded at how cold he had become the moment Veronica was out of sight.

Veronica often spoke about how playful and teasing her husband could be, but Charlotte was beginning to think she had nothing to worry about when it came to other women. Right now, he looked like a completely different man—almost like a holy knight who had devoted his entire life to serving God.

“By the way…”

Leon suddenly spoke.

“Do you know where the other two went? I don’t see them anywhere.”

Following his gaze, Charlotte looked around and realized he was right. Only their horses stood by the tent, unattended.

“I don’t know, but they’re probably just looking around for a bit. I hear lute music coming from the tent.”

At her words, Leon immediately turned and strode toward the sound. Veronica had her sword, and Enzo was trustworthy, so logically, he knew there was no reason to worry. But perhaps it was because Enzo was a good person that he felt uneasy.

He had spent enough time with him to know—Enzo was the kind of man women liked. Gentle, considerate, and charming in his quiet way.

“Wow… so pretty.”

The soft exclamation made Leon’s thoughts come to a halt. His head snapped toward the stage, and from that moment on, he could not look away.

Before the wide-eyed children, Veronica held up a sheet of flowing red fabric. The southern-style dress revealed her pale shoulders, fluttering like butterfly wings above her knees.

A butterfly. He thought it was a fitting metaphor.

As an unfamiliar man plucked the lute strings, playing a simple melody, Veronica gracefully slid into motion. Even Charlotte, who had followed him in, stopped in surprise.

“So she used to be a dancer? She looks like a completely different person dressed like that.”

Leon didn’t answer. He didn’t even hear her words. He simply watched. His love, captivating even an audience of just seven, bowed at the end of her dance, her every move as breathtaking as the soft notes of the lute.

Glancing at Leon, Charlotte thought—if the moment someone falls in love could be captured, it would look exactly like this.

His sharp features were cast in shadow, his face torn between restraint and surrender. He looked as if he were battling an overwhelming impulse, or perhaps as if he had already been completely consumed by it.