Chapter 29: Baron, Have Some Self-Respect
The moment Rhodes stepped into the wooden cabin, he felt it immediately—
A gaze.
Clear. Focused. Intent.
The girl's bright eyes locked onto him without hesitation. She had only just awakened, yet in a single glance, she had already identified the center of the room.
He's the one in charge.
No words had been exchanged, yet the conclusion was instinctive.
"Thank you for saving my life, sir."
Her voice was soft, refined, and carried the unmistakable cadence of noble upbringing. Even in her weakened state, her composure remained intact.
Then, without pretense, she added quietly—
"I'm… very hungry. Could you give me something to eat?"
Rhodes gave a small nod, saying nothing.
A guard was summoned. Dried meat, hard rations, and a glass of water were quickly brought over and placed in her hands.
The girl accepted them with quiet grace.
She was clearly starving.
But instead of biting into the food, she tore off small pieces, placing each carefully into her mouth. Her movements were quick, efficient—but controlled.
Measured.
Refined.
This wasn't restraint learned overnight. This was etiquette ingrained so deeply it had become instinct.
She lowered her head slightly, eating in silence. Her movements were almost rabbit-like—fast, precise, focused entirely on survival, yet bound by invisible rules she could not abandon.
The cabin fell quiet.
Only the faint sound of chewing remained.
Rhodes watched her without speaking.
Only after she had finished the entire portion—every last scrap—did he finally break the silence.
"I am Rhodes of Blackpine Ridge," he said calmly. "But to be clear—I did not save you."
There was no attempt to claim credit, no embellishment.
He recounted everything plainly—the discovery, the black bear, the hunter's death, and his own deductions.
The girl listened in silence.
Then she lowered her head.
"I'm sorry… it's my fault the hunter was harmed."
Her voice dimmed, carrying genuine remorse.
In the corner, the hunter's children sat huddled together, their quiet sobs filling the spaces between words.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Rhodes exhaled softly.
"It's the black bears' fault," he said evenly. "After spring planting, I'll organize a hunt and drive them back into the forest."
The shift in tone was deliberate.
Practical. Grounded.
He then reached into his coat and took out a brooch.
"My subordinate, Alyra, found this on you while treating your wounds."
He handed it to her.
"I assume you're the Razor Plains lord who was rumored to have died."
The girl blinked, then gave a small, apologetic bow.
"You're correct. I am Avril Red Griffin… the eldest daughter of the Earl of Razor Plains."
Rhodes studied her carefully.
So the guess was right.
But something didn't match.
The Red Griffin bloodline was renowned for its ferocity. Her father had once broken through an encirclement of hundreds with only five guards—a man whose name was synonymous with iron will and battlefield dominance.
Yet the girl before him…
Delicate. Soft. Almost fragile.
More like a porcelain ornament than the heir of a war-born lineage.
Still, noble ladies were often raised this way.
That wasn't the real question.
Why was someone like her in the North?
"It's a pity," Avril said softly, her gaze drifting toward the grieving children. "If my territory were still intact… I could have taken them in."
"No need."
Rhodes cut her off without hesitation.
"I will take responsibility for my people."
His tone was calm—but absolute.
No room for negotiation.
Then his gaze sharpened slightly.
"Why did your people try to kill you?"
A brief pause.
"How high were your taxes? Seventy percent?"
Avril shook her head.
Rhodes frowned.
"Higher?"
Another shake.
Then, quietly—
"…Twenty percent."
The room fell silent.
Rhodes said nothing.
Durant said nothing.
Even Gunther, leaning by the doorway, straightened abruptly, his eyes widening.
"Twenty?" he blurted. "And they still tried to kill you?"
Avril lowered her gaze.
"I know they struggle to survive… I didn't want anyone to starve."
Rhodes crossed his arms slowly.
"In the North," he said, voice low and steady, "mercy is often mistaken for weakness."
Kindness, when used poorly, was not virtue—
It was vulnerability.
"But… they used to smile at me," Avril murmured. "They bowed… they brought me gifts."
Her voice carried genuine confusion, like someone trying to understand a broken rule in a world she thought she knew.
Rhodes sighed softly, his tone easing.
"I believe you."
He paused before continuing.
"But you didn't have control."
"In unstable lands, good people stay silent… and the worst rise first."
"When you lost your footing, no one stood up for you."
Avril nodded faintly, her expression dimming.
"…You're right."
"It's fine," Rhodes said. "You survived. That's what matters."
Then, after a brief pause, curiosity surfaced.
"How did you escape? There are already rumors that you're dead."
Avril hesitated.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
Then she asked, almost timidly—
"Can I… not say?"
Rhodes blinked.
He had expected deflection. Lies. Silence.
Not… honesty.
"…Of course," he replied after a moment, a faint smile appearing. "Everyone has their own secrets."
He stood.
"Rest. Tomorrow I'll have someone escort you to Frostleaf Town. From there, you can return to your family."
Clean. Efficient.
Resolved.
"Baron Rhodes."
He paused mid-step and turned back.
"Yes?"
Avril glanced briefly at the others still inside the cabin.
"…Can I speak with you alone?"
Rhodes hesitated for only a moment before gesturing.
The others understood immediately. Chairs scraped softly against the floor as they stood and left, closing the door behind them.
Silence returned.
Rhodes sat back down.
"Go ahead."
Avril clasped her hands lightly, her posture straight despite the vulnerability in her eyes.
"…Can I not return to the Red Griffin family?"
Rhodes frowned slightly but said nothing, waiting.
"My father is old," she continued softly. "He doesn't have much time left where he's fully lucid."
"My stepmother and uncle… they control everything now."
A faint bitterness crept into her voice.
"She sent me here. This was exile."
"If I return… I'll just be sent away again. Or married off to someone for political gain."
Rhodes leaned back slightly, thinking.
"…Was she involved in the attempt on your life?"
"I don't know."
A pause.
"But I know I'm not safe there."
Her eyes lifted to meet his.
Clear.
Unprotected.
"Can I stay here… with you?"
Rhodes' expression remained unchanged.
"Blackpine Ridge isn't a safe place either."
More importantly—
Taking her in meant stepping into the internal struggles of the Red Griffin family.
Risk… with no immediate benefit.
"You are safe here," Avril insisted softly. "And this is the closest place to Razor Plains."
Her voice softened further.
"You saved me. You're kind… and handsome…"
"No."
Rhodes raised his hand immediately, cutting her off.
"I'm not kind. I'm a ruthless baron."
Kindness, in this world, was expensive.
And he had no intention of paying for it blindly.
Avril fell silent.
Then she sighed.
And after a moment of hesitation—
She reached for her clothing.
Rhodes' eyes narrowed.
"…What are you doing?"
Buttons loosened.
Fabric shifted.
"Baron Avril," Rhodes said sharply, raising a hand, "have some self-respect."
"You misunderstand."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
From within the inner lining of her clothes, she retrieved something.
A crystal.
Jade-green.
Rhombus-shaped.
It shimmered faintly under the dim light of the cabin.
"This is a Life Gem."
She held it out gently.
"It can improve physical condition… and enhance the efficiency of breathing techniques."
Silence.
Rhodes slowly rose to his feet.
His gaze locked onto the gem.
Unblinking.
Gone was the indifference.
Gone was the hesitation.
This—
This was something real.
An extraordinary artifact.
Something far more valuable than a noble title.
Something worth risk.
For the first time since entering the room—
Rhodes was genuinely interested.
End of Chapter 29
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