The Person I Loved Hated Me - Chapter 1

In the approaching twilight, Clara was caught in the back alley she had fled into, dragged down and pinned to the wet ground. Though she kicked her assailant in the stomach before he could fully overpower her, it wasn’t enough to inflict real damage. Her hands were seized and pressed into the damp earth.

“As expected of a former knight!”

“To still bark in a situation like this. You and your brother are both insufferable.”

Clara glared back defiantly, but her body had stiffened with fear, trembling in small shivers. The man looking down at her Ahim, wore a triumphant smirk.

“My brother Isaac will come!”

Though he was a former knight, being pinned by such a man left no chance of escape. Clara tried to threaten him with her reliable brother’s name, but Ahim laughed scornfully, “Hah!”

“He’s on a month-long expedition. How could he?”

Clara’s brother Isaac belonged to the knight order. Despite his commoner origins, he was highly capable and, while still young, held the position of captain leading ten units.

Currently, he was away, having accepted a request from a western lord. He led his troops on an expedition to subdue a bandit stronghold that had grown too large.

Ahim had obtained information from somewhere and attacked Clara, seizing the opportunity while Isaac was absent.

“How truly cowardly. No wonder you were dismissed from the knights!”

“I was dismissed because of Isaac!”

Smack! Clara’s cheek was struck, silencing her. Her mouth must have been cut; the metallic taste of blood spread inside.

“Besides, I offered to date you, and you refused, embarrassing me. You and your brother, both children of a mistress, acting all high and mighty!”

Children of a mistress.

They had been called that since childhood, but Clara and Isaac didn’t know who their father was. Their mother had absolutely refused to tell them.

Their mother, Dietrich, was a merchant’s daughter who had worked in the castle as a servant. She returned to her family home with a swollen belly and gave birth to Isaac out of wedlock. Three years later, she was pregnant again and gave birth to Clara.

Dietrich never spoke of who the man was. Only that he had a wife and children. Her parents, fearing scandal due to their business, disowned Dietrich and severed ties with her and her children.

Dietrich herself had passed away from illness five years ago. It was winter when Clara was thirteen and Isaac was sixteen.

Thanks to Isaac having received his knighthood around that time, they weren’t in financial hardship. It was around then that Ahim first appeared before them.

Ahim was Isaac’s contemporary, two years older. Also a commoner, but whereas Isaac believed that commoner knights must be especially pure and upright to not bring shame to the title, Ahim was never a man of good conduct.

He had skill but was cunning, proud, and didn’t hesitate to betray comrades. Isaac couldn’t trust such a man with his back, and they often had conflicts, or so Clara heard.

Despite this, Ahim, upon seeing Clara in town, took a liking to her and approached her without hesitation.

Clara was a very lovely girl. She was often the object of love at first sight, so she wasn’t particularly surprised when the unfamiliar Ahim suddenly spoke to her.

But when she refused, he grabbed her arm and tried to forcibly take her away. Terrified, she screamed and fled.

Ahim, with his strong pride, couldn’t believe a woman would refuse him, a knight. Enraged by Clara’s attitude, he began stalking her.

Every time he approached, Clara rejected him, but the more she refused, the more obsessed he became.

Soon after, due to his existing conduct issues, Ahim was discharged from the military and stripped of his knighthood. A restraining order was issued against him approaching Clara, but this likely only fueled his resentment. This was the result.

“This place is no good. Be quiet.”

Ahim grabbed Clara’s trembling hair, forcing her to stand, shoved a cloth into her mouth, and effortlessly lifted her.

There was no brother to save her. Her attempt to lose him in the maze-like alley had backfired, leaving them unseen. Struggling was useless; she was easily restrained.

Just as she was beginning to despair, thinking it was hopeless, a figure appeared.

A tall, slender young man wearing the same deep blue knight uniform as Isaac.

He pulled Ahim’s shoulder while simultaneously hooking his leg, flipping him over.

Clara thought she would be slammed into the ground, but in the blink of an eye, she found herself in the arms of this suddenly appeared man. “Wait here,” a low, pleasant voice reached her ears as she was gently set down. Then, in the time it took to blink a few times, Ahim was laid out on the ground, not moving a muscle.

“Miss, are you all right?”

He turned and offered his hand.

His gentle and soft demeanor, with neither hair nor clothing disheveled, made it hard to believe he had just taken down Ahim.

His slightly wavy, pale golden hair. Beyond his bangs, clear blue eyes like a serene sky. A straight nose, thin lips, and above all, a pleasant voice. Dressed like a prince, Clara stared at him, mesmerized.

“Miss?”

The way he tilted his head was also beautiful.

She forgot her terrible ordeal and let out a sigh, but the cloth in her mouth muffled the sound. The beautiful man then knelt on one knee before Clara and removed the obstruction from her mouth.

“You’re injured. This is terrible.”

“It’s nothing serious.”

What gentle words. He must be from nobility. She thought nobles were arrogant, but he was different. Surely, he was a wonderful person with a beautiful heart. Clara, faced with this splendid knight, was completely smitten.

“No, I’m afraid it’s not nothing. You might not feel the pain now due to shock, but these are severe injuries.”

Her slapped cheek was red and beginning to swell. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and her arms and knees were covered in bruises and scrapes. The marks of Ahim’s hands were clearly visible on her wrists, but Clara, captivated by the beautiful young man before her, didn’t notice.

“If you’ll allow me, I’ll carry you. May I touch you?”

“Yes, please.”

Wait, he’s going to carry me? The moment she thought this, she happily reached out both arms.

He lifted her gently, taking care. Unlike her muscular brother Isaac, he was slender, but his chest was firm; he clearly trained properly.

Clara, using the excuse of not falling, gently placed her hands on his chest.

How happy I am, she thought, forgetting the assault and blushing. Just then, several knights came running noisily.

“Captain Eivard, who is that person?”

“That man lying over there attacked her. She’s injured, so we’ll treat her at the nearby outpost. We can hear the details afterward.”

“Then…”

“The mission is canceled.”

It seemed the knights had been on a mission. From Clara’s perspective, it was fortunate, but from theirs, their mission was canceled because of her.

Worried she’d made a bad impression, she felt downcast. Then, one of the knights checking the man on the ground exclaimed, “Isn’t that Ahim?”

Wondering who could know Ahim, Clara looked up toward the voice. Her eyes met the knight’s, and they both let out an “Ah!”

“Isn’t that Clara!”

“Franz, it’s been a long time.”

Franz ran over, checking Clara with a pained expression. “Are you hurt?”

Like Ahim, Franz was Isaac’s contemporary. Their units were different, so this was their first meeting in years, but Clara still heard his name from Isaac, so it seemed they kept in touch despite different assignments.

“Franz, do you know her?”

The pleasant voice came from the man holding Clara, Eivard.

Clara, ignoring her reunion with Franz, was entranced by that voice.

“Know her? Well… she’s Isaac’s sister.”

For some reason, Franz seemed hesitant to introduce her. Suddenly, Clara felt Eivard’s body stiffen. Wondering what was wrong, she tilted her head.

“You are Isaac’s, sister?”

“Yes, that’s right. Do you know my brother Isaac?”

“…Yes.”

For some reason, the atmosphere grew heavy. What? Clara cast a questioning look at Franz, who, startled, extended his arms and said, “I’ll take her.”

“No, I’ll take responsibility.”

But Eivard rejected Franz’s offer, tightening his arms around Clara.

“It’s Clara. Isaac’s sister.”

“I understood without you repeating it.”

“But, still…”

As Franz hesitated, Eivard stated, “I don’t mix personal and professional matters. I will treat her with respect.” Watching this exchange, Clara realized something unpleasant must have happened between Isaac and Eivard.

She wanted to know what it was, but she also wanted to savor the happiness of being carried by this wonderful knight. Clara tightened her grip on Eivard’s chest.

“Franz, I leave the cleanup to you.”

“Understood.”

Leaving a worried Franz and the other knights behind, Clara, still held in Eivard’s arms, left the back alley.