Chapter 47 

 

It seems unlikely that someone like Curtis could be beaten. The other four all felt the same way. Normally, when people hear his name, they usually shrink back in fear and don’t want to take him on. 

But Quinlyn, being young and inexperienced, didn’t feel that way at all. In her stubbornness, she charged ahead without a second thought. 

Drawing from her confidence as a lookout in the borderlands, she boldly decided to play a game of hide and seek with Curtis among the trees. 

As the game went on, Curtis found himself chuckling, leaning against a wall. He knocked on the barrier and called out to Quinlyn on the other side, “Aren’t you hungry? You seem to have endless energy” 

A moment later, Quinlyn said, “Leonard just told me that it takes three days to die without food, so I’m good for now.” As long as she was alive, she could keep going. 

Curtis, hearing this, was genuinely impressed by her determination. 

“But Curtis,” Quinlyn said with a hint of concern, “you sound a bit out of breath; are you okay?” 

If it weren’t for her innocence, he might have thought she was making fun of him. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he realized he had worked up quite a sweat. 

It was unusual for him in training camp, which showed that Quinlyn had really pushed him, both physically and mentally. 

With that alone, she had proven herself. Yet, even while showing concern, Quinlyn stood her ground, saying, “If you can’t keep going, feel free to act cute.” 

Curtis couldn’t help but laugh at that. Shaking the sweat off his hand, he grinned fiercely. “You little rascal. I’ll catch you and give you a good whack.” 

Quinlyn frowned at that idea, thinking it was unfair to punish her after a game; it just seemed childish to her. But before she could argue, she felt Curtis’s presence disappear. 

Her brow furrowed instinctively, and she quickly climbed a nearby tree to dodge a flying piece of chalk. 

‘He is clever. A spark of competition ignited inside her, and she decided to go all out. In a situation where both of them had the same limits, it came down to who would give in first. She thought he must be reaching that point. 

Knowing that delaying any further would put her at a disadvantage, she grabbed a sharp branch and lunged forward when Curtis came near again. 

“Curtis and Quinlyn have fallen!” A servant’s startled voice rang through the yard, alarming the ones in the living room. 

Stanley was the first to rush toward the door, but then remembered Edward, turning back to push his wheelchair as fast as he could. 

After going through two arches, they found Curtis and Quinlyn sitting on the ground not too far away. 

“You little rascal. Your nerves are unbelievable. Come to me.” Curtis, panting, looked torn between being tired and angry. 

Quinlyn, also dripping with sweat, leaned against a rock, declaring earnestly, “I won. Besides, there were no rules about punishment.” 

Curtis, snorting in amusement, turned to Edward, who was approaching. “Your sweet granddaughter dared to take me on in close combat. Thankfully, I took it easy, or I might’ve hurt her.” 

53 

Chapter 47 

Edward stopped, shock washing over him as concern surged in his chest. He urged Stanley to push him closer to Quinlyn, leaning down to examine her closely, “Quinlyn, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” 

Feeling a bit dirty and unwilling to lean on Edward, Quinlyn simply shook her head. “No, it was Curtis who got chalk dust on 

himself first.” 

At that moment, Edward’s worry turned serious. “What’s more important–winning or your life? Is victory worth such risk? Don’t you see how dangerous it is?” 

Nothing scared Edward more than Quinlyn ignoring her own safety–her willingness to put herself in harm’s way for the sake of winning. This was the last thing he wanted to see. 

As the atmosphere grew more tense, Stanley stepped in to mediate, “Grandpa, you know Quinlyn is just a stubborn child.” 

He said to Quinlyn, “You need to promise Grandpa that you won’t do dangerous things from now on.” 

But his words didn’t reach her. Quinlyn remained silent, head bowed, standing firm like a rock. Edward’s brow furrowed, troubled as he thought about how to guide her. 

Seeing this, Curtis sighed, wanting to offer some comfort to Edward. But then he caught sight of the branch on the ground and his expression changed. 

After a moment’s pause, he smiled resignedly. “Alright, Edward, it looks like we misunderstood her.” 

Edward turned to him, still frowning. “What do you mean by that?” 

Curtis, helped by a servant, stood up and pointed at the branch he had picked up. “This was Quinlyn’s weapon in our sparring match. In the dark, I didn’t see the details clearly, but now you can see for yourself.” 

Edward’s comprehension settled when he noticed that the sharp end of the branch was wrapped in cloth–a clear sign that she meant to avoid hurting anyone. 

“Quinlyn just wanted to intimidate me, hoping to catch me off guard.” Curtis sighed deeply, reflecting, “I’m getting old; I didn’t notice such vivid details, almost causing injury to her. I owe her an apology.” 

Finally, Edward understood the full situation and felt a wave of guilt wash over him. 

“No, it’s my fault,” Edward replied as he wheeled himself closer to Quinlyn, gently taking her hand. “I was wrong to doubt you and assumed you wouldn’t think to protect yourself in danger. I underestimated you; you’ve been amazing all along.” 

A child who could thrive in a place like the borderlands surely knew how to keep herself safe. Yet he had looked at her actions through the eyes meant for sheltered kids and worried she might get hurt. 

In reality, Quinlyn valued her safety very much; the risks she took came from knowing that if she didn’t push forward, survival could be at stake. So her courage became her strong shield. 

That evening, around nine o’clock, Quinlyn, still at the dining table, dozed off before finishing her meal. A sudden thud startled everyone, and they expected some trouble, only to see Quinlyn clutching a big chicken leg, asleep. 

Sho 

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