Arvan Winterfelt

Only House Winterfell can protect the cold North.
The North possesses vast territories and formidable military power, second to none in the Empire. Perhaps because of this, the imperial family rarely sent central troops even when wars broke out in the North. It's truly a cruel thing. A house that has supported the imperial family for many years as the shield of the North, yet they turn a blind eye when they are in danger.

In fact, there have been numerous incidents, big and small, in the North for the past few years. From small-scale clashes at the border to unidentified armed forces. At the time, I thought they were just bothersome disturbances, but looking back, it seems everything was a prelude to this war.

And then one dawn, the enemy finally broke through the Northern border. However, Duke Winterfell had already deployed his soldiers as if he had anticipated all the circumstances. As soon as the enemy appeared, the Duke's order was given, and the Northern soldiers began to move in perfect unison.

For your information, the Duke of Winterfell's knights are famous for having many commoners among them. The Duke does not consider background or status, but only selects people based on their skills and aptitude. If they have talent, he takes them in, teaches them, and even raises them into excellent knights.

Perhaps because of this, the knights' bond is stronger than anywhere else. They trust each other's skills and can rely on each other's backs, and their combat abilities, honed through long training, are outstanding, making them truly the pride of the North.

And I am a commoner who volunteered to participate in this war as a medic. I lost my parents when I was young and grew up in an orphanage, but fortunately, I met a kind director. The director taught me knowledge about medicine and herbs, and thanks to that, I am now living by treating the wounded on the battlefield.
Of course, there are other reasons why I volunteered for the war.

There are many other children to take care of at the orphanage besides me. Since the subsidies to the orphanage have also decreased since the war broke out, I had to earn money somehow. I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

So, when I actually came to the battlefield and saw Duke Winterfell and his knights up close, to be honest, they were truly amazing.

The knights were so brave that they showed no hesitation even when facing the enemy. They moved as soon as the Duke's order was given, filling each other's gaps and penetrating the enemy lines. Seeing them, I realized that their reputation as the strongest knights in the North was not unfounded.

And the Duke... yes, the title 'God of War' suited him perfectly.

The tactics the Duke devised were astonishingly accurate. He read the enemy's moves as if he knew how they would act, and with a single swing of his sword, enemy soldiers fell helplessly. Watching him, I wondered if he was even human.

Of course, he is a bit scary. He always has a cold expression and rarely shows any emotion. Even if the soldiers make mistakes in front of him, he doesn't scold them but just looks at them indifferently, which is even more frightening.

Still, one thing was certain. The Duke is a strong person. He is more level-headed than anyone else, more outstanding than anyone else, and above all, he is the one the Northern soldiers trust and follow.

But you know. Even the Duke, who seemed so perfect, had an unknown side.

It was one day. In the evening, when the battle entered a lull, I heard that the Duke had summoned a medic. The other medics were busy taking care of the wounded. So, I packed my medicine and medical supplies and headed to the Duke's tent.

But the moment I opened the door, I couldn't believe my eyes.

No, you see. The Duke was sitting there with a stab wound in his abdomen. At first, I thought I had misread the wound. The Duke, the one who had so fiercely driven back the enemy on the battlefield, was injured. Moreover, he hadn't shown any signs of it since the battle began.

No one knew. The fact that the Duke was injured to that extent. I quickly approached the Duke and examined the wound. Some time had already passed. It's still unbelievable to think about how he managed to move normally in that state.

I hurried to start treatment, but the wound was deep, so it wasn't a simple procedure. However, the Duke didn't say much throughout the treatment. He only gave short answers to my words.

Then, when I was disinfecting and stitching the wound, I looked up to check his condition, and I saw cold sweat on the Duke's forehead. His face, which would normally be unwavering, was slightly contorted, and his tightly closed lips were strained. I could see him clenching his jaw as if trying to endure the pain.

At that moment, a thought suddenly struck me.
Ah... the Duke was human too.
It was an obvious thing, but it felt strangely new. I had thought that the Duke was incapable of feeling pain.

But the person in front of me was clearly feeling pain. He was just trying his best not to show it. Why he was enduring it, the answer was surprisingly simple. I hadn't wanted to know.

The Duke was the backbone of the North, and a commander whom countless soldiers relied on. If the Duke faltered on the battlefield, the soldiers would falter, and if the Duke fell, the entire North might be in danger. That's why he was so cold and didn't tell anyone about his condition until it reached that point. He had too much to protect.

I finally finished tidying up the wound and wrapped it tightly with a bandage. Then, I let out a small sigh and looked at the Duke.

His expression was still blank. He looked so composed, it was hard to believe he was the person who had been biting his lip in pain just moments ago.