LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 205
Chapter 205
“Training Officer! We’re all planning to go eat at the newly opened restaurant on the northwest street today. Would you like to join us?”
After finishing the morning training, the brown-haired knight, Austin, asked me as I put on my uniform jacket again. I suddenly realized the gap among the knights.
‘Kascia really isn’t coming after all.’
The day after I heard those intense words that sounded like strange possessiveness or awkward affection, Kascia did not come to the Knights Order.
‘Today, Lord Kascia isn’t feeling well and couldn’t make it.’
Noah said this with a worried expression. For a moment, I thought if yesterday’s incident was bothering her, but it didn’t seem like someone with Kascia’s strong knight spirit would skip work for something so trivial. She didn’t seem the type to lie either.
‘Is she really feeling that unwell?’
I kept my mouth shut. Did I become attached to her during that time between?
I shook my head in regret at Austin, who was waiting for my response.
“I have a prior commitment today. You should enjoy your meal and let me know how it was. If it’s good, I’ll treat you next time.”
“Oh, I see. That’s a shame… but I’m looking forward to it!”
Austin smiled so innocently that his freckles seemed to spread across his face as he returned to where the knights were gathered. I waved him goodbye and adjusted my outfit once more.
The prior appointment excuse wasn’t a lie.
I fumbled with a letter neatly tucked in my pocket and reflected on its contents.
[Dear Shushu. No, should I call you Training Officer now? Congratulations on your recent recognition. It seems your reputation has been spreading widely within the Imperial Palace. You’re doing wonderfully. You are truly my pride.
We haven’t seen each other since that last grand noble meeting, have we? I understand since we’ve both been busy.
I’ve wanted to visit the Knights Order to see you, but I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, so I held back. On days when I had a sliver of free time, I aimlessly wandered around the Knights Order, but luck was not on my side. So now, after the busyness has settled, I’ve finally written to you.
I won’t make a long excuse. I miss you. Please come see me.]
The sender was Diego Solarit.
After returning home yesterday afternoon and receiving this letter, I replied without hesitation that I would come. I missed Diego too.
Today was the day I had a tea time appointment with Diego.
As I strolled through the familiar corridors of the Imperial Palace, now accustomed to it, I hummed lightly. The sunny weather lifted my spirits even higher.
While picking out the stories I wanted to tell Diego in my mind,
‘Oh.’
I felt an approaching energy from a familiar corner and stopped in my tracks.
The sound of footsteps grew closer. The person who surely sensed my energy increased their pace. I stood still, waiting for them.
“Shushu.”
The person was someone I knew well.
With hair as dark as a deep abyss, like a handful of darkness drawn out. Mesmerizing red eyes more captivating than any rose. Walking alone without a guard behind him showcased his noble pride. I beamed at him.
“Father. Where are you headed?”
My father, Lord Caesar Crisis.
The sternness that had frozen on his face softened into a faint smile. In that instant, from the winter-like demeanor transitioning into spring, I felt his love.
“I just met with the Emperor. I’m heading home now; would you like to come with me?”
Caesar extended his hand. His red eyes sparkled with a peculiar anticipation, and while I wanted to take his hand, I remembered my commitment. I displayed a regretful expression.
“It seems I must go in first; I have an appointment with His Highness the Crown Prince today.”
“……The Crown Prince?”
Caesar’s expression stiffened.
“What about the Crown Prince?”
“We have a tea time appointment together.”
I doubted whether even a cockroach juggling in front of him could make him turn as red in the face.
After briefly biting his lip, Caesar leaned down and whispered in my ear.
“Is the Crown Prince… not forcing you into anything with his power?”
“What? Of course not.”
“Think carefully. Is it not possible that this appointment was somehow brainwashed into your acceptance without you realizing?”
“Who… who would brainwash me?”
I stared at him with an incredulous look. It was as difficult as trying to skewer a dragon with a toothpick to brainwash someone in a house full of two Swordmasters.
Perhaps understanding that it made no sense, Caesar raked his fingers through his hair and then regarded me with a rather uneasy expression.
“You’re sure this is something you want to do, right?”
What lay under those red eyes was concern. Caesar was worried if I was being forced into something.
Stifling a laugh at that excessive worry, I replied softly.
“Of course. If there was something I didn’t want to do, I wouldn’t forget to tell you.”
At my confident answer, Caesar finally relaxed his expression a little. His large hand gently swept my hair back. I welcomed that hand warmly and joyfully.
“Then that’s fine… though I wish you wouldn’t enjoy it.”
His last words were almost a whisper. I tilted my head, confused about his intent but smiled brightly towards him, signaling him not to worry.
“Then can we have dinner together tonight? Arya has been saying she’s sad that you’ve been so busy lately.”
“Of course. We should have dinner together. I’ll try to come home at a decent hour.”
Caesar nodded in satisfaction. With an expression like someone sending their lover off to battle, he turned back to look at me several times before leaving.
‘This might take a bit longer.’
I had planned the appointment with plenty of time to spare, but chatting too long with Caesar in the corridor had crunched my schedule. I took out my pocket watch from inside my coat to check the time and hurriedly headed towards the Crown Prince’s palace.
I arrived at the appointed location, passing familiar streets. A familiar face was waiting outside Diego’s office.
With short dark green hair and beige eyes. Still stiff, but for some reason, he looked softer than usual.
“Long time no see, Pepper Elraving.”
Diego’s most loyal knight, Pepper Elraving.
“……Lady Princess Crisis, no, Lord Crisis.”
The beige eyes trembled. He seemed about to say something but quickly shut his mouth. Pepper looked quite perplexed.
I blinked at his unfamiliar demeanor. Normally, Pepper acted like a feisty cat in front of me, and today he was like a submissive dog with his tail between his legs.
“You’re awfully quiet this time. Did something change in your heart?”
At my straightforward question, Pepper squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, as if recalling a dark history.
“If you knew I was a mercenary named Mir, you wouldn’t be speaking to me so casually.”
I sighed briefly and rolled my eyes.
Back when I was busy actively working as Mir, I had no time to look around, but lately, I had been feeling the weight of the influence Mir had. The knights expressed their respect, which was a nice feeling but also somewhat embarrassing and stressful.
“Did you… like me?”
I awkwardly asked. Pepper, who had been cooling off his flushed face, froze and looked at me. His mouth dropped open in shock.
“Is that something one should say while prostrating themselves before the Crown Prince? Did you ask if I liked Lord Crisis? Really, that’s… far too presumptuous…”
“No, I mean did you like me as Mir rather than as a person?”
“Ah.”
Pepper, who had been mumbling something, sighed. His beige eyes darted around nervously as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. His exposed nape flushed with color.
“I… didn’t like you that much. I just sometimes followed achievements and practices in swordsmanship every now and then.”
“Wow… that seems like quite a liking. But if I mentioned that, Pepper would probably bolt again, so I kept my head nodding.”
“So, do you trust me now?”
“No, not entirely.”
Pepper’s eyes widened again. He made a haughty expression—though his intention was probably to be serious—and turned his head away.
“Weren’t you the one who insisted I should doubt you to the end? As the Crown Prince’s knight, I’ll be wary of you as a teacher of His Highness and as a princess.”
His beige eyes briefly glanced back at me. It felt like he was watching my reactions.
“……But I might trust you a little as a human.”
Being certain that I had gained someone’s trust filled me with joy. I couldn’t help but grin widely.
I had many shy people around me.
“Ahem. His Highness is probably waiting. Let’s go.”
Pepper placed a hand on the doorknob as if to open the door. Just as he turned it, he suddenly glanced back at me.
“And this is an overstepping statement as your protector, but…”
His eyes fixed on me steadily.
“Though His Highness told me I could disregard this and not inform you, I hope you understand.”
I leaned in to listen. It seemed that Diego had done something behind my back.
“There were negative opinions in the noble social circle regarding making Lord Crisis your Training Officer. Half of them were silenced by Lady Arya Crisis… ”
Pepper lifted the corners of his mouth slightly.
“The other half was quieted by His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Bang.
“Your Highness. Lord Crisis has arrived.”
The silhouette leaning against the window frame, peering outside, looked ethereal under the warm afternoon sunlight.
He wore a white shirt and black trousers, light yet casual. He had rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows, revealing strong arms. The buckle of the black armband he wore on his right arm glinted in the sunlight.
His golden hair shone like threads of gold in the air, and as he turned his head,
His blue eyes curved towards me.
“You’ve come, Shushu.”
The man who wore an even brighter smile than the sunlight itself was Diego Solarit.