My mom stood there like a towering mountain, looking at me. I had never seen her small frame appear so large as it did today.
“Mom…”
“Mel…”
My dad and I awkwardly let go of each other. Now, not only I but also my dad was trying to read my mom’s expression.
“Well, the… the laundry is done.”
One of the maids, who had been holding her breath, stuttered as she slipped out of the room.
“I just remembered! I need to clean the windows.”
“Oh, I need to feed the horses.”
“Today is the day the groceries are delivered!”
One by one, the servants who had been so kind and supportive just moments ago began to make excuses and flee the room.
“Jessia, what happened to the request I made earlier?”
“Oh, that… I’ll explain it to you myself.”
Even Jessia and the butler, who I had trusted, left me.
In no time, the room was empty, with only my dad, my mom, and me left inside.
When I was seven, at least Grandpa would step in! But now, there was no Grandpa to help me with Mom.
“……..”
I clung tightly to my dad, fearing he might leave as well. My mom’s silence as she simply stared at me was terrifying. Just as I began to panic, she spoke.
“Cherrya Emblem.”
“Yes, ma’am”
I released my dad’s arm and stood up straight.
When my mom called me by my full name, she was addressing me not as her daughter but as a knight of the Emblem Order.
I quickly adjusted my mindset, no longer seeing her as my mom but as the Commander of the Emblem Order.
“Did you win or lose?”
“……….!”
I thought her first question would be about why I was fighting with Enoch there of all places.
The excuse I had prepared in advance evaporated, and I stuttered in response.
“It was… it was a draw.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Yes, that’s what happened.”
My mom narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing my face. The moment felt like an eternity to me.
“Mel, why don’t we sit down and talk?”
At that moment, my dad gently suggested.
It was unusual for him to intervene when my mom addressed me as the Commander of the Emblem Order, so this meant something significant.
‘Maybe she’s not as angry as I thought…’
My dad had an uncanny ability to sense my mom’s true feelings, even ones I didn’t understand.
“Shall we?”
My mom smiled warmly at my dad.
“………!”
She smiled!
If my parents had seen my face right then, their eyes would have widened in surprise.
They might not have known what was on my mind, but it was clear I was shocked.
“Come here, let’s talk.”
My mom patted the spot next to her on the bed, inviting me to sit down.
She doesn’t mean to hit me if I sit next to her, right?
I hesitated, but I eventually sat down cautiously as she had suggested.
“Well, this is how it happened. I was just relaxing on the terrace…”
“No, not that.”
My mom cut me off sternly, stopping me from reciting the excuse I had prepared.
“How long has it been since you and Enoch physically fought like that?”
“About 11 years.”
I was seven years old back then. Come to think of it, Enoch and I had fought back then because he said I would become boring.
‘Now that I think about it, ‘Don’t become boring’ was always his catchphrase.’
I felt a surge of anger, but I hid it in front of my mom.
Even after 11 years, I hadn’t matured mentally, at least when it came to Enoch Gray. I couldn’t let my mom find out.
“It has already been that long.”
My mom muttered, as if recalling something nostalgic, her gaze softened as she looked at me.
“It has been 11 years since you and Enoch fought like that.”
My mom lifted her hand and gently stroked my cheek. Her touch was soft and tender.
“You’ve grown so much since then, my dear daughter.”
I had grown, yes, but I was still getting into fights like I used to.
Ignoring the slight pang of guilt I felt at her words, I asked:
“Why aren’t you angry?”
“Why should I be?”
Why should you be? That wasn’t what I had expected.
I looked at my dad, confused, but he simply shrugged as if he didn’t know either.
“I was too curious about what happened, so I rushed over.”
“…You didn’t come here to scold me?”
“Of course. When two knights with boiling blood meet, it’s common for the place to turn into a sparring ground,”
My mom answered as if it was no big deal. Even so, as I remained tense, she turned to my dad and asked,
“Benedict, have we received any complaints from the Marquess of Balmore?”
“No, on the contrary, the Marquess of Balmore asked us to make sure Cherry attends their next party.”
“Exactly. I’ve also received multiple requests from the palace, asking me to let them know if Cherrya will attend the Marquess of Balmore’s party again.”
From my parents’ conversation, I began to understand the situation.
I should have realized sooner how much the people in this country were obsessed with the fights between Emblem and Gray.
People didn’t remember me causing a scene at the Marquess of Balmore’s party.
Instead, they thought they had witnessed a sparring match between Emblem and Gray.
“Well, Cherry and Enoch’s duels usually took place at the training grounds of Gray and Emblem. While it’s common for us to see them, it must have been quite an entertaining experience for others.”
“It’s been like that for a long time. When I was young, there were even people who would purposely push me towards Diana during parties. Of course, they ended up being thrown by me.”
The rivalry between Emblem and Gray had always been a popular spectacle in this empire, so the people who were there that day must have enjoyed themselves immensely!
‘No wonder no one tried to retreat!’
I felt embarrassed that I had been so worried about getting scolded by my mom. When I glanced at my dad, he narrowed his eyes and wickedly licked his lips.
“……….!”
I was tricked!
My dad had just been playing along because he found my anxious reaction amusing.
He had known all along that my mom wasn’t angry.
“Didn’t Enoch tell you? He was the one who gave Enoch the invitation to the Marquess of Balmore’s party yesterday.”
“…So, Enoch was able to attend the party without an invitation because of you, Dad?”
I felt a wave of betrayal and was left speechless.
“Yes. Enoch said he had something to apologize for, so I gave him my invitation.”
My dad admitted it without hesitation. It turns out that the reason I was so scared of getting scolded by my mom was partly because my dad had been egging me on.
And now, I found out it was all part of my dad’s plan.
Even a plot twist in a daytime drama wouldn’t hit this hard.
As I stood there, my mouth opening and closing in silent shock, my mom gently patted my shoulder and said,
“I asked your dad to ensure that yesterday’s situation would happen.”
“Yesterday’s situation… Do you mean the fight I had with Enoch?”
“Yes, the… well, let’s call it a sparring match, using your bodies rather than swords.”
“So, a fight.”
“Cherrya, please, try to be more refined.”
“Yes.”
My mom considered pinching my cheek as if she found my words annoying but decided to continue speaking instead.
“I’m sure you noticed the difference in Enoch from 11 years ago, especially since you sparred with your bodies, not swords.”
“Yes.”
I nodded obediently. My mom smiled and asked,
“You found a breakthrough, didn’t you?”
I smiled back silently, curling my lips like my mom.
As she had sensed, I had indeed found a way to overcome my weariness with the sword.
