“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. I’m engaged, after all.”
The princess, who had been looking at him confidently, suddenly scrunched up her face.
“Why? It’s not like you and Ingelos are on good terms.”
She immediately continued, seemingly baffled.
“Don’t tell me it was love at first sight or something trivial like that? It’s not a children’s fairy tale.”
Kaon barely managed to keep his face from crumpling. Hadn’t she just claimed to have fallen in love at first sight herself? About a man with a fiery heart, no less.
The irony of her stance—it’s okay for her but not for others—was amusing. Of course, it wasn’t true that he had fallen for Alessia at first sight. He was just shocked because she was so different from what he imagined.
Even if that were the case, he had no intention of using it as an excuse. It was just her attitude that was laughable.
However, the situation wasn’t entirely funny. Kaon composed his expression and spoke.
“Ferdinand does not betray its principles. The founding Duke did so, and as his descendant, I am simply upholding our honor.”
“Wow, Young Master. You’re more old-fashioned than you look,” the princess said dismissively, shaking her head. She murmured loud enough for all of Gaios to hear, saying this is why she found it dull.
Kaon ignored her. Although the offer was tempting—it might be his best chance to gain access to mages—his duty as a knight prevailed. A knight must uphold his oaths, whether to his lord, his people, or his own word. Carrying a sword didn’t make one a knight; it was the commitment to protect that did. And even though Ingelos had initially sent a fake mage, Alessia, she was now sincerely working hard for Ferdinand, to the point of harming her own well-being. As a knight of Ferdinand, Kaon was duty-bound to protect her.
“I understand your feelings, Young Master. It was an unexpected proposal, so you must have been taken aback,” the princess said, stepping back as if realizing it was hard to press further.
“Still, give it some more thought. There’s still time. I’ll be visiting Ferdinand next summer, so please consider it more seriously until then. Don’t just reject it outright.”
“If you insist…”
“Please. I’m serious.”
She left some room for change, not completely withdrawing her proposal. Kaon didn’t respond. He had no intention of accepting, but outright refusal again might be seen as insulting to royalty.
“So, you’re a romantic after all. The lady was seen on the balcony with another man.”
“What did you say?”
“Didn’t you know? That’s why I was sure you two were just meeting for business. That’s why I felt free to call you like this. Even if it wasn’t true, I would have called you anyway.”
Apparently, he really didn’t know. The princess added this a bit apologetically. Kaon, leaving her behind with a stern face, exited the balcony.
***
Alessia had returned to her place. A young man approached her as she quietly enjoyed the melody, smiling. Tall but seemingly under twenty, the visibly nervous boy didn’t stop his approach.
“It’s nice to meet you, miss. I am Georgie Flemming, the second son of the Count of Flemming.”
The boy with chestnut hair introduced himself in a shy voice that matched his neat appearance. He had been mesmerized by Alessia dancing from afar and had debated for a long time before deciding to speak to her.
“It’s nice to meet you, Sir Georgie Flemming.”
Georgie was thrilled. His voice sounded as if it could have been made from the dust of the moon that lights up the dark night sky—it was that clear and pure.
“You might not know, but Flemming lands are quite close to the Duchy of Ferdinand. By carriage, you could get there in three days at most—it’s quite near.”
“Of course, I’m aware of that.”
“Really? That would be an honor. I’m currently in training to become a knight. If I get appointed by my family, I’ll become a knight immediately, but joining another order of knights might take a bit longer.”
He was a bit flustered. He hadn’t planned on blurting out his aspirations so suddenly, but standing in front of Alessia, his words just spilled out. He worried it made him seem immature.
“That’s wonderful. Someone as kind-hearted as you will surely make a great knight,” Alessia responded with a warm smile that was nothing but encouraging. Georgie felt his heart pounding with excitement.
“That really boosts my spirits! In fact, this summer I will—”
“Alessia.”
Just as an excited Georgie was about to continue, a stern, deep voice interrupted. Slightly annoyed, he turned to see a strikingly ornate man standing there.
His hair was jet black, and he wore a matching formal outfit that didn’t particularly stand out, but his face was incredibly vivid. Georgie instantly recognized him as the prince of Ferdinand.
“Do you have something to say to my fiancée?”
“…I, I’ll come back another time.”
Despite his young age, the prince, who had risen to be among Ferdinand’s elite knights and faced rumors of scheming to elevate his renown, had an imposing presence. His almost unearthly appearance made him even more intimidating.
“If you plan to come back later, why not say it now?”
“Kaon.”
Alessia stepped in as the tone began to show annoyance. Georgie nodded eagerly, hoping to see her again, and left.
“Why did you scare him?”
“When did I scare him? He must have overreacted.”
“If you look kind, act kind too.”
‘When did I act unkindly? And why don’t you act kind to me if you look kind yourself?’
He was bursting with things to say. He had simply done what a fiancé was supposed to do. Perhaps he had been overly defensive, but that was only to ward off any potential suitors from getting too close.
It wasn’t out of sudden anger or any impulsive emotion that he had acted. At least, that’s what he believed.
Though feeling quite aggrieved, Kaon kept silent. Now was not the time to argue over such a trivial matter.
“Where have you been?”
“Just out for some air.”
Air? Really?
The disinterested reply made Kaon raise an eyebrow. He wondered if it was just the outdoor air she sought, or if it was the kind that shouldn’t be sought between people.
If it was the former, it might have been refreshing; if it was the latter, the princess’s words carried more weight. Alessia’s attitude seemed to lean more towards the latter.
“How long does it take to get some air? It’s almost like you went out to meet someone.”
Kaon, feeling inexplicably irritated, teased her. His voice lowered, the last vestige of his restraint.
“Kaon.”
Alessia looked straight at him and then covered her mouth, gesturing for him to come closer. Despite being annoyed, Kaon leaned in willingly. His affectionate gesture drew a quiet sigh from the onlookers.
“What does it matter to you if I meet someone? Since when did we have to care about such things?”
But the voice that reached Kaon’s ears was colder than ever.
“You and I. We’re just holding each other’s weaknesses. Don’t make any strange illusions.”
With those words, Alessia walked away without a trace of hesitation. Kaon’s bright, gray-blue eyes flickered tumultuously.
***
“Has the lady already left?”
A man with strikingly bright blonde hair, lighting up the dark balcony, suddenly appeared and asked. He looked at the empty spot with a hint of regret.
“Yes.”
“It was a rare chance for siblings to reunite, and yet you didn’t properly catch up. That’s rather cold.”
“Is that any of your business?”
His sharp, red eyes glared at the man, who raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. Despite his yielding action, his face bore a smug smile that seemed annoyingly nonchalant.
“You look so uneasy. No need for that, right? Everything will go your way anyway.”
“Impudent…”
The remark about looking uneasy sparked rare anger in the man with red eyes. He was curious to see how much more he could provoke him, but the man clenched his teeth and soon regained his composure.
“Don’t presume to judge me.”
“Yes, yes. As if I could.”
The man humbly replied but secretly scrutinized him. It was fascinating to see Richard Ingelos, usually so cold and devoid of humanity, so visibly shaken.
Rumor had it she was a useless girl, a troublesome burden born without the magical abilities expected of the Ingelos line. Harsh as the evaluation might be for a much younger sister, it seemed fitting for an heir to the Ingelos name.
But why was he so disturbed? The man found this puzzling and became even more intrigued by Alessia Ingelos, whom he had only briefly encountered.
“Do as you please once this is all over. Whether you risk your life or whatever.”
“Risk my life? That’s rather cruel to say. I have no interest in such matters.”
The handsome man protested, his exaggerated demeanor causing Richard to frown.
“Then why do you show interest?”
“Her eyes were quite beautiful.”
The man said, his face dreamily lost as if painting a picture in the air. He clasped his hands together as if making a fervent wish.
“I want those eyes.”
At this, Richard looked at him with even greater disgust. Although he himself was capable of worse, the man’s reaction seemed trivial, yet he simply smiled. Remembering the startled, ruby-like eyes quickly lifted his spirits.
‘Alessia Ingelos.’
A soft hum carried through the cold air.
🍉🍉🍉
