Chapter 161
***
After a quick lunch, we arrived at the arena where the preliminary rounds of the swordsmanship tournament were being held.
When we headed straight to the waiting room, Jack—who had already finished prepping his weapon—greeted us with his usual stoic expression.
But judging by the slight flush at the tips of his ears, he seemed a bit shy.
“All ready? Not nervous or anything?”
Finding Jack cute like that, I spoke to him even though I knew he was waiting for something.
He slowly nodded in response. Then Allen snorted and jumped into the conversation.
“Nervous? Even if this were the finals, Jack wouldn’t be nervous.”
He then joked with Jack, telling him not to overwhelm the other knights and to take it easy.
Seeing Allen’s blatant pride in Jack’s skill made me feel oddly warm inside, like I was witnessing the perfect example of a good rival.
But Jack, barely listening, kept staring at the handbag I was holding.
I stifled a laugh and was just about to stop teasing him when…
“Huh? This…”
I noticed the ornament attached to Jack’s sword lying on the table and widened my eyes.
Even before I could say more, Jack answered.
“It’s from my father.”
“…He must have really wanted to give you something as a symbol. So in the end, you received this.”
I replied with an awkward smile, but I felt oddly uneasy inside.
Even though Jack had become Sir Taze’s son in the past, he had never received the ornament on his sword.
Noticing these small differences between the past I knew and the present always amazed me… and left me a bit unsettled.
“Lia, didn’t you tell me once to try being a proper son to my father?”
Jack’s next words made me feel even more strange.
Logically, I knew my life had changed after meeting my family, so of course others’ futures could change too…
But somehow, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was at the center of all these changes.
‘Am I being too self-important?’
I quickly shook my head to dismiss the thought and got to the point.
“Jack, I know you’re strong, but still—be careful not to get hurt. And…”
As I slowly began to speak, Jack’s eyes sparkled.
Trying not to laugh, I bit my lip and turned to Diana, who had been quietly standing since we entered the room.
While Jack looked puzzled, Diana caught my glance and lifted one corner of her lips, pulling out a white handkerchief.
“Here, this is for Sir Sedian. Please take it.”
“…Huh?”
“What?!”
Diana looked oddly proud, Jack was clearly bewildered, and Allen shouted in shock.
“Diana, why are you giving Jack a handkerchief?! I haven’t even gotten one yet!”
Flustered, Jack took the handkerchief and looked at me in confusion.
I smiled fondly, remembering what happened yesterday.
⟨Ria, could you give me a handkerchief tomorrow?⟩
Honestly, I was really surprised when Jack asked me for a handkerchief.
If I hadn’t known how deeply he felt about Diana, to the point of pledging his loyalty as a knight, I might’ve completely misunderstood.
‘That would’ve been so embarrassing.’
Jack deserved a bit of scolding for the potential confusion, but I decided to have pity on my poor friend.
And last night, on the way home, I asked Diana if she’d be willing to give Jack a handkerchief.
Though she looked a little flustered, she readily agreed.
‘Poor Jack. I bet if he wins this time, he’ll offer Diana flowers, but he can’t even ask for a handkerchief.’
“Lia. What’s going on?”
Jack asked with a reluctant tone, clearly embarrassed.
I quickly dropped the sympathetic look and replied lightly, as if I didn’t notice his feelings at all.
“You said getting a handkerchief from someone you barely know is meaningless. So Diana’s handkerchief must be one of the most meaningful ones, right?”
Jack had known Diana for a long time and was one of the top knights in the renowned Rexion Order of the Elard Duchy. So my words shouldn’t sound strange.
“What are you…?”
“Oh, and this one’s from me.”
Then I pulled out the handkerchief I had prepared.
Jack, who seemed like he was about to say something, blinked when he saw what was in my hand.
“I actually prepared this back in the Principality when I heard you’d be entering the tournament. I was going to give it to you even if you didn’t ask. But… thanks for asking first.”
Of course, it might not be as meaningful as Diana’s, but since he asked me directly, it had some significance too.
“…So you were planning to give it to me all along?”
Jack asked as he accepted the handkerchief, looking a little dazed.
I nodded.
“Of course! I’ve told my parents several times that my friend is going to win for sure!”
At my words, Jack’s ears turned even redder than before.
Looking both happy and strangely somber, Jack said,
“…Lia, thank you. And thank you too, miss.”
He then carefully placed the handkerchiefs in his chest, clearly treasuring them.
Watching him fondly, I suddenly felt a chill and turned around.
Allen, who had been standing beside me, cried out with a miserable face:
“If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve entered the tournament this year!”
***
Unlike the finals, the arena for the preliminaries didn’t have separate seating for nobles and commoners.
That was because, unless they had a particular interest in swordsmanship, nobles rarely came to watch the preliminaries—so most of the audience, aside from the knights, were commoners.
Diana had always attended the finals each year, but she marveled at how this was her first time watching the preliminaries.
Naturally, Allen, realizing this belatedly, was indignant as he exclaimed,
“Wait a second! Diana, you didn’t even come to watch my preliminaries last year!”
Laughing at the siblings’ usual bickering, I suddenly caught a glimpse of the younger Diana in her current expression of annoyance toward Allen.
‘She’s grown taller, but she’s still just a kid.’
Not just her face—Diana’s behavior was still very much like a child’s.
And yet, she already had a swarm of suitors chasing after her.
Of course, it wasn’t unusual in noble society for marriages to be arranged in the womb or for engagements to be made in the teenage years.
In the past, I had simply accepted it as part of a world different from mine, but…
‘Looking at it now, they all just feel like thieves.’
When I visited the duke’s estate a few days ago, both Duke Elard and Allen were furious—burning love letters and marriage proposals addressed to Diana like kindling. And honestly, I could understand why.
‘Prince Nicholas is twelve years older, for heaven’s sake!’
Even in the past, I’d thought of him as utterly shameless, so I nodded to myself with conviction.
Sure, Jack was also older than Diana, but knowing his personality, it was obvious he had liked her for a long time, genuinely and earnestly.
But with Aiden, the young heir of House Faelunt, fervently pursuing her. And even Prince Nicholas, rumored to be the next emperor, confessing his feelings for her, Jack was probably getting anxious, worried that Diana might suddenly get engaged despite her young age.
‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t it around this time that Nicholas sent Diana a marriage proposal?’
I remembered clearly how people were shocked afterward when Jack made his knight’s vow to Diana.
Thinking that I should definitely root for my friend over Nicholas, I made my way to the spectator stands.
“Attack, right there! **** it!”
“Nice! Keep pushing!”
“Don’t lose! I bet everything I have!”
Loud shouting could be heard nearby.
I turned my head naturally and saw a group of people yelling toward the knights in the middle of their matches.
And then…
“Nooo! That can’t be!”
Just as a match ended, I spotted Kenneth Pettier tearing at his hair in despair over the knight who had just lost.
I let out a laugh at the unexpected encounter.
From what I knew, his situation had improved compared to the past, but seeing him now, it seemed his gambling habits hadn’t changed one bit.
‘So his circumstances changed, but not his behavior, huh.’
I clicked my tongue internally just as Kenneth, scowling, met my eyes.
He looked startled, eyes widening—and I smirked, lifting one corner of my mouth.
Looking back, I found it almost funny…how scared I used to be of someone like him, running through the rain like my life depended on it.
“…?”
Just as I was thoroughly enjoying the moment, Kenneth suddenly blushed and looked away first.
‘Hah! Who’s he blushing at right now?’
I stood there, mouth agape, unable to hide my disbelief.
Just then, Diana—who was walking ahead—called out, “Sis?” urging me along.
I quickly turned my head and followed her toward the seats Allen had reserved.
Luckily, that bizarre feeling passed quickly.
“What? Sir Allen?!”
“Kyaa! The Guardian of Justice!”
A commotion quickly spread as people recognized Allen nearby.
Men and women of all ages stared at him with admiration and excitement.
Still sulking about Diana giving Jack her handkerchief, Allen immediately perked up, lifting his chin proudly.
Then he glanced at me with a look that clearly said, ‘Did you hear that?’
I nearly burst out laughing but covered my mouth quickly and cleared my throat.
Since we reunited, Allen had been subtly awkward around me.
Because of that, I’d also felt uncomfortable interacting with him.
But just now, he looked exactly like the silly little boy I remembered from childhood.
‘That expression… he wants to be praised, doesn’t he?’
Sensing this was the perfect chance to become close again, I spoke up.
“Wow, you’re more popular than I expected.”
“…Hmm.”
“‘Guardian of Justice.’ That title really suits you, Sir Allen!”
Lia beamed as she said it, and Allen’s lips twitched involuntarily.
Hearing Lia’s praise again, just like when they were kids, seemed to melt the awkwardness between them.
But then…
“So what? He’s still a flirt.”
Diana suddenly cut in, and Allen looked at his sister in shock.
She just shrugged.
“What? Did I say anything wrong? Sis knows, too. I’ve written it in my letters plenty of times.”
