111. A Blade Pointed at Me

As Edan sharpened the blade, the soldier who had opened the door froze, but I felt no fear. I knew that blade always pointed in the right direction, aiming to punish evil.

I wasn’t sure why rumors had been twisted, but perhaps surviving in noble society was easier with a reputation as a ruthless enforcer rather than being as dull as a bear.

I stepped into the office. Rian followed me in, standing in front of Edan with no intention of leaving.

Once the door closed, a profound silence enveloped us. The quiet was so complete that I could hear every breath.

I cleared my throat and cautiously spoke, lowering my voice slightly as I glanced at Rian.

“Um…”

I spoke carefully, but there was no response. He didn’t even look up or shift his gaze in my direction, continuing to hold his sword as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

The well-polished blade gleamed as it caught the light.

Despite the silent snub, I steeled myself and spoke louder.

“There seem to be many visitors. I’d like to speak quietly. Could we have a moment alone?”

The soldier standing far at the door was an issue, but the biggest problem was Rian, who was closely observing everything, making it impossible for me to reveal my real name. Despite saying he wouldn’t protect me, he didn’t leave.

Still, no response. Edan, wiping the blade with a dry cloth, let out a cold chuckle. It was a chilling smile I hadn’t seen before, neither in the North nor the capital.

Edan smiling like that was strange.

“A person who doesn’t even have the courage to show their face wants to be alone with me?”

This wasn’t like him. His tone was icy, as if he had weathered harsh storms. The bear-like demeanor I knew was gone.

“When you stand before me with a false identity, you must be prepared to die.”

“Indeed. You’re quite the cruel one.”

Rian laughed softly.

Edan’s voice, which always echoed like it came from a cave, had changed.

He still didn’t lift his head, responding in that cold tone. His presence was so intimidating that even I, who had spoken, felt myself shrinking.

The grand mansion, the office ill-suited for a warrior, Edan being alone—everything surrounding him felt unfamiliar, but the strangest of all was Edan himself.

His brief responses were unusually chilly.

Slowly, Edan put down the cloth he was using to wipe the blade. The blue cloth fell onto the desk.

He looked at the gleaming blade reflecting the sunlight, then turned the blade’s direction towards me. The soldier guarding the door audibly sucked in a breath.

“An uninvited guest dares to step into my mansion. And with an unwelcome companion at that. Are you fearless or just foolish…?”

“It’s best to refrain from talking behind someone’s back. The person is right here.”

At Rian’s nonchalant words, Edan growled.

“I know you don’t recognize my authority, but you’re going too far. Introducing some unknown woman while abusing the power of the Imperial Household. Do you take the Imperial Household lightly?”

The already stifling atmosphere grew even more oppressive.

The young soldier trembled pathetically. It seemed I needed to reveal my identity before Edan’s blade started swinging wildly.

I grabbed the edge of the cloth attached to my hat.

But would Edan welcome me? After all, I was a tool that failed to fulfill its purpose.

Just as I was about to lift the veil, that thought crossed my mind. But I couldn’t stop now.

I carefully lifted the veil over my hat.

My vision cleared, and I could see Edan’s face more clearly in the bright light.

“Edan, how have you been?”

I looked at him directly and greeted him calmly.

“Should I call you Sir now? You’ve received your knighthood, after all.”

I spoke cautiously, but there was no response. He looked at me with a frozen expression, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

His lips were set in a grim line, and he stood motionless, gripping the sword hilt like a statue. I called him again.

“Edan?”

His reaction was strange.

Could it be that he doesn’t remember me? We spent only a few months together.

To me, he was a special person, but Edan had seen many blood bags before me and had been with them until their dying moments. Perhaps I was just another passing blood bag to him.

As I tilted my head in puzzlement, his eyes widened. He stared at me as if frozen, then his lips moved.

“Lady Leonie?”

The voice that followed was in Edan’s familiar tone.

“How is it that you are here, my lady? No, more importantly…”

His hand, which had been gripping the sword tightly, loosened.

The sword clanged as it hit the floor, leaving a scratch on the rug, but Edan didn’t care. He kept his gaze on me and stepped forward.

“Is it really you, my lady?”

As if confirming my reality, Edan gently cupped my cheek. His palm, calloused from wielding the sword, felt rough.

The warmth of his hand, long missed, was comforting. I leaned into his hand. My face reflected in his wide-open eyes.

“It truly is you.”

He lowered his head to touch his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. His sudden action made me pause, but I couldn’t push him away now.

I glanced over at Rian, who was still standing nearby. He clicked his tongue in disbelief at the unexpected situation.

Edan then opened his eyes and briefly kissed my forehead. Rian, witnessing the entire scene, snapped his fingers and looked away.

He wore a deeply displeased expression. Watching our reunion with a scowl, Rian finally clicked his tongue.

“I didn’t expect you to greet your cousin so warmly. If she was that important to you, you shouldn’t have treated her so coldly. Without me, she wouldn’t have even been able to set foot here and would have been turned away.”

At Rian’s words, Edan released my cheek.

“I suppose I owe you a debt, then, Sir Rian?”

“…I’ll be grateful. If there’s something you want, I’ll repay you.”

Rian smirked but Edan, though less angry than before, spoke with restraint.

“No need. It’s not like I’m poorer than you. Forget repayment; just answer one question. That’s all I wanted from the start.”

Rian chuckled and continued.

“What is the relationship between you two?”

A silence fell over the room. It was a question neither Edan nor I could easily answer.

On the surface, I was a temporary consort, and in reality, the emperor’s blood bag. Neither description was suitable to convey the truth.

“I already told you, she’s my cousin.”

“Oh, and do cousins kiss each other on the forehead these days? Is that how it is in your hometown?”

Edan’s casual deflection was quickly dismissed by Rian’s sarcastic retort.

Edan frowned deeply.

But he couldn’t very well draw his sword against the man who had allowed me into the office.

“If I tell you, can you keep it to yourself?”

“If you tell me the truth. Given that you called her ‘my lady,’ it’s clear she’s not your cousin.”

Rian folded his arms and arrogantly raised his chin. Edan hesitated, unsure how to respond.

“…If I tell you the truth, you’ll leave us in peace?”

“Edan.”

What are you going to say? Anxiety gripped me as I urgently grabbed his hand.

But Edan squeezed my hand firmly and began to speak.

“She’s my lover from my hometown. We’ve been apart for a long time, but she came to see me.”

I gasped at his sudden declaration.

But I couldn’t show any reaction. Rian’s eyes were still suspiciously examining us.

Sweat dampened the hand that was holding Edan’s.

“Your lover? Hmm.”

Rian narrowed his eyes, looking back and forth between us.

“If you have any sense, you’ll leave now. We have unfinished business to attend to.”

“Alright then… I’ll save the details for later.”

Surprisingly, Rian accepted the explanation without much resistance. However, his eyes still held a hint of doubt. It was clear he intended to keep an eye on the situation.

Edan asked the soldier to escort Rian out.

Once the door closed, I finally exhaled a sigh of relief.

Edan walked over to the door, pressing his ear against it to ensure no one was lingering outside. He locked it firmly.

Then, he moved to the window, scanning the exterior with a sharp gaze before closing it and drawing the curtains. The room grew darker.

Only after securing the room did he return to me.

“Forgive me, my lady. I thought calling you my cousin wouldn’t suffice, so I made up that story.”

He had reverted to his formal tone. I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

“It’s fine. The real issue is you, Edan.”

“What do you mean?”

His eyes widened with genuine innocence, making me chuckle.

“If rumors spread that the commander of the Imperial Knights has a lover, it could cause problems. It might even affect your prospects for marriage.”

“There’s no need to worry. My servants are discreet. As long as that man keeps quiet, there won’t be any issues. And… my marriage prospects are of no concern.”

This conversation was going to take a while.

I sat down on the sofa. Edan followed suit, sitting across from me.

“More importantly, what happened? I thought you had… died. We apprehended the group and searched thoroughly, but there was no trace of you…”

Edan trailed off, his expression darkening.

“Everything was severed at the water.”

I answered in his stead.

“From the circumstances, it seems you orchestrated this. Why did you do it? Why didn’t you come back?”

“I wanted to escape. As far from the palace as possible.”

“…”

Edan didn’t say a word. He didn’t even reprimand me, just gazed at me intently.

“So I came to you. When I left for the separate residence, you didn’t take the knight’s oath, but you told me to come to you if I needed help. Is your offer still valid?”

“Of course. Just give the command.”

His gaze was unwavering, as if ready to fulfill any promise.

“I want to leave the empire.”