“…What are you plotting?”
Despite Rebecca’s accusatory tone, there wasn’t the slightest hint of unease in Duke Findlay’s eyes. Instead, he met her gaze head-on, tilting his head slightly, causing the corners of his mouth to lift as well.
“Plotting, you say.”
“…”
“That’s not something you should say to your ally. Rather…”
The duke let his words linger as he looked Rebecca up and down. For a moment, a flash of lightning seemed to flicker in his eyes.
“Isn’t it you, Your Highness, who has been plotting?”
“…!”
Rebecca’s shoulders gave an almost imperceptible twitch. She bit the inside of her cheek to maintain her composure, nearly letting her expression slip. How does he know…
The subordinates she had sent to tail Duke Findlay had returned safely without being detected. Apart from a brief encounter with people, likely sent by Kayden, no one else should have noticed anything. Even Ludwig didn’t know Rebecca was suspicious of the duke. Yet Duke Findlay spoke as if he had been aware of everything from the start, his tone calm as he admonished her.
“So, Your Highness, it would be wise to cease your investigations.”
“…If you had nothing to hide, there would be no need for secrecy. That last incident—!”
“There are many ears listening.”
“…”
Rebecca, about to lash out, clamped her lips shut at the duke’s quiet warning.
Duke Findlay then looked at her with a gaze that was almost tender, as if she were a well-behaved pet. “If Your Highness is truly concerned, I swear by the goddess Tilia.”
“…”
“I will not do anything to harm you, Your Highness.”
His words were like a snake’s whisper. Sweet and seemingly trustworthy on the surface, but beneath it, there was a venomous sting.
While Rebecca pressed her lips together and took a deep breath, Duke Findlay gracefully rose from his seat.
Rebecca had once admired his movements. The unique atmosphere he exuded, his commanding presence. These were all things she had once desired, things she would have stolen if she could. But that admiration was born from a belief that his imposing presence, the blade he wielded with such elegance, would never be turned against her.
The duke walked along the table, heading toward the entrance of the tent. He paused mid-step, placing a hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear. “So, Your Highness, simply enjoy what I place in your hands.”
Rebecca’s eyebrows twitched in discomfort. But the Duke left the tent without giving her a chance to respond.
Bang!
“Damn it…”
Left alone in the tent, Rebecca slammed her fist on the table in frustration.
At that moment, a small dust ball, hidden in the shadow under the table, rolled out and slipped under the tent’s edge. A black cat, lying behind the tent, perked its ears and stood up. Meow. As the cat, Muf, stretched and meowed in greeting, Hillasa urgently flapped their limbs, signaling for silence.
Meow. Muf, not understanding Hillasa’s distress, tilted its head and wiggled its tail in response. Hillasa silently lamented, pounding the ground in frustration.
Rustle- Just then, a noise inside the tent signaled that Rebecca was moving. Startled, Hillasa quickly struck Muf’s paw. Muf crouched down to allow Hillasa to climb onto its back.
Squeak! Hillasa grasped Muf’s fur as it stood up. Then, with Hillasa clinging to its head like laundry on a clothesline, Muf began darting around the tent. Unnoticed by anyone, the two spirits set off to report what they had just seen and heard to their master.
* * *
The next day, each knight’s orders dispersed according to the plan from the previous day’s meeting.
“Halt.”
Leading the fourth order, Kayden raised his hand, and the knights came to a halt.
Kayden dismounted, crouching as he examined the ground and nearby trees with narrowed eyes before turning back. “Judging by the tracks, they aren’t far. Form up and prepare to advance.”
“Understood!” The knights responded in unison.
Their target was a monster that weakened over time, so they quickly formed a defensive formation. The success of this mission largely depended on how well Antar could hold the front line. He was moving to take his position at the front when he noticed Kayden watching him intently and hesitated.
“You stay here.”
That was the last conversation they had shared when Kayden sensed Antar’s thoughts. Since then, Antar had tried to avoid both Kayden and Diana. He believed it was the least he could do, having dared to harbor feelings for someone else’s partner yet unable to sort out his own emotions.
Antar knew it was wrong to have feelings for another’s partner. But as Diana’s guard, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her, even subconsciously. As he continued to watch Diana, he couldn’t help but notice that her smile now had a shadow that wasn’t there before. Kayden often had a similar expression.
In front of others, the two would show endless affection, but when they were alone, they would take a step back with slightly darkened faces. If he hadn’t known that, Antar might have been able to sort out his feelings for Diana. But now that he had seen the cracks in their relationship, there was no going back. As a result, Antar couldn’t bring himself to meet Kayden’s gaze. Kayden, too, had feelings for Diana, and those who shared the same feelings could read each other all too well.
When Kayden’s eyes met his, Antar quickly lowered his gaze and pressed his lips together.
…I must make him uncomfortable.
Kayden surely knew that Antar still looked at Diana with longing. So Antar resolved to perform his duties quietly and avoid antagonizing Kayden.
In this operation, Antar had been assigned the most crucial and dangerous role, but expecting encouragement or support from the husband of the woman he loved was too much to ask. With his head bowed, Antar took his place next to Kayden. As he focused ahead, preparing his magic, a voice suddenly broke the silence.
“The first five minutes.”
“…”
“I’m counting on you, Sir Antar.”
The quiet but clear voice pierced his ears, and Antar reflexively turned his head. There, he saw Kayden looking at him with a faint smile. That made his breath catch in his throat.
How…
Public and private matters are indeed different. But how many people can truly separate them perfectly? Humans are ultimately driven by emotions. It’s nearly impossible to completely exclude emotions from any situation, especially negative ones. Yet Kayden, fully aware that Antar harbored feelings for his wife, still smiled at him.
It wasn’t a mocking smile. Kayden’s smile was a genuine smile of encouragement and support.
Understanding how difficult that was and knowing that if he were in Kayden’s position, he wouldn’t have been able to do the same, Antar couldn’t help but understand why Diana couldn’t take her eyes off this man.
With a tight throat, Antar forced out a reply. “…Understood.”
Kayden nodded slightly in response. With a serious expression, he drew his sword and shouted. “Advance!”
And soon after—Boom! A massive monster charged toward the wall that Antar had conjured.
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