Chapter 28
“First, shall we sit down and talk? And do you not need to go to Aden?”
“Where?”
“To eat. You said earlier you had to go eat. You can go. Thank you for bringing me here.”
I spoke quickly, trying to send Aden away.
Aden looked at me with dissatisfaction as I practically pushed him out.
Those eyes…
They were the eyes of someone checking out a competitor.
Seriously?
The guy who was bowing to me earlier, saying he owed me a big favor, is now eyeing the talent I’m after?
This is betrayal!
Feeling the camaraderie I had with Aden shatter, I gave him a stern look, signaling him to leave.
Aden met my gaze steadily, glanced at Jin, and then clicked his tongue softly.
It was a sound full of regret.
“Are you really going to do this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
I know exactly what I’m saying.
I looked back at Aden with a resolute gaze, signaling that I wouldn’t back down.
Aden, looking at me with dissatisfaction, closed his eyes and stepped back.
He clicked his tongue again as if he had no choice and turned around.
I sighed in relief as I watched his back.
Thank goodness.
I managed to fend off a competitor.
Goodbye, Aden.
You are very important to me, but I don’t want to compete with you over this guy.
So, goodbye…
“Sierra.”
“Yes, what is it?”
I turned around with a warm smile at Jin’s call.
Jin shifted his gaze from Aden, who was leaving, and asked in a low voice, “Can’t he join us for a meal?”
“…What?”
My head tilted in surprise, and my voice came out weak and stunned. Aden, who must have heard Jin’s request, quickly returned and stood beside me, smiling.
“Well, not a bad idea. I was just about to eat anyway. I’ll cover the meal.”
Aden went to the prepared table and sat down, with Jin following him. I was left standing alone, feeling out of place.
When Aden called out to me, I turned my head to see him standing up and pulling out a chair for me. His voice, urging me to hurry, was far from pleasant.
With a scowl, I slowly walked over, annoyed at Aden’s unexpected behavior.
***
“Lady Bayren! Lady Bayren!!”
Richelle hurriedly chased after Fiorette, barely catching up and gasping for breath. Normally, one would pause to catch their breath, but Fiorette’s steps never faltered.
Richelle, irritated by Fiorette’s lack of acknowledgment, frowned.
‘What an annoying girl.’
Richelle disliked Fiorette, the haughty daughter of a minor noble family. She thought Fiorette was arrogant because she had caught the eye of Lady Bellietia despite having a similar status and influence.
Still, she envied Fiorette for always sticking close to Bellietia.
‘If it weren’t for her, I’d be the one next to Lady Bellietia.’
Richelle, willing to do anything to gain Bellietia’s favor, saw Fiorette as an object of both envy and jealousy.
Even as she glared and chased after her, Fiorette never looked back. Richelle, grinding her teeth, called out again.
“Lady Beyron! Wait a moment! Where are you going?!”
Richelle’s shrill voice drew attention in the busy hallway.
Fiorette sighed as the stares naturally focused on her and stopped in her tracks.
With Fiorette pausing, Richelle eagerly rushed over.
“Lady Be—!”
“Could you shut that mouth of yours? It’s loud.”
“…What?”
Fiorette frowned at the dumbfounded Richelle, then grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an empty corridor.
Fiorette pinned Richelle against the wall with her hand to stop her from escaping.
With a significant height difference, Richelle looked up at Fiorette with wide, startled eyes.
“L-Lady Bey—”
“I said, shut your mouth.”
Fiorette narrowed her eyes at Richelle, clenching her teeth.
The intimidating sound made Richelle close her mouth and swallow hard.
Seeing Richelle tremble slightly, Fiorette sighed and lowered her arm.
“I understand why you’re following me, but it’s better if you don’t draw unnecessary attention like you just did. We don’t need everyone staring.”
“What… what do you mean?”
“It’s simple. Keep doing what you’re doing, but don’t interfere with my business. Got it?”
Richelle bit her lip and nodded under Fiorette’s sharp gaze.
Fiorette watched Richelle nod several times before turning away.
As she started to walk off, Fiorette stopped with a short exclamation and looked back.
“And don’t try to act like you know me. I can’t stand noisy people.”
With that, Fiorette turned and walked away, leaving Richelle staring blankly at her back.
Once Fiorette was out of sight, Richelle, who had been trembling, let out a huff and scoffed.
“Seriously, what a pain. Does she think she’s so great? What? Don’t act like you know me? Ridiculous. She’s nothing without Lady Belietta’s favor…”
Richelle’s face flushed as she recalled the earlier situation, grinding her teeth in anger.
Cursing Fiorette under her breath, Richelle hurried towards the dining hall where she was supposed to meet the other ladies.
She couldn’t wait to badmouth Fiorette and assert her dominance among the country bumpkin girls.
“Just watch. I’ll succeed this time and take my place beside Lady Belietta.”
Imagining herself triumphing over Fiorette, Richelle raised her chin and strutted off confidently.
* * *
“What’s your background?”
“None. I’m self-taught.”
“What about swordsmanship? How did you learn it?”
“Basic manuals from bookstores.”
“Training methods? Did you have a mentor?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Impressive.”
I sat at the table, poking at my salad like a useless bystander. Jin and Aden were deep in conversation, but despite being the one who arranged this meeting, I couldn’t join in.
The most unsettling part was Jin’s behavior. The man who usually ignored me was suddenly very enthusiastic about Aden. His eyes, usually as dry as a desert, now sparkled like an oasis had appeared.
Jin looked at Aden like he was meeting a long-lost crush. Was he into guys?
Feeling ignored, I kept gulping down cold water. Was I really going to lose him?
At first, Aden seemed indifferent, but now he seemed genuinely interested in Jin too. This wasn’t what I had hoped for.
“If your skills are as good as they seem, winning here shouldn’t be difficult. Do you want to be a knight?”
“For now, yes.”
“With a bit more polishing, becoming a royal guard wouldn’t be hard either.”
Of course. Jin was the first commoner to become the captain of the royal guard.
The more Aden accurately assessed Jin, the more anxious I felt. I shouldn’t have brought him here.
Even if he insisted on coming, I should have forced him to stay away. This was a mistake…
“Becoming a royal guard is great, but first I want to be knighted.”
“Is that necessary? With a noble patron’s recommendation, you’re eligible to take the royal guard exam without being knighted. Getting knighted could be a hassle later. Why bother?”
“You have a point, but it doesn’t pay immediately. I need money.”
“Money?”
Jin, tilting his head, looked at Aden, then nodded calmly.
“I heard you get a fee when knighted. I need that money.”
“It’s true they give an allowance or signing bonus, but it’s not a huge amount.”
“I understand, but I need it.”
Aden stayed silent, then glanced at me. He tilted his chin slightly, signaling me to speak.
Narrowing my eyes at his gesture, Aden just grinned. Can’t stand him.
Sighing, I finally spoke up.
“Can I ask why?”
Jin’s intense red eyes shifted from Aden to me. They were so vivid they seemed almost scary.
Jin looked at me quietly, then glanced at Aden before fixing his gaze back on me.
“I can’t say. It’s a secret I can’t share with either you, Sierra, or His Excellency here. I’m sorry, and I hope you understand.”
“There’s no need to apologize. Everyone has a secret or two. So, how much money do you need? A small amount won’t get you far. Do you need just that money, or more?”
“I need more.”
His answer was short and to the point. No extra words, no excuses, just plain honesty about his situation.
As I put down my glass, I pondered for a moment. I knew very little about this man.
Even when he became the captain of the royal guard, he was shrouded in mystery. And now, despite having someone tail him, there was barely any information.
“I had some minor misunderstandings that made me reluctant, but now I see he’s not bad at all. In fact, he seems quite decent. Talking to him, he seems well-mannered as a commoner, knowledgeable, and has a solid grasp of basic strategy and tactics. Getting him on our side would be a huge benefit.”
While I was lost in thought, Aden leaned in and whispered quietly.
Did you know I wanted Jin as a knight? And what was this misunderstanding about?
