Chapter 29
“Aden, didn’t you want to take him?”
“I’m interested, but I’m not about to fight over a guy you’ve already got your eye on. If it were a different kind of fight, maybe, but not for this. I’ll step back.”
I didn’t know what he meant by a “different kind of fight,” but I felt relieved knowing Aden was stepping back on this one.
This guy was essential.
I shifted my gaze from Aden’s smiling face back to Jin.
No matter what, the important thing was that Jin needed money.
That’s all I needed to know.
I stopped thinking and reached into my pocket for my checkbook. If I could get this man, it didn’t matter how much it cost…
“So, I have a request for you, Your Grace.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
I paused, checkbook in hand, and looked up at Jin’s words. Aden gave me a curious glance and then nodded at Jin.
Jin, looking very serious, took a moment before speaking slowly.
“Rippleton is known for having the strongest military in the Empire. The knights there are of the highest caliber. And I’ve heard that Duke Rippleton, who governs the region, is considered the best knight not just in the Empire, but on the entire continent.”
“So?”
Aden seemed to be enjoying Jin’s words, nodding with great interest.
He looks pretty pleased.
“I have admired you for a long time, Your Grace. With your formidable strength and exceptional leadership, you govern Rippleton, a region plagued by monsters in Hermonia. I want to be knighted in Rippleton, under your command.”
…What?
I stared at Jin in a daze, and when I glanced at Aden, he looked equally shocked.
Aden quickly tried to say something, but Jin beat him to it, getting up and kneeling before Aden like a knight.
“I believe I can learn a great deal from you, Your Grace. If you accept me, I promise that one day, when my name is renowned throughout the Empire, I will be a great asset to you. Please, accept me.”
What is he saying? I glanced at Aden with a frown.
Aden, frowning, looked at Jin, then quickly shook his head at me.
“I didn’t—”
“Please accept me, Your Grace!”
This is like a marriage proposal…
Faced with the situation of losing the man I had my eye on before even getting to talk to him, there was only one thing I could do.
“…Enjoy your meal.”
“Sierra!”
Ignoring Aden’s call, I left the restaurant.
* * *
After much trouble, I finally got Jin on my side.
Although Jin had insisted on choosing Rippleton, he finally changed his mind thanks to Aden’s persuasion.
‘I understand your intention, but unfortunately, Rippleton doesn’t provide knighthood fees. Therefore, I cannot accept you.’
‘…Is that so.’
‘But the Brilloxen family needs knights and is known for its high knighthood fees. So, choose Brilloxen. If you do, I’ll write you a letter of recommendation for the Royal Guard along with Brilloxen. If necessary, I can even help train you. How about that?’
Jin thought for a long time but finally yielded to Aden’s persistent persuasion.
I managed to get him to agree to be knighted by Brilloxen and to sign the contract.
It felt great to finally secure the man I wanted so badly, but something still felt off.
“Still mad?”
On the way to the tournament hall, Aden cautiously broke the silence. I glanced at him.
His tone and expression were unusually careful.
Aden had chased me down after I left the restaurant, persuading me over and over until I agreed to go back.
“This was my mistake. I apologize.”
Hearing his sincere apology, I let out a deep sigh amid my complicated feelings.
Though I still felt uneasy, Aden didn’t have any bad intentions, and the result wasn’t bad either.
There was no need to stay angry.
“It’s okay. It wasn’t really about right or wrong, and it’s not like you did anything wrong. If there was a problem, it was my fault for underestimating how much Jin was captivated by Rippleton’s strength and chivalry, regardless of the knighthood fees.”
“But if I hadn’t gone with you, none of this would’ve happened. It feels like I caused trouble for nothing.”
“I did think about that.”
I stopped walking, and Aden gave me a curious look.
Seeing the concern on his face, I sighed softly.
“Even if I had gone alone, it wouldn’t have worked out. Judging from our conversation, Jin is a single-minded warrior to the core. He wouldn’t have been interested in anything I had to say.”
Recalling how Jin had refused my handshake and immediately turned his attention to Aden, it seemed likely.
Trying to win him over with money wouldn’t have worked either.
Breaking down someone like Jin required neither money, coercion, nor persuasion.
It was about understanding his essence like Aden did.
In that sense, it was a good thing Aden had come along.
Thanks to him, everything went smoothly.
“It’s a bit disappointing, but I learned something. No matter how well-prepared you are, you can’t do everything alone.”
I approached Aden, who stood still like a tree rooted in place.
The setting sun painted the sky a gentle red, casting a soft blush on Aden’s ears. I walked past him, smiling lightly in the warm breeze.
“Even though it wasn’t planned, thanks for coming along. You were a big help.”
I stopped three steps ahead and turned to look at him.
“Let’s head back. We’ve finished eating, and it’s time to catch the last match of the day.”
“…Alright.”
Aden chuckled and started walking towards me.
As he approached, the sunset stretched out like a rosy carpet under our feet. There was a strange sense of déjà vu as if I had experienced this moment before. It was too vivid to dismiss as a mere illusion.
“Sierra.”
Hearing my name, I looked up. Aden was suddenly very close.
He leaned in, asking if I was feeling unwell. I stepped back, shaking my head, and turned away, heading back to the castle with Aden behind me.
‘It must be an illusion.’
I quickened my pace, trying to shake off the strange feeling.
* * *
The semifinals resumed after the break and ended rather anticlimactically. One match was a nail-biter with evenly matched-opponents, but the other was a clear display of dominance.
Jin was the one who crushed his opponent with sheer power. A previously unknown swordsman from a humble background, Jin had become the standout of the tournament, not allowing a single attack to land on him throughout the semifinals.
Most people already believed that Jin would win the final, and nobles eager to recruit him were on the move, following him even before the final match ended.
After the semifinals, spectators quickly left the arena. Just as I was about to get up, Aden stood first. A lieutenant entered and whispered something to him, and he nodded.
Is something urgent?
Aden noticed my gaze and looked at me.
“Seems like you’re busy. Your lieutenant is running around.”
“To achieve my goal here, I have to hurry.”
His words reminded me that he wasn’t just here to watch the tournament. Aden packed his things and said goodbye to the lord before looking at me.
“Planning to head back now?”
“Yeah, I got what I wanted, so it’s time to rest.”
Aden nodded briefly. Then he glanced over his shoulder and smirked.
“Better head back quickly.”
I shrugged, noticing Richelle’s blatant staring.
Aden said goodbye to the lord again and exchanged a nod with me before leaving through the open door. As soon as he was gone, Richelle spoke up.
“Sier—”
“Thanks for your hard work, Lady Bayron.”
I gave a short nod to Fiorret and quickly walked past both of them. I heard Richellel’s voice trailing off behind me, but I ignored it and kept walking.
On the way back to my room, I noticed the dark night outside. Most people had gone to rest, but many nobles were busy attending the lord’s party. Dressed in their finest, they moved towards the event.
Avoiding the crowd, I entered my room, closed the door, and rolled my stiff neck. Who knew that just sitting and watching a tournament could be so exhausting? It felt more tiring than a full day of paperwork.
“This is hard work too.”
My neck was sticky with sweat and humidity. The weather made it feel gross, but the thought of washing up was daunting.
With a sigh, I trudged to the bathroom. Time to wash up and sleep. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow to hurry up and leave Zenona.
* * *
“Are we there yet?”
Rick confirmed the arrival of Houtman and Altas and rolled his eyes. Unlike the dark outer areas of the castle, the inside was brightly lit with candles. The three of them huddling together instead of enjoying the ongoing party looked suspicious to anyone.
“Everything ready?”
“No problem. But are you sure this is gonna change anything?”
“Of course. Like I said earlier, once we knock Briloxen down a peg, think about how happy the lady will be. Plus, haven’t you heard the rumors? It’s bad enough being tangled with Rippleton, but she’s being treated like her fiancé was stolen. In this situation, spreading weird rumors about Briloxen will do the trick.”
Houtman and Altas reluctantly nodded.
Rick took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He kept repeating to himself that it was no big deal, trying to convince himself.
“When the party ends, we’ll make our move. Got it?”
He gestured for the other two to follow him, and they disappeared.
While the three of them were plotting, someone on the opposite side overheard their conversation. Only after the trio noisily left did the eavesdropper slip away into the shadows.
