Chapter 034
“Are you really okay with that?”
“Is there anything more important?”
Why is he asking me that?
“Yeah. You should do what you think is important.” I sat down with Dedrick.
“But, Didi, this might seem random, but your opinion matters the most to me. If you don’t want to be the successor or if you want to do something else, you can do that. Anytime. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Just do what you want, Didi!”
“I will.”
I felt uneasy, like I was pressuring him, but he gave me a kind smile, telling me not to worry.
Feeling a little better, I picked up my pen and started reviewing the letters we learned yesterday in the notebook. Then, I suddenly stopped.
I turned to look at Dedrick. He was grinning and staring at me.
“Why are you looking at me instead of studying?”
But there was something I was more curious about.
“Didi, can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Who’s your swordsmanship teacher? How long do I have to stay in the dark about this?”
Can’t you just tell me now?
I wanted to know if the teacher was a good person or not. More than anything, it was because of that teacher that Somerset and the Duchess were punished. I was really curious if the person I was thinking of was the right one.
“Um…”
Dedrick hesitated and didn’t answer right away. He opened his mouth slightly, then closed it again. Just as I was about to add something, afraid he felt pressured, he blushed and spoke cautiously.
“Do you… want to see me spar?”
I widened my eyes in surprise.
He rubbed his reddened neck and lowered his head.
“I was embarrassed to show you… But since you’re so curious and worried about me… I still have a long way to go, but I want to show you. Will you watch?”
“Yes!”
I nodded enthusiastically without hesitation.
“I can’t even hold a sword properly. The fact that you’re training at all is amazing.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling widely.
“I’ve always wanted to see you holding a sword. I’m really excited!”
“…I’m a little scared you might be disappointed.”
Seeing Dedrick look nervous, I took his hand. His blue eyes met mine directly.
“I won’t get mad at you, I won’t be disappointed, I won’t hate you—nothing negative at all. So don’t worry.”
“…Okay.”
It seemed like Dedrick always wanted the reassurance of my affection.
Well… His mother passed away when he needed her the most, and he grew up under his father’s indifference. On top of that, he was always bullied by Delani.
Reassuring him wasn’t difficult.
If it put Dedrick’s heart at ease, I could say it a thousand times over.
Early dawn.
As soon as I opened my eyes, the closet door swung open. Dedrick held out his hand to me.
“You woke up early?”
“I was too excited to sleep. Ah, but I don’t mean that in a pressuring way. I just really want to see you holding a sword.”
“I know.”
I followed Dedrick out of the main building.
The Grand Duke’s castle at dawn had a completely different charm.
Shrouded in mist, the castle looked mysterious, like a dream. The thick fog wrapped around the trees and flowers, making everything look unreal.
The sparkling lakeside was now hazy, making it feel like we had stepped into a secret place.
Walking down the quiet dawn path alone with Dedrick made me feel at peace, as if all my worries had disappeared.
The crisp, fresh air filled my lungs.
So this is what Dedrick sees every morning while running and training.
“It’s so beautiful, Didi. Ah, you don’t have to answer.”
We had to be extra careful outside.
Dedrick gave me a small smile, and I kept chattering away.
“Coming out at dawn feels different. It’s kind of calming.”
“…”
“Should I start coming out in the mornings too? I could watch you train and then we could go back together. That sounds fun!”
When I laughed excitedly, Dedrick’s eyes sparkled as he nodded slightly.
“Really? I can? Then I’ll have to start waking up early too!”
Even though I was the only one talking, Dedrick kept looking at me, so I didn’t feel lonely.
We climbed the hill in the garden. The path was overgrown with grass, as if no one used it.
It’s pretty far…
Well, the castle is huge…
As we climbed the steep hill, Dedrick kept glancing at me, worried I’d get tired.
I started to feel uneasy. The problem wasn’t getting tired. If I suddenly got transported away again…? Please, no. If that happened, I’d have to climb this hill all over again!
I silently begged and walked faster. Dedrick kept glancing at me anxiously.
“Stop with the awkward glances…”
“…”
Dedrick reluctantly looked away.
I kept talking in between steps to let him know I was still following.
Eventually, we reached a small hut at the top of the hill.
The open view made me gasp in awe.
“Wow…”
The entire Grand Duke’s castle was visible below.
‘Did we come this far?’
Now I understood why he came here every morning.
For a moment, I just admired the view.
Then, panting, I collapsed onto a nearby bench.
Dedrick fidgeted, looking worried, but I waved my hand to say I was fine.
Then, with a slightly tense face, I waited for his swordsmanship teacher to arrive.
“Young Master.”
At the deep voice, I immediately turned my head.
A strong-built man stood there with short reddish-brown hair and striking red eyes.
His upright posture, firm steps, and tightly pressed lips showed his disciplined and serious personality.
I cheered internally.
I had guessed right.
‘Jacob Howard!’
He was looked down upon by those around him as a “useless knight” who had yet to manifest aura. More precisely, it was only the White Hawk knights and the Grand Duchess who treated him that way—not the Black Hawk knights.
‘But he’ll overcome it soon.’
One day, he would awaken a brilliant aura—not as brilliant as Dedrick’s, but still remarkable. Jacob was a hidden gem, a future swordsmanship prodigy. And when Dedrick became the Grand Duke, Jacob would rise to become the commander of the Black Hawk. Once he manifested his aura, he would grow stronger at an astonishing rate, eventually reaching true mastery.
‘He was exactly the teacher I wanted for Dedrick!’
Even without my interference, Dedrick had found himself an incredible swordsmanship instructor. I was so proud of him that my hands itched to give him a big hug.
Dedrick looked at me, silently asking what I thought. Suppressing my excited grin, I responded seriously,
“He seems incredibly righteous. An amazing teacher. You should stay with him forever. No—actually, you can stay with him forever!”
In my excitement, my words came out all jumbled. Dedrick found my slip-up tongue amusing and let out a small smile.
“Our Didi has such a great eye for people. So adorable, I could just die. I want to hug you right now!”
“…….”
Dedrick’s face instantly turned red.
“Young Master? Are you feeling unwell? You seem feverish….”
“N-No, I’m fine.”
Dedrick fanned himself with his hand before throwing me a quick glance as if telling me to watch carefully.
Then, with deliberate steps, he moved to the center of the clearing.
“Master, please teach me a lesson through a sparring match today.”
So he switches to formal speech when training? That’s so cool!
My eyes sparkled with excitement.
Worried that staring too much might make him uncomfortable, I occasionally looked away, pretending to be distracted. But Dedrick must have noticed because he couldn’t hold back a chuckle.
“Haha.”
“…Young Master?”
“Oh, I just remembered something funny….”
“Alright. Let me know when you’re ready.”
Jacob’s composed voice erased all traces of amusement from Dedrick’s face. He adjusted his stance, gripping his wooden sword with steady hands.
He looked breathtaking.
The cool morning breeze playfully tousled his hair, revealing his full face.
His deep blue eyes, as vast as the ocean, settled into a calm, unwavering focus—like the depths of the sea.
Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, I clamped my mouth shut so he could concentrate.
Then, with a powerful push off the ground, Dedrick lunged toward Jacob.
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