Chapter 21
Although Kyte was staying put in the basement for the moment, it was better not to take even the slightest risk.
With both arms laden with books, Evelina retraced her steps through the city.
“…Maybe this was a mistake.”
The books were heavier than she’d expected.
No—somehow they seemed to grow heavier with every passing minute.
I should’ve brought a large bag.
She stopped for a moment to catch her breath.
Just then, someone came sprinting out of a nearby alley and slammed straight into her.
“Ah!”
She could have avoided the collision easily.
Instead, Evelina judged the situation in an instant and let herself fall.
With a startled cry, she landed on the ground as the man who had crashed into her froze in horror.
“My deepest apologies! Are you hurt?”
“Huh? N-No…”
Evelina’s eyes swept over his clothing in a single glance.
His cloak had fluttered open for only a brief moment, but it was enough.
A knight of House Gracias.
One of Kyte’s men.
“Hey!”
Another man who had been running behind him hurried over.
“What happened?”
“I made a mistake.” The first man bowed immediately. “I’m terribly sorry. I was in such a hurry that I wasn’t watching where I was going, milady.”
“It’s alright. I wasn’t injured.”
She answered softly while glancing at the bundle of books scattered on the ground.
Thankfully, the bookseller had tied them together so tightly that none had come loose.
The man’s gaze drifted over the titles.
Thank goodness.
The books she was carrying now were all perfectly ordinary.
“Those look rather heavy,” he said. “Allow me to carry them for you.”
“Oh, no. I couldn’t possibly trouble someone I’ve only just met.”
She rose naturally to her feet, but before she could steady herself, the man gently caught her hand.
His grip was large and calloused.
His face, though stern, radiated straightforward honesty.
“I should have introduced myself first. My name is Lessen. I serve as a knight of House Gracias.”
Evelina widened her eyes with practiced surprise.
During that brief exchange, the red-haired man beside him had already picked up the bundle of books.
“Ooof! Heavier than they look.”
“Alex!”
“I’m kidding.” Alex grinned. “For a knight, this is nothing.”
Turning toward Evelina, he asked,
“Where’s your home?”
Her lips parted.
She wanted to refuse.
Desperately.
But somehow…
…she felt that would only make things worse.
“T-Thank you very much.”
“Don’t mention it,” Alex replied cheerfully. “After all, this happened because of my fellow knight.”
“Alex!”
Apparently, that man’s mouth was his greatest weakness.
Lessen shot Alex a disapproving glare before returning his attention to Evelina.
“Can you walk?”
“Yes. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Even so, we’ll escort you, just in case.”
How considerate…
Normally, she would have admired such gentlemanly behavior from imperial knights.
Today, however…
Every step they took toward her house made her heart pound harder.
She forced an awkward smile and began walking.
If they get anywhere near the house…
What are the chances they’ll notice Kyte?
She had learned that highly skilled knights could sense another person’s presence with astonishing accuracy.
Please don’t notice…
Please…
Lost in anxious thoughts, she eventually found herself standing before her home.
There had been one minor interruption along the way.
A patrol from the Capital Guard had stopped them.
The moment the guards recognized the insignia of House Gracias, however, they hurried over—not toward the knights, but toward Evelina.
“If you’re being threatened,” one guard whispered quietly beside her, “blink twice.”
O-Oh…
So they really do threaten innocent women if necessary.
Well… they’ve spent years serving under Kyte. Maybe they resemble their commander more than I’d thought.
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
She repeated the same explanation three separate times before the guards finally let them pass.
Eventually, Evelina arrived home together with Lessen and Alex.
“This is my house. Thank you for carrying the books.”
“Not at all,” Lessen replied. “The fault was mine to begin with. Where would you like me to put them?”
“You can leave them by the front door. I’ll carry them inside myself.”
She answered brightly.
Only then did the stiffness leave Lessen’s face.
“Once again, I sincerely apologize for my rudeness.”
“Thanks to you, I made it home comfortably.”
“Please have a pleasant rest.”
Even until the very end…
…they conducted themselves exactly as knights should.
Evelina smiled and waved goodbye.
The instant the two disappeared down the street, she scooped up the books and slipped inside, shutting the door behind her.
“That was far too close.”
Apparently they hadn’t sensed Kyte’s presence.
Well…
He was hidden in the underground room.
It wasn’t exactly easy to detect someone sealed away beneath layers of reinforced stone.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Evelina selected several books from the stack before heading downstairs.
“Yo.”
The moment she opened the basement door, Kyte greeted her lazily.
“Did you enjoy your outing?”
“Not particularly.”
“Oh?”
His lips curled upward.
“Because you ran into Lessen and Alex?”
Evelina’s head snapped up.
“…How did you know?”
“That’s quite the expression.”
Kyte chuckled.
“We’ve spent years together. You think I wouldn’t recognize what happened just by looking at their faces?”
“They didn’t seem to notice anything.”
He merely shrugged.
Evelina pushed one of the books toward him with the broom she always used to keep a safe distance.
Watching him casually catch it only reminded her once again…
He truly was one of the Empire’s greatest swordsmen.
I’d better be even more careful around him.
Kyte glanced at the cover.
“Hm.”
“A rather ordinary romance.”
“I don’t see how this will help us pretend to be lovers.”
“That’s exactly why I picked it.”
“The ordinary ones are important.”
Kyte laughed quietly.
“I’m beginning to think…”
“…the one who knows nothing about love isn’t me.”
Heat instantly rushed to Evelina’s cheeks.
Because…
He wasn’t entirely wrong.
She had lost her parents when she was still a child.
She had grown up under Baron Frilly’s care.
Occasionally she’d accompanied him to social gatherings, but she’d never truly made friends her own age.
Love…
…was something she’d only ever read about.
“I-I do know about it.”
Her denial came far too late.
Kyte looked at her with amused eyes.
“If you know nothing…”
“I suppose I’ll have to teach you.”
Her face immediately soured.
“Practice is more effective than theory.”
Patting the empty space beside him on the bed, Kyte gestured for her to sit.
“What kind of practice?”
Evelina tightened her grip on the broom.
“We should practice exchanging embarrassing lines.”
“Otherwise you’ll freeze up when we have to pretend later.”
“…Do I really have to sit beside you?”
“Familiarity only comes through closeness.”
He’s far too good with words.
After hesitating for a long while, Evelina finally perched herself on the very edge of the bed—
As far away from him as physically possible.
“There.”
“Go ahead.”
“You’ll have to come closer.”
“This distance is plenty.”
“If you insist.”
The words had barely left his mouth.
In the next instant—
Kyte moved.
Like a shadow gliding across the bed, he closed the gap in one fluid motion.
Evelina instinctively recoiled, goosebumps racing down her spine.
Her hand flew upward automatically—
Only for Kyte to catch it.
“My darling.”
His low voice brushed against her ear.
Every hair on her body stood on end.
The sheer secondhand embarrassment was enough to make her fingers curl.
Right now…
She desperately wanted to yank her hand free and smack him across the face.
“Why are you so tense?”
He smiled innocently.
“As if I’d ever do anything to the woman I love.”
You absolutely would.
Evelina swallowed the retort with tremendous effort.
“My darling.”
Kyte’s eyes silently urged her.
Your turn.
Think I can’t do it?
Lightly biting her lip, she answered,
“…Lord Kyte.”
“My darling.”
He sighed dramatically.
“I can’t feel any affection in that.”
And yours is overflowing with sincerity?
Taking a deep breath, Evelina forced every ounce of gentleness she could into her voice.
“…Lord Kyte.”
“You can call me ‘darling,’ you know.”
He smiled again.
An unbearably sweet smile.
That…
…was Evelina’s limit.
“Ugh…”
“Hm?”
“AAAAAH!”
With a loud scream, she shoved Kyte away with all her strength before bolting out of the basement.
Her footsteps thundered up the stairs.
She simply couldn’t endure another second of the unbearable cringe.
Kyte watched her flee.
Then…
He burst into laughter.
He had been starting to think life in the basement would become unbearably dull.
But now…
He had discovered an entirely new source of amusement.
Baron Frilly had given him many things.
He had saved Kyte’s life.
And now…
He had left behind a granddaughter who was both remarkably useful—
And endlessly entertaining.
Granted…
This probably wasn’t what the old Baron had intended.
Then again…
The old man had known Kyte’s personality better than almost anyone.
Which meant he’d entrusted his granddaughter to Kyte despite knowing exactly what kind of man he was.
In that case…
A little harmless mischief couldn’t possibly hurt.
Wearing a thoroughly mischievous grin, Kyte flopped back onto the bed.
Evelina wanted him to remain here until the Emperor’s birthday celebrations had ended.
But…
No matter how much she wished for it—
He couldn’t simply do as she wanted forever.
