Chapter 20
—
Wow… What is this guy?
A chill ran down my spine.
So, what Marius was saying right now was,
‘In truth, you like me so much that you’re pretending not to in order to get my attention.’
Utter nonsense.
First of all, as a knight of the empire, my priority is naturally to protect the imperial family.
So, saving the Crown Prince was only natural, and I would have saved anyone else in danger, not just him.
But to think I saved him because I favored him? Is this narcissism or prince syndrome?
Well, he *is* a prince…
I watched to see how Marius would act.
“You must have been very disappointed all this time. I ignored you and didn’t even give you a glance. I reflect on that. So, I’ve decided to cherish you, who risked your life to save me. Be grateful.”
I wanted to punch him.
Who asked to be cherished? It was absurd, but on the other hand, I kind of understood why Marius was acting this way.
‘…If it were the old me, I’d probably be groveling at his feet, thrilled.’
Oh, past me. Why were you like that? As I reflected on my past, Marius spoke again.
“Yes. It’s time for you to leave the Grand Duke’s service.”
Wait, what is he trying to say…?
“Marion. Become my personal knight.”
* * *
Kaiden was miserable the entire time he danced with Princess Caroline.
“If you hadn’t been there, I would have been helplessly killed by the wyvern, wouldn’t I? You’re my savior, Grand Duke.”
“It was merely my duty.”
“Goodness. With these sturdy arms, you took down a wyvern…”
Caroline didn’t listen to her partner and just said what she wanted. Moreover, she kept touching him all over.
He wanted to swat her hands away, but with the Emperor and Empress watching, he couldn’t.
Caroline wasn’t the only thing bothering him. While dancing, he saw Marion and the Crown Prince heading to the terrace alone.
For some reason, the sight kept lingering in his mind, making it hard to focus on the dance.
“Grand Duke, may I call you by your name? I feel like we’ll be seeing each other for a long time.”
“It’s uncomfortable, so please address me by my title.”
“Oh my, you’re the first man to act like this toward me. Are you playing hard to get?”
Just as Kaiden could no longer hold back and was about to shake off Caroline’s hand, the music ended.
Caroline stepped back, smacking her lips as if disappointed.
Kaiden turned and left without even a farewell. Watching him, Caroline whispered with amusement,
“How cute.”
Her voice couldn’t possibly go unheard by Kaiden, a swordmaster. He clicked his tongue and headed toward the terrace where Marion and the Crown Prince had gone.
He planned to open the terrace door as if he hadn’t noticed them. He didn’t know why he was acting this way.
He just didn’t like the idea of Marion being with the Crown Prince, and all he wanted was to see her face right now.
“Marion. Become my personal knight.”
Kaiden froze in his tracks.
The Crown Prince was making an incredible offer to Marion. To be the personal knight of the future Emperor.
It was a golden opportunity for Marion, who was already dissatisfied with her position.
But Kaiden felt his insides twist. His stomach churned so much that he could feel the champagne he drank earlier sloshing around.
“Your Imperial Highness.”
Kaiden held his breath, waiting for Marion’s response.
“I refuse.”
* * *
Marius had naturally assumed Marion would accept his offer to become his personal knight.
A commoner who was supposedly head over heels for him had no reason to refuse such an offer.
“Your Imperial Highness. I refuse.”
Marion said with a sullen expression. It was a response given without even a moment’s hesitation.
Marius thought he must have misheard.
“What did you say?”
“I don’t want to be Your Highness’s personal knight.”
Marion drove the point home. Marius couldn’t comprehend it.
“What?”
“Is my answer that hard to understand? I’m saying I won’t be Your Highness’s personal knight.”
As Marion responded with an irritated tone, Marius finally accepted it.
But he was puzzled.
“Why? Isn’t this a great opportunity, far beyond your station?”
Marion let out a scoff. It was a smile that felt unsettling.
“I don’t need such an opportunity.”
It was a firm rejection.
This was completely different from the Marion Marius knew. The Marion he knew would have been tearfully grateful, kneeling and swearing a knight’s oath.
Marion tilted her head side to side, as if her neck were stiff, and continued in a casual tone.
“It seems you’re mistaken about the wyvern incident.”
Marius had never dreamed he’d feel nervous because of Marion.
“I would have saved anyone, not just Your Highness.”
Until now, he had thought Marion was throwing a tantrum to get his attention.
But that wasn’t the case. The look in Marion’s eyes as she gazed at him was too indifferent.
“And let me make this clear while we’re at it. I no longer like Your Highness, nor am I interested in you.”
From Marion’s perspective, she was repeating herself. Her attitude clearly showed her annoyance.
Only then did Marion’s demeanor sink in. It was shocking. It was as if she were dealing with a fool who couldn’t understand.
Even as Marius reeled from the shock, Marion’s words continued.
“And I’m going to retire soon.”
“What?”
At the mention of retirement, Marius reacted like lightning.
What was this nonsense? One of the empire’s only two swordmasters retiring?
Marius, who had subconsciously assumed Marion would always be on his side, was jolted awake.
“Please pass that on to His Majesty the Emperor. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Wait, Marion!”
The Crown Prince, flustered, tried to grab Marion. But Kaiden, who had opened the terrace door, was a step faster.
Kaiden swiftly stepped in front of the Crown Prince.
“Your Imperial Highness.”
“Grand Duke?”
The Crown Prince looked at the suddenly appeared Kaiden with a startled expression. Kaiden gazed at him with a cold stare.
“I have urgent business to discuss with Marion. Excuse us.”
Kaiden slammed the terrace door shut and left. Marius stood alone on the terrace, dumbfounded.
* * *
“Ugh! So annoying! I can’t even hit him because he’s the Crown Prince!”
As I punched the air in frustration, Kaiden let out a sigh.
We were in an empty room in the palace.
“If you mention retirement to the Crown Prince, it’ll reach the Emperor’s ears.”
Kaiden ran a hand through his hair. His exposed forehead was clean and handsome.
“That’s what I intended.”
“A few days ago, wyverns appeared in the palace. In a situation like this, the Emperor won’t let a swordmaster go.”
“He won’t, will he?”
I nodded in agreement.
“But I want to cast off all shackles and burdens and set out to find my freedom.”
“…….”
It was a line from an anime I’d seen in my past life.
It was exactly what I wanted to say now. I had to break free from the shackles and burdens of this original story to survive.
“Did staying at the Grand Duchy feel like a shackle?”
Kaiden misunderstood with a serious expression. Well, from his perspective, not knowing anything, it might seem that way.
I shook my head.
“No, that’s not it. The Grand Duchy is great. It feels like home.”
“Really? Then why did you refuse the Crown Prince’s offer to be his personal knight?”
Because I was freaked out by being held back when I need to escape the original story. I couldn’t say that.
“Because the Crown Prince is annoying.”
“…What?”
“I mean, isn’t it obvious? I told him twice that I don’t like him anymore and have no interest in him! And he thinks I’m throwing a tantrum to get his attention. Do you know how absurd and infuriating that is?”
“…….”
The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I mean, how bad does your prince syndrome have to be to act like that?
As I grew more heated, Kaiden’s expression became more relaxed. He listened to my venting and then spoke.
“So, what’s your plan now? Do you have one?”
[Yeah, do you have a plan?]
Bled, who had been silent, chimed in. I subtly avoided their gazes.
Truthfully, I didn’t have much of a plan.
In the original story, I died at Kaiden’s hands because I was blindly devoted to the Crown Prince. But if I didn’t side with the Crown Prince, as I was doing now, it seemed unlikely I’d die.
Wouldn’t things be fine as they are? I had that thought too. But…
I looked at Kaiden.
Kaiden is strong.
While I took down three wyverns at the palace, Kaiden had single-handedly defeated six.
I had gained enlightenment and become stronger then, but even so, he was about twice as strong as me now.
Plus, he knew my weakness of fainting at the sight of blood.
If things somehow followed the original story, I’d lose to Kaiden without a doubt. That would mean death.
I slowly opened my mouth.
“I do have a last resort.”
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By Anna 💓
