Chapter 4
Clang!
“Ha, ha.”
The sun was already setting. The knights who had been watching our sparring match began to disappear one by one as evening approached.
Before I knew it, only Kaiden and I remained in the training ground.
“Already tired?”
“…Let’s call it a day.”
I didn’t fall for Kaiden’s provocation and sprawled out flat on the ground.
It had been a while since I last sparred with him. Three years, maybe?
Back then, it felt like we got along decently enough. But when did we stop having proper conversations?
Probably around the time I started hearing whispers that my ‘lowly status kept me stuck at a knight’s title.’ I think I resented him a little for that.
Kaiden looked down at me with an expressionless face before sitting beside me.
“Is there a specific reason you have to retire?”
‘Because you’re going to kill me later.’
I couldn’t exactly say that.
“If you want a barony, I can petition the Emperor.”
“Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor.”
“Ha. Marion.”
“I know I couldn’t even fight seriously because I was afraid of seeing blood.”
“…….”
Sparring with him made it clear. Kaiden was already a step above me in skill.
Whether in swordsmanship or strength, it was obvious he was holding back.
That’s probably why I died by his hand.
The one thing that puzzled me was that, in the original story, it was described as a fairly intense battle between us.
Of course, I might have grown stronger in the meantime…
‘But what’s the point of that now?’
“A Swordmaster who faints at the sight of blood. Isn’t that laughable?”
Saying it out loud, it really was funny.
“With this condition, I can’t even go out to the marketplace. I’d probably faint just watching someone slaughter a chicken.”
Kaiden was silent for a moment before speaking.
“The physician said it might improve with time. Why not wait a little longer?”
He’s not giving up.
Well, even as a Grand Duke, Kaiden couldn’t just let a Swordmaster under the imperial family retire so easily.
But my status was too lowly to directly appeal to the imperial family myself.
So, I had no choice but to tell him, my direct superior, hoping he’d pass it along.
Right now, it’s before the story begins—before the female lead, the Saintess, appears.
Once the Saintess builds a bond with the Second Prince, the Crown Prince, feeling rushed, hastily appoints me as his personal knight, causing my status to skyrocket.
The Grand Duchy had maintained neutrality, but as the Crown Prince’s tyranny grew unbearable, they eventually supported the Second Prince, leading to a storm of power struggles.
And, as expected of a romance novel, both of them fall in love with the female protagonist.
The secondary male lead and villain is the Crown Prince, while the second secondary male lead is Kaiden.
Kaiden clearly shows affection for Stella but holds back for the sake of the Second Prince. He only watches from a distance.
And there I was, foolishly loyal to the Crown Prince and genuinely in love with him.
‘I must’ve mistaken him for an angel who recognized me. To the Crown Prince, I was just a useful tool, nothing more, nothing less.’
It was bitter. Why was I so desperate to be acknowledged, to prove my worth?
I looked up at the evening sky and spoke.
“Your Grace, when’s your next matchmaking meeting?”
“…Why’s the conversation suddenly jumping there?”
“Just curious.”
Kaiden narrowed his eyes, glaring at me before letting out a sigh.
“Tomorrow.”
“Is she pretty?”
“Don’t know.”
“She’s probably pretty. But why aren’t you getting married? Other noblemen marry before they’re 25, and you’re already 28, aren’t you?”
Kaiden shot me a look that said, ‘You’re going there too?’
And no wonder—Kaiden was under immense pressure from his wife and his grandfather, Duke Leopold, in the capital to get married.
In the past year alone, he’d met over twenty noble ladies for matchmaking, yet he never followed up with a single one. Instead, rumors started spreading.
‘If you marry Grand Duke Kaiden, you might die under that gaze!’
I snickered, aiming for a bit of petty revenge.
“Come on, isn’t that true? Unless you’re impotent, how do you reject all those pretty ladies?”
“Marion.”
Kaiden raised one eyebrow, shooting me a warning look. But I didn’t back down.
“Is there really something wrong with you?”
Twitch.
Kaiden clenched his jaw, his cheek muscles twitching.
‘Oh, he’s got some pride, huh?’
His reaction was amusing, so I pushed a little too far. Time to dial it back.
“Well, I get it. Some guys get all shy in front of women…”
At that moment, a shadow loomed over me.
Kaiden leaned down, placing a hand beside my head, completely towering over me. His face was way too close.
“Curious if there’s something wrong with me?”
I stared at Kaiden, wide-eyed.
His sweat-dampened black hair fell over his forehead, casting shadows on his pale, jade-like skin.
His half-lowered eyes gleamed like blue jewels. His face was undeniably, breathtakingly handsome.
But why was he directing that face attack at me…?
“What are you doing?”
He must’ve sensed my bewilderment, but Kaiden only raised an eyebrow and didn’t move.
“No matter how much of a scoundrel you are, I hope you don’t forget you’re a woman.”
“What, am I a man then?”
“I’m the man.”
“Obviously?”
Kaiden let out a light sigh and straightened up.
“My point is, since you’re a woman, stop provoking men.”
What? I stared at him with dead-fish eyes.
“Are you… trying to rein me in right now?”
“And stop chasing after men who resemble the Crown Prince.”
His next words made me flinch inwardly.
I didn’t have much to say to that.
Before I remembered my past life, I used to flirt shamelessly with young soldiers who had blonde hair and green eyes, throwing out cheesy lines like, “Your eyes are so pretty,” or “You’re like a baby deer.”
I actually dated a few of them, while others trembled in fear, silently pleading for help from nearby knights.
…Well, if they didn’t like it, they could’ve just said so.
“Well… if young people hit it off, they can date…”
As I mumbled my excuse, Kaiden cut me off sharply.
“Using your superior position to coerce them, you mean.”
“Tch.”
I pouted and sat up.
“Still, if they said no, I didn’t push further. And I got along well with the ones I dated…”
Was I blinded by the Crown Prince, or was I just lonely? Why did I keep chasing after people like that? I never took any of them seriously.
But now that I’ve remembered my past life, I had no intention of continuing that way, so it felt a bit unfair.
‘I wasn’t going to do that anymore. As if romance is important right now? Just trying to escape this story is enough to make my head explode.’
Kaiden watched me grumble before speaking.
“Marion, stay at the Grand Duke’s castle for a while and rest.”
I stared at him. His face was calm, but his eyes held an unyielding stubbornness.
In other words, he wasn’t going to entertain the retirement talk. Fine, then I’d step back and come up with a proper plan.
“Give me some money too.”
Might as well secure what I can.
—
“Today, His Highness the Second Prince and Her Highness the Fourth Princess will be visiting the Grand Duke’s castle. So, Sir Marion, please prepare to greet them as well.”
“What?”
Lady Marchioness looked at me with a kind expression. I dropped the bread I was eating, stammering.
“Why would such high-ranking people suddenly come to this cold, dark land…?”
“Oh my, Sir Marion. To call the Baltstein Grand Duchy, covered in white snowfields, dark? Ho ho ho, where else is as beautiful as this place? Don’t you agree?”
“Haha, of course. I meant it’s beautiful at night.”
I wiped cold sweat and forced an excuse. Lady Marchioness was one of the most loyal vassals. Badmouthing Baltstein in front of her wasn’t exactly wise.
“Her Highness the Fourth Princess was already scheduled to visit today. However, even I didn’t know His Highness the Second Prince would come along.”
“…….”
No way… Is the Fourth Princess the one Kaiden’s meeting for his matchmaking tomorrow?!
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By Anna 💓
