Chapter 03 ….
After running for a while after escaping the mansion, Chloe finally stopped.
If she had made it this far, she probably wouldn’t be found right away.
Neither her father nor her former fiancé, Kirif, would ever imagine that Chloe would run away from the mansion.
So she needed to calm down and carefully think about what to do next.
She could probably manage to some extent with magic, but she had only just realized she could use it. She didn’t even fully understand what she was capable of yet.
She shouldn’t push herself too far.
(First, clothes and money. I’ll stand out too much like this.)
She would have to go into town, sell a few small jewels, and prepare clothes and travel supplies.
(Ah… but going alone as a woman, they might try to rip me off. And if they get suspicious and report me, that would be troublesome…)
Even though it was the plainest one she had, walking around town in a dress would make her stand out too much.
At the very least, she wished she had a robe, but since Chloe rarely went out, her closet only contained indoor wear.
Looking around carefully, she stepped into a deserted back alley to avoid attention.
From the knowledge of her previous life, large towns like this usually had black markets that would buy just about anything.
But it didn’t seem like the kind of place a woman could safely go alone.
Even if the queen was trying to implement reforms, long-standing customs wouldn’t change easily.
Moreover, there had been many unofficial immigrants in recent years, and the maids often whispered that public safety had worsened.
(Even if I eventually leave this country, I’ll need a partner for a while. Someone who doesn’t look down on women and has decent skills… I wonder if a man like that is just lying around somewhere…)
As she walked while thinking this, someone called out to her from behind.
“Where are you going, Lady Chloe?”
“…Huh?”
Startled, she turned around—and saw a man standing there.
He had beautiful silver hair and clear blue eyes like sapphires.
Tall and slender, he wore a white knight’s uniform.
“…Erih.”
He used to serve under her father, the captain of the knights, as a trainee knight and had once stayed at their mansion.
With his cold, striking beauty and superb swordsmanship, he had caught the princess’s attention and had since risen to become an Imperial Guard knight.
He used to call the slightly younger Chloe “young lady.”
“I was surprised to learn you could use magic, my lady. You hid it well all this time.”
“Did my father send you to bring me back?”
Even if she could use magic, she had never been taught—it was amateur-level at best.
There was no way she could beat Erih, whose swordsmanship her father himself praised.
(But I absolutely refuse to go back to that mansion. I want to live freely.)
As Chloe braced herself, Erih simply shook his head.
“No. I’m an Imperial Guard now. I have no reason to follow the captain’s orders.”
“Huh?”
His casual response made Chloe look at him suspiciously.
“Then why did you follow me?”
“I saw you fleeing in a hurry after Prince Kirif broke off your engagement. I thought I’d take advantage of the situation and follow you.”
“T-take advantage?”
“Yes. I’ve also been wanting to escape from the princess. The surveillance was too strict for me to get away before, but thanks to your magic, I was able to.”
The man known as the “Ice Knight” smiled warmly—something surprisingly friendly for someone with such a cold appearance. It seemed the surveillance magic hadn’t been for Chloe, but for him.
“Ah, this outfit stands out too much. Let me change—please wait.”
With that, he started changing clothes right in front of her. Chloe froze in shock and ended up staring.
“I thought this was the part where you’d blush and scream.”
“…I didn’t have the energy for that.”
After changing into the attire of a traveling swordsman, Erih took out a robe—something a mage would wear—from a large cloth bag.
“You should change into this as well. A dress is too noticeable.”
He was almost too well-prepared, making Chloe eye him suspiciously.
Still, standing out would only increase the risk of being found. Reluctantly, she accepted the robe.
“You saw me change, so can I watch you change too?”
“Of course not!”
She snapped in a tone completely unlike her usual self. Erih didn’t even look surprised—he simply turned away, looking disappointed.
“I’ll keep watch properly, so don’t worry.”
“…Don’t turn around, okay?”
Even if no one was around, she never imagined she’d be changing clothes outdoors.
(But this works out well, doesn’t it? Erih doesn’t look down on women, and he’s skilled. If he says he’s tagging along with me, maybe I can have him stay with me until we leave the royal capital…)
She hadn’t expected to find such a perfect candidate.
And he even prepared clothes for her.
Chloe quickly changed from her dress into the robe and called out to him, still facing away.
“Thank you. I’m done.”
When he turned around, he looked slightly surprised that she had already changed by herself.
“I was expecting you to ask how to wear it.”
“What are you talking about? Erih… hasn’t your personality changed a bit?”
She remembered him being much cooler and more aloof—befitting the name “Ice Knight.”
“You’re one to talk. You’re completely different from when your engagement was broken off. Was that all an act?”
“Well… something like that?”
There was no way she could say she had regained memories of a past life.
When she vaguely brushed it off, he reacted with exaggerated surprise and joked that she could become a stage actress.
“So, what do you plan to do now?”
“I was thinking of selling some jewels at the black market.”
“What a coincidence. Me too. They were gifts from the princess, but they’re not my taste at all.”
“…”
Erih must really dislike the princess.
“I thought she seemed quite charming.”
“…I can’t say I agree. She’s Prince Kirif’s younger sister, after all. She treated me like nothing more than a doll that obeys her every command.”
It seemed he had gone through quite a lot as well.
Finally letting her guard down, Chloe faced him properly.
“If you don’t mind… would you go to the black market with me? I’m a bit uneasy going alone.”
At her request, Erih nodded without hesitation.
“If you’re okay with me, I’d be happy to. I tagged along on my own, after all—and your magic helped me.”
He extended his hand.
After a brief hesitation, Chloe took it.
Erih smiled happily and began walking while holding her hand.
“What will you do after we exchange the jewels?”
“I was thinking of becoming an adventurer and leaving the capital. I can use magic, after all.”
“I see. Then how about a swordsman as your partner? I’m quite confident in my skills. I can protect you.”
“…That sounds good.”
Chloe thought for a moment.
She had been wanting a companion—at least until she left the capital.
Erih was a skilled swordsman, and more importantly, someone she had known since childhood. When he had been chosen by the princess and transferred to the royal castle as an Imperial Guard, “Chloe” had been very sad.
And most importantly, he wouldn’t try to force anything on her.
“Yes, that works. But stop calling me ‘young lady.’ We’re partners now—call me Chloe. And no more formal speech.”
Erih looked at her, then smiled beautifully—so much so it was almost dazzling.
“Got it. Chloe—shall we go together?”
Now that her engagement had been broken, she intended to live freely.
Together with him—her new partner.
Dreaming of the future ahead, Chloe smiled.
