#49. I Can’t Trust That
It was obvious that Idren had said such a thing just because Ophelia had been holding a candlestick.
“If I’d gone alone, I wouldn’t have done that,” she said.
“I don’t believe you.”
His immediate reply made it clear he was stubbornly distrustful. Ophelia explained to the man who doubted even the smallest things.
“It’s true. I only did that because I went in with you.”
If things had gone wrong, Idren could have pulled her out and handled the situation himself.
She was only telling the truth, but Idren cleared his throat. Ophelia realized he was embarrassed. What a strange man, she thought.
Without realizing her thoughts, Idren turned his gaze back to the window and grumbled in a softer tone.
“Still, go with a knight. Even if you don’t mind, I can’t live with the anxiety.”
At first light the next day, Idren called for Fenrel.
Fenrel seemed surprised, as Idren rarely summoned him so early. The prince spoke to the knight, whose face showed a faint tension.
“You still have the ring I entrusted to you, don’t you? Return it to me.”
The “ring” in Fenrel’s possession referred to a replica of the royal family’s ring.
In his previous life, Fenrel had kept that ring while carrying out Idren’s orders, and in the end, he had died in Idren’s place.
Idren remembered the knight riding away with the ring hanging from a cord around his neck, the golden jewel gleaming in the sunlight—that was the last he had ever seen of Fenrel.
This time, Idren had no intention of letting the same thing happen.
As the knight hesitated before handing over the ring, Idren spoke.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I just plan to take responsibility for my own burdens from now on.”
Losing Fenrel had left him with many long nights of regret. It was something he never wanted to go through again.
He clenched the metal object in his hand. He still didn’t know exactly why time had turned back, but this was a chance to win Ophelia’s heart—and also to fix the mistakes he had made.
Taking out a leather cord from his drawer, he threaded the ring onto it and said,
“More importantly, we should assign Ophelia a guard knight…”
His words trailed off without him realizing.
Originally, he had planned to assign Fenrel to her. The man was skilled and trustworthy.
But thinking about it, Fenrel’s temperament didn’t seem compatible with Ophelia’s.
From her stubbornness the day before, it was clear that she needed to do as she pleased to be satisfied. Fenrel, on the other hand, was steadfast, taciturn, and inclined to follow procedure to the letter. Assigning such a man to someone as unpredictable as Ophelia would only cause constant clashes.
He needed someone among the upper ranks of the knights who also had a more flexible personality…
That’s when Hazel came to mind.
Hazel was Salode’s cousin. And Salode was one of Idren’s closest political allies, holding considerable influence in the castle.
Both came from prestigious families, and Hazel in particular had a naturally pleasant disposition and many acquaintances.
She was also a woman, meaning she could guard Ophelia more closely in various situations.
The more he thought about it, the more suitable Hazel seemed. Idren finally decided to entrust Ophelia to her and asked Fenrel,
“What do you think of Hazel?”
“Sir Hazel is a fine knight. However, her temperament may be a bit… unsuited to guarding a noblewoman…”
Fenrel’s voice trailed off, and Idren knew why.
Noblewomen often preferred quiet, serious, and not overly clever knights as guards—conversation partners were hired separately.
But Ophelia had no such companion, and what she needed was a quick-witted, adaptable guard. Without that, she would either be led astray or constantly clash with her protector.
And when it came to dangerous situations, clashing was not an option. Idren shook his head.
“No, Hazel’s temperament is perfect. She can assess situations quickly and knows many people. She’ll make sure Ophelia doesn’t get into trouble when I’m not there.”
Fenrel didn’t argue.
“If that’s your wish, I’ll bring Sir Hazel to Her Highness.”
“Good… No, I should see her first. Bring Hazel to me on your way out.”
Fenrel bowed and left. After he was gone, Idren slipped the cord with the ring over his neck, tucking it under his clothes. Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Your Highness, Hazel Chessa. I was told you called for me.”
“Come in.”
A red-haired knight entered eagerly. Idren gestured to the chair Fenrel had vacated. “Sit.”
When Hazel sat down, Idren studied her carefully.
Unlike Salode, she kept her hair cropped short. She had freckles—a rare sight in gloomy Edegrune unless one spent a lot of time outdoors—and a well-toned, muscular frame.
Ophelia might not be the type to complain often, but Idren didn’t want just anyone to guard her.
Once he confirmed Hazel was as he remembered, he spoke.
“I called you because I think you’re the right person to be Ophelia’s guard. What do you think?”
“I’d be happy to.”
Her answer came without hesitation, and Idren frowned.
“Happy? Why?”
Hazel blinked at the man who had summoned her out of the blue, offered her a guard post, and then glared at her for agreeing. She had just been walking down the castle corridor when Fenrel had pulled her straight into the office.
A little flustered, she answered honestly.
“Well… there’s nothing bad about it?”
She liked training and working in the knights, but she also enjoyed meeting people—so guard duty was something she welcomed.
And besides, the Princess of Reden was beautiful. Her eyes were like blue candy, her hair sparkled in the sunlight, and her features looked soft and delicate—unlike the people of the North.
Judging from how she spoke to the squire of the Prince of Egelbam, she seemed neat and straightforward in personality, too.
Hazel firmed up her decision.
But the young king didn’t seem to understand her reasoning. Still frowning slightly, he said,
“…You’re simpler than I thought.”
It didn’t sound like praise, but Hazel took it in stride. The young king, who had ascended the throne early, naturally had a somewhat sensitive personality.
Looking at her with an expression that suggested he wasn’t fully convinced, he sighed quietly.
“Ophelia is from another country, so she may make small mistakes. You know what I mean?”
“Yes. I’ll do my best to hide anything that doesn’t need to become known.”
“Good. And if she tries to do anything dangerous, you must stop her… In this castle, no one but me can oppose her, so I’d like you to handle such situations with flexibility.”
That seemed a bit too much responsibility for a mere knight, but no one could refuse a king’s command.
Still, what dangerous thing could a princess who’d been raised so delicately possibly do? At worst, it would be something she could fix herself.
And even if there was cause for worry, there was nothing Hazel could change, so she answered without overthinking it.
“Yes, I’ll do my best.”
The more compliant she was, the less reassured the king seemed. Still frowning, he added,
“Report anything that could affect Ophelia’s safety immediately—and even if it doesn’t, if you think I should know something without invading her privacy, report that as well.”
In other words, use her judgment.
Hazel was used to picky superiors, so she simply agreed. “Yes, understood.”
Idren looked at the knight, who still didn’t know what kind of person Ophelia was, with a slightly troubled gaze.
Ophelia might look gentle and mild, but… her personality was quite different from her appearance.
Still, Hazel could probably handle it. Hoping the knight’s easygoing nature would have a good effect, Idren concluded,
“Get the details from Fenrel and you may go. On your way out, send in Lisana.”
When an older man entered, Idren was a little surprised to realize the morning wasn’t even half over yet.
Perhaps because he had grown used to the leisurely pace of traveling north with Ophelia, the sudden return to a busy routine felt strange.
Lisana bowed politely before him.
“I was told you called for me.”
Idren looked at the man who still held his position firmly, even though Idren had killed the former lord of the castle and taken his place.
Lisana was an upright man. Unlike Idren, who had rebelled simply to survive, the old steward had truly thought of the people and the country when he handed over the castle.
It was thanks to Lisana’s cooperation that Idren had been able to take Sigrazil Castle without much bloodshed, even without the power of Edegrune behind him.
However, Idren and Lisana had never been close. They had seen each other’s faces for many years, yet never kept company.
Lisana had witnessed Idren being beaten by princes and whipped by the queen, always from a careful distance, without a word or action between them.
And years later, when Idren could no longer hold out in the borderlands and moved south, Lisana had opened the castle gates for him.
