CH:16
“Did I ever tell you not to go out?”
Leonidas shrugged nonchalantly and replied, then turned his gaze back to his desk. His indifferent attitude, as if asking if that was all Kaon came for, prompted Kaon to speak again.
“Not next year. I want to leave immediately, so give me permission.”
The added words finally succeeded in capturing Leonidas’s interest. He set down the pen he was holding, crossed his arms, and looked up at Kaon.
“The one who canât stand troublesome matters suddenly wants to go into the Monster Forest?”
Though his tone was sharp, criticizing Kaon’s usual behavior, Kaon had no rebuttalâbecause it was true. That had always been his way.
Of course, a big part of it was so that their relatives wouldnât have any reason to cast out his sister, but even without that, Kaon had never been particularly diligent.
“You’re doing all kinds of things now because of the princess, huh.”
“Thatâs not true.”
Kaon denied it instantlyâthen immediately bit down on the inside of his cheek. Even to himself, he had responded too quickly. Denying without a momentâs hesitation probably made it look even more sincere.
âYou get all flustered just seeing a puppy, and now you’re supposed to let her go alone?â
But he had no choice. Already anxious as it was, and after experiencing something like that earlier, Kaon’s worry had reached a peak. Alessiaâs face had gone pale as a sheet, drained of all color, looking as if she might vanish from the world at any moment. Just thinking of that moment turned Kaonâs mind blank.
She had been so frozen even in front of a tiny, adorable puppyâhow on earth was she supposed to face monsters?
Since Alessia had never actually seen a monster, she seemed to think it wouldnât be a big deal and was determined to do her part. But Kaon couldnât help feeling deeply uneasy.
“I told you to win her heart, not give yours away.”
Leonidas watched his younger brother for a moment, then shook his head.
“I donât think I ever said to offer up your own heart.”
“Ugh, seriously, what are you even talking about! My heartâs fine and with me, just give me permission already. Donât bring up weird stuff.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Itâs really not like that. What do you take me for?”
Seriously. How ridiculous.
Kaon adamantly denied his sister’s words and kept grumbling afterward.
How could his only sibling not know his heart at all? It was almost upsetting. Misunderstandings were one thing, but this was beyond belief.
As the second son of the Duke of Ferdinand and a knight, what could be more important than the task of subduing monsters?
Alessia was a rare mage who showed interest in such things. Wanting to help even a little shouldnât be such a cause for suspicion.
ââŚIâm also her fiancĂŠ.â
Besides, he was her fiancĂŠ. Granted, it was in name only, but whether it ended at appearances or led to marriageâno one could say. So Kaon at least wanted to do his best in the present.
Though he had clear reasons and duties, voicing them somehow felt like admitting defeat. So instead, he simply asked again.
“So, are you giving permission or not?”
“Just donât skip training. Get permission from the captain or whoever, I donât care.”
“Thanks! Iâm off!”
Leonidas sighed like he couldnât believe what he was seeing but granted permission in the end. Kaon dashed out before his sister could change her mind.
“Sir Leonidas gave his permission.”
“I see. Iâve just come from his office.”
Kaon reported the news to Captain Alain of the knight order. The captain looked a bit surprised at the sudden request.
“Granting permission is easy, but thereâs less than half a year left until next year. Is there any reason you want to go into the forest early?”
“Itâs not a particular reason, but⌠since Lady Alessia of Ingelos is going out for inspection, I couldn’t just sit still as someone of Ferdinand blood.”
It was a last-minute excuse, but it sounded entirely plausible. Kaon decided to use this story from now on whenever asked.
“I understand. I heard the lady will officially start field activity in autumn after completing some adaptation training. You can join around then.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Master.”
“No need to thank me. Iâm just proud youâve taken such a mindset. The late duke would surely be pleased.”
When the topic of his late parents came up, Kaon felt a pang of guiltâbut technically, it wasnât a lie. He didnât feel that bad anymore.
âAlessia really is from Ingelos, and I really do have Ferdinand blood.â
“Just try not to skip any more training from now on.”
“Yes, sir. I have no excuse.”
But when his silver-haired master gently admonished him, Kaon instinctively bowed his head. He could feel the genuine concern in Alainâs words.
“Still, if the princess has become your turning point, thatâs a good thing. After His Graceâs passing, and then your mother⌠you wandered quite a bit.”
Those words made Kaon even more solemn. He wasnât unaware of how he must have looked to his mentor over the past three years. In fact, he knew too well.
He had skipped training with all kinds of excuses, half-heartedly participated in scheduled duels, and hadnât practiced his swordsmanship seriously. Saying he had been the very picture of laziness would not be an exaggeration.
“As your teacher, Iâve always felt regret that I couldnât be a stronger support for you.”
“How could that possibly be your fault, Master? Itâs all because of my own shortcomings.”
“A master should be a pillar for their disciple, guiding and supporting them in areas they lack. If I failed to do that, then the fault lies with me.”
Even though he would have every right to scold and be disappointed, Alain took all the blame upon himself and embraced Kaon.
Kaon couldnât meet his eyes, overwhelmed with shame. What made it worse was the knowledge that he likely couldnât show much improvement in the future either.
“Donât feel so guilty. I, Alain, have never once been disappointed in you. On the contrary, youâve always filled me with expectation.”
“Thatâs quite an exaggeration.”
“Haha, Iâm too old to bother with flowery speech. I just canât forget how, at just twelve, you went toe-to-toe with elite knights.”
“Back then…”
Those were the good days. A time when he could hold a sword with nothing but joy. When he had no idea that his blade might someday be aimed at his sisterâs place.
“Before this old man dies, you must become a Sword Master and astonish us all.”
“How could I ever reach such heights?”
“Iâll say it nowâif you canât, then no one can.”
Kaon smiled bitterly at the deep trust in those words. He couldnât bring himself to tell Alain the truthâthat such a day would never come.
A few weeks passed.
In that time, Kaon and Alessia hadnât spoken much. When they happened to cross paths, they exchanged greetingsânothing more.
There was no particular reason. It wasnât that Alessia was ignoring him, or that Kaon was avoiding her. It just⌠turned out that way. âIt just happenedâ really was the best explanation.
At first, Alessia had stayed mostly in her room, but as she began adaptation training, she became busier. Kaonâs training also increased, leaving him little time in his quarters. But none of that was the decisive factorâit really just happened.
âAlessia?â
So when Kaon saw her in the dining hall, he was caught a little off guard.
It was a particularly hot day, and outdoor training had ended early, so he had come to eat at an unusually early hour. But he hadnât expected Alessia to be there.
âSheâs wearing a hat again.â
Every time they ran into each other, she was always wearing a hat. The one she wore now was from Deborahâs boutique when she had gone out to town.
It was no different today. The hat had a round, flat top and no brim. It was extravagantly decorated with a large feather on top and flowers on either side.
The kind of design that would overwhelm most wearersâbut Alessia still stood out even under it.
And yet, Kaonâs eyes were still drawn to the hat first. In a way, that made it impressive on its own.
âI guess she likes that kind of thing.â
Now that he thought about it, all the hats heâd seen her wear had been like thatâextremely ornate and overly large. When she wore such hats, her face wasnât easily visible.
Not just in a metaphorical senseâphysically. Her small face would be hidden by the long lace falling from the sides of the hat or half-buried beneath the massive feather draped across her forehead. Just like now.
âHer dress is so plain though.â
Her dress was so simple it bordered on modest, making the hat stand out even more. If Alessia hadnât been as striking as she was, the hat wouldâve been all anyone noticed.
âWell, to each their own.â
In any case, it suited her. Even if it didnât, there was no reason to mock someoneâs taste. Kaon thought little of it and was about to pass by whenâ
Alessia turned to say something to a servant and spotted Kaon standing at the doorway.
“Kaon!”
She raised her voice and waved, clearly pleased to see him. Her eyes crinkled like crescents, and without thinking, Kaon waved back.
It dawned on him too late that he had done something embarrassingâbut what did it matter? It wasnât like he could ignore her enthusiastic greeting.
“What are you doing here at this hour? Isnât it training time?”
“It was too hot, so we finished early. I have extra training this evening instead.”
“Oh no, it never comes easy, does it?”
“Sadly, no.”
The two sat across from each other at the long dining table. Alessia must have arrived recently too, as the servants were still setting the table.
Soon, delicious-looking dishes began to fill the table, and just as they were about to start eatingâ
“Kaon, look at this!”
Alessia excitedly pointed at a plate. A perfectly roasted turkey was laid out, golden and crisp, with juices glistening beneath the crisp skin.
It was an excellent dish for sure, but Kaon wasnât sure it needed to be announced so dramatically. Then Alessia, looking rather thrilled, spoke againâ
[Continued in next section if needed.]
