Chapter 38

Once the two passed by Alexandra and Matthias, she could finally lift her head.

Perhaps her face showed how upset she was, because Matthias quietly asked,

“Are you alright?”

“…Let’s go in.”

Alexandra barely managed to compose herself and started walking. She wanted to look back, but forced herself not to.

If she looked back and saw Reinhardt even slightly close to the Princess, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stand it.

That night, Alexandra waited, hoping Reinhardt might come to see her. She couldn’t go to the ducal residence to find him, so all she could do was wait. But even as night turned to morning, Reinhardt didn’t come.

* * *

Alexandra decided to take a vacation. Her heart was noisy because of all the rumors, so maybe she’d feel better if she got away. Maybe by the time she returned, everything would be settled—one way or another.

“You’re going home?”

“I haven’t been back once since I joined the Royal Knights, not even when I was in the northwest.”

“Wow… How long has it been since you saw your family?”

Vice-Captain Oberpfalz, acting as Captain, clicked his tongue and signed her leave form. Alexandra smiled and bowed her head. She quickly packed and left the capital. She knew Reinhardt wouldn’t chase after her, but she left Winterthur almost as if she were running away.

Her parents burst into tears when they saw their daughter’s face after so long. News of the civil war had reached even this small village, and both were thankful to see she was unharmed. Seeing her parents cry, Alexandra couldn’t hold back either. The three hugged and sobbed together for a long time. It was almost an hour before they began sharing stories. Her father, who cried the most, had swollen eyes and kept sniffing.

“First, let’s eat. How did you get so skinny! Are they overworking you? Are you skipping meals like you used to when you trained every day?”

“Mom… I’m not skinny at all.”

“What are you talking about!”

Her mother slapped her back, fussing about how she could feel her bones, asking if the knight order didn’t feed her. 

‘Those were muscles, not bones…’

But Alexandra just replied, “Yes, yes,” knowing it was all out of concern.

She ate until she was stuffed and lay in her neatly kept room, just as she’d left it. Staring at the moon outside the window, she thought of Reinhardt. Like that quiet moon, but with a heart boiling like lava. They’d barely had time to talk after confirming their feelings, then he’d gotten busy and the rumors started.

She wished he hadn’t said anything. If only he’d kept the fact he was Dear a secret.

‘Why did he have to say it and make things so complicated?’

She found herself grumbling and resenting him. She tried to erase his face from her mind. She didn’t want to come all this way just to stew over Reinhardt. With a huff, she turned away from the moon and pulled the covers over her head.

Back in her hometown, Alexandra was busy spending time with her parents, but she couldn’t ignore the lord’s invitation. She also greeted old friends and her Master. Everyone was amazed and delighted that the wild girl from the port of Moos had become a knight who could use aura. Surrounded by people who were genuinely happy for her, Alexandra felt at ease for the first time in a while.

The week she got for her vacation passed too quickly. She hadn’t done much, but the days flew by. When it was time to return to the capital, her father cried buckets again. Her mother clicked her tongue and comforted him.

“You’ll be busy, but come whenever you can. Okay?”

“Okay. Both of you stay healthy and eat well. Don’t save my salary, just spend it all. Got it?”

“How could we spend it? Don’t say such things! That’s for your wedding…”

“Ah, ahhh! Got it. I’m going. I’ll come again.”

She left her parents waving until she was out of sight, and headed back to the capital. On the way, she thought: when she got back, she’d have to settle things for good.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love Reinhardt. But she couldn’t keep pretending to be meaningless by his side like a fool. That just wasn’t her style.

Had there been any big changes in the week? Not really. But at least the worst had passed, and Reinhardt was back at the knight order. When she’d requested leave, she only saw Oberpfalz, but now she had to face her uncomfortable lover. Alexandra reported her return with a straight face.

“Alexandra Lindau, reporting back from leave today.”

“…Why did you leave without saying anything?”

“I got permission from the Vice-Captain.”

“That’s not what I meant, Alexandra.”

She looked at Reinhardt with an innocent face, as if she didn’t understand. Realizing she wasn’t going to answer properly, Reinhardt bit his lip and covered his mouth with his hand. He always did that when he was troubled. Alexandra laughed inwardly.

Before leaving the Captain’s office, Alexandra suddenly turned back to Reinhardt.

“Reinhardt. I have a favor.”

“What is it?”

Reinhardt responded as if he’d been waiting. He looked ready to jump up, and Alexandra almost burst out laughing but held back.

“Later… around two o’clock? Will you be busy?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then, can you meet me at the third training ground?”

Reinhardt nodded several times at her words. After securing the promise, Alexandra left the Captain’s office with a light step. Outside, she grabbed a fellow knight and said something. The knight nodded with a curious look and walked away.

‘Now, there’s no turning back, Alexandra.’

It was time for Alexandra to settle things with Reinhardt.

Alexandra clenched her fist once, then headed to her quarters. After dropping off her luggage and finishing her preparations, she would likely be right on time for her appointment with Reinhardt. Her lips were set in a determined line.

As expected, she finished getting ready and headed to the third training ground, just before two o’clock. As she anticipated, there was a noisy commotion. It seemed her fellow knight had spread the word well. Alexandra exhaled deeply and walked forward.

“Oh, she’s coming!”

“Dame Lindau, is this for real? Huh?”

“Hey, just stay still, will you!”

The knights who spotted Alexandra all raised their voices, but she didn’t look back or answer. Her eyes were fixed solely on one person. Standing in the center of the training ground was Reinhardt. His usual calm demeanor was nowhere to be seen; his face was full of confusion as he looked at Alexandra.

The moment he hurriedly tried to walk toward her, Alexandra raised her hand to signal him to stop. Like an obedient dog, Reinhardt halted instantly. As a serious tension filled the air between the two, the noisy knights soon fell silent.

Step, step. Alexandra walked straight up to Reinhardt and pulled something out of her trouser pocket. Then she tossed it at Reinhardt’s chest. The white object lightly hit him and fell to the ground. Those who recognized it gasped sharply.

The man himself became deadly serious. Reinhardt bit his lip, picked up the white ceremonial glove that had fallen at his feet, and looked at Alexandra, speaking in a bitter voice.

“Dame Alexandra, how am I supposed to interpret this?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know what it means for a knight to throw a glove, Captain?”

With the serious atmosphere between them, the knights who’d gathered for an entertaining spectacle all froze. Alexandra and Reinhardt weren’t exactly warm, but neither were they on bad terms.

Besides, Alexandra had saved Reinhardt’s life in the recent civil war. So why was she publicly challenging the Captain to a duel? No one knew the reason.

Maybe they’d had a big fight when they were alone. The knights all watched the two with anxious faces.

Of course, Reinhardt was just as clueless about the reason. He’d only found out late that Alexandra had gone on vacation to Moos without saying a word, so he hadn’t been able to follow her. And now, after she seemed to have rested well, she threw a glove at him like this…

While Reinhardt silently stared at Alexandra, she swept her long, reddish-brown hair up into a tight ponytail. She tapped the sword at her waist, then walked three steps away with Reinhardt behind her. When she turned back, there was a look of resolve on Reinhardt’s face.

‘Today, it ends.’

Alexandra deliberately raised her voice cheerfully.

“Captain, if I lose, hold me responsible for insubordination and send me back to the northwest border where I used to be.”

At her words, Reinhardt’s face twisted sharply. His expression clearly said, “I can’t do that.” But a knight who publicly challenges the Captain to a duel couldn’t just stay if she lost.