“Are you going to devour the Vice Commander?”

“My Lady, please don’t worry too much.”

Everyone found it amusing, having witnessed Jade’s rare display of jealousy.

Jade had always been negative, saying no woman would like him since Monster’s blood flowed through his veins. Seeing him openly show his feelings for someone was both heartwarming and perfect teasing material.

“M-My Lady?”

“Of course. You’re going to marry His Majesty.”

Rosana was flustered by the knights’ sudden friendliness. My Lady…… Rosana awkwardly scratched her cheek.

“You’re in His Majesty’s presence.”

“Come on. Is this our first time doing this?”

Louis, who’d caught his prey, wouldn’t back down easily.

“Does His Majesty treat you well? He’s inexperienced since this is his first relationship. Please view his jealousy with a generous heart.”

“Can’t you be quiet?”

Louis cleanly ignored Jade’s growling and tried to shower Rosana with questions. That’s when it happened.

“The reason Jade got angry was jealousy? He…… why would he be jealous?”

At Rosana’s attitude tilting her head saying she didn’t understand, the knights blinked slowly. 

They’d thought Jade was the problem, but a bigger problem stood before them. They couldn’t help sighing at her complete lack of comprehension.

“Um, well…… the Vice Commander tried to kiss your hand.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Why would he need to feel jealous over an action done to show courtesy?

She knew jealousy well. Rosana had once been jealous of and hated Amy. Jealousy clouds one’s vision.

“Jade. Are the knights right?”

Rosana asked out of curiosity. However, Jade avoided her gaze. He coughed awkwardly.

“A-anyway, Baron is decided as your guard. Go to Rosana’s palace as soon as you finish preparations. Naturally, if anything happens, tell me immediately. From now on, guard Rosana’s palace so not even a mouse can get near.”

“Understood!”

The knights’ vigorous voices rang out, and Rosana stared intently at Jade’s reddened earlobes.

* * *

Watching Rosana and Jade’s departing figures, the knights sighed.

“She’s definitely different. She’s a bit spacey, and completely different from the rumors?”

“Plus doesn’t she seem dense?”

“Agreed.”

“But our lady likes our Majesty too, right?”

“……”

The reaction was so subtle that only silence filled the air. The knights all pondered in unison.

Since Rosana’s attitude was so straightforward, they couldn’t be certain.

“When someone you like is jealous, you don’t look at them like they’re strange asking why they’re jealous……”

The biggest cause of doubt was the commotion from earlier.

“Seeing how she didn’t even know His Majesty was jealous……”

“Is she completely uninterested?!”

“Well, there’s what she did at first. The palace she stays in isn’t great either. It’s quite far from here.”

“……Any feelings that existed would disappear.”

When Rosana felt extremely tense or flustered, her expression would instinctively harden. It became a blank mask, a habitual shield to conceal her emotions. 

However, the knights, unaware of this tendency, couldn’t help but grow concerned.

‘His Majesty has unrequited love?!’

Thinking about it, the emotions Rosana showed were closer to affection than love. Only Jade was at the level of desperately pleading.

The knights were shocked by this great realization and clamored that they needed to show His Majesty’s good points. Those who’d taken a liking to Rosana worried about the rumors surrounding her.

“Looking at it, all that talk about My Lady being a villainess is lies.”

“Right! Right! Rather, didn’t she get taken advantage of because she doesn’t know anything?”

Other knights nodded in agreement.

“Pointless worrying.”

“Commander! This is all for the empire’s peace!”

“Even without your worrying, His Majesty will handle everything.”

Unlike the knights, Fel wasn’t worried at all.

He’d been watching Rosana continuously since she came to Diovaha. She was very different from when she’d stared endlessly into space with an empty expression.

“Rather, if she were uninterested, she’s someone who would be thoroughly indifferent.”

However, far from calming down, the fire grew stronger.

“Vice Commander!”

“Hmm?”

Baron was flustered by the arrows flying at him.

“Since you’ve become My Lady’s guard knight, find out more details.”

Then they huddled together like conspirators and made a big decision.

“We need to step in. His Majesty’s love life is in our hands!”

Everyone raised their hands saying to take heart. Baron smiled awkwardly. He felt burdened by what lay ahead.

Fel lightly patted Baron’s shoulder, seeming to wash his hands of it.

Was it because many knights with outstanding personalities had gathered? Or because they’d lived harsh lives? They didn’t budge at most things. Once they caught prey, they never let go.

“This is all His Majesty’s karma.”

Like master, like subordinates—they were exactly alike.

* * *

“Again today?”

“He sent a gift instead.”

“……”

She received the bouquet delivered by a servant instead of the person who should have come. 

Perhaps thinking the size of his apology matched the bouquet’s size, as the days he couldn’t come increased, the bouquet grew proportionally larger. Flowers filled Rosana’s arms. 

However, her heart felt empty somewhere.

“He was showing his face often, did he overdo it……”

Jade had been especially busy lately. He’d even complained that Malek wouldn’t let him go. 

Yuna worried seeing Rosana’s drooping shoulders. As days passed without Jade coming, her mood visibly plummeted.

The servant also delivered a short letter containing his feelings. The letter said to eat well even without him, that he’d check through the head chef.

“Lady Rosana. Cheer up.”

“What do I have to feel bad about?”

Though she acted like it was nothing, to those around her, her upset was obvious.

“It can’t be helped. His Majesty is a busy person. I shouldn’t take up his time.”

Yuna and Celine tried to offer comforting words, but Rosana cut them off. The bouquet was beautifully arranged in a vase. Though the flowers would make anyone feel good seeing them, Rosana’s mood didn’t improve but rather kept sinking.

Then she felt something strange.

“Why do I feel so bad?”

Constantly showing his face was the strange thing. When Jade always came and went, Rosana was the one who’d discouraged his visits, asking if he wasn’t busy. Rosana tilted her head, not understanding her own restless heart.

“You’re upset because His Majesty isn’t coming.”

“Lady Rosana, how about visiting him directly?”

“That’s a good idea!”

At Celine’s advice, Yuna clapped. But Rosana shook her head. She didn’t want to burden a busy person by visiting unnecessarily.

The servant didn’t leave, having more to convey. Waiting for the conversation to end, the servant continued.

“His Majesty says as an apology, he’d like to go out to the shopping district next time.”

“An outing?”

“Yes.”

Rosana’s face finally brightened a little.

Since arriving in Diovaha, she’d only stayed in the imperial palace and never once toured the capital. When Rosana nodded brightly, the servant’s face also brightened.

The servant who’d had to convey Rosana’s darkening expression to Jade each time she declined breakfast attendance had been quite anxious. 

Jade had caught people asking why he’d made her complexion darken. So today the servant’s heart was also light. He walked away recalling the conversation Rosana and the maids had shared.

“How about eating outside for a change of pace?”

“That’s a good idea!”

Yuna agreed with Celine’s words. The maids moved busily, and soon a modest yet elegant table was prepared in the garden. The food was prepared in just the right amount for Rosana, who ate little. Baron stood steadfastly beside her.

Rosana wiped her mouth and observed the knights on duty.

Honestly speaking, Rosana didn’t feel the need to station the First Imperial Knights within the palace. It seemed to needlessly trouble the busy knights.

Then a passing knight saw Rosana and greeted her.

“Oh? My Lady?”

He was a young knight with bright brown hair reminiscent of a puppy.

“Sir Louis?”

Among the knights, he was especially friendly to Rosana.

Though he said he was of common birth, he wasn’t intimidated by Rosana, who was nobility. Calling her His Majesty’s wife, he consistently treated her politely with a warm attitude.

Skilled with words, Rosana often found herself focused on his stories. The only problem was he sometimes asked difficult questions.

“Ah! My Lady. You finally remembered my name?”

Louis tried to rush to Rosana in one step, but Cart grabbed his collar to stop him. Louis bickered to let go. Baron glanced at Rosana.

“If you have time to spare, come here and keep Lady Rosana company.”

“Ah, I was actually curious about the story continuing from last time.”

Louis’s outstanding eloquence was famous even within the knight order. The interesting stories he told cheered Rosana up. Perfect for Rosana, who looked bored.

Having become her guard knight, Baron stayed by Rosana’s side and naturally learned her lifestyle patterns. However, Rosana’s range of activity was seriously too limited. 

Occasionally going out to the garden was all. Though she pretended otherwise, sometimes she stared blankly out the window, seemingly bored.

It seemed she needed at least one friend to converse with.

Usually young ladies often had tea time, but having just arrived in Diovaha, she had no such acquaintances. Though Jade wanted to make time, his position wasn’t light either.

That’s why he let Louis be.

“Chatting is perfect for digestion.”

His tone was light, but his posture was upright like guarding Rosana’s side. Louis rubbed his chin, pondering what story My Lady would enjoy.

“Last time you were going to tell me how you met Jade.”

“Ah, right?”

Louis clapped his fist and palm together, remembering.

“I explained I originally did work called boar driving, right? But while working, I got chased by a boar and separated from my group. The fight with it began, and when I thought I’d die, ta-da! His Majesty appeared.”

“Did Jade save you?”

“What? No way.”

Louis waved his hand. Then, realizing his mistake, he cleared his throat unnecessarily. He should have been saying Jade’s good points. 

He’d planned to prettily package Jade with his eloquence. However, Cart ruined it by interrupting from the side.

“How could that be? His Majesty watched from the side. Saying ’You’ll live if you do well.’”

“Jade did? He’s such a kind person, why would he do that?”

At those words, the surroundings fell silent. Only Louis barely came to his senses and praised him, saying that’s right.

“A-anyway, I fought the boar desperately. I won in the end.”

He rubbed his arms, saying thinking about it still gave him chills.

“Jade must have known Sir Louis would win.”

The knights all had their stories. People Jade had saved on subjugations, people with nowhere to go, people nurturing dreams—they’d gathered to form the knight order.

Just like he’d led himself, he’d already led others and guided them to the path they wanted.

‘He’s really amazing……’

Though it wasn’t her own doing, hearing his accomplishments brought an inexplicable sense of pride. Yet somehow it also felt bitter.

‘I’m one of them too……’

Someone captivated by Jade. Rosana erased the sudden thought. It was foolish greed.

Why did the fact of being one person among many feel so bitter? 

Rosana shook off the encroaching thoughts.

Louis was speechless at Rosana’s infinite trust.

To completely captivate such a pure person…… Each time Rosana praised Jade, he wanted to say he absolutely wasn’t that kind of person.