“This is Diovaha’s border.”

Fel’s intent was firm.

“Wasn’t the peace treaty made with the understanding that we wouldn’t invade each other’s borders? It was the Astrot imperial family that refused even to let us come meet the lady, citing that reason. So naturally, Astrot knights can’t set foot on our land either. I believe this was communicated in advance.”

Diovaha had naturally wanted to meet Rosana, who would become Empress. But Astrot refused. The reason was that if another empire’s knights entered Astrot territory, the citizens would be uneasy. They spoke in circles, but the conclusion was that it wouldn’t be allowed.

And within that, Astrot Empire’s intention—that they still didn’t trust them—was clearly visible. 

Diovaha didn’t particularly want to bow their heads and enter either. They had no desire to go to Astrot anyway.

So they made a demand. Don’t include the imperial knights in the procession. The Diovaha Imperial Knights would wait at the border and escort the prospective Empress directly. They conveyed the message that just like we can’t enter, you can’t enter either.

Astrot, which had bristled at first, agreed since they’d spoken first. In the first place, it was called a peace treaty, but they could draw their swords at any time. 

You could tell from the fact that what Astrot sent in the form of a political marriage was their troublemaker Rosana Arcadi, and from Astrot’s attitude.

It was an agreement both sides put forward to guard against each other. And Fel demonstrated once more: we have no intention of violating your border. 

They thoroughly observed the part marked as the border on the map and didn’t set foot on Astrot land.

What country’s knights would guide knights who might turn into enemies at the slightest mistake all the way to the imperial palace?

Fel spoke in a powerful voice. His words, spoken one syllable at a time, were utterly resolute.

“Please understand.”

“…What should we do?”

The knights guarding Rosana were flustered. Inside the carriage, Rosana looked out the window boredly, and Emma spoke to her. Since they were inside the carriage, Emma’s words were heard only by Rosana.

“They say they’re barbarians… Are they preventing the knights from even seeing you off? Those wicked people… And if not the ducal family’s knights, who will protect you, my lady?”

Emma trembled. Rosana was listening to the knights’ standoff. If you heard the voice of a knight filled with rage, grinding his teeth while saying “for Diovaha to dare…” you could immediately figure out who the knights blocking the way were.

Rosana calmly observed the situation, but as time passed, the surrounding atmosphere only heated up, and the carriage showed no signs of moving.

The ducal family’s knights said they couldn’t send Rosana alone, and Fel said he would only take Rosana. The difference in opinion between the two sides hardly narrowed.

“How tiresome.”

“Pardon?”

Rosana fully understood Fel’s words. She thought the knights knew too. But the reason the knights wouldn’t back down was probably stubbornness. 

That as people of the Astrot Empire, they couldn’t lose to Diovahans. At the increasingly heated atmosphere, Rosana finally stood up.

“I need to go out.”

If what they were discussing concerned her, she just needed to step forward herself. Emma, startled by Rosana’s action, hurriedly followed.

“My lady!! It’s dangerous!! What if those barbarians threaten you…!”

“…”

The knights were so busy arguing they didn’t even notice she’d gotten out. Fel hurriedly showed respect at the sight of Rosana approaching from afar. 

No matter that it was because of the agreement, she was now someone who would become Diovaha’s Empress, and someone he had to protect.

The ducal family’s knights flinched when they saw Rosana. Then they quietly watched Rosana’s actions without blocking her or voicing concern.

“My lady?! How far are you going?”

Rosana, completely ignoring Emma’s voice shouting worriedly from behind, continued walking forward. She gradually drew closer to the Diovaha knights. Emma was on the verge of collapse. 

But she only stamped her feet in place.

Rosana thought: She didn’t need knights who wouldn’t protect her. She wanted to escape from the fence called Astrot as quickly as possible. They could follow or not follow. Her place to live was Diovaha now anyway.

Fel watched Rosana approaching closely. There was no sign of fear in her as she walked lightly. And Fel quietly observed the knights behind her. No one blocked Rosana’s steps. 

There wasn’t even a hint of protecting her, and their eyes seemed wary instead. Rosana had almost reached Fel.

“Commander…”

He heard a knight’s voice beside him asking what to do.

“Just watch.”

When Rosana stood firmly before Fel, he extended his hand toward her. Rosana stared blankly, then soon realized the posture Fel took was the courtesy knights showed to ladies.

Rosana blinked. This was the first time she’d faced a Diovahan. Her heart softened slightly at Fel’s treatment of her, making her tension about what attitude they’d take seem pointless. 

And Rosana’s small hand was placed on Fel’s hand. Fel kissed the back of her hand. It was treatment she hadn’t received even in Astrot.

“It’s an honor to meet you, my lady. I am Fel. Though inadequate, I hold the position of Imperial Knight Commander.”

“Pleased to meet you. I am Rosana Arcadi.”

Rosana greeted Fel, who had shown her courtesy, with a respectful attitude. Just like Rosana, Fel also thought her unexpected.

The Rosana he’d heard about was a woman who would throw tantrums saying she didn’t want to marry. That’s why Jade had even given orders to drag her by force if she refused to come.

But she was different.

Rosana faced Fel calmly. Her dress was so splendid it made him squint, but her walk overflowed with dignity. Above all, she showed courtesy even to him, whom she might find disagreeable.

Her first impression was different from “Rosana Arcadi,” who supposedly indulged in insults and was utterly vicious.

‘But I mustn’t let my guard down.’

Fel thought this and lowered his eyes. As a knight, letting one’s guard down was always forbidden. It could be false. He bowed politely and explained the situation to Rosana. Rosana felt minor consideration in the gaze that met her eye level. 

Fel spoke in a calm voice.

“My lady, I apologize, but you cannot cross into Diovaha territory with the knights. Though it’s a peace treaty, we currently have many enemies from war. The family knights may be trustworthy, but in rapidly changing situations, it could be dangerous without knowing the terrain or shortcuts. Instead, we will certainly protect you. May I ask for your understanding?”

Fel didn’t bother explaining the exchanges between Astrot and Diovaha. And Rosana spoke calmly.

“Alright.”

At Rosana’s cheerful voice readily agreeing, not only Fel but all the knights were flustered. Rosana spoke to the knight who seemed highest in rank among the ducal family’s knights.

“That’s how it is. Please return.”

“M-my lady!! We must protect you…”

But the knight couldn’t continue. Rosana stood between Fel and the knight, and she faced the knight with her head tilted slightly back. Only the ducal family’s knights faced Rosana’s smiling face mockingly.

“Did you? You… protected me. But where are you standing?”

“…”

Naturally he couldn’t speak. When Rosana walked toward Fel, they watched like it was none of their business, and now they were going on about having to protect her. 

At Rosana’s skeptical words, the ducal family’s knights fell silent. That’s how far the distance between Rosana and the ducal family’s knights was.

From a third party’s perspective, at this moment Rosana’s knights were the knight order that came to meet her from Diovaha.

What knight order would leave the person they should protect alone? 

Moreover, they didn’t block or stop her from walking toward the opponent they’d just been in a battle of wills with. Rosana smiled self-deprecatingly.

The knights the knights protected wasn’t Rosana but Amy. Rosana didn’t think the knights had truly come to protect her. Seeing them protest strongly, Rosana thought:

‘It must be a place they desperately don’t want to go… and it’s even escorting me. So why won’t they back down like that?’

It was too much of a stretch to accept it was because of orders. Looking at the knights’ attitude they’d shown so far, it was hard to understand.

Rather, they were the type who would return to the ducal family and when asked why they came back, would lie without batting an eye, saying the young lady told them to leave. 

Because of that, she had memories of being branded with the stigma of a lady who wandered around at will and caused trouble.

Then looking back at the knights, one suspicion arose. There were many unfamiliar knights, and it turned out non-ducal family knights were mixed in. Knight uniforms were all custom-made. But Rosana’s eyes caught knights whose uniforms were somewhat too large or small.

Then only one thing remained. The Emperor or Crown Prince, who valued the national marriage, had ordered them to watch whether she arrived safely.

She swallowed a sigh watching the knights who said nothing like mutes and only rolled their eyes. It was absurd. At the fact that they’d monitored her while showing they wouldn’t get involved, not even preparing wedding gifts.

In their minds, Rosana clearly wasn’t recognized as Diovaha’s prospective Empress. Just a card they could discard. No money to invest in a discarded card. 

But the message was blatantly conveyed: it would be troublesome if Rosana, who was being sold off in the empire’s peace treaty, disappeared.

Rosana was a means to avoid war. Nothing more, nothing less. Far from showing consideration for Rosana leaving for Diovaha empty-handed, they actually suspected Rosana.

‘There was a reason it proceeded so quickly.’

Even thinking that, it was hard to erase the bitter feelings. They told her to leave as soon as possible in case she had other thoughts.

The Rosana they knew wouldn’t tolerate such treatment, and moreover, she wasn’t the type to accept being sold off in a peace treaty at face value.

Why would they want to suspect me to the point of infiltrating imperial knights into the ducal family knights? Wretchedness welled up. What truly futile thinking. 

Rosana asked Fel, “Will you protect me instead of the ducal family’s knights?”

“…Of course, my lady. You are the second most precious person in the Diovaha Empire.”

Fel’s honest and polite words made Rosana’s eyes widen.

‘A precious person…’

She didn’t expect to hear such words. Rosana chuckled. This was different. Astrot called Diovaha a nation of barbarians, but to Rosana, the true barbarians were the citizens of the Astrot Empire.

“Only the knights need to leave?”

“Yes, we will safely guide you on your way.”

Rosana concluded the incident. She looked back. The knights were glaring at Rosana with fierce eyes. Did they think she’d disgraced their honor?

“Please convey this well to the master you serve.”

At Rosana’s meaningful words, Fel’s eyebrows rose. But Rosana only turned around calmly. The coachman, unable to do this or that, slowly crossed the border.

The knights couldn’t cross the border and stood there blankly, and only then did Emma rush over like lightning and stick close to Rosana’s side.

“How can they be so shameless… My lady, I will absolutely never leave your side.”

“…Alright.”

Rosana looked down at Emma, who spoke while clutching her arm. She spoke calmly, but couldn’t hide her regretful feelings.

How fickle the human heart is. Having removed the knights, she wanted to immediately remove the maids too. Especially Emma right beside her. But she decided to think positively.

‘The first start isn’t bad… I just thought of him as someone to marry, but…’

Rosana became curious about the person named Jade Diovaha. How he would turn out too.

His description was conveyed like this: Blue hair and fierce eyes like a hawk, and a trained, muscular body. With a cold and sharp impression, children supposedly burst into tears upon seeing him. And among enemy forces, he was called a murderer.

‘…Can I look forward to it a little?’

She pressed down hard on her stirring heart. And Rosana could see his figure before the castle gate.