“…….”

Even though Kaiden hadn’t thrown the dagger, Ian knew that once Kaiden had spoken, he wouldn’t change his mind. So, Ian obediently stood up. He had been bored anyway.

Among the squires lined up on one side of the training ground, Ian’s squire hurried over with a sword and helmet. As Ian was about to put on his helmet, he noticed Kaiden taking two more daggers directly from the box.

“Wait a minute.”

Ignoring Ian’s surprise, Kaiden was about to throw three daggers to choose Ian’s sparring partners when Ian suddenly widened his eyes and looked past Kaiden.

“Oh, is that the Lady of Khalid?”

Kaiden quickly turned around, his eyes wide. But all he saw was a servant coming from around the corner of the colonnade.

“…….”

A silence followed. With a stiff movement that seemed to creak, Kaiden turned his head back to its original position. His gaze, sharp as ice, settled on Ian. The surrounding knights stood silently, ignoring the situation. Ian, under the frozen stare, managed an awkward smile and said,

“……I thought it was a servant sent by the Lady……”

“……Do you want to die, you idiot?”

Trying to trick me?

Ian watched as Kaiden tossed the daggers back into the box and drew his sword from his waist. Flustered, Ian pointed behind Kaiden with his finger and said,

“L-Lady Khalid.”

Once fooled, but not twice. No matter what Ian said, Kaiden, grinding his teeth, was in no mood to listen.

“If you don’t want your mouth smashed, shut it.”

“No, no.”

Ian gestured frantically, mouthing “behind you, behind you” without making a sound. Then he pointed behind Kaiden with three fingers. Regaining his composure, Kaiden finally heard the sound of small footsteps approaching. He narrowed his eyes at Ian, then lowered his gaze.

The footsteps stopped. Shadows stretched across the colonnade floor. The delicate shape of the small shadow behind him could never belong to a brutish knight.

Kaiden felt dizzy. How had he not noticed until she was so close? His thoughts of Dana and his anger at Ian had clearly made him a fool.

Kaiden straightened up and turned around. As he turned his head, he saw Dana standing quietly behind the servant. The princess stood there, looking completely out of place in this harsh and dangerous environment.

‘How did she get here?’

There was quite a distance from the castle to the knights’ training ground. Kaiden couldn’t imagine that Dana had walked all the way here just to see him, especially under such a scorching sun.

Dressed in a pale dress with her platinum blonde hair braided back, the princess looked as if she’d melt away in the sunlight if she stepped out from under the maid’s parasol. The Duke, who had been training knights under the blazing sun, thought he couldn’t leave the princess standing there like that. Without realizing it, he sheathed his sword, which seemed dangerous. Then he asked, almost involuntarily,

“Did you walk here?”

“No, I came by carriage.”

Kaiden noticed Dana averting her gaze, her round eyes shifting downward, avoiding his. It dawned on him that the princess had overheard what he had said to Ian earlier.

“…….”

An awkward silence ensued. Fortunately, the princess quickly regained her composure, befitting her royal status, and bent her knees slightly in greeting. Kaiden, now mindful, along with the knights behind him, bowed their heads in response. After receiving the knights’ greetings, Dana spoke.

“It must be hot; you’re working hard.”

“…No, it’s not.”

Ian mouthed the words while gazing into the distance. It was hot, unbearably hot. Although Kaiden had his back to Ian, Dana, who faced Kaiden, could clearly see him. With a slight smile, Dana spoke.

“I prepared this for the hardworking knights. It should be cool since it’s been kept in the shade.”

The knights watched as the servants behind the duchess carried barrels of wine and water. Another servant brought glasses of wine, and yet another carried a whole wheel of cheese to satisfy their hunger. The knights quickly approached the struggling servants to relieve them of the barrels. As they lifted the heavy, liquid-filled barrels, the knights shouted,

“Thank you!”

“Then let’s take a break from sparring for now!”

Ian exclaimed eagerly as he ran over to the servant to grab the tray of wine glasses. Meanwhile, Kaiden stood there, seemingly rooted to the spot. Smiling at the knights, Dana looked up at Kaiden and asked, “Is there still a lot of training left? Will you have a moment to spare when it’s over?”

At that moment, Kaiden felt his mind racing with thoughts. The princess had come to see him. She wanted to spend time with him.

“We can finish now.”

“It’s not that urgent. Come see me after your break if you have the time.”

Only then did Kaiden realize he was standing in front of the perfectly composed princess, drenched in sweat and looking disheveled. He cursed under his breath. Unconsciously, he raised his hand to brush back his sweat-soaked hair.

Watching him quietly, Dana called her maid and asked for a handkerchief. The maid, who had been carrying the luggage for the princess’s carriage ride, opened a bag and handed over a handkerchief. Dana offered the neatly folded white handkerchief to Kaiden.

“Here, wipe yourself.”

Kaiden looked at the white hand and the white handkerchief extended to him. The handkerchief was soft and beautifully embroidered at the edges. On the princess’s fingers, holding the handkerchief, was the ring he had given her. However, Kaiden himself was wearing gauntlets instead of the ring, making it seem more like just Dana’s ring rather than a symbol of their marriage.

Hoping his hand wouldn’t tremble, Kaiden accepted the handkerchief. His rough, gauntleted hand looked excessively harsh compared to Dana’s small hand holding the white handkerchief. Unable to bring himself to wipe his sweat with Dana’s handkerchief, he simply held it and looked at it.

Dana smiled gently and said,

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

The knights behind her raised their voices to wish her a safe journey. As Dana grabbed her skirt and bent her knees slightly in a curtsy, Kaiden, startled as if waking from a dream, bowed his head.

Dana turned and walked back in the direction she had come with her maid. Holding the handkerchief carefully so it wouldn’t crease, Kaiden watched Dana’s retreating figure.

When Dana’s small figure was completely out of sight, Ian approached, holding a glass of wine in one hand. Standing next to Kaiden, he took a sip of wine and said,

“How rough must your words have been in front of the lady for her not to be surprised?”

“…That can’t be.”

Kaiden gritted his teeth. Ian made a thoughtful noise and said,

“Then does she have no expectations to the point she doesn’t get surprised?”

“…”

Without answering, Kaiden turned to look at Ian. He picked up the three daggers he had thrown back into the box earlier and threw them all at once. Thud, thud, thud—the daggers stuck into the board displaying the names. Then he threw two more. Five daggers were now embedded above different names.

“…”

Ian, holding his wine glass, stared at the board with the five daggers. Kaiden turned away and said, “I’ll hear the results when I get back.”

Then he strode off quickly in the direction the princess had gone. His squire, Yenton, hurried to follow him.

Watching Kaiden’s departing figure, Ian said with a hint of resentment,

“Hey, you shouldn’t treat me like this, should you? Isn’t it thanks to me that you got married?”

He was the cheeky knight who had helped Kaiden pick out his outfit before the princess’s coming-of-age birthday banquet. The attire Kaiden wore when he visited the princess the next day was also chosen in advance by Ian, including the clothes, gloves, and shoes.