Chapter 22

“Phew.”

He let out a short sigh and started walking with firm steps toward the banquet hall. Elcia quickly ducked, worried she might be discovered, then peeked out her head.

‘Did… he leave?’

Elcia had no idea why Nersian had come here. She knew for certain that he wouldn’t welcome Ian’s return as a knight. Could it be that her presence in the Kypris marquisate had been discovered? Her thoughts spiraled, but she knew she couldn’t be sure until she faced him directly.

Would he have to enter the tiger’s den after all?

She bit her lip and bravely returned to the banquet hall.

“Elcia, where did you go?”

Ian was the first to spot Elcia coming out from the terrace. Standing among the people, he approached with a gentle smile and handed her a cup of chocolate drink. Chocolate was so expensive in the Empire that it was usually only seen in the Imperial Family. He had specially ordered it for Elcia for this occasion.

Even while holding the cup of delicious chocolate drink, Elcia couldn’t smile easily. She didn’t even have time to feel the warmth Ian had left on the cup by holding it for so long.

“Ian, were you looking for me?”

“Yes. Why, is it too sweet and you don’t want to drink it? Should I ask for another?”

“No. I haven’t even tasted it yet.”

Her eyes shifted to the noble ladies and gentlemen glancing her way behind Ian. Their unfamiliar gazes were clearly trying to quickly figure out who Elcia was, and it made her uncomfortable.

Ian murmured quietly.

“…Should I just formally announce that you healed my hand?”

After much thought, Elcia decided to keep the fact that she had completely healed Ian’s hand as White Bunny a secret. Rather than hiding it entirely, she only wanted it revealed that she had helped a little. She felt uneasy about people learning the true extent of the doll’s abilities.

Conrad and Ian, who both worried about Nersian’s obsession with the healing doll, agreed with her. Instead, Conrad appointed Elcia as Ian’s temporary partner to strengthen the justification for her protection. Ian wasn’t pleased with this, but considering Nersian’s influence, he had no choice but to accept.

The dull cold war between them oddly eased a little after that.

“No, it’s fine. But, Ian…? Sir Nersian came here.”

“Oh, I see.”

Ian replied immediately and deliberately softened his expression. Again, again he pretended to be calm, showing a gentle facade as if to soothe a child, worried Elcia might be frightened. Elcia, feeling annoyed for no reason, spoke firmly.

“He probably didn’t even get an invitation. I don’t know why he came here so shamelessly.”

“I sent one.”

“What? Why?”

Ian smiled confidently.

“Just wait and see what happens to the man who walked into the tiger’s den on his own. Wouldn’t it feel good to teach him a lesson, especially after what he did to you?”

At that moment—

“Sir Nersian, leader of the Tyr Church’s Holy Knight Order, is here!”

A servant who had confirmed Nersian’s identity announced his arrival energetically. Elcia, tense, unconsciously grabbed Ian’s arm tightly.

Ian didn’t shake off her touch. As she watched, Nersian entered the banquet hall, smiling broadly, raising his hand and greeting everyone. The way he exchanged greetings so leisurely made him look as if he were the master of the marquisate.

After exchanging greetings with those around him, he spotted Ian. Of course, he also saw Elcia standing right next to him. When Nersian’s lips curled up slightly, Elcia felt so repulsed and disliked him so much that she wanted to throw her cup of chocolate at him. Sensing her frustration, Ian whispered softly.

“The chocolate must not be tasty, right? If that guy gets close, you can trust me and pour it over his head. Wouldn’t it look great if his grey hair got half dyed a darker color?”

“Oh, Ian! No matter how much you dislike someone, how could you do such a thing?”

Elcia’s face flushed as her true feelings were exposed. Nersian, seeing the young man and woman whispering together, walked over threateningly. He didn’t lose his deliberately placed smile as he spoke.

“I didn’t expect to see you again, Sir Ian Kypris.”

“It’s been a while, Sir Nersian. Congratulations on your appointment as leader of the Holy Knight Order. I’m glad I can finally offer my congratulations, even if it’s a bit late.”

“Ha…….”

Ian, by taking the initiative, prevented Nersian from boasting about the position he’d lost, and Nersian’s expression twisted unpleasantly. Ian didn’t stop there and pressed his advantage once more.

“People say you appear more often in the capital than in the temple,Sir Nersian. I guess it’s true.”

“I’m not the High Priest, and the priests can handle maintaining holiness well enough. More importantly…”

Nersian’s gaze slid over to Elcia, who was holding Ian’s arm. Honestly, Elcia found Nersian frightening, but her trust in Ian was stronger. As long as he was by her side, even the evil giants the Lord had warned about weren’t scary at all. She tried to glare back at Nersian with her hazel eyes, gathering her courage.

Nersian, seeing Elcia’s feeble attempt at defiance, let out a resigned laugh.

“Ha, never mind. I should go greet the others. Sir Ian Kypris? Please take good care of your body and mind from now on, so that you don’t cause any more trouble like before. Farewell.”

Nersian left more quietly than expected, and Elcia felt all her strength drain away. Even now, when she was tired, she sometimes dreamed of him coming to her room to interrogate her about White Bunny, or dragging her through the busy streets—just like before. Yet he always wore an indifferent expression.

Surprised, Ian supported her.

“Elcia, are you alright?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about me.”

“Are you sure? Did you tie the ribbon around your chest too tightly? If you’re having trouble breathing, you should go to the resting room and change your clothes.”

She’d had no choice but to wear a corset, which was essential for making the dress look pretty, but it was uncomfortable to move in. Ian’s fingers quickly traced below her chest, as if searching for the corset beneath the dress. That was such an intimate spot! Shocked, Elcia shuddered and pushed him away.

It was a secret.

She secretly felt a dizzy thrill when his fingertips brushed her soft skin, even more than when his gaze lingered on her.

“I’m really fine!”

“It’s better if you rest for a while. Come on, this way.”

Ian glanced at Nersian’s retreating back, then insisted on escorting her. Elcia tried to refuse, but decided it was better to hide quietly in her room until Nersian left, so she followed.

Once the two disappeared, some nobles who had seen her at Nives Hall and again today, but hadn’t received a formal introduction, began to whisper.

“By the way, who is that young lady in the light green poplin dress? She has a gentle impression and looks quite nice.”

“Hm… I wonder. Should we ask the Marchioness? Is she a member of the household? Or a distant relative? She looks young, but maybe her debutante was delayed?”

“Given how Count Kypris is paying special attention to her, maybe she’s the daughter of a fallen noble who lived near Usley Castle. Does anyone know her name?”

“I don’t. She has a nice appearance and a decent bearing. Hmm, who could she be… I’m curious.”

Nersian, listening to their conversation, twisted his lips. Division and conflict can arise anywhere, and are easy elements to manipulate. He had just gained one of the minimum requirements for achieving his goal.

That arrow was aimed at Elcia. She herself might not know it yet, but her unstable position would become a useful weapon against Ian at any moment.

That was one thing. The real reason Nersian had come today was something else. He took advantage of Ian’s absence to approach Alteon. Unlike Ian, who was a knight with a calm disposition, the hot-blooded Alteon openly disliked Nersian.

“Greetings, Sir Alteon.”

“I don’t think we’re close enough to exchange personal greetings.”

Even though Alteon’s gaze was hostile, Nersian spoke nonchalantly.

“Oh, is that so?”

“If you’re up to something, just say it.”

Alteon, clearly unwilling to be drawn into Nersian’s schemes, changed his expression and threatened him. When Alteon spoke so bluntly, Nersian revealed his true nature.

“Don’t you feel wronged?”

“About what?”

The morally corrupted Holy Knight’s eyes flashed.

“You devoted yourself for three whole years to protect your family after the eldest son disappeared. Yet the one who committed the crime returns unpunished, and you’re left empty-handed, just as you were before. Isn’t this unfair? You were born the second son of a good family—do you really intend to waste your life as just a knight?”

“I wondered what you were getting at.”

Alteon sneered, then gripped Nersian’s right shoulder hard enough to crush it. Shocked by the knight’s sudden aggression, Nersian’s expression twisted.

He really didn’t like the men of the Kypris family. Not the Marquis, not his two sons, not even the former Marquis!

“Let go of me!”

“Listen carefully, esteemed leader of the Holy Knight Order. I want to live my life as an Imperial Knight, and my brother is very happy to leave the stuffy temple and walk the same path as me. So your dirty tricks won’t work! Go back to the temple and keep playing the head dog for them.”

Alteon’s thick fingers pressed down on the muscles under Nersian’s ceremonial attire, making it impossible for him to move. Nersian could only glare at him with a pale face. He couldn’t use holy power to turn the banquet into chaos, and in pure strength, he couldn’t beat Alteon.

“You…!”

“Now, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t come near our family again. Unlike my brother, I’m impatient, so if I don’t like someone, I might challenge them to a duel. Got it? You may have your pride, but in a duel between knights, you can’t use holy power, and I think you’d lose to me in strength.”

With that, Alteon released Nersian’s shoulder as if shoving him away. Nersian was furious, but the fact that his attempt at sowing discord had failed so miserably hurt even more. From Nersian’s perspective, Ian’s return was a huge loss for Alteon, so he couldn’t understand why Alteon didn’t realize it.