But he couldn’t just take the sword without saying anything… Shouldn’t he at least say something?

“Mmh, ahh.”

While Hersion was caught in a dilemma, Meriel’s m*ans seeped into his ears.

“I’ll take the weapon with me.”

Hersion called out in a rather trembling tone. If he’d spoken this much, she surely would have heard even without answering.

“Ah!”

Only then did Meriel realize Hersion was outside. That low, gentle voice. It was definitely him.

“Kyaah!”

Meriel shrieked in shock and hastily pulled her finger from her hole, losing her balance and falling backward. 

Forgetting the pain from landing on her bottom, she barely managed to put strength into her weakened legs and struggled to stand.

Startled even more by the thud, Hersion panicked and rushed into the display area, approaching the space where Meriel was. 

At that moment, Meriel was hurriedly pulling down her skirt and fixing her hair, but froze with her back to him when she sensed the faint shadow behind her.

‘I’m done for!’

Meriel bit her lip hard and squeezed her eyes shut. Of all times for him to show up. She wanted to hide in a mouse hole right now, but she forced herself to gather her wits with tears in her eyes.

“Yes, you came… to get your sword. You can take it.”

She barely managed to open her lips and chatter, but she could hardly tell if she’d spoken properly. Her heart was pounding like it would burst.

Since she’d been caught anyway, should she ask if he had a lover? Luna said Knight Commander Hersion probably didn’t have a lover, but shouldn’t she confirm it directly with him?

Meriel didn’t even know what she was thinking. 

Only now, glancing back slightly, did she realize the sliding door had a gap the width of a finger. 

Because she’d closed it too hastily earlier, Hersion had witnessed her intimate scene through that gap, making things extremely awkward. 

Not knowing what to do about the situation where he stood looking at her back, she floundered.

“Excuse me, are you Knight Commander Hersion?”

“Yes, I am. Oh my, I kept looking. I apologize.”

Belatedly, Hersion turned his back to Meriel.

“I heard a collision sound and ran over out of concern. But I was rather rude instead. I’m truly sorry once again, miss.”

“……”

Meriel could finally understand why Hersion had approached. He must have run over worried after hearing the sound of her falling. How very befitting of a knight commander—the spirit of chivalry properly ingrained.

Meriel barely managed to put on her clothes with trembling hands. Gradually, her embarrassment and tension eased.

More than that, since she’d been caught anyway, she wanted to confirm something properly. Whether he really had no lover.

Unable to resist her curiosity, Meriel ended up committing a rudeness. He wouldn’t pull a sword on her, would he? If he did, that would look cool too…

Meriel swallowed and brought up her question.

“It’s fine. Um, Knight Commander Hersion. Excuse me for asking, but do you currently have a lover?”

“Pardon?”

Hersion looked bewildered. Why was she suddenly asking this question?

But he didn’t have time to linger here, so he answered straightforwardly.

“I don’t.”

Hersion was bewildered again by Meriel, who not only performed the act while calling his name but now asked about his relationship status. Unaware of his confusion, Meriel jumped for joy inside when she heard the definite answer.

‘This is my chance!’

What did that d*mn class difference matter? 

Noble titles could be bought with money. If the weapons shop did better business, she might be able to buy one someday.

“Then, at that time… I mean, you were holding a bouquet, so that was…”

“Ah.”

‘So she thought I had a lover because of that.’

Thinking this, Hersion explained about the bouquet he’d been holding then.

“It was a bouquet I was going to send by parcel to my younger sister.”

“What? Your younger sister?”

Hersion nodded slightly.

“It’s my sister’s birthday, but I can’t return home due to my busy schedule until vacation period comes, so I bought the bouquet nearby to send by express parcel, then stopped by here to purchase swords as well.”

“Ah…”

‘What misunderstanding did I have?’

Meriel naturally believed neither Luna nor Hersion would lie. Luna of course, and Hersion was calmly explaining, plus he had no need to make excuses in front of her at all.

Though Hersion was flustered by Meriel’s sudden question about his relationship status, the bouquet he’d sent for his younger sister’s birthday was true, so he was confident about that part.

Feeling awkward for no reason, Meriel smiled bitterly.

“I thought you were giving it to a lover.”

“I see.”

From Meriel’s perspective, it seemed reasonable enough to misunderstand that way. No, anyone would think first of giving it to a lover if they saw someone holding a bouquet.

Meriel listened to her still-pounding heart and cheered inside. She immediately schemed to seduce Hersion. Just staying still wouldn’t get her anything.

But how did protagonists in novels lure the opposite s*x? Having read so many works, the scenes tangled messily in her head.

In the end, the card Meriel played was simple.

“Knight Commander Hersion, do you have a moment?”

“A moment?”

At the sudden proposal, Hersion’s eyes widened even more in surprise than before and finally turned back around to face Meriel. Having never experienced anything like this, he was extremely flustered.

He needed to return to the royal palace, but he’d witnessed that miss’s private moment… The entire situation was awkward, putting Hersion in a dilemma.

Yet refusing here somehow didn’t seem like that miss would readily accept. The fact that she’d performed that secret act while calling his name struck him as unusual from the start.

Nevertheless, Hersion chose reality. This miss was a commoner and he was someone who’d acquired a knight’s title, plus wasn’t he in an extremely busy position? Unfortunately for her, it couldn’t be helped.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have time.”

“Are you that busy?”

Meriel responded immediately in a tone thick with disappointment. Meriel let out a short sigh and mustered courage once more.

“It would only take a moment.”

“What’s your business?”

Wondering if she might confess to him, Hersion asked half-curiously. Meriel cut to the chase and conveyed her sincerity.

“You said you don’t have a lover. So if you have time, I was wondering if you could meet with me one-on-one for a bit. Ah! Don’t misunderstand. I’m absolutely not trying to do anything lewd. I just want to talk with you, Commander.”

Hersion didn’t fully believe Meriel’s words. 

Setting aside the shock that the words “anything lewd” had slipped from the lips of this delicate, pretty-looking miss, would she who boldly performed that act of satisfying her desires during business hours really be satisfied with just conversation?

Even without any romantic experience, Hersion guessed Meriel’s intentions weren’t ordinary. It didn’t feel like it would end with a wholesome conversation.

Moreover, he was tense right now. Unbefitting his large frame, his heart was stained with tension. He’d never been asked by a woman if he had time, and Meriel was the first woman to masturbate while thinking of him.

Though he boldly defeated any formidable enemy, right now he’d become mere ice before one lovely, slender woman.

Hersion stated his decision.

“I don’t have the luxury. I’ll pretend today’s incident didn’t happen, so don’t worry, and I hope your weapons shop prospers even more.”

“Ah…”

At his businesslike answer, a deep sigh of disappointment flowed from Meriel’s lips again. Hersion gave Meriel a nod and left the shop with the sword.

“He’s quite firm, isn’t he? How should I put it, among the male protagonists I’ve seen in novels, that… personality that seems to firmly put up walls?”

Meriel ultimately soothed her disappointment with a long sigh. Since things turned out this way, she wanted to continue the act, imagining her finger was Hersion’s member and thrusting it wildly inside her hole. 

Would that quench this d*mn desire somewhat?

Meriel finally came to her senses only when Luna returned an hour later.

* * *

Inside the carriage, Hersion kept thinking about Meriel. Even when he’d first seen her last time, she’d caught his eye more than the woman beside her, drawing his gaze subtly. 

Though no one noticed, Hersion had given Meriel glances here and there. And when he left the shop, he’d faintly heard her voice calling him “Flower Knight.”

But he couldn’t believe the reality that she’d masturbated while calling his name until just moments ago. Perhaps because he’d seen someone’s intimate scene, he felt somehow shamefaced even without Meriel in front of him.

Hersion gazed blankly out the carriage window, lost in thought. What was that miss’s name? No matter how he looked at it, she seemed to have feelings for him…

The scene he shouldn’t have witnessed earlier came back to mind. Keeping Meriel in his head the whole time, his train of thought unintentionally led there.

Startled by the thud presumably from her falling, he’d run over. There she was, skirt lifted and underwear removed, performing a lewd act. He’d taken in the entire situation. Plus the voice moaning while calling his name was vivid in his ears.

When his thoughts reached this point, Hersion became extremely flustered by a physical reaction that had never happened before. His center was increasing in size.

“……”

This was absurd. Getting aroused while thinking of her. Moreover, wasn’t this inside the carriage? This was a space where Mateo and the knight members had also boarded. 

Though they were currently feigning ignorance while looking out their respective windows, they might be even more shocked than him if they learned of his condition.

‘This can’t happen.’

Hersion, filled with bewilderment, forcibly shook off thoughts of Meriel. The earlier situation kept lingering, so he could barely erase the thoughts only just before arriving at the royal palace.