Chapter 5.1 – Change in Relationship

“Haa….”

At the sigh that rose from deep within her stomach, Hailey, who had arrived at work first, glanced up. Daphne, feeling as if her head might explode from the tangled mess of her thoughts, slumped into her chair and closed her eyes.

“Did something happen yesterday?”

It was as if Hailey was hoping for something to have happened. Daphne couldn’t get her mind together, lost in the endless stream of thoughts. She shook her head vigorously, imagining those kinds of scenes in her mind.

‘I really don’t remember anything.’

Her body was a bit stiff, but it just felt like ordinary muscle aches. Maybe it was because she’d slept all crumpled up with that big guy in one bed.

But when she washed, a white, sticky fl*id had flowed between her legs, so she couldn’t deny reality any longer. She had slept with him. And not just anyone—Evan Clyde, a new Imperial Knight and the third son of the Clyde Earldom!

“Daphne!”

“Ah, yes. Why?”

Snapping back to herself at Hailey’s call, Daphne straightened up. Seeing her looking so dazed, Hailey lifted one corner of her mouth in a knowing smile.

“Something happened with Sir Clyde yesterday, didn’t it?”

“What… No, it’s not like that.”

“I’ve known you for years. I can tell just by looking at your face. Something definitely happened, huh?”

She added, as if she knew exactly what had happened, and giggled.

“I said it’s not like that.”

“Come on, I can see right through what you’re thinking.”

Daphne shot Hailey a sideways glance. Sensing Daphne’s discomfort, Hailey stepped back and grumbled as if disappointed.

“Just wait until you’re my age. You end up only interested in things like this.”

“Please be more interested in the report that’s due tomorrow. You need to review what I wrote, don’t you?”

“I already did that, okay?!”

Hailey snorted, pointing at the stack of documents piled up to eye level. But since she still needed to check them before submitting, Hailey stuck out her lips and turned her gaze back to the desk.

With the extra work Brooks had dumped on her, she’d have to brace herself for an all-nighter. So there was no time to be thinking about Evan.

“I’ll go submit this first.”

“Alright. And request a medical assistant on your way back.”

“You still haven’t given up hope?”

“Just try. You never know.”

“It’s fine. Please rest until I get back.”

Seeing the exhaustion on Hailey’s face, Daphne looked at her with concern for a moment, then picked up the box of documents and left the infirmary.

The weight was heavy enough that her arms were already trembling. She’d always been weak, but it seemed she couldn’t ignore the aftereffects of last night’s events either.

She thought she’d better be careful today, but then, from a distance, a familiar man came striding toward her.

“No way…”

Daphne instinctively took a step back. It couldn’t be. No matter how well you proved your identity, this wasn’t a place outsiders could enter easily.

But the person coming toward her was someone she knew better than anyone.

“You wretched girl! How dare you run away from me?”

It was a voice she knew all too well. The voice of the one who had hurled cruel insults at her every day and mocked her.

“Daphne Lewin!”

His voice was so loud it was almost absurd, drawing everyone’s attention. She should have run, but fear froze her legs in place.

She was no longer the five-year-old Daphne Lewin. She didn’t even belong to the Lewin Barony anymore, and she had the Grey surname. But the terrible memories she thought she’d escaped dragged her back to the past.

“What on earth are you doing here! How shameful!”

Baron Lewin barked, grabbing Daphne’s arm. The strength of his grip, as if he meant to break her bones, made her knees buckle.

She looked around for help, but everyone avoided her gaze. The power of status made it easy for them to ignore her. No one wanted to get involved with Baron Lewin, and she was only a commoner now.

“Let’s go back home. That’s where you belong.”

“I don’t want to!”

“What?”

“I said I don’t want to! Let go of me!”

Baron Lewin wasn’t particularly large. Maybe her sense of size had gotten skewed from being around knights all the time, but he really was just an ordinary man.

But even the strength of such an ordinary man wasn’t something Daphne could easily shake off. Her mind started to race. Why was Baron Lewin appearing in front of her now?

There were two possibilities. Either he’d gambled away all his money and was here to sell her off somewhere, or, if it wasn’t about money, he’d come to marry her off to some old rich man in exchange for money.

No, she was sure of it.

Daphne braced her legs and looked Baron Lewin over. He seemed to have struggled to get here, but his clothes were the latest fashion.

“What are you doing?”

It was Evan. He looked as if he’d just finished training, his face glistening with sweat. Evan glanced at Baron Lewin, who was gripping Daphne’s wrist, and without hesitation brushed off his hand.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Baron Lewin shouted, his eyes bulging. But when he saw Evan’s calm, low expression, he shrank back.

“Who are you to be harassing a medical officer of the Imperial Knights?”

“Harassing?!” 

Baron Lewin pointed at Daphne.

“She’s my child, so stay out of this!”

“…Your child?”

Evan’s gaze shifted to Daphne. He looked at her as if asking if it was true, and Daphne just gripped her wrist, where marks had been left, without saying a word.

“That’s right! I’m her father, and I’ll discipline my foolish child as I see fit! Who are you to interfere?!”

With a showy step back, Baron Lewin puffed out his belly. He clearly hadn’t shaken off his old habit of looking down on Imperial Knights, saying they were beneath him because they didn’t inherit titles.

“I am Evan Clyde of the 1st Knight Order.”

“Clyde… as in the Clyde port on the southwest coast…?”

Evan nodded. At that, Baron Lewin, who had been shouting just moments ago, started rubbing his hands together.

“Oh, my, I didn’t realize you were someone important. I am Baron Lewin. But if you’re with the knights…”

“The third son.”

Baron Lewin looked him up and down with a suspicious expression. Daphne felt a jolt of fear at whatever he might be plotting next.

‘Did he mess up another business somewhere?’

It was obvious he was after the Clyde Earldom, who had built up their fortune through trade. Baron Lewin was known for sweet-talking people into investing in phantom companies, then disappearing with the money.

Feeling uneasy, Daphne looked at Evan. Evan, who had been watching Baron Lewin with unreadable eyes, moved to stand in front of Daphne and said,

“It would be better to discuss the details later. This is a place for knights who serve His Majesty the Emperor, so outsiders can’t stay long. Isn’t that right, Sir Grey?”

“Ah, yes. Yes, that’s right.”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Daphne answered in a fluster. Evan nodded approvingly and added,

“And it doesn’t look like you’ve requested a meeting, have you?”

A vein bulged on Baron Lewin’s forehead. With eyes full of irritation, he glared fiercely at Daphne, who was hiding behind Evan. It was obvious what he was thinking—that girl should just follow quietly instead of causing such pointless trouble.

“Please answer. Is that correct?”

“…I haven’t.”

“You can apply for a meeting at the civil affairs office on the first floor. I’ll guide you there. It’s easy for outsiders to get lost here.”

“Th-thank you.”

The sound of grinding teeth could be heard. Evan naturally led him toward the building where the civil affairs office was located. As he walked, he glanced back and jerked his chin—a sign, perhaps, for Daphne to leave.