“How is that possible?”

Ditrion remembered that Ferdin had always been lucky. But could this be explained by ‘luck’ alone?

During the monster subjugation, and now with this refugee rescue mission, Ferdin had strangely accomplished everything. Despite his assignments being virtually impossible to resolve through conventional means.

Ditrion didn’t like that fact.

‘Filthy little worm.’

Ferdin’s position had strengthened again after succeeding in this mission. And that wasn’t what Ditrion wanted.

So… what he was doing to Erin now was simply venting his frustration. Venting against Ferdin for completing an impossible mission.

‘I’m also curious how Erin Liserth will react.’

Ditrion thought as he looked at her. She had clearly changed, becoming noticeably more confident than before.

The pitiful girl who used to be beaten by Corelia had transformed into someone so beautiful it surprised Ditrion. He could understand why Ferdin treasured her.

When he heard about their engagement, Ditrion hadn’t given it much importance. He merely thought it was another of his father’s whims.

The dirty-blooded Ferdin and the pathetic Erin Liserth.

‘A well-matched pair.’

That was all he had thought. But after seeing the changed Erin, Ditrion’s mood began to twist. Not because he disliked it. Her transformed appearance seemed much more interesting.

“Perhaps being engaged to Ferdin has… made your eyes quite similar to his.”

“…”

“How amusing. Would you consider breaking off your engagement with Ferdin and coming to me instead?”

Of course, he didn’t mean a word of it. He had absolutely no intention of getting engaged to Erin. However, he didn’t think she would reject him. Knowing how starved for affection Erin was, he had thrown out the words casually.

She would probably be flustered. She had previously found it difficult even to make eye contact with him.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

She had been a girl who merely fidgeted with her hands and looked tearful when he called her dirty.

But mocking Ditrion’s expectations, Erin pulled her wrist free from his grip.

A slight crack appeared in Ditrion’s smiling face. He had no intention of letting Erin go. He was exerting as much force as possible. Yet Erin slipped out of his hand effortlessly, like removing a child’s grip.

Ditrion lowered his gaze to look at his own hand. His hand felt empty without Erin’s wrist in it.

“Your Highness Ditrion.”

Ditrion, who had been staring blankly at his hand, looked up. He saw Erin looking up at him with emotionless eyes.

“Even if I broke off my engagement with His Highness Ferdin, I would never come to you.”

Erin’s voice was resolute as she spoke.

“Haha.”

Ditrion burst into laughter, seemingly amused. Whatever he found so funny, he didn’t stop laughing until tears formed in his eyes.

Erin frowned and stepped away from him. Ditrion tilted his head at the sight.

“What can you possibly do? Do you think anything will change just because you’re engaged to Ferdin? Ferdin probably finds the engagement with you horrifying.”

“…”

“Come to think of it, it’s somewhat pitiful. Your engagement has only lowered Ferdin’s value further.”

“…”

“You should just do as I say. That’s how Corelia taught you, right? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?”

Ditrion moved increasingly closer to Erin. He reached out his hand toward her and said:

“Try to avoid me if you want. Let’s see how that turns out for you.”

Just before his hand could touch Erin, someone grabbed Ditrion’s hand.

Who would dare?

If it had been an ordinary person, their head would have been severed by the hidden knights before they could even grab his hand.

Ditrion looked at the man who had seized him, his face contorted with anger.

The first thing he saw was an irritatingly handsome face. Ditrion felt nauseous just looking at it. He spat out the man’s name through gritted teeth.

“Ferdin Lexia…!”

Ferdin was there.

* * *

Erin sighed with relief when she saw Ferdin. It was truly fortunate.

If not for him, she might have fallen for Ditrion’s provocation. That would have rendered all her efforts so far meaningless.

Ferdin positioned himself between Ditrion and Erin.

His breathing was rough, perhaps because he had been running while his wounds from the werewolf subjugation hadn’t fully healed.

“Let go.”

Ditrion roughly shook off Ferdin’s hand that was holding his arm.

“It’s been a while, Ferdin.”

He said, extending his hand behind him. A knight who had appeared out of nowhere placed a handkerchief in Ditrion’s hand.

Amon, who was standing behind Ferdin, stiffened when he saw the knight. He hadn’t even noticed the knight’s presence.

This meant the knight was still overwhelmingly powerful, beyond what Amon could handle.

The First Prince Ditrion’s knights were that strong. Strong enough that Ferdin’s provisional knight order, composed of academy students, couldn’t properly face them.

Amon glared at Ditrion.

‘What terrible taste.’

He couldn’t help thinking that. Ditrion clearly thought of Erin as an ordinary academy swordsmanship student. To order her to face a high-ranking knight…

It was behavior that showed complete disregard for Erin’s dignity.

Ditrion roughly wiped the part of his arm that Ferdin had grabbed with the handkerchief. Amon’s brow furrowed involuntarily at this action, which resembled someone cleaning off dirt.

“Do you have business with Lady Erin?”

“As the prince of this empire, I wanted to personally see the skills of an outstanding academy student.”

“Lady Erin has a prior appointment with me.”

At Ferdin’s words, Ditrion looked around. He could feel the academy students watching them with interested eyes. Though he didn’t like it, he had to back down for now.

After Ferdin had rescued the refugees, his reputation had become too favorable. Showing disrespect toward him here wouldn’t be a good choice.

Ditrion’s gaze turned to Erin. He noticed that while she had been looking at him with emotionless eyes, she became visibly anxious the moment she saw Ferdin.

‘She cares more about that worm than me?’

That irritated him. Erin was merely a piece on his chessboard. Ferdin was the same.

Whatever these two did should have seemed laughable to him. But Erin’s changed behavior bothered him for reasons he couldn’t explain.

Ferdin hid Erin behind his back while eyeing Ditrion warily. Ditrion moved to stand beside Ferdin. Looking at Erin, he whispered in Ferdin’s ear.

“I hear you’ve been cherishing Erin Liserth lately, Ferdin. Have you fallen in love with her?”

“…”

“You know what happens when you come to care for something… Surely you haven’t forgotten?”

Ferdin gritted his teeth in response.

“Do not insult her.”

Ferdin’s eyes became bloodshot at Ditrion’s words. He could tolerate insults directed at himself, but not toward those around him.

“I wasn’t interested before… but my mind has changed.”

“If you touch her, I won’t hold back either.”

“That would be interesting. Shall we make a bet? Which of us will claim Erin Liserth.”

Ditrion’s gaze never left Erin.

‘Did Erin Liserth truly receive the sword’s selection?’

Seeing how completely different she was from the last time he saw her, he understood why his father had tried to keep the Marquis Liserth’s family in check.

And why he had sought to find those chosen by the sword, to break their talent and kill them.

Ditrion’s eyes sparkled with interest.

* * *

It’s fine. Erin is a Sword Master.

Ferdin repeated this thought as he grabbed Erin’s wrist and walked away.

No matter how much Ditrion tried to harass her, he couldn’t possibly defeat a Sword Master.

But… the Emperor had two Sword Masters. Count Leon and Marquis Erman.

‘What if they ganged up on Erin?’

Ferdin imagined the worst scenario. Even knowing how implausible his imagination was, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

‘Would Ditrion dare to touch the daughter of House Liserth so recklessly? But before that, is House Liserth truly on her side?’

Ferdin’s face turned cold at that thought.

“Lord Ferdin.”

Ferdin finally came to his senses at Erin’s call. He had already led her all the way to his office.