Chapter 15

She was so heated in her denial that it didn’t look like she was lying at all. And she wasn’t the type to lie about such things anyway. However, Chris felt a disconnect between the commander she knew and the one Anasha was describing.

He hadn’t seemed like the type to show affection even to subordinates he kept close, but apparently he was more humane than expected. Though that seemed to be limited to Asha alone.

“I’m saying this out of concern… but the commander doesn’t look at you with lustful eyes or ask to meet you privately……”

“What do you take our commander for!”

Anasha punched Chris in the back. Though it was a small fist, Chris thought it hurt like hell because of how swift it was.

“Kid! How long have you known the commander!”

“It hasn’t been long, but the commander is truly a good person. I could even promise to work under him forever.”

“He’s still an unrelated man. Keep your distance. He’s different from Commander Abert or Leon……”

“…Why is Leon being mentioned here?”

Anasha frowned. Of course, Chris couldn’t see her face since she was behind him, but he could guess her reaction from how quiet she had become. As the security building came into view, he gradually pulled the reins to slow down.

“I’m sorry for suddenly bringing up Leon. But the way you act is just like how you used to with Leon……”

Before he could finish, Anasha jumped off the horse.

“I’ll go in first. Good work!”

“…Really, this kid.”

Chris frowned as she slipped into the building alone. Thinking that the commander who favored her must be quite something, he tightly tied the reins to a nearby tree. When he finally entered the building, he saw Anasha already sitting in a chair and chattering away as if she owned the place.

‘Anyone would think she belongs to the security force.’

As Chris was looking at the back of Anasha’s head with disbelief, a knight approached him. Recognizing the familiar face, Chris extended his hand first for a handshake.

“It’s been a while, Sir Tewiller. Last time I saw you, you were just a rookie chick.”

“Sir Chris, it’s been a long time! Thank you for coming today!”

“I happened to be off duty. I brought that one too.”

As he nodded slightly toward Anasha, the knight called Tewiller smiled with his eyes.

The man with bright brown hair that almost looked yellow and green eyes now carried himself properly like a knight. Chris remembered him looking younger a year ago, but now his handsome face had a certain sharpness to it, perhaps because he had lost his baby fat.

‘He was close with Asha back then too.’

He recalled Anasha whining about how sad it was when Tewiller, who was a knight trainee at the time, was transferred elsewhere.

“Both you and Asha seem unchanged, but you’ve actually changed quite a bit. Well, Asha was a teenager back then.”

“Yes. Asha has become much prettier.”

At Tewiller’s quiet response, Chris thought to himself, ‘Oh? Look at that.’ Just then, Anasha approached them from where she had been sitting.

“So, Tewiller, which area are you patrolling today?”

“I’m supposed to patrol the eastern district marketplace today.”

“Sir Chris, please come with me. The patrol will take longer than expected. And Tewiller, I entrust this young lady to you.”

A middle-aged knight with a bear-like massive build approached and spoke to the three of them. At his words, Tewiller awkwardly lowered his gaze and forced out an energetic “Yes!” while Anasha smiled, saying she was glad because the marketplace area had many interesting things to see.

Thus, they were divided into two groups, but an unexpected challenge arose within five minutes. Chris had already left on horseback, leaving Anasha stranded without transportation. Getting another horse would take time.

While Tewiller was contemplating how to handle the situation, Anasha casually stood next to his horse and said:

“You’re going on horseback, right? Let’s ride together.”

“Won’t that be uncomfortable for you, Asha?”

“What’s the big deal? And what would be uncomfortable about it?”

After Anasha hopped onto the horse first and urged him on, Tewiller also mounted the saddle. With ample space left only at the back, his place naturally became behind her.

“Sorry. Excuse me.”

Tewiller carefully reached past her waist to grab the reins.

As he slowly rode the horse, her slender waist brushed against the inside of his forearm. At the same time, the wind blew her short hair, tickling his nape. He remembered it was even shorter back then. Tewiller gripped the reins tightly again as this thought crossed his mind.

As he increased the speed, her back, which had been lightly touching his chest, now pressed against him as if embraced.

While he was wondering if he should reduce the speed due to this unexpected situation, she turned around. Her clear black eyes looked up at him without any ulterior motive. Tewiller swallowed, momentarily afraid she might have heard his racing heart.

His earlobes, which had been gradually warming up, now felt hot. The urgent thought that she would surely notice if this continued made his heart pound even louder. Eventually, Tewiller had to pull on the reins midway.

“I think it would be better to take a carriage. I don’t think I can, do this.”

Tewiller spoke with his head lowered. It seemed too much to remain calm in front of the object of his unrequited love whom he was meeting again after nearly a year.

“You should have said something, really. Why did you hide that you were sick?”

The misunderstanding began when Anasha, sensing something strange about his suggestion to move by city carriage, placed her hand on his forehead.

She diagnosed him with a cold due to the heat on his face. Tewiller forced a smile and said it was probably just a mild cold, but she didn’t listen to him at all.

“Leave it to me today! Don’t push yourself at all. Got it?”

“Haha.”

“Don’t laugh. Tewiller, you still have that habit of pushing yourself too hard?”

“You too, Asha, you still seem like yourself.”

“Like myself? What do you mean?”

“I mean this kind side of you hasn’t changed… Remember? When I was training despite not feeling well.”

She seemed to have completely forgotten, but for Tewiller, that memory was still vivid. During his trainee days, he had a habit of always pushing himself harder than others, as he wasn’t particularly skilled among the trainees. Whether it was diligence or desperation, that’s how he was back then.

Not considering the condition of his arm, he had recklessly swung his sword until one day his upper arm became severely swollen. As he tried to endure throughout the training time without showing any sign of difficulty, out of sheer stubbornness, Anasha caught him. And she began dragging him out of the training ground without hesitation.

‘Hey, Asha, you brat!! Where are you taking Tewiller during training! Do you think it’s break time?’

‘I need some help, so I’m borrowing him!’

Since she claimed she needed manpower for a mission, the seniors let her take him without much protest. As soon as they left the training ground, Anasha wickedly lifted the corners of her mouth.

‘Those silly uncles, the manpower shortage was a lie.’

‘Is this okay?’

‘Huh? It’s fine. We won’t get caught, we won’t get caught. I often deceive them and play hooky anyway.’

‘……’

‘Actually, there is a task, but it’s something I can do alone. You go and rest. You’re in pain, right?’

‘…How did you know?’

‘Did I guess right? You looked unwell today, so I took a shot.’

At that bright face saying ‘I did well, right?’ Tewiller couldn’t say anything at the time. As she suggested, after resting properly that day, his arm condition improved by the next day. And it was probably from then on that she began to catch his eye.

“I did that? The uncles were stupid back then too.”

Anasha laughed softly and got off the carriage first. Tewiller followed and walked alongside her through the patrol area. The streets were clean, probably because they were near shops frequented by nobles.

The two chatted about various things after a long time. They talked about how they had been doing, how the other knights were doing, and just as Anasha, who had been doing most of the talking, was about to bring up the new commander:

“There was a mistake?”

“I apologize.”

A small dispute was occurring in front of a clothing shop. A blonde noble lady with a lace parasol was speaking to a man who appeared to be a shop employee.

“Do I really have to come all the way here in person for something like this?”

“I apologize once again. But I thought it would be better for you to see and judge for yourself……”

“I don’t care about the embroidery. Just complete it within the deadline.”

“If you’ll allow me now, I’ll begin the modifications immediately.”

Compared to the daily forceful arguments in other streets, this was hardly a dispute worth mentioning. There seemed no need to intervene and mediate. Anasha turned her attention elsewhere. The more they walked along the long street, the more noble young ladies accompanied by attendants they saw.

“Ah, could it be because of the ball?”

When she voiced her thought, Tewiller agreed that it seemed so.

“Tewiller, are you also attending the ball?”

“Yes. Since my family is attending.”

“What’s a ball like? I’ve never been to one, so I don’t really know.”

“Well. A chaotic place with elegant music playing?”

Anasha burst into laughter at his description. It was certainly a fitting description for someone who didn’t particularly like crowded, noisy places.

“Would you like to go?”

“Of course! I love festive atmospheres. It would be perfect if I could go instead of you.”

“…Then would you like to go?”

After a brief pause, Tewiller asked in a low voice. Anasha stopped in surprise and turned to look at him.

“I was joking, really? But starting with my height……”

As she seriously pondered that the height difference would be impossible to conceal, Tewiller burst into low laughter. He thought she was still as quirky as ever.