Chapter 25

“Sometimes I wonder if my grandfather and uncles just let me do this because I wanted to… Maybe someone stronger than me would be better for this job, more helpful to the knight order… These thoughts keep coming to me.”

The job she had believed only she could do might actually be something others could do better. It was frustrating and unfair, but that might be reality.

“I was wondering what nonsense you were talking about, tsk.”

Anasha raised her head at the voice from across the table. The Vice Commander was looking at her with genuinely incredulous eyes, just like when he usually scolded her.

“You may be somewhat unconventional and too free-spirited for the knight order’s system, but I do acknowledge your skills.”

Kalif recalled his first day at the knight order two years ago when he was appointed Vice Commander. Anasha had been at the center of the shock he experienced that day.

Instead of finding a dignified knight commander, he had discovered only a middle-aged man arguing with a tiny woman in the commander’s office. Not just the commander, but the knights too—far from maintaining discipline, they had created a playful, family-like atmosphere around this one small woman.

Moreover, he was even more shocked to learn that this tiny woman was the knight order’s direct spy. Being a spy could be the most dangerous profession depending on the situation. Infiltrating enemy territory carried significant risks.

Honestly, she hadn’t seemed reliable at all. At the same time, he hadn’t thought favorably of this tiny woman who constantly defied common sense.

Nevertheless, she wasn’t removed from her position as a spy purely because of her skills. Though she was known for running around everywhere, acting carelessly and without planning, she had never once failed a mission.

Even someone as rigid as himself had to acknowledge that fact.

“You didn’t fail a mission—you lost in a private battle. I’ve told you countless times not to display your skills in personal matters.”

“What was I supposed to do when an assassin drew his sword and attacked first……”

“Avoid it. Try not to get involved in such situations. You’re not a mercenary—you’re officially part of the imperial family. Use your sword only for the Empire.”

‘Trying to save the Princess was for the Empire though……’ Anasha thought, but she had to keep her mouth shut to maintain secrecy. Only a select few, including the Commander and imperial family members, knew about the Princess being threatened by an assassin.

“And if you’re thinking of quitting just because you lost once, I’ll be disappointed.”

“Quit? Absolutely not!”

Anasha quickly objected, shaking her head with a reddened face. After sighing heavily at how frightening it was to even complain, she looked at Kalif.

“When you first came to the knight order, you were so harsh on me. You constantly nagged about how I addressed the Commander, told me not to slack off with the knights……”

Though she still received scoldings even now. A small smile formed on Anasha’s lips as she recalled those old days.

“Still, thank you for acknowledging me.”

Perhaps due to the alcohol, her words flowed honestly. Though she couldn’t overcome the awkward feeling and quickly ordered more beer to drink, Anasha felt refreshed for the first time in a while.

⁕⁕⁕

The streets were quite dark after sunset. Kalif was heading toward the knight order with Anasha on his back.

He frowned as she clung to his neck from behind, pressing herself against his back. Her fondness for clinging to people was burdensome—why did she enjoy it so much?

“Gimme a blanket… hic.”

“We’re almost there. Pull yourself together!”

Swallowing a deep sigh, Kalif continued walking. He should have stopped her from drinking too much. Instead, he had just watched as she kept pouring alcohol down her throat while insisting she wasn’t drunk.

Upon reaching the knight order, Kalif quietly walked past the main building. He feared someone might see them in this state. His only thought was to quickly drop Anasha off at her dormitory room and leave.

However, he was forced to stop when he encountered the Knight Commander just after turning around the building’s exterior wall.

This was the last person he wanted to meet in this situation. Just as Kalif stopped and opened his mouth to somehow excuse himself:

“…Put me down, hic.”

Before he could speak, Anasha mumbled from his back. Her pronunciation was clearly slurred from heavy intoxication. At the same time, a heavy silence descended.

Kalif’s body froze as he met those gradually darkening eyes. He couldn’t even think of an excuse. When the Knight Commander eventually took a step toward him, Kalif bowed his head.

“I apologize for this unseemly display, Commander. I will apologize on Sir Anasha’s behalf. She seems to have overindulged due to distress over her injury…… Please consider this with your generous understanding.”

Anasha was the only person close to the Commander, who was known for being difficult to approach. Kalif thought he might overlook this, but no response came. Instead, the Commander walked past him as if he hadn’t heard a word.

His footsteps stopped precisely behind Kalif. The warm body against his back detached as the Commander grabbed Anasha’s shoulders and pulled her back.

“Sir Asha, are you conscious?”

“Mmm……”

That low voice seemed to contain not anger but concern for her. Fortunately, he appeared to be truly lenient with her. Of course, Kalif didn’t know whether to feel relieved or offended by being completely ignored.

“I’ll carry her.”

At those words, finally addressed to him, Kalif hastily responded.

“…No, sir. I will take Sir Anasha to her room. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself……”

He intended to say “there’s no need,” but as soon as Kalif turned his head, he quietly closed his mouth upon meeting the Commander’s gaze. Though no words were spoken, he could immediately tell the Commander was displeased. It would be strange not to understand that cold stare that seemed to ask why he wasn’t leaving.

“Then I’ll leave her in your care.”

Kalif gave a formal bow and stepped back. He glanced once at Anasha, who kept mumbling sleepily, unaware of who was carrying her, then turned to leave.

⁕⁕⁕

Returning to his office, Rihirt seated Anasha on the sofa.

He didn’t know which room in the dormitory she stayed in, and he couldn’t enter her room without permission. He could take her to his mansion and offer her a guest room, but she might sober up in the meantime, so he decided to wait.

“…Mmm……”

“Are you cold?”

Rihirt removed his uniform coat and draped it over her upper body. Just as he was about to step back, her arms reached out and pulled his waist tightly.

“…Sir Asha?”

After holding his breath for a moment, he gripped her small shoulders to detach her from himself. But whenever he tried to push her away even slightly, she clung to him more firmly. She buried her face against him and nuzzled like a baby animal seeking its mother’s warmth.

Rihirt looked down at the crown of her head positioned just below his chest and exhaled softly. This ticklish feeling was unbearable.

After remaining rigid for a while, he carefully moved his hand to lift her pressed cheek from his chest. She appeared to have fallen asleep, her fair face breathing heavily with closed eyes.

The pink cheek touching his palm was warm and soft. Enough to tempt him to secretly caress it once.

‘……’

Rihirt quickly withdrew his hand and contorted his expression. Something must be wrong with part of his brain. This version of himself felt extremely unfamiliar.

Several days had passed since he acknowledged that his feelings for her were more than mere human affection.

He had thought that accepting this would be the end of it. He didn’t want anything to happen between them, believing their current relationship—trusting each other and being comfortable together—was ideal. Above all, he believed she would feel uncomfortable if he revealed his feelings.

But far from being able to hide his heart, his feelings grew like a snowball with each passing day. His gaze and touch toward her involuntarily became gentle, to an extent that even he found difficult to handle.

Rihirt swallowed another emerging sigh and turned his head to tear his gaze away from her. It hadn’t been even seconds since he resolved that his feelings shouldn’t grow any further.

“Leon……”

Though it was just a tiny murmur in her sleep, that voice sounded unusually loud to his ears.

⁕⁕⁕

The administrative officer entered the Commander’s office after knocking as usual and placed a heavy stack of documents on the desk.

“Please process the documents on top by the end of today. And regarding the dispatch to the Dallas region…… Commander?”

The administrative officer called out to the expressionless Knight Commander. Only then did those blue eyes, which had been looking elsewhere, directly gaze at the officer. His somewhat disheveled expression seemed unlike his usual self—always meticulous, cool, and composed. Though surprised, the administrative officer quickly continued speaking, trying not to show it.

“The list of knights to be dispatched to Dallas can be prepared within a week.”

“The processed documents are on the left.”

“Ah, yes.”

The administrative officer hastily picked up the stack of documents on the left, then realized they were unusually clean and looked up.

“I’m sorry, but these seem to be unprocessed……”

Rihirt remained silent at this careful remark. Instead of answering, he shifted his gaze to the right. The administrative officer gathered the pile of documents stacked on the right side of the desk that his eyes had indicated.

“Then, excuse me.”

After the administrative officer left and the office became quiet, Rihirt rubbed his eyes. Deep fatigue seeped into his expressionless face. Though he had worked late yesterday, he had gone to bed earlier than usual. Yet far from feeling refreshed, his mood was lower than normal.