* * *
“Well then, I’ll be going now.”
Those who had been playing dress-up doll with Rowy finally left the room after the sun had set. Rowy looked around the room that had become quiet in an instant and let out a sigh. With so many people coming and going even in his bedroom, there was nowhere in the mansion where Rowy could rest at ease.
‘I didn’t expect this. I thought I’d just show my face at the wedding and be done.’
Judging by the number of outfits they were currently making, it was clear they planned to parade Rowy not only at the wedding but also at other banquets and gatherings.
‘It’s uncomfortable… But I can’t just leave right away either.’
Rowy looked at the firmly closed door and let out another sigh. Knights were still standing outside the door. Of course, Leo had told Rowy to speak up anytime if there was somewhere he wanted to go, but… he’d definitely attach a whole bunch of people to him.
‘I’d rather just stay locked up than deal with that.’
The servants and knights were all uncomfortable. He hated this room too, which kept reminding him of his childhood. Rowy didn’t have a single good memory in this mansion. Rather, the place that felt more like home was…
“Ugh.”
Rowy let out a big sigh and collapsed onto the bed.
‘I want to go back to Seraphila quickly.’
When I go back, I should eat tons of apple pie. And from now on, no matter who calls me, I’m absolutely not coming to the Empire. If they call me again, then I’ll really run away with Van.
‘But seriously, where is Van and what is he doing?’
From what he’d heard in passing, it seemed he was staying with the knight order…
“…Well, knowing his personality, he’s probably doing fine on his own.”
Whether or not he knew that Van was desperately looking for him, Rowy shook his head to clear his thoughts and picked up a book after a long time. The only good thing about returning to the Empire was being able to see books that were difficult to obtain. But even that was only exciting at first.
‘I want to go back.’
Rowy let out a deep sigh as he forced himself to read the letters that wouldn’t enter his eyes. There was now about a month left until the wedding.
* * *
Meanwhile, Van was spending very busy days. After parting with Rowy, Van, who had been assigned lodgings within the knight order, had immediately begun joining the Flame Knights’ training from that very day. It was the Duke’s order, they said. He didn’t know why such a command had been given, but…
‘Since it’s the Duke’s order, I have no choice but to do it.’
Though it was bewildering, Van, who was accustomed to life in a knight order, soon mixed in among them without much difficulty. Of course, that didn’t mean Van had begun training in the Flame Knights’ unique swordsmanship. It was unnecessary for Van, who already executed his own swordsmanship perfectly. Instead, Edner ordered sparring with the new knights for Van, who wasn’t accustomed to fighting people. And so today as well, Van stood facing a young knight whose shoulders were stiff with tension.
“I look forward to working with you!”
“Yes.”
As soon as the greeting ended, a sword immediately flew at him. Van deflected that sword while inwardly admiring.
‘The Flame Knights truly are different.’
The sword of the knight, who looked much younger than even Max, was surprisingly fierce. This time, Van swung his sword with a bit more strength. However, this young knight easily parried that sword as well. It was excellent skill that didn’t match his age.
‘Teaching swordsmanship to someone skilled is a great pleasure.’
Normally, he would have crossed swords more actively to draw out this young knight’s abilities, but… concentration wasn’t easy today. This was because a persistent gaze was following Van’s every movement. Van, who had swept away the thrusting sword, glanced at the man standing beside Edner.
‘Leo Irad…’
The man who had taken Rowy away, Leo Irad, was watching Van’s sparring with a cold face. Van, who had swept away the flying sword once more, glanced at Leo again. Van had also heard about Leo Irad from Rowy. However, Rowy’s explanation had been completely insincere, so all Van knew was that that man was the heir to the Irad Duchy.
‘If I’d known it would be like this, I should have asked Seilan-nim.’
Van regretted it belatedly. Still, according to what he knew… Leo Irad was the second son of the Duke of Irad, who had naturally become the duchy’s heir when his eldest brother Liam became the Imperial Knight Commander.
‘So, in any case, the conclusion is that he’s Rowy’s cousin.’
But why does he look so different from Rowy? Leo, with his masculine face showing bold features, had absolutely nothing in common with Rowy except for his silver hair and blue eyes.
‘Besides, even his silver hair doesn’t sparkle nearly as much as Rowy’s.’
Van’s thoughts drifted back to Rowy as he looked at Leo’s hair, which was closer to ash-gray than silver.
‘…I wonder if he’s doing well.’
Since seeing him get off the carriage, Van hadn’t heard any news of Rowy at all. Van, who had suddenly ended up staying with the Flame Knights’ newcomers, had only Edner to ask about Rowy, but Edner would close his mouth whenever asked about Rowy. Setting aside that his own situation was like this, how could Rowy not show his face even once…
‘Don’t tell me that guy locked him up somewhere?’
At the ominous thought that suddenly occurred to him, Van’s expression instantly turned cold.
Clang!
Even while thinking of other things, Van’s sword steadily pressed the opponent’s sword. However, to an expert’s eye, it was obvious that Van wasn’t concentrating on the sparring.
“Stop.”
Edner, with a displeased expression, raised his hand to stop the two’s sparring. Van swallowed a sigh inwardly and sheathed his sword. Leo, who had been watching that sight with cold eyes, opened his mouth.
“I came after hearing your skills were decent, but well.”
“……”
“Your sword is too rough. Too destructive. At that rate, you’ll drag those around you into it too.”
“……”
“Meaning it’s not a sword that protects people. As a knight, you’re disqualified.”
“……”
Though his tone was sarcastic, Leo’s criticism wasn’t wrong. Van had honed swordsmanship for slaying demons, not humans. Therefore, Van’s swordsmanship was fundamentally different from that of a knight who protects someone. However…
‘Not a sword that protects people…’
Those words struck painfully for Van, who now had someone he wanted to protect.
“Hm? Who did you learn the sword from? It’s terrible.”
Though it was clearly a tone deliberately trying to pick a fight, Van, who had become sensitive from not being able to see Rowy, ultimately couldn’t endure that provocation.
“…Then, would you teach me a lesson yourself?”
With Van’s words that flowed out low… a suffocating silence descended upon the training grounds.
* * *
Leo readily accepted the sparring request despite Van’s rude words. He had undoubtedly deliberately provoked Van in order to spar from the beginning. However, the two’s sparring couldn’t take place immediately, as Leo was a busy heir to the duchy with many public and private affairs. Leo, who had received some message from a servant, clicked his tongue.
“Sparring will be difficult now. Let’s meet at this time tomorrow.”
Leo hurriedly left the training grounds. A small commotion arose among the knights watching Leo’s retreating figure.
“A sparring match.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen Leo-nim accept a sparring request.”
And so, passed along by the knights’ mouths, this interesting news began to spread throughout the entire duchy in an instant.
“Sparring?”
Which means… all the way to Rowy.
“Did you just say sparring? Leo and Van are going to spar?”
Rowy, who had somehow heard what a servant was whispering to a colleague while preparing a bath, suddenly appeared in the bathroom and asked.
“Huh? Sparring? When?”
“……”
The servant who had carelessly run his mouth, Aren, kept glancing at the butler standing behind Rowy with an awkward expression. Since Rowy normally paid no attention at all to the servants, he hadn’t thought at all that Rowy would hear his story.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
Aren, who had been making a tearful face at the butler’s stern gaze, flinched in surprise at Rowy’s cold voice and turned his gaze back.
“Are you ignoring what I said?”
“No, it’s not that… I, I also just heard it secondhand so I don’t know exactly…”
“Leo is going to spar.”
“Well…”
“That’s correct. They will be sparring tomorrow morning.”
As Aren, completely frightened, continued to stammer, the butler finally approached and answered instead. Unlike his polite voice, his eyes glaring at Aren were fierce. However, Rowy had no particular interest in the servant’s situation.
‘Sparring? Leo and Van? Why all of a sudden?’
Rowy’s mind was entirely focused on Leo and Van’s sparring. Since arriving at the mansion, Van, whom he hadn’t seen even once, was suddenly going to spar with Leo.
‘Isn’t that dangerous?’
This was the first thought that occurred. He knew Van was a strong swordsman, but… Leo was strong too.
‘…Right. Who’s stronger?’
For a moment, curiosity arose. However, Rowy quickly scattered that thought. He couldn’t put Van in danger just to satisfy his curiosity. Besides… what kept bothering him was leaving Van behind on the first day they arrived at the mansion, desperately looking at him.
‘I want to watch too. If I ask Leo, will he let me see?’
Hmm, I wonder. Rowy shook his head, recalling Leo’s face as he had poured out nagging for a long while at the mention of a lover.
‘Actually, Leo’s permission isn’t absolutely necessary.’
Rowy grinned, thinking of the knights who would be guarding the door. Because the way outside isn’t only through the door.
‘Good. Van. I’ll save you.’
Rowy’s eyes, which had lost their vitality since coming to the mansion, sparkled brightly for the first time in a while.
