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Chapter 4
‘This is getting ridiculous.’
Feyzen’s intentions were all too obvious, but the man standing before her was still a duke. El couldn’t treat him carelessly. That didn’t mean she intended to just bow her head and retreat, either.
“Thank you for your words, but how could someone like me dare to impose on you, Your Grace? As you said, I’m just a lowly knight with nothing to my name. I would never commit such a discourtesy. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have orders from His Majesty I must carry out.”
‘So your pathetic little tricks won’t work on me.’
El gave a short bow, turned her back on Feyzen, and walked away.
The moment El disappeared from view, Feyzen’s expression twisted with frustration, his eyes filled with displeasure—exactly what El had predicted.
“How dare someone with nothing act so arrogantly just because she’s near His Majesty.”
“What are you doing?”
“Ah, you’re here, Duke Heathven.”
Feyzen’s face relaxed into a more composed expression as he greeted the man, who appeared with his golden hair slicked back—an older man.
His gaze lingered on the direction El had gone before turning back to Feyzen.
“Let’s talk as we walk.”
“Yes, of course.”
As they walked together, Feyzen couldn’t hide his agitation while recounting what had just happened with El.
“So that commoner dared to…!”
“Duke Feyzen.”
“Yes?”
Heathven stopped and called his name. Feyzen looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“Just do as you’ve always done—follow my lead. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten whose support has allowed you to get this far.”
At the pointed reminder, Feyzen’s face hardened, and he quickly bowed his head.
“Of course not. I haven’t forgotten.”
Heathven, cold as ever, gave a final remark and walked off alone.
“Then I trust you know what your next step is. Return to your territory and don’t act out of turn.”
Once Heathven was completely out of sight, Feyzen lifted his head and walked in the opposite direction. His face had turned a deep shade of red.
‘Still treating me like I’m beneath him. Just because his daughter’s close to His Majesty, he thinks he can strut around like that. We’ll see how long he can keep that attitude.’
After finishing her training at the sparring grounds, El returned to her office and immediately began sorting through the stack of documents on her desk. Only once she neared the end of her tasks did she finally allow herself to breathe.
“Finally done.”
Leaning back in her chair, El reached for the bottom drawer of her desk, unlocked it with a key, and pulled out a white envelope.
Inside was a neatly handwritten letter—the contents, her resignation from the knighthood.
She had thought it over countless times and ultimately concluded this was the only way. She didn’t want to burden Terban any further, so she had decided to leave the palace altogether.
She didn’t know how Terban would react, but since the decision had been so difficult, she wasn’t going to back out easily.
‘Oh right, I should visit that place before I go. I won’t be able to for a while.’
The thought of those who always greeted her with warm smiles brought a soft smile to El’s face.
But the idea that she might never see them again filled her with regret. That place had been a sanctuary—for her, more than for anyone else.
“How should I say goodbye so they don’t cry?”
Just as El was lost in thought, someone knocked on her office door. She quickly returned the envelope to the drawer, locked it, and called out.
“Come in.”
The person who entered was a maid from Shenil’s quarters.
“What brings you here?”
“Lady Shenil has requested your presence.”
“She asked for me?”
“Yes.”
Until now, they had exchanged only a few brief words, and she had never summoned El like this before. It was strange.
Pushing aside her doubts, El rose from her seat and followed the maid to Shenil’s quarters.
She was led to the drawing room, but Shenil was nowhere to be seen.
“She’ll be here shortly. Please wait here.”
After El sat down on the sofa, the maid returned and placed cups in front of both women. A few moments later, Shenil entered, greeted El briefly, and sat across from her.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Sir El.”
“Not at all. I just arrived.”
“I was with His Majesty late last night. We lost track of time while talking.”
Shenil casually brought up Terban and observed El’s reaction with calm curiosity.
But El, as always, kept a composed demeanor. She got straight to the point.
“I heard you wished to see me, Lady Shenil.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“May I ask why? Is there something you wish to say to me?”
Shenil looked down at her teacup before raising her eyes to meet El’s. The moment their eyes met, El could tell—something was different. Everything about Shenil felt off.
‘What is this feeling?’
“Sir El, do you know why His Majesty has cared for me and looked after me for so long?”
“Yes. I’ve heard the general story. You injured your leg in an accident as a child.”
“That’s right. The scar on my forehead—though it’s faint now—also came from that time.”
As she spoke, Shenil brushed her hair aside, revealing a small scar. For some reason, she began explaining the circumstances of her injury.
“I fell from a high place while visiting the palace. Recovering and learning to walk again was incredibly difficult.”
Though she now walked fine, she couldn’t sprint or put too much strain on her legs.
“His Majesty was with me at the time. He still feels guilty, believing it was his fault.”
“I see. But… why are you telling me this?”
The voice that came next was nothing like the gentle tone Shenil had used until now.
“Because I want you to understand that there was never any room for you to come between me and His Majesty.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t tell me you thought I didn’t know? About the way you look at him?”
El’s heart sank.
The realization that Shenil had noticed made her pulse quicken. Her palms began to sweat.
No way…
Seeing El’s flustered reaction, Shenil’s smile only deepened, as though enjoying the moment.
“I’m the one closest to His Majesty. You thought I wouldn’t notice? And with how obvious you are… it’s almost laughable, Sir El. You know better than anyone what His Majesty’s reaction would be if he found out.”
‘So she’s been hiding this side of herself all this time…’
Even in this moment, El focused more on Shenil’s complete transformation than her own predicament. She had already decided to leave the palace—Shenil’s words didn’t intimidate her.
‘Well, what His Majesty thinks is the only real issue.’
“You’re surprisingly calm. I thought you’d fall to your knees and beg me to keep it a secret.”
“Isn’t that exactly why you called me here—because you knew I wouldn’t?”
El didn’t back down, responding coolly. Compared to assisting Terban up close, dealing with Shenil wasn’t particularly difficult. But there was still one key question left.
“So why did you call me here? Are you going to ask me to leave the palace?”
“Well… you’re half right.”
Taking a small pause, Shenil took a sip of the now-cold tea.
“You’ll be leaving the palace soon anyway.”
“You seem quite sure I’ll go quietly.”
“Oh, you will. And it’ll be disgraceful. You’ll be shunned—not just by His Majesty, but by everyone in the palace.”
“What are you talking about?”
Before El could get an answer, Shenil suddenly began to cough violently—red blood dripping from her mouth.
Startled, El sprang from her seat.
“You… will leave in disgrace.”
With those final words, Shenil collapsed to the side. El rushed to call the maid, but before she could reach the door, it opened.
A maid entered, saw Shenil collapsed on the floor, and screamed.
“Lady Shenil!”
The drawing room descended into chaos in an instant. Even as El clutched her side in pain, she could only watch as Shenil was carried away by the maids.
Then she saw Shenil—smiling faintly, lips stained with blood.
And in that moment, El understood the source of the unease she’d felt all along.
Thia moment she stepped into this room… she had walked straight into Shenil’s trap.
