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Chapter : 5
The answer that came back felt like it was choking him.
His mind was consumed by a single thought.
There was no way His Highness had ever loved me.
To begin with, I wasn’t his type.
Whenever his rut came each month—as the Crown Prince fulfilling his duty—he spent the night with various omegas. None of them ever entered his bedchamber a second time, but they all shared the same features: slender figures and long black hair that reached their waists.
Everything about them was the exact opposite of me.
Whenever he spent the night with someone else, allowing me to leave was His Highness’s mercy.
Perhaps he had realized that, no matter how hard I pretended otherwise, I would be consumed by jealousy that I had no right to feel.
On the days when he was scheduled to receive a partner, he would dismiss everyone except the single knight who was best at keeping secrets.
And that was directly connected to the second reason.
He had known about my feelings for a long time.
And he had rejected me with nothing but kindness.
It was a month after I became his bodyguard… the day after I watched over His Highness during his first rut.
* * *
On that day, His Highness wore an unusually tired expression.
Then, on impulse, he declared that we would head down to the village.
Even someone as inexperienced as I had been back then knew that whenever the Crown Prince left the Imperial Palace, everything was normally prepared in advance and carried out through official procedures.
He had never once broken that rule.
Naturally, the escort knights were astonished.
“Put these on. Clothes that seem ordinary to nobles won’t necessarily look ordinary in Tenas.”
Mentioning Tenas, the village closest to the Imperial Palace, His Highness handed me a set of clothes that looked as though they had been prepared specifically for that day.
The fabric was worn with age, making them appear completely plain.
Yet once I put them on, they fit my body perfectly and allowed me to move comfortably.
Where in the world did His Highness get clothes like these?
Did the other escort knights receive outfits as well?
Thinking useless thoughts, I hurriedly changed.
By the time I finished, His Highness had already put on a necklace capable of altering one’s appearance.
Even so, his innate nobility couldn’t be completely concealed.
Still, he no longer looked like the Empire’s Crown Prince.
Unless someone heard his voice, even the palace knights would have failed to recognize him.
“Now then, everyone. Let’s go.”
Using a secret passage, His Highness expertly led us outside before making his way toward <Song of the Sun>.
It was a tavern frequented by information brokers.
The knights visibly became more cautious, but none dared oppose his decision.
“If you’re planning to keep standing there staring down at me, then sit.”
Trying desperately not to show their discomfort, the knights awkwardly took seats around the table.
Sitting at the same table as His Highness felt unbearably unnatural.
But they couldn’t disobey an order, and standing beside him in an ordinary tavern would have looked even stranger.
“It’s rather dull drinking without company.”
That single sentence left the escort knights unable to comply.
Even if no one would become drunk from just a cup or two, with so few guards present, someone needed to remain alert in case anything happened.
“Tiel, would you drink with me?”
Once a single knight had been chosen, the others visibly relaxed.
Some even looked at me with eyes that shamelessly urged me to accept in their place.
“Your High—”
Out of habit, I almost said, ‘It is my honor, Your Highness.’
Fortunately, the knight beside me lightly smacked my thigh, snapping me back to reality.
Even if no one seemed to be listening, we had to be careful.
“I shall obey.”
Changing my words into something an ordinary servant might say, I answered.
His Highness smiled gently.
His face was completely different from his usual one, yet that smile…
It was so beautiful that there was no mistaking it for anyone else’s.
“Would you like another?”
“Yes.”
His Highness continued filling my cup.
Silently, I accepted every drink.
His complexion never changed in the slightest.
After roughly four bottles had been emptied, however, the alcohol was finally beginning to affect me.
My head swam.
This is bad.
I couldn’t lose consciousness in front of His Highness.
Not only because it was my duty as a knight…
But because it was the desperate struggle of someone harboring feelings he never should have possessed.
“You really can drink.”
“It’s touching to see how much you’ve grown. The little boy who barely reached my waist can now finish bottles of liquor.”
“Y-Yes… Your Hi— no… th-thank you…”
When I had first met His Highness, I hadn’t actually been that small.
But instead of correcting him, I simply lowered my head and accepted another cup.
Just then—
A loud commotion erupted outside.
The escort knights, who had been pretending to relax, instantly became tense.
The disturbance only continued to grow louder.
“They aren’t just drunken brawlers.”
“Go outside and investigate.”
“But…”
Men who had been trained to answer orders without hesitation found themselves trailing off.
Two instincts were clashing.
One told them they must never leave His Highness’s side.
The other demanded absolute obedience.
Although everyone knew His Highness was powerful enough to personally lead the most unfavorable battlefields to victory, the knights’ concern was almost instinctual.
“Your worries are unnecessary.”
“Go.”
Seeing straight through their thoughts, His Highness repeated the order firmly.
Even through the haze clouding my head, his clear voice rang unmistakably in my ears.
Staggering to my feet, I forced myself upright.
I have to obey.
“I’ll go as we—”
Before I knew it, His Highness had stepped beside me.
He caught my arm and gently pulled me back.
Powerless against his strength, I stumbled toward him.
“Tiel.”
“Stay where you are.”
“You have to protect me.”
A warm hand covered my eyes.
Then I felt warmth against my back.
I couldn’t see.
But it felt as though His Highness was embracing me from behind.
My mind screamed that I should pull away.
Yet my alcohol-soaked body refused to listen.
…Or perhaps I simply wanted an excuse to enjoy that warmth for a little longer.
“Yes… Yo— no…”
“I will protect you, Master.”
In my current condition, I doubted I could perform my duties as a proper knight.
Still…
If something happened, I could at least serve as a shield once.
The sounds of my fellow knights leaving reached my ears.
Yet His Highness made no move to remove his hand.
“Master… um… your hand…”
“‘Master.'”
“I like hearing you call me that.”
“Would you say it once more?”
I had no idea what he found pleasing about it.
Nevertheless, I obediently repeated the word.
A low, gentle laugh echoed above my head.
The moment I realized it was his laughter, my chest began to tingle.
Part of me wanted to scratch away the strange sensation.
Another part wanted to savor it forever.
My fingers twitched helplessly.
“Tiel…”
“You really are kind.”
“And terribly slow.”
“You have exactly the sort of personality that makes the perfect sacrifice.”
His words lay somewhere between praise and criticism.
I was wondering whether I ought to thank him or apologize…
When the hand covering my eyes slowly slid downward and gently cupped my cheek.
Through my blurred vision, I saw his face.
Is it because I’m drunk…?
His Highness was no longer smiling.
Yet beneath that unfamiliar face…
I saw the familiar gaze.
Those eyes that could freeze a person in place.
Eyes that always seemed to know everything about me.
Whenever he looked at me like that…
I wanted to confess every secret I had hidden.
Normally, reason would suppress those impulses.
But perhaps the alcohol had rusted the lock that kept them sealed away.
“My belov—”
Before I could finish…
The nobleman’s hand covered my mouth.
His Highness smiled with gentle embarrassment.
I might have been slow…
But I wasn’t stupid enough to miss what that meant.
That alone was enough for me to understand his kind rejection.
“My…”
“It seems those aren’t words you should say here.”
Rather than the shock of having my confession interrupted…
I was horrified that I had nearly confessed my feelings without even knowing my place.
Realizing his foolish subordinate had finally come to his senses, His Highness slowly withdrew his hand.
“I-I am deeply… deeply sorry.”
As a little clarity returned, my entire body began trembling.
Gently patting me, he tried to calm me down.
“That’s enough.”
“I’ll pretend I never heard it.”
“So there’s no need to look as though your world has ended.”
“Thank you.”
Even I could hear how badly my voice was shaking.
“I stopped you because saying those words now wouldn’t be good for either of us.”
“I wasn’t trying to blame you.”
“So don’t look so frightened.”
Even knowing how rude it was, I could only nod.
Tears born from anger at my own foolishness prevented any words from leaving my mouth.
“Good.”
“The other knights should be back soon.”
“Pretend you’re asleep.”
Once again, His Highness covered my eyes.
I wasn’t sleepy in the slightest.
But I no longer had the audacity to defy him.
So I quietly obeyed.
* * *
Remembering the past—remembering the confession that had never even been allowed to reach his lips—only deepened my disbelief.
In truth… that wasn’t even the biggest problem.
I almost thought of his fiancée before shaking my head.
There was no point reopening old wounds.
No point tormenting myself with memories.
“That’s… impossible.”
“It can’t be.”
“Why?” Kevin asked.
“Wasn’t His Highness famous for cherishing that knight?”
“I don’t think I owe you an explanation.”
“If that’s all the information you have, I’ll be leaving.”
My head already throbbed from everything I’d heard today.
Kevin clearly hadn’t lowered his guard around me.
I doubted I would get anything more useful from him, so there was no reason to stay.
“I see.”
“You’re rather different from the rumors.”
“Interesting.”
“But shouldn’t you at least keep the promise you made earlier?”
He meant the person who had given me information about this place.
I answered without hesitation.
“Sir Tienas.”
“…What?”
“Why would he tell you that…?”
“Besides…”
“Isn’t he already dead?”
“I wasn’t lying.”
“Wasn’t there a magic circle drawn here that prevents anyone from telling lies in the first place?”
Kevin’s mouth fell open in astonishment, as though asking how I had known that.
I had no obligation to explain.
“I never promised to tell you how I obtained the information.”
“You can figure that out yourself.”
“W-Wait!”
“Sir Ayla!”
“Ayla Cassius!”
Ignoring him, I walked away.
Behind me, Kevin shouted at the top of his lungs,
“Hey! Ayla! You damn brat!”
I paid him no attention.
On the way back to the estate, I considered the possibility that Kevin’s information had been wrong.
Since lying had been impossible in that room, there were only two possibilities.
Either what he had said was true…
Or he himself had been given corrupted information.
But when I reported to the Order of Knights the very next day…
I had no choice but to admit that Kevin’s information had been accurate.
Because an even more shocking rumor had begun spreading throughout the order.
