Chapter 12

Climb the Wall, René

“Leopold!!!”

Leopold had just finished fencing practice and was heading back to his room when he glanced sideways.
A breathless cadet grabbed his shoulder.

“Is her name Miss Martin?”

“How do you know that?”

“She’s in the visiting room.”

Leopold dropped the fencing bag he was carrying and started running.
Unable to resist their curiosity, several cadets dashed after him.

There was no one named Rynarke listed among the patients in the cadet infirmary.
René double-checked, but the nurse confirmed it — there were no current patients.
Still dazed, René allowed herself to be led to the visiting room.

The cadet on duty in the room stole glances at the lovely young woman sitting primly in her coat and hat, lips pressed in silence.
He nervously set down a steaming teacup on the table in front of her.
When René instinctively lifted her head and smiled politely, his face flushed red.

But before he could say anything, the door burst open with a thud.

“René? What are you doing here?”

What am I doing here?
René let out a disbelieving laugh.
The letter had said he was unconscious, so she’d rushed here half out of her mind with worry—only to find a perfectly healthy Leopold standing there in pristine white fencing gear.

René’s eyes narrowed as she lifted the teacup and took a slow sip.
Leopold, looking sheepish, carefully sat across from her, moving as though she might explode if startled.

The cadets peering in from the doorway realized something:
that arrogant Leopold was sitting quietly, meekly even, before a small, poised woman, waiting for her verdict like a scolded child.

There could be no finer entertainment.

“Pfft!”

Someone couldn’t hold in their laughter anymore, and soon the entire group burst into hysterics.

“Ahahahaha!”
“Serves you right, Leopold!!”

Leopold swept his sweat-damp hair off his forehead, his face flushed crimson.
René set down her cup, folded her arms, and tilted her head.

“Unconscious, you said?”

At that single word, Leopold bit his lip and met her brown eyes.
She was furious.
He ought to drop to his knees and beg forgiveness, but instead, he had to press his hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh.

Because René had come all this way — for him.
She’d been worried, frantic enough to travel such a distance just to see him.

“Please wait here a moment.”

When Leopold opened the door, the cadets outside exchanged meaningful grins.

He sprinted back to his room, changed clothes, threw on his cadet coat and cap, and immediately requested permission for leave.
The moment it was approved, he dashed back to the visiting room, pushing through the waiting onlookers to reach René.

“Let’s go.”

At his voice, René rose and held out her hand.
They walked together down the corridor, hand in hand, as a chorus of whistles echoed behind them.
René gave a helpless laugh; Leopold blushed furiously but kept walking, gripping her hand tighter.

Then, at the end of the hall, Leopold suddenly stopped.
Glancing back at the grinning crowd of cadets, he wrapped his arm around René’s waist and kissed her passionately.

“Hey, what the—!”
“Not bad, Leopold!!”

René glared at him when he finally pulled away, but he only shrugged, failing to hide his grin.
She’d meant to scold him — but when the hallway erupted with cheers and wolf whistles, she couldn’t help bursting into laughter.

Seeing her laugh so brightly, Leopold leaned in and brushed another short kiss across her lips.

He had planned to escort her to her hotel, have dinner together, and return to the Academy before curfew.
Then, the next morning, he’d get another leave pass and accompany her to the train station.

But when Leopold entered the backstreet hotel René had booked, his expression went cold.

Even in broad daylight, drunken men loitered in the hallways, ogling René from head to toe.
The middle-aged man at the counter looked like he’d rent out René’s room to one of them if given a few coins.

“René. I can’t let you stay here.”

She tried to resist as he grabbed her hand.

“I already paid.”

Leopold froze mid-step, pulling out his wallet — then hastily shoved it back into his coat when he noticed the stares of the men nearby.
If he handed her money here, they’d get the wrong idea and start harassing her.

“Pack your things. We’re leaving.”

“That is all my luggage.”

René gestured toward the bag Leopold was holding.
He gave a small, tense smile, nodded, and gripped her hand tighter as he led her out of the hotel.

They walked through grimy, urine-scented alleys until they reached a busier street, where the air felt at least a little safer.

“It’s my business, Leopold. I don’t like you deciding things for me.”

Her voice was firm.
But Leopold had already made up his mind.

“No. Absolutely not. When I say no, it means no.”

Holding her hand in one and her small bag in the other, he strode into the main road.
After scanning both directions, he started toward the grand hotel opposite the central station.

“Don’t do something stupid!”

René snapped and pushed his arm away.

He stepped back, looking down at her with mock sternness.
Blushing furiously, René hesitated for a long time before whispering,

“Someone might recognize you.”

“Who? Nobody recognized me during the two months I stayed at your place.”

“That’s because I live in the countryside. This is the capital of Rynarke.”

He reached out, but René slapped his hand away.
They stood a step apart, the tension between them heavy.

Leopold sighed.

“We’re lovers, René. I don’t want to care what others think.”

“You really are a prince who knows nothing.”

She muttered crossly, and the word prince pricked him somehow.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
René pushed at his shoulder, but he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her firmly against him.

When he sensed the emotion flicker across her face, Leopold understood.
He buried his face in her trembling shoulder and exhaled softly.

“Then I’ll take you somewhere else.”

Still holding her hand, he led her away.

Leopold brought René to the back wall of the Academy grounds.
The brick wall was just over two meters high, not much — but to René, it looked intimidating.

“What are you doing here?”

“We’re climbing the wall, René.”

Leopold crouched down and patted his back, signaling for her to step on.
Biting her lip, René did as told.
He straightened his knees, boosting her higher until she could grab the top of the wall.

Supporting her foot on his shoulder, he looked up and grinned as she pulled herself onto the ledge.

Perched precariously atop the wall, René glanced down.

“Leopold, what happens if we get caught?”

“If we get caught… probably expulsion?”

“What!?”

He tossed her bag over the wall, then lightly vaulted up beside her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.
René drew back, startled, but he only chuckled and leaned in again.

“Wait—this is serious!”

“If I get expelled, I’ll roll straight to your house. You’ll take me in, won’t you?”

Her heart was already pounding from balancing on the narrow ledge, and now he was pressing closer.
She frowned.

He caught the back of her neck and tugged her forward.

“Come on, say it. You’ll take me in, right?”

“Not a chance.”

“Then I’m not climbing down.”

He pressed another kiss to her lips. Each time he pulled back, he whispered the same demand.

“Say it.”

Finally, breathless, René nodded frantically.
Only then did Leopold release her and jump down inside the wall.

He looked up at her, arms open.

Seeing his confident smile, René smirked — and jumped.
She landed in his arms, knocking him flat on his back.

René burst out laughing, sprawled atop him.

Her laughter wouldn’t stop; she buried her face in his neck, shoulders shaking.
Leopold turned his head, kissed her cheek, and held her close — then led her quietly to his dormitory room.