Chapter 4

Clang!

“Haah… haah…”

The sun had already started setting.

The knights who had been watching our sparring match slowly disappeared one by one as dinner time came.

Before I realized it, only Kaiden and I remained in the training ground.

“Looks like you’re already tired.”

“…Let’s rest.”

Ignoring Kaiden’s provocation, I flopped onto the ground like a dead fish.

It had been a long time since I sparred with him.

Three years, maybe?

Back then, our relationship was still decent.

But when did we stop having proper conversations?

Probably from the moment I started hearing whispers that I remained only a knight because of my low birth.

I think I started resenting him a little after that.

Kaiden looked down at me expressionlessly before sitting beside me.

“Is there really a reason you must retire?”

‘Because in the future, you’re going to kill me.’

Of course, I couldn’t say that.

“If you want a baron title, I’ll speak to His Majesty.”

“Don’t say it like you’re generously giving charity.”

“Haah. Marion.”

“I know you weren’t even fighting seriously because you were worried I might see blood.”

“……”

The moment our weapons clashed, I realized it.

Kaiden had already reached a level above me.

In swordsmanship, strength, everything—

I could feel that he was holding back against me.

That was probably why I died by his hands in the original story.

Still, one thing bothered me.

The novel described our final battle as a fierce and evenly matched fight.

Of course, maybe I became stronger later on…

‘But what’s the point of thinking about that now?’

“A Swordmaster who faints at the sight of blood. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

After saying it out loud, it really did sound absurd.

“With this condition, I can’t even walk around the marketplace. I’d probably faint just from seeing someone slaughter a chicken.”

Kaiden stayed silent for a moment before speaking.

“The doctor said it may improve with time. Why not wait and see for a while?”

He really wouldn’t give up.

Well, no matter how powerful Kaiden was, even he couldn’t casually let a Swordmaster belonging to the imperial family retire.

And someone of my low status couldn’t directly make demands to the imperial family.

That was why I had no choice but to ask my direct superior.

Hoping he would deliver the request for me.

Right now, this was before the original story began.

Before the saintess heroine appeared.

Once the saintess became close to the Second Prince, the Crown Prince became impatient and appointed me as his direct knight.

That was when my title and status rapidly rose.

Until then, the Grand Duke’s family had remained neutral.

But they slowly grew disgusted by the Crown Prince’s tyranny, and eventually sided with the Second Prince.

Then the battle for power exploded like a storm.

And because this was a romance novel, both men fell in love with the heroine.

The Crown Prince was the second male lead and also the villain.

Kaiden was the third male lead.

Kaiden clearly had feelings for Stella, but for the sake of the male lead—the Second Prince—he never approached her recklessly.

He only watched her from afar.

Meanwhile, I foolishly devoted myself to the Crown Prince and truly loved him.

‘I probably mistook him for an angel who recognized my worth. To the Crown Prince, I was nothing more than a useful tool.’

It left a bitter feeling in my chest.

Why had I been so desperate to be acknowledged?

Why had I worked so hard to prove my worth?

While staring at the evening sky, I spoke.

“Your Grace, when is your next blind date?”

“…Why did the conversation suddenly jump to that?”

“I’m just curious.”

Kaiden narrowed his eyes at me before sighing.

“Tomorrow.”

“Is she pretty?”

“I don’t know.”

“She’s probably pretty. But why don’t you get married? Other noble men marry before twenty-five, but you’re already twenty-eight, aren’t you?”

Kaiden stared at me with a look that clearly said, You too?

And honestly, it made sense.

Madam Marché and Kaiden’s grandfather, the former Grand Duke Leopold in the capital, had been pressuring him heavily to marry.

In the past year alone, he had met more than twenty noble ladies for marriage interviews.

But he hadn’t asked for a second meeting with a single one of them.

Instead, rumors spread everywhere.

“If you marry Grand Duke Kaiden, his stare alone might kill you!”

I snickered, wanting to get a little revenge on him.

“No, seriously. Unless you’re impotent, how can you reject all those beautiful ladies?”

“Marion.”

Kaiden’s eyebrow twitched in warning.

But I refused to back down.

“Don’t tell me there’s actually something wrong with you?”

“…It seems Madam Marché needs to teach you proper manners again.”

“Hah, I’m just worried about you. Or maybe you lack confidence?”

Twitch.

The muscles in Kaiden’s jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth.

‘Oh? So he does have pride.’

His reaction was amusing, so I pushed a little further.

Time to clean things up now.

“Well, I understand. Some men become incredibly timid whenever they stand in front of women—”

At that moment, a shadow fell over me.

Kaiden leaned down, placing one hand beside my head.

He was completely looming over me.

His face was way too close.

“Curious whether there’s something wrong with me or not?”

I stared at him with wide eyes.

His sweat-damp black hair fell over his forehead, casting shadows over skin as pale as white jade.

His half-lidded blue eyes shone like jewels.

His face was ridiculously handsome.

But why was he suddenly attacking me with that face?

“…What are you doing?”

Even though he could clearly see my confusion, Kaiden only raised an eyebrow slightly and didn’t move away.

“No matter how much of a ruffian you are, I hope you haven’t forgotten that you’re a woman.”

“Hah? Then am I a man?”

“I’m the man.”

“Well, obviously?”

Kaiden let out a light sigh and straightened his body.

“I’m telling you not to provoke men just because you’re a woman.”

What?

I stared at him blankly.

“…Are you lecturing me right now?”

“And stop flirting with men who resemble the Crown Prince.”

At Kaiden’s next words, my heart skipped a beat.

I really had nothing to say to that.

Before remembering my past life, whenever I saw young soldiers with blond hair and green eyes, I would flirt shamelessly with lines like:

“Your eyes are beautiful.”

or

“You look like a baby deer.”

Some of them actually dated me.

Others trembled in fear and silently begged nearby knights for help with their eyes.

…Well, if they hated it so much, they should’ve said so.

“W-Well… if young people like each other, dating can happen…”

As I muttered excuses, Kaiden cut me off coldly.

“That sounds more like coercion through abuse of authority.”

“Tch.”

Pouting, I sat up.

“Still, if they said no, I stopped bothering them. And I treated the ones I dated well…”

Was I blinded by my feelings for the Crown Prince?

Or just lonely?

Why had I gone around flirting with people like that when I never seriously cared for any of them?

But now that I remembered my past life, I had no intention of acting that way anymore, which made this feel unfair somehow.

‘I wasn’t going to do that anymore. Romance is the least of my problems right now. Just thinking about how to escape the original story is already giving me a headache.’

After quietly watching me grumble, Kaiden finally spoke.

“Marion. Stay in the Grand Duke’s castle and rest for the time being.”

I stared at him silently.

He looked back at me calmly, but his eyes clearly showed he had no intention of backing down.

So in the end, he still refused to listen to my retirement request.

Fine then.

I would step back for now and make a proper plan.

“Then give me money too.”

Might as well take what I could get.

* * *

“Today, His Highness the Second Prince and Her Highness the Fourth Princess will be visiting the Grand Duke’s castle. Sir Marion, you should prepare yourself to greet them as well.”

“Huh?”

Madam Marché looked at me kindly.

I dropped the bread I had been eating and stared blankly.

“Why would such important people suddenly come to this cold and gloomy land…?”

“Oh my, Sir Marion. How can you call the great snowy territory of Baltstein gloomy? Hohoho. Where else could you find such a beautiful place?”

“Hahaha, of course. I meant the nights here are beautiful.”

Sweating nervously, I quickly tried to explain myself.

Madam Marché was one of the most loyal people to the Baltstein family.

Speaking badly about Baltstein in front of her was definitely not wise.

“The Fourth Princess was originally scheduled to come today. But even I didn’t know the Second Prince would come as well.”

“……”

Wait.

Don’t tell me…

Kaiden’s blind date today was with the Fourth Princess?!