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Chapter 20
Who Is Worrying About Who?
“Get your face out of here.”
Daniel pushed away Dominic, who looked excited about the new “guest” coming to take his place.
“Whoa!”
Dominic stumbled back.
“Oh, are you okay, Dominic?”
Frida asked with concern.
Daniel was a little annoyed by her worry for Dominic, but he didn’t say anything. Pretending to be a polite nobleman was never going to last long anyway. It wasn’t even a very good mask. He tried to remember all those lessons about respect and manners, but they were fading. Maybe he really did hit his head hard three years ago. But he didn’t care anymore, and it was all because of Frida, who kept crossing lines and shaking up his life.
Daniel sat carelessly on the desk, arms crossed. Dominic stood up straighter and tried not to smile.
‘I was waiting to see how long you’d pretend,’ Dominic thought.
Daniel’s voice was dry and cold.
“Whether he’s a rat or a noble, the emperor sent him. We have to keep him for now.”
“We should hire more servants now that we have a steward for the castle,”
Frida said.
“Do as you want,”
Daniel replied.
“Baron Boild should stay in the castle for now. There isn’t a proper house for him outside.”
“That’s fine,”
Daniel said.
He called Dominic over.
“When the ‘rat’ arrives, just watch him. Don’t stop him from sending letters. Let the Empress Dowager think he’s doing a good job.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Now that we have a noble steward, stop helping in the castle. Go focus on training the mercenaries.”
“Yes, sir.”
Frida looked a little sad as Dominic agreed so quickly.
Daniel looked at Frida, who was wrapped up in clothes from head to toe. If she’d sent a letter saying she was sick, shouldn’t she be staying in bed instead of running outside? But maybe this new job would keep her inside the castle for a few days.
“In two months, I’ll hold the knighting ceremony. Make it as fancy and extravagant as possible. Give it to Baron Boild as his first job, and you just watch.”
“Fancy… and extravagant?”
Frida asked, surprised.
“Yes. Make the uniforms, flags, and saddles all as flashy as possible.”
“Are you trying to make us a laughingstock?”
Dominic complained.
Daniel waved his hand to shut him up.
“Keep the new steward so busy he can’t know what’s happening outside the castle. If you want to delay news of the road construction reaching the royal family, this is the way.”
Frida finally understood and nodded.
“Ah… okay. I understand.”
“That’s all I have to say. You can go.”
As Frida left, Muriel held the door for her. Daniel called out,
“Sir Rosivalt, you stay.”
Muriel smiled at Frida, even though she felt nervous inside.
‘Is today the day I finally pay for hitting the Duke?’ Muriel thought.
But Daniel just stared at Muriel’s sword for a while, sitting on his desk.
‘What does he want?’
After a long silence, Daniel pointed to her sword with his chin.
“Is that sword ‘Koldar’?”
Muriel nodded.
“Yes. It’s the Rosivalt family sword, Koldar. The first emperor gave it to my ancestor.”
“I heard you have to win a duel to own that sword.”
Muriel explained,
“Yes, but only people with Rosivalt blood can challenge for it.”
“It’s too good for a knight who became a nursemaid,”
Daniel said, but without any meanness.
Muriel had no answer. He wasn’t wrong.
“How did someone like you end up guarding the Harkbourne family?”
Muriel bit her lip to hide her annoyance.
“The count helped me a lot. I wanted to repay him, but all he wanted was for me to protect his only daughter.”
Muriel hesitated, then spoke again.
“I’m worried about Lady Frida. She’s doing too much because we don’t have enough help.”
“Wasn’t the count supposed to have three daughters? Two died young, right?”
“Yes. They both died at sixteen, from the same sickness as Lady Frida.”
“Did they really die from sickness?”
Daniel sounded like he was talking about strangers, not people he knew. Muriel felt her voice turn cold.
“Yes. They looked just like Lady Frida except for their eye color.”
“Is it really possible to die just for having pale skin? Just unlucky, I guess.”
Daniel shrugged. Muriel was angry. She wanted to shout,
‘Do you know how hard Frida’s life is? She can’t go in the sun, wear pretty clothes, or even see well anymore. For three years, she cared for you while you were unconscious! And now you say it’s just bad luck?’
But she kept her feelings inside.
Daniel continued,
“Are there any Rosivalts who died young?”
“Of course. My younger brother, and some cousins.”
“And they all had red-brown hair and gray eyes, right?”
“Yes.”
“So by your logic, you should have the same disease.”
“What…?”
Daniel stood up, the room feeling smaller as he walked closer.
“The Harkbourne and Rosivalt families look the same to me—light hair, similar eyes, some died young.”
“But Lady Frida—”
“If you died suddenly tonight, wouldn’t that make Lady Frida the lucky one for living longer than her knight?”
Daniel looked cold and uncaring.
“Stop worrying about my wife. Why not try your own luck for once?”
“My luck?”
“Yes, luck. If you want to beat me in a duel, you’ll need luck more than skill. Even though I haven’t held a sword in three years.”
Daniel’s eyes gleamed.
“If you win, I’ll grant you any wish. Anything, no conditions.”
Muriel was shocked.
“Anything?”
Daniel nodded, a sly smile on his face.
“But if I win… I’ll take Koldar for myself.”
Daniel was doing push-ups, counting out loud.
“Fifty-four, fifty-five…”
His left arm was stronger now than his right. Suddenly, there was a knock on the wall. He finished at sixty and wiped his forehead.
There was another knock, and Daniel walked to the door.
He opened it to find Frida, who turned away quickly when she saw he was shirtless.
“Why… why aren’t you wearing clothes?”
“Are you surprised? You took care of me for three years, so I thought you’d be used to my body.”
“But you weren’t awake then…”
Daniel shrugged and pulled on his shirt.
“What brings you here? I thought you’d never come near this door.”
“Is it true you’re dueling Muriel tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
Frida sounded worried.
“Muriel isn’t just any knight. She’s the strongest in her family and was almost made leader of the imperial knights.”
Frida looked up at him with big, anxious eyes.
“I was just worried you didn’t know…”
Daniel moved closer, step by step, until Frida’s back hit the wall. He put his hand over her head.
She didn’t notice his eyes turning red with excitement.
“Didn’t you hear the rumors about your husband?”
