USML 33

Chapter 33

Startled by a sudden voice, I flinched as if I had heard a gunshot and shook my shoulders. When I turned my gaze, Robert was running toward me, hair flying wildly.
“Robert?”
“Miss!”

Robert stopped at a short distance, catching his breath before approaching me leisurely. As I stepped back instinctively, Evan, who hadn’t held onto his hair from the beginning, easily moved away. His hand fell limply, like a doll whose string had snapped, appearing, at first glance, almost resigned.
“Sorry for interrupting your time.”

Robert approached us, finishing his greeting while suppressing his heavy breathing.
“Miss, Master sent Donna to bring you.”
“Father?”

What urgent matter could it be? Besides, Donna had been sent on an errand to fetch Perry’s clothes from the dressmaker. A question arose in my mind, but seeing the sweat on Robert’s forehead, I couldn’t simply be suspicious.
“Understood.”

I nodded succinctly and slid my gaze to Evan’s hand, which had been clutching his hair moments ago. A contradictory feeling welled up inside me—regret at not confirming Evan’s feelings, mixed with fear.

“Miss.”
Robert urged me from my thoughts. I pressed my lips together, conflicted, then lifted the hem of my dress to my ankles and bowed slightly.
“Your Highness, as you can see, an urgent matter has come up, so I must take my leave.”

A voice flowed out so calmly it could have made the moment between Evan and me seem like a lie. When I raised my head, Evan was looking at me steadily. He gave a self-mocking smile, lowering his gaze, and the bright lashes cast a shadow across his face.
“Leave.”

As if he had anticipated this situation, his resigned voice sounded pitiful. Perhaps that was why I couldn’t lift my feet even after his permission was given.

“Robert, what’s going on?”

Arriving at the carriage with Robert, I glanced around, but there wasn’t a single strand of Donna’s hair in sight. Robert, unfazed, bowed slightly as if it had been expected.
“Sorry. It seems difficult for you to meet Your Highness, so I took the initiative.”
“….”
“Sorry for acting without instructions.”

Although Robert didn’t have eyes on the back of his head, I could feel him trying to gauge my reaction. His actions were likely meant for the sake of his superior. He even hid behind me to avoid Evan.

In fact, I might have had to be grateful. If Robert hadn’t come, I couldn’t even imagine what might have happened between Evan and me. I shook my head slightly and gave a bitter smile.
“Don’t worry about it.”

Robert slowly straightened and glanced at me. With a calmer expression, he let out a brief sigh.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t greet Yuria, but let’s call it a day.”
“Yes, Section Chief.”

I turned and headed toward the carriage. When the coachman opened the door and stepped aside, Robert quickly extended his hand, signaling for me to board. Seeing the small scars on his pale hand triggered a strange sense of déjà vu.

Robert’s hand reminded me of Evan’s, which in turn brought memories of previous events, tangling my thoughts like a ball of yarn. Perhaps noticing my expression, Robert lowered his face to check on me.
“Section Chief, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”

I shook my head faintly to clear my thoughts and took Robert’s hand to board the carriage. Soon after, he followed and closed the door.
Clatter—

The carriage started moving roughly.
“Robert?”

Shortly after we departed, Robert got up and knelt before me. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the dirt off my shoe tips, which had picked up soil from the garden. Though I pulled my foot back, Robert stubbornly continued.
“Robert, don’t.”
“I want to do it.”
“No, still—”

I objected, but he didn’t relent. I tried once more to refuse, but fatigue made me quiet. I decided to let him be; maybe he couldn’t stand dirty shoes. There were far more pressing matters to attend to, so I had no energy to stop him. I slumped against the carriage wall.
“Ugh…”

I pressed my temples and let out a deep sigh.
“Section Chief.”

I responded tiredly to Robert’s sudden call with my eyes closed.
“Yes, speak.”

The sound of him rubbing the shoes had disappeared.
“May I?”
“What?”
“I want to stay by your side.”

What? My mind jolted as if struck by a hammer.
“…What did you say?”

I straightened up to look at him, but with his head bowed, I couldn’t read his expression.
“Robert, what do you mean?”
“I have feelings for you, Section Chief.”

Robert confessed his heart as if brushing the dust off an old book.
“May I?”

He then lifted his face, smiling clearly, as if certain I would accept his feelings.
“Wait, wait a minute.”

I pressed my forehead and groaned. After Evan, now Robert—today was full of mental chaos. Over the past year, living as the flirtatious Vanessa, I had encountered sudden, one-sided confessions before, but this time it was Robert. This wasn’t a fleeting connection.

Robert was a key member of the department. Such matters couldn’t affect the morale during this critical period. Moreover, since I still had lingering feelings for Evan, I didn’t want to force anyone into my heart.

I sighed long and thin, facing him.
“Robert, I’m sorry, but I can’t see you that way.”
“….”
“I’ll just be grateful for your feelings.”

I bit my lips, hoping he wouldn’t be hurt or let this affect his work. Robert widened his eyes briefly in surprise, then returned to his calm expression.
“What a shame.”
“Shame…?”

I frowned in confusion. Rejected by someone he liked, and yet he simply said “shame”? A flash of Robert’s strange expression from Juliana’s birthday party came to mind. Subtly different, unfamiliar.

It was the same now. On the surface, he smiled, but the muscles around his eyes twitched, as if forcing himself.
“Sorry, Section Chief. Please forget what I said; think of it as a slip of the tongue.”

Robert casually pocketed his handkerchief and sat across from me.

We remained in quiet silence for a while. Robert looked out the carriage window, shading his eyes from the harsh sunlight, a shadow falling diagonally across his face.
“The weather’s nice today.”

For someone just rejected by the person they like, his words were surprisingly composed. Did he really like me? I hoped his feelings were neat and orderly, but his calm demeanor made me doubt it. Would someone truly care about me confessing if their heart were light? I kept watching Robert until the carriage stopped, still unable to resolve the question.

“Next, Sherry Feard, candidate.”

Hearing her name, Sherry stepped into the arena and calmly drew her sword. As she cut through the air, the blade gleamed sharply.

Her opponent was imposing, but she had confidence in her swordsmanship. Sherry imagined the situation and looked around. Apprentices in knight uniforms stared at the stage resolutely.

Sherry adjusted her grip nervously, exhaling slowly. Just as she was about to step forward, a flat voice stopped her movements.
“Sherry Feard. Disqualified.”

“What?”

Sherry looked toward the voice in shock. It was Dwen, who had been judging the swordsmanship from under the shade.

She forced out a bitter laugh, lowering her sword in despair. Placing her remaining hand on her forehead, she thought, This is ridiculous. Disqualified without even testing my skill?

Dwen, unaware of Sherry’s feelings, handed her apparent application to a nearby knight. Among the collection of rejected applications, Sherry’s fluttered to the front.
“This is impossible…”

Sherry struggled to keep her wits under the sun.

“Ugh… it’s over.”

Dwen stretched and got up.
How did my father manage all this without taking a single vacation?

He shook his head and sighed. The judging of the entry exam wasn’t originally the Grandmaster’s job, but had become so a few years ago, following the belief of the previous Grandmaster, his father:
The mindset of a knight can only be evaluated by an experienced knight.

Rubbing his weary face, Dwen rose from his chair completely.
Besides, there’s no one else fit to become Grandmaster except Evan.

The position couldn’t remain vacant long; someone had to fill it.
“I don’t know either.”

Yawning lazily, Dwen headed toward the knight headquarters, naturally followed by subordinate knights.
“We’ll have the carriage ready immediately.”

As Dwen waved his hand carelessly, someone hiding behind a pillar blocked his path.
W-what…?

Dwen opened his eyes wide like lamps and furrowed one brow, assessing the person in front of him.