Chapter 6

That was two years ago.

The incident, known as the Bloody Night Ball, has since been spoken of with fear, and it reduced the already few marriage proposals I received to zero.

Many dignitaries from various countries witnessed that incident, and afterwards, the news of how I had destroyed the group of assassins and how Bernard had eliminated his enemies until my brother ascended the throne spread far and wide.

Now, it is whispered in foreign lands that Bernard alone is the equal of ten thousand soldiers. It is thought that if I were to marry and bring Bernard with me, it would be like allowing an invincible army to invade. Since that incident, even when I attend balls, no one asks me to dance anymore.

Well, I don't mind that, but if I don't get married, my brother can't get married either. That's the problem.

── But, to marry Bernard, that's out of the question, Brother...!

I have pleaded with him many times, but my brother insists that it is a royal command and will not budge.

In the end, he even said, "If you cannot accept it, Amelia! Cut off this head and take the throne yourself! I know this is a cruel order. If you take the throne, I will accept it!" My brother can sometimes be too dramatic.

I am of royal blood, born as a prince. I have been prepared to marry for political reasons.

But Bernard is different. He wouldn't be able to reconcile himself to it for the sake of the country. He holds a title now, but he wasn't born into nobility. When we met, he was a traveler, not a knight.

He didn't aspire to be a knight, but he accepted the title to protect me. After that, he also accepted the title and the position of captain, even though he had no obligation to do so. He has followed me out of his own will.

My brother says, "When I think of Knight Bernard, I remember the brave and kind knights from fairy tales... Now he is a symbol of fear, hahaha," but I don't think so. Bernard is a fine knight.

※

When I returned to my office, I tried to resume my paperwork, but the content didn't register in my mind at all.

I can't stop thinking about Bernard. I pretend to read the documents, but I sneak glances at him standing by the door.

My bodyguard is very handsome.

I think it's understandable that I can't help but be captivated by him.

It's very difficult for me not to fall in love with Bernard. It's in the past tense because I gave up fighting my feelings a long time ago. Now, I've resigned myself to the fact that my secret love for him shouldn't be a problem.

I don't say it out loud, and I have no intention of expressing my feelings. The self-control I've cultivated since childhood works even when it comes to matters of the heart. To me, Bernard is just a 'reliable knight.' I try to act as if he is nothing more and nothing less, and I think I do a pretty good job of it.

But in my heart, I sigh in admiration, thinking, "He's so handsome today..." I even have internal dialogues like, "Can you imagine someone not falling in love with such a handsome person? No way. Out of a hundred people, a hundred would fall in love." The only thing I regret is not having anyone to share these feelings with.

Even when I'm busy with state affairs, seeing Bernard's face brings me peace. This one-sided love, which I can't show on my face, has become a source of joy for me.

Bernard is tall and well-built. His hazel eyes are playful, and they usually turn gentle when he looks at me. Sometimes he makes mean jokes, and when he does, he looks very happy. I can't help but find his smiling face a bit cute, even though it's frustrating.

Bernard is stronger than anyone, but he doesn't flaunt his strength. In battle, he is merciless, but he doesn't use his power to oppress those in weaker positions.

Moreover, Bernard is incredibly handsome. I think the phrase "eye candy" is meant for people like him. I have never seen a more handsome man. He might be a once-in-a-century beauty.

Once, I casually asked my longtime maid, "Don't you think Bernard is very handsome?" She looked at me strangely and said, "That mad dog's appearance...? I've never paid attention to it. I've never had the luxury to. I'm always worried about when he might trip up the princess again."

But I'm not blind with love.

I've accidentally overheard women talking about how handsome Bernard is.

※

This happened a few months ago.

That day, Bernard was off duty.

If left to his own devices, he would guard me without a break, so I always force him to take a day off.

Bernard argues, "Who will protect the princess if I'm not here?" "I don't need a day off. I have nothing to do and it's just boring. A day off is nothing but emptiness, emptiness," but I reject all his arguments.

── Especially now, when there is no ongoing civil war, it's not a dangerous situation. There are other royal guards who can protect me. There's no need to worry. More importantly, your excessive overtime is a problem. That's how I push him to take a break.

The guards on duty that day were Deputy Captain Chester and the youngest, Colin.

I was visiting an old, spacious, and empty library at the edge of the palace with them. I wanted to check a certain book and also needed to move my body a bit after being tied up with paperwork all morning. If I had asked my assistant, someone would have fetched the book for me, but I came to the library for a change of pace.

The library was old, empty, and devoid of people, but it was spacious. I walked deep into the library, scanning the shelves and checking the spines until I pulled out an old document. That's when I heard it.

The sound of the library's rusty door opening. Chester and Colin immediately went on alert, but the noise that followed was lively chatter.

"In the princess's royal guard? If I had to choose from among them, I'd definitely pick the captain. I really like that wild, handsome type."

"His face is good, and his body is good. I don't want to date him, but if he approached me in a bar, I probably wouldn't turn him down. I might even want to go out with him once."

"Are you both kidding? The captain is rumored to be very dangerous. They say he killed someone at a ball and is called a mad dog. I would absolutely refuse. If I had to choose, I think the deputy captain is the most handsome. He seems kind, gentlemanly, and his demeanor is so elegant... Don't you think he's the real prince?"

"No, the real prince is just the king before he ascended the throne."

"The deputy captain is the third son of the House of Rosen, right? He is close to being a prince."

"Right!? His name is Lord Chester. Chester Rosen!"

In front of me, Chester clutched his head. I patted his shoulder.

Now that this has happened, it would be awkward to leave. They were probably junior officials who came to fetch books, so I decided to wait for them to leave. I signaled this to Chester and Colin.

Chester nodded, swaying, and Colin nodded excitedly.