Chapter 23

EP.23 Dedicated Knight - 5

“Did no one else come?”

For some reason, apart from Rios, no one had come to meet Leo. He couldn’t say he hadn’t caused any trouble, but he hadn’t expected to be treated so coldly.

“Why? Are you disappointed that Aria didn’t come?”

Through his squinting eyes, Rios shot a piercing glance at Leo’s face.

“...There’s no need to be disappointed. After all, it’s my fault that you suffered.”

Though he said it that way, he was indeed disappointed. He thought they had become quite close after the regression, but he hadn’t expected such a cold response again.

“It couldn’t be helped~ The kid was making such a fuss~”

“...What? Lady Aria?”

In his previous life, she seemed like someone who wouldn’t even shed a tear, let alone bleed if pricked. In reality, even if she tried to attack, she wouldn’t get hit, so nothing would come out...

Still, the idea of such a person making a fuss and crying was unimaginable.

“I’ve never seen her cry like that~ Even when she was babbling, she would look at me with a serious face.”

[That’s because it’s you.]

Ignoring the sage’s words that echoed his inner thoughts, he said to Rios,

“Was she very upset...?”

“...Quite a bit. She can’t be at ease with her beloved knight in a cell. She’s been holed up in her room.”

Though the description was crude, it probably wasn’t a lie. From Aria’s perspective, Leo was almost her first friend, so it made sense.

“...Sir Rios, if you’re not busy, could I visit somewhere for a moment?”

Leo felt he needed to fulfill his duty as a friend.

***

Everything was new.

He experienced his first defeat.

He learned for the first time,

Felt a sense of accomplishment for the first time.

And, he made his first friend.

That boy had given him many firsts.

Without asking for anything in return,

He helped as if it was his own happiness, naturally.

But

What had he done for that boy?

“...Lady Aria.”

Alfred knocked on Aria’s door.

“...”

The knocking was clearly heard, but it wasn’t enough to open the closed door.

“...Are you not planning to come out today?”

“...”

She couldn’t deny it, so she remained silent.

“...I heard that Leonardo has been acquitted and released. Is it alright if you don’t go to meet him?”

“...Is it okay? Alfred...”

The words came after a long silence.

Since it was the first response, Alfred tried to keep the conversation going as much as possible.

“It will be fine, Lady Aria. Leonardo will surely be happy...”

“...I know. Leo is kind... but...”

Aria’s voice was unusually low that day. The tone itself was the same, but the depth of her words had sunk to an unprecedented level.

“...I don’t know if I have the right to...”

A sobbing sound echoed slightly. Alfred repeatedly touched and released the doorknob.

“...Since Leo came to the family... no, since he met me, he’s always been in trouble.”

Not long after meeting him, he had to fight and get injured in a fierce battle with Balrog.

“That was an accident...! Lady Aria...!”

“I know... but... after that...?”

Incidents kept happening endlessly.

He was arrested and taken away after someone fainted from a joke,

He was bullied by the servants because he annoyed them,

And now he was attacked by an assassin.

“...Did you see Leo then?”

He was arrested in a hurry and couldn’t see him properly, but Leo’s body was covered in blood.

No matter how strong Leo was, it would have been impossible for him not to be injured in a fight with assassins.

“...If I had called the family members earlier... or if he hadn’t come to the family at all...”

It was a meaningless regret.

Unfortunately, Aria wasn’t a genius in human relations. Her immaturity was even more pronounced at the young age of 13.

“...”

Alfred had no answer. Even a seasoned and experienced butler had limits as a third party in solving such issues.

‘...After all...I was wrong...’

So,

“Lady Aria.”

The best approach was for the parties involved to resolve it themselves. Alfred had long stepped aside to let Leo take the lead.

“...Leonardo...?”

Aria rushed to the door, trying to open it. But she, too, just fiddled with the doorknob, unable to open the door.

“...What’s going on.”

Her words came out stiffly. She wanted to apologize, but her mouth spoke coldly as if it had a different personality.

“I was worried about you. I couldn’t confirm if you were safe.”

That kindness hurt. If she accepted that warmth and apologized,

“...Is that so? How about you?”

She feared becoming more attached to that boy, so her words came out more calmly.

“I’m fine. I’m not really hurt.”

“...Is that so.”

It was a lie. After being covered in blood, saying he wasn’t hurt was just a pretense to avoid worry.

“...Leo.”

“Yes, Lady Aria.”

“...How about you quit being my dedicated knight?”

A moment of silence followed. Aria, who had made the suggestion, couldn’t bring herself to speak.

She was afraid of the answer her dedicated knight would give, to the point where she wanted to block her ears.

“...I would like to hear the reason, if that’s okay.”

His politeness was touching. If she gave the reason, she would only want to keep him more.

“...I don’t think it will be good for either of us.”

She harshly rejected that consideration. It was a cruel but the greatest consideration she could give to Leo.

“...Is that so?”

His voice lowered, and even Leo would find such treatment uncomfortable.

“That’s a bit too much.”

So, such a reaction was natural.

Thus... she looked at the ceiling, covering her mouth.

To prevent the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes from flowing, to prevent the sorrow building in her throat from escaping.

...She held back.

“I think it’s good to be together. The term 'each other' seems a bit selfish.”

“...Good...?”

The words slipped out, unable to suppress the sadness.

“Yes, it was good. It still is.”

“...Why...?”

Even if she didn’t, Leo had nothing to gain from her. From the family, perhaps, but not from her alone.

“There are many reasons, but can I start with the big ones?”

Aria didn’t answer. It wasn’t a refusal, but rather, she was flustered and even more happy.

“...When Lady Aria called me a friend, I was so happy, though I didn’t show it.”

An honest and sincere story, a simple truth that didn’t need explanation.

“Mercenaries, especially wandering mercenaries, find it hard to make comrades. Friends are even harder.”

Even when he was in his hometown, it wouldn’t have been different. Doron was a backward village where few people lived except for the elderly and middle-aged.

Finding comrades or friends of the same age was harder than finding monsters in the gate.

“So, I was happy. Because I had my first friend.”

What did Aria feel when she heard this?

She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly.

But what she could be sure of was,

“...Ugh...”

That the closed emotions within her were now definitely open.

Leo, leaning against the door, began to list more good reasons.

Having a place to belong for the first time,

Having a strong opponent to aim for,

Having a companion to train with,

Going out to the city and exchanging silly words and buying gifts,

All of these were enough happiness for Leo.

Aria’s expression turned red each time she heard his gratitude. One thing was certain: she wasn’t suppressing the bitter sadness as she had just done.

“...Leonardo.”

But

“Being with me, you will keep getting hurt.”

The lingering guilt still oppressed her.

This won’t be the end. If you stay with the family, such things will happen...”

“Ariasfil.”

A firm tone, a sharp determination that could easily cut through guilt.

“I can’t just let that pass.”

It was far from the arrogant tone she had when they first met or the polite tone she had since then.

“...Why, suddenly...?”

“Don’t take people for granted.”

“...I never did! I just...!”

“Have you seen my body?”

The sudden question left her speechless, embarrassed.

Thinking about that body made her face flush and her heart race.

Wild skin, firm muscles, and especially the shape of the abs, if you touched them even once... really...

“You must have seen the scars on my body.”

Aria quickly pinched her cheeks.

‘What am I thinking...!’

It was the minimum punishment for recalling such impure memories and imaginations.

“...Yes.”

She calmed down and answered in a low voice.

“There are scars from knives, marks from being beaten with clubs, and even bite marks from monsters.”

All of them were vivid in her memory. For a mere 13-year-old, it must have been a cruel and harsh life.

“Being afraid of death is scary. But I know that better than you.”

A certainty beyond mere speculation, perhaps it was natural.

Leo had already experienced death.

“So don’t decide the safety of my life for me. I chose to be your knight because I know enough.”

“...Why are you doing this...?”

Now, she didn’t know what was what.

She didn’t even know why she asked the question or what answer she wanted to hear.

“I already told you.”

But Leo didn’t hesitate.

As if he knew everything,

“You are my goal.”

Her vision blurred. Even looking at the ceiling was the same. Drops of water trickled down her cheeks.

Only then did she realize.

I was crying.

“Maybe... can I open the door now?”

“...No... no.”

She didn’t want to show this state.

To anyone, especially not to Leo.

“A bit disappointing.”

Leo’s voice was brighter as he explained his disappointment.

“Then, can you look out the door? Even the keyhole is fine.”

Perhaps because of Leo’s request, or perhaps because she felt it was okay to this extent, her tear-swollen eyes were now focused on the keyhole.

“There’s still something we promised to do, right?”

Leo showed a bright smile and the bag with the white rose and dye. His unscarred face felt refreshingly clear.

“...If you don’t want to, I’ll come back later...”

Bam

The moment Leo turned to leave, the door opened.

“...Don’t go.”

The girl in his arms was the one who wanted her knight by her side.

“...Don’t go...”

Tears flowed. She was embarrassed and didn’t want to be seen.

“Stay by my side... for the rest of my life... as my dedicated knight...”

Her voice didn’t waver. She didn’t want to lose that boy, that knight.

I... like being with you...! So...!”

The girl mustered her courage.

“...Yes, it is an honor.”

Her knight, holding the girl’s hand that clung to his waist, knelt on one knee.

“I will serve you to the best of my ability. Aria.”

This was the meaning of an unchanging heart.

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