Chapter 79

#079 The Knight's Honor and the Romance of Middle Age (3)

Is it okay to just stand there, Daege?

"Sir Banzam, here's your mail. You've been getting a lot lately."

"Thank you. Sit down and have some juice."

"Thank you. Are you maybe in a relationship?"

While I was lost in thought, Banzam and Kanael were having a pleasant conversation in one corner of the indoor training ground.

I watched Banzam tear open the colorful envelopes and tried to organize my thoughts.

So, yesterday, Prince Cedric challenged his cousin, the young Duke Robert Blanc to a duel.

It was because the young Duke had been spreading rumors about me.

Today, there's a lesson with Sir Johann Heins, so I wanted to talk to the Prince directly if possible.

I was grateful that he had stepped forward for me, but the idea of fighting a relative was troubling.

No matter how distant the relationship, the fact remains that he is family, especially since the Blanks were exiled from the royal family and there has been no contact since.

However, the Prince was absent from the lesson again. It wasn't just about yesterday's issue.

-Beep beep beep

"Are you feeling stifled, Tuksim? Should I let you out?"

The chimney bird perched on my knee fluttered up quickly.

It didn't seem stifled by the indoor setting.

The bird flapped its wings and pecked at my chest with its small beak, as if urging me to take out what was inside.

It must have been curious after seeing Kanael hand it to me.

"It's an invitation. An invitation to the Crown Prince's investiture ceremony."

I answered with a chuckle.

When I took out the card from my pocket, Tuksim's eyes, which resembled sunflower seed chocolate, sparkled and chirped insistently.

The card, adorned with the royal crest and intricate gold foil, had the date of the investiture and a greeting written on it.

The meeting of the 'Noble Council,' the advisory body of the Lieste Grand Nobles, was held yesterday.

And at that meeting, the Prince's investiture as Crown Prince was unanimously approved.

He was set to become the Crown Prince on his upcoming birthday.

"From the looks of it, the Prince's position is very secure."

Sir Heins, who had approached without me noticing, said.

He had recently started shaving and neatly tying back his white hair.

Looking behind him, I saw Cristel holding hands with Sant and doing a 'friendship test.'

Seeing Jeon Eun-seo, who hadn't played hand games since her first year of high school, teaching them made me smile.

It seemed that the short contact allowed her to receive aether, reducing the burden on Sant.

But it looked like she was just doing it for fun.

"The Prince is the only royal grandson, and he has no significant flaws."

I answered, thinking of 'Seidi.'

Perhaps the reason he hadn't been made Crown Prince until now was due to his age, but I didn't know his current condition.

Now that he has the Holy Sword, it seems he's ready.

"Is that so? May I sit down?"

"Of course."

After all, it wasn't my training ground.

Sir Heins sat on a light purple sofa made of onyx.

At the same time, I felt as if the surroundings were suddenly blocked.

I looked at him in surprise.

Cristel, Banzam, and Kanael were all at a distance from me.

Three lesser pandas climbed onto my thighs as if sensing my tension.

"Sir Heins."

"Relax. I just have a question."

Tuksim quickly flew up and pecked at the back of Sir Heins' hand.

The Holy Knight didn't seem to feel any pain, and he looked at me with a lazy expression.

"I was just curious if you received the letter I delivered."

"Wh-what... You can't mean it."

Sir Heins had never directly delivered anything to me.

But his words immediately brought something to mind.

I subtly placed my hand on my chest.

I could feel the crystal bell and the suspicious note from 'Vishal' in my pocket.

"Did you put them there, Sir Heins?"

"Yes. It was a request from Princess Elisabeth. I see you've checked it."

His mint-colored eyes curved slightly. I barely managed to suppress a feeling of suffocation.

The Holy Knight from the Vatican was actually in the employ of Elisabeth Penethian. 'Vishal' was indeed the Princess.

Numerous questions and assumptions swirled in my head simultaneously.

I took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

"Was it a request, not an order?"

"You're sharp."

"Answer my question first."

He smiled at my words.

"Yes, it was a request. I'm loyal to the money she pays, not to the Princess."

"Are you saying you're working as a mercenary, even though you're a Holy Knight?"

His voice lowered.

"I don't pursue things like a knight's honor. I'm quite well-known in these circles, you see."

A moment of silence followed. A famous mercenary.

The fact that he was just in it for the money, not a loyal subordinate of Elisabeth, might actually be to my advantage.

He probably doesn't know the real Prince Yeseo.

"Is that all? Was delivering the letter the only part of the request?"

"There were two parts. One was to deliver the letter without anyone noticing... "

Sir Heins moved like a gentle breeze and lifted the teapot on the table.

He poured noni tea into an empty cup for himself and caressed my cup with one hand.

It was an odd gesture.

"Of course, there's no poison. Protecting the Prince is my job."

"..."

The Holy Knight checked his fingertips and spoke casually.

I watched as he added honey to his tea and then spoke firmly.

"Your Highness, I can't reply to the letter."

"Fortunately, I didn't receive such a request."

He smiled like a painting and sipped his tea.

At the same time, the air around us seemed to clear, as if a sealed room had vanished.

Demi immediately burrowed into my lap, grumbling.

I slowly stroked his back.

With Lea and Perry also in my arms, my anxiety seemed to ease.

I had made a pact with the Prince not to communicate with the Holy Kingdom.

I was relieved that I wouldn't break this promise in any way.

If so, there was only one thing I needed to confirm.

As soon as I gathered the aether in my body, Tuksim, perched on my sleeve, started chirping like a countdown.

"The Holy Sanctuary won't work."

At that moment, Sir Heins, who had read my intention, spoke. The flow was abruptly cut off.

"I'm a Holy Knight of the Archbishop level. I'm afraid your current divine power isn't enough to verify my words."

His eyes met mine with a troubled smile.

It meant that the confession of sins wouldn't detect lies from him.

I felt a bit deflated and let out a sigh.

My gaze inadvertently turned to Cristel, who was looking this way.

Her bright smile seemed to say everything would be fine. It was awkward.

*

The protagonist's perceptiveness was really something.

At this point, I felt like setting up a stall in the central market of the capital.

"Prince, did you fight with Sir Heins?"

"What? No."

I immediately denied her accusation, as I had never fought him.

The pink-haired girl across from me in the carriage seemed suspicious.

Her slate-gray eyes narrowed. The only sound was the rhythmic clopping of the horse hooves.

"You seem strangely awkward lately."

"We're not that close."

I gave a bitter smile.

In fact, I hadn't decided how to treat Sir Heins after our conversation the other day.

Tuksim, perched on Cristel's shoulder, made a 'beep beep' sound.

It felt like he was saying, 'You're a terrible liar, human.' Maybe it was just my imagination.

"I understand that you're selective about people, Prince. It took you a while to get close to me and the Prince."

Fortunately, Cristel seemed to accept my excuse.

Though I thought the premise that we were close was debatable, Banzam and Kanael had recently started saying similar things.

Moreover, I was on my way to the outskirts of the palace with Cristel.

The duel between the Prince and the young Duke Blanc was about to start.

We fight on his behalf for honor, and we share secrets.

Maybe we've become real friends.

"I'm looking forward to it. I wonder how Your Highness will teach him a lesson."

"Countess."

"I heard you'll spare his life, but not his limbs."

Crazy. My jaw dropped, and she laughed out loud.

I hadn't seen the Prince's face today, and it made me uneasy.

He must have had his reasons, but being suddenly the cause of a royal duel after living a normal Korean life was quite a dynamic event.

I was tense.

"By the way, Sir Banzam seems suspicious lately."

"Sir Banzam?"

I blinked, and Cristel clicked her tongue.

It seemed she was trying to change the subject for my sake, but my reaction was lackluster.

"He's been getting a lot of mail lately. Maybe he's in a relationship?"

"Sir Banzam has been exchanging letters with someone since I entered the palace. I thought it might be his family."

"Hmm."

She tilted her head in thought. "The atmosphere was strange," she added.

The envelope I saw yesterday was quite pretty, but I didn't think that was enough to make assumptions, so I kept quiet.

In the carriage behind us, Sir Heins, Banzam, and Kanael were seated.

If Sir Banzam was in a relationship, I was very curious.

But it felt a bit intrusive to ask about his personal life.

Personal life... personal life.

I quietly watched Cristel, who was admiring the view outside the window.

I heard that many nobles would be in attendance at the duel.

But no one would be able to match her presence.

Her voluminous and luxurious pants, white boots, lavish cravat, and sparkling brooch were clearly top-notch.

Cristel, with her cute hat and opera glasses, was the perfect spectator.

She seemed very happy adapting to her new life after the possession.

I was curious about what she was thinking.

What was her goal during this time when the Prince had appeared, the Prince challenged his cousin to a duel, and the date for the Crown Prince's investiture was set?

Now that she considered me a friend, it seemed safe to ask.

Maybe I could get some hints about the future.

"Countess, what are your future aspirations?"

Why did those words come out so abruptly?

Trying to ask a serious question made the sentence sound too forceful.

Cristel turned to me with wide eyes. I gave an awkward smile.

"Out of the blue?"

"Not exactly. Um, are you getting along well with the Prince?"

Ah, this isn't right either... A long sigh escaped through my nose.

I was curious if Cristel had developed feelings for him as in the original story.

I wanted to know if the 'Daege' storyline was progressing properly despite all the changes.

I hadn't intended to ask such a direct question.

"That's a funny question, Prince. You're so charming."

Cristel answered with obvious delight. My ears turned hot with embarrassment.

She tapped her opera glasses and continued.

"With the Prince... At first, it felt like we were studying together just to avoid dying, but now it's okay. It's not comfortable, but I've gotten used to it. And now you're here too."

I nodded. The invitation seemed imminent.

"I'm not sure about my future aspirations yet. I want to do a lot without regrets until my memories return. I don't plan to commit crimes or do evil, though, to avoid causing trouble."

I understood her meaning, even though she was speaking indirectly.

She was preparing for the day when the possession would end and the real Cristel would return.

She seemed to be enjoying the current wealth, power, and freedom but was also trying to set limits to avoid harming the child.

Still, she did kidnap a pirate ship. Technically, it was a righteous act, so maybe it's okay?

"Right. I also want to see the remaining divine artifact. I have one, you have one, and I touched the 'Ark of Byleam' in Evelyn."

"I see."

Divine artifacts. This could be the hint I was looking for.

I fell silent, lost in thought.

A story where the protagonist collects divine artifacts like Dragon Balls didn't seem bad from a writer's perspective.

It would be easy for readers to understand, and the process of gaining power would be intuitive.

"Ah! Prince Yeseo's carriage has arrived!"

A familiar voice rang in my ears. I lifted my head.

At the same time, the carriage slowly came to a stop.

"Did you just say—"

"National MC, National MC!"

Cristel shouted excitedly, looking out the window. I couldn't help but laugh.

Did Duke Dume just abandon his own territory?