EIITAB - Chapter 97 < Something Women Will Like >
Even if it is Trampled and Broken
Who would have thought that the person Aslan chose as his bodyguard was Jerome?
Hestia felt very dazed. Meanwhile, as his name flowed from Hestia's lips, the young knight's already clumsy face became even more disapproving.
He hates her like that...
In Hestia's eyes, it seemed as if he had been forcibly dragged in.
'If not, did the order go to the lowest-ranking knight just because all the senior knights did not do it?'
In a fleeting moment, Hestia was quickly thinking about various things. Then she stopped and put on the brakes herself.
'Aslan can't do that.'
Hestia's gaze briefly rested on Aslan. The man she knew was not the kind of person who would hand over tasks to someone in such a rigid manner.
'If he wanted to insult me, he wouldn't have posted a guard at all.'
Aslan would have rather pointed at Hestia openly and insulted her, but he definitely did not have the petty nature to behave like this.
It was then.
"Man, aren't you saying hello?"
Jerome's head fell forward helplessly as Dean, who followed him into Hestia's room, mercilessly slapped him on the back of the head.
The movement was so large that Hestia was startled again. Jerome scrunched up his face and muttered unconsciously.
"Ah..."
"Oh, sir? How dare this bastard treat his superior like heaven."
Dean came and stood next to Jerome and glared at him. At first glance, he seemed scared, but his exaggerated voice seemed playful, so it didn't seem like he was really angry.
"I gave you a few days off from training, and you've lost a lot of spirit."
"That's not it.... I was surprised by the sudden blow."
"It's not a day or two, right? Why all of a sudden?"
Dean clicked his tongue and glanced at Jerome.
"Stop it. This isn't even the Knights' building."
Aslan, who was looking at the two men in bewilderment, crossed his arms. Only then did Dean close his mouth.
Dean, who had been rolling his eyes as if examining the atmosphere, cleared his throat awkwardly the moment Hestia met his gaze.
"Hmm."
After a brief pause, Dean bowed his head towards Hestia.
"Excuse me. I see you, Princess."
He looked embarrassed, perhaps because he thought it was too late to say hello.
Meanwhile, Hestia was quite surprised inside. Considering that he had come all this way, it seemed like he had no intention of ignoring her, but that was why she had never thought that he would greet her so obediently.
It was clear that she at least wouldn't be treated like someone who didn't exist. Hestia looked at Dean and raised the corners of her mouth.
"Nice to meet you, Lord Dean."
But her lips became a straight line. Hestia tore her gaze away from Dean and immediately moved it to Aslan.
"I haven't received an answer yet, so I'll ask again. Could it be that the escort you spoke of is Sir Jerome?"
"That's right."
Hestia narrowed her eyes.
"Do you really need to be Sir Jerome?"
"Why? Don't you like it?"
Aslan asked back. He really didn't care who it was. She doesn't have to have it!
But it seemed like Hestia had to accept it, so she decided to accept it. But she kept getting more and more concerned about Jerome, who was scrunching up his face as if he was quite uncomfortable with this situation.
He was so-called dead-faced from the moment he entered this room, and not once did he open his face. Anyone could see that it looked like he had been forcibly dragged in.
Hestia swallowed her confused thoughts and opened her mouth.
"If you are an escort, you will have to spend a lot of time with me. Can Sir Jerome bear that?"
Dean, who was standing next to the young knight, seemed to be criticizing Jerome's attitude, so he stabbed him in the side with his elbow.
"It's difficult for me to spend a lot of time with someone who makes me uncomfortable. If Sir Jerome was forced into it even though you didn't want to."
It was then, that Aslan silenced Hestia by raising her hand.
"Wait a minute, Hestia. It may be hard to believe, but Jerome volunteered."
"... Yes?"
Hestia's eyes, who had blinked her eyelids a couple of times as his words did not immediately make sense, widened a beat later.
She blinked her eyes a few more times, then parted her lips as if she couldn't believe it. She had the most surprised look on her face in a while.
'It has to be that way.'
Aslan fully understood why Hestia reacted that way. He told the knights that he would choose a guard for the new Duchess, and when Jerome came to visit him first, Aslan felt the same way Hestia did now.
Aslan knew how much Jerome disapproved of her all the way from the capital to Kalathi Castle, although he only pretended not to know her during the journey.
"Is he volunteering because he feels indebted to me for saving his life?"
"Honestly, I can't say there is no reason."
Aslan pondered. For that reason, he thought that putting Jerome next to her would make her more uncomfortable. So he told Jerome that he would think about it a little more and put it on hold, but unfortunately, no more applicants showed up after that.
Actually, he thought it was not a bad appointment. Although Jerome was still young and lacked skill, Jerome's skills were outstanding. Moreover, considering Hestia's inactive movements, he was rather good.
While he was thinking about past events, Hestia, who had gathered her surprise, opened her mouth.
"I see. I was a little surprised because I didn't expect Sir Jerome to volunteer. I was rude."
Hestia quietly placed her hands folded on her thighs and stared at Jerome. And Aslan looked at her with bated breath.
If Hestia, his partner, was reluctant to the end, he had no intention of forcing it.
'I should look for another guy.'
Unlike him and Jerome, they are a bit more docile. So, is there a guy in the Knights who has a gentle personality and brilliant speech that women like?
Guys with completely opposite tendencies to him are the type of people he would least like to have next to Hestia. H
e wasn't very happy about choosing a candidate. Aslan narrowed his eyes and tasted her.
"I have no intention of forcing you, so if you don't want to, you can refuse."
He thought she would accept his offer. But the words that came out of Hestia's mouth were unexpected.
"No. I don't plan on doing that."
"Does that mean you will appoint Jerome as your bodyguard?"
"Yes. If he wasn't forcibly brought here, I have no reason to be reluctant."
Even as the couple's conversation continued, Jerome remained at attention and remained silent.
Dean, who was watching this situation, felt like he had come to a rough conclusion, so he quietly sighed.
"Then I will tell you Jerome's last name."
A knight appointed as a guard had to kneel before the Lady he would serve, offer his sword, and swear an oath of loyalty, and the Lady would accept his oath by calling him by his full name.
It was an old custom that had been going on for a very long time in the Kingdom of Ellsworth. However, Hestia immediately raised her hand to stop Dean from continuing.
"No. It's okay. There's no need to go that far."
Hestia had no intention of making Jerome get down on his knee to show her unnecessary formality. It was then, that Jerome, who had remained silent throughout her repeated requests, opened his mouth.
"I'm late to say hello."
He walked over to Hestia knelt down on one knee in front of Hestia and lowered his head.
"Thank you for saving my life."
Jerome calmly continued his words.
"Thanks to the Princess, I survived that day. And....."
He unhooked the two swords from his waist.
"I was able to not give up on holding the sword."
He held the two swords of different lengths with both hands and raised them towards Hestia.
"This is the life you gave me, so I will use it to protect you."
The pitchless voice did not tremble at all, and she could tell that Jerome had not made his decision as if he was being pushed around.
Hestia sucked in a breath at Jerome's unexpected pledge of loyalty. She felt an indescribable emotion stirring deep in her stomach. She felt like her sincerity in wanting to save him reached him, and Jerome recognized that.
'I feel rewarded to the point where I forget the hardships I experienced after using any divine power.'
The purple eyes, which trembled for a moment, soon regained their balance and gazed calmly at the young knight.
Hestia, who had been unable to say anything for a while, finally opened her mouth and asked a question in a slightly muffled voice.
"What is your last name?"
"This is Aster."
Jerome answered quickly as if he had been waiting for her to ask.
"Yes, Sir Jerome Aster."
She slowly held out her hand. She took the dual swords that Jerome held out towards her. Hestia then stroked his sword body and placed it back in its place, adding the words.
"Please take care of me in the future."
***
And then, two days later, in the afternoon.
At a time that could be said to be close to evening, the drawbridge of Kalathi Castle went down, covering the moat.
Unlike when Howson and the wagon loaded with grain came, today Hestia was standing next to Aslan, waiting for the visitors.
'Let's not be nervous.'
It shows a relaxed side. Despite her countless promises, she was unable to hide her inner feelings as she became increasingly anxious as time went by.
Her throat was constantly pounding, and her lips were dry.
"Do you want to come in?"
Aslan asked. It meant that there was no need to overdo it.
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