As the wind blew, which was much hotter than before, Marcus swept his fine red hair up. With his straight forehead revealed, he looked younger than when she first saw him.
“You are truly a great knight.”
“...Is that so?”
“Yes, of course.”
He continued to speak as if it was nothing special, walking steadily.
“Rather, I realized that I have no connection with knights because of this incident. If I were a proper knight, I wouldn’t have been hit by the sword that Young Lady swung. It’s truly embarrassing.”
“Then what do you want to be?”
“Yes?”
“You said you realized that you have no connection with knights. Then don’t you want to be something else?”
“...”
“Knight?”
When Ines called him again, he stopped in his tracks. Then the two naturally faced each other.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Actually, no one has ever asked me that. I was momentarily at a loss for what to say.”
“I guess so. Asking someone born into a knightly family if they want to do something else would be rude. So do you have another dream?”
“...Is that so?”
“Yes, of course.”
He continued to speak as if it was nothing special, walking steadily.
“Rather, I realized that I have no connection with knights because of this incident. If I were a proper knight, I wouldn’t have been hit by the sword that Young Lady swung. It’s truly embarrassing.”
“Then what do you want to be?”
“Yes?”
“You said you realized that you have no connection with knights. Then don’t you want to be something else?”
“...”
“Knight?”
When Ines called him again, he stopped in his tracks. Then the two naturally faced each other.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Actually, no one has ever asked me that. I was momentarily at a loss for what to say.”
“I guess so. Asking someone born into a knightly family if they want to do something else would be rude. So do you have another dream?”
He just stared at Ines’ lips as she asked. After a moment, Marcus spoke with emphasis, each word as if he was making a decision for himself.
“I wanted to be a doctor. No, I want to.”
“I envy you.”
“Huh?”
“I envy you. I mean, that you have something you want to become. I just wanted to live. Like a human being. I think that’s enough. Anything more is extravagance.”
Ines started walking again.
“Thank you.”
But the words she heard next left her with no choice but to turn to him. When she turned around, the flowers blooming on the side of the path swayed gently in the wind from her skirt.
“What?”
“I’ve never told anyone that I have a dream other than being a knight, but I never thought you would be envied if I did.”
“Why?”
“Some people often say that being a member of the National Assembly is a vulgar... job.”
“Is that so?”
Ines asked softly and continued walking. She really liked the simple flower path. The real her would not have said anything more.
“Life is precious. No one else can live it for you. Do what you want to do. Don’t go to the point of no return.”
“I wanted to be a doctor. No, I want to.”
“I envy you.”
“Huh?”
“I envy you. I mean, that you have something you want to become. I just wanted to live. Like a human being. I think that’s enough. Anything more is extravagance.”
Ines started walking again.
“Thank you.”
But the words she heard next left her with no choice but to turn to him. When she turned around, the flowers blooming on the side of the path swayed gently in the wind from her skirt.
“What?”
“I’ve never told anyone that I have a dream other than being a knight, but I never thought you would be envied if I did.”
“Why?”
“Some people often say that being a member of the National Assembly is a vulgar... job.”
“Is that so?”
Ines asked softly and continued walking. She really liked the simple flower path. The real her would not have said anything more.
“Life is precious. No one else can live it for you. Do what you want to do. Don’t go to the point of no return.”
She knew that it was not a topic for giving advice to anyone, but Ines felt compelled to tell him.
At that moment, Marcus quickened his pace and stood tall in front of her. Then he smiled brightly like the sun rising high in the sky. Ines thought that his red hair looked like light scattered from the sun.
“Yes, I understand. No, I will keep that in mind.”
He was someone she wanted to cheer for. She smiled naturally. But then he tilted his head and stared intently at Ines’ face.
“But are you really okay?”
At his worried expression, Ines raised her hand and touched her cheek.
“Your face is red.”
“Ah.”
It seemed that the fever that had started earlier was still rising due to the wound. Ines still didn’t properly recognize the feeling of pain.
“Ines.”
At that moment, she was startled by Carson calling her name from not far away. He continued talking without giving her time to think about when he had started calling her by her name instead of Young Lady Swenden.
“Come here.”
He was not only calling her by her name, but he was also talking to her. Embarrassed, she just blinked her eyes wide. Marcus, standing next to her, bowed deeply to show respect to Carson.
“What are you doing there? Come here.”
However, he did not accept Marcus’s greeting and only urged her on. Ines told Marcus to challenge himself to do what he really wanted to do.
He was someone she would never get close to again, but somehow she had a feeling that her meeting with that gentle knight would not end like this. She hurriedly approached him, but Carson, who had called her, didn’t say anything. Thanks to Carson walking a little faster today, Ines also hurried her steps. Then, suddenly, he stopped. And he turned to Ines.
“Aren’t you feeling hot right now?”
Ines raised both hands and covered her cheeks. It would be more accurate to say she hid them rather than covered them. He raised his large hand and placed it on Ines’ forehead. She was so surprised by the sudden action that she couldn’t tell if his hand was hot or cold.
“The doctor said you should rest today without moving. Didn’t you hear that?”
“I heard.”
“But why...?”
She sighed deeply, not speaking.
“Ines... Stop causing trouble.”
As if it didn’t require an answer, he walked ahead again. Ines followed him quickly.
“But you talked to me?”
“I wonder where you just talked.”
“Huh?”
“No. And you don’t have to do that anymore.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Apologizing to someone. I won’t let that happen.”
After that, he took Ines to her room without saying a word and appointed another knight. He rarely posted guards in front of his own room, but he made Ines’s room stand guard at all times. Thanks to this, she didn’t take a single step out of her room until she returned home the next day.
Two weeks after returning from Carson’s house, Ines received an invitation letter from Charlotte. It asked her to visit in three days.
“Susan.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Get ready to go out.”
Ines hurried around lunchtime to buy a present for Charlotte. After getting ready, she went to her father’s office to tell him that she was going out.
“Where are you going?”
But her father was also preparing to go out. He was so busy that he couldn’t even make eye contact with Ines.
“I heard that a committee meeting for Lesonia has been scheduled.”
Ines, who seemed busy and was about to leave, approached her father.
“So suddenly?”
“That’s right.”
“You don’t have to go to the Lesonia committee anymore, do you?”
“Our family hasn’t been completely transferred to Landhill yet. And we haven’t decided on a replacement for your father yet.”
The committee had to be an odd number. So if there weren’t enough people to vote, they couldn’t handle important matters.
“Can you tell me what the agenda is?”
“Ines, I can’t tell anyone about the agenda for the committee meeting.”
“I know. But!”
Her father was putting important-looking documents into his bag. Ines’ heart was racing as he was about to leave the office.
“Are you going to elect a new committee member?”
“Well.”
“Is it about our family’s return to Landhill?”
“That’s not it. The issue of land affiliation is the exclusive right of the royal family.”
“If so... is it about integrating Landhill into Lesonia?”
Only then did Andrew’s actions stop.
“Where did you hear that?”
She heard that Count Graham, who had recently visited the palace, had returned to the estate. If he had succeeded in bringing Swenden back to his estate, Carson would have contacted her. But he had not said anything until now.
Then, a committee meeting was suddenly scheduled. It was rare for a committee to convene outside of a regularly scheduled meeting.
“My father was against the integration all along, wasn’t you?”
Andrew sighed heavily when Ines asked him a question instead of answering it.
“Your mother said you’ve been acting strange lately. I’m busy right now, so let’s go and talk.”
As Andrew hurried out of the office, Ines grabbed his arm.
“You’re going to bring an escort, right?”
The Swenden Manor was not far from the market. Both Lesonia and Landhill were known as safe places in the empire.
That’s why Andrew didn’t usually bring an escort. However, he nodded obediently at his daughter’s desperate expression.
“I’ll take them.”
After Andrew left, Ines wrapped her hair and sank down on the sofa in the office.
No matter how cornered Count Graham was, he wouldn’t make a mistake in this situation. She told herself that it would be okay, but her heart was not at ease.
“My lady, the carriage is ready.”
At that moment, Susan came to the office to pick Ines up.
“Yes, but...”
“Yes?”
Ines stood up and said firmly.
“I’m not going to the market, I’m going to go to the lord.”
“Prince Carson?”
“Yes.”
“Is he someone you can meet even if you come so suddenly?”
She shook her head because she wasn’t sure herself, but she didn’t hesitate on her way out.
Contrary to her fears, Ines, who had come to meet Carson, was guided straight to him.
“You have other things to look for, too.”
He playfully spoke to Ines as she entered the reception room, but then jumped up from his seat at the sight of her pale expression.
“What’s going on?”
At that moment, Marcus quickened his pace and stood tall in front of her. Then he smiled brightly like the sun rising high in the sky. Ines thought that his red hair looked like light scattered from the sun.
“Yes, I understand. No, I will keep that in mind.”
He was someone she wanted to cheer for. She smiled naturally. But then he tilted his head and stared intently at Ines’ face.
“But are you really okay?”
At his worried expression, Ines raised her hand and touched her cheek.
“Your face is red.”
“Ah.”
It seemed that the fever that had started earlier was still rising due to the wound. Ines still didn’t properly recognize the feeling of pain.
“Ines.”
At that moment, she was startled by Carson calling her name from not far away. He continued talking without giving her time to think about when he had started calling her by her name instead of Young Lady Swenden.
“Come here.”
He was not only calling her by her name, but he was also talking to her. Embarrassed, she just blinked her eyes wide. Marcus, standing next to her, bowed deeply to show respect to Carson.
“What are you doing there? Come here.”
However, he did not accept Marcus’s greeting and only urged her on. Ines told Marcus to challenge himself to do what he really wanted to do.
He was someone she would never get close to again, but somehow she had a feeling that her meeting with that gentle knight would not end like this. She hurriedly approached him, but Carson, who had called her, didn’t say anything. Thanks to Carson walking a little faster today, Ines also hurried her steps. Then, suddenly, he stopped. And he turned to Ines.
“Aren’t you feeling hot right now?”
Ines raised both hands and covered her cheeks. It would be more accurate to say she hid them rather than covered them. He raised his large hand and placed it on Ines’ forehead. She was so surprised by the sudden action that she couldn’t tell if his hand was hot or cold.
“The doctor said you should rest today without moving. Didn’t you hear that?”
“I heard.”
“But why...?”
She sighed deeply, not speaking.
“Ines... Stop causing trouble.”
As if it didn’t require an answer, he walked ahead again. Ines followed him quickly.
“But you talked to me?”
“I wonder where you just talked.”
“Huh?”
“No. And you don’t have to do that anymore.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Apologizing to someone. I won’t let that happen.”
After that, he took Ines to her room without saying a word and appointed another knight. He rarely posted guards in front of his own room, but he made Ines’s room stand guard at all times. Thanks to this, she didn’t take a single step out of her room until she returned home the next day.
***
Two weeks after returning from Carson’s house, Ines received an invitation letter from Charlotte. It asked her to visit in three days.
“Susan.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Get ready to go out.”
Ines hurried around lunchtime to buy a present for Charlotte. After getting ready, she went to her father’s office to tell him that she was going out.
“Where are you going?”
But her father was also preparing to go out. He was so busy that he couldn’t even make eye contact with Ines.
“I heard that a committee meeting for Lesonia has been scheduled.”
Ines, who seemed busy and was about to leave, approached her father.
“So suddenly?”
“That’s right.”
“You don’t have to go to the Lesonia committee anymore, do you?”
“Our family hasn’t been completely transferred to Landhill yet. And we haven’t decided on a replacement for your father yet.”
The committee had to be an odd number. So if there weren’t enough people to vote, they couldn’t handle important matters.
“Can you tell me what the agenda is?”
“Ines, I can’t tell anyone about the agenda for the committee meeting.”
“I know. But!”
Her father was putting important-looking documents into his bag. Ines’ heart was racing as he was about to leave the office.
“Are you going to elect a new committee member?”
“Well.”
“Is it about our family’s return to Landhill?”
“That’s not it. The issue of land affiliation is the exclusive right of the royal family.”
“If so... is it about integrating Landhill into Lesonia?”
Only then did Andrew’s actions stop.
“Where did you hear that?”
She heard that Count Graham, who had recently visited the palace, had returned to the estate. If he had succeeded in bringing Swenden back to his estate, Carson would have contacted her. But he had not said anything until now.
Then, a committee meeting was suddenly scheduled. It was rare for a committee to convene outside of a regularly scheduled meeting.
“My father was against the integration all along, wasn’t you?”
Andrew sighed heavily when Ines asked him a question instead of answering it.
“Your mother said you’ve been acting strange lately. I’m busy right now, so let’s go and talk.”
As Andrew hurried out of the office, Ines grabbed his arm.
“You’re going to bring an escort, right?”
The Swenden Manor was not far from the market. Both Lesonia and Landhill were known as safe places in the empire.
That’s why Andrew didn’t usually bring an escort. However, he nodded obediently at his daughter’s desperate expression.
“I’ll take them.”
After Andrew left, Ines wrapped her hair and sank down on the sofa in the office.
No matter how cornered Count Graham was, he wouldn’t make a mistake in this situation. She told herself that it would be okay, but her heart was not at ease.
“My lady, the carriage is ready.”
At that moment, Susan came to the office to pick Ines up.
“Yes, but...”
“Yes?”
Ines stood up and said firmly.
“I’m not going to the market, I’m going to go to the lord.”
“Prince Carson?”
“Yes.”
“Is he someone you can meet even if you come so suddenly?”
She shook her head because she wasn’t sure herself, but she didn’t hesitate on her way out.
***
Contrary to her fears, Ines, who had come to meet Carson, was guided straight to him.
“You have other things to look for, too.”
He playfully spoke to Ines as she entered the reception room, but then jumped up from his seat at the sight of her pale expression.
“What’s going on?”
He approached and grabbed her arm, and Ines grabbed his wrist.
“My lord, you said that I was in the same boat as you, right?”
As she leaned on him, her anxious heart quickly calmed down.
“Yes, so tell me quickly.”
“Actually, it might not be a big deal...”
Carson ordered Noah to make sure no one approached the reception room. He guided her to her seat.
She took a deep breath and began to explain slowly.
“So you’re saying that Viscount Swenden is on his way to the conference room to attend the Lesonia Committee meeting? Where is it?”
“There’s more than one place where the committee can meet.”
There were three places where the committee could host a meeting. But there were more than three places.
One of them was a regular meeting room exclusively for the committee members, and the second was inside the courthouse.
“The other one is one of the committee members’ mansions. That’s also a rotational arrangement, so even you don’t know about it, right?”
“That’s right.”
The committee has learned to exclude all other powers to enjoy its own independent choices. One way of doing this is to hold its meetings in places unknown to the lord.
“My lord, you said that I was in the same boat as you, right?”
As she leaned on him, her anxious heart quickly calmed down.
“Yes, so tell me quickly.”
“Actually, it might not be a big deal...”
Carson ordered Noah to make sure no one approached the reception room. He guided her to her seat.
She took a deep breath and began to explain slowly.
“So you’re saying that Viscount Swenden is on his way to the conference room to attend the Lesonia Committee meeting? Where is it?”
“There’s more than one place where the committee can meet.”
There were three places where the committee could host a meeting. But there were more than three places.
One of them was a regular meeting room exclusively for the committee members, and the second was inside the courthouse.
“The other one is one of the committee members’ mansions. That’s also a rotational arrangement, so even you don’t know about it, right?”
“That’s right.”
The committee has learned to exclude all other powers to enjoy its own independent choices. One way of doing this is to hold its meetings in places unknown to the lord.
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