Chapter 38

She wouldn’t be able to refuse him here.  

Not without shattering the “sweet couple act” she had so carefully maintained.

He didn’t like this kind of manipulation. But even so, his twisted heart ached with desire.  

‘You can call it selfish love, I don’t care—just look at me, just once.  

Even when we’re alone, I’ll be the same.  

I’ll love you the same.  

Not as a friend— But as a man.’

***

‘What’s with him all of a sudden?’ 

That was Rodella’s first thought.

Was he really this committed to the act?

Aivert’s gaze was serious—so serious that it made her doubt whether it was an act at all.

Either way, it would look strange if he took a vacation on his own while leaving his fiancée buried in work.  

People would talk.

As she was lost in thought—  

“Of course!”  

“Leave it to the Vice Commander! Is he finally asking her out on a real date?!”

Some of the others were already getting worked up.  

Rodella’s cheeks flushed.

It wasn’t anything romantic… was it?

“Where to?”

Feeling awkward in the sudden atmosphere, Rodella blurted out the first question that came to mind.  

She didn’t even realize she’d dropped formal speech—proof of how flustered she was.

And just like that, she’d become the one picking the date location.

‘Why did I even ask that?!’

She could feel her face heating up.

“Hmm…”

But instead of shutting it down, Aivert poured fuel on the fire.

“—Home?”

“Whaaaaaa!!”

The training ground erupted in the loudest cheer yet.

Rodella turned, mouth open, head tilted.  

‘Are you seriously just going to rest at home? I mean… technically that’s still a vacation… and suggesting somewhere else would’ve made it even more awkward…’

Realizing she’d walked into an inescapable trap, Rodella muttered: “If the Commander approves, I suppose we can proceed.”

After all, the Quartermaster and Vice Commander couldn’t both disappear at once.

She was confident in that.

Sir Latine, the one who now held the power to approve or deny their leave, was a reasonable superior. Surely, he’d say—

“Go ahead.”

“…Excuse me?”

Rodella blinked, utterly uncharacteristic of her.

Meanwhile, Latine let out a hearty laugh.

“If it saves us some costs, why wouldn’t I approve? Go! As long as you like!”

“Whaaaaa!!”

Amid renewed cheering, the two of them locked eyes.

‘You’re not actually going to go through with this, are you?’

’Why wouldn’t I?’

His shamelessly obvious look made Rodella press her fingers to her forehead.

‘Good grief.’  

Apparently, both the Commander… and this guy… were under a lot of stress lately.

***

Rodella couldn’t even remember how she’d gotten back into the main building.

By the time she came to her senses, she was already inside, having left the training ground behind.

Her head was full of Aivert’s sudden words.

‘He must’ve been really stressed. That’s all this is.’

But even knowing that didn’t make it easier to shake off.

Most of all—

“Wishing you a happy love life!”

“Whaaaaa!!”

‘Why are they reacting like that?!’

That made it even worse!

Rodella could still feel her face burning just like before—like it had been set on fire.

Even now, she felt hot.

She fanned herself with the hand not shackled to Aivert.

“…?”

Was he really not affected at all?

She could feel his puzzled gaze on her.

“Vacation. With you.”

That voice still echoed in her head.

‘It’s all their fault. The way they reacted!’

‘Why did I ask “where,” anyway? That’s what made the cheering even louder!’

“…?”

Even now, Aivert’s expression was as indifferent as ever.

Finally, Rodella spun toward him.

“Back there—”

She started to speak, just as they turned the corner of the hallway—

“Good day, ma’am!”

A group of knights passed by.

“…!”

She couldn’t just announce to them that everything had been an act.

Rodella nearly bit her tongue trying to keep her mouth shut.

She avoided biting it—barely.

But she didn’t manage to avoid—

“Ow—!”

Twisting her ankle.

Her weight tipped forward.

‘If the cuffs show now…!’

Her mind went blank with panic.

But then—

Aivert’s cuffed hand caught her wrist gently.

Rather than yanking her upright, he moved in the direction of her fall, as if dancing—and caught her effortlessly.

Thump.

Rodella’s face landed right against his chest.  

Her mind went completely blank.

Then—  

“What were you trying to say earlier?”  He asked casually.

His voice rumbled right through her, and Rodella jerked backward as if shocked.

“S-sorry.”

She didn’t even know what she was apologizing for.  

If not for the cuffs, she would’ve bolted into her room by now.

She’d been walking for over two decades—what was this clumsy moment now?!

“….”

In the silence, the knights passed by quietly.

As if saying, ‘We won’t intrude on the couple’s moment.’

‘Don’t hold your breath and walk away like that!!’

“Rodella?”  Aivert called her name.

“What were you trying to ask?”

Snapping out of it, Rodella waved a hand.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“…?”

She had wanted to ask if he’d really meant those things back there.

But she shut her mouth.

Because honestly, the one acting out of character wasn’t him—it was her.

***

A few days later.

Discovering—after more than a decade of knowing him—that Aivert’s chest was firmer than she expected, and after several nights of Aivert lying awake beside her…

The knights’ response to Rodella’s “emergency measures” was immediate.

“…How much have I broken?”

“What the hell have we done all this time?”

“How does the Commander afford our salaries?”

Some knights were moved to tears, worrying over Latine’s wallet.

Others were more action-oriented.

“I heard they even crushed the Red Knights in the latest report?”

“I told you—the Quartermaster’s no joke. She’s nothing like the ones before.”

“Of course not. Didn’t she graduate top of her class from the Imperial Academy?”

Expectations for Rodella were rising naturally.

“And doesn’t the Vice Commander seem a lot more restrained these days?”

“Well, Dame Syveric is by his side now.”

“Even so…”

The idea that Rodella was the only one who could “hold Aivert’s leash” began to take root.

Amidst this changing atmosphere, good news arrived from the branch office.

“Vice Commander! Quartermaster!”

Felix barged in, dark circles under his eyes from what looked like three sleepless nights.

But still—

“I did it! The key is ready!”

He announced proudly.

At that moment, Aivert and Rodella’s expressions split in opposite directions.

“Ooh, give it here,” Rodella said quickly, grabbing the box.

Felix’s eyes met Aivert’s for a moment.

“…?”

Immediately, Felix froze under the sharpness of Aivert’s gaze.