Chapter 21

Edelis’s face burned even redder. She tried to look at him properly, but each time their eyes met, she looked away again. That shy, adorable reaction was too much—before he realized it, Lehan had begun leaning in toward her lips.

“Your Majesty, you do know we’re outside right now, don’t you?”

Before he could reach her, Edelis brought her hands up and turned her head away.

“I do know.”

“There are still a lot of knights around us, too.”

As she turned her face again, he followed it with relentless determination. But since she kept dodging, he eventually looked around—only to find that some knights had quietly slipped out of the training grounds, and others were lying on the ground playing dead. Thankfully, his knights seemed to have excellent judgment.

“Do you still think there are a lot of people around?”

He stepped back so she could take a better look. Edelis blinked, surprised.

“Huh? Where did everyone go…?”

“They probably went to rest, since training is over.”

“That suddenly? That fast?”

As she looked around in confusion, she bumped into something—his chest. At some point, Lehan had stepped closer, gently placing his hand in her hair, cradling her head.

“W-Wait!”

“Edelis.”

“W-What is it?!”

“So… may I kiss you now?”

He asked again, but in the meantime, he couldn’t resist planting kisses on her forehead and cheeks. The way she flinched each time their skin touched was utterly endearing. It thrilled him to know he was the reason for her blush. When Edelis shook her head—barely, shyly—as if to say “no kiss,” Lehan smiled.

“If our lips touch anyway, I’ll assume it wasn’t your fault.”

His voice was full of playful warmth as he hovered dangerously close, their breath mingling. Edelis froze and finally whispered: “N-No… we can’t.”

“…Edelis, close your eyes.”

His lips inched even closer—definitely toward hers this time.

“Lehan, please…”

“…Is it really that unpleasant?”

His voice sank suddenly, hurt. He stopped kissing her altogether.

“N-no, that’s not it…”

“Then what?”

“My heart feels like it’s going to explode.”

She lowered her head and muttered the words so softly they could’ve been mistaken for a breath. But Lehan didn’t miss them—of course he didn’t. The knights who had been holding their breath and crawling away for dear life were long gone. In the silent training ground, how could he not hear her?

“…Edelis.”

Lehan was going mad with how lovely she was.

Red to the tips of her ears, too shy to meet his eyes, whispering that her heart might burst… He could hardly believe this wasn’t a dream. If someone put a blade to his throat when he woke up, he’d accept it. He’d march back into a battlefield if he could see her like this again—if he could hold her in his arms like this.

And so he did—gently, barely tightening his grip as if afraid she might break.

“Right. If your heart explodes, that would be terrible.”

“Y-you don’t need to repeat it, I’m already embarrassed enough…”

“Edelis, I really do love you. You’re too precious.”

She said nothing. But that was okay—her silence spoke volumes. It told him that she liked him. That she had feelings for him.

“Make sure your heart doesn’t explode on our wedding day.”

She had already pushed things off until the wedding day several times. That was fine. But after that—after that, there would be no more delays.

“Be ready. I’m not going to let you off the hook.”

He could already tell. Today was going to be a happy day.

“…What if I’m not ready?”

“Then shall we practice in advance? So you’re ready on the big day?”

“N-no! I’ll prepare on my own!”

“If you ever need help, just let me know. Day or night.”

He didn’t say it, but he’d prefer night. As expected, Edelis blushed furiously again, unable to speak. It was so endearing that he kissed her face, her hand, and finally took her back to her room.

Back in her room, Edelis threw herself onto the bed and punched her pillow repeatedly. She couldn’t forget the smug, knowing expressions of the maids when she returned to the palace. The blushing empress, and the emperor looking at her like she was the only light in the world—who wouldn’t make assumptions?

“Ughhhhhhh! So embarrassing!!”

But every time she closed her eyes, Lehan’s half-lidded gaze appeared. As if he’d kiss her the moment she gave him permission. His voice, his words—each one making her heart race—replayed again and again in her head.

No wonder the empress fell for him! How could she not?!

Edelis silently apologized to the empress in the book. She hadn’t realized Lehan was this dangerous.

Actually… maybe he’s always been like that.

She thought back to the young Lehan—and then the one who had just tried to steal her heart.

Then she froze.

“…What if Lehan really falls for the saintess, like in the book?”

Just the thought dropped a stone on her chest. Her throat closed up.

“Haaah…”

If the story went the way the book described, then Lehan was supposed to fall for the saintess now. And she’d have to watch it happen.

‘If only I hadn’t watched that duel…’

If she hadn’t seen it, maybe she would’ve been glad that Lehan was being kind to someone else. But now… she worried she’d start resenting the saintess.

‘Is it too late? Should I start distancing myself now, before this gets worse?’

The thought made her feel hollow. Then—

Knock knock.

“Your Majesty, it’s Berman Pasis.”

Pasis?! Come in!

She was flustered by his sudden visit.

‘I thought Lehan gave him the day off after the duel? Raiden was supposed to take over tonight…’

“I didn’t expect you.”

“I told Raiden I’d come.”

“You’re not hurt? You don’t need rest?”

“I’m fine.”

Lehan had beaten him hard enough to make anyone say “ugh,” so there was no way he was really okay.

“But—”

“I’m really fine.”

Of course, having Pasis around gave her a chance to get closer to him—essential, if she wanted someone on her side in the future. But he really didn’t look okay, so she couldn’t very well ask to bond right now.

“I’ll ask the imperial physician for better medicine.”

Edelis wanted to believe in Lehan. He was her childhood friend. He said he loved her. He couldn’t possibly betray her.

But the future she’d seen was too dark to trust blindly.

I believe in Lehan, but… still.

She couldn’t risk it. She couldn’t risk death—not just hers, but her entire house’s. So even if she didn’t want to, she had to build trust with Pasis.

“No, Your Majesty.”

“But… why did you challenge His Majesty to a duel?”

“…I wanted to see if I could defeat him with a sword.”

“But to suggest using real swords… what if you got seriously hurt? That would’ve broken my heart.”

If something went wrong and he couldn’t wield a sword anymore, it would be a disaster.

“You’d… feel pain if I were injured?”

He looked at her with unsteady eyes.

“You’re my guard. Of course I’d be worried!”

“…Ah. Because I’m your guard.”

Edelis thought that was a safe answer—but Pasis’s reaction was off.

“Sir Pasis?”

“…It’s nothing. Sorry.”

She recalled the Pasis she had read about in the book—always watching the empress with sad eyes. She had thought there’d never been anything between them.

Then why is he looking at me like that?

His eyes were faintly red, and he looked like he was holding back tears.

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

“No, it’s really nothing.”

“…It doesn’t look like nothing.”

Why else would he look at her like that? Had she accidentally hurt him somehow?

“Is it hard to talk about?”

“No. It’s just… it’s been a very long time since someone said something like that to me.”

With a faint, strained smile, Pasis looked even sadder.

No way. It couldn’t be, right?

He’d reacted right after she said she was worried because he was her guard. She wanted to believe it wasn’t what she feared—but she couldn’t think of another reason.

She was about to ask directly when he beat her to it.

“Your Majesty, may I ask one thing?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

It was the first time he’d spoken outside of formalities—she was glad. She hadn’t figured out how to ask her own question yet, so it was a relief.

“…Not many people know this.”

He spoke quietly, worried someone might overhear, and kept glancing at her nervously.

“I heard His Majesty was once your personal guard. Is that true?”

“Who told you that?”

Normally people assumed emperors were born emperors. She feared that if Lehan’s secret past was revealed, he might silence everyone—including her and her house.

I promised myself never to tell anyone. But if Pasis heard it from Lehan himself…

“When I came to fetch you before, I overheard His Majesty.”

“Ah.”

If that was the case, then the source wasn’t her—it was fine.

“Yes, it’s true. But I’d prefer if that didn’t spread.”

“Understood.”

But despite her affirmation, Pasis seemed more nervous than before. That meant he hadn’t yet reached the heart of what he wanted to say.

“Your Majesty, I, um…”

“Yes?”

She waited patiently. It was Pasis, after all. She could wait.

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

“All right.”

“Is it… possible for a royal guard…”

“For a royal guard?”

He opened and closed his mouth several times, clearly unsure whether to ask. Which only made her more curious.

“Is it possible for a royal guard… to develop feelings?”

“…What?”

“Could a royal guard fall in love—so much that he’d want to marry the one he protects?”

Pasis… asking whether it was possible to love a noble?

Edelis was stunned. It was one of the most shocking things she’d heard recently.

Romance between guards and nobles was taboo. The difference in status made it nearly impossible, even if feelings were mutual.

Of course, Lehan wasn’t really a knight…

Still, she had to answer carefully. Even if her own feelings were real, she’d only recognized them today. So she gave a general, reasonable answer.

“Yes, I think it’s possible to feel that way.”

After all, emotions can’t be controlled by rules.

“…Then is there a chance for me too?”