Chapter 29
“What are you talking about?”
Aveline was rather perplexed by Ares’ reaction.
“What knight is more famous and skilled than Master?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know the rumors about Master?”
Ares continued, sounding exasperated.
“You don’t even know that he’s turned down invitations to join the Imperial Knights several times?”
“The Imperial Knights?”
Being invited to join the Imperial Knights meant one’s skills were exceptional, so why was he at the Herolds’ estate?
As Aveline tilted her head in confusion, Ares quickly explained.
“He said he refused because he wanted to live an irregular and carefree life. And he chose our estate so he could slack off moderately.”
“… Is that okay?”
Suddenly, concern for the estate’s security blossomed in Aveline’s mind.
“Master alone is worth about ten ordinary knights anyway. We’re grateful he’s here.”
In other words, it was like having a university professor teaching toddlers how to walk in a nursery.
“Anyway, do you know how much Master compared you and me? He always asked why I couldn’t do things you could.”
This was news to Aveline, as Sir Ridan had seemed indifferent when teaching her.
“Come on. I only learned the basics. It’s not comparable to you.”
As Aveline shook her head in disbelief, Ares looked skeptical.
“Didn’t you learn how to mount a running horse?”
“Isn’t that basic?”
“What about deflecting arrows with a dagger?
“I did that. But the arrows didn’t have tips.”
“… Then what about spinning twenty times on the spot and immediately getting into a defensive stance?”
“That was a bit difficult. I only tried it a few times because it made me dizzy.”
“…”
As Aveline’s answers continued, Ares’ expression grew increasingly gloomy.
“Mounting a horse… did it take you about ten tries to succeed?”
“Not ten. Maybe three? How about you?”
“…”
Ares’ face scrunched up grumpily at Aveline’s answer.
“Why that expression?”
“Because it took me ten tries.”
“Ah…”
So he had asked Aveline based on his own standard of ten attempts.
“What the… No wonder Master always compared us. If His Highness the Crown Prince hears about this, he’ll probably order you to join the Knights immediately.”
Ares grumbled, his mouth hanging open.
“Ugh. No way.”
Aveline detested the idea of catching the Imperial family’s attention in any way.
“By the way, where is Sir Ridan now? I haven’t seen him for a while since my training ended.”
“Ah. He’s retired now and returned to his hometown.”
“Without saying goodbye?”
Though she had suspected it since he disappeared, it was still disappointing to hear he was really gone.
As Aveline expressed her regret, Ares shrugged.
“It’s okay. Master was fair and left without saying goodbye to anyone. Anyway, so, are you coming along?”
“No. I made a mistake in front of His Highness yesterday…”
She felt awkward about seeing him again after bursting into tears the moment she saw his face.
‘Besides, I don’t want to break the lingering impression of seeing Edward in person.’
Having just seen Edward, she didn’t want to experience the confusion of seeing the Crown Prince, who looked exactly like him, and feel like her favorite character was being ruined.
“Oh right. Speaking of yesterday…”
Ares spoke as if he had just remembered something.
“Have you thought of an excuse? I’m sure he’ll ask me about it later.”
“What excuse? For why I cried yesterday?”
“Yes. I told you to think of one, remember?”
“Won’t it work to say he resembles someone I know…?”
That was the vague excuse she had given to the curious Crown Prince yesterday.
Ares looked incredulous at Aveline’s words.
“Are you kidding? Everyone knows you’ve been in seclusion for the past four years. And with His Highness’ personality, he’ll probably be curious about who this person is that resembles him.”
Oh no.
She hadn’t considered the Crown Prince’s personality, which wouldn’t be satisfied until his curiosity was resolved.
“I’ll cover for you today by saying I haven’t asked you yet, but make sure you think of something. He’ll definitely ask at some point.”
“Okay…”
“Well, I’m off then.”
Shortly after Ares left the room, Yoni entered with washing water.
“You’re up already? That’s unusual.”
Yoni was surprised to see Aveline awake without needing to be roused.
“Yeah. I felt like being a bit more diligent today.”
“Oh my, my lady…”
Yoni’s face showed utter amazement at Aveline’s words.
It was the face of someone who had never expected to hear such words from Aveline’s mouth.
‘That’s a bit stinging.’
Aveline ignored the prickling of her conscience and finished washing her face.
Then she changed her clothes and let Yoni do her hair.
Knock knock.
Just then, a cautious knock was heard from outside.
“Just a moment, my lady.”
Yoni let go of Aveline’s hair and carefully opened the door.
“Oh my, Emma?”
The person who had knocked was Emma.
“What in the world…”
In Emma’s hands was an enormous flower basket.
It was so large that Emma’s face was hidden behind the flowers as she held the basket.
“It’s for you, my lady,” Emma said as she struggled to set the flower basket down on the table.
“For me?”
Who could be sending me flowers?
“I tried to check who sent it, but there’s no name… Oh, here’s a note!”
Emma rummaged through the flowers as if she had just remembered something and found a small note.
“Did you carry this heavy thing by yourself?”
Yoni, who was marveling at the enormous size of the flower basket, asked Emma.
“The estate’s usual mail handler is on vacation, so I’m filling in just for today.”
“Ah, that friend Lisa? You share a room, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
While Yoni and Emma were chatting, Aveline opened the note that had been in the flower basket.
“To my jewel.”
There was no name written, but the content seemed to make it clear who it was from without needing to see a signature.
It was bad enough to suddenly send such a suspicious flower basket to someone else’s house, but to write a note that could be misunderstood by anyone who saw it…
The “jewel” Theron referred to wasn’t Aveline, but the magic stone inside her body.
While Aveline could understand the meaning, it was obvious that others would likely misinterpret it.
‘Why did he suddenly send this?’
Though Theron was an unpredictable person, he wasn’t someone who acted without reason.
There must be a clear reason for suddenly sending this flower bouquet.
The problem was, what was that reason…?
‘Wait. Could it be…’
Suddenly, Aveline’s dream from last night flashed through her mind.
“We can spread a rumor.”
“That you and I are lovers.”
‘This crazy bastard!’
To think that the dream she had dismissed as impossible was actually real.
Moreover, she hadn’t expected him to send a flower bouquet right away after saying that.
“Oh my. Who is it from, my lady?”
Yoni and Emma, seeing that Aveline had opened the note, stopped their conversation and showed interest.
“It’s nothing. Nothing at all.”
Aveline hurriedly crumpled the note in her fist.
“Does anyone want this?”
Aveline pointed to the elaborate flower basket sitting on the table.
“… This?”
Yoni and Emma couldn’t hide their surprise.
They all looked as if they weren’t particularly interested in the enormous flower basket.
“… Never mind. Everyone, please leave.”
Left alone after everyone had gone, Aveline glared at the innocent flowers.
‘What if…?’
She was struck by the worry that this crazy duke might have planted something in the flowers.
‘Should I check?’
She could use some magic now, even if it wasn’t much.
‘Alright. I’ll try it.’
Aveline closed her eyes and concentrated.
“Hiyaaah!”
…
Despite her dramatic shout, the room was surprisingly quiet.
“Yah! Hup!”
But Aveline, not giving up after one failure, tried several more times to draw out the magic within her.
“Huff, huff. What’s this? Nothing’s happening at all.”
She had thought she’d learned to use magic a little bit, but…
Feeling no results, a sense of disappointment washed over her.
“Wait a minute.”
The magic Aveline had developed was Theron’s.
So if Theron had done something to the flowers, Aveline’s absorbed magic should show some kind of reaction…
“Don’t tell me… he really just sent flowers?”
Suddenly, a chill ran down Aveline’s spine.
In the past, she used to feel her heart flutter when reading scenes of heroines receiving flower gifts in novels.
Aveline’s heart was racing now too.
But for a different reason.
“Is this guy really insane?”
The fact that he had simply sent flowers without any tricks made Aveline even more afraid.
The enormous flower basket that filled the table and the flowers that filled it seemed to reveal the madness of the sender.
“This won’t do. I need to clear my head.”
Aveline, her hair tied up tightly, fled to the training grounds within the estate.
“It’s been so long.”
It was a place she hadn’t visited much since stopping her training with Sir Ridan.
As it happened to be break time for the Herolds estate knights, the training ground was empty.
Aveline picked up a wooden practice sword that had been carelessly left about and swung it around as she remembered.
“… I’m not sure if I’m doing this right.”
Aveline, having lost confidence after so long, shrugged and put down the practice sword.
Clap… clap clap clap!
Suddenly, the sound of applause came from nearby.
