Chapter 11
Upon returning to the mansion, Aileen had dinner with her family as usual. Time flew by as she answered the barrage of questions—whether things went well with His Majesty the Emperor, what had been decided regarding her future, and so on.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—her family didn’t notice anything off about her. But once Aileen was back in her room, the calm expression she had worn quickly collapsed. Her legs gave out from the delayed exhaustion, and she sank to the floor.
The truth was, her encounter with Carlisle had left a deeper shock than she had expected. She had believed, deep down, that he must’ve had his own reasons—something he couldn’t speak of. That belief only made the truth hit harder.
What she gained after ending things was simply the painful confirmation that all those cold moments had been real—Carlisle’s true feelings. It was heartbreaking, but a truth she had to accept.
Wishing only to return to the knights as soon as possible, Aileen fell asleep with that hope in her heart.
Not long after Aileen’s private audience with the Emperor, Duke Revart also met with His Majesty and expressed his firm commitment. Although Aileen had already informed him of what to expect, Edys couldn’t hide his delight.
As soon as Duke Revart declared his loyalty to the Emperor as his sword, good news arrived for Aileen as well.
“It’s finally here.”
With a faint smile, Aileen carefully read the letter in her hands. It was from His Majesty, Edys.
[Your return has been confirmed. Starting one week from today, you will officially be a knight of the Khan Order. —Dame Aileen.]
It was the message she had been so desperately waiting for. Aileen could barely contain the excitement rising in her chest.
Finally, she was going back. It was something she had longed for—so now that the door had opened, she was determined to aim even higher. She would strive to become Captain of the Khan Order and raise the proud name of Revart even higher.
Though Ashté had already made a name for himself in the Lil Order, it was a well-known fact throughout the Empire that the most skilled knight was Carlisle. As Commander of the Cel Order—a position only given to the very best—his achievements, especially at such a young age, were overwhelming. No one could dispute it.
Since Aileen had sparred with Carlisle almost daily, she knew better than anyone just how talented he was. It would be difficult—but she had to try. She would surpass him and become the Empire’s greatest knight. She would become someone who shone brighter than Carlisle.
As her first step, Aileen spent the remaining week in full training. Since she was joining the Order under the Emperor’s direct command, some might claim she received special treatment, sparking criticism.
Though she had once made a name for herself in the Cel Order, she had been away from knighthood for quite some time. It was inevitable that people would doubt her skills. The best way to silence them? Prove it with action.
Even after leaving the Order, Aileen had never stopped training with her sword. That steady practice became the solid foundation that didn’t just preserve her skill—it refined it. She had nothing to fear. No reason to shrink back.
Exactly one week later, she put on the uniform of the Khan Order and walked confidently toward the Imperial Palace.
It had been a long time since she last wore a knight’s uniform, and unlike before, this one belonged to the Khan Order, not the Cel Order. The deep blue uniform was buttoned neatly up to her neck with silver fastenings. Her pale forehead gleamed beneath waves of soft pink hair tied high behind her head.
After tucking a few stray strands behind her ear, Aileen stepped down from the carriage with ease.
“His Majesty is waiting for you.”
Thankfully, the meeting spot this time wasn’t anything strange. She followed the attendant’s lead toward the Emperor’s office.
Knock knock. The attendant knocked politely on the door. As soon as he announced her arrival, a voice from inside granted permission to enter.
Aileen stepped in and slowly looked around Edys’s office—a place she hadn’t seen in a long time. It was nearly twice the size of her own room. One wall was covered with bookshelves, and the other…
“Still the same as ever.”
Aileen furrowed her brow in exaggerated disapproval, muttering under her breath. True to Edys’s flashy taste, the walls were covered in sparkling decorations.
Tsk. How can an Emperor be so gaudy? She clicked her tongue without realizing. Sitting at the head of the table, Edys smiled and gestured for her to sit.
“Isn’t it more impressive than the last time you were here? That must’ve been, what… four or five years ago?”
“It’s more blinding than it was back then.”
Aileen replied dryly as she took the seat across from him. Edys let out a loud laugh.
“You really have no sense of aesthetics. That’s your problem.”
“As long as I do my job well, that’s all that matters.”
“Can’t argue with that. Speaking of which, are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“Yes. I wasn’t selected through a formal entry exam anyway, and since you already gave the approval, it’s fine. I already had my knighting ceremony before, so there’s no need to make it official again.”
Leaving the Order didn’t nullify her title as a knight. Aileen was still a proud knight of the Diert Empire. She was simply returning—this time to the Imperial Knights.
“Besides, this kind of special appointment is rare enough that if you showed up with me, it’d probably just make things worse.”
“You’re probably already a thorn in their side.”
Edys chuckled. A noblewoman with little recognition as a knight, personally placed into the Imperial Order by the Emperor himself—of course it would stir resentment and gossip.
Edys understood that well and had gladly agreed to her request.
“Alright then. I’ll introduce you to the Commander and Vice Commander now. Do your best, Dame Aileen.”
With a bright smile, Edys called for the two knights. The moment he did, the door opened, and two imposing men stepped inside.
One of them, with a massive frame and bronze-toned skin, had short, graying hair and deep gray eyes that carried a heavy, steady gaze. Beside him stood a younger man with blond hair and blue eyes, looking at Aileen with a relaxed, easygoing smile.
“You already know this one—Aileen Revart. And over here, we have Commander Cylas Siette and Vice Commander Siran Lloyd.”
In truth, they didn’t need Edys to make formal introductions—they already knew of one another.
Due to the Diert Empire’s wide borders with northern nomadic tribes, the Imperial Knights’ commander and vice commander tended to be younger than those of other kingdoms.
Instead of assigning experienced, older knights to the palace, the Empire often sent them to oversee the frontlines in the provinces. Rising talents, on the other hand, were nurtured through missions in the Imperial Order—facing real battles and building their strength through action.
Aileen’s father, Duke Revart, was a perfect example of that system. After Edys ascended the throne, the Duke stepped away from central politics and devoted himself to training the knights of House Revart and defending the lands bordering the nomads. Occasionally, he dispatched his knights to assist nearby territories as well.
Now that he had pledged to become the Emperor’s sword, he would return to the capital and resume political activity—though such cases were rare.
Cylas Siette, second son of the Count of Siette, had recently been appointed as Commander of the Khan Order. Thanks to Carlisle and Ashte, Aileen had heard plenty about the Imperial Knights. She knew Cylas had just entered his forties, didn’t talk much, but was known to treat his knights with sincere care.
A few years from now, he too would step down from the command and go to guard a fief granted by the crown—just like the others.
Aileen swallowed dryly, a hint of bitterness catching in her throat.
“Ah, I almost forgot. You two know each other, don’t you?”
“We’re not on bad terms,”
Siran replied with a light chuckle, answering Edys’s squinting question with playful ease.
Siran Lloyd. He was Ashte’s close friend and had often visited House Revart since childhood. Naturally, he and Aileen were well acquainted. After she began dating Carlisle, they had drifted apart, but even after years apart, they didn’t feel awkward around each other.
“Good. I’m counting on you to help her settle in smoothly,”
Edys said, patting Siran on the shoulder as though entrusting him with her care. Aileen scoffed silently at his overprotectiveness, but kept her expression politely composed.
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
With Siran’s formal reply, the meeting came to an end. The three of them exited the Emperor’s office together. Edys’s long-winded chatter had delayed things enough that the usually stone-faced Commander Cylas was visibly stiffening with impatience.
“It’s been a while, Aileen. I’m glad we finally meet again.”
Once they were far enough from the office, Siran reached out with a warm smile, offering her a handshake. His blond hair, tied halfway at the back, swayed gently around his jawline.
“It has. Good to see you again, Sir Siran. I look forward to working with you.”
He was still the same Siran who used to visit the mansion and ruffle her hair with a grin. Aileen returned his handshake, then turned and bowed politely to Commander Cylas.
Her voice came out a little too firm, tension slipping through despite her best efforts.
“Aileen Revart. I’ll do my best not to be a burden to the Order. I look forward to serving under your command, Commander.”
At her earnest expression, Cylas’s hardened features softened slightly.
In truth, he hadn’t known much about Aileen’s accomplishments during her time in the Cel Order years ago. Despite Siran’s enthusiastic praise, Cylas had assumed she was just another spoiled noblewoman relying on her father and the Emperor’s backing to waltz into the Order.
But now, seeing her like this…
“Very well. Do your best.”
She might turn out to be a better subordinate than he expected.
“The Khan Order may feel unfamiliar at first, but you’ll get used to it. Our duties are pretty interesting in their own way,”
Siran said as they reached the entrance to the training grounds. Along the way, they’d chatted casually, and in response to Aileen’s request to treat her formally from now on, Siran had dropped the polite tone between them.
Raising her brow slightly, Aileen responded calmly.
“Every role is important in its own way. I’m ready, Vice Commander.”
“Good to hear. Let’s go in, then.”
Siran let out a soft laugh that drifted into the air. Aileen took a deep breath, letting the familiar atmosphere of the knights’ training ground wash over her for the first time in years. Her heart pounded with nervous excitement.
Bang! Without warning, Siran flung the door open.
Through the wide-open entrance, all eyes turned toward them—the knights, in the middle of synchronized sword drills, now pausing mid-swing to see who had arrived.
