Chapter 15

Maybe it was because Aileen had set such a clear example. The other knights now looked at her as if they couldn’t believe she was the same person they’d seen just the day before.

Some showed admiration. Others, astonishment. A few, envy.
Of course, a handful still carried visible resentment.
But it didn’t matter. Vendy had spent all his time stirring up a hostile atmosphere, and now, all of it had crumbled to nothing.

“Um… Dame Aileen?”

Several knights, hesitant and unsure, approached her. They were around her age, maybe a bit younger.

“Would it be alright if… you gave us some pointers?”

Ignoring the piercing stares from Vendy’s group, they shyly asked for her advice. It was a better outcome than she had expected.

“Of course.”

Aileen smiled with easy confidence. A few more who had been lingering nearby cautiously stepped forward. She didn’t mind that it cut into her personal training time.

“Just like that. You’ve got it.”

“Thanks, Aileen!”

After giving one final piece of advice, Aileen stretched out her arms and exited the training grounds.

“That felt good.”

She couldn’t deny that Carlisle’s words had—at least partially—nudged her into action. She had thought about waiting for Siran’s return, but in the end, she had moved first.

His words helped settle the unstable thoughts that had kept her uncertain.

To be more accurate, maybe she had just stopped holding back so much.
She hadn’t expected Vendy to take the bait so readily, but it had worked out.

“Either way, the rumors were already spreading, and I put up with it for days. If anyone asks, I’ll just say it was a fair way to settle the hierarchy.”

She didn’t like that Carlisle had been the spark that set it all off. She hated even more that she had let herself be swayed by him.
But the results, at least, weren’t so bad.

Pushing aside the lingering discomfort, Aileen walked along the path.

She reached up to fix her messy ponytail—when suddenly, someone yanked her hair from behind.

“Ow!”

She frowned, whipping around.

“Who the hell—!”

“Me.”

It was Ashite. Aileen scowled and smacked his shoulder.

“If I go bald, you’re taking responsibility.”

“Sure.”

“……”

“So, I heard you pulled something off today.”

“What are you talking about?”

Ashite looked ridiculously pleased with himself, grinning like a puppy about to cause trouble. Aileen raised a brow.

“They’re saying you schooled the Khan Order’s knights. That true?”

Aileen let out a short, breathy laugh. Seriously? It had only been a few hours.
She made a mental note: The Khan Order has loose lips.

“I didn’t school anyone. I just sparred.”

“With real swords, I heard. Should’ve finished them off. I mean, you won, right? But did you really finish them?”

“……”

“If not, I’ll do it for you.”

“I’ll politely decline.”

“You’re always too soft. That’s your problem.”

Ashite threw an arm around her shoulder, grinning ear to ear. Funny, considering he’d been the one so firmly against her rejoining the Order.

Aileen just covered her mouth with one hand and chuckled.
Ashite, a full head taller than her, rested his chin lightly on her head as they walked together.

“What should we eat tonight?”

“You’re already thinking about food? Is your brain just full of meat and swords?”

“I care about my family too, you know. Anyway, you—huh?”

Ashite suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Aileen followed his gaze.

Of course. It had to be now.

Her expression tensed slightly.

At the end of Ashite’s gaze, Carlisle was walking toward them with his usual unreadable expression.

The fact that it had to happen while she was with Ashite made things worse. She could already picture how her brother would react.

Then she remembered—they were at a crossroads between the three knight orders. It was bound to happen eventually. She’d just taken the wrong turn.

Sighing inwardly, Aileen tried to pull Ashite’s arm and turn him in another direction.

But he didn’t budge.

In fact, he started walking straight toward Carlisle. And because he was stronger, Aileen was dragged along helplessly.

And so, the three of them met.

Ashite was the first to speak, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Well, look who it is.”

“It’s been a while, Sir Ashite.”

“You’ve got some nerve. Talking to me?”

“I simply returned the greeting you gave. Out of courtesy.”

“You little—do you want to die?”

If it were the Carlisle he knew, Ashite had expected him to keep walking. Ashite, much like their father, had a quick temper—and when provoked, he didn’t let go easily.

But this? It felt like Carlisle was asking to be provoked.

Just as Ashite seemed ready to snap, Aileen stepped between them, whispering sharply.

“There are people around.”

There were a few knights in the distance. Ashite turned his head sharply and shouted.

“I saw all your faces! If word of this gets out, you’re dead!”

The knights flinched and scattered like leaves in the wind, nodding like their lives depended on it.

Ashite may have been hot-headed, but he wasn’t careless. He knew how much Aileen had suffered. And he knew how hard she’d worked to pull herself together again.

He bit down his rage and leaned forward, voice low and threatening.

“You bastard. I’m letting it slide this time because of Aileen. But if I see you again—pray you don’t.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Unlike the furious Ashite, Carlisle didn’t show the slightest sign of emotion. In the same calm tone, he nodded once and turned away, leaving without hesitation.

Just before walking past them, he gave Aileen a single glance.

“That bastard! I swear! Ugh, Aileen, I’m so pissed I might explode! Next time, don’t you dare stop me!”

Ashite kept running his hand through his hair, pacing in agitation.

But Aileen knew he was acting this way because he cared deeply. As irritating as he was, it all came from how much he worried about her. She reached out and gently patted his arm.

“Okay, okay. You’re the best, really. You’re my rock.”

“Well… yeah. That’s true.”

Ashite scratched his head awkwardly at the compliment. Aileen giggled and thought back to a similar moment in the past.

She remembered crossing paths at this very spot.
The only difference then was that she had been holding Carlisle’s arm—and when Ashite saw it, he’d completely lost it.

He had shouted in disbelief the moment he spotted them together.

“What the hell are you two doing?!”

Aileen had answered without batting an eye.

“Can’t you tell? Oh, right—you’ve never seen it before. This is Carlisle. My boyfriend. Carlisle, this is my older brother, Ashite. As you can see… he’s a bit intense.”

Carlisle had smiled faintly—so subtly that only she would have noticed.

Even that brief exchange of glances between them had infuriated Ashite. He’d jumped between the two of them and physically pushed them apart.

Then, gripping her wrist protectively, he’d glared at Carlisle with open hostility.

“Let me be clear—I don’t approve of you. Aileen deserves better!”

“What the hell, Ashite! That’s beyond rude!”

Aileen had known how quick-tempered her brother could be. So she let him drag her away—on purpose.

But even so, she couldn’t stand what he’d said.
How could he say such things to someone so precious to her—someone she herself handled with such care?

She had torn her arm free, run back to Carlisle, and grabbed his sleeve tightly.

“I’m really disappointed in you. I didn’t know you were so rude and crass. I’m leaving. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

“Huh? Aileen! Wait!”

For several days after that, Aileen refused to speak to Ashite.
In the end, he’d given in, throwing his hands up and sheepishly asking for a second chance. Only then had they started to reconcile.

They had gone through all that. And yet… now?

Aileen let out a bitter smile.

The next day, Cylas and Siran returned from their brief mission. The moment they stepped into the training grounds, they both narrowed their eyes, picking up on the subtly altered atmosphere.

“Dame Aileen, could you help me with this?”

“Aileen! Could I borrow you for a second?”

Knights who had once shunned Aileen were now calling out to her openly. Even Vendy and his group—who had led the earlier resistance—were now huddled quietly off to the side.

Having come straight to the grounds without a full report, Cylas motioned to a nearby knight.

“What happened while we were gone?”

After getting a rough overview of the events, Cylas headed for his office, wanting a full report from his adjutant.

“Interesting.”

Siran, on the other hand, rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched Aileen.
She hadn’t noticed—she was back in training, focused as ever.

“Dame Aileen.”

The quiet voice behind her made Aileen immediately halt mid-swing and lower her wooden sword.

“Vice Captain.”

“You handled things faster than I expected.”

“Ah, I was going to report to you after today’s session.”

“No worries. I always knew you were capable. I just didn’t expect you to be this sharp after being away for so long.”

“Well… I never really stopped training.”

The faint bitterness in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. Siran smoothly changed the subject.

“Normally, when both the Captain and I are away, Vendy takes charge.”

“……”

“But I think from now on, you can handle that role instead.”

The comment was so absurd Aileen almost jumped. But seeing Siran’s half-smile, she realized he was just trying to lighten the mood. She gave a sheepish laugh.

“Still, I’m serious. Vendy’s done it a few times before. Of course, nothing’s official yet—we’ll need to observe a bit more. But I think you should prepare yourself.”

His usual smile faded, replaced by sincerity.

Aileen couldn’t say no to her superior’s words, so she gave a reluctant nod.

“For now, finish today’s training strong. I’m counting on you to guide the other knights, Dame Aileen.”

After a few more light words, Siran offered a faint grin and turned to leave.

“…Maybe this won’t be so bad.”

Aileen whispered to herself, watching his figure retreat.