Chapter 91

Elisha fiddled with the pendant like a habit.

She was supposed to give it back but couldn’t find the right time. Not surprisingly, the person she was thinking of at the moment was Rohan, who had visited almost every day while Elisha was away.

It was polite to reciprocate by giving it back to herself, not to mention that the pendant was in a state where the jewelry had been damaged.

Elisha, who had been thinking about it, couldn’t put it off any longer, so she asked Marie to prepare snacks for her.

It was a comrade with whom she had spent quite a long time and fought alongside the 1st Order when heading for the West. She hadn’t even seen his face at a separate time since her return, so it wouldn’t be bad to go and greet him.

It would be nice to take Leon with me, but today’s class is indispensable, so she moved alone with her maids.

Clang!

Rohan swung his sword, and the power within it was enormous.

“Hiiy!”

Miller was startled and pulled back in surprise. If he had done it wrong, his pitiful belly, which was tight with muscles but could still be hurt by the blade, would’ve been ripped in half. However, the attack did not end there.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He couldn’t make sense of the attack that went from a vertical line to a horizontal one and then was drawn with an oblique line.

“C-Captain! Are you trying to kill me?”

“If you can’t do it, get out. Next person!”

As Rohan spoke without holding his breath, Miller said timidly.

“No, I’m not saying I can’t. I’m just saying let’s do it in moderation.”

“Raise your sword. I realized how lax you have become while hunting trolls this time. You’ve been out of your mind ever since you came back from the West. Perry! If Hein hadn’t helped this time, you might not be able to raise your sword again. Do you know?”

“Yes! I know!”

He didn’t know why Rohan suddenly changed his target, but it was true anyway, so Perry answered loudly.

“Then stand by.”

“… Yes!”

I’m dead, thought Perry while raising his sword. After Miller had been beaten hard, it was his turn to go up to the training ground.

He sighed and warmed up lightly, and as he looked towards the entrance to the training ground, a familiar delicate figure was approaching.

“Huh?”

Perry’s eyes widened. As much as he noticed, those who were competing in the center of the training ground had also stopped their movements.

“2nd Consort! What brings you here?”

Perry ran quickly to meet Elisha.

“I haven’t seen your faces properly since my return.”

“Your presence is a pleasure. Why can’t I see the 3rd Prince?”

“The 3rd Prince is in class.”

“But you should have come together. That way, it is good to— But anyway, it’s fine. Next time, hopefully, the 3rd Prince—”

Perry babbled again, but Elisha said nothing. She could see how gentle and upright Perry was by looking at Shamir. He didn’t even hit a guy like Shamir and actually listened to him. That proved something.

“2nd Consort, I was hurt!”

“I’m so glad you came back safely!”

Among the members of the 1st Knights, those who had gone to the West together surrounded Elisha and talked to her, so it was chaotic.

Thud!

There was a sound of the scabbard of the sword hitting the training ground’s floor lightly. Surprised, the knights withdrew from Elisha and stood in line. Rohan approached Elisha.

“My apologies. I will warn them.”

“It’s nothing. Weren’t they fellow soldiers who shared their lives with me? It’s nice of them to welcome me without reserve.”

Then, after asking Rohan for permission, she unpacked what she brought.

During an untimely break, people gathered in the open space outside the training ground and talked while eating snacks.

Elisha and Rohan sat a little further away from them. The fabric on the floor makes a rustling sound with every movement.

Neither of them ate or drank anything first. The two stayed still. Rohan opened and closed his mouth several times.

“Cotton Ball is doing well.”

“What do you mean by cotton ball?”

“Oh, I think it had a name, something like Remy. It’s just like a ball of cotton, so I called it that, I’ve gotten used to it.”

“It’s a fitting name, too.”

It was like that for Rohan too.

“I think it’s too late to say gratitude, but thank you very much. I’ve heard that there have been a number of situations that would have been very difficult without Sir Rohan.”

“I just did what I had to do.”

“I think you did more than that. Sir Rohan really dotes on the 3rd Prince.”

Because it was true, Rohan was no longer modest. After those words, the two of them became quiet again. This time again, Elisha spoke first.

“Did the cotton ball’s parents die by the trolls?”

“Yes. If it was a little late, the cotton ball would have died as well.”

It was funny to hear cotton ball coming out of the mouth with a stern face and clear pronunciation.

“Huh.”

Rohan looked back at Elisha at that small, sigh-like, soft breath. And just in time, she was looking at Rohan, too.

The coldness within the thin, curved, sky blue eyes softened. The tips of her rather pale lips slightly curled up.

He wondered if he could also smile like that, but then he realized that he was smiling too.

The wind blew between the two. Rohan had already put the words he had wanted to ask in his mouth from the beginning.

“Are your fingers okay?”

At first glance, there were no wounds, but it was not clear because they were covered by her sleeve.

“Ah.”

Elisha opened her mouth slightly and then closed it. It was a sigh that was somewhat empty, different from the smoothness before.

“Are you sick?”

When Rohan asked with solemn reddish brown eyes, Elisha shook her head.

“No. Everything is fine.”

Then she remember why she came here.

“I have something to apologize for.”

“Tell me.”

Elisha took the pendant out of her sleeve. Rohan’s gaze didn’t fall from Elisha’s every move. Elisha placed the pendant in the palm of her hand and held it in front of Rohan.

“I should have returned it as is, but I broke it.”

“That’s all right. You’ve returned to give it back.”

“That’s a given, but I lost the green gem in it.”

She was thinking about what to say if asked how she lost what was stuck inside.

“That’s all right.”

Rohan looked as if it really was all right.

“That gem was the color of Sir Rohan’s mother’s eyes.”

“That’s right. I put what my mother left me in the pendant.”

It was a more meaningful gem than she had expected.

As Elisha seemed to be sorry again, Rohan added.

“Even if it was ordered by the 2nd Consort, I blamed myself the whole time for sending you away like that. Still, I believed that you would come back and so I waited. If you had to sell it and use it when you needed it, I wouldn’t mind.”

Ah, Elisha wondered if that man knew that she had been treating this pendant as an emergency fund. And contrary to what he said, it looked like it was something he really cherished.

Of course.

Since it was a guy like him who wore it around his neck all the time.

“That gem saved my life once. So if you allow me, I’ll give you something really good later.”

Rohan looked a little surprised at Elisha’s words and held the pendant together with both hands.

“No need. I think we can leave it like this.”

“You’re going to leave it empty?”

“I think it will also have a new meaning.”

“There’s no such thing as that. Hahaha! Sir Rohan also speaks strange things.”

“What is it? What is it? Please tell me too, you two. Let’s laugh together. Hahaha!”

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Perry thrust his face between the two. He didn’t seem to care about the identity of Elisha and Rohan, he had only thought there was something and throw himself between them.

“What rudeness is this?”

As Rohan’s face hardened, the air seemed to sink heavily. Perry put his chin on the snack basket between Rohan and Elisha with a pitiful expression on his face.

“I’m just so curious.”

“What are you curious about?”

“The two of you look so happy, so I think it’s a big deal… I want to meet the 3rd Prince… I want to ask how Remy is doing…”

As the nonsense increased, Rohan’s eyebrows rose more and more. He was usually reticent and kind to his subordinates, but he was very scary when he got angry. Perry was so frustrated that he wanted to bang his own chest. How can you not understand my loyalty?!

He had dedicated himself to protecting the peace of the empire!

Then Perry’s body was lifted up. Miller had come over and grabbed Perry’s back and lifted him up.

“Huu.”

***

Miller sighed deeply and told Elisha and Rohan to keep talking, and said that he’d take the poor fellow away.

When Rohan and Elisha were completely unaware, Miller told Perry.

“No matter how blind you are in romantic affairs, didn’t I tell you not to bother them? You’re going to die if you keep living like this. I understand you don’t have anyone to share you feelings with, but the 2nd Consort—”

“It’s not like that!”

“Are you sure? Because the moment the 2nd Consort gave the captain a bit of a smile, you turned around and ran and threw your body in the middle of the two of them.”

“No, it’s not like that, you ogre bastard!”

As Perry hopped about crazily because only he knew what was important— Mm?

Perry found someone over there looking at them with the same kind of gaze. It was Hein Remote.

He didn’t know about that guy, but the Remote family had a bad relationship with the captain.

“No, it’s not like that at all!”

When Perry shouted, Hein, who was usually timid whenever he was not holding his sword, unknowingly took a step back.

“It’s not like that. You’re wrong!”

Yes, even if it rots, I’d rather rot alone. Don’t add more team members! Our captain and the 2nd Consort are in danger!

When Perry shouted, Hein said, blushing.

“N-No. I just… just…”

“Why? Do you also like the 2nd Consort?”

Then a crazy ogre came and said bullshit.

I’ve said a few times that it’s not like that…

“Also? Then who else is there?”

Hein glanced at the ogre and Perry alternately with a timid face full of curiosity.

It’s you, right?

It’s one of you two, right?

You guys are the same as me, right?

The voice of Hein’s heart, which was usually not profound, was heard clearly.

“Ah, damn it! I’m telling you it’s nothing like that!”

Perry was in agony as he grabbed his head.

“Sir Perry is in a bad mood.”

“Looks like it.”

***

Rohan wondered if the training was too much today.

The two sat a little longer. It seemed as though the seat would be sold out immediately if one of them had to get up first, but the words did not come out easily.

However, no matter how good a place was, there was always an end.

Elisha said to Rohan.

“I’ll be on my way. I think I’ve been bothering you for too long.”

Even Rohan knew he couldn’t keep her longer.

“Yes. Thank you for today.”

“I was more grateful.”

As they exchanged greetings with each other, they saw a new group of knights coming from the entrance of the training ground.

“You’re here?”

It was a familiar voice. It was Marquis Blemir who had become very strange these days.

“What are you doing here, Marquis?”

When Elisha asked, Blemir answered, not looking at her but at Rohan, who was standing next to her.

“It’s not like it’s a place I’m not supposed to visit. Don’t you think so, Sir Rohan?”

Originally, the leader of the 1st Knights was the first sword of the Empire. However, Blemir was the only successor to the Duke Fontana, so it was difficult to appoint him the role of the knights commander who had to focus on external affairs.

Considering that the 1st Knights commander had to be the emperor’s closest ally and even had to take charge of the escort, Blemir’s personality and aptitude also did not fit with the emperor.

Of course, at that time, Rohan had already been the commander of the 1st Knights, but if Blemir had offered to take over, Rohan would have to give up his position without hesitation and became the vice-commander.

It’s not that Blemir had nothing to do with the 1st Knights. It’s just that he was better off without.

“What did you come here for, Marquis?”

As Blemir seemed to pick a fight, Elisha stood in front of Rohan and asked again.

Blemir’s eyes trembled, barely holding back his anger. He didn’t understand why she was asking him such a question on behalf of the man, and he didn’t want to understand.

“Marquis, if you’re not going to tell me—”

“There’s been a lot of talk about this and that in Barossa lately. I don’t think we’ll see each other for a while, so I plan to tell you some of the news, thinking if there’d be problems in the time when I’m not present.”

“Oh, did they let you know that I was here?”

“The handmaiden told me.”

“Then wait there, what are you doing all the way here?”

Elisha asked as though she was truly puzzled, but then convinced herself. Asking him to wait there when she herself didn’t even know when she’d return?

“I was just about to leave. Let’s go back together.”

At Elisha’s words, Blemir’s expression softened a little.

Then Elisha said, taking a step forward beside Rohan.

“By the way, where are you going? You don’t have to answer if you find it difficult to answer.”

As Blemir had said, Barossa had been busy with various rumors these days. In particular, the crown prince’s faction was also in an uproar because of the story of Elisha becoming the empress candidate.

They even said Elisha betrayed them, deceived them, and fooled the prince. After all, except for Ascensio as their common interest, the nobles had never taken Elisha as their side.

Anyway, she was a little concerned about that, so she asked…

“We’ve got a request to subdue monsters from the Mergin territory.”

Elisa’s body staggered at Blemir’s answer. Blemir was surprised and tried to reach out his hand, but Rohan, standing right behind her, was a little quicker.

Rohan, holding her from behind, was about to ask Elisha if she was okay when he saw the other young man staring at him as if he were going to kill him right in front of her.

The brown eyes burned red. Whoever looked at it, those were the eyes of a man in love. And the person in question was undoubtedly the woman in his arms right now.

“Let go.”

Said Blemir. Rohan just stared at him silently.

As if it was going to be a big problem, Blemir’s bodyguards and Rohan’s 1st Knights approached.

Elisha lightly tapped Rohan’s hand to indicate that she was okay, and straightened her posture. Rohan hesitated in worry for a moment before letting go.

Elisha faced Blemir with Rohan behind her.

She knew it was not like her to trip on her foot, but she was just flustered.

It was because the Mergin territory was the place where Marquis Blemir had died before.