Chapter 69

That evening, Furgin headed to the Knights’ indoor training ground. There was a cheap bottle in his right hand, that he could not even drink.

His mind could hardly bear it. Furgin unbuttoned the top of his uniform that was pressing his neck and drank alcohol. Then, he turned to the knights who were training themselves.

“It’s me!”

Why is he drunk again? Onjet looked up and stared at Furgin with irritated eyes. Nowadays, he was worried about Furgin’s testimony as if he had a fish bone stuck in his throat.

On the day when the operating expenses disappeared, Onjet was actually at the training ground, contrary to Furgin’s expectations. He had seen Leasis and Furgin cleaning.

Onjet recalled that day, while glancing at Leasis. At that time, he had thought that Leasis had stolen it, and had encouraged Karma to kick her out. He had not even suspected Furgin.

However, Leasis’ behavior these days was too much to consider her as a thief. Rather, it seemed that she was protecting the knights. It made Onjet feel uncomfortable.

The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it was. When Furgin had pointed her out as the culprit, he had lied, saying he had not cleaned with her. Onjet, the only witness, was feeling quite reluctant about it.

“It’s me… it’s me!”

“Hey, dude! Be quiet! What if the Vice Commander-nim hears you?”

As expected. Karma, who was working in the Commander’s office, suddenly opened the door.

“What’s all this noise?”

Karma looked at the members in annoyance. When a drunken Furgin came into his eyes, he got angry, saying that it was a mess.

Leasis could not watch this anymore, approached Furgin and tried to help him, as he was staggering. But Furgin suddenly knelt in front of her.

“Furgin-nim, what are you doing! Come on, get up.”

“I’m sorry.”

Leasis tried to make him stand rapidly, but he was steady. He shouted so loudly that the training ground rang.

“I… I stole it! It wasn’t Leasis who stole that money, it was me! Because of my father’s medical expenses… I lied…”

Tears fell on the floor of the training ground. The knights were shocked when they saw their colleague crying and apologizing.

Leasis approached Furgin, sobbing, and took off her uniform jacket. Then she helped him leave the training ground quietly.

“Then did Furgin trick us?”

“Onjet, you told us. You saw that trainee stealing!”

“What? Onjet, were you on the same side? Are you making fun of us?”

The arrow of criticism was directed at Onjet and Furgin. Without making excuses, Onjet scratched the handle of his sword with his fingernails.

As internal divisions broke out, a bloodstain rose on Karma’s forehead. He was angry with himself rather than with Furgin and Onjet. He had defamed the Knights with his personal feelings. He calmed the members down, scolding his stupid self.

At that time, Leasis returned after leaving Furgin in his room. The knights avoided her eyes while coughing. They clearly remembered how they had insulted her so far.

Leasis picked up calmly the wooden sword that she had left on the floor. Then she began training with a swing as if nothing had happened.

Karma approached her. He could not stand it without asking. If it were a different time, if it were someone else, he would have secretly accept it. But he wanted to hear her answer today.

“Why were you hiding the truth?”

Leasis’ red eyes turned to Karma, as she lowered her sword. Eyes full of conviction, broad shoulders, straight waist, confident voice.

“I’m sorry I lied to everyone. But I couldn’t do otherwise because I knew the pain of my colleague. I’m sorry.”

Leasis bowed her head toward everyone. The Division’s members were embarrassed by her sudden apologies. Who were the people who really did wrong and why was she apologizing?

Karma took out his sword and pointed it at Leasis. Is he going to punish her directly? The knights looked around and tried to stop Karma.

“Come on.”

In the heavy atmosphere, Karma spoke lightly.

“It’s a punishment for fooling everyone. I’ll fix your behavior today.”

“…”

“What are you doing? Are you disobeying me, the Vice Commander?”

“No.”

“A trainee like you is not even a bite for me. If you beat me this time, I’ll take care of Furgin’s crime quietly.”

The members of the division mumbled at the unbelievable words. Karma faked a cough as he saw her red eyes sparkled.

“Of course, your status as a trainee will be re-evaluated… Ugh!”

*

When did the time go like this? Opening the big window to cool his head, Hizen looked at the dimmed training ground. It was unusually calm today.

Hizen smiled faintly. In the early morning, he had encountered Leasis, who was pulling out weeds like a ghost at the training ground.

[…Why is a maid pulling out weeds?]

[Hehe. Maids are always busy. I need to do this.]

[Do it during the day. Why are you cleaning this up in the middle of the night?]

[I don’t have time during the day.]

Why don’t you have time? A woman who sticks to me and doesn’t fall off. He looked at her with an absurd face, and she said firmly.

[I don’t have time to be with you.]

“That’s how you tried to stay by my side. But now you don’t even think about me…”

Hizen leaned against the window and murmured low. But then, something red shook in the distance.

What’s that? His blue eyes blinked a couple of times. The red light ran in front of him and disappeared at great speed.

“Count-nim!”

Hizen sighed, touching his forehead with one hand. He was not particularly surprised because he would occasionally have hallucinations about Leasis.

“Count Dratius-nim!”

“Oh, my God. I’m seeing things again.”

“Count-nim, why are you seeing things? It’s not like the Count-nim!”

Leasis, who came close to the window, was breathing hard. She wiped the sweat on her forehead with her sleeve and rubbed her eyes.

Then, her red eyes grew bigger. Hizen’s blond hair, which used to come up to his shoulder, was neatly arranged. The look was so great that she kept admiring him with her mouth open.

Meanwhile, Hizen sighed as he swept away his soft blond hair. It was really serious. It’s not enough to think about Leasis all day, so now I’m seeing and hearing things.

Besides, it was a problem that this crap did not disappear at the moment.

“Disappear, useless thing.”

Hizen shook his hand as if he were kicking out a beggar. Feeling cold in the wind, Leasis struck the window frame with her fist.

“You’re so mean!”

Boom!

The windows and the building shook with a tremendous noise. Hizen gave strength to his eyes instead of his staggering legs.

Leasis? Is that really Leasis?

“I have become an official knight! I came running to tell the Count-nim first…”

This time she’s real! Hizen immediately jumped out of the window. Settling slightly on the ground, he grabbed her shoulders and asked actively.

“Did you really become a knight?”

“Yes!”

Good job, great! Hizen’s face was filled with laughter. It was not pleasant to be an official knight in the Knights of the stupid Schwalnon, but she was one step closer to her dream! Now he was relieved.

Hizen embraced Leasis to express his liking. But she escaped from his arms like last time. She had come right after finishing a fight, so she was smelling sweat.

Hizen grasped her intention and raised his eyebrows. The smell of sweat had nothing to do with it. He was with her, so that was not a problem.

As Leasis took a step back, Hizen took two steps closer. Surprised, she took three steps back, and he took four steps.

As Leasis continued to step backward, she lost her balance and stumbled. Then Hizen hugged her.

“Leasis. Are you alright?”

“I think… I think so.”

But her heart was not. Leasis stopped breathing at the uncontrollable, pounding heartbeat. She felt embarrassed because she could feel his firm chest on her cheek.

“Be careful. What if you fall down?”

Leasis lowered her eyes in Hizen’s arms. She did not know what to do because she had not seen him in a long time and he was so friendly. She even had the childlike desire to stop time like this.

Hizen held her tightly and whispered low.

“A present. Is there anything you want?”

Leasis shook her head quietly. Then Hizen stepped back and faced her.

Why not? I can do anything for you. He spoke in a friendly voice.

“If you want a personal training session…”

“Count-nim is busy.”

Hizen burst into laughter at Leasis’ blunt words. He said, putting her messy hair in order.

“It’s all right. I’ll make time somehow, so let me know if you need anything.”

It’s a shame that I can’t get my fingertips to touch him. Leasis could not resist and caught his hand.

Surprised, Hizen looked down, and she murmured.

“Count-nim, you’ve become more handsome.”

“I’ve always been.”

She pouted at Hizen’s brazen answer. As he said, he was originally cool, but now he was cooler. It was hard for her to look straight, and she envied the people he was with.

So she could not say any good word. Leasis touched her lips and said what was on her mind.

“The other people must like it. They can see Count-nim every day.”

“What does that have to do with anything? The only person I want to see is you.”

Hizen, who inadvertently spit out his true feelings, turned red. Looking up at him, Leasis remembered Owen’s stories.

Owen had said something unbelievable at the party. When she was gone, the Count-nim’s face was as white as a corpse.

Also, last evening, Owen had told her an incredible story. The Count-nim even called the imperial hairdresser to trim his hair a little while ago. So she had said that his look had become softer.

Based on those things, Owen was convinced. The reason Hizen got his hair trimmed was Leasis. Owen even remembered Max’s prank about Leasis’ ideal type that haunted him.

[Did you hear me? The Count-nim likes Unnie.]

Leasis said it was just a guess, but it did not work either. She was half-confident about whether he really did, but Owen gave her a firm advice.

Hizen’s heart is clear, so before it’s too late, grab him.

‘I don’t want to miss it.’

Greedy, Leasis recalled a romance novel she had read before. At that time, surely, in such a dark night, in this atmosphere, a kiss…

“Count-nim.”

His blue eyes, which were more beautiful than sapphires, looked at her. Feeling like she was possessed, she took the courage to speak.

“Give me a present.”

“Huh?”

“Yes. You said you’d give me a present.”

Hizen was going to ask what she wanted, but closed his mouth. He did not care about anything. If she wanted, he could give her anything.

As Hizen nodded, Leasis let out a long sigh.

She immediately stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.