Chapter 93

Chapter 93

After completing his mission, Blix headed straight to Elnos’ bedroom. He yawned, pulling out the sword tied to his waist. His aggressive younger brother would attack him as always, so he was prepared in advance.

“El. I’m back… huh?”

Is it a dream? Blix kept rubbing his eyes. However, the scene in front of him did not disappear and remained the same.

What are those two doing over there? Without me! Blix approached the bed. It was not cool, even if he were to wake them up right now.

But Blix stopped walking. The first face he saw was Elnos’, lying face to face with Leasis. He was sleeping with such a peaceful smile.

Blix hesitated and approached the bed carefully. He moved with small steps, looking at the two.

Elnos was asleep in a gown, but Leasis’ condition was unusual. She seemed to be covered in blood, from her shoulders to her arms and the sleeves of her uniform.

It must have hurt a lot even if the wound had already healed. Be gentle. Blix thought he should say something to Elnos when he woke up.

At that time, Leasis tossed and turned. She frowned as her uniform was crampled and rolled a little, right to Blix’s nose.

Her fragrant hair touched the tip of Blix’s nose. He stepped back slightly with a blushing face.

‘Ahhhh…

Blix peeped at her, swallowing his dry saliva, and reached out his hand. He thought it would be better to organize her hair a little.

Blix paused as he was organizing the scattered red hair on the bedside. A small dot came into his eyes.

What’s this? Blix narrowed his eyes. When he looked closely, he saw a small emblem of a red rose. Blix looked attentively at it and engraved it in his mind.

“Umm…”

In the meantime, Leasis blinked and raised her body halfway. She blankly looked around the bedroom wider than a playground.

Then, green eyes and red eyes met.

“B-Blix-nim! Wha-what?”

Leasis was surprised and pointed at Blix. I haven’t seen you in a long time, but you’re yelling and not even saying hello.

She screamed at Blix, who was a bit disappointed.

“What’s going on! Where are we… Ahhh.”

Leasis, who was looking around, opened her eyes wide. Right next to her, a handsome black-haired man in a gown was smiling.

He spoke with a deep voice.

“Good morning?”

“El-nim?…”

Oh my god. Leasis unwittingly started pulling her red hair. Then Elnos and Blix grabbed her arms from both sides.

“Hey, wake up.”

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

Leasis realized one thing when she heard them speak at the same time. The man she used to call El was the Crown Prince.

Leasis clenched her hands as hard as she could, and looked alternately at them with a nervous face. Of course, to these brothers, she looked cute like a cat bristling its fur.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince Elnos, Your Highness Prince Blixrond. Have you been deceiving me the whole time?”

“No.”

The two men denied it lightly. Looking at it, it was not deceiving. They just did not tell her who they were.

Leasis touched her tingling arm and bit her lips. Considering the situation, there seemed to be no significant viciousness in what they did.

Even though she had lost conscientiousness while aiming her sword at Elnos yesterday, he had saved her life. And it was clear that Blix had tried to help her and Setchen, although he was cruel.

Elnos looked at Leasis thinking deeply and said lightly.

“This is the result of my cooperation with Ashley.”

“What? Why would you do that with that stupid girl?”

Blix answered faster than Leasis. He was angry, asking why he did such a thing.

Elnos listened half-heartedly and glanced at Leasis. Even though she was nervous, she did not lose her composure.

He liked it quite a bit.

“It hurt a lot yesterday, didn’t it? It won’t happen again.”

When Elnos spoke soothingly, Blix got surprised and closed his mouth. The tone in his voice showed that he was worried about her.

No, I’ve never seen him like this before. What happened to the two of them while I wasn’t here? Blix narrowed his eyes.

“I cooperated with Princess Ashley without knowing you were the woman she was sending.”

“So if it weren’t me, you would have killed the woman sent?”

Elnos was neither negative nor positive. Leasis’ eyes looking at him did not shake.

She had a persistent gaze. Elnos got a little awkward and scratched his head.

“It would have been closer to the killing side.”

“Your Highness the Crown Prince Elnos, meaningless killing is not right.”

“Leasis, stop. You might really die if you mess around.”

Despite Blix’s warning, Leasis remained firm. Her whole body hurt, and she was afraid, but she could not back down.

She was a knight who never lost faith in any situation. Even if the target was a mad prince, her conviction would not change.

Elnos raised a corner of his mouth with an embarrassing look. He shrugged his shoulders, alternating between Leasis and his Hyung, who were waited for his answer.

“Okay. I’ll consider it.”

“Positively.”

It was only after hearing it that Leasis’ firm expression was relieved. Elnos and Blix looked like they were taking the situation lightly, but they did not seem to lie.

Elnos pointed his hand at the window where the sun could be seen shining brightly.

“Don’t you have morning training? I think you’re late.”

I’m late! Leasis jumped up screaming. She shouted that she would ask for more information the next time, and left.

Elnos looked at the door through which Leasis went out and covered his mouth with one hand. A pleasant smile appeared on his face, and Blix’s eyes grew bigger.

Elnos was genuinely smiling pleasantly. He had never managed to sleep deeply, no matter the bed or the woman lying next to him.

However, he had slept soundly even though he had only briefly seen the maid-turned-knight. It was as if only the two of them were left in the world.

It was too bad. Elnos touched his arm with his big hand. It was a pity that the touch, strange scent, and ticklish breath that brushed his skin had disappeared.

He liked it more and more. Elnos had a strange look, staring at the bloody bed sheet.

*

*

*

After changing her clothes, Leasis managed to take part in the morning training. Of course, she received a stinging rebuke and warning from Hizen, but it went well.

Leasis made up excuses for being late, saying she overslept. She knew the rumors about the delicate relationship between Hizen and the Imperial Family, so she did not want to add anything more to it.

So she thought the case would be settled like this. However, there was a maid who had witnessed Leasis leaving the Prince’s palace. She was a jealous woman who usually envied Leasis.

Shortly afterwards, new rumors began to spread through the maids and servants.

“Did you hear that? His Highness the Crown Prince spent the night with the maid who became a knight!”

“Hey. No way.”

“No, really. There are witnesses. I heard it at the laundry.”

“Oh, my God. So that’s why she became a knight?”

“Yes. You’re the only one who knows.”

The words ran quickly to Ashley’s ears. She did not miss the opportunity and called her servants into her bedroom. They were all in urgent need of money.

Ashley put a bag of gold coins on the table. The heavy sound made the servants’ mouths water.

Ashley smiled meanly at them.

“Listen. From now on, I’ll give you all of this if you work for me. It’s very simple… What you have to do…”

Rumors had been surging out of control for several days, and the honor of the Imperial Elite Knights had fallen to the bottom.

“Commander-nim, what are you going to do?”

At Max’s words, Hizen, who was reviewing some documents, put down his pen. He looked at Max, emaciated by anxiety, and said.

“Bring this person to me.”

“Yes. I’ll bring Sir Leasis.”

“No. The one who made the false rumors.”

“What?”

“I heard separately from Ashley’s superior maid that Leasis entered the Prince’s palace. But…”

The rumors circulating were so dirty. Hizen clenched his fists because it was disgusting to put it in his mouth.

He held back his anger and spat out his words as if he were chewing them.

“… Bring the person who made the false rumors before me right now.”

“Yes, Commander-nim!”

The investigation of the Imperial Elite Knights began immediately. They usually cared about Leasis like their younger sister, so they were eager to find the culprit.

Owen helped, as well as the other maids and servants. When they happily heard the news about the start of an official investigation, some members of the 1st Division of Imperial Knights, including Karma, were also willing to support them.

The criminal was caught in less than a week. Hizen folded his arms looking at the woman kneeling in the Commander’s office.

“You’re the culprit.”

“C-Count-nim… I’m sorry! Please, mercy… H-have mercy…”

Hizen did not change at all. He could never forgive the criminal who dishonored Leasis.

White energy poured out from Hizen’s fingertips, with his arms still folded. He spoke in a voice as cold as a blizzard.

“Insulting the knights of the Imperial Elite Knights is like insulting the Imperial Family.”

“T-that…”

“Imperial Act, Article 1-12, Article 2-16, Article 19-1…”

Hizen smiled coolly, putting all the laws on his lips. The Imperial Act, the Knights Protection Act, and the Special Laws of the Three Families.

It was a frightening sight even for Max, who was watching from the side.

“The punishment is 20 years in prison.”

“That’s ridiculous! How can you stay 20 years in prison for a rumor…”

“So that was a rumor?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Hizen sat on his desk and crossed his legs. His appearance looked exceptionally dangerous, so cold sweat started dripping from Max’s forehead. He mouthed the words ‘calm down’

Hizen only stared at the culprit. He would not feel good even if he killed this woman right now. How dare you spread such false rumors about Leasis.

Hizen’s straight forehead wrinkled. He wanted to sentence her to the death penalty, but it was impossible because Leasis did not want it. No matter what happened, he could not kill that woman.

If so, this case would be handed over to the court by applying aggravated crimes according to his wishes. Of course, the judges and knights conducting the trial would be his acquaintances. Hizen said with a slight smile.

“I’ll follow the proper procedure. Look forward to it.”

He had the terrifying appearance of a reaper. The woman trembled, but Hizen did not forget to add one last thing.

“Don’t even think about getting away with it. And apologize properly to Sir Leasis.”

Later, the maid knelt in the center of the Imperial Palace and apologized to Leasis.

After a long time, the atmosphere inside the cafeteria became serene again. After finishing their work early, Owen and Leasis enjoyed their afternoon while drinking tea.

“The Count-nim is quite reliable.”

“That’s right.”

At Owen’s words, Leasis affirmed while blushing, and started to praise him. He seemed indifferent but he was also friendly, trustworthy, and so on. She looked really foolish.

Owen looked at her, fiddling with a cup of tea, and brought up various stories. She talked about the confession she had recently received from Jason, and apologized that she could not get her out of the warehouse the other day.

“Really? Congratulations!”

Leasis held Owen’s hand on the table with great joy. For Leasis, it was really nice to see two of her favorite people together.

Come to think of it, Owen was wearing a ring on her left ring finger. It was a luxurious ring with a big diamond.

“Really, congratulations! The ring is really pretty, too!”

“Thank you.”

It was not originally mine. Owen murmured inside, blushing. In fact, the owner of this ring should have been Leasis, and Jason had asked her to throw it away.

But Owen could not get rid of something representing Jason’s sincerity. In the meantime, Owen had silently comforted Jason, who had been struggling alone, and over time, his heart had opened to her.

Jason had said he would throw away the ring to buy her a new one, but Owen had refused. Surprisingly, the ring fitted perfectly Owen’s finger, as if it were custom-made.

Although she was still a bit jealous of Leasis, she was grateful. Owen sincerely apologized and thanked her one more time.

“It’s all right.”

“Sometimes you’re so nice that you’re stupid.”

Leasis smiled embarrassingly while sipping tea. Owen put her arm on the table and stared at her.

There was a rumor that Leasis was a hidden illegitimate child of the Berman family. Based on the skills she had shown so far, it may not be completely wrong.

“I’m sure your parents were nice, too.”

Leasis made an ambiguous expression at the words she unintentionally uttered. She fiddled with her tea cup.

“Owen. Actually, I’ve been dreaming about my parents lately… No, sometimes a man I suppose to be my father appears in my dreams.”

“What? Really?!”

“Shh.”

Leasis tried to calm Owen, who got surprised. She smiled awkwardly, putting her index finger on her lips.

Owen gulped down some hot tea and thought. That meant Unnie might meet her parents, too.

Owen knew well that she had envied her family for many years. So she could not hide her excitement.

“What kind of dream was it? How was he?”

“He seemed like a very friendly person. He had red hair…”

Leasis slowly closed her eyes and recalled her dream. The red-haired handsome man was smiling cheerfully, stroking her head, and sometimes carrying her.

He had a very luxurious sword in his hand, and swung it with someone. As she thought about it, it did not seem impossible for her to have a family.

Owen could not hide her joy when she heard the story.

“Good! Ask the Count-nim to find him!”

“It would be hard to find him with this much information. Red hair is one of the characteristics of the Berman family, but other families also have many people with red hair… and…”

The Berman family had already disappeared into history. Leasis looked at the tea that had cooled down with a bitter smile.

Now, she just wanted to dream of a happy future with Hizen.

Leasis came to the Commander’s office late at night and heard Hizen’s bitter voice. It was because she had tried to take care of Elnos by herself.

“Why didn’t you tell me first?”

“I’m sorry.”

“You say sorry, thank you every day. You don’t have to say that because it’s your right to do as you please.”

Hizen glanced at Leasis who was smiling shamefully. I’ll let it slide because you’re pretty.

“Anyway, you’re out of Prince Elnos’ business now. It’s not something you should get involved with.”

“El-nim… I don’t think he’s a bad person.”

“Do bad guys have it written on their faces that they do bad things? He’s dangerous.”

By the way, she called him El-nim? His expression was subtly distorted. Leasis was always nice and kind, but the problem was that countless unwanted people were trying to cling to her.

“We are investigating. I’ll share the results with you when it’s over… No. This is going to be a little dangerous… You just have to stick to your role as you are doing now.”

“Okay.”

Hizen smiled satisfactorily. Then Leasis approached Hizen, in his chair.

“By the way, Hizen-nim.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you going to keep talking about work?”

At her words, Hizen stared at Leasis and soon rushed to her.