CH 38

Theodore answered Viola’s question without hesitation.

“Oh, I am also very kind.”

Viola’s eyes lit up at Theodore’s words.

“Kind? You’re kind?”

“I told you I am kind…”

Viola’s eyes glistened before Theodore could finish his words.

He hastily changed his words.

“Sometimes I am bad…? Or something like that?”

“What do you mean by that? Answer with certainty.”

When Viola’s spirit turned unusual, Theodore looked at me as if asking for help.

‘What? Why are you doing this?’

While questioning Viola’s strange behavior, I suddenly remembered the day when I had seen such a similar expression before.

What I had told them when they asked what kind of person my ideal type was.

‘I like kind people.’

“Sister.”

I hurriedly grabbed Viola’s sleeve.

But Viola wasn’t looking at me and was forcing Theodore to answer.

“Tell it to me straight.”

“Why are you suddenly like this, Captain? Haha.”

Even when Theodore awkwardly asked, there was no room for him to escape.

‘But I can’t talk about my ideal type here.’

I hurriedly grabbed Sister’s hand and said.

“Sister. I’m hungry.”

Just in time, Theodore’s stomach also rumbled.

“T-Then I will go eat before mealtime is over. Have a great time!”

Theodore hurriedly turned around and ran.

Viola took one look at Theodore’s disappearing back, then immediately turned down her tension and held my hand firmly.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

I answered calmly, but my legs throbbed as I tried to climb the stairs.

‘Ah. I overdid it.’

My body started sending signals at the sudden exercise without any warm-up.

I got dizzy thinking that I might fall down while climbing the high stairs like this.

At the moment of hesitation, Viola suddenly hugged me easily.

“Kyaa!”

I hugged Viola’s neck in surprise and naturally fell into her arms.

My legs dangling in the air might be bothersome, but Viola began striding up the stairs without showing any signs of difficulty.

“I can walk alone….”

“Considering that, your legs don’t seem to have any strength.”

Viola’s demeanor was firm despite her embarrassed voice.

“You’ve worked hard today. So leave it to me now.”

I couldn’t help but lean on her comfortably except for the stiff force in my back.

When I relaxed and leaned back comfortably, the fatigue accumulated from what happened a while ago came at once.

I felt drowsy and closed my eyes, but I heard a small whispering voice from above.

“Thank you, Daisy.”

I raised my head at Viola’s words, she wasn’t looking at me.

She just walked down the corridor without hesitation.

“I am glad that you are our little sister.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Even though I said so, I didn’t hide the smile on my lips.

“If it weren’t for you, I would never have been able to prove that Hudson did that kind of a trick for the rest of my life.”

“…Then it would have been really unfair.”

“That’s right. It would have been really unfair.”

Viola stopped speaking after that.

She had a complicated expression unlike usual, perhaps because of the incident.

“I think I can win this time.”

But the muttered words were full of confidence about the future.

It was enough.

I put aside my nervousness and smiled brightly.

And finally, the day of the knight competition came.

✲ ✲ ✲

Viola’s match was excellent.

With her unstoppable swordplay, her speed and accuracy, and her neat victory, people cheered her, both commoners and aristocrats.

I clapped my hands passionately for Viola who won this match as well.

Watching the game today, I clapped so much that my hands felt tingly.

“Our Viola is very commendable.”

“Indeed. We haven’t done anything for her but she grew up really well.”

I laughed softly at my parents’ conversation next to me.

Many things were different from what I had seen in my dream.

Unlike in the dream where I escaped alone and cheered for her, I came to cheer with my parents today, so I was able to sit comfortably in the VIP seat and cheer for Viola confidently.

‘But I don’t see Adelio.’

There was no familiar face among the holy knights arranged for the audience.

‘What a shame.’

I was expecting to meet him, but it seemed today was not the day.

Still, I couldn’t give up and rolled my eyes hard, but I felt a presence next to me.

“It’s still before the final round, right? I’m glad I am not late.”

Liliana sat next to me with relief.

“I barely got out of there because I have so much work to do.”

Liliana leaned back comfortably in her chair, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

Not only my parents but also Liliana came to cheer for Viola.

I couldn’t stop laughing because I was so happy that the whole family was together.

“Viola is great, too. I didn’t expect her to play without gloves.”

The sight of her holding a sword with her bare hands among many knights stood out more than expected.

Even if I wanted to keep quiet about what happened yesterday, it was already widespread, so I could hear whispers about it from time to time from the VIP section.

Although they shut my mouth right away at the gaze of my parents.

“Wow!”

As I was having a leisurely conversation with Liliana, the second semifinal was finally over.

“The victor, Theodore! Advance to the final!”

After a short break, with the sound of the final continuing, commoners cheered and shouted his name from the cheering seats.

“That knight is a knight, alright. His skills are definitely great. Still, Viola will win, right?”

There was a faint worry in Mother’s murmur.

Hearing those words from Mother, Father’s eyes did not move away from Theodore’s back.

When he finally went back to the stand, Father said calmly.

“Don’t worry too much. No matter how good that knight is, he won’t be a match for Viola.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Let’s trust our daughter. And so what if she loses? That experience will also serve as a springboard for new growth.”

“I hope she doesn’t get hurt.”

My parents leaned on each other’s shoulders and whispered affectionately.

Liliana and I quietly turned our eyes away from the two.

“She definitely looks pretty capable, but I’m a little worried.”

Oh.

It seemed Liliana was worried about Viola just like Mother.

Since I had secretly sneaked a peek at her training, I had an obligation to relieve that anxiety right away.

I turned my eyes as I pulled Liliana’s sleeve.

“Of course Theodore is strong, but Viola is stronger. So don’t worry too much and cheer for her!”

I clenched my fists and posed to cheer.

“Hmm, yes.”

But somehow Liliana’s response was lukewarm.

“Viola will do well on her own. Viola will win.”

“Right! That’s right!”

Still, I heard the words I expected to hear so I nodded vigorously, but Liliana smiled as she grabbed my fisted hand.

“But why are you calling the opposing knight’s name in a casual manner?”

“Oh, Theodore?”

“…Yes. Sir Theodore.”

Since I had nothing to hide, I answered in a cheerful voice.

“We’re friends.”

“Friends.”

Liliana looked at the waiting room with cold eyes and asked slowly.

“By the way, Is that knight friendly and smile a lot?”

At the same attitude I had seen in Viola yesterday, I made an X with my hands, saying that it was absolutely not true.

“Nope! He’s not friendly!”

“Why are you friends with someone who’s not friendly to you?”

“He’s a little feisty, but he’s a good person. He helped catch the criminal yesterday.”

“…Really?”

Liliana answered in a bitter voice, then turned her head.

“It feels new to hear that you have a friend I don’t know.”

“Yes? What did you say?”

“No, Viola is coming.”

I couldn’t afford to hear Liliana muttering to herself.

It was because the mutters were buried in the cheers that erupted when they entered as the final match began.

Liliana was looking down at the stadium with a smile as if it wasn’t a very important thing remark.

I also focused quietly so that I wouldn’t miss a single scene of the match.

Soon, the match began following the referee’s guidance, and the two began to gauge each other while maintaining a reasonable distance.

This was different from what I had seen in my dream.

Viola’s movements were natural, light from beginning to end.

The sword she swung softly, as if it were swimming in the air, was gentle and disciplined, and it rushed without a break, pressing Theodore.

But Theodore wasn’t just on the defensive.

When Viola had an opening, he stretched out his sword without hesitation, and maintained a certain distance again, continuing the match narrowly.

‘That’s amazing.’

The current match was so great that the previous matches were forgotten in my head.

As the atmosphere escalated, a deep smile appeared on Viola’s lips.

She looked happy.

Since she was known for being calm, many people were fascinated by the way she smiled and swung her sword, and they concentrated their eyes on her passionately.

The same was true of Theodore.

Rather than being tormented by hitting Viola’s sword, everyone was busy cheering for him, forgetting his identity as he smiled with a cheerful face.

The sight of both of them doing their best in a fair and square competition seemed to shine brighter than the sun rising in the sky, so I felt like I would cry.

The moment the tension of the match reached its peak, the loser’s sword flew and stuck to the floor with the sound of a bang.