CH 59

Chapter 59

A peaceful week passed.

The envoys hadn’t done much since greeting the emperor. Elaina, who must have known of Citrina’s existence, did not seek her out.

Therefore, it was all a false peace.

Even in that strange peace, there was a small amount of pleasure. Slowly, Citrina was realizing Desian’s sincerity.

Truthfully, it had started out small.

A good rumor about Duke Pietro had been swirling around the empire.

“Duke Pietro made a donation to the spirit arts, Citrina!”

“For spirit arts?”

“Yes, isn’t it because he’s close to you?”

“It’s not…because we’re close.”

She now clearly understood Desian’s feelings.

And now it was time to understand her own emotions.

Nevertheless, her heart was more important to Citrina right now. Citrina decided to let her mind wander, like a paddle boat with no sails.

Citrina blinked.

“Oh? Citrina, you look good when you smile.”

“… am I smiling?”

“Yes.”

As she listened to Adilac’s energetic observation, Citrina realized something all of a sudden.

Actually… she did feel good.

Citrina endured the uproar in her heart for the time being.

The reason was simple.

She was so, so busy.

Luckily, a week was enough time to complete all of the bracelets. Lita and Adilac created the bracelets and Gemma enchanted them afterward.

Citrina headed to the Pietro Duchy with Lita at her side, who carried a box full of bracelets.

Harold led them toward the garden.

‘Desian being in the garden reminds me of old times.’

Desian was waiting for Citrina in the garden. He was standing under a tree with the sun shining on him, so he was both in shadow and light.

Citrina strode toward the tree where he was standing.

One side of his face glowed in the sunlight.

Citrina looked at his profile and suddenly thought that he had an admirable appearance.

“Del, we’ve made all of the bracelets!”

“Didn’t you say it would take fifteen days?”

“That…”

Citrina shrugged, looking at the leaves in the tree above them.

“We finished earlier than I expected.”

Adilac and Lita had worked hard all week without washing their hair, but she couldn’t say that.

Desian walked over to her and accepted the box. The box had been measured properly and had a simple engraving inside so that it would go to the right owner.

“Thanks.”

Fortunately, Desian didn’t ask any more questions.

“Okay, you’ve paid me enough, so I won’t ask for more.”

Citrina was worried about Desian, the giving tree.

Desian was still leaning against the tree. As he stood there, he asked her,

“Why can’t I give you more?”

“Because I have enough?”

She wanted to say that he was going to get swindled, but she left it for now.

‘If I ask for a castle, at this rate, you’ll buy me a castle.’

Truthfully, Citrina almost received a castle.

His gifts were as grand as the way he looked at her. Citrina wiped the sweat from her brow.

Ah, she could tell he liked her.

It was cute how he was so attentive.

“Yeah. I get it for now, Rina.”

Luckily, he seemed to be convinced.

She tapped him on the shoulder, her expression energized.

Her fingertips flinched slightly at the solidness of his shoulder muscles.

“Now shall we go hand out the bracelets?”

“Okay. I’m sure everyone is looking forward to the battle at the tower.”

“Yeah!”

…did the knights expect to go to battle?

Citrina didn’t know anything about the knights’ physiology, so she just nodded her head.

“When are you supposed to head out?”

“Soon.”

The answer came so naturally that Citrina stopped dead in her tracks.

“Can you really divulge operational secrets like that?”

“If it’s you.”

He smiled harmlessly. Citrina bit her dry lips.

He only acts like this with her now. Well maybe with Aaron too

But what if Desian was good to someone else? Would that person have a good heart, or would they treat him poorly?

“If you’re too nice, you’ll get taken advantage of. Understand?”

“Yeah, I get it.”

Desian responded dutifully.

He was so sweet in front of her that she couldn’t help worrying about unnecessary things.

Desian looked like a big dog today- a big black dog with a wagging tail.

“Good boy.”

Citrina spoke again with a small smile.

“Let’s go. I’m curious.”

“I’ll show you the way.”

Down the hallway, they pushed open the doors to the training grounds together. As Citrina had expected, the knights were sparring as usual.

“It’s a lucky bracelet that weighs much less than a mana stone.”

“On behalf of the knights, I thank you.”

The vice-captain of the Knights of the Blue Dawn bowed deeply. In the meantime, the duke’s attendants began handing out the bracelets.

But for some reason, it seemed like the knights were avoiding making eye contact.

Did they… hate her?

She must have been mistaken.

‘The mood is so strange.’

Citrina slowly moved towards Ralph, whose face she recognized. Ralph straightened up with a confused look on his face.

“How is it, Ralph?”

“I don’t know yet since we haven’t sparred with it once, but I like that it’s so light!”

“That’s great. Will you give it a try?”

Ralph’s problem was that he was too honest. Desian replied as if he had been waiting for this.

“Would you like to watch the sparring, Rina?”

“Oh, that would be great! It’s not like I’ll be able to see you in an actual fight.”

The knights’ eyes became tense. Sparring in front of the duke was the last thing they wanted to do!

Unaware of their murderous looks, Citrina laughed lightly and threw out of bomb of terror.

“Del, sparing seems cool. I’d like it if you could participate.”

“Me?”

“Yeah! You also know how to use a sword, right?”

“Of course. Then…who would you like me to duel?”

Desian’s cold gaze swept over the knights. Most of the knights looked away, trying to hide the tears in their eyes.

It was then that Citrina spoke up.

“Then why don’t you spar with Ralph-nim?”

“That would be fine.”

Ralph looked at Desian, and with a whimper, dropped to his knees. While it was a posture of submission, it was clear that his knees had failed him.

Internally, the knights mourned for Ralph once more.

“I, I worry I am not good enough to face His Grace…”

Ralph’s muscles twitched. Desian crushed the last of Ralph’s pathetic protests.

“A few bouts should be enough.”

Desian took the longsword handed to him by the vice-captain. He was a warlock, but he could handle a sword to a certain extent.

So he was a well-rounded fighter.

‘Come to think of it, he’s used a magic sword.’

However, Citrina had never seen him fight with a magic sword before until now.

So she was a little curious.

-I feel bad for that pathetic guy. That Ralph.

-…pathetic?

-Oh, no. I spoke wrong. My dumb mouth.

While staring at the muscular Ralph, Gemma covered her mouth.

‘Hmm…the rumors about him seem to be more than I expected.’

So was his prowess a rumor or the truth?

Citrina looked around slowly.

‘Everyone is scared, that’s for sure. By the looks of it, I…must have done something terrible to Ralph.’

Nevertheless, she had already spoken.

As Citrina ascertained the situation, the path began to open up bit by bit. The knights began to back away. Only Ralph was left at the front of the training grounds.

“Th, then, I will receive your teaching.”

The muscular, tall man cried.

Citrina began to observe the situation.

What would Desian’s swordplay be like?

And could luck play a role?

The two questions collided.

“I will.”

Desian faced Ralph. It was a simple duel with light swords similar to rapiers;

however, Ralph’s eyes grew wide.

“Ughh, then let’s duel!”

Ralph lept from the floor first. Desian watched Ralph’s trajectory.

He was aiming for his left ribcage.

Desian raised his sword and blocked the blow lazily. There was no wasted movement of his sword.

“Slow.”

-ching-

Ralph’s rapier bent, even though he was no longer wielding it. Ralph, who was tall and muscular, quickly fell to the floor. He looked like a crumpled piece of paper. His horse-like muscles looked as thin as wet paper.

‘Is the luck not working?’

She had no idea.

Citrina frowned a little. By her side, Gemma spoke up.

-It’s not my lack of ability. I did my best.

-I know, I know.

Citrina tried to cheer up Gemma, who was equally sullen.

Desian’s abilities were overpowered, so it may have been a mistake to ask for his participation.

With Ralph taken care of, Desian handed the sword back to the vice-captain. He looked at Citrina and smiled broadly.

Soon, Ralph who was sprawled on the floor abruptly lept up and let out a single scream. Citrina gasped and looked back and Ralph.

“AAACK!”

“Ra, Ralph…”

“Ralph has finally gone crazy.”

The knights who judged that Ralph had lost his mind murmured. Some of them swallowed their tears in mourning for poor Ralph, but the words that came out of Ralph’s mouth were not what they expected.

“Wow, I, I feel less hurt!”

“Less hurt?”

Citrina asked in surprise.

“Yes! Normally, my limbs would feel like they were being torn apart, and my whole body should hurt like it was shredded and bruised. But now it only feels like my body is only somewhat shattered! I guess the luck worked!”

“…What?”

“Oh!”

Everyone was laughing happily, except for Citrina who was looking around wildly.

What was this subtle feeling that she was experiencing this moment separately from the others?

Everyone else looked to be enjoying themselves. Even Ralph.

‘How is that different? Either way, aren’t things broken?’

But it seemed that Citrina was the only one who hadn’t gotten the memo. Strangely, everyone was cheering.

‘What the hell is Desian in this knightly order?’

Fortunately, it seemed that morale had been boosted.

Citrina also joined in the moderate clapping. Lita stuck to her side like a piece of gum, glanced over at Citrina, and joined in the clapping.

“Lita, you’re so cute and such a good clapper.”

“Thank you for the praise, master!”

Citrina stroked Lita’s small, cute head. Lita’s hair gently curled around her fingers. Lita looked at her and blushed innocently.

Looking at Lita and Citrina, Desian slowly asked.

“Rina.”

“What?”

“What about my sword skills….”

Huh?

He paused. Citrina raised an eyebrow.

He seemed to have something else to say.

Desian was silent for a moment, then spoke up.

“Well, let’s go eat dinner.”

His gaze was no longer on Citrina, and she noticed.

That wasn’t what he really wanted to say, but she hadn’t given him the answer he wanted straight away.

“Dinner, um…”

An invitation to Princess Iana’s tea party had arrived, and the commission for Marquess Fonensa remained. Adilac had finished the work, but the Marquess had yet to approve it.

In short, she was quite busy.

“Alright.”

But she and Desian could have dinner this evening. She just needed to make a bit of time.

“After we eat dinner, I’ll take you home.”

“Yeah. Ah, right.”

Now was the time to tell Desian what he had been waiting for.

She also thought Desian’s reaction would be pretty cute.

Citrina glanced at Desian, who stood beside her, and at Ralph, who looked dumbfounded, and spoke.

“I got to see such fine swordsmanship today. Ralph-nim, it was an honor.”

“…I’ll have to reward the knights.”

Desian avoided her gaze, embarrassment clearly seen on his face. He seemed to awkwardly accept the compliment.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Her heart felt tickled by the sight.

“Then shall we head to dinner? Are you not ready yet?”

“No, let’s go.”

Desian led the way, smoothing the blush that rose on his face like a sunset.

“Yeah. Let’s go together!”

Citrina shouted while looking at his red neck.

As she followed Desian, Citrina realized she was grinning from ear to ear.

The pleasant sound of her heart came to her ears.

Citrina paused for a moment, then took off again. She followed behind Desian Pietro, the one who made her smile the most these days.

And with that, Desian, Citrina, and Lita left the Knights of the Blue Dawn at the training grounds and made their way to the duke’s banquet hall.

It was going to be a pleasant evening.