But somewhere along the line, I’m not satisfied.
They should have been more proactive in apologizing and righting the wrongs.
Even if they did, it wouldn’t erase the years of abuse that had occurred.
“Thank you. For standing up for me.”
“Do you need to thank me? It’s only natural. We’re family.”
“Vin. Thank you, too.”
“It’s not natural for me, so can I ask for a reward?”
My sister glared at Vin with a look that said, ‘You’re a condescending *sshole…’
But then she smiled and asked.
“What reward?”
“Leave Irillin’s heart to Irillin alone.”
“You mean, that’s it, huh? No more interfering between you two.”
“Yes.”
“You’re so damn honest. It would be nice if you were a little less honest.”
“But you like it?”
“That’s true.”
She swallowed for a long moment as if she was thinking about it.
All the while, Vin waited for her answer without any urgency.
Finally, she spoke, her face calm and collected.
“Like my parents, I was presumptuous, and whatever the outcome, Irillin will have to deal with them on her own.”
“When you say deal with, what are you talking about?”
“Well…I’m sure she can handle it. As you said, I’ll stay out of your business. Good luck.”
Pat pat. My older sister lightly patted Vin’s shoulder and got up.
Thud. The sound of her footsteps and the chirping of grasshoppers tickled my ears.
The next sound tickled my ears and my heart.
“I heard it.”
“…….”
“Not ‘Sith’, what do you mean?”
“…….”
“Tell me.”
“What?”
I blurted out, avoiding the piercing stare.
Then a hand, soft and rough at the same time, tugged at the tip of my chin.
My eyes were forced to meet his, and blue filled my vision.
I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling like I was being sucked in.
His hot breath tickled my ear, sweet enough to make me want to throw my life away.
“Can you take it, me?”
My eyes widened
I wanted to capture the loving gaze and the lips that said hot words.
I don’t want to look away.
“……What do you want to do with me?”
“I want to keep you by my side, and.”
“And?”
Perhaps driven by the desire to hear what he would say next, my eyes remained fixed on his lips as they moved with each word he spoke.
A new kind of desire envelops my heart. No, it’s more of an urge than a desire.
I feel like I’m going to be eaten up by it. I want to be consumed.
“I want to touch you.”
Vin’s fingers lingered in the air, just above my lips. A simple breath could bridge the gap, reaching the desire that hung in the air.
“But then you’d cry.”
How could I cry because he barely touched my lips?
It’s not like I’ve cried that much. What kind of crybaby does he think I am?
“I want to catch you if you run away, and I want to own you so completely that you won’t even think about it.”
“…If I cry, will you endure it?”
“Sorry. I can’t. No, I won’t.”
“Pfft-“
I burst out laughing.
Vin looked at me flatly, as if to say, ‘You’re laughing when you’re supposed to be serious.’
“Well, first of all-“
I started, choking back a laugh.
Vin listened to me with sparkling eyes.
“Let’s do this first.”
“Well, first of all-“
Vin waited for Irillin’s mouth to open with sparkling eyes.
“Let’s do this first.”
“Which one?”
“The thing you wanted to do so badly.”
Something I wanted to do.
I wanted to capture those luscious lips, wrap my arms around her slender body so tightly that she couldn’t escape, and share our hot breath.
I wonder if she’s reading all my desires and saying such things.
. ……I’m sure she doesn’t know any better with those innocent eyes.
I feel like a wolf stalking a lamb. I pulled my hand away from Irillin’s lips.
What I want to do. A desire to see that innocent face.
It wasn’t that I didn’t have those desires. It was that I had too many.
I hesitated, then spoke.
“There are so many…… things I want to do, and you’re only going to do one of them, right?”
“Yes. I mean Dalian. Isn’t that what you want to do the most?”
“Not really.”
I blurted out, staring at her lips.
I quickly shifted my gaze back to her eyes, and I saw her staring into mine.
But then she looked away as if she hadn’t seen anything, her expression was calm and nonchalant.
“What? You used to sing ‘Dalian Dalian’. Why are being so blunt?”
“……You said you don’t like men who aren’t stronger than you.”
“That’s not true. The Sith lied. And how do you know you’re not stronger than me?”
“I know it when I look at you. You already have the skills of a master.”
I often had a hunch that she had already surpassed the level of a master knight, though that was unlikely for a new knight who had been a mercenary.
But I must be mistaken, the beanstalk thickly covering my eyes, or so I thought at first.
But when Irillin’s skills were often mentioned by others as being on par with the commander, I realized I had underestimated her with my judgment.
“Anyway, don’t worry, I won’t be disappointed if you lose to me.”
“…….”
“Let’s do it, Dalian.”
Truth be told, I hadn’t thought much about Dalian since our reunion.
The fact that I had been hovering around Irillin, bringing up Dalian, was just an excuse to stick around.
So it’s fair to say that he was more interested in Irillin herself than Dalian.
But what the hell.
Dalian or Irillin herself. They’re both good, so there’s no point in weighing them.
“Good.”
No, really, anything with her was.
“Good morning, my lady!”
The knights of the Marquis’s company, who had been concentrating on their own training, sheathed their swords in unison and greeted her in a booming voice.
“Good work, everyone, and I apologize for interrupting your training, but do you happen to have any dueling swords and armor that you’re not currently using?”
“There is, but……dare I ask what you are going to use it for?”
One of the knights approached me, his eyes filled with suspicion.
I recognized the knight. It was Lord Hogarden.
He was the oldest knight in the Marquis’ estate, and unlike the other younger knights, he had had his fair share of encounters with Irillin in his youth.
Right now, he might be picturing the Marquise Young-ae skiing or sledding on the bare ground with her precious sword and armor.
I smiled as good-naturedly as I could without showing any signs of displeasure, for this was not a far-fetched fantasy.
“For a duel.”
“I can’t believe you’re using a sword and armor for Dalian!”
… Of course it’s for Dalian, how else would I use it?!
I’m sure this guy also heard that Irillin has changed.
He must’ve heard it, but he doesn’t believe it.
No wonder he looked suspicious every time you ran into me in the hallway.
“It won’t be used for skiing or sledding.”
“Huh! Here I was thinking you were going to use it for skiing or sledding, and I was right! Hahaha.”
…… I can’t believe he was actually imagining that.
It’s not used going for skiing or sledding. Why do you only listen to what you want to hear!
“But it’s not snowing right now, are you sure you don’t mind, oops, I made a mistake. You’re not the kind of person who would care if it was bare ground!”
I can’t believe he thinks the same as me, right down to the part about trying to ride on bare ground. If anything, I’m more surprised.
It’s been seven years and I’m still seeing this reaction, so I guess Irillin was a really crazy kid.
That’s why she was screaming at me to give her body back in front of everyone.
I wonder how I ended up in her body and now I’m going through all this trouble…….
“…… Lord Hogarden. Stop making such a fuss and give me your sword and armor. We’re actually going to duel, so cut the crap.”
After years of experience, I know now.
To those who still know me as a madman, I’m more comfortable meeting their expectations than making excuses that I’ve changed.
“Yes, miss!”
Sure enough Lord Hogarden, without much noise, returned carrying a dueling sword and armor.
He had a big grin on his face, as if he was enjoying himself.
“By the way, who are you dueling with? If you don’t have an opponent, would you like to try your hand against these newcomers?”
“Why do you think I’m here with the Young Duke?”
I blinked at Vin, who stood behind me.
Lord Hogarden only frowned, but asked as if he hadn’t gotten an answer.
“What is it?”
“To duel, of course.”
“…You mean to tell me that the young lady is going to duel the deputy leader of the Imperial Knights?”
“I told you so.”
What was so surprising was that Lord Hogarden gasped.
Then he moved with quick steps.
When he returned, he presented me with a sword lighter in weight and thicker in armor than before.
“Lady. A dueling sword won’t hurt you if you’re stabbed, but you should be careful, as it can bleed. Your Excellency, the Duke of Ortega. I’m sure you already do without me telling you, but please be careful not to hurt the young lady…….”
“Look, I guess you’re forgetting-“
Just as I was about to say something, Vin interrupted Lord Hogarden and opened his mouth.
His blue eyes glowed coldly, devoid of any of the softness I’d come to expect from him.
“Irillin is a knight, too. Not the immature kid who used to ski with a sword.”
