FSW Chapter 39

The rain that had poured relentlessly for two days finally stopped, and the dark clouds cleared away completely. The bright blue sky revealed beneath was dazzling. It had only been a few days, yet how welcome it felt. The clear sky was nice, but the refreshing breeze—free of humidity—was even more delightful.

Nishina settled herself roughly on a thoroughly dried stone in the flower bed. She hummed a wordless tune she'd picked up somewhere, swinging her feet. Normally at this hour, she'd be busy darting around the hall making final inspections, or buried in her office verifying documents.

The packed schedule had continued even after the delegation's arrival. There hadn't been a moment's rest while carrying out the planned itinerary.

But all that was yesterday's story. Today was finally the day of the official talks for treaty ratification—the primary purpose of this visit. Given the importance of the occasion, only ministers and the King's closest advisors could attend. Nishina, who still lacked proper qualifications in state affairs, was naturally excluded.

Aiden, who was actually assisting with government work, met the requirements, but he'd been excluded as well due to concerns about succession fairness. She briefly considered visiting him since he'd also have free time, then decided against it.

The King would be tied up in the talks, so she didn't need to worry about him. Besides, he'd looked unusually tired right after returning from the temple. The cause was probably something other than work, though. Since Nishina couldn't interrogate him about what happened at the temple, she could only speculate it was the King's fault.

In any case, this was truly a rare moment of leisure. She could have slept in late and lazed around buried in blankets all day, but Nishina had absolutely no intention of wasting this golden holiday.

Without dawdling, she quickly dressed in comfortable clothing and headed to the training grounds. The dirt floor was still somewhat muddy, but it didn't matter since there'd be no training today. Just as Nishina finished one complete song, a figure appeared at the training grounds entrance. It was the person she'd been waiting for.

He must have rushed over—his hair was a mess. Nishina sprang to her feet and approached him quickly as he caught his breath.

"Lavi! How have you been?"

She greeted him warmly, and he nodded right away. Nishina smiled brightly and tidied his disheveled hair as she asked:

"Today is your day off, right?"

"Yes, it is."

He agreed, his heated ears hidden within the now-tidied hair.

The evening before, Nishina had learned from Hilton that he also happened to have the day off. More precisely, the news was that the apprentice knights had been given leave. The knights of the imperial palace had naturally become busier due to this goodwill visit. So busy they didn't have time to look after them. So it seemed they'd given leave only to the new recruits who had nothing particular to do.

"You don't have any other appointments or plans, do you?"

"I don't."

The moment she heard he was remaining at the palace, Nishina had come up with an excellent plan. A perfect plan that would solve a problem she'd been worrying about while simultaneously providing an enjoyable holiday.

"I have a favor to ask!"

"What kind of—"

Though there wasn't an ant in sight, Nishina glanced around busily before whispering in a drastically lowered voice:

"I'm going to sneak out of the palace. There's something I absolutely must buy."

"...Excuse me?"

"Will you come with me?"

His mouth opened slightly at the outrageous request. Finally collecting himself, he shook his head quickly.

"That's not acceptable."

The firmness matched what he'd shown when she'd asked him to use her nickname. Nishina placed her hands on her hips and asked back:

"Then you'll let me go alone?"

"That—that's even more unacceptable."

Flustered, he actually stuttered. He seemed so shocked his eyes crinkled. He tried to reason with her in a tone that had grown considerably more earnest:

"Your Highness, the outside is an extremely dangerous place to wander alone."

"Are there monsters teeming outside the palace? It's just a normal place where normal people live."

"I would never dare oppose Your Highness's wishes. But please, reconsider just once more. It's a place where normal people live, yes, but dangerous things happen there just as normally."

At his desperate plea, Nishina's mouth pressed shut. The capital's public order was superior to anywhere else in the empire. There weren't many people bold enough to commit crimes near the imperial palace. But his words weren't wrong either. Considering her position, going out without any escort was definitely a dangerous action.

However—

"That's exactly why I'm asking you."

Setting aside her respect for him as a swordsmanship instructor, Nishina trusted his skills. He was a man who would become the greatest sword in the empire—no, the continent. Even if he hadn't reached that level yet, there weren't many who could defeat him easily even now.

At the trust thrown his way as if it were obvious, his eyes widened noticeably in surprise. Then he opened and closed his mouth several times before swallowing his words. While Lavis remained silent, Nishina persuaded him:

"I'm not asking to go somewhere dangerous and do dangerous things. It's not at all because of childish adventurousness or curiosity. I simply..."

She collected her breath. Meeting his eyes directly, she exhaled like a confession:

"If I have to be with someone, and if it's probably going to be enjoyable, I just wanted to do it with you."

She'd decided to go out because she wanted to personally choose Aiden's upcoming gift. But at the same time, she'd thought it would be nice if it were with him. The places where they met were limited to the training grounds or the knights' practice field. His life probably wasn't much different either.

She wanted to show him, who lived such a monotonous life, a different environment from teaching her or endlessly repetitive training.

Not dirt floors, the stench of blood, swords, war—but warm sunlight, peaceful people, sweet things, something enjoyable.

"So if it's not a bother to you, or if it's not a burden, will you come with me?"

She ended with an honest invitation without any embellishment. His lips pressed firmly shut as if words had failed him.

After some time passed, her words seemed to reach somewhere deep inside. Movement slowly emerged across his face, which had been frozen in a daze. If his eyes were the sea dyed by sunset, a tidal wave had struck now. Great ripples rose distinctly to the surface. Conflict and unnamed emotion surged violently.

The storm only calmed after quite some time. Finally composing his emotions, he answered with difficulty:

"How could it... be anything like that."

His suppressed voice trembled miserably. She didn't know what weighed on him. She could only guess that what gripped his throat wasn't something negative in nature.

"So you'll come with me?"

When she asked in a slightly excited voice, this time his head nodded readily.

"Wow! Thank you! Just trust me!"

Intoxicated with joy, Nishina grabbed his hand firmly and shook it up and down vigorously. Only after her swelling anticipation had grown large enough to burst did Nishina lead him to her palace.

Even for an unauthorized outing, preparation was essential.

For instance, a disguise.

"It's hotter than I expected."

Nishina grumbled, shielding the blazing sun with her palm. The humidity wasn't high so it wasn't unpleasant, but it was hot enough that the arm exposed beneath her short sleeves felt warm.

Separately from Nishina's grimace at the heat, her outfit was perfectly adequate for walking summer streets. A white dress that came to her knees, comfortable shoes, and a summer hat with a wide brim that allowed easy ventilation.

All Ellis's sense. Lavis's clothes were borrowed from Hilton. They were outfits he wore when going incognito. Because Hilton was so tall, they were a bit loose, but it was fine since his subtly gloomy look at the long pant legs was adorable.

Once they shared the necklaces sneakily borrowed from the palace research laboratory, the disguise was complete. A necklace with a fairly large gem dangled from Nishina's neck. At first glance it looked like an ordinary necklace, but it was actually an illusion artifact using mental-type spirit stones.

It induced confusion and hallucinations, but only to the degree that it made one not attract others' attention. If someone observed carefully, its effect was minimal.

'If only I'd known it would be this hot, I would have stolen—no, borrowed—a cooling artifact too.'

Clicking her tongue, Nishina looked back worriedly. Lavis, wearing a short robe over his top, was following like a shadow.

"Are you really okay in that?"

The figure with the robe's hood pulled down almost to the tip of his nose nodded.

Even she, with her arms and legs exposed, was this hot—was he really okay?

They'd prepared the lightest, thinnest robe possible, but there was no way it wouldn't be hot in this summer weather.

An artifact hung around his neck too. But as if that alone wasn't enough, he'd double-armed himself with the robe even while wearing the artifact. Probably because he was reluctant to expose his eyes.

Having to hide such pretty eyes—it was regrettable and frustrating. But Nishina couldn't stop him. She knew as well as he did the insults and wounds he'd received because of them.

'I hope he doesn't get heatstroke from that.'

"If you get too hot or feel even slightly dizzy, you absolutely must tell me."

When she examined his complexion carefully under the robe and said this, a grumpy retort immediately popped out.

"If I collapsed from this much, I wouldn't deserve to be called an imperial knight."

From Hilton, who was behind Lavis, not from Lavis himself.

Lavis seemed to agree with his opinion, remaining calm. He even nodded faintly. But Nishina didn't.

'Knights aren't superhuman!'

No matter how strong their stamina, they were ordinary people who bled when cut by a sword. When Nishina put force into her gaze, Hilton subtly looked away.

"Sir Hilton."

When she called him with deliberate severity, this time he looked at her with eyes dripping with injustice. His attitude today was definitely unfamiliar.

Was it because she'd forcibly dragged him along after he'd tried to dissuade her? He'd been horrified at the mention of going out, then turned pale and shouted at the words "together with Lavis."

"Two—two of you is unacceptable!"

"What? That's exactly why I'm asking you?"

She'd never planned to sneak out with just the two of them from the start. If something happened, responsibility would be transferred to Lavis even if unwanted. More than anything, she didn't know the way.

So she'd asked Hilton to be both guardian and companion. But somehow his attitude wasn't like usual. More precisely, he was excessively defensive. Especially toward Lavis.

At first, she'd intended for the three of them to go together harmoniously. Nishina had such flower-garden thoughts because she believed Hilton viewed Lavis quite favorably too.

But the moment they left the imperial palace, that mistaken belief shattered completely. If the two of them merely stood side by side, he'd fidget anxiously, and if she had a conversation with him, he'd constantly interrupt without permission.

Like now.

"Your Highness, it's hot out, so there's no need to stay so close together—"

"Sir Hilton. Hurry up and lead the way."

Nishina immediately retracted her complacent judgment. Come to think of it, Hilton was Lavis's senior and superior. There was a high possibility he'd interfere with their enjoyable outing. Judging by Hilton's behavior, it was 100%.

Nishina commanded him to guard from a distance immediately. Just when it seemed he'd obediently retreated, the moment she let her guard down, this again. So this time she sent him ahead entirely. The glance he threw back was pitiful, but Nishina was firm. When she shook her head, his head drooped down.

"The princess has changed... our princess..."

He muttered, but unfortunately it didn't reach Nishina. Gloom clung heavily to his dragging footsteps.

It was Lavis who became restless at that sight instead. But far from soothing the two men, Nishina actually took an action that would make them gasp. She firmly grasped Lavis's hand as he stood there not knowing what to do.

Palms heated by the weather touched and fingers intertwined. Once their hands interlocked completely, only then did Nishina look satisfied.