Added an illustration the previous chapter, if youāve missed it.
She and the Chivalric Order Commander
āLidi, are you okay?ā
As Crown Prince Maximilian left, I finally let out a breath in relief. Freed worriedly examined my expression. Embarrassed by it, while averting my gaze I nodded.
Crap, whatās with me.
Itās the usual yet my heart is strangely pounding.
āYe, yeah. Iām fine. Really, I had nothing done to meā
āIs that so? It was truly within hairās breadth thoughā
āYup, still Freed was in time⦠Truly thanks for comingā
As I recalled the scene of Crown Prince Maximilian approaching, my spine shivered.
Dangerous. I absolutely donāt want to be touched by that man.
āItās natural for me to come when Lidi is in danger. Besides, Lidi properly called for meā
āCalled?⦠Is this about the āKingās Flowerā growing hot?ā
As I asked to confirm what happened, Freed affirmed while wrapping his arm around my waist. I started walking as if prompted.
āYup. Do you remember the explanation that the āKingās Flowerā is a secret art that connects each other? Because of that, the āKingās Flowerā can sense when the connected partner is in dangerā
It was also the first time for me, I was surprised , saying so Freed pointed at the blue rose on my chest.
āThanks to this I knew Lidiās location. But I blundered, I hadnāt set a return point around here. I leapt to the closest place and hurried here⦠Iām truly glad to have made it in timeā
As we stopped and Freed once again looked at me worriedly, my face became hot.
Iāve been feeling like this ever since Freed came to help.
He looks so extremely cool I canāt help but be embarrassed.
So I just spoke to gloss over it.
ā⦠Iād have never thought youād come, I was surprisedā
As I turned my face away, Freed slipped out a chuckle.
I feel it was certainly exposed that I hid my embarrassment.
⦠Conversely, itās painful I wasnāt questioned.
āHow awful, you didnāt expect me to come? Then why did you call for me?ā
⦠After all it was exposed.
Even though Freed said awful , his voice like sweets was so saccharine, it felt like my ears were slowly ravished.
ā⦠Thatāsā
I tried to somehow answer the question.
I didnāt call for you . As expected, I canāt say that.
Freed only came because I called for him.
When I mumbled that with my head down, Freed moved in front of me and put my cheeks between his hands. Then slowly matched our eyes. Those eyes were so gentle I felt heat gather on my face again.
āLidi, no way, are you embarrassed? Youāre red up to your ears⦠Cuteā
āI! I am not embarrassed! Jeez, weāre goingā
Whatās this! Is it tsundere! Why am I acting as tsundere!
I donāt understand what Iām doing anymore. I want to bang my head against a wall.
Not wanting to delve into it anymore, I prompted Freed and started vigorously walking.
Without saying anything Freed embraced my waist once again. Being so close that I could feel his body temperature made my heart pound.
Strange.
Yesterday we shouldāve bathed together, yet I feel his good smell is somehow different. The more I become aware, the louder my heart thumps.
I was so embarrassed I reflexively wanted to scream and run away.
As I endured and kept walking, finally the scenery became familiar.
When I breathed out relieved to be back, Freed started speaking with āFirst, I want to askā.
āLidi, why were you in such a place? I hadnāt received any report from security that you left the royalty quarter, I was surprisedā
āThatāsā¦ā
While calmling myself, I stared at Freed.
āI had no intention of leaving the royalty quarter? However, while absentminded I left the garden before I noticedā¦ā
Even I donāt quite understand how I reached that place, so I gave only a vague explanation. But, Freed asked back as if he had something in mind.
ā⦠Perhaps you went through a break in a hedge?ā
āAh⦠Yup, I think I didā
I certainly remember that.
At my words Freed breathed a sigh as if convinced.
āI see⦠Or rather, good job finding it. Itās quite a complicated placeā
As expected of Lidi , as Freed said that with amazement on his face, while suspicious I asked a question.
āNn? Was there something about that hedge?ā
āActually, thereās a secret path there to the general area. Iāve also used it several times⦠But, itās strange. Normally you wouldnāt pass through it, first of all you shouldnāt be able to find it. Nobody can use it, that place is strictly covered with a barrierā¦ā
āHmph? So there was a barrierā
As I wondered if there really was, I heard a loud sound from the direction of the Royal Palace.
āFreed!!ā
Running here accompanied by several knights with severe faces was the chivalric order commander Iāve met a few times, Glenn.
āGlenn. Why are you accompanied by so many people?ā
āDonāt why me!ā
As Freed reacted as always, Glenn screamed while coming here.
When he noticed me next to Freed, his expression showed relief.
āIām glad. Lidi, youāre safe, huhā
āEh?ā
Not understanding what heās saying, I looked questioningly at Freed.
On the contrary, with a convinced face Freed confirmed with Glenn.
āPerhaps it was Alex?ā
āYes. Having been contacted, my brother is also waiting in the officeā
āI didnāt want things to get out of hand, but the situation was what it was. It couldnāt be helped, huhā
Saying so, Freed firmly ordered Glenn and the knights who lagged behind.
Glenn and the knights took a knightās bow. While listening to Freed giving them orders, I came to understand that apparently Brother contacted Will and Glenn.
Originally Freed was working in his office, it isnāt strange Brother who was with him would know the situation. Thinking that something happened to me, heād certainly contact the Chivalric Order Commander and Magic Division Commander.
āSorry Lidi, but could you come with us? I want to hear the full storyā
āYup, I understandā
Being told so apologetically, I shook my head finding it not a problem at all.
Itās me who wandered into a strange place and caused an unnecessary trouble.
Thereās no need for Freed, who came to my help, to apologize.
āItās okay. Iāll talk properlyā
As I firmly nodded, Glenn also added that heās thankful for my cooperation.
Soldiers dispersed at once, and us three walked through a corridor to Freedās office. Freed embraced my waist not letting me go, Glenn walked a little behind us.
āI am truly glad you are safeā
Again looking from up close at Glenn, who addressed me with a smile, heās a considerably good man.
Short black hair with raised bangs gives him impression of cleanliness, his tough features are extremely masculine. His neat thick eyebrows express sincerity.
Heās taller than Freed, his sturdy physique becoming of a chivalric order commander would be irresistible for muscle fetishists.
His obedient expression of emotions gives him a favorable impression, I can see why older sisters wouldnāt leave him alone.
āThank you. Thanks to Freed I was able to return without incident. I apologize for causing trouble for every knight. Iām reflecting on my lack of self-awarenessā
Even if that wasnāt my intention, the fact that I caused trouble doesnāt change. For a moment Glenn made a vacant face at my humble answer, then he lightly shook his face.
āYou donāt need to talk to me like that. Please talk with me like you do with Freed or my brother. If Iām the only one you talk like that too, I feel lonesome, as if you want to keep me at a distanceā
āYe⦠yesā
As he said that with a troubled face with his eyebrows lowered a little, I nodded in a fluster.
Glenn pointed out as I began saying I understand .
āThere you go again. Unlike my brother Iāve only got to know you, but from now weāll have more opportunities to come in contact. If possible, Iād like us to be close but⦠Perhaps itās a bother?ā
As his face become even more disappointed, I had no choice but to shake my hands in denial.
He looks a little like a despondent large dog.
āNot⦠not at allā
āThen, please treat me well. Iām truly happy to become close with Freedās belovedā
I was overwhelmed by Glenn who suddenly showed a smile.
⦠A, amazing. This is Willās young brother.
With this itās the third time we meet, but I didnāt talk with him much the past two times, so I havenāt noticed. Apparently, Glenn is a very talkative and expressive man.
I take my hat off to the high communication ability not at all like <ruby>his older brother <rt>Will</rt></ruby> .
āGlenn, Lidi is surprisedā
Looking at me, Freed informed Glenn of that while stifling a laugh.
Not understanding the meaning of what heād heard, Glenn tilted his head.
āHave I done anything strange?ā
āNo, but probably sheās surprised by the difference with Will. Lidi, Glenn is certainly Willās younger brother, but as you can see heās such a man. Could you not be so surprisedā
āI, I am sorryā
In a panic I apologized for my rudeness, but Glenn said I donāt need to.
The gentle words spoken to me in consideration and his understanding expression rapidly raised my opinion of him.
Heās a good person! Heās a great person!
Iāve heard about him from Will, but naturally the impression changed now that we could actually talk.
Oi oi, if you had such a good younger brother, I wish you had introduced me to him.
Why didnāt you say anything, Will.
Even so of course I know the rumors about him in the high society.
According to what my rumor-loving friends said, heās quite a madamkiller. He amuses older women at evening parties, and if they so desire spends a night with them.
He doesnāt look like that, but heās a staunch playboy.
But, that doesnāt matter. It has nothing to do with me, if adults have relationships based on mutual consent as long as they take responsibility for it, I donāt think itās something to interfere with.
Glenn plays with fire a lot, but Iāve heard he skillfully extinguishes it, thereās no problem if he goes out with acquaintances if he can control himself.
⦠But, if by any chance my friend said she likes Glenn, Iād stop her with all my might. Heās the type of man who wonāt get serious.
āThen again. Best regards, Glennā
āMe too. Please treat me wellā
āā¦ā
āLidi, Glenn uses such language with everyone, so itās fine not to mindā
He told me to speak casually, yet he himself used polite language, I understood that I scrunched my eyebrows for a moment.
While rubbing my scrunched eyebrows Freed informed me that.
⦠Yup, could you stop with that excessive intimacy.
The distance is so close my heart is thumping.
āWhat is it? You made a difficult face. Do you have any question?ā
Glenn asked worriedly, in panic I brought up a suitable subject.
I absolutely canāt say Freedās excess flirting is tough.
āEh? Hmmm. I thought Glenn must be popular. If Will also had Glennās communication ability, rightā
āā¦ā
ā⦠Well, different people excel at different thingsā
Instead of Glenn, who for some reason sank into silence, Freed replied.
While nodding to him, I looked at Glenn to see him return a somewhat stiff smile.
A subtle silence set, while feeling terribly uncomfortable we arrived before Freedās office. In my heart I was relieved to escape this unbearable atmosphere.
Before opening the door, I asked what suddenly came to my mind.
āHey, Freed. Come to think of it, you arenāt jealous of Glenn?ā
Normally heād be considerably angry.
Iāve been feeling doubtful since heās been acting too ordinary since a while ago, itās unpleasant how Iāve come to take his jealousy for granted. But, itās a fact that he gets angry when Iām with Will.
Freed answered my simple doubt with a wry smile.
āLetās see. If I had to say, I know his tastes well, something like that. My and Glennās taste in women are completely differentā
āThatās rightā¦ā
Thatās why I donāt need to be jealous.
In other words, Iām not in Glennās strike zone⦠is what it means, huh.
Surely for him who earned the reputation of a philanderer from showy madams, I think Iām certainly plain.
Iām grateful because the jealousy is tiresome, but I feel somewhat difficult about it.
My bad. After all I lack curves.
I recalled madams who earned Glenn the reputation of a philandered all had impressive bodies.
I donāt think I want to be seen by him this way at all, but as a woman itās somehow dissatisfying.
When I sighed, not knowing how to express the complex feelings, Freed patted me on my back.
āLidi doesnāt need to worry about Glennās preferences, right? Itās okay, I wonāt look at any woman but Lidiā
āNo, thatā¦ā
Itās too extreme.
Despite retorting to Freed who declared that clearly, I couldnāt deny my chest tightened a little.
Although I was shocked by myself, for the time being I stepped into his office.