/
If it were the Saint’s room, I would have somehow secretly disposed of them. If I left them here, it would be a grave offense to Latvan. I worried that if the Saint saw evidence of a tryst with a man and then left, she might burn everything after I left.
I wore the clothes and carried the towel as I walked out. He was sitting on the rough sofa in the living room, frozen in posture. I bowed my head towards him.
“Thank you, Lord Latvan. To use someone else’s bathroom so late at night
”
“Don’t worry about it.”
He looked at me and asked.
“You don’t have suitable clothes?”
“No. Just the fact that you brought me clothes at this late hour is more than enough. Who is the noble who lent me these clothes? I must express my gratitude to them later.”
Then, his face suddenly turned red. Latvan’s eyes trembled.
“
”
“Lord Latvan?”
As I examined the garments, I surmised that they belonged to someone slightly larger in stature than myself. In that case, he couldn’t be a knight. Could it be that he asked about a personal acquaintance of mine, a female attendant? Otherwise, there would be no reason for his clothes to be here in his house.
“Who is it?” I inquired.
Though I was well aware that it couldn’t be possible, a thought crossed my mind—perhaps he had a personal friendship with a lady attendant. Otherwise, there would be no way his clothes could have remained in his house.
In the midst of these thoughts, his face grew even redder. Simultaneously, he appeared unsure of what to do. Observing him in that state, I couldn’t help but feel as if I had done something terribly wrong.
“Sir Latvan? If it’s uncomfortable for you to speak
”
“It’s alright.”
“What?”
“It’s mine. Therefore, there’s no need for you to worry about any formalities.”
Upon hearing those words, I glanced once more at the clothing. Could this truly be Latvan’s attire?
“But it’s so small
”
“I received it during my early training days when I first entered the Holy Knights’ Order.”
“
.”
Silence once again enveloped the space between us. I glanced discreetly at the inside of the collar. Indeed, the name ‘Latvan’ was sloppily embroidered there.
When knights enter the Holy Knights’ Order, they spend several months studying the scriptures and familiarizing themselves with the teachings of the Great Temple alongside the secular priests. Perhaps this was the clothing he wore during that time. With that thought in mind, my face seemed to flush as well.
“This is Latvan’s attire, indeed
”
It was hard to believe that a man with such a towering figure had once been so diminutive as to wear clothing that closely resembled mine. Intrigued, I continued examining the garments, and as I turned my head, our gazes met. At that moment, Latvan spoke.
“Well, shall I escort you to the room
”
“Latvan.”
I promptly interrupted his words.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I have a cup of tea?”
My sudden request caused him to freeze for a moment before bowing his head.
“I apologize. I will prepare for it shortly.”
It seemed he interpreted my words as a rebuke for the lack of hospitality, as if saying, “A guest has arrived, yet there isn’t even a cup of tea.” He promptly stood up and disappeared into the hallway leading from the living room.
A sigh escaped me as his figure vanished. I felt somewhat relieved.
“I don’t feel like leaving just yet.”
The thought of the attendants who would have followed me had I fled on my own came to mind. If I were to return to the Great Temple now, they would undoubtedly pester me, asking what had happened and if I was alright. Regardless of when I returned, they would inquire about my well-being, but I didn’t want to be bothered with such matters at the moment.
“It’s more comfortable here.”
There was an inexplicable sense of ease within Latvan’s abode. With no one else present and him not inquiring about my involvement with the crown prince, it put my mind at ease. Given his disposition, he would likely never ask. No, he wouldn’t want to ask.
I placed the towel I had brought from the bathroom next to the sofa and lay down, burying my head. It was still the late hours of the night outside. Under normal circumstances, I would have already been in bed. On top of that, the emotional and physical exhaustion from my encounter with Prince Leon had taken a toll on me. After soaking my weary body in warm water and changing into fresh clothes, my eyelids grew heavy of their own accord.
“When Latvan returns, I’ll wake up.”
Brewing tea shouldn’t take too long, and perhaps I could steal a brief moment to rest my eyes. With that thought in mind, I succumbed to sleep, if only for a fleeting moment, momentarily forgetting about Iberina.