When others joined in agreement, Demil tried to step forward, unable to tolerate the situation any longer. However, a hand held him back.

Turning his head to see who had grasped his arm, he saw Evenel was also intently staring at the sparring ground. Obviously, she had heard the entire conversation as well.

“I—”

Demil tried to say something, but before he could, she let go of his hand.

“I guess we can’t train right now. I’ll come back later.”

With a faint smile, Evenel left the training ground alone. All he could do was watch her walk away.

Only after she had completely left the area did her steps gradually slow down and eventually stop.

“They must not have known. What they think of me.”

She knew that the knights harbored more ill will towards her than other people did. Hearing them slander her didn’t make her feel good, but it also didn’t feel like a hammer blow to the back of her head.

But Evenel was human, so she couldn’t help feeling hurt. She had thought they were becoming a bit closer.

“It’s horrible…”

Hearing that directly changed everything. She began to question whether she really was a horrible person, something she had never considered before.

At the same time, she felt empty, devastated, and bitterly disappointed.

“What did I do wrong, honestly? It happened long before I was born, and I’m not even from here. Technically, I’m a victim too. Should I go back and argue now?”

But Evenel’s feet stayed rooted in place, unable to move.

“They’ll just call me an outsider again.”

No one would listen to whatever she had to say; her cries would be in vain. That’s why she had quietly left the scene earlier.

“I’m not the protagonist, and I don’t even get a name as an extra. What can I hope for?”

Not in the mood for training, Evenel returned to the palace immediately. Lia looked puzzled when she saw her return earlier than expected.

“You’re back already? You said you were going to train.”

“I’m taking a break today. How have you been, Lia? No one’s bothering you, right?”

At that question, she nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, thanks to Lord Emil. Of course, some don’t look favorably upon me, but nothing like last time has happened.”

“I’m glad for you at least.”

“Pardon?”
Evenel shook her head as if nothing was wrong. After all, wasn’t her decision to live also for Lia?

“Yes, I don’t need anything else. I just need Lia.”

“What are you talking about so suddenly? Then rest.”

“Okay.”

Left alone, Evenel plopped down onto the bed.

‘Let’s rest and think.’

For a while, she couldn’t move in the bed, feeling as if she couldn’t grasp anything.

Morning came, and Shuher, who was eating, felt an unusual emptiness. Soon, his gaze landed on the spot where Evenel had been sitting the day before.

It was as if he could hear the voice that used to chatter non-stop.

She did not appear during his entire meal.

As Shuher was about to leave the palace, he saw Lia coming down from the upper floor, and she hastily bowed her head upon seeing him.

He was about to pass by, but eventually stopped.

“Has Her Highness not gotten up yet?”

“Ah, yes.”

“I thought it was time to go to training.”

He was already aware of Evenel’s schedule, including that she had never skipped training.

“Yes, but you seem different today.”

“Different how?”

“You seem out of energy? You also returned to the palace quite early yesterday. It seems like you didn’t train either.”

Shuher was somewhat puzzled. He had seen no such thing when they said goodbye just yesterday.

“Do you have any particular message to convey to the lady?”

“No.”

Shuher glanced at the floor where she would be, and left the palace.

About an hour passed, and Evenel, who got up later than usual, came out of her room after eating. A book was in her hand.

“Let’s go to the library.”

As she walked out of the palace, she suddenly realized she was avoiding the knights and felt irritated. Why was she acting like a sinner when she had done nothing wrong?

“Why am I avoiding them? I’m innocent.”

Evenel quickened her steps, deciding to go to the training ground today, but a familiar voice reached her ears from not far away.

“Ah, seriously. Just because you’ve gained Her Highness’s trust doesn’t mean you should show off.”

‘Those people are definitely.’

As soon as she saw them, she recognized they were knights from the 1st division who had been at the training ground yesterday. Harkin, who had been leading the insults against her, was also there.

Evenel was about to continue on her way, not wanting to see those faces even by accident, but then her steps stopped again upon hearing the subsequent conversation.
“So, you’re telling me, those guys are His Majesty’s knights? They shouldn’t even make eye contact with us, considering they’re nothing but commoners.”

Her eyebrows furrowed automatically at the casual talk from yesterday, now tainted by careless words from behind.

“Look, he’s been close with that woman lately. People like them don’t deserve to be knights. All they have is a facade, really annoys me.”

It seemed like nothing but an attempt to belittle them over insignificant matters. They happily chattered away, oblivious to the fact that Evenel was listening.

“Don’t they make a good pair when you think about it?”

“True that. Ah, maybe we should’ve just let them be close. That way, they’ll be completely out of favor.”

“Why on Earth did His Majesty select people like them, especially Lord Demil. Just look at that scar on his eye. Clearly something bad happened in the past. If the leader is like that, the members must be no different.”

She recalled hearing that the Emperor’s selection of knights was solely based on skill.

Compared to other knight orders, they didn’t prioritize social status, which naturally included a lot of commoners. But their skills were overwhelmingly superior.

‘Really pathetic.’

What the first knight order was doing was nothing but baseless accusations. They were picking fights over superficial matters instead of actual skills as knights.

Do they really not know that they’re spitting in their own faces?

She watched them walk away, chattering among themselves, and then moved toward her original destination. It was none of her concern, anyway.

Rather, hearing such talk yesterday should’ve been satisfying.

“Good for them. Talking behind my back. I can just ignore it. It’s none of my business to intervene, and it’s nosy to do so.”

Though she rattled off dismissive phrases, her steps gradually slowed down.

‘Ah, seriously…’

Eventually, Evenel stopped, tightly shut her eyes, recalled the chatter from the first knight order, and opened her eyes again.

Even though she knew she would not hear anything good if she intervened, her feet were now moving toward the direction where they had disappeared.