Axel quietly agreed.

“Alright, if you wish.”

Jade cleared her throat and unnecessarily stroked her horse’s mane. Her horse Dilly raised its head contentedly, willingly becoming an excuse.

The two started galloping quickly again. Since they had already cleared the surrounding area, they headed towards a cluster of trees visible in the distance. It looked like a good place for monsters to hide from the sunlight.

Even in the north, spring was spring, and as the warm sunlight continued to shine down, its warmth seeped into the cold wind.

As the path felt refreshingly cool while running, it was inevitable that their gazes would wander and their thoughts would drift.

Axel’s jet-black hair, which seemed to absorb even light, fluttered softly with Atilla’s movements. His hair was shorter than when she saw him in the forest, but longer than when they first met outside.

The man’s straight gaze was directed somewhere far away. His large body, relaxed despite what they were doing, looked comfortable.

Noticing her gaze, his eyes turned to her. A clear ash color that reminded one of stars even in daylight.

Jade naturally averted her gaze.

He must have noticed, but he didn’t ask anything. Instead, he gripped the reins with his large hand to match the speed again. The two shoulders, different in size and height, repeatedly came close enough to almost touch and then moved apart.

The relationship between the two was still ambiguous. No, it had become even more ambiguous. Like tangled threads, there seemed to be no sign of unraveling.

Axel was Axel, but not Axel. He was a knight with sufficient skills but a veiled past, keeping a wall and appropriate distance from everyone. As if he were someone about to leave soon.

If there were exceptions, it was clearly Ives Greer, with whom he had a connection, and a few other knights.

If it had been just that, she would have given up all expectations and distanced herself. Her heart that had been glad would have hurt, but she would have accepted it. Thinking he must be planning to return to the Athanase Forest.

But upon careful observation, it seemed that Jade Broen also fell within Axel’s range of exceptions.

No, she definitely did.

In front of others, he was rather blunt or sarcastic when facing her. He openly refuted Jade’s opinions and piled on a lot of work for her.

People who didn’t know better jokingly said, “Isn’t it because you were too forward at your first meeting?”

But Jade didn’t think so.

The reason he sharply refuted her opinions was because Jade had tried to take a position that required her to take risks during the subjugation, and he piled on a lot of work because she kept going out while suddenly having a fever for no reason.

It might be an overly hopeful interpretation, but if not, why was he so attentive when they were alone?

Despite liking to run, he consistently matched her speed.

“Axel.”

“What?”

He responded well enough to his name.

“Sir Leon.”

“……”

He pretended not to hear other names.

At least when they were alone, he was the Axel who remembered the time they spent together in the Athanase Forest.

He seemed to want that too, changing as soon as they were alone. From the indifferent Leon to Axel who teased her.

So they seemed to be at least friends.

She was glad and happy about that, and didn’t want to ask the reason. Afraid that the moment she asked, this gentle atmosphere would shatter. Afraid that she might never see that crooked smile again.

Anyway, after this subjugation was over, Jade sincerely intended to search for her fiancé.

She needed a proper fiancé who Felix Broen couldn’t torment. Someone her grandmother, who promised support, would have no choice but to nod to.

She would hold the wedding vows right after coming of age, so it would be difficult to meet Axel again from summer. She intended to be faithful to her fiancé from the moment of engagement.

Well, Axel doesn’t like me anyway, so he probably won’t care much.

In any case, she decided to simply enjoy this short time of facing the wind together with him. Even if she was the only one happy, it was okay since he wouldn’t know. She just hoped he would remember it as time spent with a friend.

Clearly, the efforts everyone had made together for several weeks were showing results. Despite thorough searches, there wasn’t much to be seen.

After killing a few small monsters that were hiding, they returned to find the angle of the falling sunlight had sharply bent.

In that brief moment of dismounting and walking, Atilla kept pushing against Jade and thrusting its head forward.

“It looks haughty, but…”

“It is that way in reality too. Didn’t you see it kicking that magician?”

“That magician? Ah, Rigel. Isn’t that too distant? Anyway, why is it like this with me?”

“Because it likes you.”

Although she knew what the subject was, her heart felt like it malfunctioned, making a thump sound. Jade barely managed to regain her balance after almost losing it from missing a beat.

Damn, why say such words with that voice? It’s confusing.

Soon, the two entered a large road with a refined ground. A small child ran up, clung to them, attached a small yellow flower to their waist strap, and ran away. It was a vivid color rarely seen in the devastated surroundings.

She smelled the fragrance. It was sweet.

Axel, who had been quietly looking at her side profile with lowered eyes, grinned.

“You’re still popular with kids. Well, the age group is similar.”

“It’s because my heart is pure.”

“You’re still good at jokes too.”

When Jade glared at him, Axel pretended not to notice.

The sound of their footsteps on the stone floor was as lively as a drum beat. It seemed like one could dance to this sound. One, two. One, two.

Just as their fingertips were about to touch, Grace Tanner was seen running from afar. Jade quickly composed her loosened expression and walked a step ahead.

“Ah, you’ve worked hard today as well.”

Grace was one of the knights without a pair, but with much experience, she stayed in Rund Castle during the day as part of the command to manage people. Despite her busy schedule, she always came out far to greet Jade and Axel when they returned.

Then Jade would distance herself far from Axel.

It was still unfamiliar to see Axel become Leon Baintz, and she didn’t like seeing Grace report in detail while Axel listened attentively.

The lowered gaze, the quick and quiet whispering voice.

Anyone could see why Grace Tanner’s cheeks were flushed due to his excessively handsome appearance. The rosy-cheeked knight was looking up at the man almost worshipfully.

Jade gripped Dilly’s reins tightly and walked mechanically, turning away from them. Then she fell into serious contemplation in her own world.

Is this jealousy?

Then she fell into self-loathing.

Jade Broen, you came here saying you’d accept suitors, spreading stories around, yet you feel bad about this? How perplexed must Lady Grace be? She’s just doing her job properly.

What tremendous selfishness is this?

“Then…”

“Isn’t this something you can handle on your own? I believe I’ve given you that much authority.”

As Axel slightly furrowed his brows, Grace smiled awkwardly.

“Just in case…”

“There’s no need for that. When I’m away, make decisions on your own and report later. I know your skills from working together in the past. If it’s difficult, you can discuss with Sir Ives.”

Right, so they even worked together in the past. While I deny the time we spent together in front of others. Are you saying I’m embarrassing? Saying I get along well with children, while telling that knight you trust her to make decisions on her own.

Somehow, her thoughts kept flowing in a petty direction. The spring sunlight, the cool wind felt while riding the horse. Those memories evaporated in an instant.

Fuming to herself, Jade didn’t even realize Axel was speaking to her.

“…Lady. Lady Jade!”

“Oh, yes, what?”

He was already looking down at her. What was contained in those eyes was probably a bit of concern. She could read that much.

“Did you perhaps push yourself too hard?”

“No, not at all.”

When Jade answered with a blank face, Axel slightly crinkled his eyes.

“Come to think of it, you were coughing a bit recently… I think we might have overdone it. Let’s skip tomorrow.”

“That’s right. You’ve already achieved a lot, so you should be able to rest a bit. There have been many saying you’re pushing yourself too hard. I heard you’re not resting even at night, organizing research-related records? Sir Rigel was also complaining that you’re overworking the magicians.”

Grace gently interjected, but Jade quickly shook her head. She couldn’t waste precious time carelessly.

“No, no. I’m fine. I was just lost in thought for a moment… Anyway, what did you say?”

“I’ll have the soldiers bring in the monster corpses we found earlier. Is there anything else you want to mention?”

Jade rolled her eyes. There was something on her mind.

“Um…”

Axel didn’t hastily interject and waited for her. Even though Grace tapped her toes on the ground a few times as if her schedule was urgent.

Finally, she cautiously brought up something that might be useless.

“Could you tell the researching magicians, if they have time, to try splitting the part connecting the monster’s head to its neck from the top?”

Axel nodded without asking the reason. As if whatever she said was right.

“I’ll make sure to tell them. Since nothing else was found, I recommend resting in the evening. We’ll ride further tomorrow. And I won’t go easy on the speed.”

Somehow, there was a faint hint of playfulness in that voice. Jade grumbled.

“Isn’t it too much for a knight to threaten a magician with horsemanship skills?”

“I have high expectations since you seem to ride well.”

“Oh, I’m dizzy… I think I’m suddenly getting a fever.”

As she pretended to stagger while touching her forehead, Axel finally laughed briefly.

A low resonance spreading. The sight of his eyes softening was too surreal no matter how many times she saw it, so Jade unconsciously turned her head away. She couldn’t be any more enchanted than this.

He greeted her near the mansion borrowed by the magicians.

“I hope you rest well after working hard.”

“You too, sir.”

Jade was about to open the door and enter when she glanced back. The shadows of Axel and Grace, who had already walked quite far, were gradually tilting and fading.

They look good together. Maybe because they’re both knights, their heights seem to match well too.

“I should reply to the piled-up letters, what rest…” Jade muttered in a sulky voice and went inside the house.

Yes, that was an appropriate prophecy about her own future. She couldn’t rest.