As I blinked in confusion, Ian’s prominent Adam’s apple moved up and down as if in response.

So the warmth touching my forehead was Ian’s…

L-lips?

Could something like this really happen?

“Hey, rookie? I think you can let go now.”

“Yes.”

With that short reply, the breath tickling my forehead moved away.

“Well… I pulled you quickly because the carriage behind you was getting too close and it seemed dangerous. I guess I used too much force. I didn’t expect you to…”

I barely swallowed the rest of the sentence – to be pulled along so helplessly.

“Anyway, I’m sorry.”

It was then that Ian’s somewhat dazed expression hardened.

“Why are you apologizing to me?”

“Huh?”

“You saved me, didn’t you?”

“Ah, right. I did save you.”

And then this unfortunate incident happened.

I glanced at Ian’s expression again from the corner of my eye. Fortunately, Ian didn’t seem to place much meaning on the accidental contact between his lips and my forehead.

“By the way, what brought you out to the square?”

I asked while absently rubbing my forehead, which still felt tingly.

“I came out on an errand for the Captain.”

“The Captain sent you on an errand?”

Due to the vacant Deputy Captain position, Gabriel would often send Rosebelia on errands.

In fact, the errands were just an excuse, meant to give Rosebelia, whom he was eyeing as the next Captain candidate, a chance to understand the Captain’s duties.

Of course, he would assign errands to other knights when Rosebelia wasn’t available, but…

Why did he specifically choose Ian, a rookie?

Moreover, if it’s the Captain, he surely must know that Ian is a prince?

“Yes.”

“Why did the Captain…?”

“Are you asking me for the reason?”

Ian raised his eyebrows slightly, with an expression that seemed to say he simply did as he was told.

“Ah, right. He didn’t say anything else?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Although I didn’t save Daisy as in the original story, Ian still showed up in the square. The thought that he might have run into Daisy made me dizzy.

If Ian came to the square, why didn’t things follow the original storyline?

“When did you arrive at the square?”

“Just now. I came through the shortcut the Captain told me about, and I was a bit surprised to see you as soon as I arrived, senior.”

I swallowed a sigh of relief.

If it was the shortcut Gabriel had shown, I knew it well too. It’s a bit complicated, but it significantly reduces the time to get from the Knights’ Order to the square.

Moreover, that shortcut was on the opposite side of where I had encountered Daisy earlier.

“What did the Captain ask you to do? I’ll take care of it, so hand it over and go back.”

The original story had already changed. But just as Ian appeared in the square later, what if Daisy didn’t go home early?

If Ian were to wander around and meet Daisy, some variable might occur…

“No, the Captain entrusted this to me.”

The unexpected answer cut off my train of thought.

I wanted to help, partly to prevent Ian from running into Daisy, and partly because as a prince, he shouldn’t be running errands, but…

“Right. That makes sense too.”

“What I meant was…”

“Then carry out your assigned duty diligently, rookie.”

As I waved my hand and turned around nonchalantly, Ian quickly blocked my path.

“We can handle it together, can’t we?”

“It’s a waste of time for two people to do a job that one person can do.”

“Instead of considering it a waste of time, how about thinking of it as a senior teaching a junior about the work?”

He doesn’t give an inch.

“I prefer to work alone.”

“Am I perhaps making you uncomfortable?”

Me? Uncomfortable with you?

“No? I’m not uncomfortable at all.”

The corners of Ian’s mouth curved up gently. With just a hint of a smile on his sculptured face, I couldn’t take my eyes off him for a moment.

He’s ridiculously handsome, as expected of the original male lead.

To be honest, if I had to say, it was closer to being uncomfortable. After all, Ian and Rosebelia are destined to kill each other in the future…

“That’s a relief. I was worried that you might be uncomfortable with me because of the misunderstanding from when I asked you for a duel, thinking I had confessed…”

“Not at all?”

The corners of my mouth, which I had forcefully lifted, trembled slightly as I was hit right on the mark.

Right, even I thought the future talk was shameless.

It’s not that I wasn’t afraid of the original ending. But at least I wasn’t afraid of the Ian in front of me.

The Ian I had imagined while reading the original story and the Ian I actually met were vastly different.

“Then please help me. Since you say I’m not uncomfortable at all, senior.”

I had no particular reason to refuse. It’s unlikely that a rookie would be able to handle tasks skillfully alone, and he did need help.

The Captain knows this better than anyone else, so why did he specifically assign this to the rookie?

Could it be that he’s keeping an eye on Ian?

“Senior?”

“Alright.”

There’s no harm in building a friendship with Ian.

I extended my hand to Ian. In response, Ian calmly placed his hand on top of mine.

“What are you doing right now?”

“Wasn’t that what you meant by extending your hand?”

Letting out a small sigh, I wiggled my fingers that were completely covered by Ian’s hand.

“First, put that away. The Captain must have written down the errand details for you.”

Ian, finally realizing, rummaged through his pants pocket.

“Here it is.”

“Let me see.”

Wait a minute? This is…

What was written on the paper Ian handed over wasn’t Knights’ Order business, but Gabriel’s miscellaneous errands.

This guy, did he somehow offend the Captain?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

I hesitated, wondering whether I should say something or not, and ended up just patting Ian’s shoulder.

“The bookstore is closest, so let’s start there.”

*

After bustling about for a while, we found ourselves in front of the restaurant again.

Would they have finished their meal by now? Or have they already left?

Perhaps due to Rosebelia’s memories absorbed into me, I couldn’t help but be concerned even when trying to ignore it.

I stopped for a moment and looked up at the restaurant. Ian, who had also stopped in his tracks, abruptly asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing.”

“If you’re hungry, I can treat you.”

“You? Why?”

“Because you’re sparring with me.”

I burst out laughing at the unexpected answer, and Ian stared at me.

Sensing his gaze studying my face almost obsessively, I belatedly cleared my throat and waved my hand.

“It’s fine. I’m not hung-”

Before I could finish my sentence, the restaurant door opened. The one who appeared was Cayden.

I quickly grabbed Ian’s cloak and hid in an alley.

“Why are we hiding?”

“Just for a moment.”

“Who is it?”

“Do I have to answer that question?”

At my words that flowed out almost like a sigh, Ian nodded obediently as if agreeing.

“No, I don’t particularly need to know.”

“It’s fine now. Let’s go quickly.”

As the carriage carrying Olivia drove away, I released Ian’s cloak.

Although the carriage carrying them had clearly departed, it seemed as if I could still hear cheerful laughter from somewhere. That sound lingered in my ears like an echo.

“Do we return to the Knights’ Order now?”

“Yes.”

At my words, Ian turned back to the main street without hesitation. Just then, I grabbed Ian’s cloak again at the sound of loud hoofbeats.

A carriage passed in front of Ian by a hair’s breadth.

“Rookie, this is the center of the square, so you always need to be aware of your surroundings and be careful. To avoid another unfortunate incident like earlier…”

And why are you like this again?

Ian was looking up at me as if he was nestled in my arms.

Although his large build made it quite burdensome, I couldn’t help but laugh at how small he looked, crumpled up in my arms.

“Hey, I think it’s okay now.”

“I agree.”

Don’t just agree, shouldn’t you straighten up?

“Rookie, my arms are about to fall off, you know?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, just be extra careful in the square because you never know what might pop out from where.”

“Thank you, senior. You saved me again.”

Ian, who had already straightened up, slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

Why? Why do I feel like Ian is somehow enjoying this situation?

“Let’s get going.”

“There’s a place I’d like to stop by for a moment, if that’s okay?”

“Where?”

The place Ian pointed to with his eyes was the general store we had visited earlier. Since it was nearby, I nodded without hesitation.

Ian, saying he’d be right back, headed to the general store and returned not long after.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s head back to the Knights’ Order now.”

“Just a moment.”

“Why? Do you have somewhere else to go?”

“No, this.”

As I turned around, Ian held out something he was holding in his palm.

They were wrapped individually in thin paper, and judging by their round shape, they looked like candies.

“Where did these come from?”

“I bought them at the general store. It said they were sweets so sweet they’d make the back of your head tingle, and I was curious.”

As I picked one up, Ian’s palm moved closer to me.

“They’re all for you, senior.”

“Don’t you have your own share?”

Ian shook his head firmly at my question.

“No, I don’t really like sweet things.”

“Then why did you buy these?”

“…Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

Ian looked down at me with one eyebrow furrowed, as if he had heard something absurd.

Ah, he bought them to give to me.

“Did you know that I like sweet things?”

It was one of the commonalities between Rosebelia and me. We both extremely loved sweets.

“I gathered information about you because I wanted to spar with you, senior.”

“Then you could have tried to persuade me with sweets.”

It was meant as a joke, but Ian hesitated for a moment before answering.

“I also found out that you’re not the type to agree to a duel for such reasons.”

“You were much more serious about sparring than I thought.”

“I told you, didn’t I? That sensation was a first for me. Sparring with you is the only joy in my life right now.”

I paused as I was about to carelessly stuff the candies Ian had given me into my pockets with both hands.

The only joy in his life? Was it to that extent?

“Anyway, thank you. I’ll enjoy them.”

“Then I look forward to our next sparring session as well.”

“When was it again?”

“Two days from now.”

A smile escaped at the quick response, as if he had been waiting for me to ask.

“And here I thought it wasn’t a bribe.”

“It’s not a bribe. Let’s just say this is a thank you for saving me twice today.”

Swallowing my laughter, I popped one candy into my mouth. The description of it being so sweet it would make the back of your head tingle was indeed accurate. For a moment, it was sweet enough to make me forget all other thoughts.

“Are you really not going to eat any?”

“No. As I said earlier, I don’t really like sweet-”

Ian suddenly stopped speaking and narrowed his brows as he stared across the street.

“What’s wrong?”

Looking in the direction of his gaze, I saw a man approaching Ian and me.

Wait a minute? That face…

It was definitely a familiar face to me as well.