Elise was Roxiana’s best friend. On other occasions, she would have accompanied Roxiana to the Great Temple, but for some reason she said she would stay behind this time.

And the family gathered in one place.

‘What did they say? Yes, did you say to gather to celebrate my return? Did you say to prepare a surprise party with everyone gathered before I leave for marriage?’

If so, Ian and Naufried would have come to the palace without complaint and without a second thought.

At that gathering to celebrate the return and marriage of their only sister.

‘You killed my family!’

The sword of Lucas, whom I had already accepted as family, and the lips of Elise, whom I had lived with like family.

‘You beheaded my family and threw them into the well!’

Though she tried not to cry, blood from her burst heart flowed down her eyes. The truth she had tried not to think about pierced and tore Roxiana’s lungs with thousands of blades.

The calm heart from the kindness she encountered in Torkan was instantly dyed black. A dark red emotion like old blood filled Roxiana’s mind.

Wind blew around Roxiana. The calm sea raised fierce waves. The quiet sandy beach began to rumble deeply, woo-woong.

Just as Floyd, startled by the sudden change, tried to grab Roxiana’s arm to lift her up.

Kwaa-aa-aa-aa−!

With a thunderous roar, a huge wave like a tsunami rushed in from the sea.

Floyd reflexively grabbed Roxiana, pulled her into his arms, and rolled on the ground.

The high-rising wave crashed over the two of them.

Shwa-aa-a−

Thanks to the cold seawater pouring over her head, Roxiana regained her senses. As Roxiana breathed, the ground tremors subsided, the wind stopped, and the sea calmed.

Only then did Roxiana realize that she was soaking wet and pinned under Floyd.

Her whole body was cold, but only where she touched him was hot.

Arms, back, and the chest pressed against her.

Roxiana raised her eyes to look up at him.

The water droplets clinging to his eyelashes, nose tip, and chin fell onto Roxiana’s forehead, drip, drip. He wiped Roxiana’s forehead with his thumb, but it was of no use as she was already soaked.

Roxiana felt as if that dark and gloomy emotion she had just felt was a dream.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why is the princess sorry? Don’t tell me this happened because of you?”

“…Yes. Sometimes they move on their own in sympathy with my feelings.”

Floyd laughed loudly.

To Roxiana, who was puzzled as to whether this was a situation to laugh at, he said in a voice tinged with laughter.

“Then you and I are the same in harboring a mad existence.”

He sat up, separating from Roxiana’s body, and brushed back his hair that was sticking to his forehead from being wet.

He gazed at the calmed sea with the graceful posture of a sea god, then suddenly stood up, grabbed Roxiana’s waist on both sides to lift her up. Then he picked up the coat from the ground, draped it over Roxiana’s shoulders, and said.

“You’ll catch a cold. Let’s go back now.”

+++

The knights commanders were sitting on the wall tower drinking beer. During the festival period, the knights focused more on security than training, so the commanders could enjoy more leisurely time than usual.

“I’m going to tour the festival with Roelity tomorrow.”

Cain frowned at Adrian’s words.

“Who’s Roelity again?”

“The lovely young lady of the Viscount Rakean family.”

“What about that woman you met last time?”

“When did we break up?”

“It hasn’t even been a month since you said you were meeting her?”

“A month is a long time to meet. There are many women who want me in the world and time is short, so I can’t invest too much time in one woman.”

“Why don’t you train like that?”

“Brother, I’m stronger than you without training.”

“Nonsense, want to fight?”

Arsen, who was next to them, grabbed Cain’s wrist as he was about to draw his sword and said to Adrian.

“I heard the Viscount Rakean’s daughter is virtuous, it might be better not to meet her rashly.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you’d give such detailed advice on someone else’s love life. I didn’t know our Sir Chetek had such warm friendship!”

At Adrian’s sarcasm, strength entered Arsen’s hand. Cain, whose wrist was being held by him, grumbled.

“Why are you trying to break my wrist when that bastard is the one who did wrong?”

“Ah, my apologies.”

Arsen apologized and let go of his wrist. Adrian rested his elbows on the small table, interlocked his fingers, and asked.

“Cain, I heard a crow came today? Was it from Kanta?”

“Yeah.”

“What did it say? Who’s sitting on the throne of Kanta now? Lucas?”

“No, they haven’t even confirmed that side yet.”

Cain repeated the conversation he had with Floyd today. Adrian, who had been listening with interest, said.

“My, my. Lucas deliberately deceived his fiancée’s family. How pitiful. Does the princess know this fact?”

“The lord told me to keep my mouth shut. You keep your mouth shut too.”

“Hmm. How boring. If the princess knew, she might try to take revenge. It would be interesting to see her try to take revenge with that strange power.”

Arsen narrowed his brow.

“Don’t be flippant, Adrian. What kind of revenge could she take with that mere power.”

“Of course, it would be difficult with just the princess’s power alone. But our lord is behind the princess, isn’t he? If the princess says she wants to take revenge, I think our lord would help. Incidentally, we could gobble up Gania too.”

“Nonsense! Torkan may seem to have entered a period of stability, but there are still many dangers inside and out. Have you not thought about how much sacrifice there would be if a war broke out at a time like this?”

“Ha, Arsen. It’s just a manner of speaking. Can’t I even joke around?”

“Don’t even joke about such things.”

“You stiff bastard without a shred of humor. You’re going to spend your whole life frowning like that until your forehead creases all the way to the back of your head. It might be worth seeing when that happens.”

As Arsen was about to rebut Adrian’s merciless mockery, the wall tower door suddenly opened and Hexten entered. Hexten was holding a large basket in his hand, inside which was a gray wolf about the size of a forearm.

“Wow, what’s that?”

As Adrian showed interest, Hexten grinned and placed the basket on the table. Arsen sat with his arms crossed, unable to take his eyes off the wolf pup, while Cain cautiously approached and reached out to the wolf.

“Grr!”

As the wolf pup bared its teeth and lunged, Cain quickly pulled his hand back and said.

“It’s fierce. This isn’t a dog, right? It’s a wolf?”

“Yeah. Cute, isn’t it? It was born in a circus troupe. This one’s the only one with a different color. The others are brown.”

Listening to Hexten’s explanation, Arsen thought.

‘It really is unbelievably cute.’

Adrian asked.

“What are you going to do with it? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t raise animals until the kids grow up? And wolves are fierce no matter how small. It won’t be good to raise with kids.”

“I’m not going to raise it.”

“Then? Are you going to tell Arsen to raise it?”

Arsen shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but I already have three dogs and don’t have the capacity to care for more. I could take in one more if I had to, but I don’t think the dogs would get along well with a wolf. But if there’s nowhere suitable to put it, I could try to make space.”

Hexten laughed as if dumbfounded.

“Hey, who said I’d give it to you? This is…”

As Hexten was about to explain, the tower door opened again and this time Floyd entered, soaking wet. Cain asked with wide eyes.

“Did you go for a swim in the middle of the night? Don’t tell me you set another fire and jumped into the sea?”

“No. There was just some business…”

At that moment, the wolf in the basket, which had been glaring at the knight commanders, saw Floyd and started growling fiercely, baring its teeth. Floyd, noticing the wolf pup bristling its fur in wariness, stretched out his hand.

The wolf pup succeeded in sinking its teeth into Floyd’s hand, but Floyd paid no mind, shook it off, and grabbed the scruff of its neck to lift it up.

The wolf pup flailed its short legs trying to escape.

“What is this?”

“It’s a gift for the princess.”

“For the princess?”

“Yes, earlier it seemed like the princess was particularly attentive to this fellow. Didn’t you know?”

Floyd recalled Roxiana at the circus. Come to think of it, she did keep glancing towards the wolf enclosure.

He thought she was scared, but…

‘That princess doesn’t seem like she’d be afraid of anything…’

Anyway, among the men gathered here, only Hexten had succeeded in dating and marriage, so he should know women’s psychology best.

“Did it seem like the princess wanted to have this?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

“It’s too fierce though.”

Floyd was worried if it would be alright to entrust this wolf pup, which was still trying to bite his hand, to that frail princess.

What if this fellow accidentally swallows that small princess in one bite.

“I object. That baby wolf has lost its parents and needs delicate care. I will take care of it.”

Arsen stood up abruptly and held out both hands. Hexten slapped those hands down hard and said.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t have the capacity?”

“I’ll make it.”

“Never mind. My lord, raising something means taking responsibility for it, right? Raising that fellow will be a small light for the princess.”

“What if this fellow gulps down the princess?”

“How could that fellow gulp down the princess?”

“The princess is small.”

“She is small. But that fellow is even smaller, you know?”

“Hmm.”

Floyd looked down at the wolf pup for a while. Its ashy gray fur was similar to the color of Floyd’s eyes.

“My lord, if the princess tames that fellow well, it will become an excellent guard for the princess. Beasts are sharper and have better reflexes than humans.”

At Cain’s words, Floyd made his decision.