Ophelia spoke to Idren, who was clearly saying such things because she had been holding a candlestick.

“If I had gone alone, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“I don’t believe it.”

His immediate response revealed his thoroughly twisted judgment. Ophelia explained to the man who distrusted even the smallest things.

“It’s true. I’m telling you, it’s because I went in with you?”

If necessary, Idren could have pulled her out and handled the situation.

Although she had only told the truth, Idren cleared his throat. Ophelia noticed that he was feeling embarrassed. She thought to herself. What a strange man.

Unaware of her thoughts, Idren turned his gaze back to the window and grumbled in a somewhat softened voice.

“Still, please go around with a knight. You may not know, but I can’t live with the anxiety.”

As soon as the next day dawned, Idren called for Penrel.

Penrel seemed confused, as he had never summoned him at such an early hour before. Idren spoke to the knight whose face showed slight tension.

“You remember the ring I entrusted to you before. Return it to me.”

The ring Penrel had was a replica of the royal ring.

In his previous life, Penrel had it and carried out the tasks he ordered, and eventually died in his place.

Idren remembered the back view of the knight riding a horse with the ring hanging around his neck, the gold jewel clearly visible. That was the last image he had of Penrel.

Idren had no intention of letting the same thing happen in this life.

He spoke to the knight who nervously handed him the ring.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that I intend to bear my own responsibilities from now on.”

After losing Penrel like that, he spent many long nights in regret. It was something he never wanted to experience again.

Idren clutched the metal that had come into his hand. Although he hadn’t yet accurately figured out why he had come back in time, this was an opportunity to win Ophelia’s heart as well as to correct the things he had done wrong.

As he took out a leather cord from the drawer and threaded the ring onto it, Idren spoke.

“More importantly, I think we should assign a guard knight to Ophelia…”

And then Idren trailed off without realizing it.

Originally, he had intended to assign Penrel. He was a skilled and trustworthy knight.

However, thinking about it, Penrel didn’t seem to match Ophelia’s temperament.

Judging from Ophelia’s stubbornness yesterday, it seemed she would only be satisfied if she could do everything she wanted, but Penrel was steadfast yet not talkative and tended to handle everything according to procedure. He wasn’t suitable to be assigned to someone as unpredictable as Ophelia.

It would be good to have someone who was also in the upper ranks of the knight order, but with a more flexible personality…

That’s when Hazel came to mind.

Hazel was Salode’s cousin. And Salode was as close as it got to him when it came to politics, wielding considerable power in the castle.

Both came from long-established families, and Hazel, in particular, had a naturally good personality and knew many people.

Being the same gender as Ophelia, she could also guard her in more intimate situations.

The more he thought about it, the more Hazel seemed like a good candidate. Finally deciding to entrust Ophelia to that knight, Idren spoke to Penrel.

“I think someone like Hazel would be fine, what do you think?”

“Sir Hazel is a good talent. However, her personality might be somewhat… for guarding a lady.”

And Penrel trailed off slightly at the end. Idren knew the reason.

Ladies who kept separate companions preferred knights who were taciturn, serious, and not too clever.

But Ophelia didn’t have a companion, and she needed a knight who could make quick judgments and be as flexible as her. Anything less and it was obvious they would either be swayed or clash with her at every turn.

It might be fine at other times, but not when Ophelia was doing something dangerous, so Idren shook his head.

“No, Hazel’s personality is just right. Moreover, Hazel is quick to judge situations and knows many people. She’ll take good care of Ophelia when I’m not around to keep her out of trouble.”

The knight did not argue with him.

“If that is your wish, I will bring Sir Hazel to Her Royal Highness.”

“Yes… Ah, I should see her first. Bring Hazel on your way out.”

Penrel bowed to him and left the room. After the knight left, Idren put the cord with the ring around his neck. Just as he tucked the ring inside his clothes, there was a knock on the door.

“Your Majesty, it’s Hazel Chesa. I heard you called for me.”

“Come in.”

Then the red-haired knight opened the door and entered as if she had been waiting. Idren gestured to the chair that Penrel had just vacated. Sit.

When Hazel sat down in front of him, Idren examined her carefully.

Unlike Salode, she had short-cut hair, freckles that were hard to have in gloomy Edegrun unless one had a considerably active personality, a well-muscled physique, and so on caught his eye.

Ophelia didn’t seem like someone who complained much, but Idren didn’t want to choose just anyone as her knight.

Confirming that Hazel Chesa was exactly as he remembered, Idren said to her.

“I called you because I think you’d be suitable as a guard knight for Ophelia. What do you think?”

“I’d be happy to.”

Idren frowned at the answer that came without hesitation.

“Happy to? Why?”

Hazel blinked at the man who glared at her after suddenly calling her to take on a guard duty and then frowning when she said she was fine with it. She had just been caught by Penrel while passing through the castle corridor and brought into the office.

She answered honestly, a bit flustered.

“Well… because there’s nothing bad about it?”

While training and working in the knight order was good, meeting people wasn’t bad either, so Hazel enjoyed guard duties as well.

Moreover, the Princess of Reden was pretty. Her eyes were like blue candy and her hair sparkled in the sunlight. Unlike the people of the North, she had a soft-looking appearance.

Seeing her speak to the Egelbamot Prince’s attendant, her personality seemed neat too.

Hazel, having finished her thoughts, confirmed her conclusion.

But the young king didn’t seem to understand her words. He said, still slightly furrowing his brow.

“…You’re simpler than I thought.”

It didn’t seem like a compliment, but Hazel just took it as it was. The king, who had ascended to the throne at a young age, had a somewhat sensitive personality.

The king, who had been looking at her with eyes that seemed to wonder if this was really right, let out a small sigh.

“Ophelia might make mistakes in small details because she’s from a foreign country. You know what I mean?”

“Yes. I will do my utmost to conceal anything unnecessary that becomes known.”

“Yes, and if she tries to do something dangerous, you need to stop her… There’s no one in this castle who can oppose her opinion except me, so I’d like you to flexibly adjust the situation.”

It seemed like too much responsibility to entrust to a mere knight like her, but no one could disobey a royal command.

But what dangerous things would the well-raised princess do? It seemed that even if she did, it would be something she could handle on her own.

Even if she was anxious, there was nothing she could change, so Hazel answered without much thought.

“Yes, I will do my best.”

But the king seemed to distrust her more the more compliant she was. Still furrowing his brow, the young man added.

“Report immediately anything that might affect Ophelia’s personal affairs, and even things that might not necessarily do so, but you think should be reported, as long as it doesn’t invade her privacy.”

In other words, report intelligently as you see fit.

Since it wasn’t the first time dealing with demanding superiors, Hazel just agreed to this as well. Yes, I understand.

Idren looked with complicated eyes at the knight who still didn’t know what kind of person Ophelia was.

Ophelia might look gentle and docile on the outside, but… her personality was quite different from her appearance.

Still, someone like Hazel should be able to handle it well. Hoping that the knight’s friendly personality would have a good effect, Idren wrapped up the conversation.

“Get the details from Penrel, and you can go now. On your way out, call Lisana.”

By the time the elderly man entered, Idren realized with some surprise that not even half the morning had passed.

Perhaps because the leisurely time he had spent traveling north with Ophelia was still in his body, the busy daily life that had suddenly come upon him after a long time felt unfamiliar.

Lisana, standing in front of him, bowed politely.

“I heard you called for me.”

Idren looked at the man who still firmly held his position despite him having killed off the castle’s owner and becoming the new master.

Lisana was a righteous person. Unlike him, who had rebelled solely out of a desire to live, the old castle steward had handed over the castle to him truly thinking of the people and the country.

It was thanks to Lisana’s cooperation that Idren had been able to take Sigrasal Castle without much bloodshed, even without the forces of Edegrun.

However, Idren was not particularly close to Lisana. They had known each other’s faces for a very long time, but despite that, they had not been close.

Lisana had watched from a certain distance when he was beaten by the princes and whipped by the queen. It was a distance where no words or actions would be exchanged.

And after several years, when he could no longer hold out in the border region and moved south, Lisana opened the castle gates for him.