“Strange. It was definitely strange.”

“…You’re the strangest one right now.”

“Is that so? Anyway. What’s the urgent matter?”

With a slightly hoarse voice, Alejandro spoke to Johnny’s doubtful face.

“Sir Knight will be visiting the trading company soon. Notify the staff of the earliest date among the scheduled vacation dates. Only you will remain at the company that day.”

“Don’t tell me the Count really chose ‘that’ armor again?”

Johnny’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Watching Johnny mutter several times asking if he really chose that, Alejandro shrugged.

His reaction was similar to Johnny’s when he first heard the knight’s words. The only reason he was particularly more shaken was because he remembered the painful times the knight had gone through with that armor…

That must have been the only reason.

The strangely churning emotions that had been present until just now slowly subsided. Just as Alejandro was about to brush it off as nothing, Martha came running urgently from around the corner.

He had clearly said he would give snacks to the knight. As Alejandro narrowed his eyes, Martha shouted.

“Young master. Just now, the Count ran towards the underground training grounds. Is it alright for him to train already?”

Before Martha finished speaking, Alejandro started running. He didn’t even notice the greetings of the guards and servants he passed by.

As he descended the spiral staircase with emotions mixed between expectation and worry, Alejandro suddenly stopped. And he unknowingly swallowed.

Under the shimmering sunlight. The flame-red hair swayed dynamically. Graceful movements drew sharp lines. The serious attitude was so large that it could almost draw the shape of an invisible enemy.

The knight was exactly the same as ten years ago.

Even with a wooden sword, even wearing protective gear, the nimble movements and the sharp tip of the sword.

Above all.

“I’m nothing now. Please.”

On the day when rain poured like a downpour, the day his father was injured. The knight who had finally put down the sword he had been holding onto until the end while bursting into tears was holding a sword again.

Alejandro clenched his jaw. His pitch-black eyes sank deeply, taking in all of Nerea’s movements.

This was the knight he had really wanted to see.

* * *

“Didn’t you say there’s a tournament at the 10th anniversary celebration festival?”

That evening.

Nerea tilted her head. As she casually brought up what she thought was the best solution, Alejandro’s face looked somewhat strange as he was scooping soup.

“You mean the knight tournament, right?”

Johnny spoke instead of the hesitant Alejandro.

His somewhat awkward expression was similar to Alejandro’s. Nerea was puzzled. Right now, only Heather was enthusiastic about her opinion.

“If the Count enters the knight tournament, that would be so cool! Do you give a victory speech or something? Can I throw flowers for you then?”

Heather’s mind was already envisioning Nerea winning and receiving flowers on the podium.

But Nerea couldn’t smile as much as Heather, who was drenched in happiness.

The small dining room. The head maid Martha standing by, two other maids, and even Alejandro and Johnny still had strange expressions.

Nerea looked at the steaming soup. Then she spoke slowly.

“…I don’t know who the favorite to win is, but if I spend a little more time practicing, I don’t think I’ll fall short of them.”

Before she finished speaking, Alejandro exclaimed in surprise.

“No, how could I dare to comment on Sir Knight’s skills!”

“That’s right! Don’t say such things. We’ve all seen how Sir Knight was!”

Following Alejandro’s words, Martha shouted in a loud voice as if spitting blood.

Nerea tilted her head for a moment.

Johnny was one thing, but how could Martha have seen me?

Come to think of it, even the maids were nodding their heads vigorously in agreement with Martha’s words. Nerea carefully took in their faces.

The faces that smiled shyly whenever her gaze fell on them were clearly faces Nerea didn’t know.

Meanwhile, Johnny spoke.

“If you want to enter the tournament, Sir Knight, you must first attend the masquerade ball.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the rule of the knight tournament. To be precise, it’s a loophole created for the Crown Prince to win.”

“How is that a loophole?”

Nerea couldn’t understand at all.

The newspaper clearly stated that the rule was to compete fully armored so that you couldn’t know who your opponent was, and the losers had to remove their helmets and reveal their identities as soon as they lost.

If they competed without knowing each other, and then the final winner removed their helmet in front of the Emperor right after winning, it would be perfectly fair.

Alejandro smiled gently at the knight who didn’t understand.

“Before the tournament, the Crown Prince used the masquerade ball to screen those he would compete against in advance. The possibility of commoners participating in the ball is just a facade. There are no commoners who can afford to spend money on decorations when they can barely make ends meet for a year. So they use the ball to eliminate the variable of commoner knights as much as possible, and put a primary check on the nobles.”

“But it’s a masquerade ball. Can’t you not know who’s who?”

“No matter how much you cover your face with a mask, you can still recognize each other’s characteristics. Fans, handkerchiefs, or jewels that characterize the family.”

“To begin with, the mask doesn’t completely cover the face. Since hair color and eye color are fully visible, you can just think of it as a different kind of ball.”

Ah. Only then did Nerea understand Alejandro and Johnny’s words about the masquerade ball being the primary gateway.

But what she still didn’t understand was how they recognized the Crown Prince in the tournament when he was fully armored. They clearly said that apart from wearing personal armor, no markings or even tassels wishing for victory were allowed.

Seeing her puzzled face, Alejandro smiled lazily and said.

“He’s the Crown Prince. How can you not know when the Emperor is applauding, even if they call him by number? From then on, people just lose on purpose.”

“Ha…”

The only knight out of hundreds that the Emperor applauds for. Nerea let out a hollow laugh. She could instantly picture the tense knights even checking the Emperor’s expression.

“Besides, there won’t be anyone among the nobles who would go against the Crown Prince to win.”

“If it proceeds like that, it really is. All rigged.”

Johnny nodded at Nerea’s murmur.

“Yes. After the Crown Prince achieved his first victory that way, high-ranking nobles from the Emperor’s faction and the noble faction used the same method. Bonnevoie, Othello, Scadurand.”

“Scadurand? Surely not the Scadurand I know?”

Saying “surely not,” Nerea looked at Alejandro. A cold sneer rose over his black eyes as Alejandro answered freely.

“Yes. That ‘Eric Scadurand’ is correct. The fool who stopped the charge and started celebrating when he heard Sir Knight had died at Gawai Castle, then ran away when he saw Sir Knight return.”

Immediately, one dull face came to mind. The foolish Count Scadurand, nephew of the Empress.

The fool who questioned every tactic to the point where it was unclear how he became a knight, eventually retreated quickly after Nerea entered Gawai Castle.

So Alejandro had to enter Gawai Castle alone.

…I really should kill him.

For a moment, a cold killing intent flashed across Nerea’s eyes.

She had firmly vowed at Gawai Castle, but had forgotten.

“To think that fool even won the tournament.”

“I laughed a lot when I heard it too, Sir Knight. But for now, your soup will get cold.”

Alejandro gestured to the soup. Only then did Nerea take a spoonful of soup.

It was exactly to her taste.

As her face immediately brightened, Alejandro slightly raised the corners of his mouth while Nerea muttered slowly.

“Come to think of it, what kind of newspaper is full of nonsense.”

The newspaper made it sound like the tournament was an opportunity open to everyone.

“You already knew. Ten years ago and now, the media is moved by quick-witted people.”

It felt like her shoulders were dropping a little. But still thinking that nothing would be as intense as reappearing as the Black Knight through the tournament, Nerea spoke in a lingering voice.

“If I cover my eyes and hair at the masquerade ball, couldn’t I pass undetected?”

“If you’re okay with it, I’ll prepare a large mask that can cover your hair and face right away. But you should ask yourself if you’re really ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“You don’t know much about social etiquette, right? Even if you cover your face, you’ll definitely stand out. If you show awkward behavior, there will also be those who will be more interested in figuring out if it’s the appearance of a new commoner knight.”

Alejandro’s words hit a sore spot. It was something she hadn’t thought of. Nerea just blinked.

The victory banquet from ten years ago came back hazily. Even before it completely fell apart, the victory banquet was full of awkward moments.

“Look at that. My goodness, doesn’t the hero even know how to hold a wine glass properly?”
“Should we tell him? What if he embarrasses himself?”

She had only picked up one glass to match the Emperor’s toast, but words poured in from all directions. Among the words mixed with concern, probing, and mockery, only one person helped Nerea.

“Thanks to the hero of Castarty. How about relaxing the precious wrist that protected Castarty a little, Count.”

Come to think of it, that person was also concerned about her wrist.

Nerea chuckled. Aside from the mysterious hazelnut-colored eyes and what seemed to be a fairly handsome face, she couldn’t remember any other characteristics.

“What are you thinking about that makes you smile like that?”

“Nothing.”

It’s not nothing.

For a moment, Alejandro’s brow furrowed. As his face showed clear signs of displeasure, Martha and the maids tensed up a bit.

“Should I call you Mrs. Glenn?”

Martha was startled at Nerea’s words and bowed her head.

“Please call me Martha comfortably, Count. And please speak comfortably too.”

It’s still a bit too much. Nerea quickly assessed Martha and the maids’ reactions and adjusted her words.

“Then Martha, can you teach me about social etiquette and such?”

“I’m sorry. As a head maid, I only have basic knowledge and know nothing about the order of high society.”

Martha’s wrinkled face looked dejected, as if she was truly sorry for not knowing.

“No. I’m the one who has lived without knowing social etiquette all this time. You don’t need to be so excessive, Martha.”

It was then that Johnny muttered to himself.

“Grace would be perfect. She’s kind of a rose of high society.”

“Don’t say useless things.”

A low growling voice immediately followed, but the name ‘Grace’ was already registered in Nerea’s ears.

Nerea immediately recalled the blonde woman. The one who entered her room without hesitation and showed perfect manners.

Alejandro’s friend.

Clearly a relationship that might be more than that, since he called her name familiarly. As Nerea slowly gathered her thoughts, Johnny and Alejandro bickered.

“Then should we just pray for a miracle to happen?”

“If Sir Knight commands it, of course a miracle must happen.”

“Miracle…?”

As Nerea showed interest, Alejandro puffed out his chest. Then he said smugly.

“I may not look like it, but I’m a count, aren’t I? A count who can participate in the noble council where only thirty-one high-ranking nobles can be seated.”

.

.

.

After the meal was over.

Huh. Johnny burst out laughing, which he had been holding back. It was ridiculous.

He spoke well despite never having attended that proud noble council. Above all.

“You said that was really just in case.”

Where did the Alejandro who even smiled with his eyes as if flattering go? A cold north wind-like guy spoke bluntly.

“This is exactly that ‘just in case’, isn’t it? Sir Knight says she’ll win the tournament, what could be more ‘just in case’ than this?”

It sounded like the winner was already decided, of course. Johnny didn’t refute this either. Instead, he nodded with a mischievous voice.

“Well. I think Sir Knight has other thoughts?”

Alejandro narrowed his eyes as he looked where Johnny pointed. Seeing her standing with Heather under the window. It seemed that Sir Knight was planning to use a ‘good informant’ instead of a miracle.

Alejandro turned his head. His eyes narrowed at the corners with unnecessary spite.

Strangely, whenever he looked at Sir Knight, he still felt like a thirteen-year-old child.