"About your identity?", Edel released her wrist. The lady just realized he's been holding her. "Your Highness. My apologies that it is something I cannot discuss with you. You may chop off my head if you want to", she said with a serious tone. "Neit...
"You just like seeing him harassed", Raziela sighed and heard the knights giving suggestions. She saw something in the corner of her eyes. "Perfect", she picked it and the knights gave a bright smile. "Well done, Lady Raziela", they looked for approval.
After having quite a long walk heading back to the carriage, the group came across another set of guards. "What are you doing here?", Raziela heard a small whisper from the other group. The imperial guards were giving a hostile look to the knights of the order. "Greetings to the future hope of Arden", she gave a bow and so with Micah. "You dare show your face to me even after you retracted the engagement", the Crown Prince said right away. It was her first time to see him after a long time of being sent back to life. He was still looking at her with such cold eyes.
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Such a disinterested look.
"I believe the future Emperor deserves someone who will serve the Empire together and I hope you forgive me for my incompetence", Raziela gave a low bow. "Incompetent", Edel Cyrus Arden gave a sarcastic laugh.
The Next Day
Training Ground
"Lady Razieal, what matters brought you here?", Tristan, one troupe leader approached her. "I cannot see Sir Cayden around. Father told me that he will be leaving this evening", she scattered her glances but still there was no sign of Cayden. "I believe you know better where he is, my lady. You spent most of the time during his break hours", the knight tilted his head. "Picking herbs", Raziela panicked that she might get caught having trained with the second in command. "Of course, Lady Raziela. Thank you for having Sir Cayden by your side. When you suddenly appeared, he seemed to have a lighter burden on his shoulders", the man gave a bow.
River
Raziela carried her dress around since she didn't prepare spare clothes. She saw Cayden sitting on a rock. He was just silent just like before, his presence also is. That explains why he can easily sneak an attack on enemies but Father said that he's not the kind of knight that would stab an enemy from the back. "This will be the last day of your training with me", the man said without looking back.
"I didn't bring spare clothes", Raziela walked towards him. The man threw a sword. Fortunately, it was still on its scabbard. The lady drew it from and her eyes widened. "It's beautiful, Sir Cayden", she commented. "That's what you use to describe pieces of jewelry. Swords are never-", the man stopped when he turned and saw the lady looking at it with such awe. "It's lighter than the other swords", she commented. "It was a sword which I took during the battle in the south. It was owned by the prince who was sent out", Cayden informed. "For some reason, it was the first time I hesitated to take someone's life", Cayden stood and pushed the sword to Raziela's chest. "All the swords I ever held were filled with bloodlust. When I saw him on the battlefield, he had such hopeful eyes and without any malice. He only wanted to fight for something", he said looking at the sword with a blue gem in the middle.
The prince of the Southern Kingdom was sent to make a diversion as the royal family escaped to the ocean. He was said to be a good soul birthed in a den of monsters.
"Then, what brought you here if you're not going to train?", Cayden gave a generous amount of distance.
"There will also come a time that you will know what you are a fighter for, Sir Cayden. When you find it, I will be all ears to hear about it and celebrate with you", Raziela gave a wide smile. She pushed a box to Cayden and was so excited to see an expression from the man. He was pressured to open it and had a small smile. It was a sword accessory with small silver flowers. "I'll see you in the South after some time. I heard the seas are lovely there", she hugged the sword. "Thank you for the sword, Sir Cayden", Raziela kept staring at it. "Who said you can have it? I was just showing it to you", the man said with a straight face. Raziela felt like melting in embarrassment. "You sounded like you're going to give it to me", she whined. "Not yet", Cayden gave a soft chuckle seeing the lady embarrassed.
Examination Day
Royal Infirmary
Gaius leaned on the wall waiting for his sister to leave the examination room. He smiled at the sight of Raziela beaming with confidence. "I guess we won't have to cut our hair", he patted the lady's hair and started messing with it. "We still have to show ourselves to the emperor. I cannot see him with such messy hair", Raziela tried to stop Gaius. She saw a hint of sadness in his brother's eyes. "Did you not pass? That's impossible. With that skill of yours, you can be the next Captain of the Imperial Knight", the lady crossed her arms. "If only I could storm inside the Knights' table and tell them to leave personal feelings out of this", Raziela sighed. She grabbed Gaius' arm and looked at him with worried eyes. "Did they harass you because you're the son of the Captain of Order. The Imperial Knights had always been in bad blood with the Knights of the Order", the lady pressed her lips. Did she make the wrong decision of proposing that Gaius should stay in the capital by being a part of the imperial knights?
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Her brother looked at her with disgust. "Did you think that I would allow myself to be looked down? I am Gaius Casmir Kirstein. Remember who you are talking to, sister", the lad said with such a condescending attitude. Raziela laughed and gave a soft push to Gaius. "I miss this side of you", she said then started walking. The lad watched her back and smiled.
