Chapter 18: A vow in the garden

Irene had gone out to the garden to take a walk with Lian.

She had barely managed to pull him away from the noble ladies surrounding him, laughing and chatting, intending to spend some time alone with him before the banquet.

That’s when she saw Logan and Anastasia.

Sitting on the bench, the two of them looked just like lovers.

Not only that, but wasn’t he about to reach out his hand to the Crown Princess?

At that sight, Irene instantly lost her senses and rushed towards them, shouting.

“What are you two doing there!!!”

Her face was hideously contorted with anger and jealousy.

Logan, her Logan, dared to… with another woman, not her.

And to that cunning Crown Princess, of all people, he was about to reach out.

With such a gentle and affectionate gaze!

“How could you do this to me, Logan!!!”

At her attitude, as if she were interrogating a cheating lover, Logan couldn’t help but let out a scoff.

“Ha…”

‘Why is she acting like she’s the victim?’

Looking at Irene like that, Logan now felt deep fatigue and disillusionment instead of pity or guilt.

She had been laughing and enjoying herself with Lian, not even sparing him a glance, and now she was asking how he could do this to her…

And he didn’t know when it started, but her attitude of naturally treating him like a possession.

Her stubborn, blame-shifting anger was so absurd it was baffling.

Therefore, Logan could no longer deny that horrifying foresight even a little… he was convinced it was a reality that would unconditionally happen in the future if he didn’t change.

This woman would not change.

No, she had no intention of changing at all.

So, he had to let go of any lingering attachments and just let her go.

“Irene.”

Logan called her name coldly.

Not a trace of his previous gentleness or hesitation remained in his voice.

“Whoever I am with, wherever I am, whatever I do, it’s none of your concern.”

“Wha… What did you say…?”

Irene gasped at Logan’s firm words.

She looked at his face as if she couldn’t believe it, but those blue eyes that had always looked at her with affection were now as cold as ice.

“You… you, how dare you say that to me…!”

As Irene trembled, unable to continue her words, Lian, who had followed her, jumped in without even trying to properly assess the situation.

“Hey, Logan! Aren’t you being too harsh on Irene?

I don’t know what happened, but we’re comrades!

How can you do this!”

Lian wrapped an arm around Irene’s shoulder and rebuked Logan.

And Irene, tears welling up in her eyes, naturally leaned into Lian’s embrace.

At the sight of the two of them, Logan scoffed and shook his head.

“Ha… Comrades..?
Do you really think so?”

“Of course!
What on earth are you talking about, Logan!?”

“What am I talking about…
All this time, you… no, never mind.”

Logan gave up explaining to Lian, who asked back as if he couldn’t understand.

What was the point of telling a guy who, even when the lives of comrades and fellow soldiers were at stake during the Demon Lord army subjugation, spewed sophistry about fair play and cowardice, claiming their sacrifices were inevitable bulls**t.

“Forget it.
We’ve defeated the Demon Lord anyway, and now we’re no longer comrades, a party, or anything.”

Saying so, Logan completely averted his gaze from Lian and Irene and turned towards Anastasia.

And then.

Without hesitation, he knelt on one knee.

Irene, instantly recognizing what that meant, screamed.

“Logan, no!!!”

However, Logan completely ignored Irene and raised his head towards Anastasia.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess… No, Anya…”

“No.. No.. Stop it, Logan!!!”

Irene collapsed on the spot, calling out to Logan and trying to stop him as if screaming in despair, but he didn’t move an inch.

At that sight, she despaired.

And ‘Anya’… a nickname she had never heard in all her life spent with him.

Of course, in the past, Logan probably called her name so gently and affectionately that a nickname wasn’t even necessary.

But that wasn’t important to her now.

What mattered was that his tenderness was directed at another woman, not her.

“Ah… ah… no… Logan…”

Seeing Logan’s gesture, like a knight taking an oath, the mere thought of what he might say to the Crown Princess next made Irene feel like she was going to lose her mind, and she fainted on the spot.

---

Before Logan could finish speaking to Anastasia, or even start properly, Irene collapsed, and the garden echoed with Lian’s shout.

“Irene!!!”

He hurriedly supported Irene and glared at Logan and Anastasia with resentful eyes.

“Logan… how could you do this!?
Even if you want to climb the social ladder, to abandon us, your comrades!!!”

“Ha..! Excuse me, Hero…!”

Anastasia, who had been frozen by Irene’s unreasonable attitude followed by Logan’s sudden action, thought she couldn’t stay silent at this shameless hero’s words this time and was about to open her mouth, but Lian beat her to it.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess is also too much!
Just because you’re about to become the Emperor, does that make it okay!”

“Wha… What did you say?
Hey!”

Anastasia, utterly dumbfounded, was about to retort, but Lian had already left the garden with Irene.

“Ha… ha… ha…”

It was truly dumbfounding, but Anastasia quickly regained her composure.

That moronic pair didn’t matter anymore.

Because now, there was someone in front of her looking at her with upright eyes.

“…May I continue?”

Logan asked quietly.

His voice was unwavering.

“Yes! Yes! Of course!”

Anastasia replied in an unconsciously excited voice.

“Though I am a lacking and humble person, would you please allow me to stay by Your Highness the Crown Princess’s… no, Anya… by your side?”

“Ah…”

In that moment, Anastasia fell into a sense of ecstasy she didn’t even know she possessed.

So much so that she couldn’t even remember the unpleasantness caused by those idiots who had just disappeared.

Even the Emperor’s bombshell declaration from before was nothing compared to what this man was saying now.

‘Surely this isn’t a dream, right? Right?’

Her mind seemed to go blank at the unbelievable reality.

Her heart pounded as if it would burst, and her face flushed uncontrollably red.

It was truly difficult to keep her senses amidst the dream-like situations that had continued since the Demon Lord’s subjugation.

Anastasia tried her best to suppress the corners of her lips that were ridiculously trying to curve upwards on their own.

She couldn’t show such an unseemly and unrestrained appearance.

However, Logan misunderstood this.

“I’m sorry… It must be too sudden for you…”

Logan thought his impulsive action had burdened her.

And considering the situation, it might have looked like an act to get back at Lian and Irene, so she would naturally be reluctant to accept a pledge from someone like him.

With such thoughts, Logan smiled bitterly and tried to get up from his kneeling position.

At this, Anastasia urgently cried out and grabbed his hand.

To clear Logan’s misunderstanding and to convey her true feelings, she spoke in a trembling voice.

She was so excited that she almost blurted out her inner thoughts.

“Yes! So, from now on, we will be of one heart and one mind… for life as hu…!”

“Hu..?”

Fortunately, just as the word “husband and wife” was about to pop out, Logan tilted his head slightly and asked back, allowing Anastasia to barely come to her senses and hastily shut her mouth.

‘Oops…!’

She blushed and cleared her throat with a cough.

Truthfully, she desperately wanted to get married and become husband and wife right this instant… but it wasn’t the time yet.

“Ahem… So… what I meant was… to have such a wonderful person like you protect me by my side, I feel truly reassured and happy.
Please… would you help me by my side, like Renate?”

Anastasia managed her words as calmly as possible, but Logan vaguely sensed what she wanted to say.

However, he decided not to point it out or tease her.

He felt her warm sincerity for him, and a thought, like a budding sprout, that he too would like that if it were possible, arose within him.

But there was no need to rush.

Reality was that things couldn’t be achieved as easily as one wished.

Little by little, slowly approaching…

He intended to properly respond to her feelings someday, so Logan replied with utmost sincerity.

“Yes, I will gladly do so. Anya.”

As if his feelings were conveyed, Anastasia smiled brightly.

Now, there was no longer any awkward silence between the two of them.

Instead, a warm and hopeful atmosphere began to flow.

Meanwhile, Renate, who had been watching all this from a short distance, smiled contentedly.

She had stayed away, understanding her master’s wish to be alone with Logan, but then Irene and Lian suddenly intervened, and the situation briefly turned ugly, but in the end, Logan had made a proper decision.

The sight of him drawing a clear line with Irene and Lian and choosing Anastasia was even exhilarating.

She too felt joy as the two finally confirmed their feelings for each other and grew closer.

However…

‘…Husband and wife… Her Highness is really something…’

No matter how much she liked him, Renate couldn’t hide her embarrassment at Anastasia’s attempt to blurt out the words “husband and wife.”

Her usually so cool-headed and dignified master just couldn’t keep her composure in front of Logan.

It was somewhat cute, but on the other hand, it also made her a little worried.

Though it was a worry in a good sense.

---

“Ahem! I know you’re watching, Renate!”

Anastasia called Renate with a cough.

Renate approached with a feigned innocence and paid her respects.

“You called, Your Highness?”

“Since we’re inside the Imperial Palace anyway, could I ask you to look after Logan rather than escorting me?
I think I need to hurry and prepare now too…”

Anastasia said, glancing at Logan.

Renate immediately understood her master’s intentions and nodded.

“Yes, I understand.
Please don’t worry.”

Renate turned to Logan and said.

“Logan, follow me.”

Logan gave a brief bow to Anastasia and followed Renate.

He thought Renate was going to inform him about his role or duties in the Imperial Palace.

“What should I learn first?”

When Logan asked with an eager voice, Renate let out a chuckle.

“You really are an unfailingly diligent fellow.

Just follow me for now.”

Saying so, Renate led the way, and Logan followed her, feeling awkward for perhaps being too eager.

However, the place Renate was heading to was not the barracks or an office he had expected.

It was a luxurious door deep inside an ornately decorated palace building, a place where royalty or distinguished guests would likely stay.

“Lady Renate..?
Are you perhaps lost..?”

As Logan asked, looking at the door with a puzzled expression, Renate opened the door and pushed him on the back.

“No more talk, just go in.”

“Yes?
W-Wait a moment…”

“I also need to prepare, at least briefly, so from here on, try to manage on your own.
Well then, goodbye.”

Saying so, Renate closed the door before Logan could even retort.

Just as Logan, flustered, was about to grab the doorknob, cheerful voices came from behind him.

“Hello! You must be the renowned Logan!”

“Wow! You’re even more dashing and handsome than we heard!”

When he turned his head, two identical women were approaching him with bright smiles.

They were twin maids with a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

“Ehehehe…”

“Hehehe…”

‘No, a sinister and gloomy atmosphere..?’

Anyway, Logan couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the sudden appearance of the twins.

It was because their appearance somehow seemed to exude a more ominous aura than any of the demonic beasts he had seen in the Demon Lord’s castle.