Ch.21A Single Flower (5)

The flower that she, Kirsy, and Caden had grown together falls onto Daisy’s lap.

“For the most beautiful lady.”

His gentle voice spread throughout the already quiet arena, and everyone erupted in excitement at the words spoken by the knight who had seemed so stoic.

The men applauded his courage for presenting a gift in front of everyone, while the women sighed with envy and at the sweetness of the gesture.

Cheers, whistles, applause, and excited murmurs filled the space.

Asena looked around.

She wanted to stop the explosive atmosphere, but it was beyond her power alone.

In her eyes too, the black-armored knight handing over the flower and the woman receiving it appeared like a perfect picture.

Asena quickly scanned her surroundings. Everyone seemed to be cheering for these two. It was like a nightmare.

Lucil Hover, the student council president, grabbed Asena’s shoulder and whispered in her ear.

“Wow… your brother is really brave.”

“……”

Asena clenched her teeth. She had to stop this atmosphere.

She wanted to run to Caden right now and ask him what he thought he was doing.

But after that, Caden turned his horse around without hesitation.

He approached the platform where he had first been called.

Asena’s eyes finally fixed on Daisy Hexter who had been left behind.

She was looking down at the ground with a shy face, her cheeks flushed.

She had the expression of an innocent country girl who had just received a flower.

“….”

Asena stared at her coldly. She felt like letting out a hollow laugh.

Daisy was under a misunderstanding right now.

She seemed to think the flower carried deep meaning, but that wasn’t the case.

It was just a gift. He was only giving it because she was pretty. There were no feelings attached.

After all, Caden had always told Asena herself that she was the prettiest.

Having heard it hundreds of times herself, Asena couldn’t stand to see Daisy being so happy and shy after hearing it just once.

As the applause ended, people began sitting down one by one.

Asena clutched her skirt.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Since it didn’t mean anything anyway, she needed to calm down.

…But this anger simply refused to die down.

****

I left the enthusiastic arena behind and entered the temporary tent again.

My heart was beating rapidly.

I dismounted from Rush and calmed the equally excited horse.

At first, I thought it was just a stubborn horse, but now affection has built up.

Could this be the bond that Sir Hoslow spoke of?

“You did so well, Rush. Thank you, my friend.”

I stroked Rush while expressing my gratitude. Since my lance was short, there were several… precarious situations.

Each time, I overcame them thanks to Rush’s consideration. Sometimes slowing down a bit, sometimes lowering his posture…

He was an intelligent horse.

My legs were still trembling. The excitement of battle hadn’t subsided yet.

To calm myself, I took out the remaining flower from the saddle pocket and smelled it.

I had prepared two flowers. Naturally, they were for the twins. But… my mind changed midway.

I admit it was somewhat impulsive.

Not wanting to give flowers to the twins because of various issues.

Grandmother Riana’s advice.

And my affection for Daisy.

These three factors aligned, and I gave the gift without thinking.

It was also embarrassing how people responded as if a new couple had formed.

From Daisy Hexter’s perspective, it might have been an awkward situation.

“Phew…”

But well, it was just a gift given with a compliment about her beauty. What could go wrong?

I started removing my heavy armor piece by piece.

-Flap!

Someone burst into the tent like a gust of wind.

“…Whoa, what’s this?”

I was startled by the sound and reacted like an old man.

At the entrance, Kirsy stood with a rigid face, her feet planted firmly on the ground.

Asena quietly followed behind her.

“……”

Unlike usual, Kirsy didn’t run to me calling “Brother!” and throw herself into my arms, nor did she show her foolish smile.

Asena too had an expression even stiffer than usual as she looked at me. Having the twins like this created quite an intimidating atmosphere.

But I became the champion, and they have these faces?

I was confused.

If they were the twins I knew and grew up with, they would be acting this way because they didn’t receive flowers.

If they were twins I didn’t know, who talked behind my back and even tampered with my lance, they would be acting this way because I did well in the tournament.

I greeted them with a casual greeting first.

“…Aren’t you going to congratulate your brother for becoming champion?”

I stood up after removing the last boot from my left leg and spread my arms.

Only then did Kirsy move.

Still not changing her expression, she approached me with determined steps.

…Honestly, I swallowed a bit of fear. I was afraid she might reveal her true feelings and hurt my heart, like she had talked behind my back.

-Thud!

But she began attacking me physically rather than with words.

She pushed my chest with both arms. It seemed like she was trying to push me toward the wall.

But due to the intense battle, my body was somewhat defensive to external stimuli, and as a result, I didn’t budge.

“…..”

When I didn’t move, Kirsy frowned even more and pushed me a couple more times.

I still didn’t move, and she seemed frustrated, silently starting to punch my chest.

-Thud! Thud! Thud!

Her cotton-like fists didn’t hurt. I was just confused. It was the first time she had acted like this toward me.

“Kirsy, why?”

I took all her attacks with my chest still open.

Hearing my voice, Kirsy’s angry expression gradually turned tearful.

She didn’t stop her actions.

-Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Finally, I caught her hands. She struggled after having both arms caught, then shouted at me.

“Why are you ignoring me?!”

“…What?”

“Why… when I’m here too..! Why did you leave me behind and give that woman a flower?”

She continued trying to free her arms, seemingly still wanting to hit me.

Rush neighed beside us as if finding it amusing.

I wanted to hug her to calm her down, but I couldn’t because she might act up again if I let go of her arms.

I asked.

“…Did you want to receive a flower?”

“Of course..!”

A response without a moment’s hesitation.

I groaned, then held both her wrists with one hand.

Then I reached out with my free hand and picked up the flower I had taken out earlier to smell. I placed it behind Kirsy’s ear.

It matched well with her beautiful silver hair.

“…Here.”

But Kirsy shook her head.

“…What’s the point of receiving it now, brother!”

“…Seriously.”

Whatever her complaint was, she was still throwing a tantrum. She looked like she might cry at any moment.

She couldn’t even congratulate me, and now this? I felt disappointed.

“And..! It was a flower we grew together..! How could you easily give it to another woman without saying anything?”

“….You helped, but it wasn’t your flower.”

“Brother!!”

When she acts like this, I have things to say too. Words I had been holding back because they might seem petty.

I sighed deeply and asked.

“Kirsy, what about you?”

“What?”

“If you wanted it, you could have at least cheered for me. You could have said something like ‘Brother, do your best.'”

“….Ah..”

“Throughout the tournament, every time I defeated an opponent, I looked at you two. But both of you were indifferent?”

The strength drained from Kirsy’s arms. Of course, she must have something that bothers her too. I brought her hands together in front of her and continued.

“Instead, people who used to criticize me cheered more.”

Kirsy closed her mouth and looked at the floor.

“…..”

“I clearly asked for your support. Why did you both just stay silent? I think our eyes met several times, didn’t you feel that I was waiting for your encouragement?”

Asena and Kirsy didn’t cheer for me to the point where it was disappointing. At most, Asena might have waved her hand a little.

Considering the bond we’ve built, it was woefully inadequate. If it were me, if the twins were competing in any form of tournament, I would have cheered until my throat gave out.

In the end, only the twins knew that I was fighting at a disadvantage. Only the twins would have known that my victory was not as simple as it appeared.

Nevertheless, they didn’t cheer for me.

Whether it was due to pride, or because they really disliked me, I couldn’t elicit any response from the two whose support I wanted most.

“Did you think I wouldn’t feel hurt by this?”

I felt like I truly was the “abandoned adopted child of the Praester family” that everyone whispered about behind my back.

It was a truly unpleasant feeling. And that’s why I had even more courage to give a gift to Daisy.

“Asena. Am I wrong?”

When I glared at Asena and asked, she turned her head away. She seemed to have nothing to say to my point.

Silence enveloped the tent.

What is this on such a good day? I sighed, released the dejected Kirsy, and sat down on the floor.

I continued removing the armor I hadn’t finished taking off. Whether they felt hurt or not was not my concern.

“…..”

“…..”

The unabated excitement from outside the tent surged. Laughter, songs, drum beats, and instrument sounds could be heard. It was the opposite atmosphere to ours.

That’s what I wanted. I had hoped they would come in and say they saw me differently, that they would abandon the thought that I was incompetent.

I had resolved not to mind their feelings, but it seems unavoidable. In the end, as much as I loved them, I had a desire for their acknowledgment.

They say men live on recognition, and women live on love. I was no different.

As I roughly removed my equipment, Kirsy had quietly approached and sat down on my right side.

Like a puppy, she grabbed my collar and said.

“…I’m sorry.”

She seemed to have come to her senses after my words. Sometimes I need to scold them like this. Maybe I’ve been too indulgent, as they sometimes don’t acknowledge my feelings.

“It’s fine.”

I didn’t hide my hurt feelings. I shouldn’t be like this, but I keep becoming childish too.

Asena also approached and quietly sat beside me.

“….”

She didn’t say anything.

I stopped what I was doing and just stayed still.

Kirsy continued speaking.

“…I just… was so envious of that person… so I got really angry..”

She made excuses to me without properly finishing her sentences. Now I noticed tears rolling down her cheeks.

Again. Again.

My heart softens like a pushover.

Is it because her face is cute?

Is it because she’s my sister?

I just can’t leave her crying.

I sighed and pulled her head into an embrace.

Easily drawn in, Kirsy collapsed onto my lap and began to cry.

“….Alright. Stop now.”

“I was wrong.. it’s all my fault..”

“I said it’s alright. Let’s stop now on this good day.”

I gently patted her bottom to console her.

Asena quietly mumbled beside us.

“….You were cool.”

She conveyed her belated support.

“….Is that so.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

Asena flinched slightly beside me.

After some unsettling incidents, I couldn’t know her true feelings.

Originally, this behavior would have been her wanting to get closer to me. Since I couldn’t perfectly understand her intentions with my dull mind, I acted according to my feelings.

I raised my hand and pulled Asena’s opposite cheek toward me.

She was drawn in without any resistance and rested her head on my shoulder.

“…..Next time, I’ll cheer more enthusiastically.”

She said.

“….Please do. It hurts my feelings.”

“…..”

Asena subtly rubbed her head against my shoulder.

A fragrant scent rose up.

My heart calmed in the peace we had regained. It felt like we had recaptured the time we spent in the Praester territory.

For a while, we quietly felt the peace that had returned.

“….Brother.”

Around the time when Kirsy’s crying had stopped and she was resting comfortably, Asena called me.

“What?”

“……Then… were the flowers originally prepared for us?”

“……Yes.”

“….”

I could feel the previously heavy atmosphere becoming even lighter.

“….So you gave it to Daisy out of spite?”

“…..To some extent.”

I caught a glimpse of Asena forming a small smile at the corner of her eye. She removed her head and looked at me.

“…Then about saying she was the most beautiful..”

I looked directly at her.

“Ah, that’s true. Her beauty, wow… Daisy is truly beautiful.”

At my words of admiration, Asena’s expression froze terrifyingly.