Chapter 73: First Steps (2)

Suddenly, a bomb dropped, but it hadn’t completely exploded yet.

Arthur’s daughter, Kalia, spoke words of praise about me and said, “I wanted to meet you.”

She hadn’t directly brought up anything related to a marriage proposal.

‘I’ve already rejected it twice before, though.’

Last time, Arthur told me that his youngest daughter had taken a liking to me.

Even after being rejected once, he hadn’t given up and asked again.

I didn’t know why someone I had never met would have feelings for me.

But looking at her eyes directed at me, it seemed that at the very least, her interest wasn’t purely calculative.

I had never seen her before, but perhaps she had seen me. Maybe at the appointment ceremony.

‘So that’s the type she is. Since she wasn’t directly rejected, she thinks meeting once might change my mind.’

She was certainly a beautiful woman.

Even in an elegant dress, her cuteness stood out, and her bright personality was reflected in the slight upward curve of her lips.

Arthur had mentioned that he had raised her like a spoiled child, but as the daughter of a knight commander, her posture and attire carried both courtesy and dignity.

If a woman like this actively showed interest, any man’s self-esteem would rise.

Even for me, although it wasn’t exactly affection, a small part of me felt a bit flattered.

However.

‘She’s staring at me intensely.’

Elaine forgot to respond to Kalia’s greeting and just kept looking at me.

She had been like this with Sophia too—Elaine tended to be quite jealous.

After the Snowflake Tower incident, Sophia had been focused on handling the internal affairs of the tower, temporarily leaving the Winter Palace.

Because of that, my magic lessons had been put on hold, and Elaine, saying that I was her trainee knight, had volunteered to teach me herself.

She was still conscious of Sophia.

‘But, you know…’

A thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Earlier, when the nobles had been hitting on Elaine and I was getting anxious watching it, I had felt a bit annoyed with her.

She was diligent by nature, so it made sense that she would respond to everyone who greeted her.

But if I was right next to her, shouldn’t she at least put up a wall out of consideration?

She clearly knew what their intentions were, yet by being so polite and receptive, she was making them think they had a chance.

Still, since she had her own position to maintain, I held back my irritation despite feeling frustrated inside.

But now that I was the one receiving attention, she was openly showing her jealousy.

Did she think I couldn’t get jealous too?

That’s right. I was feeling a little sulky.

‘Should I tease her a little?’

If I exchanged friendly greetings with Kalia here, Elaine would definitely pout.

A part of me wanted to get back at her by making her experience what I had felt earlier.

And also, jealous Elaine was incredibly cute, so I was tempted to play a little prank on her.

‘…No.’

I brushed aside the mischievous thought.

Thinking about it again, the unpleasant feeling I had experienced earlier wasn’t something I wanted my loved one to feel.

It wasn’t enough to just share good things—why would I intentionally share something bad?

Some might call this playing hard to get, but everyone has their own approach to relationships, and this wasn’t my style.

Besides, deliberately getting close to Kalia just to make Elaine jealous would be toying with people’s emotions, which would be disrespectful to Kalia as well.

So instead—

“I’ve heard a lot about you from the commander, Lady Kalia.”

“Wow, really?”

When I smiled and responded to her greeting, Kalia beamed with visible excitement.

“You’re not wearing armor, but a dress uniform today. Does that mean you’re here to enjoy the party?”

“I’m here on duty as a guard. But thanks to His Grace’s generosity, I’m able to enjoy it a little.”

“I see. Then… if you don’t have a partner for the party, would you mind accompanying me? I’d like to have a conversation with you.”

Kalia glanced cautiously at Elaine as she made the request.

She was aware that I was with Elaine, but as Arthur’s daughter, she also knew that we weren’t together as a couple.

It was common for people who weren’t romantically involved to exchange partners at social gatherings.

Social events were meant for interaction. Parents brought their daughters to introduce them to men, and siblings brought their younger brothers to meet women.

Elaine wasn’t my family, but as my superior, she was still a relevant figure in this context.

And since Elaine and Arthur were on good terms, Kalia had mustered the courage to ask me to be her partner.

“I sincerely appreciate your offer, and I consider it an honor.”

Rejecting a girl who had bravely stepped forward would only hurt her feelings, so I bowed politely and spoke with utmost courtesy.

“But as I already told the commander, there is someone I hold in my heart.

So accompanying another woman while having someone else in mind would be disrespectful to both of you, and I must apologize for that.”

“If you haven’t started a relationship with her yet, couldn’t you at least give me a chance to get to know you? That’s what this event is for, after all.”

“No.”

Since Kalia didn’t back down easily, I gave her a firm response this time.

“I swore an oath in my heart from the moment I met her. I vowed to dedicate myself solely to her, never wavering like an unbreakable sword, and to devote my heart to her completely.”

“U-uh, wow. You must really love her.”

“I truly do.”

“…I’m sorry to ask this, but what if her feelings are different from yours?”

“Hmm.”

Though that was impossible, I answered Kalia’s question sincerely.

“Love isn’t something you do while thinking about what comes next.”

At my response, Kalia looked impressed. Then, with a bittersweet smile, she spoke.

“You’re even more amazing than I thought. I was captivated when I saw your splendid appearance at the knighting ceremony, but your heart is far more admirable than your looks.”

With that, she let out a short sigh, as if releasing a burden.

“But… your heart is like armor, so solid that there’s no room to slip in.”

“My apologies.”

“With such a steadfast heart, I doubt she could ever reject you. I’ll be rooting for you—please cherish her.”

After saying that, she offered a polite farewell before turning away.

No matter how kindly I put it, rejection must have hurt her.
Still, seeing her trying to stay strong, just like her father, I silently hoped she would recover soon.

Arthur had expected this outcome, but seeing his daughter rejected and disheartened still left him with a bitter feeling. He turned his head away with a sigh.

“?”

Then, his gaze landed on Elaine.
Just like him, she had been standing behind, staying out of the conversation between Kalia and Luke.
Now, she had her head lowered, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.
Her face was flushed red.

Like a maiden who had just received a confession from her beloved.

“Ah.”

Arthur finally realized.

He had known Elaine for a long time.
No matter how skilled or handsome the newcomers in the guard were, she had never kept any of them close.
Yet, when it came to Luke, she had made him her squire, brought him to meetings, and even showed possessiveness when others approached him.

‘Well, well.’

It seemed the only thing that had changed wasn’t just her outfit.

‘Looks like I’ll have to give up on recruiting him for the main headquarters.’

Arthur had always found it curious—why someone as confident as Luke hesitated to express his feelings to the woman he loved.
But now, seeing them together… Hmm. Young love was always a mystery, endlessly fascinating.
When had things progressed this far?

Impressed by how Luke had managed to win over the once-impenetrable Elaine, Arthur silently blessed their future.

He was truly disappointed that he wouldn’t gain such an excellent son-in-law.
But Elaine was also like a daughter to him—his cherished apprentice.
Knowing that she had found someone who matched her heart, after spending so many years buried in work, filled him with warmth.

Whatever reasons they had for keeping it a secret were their own business.
He wouldn’t be tactless and mention it.

For now, he would focus on comforting his daughter, who had been left feeling down.

After Arthur and Kalia left, we continued guarding the banquet hall in silence.

During my conversation with Kalia, the topic of marriage proposals had come up, making it necessary to clear things up.
Yet, for some reason, Elaine didn’t press me for answers.
She didn’t even look at me.

She just stayed quiet.

I knew she wasn’t upset about some hidden secret.
Elaine wasn’t the type to sulk in silence—she would confront things head-on.
So if she was reacting like this, it meant that something I had said or done had deeply affected her.

But hadn’t I handled everything correctly?

I had politely yet firmly rejected Kalia without offending her or her father.
I had kept our secret intact and reassured Elaine that my heart belonged only to her.
If Kalia ever mentioned me to other noble ladies, she would tell them to give up, preventing any similar incidents from happening again.

Compared to Elaine’s lukewarm responses in the past, I had done perfectly.
So what was the problem?

My confusion didn’t last long.

A powerful melody suddenly filled the banquet hall.

The host of this event, Grace Northrein, the Grand Duke of the North, had arrived.

Normally, Elaine should have been standing by her side as her escort.
But tonight, at Grace’s command, someone else had taken her place.

A maid with short black hair—the same one I had seen during the last tournament.

Tonight, Grace wasn’t in her usual armor or practical attire.
Instead, she was dressed in a magnificent outfit befitting a grand occasion.
It wasn’t a feminine gown like Elaine’s, but a masculine, aristocratic suit, exuding authority.

With a commanding presence, she ascended the staircase, overlooking the hall.

“Tonight, we gather to honor the proud sons and daughters of the frozen lands who have dedicated themselves to the North. This is a night of gratitude and camaraderie among brothers and sisters. Eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves to the fullest!”

Grace raised the goblet in her hand for a toast.
The guests, who had been given their own glasses by the attendants during her speech, all lifted their drinks in unison.

Elaine and I also received our own long-stemmed goblets.

‘Hmm.’

I was still abstaining from alcohol.

It felt awkward not to drink in this atmosphere, but at the same time, I was reluctant to break my abstinence.

And then—

Gulp.

Elaine, who was beside me, downed her drink in one go without any hesitation.

“?”

I was surprised to see Elaine drinking, and there was a reason for it.

After the knight examination, Elaine had once offered me a celebratory drink.
At that time, when I told her I was abstaining from alcohol, she didn’t ask for a reason but mentioned that she didn’t particularly enjoy drinking either, as it clouded the mind. So, she hadn’t drunk back then.
But now, she wasn’t just raising her glass out of courtesy—she was gulping it down as if quenching a thirst.

“Haa.”

Since the North is a winter region, its alcohol tends to have a high proof.
Elaine let out a long breath, as if the strong liquor burned on the way down.

“Are you all right?”

I asked with concern as I took the empty glass from her and set it aside.
Still, Elaine remained silent, avoiding eye contact with me.

Just as I was about to ask what was going on—

“♩~ ♪~ ♩~.”

A gentle melody filled the ballroom, and people cleared a space in the center.

I knew what this signified.
Something that was indispensable at noble social gatherings—
The ballroom dance.

‘I have no idea how to dance, though.’

Just as listening to songs doesn’t mean you understand music theory, reading fantasy novels doesn’t mean you know how to dance.
Normally, I would have just watched the nobles’ elegant dances and passed the time, but—

“Lady Elaine.”
“?”
“Would you grant me this dance?”

I knelt on one knee before Elaine, extending my hand in invitation.

At last, Elaine met my gaze.
Her face, flushed red, was filled with uncharacteristic bewilderment—
As if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

‘Ugh, this is so cringeworthy.’

Actually saying something straight out of a romance novel sent a shiver down my spine, but—
I ignored it and looked at Elaine firmly.

There were two reasons why I had asked her to dance.

The moment the music started, the men’s gazes turned toward us.
More precisely, toward Elaine.
Those who had been showing interest in her would see this as a perfect chance to get closer by asking for a dance.

I could tolerate greetings, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch those guys flock to her for a dance.
So, I decided to act first.

First experiences hold special meaning for people—
First love, first kiss, first experience, and so on.
And I wasn’t willing to give away any of Elaine’s firsts.
Not even her first dance.

And the second reason—

While talking to Kalia earlier about my views on love, I had a realization.

In our relationship, Elaine had always been the one to take the first step.
She was the one who revealed our relationship to Grace,
The one who insisted on us living together,
Even the one who guided me when I first joined the knight order.

Thinking about that, I found it amusing.
Despite always being led by her, I had the nerve to grumble inwardly about our secret relationship.

If I truly wanted to take a step forward—
Then now, it was my turn to make the move.

And this was that first step.
Without making excuses, I confidently asked Elaine to dance, as her partner.

Elaine, her eyes trembling, looked at me—

“Yes, with pleasure.”

With a shy smile, she gently placed her hand in mine.
I lightly kissed the back of her hand and—

“Shall we, my lady?”

Holding her hand, I led her to the center of the hall.