READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 17
“
Ah
… Then what should I wear?”
“Yes?”
“That’s… I used to wear only what the other person wanted…”
“Wear something pretty in Miss Luize’s eyes. If you really ask my opinion… No, I don’t think it will be of much help.”
“Why?”
Edward rose from his seat and strode up to Luize. He left behind the dresses he had chosen and saw Luize in practice clothes. Lowering his upper body, he whispered in a low voice that only Luize could hear. “My taste is closer to this side.”
“You must be joking. I don’t need these many clothes.”
“…I really mean it. Then just pick the ones you like. Because I’m going to order a new one according to Miss Luize’s measurements anyway.”
“It’s a waste.”
“Luxury and waste. That’s my hobby.”
“…” Luize turned her head without saying anything more.
Edward stopped his gaze from her wrist as he examined Luize’s clothes. The sleeve buttons of her practice shirt were undone. His hand went to Luize’s wrist. As his fingertips touched her sleeve, Luize looked at his face, visibly surprised. They were so close that reaching each other with just a little movement was enough. His long fingers moved delicately, touching her slender wrist through the thin shirt.
The two people’s eyes met closely when he lifted his head after finishing buttoning up. His red eyes, hidden by the thick, long black eyelashes, stared at her for a long time.
Luize’s gaze slowly fell down. His upper body, leaning towards her, was immediately visible. The tight-fitting shirt and vest reminded her of the curves of his sweaty body during the training.
They were too close. Luize’s heart thumped between anxiety and unfamiliar feelings. So she hurriedly stepped back.
“Thank you.”
“For something as small as this? Are you ready to look at the dresses now?”
“Yes.”
Luize hurried towards the hanger. She roughly picked a random dress and disappeared into the fitting room.
Edward looked at the fitting room curtains where Luize had entered, fiddling with the cufflinks on his wrist. The feel of her wrist touched through the thin fabric remained on his fingers for a long time.
* * *
Perhaps because they had spent a long time in the dressing room, it was already evening, even though they hadn’t stayed anywhere else for a long time. Edward took the watch out of his arms and checked. A waiting carriage was soon to come nearby.
“I had a lot of fun today. Let’s do training before dinner.” Luize stood with a bouquet of flowers and spoke to Edward with an excited look.
He put in his watch and faced her. Luize looked better than usual during the day but looked more excited now.
“Do you like swords that much?”
“Yes.”
“I guess we should have stopped by the weapons store instead.”
“If the two of us had visited a place like that, everyone would have looked at us strangely.”
“I suppose so. But who cares? People will only think that my tastes are getting weirder.”
“Now, I might be one of those people.”
“Then I’ll have to be careful about that.” Edward laughed.
They waited for the carriage in the square where they met during the day. People gathered near the wall in the corner of the square and began to chatter.
Luize looked at them with a puzzled look. “It looks like there is an interesting poster there.”
Edward headed with her in a crowded direction. They broke through the crowd and checked the posters.
“It’s an announcement for the swordsmanship competition.”
“…Yes.”
Luize’s expression hardened as she looked at the official announcement. She pointed her finger at the winning prize. “The winning prize is dragon slayer Lensia’s sword?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“The carriage is here.”
“
Ah
, yes.”
Edward and Luize climbed into the carriage together. The carriage headed to Edward’s mansion. Luize, who had been silent for a while, looked at Edward and opened her mouth.
“Edward.”
“That, the swordsmanship competition.”
“Yes.”
“Can a woman enter it too?”
“…Pardon?”
Edward asked back in a panic. As if he didn’t hear it wrong, Luize opened her mouth again.
“I asked if it was a competition that women could also participate in.”
“There’s no statement saying that they can’t enter, but… Those who are firmly stereotyped don’t even think there will be a swordswoman.”
“Wouldn’t it be possible to hide your identity?”
“I thought you weren’t interested in the swordsmanship competition?”
“Yes. I’m not interested.”
“Then why are you showing interest?”
“…I was just wondering if women could also participate.”
“There’s nothing that says it can’t be done, so I don’t think it would be impossible as long as you hide your identity well.”
“…”
“Are you interested?”
At Edward’s question, Luize paused for a moment and shook her head. “…No.”
* * *
The night breeze came through the open window. By the fluttering curtain, Edward looked out the window with an expressionless face. After looking into it so far, it seemed like Luize didn’t know anything about her husband. The count also didn’t know much about her, so they seemed to be in a similar position.
She’s too precious to be in that position.
Yet, she was too kind to be swayed to his side. Even if Luize grew to hate her husband, she wouldn’t be able to bring herself to point the blade at him. It was impossible to draw such a person to his side.
It seemed best to prepare to some extent so that he wouldn’t come into conflict with her. Edward quite liked her, and even setting aside personal feelings, he preferred to avoid having a talented person like Luize as an enemy.
Once the swordsmanship competition is over, I’ll have to move up some of my plans.
Now that he thought about it, a poster finally announced the swordsmanship competition during the day. Of course, the winning prize was ‘Lensia’s sword’. His half-brother had a knack for annoying Edward.
It has been a long time since Lensia disappeared. He didn’t know whether she was alive or dead now. During his childhood, he met Lensia as his swordsmanship teacher for a short time.
“Your Highness, do you really want to hold the sword?”
“No.”
“Then why are you holding it?”
“Because this is something I have to do.”
Little Edward grunted while fiddling with his sword. The woman standing in front of him smiled brightly as she lowered her head to meet his eyes.
“Then do what you want to do while I become your teacher.”
Edward looked up with a puzzled look as she continued.
“I’m in a situation where I have to be kicked out as soon as possible, so that’s better.”
“Kicked out?”
“Because my rabbit-like child and my husband are waiting for me at home.”
“You have a child?’
“Yes. I have a child who is a few years younger than Your Highness. I wanted to be by my child’s side, so I even gave His Majesty the sword I used to defeat the dragon. But His Majesty was anxious that he couldn’t call me. I just want to retire properly and live a more peaceful life.”
She raised her body again.
“…Well, my being here isn’t solely for that reason. But since my daughter takes after me, she shouldn’t be swayed by a man’s face.”
“Face? Why not?”
“What if she’s charmed by Your Highness’s handsome face and promised to be loyal to the imperial family?”
“But Teacher is already loyal to the imperial family.”
“I can’t help it, but I want my daughter to live freely if possible.”
“I can’t understand.”
Everyone is desperate to bring her to their side, but why does she act like this? She was a strange person.
She, who came as his temporary swordsmanship teacher, taught him only the basics for three months and then left the imperial palace as she wished. The reason was that she hadn’t made much progress in his swordsmanship skills.
It was the last day with his swordsmanship teacher, who taught him the basic stances in the name of swordsmanship practice and then spent the rest of the time telling him all kinds of stories.
“I will do my best to stop it. If my daughter ever meets Your Highness, can you promise me one thing?”
“What?”
“Please let my daughter do whatever she wants. Don’t keep calling her if she doesn’t want to.”
“Okay.”
“In the future, when my name is forgotten from people’s memories, I would be grateful if you could return my sword.”
“I will proceed with that when I become the emperor.”
“It’s really reassuring. When did you grow up to become the emperor?”
“Don’t underestimate me.”
“Oh dear, I’ve been caught.”
“Lensia.”
“Yes.”
“How is life outside the imperial palace?”
He had visited several places before, but it was just a trip. He couldn’t yet grasp how people outside the imperial palace lived.
“Hmm… There’s nothing special about it. It’s boring, dangerous, and trivial.”
“More than in the imperial palace?”
“Yes.”
After leaving, they never saw each other again. He only remembered that for a dragon slayer, she was a more ordinary person than he thought.
Edward stared out the window with his sunken eyes. Her sword became the imperial family treasure. But now, if the imperial family officially gives up the sword…
“I think it’s time to return it to its owner.”
He closed the window.
* * *
“Try to laugh.”
“
Haha.
”
“…Miss Luize, you aren’t laughed, did you?”
“It’s the limit.”
“
Hmm
.”
The weather has been fine for the last few days. Luize and Edward danced together at two banquets and disappeared into the garden or terrace. Every time that happened, Reiad glanced sideways at the two, but that was all he did. He was soon busy working on his new lover.
Today, a tea party was held at a baron family famous for its beautiful gardens. Since the weather has been nice these days, the nobles have come up with all kinds of excuses to gather. Among them, Edward and Luize, the most famous in the capital recently, always received invitations everywhere.
Young men and women who had entered the age of marriage were busy chatting and searching for partners in the center, and parents were busy bragging about how well their children had grown. Lovers growing in love enjoyed strolling openly in the baron’s family garden.
Edward smiled softly and walked with Luize through the baron’s garden. It was natural for everyone’s attention to turn to them at least once.
“Do you know that?”
“What?”
“It is said that we are the most famous affair couple in the empire these days.”
“Really… It’s a title that I never dreamed of having.”
“I didn’t expect to hear that I’m the best in this field too.”
They passed through the flower fields and into the maze of well-grown gardens. It was a space prepared for those looking for a secluded spot.
Luize realized that she had become quite accustomed to such spaces and sighed. How did it come to this? Soon, they encountered the second most famous affair couple in the empire.