Became the Escort Knight of the Villain in the Romance Novel

41 – Seo Im Ceremony (1)

“Are you really okay now? Are you all healed? It hurts again, aren’t you hiding it? If that’s the case, I’ll tell the lady and tell the driver to tie it up, so be honest.”

“I’m fine now.”

Honestly, I’m not completely healed yet, but it’s true that I’m feeling much better.

How much Lopena cried when she saw me for the first time.

She didn’t cry at this point, but when she saw me, it was very uncomfortable to see her cry.

Still, Lopena was staring at her anxiously at me.

She had scratches here and there the other day, but the wounds around her neck were still intact, and Rofena’s expression would darken when she saw them.

“Really fine.”

“…I know, that’s fine. But she says that there is a difference between being okay with herself and being okay with the viewer.”

Perhaps I am truly blessed.

To think there are two people who care about me. If the circumstances were ordinary, I would have been full of happiness.

Of course, there are a lot of things to worry about right now, so I can’t just be happy. As she stared at Pena with

And smiled, the guy who let out a sigh pouted at her lips.

“Oh, really. If people worry a little, it means take care of yourself. I don’t know why I always come here injured.”

“I don’t know why you are angry.”

“The person in front of Seo Im-sik, right? What if your body is full of scars? Does your face make sense, lady? Well, I’m glad I didn’t get any scars on my face.”

“It can’t be helped. Do you want to fight a troll too? Can you fight without getting hurt?”

“What, what if I force myself to do something like that!”

I just gave her a shrug at Lopena’s wrath.

I did my best in my own way, but there was nothing I could do about it because I got hurt.

Still, it was fortunate that the scars were enough.

That troll was so strong that even thinking about it now, I doubted whether he would be able to count the odds.

“It’s snowing.”

When I looked at the window, what I could see was snow.

Did she say that it snowed less this year? Even so, the snow that piled up in an instant slowly covered the world.

The slightly exposed soil is again covered with snow and dyed white, and even the moon is covered by the snowy clouds, making the surroundings dark.

But it will melt soon. Because this winter isn’t too far away.

When the snow melts, when the ceremony is over, and when I become Irene’s official escort knight.

It must have been spring.

The thing reflected in Lopena’s eyes, quietly looking out the window, is childhood,

I smiled lightly and looked at the snow falling from the sky.

#

“…Ha ha.”

As soon as the breath holding the hot tea leaked out, it turned white and scattered outside the window.

A garden full of snow, evenly piled up because the snow had not been removed on purpose, sometimes had small footprints left on it.

And if you move your eyes along the footprints, you will see the youngest child in this mansion.

“Lopena.”

“Oh, I was caught.”

It’s her birthday soon, so why are you doing that on the subject of turning 16?

Should I consider it fortunate that I did not lose my innocence?

Or should I feel sorry for not growing up yet?

He probably knew that he would get scolded if he got caught.

Seeing Pena in the corner making her snowman, puffing on her reddened hands, her laughter leaked out of her mouth.

Staring at Grunro Pena with his arm resting on the chin of his window, he waved his hand in the air and looked around.

His voice leaked out with his fingers on his lips.

Maybe you’re concerned about being caught by others. Then you shouldn’t have done this in the first place.

“What.”

“Oh, no. If you look at it like that, your eyes will be drawn this way. Go away. I mean I’ll be leaving soon.”

“I don’t like it?”

“Are you interested in a snowman? If you were going to make it, would you come down here quickly? If you are there, the gardener will come and say something.”

To be honest, it’s just fun to watch Lopena do stuff like that.

I laughed giggling with my eyes narrowed, then he strode toward me with his eyebrows furrowed.

“Close the window.”

“Can’t you see I’m looking at the scenery? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“Since a while ago, you have been looking only at me. Are you interested in young girls?”

“…Really, there’s nothing I can’t say.”

Damn-!

“Ah!”

I hit Fena lightly on the forehead with the

, And soon the guy’s head fell back and collapsed in her snow.

Did you hit him a little hard? But it was worth it.

To say that I like children is the kind of person I detest the most in the world. How can I do that?

Lopena was just Lopena. If I had to put it into words, it should be the feeling of looking at the doll in her room.

Cute, that’s exactly how I felt.

… Reminds me of her little brother.

When I see Pena, I think of her as always her sister.

She is my only sister. In particular, the reaction she shows when she gets hit by me is surprisingly the same.

That figure with her reddened forehead clenched and her eyes narrowed as if she was going to cry at any moment.

“Why are you doing this to me since the last time we had a snowball fight?”

-Really, what have you been doing to me since the last snowball fight?

It’s so strangely similar, I can’t get angry at Lopena.

Sir Chris sometimes told me to scold Lofena for being too naughty, but

Seeing her annoyed at me like this and throwing her eyes here and there just felt cute.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something to say sorry right now. Can’t you see the swollen forehead here? No matter how much you are a knight-“

“Would you like some melted chocolate? I’m thinking of asking the chef later.”

“Please.”

I stared blankly at Lofena for a moment, then laughed out loud without realizing it.

It’s not that he’s not shameless, he was so angry until just now that he suddenly changed his attitude.

“It’s cold, so stop coming in now. If I get caught…Well, I’ll say I did it.”

“Really?”

“Okay, would you like to come in through the window? I’ll catch you.”

“…Hmm, thank you.”

I don’t know where the pockmarked expression went, but Lopena smiled and held my hand, and soon came inside.

For a moment, I carefully brushed off her eyes that had accumulated in her hair.

The guy who suddenly let out a sneeze looked at me sniffing.

“Sometimes I think about it, but the driver seems to be especially good to me. It’s not like that with Rize unnie or anyone else.”

It’s good, Ra. Maybe so.

It was true that he was infinitely repulsed by Lopena, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to look that way.

As Pena, who was much smaller than me, quietly stroked her head, he looked up at me with her mouth closed.

“It’s just like her little brother.”

That was all. If there’s a reason I’m giving up on Lopena.

He was a guy you wouldn’t see again even if you went back, so he probably wants to be nice to you when he’s in front of you like this.

I didn’t want to regret it. That was all.

As I removed her hand from Lo Pena’s hair, Lo Pena stared at me, then looked away from her.

Her pouting lips slipped into her lips before she knew it, and she was back to her usual face.

How she rolled and played in her eyes, her slightly wet hair shaking to and fro.

“Let’s go. Because I want to eat chocolate.”

“…Yes.”

Laugh bitterly. It was dangerous to be so immersed in the sentiments of the past.

Even when she lived alone, she tried not to think of her brother as much as possible, but whenever she saw Lopena, she kept thinking of her brother.

Rubbing her eyes, she looked at Pena again. Lopena’s hair was brown.

Light brown enough to remind you of her orange color if you look at it wrong. It was different from her brother.

So let’s not think about it, wouldn’t it be time for her to forget her past?

After gently rubbing her closed eyes for a moment, she let out her breath with difficulty and moved her steps.

Seeing Lopena walking with her light steps, the corners of her mouth lifted her back,

She shrugged her shoulders as she approached Pena’s side.

Seeing her shoulders twitch every time she walked, as if excited by something about her, it seemed that her sinking mood was relieved a little.

“Do you like chocolate that much?”

“Of course. You are valuable. I’m the lady’s exclusive lady-in-waiting, but she can’t eat often.”

“…I’ll bring it to you often.”

“Are you familiar?”

I think I was quite surprised that her words stretched out.

What kind of chocolate do you like so much?

Since it was Lopena’s birthday soon, she seemed to have to think a bit about what to buy for her then.

She only likes chocolate so much, what kind of reaction will she have if she receives a present?

Her brown eyes twinkled like her hair.

The two dainty hands gathered on my chest were squeezed tightly, and I smiled and nodded once.

“Yes. Why would I lie?”

Her small mouth opens with a hee. Everyone was so excited that Pena stamped her feet,

She then reached out her hand to me and touched me lightly.

“I didn’t know, but I think the driver has a very nice personality.”

“You know that now?”

That’s a bit embarrassing, but when she mischievously narrowed her eyes, Fena hurriedly grabbed my arm and smiled broadly.

She could hardly bear the twitching of the corners of her mouth.

Her brother didn’t show this behavior often. After all, her brother and Lopena were different.

That alone made me feel at ease, and unlike before, I was able to smile comfortably.

Then, perhaps realizing that I was joking, the ropena that had fallen from her arm opened her mouth as she pricked her arm with her finger.

“Don’t joke around like that. You were surprised.”

“…Isn’t that a joke?”

“Oh, really.”

After a while, I raised my head at the sound of footsteps coming from far away. Isn’t that a familiar sound of footsteps?

Lo Pena Also, when I looked up at her, she must have thought that someone was coming. She looked after me, and then she opened her eyes wide.

“My lady?”

“…I asked where he was. I was here.”

“Did you find it?”

“Because we have something to talk about.”

As she lowered her head slightly, Irene gently raised her hand and quietly opened her mouth.

A blue dress, not the usual black one. Are you going out somewhere?

I wonder if he realized I was staring at his clothes,

She looked down at the dress she was wearing, then Irene looked at me.

“…Not so good?”

“No. It suits you well.”

“I’m glad.”

“She looked a little different from what she usually wears. Well, it’s nice to see something different. It seems to go well with the eye color. But, I have something to tell you…”

Seeing her blue dress reminded me of the color of her eyes for some reason.

She was definitely different from someone who always wore dark colors.

Will we be able to see her wearing a different color dress later?

She shook her head, however, and dismissed her thoughts. Didn’t she have something to say.

She asked about him, and Irene slowly opened her mouth.

“This is a story about the ceremony. With less than a week left, there are things you need to know.”

“Okay. Lopena, go to the chef and tell me I asked for it, and you’ll get it.”

“I’ll eat well.”

When Lopena, who had whispered those words, disappeared, Irene, who stared at him, cast her gaze at me insinuatingly.

As I tilted my gaze at the gaze that seemed to be asking me for an answer, Irene, who frowned, opened her mouth.

“Did you give anything to Lopena?”

“Oh, I decided to give you some melted chocolate. Because Lopena likes sweets.”

“…Well.”

Maybe something was dissatisfying.

Irene, who briefly looked in the direction of Lo Pena’s disappearance, turned her head and headed back to her office.

Come to think of it, there wouldn’t be much time left for her to be with Pena like this.

It was said that if she had her inauguration ceremony, she would officially become her escort knight.

Unlike now as an apprentice, I will always be by her side.

Of course, if you take a vacation, the story will be different, but how many times will an escort driver take a vacation?

In fact, this ordination ceremony was quite unusual, unlike the ones that have taken place before.

Along with the formal appointment of a knight who had not even undergone a coming-of-age ceremony, it was to become an escort knight for Irene, the owner of the small household of Julis.

It was also a bit burdensome. I was determined, but even if I was determined, it didn’t mean that other people’s eyes weren’t burdensome.

It was jealousy that mingled in the gazes of the knights who occasionally met when walking around the duke’s residence.

There were also guys who said they were lucky. Because there were also those who were giggling and sympathizing with him.

If you ask me, I could have done that.

She didn’t, though, because she knew it was better not to.

I’ve received a lot of stares like that before, so I thought that was the case now.

No matter how hard you try, it will eventually be overshadowed by luck and talent.

No matter how much I explained it, it only looked like something that was achieved through luck and talent in their eyes.

It was most convenient to just ignore it.

“Come in.”

Thinking of that, I walked for a long time. When she arrived at Irene’s office, Irene opened the door and said,

When she opens the door, what she sees is the familiar scenery of the room she has always seen.

The neatly organized bookshelf was packed with books, and Irene’s favorite teacup was placed on the large desk with Darjeeling in it.

When she smells the scent of darjeeling, she always calms down.

It was such an awkward space at first, but as I looked at the room, which had now become part of my life, Irene looked at me and nodded her head.

“Sit down, we have a lot to talk about.”

Aside from the ceremony, was there anything else to talk about?

As I sat in her chair, Irene, who had been staring at me like that, immediately lowered her head and turned her gaze toward her table.

The usual teacup and plate of sugar cookies were placed on the table.

Irene stared at the cookie, then she opened her mouth to me.

“Looks like Lope got along pretty well with me. She takes care of things I like.”

“… Well, it’s just like seeing her little brother. He’s a kid I want to take care of for no reason.”

“Brother.”

After muttering that for a while, Irene took a sip of Darjeeling and looked at me.

What dwelled in her blue eyes was anxiety, so I stared at Irene with a frown on her eyes.

What was there to be suddenly anxious about?

After looking at her like that for a while, Irene put down her teacup and her eyes widened at her words.

“It seemed that the crown prince would come to this ordination ceremony.”

“…Yes?”

“It looks like I’m coming to see you, so I think it’s better to prepare well.”

Laughter is built up. I thought she was someone I wouldn’t even run into for years.

The name of the crown prince that appeared out of nowhere felt quite irritating.