CH 33

「Please, go ahead already. The ladies are waiting for you, Sir Knight Commander.」

I urged Douglas-sama to come with me because of the high feminine cheer that reached my ears and the wild voices that responded to it. I don’t want to go out with you in a very public place.

「Frankly, it’s a pain in the ass. This public training nonsense.」

「This is also your role.」

I know you are used to attracting guests, Douglas-sama, but please give it up because this public training is an event that is needed in many ways, including the arrangement of good matchmaking and being selected as the exclusive escort knights. Even Douglas-sama may be able to find a good match.

「Don’t complain, just go for it.」

「Oh, well, I will go first then.」

「Yes, go ahead, sir.」

Douglas-sama, who was on his way to the training grounds at a short run, suddenly looked back.

「I almost forgot to tell you.」

I tilted my head and wondered what I had forgotten to say, and my eyes met those of Douglas-sama, who smiled toothily.

「That thing, it totally suits you! Later!」

Then, the back of his head quickly disappears.

「…………I’ve been hit.」

This is why I say that Douglas-sama has a bad temperament. He usually makes fun of people, but sometimes he shows this kind of compassion. If that was all, but with a final throwaway line that I wasn’t sure if he was serious or not today, the heat gathered on my face. It was a critical hit where I was caught off guard. I won’t be at the mercy of the candy and the whip, which is different from Ryniel-sama again!

I flap my hands and fan them to cool the heat that has gathered in my cheeks. I then rubbed the hair ornament in my hair to calm my mind.

I have to be able to take these things in stride, don’t I, Ryniel-sama? Don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m talking about. Training, it’s just training.

I took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, and the training area where Douglas-sama was headed came into view.

Even though we just separated just a few minutes ago, Douglas-sama is already trying to strike with one of the knights. You’re always so enthusiastic, aren’t you? You’re not so honest, showing affection to the young ladies who are observing from a little distance.

「…Ah.」

I saw something I didn’t like.

Raul’s figure was at the spot where the cheers were the loudest. Every time his blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, the women cheered yellow, and among them I spotted a red-haired girl.

She must be having a hard time with her jewelry, but there was not the slightest sign of it. It seems she could at least afford to keep up appearances at that level. She should have panicked a little.

Still, although I saw Raul for the first time since I made the decision to break off the engagement, albeit half-heartedly, it didn’t bring any emotion to mind. I thought I would be a little sentimental, but not at all. I was even reminded that the Raul in me no longer had any feelings for him, not even as a childhood friend.

In fact, the necessary documents for breaking off the engagement have been roughly prepared. If I enclose and submit the documents proving the pain and suffering I have suffered both mentally and physically over the past 10 years, the breakup of the engagement on Raul’s behalf will be approved without any problems.

What frustrates me is that I could not use the ugly story of Raul and the royal princess 10 years ago because it wasn’t substantiated. I was the only one who witnessed that scene, and my father and brother only heard the story. I was too shocked to remember, and although there were subsequent letters exchanged, they were not clearly stated and were insufficient to be used as evidence.

Even if Raul was found to be responsible for the breakup of the engagement, the fact that the princess was also responsible for the breakup couldn’t be pursued.

「I still find it aggravating…」

I wanted to make her feel, if only a little, the equivalent of the humiliation I had suffered. Although she doesn’t have the same centripetal force as in the past, she still enjoys the enthusiastic support of some of her people, mostly the royal brother.

Even then, ten years ago, it would have been difficult to get her to admit what she had done, because even if I had made the accusation, it would have been covered up by the authorities. In the face of power, the accusations of a mere viscountess are like dust. I wanted to give her a hard time for taking away someone’s fiancé and still being loved without any guilt. That’s the only thing I really regret.

「I don’t know if I should even think about it…」

I muttered in a small voice, not saying to anyone.

I don’t have the time to be thinking about this kind of thing forever.

Originally, I was going to visit the office of 2nd Unit with Ryniel-sama to have a final meeting about the security system for the orphanage visit, but I didn’t have time to stop here. Everyone should be able to see where the knights are training with sweat and tears.

Besides, someday I may have to repay them for the hardship I have licked, or perhaps I will self-destruct on my own. Because it’s hilarious, it’s just my brain.

As I was about to move my halted feet again to switch my head and go to the meeting, I saw four Kingsguard knights coming toward me from the direction of travel.

「?」

I wonder if any of the ladies who came to see the event are the ones they’re looking for. They seemed to be very enthusiastic, but I thought to myself, as if I were someone else, “They’re just going to scare the girls away.”

So much for being able to think such a thing in a casual way.

With a clang, the sound of shoes stops in front of me, and a knight looks down at me with a sense of intimidation, and raises his voice loudly.

「Marshallie Gracis. Would you like to accompany me!!」

The voice echoed through the air, and I could see many eyes from the training area turning toward us.