Became the Escort Knight of the Villain in the Romance Novel

67 – Like a lover, but not a lover (5)

After Irene left like that, I took a weak step and returned to the place where the prince was.

After looking at me for a while, the prince cautiously opened his mouth to me.

From noble mtl dot com

“Your expression is…Not good. Didn’t you meet the princess?”

“We met.”

After saying that, I kept silent, and the prince smiled bitterly once, as if he had roughly grasped the situation.

I wonder if I’m not saying much about disappearing to meet Irene.

The consideration wasn’t bad, so I shrugged her shoulders once and quietly leaned her head against the wall.

‘…It must be crazy.’

My appetite was bitter. What should I have said in that situation?

It wasn’t that I couldn’t guess Irene’s thoughts, but I wonder if I could have said it a little more… Well.

Belatedly, I realized that I was with the prince because my head was complicated.

I couldn’t sigh in front of him, so I lowered my head slightly towards him and opened my mouth.

“Sorry. I think a little too much.”

“It’s okay. I’m well aware of her concerns. To be honest, I think I have no shame. In this situation where it’s not enough to praise you for your achievements… I’m asking you to subdue the warlock again.”

“It’s okay. Haven’t we already talked about warlocks before?”

In order to gain the prince’s favor, he once said that he would take an active role in subjugating warlocks.

I said that because her existence of extinction is, of course, related to Irene’s tragedy.

She never imagined it would make her Irene worry. Hell, what should I have done right?

“Can I think a little more about Hattan? Apparently, beating one of the five families is a different level from subjugation.”

“That’s about it, I can give you as much time as you want to think about.

After saying that, the prince clapped in the air as if to lighten the mood and continued his words.

With the corner of his mouth raised, he grinned and opened his mouth while nodding his head at me.

“Now, don’t look so gloomy. Come follow me Since a banquet is prepared for you, isn’t it possible that a princess might come to the banquet?”

“You mean the banquet…”

“Come on, stop crying like that. Surprisingly, it may not be a big deal.”

He tapped him on the shoulder and nodded his head as soon as he saw the prince’s face smiling so exaggeratedly.

I don’t know if she’ll be able to enjoy it, but if Irene ever came to visit… She had a lot to say.

#

The banquet hall with a large number of people, fancy decorations and beautiful melodies was a splendid place in Evangelium.

Evangelium, which was the capital of Allar in the past, the name of the palace was also Evangelium.

The banquet hall, beautifully lit by colorful magic lights, was filled with nobles, each boasting their own style.

It was different from the banquet at the Crystal Palace.

This place, where rumors spread that the crown prince will appear ‘in person’,

Unlike normal times, it was easy to find famous nobles.

Lutein, the next head of Medivh, one of the five great families,

Aside from that, aristocrats with power equivalent to those of the 5th family, such as the Marquis of Carmine, also appeared.

So, even if they were the same nobles, the nobles with insignificant power had no choice but to notice them.

Even if you want to catch the prince’s attention, if you go ahead of them, then neither mouse nor bird will die before you do anything.

It was a noisy banquet hall, but the noise was nothing short of silence.

Until the crown prince appears, they keep an eye on who will catch the prince’s eyes first. There was such a quiet clamor all around.

Jerbug-

However, the silence was broken in an instant.

As soon as the prince entered, no. To be precise, it was because of a man who had followed the prince.

“…Huh.”

A hazy moan escaped from a young lady’s mouth.

And at the same time, as if they were weaving, all the women began to trim their clothes at the same time.

There were nobles who frowned at the amazing scenery, but

Those who recognized the knight following the crown prince simply nodded at the familiar sight.

At least those who knew the name of the knight, Evan Fried, all acted that way.

The young ladies’ eyes widened when they realized that Irene Uris, who had always been by their side, was not there.

Perhaps because of that, Evan’s face, which seemed to be pensive unlike usual, gave off a different atmosphere than before.

A slightly sharper, colder atmosphere. What the dark green eyes contain is bleakness,

The young ladies whose eyes met his and hers were all busy hiding their reddened cheeks while holding onto the hem of their skirts.

‘What the hell.’

Where is it? Evan’s eyes captured the surroundings.

However, the invisible existence soon frowned.

Irene, she looked around for a while, but she couldn’t find her until she finally reached the banquet hall.

Is it right to be in the imperial palace? If outside of her, she regretted the fact that she hadn’t pursued her to the end for no reason.

In such a noisy banquet hall, there is a moment of silence,

While the prince was talking to the others, she fully felt the stares piercing her.

Even so, Evan’s gaze was only directed at the empty space beyond the imperial palace.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind. Do you know that the young ladies here are staring at you all the time?”

“…Not interested. Aren’t they people you wouldn’t even meet unless you were in a place like this in the first place?”

Because I was so used to these kinds of gazes, I didn’t even feel a different inspiration anymore.

A single person…Was already enough. It’s a daunting time to think of only one person,

I had no intention of being interested in anyone else.

If you can’t take care of even one person properly, what qualifications do you have to meet someone else?

As Evan’s face grew darker at that thought, the crown prince let out a clearing of his throat and began to slowly look around.

He didn’t like being close to Evan.

I was already wrong when I came in, but

Even so, the fact that they are chatting like this for a long time… I don’t think there’s any need to show it.

She nodded her head for a moment, then looked at Evan’s face and opened her mouth.

His pensive expression, who seems to be in great trouble no matter who sees it, can only ease his mood.

“Come back.”

“Yes…?”

“Shouldn’t we find a princess? I brought you, but you sure don’t want to go, do you?”

Evan looked at the face of the prince who smiled mischievously, then turned his back with his head bowed deeply.

Contrary to earlier, seeing Evan disappear without saying anything to excuse himself, the prince sighed lightly.

When will we be able to hear the news that these two are dating?

I suffered a lot for three years, but somehow I thought that the day to hear the news would not be too far away.

#

I didn’t know where Irene was.

I wish I could track her down, but I didn’t want to do that.

Where is she? Maybe she is outside the imperial palace.

After thinking about it for a long time, she found a place that came to her mind, and she started moving her steps towards it.

This situation felt familiar. This hallway resonates with melodies, and you can hear the laughter of countless people.

Isn’t it similar to the crystal palace? Of course, the position was reversed.

At that time, I was waiting, and Irene found me.

Aren’t I looking for her now? She walked slowly

Somehow, I was convinced that Irene would be in the place I just remembered.

The wind whispered that if there is a destiny, it is now.

The moonlight brightly illuminated the hallway, and the long shadow I cast pointed to the end of the hallway.

At the end of the hallway, a cool breeze blew and touched my cheek. The breath from the mouth leaks out and disperses.

Recalling how she must have felt then, she walked toward the end of her hallway.

A balcony, maybe it’s there.

If you see it…What should I say? It was true that she still couldn’t decide what to say.

Since she jumped out only on impulse, even if she saw her, she might not say anything and bow her head.

But we should meet. Wouldn’t that be much better than just standing still?

After walking down the corridor for a while, I found a familiar figure near the balcony.

I was about to say something, but quietly walked behind her.

I deliberately silenced the sound of my footsteps so that you wouldn’t notice.

She quietly opened her mouth as she draped her cloak around her shoulders with her arms wrapped around her coldly.

“It is cold.”

That word came out naturally.

I thought about what to say several times, but somehow the words came out of my mouth because I was in the mood.

As if surprised, he looked at her narrowed pupils, then smiled lightly and shrugged her shoulders once.

Perhaps she was taken aback, her fluctuating eyes were very funny.

“Why is Evan here?”

“You know I don’t enjoy banquets.”

She went to the prom because Irene was there.

I don’t think she’s ever gone alone, except for a ball the prince requested before.

As I said that, Irene glanced into my eyes and pursed her lips. Are you feeling a little better now?

She was at least relieved by her slightly improved complexion.

I thought about what she was going to say, and looked at her intently. She laughed involuntarily at the words that came out of her mouth.

“…Aren’t you angry?”

She was angry, what on earth was she thinking that made her think she was angry?

Unknowingly, she tried to stroke Irene’s hair, but then she hurriedly withdrew her hand and slowly opened her mouth.

“Why are you angry? Did I look so narrow-minded?”

At those words, Irene, who was staring at me, replied bluntly.

As if she didn’t like something, her eyes narrowed.

When she said that Her Highness had given me a banquet, I just stared at her.

Do I really just want to go back? Really, seriously?

Seeing that gaze, Irene quietly turned her head. She couldn’t be, she thought.

I knew for sure that if I went back here, she would be pretty disappointed.

“I thought you would be here.”

It wasn’t just the memory of the Crystal Palace. She

She felt a strange pull, because she somehow had a strong feeling that she was going to be here.

But a little embarrassed to say it, she scratched her cheek for a moment before opening her mouth again.

“If you ask me why I came here, it is simple.”

Her eyes met. Her eyes, filled with emotions, seemed so radiant.

What if those eyes only looked at me? However, I couldn’t say that now.

Suppressing her desires, she whispered a fragment of her innermost heart to her.

“I missed you. That’s all.”

The reason why so many young ladies didn’t even pay attention to me despite courting me,

Isn’t it all because of one person that I couldn’t easily smile at others?

The person I had in my heart was only one person in this world.

Irene, remembering that name. He lowered her head and pulled her hand slowly.

Anyway, it seems that what I just said went well to her.

She smiled lightly, showing the tips of her ears stained red. Perhaps the reason she lowered her head was to hide her face.

She slightly frowned at the fact that she didn’t even respond when I held her hand.

A thought came to my mind and I lightly let go of Irene’s hand.

Then, she slowly lifted her loose hand and gently wrapped it around Irene’s cheek as she bowed her head.

I was looking at Irene’s face, which lifted as it was when I gave her a little strength,

I was a little taken aback by her reddened eyes.

I’m sure he’s not crying. However, with her lips slightly open on that face that seemed to be crying forever,

Carefully wiping her wet eyes, she opened her mouth.

From noble mtl dot com

“Why… Are you crying all of a sudden? I was wrong.”

“Oh, I didn’t cry.”

“Do you want to stop fighting warlocks? You can quit if you want to.”

Of course, it would be ‘official’ quitting. I would secretly go out and deal with the annihilation, but it would be done while she didn’t know.

When I asked that question, Irene shook her head slightly as she pushed my chest away from her.

As if that wasn’t the case, she brushed the cheek I had touched and opened her mouth.

“I gave permission. I’m just worried. Every time he comes back injured like that, and he says he’s fighting against black magic again… I’m just worried.”

Saying that, she glanced at me, then continued her words again, still wiping the corners of her red eyes.

“And… I didn’t cry. Really.”

“Is that so?”

“I didn’t cry.”

When I touched her fingers at that, the remaining water from her still moistened her fingers.

Are you ashamed of the fact that you cried? I don’t think I need to point that out.

After giving her one nod, she moved slowly to her side.

It must have been three years ago that the two of us were alone on the balcony.

She never imagined that even when she was in the Crystal Palace, she would harbor these feelings.

Thinking that quite a few things have changed, her eyes were filled with melancholy.

Spring, the season that is now going down, is scattered in the wind.

The pink petals swayed slowly, and the petals that danced in the air touched my cheek and slowly entered my hand.

She carefully picked the petals up with her fingers, then blew them into her mouth and quietly watched as they flew away.

However, the sudden wind made the petals move to an unexpected place.

Hwiing, the wind blew in the direction we were in, and the flower petals fluttered endlessly and landed softly on Irene’s head.

“……”

I don’t know if she has petals on her head.

Worried still permeates his stare at the empty space without saying a word,

He grinned and carefully lifted the petals on top of her head.

Irene stared at me, startled when my finger touched it.

Asking what she just did, she narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth, showing the flower petals in her hand.

“Because something like this flew in.”

“…I was surprised.”

“Are you still worried? Didn’t she also say that she would not participate in the subjugation of warlocks if she wanted to?”

“You’re going. With that being said, do you think I wouldn’t know that you would sneak away when I didn’t know.”

She laughed bitterly at that. It was not wrong.

I flinched at her words, which were horribly identical to the thought she had just thought of, and then she looked at me and quietly continued her words.

“…Again, when I come back injured like that. I don’t know what to say to you then. Should I tell you to stop now? Should I let go of everything and leave everything to the imperial family? Even if I say that, you won’t even listen.”

“Maybe you can just say that.”

When I answered that, Irene frowned at me and stared at me.

She smiled lightly at the way I showed her so blatantly that she didn’t like my answer, and then opened her mouth again.

“If I don’t go, the lady might get hurt.”

“…I’m fine. Anyway, I usually take that kind of risk-“

“I am not okay.”

As she said that, she met Irene’s eyes.

“…There are people I cherish.”

Lofena, Sir Chris, Rize. I didn’t want to lose any of the people I met at the duke’s residence.

I didn’t know if it would be because I already lost someone I was precious to, but this time.

I didn’t want to go through that kind of regret again. Desperately,

Perhaps that was the reason why I went to a dangerous place that others thought was reckless.

I was okay with passing away. However, I wanted to be as happy as the people I cherish.

It may have been a bit selfish, but… That’s what I wanted.

However, among those precious people, if there is someone who comes to mind first,

It was, of course, only one person.

“Among them, the one I want to protect the most is the young lady.”

“……”

“Extinction is dangerous. It takes a person’s life in an instant, and this time, like the Duke, he curses people and threatens them even in an invisible place.”

The reason I can be like this now, maybe it’s because I killed the warlocks.

So I couldn’t give up. At least all the warlocks are gone,

Until the moment all the tragedies in the novel disappear. I couldn’t give up on the things I wanted to do.

“I don’t want to lose my lady. I want to protect you. A young lady looks better with a smile than with a cold expression, so I have such a small wish that only a smile will remain on her face forever.”

He smiled lightly as he finished his words.

In order to ease the heavy atmosphere, I turned my gaze toward the air with a shy smile.

I didn’t come out like this to say this, but I wonder if I put pressure on you for nothing.

As I was about to let out a quiet sigh at that thought,

My head turned involuntarily at the sudden warmth I felt from my hand.

It was an empty hand, but before I knew it, I slowly looked at Irene at the small hand holding it. She

She thought she might be mad, maybe she’d put her burden on her.

Even though I was worried that I might have blamed her for what I was doing.

I felt my cheeks tickle for some reason as he casually looked at me with his usual eyes.

I’d rather say something.

As she kept her silence, the sound of her distant waltz could be heard more clearly.

A thought suddenly came to my mind at the waltz melody.

Wouldn’t it be possible to do what we couldn’t do in the last crystal palace, this time.

“…Do you know how to dance?”

“Suddenly?”

“Isn’t it quite a banquet? There’s still music… Well, to be honest, I feel like the atmosphere has become too heavy.”

When I said that while avoiding her eyes, Irene smiled at her words and opened her mouth.

“Does Evan know how to dance?”

“I know. It’s a must-learn, because Rize told me before.”

“…Rize.”

After looking at her eyes for a moment, which somehow became bleak, she cautiously opened her mouth.

I wondered if the sound of my pounding heart could be heard in this silence, so my voice rose slightly.

“My lady, would you like to dance a song with me-“

“That’s not it.”

Took. Let’s stop at her hand lightly touching her chest.

Irene looked at me gently and opened her mouth again with a smile.

“Today…Not as a lady, but as Irene. Call me by name, please.”

For a moment, I felt as if I was out of breath.

Because her lips looked particularly shiny when she asked such a pitiful question.

She managed to let out a heavy breath, barely suppressing the urge that ran through her body.

For some reason, the reason why her smile now looks so beautiful.

The corners of her eyes glistening in the moonlight looked as transparent as a lake. Those eyes that drew a soft arc contain me,

It was just that Irene’s figure came into her eyes more clearly than any other moment she had ever seen.

Name,

She always thought only inwardly. A name she had never spoken before, she muttered cautiously.

“…Irene.”

Moonlight and starlight. She was no longer in sight of her.

Because at this moment, the most beautiful sparkling person was in front of me.

Looking warily at her clasped hands, she opened her mouth so slowly.

Her voice, which was clearly audible even in her softly ringing melody, fortunately seemed to have reached her.

Looking at those blushing cheeks and those blue eyes that were getting wet little by little.

Be quiet.

Ask her for her.

“Will you allow me the honor of being with you?”

Before long, her hands touch. On this balcony where even the wilting flowers look beautiful, she smiled and quietly nodded her head.

“…Good.”

A waltz that can still be heard clearly, within the melody that flows this night.

Irene was the only one who was shining brilliantly.