I'll Give It a Try
***
“Want to go wash up with Daddy, sweetheart?”
“Bath time… I like it…!”
Elia, nestled in Kael’s arms, let out a faint little laugh as they stepped out of the cottage. Soon, the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance.
Luina had been watching the pair with a warm, contented smile, but she quickly turned her attention to Zenle, who stood right beside her.
What on earth does she want to talk about that she asked us to give her some space?
Zenle hadn’t come right out and said “leave me alone with her,” but her request had carried that unmistakable intent. That was why Kael had taken Elia and stepped outside. So what exactly was so important that she needed privacy?
Luina looked at Zenle with open curiosity. The answer that came next left her utterly stunned.
“I will assist you with all my strength, Lady Luina. Please confess to Master.”
She understood every single word, yet it still took Luina several full seconds to process what she’d just heard. The moment it finally sank in, a bewildered cry burst from her lips before she could stop it.
“……Huh?!”
In an instant, Luina’s face flushed far redder than it had when Kael had announced he was Elia’s father. It burned so fiercely you could have fried an egg on her cheeks.
When did she find out I like him? And where does she get the nerve to say something like that?!
Luina’s mind short-circuited, tangled in a chaotic knot from just one bold sentence out of Zenle’s mouth.
Yet even in the face of Luina’s flustered reaction, Zenle remained perfectly calm.
“All of us disciples already know that you have feelings for Master, Lady Luina. The only one who hasn’t noticed is Master himself—his romantic awareness is practically crawling on the floor. Of course, I was quite surprised today to learn that you and Master had become husband and wife, at least in name…”
“W-wait, seriously? You all really knew?!”
“Yes. No matter how reserved you tried to be, the way you looked at him made it obvious. How could we not notice?”
“Th-that’s…”
Luina had thought her face couldn’t possibly get any redder, but Zenle’s firm confirmation pushed it to an entirely new shade. The realization that everyone around her had already seen straight through her heart was mortifying beyond words.
“Still, almost no one outside our group knows, so you can rest easy. After all, it was bound to come out eventually, wasn’t it?”
“W-well… that’s true, but…”
Anyone would feel embarrassed if a secret they’d guarded so carefully had been exposed like this. Still, just as Zenle said, it was something everyone would have learned sooner or later. Luina fanned her burning face with her hand, trying to cool it down.
Zenle watched her for a moment, then continued.
“Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now, Lady Luina. You need to confess to Master while you still have the chance.”
“H-huh? There’s no need to rush… is there?”
Luina tilted her head in genuine confusion at Zenle’s insistence that she do it immediately. After all, both she and Kael were practically immortal. They had more than enough time—practically an endless supply.
But it was as if Zenle had read her mind. She narrowed her eyes and asked,
“You’re not thinking, ‘Well, we have eternal life anyway, so there’s no hurry,’ are you?”
“H-how did you know?!”
“Haaa…” Zenle let out a long sigh. “Lady Luina, do you have any idea how many noble daughters in the Royal Capital are currently targeting Master?”
“……They really are?”
Luina’s face stiffened as she echoed the question. After the war ended, she had been overwhelmingly busy within the elf territory. The little free time she managed to scrape together had all been spent visiting Kael and Elia. As a result, she wasn’t particularly up to date on the latest gossip from the capital—especially not the trivial nonsense about noble daughters.
But those same “trivial” girls were after Kael?
For a brief moment, a chilling killing intent flickered in Luina’s eyes. It was the same murderous aura that had once felled tens of thousands of demons on the battlefield using nothing but a bow and arrows. Even though it wasn’t directed at her, Zenle felt her body freeze instinctively. She forced herself to nod.
“…Right now, nearly every respectable noble house is trying to tie a marriage leash around Master’s neck. Quite a few of them genuinely admire him as well. Prince Enoch has been blocking them for now, but…”
“So once Kael goes up to the capital, that protection ends?”
“Exactly. They’ll be sending letters every single day, and before long the young ladies themselves will come in person to meet him. And it won’t stop at just the nobles of the Royal Capital.”
Kael. The weight of his name was anything but light.
He had made the single greatest contribution to ending the Human-Demon War. In recognition of that, the King himself had bestowed upon him the title of war hero, along with peerage, land, and riches. On top of that, there was his overwhelming martial prowess—the kind no one on the continent could possibly stand against. Even without his prior achievements, that power alone was both an impenetrable shield that no one would dare challenge and a blade sharp enough to cut down rival houses.
That was why the noble families wanted to bind Kael to them through marriage.
If it were only political maneuvering, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Kael could simply reject them outright. But the truth was, Kael was an exceptionally handsome man. A body sculpted with perfect muscle, sharp yet refined features, long black hair tied neatly behind him, and those fierce, vivid golden eyes. Add his legendary fame to the mix, and it was only natural that many noble daughters truly adored him.
So what would happen the moment Kael set foot in the Royal Capital?
Grind—
Luina’s teeth ground together fiercely at the mere thought.
Seeing her reaction unfold exactly as expected, Zenle barely managed to steady her trembling body and continued.
“Master currently has no experience with women. I confirmed this myself by asking him directly, so it’s certain.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Which means right now—while we still have a little time before he heads to the capital—is your only chance. The more aggressive noble houses might even come all the way out here, so the sooner you confess, the better.”
“Th-that’s…”
The word “confess” instantly melted the murderous look from Luina’s face. Her gaze darted away in embarrassment.
And in that moment of shy hesitation, Zenle could clearly see the emotion hidden beneath it.
“What if I confess… and he rejects me…?”
Fear. The terror of what would happen if her confession failed.
Right now, she and Kael maintained their relationship on the basis of being war comrades who had once entrusted their backs to each other. Luina was afraid that if she tried to take one step beyond that comfortable boundary, she might fall all the way to the bottom—and lose even the precious connection they shared now.
From her perspective, it was an entirely understandable and reasonable fear.
But Zenle knew better than anyone that Luina’s worries were completely groundless.
“Lady Luina, did you know?”
“Hm? Know what?”
“Master’s standards aren’t actually that high. Of course he cares about appearance, but he isn’t looking for some breathtaking beauty. More than anything, he values a person’s character and inner self.”
“H-how do you even know that, Zenle?”
“Because back when I was learning swordsmanship from him, those were exactly the kinds of things I asked about during our breaks.”
What could be more entertaining for disciples than hearing their master talk about romance?
Of course, when the disciples—including Zenle—had first brought it up, they hadn’t gotten proper answers. If anything, they were lucky not to get a knuckle to the head. But as time passed and they grew closer to Kael, he began giving honest replies. Thanks to that, all the disciples now knew exactly what kind of person their master’s ideal woman was.
“You can afford to have a lot more confidence, Lady Luina! Honestly, if it’s not you, I don’t think there’s any woman who could make Master’s heart crumble in one go.”
“S-stop it, you’re embarrassing me…”
Appearance? Luina was the greatest beauty in the world—her looks rivaled even her unmatched skill with a bow. Personality? She could be firm when necessary, but no one showed more care or consideration for her own people and those around her. And none of it was an act.
Besides, even now, she and Kael weren’t quite at the “close friends without boundaries” stage. They were more like dear friends who still kept a polite distance. In other words, their relationship was in the perfect position to naturally develop from friendship into romance.
“I will support you with everything I have! Confess before some other woman steals him away, Lady Luina!”
Zenle declared it with absolute conviction.
“……”
Luina fell silent, lost in thought at Zenle’s bold claim. Hesitation didn’t vanish in a single moment, so Zenle—who knew her well—simply stood quietly and waited for an answer.
Even so, Zenle was already almost certain what that answer would be.
She had given Luina a clear picture of just how precarious the situation was and how little time remained.
Announcing that she and Kael were Elia’s parents? That wasn’t a wall strong enough to hold back the noble houses. If Luina didn’t truly marry him, Kael would eventually reveal that their marriage was only a formality for Elia’s sake. Once that truth came out, the nobles would swarm him again with renewed fervor.
In the end, Luina only had two choices:
Take the risk of rejection and confess to Kael,
Or stay silent and lose him to someone else.
“……Alright. I’ve decided.”
And of course, between those two options, there was only one choice Luina could make.
“I’ll… give confessing to Kael a try.”
To grow from comrades into true lovers—into husband and wife.
It was the obvious choice, but it was also one she had reached only after deep, serious deliberation. Zenle broke into a wide grin.
“Don’t worry, Lady Luina. I will make absolutely sure to help you succeed!”
As Kael’s disciple and as a knight who respected Luina, Zenle had no intention of letting her choice end in failure. No matter what it took, she would ensure the two of them came together successfully.
Zenle steeled her own resolve, every bit as firm as Luina’s.