Just Someone Who Does Good Things for Me #3
The march began just a few days after they had taken Iredain Castle.
Alena did not linger long in Iredain.
She had accepted the surrender, and the rest could be left to the logistics officers and administrators.
Within days, she ordered the departure, and the march toward the main Rosdea forces began.
Aiden Romandon had argued that their original plan had been to prioritize the conquest of Iredain, and that now that it was done, they should consolidate their position. But the queen simply shook her head quietly.
“If we had taken Iredain by force in battle, I would agree. But contrary to expectations, we entered Iredain without bloodshed, and the enemy likely never anticipated that either. We must seize this opportunity.”
That had been her answer.
A few days later, the march began in earnest.
The fields of Iredain were shrouded in the light of early summer as the mist lifted, and the sound of hooves beat steadily across them.
Alena sat atop her horse, staring straight ahead.
Leni rode beside her.
Mounted and following directly at the queen’s side.
“Aren’t you tired, sister?”
When Leni asked, Alena answered without turning her head.
“Fatigue must never become an excuse to delay what needs to be done, Leni. If we don’t move now, we’ll suffer far more in the days to come.”
“Still… isn’t this too fast? We already pushed hard all the way to Iredain. The others have barely caught their breath.”
Leni muttered softly as she adjusted her reins.
Behind her, Roen rode close on her own horse, guarding the two of them tightly.
“The enemy will not allow us any time to rest. Remember that too, Leni.”
“…Yes.”
Leni answered and turned her gaze forward.
Then she looked back at someone following the procession.
It was Emil.
He rode with a neutral expression, staring ahead, but there was clearly a girl in his arms.
Soft golden curls.
Small, pale hands. A white, youthful face.
It was Daisy Ricgard.
Exhausted from the long march, she lay quietly against his chest with her eyes closed. Every time the horse swayed, her small hand clutched tightly at his sleeve.
Leni turned her head slightly.
The sight strangely bothered her.
It looked like nothing at all,
yet it stirred something inside her.
The girl sleeping with her eyes closed in the priest’s embrace.
The hand gripping the priest’s collar.
“……”
Leni felt an inexplicable discomfort.
And it didn’t take her long to admit that the feeling was jealousy.
“…How convenient for a hostage to be held so comfortably.”
The words slipped out like a petty complaint, so she quickly shut her mouth.
But inside, her emotions were already boiling.
‘Why does he have to hold her like that?’
‘He could have let her ride alone.’
‘She’s not that weak, that girl.’
Just looking at them brought up strange feelings.
Her throat felt oddly dry, and her chest felt tight.
She shifted uncomfortably in her saddle.
Roen, beside her, lowered her head slightly.
“Are you all right, Your Highness?”
“Yes… I’m fine. Just a little tired.”
Leni shook her head.
But soon her eyes drifted again.
She was sitting upright, gripping the reins properly,
while that girl rode with her legs dangling limply in the priest’s arms.
Leni pressed her lips together.
‘Sister said the priest cherishes me the most.’
She thought to herself.
‘That’s why he risked so much for me… of course he does.’
Jealousy.
But Leni quickly pushed the emotion away.
She straightened her back and muttered softly to herself.
“The priest is so kind.”
Roen turned her head.
“Did you say something, Your Highness?”
“…No. Nothing.”
Roen tilted her head slightly but said nothing more.
The column rode on for a long time.
The march that had begun in the morning only stopped after night had fallen, and everyone was utterly exhausted.
Over the pitch-black fields, night settled quietly.
The soldiers pitched tents at the base of a hillside.
Campfires began to flicker one by one, and the smell of charcoal and roasting meat drifted on the wind.
Leni sat alone on a small makeshift bed.
Her mood was still sour.
It had simply been that kind of day.
Her legs and thighs ached from riding so long,
her sister was, as always, busy weighing countless matters,
and the priest was once again…
‘Ugh…’
Just thinking about him made Leni kick off her blanket in irritation.
“I was tired too.”
Leni muttered under her breath.
Daisy’s face as she slept in Emil’s arms kept floating into her mind.
The way she had leaned against him like a small, fragile child.
‘I wanted to do that too.’
The thought only made her heart more tangled.
Back in Iredain, Daisy had always been jealous of how Emil cherished Leni,
and Leni had secretly laughed at her for it.
Now she was the one jealous of Daisy.
It was a terrible thing to admit.
Saying it out loud made it sound as if Daisy was the one being loved more.
Then,
careful footsteps sounded outside the tent.
“…Roen?”
A moment later, the flap lifted quietly.
A familiar face appeared in the gap.
“It is I, Your Highness.”
It was Emil.
He entered with his usual calm composure,
his gaze naturally settling on Leni’s face.
“Forgive me for coming so late. Were you very tired today?”
Instead of answering, Leni turned her face away.
She neither avoided his eyes nor met them, only pouting her lips slightly.
“…Why are you only coming now?”
“Were you waiting for me?”
“No, not at all.”
She answered firmly and hugged her knees again.
Her gaze stayed fixed on the edge of the half-peeled blanket.
Emil smiled quietly.
Then he sat down across from her.
“You must have had a difficult day.”
“…Not really.”
“But if it were me, I would be in pain. Sitting so straight on a horse for so long like you did, Your Highness.”
At those words, Leni bit her lip.
She glanced at his face for a moment, then quickly looked away again.
“Do I look that weak to you?”
“You do. A little.”
Emil smiled faintly and moved closer.
Without another word, he gently pulled her leg toward him.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“…What are you doing?”
“Nothing. I simply wanted to know how heavy and tired Your Highness’s legs must be.”
He carefully lifted the leg resting across his knee and began slowly massaging it with his palms.
His touch was careful yet familiar.
Leni’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment.
The unfamiliar contact felt embarrassing,
and ticklish too.
But soon, the warm and comforting sensation made her eyelids droop.
“…Haa. Priest, that’s cheating.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. If you do this… I can’t stay angry.”
“So there was something you were angry about.”
Emil’s voice remained gentle.
“There was. Obviously.”
“Is it because of Lady Daisy?”
The question was cautious, but it struck true.
Leni squeezed her eyes shut,
then turned her head away.
“…I don’t know.”
“Lady Daisy doesn’t seem to have learned how to ride properly back in Iredain. She rarely had reason to go out. I thought it would be dangerous to let her ride alone—she might fall.”
“Then let her fall.”
Leni blurted out.
Emil answered with a bitter smile.
“Please don’t say such things. Both you and I owe a debt to Lady Daisy.”
“A debt? What do you mean?”
“When I went to rescue you in Iredain, it was Lady Daisy who helped me.”
“…She did?”
That was truly unexpected.
As far as Leni was concerned, Daisy was the kind of girl who would have preferred her dead.
“…Still, I don’t have to thank her. She probably only helped you for your sake. If I had died, she would have been happy.”
“Surely not.”
Even as he said it, Emil smiled bitterly.
His hands never stopped moving as he spoke softly.
“Even if that were true, I would never let you die, Your Highness. Isn’t that enough?”
“…Hmph.”
The words were sincere, as always.
Leni leaned back as if lying down on the blanket, resting against Emil.
She pressed her forehead silently against his shoulder.
“I’m so tired, Priest.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Instead of refusing her,
Emil stroked her hair with one hand.
As if cherishing even the smallest breath she took.
“So you may lean on me.”
The night deepened like that.
Outside, only the low breathing of soldiers and the footsteps of the guards could be heard.
And inside the tent, only the priest’s hands quietly shared their warmth.
* * *
Going back a little while,
before Emil went to Leni’s tent, he had naturally been in Daisy’s tent.
Under the light of a lamp, Daisy sat with her maid, Bella.
Bella pulled a flat cookie from the bundle tied at her waist and waved it.
“Here, Lady Daisy. I took it from the Iredain Castle storeroom. It hasn’t even grown mold yet. It doesn’t look spoiled either. Is it all right?”
“…Seriously, where did you steal that from?”
“Steal? Everything in Iredain belongs to you now, my lady.”
Bella smiled as she said it, and Daisy laughed as if she couldn’t help it.
Emil smiled faintly at the exchange.
A moment later, Daisy carefully broke the cookie in half with both hands.
She gave half to Bella and held the other half out quietly to Emil.
“Please have some too, Priest.”
“I’m fine, my lady. I…”
“It’s sweet.”
Daisy said.
“I don’t know if it tastes good, but… it’s sweet. Please eat it, Priest. Your face looks too stiff right now.”
“Stiff… I suppose so. Maybe it’s the weight of responsibility.”
Daisy tilted her head at that.
“Responsibility?”
“Yes. Because of me… you are here instead of in your home.”
“What about it?”
Daisy asked innocently.
Emil smiled with a touch of pain.
“You may not realize it yet, but life as a hostage is not easy. Her Majesty is a good person, of course, but you will likely face insults like the ones the knights gave you a few days ago.”
“But you saved me, Priest.”
Daisy said.
That was her true heart.
“I haven’t been this happy in a long time. The sky is clear, Bella brushed my hair beautifully, and I spent the whole day in your arms. If every day could be this happy, I wouldn’t mind enduring a few insults.”
Emil didn’t answer.
He simply lowered his head for a moment and accepted the cookie Daisy offered.
Soon, Emil stood up.
“Then I’ll take my leave. You seem comfortable tonight, my lady… I’m relieved.”
Daisy looked up.
And asked.
“Where are you going?”
Emil paused at the question.
“…I should sleep now. There’s much to do tomorrow. You should rest soon too, my lady.”
A lie.
He was going to that girl.
But Daisy could only smile without saying anything.
Emil soon left the tent.
“…Ah.”
Daisy closed her eyes without a word.
Then Bella, who had been beside her, carefully approached and wrapped her arms around Daisy’s back.
“…My lady.”
“I’m fine.”
The words came out too quickly.
But soon everything grew quiet again.
Daisy bit her lip hard.
“I’m fine. The priest… didn’t leave because he hates me.”
The words were meant to comfort herself.
“Of course he went to her… It’s fine. He spent the whole day with me. That’s enough.”
Bella silently patted her shoulder.
At the touch, Daisy lowered her head and leaned carefully against her.
“Yes. It will be all right, my lady.”
“…Right?”
“Yes. You truly love the priest with all your heart. That feeling will never be in vain.”
Daisy quietly closed her eyes,
leaning into Bella’s hand.
“By the way, Bella… do you like the priest?”
Bella fell silent at Daisy’s question.
The tent was quiet, and outside came the occasional sound of soldiers changing guard duty.
In that silence, Bella slowly stroked Daisy’s hair.
“…Why do you ask that?”
The question sounded like a gentle confession.
Daisy looked into her eyes.
“So you do.”
“…My lady.”
“Since when?”
Daisy asked calmly.
Bella clasped her hands on her lap, then carefully loosened them.
“Since the first time I saw him.”
“I see. Same as me.”
“Yes. But I thought just holding such feelings was a sin. Until that day…”
“That day?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Bella smiled and brushed it off.
Daisy looked at her silently.
For a long time, without saying anything.
Then she quietly took Bella’s hand.
“I see. We’re alike.”