This is Romance Fantasy (1)
Serena was sweating bullets as she piggybacked Iriel toward the mansion.
The mansion came into view just before they arrived.
"Hey, put me down."
A cold voice whispered in her ear.
Serena turned her head.
Iriel, now fully conscious, was looking down at her.
"What, planning to brag to the Yohaydens? 'Look, I brought back the fainted Yustia lady as my war trophy'?"
Serena straightened up abruptly and dumped Iriel onto the ground.
Thud.
"Kyaaak!"
Iriel's butt hit the dirt hard.
The spot where Zeke had struck her earlier scraped painfully.
Iriel glared up at Serena from the ground.
Serena looked down at her and spoke.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Iriel Yustia. If it weren't for the instructor's request, I would've ditched a wretch like you at the academy ages ago. What do you think carrying you gives me besides shame?"
"Ha."
Iriel turned her head away with a scoff.
She brushed the dirt off her clothes and stood up.
"It was Zeke's request? For me to come to the Yohayden mansion?"
"Yeah."
"Tch. Does that guy think I'll do anything just because he asks?"
Serena's eyebrow twitched at Iriel's mocking tone.
"Then go back to the Yustia mansion right now."
"......"
"Join a convent, get engaged, I don't care—just get lost."
Serena spat the words coldly and turned toward the mansion.
Iriel's lips pressed into a thin line.
Truth be told, heading back to the Yustia mansion now wasn't a good idea.
Her contact with Zeke had been exposed, and he'd even knocked out Hades.
Her aunt would surely hold her accountable.
She might really force her out of the academy into an engagement or a convent.
And Zeke Clayman would be hunted by the Yustia assassination squad...
The thought of Zeke made Iriel's expression harden.
'Where is Zeke right now?'
She had unconsciously assumed he'd taken refuge at the Yohayden mansion.
That would make it awkward for Yustia to act immediately, which had put her at ease.
But if so, shouldn't he be here with them now?
The only ones here were Serena and herself.
And the one who'd carried her until moments ago was Serena Yohayden.
"Wait!"
Serena turned at Iriel's shout.
"Right now, where is Zeke Clayman?"
"The instructor said he'd be back before dinner."
"What!? So... he's not here right now? Where did he go!"
"......"
Serena stared at Iriel with a still-cold face.
Iriel felt frustrated.
This flower-for-brains seemed to underestimate Yustia way too much.
"The Yustia assassination squad is after Zeke right now! Do you know what kind of people they are?!"
"I know. You told me."
"And you know that, but still!!!"
Though her face remained composed in front of Iriel, Serena clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.
'I'm the one most worried right now!'
This idiot woman didn't even seem to grasp that it was because of her the instructor was in this mess.
She tried to stay calm, but her head burned with helpless rage.
"Iriel."
"What."
"You don't even think for a second that the instructor's in this mess because of you? How shameless."
Flinch.
Iriel's body trembled at the words.
Unlike at the academy entrance ceremony, Serena was the one cornering Iriel now.
"Wh-what did I do! I-I did it for Zeke!"
"Hey, I have eyes and ears. I heard your whole conversation with the instructor."
Serena's voice grew louder bit by bit.
She was truly furious.
"What? For the instructor? This all happened because you pulled him out of the military! That's why things are this bad, right? And your grand plan was just to drag in the Yohaydens?!"
Serena bit her lip hard.
"......Fine, dragging me in, whatever. But whose brilliant idea was it to buy off the imperial family with money? Is that all your thick skull could come up with?"
Words unfit for a duke's daughter spilled from her mouth without restraint.
"Don't you know we don't have real political power yet? First prince, second prince, me—we're just academy students propped up in our little bubble!"
Her pent-up frustration erupted in fury.
"A crisis hits right now, and how am I supposed to mobilize the Yohayden White Tiger Knights?! No time to convince Father or prepare! And you say that? That you're doing this for the instructor!?"
Haa.
Haa.
Serena's breathing grew ragged.
"Then!!!!"
Iriel, head bowed, shouted back.
"What the hell was I supposed to do......"
She lifted her face.
Tears streamed down.
Iriel mumbled, oblivious to her ruined makeup.
"......Zeke was in danger right then....... I only just realized it this time......"
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"I-I just didn't want Zeke to...... that man to....... die...... But I couldn't stop it....... You should've hidden me here at least....... Now Zeke's going to die......"
"The instructor won't die."
Serena cut her off coldly.
"......How do you know that."
"Because he told me he'd come back. So he will. He won't die."
"......What does that even."
Iriel looked incredulous.
Did Serena not realize how unconvincing she sounded?
But she clung desperately to the skills and trust Zeke had shown her all this time.
"......So, even though I hate it. Come into the mansion for now....... The instructor asked me to do that much."
"Why... did you protect me... only to leave me now?"
"I have no choice."
"Can you really not promise to protect me from now on?"
"Your family and mine are blood enemies. Even meeting like this is dangerous. Please go back."
"You frustrating man! The point is you saved my life!"
The Yustia lady and the Yohayden lady had visited the mansion together.
The sudden arrival of daughters from rival houses.
The unprecedented event left the mansion staff at a loss.
Leaving the flustered servants behind, the head butler stepped forward to greet them.
"Head butler."
"Yes."
"There's that storage room, right?"
"......"
"Give it to her."
The head butler looked troubled.
It didn't seem like Iriel Yustia had come on friendly terms.
But having already invited her in, they couldn't treat her roughly.
Iriel sniffled behind Serena, wiping her tears.
"Lady Serena, that place won't do."
"Why?"
The butler glanced at her warily and explained.
"Housing a duke's daughter there would harm her reputation—and ours."
"Reputation...? If I don't care, then what? Just stick her there and quietly send her off later."
The butler knew how viciously Iriel had tormented Serena before.
He understood her attitude and wasn't fond of Iriel either.
But they couldn't handle it on mere sentiment.
"Lady Serena."
Serena didn't hide her irritation at the butler's attempt to dissuade her.
"This isn't just your personal matter... It's the Yohayden duke family's reputation."
"......"
Duke family.
Meaning it could tarnish her father, mother, and brothers.
That brought Serena back to her senses a bit.
Haa.
She sighed.
"Fine. Handle it yourself then, butler."
"Yes. Shuri, guide Miss Iriel Yustia to room seven."
"Yes."
Serena turned to look at Iriel.
"Iriel Yustia."
Sniffle—
"Stop crying so pathetically and come in. The instructor asked me to tell you that too."
Iriel looked up.
"Zeke...?"
"Wait here until the instructor arrives today. Skip the academy tomorrow."
"......"
Iriel nodded faintly.
"When the instructor gets here later, I'll call you separately. Stay quiet until then."
With that, she was led to a room far from Serena's.
Serena watched the receding red hair and spoke.
"......Butler."
"Yes."
"How many guards are on the mansion right now?"
"Currently, about ten active mansion guards. Including those off-duty, twenty."
"Are they strong?"
"Yes, their combat prowess is objectively excellent. Unmatched among guards."
"Compared to the Yohayden White Tiger Knights' elites."
"......Far inferior."
Serena closed her eyes.
"Then prepare the off-duty ones to move at any time. And now, send two of our fastest to scout for any signs of combat nearby."
She opened her eyes and gripped the doorknob.
"They can track Instructor Zeke Clayman. Report back to me immediately if anything happens."
The butler, unsure of the details, bowed anyway.
Thud.
Back in her room, Serena collapsed to the floor, strength drained.
"Miss!"
"Eily......"
"What happened?! Are you okay?"
Grip.
Serena clutched Eily's collar as she rushed over in alarm.
Eily hugged her.
Serena began trembling and sobbing.
"Eily....... What do I do....... If something happens to the instructor......"
Professionals trained by Yustia were hunting Zeke.
No matter how capable Zeke was, he might not make it this time.
From the situation, it seemed his former group was after him.
Meaning they were on his level.
Could even the mansion guards withstand one proper strike from their blades, let alone the White Tiger Knights?
And sending knights now was dangerous in itself.
Zeke had probably gone alone to avoid burdening her.
It was like meddling without permission in Yustia internal affairs on her own.
If she intervened openly, it would escalate into a political feud between Yustia and Yohayden.
All these anxieties swirling as they returned to the mansion shook her mind.
She'd suppressed them in front of Iriel and the staff.
But alone in her room, her fragile heart finally cracked.
"You'll be fine, Lady Serena."
Bluntly, Eily stroked her hair.
"......Yeah? It has to be. Eily, I'm so scared......"
"I don't know the details, but even I can tell Zeke Clayman is no ordinary man."
"But, but....... These enemies are beyond even my power....... Even convincing Father might be too late......"
Serena trembled with anxiety.
"Lady Serena."
Eily gripped her shoulders, pulling back to meet her eyes.
"Is there really nothing you can do?"
"......"
Serena bit her lip with bloodshot eyes.
Her gaze still quivered with fear, but a faint resolve flickered within.
*
Serena composed herself and sent Eily out.
She sat at her desk, pulling pen and paper from the drawer.
'First, assume the instructor returns.'
Grip.
She pressed her chest.
Her heart still raced with anxiety, but she'd decided to trust Zeke.
'After he returns today, think about how to protect him going forward.'
Even if he beat them this time, Yustia wouldn't let it go easily—they were notoriously persistent.
'Does he have no allies there? The cliff suggests at least one or two......'
Ah, but the instructor had amnesia.
Even if he had allies, getting proper help would be hard.
She had to protect him herself.
"For now, militarily......"
Serena's heart grew heavy.
She had almost no martial aid to offer.
The Yohayden White Tiger Knights were renowned, but she couldn't command them—they answered only to the family head.
'Even begging Father to protect him, he'd probably refuse......'
Maybe revealing Zeke saved her from goblins would get a token gesture.
But that's all.
No noble house, even a kind one like Yohayden, would clash swords with Yustia lightly.
They weighed risks against power and gains.
Would protecting Zeke Clayman outweigh clashing with Yustia?
Serena shook her head.
'Politics isn't emotion. No point feeling slighted. Think coldly.'
That left political protection.
Not force, but leverage: Touch this man, and you'll regret it—really want to try?
Her first thought carried a hint of selfishness.
'Engagement?'
If she and Zeke Clayman were engaged, even Yustia couldn't touch him easily.
Normally, she'd daydream, but now she was serious.
'No, that takes too long. And we're still student-instructor.'
Unless she graduated, it'd be scandalous.
It'd give ammunition not just to Yustia, but other nobles.
Her family wouldn't allow it either.
Serena twirled her silver hair, lost in thought.
'Claiming the instructor's backed by Yohayden... Family permission needed. Just using my name alone, and if Yustia pushes hard, they'd snatch him easily......'
Suddenly, a subtle relationship from the novel flashed in her mind.
She had to meet Iriel. Get details.
Zeke would return. She'd protect him politically from then on.
Serena steeled her resolve.
'And this time, I'll get answers on what their relationship was.'
Serena rang the bell on her desk.