The White Knight's 49 Shadows

"Looking sharp. All dressed up like that."

"...Isn't it a bit too white?"

"If you're matching the code with a white uniform, it has to be pure white."

The day of the adult ceremony.

I was waiting for my fiancée, seeing me off with my sister's help.

"Don't go picking fights."

"Who'd wanna fight me?"

"You never know. Just don't start anything."

"......"

I was starting to get sick of these parental nagging vibes.

When our eyes met with the approaching carriage from behind, my sister slyly stepped back.

"I heard the guy usually picks up the girl with his own carriage."

She couldn't hide her apologetic look.

It was just like my sister as always.

"I'll head in now."

"Sure."

"See you in three days."

She lightly waved, gathered her skirt hems, and slipped inside the building.

I stared blankly at her retreating figure, thinking.

If our parents were still around, we wouldn't have to put on this show.

Siblings are natural enemies sharing the same blood, after all.

"Adrian!"

The carriage window cracked open right then.

"Yes, my lady."

"...Oh."

My fiancée just stared at me without a word.

"...Do I have something on my face?"

"Huh? Oh, no. Get in quick, before we're late."

I boarded without resisting her urging.

As the carriage slowly started moving, Kiara unfolded her fan to cover her lower face.

For some reason, her gaze—perfectly fine for the window outside—refused to leave me.

Feeling the pressure, I tried to change the subject somehow.

"Lady Montr."

"...Y-yes?"

"That's a flashy outfit."

"...Oh, yeah. The capital's top designer made it custom."

"It suits you."

"......"

"I mean it."

"...So stop it already."

"...?"

Flutter flutter—

The fan that had been hiding her face was now fanning air onto it.

What was so embarrassing?

Was she sorry for making me cosplay as a novel protagonist?

Nah, that can't be it.

I know she's not the type.

"Adrian."

"Yes."

"Um... At the banquet, when they ask about trends, don't play dumb or brush it off."

"...Got it."

"You don't know trends anyway, right? Baron families are all countryside."

I just nodded at the casual insult that slipped out like breathing.

"And..."

The lady hesitated for a moment.

"During the adult ceremony period, call me by name."

"...Pardon?"

"Call me by name. Not so stiffly with 'lady'."

"......"

"Got it?"

"Yes. La— I mean, Kiara."

"...Pfft."

Whatever was so funny, Kiara let out a chuckle before finally turning her gaze out the window.

Sitting quietly seemed boring, so I joined her in watching the passing scenery.

​

​

It took quite a while for the carriage to gallop before we finally arrived at the banquet hall.

Seeing the bustling activity already underway, I turned to Kiara.

"Looks like we're here."

"Yeah. Seems so."

I got out first and offered my hand to Kiara.

She flinched slightly, then took it and stepped down carefully, one foot at a time.

A smile tugged at her lips, like she approved.

"...Let's go."

Following Kiara's prodding elbow jabs, we headed into the banquet hall.

Unlike the crowded outside, the spacious interior accommodated tons of people without feeling stuffy.

Kiara poked my arm as I blankly stared at the chandeliers.

"Look, Adrian. Everyone's outfits."

Following her gesture, I saw a sight that made me doubt my eyes.

"What the hell is...?"

It was all pure white. Specifically, the men.

I could hardly believe these were the same people who'd only worn black or dark blue uniforms at past banquets.

Never ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seen this much bright color before.

I'd buy it if they said they all conspired.

"Almost wore something tacky, huh?"

"...Yeah. Thanks to you, I kept up with the trend, Kiara."

"...Heh."

She smugly elbowed my side again, brought her fan to her mouth, and took the lead.

I widened my stride to catch up and walk beside her.

"Even at the adult ceremony, it's the same as always. Remember what I said last time?"

"Don't stand out, just smile like an idiot."

"Exactly. Just smile without looking too dumb."

Soon, we crossed the massive banquet hall following Kiara.

She walked with confident steps, like she knew exactly where to go.

As we moved, a refined fragrance wafted subtly.

That's when Kiara bowed her head toward an approaching woman.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

I mirrored her actions.

Click—

Her single footstep was the signal; Kiara raised her head.

I followed suit, and my eyes met the princess's right in front.

"Hmm..."

Her gaze scanned me top to bottom; I was so tense, cold sweat threatened to break out.

"White Knight?"

The princess's low murmur.

Caught off guard, I forced a smile without a word.

Her gaze finally dropped then.

"First properly dressed one I've seen."

"...?"

Before I could question it, the princess strode off.

She vanished from sight in an instant, like we were invisible.

Left standing there, I replayed the moment, unable to hide my confusion.

She definitely said 'White Knight.'

If my ears weren't playing tricks, it was certain.

...But how does the princess know about it?

I'd only heard it spread in high society, but already to this extent?

Stunned by the unthinkable, I glanced at Kiara.

"W-what're you looking at?"

Her face was noticeably flushed.

I almost said something but decided against it.

The rest of the memories were hazy.

Still swirling in my head: the princess's words and everyone's white uniforms.

Was the world trying to mess with me?

The overwhelming first day of the adult ceremony blurred to an unremarkable end.

"The first day always ends like this. The real stuff starts tomorrow."

Kiara's brief explanation echoed.

"So don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠think about sleeping in tomorrow. Go straight to bed. Got it?"

Did Kiara think I'd obediently crash after that?

Maybe if I were clueless, I could've.

A countryside baron's kid might sleep it off.

But not me.

The spread in high society was beyond what I'd heard.

And the princess knew my novels too.

I wrote them for a dopamine hit, but now it was just piling on stress.

—That was why I stepped out into the night.

A routine from academy days.

Clearing my head usually helped me sleep.

If only this weren't a uniform.

I seriously considered pajamas but forced on the uniform.

What would late-night drinkers think of me in sleepwear?

"Mm..."

Fortunately, the garden area was empty.

Duh, who strolls the garden at night?

Even if someone was around, deep in here? Unlikely.

Crunch. Crunch.

The deeper into the garden, the chillier the night air felt.

If not for the uniform, it'd be freezing.

The air on bare skin was goosebump city already.

"Hah, hngh......"

A weird sound tickled my ears from one spot in the garden.

"...?"

Over-sensitive nerves?

But staring hard, no sound at all.

Not even something similar to mistake it for.

"Anyone there?"

No response.

I turned and stepped onto the shallow grass.

From the unmoving bushes, faint breathing grew audible.

"Ngh... Hah, hng......"

I approached until nothing could hide.

"...Kiara?"

It was my fiancée, eyes meeting mine.

"A, ngh...?"

She sat naked on the grass, trembling.

And a red collar artifact sloppily tied around her neck, leash trailing out toward a tree.

"...White Knight?"

She seemed to mistake me for the novel's hero.

But she realized it was me soon enough.

Scrambling to cover her exposed skin confirmed it.

"What are you doing here...? And why no clothes...?"

"I, ngh? N-no, it's..."

"......Hah."

Staring longer would get me in trouble too, so I turned away, thinking.

This feels familiar.

​

​

​

...Yeah, fine, she enjoyed the novel. Cosplaying the protagonist? I get it.

But imitating the maniac play from the book? That's too much.

"...Adrian?"

With my gaze averted, Kiara cautiously asked.

"Yes, Kiara."

I answered without looking.

"Why are you here?"

That's my line.

"Why are you here, my lady?"

"Well......"

She flicked her eyes away, nearly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠meeting mine.

Face beet red, unable to even fan herself.

This'd make simple talk impossible, so I shrugged off my jacket.

"W-what are you—"

"Put this on."

I extended my arm with the jacket.

Kiara snatched it without a word.

Rustling sounds followed.

"...Okay now."

Turning back at her words, Kiara wasn't wearing it—just staring at me.

The crumpled uniform barely covered her nipples and navel.

Obviously couldn't hide her ample breasts or goose-pimpled thighs in the night air.

And that red dog collar.

I never even wrote that in. Why the hell?

Forcing eye contact felt like I'd break first, so I looked away.

"W-why look away?"

"You want me to stare?"

"...No, that's not..."

She tried to add something but shut up.

"Can I ask one thing?"

"...What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"......"

"I know you read a book and liked it. But why copy the crazy shit from it exactly?"

"That's..."

She kept starting and stopping, like she had nothing to say.

Glancing, her flushed face screamed shame.

Head down, no clear expression.

"If it's something shameful you can't own up to, don't do it in the—"

Thwack. Clothes hit my face, cutting me off.

Brushing them aside, Kiara stood there, one arm hugging her chest, fuming.

"Yes! Guilty! I read the novel and wanted to try it! So what? Can't I?"

"...No."

Is she insane?

"You're no better! Out here at this hour dressed like the White Knight, talking bullshit!"

"...Pardon?"

Kiara slowly rose.

Her nudity filling my vision made it hard to know where to look.

"I'm leaving."

"Where to in that getup?"

"Anywhere. Don't follow me—ack!"

She tripped on her own ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠leash.

Clutching her neck, she collapsed coughing nonstop.

Worried, I grabbed the collar to help; she glared daggers.

"Don't, *cough*... don't come."

"......"

She acted like it was all my fault to the end.

Normally, I'd let it slide.

But not tonight.

Too much stress.

Everywhere I go, my writing's the topic. Everywhere, people wear the same as my protagonist.

And now imitating novel scenes to the letter?

Way past my tolerance.

"Can't you hear me? Don't come clo—"

I met her eyes, crouched slightly to her level.

Kiara's mouth hung open, speechless.

As the heat from her blush spread over her body, her whole face turned crimson.

"...Fine, Kiara. Let's do what you want."

"...Huh?"

"Parading naked out here. You wanna show it off to someone, right?"

Speechless, Kiara just swallowed hard.

With a faint, inexplicable smile.

Snap—

"Eek..."

I yanked the collar; Kiara tumbled closer.

"A-Adrian. That was just... a book, right? Yeah?"

Yeah. Just a book.

One I wrote for a cheap dopamine rush.

But if it's pissing me off this much, no reason to hold back anymore.

"Kiara."

"......"

"You've gone way beyond imitating by now."

"......Yes."

"Then show everyone. How pervy you wanna get."

I need my dopamine hit right now.