The Knight's Oath
Irene had stepped out into the garden for a stroll with Rian.
She had only just managed to extract him from a crowd of noble daughters laughing and chattering around him, and the two of them were finally alone, planning to spend a little time together before the banquet began—when her eyes fell upon Logan and Anastasia.
Sitting side by side on a bench, the two of them looked for all the world like lovers. And what was more, he seemed to be reaching out his hand toward the Crown Princess.
The sight made Irene lose her reason for a moment, and she darted straight toward them, shouting.
"What do you two think you're doing over there!!!"
Her face was grotesquely twisted with rage and jealousy.
Logan—her Logan, daring to reach for a woman who wasn't her.
And not just any woman—that scheming Crown Princess.
With eyes so tender, so full of affection, no less!
"How can you do this to me, Logan, after everything!!!"
At her posture—like a lover interrogating a cheating partner—Logan couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha..."
Why was she acting as though she were the victim?
Looking at Irene now, Logan felt none of the pity or guilt he once had—only a deep weariness and disillusionment.
She had laughed and carried on with Rian without sparing him a single glance, and now she had the gall to ask how he could abandon her...
And at some point—when exactly, he couldn't say—she had begun treating him naturally, effortlessly, like a possession.
Her unreasonable, pot-calling-the-kettle-black fury was so absurd it almost defied belief.
And so Logan could no longer deny even a shred of that terrible future vision. He was certain now: this was the reality that would inevitably unfold if he himself did not change.
This woman would never change. No—she had no intention of changing at all. And so he had to let go of the last of his lingering attachment, once and for all.
"Irene."
Logan called her name coldly. There was no trace of his old tenderness or hesitation left in his voice.
"Who I'm with, where I am, what I do—none of it is any of your concern."
"Wh... what did you...?"
Irene swallowed hard at his resolute words.
She stared into his face as if she couldn't believe what she'd heard, but those blue eyes that had always gazed on her so gently were now frozen cold as ice.
"You... how can you say that to me...!"
While Irene stood trembling, unable to get another word out, Rian—who had followed behind her—plunged into the situation without any thought of understanding it first.
"Hey, Logan! Isn't that a bit harsh toward Irene? I don't know what's going on, but she's our comrade! How could you!"
Rian wrapped a protective arm around Irene's shoulders and chastised Logan. And Irene, eyes brimming with tears in an instant, slipped naturally into his embrace.
At the sight of the two of them, Logan shook his head with a wry smile.
"Ha... comrades..? Do you honestly believe that?"
"Of course! What on earth are you even saying, Logan!?"
"What am I saying... After everything you've... no, forget it."
Logan gave up on explaining himself to Rian, who kept demanding answers as though none of this made sense to him.
What was the point of talking to a man who, even during the subjugation of the Demon King's army—when his comrades' and fellow soldiers' lives hung in the balance—had spouted sophistry about fairness and cowardice, calling their sacrifices inevitable?
"Forget it. The Demon King is slain anyway. We're not comrades, we're not a party—none of it matters anymore."
With those words, Logan withdrew his gaze from Rian and Irene entirely and turned to face Anastasia.
And then—
Without a moment's hesitation, he dropped to one knee.
Irene grasped what it meant at once and let out a shriek.
"No, Logan, don't!!!"
But Logan ignored her completely and lifted his head toward Anastasia.
"Your Highness the Crown Princess... no... Anya..."
"No.. no.. stop it, Logan!!!"
Irene collapsed where she stood, screaming his name like a woman in anguish, but he did not stir in the slightest. At that, she despaired.
And 'Anya', of all things—a pet name she had never once heard in all the years she'd spent at his side.
In the past, Logan had called her name with such warmth and tenderness that a pet name had never even seemed necessary, of course.
But none of that mattered to her now.
Because all of that kindness was now pointed at a woman who wasn't her.
"N... n... no... Logan..."
At the sight of Logan as if taking a knight's oath, she could already imagine what he was about to say to the Crown Princess—and just the thought of it was enough to drive her out of her mind. And so Irene fainted on the spot.
###
Because Irene had collapsed before Logan could even finish—or begin—what he was saying to Anastasia, the garden rang with Rian's cries.
"Irene!!!"
He hurried to catch her in his arms, then glared at Logan and Anastasia with eyes full of resentment.
"Logan... how could you!? However much you want to climb the social ladder, abandoning your own comrades crosses the line!!!"
"Ha..! Excuse me, Hero...!"
Anastasia, still frozen by Irene's shameless display and then Logan's sudden action,
decided she could not stay silent at the insolent Hero's words this time, and opened her mouth—but Rian moved first.
"Your Highness the Crown Princess, this is too much! Is that any way for someone who will soon be Emperor!"
"Wh... what did you say? Excuse me!"
Anastasia was too dumbfounded for words and meant to give him a piece of her mind, but Rian had already whisked Irene out of the garden.
"Ha... ha... ha..."
It was truly infuriating, but Anastasia managed to calm herself almost immediately.
Those two fools no longer mattered to her in the slightest.
Because right in front of her stood a man looking at her with eyes so clear and true.
"...May I continue?"
Logan asked quietly. His voice did not waver.
"Yes! Yes! Of course!"
Anastasia answered in a voice that had risen with excitement without her even realizing it.
"Though I am wanting and lowly, would you grant me the honor of remaining by your side, Your Highness the Crown Princess... no... Anya...?"
"Ah..."
In that instant, Anastasia was swept away by an euphoria she didn't recognize. The unpleasantness caused by the fools who had vanished mere moments ago—she couldn't remember it at all.
Even the Emperor's bombshell declaration from before was nothing compared to what this man was saying now.
Is this a dream? It isn't... is it? It isn't, right?
At this unbelievable reality, her mind went white and blank. Her heart pounded as if it would burst, and her face flushed red beyond all control.
Ever since the subjugation of the Demon King, this dreamlike string of events had continued, and it was genuinely difficult to collect herself.
Anastasia struggled with all her might to suppress the corners of her mouth, which kept rising of their own absurd accord. She could not let him see such an undignified, unseemly side of her.
But Logan misunderstood.
"I'm sorry... it was far too sudden of me, wasn't it..."
Logan thought his impulsive gesture had burdened her after all.
And considering the circumstances—from the outside, it might well have looked like a move made to strike a blow at Rian and Irene—she could hardly help but be reluctant to accept the oath of someone like him.
With those thoughts, Logan rose from his seat with a bittersweet smile.
At that, Anastasia cried out in haste and seized his hand. To dispel his misunderstanding, and to convey her true feelings, she spoke in a trembling voice.
"It's not sudden at all! Logan! I... I am truly happy! That you... that you said you would stay by my side...!"
She was so worked up that she nearly blurted out what was really in her heart.
"Yes! So from now on, the two of us, as one heart and one mind... for the rest of our lives, as hu—...!"
"Hu—...?"
Fortunately(?), just as the word husband was about to spring fully from her lips, Logan tilted his head slightly and asked her to repeat herself—and only then did Anastasia come to her senses and clamp her mouth shut in a panic.
Oh no...!
Her face burning, she coughed awkwardly. The truth was, she wanted nothing more than to be married and become his wife this very moment... but the time was not yet right.
"Ahem... what I mean is... what I meant to say was, that someone as remarkable as you would stand guard at my side—that it makes me feel safe, and glad. So... would you stay by my side and aid me, as Renate does?"
Anastasia salvaged the situation as calmly as she could, but Logan had a faint inkling of what she had really been about to say.
Still, he decided not to let on, and not to tease her.
He could feel the warmth of her sincere heart, a heart that thought of him—and a small sprout of hope bloomed within him as well, a hope that someday he might do the same for her.
But there was no need to rush. Reality rarely bends to the heart's wishes so easily.
Little by little, slowly, he would draw closer...
And someday, he intended to answer her heart in full. So Logan replied with all the sincerity he could muster.
"Yes. It would be my honor, Anya."
His feelings must have reached her, for Anastasia broke into a radiant smile.
Between the two of them now, there was no awkward silence left at all. In its place, a warm and hopeful current had begun to flow.
Meanwhile, Renate, who had been watching the entire scene from a short distance away, wore a contented smile.
She had kept her distance out of consideration for her liege's wish to be alone with Logan—then Irene and Rian had barged in and things had turned tense for a moment—but in the end, Logan had made his decision, properly and decisively.
The sight of him drawing a clear line with Irene and Rian and choosing Anastasia was almost exhilarating.
Seeing the two of them finally confirm each other's feelings and draw close filled her with joy as well.
Except...
...'Husband,' of all things... honestly, Your Highness...
However happy she was, Renate couldn't quite hide her embarrassment at the sight of Anastasia blurting out the word husband out of nowhere.
Her liege, normally so composed and dignified, fell completely to pieces in front of Logan and no one else.
It was rather endearing, in its own way—but at the same time, it worried her a little. The good kind of worry, admittedly.
###
"Ahem! I know you're watching, Renate!"
Anastasia cleared her throat and called her over. Renate approached with practiced nonchalance and came to attention.
"You called, Your Highness."
"We are inside the palace anyway, so might I entrust Logan to you, rather than my usual guard? I'll need to hurry and start preparing myself..."
Anastasia said, glancing sideways at Logan. Renate grasped her liege's intent at once and nodded.
"Understood. Have no fear."
Renate turned to Logan.
"Logan. Follow me."
Logan gave Anastasia a brief nod and set off after Renate. He assumed she was going to brief him on his role and duties within the palace.
"What should I start learning first?"
When Logan asked in an eager voice, Renate burst into a soft laugh.
"You really haven't changed one bit—diligent to the bone. Just come along for now."
With that, Renate strode ahead, and Logan trailed after her, feeling a little sheepish about having gotten so far ahead of himself.
But the place Renate was heading was not the barracks or the administrative offices he had expected.
Deep within the lavishly decorated palace building, they stopped before a luxurious door—the kind meant to house royalty or honored guests.
"Lady Renate..? Did you perhaps lose your way..."
When Logan asked, eyeing the door with a puzzled expression, Renate simply opened it and pushed him through by the back.
"Spare me the questions. Get in."
"What? W-wait, just a moment—"
"I have to make at least the bare minimum of preparations myself, so from here on, you're on your own. Do try to manage. Until then."
With that, Renate shut the door without giving Logan so much as a chance to object.
Just as a flustered Logan reached for the doorknob, a pair of cheerful voices sounded from behind him.
"Hello there! So you're the famous Logan, sir!"
"Wow! You're even more dashing and handsome than we heard!"
He turned around to find two identical women approaching him with bright smiles.
A pair of twin maids, radiating energy and liveliness.
"Hee hee hee..."
"Heh heh heh..."
No—was that not a rather sinister, unsettling air..?
In any case, Logan could hardly conceal his bewilderment at the twins' sudden appearance.
Because somehow, the two of them seemed to give off an aura far more ominous than any of the monstrous beasts he had laid eyes upon at the Demon King's Castle.