Lady Chloe: "Wow! Is That the Shampoo Factory? Lavender Scent from the Chimney!"
Lady Chloe let out exclamations of wonder nonstop as we walked through the town in the territory. Any ordinary noble lady would have turned up her nose at trudging through the dusty streets outside, but she didn't care if her dress hem got dirty—she darted here and there with boundless energy.
"Milady, if you run too much, you'll fall."
"It's fine! And just call me Chloe. We're the same age, right?"
Chloe turned back with a bright, innocent smile. I matched her bubbly energy, playing along as I guided her through the shampoo factory and the town streets. But more than half my attention was fixed on Seria, who trailed silently a step behind my back.
"……."
Seria was especially quiet today. Normally, she'd be nagging, "Young master, you're walking too fast," or "You can't just eat street food willy-nilly." Instead, she followed me like a shadow, her face expressionless.
Is she still mad?
Or does she just hate seeing me flirt around with another girl? Either way, it left me uneasy. I glanced back and called out to her.
"Seria, aren't your legs tired? Want to take a break over there?"
"I'm fine, young master. Lady Chloe seems like she wants to see more, so please keep showing her around."
Seria replied stiffly, then lowered her gaze, avoiding my eyes. Something about her lonely figure made my chest ache sharply.
—Meanwhile, Seria was.
I stared quietly at the backs of the young master and Lady Chloe, who walked three steps ahead.
"Young Master Kalian! What's that? It looks so cool!"
"Oh, that's smelt fritters, a winter favorite around here. Want to try one?"
"Yes! I love street food!"
The two of them looked good together. The silver-haired genius young master and the bubbly blonde countess's daughter. Anyone could see they made a perfect picture. And Lady Chloe seemed genuinely kind and rounded in personality—no trace of the arrogance or pretense typical of nobles.
They look great together.
I gave a bitter smile inwardly. At breakfast, when the lord brought up the marriage proposal, my heart had plummeted. Of course, I knew it was coming. The young master was the heir who'd lead this territory one day, and naturally, he'd marry a fine lady from a noble house. But facing that reality head-on stirred an inexplicable whirlwind of emotions in my chest.
I'm just an escort knight, after all.
I gripped the sleeve of my dark blue uniform tightly. An orphan with unknown bloodline, a commoner. I'd been lucky enough to be taken in as a knight thanks to the lord and young master's grace, but that didn't make me noble. No matter my genius with the sword or my aura blade, I could never stand proudly at the young master's side.
"Knight!"
Just then, Lady Chloe approached me with a smelt fritter in hand.
"This is so good! Want one?"
"Ah……."
I hesitated at her pure, unclouded smile. She was spotlessly innocent—no room for jealousy or hatred. That made me feel even more pathetic, comparing myself to someone so perfect.
"Thank you, but I'm on duty, so I can't eat."
I forced down my emotions and refused as politely as I could.
"Aw, Young Master Kalian! Let your knight take a break! She must be tired standing all day."
Lady Chloe turned to the young master. He scratched his head awkwardly.
"Seria, just eat it. I give permission."
"No, I'm fine. Please, milady, you have it."
I drew a line. Hearing his kind voice made me think of that embarrassing morning in bed and all the warmth he'd shown me like family—it weakened my resolve. Right now, I had to be strictly his knight and keep my distance.
"Wow, you're so cool! Young Master Kalian, I envy you having such a reliable knight!"
Lady Chloe clapped with genuine admiration. The young master smiled awkwardly and glanced at me. His eyes held some inexplicable disappointment and frustration.
I'm sorry, young master.
I apologized inwardly and looked away. I couldn't cross that line. I was just his sword and shield. Greed for more might cost me even this warm home.
And so the territory tour continued in an awkward, bittersweet atmosphere. I kept my place silently, listening to the young master and Lady Chloe's laughter from behind me. A corner of my heart felt as frozen as if battered by winter winds.
—
The territory tour went fairly smoothly. Lady Chloe roamed the markets tirelessly with endless stamina, and I trailed after her, explaining our local specialties and new buildings.
"Wow, this necklace is so pretty!"
Lady Chloe stopped at a small accessory stall and picked up a silver pendant embedded with a blue mana stone fragment—quite intricately crafted.
"Young Master Kalian, what do you think? Does it suit me?"
She held it to her neck and smiled brightly at me. Honestly, the blue pendant complemented her blonde hair and pale skin perfectly.
"Yes, it suits you very well. It matches your eye color too."
At my sociable compliment, she giggled happily.
"Really? Then I'll get it! Oh, um……."
She glanced at Seria behind me, then rummaged through the accessories.
"Knight! What do you like? I'll buy you one as a gift!"
"……Pardon?"
Seria blinked in surprise.
"You've been guarding us all day—you must be tired. And you didn't even eat the fritter earlier…… I feel bad. Pick one!"
Lady Chloe held out a hairpin with a red gem to Seria. It was pure kindness, without a hint of malice. But Seria's expression stiffened oddly.
"I appreciate it, but I can't accept personal gifts."
"Aw, Young Master Kalian can allow it! Right, young master?"
Chloe looked to me for agreement. I glanced at Seria awkwardly. Her red eyes avoided mine, fixed on the ground.
"Seria, it's from the lady—just take it. It's pretty."
As I chimed in, I noticed Seria's hand tremble faintly. She fell silent for a moment, then bowed her head deeply.
"……I already have a ribbon from the young master, so I don't need other accessories."
Seria's hand unconsciously touched the worn blue ribbon tying her black hair—the one I'd bought her at a festival years ago. She still wore it every day like a treasure.
Lady Chloe's eyes widened at that.
"Oh my, a gift from Young Master Kalian himself? Wow, you two must be really close!"
At Chloe's innocent exclamation, Seria's face flushed bright red.
"N-no! It's just a token from my lord that I treasure! Close? Don't be ridiculous!"
Seria waved her hands frantically, denying it vehemently. Her overreaction made my chest twinge for some reason.
'Not close'? Really?
Sure, there was the gap between lord and knight, but we'd rolled around in the same bed as kids, celebrated each other's birthdays, fought monster hordes side by side risking our lives. And she dismisses it like that?
"……Yeah. Just something I grabbed at a festival when we were kids. No big deal."
The curt words slipped out before I knew it. Seria's shoulders flinched. She bit her lip and said nothing.
"Oh, I see. But the knight treasures it so much!"
Oblivious to the subtle tension between us, Lady Chloe paid for her pendant and moved on.
"Young Master Kalian! Show me the greenhouse garden too! I heard Martel territory's blue roses are so beautiful!"
"Ah, sure. Let's go."
I forced a smile and followed Chloe. But my nerves were all on Seria, walking silently behind. When I'd said it was "no big deal," her eyes had flickered with hurt—it nagged at me.
Damn, why did I say that?
Regret surged, but the words were already out. We headed to the lord's castle greenhouse in awkward silence.
The greenhouse was filled with warm, fragrant floral scents. At the center, the Martel family's symbol, the blue rose, bloomed with a mystical glow, captivating Lady Chloe.
"Wow…… it's so beautiful. I've never seen such pretty blue roses even in the capital."
Chloe sniffed the rose's fragrance and sighed in awe. Then she turned to me with a shy smile.
"Young Master Kalian, could you…… pick just one for me? As a souvenir."
"Ah, sure. Of course."
I grabbed the pruning shears and carefully cut a single blue rose, trimming the thorns to hand it over. That's when—
"……."
My eyes met Seria's, standing stock-still at the entrance. She stared blankly as I gave the blue rose to Lady Chloe. Her red eyes held envy, bitterness, and…… deep resignation.
Seeing that look, my heart sank. I remembered the day, long ago when we were little, that I'd first picked a blue rose for Seria.
'Taking this means you're family now.'
She'd clutched it to her chest, eyes brimming with tears. And now, I was giving one to another lady. How must that have looked in Seria's eyes?
"Young Master Kalian?"
Lady Chloe tilted her head, calling me. I startled and handed her the rose.
"Ah, here."
"Thank you! I'll treasure it!"
Chloe beamed as she took it, but my heart felt leaden. I glanced at Seria again, but she'd already turned away, looking outside. Her pursed lips and lonely silhouette weighed heavily on my chest.