The Fairest Knight's Trip to Church with the Black-Haired Girl (1)
"Yeah, whether you're a maid or a knight... it doesn't really matter."
The girl grumbled in a tone of resignation, then approached the bed where I was lying. Her shoe tips clicked lightly against the floor with each step, but they felt strangely hesitant, dragging just a bit.
"From now on, you'll always be by my side. Elana... she sometimes has duties that take her away from me. So you'll be the one who's always there from here on out."
"What an honor."
The girl's hand, now close, touched my neck.
"You're not gonna ask why it has to be me of all people?"
Her fingertips were cold. They brushed my wound, stinging a little, but not enough to be unbearable.
"This mess I'm in is all because of your Vintervalt family, so why the hell would you entrust a role like this to one of us? Aren't you even curious?"
Her thumb pressed lightly on my carotid, then moved on. It caught in my throat as I exhaled.
"Anyway, from now on, you can introduce yourself as a knight to anyone—no one's gonna bat an eye. With the Vintervalt house fallen and you dragged here for a life in exile, driven half-mad, everyone'll just pity you."
The pulse of my heartbeat met her fingers, stirring a strange sensation. It felt like my lifeline was physically gripped in someone else's hand.
"And you'd better not get any funny ideas. I've already told Elana—if I die, she's to slaughter every last one of your blood kin here in the capital."
"...Wait."
"What, you think you're the only one unscathed?"
Not just me... my mother and siblings are here too. There's a world of difference between a doomed soul clinging to life by luck and people who need to live being dragged into this hell.
"Blood kin?"
I sat up in bed and looked at the girl. Her face showed no expression. Her eyes shift color with her emotions—normally a deep crimson, but they sink darker when the light fades. My red eyes reflected in her blue ones held no shine.
Averting her gaze, she murmured like she was making excuses.
"...Just keep that in mind."
Her voice trailed off smaller toward the end, like a deflated child.
"I'll tell your brother I've made you my personal knight. He won't hate it once he knows his little sister is alive and well..."
I cut her off—I didn't want to hear it.
"Not 'brother'—hyungnim. And not 'little sister' either."
"..."
Just family held hostage. Just family, that's all. In the Vintervalt house, the most important thing has always been me, more beautiful than anyone. No problem. Hell, were they even actually taken? Could've been a slip of the tongue.
I forced a smile onto my frozen face, like donning a mask.
"Fine, tell hyungnim that unlike you, rotting away underground, I'm doing just great."
"..."
"Anyway, you've made me your knight. Don't I have duties to perform?"
I extended the back of my hand to her. She looked at me with eyes like she was pondering something.
"...You seem a little different."
"Oh."
Ignoring Elana blocking my path, I stepped close and took the girl's hand. Back home, this was always my role, so it's easy to mix up.
I bowed my head to her hand, brushing my lips lightly against the skin before pulling away. Her skin was soft there. The contact lasted just long enough to hold a shallow breath.
"That damn knight nonsense."
"Can't have a guy doing maid stuff."
"You really... sigh."
The girl still looked like she couldn't read my mind at all.
"What were you thinking, anyway?"
"Huh?"
"You could've died."
"You said it yourself—northern barbarians don't fear death, not even women."
More like, a proper knight wouldn't screw up like that. But the girl just gave me a complicated look.
"...Yeah, I did."
She stared down at me for a long while with a sad, almost angry expression, then pressed an accessory dangling from her bracelet to my neck. A faint light flickered. Warm energy swept over the wound, and the nearly healed flesh began to knit tighter.
"It'll scar."
"Don't care."
"I do. Even if you're... in this position, dragged here, if you look like this, people'll say I'm abusing you."
"Not exactly wrong."
I couldn't help glancing at Elana behind the girl. If I'd had my family's light sword or rapier, I wouldn't have had to fight so dirty. Not my fault. Hers, for dragging me off without prep time.
"From now on, only wear the clothes I provide. No dreaming of anything with your house crest. The black one... hide it in your bosom."
"..."
"And I don't know how it was in your house, but in the palace, a knight using casual speech with their lord? Unthinkable. Address me formally from now on."
I didn't reply. She stared, then finally spoke.
"Do you know my name?"
"..."
"The name of your lady is Ariel. Remember it."
"Got it, Ariel."
"..."
Ariel looked at me like she wasn't pleased. Not in the mood to switch to formal already, I pivoted quick.
"You said hyungnim's alive."
Ariel nodded.
"I wanna see him. Been a while since I laid eyes on him."
"No. Not yet. Rest more. I'll have you with me all day starting tomorrow."
Ariel stood, looking down at me. She didn't resemble that man at all, yet somehow she reminded me of him—gazing through me at someone else. Or maybe just conflicted about keeping a Vintervalt by her side all day.
Anyway, Ariel soon turned and left the room. Elana followed.
Now it was just me in the room. There was a servant in the corner, but a modern guy doesn't count AI as people, nor a Joseon noble his courtyard dog—same deal. No one here.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
The wall clock sounded unusually clear.
Somewhere in that hazy conversation, too much got glossed over.
I don't hate Ariel. Even if she's the one who had my father burned alive in the town square. Not the fragile Rebecca—no, the adult who knows that delicate girl couldn't refuse the pressures shoved at her from all sides.
Considerate, kind-hearted, with luxurious hair and jewel-like eyes, the leisurely me doesn't hate people for reasons like that.
I don't loathe her. Even if maybe my siblings, my mother are here too.
Could've been a slip-up. It's the original novel, romance fantasy, whatever—it's a world of people, it'll be fine.
The world runs on exceptional people anyway. I'm no standout talent, just ordinary.
I can do whatever I set my mind to, and skip what I don't want. I know that girl has no choice, innocent but soft-hearted, swayed every which way.
I know everything.
...Do I, really?
A few days passed since I became a knight.
I discovered upsides to palace mornings. The dawn, always chilly, felt somehow warm now.
Everything else? Downsides.
Stuck to Ariel all day, my only job gawking at her swaying black hair and blue eyes. Her lips weren't always glossy, so my gaze didn't linger constantly.
Anyway, princess's knight—honestly, not thrilled. My status tanked, basically.
Daughter of a house that lorded like northern kings, now family ruined like dogs, reduced to bodyguard for a clueless girl.
Better than maid, at least.
But Her Highness said do whatever, be my knight—so I'll live how I want, right?
Hyungnim would've stuck to his brash mouth, risked decapitation, then grudgingly played knight grasping at straws.
Unlike that idiot who tanked the house in a blink, I'm clearly the superior one.
Yet this fool Ariel has no eye for people—my gear? Just a short dagger.
Not her flabby, jiggly build, but mine in snug uniform, light sword or rapier at the hip... how stunning I'd look. Ah, maybe she's just a kid jealous of prettier—let it slide.
Asked for comfy clothes like Elana's, got a modest dress dragging hems like a mop. Not bad, though.
Today too, I admired myself in the mirror. Pale dress matched my silver hair like moonlight dressed up.
"...Knight, huh? Shouldn't you act more like a guard?"
"If I die, you'll miss me."
Her Highness's face rotted further. Ugly mug crumpling gains nothing.
"......How's your body?"
"My body, suddenly?"
"We're going to worship. No Elana, you'll guard... but low expectations."
Her bio-AIs fussed extra hard today. Lips glossy—who knows what gloss—face with a natural smile.
"I told you—if I die, it's not just me."
She laid her hand softly on my neck, stroking the old wound, murmuring low.
"You'd miss it. For me, death ends it all. But you... seem to have a lot to lose."