A Single Flower (4)
Was it just my imagination? Maybe I was overthinking it. I fixed the lance under my arm and aimed it forward.
“...Brother…?”
Asena and Kirsi stared at me with puzzled expressions. I counted silently in my head. One… two… three… four… five… Soon the lance grew heavy, and its tip drooped downward. But I was certain. The lance had been shortened, and it felt lighter. It was different from my usual record of barely lasting three seconds. An ordinary knight might not have noticed, but after training with it every day, I was sensitive to even the slightest change.
I looked at Asena. She was watching me with a stiff face. Normally I would have dismissed it as a simple mistake, but after overhearing her badmouthing me, it felt different. Besides, Asena rarely made mistakes when it mattered. Was this intentional? Or was I being paranoid? Personally, it felt very deliberate.
“Asena, doesn’t this seem a little short?” I asked.
And I saw it. She didn’t react like someone hearing something unexpected. Instead, she swallowed hard, like a person caught in the act. Her rigid expression cracked, shifting from shock to dismay. Her eyes darted around as if searching for an excuse.
I thought, Ah. So it really was on purpose.
Having known Asena since she was little, I could tell. It was a quiet shock that settled over me.
“...Short?” she asked cautiously.
“...Yeah. This puts me at a disadvantage, doesn’t it?”
“Ah… um… Then, since there are spare lances prepared for the match, let’s discard this one and use one of those.”
She stammered anxiously, trying to smooth things over. It was clear she hadn’t wanted me to notice. Still, the fact that she was watching my reaction—was that something to be grateful for? In the novel, the Asena I had read about would have been bold even when her misdeeds were exposed.
“I’m sorry, Brother… I must have made a mistake.”
She still wouldn’t look at me, staring only at the lance she had prepared. If this had truly been intentional, she would know it wasn’t something that could be brushed aside so easily.
“.....”
Why was she doing this to me? Why? I wanted to know the reason. She had spread rumors about me, told me not to enter the jousting tournament, and now she had tampered with my weapon. Was I that embarrassing to her? A few days ago, I had asked her—did she want me to live like a dead rat? She had said no, but her actions said exactly that.
Honestly, I was starting to get angry. Was I some shameful stain the Freister family had to hide? Why was she ashamed of me? Other people might feel that way, but not you two. I was the one who raised you. I became the pillar you could lean on when things got hard. I filled the empty space left by your parents. How little must you think of me? How much must you look down on me?
In front of others, you call me incompetent, declare that you’ll exile me… My efforts, the memories we built together—they’ve all become meaningless. I can’t find even a trace of the trust you once had in me.
“.....Haa!”
I let out a long sigh, mixing my frustration into the breath. Fine. In the end, what I had to do wouldn’t change. If anything, this was better. I recalled the three goals I had set for myself.
I gripped the lance tightly. A knight overcomes adversity with his weapon. I would show them. I would prove that I was more worthy of the name Freister than anyone else.
“No. I’ll use it like this.”
Kirsi, who had been watching the entire situation from the side, muttered quietly.
“You said it’s a disadvantage… What if you get hurt…”
That’s exactly why it matters, I thought to myself. Only by overcoming the disadvantage would they stop looking down on me.
“Don’t worry. Asena, do you remember the promise we made?”
“...Huh…?”
She asked in a daze, still not fully present. She must be embarrassed now that her sabotage had been discovered.
“The promise. Do you remember it?”
“What promise…?”
“I asked you to cheer for me.”
“.....”
“...Watch me clearly.”
Her frozen body finally nodded. Even then, her eyes refused to meet mine.
After the twins left, I mounted Rush and pulled my helmet down. Rush, carrying me in full heavy armor for the first time, still wasn’t used to the weight and kept prancing nervously.
“It’s okay.”
I rode Rush once around inside the tent. The musty smell of dust and the metallic scent of armor filled my nose. Suddenly, a shabby-looking boy poked his head through the tent flap.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“The tournament will begin soon! Finish your final preparations, and come out when you hear your name called!”
“Understood.”
The boy finished speaking and hurried off to the next tent. I had nothing more to prepare. All I could think about was not letting Asena’s actions shake me. I didn’t want to keep being stepped on, and I especially didn’t want to be looked down on by the twins. If that was the case, I just had to show them. Without complaining or making excuses, I would prove it. That I was a Freister.
They had only ever seen me training. They had never seen me fight like this in person.
Next! The Freister family!
The moment the tournament official announced me, a storm of boos poured down. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer intensity of it.
…Was it this bad?
A group with hostility was no different from an enemy. This was the first time I had truly felt the voices of the enemies I needed to suppress and dominate. In that sense, the name Freister might actually help me. After all, we were the villainous family from the novel. Many nobles must be watching our house with less than favorable eyes.
That was fine. The greater the enemy I crushed, the larger I would appear. The moment I flipped the public opinion against me with my own power, every student in the academy would have no choice but to acknowledge me. And if that happened, the twins would have to acknowledge me too.
Caiden Freister!
“Hya!”
I spurred Rush and rode out of the tent. As the flap lifted, the boos became even more vivid. Instead of shrinking, I straightened my chest and faced the sound head-on.
I scanned the stands, searching for Asena and Kirsi. Was this what you wanted? I hadn’t asked for anything in return… but was this the result of all my effort?
Suddenly, one woman caught my eye.
“.....”
That’s right. I had prepared it for the twins… but I changed my mind. Liana’s words came back to me.
If there’s a child you like… try to win her over.
One by one, every knight who faced Caiden was shattered. No one could stand against him. Not a single person lasted more than one exchange. The sons of famous knight families, the men with overwhelming physiques, the knights who had seemed invincible—anyone who clashed with Caiden was thrown from their horse without exception. It was overwhelming.
His form, perfectly one with his horse, looked like a giant beast. Even those who had been booing at the start gradually swallowed their fear and fell silent. They were finally seeing with their own eyes the man they had only cursed after hearing rumors—Caiden Freister.
Now, people were even starting to cheer for him. The abandoned adopted son of Freister. He responded to every jeer and insult with complete indifference, then proved himself by crushing everyone with pure skill. People could see how much effort he must have put in, and without realizing it, they felt a quiet surge of emotion.
But Asena’s heart was far from calm. Every time she looked at him, her heart twisted and squeezed until it hurt. Each time Caiden flicked Rush’s reins and fearlessly charged his opponent, her breath stopped. He looked impossibly cool, and the urge to have him surged stronger than ever. It was as if she had been enchanted—nothing else entered her vision. Nothing else could make her heart race like this.
It was the first time she had seen his wild, yet undeniably masculine side. He had already been perfect, but now that he had added martial prowess to the mix, it felt like he was gripping her heart in an iron fist.
She thought, If only Brother were mine. Then she wouldn’t have to hold back this impulse. The moment the match ended, she could drag him to her room, hold him tight, and share deep kisses. It was a shame she couldn’t do that.
She wanted him so badly it made her restless. She was confused. At first, she had simply hoped he would fall quickly. She had wanted him to drop out fast so he wouldn’t show himself in front of the academy students. But after watching him fight in person, she couldn’t wish for that anymore. Her palms were sweaty, her legs were shaking. Every time he defeated an opponent who seemed impossible to beat, she clutched her skirt tightly.
If someone saw Asena right now, they would probably think she was sick. Her cheeks were flushed redder than ever, and she kept letting out heated breaths. The only reason no one noticed was because of Caiden. Everyone was mesmerized by the overwhelming presence and brilliance he radiated; they couldn’t think of looking anywhere else.
The annoying voices reached her ears, but Asena was too busy trying to control herself. On top of that, Caiden seemed determined to torment her even more. Every time he knocked an opponent off their horse, he turned to look in her direction. His expression was hidden by his helmet, but every time his head turned toward her, Asena felt like her heart would drop. It was as if he was reminding her of their promise to cheer for him.
Each time, Asena would slightly raise the hand resting on her knee and wave it. She continued giving him her own private cheers where no one else could see. She had to suppress the urge to shout his name.
And then the final moment arrived.
The tournament official shouted with a voice that seemed to rise from his very core.
“This is the finals!”
There were no more boos. Everyone was cheering for the two knights. The support for Caiden was overwhelmingly louder. Everyone held awe for the knight who had turned jeers into cheers.
The official introduced the first fighter.
“The lady knight on the white horse! Judy Ice of the Ice Duchy!”
Cheers erupted. Once the passionate applause began to die down, the official’s gaze turned to Caiden.
“The undefeated! No one can withstand this knight! Caiden Freister of the Freister Duchy!”
Everyone sent up a thunderous roar. The ground itself seemed to shake. It was as if they had all forgotten that he was the adopted son of the Freister family that had once been cursed.
Caiden tilted his head on horseback, loosening his neck. The sound of noble ladies clutching their chests and letting out soft moans stimulated Asena. She looked around and met eyes with Kirsi, who was sitting a little further away. Kirsi also looked displeased with the current situation.
“Begin!”
The moment the match started, Rush let out a loud neigh and reared up for an instant. It was such a picturesque sight that everyone gasped in admiration and burst into laughter. Immediately after, Rush shot forward.
Caiden, mounted on top, gripped the lance Asena had prepared, leaned his body forward, and charged.
The conclusion came in the blink of an eye.
—BANG!
The two riders passed each other with the wooden barrier between them. As expected, Caiden did not fall. Judy Ice was thrown from her horse and flew through the air. The instant everyone sucked in a breath, she crashed into the ground, and the tournament champion was decided.
—WAAAAAAAAAH!!
—The Freisters really are different!
Caiden raised his lance and looked down at his fallen opponent. Once again, he did not approach the loser. Like Asena, he sat proudly atop his horse and waited for the defeated to leave the arena. Even that action stirred the hearts of the women watching. He appeared like a noble, lofty knight. Not reacting to any provocation, showing no emotion whatsoever—he truly looked like a knight out of legend.
Watching him, Asena unconsciously bit her lip. She wanted him too much. At the same time, she felt a sense of superiority without meaning to. The other noble ladies were all suffering from one-sided love as they watched him. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling… but Asena understood that they couldn’t help it. That was how cool Caiden was.
And that Caiden cherished her. The brother who had become the protagonist of this tournament loved and treasured her the most. In front of others he was so steadfast, yet in front of her he smiled, teased her, and treated her like she was adorable. That fact alone made her happy.
The defeated Judy staggered to her feet, mounted her horse, and left the arena. At that moment, the tournament official called out the winner.
“The champion is Caiden Freister!!”
Everyone sent up passionate cheers. In the end, Asena also clapped her hands softly. Her plan hadn’t gone the way she thought, but she still couldn’t deny the happiness she felt at Caiden’s success.
“Caiden! Come up to the podium!”
By then, Lord Hoslo had already climbed onto the central podium and was calling for him. Asena could no longer bear to look at him. Her heart pounded painfully. She needed time to catch her breath. Still, she gathered her courage again and looked up at him. It would be a waste to miss this brilliant moment.
And then their eyes met.
“...Huh?”
Ignoring Lord Hoslo who had called him to the podium, Caiden was looking at her. She couldn’t see his expression because of the helmet, but it was clear he was staring in her direction. Then, suddenly, he rummaged through the saddlebag.
What he pulled out was a single flower. She could tell that the ones he had grown in the garden had finally bloomed. The fact that the flower in his saddlebag was still perfectly intact showed just how overwhelmingly dominant his performance had been.
Asena swallowed hard. No matter how hard she tried to maintain a stiff expression, it was impossible. He slowly rode toward her. No one made a sound.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
In this arena watched by hundreds, the sound of Rush’s hooves echoed loudly in the silence.
“.....Haa.......Haa.....”
She tried to keep her trembling breaths from being heard by those around her as she looked up at him, waiting. She had never been this nervous in her entire life. He was coming straight toward her, not Kirsi. She knew this moment would be a huge help to her. With the student council members currently questioning the relationship between her and Caiden, this event would become another symbolic moment. If they announced their marriage after graduation, people would be surprised, but they would eventually nod, remembering this scene.
Caiden had already arrived in front of Asena. She carefully raised her trembling hand. Caiden was also extending the flower toward her. Explosive joy filled her chest.
Swish.
Until he passed right by her.
“...?”
Asena stared at her hand, which the flower petals had brushed past, in disbelief. His shadow moved past her, and bright sunlight blinded her eyes. And at that moment, with her vision blocked, Caiden’s voice rang in her ear.
“To the most beautiful woman.”
It wasn’t directed at her. Asena shielded her eyes from the sunlight with her hand. A single flower was leaving his grasp. It floated slowly through the air and landed on one woman’s lap. The woman who had been sitting with the student council. The one who received the flower was… Daisy Hextor.
“......Huh?”
Asena could not believe what was happening right before her eyes.