Chapter 24
. Why Are You Acting Like This
What else was I supposed to know? Why did he react that way?
Shanelika kept recalling what Ferdin had said to her in the training grounds a few days ago. She wasn’t too bothered by Ferdin’s condescending attitude toward her. What stuck with her was Derwin’s reluctant tone when answering her question about the bow—especially when paired with Ferdin’s words.
There’s definitely something there… Should I look into it?
Normally, Shanelika’s style was to ask directly and settle her curiosity on the spot. But if Derwin had reacted that sensitively, maybe that wasn’t the right approach this time. He might just brush her off like he did when she asked about the bow.
Ugh, I hate complicated things.
She frowned. Her time with the human Derwin would last only a few months at most. She had no desire to pry into his personal matters—after all, once she returned to being a dragon, her human life would be nothing more than a passing amusement.
Still… it keeps bugging me.
“All right, we’re here, Shanel!”
Lydia’s excited voice snapped Shanelika out of her thoughts. She was riding in a carriage with Lydia, on their way to pick out a gift for Derwin—a favor Lydia had asked for a few days ago.
“By the way, who’s your escort today?”
Shanelika asked as she stepped down from the royal golden carriage. The knight standing beside Lydia was someone she’d never seen before. Pretty for a man, and broad-featured for a woman—Shanelika couldn’t immediately tell their gender.
“This is Sir Firne. My personal guard, under Sir Derwin’s command.”
Lydia explained that Derwin accompanied her when she met with outsiders, while Firne usually handled other times.
“And on days like this, when I go out for fun or want some girls-only time, I specifically request to bring Sir Firne instead.”
She added in a small voice, “Though that doesn’t happen often.”
Shanelika thought, I figured as much. Lydia seemed to treasure the time she spent with Derwin.
“That’s why I asked for Firne today. It’d be weird to have the gift recipient watching me pick out their present, right?”
So no matter what, a royal always needs an escort when they go out. Sounds exhausting.
Shanelika clicked her tongue. She had left Spicher Island precisely because she hated being confined. For someone like her, who valued freedom above all else, having a guard by her side at all times would be unbearably annoying.
She glanced at Firne. Since Lydia already had company, Shanelika wondered if she’d really needed to come at all.
“If that knight serves under him, wouldn’t they be better at picking something he’d like? They’d know his tastes.”
Lydia leaned in and whispered, lowering her voice.
“Sir Firne is extremely stiff. No matter what I ask, they rarely answer, and sometimes they don’t respond at all. I’ve even wondered if they have hearing problems, but they react immediately to anything important, so clearly not.”
“Ah…”
“That’s why I needed you, Shanel. Thanks for coming with me. Let’s go in.”
Lydia took her hand and led her along.
They’d traveled far from the palace, all the way to the outskirts of the city. The scattered buildings ahead were rough-looking, with peeling paint and a generally worn-down, empty atmosphere.
She wants to buy a gift here? It’s not like royals are short on money…
Shanelika tilted her head. But the moment they stepped inside a gray building, her thoughts changed entirely.
“Whoa…?”
It was like stepping into a treasure vault. Not immediately—first, they passed through a shabby hallway that felt like rats could appear at any moment, then through two more doors before reaching the hidden space.
They’d entered a weapon shop. But calling it just a “weapon shop” didn’t do it justice—inside was far more luxurious than its exterior suggested. The run-down facade seemed to be just for show.
“Surprised? The owner’s a bit eccentric. It’s not like this place needs to be secretive—he just likes dramatic reveals like this.”
Lydia chuckled, watching Shanelika’s wide-eyed wonder.
“How did you find this place?”
“The royal family’s been doing business here for ages. He trades with other countries and brings in rare, expensive goods. There are a lot of weapons because the owner’s a collector.”
Shanelika nodded. Swords, bows, spears, axes, chains, shields, armor… almost everything was weapon-related.
“I don’t know much about weapons myself, but I came here often with my brother. I thought I’d finally make the trip again today.”
She didn’t say the words “to buy something for someone I like,” but the faint blush on her cheeks gave her away.
Must be nice, having someone think of you like that.
The thought brought a strange, fleeting feeling to Shanelika’s chest—something she couldn’t quite name.
“What would make a good gift? Pick something that would suit Sir Derwin.”
“If you narrow it down, I’ll help you choose.”
“I think they’re all pretty and nice. I even asked the shop owner, but he didn’t help at all. Sir Firne ignored me too. You pick, and I’ll give my opinion!”
It was odd for the gift-giver to hand over the choice entirely to the helper, but since Lydia insisted so strongly, there was no reason to refuse.
“…Then I’ll go with that one.”
From the moment they entered, Shanelika’s eyes had been fixed on a single item among the many on display. No matter how she looked at it, it caught her attention again and again.
She stepped closer. The more she looked at it, the better it made her feel.
This would suit him perfectly.
“Wow, it’s beautiful. Yes, let’s get this one!”
Lydia accepted her choice without hesitation, smiling brightly as she picked it up. Watching her, Shanelika felt a tiny pang of discomfort.
Oh, come on. What’s the problem? It doesn’t matter who gives it—if it suits him, that’s enough!
She decided to focus on positive thoughts.
A few days after choosing the gift with Shanelika…
Lydia’s hands trembled slightly as she stood in a long pink dress before Derwin’s office.
She hadn’t seen him at all that day. It wasn’t a Garion language lesson day with Shanelika, nor was there any special event—she’d spent the whole day with Firne.
She barely remembered how the day had passed. She’d sat in the royal library “reading,” but couldn’t recall a single word. The only thing that had occupied her mind for days was this very moment. Tonight, she planned to say something very important to her knight, Derwin.
Phew.
She took a deep breath, waiting for him to arrive.
When she’d first thought of giving him a gift, it was simply because she wanted to. It wasn’t for a special occasion, nor even to convey her feelings. She’d just thought that if Derwin carried something she’d given him, seeing that alone would make her happy.
But things had changed.
That very evening, after shopping with Shanelika, her brother—King Eleusis of Campton—had begun seriously arranging her marriage.
Shocked, Lydia had voiced her wishes: she had always cared for her knight, Derwin, and if she must marry, she wanted it to be him.
“Absolutely not.”
Eleusis had refused without hesitation.
“When I first assigned him as your guard, you told me you had no other feelings for him—only to keep him as your protector.”
“That was… I was young back then—”
Her protest was cut off.
“Lydia, there’s no better match than Prince Render. He has no lust for power, prefers a quiet life—he’s perfect for you. You know that.”
She did know. Prince Render of Larta, the third prince, had been a childhood acquaintance—calm, educated, with good looks, royal status, and wealth. A fine man, easy to be around.
But she felt no attraction toward him. When she was with Derwin, just breathing the same air made her heart race. With Render, she felt nothing—being with him was no different than being with her brother.
So she resolved to act before everything was finalized—to gather her courage.
Lydia wasn’t someone who spoke her mind easily. She rarely initiated anything, let alone refused or opposed something outright. In her whole life, she had only been firm twice—when she insisted on keeping Derwin as her knight, and when she chose Shanelika as her friend.
Today would be the third time.
She tried to calm her pounding heart, but it only beat faster.
This was the first time she would confess to the man she liked, and she hadn’t expected it to feel like all the blood in her body was rushing to her head.
Clutching the small box with the sword Shanel had chosen, she felt slightly reassured.
Just then, familiar footsteps echoed from the far end of the hall—the crisp, measured stride of military boots she’d heard countless times over the years.
“Sir Derwin.”
Taking a deep breath, she called out to the tall man approaching.
“What brings you here, Your Highness?”
It was rare for the princess to come to his office herself. Her mouth was dry as she spoke again.
“I… didn’t want to eat alone tonight.”
It was the best excuse she could think of.
“Would you have dinner with me? Shanel’s gone home, and you were the only person I thought of.”
It felt like she was babbling, but private moments with him were hard to come by.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I don’t usually have dinner.”
Her carefully prepared excuse fell flat against his simple refusal.
“Ah… Then, could you at least stay with me?”
She asked calmly, undeterred.
Derwin sensed something different about her. The invitation to dinner, the request to stay even after being refused—it wasn’t like the princess he knew.
At the same time, another image crossed his mind—Shanelika, waiting for him at the Cartel estate. If he went late, she would likely skip dinner just to wait for him. Lately, their evenings together had become the most comfortable, precious part of his day.
“Not tonight. Please ask again another time—I’ll check my schedule.”
His tone was firm, like an unshakable fortress.
