Chapter 51
“Daytan! What’s going on!?”
At the sound of Marilyn’s voice, Daytan snapped back to his senses. He tried to play it off with bravado as he stepped aside.
“I-I just made a mistake because I was being too relaxed! That wasn’t a real duel! Let’s fight again!”
Then Jayna spoke up.
“Then if you win this time, you can have not just one jewel, but all of them.”
“That’s…”
Marilyn stomped her feet in frustration and clenched her fists tightly.
“Ugh, Daytan, if you lose again, you’re dead!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
This time, there was a seriousness in Daytan’s eyes that hadn’t been there before.
‘He was definitely distracted earlier, but still — his movements were so fast I could barely follow them.’
Daytan gripped his sword with both hands.
“All right, when the handkerchief touches the ground, the duel begins.”
Marilyn pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and let it flutter in the wind.
Then—thump.
As soon as it hit the ground, Izren and Daytan kicked off the earth at the same time.
‘This time, I’ll attack first!’
Daytan charged at Izren with lightning speed.
‘He’s smaller than me, so I’ll overpower him. If it turns into a battle of endurance, I’ll win for sure. Just don’t get careless!’
But Izren deflected his fierce attack with surprising ease.
Clang!
Marilyn widened her eyes when she saw how evenly matched they were.
She had taken an interest in Izren because of his mysterious looks, but she had never imagined he’d be so skilled as a knight.
‘Compared to Daytan, he looks so delicate… How can he fight that well? He looks so young too!’
Jayna, too, was deep in thought as she watched the duel.
‘He’s only sixteen, and yet… even someone like me, who doesn’t know much about swordsmanship, can tell he’s special.’
A knight guarding a rich lady who carried jewels around so carelessly must have had real ability—but even so, Izren wasn’t just holding his own against Daytan. He had already beaten him once.
‘Sure, he’s not as strong, but he makes up for it with his calmness and precision. It’s impressive.’
Izren’s violet eyes were sharp and unwavering.
Some might find gentleness or fragility in those mysterious eyes—but right now, Jayna was certain that there was nothing fragile about him at all.
Clang!
This time, Izren didn’t just deflect—he met the blow head-on.
‘He’s not being pushed back?’
Daytan froze in shock, and in that instant, Izren spoke.
“Now I get it. Your pattern.”
Izren darted through an opening in Daytan’s defense and, once again, pressed his blade to his opponent’s neck—at exactly the same spot as before.
“Ugh…”
“Admit defeat.”
Last time, Daytan could at least claim he had been careless. But this time, he had fought seriously—and still lost. A complete, undeniable defeat.
“I… admit defeat.”
Izren turned toward Jayna. His cheeks were flushed, probably from the excitement of the duel, but his expression was almost like a pet waiting to be praised by its owner. Jayna couldn’t help smiling.
Izren smiled shyly back.
“I won, my lady.”
And so, the ribbon for Yurika was finally completed.
It was a sky-blue ribbed ribbon with a small amber gemstone attached in the center—a hair tie.
Yurika’s eyes widened when she saw it, as if it were made just for her.
“You made this yourself? Where did you get the materials?”
“I went to the capital.”
“You didn’t go alone, did you?”
“No, Sir Izren came with me as my escort.”
Hearing that, the maid relaxed, relieved that her lady hadn’t traveled alone. A soft smile spread across her face.
“I don’t know if I deserve something this beautiful.”
“I made it while thinking of you, Yurika, so I’d really like you to have it.”
“It feels too precious for me, though…”
“You helping me every day feels too precious for me.”
“…Then I’ll gladly accept. It’s such a lovely ribbon. It’s the same color as my eyes.”
Her cheeks flushed as she untied her hair and replaced her plain ribbon with Jayna’s gift.
“How does it look?”
“It’s beautiful!”
“Maybe it’s because you made it, my lady.”
Yurika smiled brightly.
“I never knew you were so good with your hands. Did you make one for anyone else?”
“No, only for you, Yurika.”
“I told you, stop calling me ‘Miss Yurika’… But wait—only me? Really?”
Yurika looked moved by her words. Jayna put her finger to her lips and whispered, “Shh, I have one just like it too.”
“I see. Then it’ll be our little secret.”
Jayna’s own blue eyes matched the ribbon perfectly.
Since her hair was short, she made a headband instead of a hair tie. She tied the ribbon neatly and glued it to the band.
“How does it look, Sir Izren?”
“It suits you.”
“Should I make one for you too?”
Jayna giggled, imagining him like a cat with a bow.
“I’ll pass.”
“I think it’d look cute on you…”
But Izren refused firmly, saying his hair was too short anyway.
“Well, maybe it’s for the best. Your hair’s sky-blue too—the ribbon would just blend in.”
Jayna looked at her handmade headband with satisfaction.
And yet… for some reason, the ribbon Yurika had given her—old and worn though it was—felt more special than the new one she had just made.
“But I only gave you an old ribbon… shouldn’t you wear the new one instead?”
Yurika protested gently, but Jayna only smiled and tied her hair again with the ribbon Yurika had given her.
Yurika sighed softly and then suggested,
“You usually wear dark colors. Why don’t you try a brighter dress to match that sky-blue ribbon?”
Following her advice, Jayna decided to try something new.
“Wow, my lady, you look adorable!”
Yurika had picked a cheerful sky-blue dress with thin white stripes.
‘It feels a little awkward…’
Jayna scratched her cheek. The ribbon tied at her waist looked cute, but she wasn’t used to such bright clothes.
“…Pretty.”
Jayna blinked.
“Huh?”
When she turned, she saw Mikael in the hallway.
“It’s a pretty dress,” she said. “But I don’t think it suits me very well.”
Mikael frowned slightly, thinking for a moment before replying.
“Wait—you thought I was talking about the dress?”
“Weren’t you?”
He looked dumbfounded.
He had complimented her because she looked good in it, but she just dismissed it, saying it didn’t suit her.
Usually, people would blush and thank him for such a remark—but not Jayna.
As he thought about it, Mikael realized that between himself, the grumpy Hilvenzia, and the knight who barely spoke Imperial, it wasn’t like she got many compliments.
‘Well… no wonder she doesn’t know how to take one.’
“Hey.”
“What is it, Lord Mikael?”
Guess I’ll have to say it properly so she understands.
But when he tried to, the words caught in his throat.
“Mikael?”
“So, uh…”
“Are you sick?”
Her worried eyes only made it harder to speak.
“Y-you look nice. Not the dress—you. I was complimenting you.”
Jayna’s eyes widened in surprise.
Seeing her reaction, Mikael quickly stammered,
“W-what? Don’t look at me like that! It’s not a big deal.”
“Hehe.”
“Forget it! I wasn’t talking about you. I meant the dress. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
He started babbling nonsense to cover his embarrassment.
“Thank you for the compliment,” Jayna said brightly.
“Hey, I said I wasn’t complimenting you!”
Mikael’s face turned red as he looked away.
“…Do you like ribbons or something? I’ve never seen that one before—who gave it to you?”
“Lady Yurika.”
“Yurika? Who’s that—oh, that maid behind you?”
Mikael’s sharp gaze turned toward Yurika, his expression clearly displeased.
“Hmph. I can buy you a hundred better ones. Trade it.”
“No.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because it was a gift from Lady Yurika.”
Mikael stepped closer and poked her cheek with his finger in annoyance.
Jayna simply lifted her gaze and stared back at him calmly.
“…Damn it.”
Mikael muttered, admitting defeat under her quiet stare.
“If you wanted a ribbon, you should’ve just asked me!”
“I didn’t even think of it—Lady Yurika suggested it.”
The next day, when Yurika visited Jayna’s room, she nearly fainted at the sight.
Mountains of ribbons were piled in front of the door.
“Ha! See that? That’s how it’s done.”
“Ah, good morning.”
Yurika turned and met Mikael’s eyes—he was loitering nearby, obviously waiting to see Jayna’s reaction.
When Jayna wasn’t around, the air around him turned icy.
“You. If you ever look down on her or try to push her around, you’ll disappear without a trace.”
His face, so bright and handsome when he smiled, was now utterly cold and merciless. The shy boy who blushed around Jayna was gone.
‘S-so scary…’
She had thought he’d mellowed out a bit because of how gently he treated Jayna, but apparently not. That kindness was for Jayna only.
When Mikael had first assigned Jayna a storage room for her quarters, Yurika had worried that maybe he disliked her. But now, seeing all this—she realized it wasn’t dislike at all.
‘If anything, Lady Jayna is… cherished. Thank goodness.’
Yurika let out a quiet sigh of relief as she began organizing the mountain of ribbons.
