Chapter 29
29. Not Even a Relationship
The next day was also a day off for Chanellica. Not so for Derwin, who left the mansion early.
Maybe because of the beer she drank yesterday, Chanellica slept in deeply until nearly noon. She thought about going out alone in the afternoon but gave up. Yesterday Derwin had been beside her, but today he wasn’t, so she felt it would be lonely.
“Hmm.”
Unlike when she was alone with Lare, time at the Cartel mansion alone passed quickly. Reading books or taking a walk made the day fly by. There was so much to do in the human world.
But today felt unusually long. All day long, Chanellica habitually glanced out the window.
Marie, the maid who stayed by Chanellica’s side, thought it looked like she was waiting for someone’s return. So, when she heard the news that Derwin had come back, she immediately told Chanellica.
“Really? Where is he?”
Sure enough, Chanellica immediately closed the book she was holding and got up. Upon hearing that Derwin had gone straight to the training grounds after his training, she ran there without hesitation.
“HBLG”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Derwin suddenly asked while focusing on his meal. He had gone to the palace early in the morning to work and had trained as soon as he returned. Only when the training was nearly over did he realize Chanellica had been watching him.
After their usual casual conversation, they came to have dinner as always.
But now, Chanellica seemed to be lost in deep thought. She left even her favorite steak half-eaten, immersed in something heavy on her mind. The fork and knife suspended mid-air felt awkward — something that never happened before. Chanellica often said it was proper to eat meat before it got cold.
“Unwell?”
“I don’t think you’re eating well.”
“Oh, I’m fine!”
“Could it be because of the beer you drank yesterday?”
“Beer… I even forgot I drank it yesterday.”
Chanellica smiled softly and began moving her fork and knife again.
Derwin quietly watched her eat. Just as she said, there was no apparent problem with her appetite. But she seemed to drift into thought even as she ate.
“Is something wrong? You seem deep in thought.”
Had she not even realized she was lost in thought? Chanellica shook her head slightly and met Derwin’s eyes.
“Well, actually, I’m curious about something.”
“Please, ask.”
For someone who loves food as much as Chanellica, putting it on the back burner meant this question must be important.
“When we left the tavern basement yesterday — you said you made the gap in the iron bars of the door, right? That wasn’t done with the dagger you used in training today, was it?”
Last night, as they left the tavern basement, the middle of the iron-barred door had a strange hole, which struck her as odd, so she asked Derwin. He said he had cut the bars because he couldn’t open the lock. At the time, she just accepted the explanation.
But watching the training today, she noticed the dagger he wielded was the same one he used previously. Come to think of it, the only weapons Derwin carried yesterday were a dagger and a bow — neither capable of cutting through sturdy iron bars. So she wondered how he had cut the bars.
“I did it with the dagger.”
“Really? How can a dagger cut through iron bars?”
With a look of disbelief, Chanellica asked. The fork and knife had long since left her hands.
“Is that dagger extremely expensive? Otherwise, there’s no way that would be possible.”
“Lady Chanellica, have you heard of ‘sword energy’?”
“Sword energy?”
Chanellica repeated, unfamiliar with the term.
“It’s when mana is infused into a blade to release energy. Even a small dagger becomes incredibly sharp and destructive when sword energy is applied.”
Mana infused into a blade. Chanellica had never heard of such a thing. She knew all humans were born with mana but never imagined it could be used like that.
“So, yesterday you used sword energy?”
“Yes. It was a fleeting moment, so you probably didn’t see it.”
“What about during training today?”
“You can’t use it during training. It’s too dangerous to be cut by sword energy.”
Chanellica nodded with an impressed “Oh.” If it could cut iron bars, it was natural that it would be too dangerous to use on people. Now she understood.
“Then can you use sword energy with any sword?”
“You can manifest sword energy with any sword, but some swords resonate better with certain people. The better the match, the stronger the power.”
“How do you know that?”
“It varies from person to person, but I can tell by feeling.”
The more she heard, the more amazed she became. The feeling of gaining new knowledge lifted Chanellica’s spirits.
“So that’s why you don’t use the dagger the princess gave you!”
Derwin’s expression stiffened at that moment.
“How do you know that?”
Hmm? Was that something he shouldn’t have said?
Derwin’s voice briefly dropped, and Chanellica grew anxious. But no matter how she thought about it, it wasn’t a secret. Lydia had told her privately, but the fact the gift was given was already widespread among the palace staff.
“Well… um, the maids said they saw everything.”
“The rumor only says I received a gift from Her Highness the Princess.”
Only then did Chanellica realize her mistake: the content of the gift—the dagger—was not public knowledge.
“Oh… um… actually, I helped choose that dagger.”
“……”
“It’s been a while since the gift, but since you haven’t used it…”
Derwin remained silent for a while. The food left on the table seemed to soak up the heavy atmosphere.
Chanellica didn’t understand why the mood had suddenly shifted. He must know she was Lydia’s friend, so knowing what the gift was shouldn’t be a big problem.
“Do you want me to use it?”
After a moment, Derwin unexpectedly asked.
“Well, if it’s expensive, it’s good to use it, right? Although it won’t work if it doesn’t match…”
“Are you saying you want me to use the dagger the princess gave me?”
“Since you already received it.”
Derwin stopped talking. Chanellica hadn’t considered the problems that could arise if he used the dagger gifted by the princess.
Derwin was not foolish enough to use an expensive gift thoughtlessly. Originally, he intended to return it immediately. But he couldn’t bring himself to be so cruel to a teary princess.
He planned to return the dagger at an appropriate time. Rumors circulating between Lydia and Derwin were powerful. Lydia herself might not know, but everyone at the palace knew she liked Derwin. Derwin wasn’t unaware either. So, he tried to be more cautious around Lydia.
Derwin had no intention of progressing his relationship with Lydia. Setting aside the complications surrounding the princess, he felt no special emotions for Lydia. Rather, those feelings were reserved for the woman before him.
But that woman—the one who shook him to his core—had picked out a gift for him from the woman who liked him, and even said she wanted him to use it.
It didn’t feel good. But Derwin couldn’t say anything. He was just a fake fiancé to Chanellica, nothing more, nothing less. Of course, Chanellica thought Derwin was the Dragon Lord and her partner, but he was not. No matter how much he thought about it, there was no way he was a dragon.
From the start, it was ridiculous to feel bad. They were not even in a relationship.
That was why, even though he heard Stern and Chanellica whispering sweetly at the tavern yesterday, he just sat quietly and watched. Not being in a relationship, he couldn’t even show annoyance that she was using a dagger gifted by the princess.
What should he do with this relationship?
This was the first time Derwin’s mind started to get complicated about their relationship.
“So, will you use that dagger?”
Chanellica still seemed to want him to use it. But he couldn’t.
“I don’t intend to use it.”
“Oh…”
Disappointment flashed across Chanellica’s face. Derwin felt empty inside. She truly wanted him to use that dagger.
“Is it the design you don’t like? Since you said a bow is like a talisman and you wouldn’t use a new one, I purposely chose a dagger.”
She was unnecessarily considerate, even though she had picked out the gift.
“It’s a sword that doesn’t resonate with me. It’s just flashy.”
He was sincere. The first reason he refused to use the princess’s dagger was because it was a gift from the princess. The second was that it was the worst match for him. From the moment he opened the box, the blade took his breath away.
“Ah, maybe I chose the wrong sword. Still, I thought it was a good sword.”
“Since you were confident, may I ask why you chose that sword?”
Half spite, half curiosity, he asked. The blade seemed incapable of killing a single person. Though well sharpened, it screamed with its whole body that it didn’t want to hurt anyone. That was Derwin’s first thought upon seeing the dagger.
“It just caught my eye. I thought, ‘I have to take this one.’”
“That’s not a sword for you to use.”
“I thought it would be good as a gift for you. From the moment I stepped into the weapon shop until I left, nothing else caught my eye but that dagger. It was as if the dagger was beckoning me.”
Derwin wanted to tell Chanellica never to pick weapons again. He clearly had no eye for weapons.
“Look.”
Eventually, Derwin took out his dagger from inside his clothes and went over to where Chanellica was sitting.
“Can you see the blade?”
“Yes… it’s very black.”
“Don’t touch it. It’s sharp enough to cut.”
“Uh…”
Chanellica looked at the dagger Derwin brought. If the one she had picked was pretty and elegant in white, this one was pitch black and gave off a terrifying aura.
It made her dizzy.
Just by looking at the dagger, Chanellica suddenly felt the world spin. She even felt nauseous, as if the dinner she had just eaten would come back up.
“Could you… put it away now?”
Chanellica covered her mouth and bowed her head.
If that dagger were alive, it seemed like it would try to devour her.
It was a truly disturbing feeling.
