It took a whole week, but a welcome piece of news finally arrived at the princess’s palace. Of course, the person who delivered the news, Killian, was even more welcome.
If the Little Prince has his desert fox, I have my Killian. And I’ve already been completely tamed by him. Just like the serialization alerts I set in my previous life, I start getting happy an hour before Killian is scheduled to arrive.
While Killian went to change for his sword lesson, I checked the letter from Count Torkie. His letter, filled with excitement, was, of course, an acceptance!
“Yes!”
I decided to check the details carefully when I was alone, and I, too, changed my clothes. Today was a special day. It was the day I would give Killian his very first sword. I felt a sense of solemnity.
Oh, and Adele couldn’t make it. She was apparently fine and then came down with a bad cold. I almost lost my eyeballs reading the five-page-long letter from Marquis Lewendiff. Marquis Lewendiff is definitely the type of person who loves to write exam questions.
I thought he would have headed to the training grounds first, but Killian was waiting for me in front of my room.
“Tia.”
“Killian? Why didn’t you go ahead? I would’ve come out faster if I knew you were waiting.”
“It’s okay.”
Killian smiled and said, “Achoo!” My nose tingled again. I might get a nosebleed again, so I squeezed my nose hard with my fist.
“Tia? What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is it… do I smell?”
“No, no! What are you talking about! You smell wonderful even when you’re sweaty.”
“Huh?”
Killian’s eyes started to water.
No! No!
Of course, I’m the kind of pervert—no, person—who wants to make a perfume out of your sweat… but…!
“No, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely don’t mean you smell bad!”
“Okay…”
“It was just because my nose was tickling like I was about to sneeze.”
“Really…?”
“Of course, Killian. I don’t lie. Not to you, ever.”
Oh…
That’s also a lie.
The thought that I was doing something terrible to Killian suddenly made my mouth feel bitter. As if he didn’t know my guilt, Killian answered in a low whisper.
“I believe you, Tia.”
“…Okay.”
“Shall we go then?”
Okay.
I tried to shake off my thoughts and followed behind Killian.
Sir Brivan was very excited. When I showed him the sword I had received from Nix, the excitement in his eyes was so intense that Liz was almost jealous of the sword, not even a person.
“How did you find this blacksmith shop, Princess?”
“Just by chance? Hahaha. Sir Brivan should use this blacksmith, too, sometime.”
“Yes. I was already thinking of doing that. The owner seems incredibly skilled.”
When I handed the sword to Sir Brivan and asked him to give it to Killian, Sir Brivan waved his hands dismissively.
“No, no, Princess. You prepared it, so you should be the one to give it to the young master. It’s such a magnificent sword. I couldn’t possibly give it in your place.”
“Oh, come on. You asked me to get it, and I don’t want to take all the credit. It doesn’t matter to me, so you give it to Killian. Don’t you think he’ll train harder if he thinks it’s a sword from his master?”
“No. I think he’ll train harder if you give it to him.”
He might even become a Sword Master right away… Sir Brivan muttered. In the end, we decided to give the sword to Killian together. It seemed like the cleanest way to do it. And that’s today, heh heh.
Thinking about Killian’s happy face when he receives the sword, the worries and guilt that had been pecking at my brain cells also crumbled away. Though, it was only for a moment…
After the sword lesson, I was sitting on the floor of the training grounds, trying to catch my breath. Killian, who had a little more individual training than me, came over to me a moment later.
“Tia, the floor is cold.”
“Huh?”
“Here, sit on this.”
Killian took off his training jacket and laid it on the floor. He’s only seven years old. He had a thin tunic shirt on underneath, but why was my face getting so hot? To hide my impure thoughts, I turned my head away and couldn’t bring myself to sit on Killian’s jacket, so I just got up.
“Tia?”
Over there, Sir Brivan was coming with the box containing the sword.
“Ah. I’ve rested enough.”
“Is it really because of the smell…?”
My favorite, or rather, persistent trait. He’s so stubborn.
“No! I told you, you don’t smell! And I said you smell fragrant. So much so that I want to make a perfume out of it!”
“Huh? Perfume…?”
“I said you’re so fragrant that I want to make a perfume out of it… Didn’t I say that? Hahahaha. Oops!”
My social standing is in the pits right now…
I heard Sir Brivan’s voice calling me, but I couldn’t turn around. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what expression Killian was making. I bolted back to the princess’s palace and shouted to a surprised-looking Liz.
“Liz! Liz! It’s a disaster! I just became a pervert!”
“What?!”
“I have to hide. I’m going to take a bath! It’s the only way!”
“What?!”
“Don’t you dare open the door for Killian when he comes. Got it?”
“What?!”
I didn’t wait for Liz’s help and went into the bathroom. I quickly took off my clothes and jumped into the bathtub full of warm water.
Perfume out of sweat? I said something so perverted… what should I do now? Killian will hate me, right? I’ve been exposed as unrefined for a while now, but I had been holding on to my perverted side… and of all days, I gave him that memory on the day I gave him a sword. This is the worst, the worst. I’m a truly hopeless Celestia.
I put my head underwater and let a bubble of self-reproach rise with every single one that escaped.
“Princess? Oh! Princess? Eek!”
How long had it been? Liz’s voice echoed from outside the water. Why is she screaming? So loud.
“What?”
I quickly sat up straight, and my hair, which had turned into a wet seaweed salad, slapped me in the face.
“Ouch!”
That woke me up.
“Are you okay, Princess? You gave me a scare.”
“I was just playing a little underwater.”
“Let me dry you. You should get out now.”
As if worried about my strangely low energy, Liz wrapped a soapy towel around my shoulders and patted me.
“Did Killian leave okay?”
“Ahahaha. Well…”
“He’s never coming back, is he?”
“Ahahaha. That’s…”
“Of course, that’s what’s going to happen. Hmph.”
“Ahahaha. I guess…”
Liz trailed off and dried my body. After I was clean and my hair was all dry, Liz helped me get dressed and then said, “Wait here, I’ll get you some warm tea,” and left. A moment later…
“Tia, I’m coming in.”
“…Kill-Killian?”
“It’s okay if I come in, right, Tia?”
That mischievous girl. Liz must have sent Killian in her place again. I tried to swallow a sigh that I didn’t want to show, but Killian spoke.
“Did you run away because you were too embarrassed to give me the gift yourself?”
“Huh?”
“The gift, I mean. Thank you. I’m really happy.”
There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding.
“My master told me. That you went to the blacksmith yourself and had the sword made.”
He couldn’t have not heard what I said.
“I’m so touched that you would do that much for me. I’ll train hard and become a great Märchen.”
No. Maybe he didn’t understand what I meant.
“Tia?”
If that’s the case, then thank you very much. I’ll close my eyes, shut my mouth, and pretend I don’t know anything.
“No, Killian. I’m the one who’s happy to be able to give you a sword.”
“And because of that, Tia, I have something to give you, too.”
Huh? To me?
My eyes widened, and I pointed to myself with my finger. Killian chuckled and nodded.
“Would you stand here? I learned this in a hurry, so I’m not sure if it’s right.”
“U-um…”
I feel uneasy. I have a bad feeling about this. Adele? Adele! Where are you right now?
“Celestia Mond, the little star of the empire that shines most beautifully.”
“Oh… Killian. This is…”
“You are the light that illuminates my path and the reason I love the days I live,”
No. Not this.
“To you, the owner of the sword I wield, I pledge my all until the last day of my life.”
Don’t do it to me.
The beautiful voice coming from Killian’s mouth stopped. I never expected a knight’s oath from a seven-year-old child who hadn’t even started elementary school in South Korea to feel so heavy.
This shouldn’t be happening. I don’t deserve this… It would have been enough just to be childhood friends…
Killian knelt on his right knee, bowed his head, and presented the sword, which contained my soul, to me with both hands.
Haa.
What should I do?
The fact that I’m happy to see my favorite character making a knight’s oath is proof that I’m truly shameless, isn’t it? But this is not right. What’s not right is not right.
I may be shameless, but I’m not irrational.
“Killian.”
When I called, Killian raised his head. His beautiful silver hair swayed as his head moved.
“I can’t accept your oath.”
“Tia?”
“Let’s make the oath after you become a knight.”
“Oh… Ah!”
I’m sorry for rejecting your oath with such a ridiculous joke. The person who deserves your oath isn’t me. I know that, but…
“Okay, after I become a knight.”
How could I pretend not to know and accept it selfishly? How could I, of all people?
“I’ll do it again then, Tia.”
Killian smiled so brightly it was dazzling. Today, for some reason, that smile felt like a sharp sword aimed at my heart.
