Chapter 69
With a grunt, Liz tied her thick, curly hair back with a pretty jeweled ribbon and said,
“Thirty knights are being invested today, Your Highness. And guess what? Lord Killian came out on top!”
“Really? Killian was first? Our Killian really has no flaws. Can you believe that at just fifteen years old he’s the top of the Imperial Knights? He’s amazing! I knew it from the start—he was born a perfect hexagon. Looks, character, height, physique, intelligence, stamina. Nothing missing. A complete hexagon. A full one.”
As I went on showering him with nonstop praise, Liz snickered.
“Anyone would think Your Highness was his mother.”
“Mother? What an honor that would be! No, no—I’d be satisfied just being some random childhood friend number one.”
“My, what a thing to say. You’ve even agreed to be his debutante partner, haven’t you?”
“That just happened, okay? I swear I never wanted it. Really.”
I even laid my hand on my chest to emphasize, but Liz didn’t believe me.
“It’s true!”
“Yes, yes, let’s say so, Your Highness. There, you’re all done. Hurry, Lord Oz must be waiting.”
Somehow, I feel like it’s getting harder and harder to win against her.
Or… was it always like that?
Sigh. I let out a breath, stood up, straightened my clothes, and stepped out. Waiting outside my chambers, Oz stretched out his hands and greeted me loudly.
“Your Highness! I missed you so much!”
“Thanks, Oz. I really missed you too!”
We clasped hands and spun around in a circle.
A while back, when I suggested we stop spinning because his graying hair might mean he’d get dizzy after seven years passing… he’d looked so hurt that I decided never to bring it up again.
Oh boy.
These days, Oz was busier than ever. He claimed he was locked up in the office on my behalf, but I doubted that was the whole story.
Back when imperial studies and military strategy classes kept us together every day, I saw him all the time. Now that we met so rarely, there was so much to talk about.
“Her Majesty was terribly distressed about that matter, Your Highness.”
“I know. I know, Oz. But I had no part in it, really.”
I glared at him, eyes wide. Oz replied,
“If that’s truly the case, then I’ll deal with it.”
“Deal with what?”
“Prince Märchen. One punch should bring him back to his senses. How dare he take Your Highness’s partner spot!”
Why is everyone around me so violent?
I shook my head.
“My father had no say in it either. So ease up on the fists, Oz, or you’ll get arthritis.”
Ahem.
Oz relaxed and asked,
“Then, Your Highness… what about the first dance?”
“Isn’t the first dance, by custom, always with your partner? That’s what I’ve heard.”
“Then the second dance…?”
“You know how overbearing my dad is.”
“The third dance…?”
“That one I’m not sure about. Honestly, I’m terrible at dancing. I’d rather not dance at all.”
“Then… may I have the third dance, Your Highness?”
“Huh? With you? You’re coming to the debutante too, Oz?”
“Of course! I’m your aide, after all!”
“True enough.”
I nodded—it made sense.
“All right then. But if I step on your foot, no blaming me!”
“It would be an honor.”
Oz laughed heartily.
By then, we had reached the hall where the knighting ceremony was to be held.
“Her Imperial Highness, Crown Princess Celestia Mond, enters!”
At the herald’s cry, I walked the path formed by the raised swords of the First Imperial Knight Order, led by Sir Briven. Oz stepped aside and followed a little behind me.
The hall, decorated in gold, white, and navy, was filled with assembled knights of the Imperial Orders.
When I reached the dais and sat, I discreetly searched for Killian.
Where are you, uniformed Killian?
Thanks to his striking silver hair, I spotted him quickly among the sea of knights.
Dressed in his pristine knight’s dress uniform, Killian looked…
Insane. Gorgeous. He’s like 4K resolution—no blur, no flaws.
Are you human lighting itself? My eyes can’t take it. My heart can’t take it.
Yo! My lighthouse when my gaze has nowhere to rest. Yo, endlessly drilling into my head. Yo!
I stifled my inner fangirling just in time to rise and greet my father entering.
That’s when I also spotted Jeron at a distance. I raised my brows in greeting, but that jerk ducked his head to avoid my gaze.
Tsk.
I pouted as Father came and sat beside me.
“Tia.”
“Dad.”
He wore the same knight’s uniform as me.
“Tia and Daddy are matching!”
“Yeah. You look good today, Dad.”
“Really? Then I should wear this every day!”
“No need for that.”
He whined, sulking, so I shot Sir Ain a sharp look.
What are you doing, MC Ain? Start the program already.
Sir Ain nodded and began loudly announcing the order of the ceremony.
After some dull proceedings, finally—!
“Now the representative of the new Imperial Knights will step forward and swear the Oath to His Majesty the Emperor.”
It was Killian’s turn.
Everyone, look at Killian! How proudly he walks the flower path I’ve laid for him!
I gazed at him with sparkling eyes.
But then?
It wasn’t Killian who stepped forward—it was someone else.
Wait, what? The representative is supposed to be the top knight. What’s going on?
I shot a sharp glare at Sir Ain. He only pouted helplessly, as if he had no idea either.
Regardless, the new knight, focused solely on Father, began reciting the Oath in a trembling voice.
“Before the Empire’s exalted sun, we, the Imperial Knights, swear loyalty and faith.
Every step we take, every blade we swing, shall strike only at Your Majesty’s foes.”
That… sounds different from the Oath I know?
“The old oath bound knights too tightly, so it was revised a few years ago,” Oz whispered from behind.
“Oh! Thanks, Oz.”
As I whispered back, the knight finished the Oath, raised his sword to Father, and knelt with one knee up. Father tapped both his shoulders with the blade.
Thunderous applause and cheers shook the hall.
It was a little disappointing Killian hadn’t been chosen as representative, but my pride and joy in him didn’t change.
I clapped hard for Killian.
✦
“Congratulations on your knighthood, Killian!”
Poooooot!
Blowing hard into the elephant trumpet—our trio’s must-have party item—I watched Killian, wearing a pink cone hat, smile shyly.
“Adele will be a bit late. Let’s start without her. Today’s theme is a strawberry buffet! I set it up just for you.”
Strawberry macarons, strawberry mousse, strawberry tarts, strawberry shortcake, strawberry cream waffles, strawberry tiramisu, strawberry chocolate fondue, strawberry jelly, strawberry jam sandwiches, strawberry yogurt… basically, anything you could possibly make with strawberries was there.
I nearly developed a strawberry phobia, but I endured it for my favorite person.
“Wow… what is all this, Tia?”
“I wanted to give you a memory you’d never forget. Well? How’s my very-berry strawberry spread?”
“Heh. Thank you. I really won’t forget this.”
“Sit, quick! We don’t have enough time to taste everything. We’ve got to try one of each before Adele gets here!”
Once Adele—the other strawberry fiend—arrived, all this food would be annihilated.
Sorry, Adele, but secretly, I hoped Killian could enjoy it freely by himself for once.
I was in such a hurry, but Killian caught my hand before I could sit.
“What is it, Killian? Adele will be here soon.”
“Just wait, Tia.”
“What’s wrong?”
Looking right at me, Killian lifted his lips into a wide smile.
“The truth is, I was supposed to be the one to swear as representative today.”
“Oh, right! You were the top knight. Then why did someone else do it? You should’ve grabbed the spotlight on such an important day!”
“I thought you’d remember, Tia…”
“Huh?”
“You promised you’d be the one to receive my oath once I became a knight.”
“…Did I? I don’t think I did.”
I was about to protest, but then I saw his eyes—already wounded, as if I’d rejected him.
“Tia… you’re not going to refuse me again, are you?”
“W-Well, Killian…”
Adele! Adele, where are you? Can you hear me?
Eat all the strawberries if you want—just please hurry!
But my desperate wish never reached her.
Killian sank to one knee right in front of me.
Thankfully, the knight’s oath had been revised. Otherwise…
