Chapter 30
“Y-Your Highness? You’re…?”
The maidservants who were following him asked in surprise as he hurriedly turned around.
Without even looking back, Reycal replied,
“I’m going to the training grounds.”
Clang—Clang!
Two swords clashed, sparks flying.
Kainel attacked relentlessly, but Alcaide, holding his sword with just one hand and only defending, was completely impenetrable.
Panting roughly, Kainel lunged with all his might.
“Ugh!”
But Alcaide’s sword didn’t budge an inch.
The man’s calm confidence irritated him.
Kainel stepped back, raised his sword, and struck again.
Alcaide stepped back lightly, parrying his strike.
Kainel stumbled slightly but quickly regained his balance and twisted his body to strike again.
Clang!
Once again, Alcaide’s sword blocked the attack.
Frustrated that none of his strikes were landing, Kainel’s golden eyes flashed sharply.
Clang—Clang!
As the duel dragged on, his wrist, not fully conditioned, began to ache. Kainel gritted his teeth instead of groaning.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
“…Hah!”
Provoked by Alcaide, Kainel moved again.
Alcaide observed the boy’s movements, occasionally using unpredictable attacks.
His basics were stronger than expected. This wasn’t some shady alley technique—this was swordsmanship trained by a knight.
Kaang!
“Let’s stop here.”
Alcaide deflected Kainel’s sword that came close to his face and gathered his thoughts.
He decided he needed to investigate this boy more carefully and thoroughly.
With that, Alcaide sheathed his sword, ending the sparring session.
“Papa!”
Lorr, who had been watching the duel, ran straight into Alcaide’s arms as if she had been waiting.
Alcaide, lifting Lorr with ease, held her warmly.
“Papa!”
“Yes.”
Her slightly flushed cheeks, pushed up from smiling, were bright red. Lorr pressed her cheek against Alcaide’s neck and said cheerfully,
“I wanted to see you!”
“I wanted that too.”
“Really?”
Excited, Lorr pressed her small lips to Alcaide’s cheek with a gentle smack and pulled away. The feathery softness made Alcaide smile warmly.
The knights in the training ground froze like statues at the unfamiliar scene. Their lord showing such a gentle expression!
Only Kainel, catching his breath nearby, tilted the corner of his mouth with a crooked smirk.
The fierce figure who had just been clashing swords sharply was nowhere to be seen.
Everyone except Alcaide and Lorr—who enjoyed the father-daughter moment—looked uncomfortable, but Alcaide relaxed and focused only on Lorr.
“How did you get here?”
“To find Kainel!”
Over the past few days, Lorr had been secretly meeting Kainel at night, with the help of her book. She hadn’t told her father.
Today, she had heard that Kainel’s “isolation” had been lifted.
Now they could meet openly at night—and play together as much as they wanted!
As she was about to rush to Kainel, Angelina took her hand and led her to the training grounds.
Arriving, Lorr was startled by the sound of clashing swords, but Giselle explained,
“Miss, His Highness is currently sparring.”
Hearing that the Duke himself was personally teaching the boy swordsmanship made her heart race.
So… it was just like a prince learning from a teacher in a fairy tale!
Her friend was learning from a prince?!
Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang!
Clenching her hands tightly and staring intently, Lorr dashed straight to her father as soon as the sparring ended.
The one she wanted to see most!
“I really wanted to see you, Papa. But you were busy, so I waited!”
The book’s warning had been correct—Alcaide was busy saving the people of the Venertha region.
Seeing him only once every three nights was tough.
“But now, the monsters won’t hurt people anymore!”
Satisfied, she sniffled and swallowed her loneliness, raising her face bravely.
Seeing Lorr dangling her short legs in his arms, Alcaide wanted to drop everything and pamper her.
Her favorite cheesecake… and she liked cream puffs too.
Whatever it was, he could pile the table with treats and feed her bite by bite.
But Alcaide’s imagination ended there.
“Your Highness, it’s time to go now.”
Giselle gently interrupted from the side.
Alcaide reluctantly complied. He was busy not only in Venertha but elsewhere as well…
Seeing their expressions, Lorr quickly hid the pout she had almost shown.
Just like when asking her mother to play more, she knew not to whine when adults looked “troubled.”
Mom had once gotten very sick from overdoing it with her.
Papa couldn’t get sick because of her.
“I’m going to play with Kainel!”
Alcaide, who had been slightly uneasy about her mention of the little boy, felt like lightning struck him.
She had barely returned to his arms, and she was already talking about playing with a new friend!
She had just said she wanted to see her father…
Yet, hearing her next words, he could only nod slightly with a tinge of bitterness.
“So, while Lorr plays with Kainel… Papa will go save the people. Right?”
“Yes. I’ll do as Lorr says. I’ll be back soon.”
Alcaide gently stroked his daughter’s head with a soft smile, then put her down and turned away.
Lorr watched Alcaide’s retreating figure for a long time. Kainel, standing beside her, finally spoke.
“You…”
“Huh?”
Lorr turned her head. Kainel had quickly let go of her hand and stepped back, flapping his arms.
What’s Kainel doing all of a sudden?
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
When Lorr tilted her head, Kainel quickly replied. Despite his calm voice, the back of his neck was slightly red.
He was covered in sweat from sparring with the Duke—dirt was smeared all over his hands, head, clothes, and shoes.
‘But he looked sad…’
That’s why he instinctively grabbed Lorr’s hand, approaching her in such a messy state.
After shaking off the dust with vigorous flapping, Kainel stopped.
He felt embarrassed again…
Showing his muddy state was one thing, but flapping around like that was also unseemly.
Hmm. Hmm.
Kainel glanced at Lorr, noticing something. She was still looking at Alcaide’s direction.
Her young green eyes now seemed darkened, as if shadowed by clouds.
“You…”
Even though they hadn’t known each other long, it was clear that Lorr wanted to cling to Alcaide. She wouldn’t even let go of his hand when he lightly held hers.
‘Annoying…’
It was obvious she wanted to follow her father, so why was she staying put?
Kainel couldn’t understand and stomped his foot, puffing his cheeks. A sulky voice followed:
“If you want to follow, then follow.”
“Uuugh.”
Lorr shook her head, her expression no longer gloomy. Smiling brightly, she added,
“Papa is going to save people, after all.”
Proud, she straightened her chest.
Papa was a hero!
A hero saving people!
But Kainel’s expression became even sulkier.
‘I still don’t get it.’
He squinted at Lorr.
“What does that have to do with you?”
“Eep!”
Startled, Lorr covered her open mouth with her hands. Then she looked at Kainel with a slightly pitiful gaze.
“Saving people is a good thing… it even appears in storybooks.”
She didn’t know that? Huh… Kainel probably doesn’t even know about the hero Alexander. I’ll have to lend him some books.
