Chapter 5
It’s for One Person, Are You Okay with That?
While riding alongside King Mikrok, I had only sighed because I was worried about Millie, who was left alone at the marquis’s estate. But he actually stopped his perfectly galloping horse to confront me about it.
From the look in his eyes, it was like he was ready to strangle me.
“It’s not like that. Really, there’s nothing between us.”
“Us?”
He snorted in clear disapproval, but since I genuinely had nothing to hide, I answered boldly.
“Yes, us. We’re just friends!”
“Then what was that sigh for?”
“I’m worried about Millie. You saw it earlier, right? Your knight—who looked like a bandit—covered her mouth and dragged her away.”
“Ah…”
He seemed to recall the scene and nodded.
“Was he planning to take that maid Millie with him too?”
“We haven’t been apart since I was eight years old. I’m worried whether she can survive the winters in Pritan, but still… I wanted her to come with me.”
I replied a bit dejectedly, and he stared at my face. What? Why so intense?
“You worry about your maid, but not about yourself?”
“Myself?”
“You’ll find Pritan’s winters just as hard.”
Was… was he actually worried about me? I glanced at him. Those dark blue eyes were fixed on me, but I couldn’t read any emotion in them.
I lowered my head. Sure, I’d lived as a noble lady for over ten years, but in my childhood, I’d already experienced the Empire’s worst slums. And for the past decade, I’d trained in swordsmanship and horseback riding, building up my stamina.
No matter how harsh Pritan’s winters were, as long as people lived there, I was confident I could adapt.
Still, it felt awkward to explain all that to him.
“Why worry about that? Surely His Highness, as handsome as he is, wouldn’t let me freeze to death, right?”
I laughed brightly, but for some reason, Mikrok narrowed his eyes again.
“Putting on a mask again.”
“Huh?”
He looked at me disapprovingly for a moment, then changed the subject.
“If you truly want to bring that girl along, I’ll have a carriage sent for her.”
“Really? You’ll really bring Millie to Pritan?”
“Yes. Hold tight. We’re setting off.”
Without warning, he spurred his horse again. The brief stop had given the beast from hell even more energy, and it now ran faster than before.
Oh my god, this speed! My head was spinning so badly I had to close my eyes.
Still, the thought of Millie coming to Pritan soon lifted my mood.
***
“Once more, where’s Bibi?”
In front of the Uzkal Marquis’s stables, William—King Mikrok’s most trusted knight—had been in a standoff with Millie, Lady Lea’s maid, for the past thirty minutes.
They had to leave immediately, but here he was, stuck with a slip of a maid who looked like she couldn’t weigh more than a sack of flour. It was absurd.
At dawn, William had gone to see the Marquis and Marchioness of Uzkal.
“Actually, last night His Highness Mikrok and Lady Lea… eloped—no, left ahead of schedule.”
“What?”
The couple’s incredulous stares burned his face with shame. Not that he had done anything shameful, but somehow he was the one embarrassed.
Still, the marquis and his wife didn’t seem particularly angry—just mildly surprised.
“We were going to send them off in the morning anyway. Leaving a bit early shouldn’t be a big problem.”
The marchioness whispered quickly to her husband,
“Derek, in that case, we could go see His Majesty the Emperor today and collect the money he promised…”
“Ahem… Let’s talk inside, my dear. Sir William, safe travels. Please give my regards to the King of Pritan.”
And just like that, the marquis hurried off without a single word about his daughter. It was obvious he had no affection for Lea, his illegitimate child.
But the marquis’s family issues were none of William’s concern—he had to rejoin Mikrok as soon as possible. Except…
The horse Bibi, which had been safely tied in the stable last night, was gone. And in its place stood Millie.
“Promise to take me with you. Otherwise, I’ll never tell you where your horse is.”
Sitting stubbornly on top of her travel bag, Millie stared him down.
“Argh…!”
William thumped his chest with his fist to keep his temper in check.
Millie flinched slightly at his glare but refused to back down.
“I’m not asking for some fancy carriage like a noble lady. Just let me tag along since you’re going that way anyway. Refusing that is just petty!”
“Petty?”
William was dumbfounded.
“I’m the king’s closest guard. Just being away from his side for hours is enough to make my heart race. And you want me to take you? Do you know how much time you’re making me waste?”
“If you’d agreed to take me from the start, we’d already be gone. The one wasting time is you, sir!”
“Taking you will waste more time!”
Finally, William lost it.
“My horse and I aren’t going on a joyride—we’ll be riding like we’re charging into battle! Do you think a maid like you can handle that speed? Stop being a burden and stay here!”
He figured that would scare her off. Most knights turned pale at his bark and ran.
Millie’s face did crumple, as if she were about to cry.
“Tell me where Bibi is. Later, if His Highness allows it, I’ll send a carriage for you. I swear it on my honor as a knight.”
Millie suddenly sprang to her feet. He thought she had given up—but instead, she fetched a long rope from the stable corner.
“I’ll tie myself up tight so I won’t fall off. I’ll hold on no matter what.”
Clutching the rope, she looked at him with pleading eyes. That’s when William realized… he had lost.
“Argh!”
He stomped his foot in frustration. Millie flinched but still looked up at him hopefully.
With a scowl, he strode over, snatched up her bag, and yanked the rope from her hands to toss it aside.
“Fine. Lead me to Bibi.”
“Really? Yes, sir!”
She let out a relieved sigh, smiling through tears that now rolled down her cheeks.
Seeing her cry made William feel like the villain. He turned away gruffly.
“If you start crying because it’s hard, I’ll leave you behind.”
“I won’t! Absolutely not. This way, sir.”
She wiped her tears and led him to a ginkgo tree on Laurel Hill. Bibi’s reins, loosely tied, had already come undone—but the clever horse hadn’t run off and was calmly grazing.
Seeing this, William’s irritation flared again.
“You rascal! You followed a stranger all the way here? When we get back, you’re in for hellish training!”
Snort, snort!
As if in protest, Bibi shook his mane.
“How did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Bibi’s skittish—he only follows me or His Highness. How’d you bring him here?”
“Oh, that?”
Millie smiled and pulled something from her pocket—sugar cubes.
“Coachman Tom said no horse in the world can resist sugar.”
William, who always believed Bibi was special, felt vaguely insulted. But what could he do? It was Bibi’s own fault for giving in.
Swinging up onto Bibi’s back, he spurred the horse. The startled animal reared.
“Sir, you promised to—kyah!!”
Before she could finish, William leaned down mid-gallop and hauled her up like he was kidnapping her, plopping her in front of him.
Sitting sideways, Millie clung to his waist with both arms and squeezed her eyes shut against the dizzying speed.
He didn’t push her away—perhaps because she wasn’t looking at him.
In truth, her sudden embrace had startled him, but seeing her trembling with her eyes shut made it clear she wasn’t being bold on purpose.
Still, to keep from going soft, he kept his eyes forward and spurred Bibi again. The horse surged ahead, cutting through the wind.
***
Grrrrowl!
No matter how hard I tried, my stomach wouldn’t stop making noise.
It was the second day since we left the marquis’s estate. Last night we’d stayed in a small village inn, but now, as we neared the border, there were no villages in sight.
So we decided to camp in the forest.
After being in the saddle all day, my feet finally touched the ground, and maybe that’s why my stomach was now loudly begging for food.
Mikrok, pitching a tent under a tree, must have heard it too—his lips curved faintly. Ugh, embarrassing!
I ducked my head to hide my flushed face.
“I was going to set up the tent first, but it seems your stomach won’t wait.”
“It’s fine, I can wait. Go ahead.”
I pretended I wasn’t hungry, but his eyes gleamed mischievously.
“Shall I? It’ll only take about an hour.”
An hour! I thought I was doomed but kept my face straight.
Instead of setting up the tent, he deftly lit a fire and set a small pot over it. When the soup started to boil, my hunger became unbearable.
They said he was used to fighting other countries as easily as eating meals—but even as a king, he seemed quite skilled at living outdoors.
He served the soup, along with jerky, bread, and dried fruit.
I wanted to wolf it all down, but twelve years of refined manners kept me in check. Education really does save a person.
While I ate diligently yet gracefully, he watched me, a small smile playing at his lips, before speaking playfully.
“I wonder if you know…”
“Know what?”
I looked up at him, bread in my mouth.
“Our escape was so sudden, I forgot—the tent we have tonight is for one person. Is that okay?”
I froze, bread still between my lips.
