Chapter 13
Jeff scratched the back of his head awkwardly after Edward scolded him.
“Ah… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, Your Highness, Crown Princess.”
Seeing Jeff’s relaxed expression, Leah also relaxed and gave a small smile.
“This… isn’t really a place where the Crown Princess should come.”
Robert said as he stepped forward.
“I’m here with her. That’s not something you should say.”
Edward replied.
Robert looked confused by his words.
Leah used Edward like a shield and quietly observed the three men in the training ground.
Then her eyes met one man who had been standing silently without reacting.
He had tightly closed lips and deep, calm black eyes.
Even to Leah, who was just an ordinary person, he looked like someone unusual.
Edward followed Leah’s gaze and turned his head.
“John, greet her.”
At Edward’s words, the large man walked toward Leah.
Feeling the pressure from his presence, Leah tightened her grip on Edward’s arm.
“It’s okay. He just looks scary, but he’s actually the gentlest one.”
Edward smiled as if telling her not to worry.
“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. I am John Howard, the Crown Prince’s guard knight.”
His tone was extremely dry and blunt. There was no emotion in it.
But the strong loyalty he had toward Edward could not be hidden.
“Nice to meet you too, Sir John. Please take good care of His Highness.”
John, who had been bowing his head, slightly lifted his eyes and looked at Leah quietly.
Then he noticed Edward beside her looking at Leah with gentle eyes.
John lowered his gaze again.
“Of course, Your Highness. I will protect him even if it costs my life.”
***
Later
“From now on, you will train fully dressed.”
“Huh?”
Jeff reacted especially strongly to Edward’s order.
“Your Highness… if it’s because of me, I’m really fine with it.”
Leah looked up at Edward with shining, hopeful eyes.
Edward stared down at her and smiled.
It was definitely a smile.
But somehow…
This… beautiful smile… can also feel cold…
Leah’s own smile slowly became awkward.
Then—
“Haha… I was joking. Just joking. Hahaha.”
She waved one hand and laughed awkwardly, turning her head away from his gaze.
Edward chuckled comfortably at her reaction.
“I’ll show you around the training ground.”
His voice was gentle.
Leah turned back and saw Edward looking at her with a warm smile.
Feeling a strange mix of shyness and happiness, she smiled brightly at him.
Robert, Jeff, and John noticed the soft atmosphere between the two and exchanged glances.
“Robert. Didn’t you say His Highness didn’t like the Crown Princess?”
“…”
“Does it look like he dislikes her?”
“Well… relationships between men and women can change in just a day…”
“Hah! Our prince? What nonsense are you saying?”
Robert couldn’t argue with Jeff and simply stayed silent.
“I think he likes her.”
John, who had been quietly watching the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, calmly summed it up.
***
“Your Highness, is there anywhere I shouldn’t go?”
Leah asked Edward when she saw he was about to stop training to take care of her.
“There’s nowhere the Crown Princess cannot go.”
Edward answered, confused.
“Then I’ll slowly look around. So please train like usual.”
“But…”
“I said I’d follow you, but I don’t want to get in your way.”
Leah said firmly with a smile.
Edward eventually nodded.
“Then call me anytime if you need something.”
“Yes, I will, Your Highness.”
After confirming that Edward had gone back to Robert and the others, Leah looked around to understand the structure of the training ground.
If something dangerous happened here… what kind of situation would it be?
Leah imagined possible dangers Edward might face in a training ground used by many people.
She didn’t know Edward’s exact fighting ability, but she guessed he was very skilled.
Even without showing it, the energy he gave off was unusual. Even someone ordinary like her could feel that.
And the group of men who trained with him every dawn were definitely not ordinary either.
Leah believed that unless they betrayed him, Edward would never be in danger from an attack here.
Then… if he can’t be harmed through strength or martial skill… maybe it would be disguised as an accident… or poison…
She walked toward the weapon storage area on one side of the training ground.
She slowly looked around inside.
If the place collapsed, someone might get injured, but it probably wouldn’t cause death.
But that’s only if it’s really an accident…
Leah looked over the different weapons again.
Sharp spears, perfectly maintained swords with shining blades, and arrows of various lengths.
There were also many tools whose purpose she couldn’t understand.
Maybe this is normal since it’s an outdoor training ground.
Her anxious thoughts kept building up, so she left the storage room and took a breath of fresh air.
From the center of the training ground she could hear shouting and the sound of metal clashing.
Trying not to disturb them, she carefully climbed the steps surrounding the training ground and sat down to watch.
Edward was fighting against Jeff and Robert at the same time.
John stood nearby watching their movements and pointing out mistakes.
Even while fighting two people, Edward looked relaxed.
His breathing was steady.
His movements were clean and controlled, without wasting energy.
His sharp eyes carefully searched for openings in his opponents.
Leah couldn’t understand how a man like him could possibly be murdered.
“Did he fall for a honey trap or something…”
She chuckled quietly and leaned her head back to look at the early morning sky.
The sky was slowly getting brighter.
She felt a little sad as the calm feeling of dawn slowly disappeared.
She closed her eyes as if trying to ignore it.
With every passing day, it felt like she was getting closer to the edge of death.
As she struggled with her anxiety, she heard a soft, deep voice.
“Did you finish looking around the training ground?”
The voice felt like a beam of light coming from the edge of darkness.
She slowly opened her eyes and lowered her head.
Edward’s steady golden eyes were looking straight at her.
She felt a deep sense of calm.
From the very person who was the cause of her anxiety.
The irony almost made her laugh, but she swallowed it.
“Crown Princess?”
Edward looked worried when she just stared at him silently.
“Yes, Your Highness. How about you? Was I distracting you?”
She smiled calmly, hoping he would feel the same comfort she had received.
“Distracting? Not at all.”
“That’s good then.”
Leah smiled brightly, her eyes gently closing into crescents.
***
Later – Afternoon
After lunch, Leah and Edward went for a light walk in the back garden of the Reverse Palace.
She had only seen it through the window before, but seeing it in person made it look even bigger and more beautiful.
Following Edward’s guidance, Leah slowly walked and looked around.
The garden was full of spring energy and colorful spring flowers.
Among them, a round peony bud that had not yet bloomed looked especially cute and pretty.
She gently touched it like she was petting a small child.
“It’s… so beautiful.”
Leah murmured without realizing it.
“I’ll have the maids put it in a vase.”
“No. It hasn’t even bloomed yet. It’s better to enjoy it here.”
Leah said with a soft laugh.
Then she looked around again.
A little farther away she saw a small pond, a pure white pavilion beside it, and a large fountain.
“The garden is really big. Does it have a name?”
“It’s called Saint Garden. My mother, the former Empress Livia, gave it that name.”
“Ah… she must have loved this garden a lot.”
“Yes. It was the only place in the imperial palace that she truly loved.”
The only place…
Leah turned to look at him.
Edward’s face looked calm and emotionless.
Feeling her gaze, Edward met her eyes and began to speak.
