Chapter 26
The Devil’s Charm
“Even though I… drew that invisible line so firmly… in the end… it’s come to this after all……”
Hearing Lois’s words, Ximena suddenly felt her head go blank.
“B-Brother… are you okay?”
“Lois……”
“Yes? …Yes, my lady……”
“Maybe… I should have been born a man after all……”
“Huh? Why is the conversation going that way again?”
Ximena suddenly drooped, speaking with sadness.
“Think about it. When I was Ximena, no one cared about me. But once I became Hermes, suddenly I’m so popular… even that coldhearted Ice Marquis fell for me……”
“Uh, w-well, that’s……”
“Ugh… I used to console myself, thinking at least I was born pretty even if my temper’s awful. But in the end, it was all useless.”
Ximena wiped her eyes with her hand, sniffling.
“What are you talking about? I liked you just fine when you were Ximena! Whether you’re Ximena or Hermes, you’re the same to me!”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment, you idiot! You’re basically saying I’m no different as a man or as a woman!”
“Well, that’s true……”
Smack!
“Ow!”
“Too sharp for your own good!”
“Anyway, before those weird rumors spread even more, stop working as an attendant and ask to rejoin training. Or, if not, just quit everything and go back to Carapedon.”
“Hey, how could I go back when there’s still an important mission left?”
“Important mission? Aside from being recognized as an official knight, what else is there?”
“T-There is something. You don’t need to know.”
“Pfft, you always say I don’t need to know……”
“Anyway, I’ll take care of the rumors, so if anyone says anything, make sure you deny it flat out. I’ll join training again soon.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Go on now, Rolex.”
“Yes. Good night, my la—no, brother. And lock the door when you sleep.”
“Yeah, got it.”
As Ximena turned away, she suddenly called Lois back just before he entered the barracks.
“Hey, Lois.”
“What?”
“Thanks… for worrying about me.”
“Tch… of course. I’m… your guard knight, after all.”
“Heh, and practically my younger brother, too.”
“Heh… yes……”
After parting ways with Lois, Ximena walked back to the new servant quarters that Cailian had arranged for her, lost in thought.
‘So… my devilish charm really comes from masculinity, huh. Ugh, I should’ve been born a man even in my past life. If I had, and became an idol or actor, I’d probably be a world-famous star by now.’
Lost in such impossible fantasies, she soon returned to the matter of her entanglement with Cailian.
‘Anyway, this is a problem. Where is this story even going? If… by some slim chance Ines isn’t the culprit……’
For the story to follow the original, male lead Cailian had to meet female lead Ines and spark destiny’s flame. If she really was the culprit, Ximena had to protect him. But if not, she couldn’t risk ruining the bond between the destined pair.
‘But why on earth did Cailian fall for my devilish charm? He said he’s never kept a new knight so close before. Does that mean… his preferences only surfaced after meeting me? At what point, exactly? It’s not like I tried to seduce him… Huh? Could it be……’
She suddenly recalled the children she’d met in the market.
“This big bro kicks super well! He sent our marquis flying with just one kick!”
‘That’s it! The spinning back kick! No one had ever kicked Cailian like that before! So it’s like… one of those chaebol second-male-leads in dramas!’
“You’re the first woman who’s ever treated me this way.”
“Aha, that’s what it was!”
“Out so late again? Where have you been wandering?”
“Huh? Marquis!”
She hadn’t noticed when he arrived, but Cailian was standing with arms crossed in front of her quarters.
As soon as Ximena saw him, she crossed her own arms in imitation, giving him a pitying look.
‘Tch, what a simple man. Falling in love just from one kick… If only I’d come to this world earlier, I’d have told Ximena: if he doesn’t fall for you, just kick him hard once. Tsk, tsk, tsk……’
“My, clicking your tongue the instant you see me? What’s that about?”
“Marquis, this is troublesome. I told you before—there’s an invisible line between us. Of course, I understand my back kick must have been shocking to you. I was probably the first man you ever experienced like that.”
“What?”
“But it wasn’t because I thought of you in any special way. If it had been the vice-captain or the sergeant, I’d have done the exact same.”
“Ha, you speak as if a kick were some priceless gift.”
Cailian let out a short laugh at her nonsense.
“No, what I mean is… you’re not someone special to me.”
At those words, the smile faded from Cailian’s face.
‘Huh? His expression… Was what I said too harsh?’
He stared at her with a hardened face, then averted his gaze, speaking in a low voice.
“I know that. That there’s… someone else you think of as special……”
‘Huh? Someone I think of as special? What’s he talking about?’
“It seems you’ve misunderstood, too. I wasn’t trying… to take that person’s place. I just……”
‘Wait, what am I even hearing right now……’
Ximena, about to speak, only blinked in confusion at Cailian’s stiff silence.
“Marquis?”
“No… forget it. Enough of this. Take this.”
Cailian handed her a sword.
“Huh? What’s this?”
“I lightened it and adjusted the length to fit your grip. You’ll get used to it quickly.”
“Really? Then the design Vice-Captain gave last time was……”
“Yes.”
Ximena slowly drew the blade from its sheath.
Shiiing!
The silver blade, engraved with elegant patterns, gleamed under the moonlight.
“Wow! The length is perfect for me, and it’s so much lighter—it fits right in my hand! Amazing! I love it!”
Excited, she swung the sword about energetically.
“Looks like your wrist has healed completely.”
“Of course. It’s been fine for a whi—oops……”
Too carried away, she realized she was swinging with her right hand without thinking and quickly lowered it.
“Y-Yes… it’s much better now……”
“Then you can rejoin training.”
“What? Ah, yes… I was going to tell you that……”
“Good. From tomorrow, report to the training grounds on schedule. You no longer need to attend me. That’s all.”
“Ah, wait, Marquis……”
But Cailian turned on his heel and strode off without looking back.
Cailian……
Back in his chamber, he sat at the edge of the bed without even changing clothes, lost in thought.
“Commander, forgive me for saying this, but… regarding Hermes, I think there are unsavory rumors spreading among the knights.”
That morning, after patrolling the ramparts and returning to the office, Weill had hesitantly spoken up.
“Rumors?”
“That you’re… keeping Hermes too close……”
At that, Cailian’s brows furrowed.
“Keeping close? He was injured during the tournament—it’s only natural the organizers take responsibility. Besides, I was the one who allowed his extra admission. I only had him attend me until he recovered enough to resume training. ‘Keeping close’—that’s an odd way to put it.”
“Of course, I know that, having seen everything firsthand. But to others… it looks rather different.”
“Different? What do you mean ‘different’? How exactly?”
“T-That is……”
“Weill, since you brought it up, finish your words.”
Pressed by Cailian, Weill stammered.
“T-They say… you treat Hermes almost… like a lover……”
“What? A l-lover?”
“Since you’ve always kept women at a distance, perhaps the knights jumped to the wrong conclusion. The new recruits don’t know you well, and Hermes’s looks are… distracting, to say the least……”
Bang!
“What ridiculous nonsense! Are they saying I… prefer men or something?”
“M-My apologies.”
“Absurd!”
“So, it might be best to return Hermes to training, and also back to the barracks with the other knights……”
“No, absolutely not!”
“Sir?”
“Training is one thing, but sending him back to a barracks full of men… that, that……”
Cailian faltered, unable to find an excuse. Training he could permit, since her wrist had healed. But he had gone out of his way to separate her from the men’s quarters using her attendant duty as a pretext. To send her back now was unthinkable.
Even if Ximena was easygoing and lacked feminine self-consciousness, she was still a woman. Her disguise might fool people for now, but her secret could be exposed anytime. And if she really had approached him with some hidden purpose, it was far safer to keep her close in plain sight.
“She can resume training, but her quarters stay the same.”
“Commander, why……”
“As you said, Hermes’s looks are… unusual. You saw it yourself—how even the new recruits treated him differently. Carrying him around, hugging him, giving piggyback rides… If he returns there, stranger rumors could spread. We’re already dealing with scandal just from him attending me. If they share quarters again, it might tarnish our entire order.”
“Ah… hearing it like that, you’re right. Forgive me, my judgment was shallow. I didn’t realize you had thought so far ahead……”
“Good. Then ignore such baseless gossip from now on. Hermes will return to training, nothing more.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re dismissed.”
“Yes, Commander.”
After Weill left, Cailian exhaled in relief that his improvised excuse had worked.
It was after such deliberation that he decided to bring Hermes back to training, waiting with the sword to deliver the order in person. But then… hearing her words earlier left him with an unsettling feeling.
“Not someone special”… who doesn’t know that? But then, talking about protecting me, calling me the hope of Granelpis, stirring my heart like that… And now… this. What am I even thinking? As if I actually… expect something from her… No. Impossible.”
Cailian rose abruptly, staring out the window with a troubled face.
“I need to keep my head clear. This won’t do.”
