“Then, just so you don’t doubt me, I would like to be your knight, the one who can never go against your will.”
“…?”
“If you, Astel, will grant me the Eternal Oath. Bind my soul to yours.”
The Duke, frowning at the outrageous offer, finally descended from his seat, and as he stood beside me, he glared at Sir Mayer, who fell to one knee and whispered low.
“My lord, are you delirious?”
But unlike him, I didn’t part my lips as easily. I had read the original, and my brother was a knight, so I knew what the Eternal Oath was.
For a knight, the Eternal Oath was the equivalent of giving your life to another person. Therefore, the ‘Eternal Oath’ was usually given to a lady who had been with a knight for more than a dozen years, or even more than a dozen years.
But why would you give me such an eternal oath…
“That… you’re going to pledge… the Eternal Oath to me?”
“I had been looking for a lady to serve for the rest of my life.”
It was something he knew. A man of very high standards, he had not found a lady to give his loyalty to, and had simply grown old. At the thought of it, I felt a pang of sadness.
Now that he’d mentioned the Eternal Oath, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.
“Then, thank you…”
“Astel.”
Long ago, the Duke had also suggested that I should have an escort knight, and had given me Sir Retro.
However, Sir Retro wasn’t my intended guard, but rather an important warrior of the Duchy, so I thought it’s best to let him go. However, as his Imprint, my safety would be his number one priority, thus I was obligated to take care of me.
I smiled at the Duke and tilted my head, and his face, which looked like it was about to snap at any moment, contorted into a grimace.
“…”
Tearing my gaze away from the speechless Duke, I walked closer to Lord Mayer and gazed at the laurel wreath in his hand.
“Please, give me the laurel.”
Rising to his knees, he placed the laurel upon my head with trembling hands. I pulled the winner’s crown across my forehead and smiled broadly as I turned around. The knight’s ears, which had seemed as hard as iron, turned bright red.
“Then…”
I took a deep breath.
To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll regret this choice in the future or not.
But….
“Be my knight.”
To protect Rune, and to deal with the final villain
To have one more person who stands by my side absolutely, to solidify my power, that’s definitely important.
He smiled at the sound of my whispered words and bent back down to one knee, resting it on the floor.
The man, who must have been twice my size when he stood and had the gaunt appearance of a bear, smiled wryly.
“I, my lady, will serve you faithfully from now on.”
As he spoke, the hall erupted in a roar of voices.
“I never thought ‘that‘ Lord Mayer would say such a thing.”
“It’s… romantic.”
“No, my gosh… Am I dreaming?”
I winced, hiding my reddened ears.
But the final step in the knight’s oath process was necessary.
The kiss on the back of the hand.
‘Though this is the first time I’ve ever given the hand to anyone other than the Duke.’
I cautiously held out the back of my hand to Sir Mayer.
Immediately, his lips were on the back of my hand. Lips as hot as a flame, slowly…
“That’s rude.”
…was unable to pull away.
The sudden interruption was due to an unexpected intruder.
The Duke, standing beside them, looked desolate, then glared down at Lord Mayer with a sneer.
“Don’t you dare lay your filthy lips on the lady under my protection.”
The Duke snatched my hand. His every gesture was elegant and aristocratic.
So much so that everyone in the room realized belatedly the rude hostility in his words as they recoiled.
‘Filthy lips?’
I, in particular, was more than a bit surprised.
…It was true, of course, that the Duke and I have imprints.
But if you think about it, aside from being an Imprint, wouldn’t I, a human, be considered dirtier by the beasts?
“I understand, Your Excellency, and thank you for being my Lady, Astel.”
Lord Mayer was a man of iron nerves.
He rose to his knees and glanced up at the Duke, then back at me.
Like a large dog obediently following its master.
“Astel.”
…The Duke’s voice echoed in my ears.
And somehow, this seemed like a puppy too, but in a different way.
Lifting my hand, he smiled, his eyes twinkling.
“Give me the honor of your first dance.”
By tradition, I was told, the first dance at La Bohème was to be shared with the one you felt most intimate with.
I looked up at him. I could see a strange emotion burning in his eyes.
“Now, you’re jealous.”
…I thought he might be trying to get too close, even though it was just an imprint.
But once I saw the look in the Duke’s eyes, I couldn’t resist.
Besides, I had never danced at a ball before, and I wanted to take this opportunity to do so.
With that in mind, I followed the Duke’s lead.
Soon the music in the hall changed to a ballad, and I stepped on the Duke’s foot for the umpteenth time that day.
He kept smiling at me, and my steps got all tangled up. It wasn’t that I was a bad dancer, just inexperienced.
Pouting, I put a little more effort into my foot on top of the Duke’s foot. Just enough so he wouldn’t notice.
The after-party continued to progress.
Astel danced first with the Duke of Anais, and then with Sir Mayer, who had become her knight, eagerly.
Astel was a poor dancer.
But no one in the room dared to laugh at her clumsy movements.
The Duke of Anais’s watchful eyes were too intimidating.
Furthermore, it seemed like Lord Mayer could pierce or kill with his gaze.
As soon as the dance was over, the Duke hurriedly took Astel to the balcony.
Astel looked as innocent as ever, but the sight of them together sent shivers down the spines of all those assembled.
The Duke’s current demeanor was typical of the possessive attitude of a beast toward its mate.
Fear aside, the fact that the Duke of Anais, who had never been known to make lovers past the age of marriage, was openly possessive of a human was of the utmost concern to the beasts in the Duchy.
Many had only heard of Astel through rumors circulating around the castle but had never seen her in person.
In the midst of all the chatter about Astel, the parrot beast, the most advanced of the bunch, spoke up.
“Are we, by any chance, going to have a human mistress?”
“His Highness the Duke’s eyes are…”
“Really? A human mistress, I don’t think she’ll fit in?”
A beast, the relatively timid rhino asked, shuffling back on his feet.
“Well, it’s not like my opinion matters…”
Few could openly criticize Astel in this room anyway. Those who did speak out against her had already finished their lessons with the Duke of Anais in the name of learning.
Only a few of the Young Ladies remained angry.
“Do you think she’ll ever adapt to beast’s society?”
“Lady, she seems frail.”
The ladies with the butterfly fans hooted, laughed, and chided.
“My, my, I’m afraid I’m going to get in trouble with the Duke for saying that.”
“Ah…”
“The Silver Fox family and the Jaguar family have also honored her as a benefactor.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
It wasn’t as though their deep-seated hatred of humans had been completely eradicated, but they all belonged to a world of powerful and feral beasts. They had no choice but to recognize Astel for saving the lives of the powerhouses and earning their favor.
“Amazingly, a human could do that, isn’t it?”
“She seems to be quite the healer.”
“And she’s got the best knight, too…”
If asked to name the two greatest knights in the duchy right now, everyone would name Duke Anais and
Sir Mayer, the winner of the sword tournament.
They are the men who protect her.
Their chattering voices had different tones, pitches, and countenances.
But their eyes held varying degrees of envy and yearning.
“But…”
At the sound of rhyming words, their attention was drawn to a woman clutching a fan.
She was a beast from monkey race, a well-known romance novelist in the Northern Territories.
“…What on earth is going on up there on that balcony?”
The hem of her dress fluttered as she flicked her monkey tail. Her face turned redder than a baboon’s butt.
She had to start romanticizing in her head about what might be happening to them.
Then, on the balcony.
Enjoying the tranquility outside the party, I listened to the sweet melodies of the orchestra in the distance.
However, my body posture was a bit unsteady. I frowned a little, thinking my legs were swollen from all the dancing, because the Duke got down on one knee in front of me.
“…It is belated, but I congratulate you on becoming Lady of the Sword, Astel.”
…So, like a knight treating me as his lady. He slid off my light pink stiletto heels with a gentle touch.
“Then, just so you don’t doubt me, I would like to be your knight, the one who can never go against your will.”
“…?”
“If you, Astel, will grant me the Eternal Oath. Bind my soul to yours.”
The Duke, frowning at the outrageous offer, finally descended from his seat, and as he stood beside me, he glared at Sir Mayer, who fell to one knee and whispered low.
“My lord, are you delirious?”
But unlike him, I didn’t part my lips as easily. I had read the original, and my brother was a knight, so I knew what the Eternal Oath was.
For a knight, the Eternal Oath was the equivalent of giving your life to another person. Therefore, the ‘Eternal Oath’ was usually given to a lady who had been with a knight for more than a dozen years, or even more than a dozen years.
But why would you give me such an eternal oath…
“That… you’re going to pledge… the Eternal Oath to me?”
“I had been looking for a lady to serve for the rest of my life.”
It was something he knew. A man of very high standards, he had not found a lady to give his loyalty to, and had simply grown old. At the thought of it, I felt a pang of sadness.
Now that he’d mentioned the Eternal Oath, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.
“Then, thank you…”
“Astel.”
Long ago, the Duke had also suggested that I should have an escort knight, and had given me Sir Retro.
However, Sir Retro wasn’t my intended guard, but rather an important warrior of the Duchy, so I thought it’s best to let him go. However, as his Imprint, my safety would be his number one priority, thus I was obligated to take care of me.
I smiled at the Duke and tilted my head, and his face, which looked like it was about to snap at any moment, contorted into a grimace.
“…”
Tearing my gaze away from the speechless Duke, I walked closer to Lord Mayer and gazed at the laurel wreath in his hand.
“Please, give me the laurel.”
Rising to his knees, he placed the laurel upon my head with trembling hands. I pulled the winner’s crown across my forehead and smiled broadly as I turned around. The knight’s ears, which had seemed as hard as iron, turned bright red.
“Then…”
I took a deep breath.
To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll regret this choice in the future or not.
But….
“Be my knight.”
To protect Rune, and to deal with the final villain
To have one more person who stands by my side absolutely, to solidify my power, that’s definitely important.
He smiled at the sound of my whispered words and bent back down to one knee, resting it on the floor.
The man, who must have been twice my size when he stood and had the gaunt appearance of a bear, smiled wryly.
“I, my lady, will serve you faithfully from now on.”
As he spoke, the hall erupted in a roar of voices.
“I never thought ‘that‘ Lord Mayer would say such a thing.”
“It’s… romantic.”
“No, my gosh… Am I dreaming?”
I winced, hiding my reddened ears.
But the final step in the knight’s oath process was necessary.
The kiss on the back of the hand.
‘Though this is the first time I’ve ever given the hand to anyone other than the Duke.’
I cautiously held out the back of my hand to Sir Mayer.
Immediately, his lips were on the back of my hand. Lips as hot as a flame, slowly…
“That’s rude.”
…was unable to pull away.
The sudden interruption was due to an unexpected intruder.
The Duke, standing beside them, looked desolate, then glared down at Lord Mayer with a sneer.
“Don’t you dare lay your filthy lips on the lady under my protection.”
The Duke snatched my hand. His every gesture was elegant and aristocratic.
So much so that everyone in the room realized belatedly the rude hostility in his words as they recoiled.
‘Filthy lips?’
I, in particular, was more than a bit surprised.
…It was true, of course, that the Duke and I have imprints.
But if you think about it, aside from being an Imprint, wouldn’t I, a human, be considered dirtier by the beasts?
“I understand, Your Excellency, and thank you for being my Lady, Astel.”
Lord Mayer was a man of iron nerves.
He rose to his knees and glanced up at the Duke, then back at me.
Like a large dog obediently following its master.
“Astel.”
…The Duke’s voice echoed in my ears.
And somehow, this seemed like a puppy too, but in a different way.
Lifting my hand, he smiled, his eyes twinkling.
“Give me the honor of your first dance.”
By tradition, I was told, the first dance at La Bohème was to be shared with the one you felt most intimate with.
I looked up at him. I could see a strange emotion burning in his eyes.
“Now, you’re jealous.”
…I thought he might be trying to get too close, even though it was just an imprint.
But once I saw the look in the Duke’s eyes, I couldn’t resist.
Besides, I had never danced at a ball before, and I wanted to take this opportunity to do so.
With that in mind, I followed the Duke’s lead.
Soon the music in the hall changed to a ballad, and I stepped on the Duke’s foot for the umpteenth time that day.
He kept smiling at me, and my steps got all tangled up. It wasn’t that I was a bad dancer, just inexperienced.
Pouting, I put a little more effort into my foot on top of the Duke’s foot. Just enough so he wouldn’t notice.
The after-party continued to progress.
Astel danced first with the Duke of Anais, and then with Sir Mayer, who had become her knight, eagerly.
Astel was a poor dancer.
But no one in the room dared to laugh at her clumsy movements.
The Duke of Anais’s watchful eyes were too intimidating.
Furthermore, it seemed like Lord Mayer could pierce or kill with his gaze.
As soon as the dance was over, the Duke hurriedly took Astel to the balcony.
Astel looked as innocent as ever, but the sight of them together sent shivers down the spines of all those assembled.
The Duke’s current demeanor was typical of the possessive attitude of a beast toward its mate.
Fear aside, the fact that the Duke of Anais, who had never been known to make lovers past the age of marriage, was openly possessive of a human was of the utmost concern to the beasts in the Duchy.
Many had only heard of Astel through rumors circulating around the castle but had never seen her in person.
In the midst of all the chatter about Astel, the parrot beast, the most advanced of the bunch, spoke up.
“Are we, by any chance, going to have a human mistress?”
“His Highness the Duke’s eyes are…”
“Really? A human mistress, I don’t think she’ll fit in?”
A beast, the relatively timid rhino asked, shuffling back on his feet.
“Well, it’s not like my opinion matters…”
Few could openly criticize Astel in this room anyway. Those who did speak out against her had already finished their lessons with the Duke of Anais in the name of learning.
Only a few of the Young Ladies remained angry.
“Do you think she’ll ever adapt to beast’s society?”
“Lady, she seems frail.”
The ladies with the butterfly fans hooted, laughed, and chided.
“My, my, I’m afraid I’m going to get in trouble with the Duke for saying that.”
“Ah…”
“The Silver Fox family and the Jaguar family have also honored her as a benefactor.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
It wasn’t as though their deep-seated hatred of humans had been completely eradicated, but they all belonged to a world of powerful and feral beasts. They had no choice but to recognize Astel for saving the lives of the powerhouses and earning their favor.
“Amazingly, a human could do that, isn’t it?”
“She seems to be quite the healer.”
“And she’s got the best knight, too…”
If asked to name the two greatest knights in the duchy right now, everyone would name Duke Anais and
Sir Mayer, the winner of the sword tournament.
They are the men who protect her.
Their chattering voices had different tones, pitches, and countenances.
But their eyes held varying degrees of envy and yearning.
“But…”
At the sound of rhyming words, their attention was drawn to a woman clutching a fan.
She was a beast from monkey race, a well-known romance novelist in the Northern Territories.
“…What on earth is going on up there on that balcony?”
The hem of her dress fluttered as she flicked her monkey tail. Her face turned redder than a baboon’s butt.
She had to start romanticizing in her head about what might be happening to them.
Then, on the balcony.
Enjoying the tranquility outside the party, I listened to the sweet melodies of the orchestra in the distance.
However, my body posture was a bit unsteady. I frowned a little, thinking my legs were swollen from all the dancing, because the Duke got down on one knee in front of me.
“…It is belated, but I congratulate you on becoming Lady of the Sword, Astel.”
…So, like a knight treating me as his lady. He slid off my light pink stiletto heels with a gentle touch.
